Category: Judiciary - Page 15 - African News Today

SAN, South-East Lawyers Seek To Join Northern Elder’s Suit On Secession

26Oct

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Judiciary, News, Nigeria

SAN, South-East Lawyers Seek To Join Northern Elder’s Suit On Secession

Some legal practitioners from the South-East geo-political region of Nigeria have applied to a Federal High Court in Abuja to join them as defendants in a suit filed by a group of northern elders praying for the secession of the Igbo out of Nigeria based on the agitations of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafran and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu. The legal practitioners led by Chief Chuks Muoma (SAN), Ukpai Ukairo, Ebere Uzoatu and Obi Emuka are asking for an order of the court to allow them to join in the suit as representatives of the people of the southeastern region. The applicants in their application for joinder filed by Victor Onweremadu and obtained by our correspondent on Monday in Abuja, they claimed that the case of the northern elders seeking the exit of South-East from N...

Nnamdi Kanu Pleads Not Guilty to Treason Charges

22Oct

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Judiciary, News, Nigeria

Nnamdi Kanu Pleads Not Guilty to Treason Charges

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, on Thursday pleaded not guilty to seven counts filed against him at a Federal High Court in Abuja. Kanu was also challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter on the grounds that the alleged offences were committed in the United Kingdom and not in Nigeria. His lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, made the disclosure shortly after his re-arraignment before Justice Binta Nyako. Kanu was in June re-arrested in Kenya and extradited to the country to face trial. He was first arrested in a Lagos Hotel in 2015 by operatives of the Department of State Service and was arraigned alongside four others in 2016. During Thursday’s re-arraignment, Kanu, was sported wearing a white Fendi clothe and was ushered into the courtroom...

Nnamdi Kanu Brought To Court Amidst Tight Security

21Oct

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Judiciary, News, Nigeria

Nnamdi Kanu Brought To Court Amidst Tight Security

The leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, on Thursday, arrived at the Federal High Court in Abuja amidst tight security. He was brought to the Court on a black Sports Utility Vehicles at about 8am, although sitting had yet to commence as of the time of this report. Journalists, lawyers and staff of the FHC were barred from entering the Court premises. From Transcorp Hilton through the Ministry of Justice and Abia House, security was beefed up with the presence of a combined team of Police, Army, Department of State Services operatives estimated to be over 3,000. Recall that Kanu who is being held by the DSS was not brought to court during the last proceedings, a development that was blamed on “logistical issues” by the prosecuting lawyer, Mohammed Abuba...

Amended Charges: ‘We Are Prepared For Fireworks’, Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyers Tell FG

19Oct

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Biafra, Judiciary, News, Nigeria

Amended Charges: ‘We Are Prepared For Fireworks’, Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyers Tell FG

Ifeanyi Ejiofor, lead counsel to the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has asked the Federal Government and others to expect “legal fireworks” on Thursday. He also said the IPOB legal team is “eminently prepared”. He said this while reacting to the amended charges by the Federal Government against his client. In an update posted on his Facebook page, Ejiofor also said his client is in high spirit ahead of the arraignment. Ahead of his arraignment on October 21, the detained leader of IPOB had asked millions of his supporters to embark on a dry fast. The Federal Government had filed an amended seven counts against Nnamdi Kanu, according to one of his lawyers, Maxwell Opara. Opara stated this in a short interview with journalists on the premi...

El-Zakzaky Sues AGF, DSS For N2bn Over Detention, Passport’s Seizure

18Oct

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Judiciary, News, Nigeria

El-Zakzaky Sues AGF, DSS For N2bn Over Detention, Passport’s Seizure

The leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, has sued the Department of State Services and the Attorney-General of the Federation to court over his prolonged detention and the refusal of the government to release his passport. In the fundamental human rights suit instituted at the Federal High Court, Abuja, by his lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), El-Zakzaky is seeking seven reliefs, including an “order mandating the respondents to pay over to the applicant the sum of N2bn as general and exemplary damages for the violation of the applicant’s rights to freedom of movement, fair hearing and property.” The cleric is also seeking a declaration that the seizure of his passport with number A50578740 since May 2019 is illegal and unconstitutional as it violates his...

