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Tag: NJC

  • Appeal Court affirms IPOB as a terrorist organisation

    Appeal Court affirms IPOB as a terrorist organisation

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the decision to label the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist organization.

     The court, in a unanimous ruling by a three-judge panel led by Justice Hamma Barka, supported the Federal High Court’s 2017 judgment that banned the group.

     The court agreed that the Federal Government acted within the law due to the threat IPOB posed to national security.

     The court dismissed IPOB’s appeal, stating it lacked merit. 

    The IPOB’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Chukwuma-Machukwu Umeh, had argued that the proscription was unlawful and misrepresented facts, claiming it unjustly labeled millions of Igbo Nigerians as terrorists.

     Despite this, the appeal was rejected, reinforcing the Federal High Court’s earlier ruling that prohibited IPOB’s activities, especially in the South-East and South-South regions.

  • BREAKING: Senate begins screening of Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as CJN

    BREAKING: Senate begins screening of Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as CJN

    The Senate has begun with the screening of Honourable Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN.
    Before the commencement of the screening on Wednesday, the Senate leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central moved that there should be a re-order of the Legislative Business of the day to make the screening of Kekere-Ekun be the first matter to be addressed.
    Kekere-Ekun who is going to be screened in the Committee of the Whole of the Senate, arrived at the hallowed Chamber at 12.30.
    She entered with other Justices of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, and others after Order 12 of the Senate standing Order was cited by Senator Bamidele to allow for her and other visitors enter the Chamber. It was seconded by the Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Oyewumi Olalere, PDP, Osun West.
    The Acting CJN was led by the Special Adviser to the President on the Senate, Senator Basheer Lado.
    President Bola Tinubu had on Tuesday written the Senate, seeking the screening and subsequent confirmation
    of Honourable Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN.
    President Tinubu’s letter was read by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio upon resumption from the annual break the Upper Chamber embarked upon since July.
    The letter read, “Pursuant to 231(1) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 as amended which gives the power to the president powers to appoint the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) on the recommendation of the National Judicial Commission (NJC) and subject to confirmation of the Nigerian senate.
    “I have the honour to forward the nomination of Honourable Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun CON for confirmation as CJN.
    “While I hope that this request will receive the expeditious consideration and confirmation of the senate, please, accept distinguished senate president the assurances of my highest consideration and personal regards.”
    Recall that Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun was on 23rd August 2024 sworn-in as the 23rd Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.
    With the swearing-in, Kekere-Ekun was expected to operate in an acting capacity until confirmation by the Senate.
    She took her Oaths around 11:38 am. She’s the second female Justice to hold the position.
  • Tinubu Asks Senate To Confirm Kekere-Ekun As Substantive CJN

    Tinubu Asks Senate To Confirm Kekere-Ekun As Substantive CJN

    President Bola Tinubu has formally requested the Nigerian Senate to confirm Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).
    This request was communicated through a letter, which was read aloud by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio during a session on Tuesday.
    Justice Kekere-Ekun has been serving as the Acting Chief Justice since August, following the retirement of her predecessor, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola. President Tinubu had earlier sworn her into the acting role.
    In his letter, the President referenced Section 231(1) of the Nigerian Constitution.
    Tinubu stated, “Pursuant to 231(1) of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria of 1999 as amended which gives the power to the president powers to appoint the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) on the recommendation of the National Judicial Commission (NJC) and subject to confirmation of the Nigerian senate,” the number one citizen said.
    “I have the honour to forward the nomination of Honourable Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun CON for confirmation as CJN.
    “While it is my hope that this request will receive the expeditious consideration and confirmation of the senate, please, accept distinguished senate president the assurances of my highest consideration and personal regards.”
    Following the presentation, Senate President Akpabio referred the matter to the Committee of the Whole for further consideration, with deliberations set to take place on Wednesday.

