Judiciary

Nigeria: Code of Conduct Tribunal Cannot Try Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen
Corruption, Judiciary, News, Nigeria

Nigeria: Code of Conduct Tribunal Cannot Try Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen

In a reaction from legal practitioners, it is becoming clear that the Code of Conduct Tribunal has no jurisdiction to try the Chief Justice of the Federation. In a post published by a lawyer, the reason for this was explained. The post reads: "Serving judges can’t be tried by cct by virtue of the judgment of the court of appeal in respect of the case of Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa, the chief justice of Nigeria and in fact, any serving judicial officer judge, cannot be tried by the code of conduct tribunal or even court, until the national judicial council, NJC would have dealth with the matter. Though, the matter is still on appeal at the supreme court, the judgment still stands. As a matter of fact, based on that judgment, the code of conduct tribunal had to discontinue the trial of...
Nigeria: The Charge and Planned Arraignment of the Hon. Chief Justice Onoghen
Corruption, Judiciary, News, Nigeria

Nigeria: The Charge and Planned Arraignment of the Hon. Chief Justice Onoghen

Our attention has been drawn to the trending news that the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onoghen has been charged before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, based on a petition submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau on Wednesday the 9th of January, 2019, and is to be arraigned before the Tribunal on Monday , the 14th January, 2019. The prosecutorial decision that has been taken by the Executive Branch of Government ( FGN / FRN) is a very grave one. It is unprecedented in the political history of Nigeria. Let us go down memory lane. During  the blistering General Murtala Muhammed Military Regime, in 1975,  there were massive purges in the Judiciary as well as in the public service. Many public servants were removed “ with immediate effect” . During the purges , a sitting Chief Justice...
Nigeria: Nigeria’s Chief Justice, Onnoghen, to be Arraigned at CCT Monday
Corruption, Judiciary, Justice, News, Nigeria

Nigeria: Nigeria’s Chief Justice, Onnoghen, to be Arraigned at CCT Monday

The Federal Government has asked the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Walter Onnoghen, to immediately vacate his exalted office as head of the nation’s judiciary over alleged sundry asset declaration issues. In a move to force Justice Onnoghen out of office, the Federal Government will on Monday January 14 arraign the CJN before the Justice Danladi Yakubu led-Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, in Abuja on charges of failures to declare his assets as required by law and for operating Bank Domiciliary Foreign Currency Accounts. The charge sighted by PRNigeria against Justice Onnoghen has already being filed and served on him last Friday at his official residence in Abuja preparatory for his appearance at the tribunal. The Federal Government among others is accusing Nigeria’s Head of the J...
Nigeria: Court Rules that FRSC Can No Longer Fine Motorists
Judiciary, News, Nigeria, Transportation

Nigeria: Court Rules that FRSC Can No Longer Fine Motorists

In case you missed this: FRSC ‘can no longer’ fine motorists, court rules. A federal high court in Lagos has declared void powers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to impose fines on motorists for traffic offences. John Tsoho, a judge, held that the commission could not turn itself into a court of law by punishing those who commit traffic offences. Tope Alabi, a lawyer, had approached the court to declare that only a court of competent jurisdiction could pronounce a person guilty under section 10 (4) and 28 (2) of the FRSC Act 2007. Other defendant in the suit was the attorney-general of the federation. The judge also awarded N1million damages in favour of the plaintiff because officials of the FRSC had confiscated his vehicle and driver’s licence. Tosho said wh...
Opinion: Still on the Osun Elections
Judiciary, Justice, News, Nigeria

Opinion: Still on the Osun Elections

The gubernatorial election held in Osun State on Saturday has once again brought up the issue of the Independent National Electoral Commission's powers to declare an election as "inconclusive" and the circumstances under which it could so declare. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended clearly spells out the condition under which a governorship candidate can be declared winner of an election. Section 179(2)(a)(b) of the 1999 Constitution provides: “A candidate for an election to the office of a governor of a state shall be deemed to have been duly elected where, there being two or more candidates- (a) he has the highest number of votes cast at the election;and (b) he has not less than one-quarter of all the votes cast in each of least two-thirds of ...
Opinion: ExxonMobil Should Not be Allowed to Show Contempt for the Supreme Court of Nigeria – Femi Aribisala
Economy, Environment, Judiciary, News, Nigeria

Opinion: ExxonMobil Should Not be Allowed to Show Contempt for the Supreme Court of Nigeria – Femi Aribisala

To Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Productivity. EXXONMOBIL Should Not be Allowed to Show Contempt for the Supreme Court of Nigeria!! The message must be sent to ExxonMobil loud and clear that, as long as it is operating within the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it must be subject to Nigerian laws. If you were to visit the Lagos headquarters of ExxonMobil (Nigeria) in Victoria Island, Lagos today, you would immediately notice that something strange is going on. You will find a number of people camped outside the building; sometimes chanting, sometimes dancing, sometimes shouting slogans. They are there 24/7; day and night. Surely, this is anomalous to the activities of an international oil company. You will also notice that there are placards hanging everywher...
Nigeria: President Speaks at the International Criminal Court (ICC) Hague
Judiciary, Justice, News, Nigeria

Nigeria: President Speaks at the International Criminal Court (ICC) Hague

Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari was invited by the International Criminal Court (ICC) Hague to deliver the keynote address. This is to mark the court's 20th anniversary celebration. According to the Nigerian ambassador to the Netherlands, Oji Ngofa, the invitation extended to President Buhari to deliver the keynote address was a sign of the court's respect for Nigeria. It will be recalled that this year, a Nigerian, Chile Eboe-Osuji was elected President of the ICC. See Also: World: Nigerian – Chile Eboe-Osuji Elected President of the ICC Below is the full text of President Buhari's speech at the Hague: KEYNOTE ADDRESS DELIVERED BY HIS EXCELLENCY MUHAMMADU BUHARI, PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, ON THE OCCASION OF THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF THE INTER...
Nigeria: Court Grants Dasuki Bail
Breaking News, Corruption, Crime, Human Rights, Judiciary, Justice, News, Nigeria

Nigeria: Court Grants Dasuki Bail

Embattled former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki has been granted bail by an Abuja Federal High Court. In her ruling, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu stated that it was illegal for the defendant to have been held without trial as this violated his fundamental human right. He was therefore granted bail on the following conditions: * His international passport is to remain with the court. * The defendant is to offer a bail bond of N200 million. * He is to provide two other sureties who will stand for the same amount. * Sureties must own landed properties in Abuja, original titles to which must be deposited with the court. * Sureties must be public servants of no less than Grade Level 16 and must provide evidence of last promotion. * If however the sureties are not public servants, t...
Breaking: Ex-Plateau State Governor, Joshua Dariye Sentenced to 14 Years Imprisonment
Breaking News, Corruption, Judiciary, News, Nigeria

Breaking: Ex-Plateau State Governor, Joshua Dariye Sentenced to 14 Years Imprisonment

Mr Joshua Dariye, former governor of Plateau state has sentenced to a 14 year jail term by an Abuja high court. Mr Dariye who was a governor of Plateau state between 1999 and 2007 was charged to by the EFCC on July 13, 2007 on a 23 count charge for money laundering allegedly diverting the State’s 1.126 billion Naira ecological funds. He was today June 12, 2018 found guilty of criminal misappropriation for which he was sentenced to a 2 year jail term and for criminal breach of trust for which he was sentenced to 14 years. See Also: Nigeria: Nyame, Ex-Taraba Gov. Sentenced to 14 Years for N1.64bn Fraud Since the charges are running concurrently without the option of fine, he is expected to serve a 14 year jail term. This is second conviction against a former governor within a month....
Breaking News: GTB To Pay Innoson’s N14Billion Judgment Debt Into An Interest Yielding Account – Supreme Court
Breaking News, Economy, Judiciary, News, Nigeria, Press Statement

Breaking News: GTB To Pay Innoson’s N14Billion Judgment Debt Into An Interest Yielding Account – Supreme Court

Today, 7th of June 2018, The Supreme Court struck out GTBank’s motion for stay of execution of the Enugu Court of Appeal Division’s order that GTBank pays over N6 Billion into an interest yielding account at the Court of Appeal. Innoson’s legal team which was led by Prof McCarthy Mbadugha ESQ told the Supreme Court that the Judgment debt which arose from excess and unlawful charges which GTB took from Innoson’s account now stood at over N14billion. The Supreme Court decision follows GTBanks motion for stay of execution at the Supreme Court when the Court of Appeal Enugu Division ruled on 9th Dec, 2014 that the appellant (GTB) is hereby ordered to pay the sum of Five Billion, Nine Hundred and thirty Six Million, One Hundred and Twenty Six Thousand, Two Hundred and Nineteen Naira, One K...