The scheduled arraignment of Mr. Christopher Maikalangu, Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), over alleged certificate forgery, was on Wednesday stalled at the Dutse Magistrates’ Court in Abuja.
The case, which appeared on the cause list before Chief Magistrate Abdullahi Ilela of Court I, could not proceed due to the magistrate’s absence. The matter has now been adjourned to April 24 for arraignment.
Correspondence reports that the direct criminal complaint was filed by Awalu Mohammed, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a resident of AMAC.
According to the case file (CR/DUT/324/25) dated March 24, Maikalangu is the sole accused. Mohammed alleged that Maikalangu, on or about Jan. 8, 2013, submitted a forged First School Leaving Certificate from Festival Road Primary School (1983–1989) to the FCT Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Office in Area 10, Garki, Abuja.
The forged document, he said, was included in the defendant’s INEC FORM C.F. 001 for councillorship, “knowing it to be forged and with intent that it may in any way be used or acted upon as genuine.”
Mohammed further alleged that on or about May 8, 2021, the AMAC chairman submitted another forged First School Leaving Certificate from LEA Model Science Primary School (1984–1989) to INEC for the chairmanship election. The submission, he said, was accompanied by a court affidavit for statutory declaration of age and another affidavit for correction of name on voter’s card, both allegedly forged.
He accused Maikalangu of committing offences contrary to Sections 362(a), 363, and 264 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In his verifying affidavit, Mohammed stated that he felt duty-bound to expose any act of forgery by public officials.
“Consequently, I have filed this direct criminal complaint against the defendant. I hereby verify the facts contained in this complaint as true and correct to the best of my knowledge,” he said.
He explained that based on the requirements of the Electoral Act, Maikalangu submitted his sworn Form EC9 to INEC in both 2013 and 2021—documents that include affidavits in support of personal particulars for both councillorship and chairmanship positions.
Upon application, Mohammed said he received Certified True Copies (CTCs) of Maikalangu’s Form EC9 and accompanying documents, including INEC Forms 001 for both elections, from the FCT Area Council Election Tribunal. He also cited a police investigation report and correspondence from the FCT High Court, which he claims support his forgery allegations.
“Based on the above differences between the two certificates, I verily believe that the defendant submitted forged First School Leaving Certificates to INEC in 2013 and 2021,” he alleged.
At the Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, Job Israel, counsel to the complainant, was present.
Speaking to journalists after the adjournment, Israel claimed that though the magistrate was initially present and prepared to sit, he was later “invited by higher authority at the FCT High Court.”
(NAN)