A coalition of civil society organizations in Nigeria has dragged the embattled Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Maurice Ikpambese, and Justice M. M. Adamu of the FCT High Court before the Chief Justice of Nigeria over alleged abuse of office and disregard for court process.

The group urged Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun to intervene in order to restore the integrity of the judiciary.

The coalition, alongside protesters in Abuja on Monday, called for urgent action against what they described as a gross violation of judicial ethics and due process in the handling of the Benue State Local Government Election Tribunal.

Recall that Justice M. M. Adamu of the FCT High Court had ordered the Benue State Local Government Election Petitions Tribunal to sit in Abuja to hear and determine all petitions arising from the October 5, 2024, local government elections.

This is despite a subsisting order relocating the tribunal back to Makurdi.

The group, led by Chief Convener Comrade Igwe Ude-Umanta, during a protest in Abuja on Monday, accused Justice Maurice Ikpambese of unlawfully granting waivers to petitioners, bypassing a constitutional requirement for security deposits in election cases.

They also condemned his decision to relocate the tribunal to Abuja, arguing that this move is a clear breach of Benue State’s electoral laws.

Addressing newsmen during the protest, Igwe criticized Justice M. M. Adamu of the FCT High Court for issuing an order compelling the tribunal to sit in Abuja, despite an earlier court ruling that prohibited such action.

He said, “We are here as concerned Nigerians who believe in the rule of law. Our democracy is in clear danger, and the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, must save it.

“How on earth could a Chief Judge of a state flagrantly abuse his office by flouting state laws, while the National Judicial Council (NJC) remains silent? Justice Maurice Ikpambese, the Chief Judge of Benue State, unilaterally granted a waiver to petitioners of the Local Government Election Tribunal, exempting them from paying the security deposit—a constitutional prerequisite for any valid petition—and he has not been sanctioned.

“On the strength of the NJC’s refusal to punish him, he again violated the electoral laws of Benue State by relocating the Local Government Election Petition Tribunal to Abuja, which is clearly outside its territorial jurisdiction, in violation of the Benue State Electoral Law, yet the NJC is just watching.

“In an attempt to protect the Constitution of Nigeria and the laws of Benue State, the Attorney General of Benue State approached the Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, which granted an order restraining the tribunal from sitting anywhere outside Benue State, including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) House, Abuja. This order was granted on March 7, 2025, to the admiration of Nigerians.

“Surprisingly, on Friday, March 14, 2025, an FCT High Court, presided over by Justice M.M. Adamu, frivolously issued another order compelling the Benue State Local Government Election Tribunal to conduct its sittings in Abuja, particularly at the NBA House.

“The question is, can Benue State laws be applied in the FCT or any other state apart from Benue State? If the answer is NO, then it is also clear that the Benue State Local Government Election Tribunal cannot sit outside Benue State.

“We are here today to submit a petition against Justice Maurice Ikpambese and Justice M.M. Adamu, who, by their actions, have turned justice into injustice.

“We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to fold his arms while the judiciary is being bastardized daily. Mr. President, sir, the Benue situation is the worst at the moment because the petitioners did not even participate in any part of the election process.

“The petitioners ordinarily have no locus standi to approach the tribunal because the Austin Agada-led APC executive was dissolved and a caretaker committee inaugurated before Justice Theresa Igoche’s order restraining the National Working Committee of the APC from dissolving the Benue State Executive was served.

“We demand the urgent intervention of Hon. Justice Kekere-Ekun, we demand the intervention of Mr. President, and we demand that the NJC call its members involved in the ongoing crisis to order in the interest of peace and justice in Benue State.”

The traditional ruler of Nimo Community in Njikoka local government area of Anambra State, Owelle Maximus Ike Oliobi has dragged two leaders of his town union before a Magistrate Court for allegedly assaulting him and members of his cabinet.

The accused persons who were arraigned before the Abagana Magistrate Court 3 presided by Magistrate Obiora Nwajiaku on Thursday include a 35-year-old Messrs Chukwuemeka Ezeaputa and Chigbo Aniedobe, 39 years, who are youth provost and Ist President-General of the Nimo Town Development Union, respectively.

In the three-count charge in charge No: ANJ/21c/2025, the duo of Ezeaputa and Aniedobe, as well as, “others now at large” were accused of conspiring among themselves to assault “Igwe Maximus Ike Oliobi by pushing and shoving him around in a public gathering”.

