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Tag: Court

  • Court orders Akpabio, others to file defence in Natasha’s suit

    Court orders Akpabio, others to file defence in Natasha’s suit

    The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, ordered Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and others to file their defence in a suit filed by Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District.

    Justice Obiora Egwuatu gave the order after it was confirmed from the court records that all processes in the suit had been duly served on the defendants.

    The embattled senator had, in a motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025, sued clerk of the National Assembly (NASS) and the Senate as 1st and 2nd defendants.

    Akpoti-Uduaghan also named the President of the Senate, Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Sen. Neda Imasuem, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Code of Conduct as 3rd and 4th defendants respectively.

    The lawmaker, among others, sought an order of interim injunction restraining the Senate’s committee headed by Imasuem from proceeding with the purported investigation against her for alleged misconduct sequel to the events that occurred at the plenary on Feb. 20, pursuant to the referral by the Senate on Feb. 25, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

    Justice Egwuatu had, on March 4, granted all the prayers in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s motion, including an order declaring any action taken during the pendency of the suit as null, void and of no effect whatsoever.

    The judge also granted leave to the lawmaker to serve the 2nd to 4th defendants the originating summons and all other accompanying processes in the suit by substituted means to wit: by serving same through the 1st defendant (Clerk of NASS) or pasting same on the premises of the National Assembly and publishing same in two national dailies.

    Justuce Egwuatu subsequently made an order “directing the 1st -4th defendants to come and show cause within 72 hours upon the service of the order on them why an order of interlocutory injunction should not be granted against them restraining them from proceeding with the purported investigation against the plaintiff for alleged misconduct without affording her privileges as stipulated in the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Senate Standing Order 2023 and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.”

    Upon resumed hearing on Monday, counsel to the 1st (clerk), 2nd (Senate) and 3rd (Akpabio) defendants told the court that they had not been served with the processes in the suit.

    However, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lawyer, Michael Numa, SAN, disagreed with their submission.

    Numa informed the court that all parties had been served, adding that affidavits of service were already before the court.

    After going through the affidavits of service in the court records, Justice Egwatu confirmed service of all processes on all defendants.

    At this point, counsel to the senate president, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, prayed the court for an adjournment for all processes to be regularised.

    Others lawyers aligned with Ogunwumiju’s submission, pointing out that this would facilitate accelerated hearing at the next adjourned date.

    Justice Egwatu, in a ruling, ordered that all relevant processes should be filed and served on parties in the matter before the next adjourned date.

    The judge then adjourned the matter until March 25 for hearing.

    NAN reports that the Senate, at a plenary presided over by the senate president on Thursday, suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months after it considered the report of the committee chaired by Imasuem.

  • Kano Court jails lady for smuggling $1.15m, 136,000 Saudi Riyals into Nigeria

    Kano Court jails lady for smuggling $1.15m, 136,000 Saudi Riyals into Nigeria

    A Federal High Court in Kano has sentenced one Hauwa Abdullahi Ibrahim to prison for smuggling an undeclared sum of $1,154,900 and SDR135,900 Saudi Riyals into Nigeria from Saudi Arabia.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kano Zonal Directorate, secured her conviction after she pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of money laundering before Justice S. M. Shuaibu.

    According to a statement released on Thursday by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, Ibrahim was apprehended at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service.

    However, she had failed to declare the large sum of money as required by law, leading to her immediate arrest.

    According to Oyewale, following her arrest, the Nigeria Customs Service handed her over to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution.

    The EFCC subsequently charged Ibrahim in court with two counts of money laundering under Section 3(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

    During her arraignment, she pleaded guilty to both charges as they were read to her.

    “In view of her plea, counsel for the prosecution, Musa Isah reviewed the facts of the case and tendered exhibits including the undeclared amount and subsequently prayed the court to convict her accordingly.

    “However, Justice Shuaibu allowed an allocutus which opportune Ibrahim to narrate her story before the court. The convict disclosed that she was approached by one Nafiu in Saudi Arabia who allegedly solicited her assistance to carry along one box from Saudi to Nigeria and when she enquired about the content of the box, he allegedly told her that it was date and small amount of cash.

    “Taking Nafiu at his word, she allegedly accepted to take the box. She further stated that Nafiu gave her a phone of one particular woman who will collect the box from her upon arrival in Kano,” he said.

    Oyewale explained that on landing at the Kano airport, Ibrahim stated that she called the number given to her by Nafiu and the woman came, and she handed over the box to her.

    However, after leaving the airport, she was recalled by the airport authorities to return with her passport to clear the box as she was the one that brought it to Nigeria.

    He said, “Upon her arrival, she was arrested and was shown the contents of the box she flown in with.