  • Kogi Women Protest Alleged EFCC Harassment o Yahaya Bello, Call for Presidential Intervention

    In what some observers have termed as a drama sketch being acted at the pleasure of the powers that be, a large crowd of women took to the streets on Saturday to protest what they called the harassment of former Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
    The protesters appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene, urging him to rein in the EFCC. They maintained that Bello had accomplished more for the state than any other governor since its inception.
    Led by various community leaders and political supporters, the women gathered in Lokoja, the state capital, denouncing what they called a politically motivated “witch-hunt” by the EFCC.
    The group urged the President to act swiftly by ensuring the EFCC allows the judiciary to handle the matter. They claimed that the agency’s actions earlier in the week were part of a targeted attempt to damage Bello’s reputation, warning that they would not stand idly by and watch his safety be jeopardized.
    “We stand with our leader, Yahaya Bello in this trying time. We believe he has been targeted unfairly and we demand justice. We won’t watch him lose his life,” one of the protesters, identified as Hajiya Halima Abass, said.
    “The EFCC should focus on genuine cases of corruption, not political vendetta,” another protester, who simply identified herself as Mrs. Boluwaji, added.
    The various women group leaders, who spoke in their local dialects – Igala, Ebira, Yoruba and others – urged the EFCC to be professional in its “handling of the case against the state leader, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.”
    They chanted songs, saying that Kogi people were fearless people and reiterated that they would not stand by and continue watching what they called a show of shame, especially after the former governor had made himself available to EFCC.
    They wondered why the EFCC refused to interrogate or detain him while he was in their office but rather went shooting at night at the Kogi Government Lodge to arrest a man who had voluntarily walked up to them earlier in the day.
    “We Kogi people of Ebira descent cherish what our son, Yahaya Bello, did for us as governor. That is why we’re out on the streets to ask EFCC to leave him alone.
    “We are not giving him out to anyone to crucify. He will come back to us hale and hearty,” one of the women leaders from Ebiraland, who simply identified herself as Hajiya Fatima, said.
    “We, the Igala people from Kogi East, we are here because of our leader, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. He has never done anything bad to us. To those people that are looking to take him, please leave him alone. We have never seen the kind of his government before. He did well for the state,” another women leader who identified herself as Deborah said.
  • #EndBadGovernance: Court grants N10m bail on each 10 Protesters 

    #EndBadGovernance: Court grants N10m bail on each 10 Protesters 

    1. Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court Abuja, Wednesday, granted N 10 million bail each on the ten #endbadgovernance# protesters who were charged with attempt to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu between July 1 and August 4, 2024.

     

    Pending the perfection of their respective bail conditions, the Judge ordered that they be remmanded in prison custody.

     

    According to the court, the defendants are produce one surety each in the same amount while the sureties must be resident in Abuja.

     

    The sureties must have property in Abuja and must deposit documents of the properties to the court in addition to swearing to affidavit of means.

     

    Also both the defendants and the sureties must deposit their international passports and three recent passport photographs with the court.

     

    Justice Nwite while rejecting the objections of the Inspector General of Police against the bail request however ordered the defendants not to participate in any public rally throughout their trial.

     

    Meanwhile, September 27 has been fixed for commencement of their trial.

     

    The accused persons were said to have committed the treason offence during their one week nationwide protests when they allegedly levied war against Nigeria.

     

    The offences were said to be contrary to sections 96, 410 and 413 of the Penal Code.

     

    Inspector General of Police (IGP) who brought the charges against them alleged that the accused persons broke into the Abacha Army Barracks and openly called on the military to take over the constitutional government of President Tinubu.

     

    He also alleged that they attempted to force their way into into the seat of power during which they allegedly burned down police station and injured police officers.

     

    They were also said to have incited the Nigerian public against the government and destroyed several public properties comprising Police station, High Court complex and National Communication Commission (NCC) facilities.

     

    The accused persons are Michael Tobiloba Adaramoye, Adeyemi Abiodun Abayomi, Suleiman Yakubu, Comrade Opaluwa Eleojo Simon, Angel Love Innocent, Buhari Lawal, Mosiu Sadiq, Bashir Bello Nurudeen Khamis and Abduldalam Zubair.