The defendant were further alleged to have on 20th February, 2025 at the venue of a funeral ceremony for the wife of Chief Bobby Chinedu-Moore, SAN, threatened to deal with the monarch and members of his cabinet.

The prosecutor said the offences are punishable under sections 496(a), 252 of the Criminal Code cap. 36 vol. 11 Revised Laws of Anambra state of Nigeria, 1991 respectively.

The accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty to all the three charges respectively.

Magistrate Nwajiaku declined the prosecution’s application to remand the accused persons, but instead granted them bail in the sum of N300,000 each with two sureties, who must be residents within the magisterial jurisdiction.

The matter was thereafter adjourned to April 2, 2025 for continuation of hearing.

A former presidential candidate and activist, Omoyele Sowore, will be arraigned before Justice Abdullah Liman of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday.

Sowore’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, confirmed to our correspondent on Tuesday that the police will arraign the rights activist on Wednesday, January 29.

“The police have procured charges to arraign Omoyele Sowore before Justice Liman at the Federal High Court tomorrow,” Abubakar said.

Sowore was arrested and detained on Monday at the Intelligence Response Team detention facility in Abuja after refusing to accept the administrative bail conditions granted to him by the police.

He was invited to the Force Intelligence Headquarters in Abuja over allegations of resisting and obstructing public officers, disobedience to lawful orders, cyberstalking and actions allegedly aimed at preventing arrests.

In the Charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/23/2025, dated January 28, 2025, the Inspector General of Police is listed as the complainant, while Sowore is the sole defendant.

Charges brought against Sowore read – “Count One: That you, Omoyele Sowore, on the 13th day of December 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did intentionally and knowingly send messages through your verified X handle account, ‘Omoyele Sowore’, and caused a publication against the Inspector General of Police, where you called him ‘illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun’.

“This statement, which you knew to be false, was intended to cause a breakdown of law and order. By causing this message to be sent, you committed an offence contrary to Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015, as amended (2024), and punishable under Section 24(2)(c)(ii) of the same Act.

“Count Two: That you, Omoyele Sowore, intentionally and knowingly caused the transmission of messages through your verified X handle account, ‘Omoyele Sowore’, and caused a publication against the Inspector General of Police, calling him ‘illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun.

“This statement, which you knew to be false, tagged the verified Nigeria Police Force X handle @policeNG. The publication contained threats intended to incite Nigerians against the Nigeria Police Force and harm the property or reputation of the Inspector General of Police or the Nigeria Police Force. By so doing, you committed an offence punishable under Section 24(2)(c)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015, as amended (2024).”

The charge continued, “Count Three: That you, Omoyele Sowore, on December 20, 2024, intentionally and knowingly sent messages through your verified X handle account, ‘Omoyele Sowore’, and caused a publication against the Inspector General of Police, stating: ‘The illegal IG of Nigeria Police Force, Kayode Egbetokun, will make the next #ENDSARS inevitable! He is working tirelessly towards it. Just a matter of time. #EgbetekunMustGo #Revolution.

“This statement, which you knew to be false, was intended to cause a breakdown of law and order. By causing this message to be sent, you committed an offence.”

The charges were brought under the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024

The 29-man caretaker committee set up by Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, and Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, announced on Sunday that it will drag the embattled National Chairman of LP, Julius Abure, to the Supreme Court over the leadership dispute in the party.

This was disclosed in a statement jointly signed by the committee’s National Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, and the National Secretary, Darlington Nwokocha in Abuja.

The committee expressed dissatisfaction with the Friday verdict of the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, which validated the party’s March 2024 national convention in Nnewi, Anambra State, and further affirmed Abure as the authentic LP National Chairman.

But the LP caretaker committee contended that the appellate court judgment had raised issues that the Supreme Court would have to decide.

It stated, “The Caretaker Committee of the Labour Party is going to seek further clarification from the Supreme Court on the leadership dispute in the party. Senator Nenadi Esther Usman, the Chairman of the Committee, confirmed this fact at the weekend to clear the ambiguities in the ruling of the appeal court.