Fast Ahead Of My Arraignment, Nnamdi Kanu Tells Supporters

17Oct

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Judiciary, News, Nigeria

Fast Ahead Of My Arraignment, Nnamdi Kanu Tells Supporters

Ahead of his arraignment on October 21, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has asked millions of his supporters to embark on a dry fast. His counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who stated this on his verified Facebook page, also stated that Kanu was well. Ejiofor said Kanu asked him to tell his followers that he was in high spirits ahead of his arraignment at the Federal High Court in Abuja next Thursday. He wrote partly, “Prominent among the falsehoods desperately championed by mischief makers is the trending subject that our dear client, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has been flown to China, and from China to Israel, and from Israel to Kontokatafi etc. Read Also: IPOB Declares Sit-At-Home On Thursday To Honour Nnamdi Kanu’s Court Trial “We know the purv...

IPOB Declares Sit-At-Home On Thursday To Honour Nnamdi Kanu’s Court Trial

17Oct

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Biafra, Judiciary, News, Nigeria

IPOB Declares Sit-At-Home On Thursday To Honour Nnamdi Kanu’s Court Trial

The Indigenous People of Biafra has said next week Thursday is the only day its members should exercise sit-at-home to honour its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, as he is expected in court. The group refuted claims that it asked members to sit at home for the one-year remembrance of the #EndSARS protesters killed by the military men and other security agencies last year. IPOB further revealed it suspended the weekly Monday sit-at-home in the South-region, adding that those who did so did out of their volition. It, then, warned its members and supporters of its leader to shun orders that did not come from its leadership. These were contained in a statement by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, which was made available to SaharaReporters on Saturday. Read Also: Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyer Reacts ...

Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyer Reacts To Claims IPOB Leader Was Given Document To Sign As Condition Of His Freedom

15Oct

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Judiciary, News, Nigeria

Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyer Reacts To Claims IPOB Leader Was Given Document To Sign As Condition Of His Freedom

Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the lead counsel for the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu has debunked a claim making the rounds on social media that his client was given a document to sign as a condition of his freedom. A story had circulated on Twitter on Thursday that the Nigerian government provided a document for the separatist leader to sign, but that he rejected it. The IPOB leader's lawyer, however, described it as fake news meant to create panic among pro-Biafra agitators. Ejiofor disclosed this in a statement of the routine visit to Kanu in the detention of the Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday. Read Also: Buhari Wasting Resources On Fighter Jets That’ll Be Used To Destroy Nigeria – Father Mbaka Warns He said Kanu also found the rumour la...

N4.9bn Fraud: Judge Angry as Fani-Kayode Shuns Trial For Fifth Time

14Oct

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Crime, Judiciary, News, Nigeria

N4.9bn Fraud: Judge Angry as Fani-Kayode Shuns Trial For Fifth Time

Justice Daniel Osaigor of a Federal High Court in Lagos, on Wednesday, ordered a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, to pay N200,000 for not making himself available for re-arraignment for alleged money laundering. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Osaigor said he had gone through the court’s file and noted five different letters by Fani-Kayode, seeking adjournment on the same medical grounds. The court, consequently ordered that he should pay the sum or risk revocation of his bail. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had charged Fani-Kayode alongside a former Minister of State for Finance, Nenandi Usman. Also charged was Yusuf Danjuma, a former Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, and a company, Jointrust Dimentions Nigeria Lim...

FG Considers Taking States to Supreme Court Over VAT

7Oct

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Finance, Judiciary, News, Nigeria

FG Considers Taking States to Supreme Court Over VAT

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, on Wednesday insisted that the anti-open grazing laws of some states infringed on the freedom of movement as enshrined in the nation’s constitution. Malami said this while answering questions from State House correspondents after the meeting of the Federal Executive Council at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The minister, who explained that his office had not taken any stance outside the scope of the constitution, also disclosed that the Federal Government, may at the Supreme Court challenge states that legislated on the Value Added Tax. Commenting on the anti-open grazing laws of southern states, Malami said, “On the issue of farmers-herders clashes, no position was taken by the Office of the Att...