Author: Staff Editor
A third prosecution witness (PW3) in the trial of former Taraba State Governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku, alongside the former Permanent Secretary in the state’s Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero, on Monday, July 13, 2026, told Justice S.C. Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, how ₦1.8 billion meant for the purchase of Christmas grains in Taraba State was transferred into his company’s account from one of the local government salary transmission accounts. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Ishaku and Yero on a 15-count charge bordering on criminal breach of…
Within the past four weeks, that is, between June 11 and July 12, 2026 — several developments have rapidly emerged within the NBA polity, the summary of which is as follows, according to the documents currently circulating all over social media: i. Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (HAGF), invited past Presidents of the Association from 1998 to a meeting in the Conference Room of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja. The available Reports indicate that the meeting was convened on June 11, 2026, in relation to disputes arising from the forthcoming…
A retired judge of the Federal High Court and former Second Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo (Rtd.), has thrown his weight behind the use of the National Identification Number (NIN) to verify lawyers eligible to vote in NBA elections, describing it as a necessary step towards ensuring transparency and restoring confidence in the association’s electoral process. Justice Taiwo made his position known in a statement titled, “Let the Truth Be Told! My Take on the Election Crisis That Is Ongoing in the NBA,” in which he also asserted that he had foreseen the…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a notice of appeal before the Court of Appeal, Abuja, challenging the judgment of Justice Peter Kekemeke of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, which found the Commission liable for defaming former Minister of Power, Olu Agunloye, over a social media publication relating to an alleged $6 billion Mambilla Power Project fraud. The notice of appeal was filed on Friday, July 10, 2026, by counsel to the EFCC, Wahab Shittu, SAN. In the appeal, filed in Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/1199/2024, the EFCC expressed dissatisfaction with “the whole of the judgment…
The schoolchildren and teachers kidnapped by suspected bandits in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have been rescued. According to a statement by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the victims were freed through the efforts of security agencies. “Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Oriire, Oyo State, have been rescued by our security agencies,” Onanuga said. He disclosed that eight members of the kidnapping gang were arrested during the rescue operation and are now in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS). Onanuga said the rescue operation did not involve any exchange or concession to the…
A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on Friday, July 10, 2026, dismissed the bail application filed by the convicted former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku, for lack of merit. Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, had on Monday, March 23, 2026, convicted and sentenced Nwabuoku to 72 years’ imprisonment at the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre, Abuja, for laundering ₦868,465,000 (Eight Hundred and Sixty-Eight Million, Four Hundred and Sixty-Five Thousand Naira). He subsequently appealed the judgment and sought to be admitted to bail on health grounds pending the…
The Senate has approved a total of ₦403.1 billion for the Nigerian Police Trust Fund to strengthen policing and support the fight against terrorism, kidnapping, and other security challenges across the country for two consecutive years. The upper chamber approved ₦170.1 billion for the Police Trust Fund’s 2025 fiscal year, as well as ₦233 billion for the 2026 fiscal year. The approved 2026 budget covers personnel costs, capital projects, and overhead expenditures aimed at enhancing the operational capacity of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). Lawmakers expressed optimism that the funding will improve the provision of critical equipment, infrastructure, training and other…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday, July 9, 2026, arraigned the leader of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo, before Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on allegations of money laundering. Bodejo was arraigned on a 12-count charge bordering on money laundering involving $2.33 million. At Thursday’s proceedings, prosecution counsel, Wahab Shittu, SAN, drew the attention of the court to the 12-count charge dated June 24, 2026, and filed on June 25, 2026, urging the court to allow the defendant to take his plea. The judge granted the application. Count one of the…
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has remanded the former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of his bail application. Umar was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday on a four-count charge bordering on conferring an undue advantage on himself while serving as Chairman of the CCT. The former CCT chairman pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him by the anti-graft agency. Following his not-guilty plea, the prosecuting counsel, Christopher Mshelia, prayed…
Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja, on Thursday overruled objections by former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to the admissibility of extra-judicial statements he allegedly made to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), holding that the statements are admissible in evidence. In his ruling, Justice Oshodi held that Section 4 of the Anti-Torture Act, 2017, relied upon by Emefiele’s counsel, did not warrant a trial-within-trial to determine the admissibility of the statements. The court agreed with the prosecution that a trial-within-trial was unnecessary because none of the statements sought…