“The November 13, 2024, and January 17, 2025 rulings of the Court of Appeal have brought up issues that only the Supreme Court can clarify, and the Caretaker Committee has instructed their lawyer accordingly. We, therefore, instructed their supporters across the country to be patient.

In the Friday judgment affirming Abure’s leadership, a three-member panel, led by Justice Hamma Barka, upheld the October 8, judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which directed the Independent National Electoral Commission, to grant the LP under Abure’s leadership, all the rights and privileges accorded a political party duly registered in the country.

The appellate court said it found no reason to dislodge the judgment that was delivered in Abure’s favour by Justice Emeka Nwite.

It will be recalled that following a leadership crisis that rocked the LP, the National Executive Committee, of the party resolved to remove Abure as the National Chairman.

To fill the leadership vacuum, the party constituted a 29-member caretaker committee, with ex-minister Nenadi Usman, as Chairman and Darlington Nwokocha as Secretary.

The decision was the outcome of an expanded stakeholders’ meeting of the party that was hosted in Umuahia by Governor Otti and chaired by Obi.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) has filed a five-count charges against Jimi Lawal, a former aide to for two-time governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, accusing him of corruption and money laundering.

The case, with charge number FCH/KD/16c/2025, was filed by Dr. Osuobeni Ekpi Akponimishingha, the Assistant Chief Legal Officer of ICPC, on January 15, 2025, at the Federal High Court in Kaduna.

Lawal, who served as Senior Special Adviser/Counsellor to former Governor el-Rufai, was dragged before the court alongside Umar Waziri, Yusuf Inuwa, and Solar Life Nigeria Limited.

ICPC, which is the complainant, alleged that, sometime in 2018, Lawal “indirectly took control of the sum of N10,000,000 from the Kaduna State Accountant General Operational Account 0211139802 via the Guaranty Trust Bank Automated System (GAPS) and paid it into the Guaranty Trust Bank Account 0130133086 of Solar Life Nigeria Limited, an account for which he was the sole signatory.”

The ICPC further stated that Lawal ought to have known that the funds were part of the proceeds of corruption, adding that, by doing so, he allegedly committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

In count two of the charges, Lawal was accused of indirectly taking control of N47,840,000 from the Kaduna State Ministry of Finance through GTB Account 0130133086 in July 2018.

Additionally, the ICPC alleged that in September 2018, while serving as a public officer in Kaduna State as Senior Special Adviser/Counsellor to the then Governor el-Rufai, Lawal took control of N7,320,562 from the Kaduna State Internally Generated Revenue Account. The funds were said to have been domiciled in United Bank for Africa (UBA) Account 10200067882 and later transferred to the Guaranty Trust Bank Account 0130133086 of Solar Life Nigeria Limited, an account for which he was the sole signatory.

The ICPC emphasised that Lawal ought to have known the funds were proceeds of an unlawful act of corruption, which contravenes Section 18(2)(d) and is punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

In another count, the ICPC alleged that in October 2024, Jimi Lawal made false statements to Messrs. Wellington Nkemadu and Gudi Johnson Daniel during their investigative duties. According to the complainant, Jimi Lawal claimed that the total sum of N64,800,562—received in three tranches of N10,000,000, N47,840,000, and N7,320,562 from the Kaduna State Government through the Guaranty Trust Bank Account of Solar Life Nigeria Limited—was paid to Bariatu Yusuf Mohammed and Aisha Dikko as estacodes.

The ICPC asserted that Lawal knew the statement was false and, in doing so, committed an offence under Section 25(1)(a) and punishable under Section 25(1)(b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has dragged the federal government and 36 governors before the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja over the legality of the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024.

SERAP is accusing the government of using the Cybercrimes Act to criminalise legitimate expressions and violate the human rights of Nigerians, including activists, journalists, bloggers, and social media users.

It will be recalled that the ECOWAS Court, in a judgment delivered on March 25, 2022, held that the Nigerian authorities must cease using Section 24 of the Cybercrime Act 2015 to prosecute individuals for insulting or stalking public officials online.

The Court held that Section 24 is “arbitrary, vague, and repressive” and directed Nigerian authorities to repeal it in line with the country’s human rights obligations.

However, SERAP argues that although the National Assembly repealed Section 24 of the Cybercrime (Amendment) Act 2024, it has not addressed the arbitrary and vague nature of other provisions.