    “She pleaded with the court to spare her as she had no knowledge of the contents of the box and that she was deceived by the sender who told her that the box only contained dates and small amount of money.”

    “In view of her plea for mercy, Justice Shuaibu convicted the defendant as charged and ordered the forfeiture of the undeclared money to the Federal Government in line with Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022,” Oyewale added.

  • Court orders final forfeiture of $1.4m linked to Emefiele

    Court orders final forfeiture of $1.4m linked to Emefiele

    A Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday, ordered a final forfeiture of the sum of 1.43 million dollars, linked to embattled former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele.

    The forfeiture suit was filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Justice Ayokunle Faji in his judgment, held that the sum formed proceeds of unlawful activities and ought to be forfeited to the Federal Government.

    The court, consequently ordered forfeiture of same.

    The court held that the anti graft agency had proved its case, establishing unlawfulness of the said funds.

    The EFCC counsel, Mrs Bilkisu Bahri-Bala, had told the court that the sum was lodged in the account of Donatone Ltd domiciled in Titan Trust Bank.

    She had argued that the funds had been established to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

    In an affidavit deposed to by one David Jayeoba, an EFCC investigating officer, he said that the commission received Intelligence report on the crime.

    According to him, this led to the filing of the forfeiture proceedings.

    “in the course of my investigation, the commission received intelligence which led to tracing of the funds warehoused in the Donatone Ltd .

    “While investigating the monumental fraud, we discovered a huge amount of money warehoused and concealed in the account of the company, domiciled in Titan Trust Bank.

    “Part of the said funds, which represent the proceeds of Emefiele and his cronies’ unlawful activities, are retained in the accounts now sought to be forfeited,” he avverred

    According to the deponent, directors were procured by Emefiele, to conceal, retain and disguise funds which are proceeds of unlawful activities.

    Justice Faji had on May 30, 2024, ordered interim forfeiture of the funds, which final forfeiture the court ordered on Thursday.

  • Just in: Court stops Senate from probing Natasha

    Just in: Court stops Senate from probing Natasha

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has stopped the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions from conducting a disciplinary proceeding against the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

    The presiding judge, Obiora Egwuatu, gave the order on Tuesday following an ex parte application filed by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s counsel.

    On February 20, the Kogi Central lawmaker clashed with Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over seat allocation.

    She rejected her assigned seat, defying Akpabio’s order and repeatedly raising a point of order despite being overruled.

    The Senator representing Ekiti South Sentorial District, Yemi Adaramodu, who raised a point of order during plenary, said the incident had tarnished the Senate’s image.

    He said attempts to clarify the Senate’s position have been unsuccessful as the people already have their opinion on the incident based on the Kogi lawmaker’s action.

    The upper legislative chamber took the decision during last Tuesday‘s plenary, following consideration and adoption of a report presented by Adaramdou.

    Senators unanimously approved that the matter be referred to the committee after it was put to a voice vote by Akpabio.

    The Senate President asked the committee to review the entire incident and report back to the Red Chamber.

  • Ekiti prophet sentenced to life jail term

    Ekiti prophet sentenced to life jail term

    The Ekiti High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, on Monday, sentenced one Prophet Adeleye Akingbaso, 47, to life imprisonment for raping a 13-year-old girl.

    Akingbaso was first arraigned in September, 2022 before Justice Blessing Ajileye on a two-count charge of rape and coercion.

    Delivering her judgment, Justice Ajileye said, “in conclusion, this court has found the defendant guilty on the two count charge of rape and coercion and convicted him accordingly.”

    She said this would serve as deterent to others in the class of the convict who have not been caught up with by nemesis.

    ”On Count one (rape), the defendant is sentenced to life imprisonment and on count two (Coercion), the defendant is sentenced to three years imprisonment, both terms are to run concurrently,” Justice Ajileye declared.

    During trial, the Prosecution Counsel, Taiwo Ajibulu told the court that the convict committed the offences sometime in July 2022, in Ado-Ekiti.

    He said that the defendant raped the 13-year-old girl (names withheld) and also coerced the victim to engage in sexual acts to the detriment of her physical and psychological well-being.

    According to him, the offences contravened Section 31(2) of the Child’s Rights Law, Cap. C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012 and Section 4 of the Ekiti State Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition) Law, No.18 of 2019.

    In her testimony before the Court, the girl said “Prophet Adeleye was my mother’s man-friend, he comes and sleep in our house often, but on a particular day, my mummy was on night duty, Prophet Adeleye came to sleep in our house.

    “He woke me up midnight and said I bedwet, I said no. He brought out a bottle of sheabutter and rubbed it on my virgina, that was all I knew.