  • Online Affidavit Application: Federal High Court Launches Portal

    Online Affidavit Application: Federal High Court Launches Portal

    The Federal High Court (FHC) in Lagos has embraced the digital world by inaugurating an online platform that enables the public to obtain affidavits directly from the court.
    This initiative, spearheaded by FHC Chief Judge Justice John Tsoho, aligns the court with contemporary digital best practices on a global scale.
    During a Friday visit to the Lagos division of the court, the court’s Deputy Chief Registrar, Godwin Long, facilitated a tour of the newly established ICT department, which Agwu Charles oversees.
    Agwu provided an explanation of how the general public can utilize this new innovation.
    “It is now a norm that the Affidavit for loss of items, age declaration, change of name, etc can now be done via portal.fhc.gov.ng and following the instructions.
    “What you just need to do is to login to the site: portal.fhc.gov.ng,” Agwu explained.
    DCR Longe further explained that, at the moment, the portal can only process Affidavits that are non-cases related.
    “Affidavits filed to support a case are still done manually because of the peculiar disposition in such Affidavits.
    He reiterated the need for people to be aware that henceforth, “they don’t necessarily have to be physically present to procure the type of Affidavits mentioned above,” he noted.
  • EFCC Chairman, Olukoyede Risks Jail Term For Failing To Comply With Court Order

    EFCC Chairman, Olukoyede Risks Jail Term For Failing To Comply With Court Order

    A Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, says the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanipekun Olukoyede risks imprisonment over his alleged refusal to comply with its ruling.
    The court stated that the EFCC boss failed to comply with its verdict in a suit filed against the Commission by the Bliss Multinational Perfection and Arch Oyinmiebi Bribena, the Chief Executive Officer of Baraza Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited.
    Justice Isa H. Dashen in his judgment in suit number FHC/YNG/CS/125/2022, had perpetually restrained the EFCC from seizing properties belonging to Bliss Multinational Perfections Limited and Bribena, which are clearly not proceeds of crime.
    Also, Justice Dashen declared the seizure and sealing of properties belonging to Bliss Multinational Perfections Limited and Bribena by the EFCC as unlawful.
    The court further described as unlawful the instructions given to Bribena’s bankers by the EFCC to place a post-no-debt lien or freeze his accounts.
    The EFCC was also perpetually restrained from “inviting, harassing, arresting, detaining, threatening to arrest, or detaining the plaintiffs as a result of the civil dispute between Baraza Multipurpose Co-operative Society Limited and its members, or on matters arising from the registered business objects of the co-operative society.”
    The sum of ₦10,000,000 was awarded as exemplary damages against the EFCC for the unlawful seizure and attachment of properties belonging to Bliss Multinational and Bribena.
    However, the plaintiff has alleged that, in disobedience of the Court order, the Port Harcourt zonal office of the EFCC engaged an estate valuer to value and rent out properties belonging to Bliss Multinational Perfection Limited and Arch Oyinmiebi Bribena.
    Sequel to the development, the court, in a “Notice of Consequences of Disobedience to Court Order” addressed to Olukoyede, noted that “unless you obey the direction contained in this order, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.”
    This notice comes after the EFCC Port Harcourt Zonal Office engaged an estate valuer to value and rent out properties belonging to Bliss Multinational Perfections Limited and Arch. Oyinmiebi Bribena, The CEO of Baraza Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited.
  • Hunger Protests: Court strikes out suit against protesters, IGP, DSS, others

    Hunger Protests: Court strikes out suit against protesters, IGP, DSS, others

    Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Thursday, struck out a suit instituted against the anti-hunger protesters and Attorney General of the Federation, (AGF) for want of diligent prosecution.

     

    The court action followed the absence of the 17 plaintiffs and 26 defendants in court and without legal representation from the two parties.

     

    Other Respondents in the suit instituted by 17 Nigerians are Inspector General of Police, Department of the State Service, DSS, and the Chiefs of Army and Defence Staff.

     

    Although the suit was fixed for hearing, Justice Lifu was however shocked that none of the 17 plaintiffs showed up neither were they represented by any legal practitioner.

     

    To worsen the matter, the defendants comprising Take it back movement, Nigerians against hunger, DSS, IGP, Chiefs of Army and Defence Staff had no legal representation while no excuses or explanations were offered for boycott of the proceedings.

     

    Justice Lifu concluded that it had become apparent that the plaintiffs were no longer interested in the matter and subsequently struck it out.

     

    The plaintiffs drawn from the six geo political zones of the country had approached the court seeking order to terminate the protest on the ground that their fundamental rights to freedom of movement, human dignity, right to own property, economic, social and cultural development and right to national peace and security were been breached.