In a lawsuit filed last week Friday, the civil society organisation is challenging the legality and compatibility of the provisions of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act 2024 with the rights to freedom of expression and information.

The plaintiff stated that the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024 provisions create opportunities for criminalising legitimate expressions and punishing activists, journalists, bloggers, and social media users.

SERAP maintained that the definition of “causing a breakdown of law and order” in Section 24(1)(b) of the amended legislation is unclear and undefined, posing a threat to peaceful and legitimate expressions and paving the way for abuse.

The plaintiff further argued that instead of using the amended legislation to enhance safety in cyberspace, Nigerian authorities frequently weaponise it to infringe on Nigerians‘ human rights and media freedom.

The organisation also submitted that the Cybercrime (Amendment) Act 2024 broadly defines “cyberstalking” in Section 58 as “a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear.”

SERAP insisted that these provisions represent a harsh and punitive attempt to address issues related to stalking and harassment while lacking adequate safeguards against misuse, particularly concerning the peaceful and legitimate exercise of human rights.

The plaintiff argued that using Section 24 of the Cybercrime (Amendment) Act 2024 to harass those critical of the government poses a direct threat to the organisation‘s staff, members, and supporters, given their advocacy for human rights.

SERAP further stated that the amended legislation is used to threaten and stifle people’s human rights and livelihoods.

The organisation submitted, “The vague, arbitrary, and repressive provisions on ‘cyberstalking’ in Section 24 of the Cybercrime (Amendment) Act 2024 are routinely misused to suppress factual reports by activists, journalists, bloggers, and social media users, leading to a chilling effect on human rights and media freedom.

SERAP asserts that Nigerian authorities have a negative obligation to refrain from interfering with human rights and media freedom and a positive commitment to promote and protect these rights.

“The right to freedom of expression is a fundamental human right for individual freedom and democracy. It serves as the cornerstone of democracy and is indispensable to a vibrant civil society,“ SERAP stated

The organisation also warns that whether labelled as cyberstalking, criminal defamation, the seditious libel of government officials, or false news, the provisions of Section 24 of the Cybercrime (Amendment) Act 2024 disproportionately penalise the accused, inevitably limiting protecting public discussion and debate on matters of legitimate public concern.

On March 25, 2022, the ECOWAS Court ruled that Section 24 of the Cybercrime Act 2015 was arbitrary, vague, and repressive, in violation of Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The Court also directed the Federal Republic of Nigeria to amend Section 24 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 to comply with its obligations under Article 1 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Although the National Assembly amended Section 24 and other provisions of the Cybercrime Act in 2024, the new Cybercrime (Amendment) Act 2024 still criminalises ‘cyberstalking’. Its provisions remain vague, arbitrary, and often misused by Nigerian authorities to suppress human rights.

 

 

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has charged Malam Nasir el-Rufai’s former Chief of Staff and Finance Commissioner, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Saidu to the Federal High Court in Kaduna.

 

Alhaji Saidu was charged along with one Ibrahim Muktar, ‘’a public officer in the employment of Ministry of Finance,’’ on Tuesday.

 

According to charge No FHC/KD/IC/2025, the defendants are slammed when a two-count charge bordering on money laundering.

 

This is contrary to earlier claim that Saidu had been exonerated of all charges after 10 months of investigation.

 

The court document stated that sometime in March 2022 or thereabouts, Saidu, as Commissioner of Finance, ‘’did accept cash payment of the sum of N155,000,000.00 from one Ibrahim Muktar exceeding the amount authorised by law.

 

He was alleged to have collected the cash by proxy through his Special Assistant Muazu Abdu, thereby “committed an offence contrary to Section 2(a) and punishable under the Section 19(d) of the Money Laundering(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.’’

 

The ICPC also alleged that same March 2022 or thereabouts, Saidu iindirectly took control of N155, 000,000.00 received in cash for, and on his behalf by one Muazu Abdul from Ibrahim Muktar, “which fund you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity to wit: corruption and you hereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.’’

Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 states that ‘’any person who contravenes the provisions of subsection (2) is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than four years but not more than fourteen years or a fine not less than five times the value of the proceeds of the crime or both.’’

The charge which was signed by the Assistant Chief Legal Officer of ICPC, Dr Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, was filed on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at the Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna.