The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja has approved substituted service of court processes in a defamation suit filed by a former Chief of Army Staff, marking a procedural escalation in the case involving a retired senior officer and two media organisations.
Desk: Law & Justice
Date: Saturday, 28 March 2026
Time: 14:35 WAT
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
The order, granted by the FCT High Court No. 2, enables service through newspaper publication and physical posting at last known addresses after failed attempts at direct delivery, according to court documents.
The suit was instituted by Faruk Yahaya against retired Major General Danjuma Hamisu Ali-Keffi, Arise News, and Sahara Reporters over alleged defamatory claims.
The court-directed substituted service mandates the Court Bailiff to publish originating processes in a national newspaper circulating within the FCT and to paste the documents at the defendants’ last known locations.
Legal Trigger
Lead counsel to the claimant, Mohammed Ndayako, confirmed that the application for substituted service followed repeated unsuccessful attempts to serve the defendants through conventional means.
He stated that the retired officer declined to acknowledge service at his recorded post-retirement residence in Kurudu, Abuja, necessitating judicial intervention to move the case forward.
Procedural Significance
The ruling allows the case to proceed despite service challenges, closing a common delay pathway in high-profile litigation where defendants are unavailable or unresponsive to direct service.
Legal observers note that substituted service is typically granted when the court is satisfied that all reasonable efforts to effect personal service have failed.
With service now authorised through alternative means, the matter is expected to progress to the next procedural stage, including formal responses from the defendants once service is deemed effected.
🏷️ Tags: FCT High Court, Defamation Suit, Nigerian Judiciary, Media Law, Faruk Yahaya
#Nigeria #Judiciary #MediaLaw #Security #Abuja
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