    “I later discovered I had been raped that night, he threatened me that he will curse me and I will die if I tell anybody. On the second day, my mother was not at home, he came to our house again.

    “I was in the kitchen, he told me he wanted to complete what he started yesterday. He was trying to rough-handled me, but I managed to run out and shouted for help and our neighbours came to my rescue.

    “They called my mother and narrated what happened to her, she slapped the Prophet when she came and later reported the case at the Police Station, she concluded.”

    To prove its case, the prosecutor called four witnesses and tendered the defendant’s statement and the girl’s medical report as exhibits.

    Counsel to the  defendant, Mr Adelanke Akinrata, called no witness.

  • Court joins PDP, Udeh-Okoye, others in Sen. Anyanwu’s suit against INEC, Damagun

    Court joins PDP, Udeh-Okoye, others in Sen. Anyanwu’s suit against INEC, Damagun

    The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, gave an order joining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a suit filed by Sen. Samuel Anyanwu to stop his removal as party’s national secretary.

    Justice Inyang Ekwo, who joined the PDP as 3rd defendant, also made an order joining Mr Sunday Udeh-Okoye, who called himself the valid national secretary  as 4th defendant in the suit.

    The judge equally joined Dr Ali Odela and Mr Setonji Koshoedo as 5th and 6th defendants respectively in the suit filed against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the PDP’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damagun.

    While Odela is said to be the national vice chairman, PDP’s South East, Koshoedo is said to be the deputy national secretary of the party.

    When the matter was called on Friday, more lawyers announced appearance for parties seeking to be joined in the suit, besides PDP and Udeh-Okoye who had showed interest in the case on the last adjourned date.

    While K.E. Oyinke announced appearance for Odela, J.A. Musa represented Koshoedo.

    Meanwhile Paul-Harris represented the PDP while Kingsley Ode appeared for Udeh-Okoye.

    Justice Ekwo then asked Mr Ken Njemanze, SAN, who was lawyer to Anyanwu, if he would be contesting the applications of parties seeking to be joined and he responded in the negative.

    The judge subsequently joined the four interested parties after their lawyers moved and adopted their processes.

    The judge therefore granted the plaintiff three days within which to file and serve his application and also given the defendants three days upon being served by the plaintiff to file and serve their responses.

    He reminded parties of the subsisting order for accelerated hearing of the matter.

    Justuce Ekwo, who warned parties against late filing, said everyone must file their applications two days before hearing.

    He warned that counsel would personally be penalised if they failed to do so for any reason.

    The judge consequently adjourned the matter until March 13 for hearing.

    Anyanwu had, on Feb. 19, in the fresh suit, sued INEC and the PDP’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damagun, over alleged plan to remove him as party’s national secretary.

    Anyanwu, in the ex-parte motion: marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/254/2025 dated and filed on Feb. 13 by Njemanze, had sought two prayers.

    He sought an order of interim injunction, restraining INEC from accepting, acting on or giving effect to any correspondence, letter, document, mail, notice, form and or written submission purported to emanate from the PDP not signed by him pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

    He also sought an order of interim injunction restraining Damagun from dispatching to INEC any correspondence purportedly emanating from PDP signed by the acting chair and not counter signed by him, pending the hearing of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction filed simultaneously with this motion ex-parte.

    Anyanwu, in the affidavit in support of the motion, said he was the party’s national secretary.

    He said he was duly elected as the national secretary at the PDP’s National Convention held on Oct. 30 and Oct. 31, 2021 in Abuja.

    However, Udeh-Okoye, in a motion on notice filed by Paul Erokoro, SAN, said he is the substantive National Secretary of the PDP.

    He said the chairman, PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), by a special commendation, on behalf of himself and members of all the BoT, commended the NWC of the party for its display of courage, respect for the rule of law and the constitution of the party in affirming him as the substantive National Secretary.

    The PDP, in its application for joinder filed by Ogbole, also backed Udeh-Okoye’s submission.

    Besides, Odela and Koshoedo, in their separate motions on notice, said Anyanwu’s reliefs in the suit are against the PDP and parties seeking to be joined as defendants.

    They argued that Anyanwu filed the case in bad faith with intent to undermine the constitution of the political party.

    They said the suit is an abuse of court process as similar suit is pending at the Supreme Court.

  • Court remands PDP chieftain in prison

    Court remands PDP chieftain in prison

    A Chief Magistrate Court in Lokoja, on Friday remanded a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Chieftain, Austin Okai, in Correctional Centre pending the investigations labeled against him by Directorate of State Security Service (DSS).

    Chief Magistrate Abdullahi Musa-Mopa, of the Lugard Chief Magistrate Court, gave the order after listening to the DSS, which arraigned the politician before him.

    The DSS’s Prosecution Counsel, Izo Isaac, told the court that Okai, a former House of Representatives member for the Dekina/Bassa Federal Constituency, was being arraigned for alleged cyberstalking and criminal defamation of character.

    Isaac said: “Today’s arraignment of the accused is to ensure compliance with the law, by not keeping him beyond 48 hours in our custody, without the lawful permission of the court in line with the Criminal Justice System of Nigeria.

    “We hereby apply to this honourable court to grant our application for reminding the accused in a correctional centre.

    “This is to enable the DSS to conclude their investigations into the allegations of Cyberstalking and Criminal Defamation labeled against Austin Okai.”

    In his ruling, Chief Magistrate Musa-Mopa, granted the application and ordered that Okai should be kept in custody of the Federal Correctional Centre in Kabbah.

    Okai allegedly placed on the social media that the Kogi Governor, Alh. Ahmed Ododo allegedly stole billions of naira meant for local governments in the state as well as some government agencies.

    Consequently, DSS operatives picked up Okai from his residence on Wednesday.

  • Just in: Court orders all Lagos lawmakers to be joined in Obasa’s suit

    Just in: Court orders all Lagos lawmakers to be joined in Obasa’s suit

    The Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has ordered that all members of the Lagos House of Assembly be joined as parties in the suit filed by Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.

    Justice Yetunde Pinheiro has also adjourned the case till March 7 to hear all pending applications.

    Hon. Obasa had approached the court to challenge his removal by at least 36 of his colleagues on January 13, 2025.

    In the application dated February 12, 2025, and filed by his lawyer, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Afolabi Fashanu, the claimant stated that he was removed from his position on January 13, 2025, by 36 lawmakers while he was out of the country.

    Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo, is leading Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Bimbo Akeredolu, and other lawyers to represent Hon. Mojisola Meranda.

    Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, is leading Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Muiz Banire, and other counsels to represent the 36 lawmakers, while Senior Advocates, Olu Daramola and Dada Awosika, are representing other parties seeking to be joined in the suit.

    NAN

  • Court to hear Obasa’s alleged wrongful removal suit March 7

    Court to hear Obasa’s alleged wrongful removal suit March 7

    The ousted speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has brought several applications before an Ikeja High Court challenging his removal as speaker.

    The respondents in the suit are members of the state assembly and the current speaker, Mojisola Meranda.

    Recall that Obasa was impeached on Jan. 13, following allegations of gross misconduct and abuse of office, and the deputy, Meranda, was elected as his successor.

    When the case was called on Friday, several Senior Advocates of Nigeria appeared for the plaintiff and the respondents.

    NAN reports that Mr Afolabi Fashanu (SAN), appeared for Obasa, while Mr Femi Falana (SAN), Mr Muiz Banire (SAN) and a team of other lawyers represented 34 lawmakers.

    Also, Mr Olu Daramola (SAN) and Mr Dada Awosika (SAN) represented other members of the house seeking to be joined in the suit.

    Equally, Mr Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) led Mrs Bimbo Akeredolu (SAN) and other lawyers to represent Meranda, the new speaker.

    NAN also reports that there was a mild drama over who would represent members of the state assembly.

    Falana initially announced his appearance for the assembly members but another counsel, Mr Abang Mkpandiok told the court he was also representing the assembly members.

    Mkpandiok said he was briefed on Thursday night by the assembly members and had filed a motion for  change of counsel in the morning.

    He said that the choice of counsel was a fundamental right and urged the court to take his application first.

    Falana, in his objection, told the court that he had not been served and remained the counsel on record for the assembly members.

    Oyetibo also confirmed to the court  that  he had not been served with the application.

    Mkpandiok then elected to serve the application in court.

    After looking through the court’s records, Justice Yetunde Pinheiro, stated that the application for change of counsel was not ripe for hearing.

    She held, “The application for accelerated hearing will not be taking today”.

    Pinheiro, in her short ruling, also ordered that all members of the Lagos House of Assembly be joined as parties in the suit.

    The judge adjourned until March 7 for hearing of the pending preliminary objections.

    According to reports, in an application dated Feb.12, Obasa had alleged that he was unlawfully removed from his position on Jan. 13 by 36 lawmakers, while he was abroad.

    Some members of the house who were not initially listed as defendants, filed their applications seeking to be joined as parties.

  • BREAKING! Supreme Court sacks all Rivers LG Chairmen

    BREAKING! Supreme Court sacks all Rivers LG Chairmen

    Rivers state Local Government Chairmen have been fired by the Supreme Court.

    Details soon….