A Magistrates’ court in Yola Adamawa, presided over by Jummai Ibrahim has ordered the release of Mr Aminu Yar’Adua, son of the late president of Nigeria, Umaru Yar’Adua from prison custody, amidst protest.

Recall that the court had on August 6, 2021 ordered the remand of Aminu, a student of the American University of Nigeria, Yola, is standing trial for manslaughter after killing four persons in a hit and run accident that resulted in the death of the four women on 23 June, 2021 while two persons were injured in the crash.

“Those who died in the accident were identified as Aisha Umar (30), Aisha Mamadu (32), Suleiman Abubakar (2), and Jummai Abubakar (30), while, Rejoice Annu (28) and Hajara Aliyu (27) sustained injuries,” the FIR states.

At the trial of the ex President’s son on August 9th 2021, the court, ordered the release of the accused to pave the way for out-of-court settlement with bereaved family members.

Daily Independent, reported that the family of those killed had protested against his release while Aminu is yet to pay the medical bills of those who were injured or those who later died at the Federal Medical Center FMC Yola.

But they however admitted that only the sum of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) was donated to the family of those killed and injured by Adamu Atiku Abubakar, son of the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who is a family friend of the Yar’Aduas.

The prosecuting officer told the court that the relatives of the late Aisha Umar, Suleiman Abubakar, and Jummai Abubakar had demanded the sum of N15 million from the defendant as compensation.

But, when the FIR was read to the defendant as prayed by the prosecutor, he denied committing the offence, describing the allegation as untrue.

At that point, the prosecutor pleaded with the court to adjourn the matter, to enable him to duplicate the case file and forward it to the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.

The trial magistrate, Jummai Ibrahim granted the prosecution’s request and adjourned the matter to August 19, 2021.

A close relative of one of the deceased woman, Aisha Umar who spoke to our Daily Independent in confidence said, they were herded to the magistrate court where they were asked to leave the matter to God.

“We were taken to the premises of the court where we were asked to leave the matter to God. And since then we obliged and left the matter,” the family source said amidst sobs.

On whether the family got any form of compensation since they had purportedly sought an out-of-court settlement, the source said, “we were not given a penny. If there is any arrangement, we were not aware of it as a family,” the source said.

Efforts to contact the husband of Aisha Umar, Malam Muazu proved abortive as his phone number was not connecting for two days running.

But a source close to Aminu Yaradua insisted that a princely N15 million exchanged hands between the Yar’ Adua family and the families of the deceased people.

“I can confidently tell you that there was a settlement between the Yaradua family and the families of the victims. We were even shocked that the relatives of the Christian victim said they had left the matter while the families of the Muslim victims said they must be compensated.

“Yaradua has been released since after the out-of-court settlement and he has already left for Katsina to spend his break,” the source said.

Also speaking, a senior staff of the Magistrate’s court said he was aware of the out-of-court settlement but said, “I don’t know the terms of the settlement”.

“I’m aware of the fact that an out-of-court settlement between the parties but I’m not in the picture of the terms of the settlement,” he said.

Aminu was remanded in prison custody last Thursday after he was arraigned following charges bordering on dangerous driving.

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