     

    They asked the court to compel the Director General of the DSS, Inspector General of Police, Chiefs of Army and Defence Staff as well as the AGF to enforce their fundamental rights for them by bringing the protesters to order.

     

    The plaintiffs cited Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa among others where great destructions were allegedly done to public and private properties.

     

    The suit was however terminated by Justice Lifu as a result of lack of diligent prosecution on the part of the plaintiffs.

     

    Some of the plaintiffs are Danladi Goje, Buky Abayomi, Adiza Abbo, Ocholi Aduku, Francis John, Nnamdi Eze, Chibuzor Ifeanyi, Fesco Olatunde and Ishaya Istifanus among others.

    Also, Omoyele Somore, AGF, National Security Adviser IGP Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Staff among others

  • 100 Sacked Staff Sue Nigeria’s Central Bank

    100 Sacked Staff Sue Nigeria’s Central Bank

    …Claim Damages
    About 100 sacked staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have sued the apex bank at the National Industrial Court seeking payment for damages.
    About 200 staff of the CBN were sacked in May, by the Yemi Cardoso administration as part of the bank’s re-organization strategy.
    The sacked staff are, among other things, seeking full payment of their monthly salaries, allowances and all other financial benefits they should have been entitled to if they were still in the employment of the bank, from the time their employments were terminated to the time they should have retired from the apex bank.
    The former CBN staff’s Lead Counsel, Ola Olanipekun (SAN), on Thursday, made the court documents available to select journalists in Jos, Plateau State.
    Olanipekun stated that the sacked staff approached the court to enforce their right to fair hearing as workers who had been unjustly sacked by CBN.
    According to Arise TV, the sacked staff’s lead counsel said, “the unlawful action of the apex bank has caused monumental damages to his clients running into hundreds of millions of Naira, adding that they are praying the court to ensure that the defendant pay all the claimants their monthly salaries, allowances and other emoluments/entitlements.”
    Olanipekun added that “one of his clients who still has nine years of service left with the Bank would have earned, if his employment had not been unlawfully terminated, a sum of ₦1,621,455.70 monthly as evidenced by his salary payment, and such other monies in that regards as his current or subsequent promotion position/grades would be entitled.
    “He is praying for an order of the court to ensure that the defendant pays forthwith, all monthly salaries and allowances that the claimant would have earned in the course of his service/employment, being the sum of ₦178, 360,127.00 or such other sums in that regard, from the effective date of unlawful termination of his appointment up and until his due date of lawful retirement on 4th August, 2033.
    “The counsel said that the claimant is also praying the court to ensure that the sum of N100,000,000 million is paid to him as General Damages against the defendant, for wrongful termination of his contract of employment.
    “The sum of ₦30,000,000.00 as the cost of litigation/prosecuting the suit is also demanded from the defendant with 21 percent post-judgment interest, per annum, on all judgment sums awarded, from the date of judgment until the entire judgment sum is wholly defrayed/liquidated as well as further orders as the court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of the case.”
    Olanipekun explained that the Originating Summons dated 22 August 2024, is supported by a 27 paragraphs affidavit deposed to by the Claimant himself.
  • Imo Guber: S/Court affirms Gov, Hope Uzodinma election 

    Imo Guber: S/Court affirms Gov, Hope Uzodinma election 

    In furtherance of what the critical public now calls “Judiocracy” the Supreme Court of Nigeria pronounced three major judgements today, Friday, August 23, 2024 all, affirming the electoral victory of state Governors.

    The beneficiaries of these judgements were Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo state governors.

    In the case of Governor Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressive Congress APC, just as the other two cases, the Supreme Court affirmed his election.

     

    The court had in a judgement declared by Justice Mohammed Baba Idris, dismissed the two separate appeals brought to it by the Labour Party LP and the People’s Democratic Party PDP against the declaration of Hope Uzodinma.

     

    The supreme court held that the appeals of the LP governorship candidate, Athan Achonu and that of PDP Samuel Anyawu were was lacking in merit.

     

    According to the judgement, the LP and PDP gubernatorial candidates were said to have failed to establish allegations of over voting and other malpractices against the November 11,2023 poll.