By Isaiah Eka

The Chief Judge (CJ) of Akwa Ibom, Justice Ekaette Obot, has rounded up a three-day visit to correctional centres and freed a total of 55 inmates in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 18 out of the 55 inmates were released on health grounds.

Four inmates regained freedom in Ikot Abasi custodial centre; two inmates were released in Eket centre, 11 in Ikot Ekpene centre, while 38 and one nursing mother were freed in Uyo custodial centre.

The CJ’s official visits to the custodial centres across the three senatorial districts began on Wednesday, March 12 and ended on Friday, March 14.

The chief judge observed that most of the offenders had minor offences and had overstayed in the custodial centres beyond the period they were supposed to stay, if they had been convicted.

She, however, released some on compassionate, health grounds and lack of diligence prosecution.

A typical case in Ikot-Ekpene custodual centre, was a case of one Friday Okoro, who had been in custody for over three years, without trial, for stealing his cousin’s coconuts.

The CJ, in discharging the inmates in all the centres, charged them to be of good behaviour and shun all acts that might bring them back to the custodial centre.

Obot expressed displeasure on the number of missing case files while the accused were still in custody with some staying more than the sentence of their crime if convicted.

She charged prosecutors on the need to ensure that no one was denied justice and they should not infringe on the fundamental rights of the accused.

The Controller of Correctional Centre, Akwa Ibom Command, Mr Frank Okonkwo, thanked the chief judge for her consistent visit to the facilities and the goodwill extended to the custodial centres in the state.

Okonkwo highlighted some of the challenges confronting the centres to include dilapidated facilities and lack of logistics to convey inmates to court.

He appealed to Gov. Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom to extend support and assistance to the custodial centres in the state. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Joe Idika

By Eguonor Ighure

The Chief Judge of Delta, Justice Theresa Diai, has granted freedom to a 24-year-old bike rider, an inmate of the Warri Correctional Centre, Tikor Kelvin.

Kelvin regained his freedom out of a total of 336 cases of awaiting trial inmates reviewed at the Warri Correctional Centre during the first quarter prison visit for 2025.

During the visit, Justice Diai said that a lot of the cases of the inmates were at advanced stages.

She expressed hope that on her next quarter visit, most of the matters would have been concluded.

Diai said that the released inmate was freed based on the legal advice from the Department of Public Prosecutions that he had no case to answer.

She commended the judges handling the cases and the Department of Public Prosecutions for their diligence in prosecution of the matters.

Diai urged chairmen of various branches of the Nigerian Bar Association in the state to prevail on their members to take the defence in cases of inmates serious and not abandon them.

Justice Diai and her team also visited the Sapele Correctional Centre, where a total of 138 warrants were reviewed. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Yinusa Ishola and Benson Iziama

By Ibironke Ariyo

The Director of Prisons, Legal Aids Council, Olise Chukwuma, has reiterated the council’s commitment to providing legal representation for inmates lacking representation, in a bid to ensure that justice is served.

Chukwuma made the commitment in Abuja at the second public hearing on alleged corruption and other violations of the law against Nigeria Correctional Service by the Independent Investigative Panel.

He said the council partners with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and non-governmental organisations like Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA) to achieve the mandate.

This, he said, was geared towards promoting access to justice for all.

He expressed hope that the forthcoming Correctional Information Management System would enhance the council’s ability to retrieve details of inmates requiring legal representation.

“This will help in facilitating the provision of timely and effective legal aid,” he said.

Chukwuma noted that the council’s efforts would also help reduce overcrowding in prisons, address corruption within the correctional system, and ensure that the rights of inmates were protected.

He decried the issue of underage inmates and wrongful incarceration, stressing that the police must take responsibility for their mistakes, which often lead to the incarceration of innocent persons.

The director appealed for support from stakeholders, announcing that the Legal Aid Council would participate in the panel discussion to explore ways of improving access to justice for inmates.

Speaking, Mr Ibrahim Sesay, the Chief of Child Protection, UNICEF, Nigeria, commended the Minister of Interior for his accountability in reforming the correctional service.

Sesay outlined five key elements for consideration, including commitment to transparency and justice, solving community problems, accountability, protecting whistleblowers and institutional reforms.

“This is welcoming news and UNICEF is really looking forward to a very fair, transparent and accountable hearing,” he said.

The UNICEF chief emphasised the importance of upholding the rule of law and fundamental freedoms, even for those accused of wrongdoing.

He called for the protection of whistleblowers and the implementation of institutional reforms to create a corrupt-free system.

Also, the President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe, lauded the ministry for its transparency in probing allegations of corruption and human rights abuses in the NCoS.

Osigwe emphasised the need for the correctional service to prioritise rehabilitation and respect for human rights, adding that incarcerated persons were vulnerable members of society who deserved to be treated with dignity.

“The correctional service is not just about keeping people in prison, but also about rehabilitating them and preparing them for reintegration into society.

“This is because the persons who are incarcerated are more vulnerable than the society and the society has a duty to ensure that justice is done to them.

“There is a need to show compassion to them and also ensure that they are treated with the highest level of human dignity.

“And so, it is the measure of the accountability of the correctional system and the Ministry of Interior that when these allegations were made, as a show of openness, the Ministry took it seriously.

“We commend the ministry for taking this bold step, and we pledge our support and cooperation to ensure that the truth is uncovered and justice is served,” Osigwe said.

The NBA president expressed hope that the public hearings would uncover the truth and ensure justice for those affected, adding that the NBA would support and cooperate with the investigative body. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Yakubu Uba

By Edith Nwapi

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has restrained the enforcement of its judgment that upheld the Kano State Government’s repeal of the 2019 Emirate Council Law, pending the determination of a suit at the Supreme Court.

The News Agency of (NAN) reports that the Court of Appeal in Kano set aside the June 20 order by Justice Abubakar Liman of the Federal High Court, Kano, nullifying the steps/actions taken by the Kano State Government pursuant to the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law 2024.

This included appointment of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the 16th Emir of Kano.

The court held that the order nullifying the steps taken by the Kano State Government pursuant to the 2024 Emirates Council Law was made by Justice Liman without jurisdiction.

Dissatisfied with the judgment, the Kano state government appealed to the supreme court and subsequently filed an injunction at the court of appeal.

It urged the court to stay execution of the judgment pending determination of the appeal at the Apex court.

Ruling on the injunction on Friday by a three-member panel of justices led by Justice Okon Abang in two suits marked CA/KN/27M/2025 and CA/KN/28M/2025, filed by Alhaji Aminu Babba Dan

The appeal was brought against the Kano State Government, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, the Inspector General of Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other security agencies.

Alhaji Aminu Baba (Sarkin Dawaki Babba) through his application filed on Feb. 6, 2025, sought an order restraining the respondents from enforcing the appellate court’s judgment while an appeal was pending at the Supreme Court.

The grounds for the application were that the applicant initially instituted the suit in Kano to protect his fundamental rights.

Others are that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to hear and determine the suit, and there was a need to restrain the respondents from executing the judgment.

In addition, the applicant argued that the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law 2024, which was passed by the state legislature and assented to by the governor, legally led to the dissolution of the newly created emirates and the reinstatement of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the 16th Emir of Kano.

In a unanimous ruling, the three-member panel of Justices led by Abang held that the application was meritorious and deserving of the court’s discretion in the interest of justice.

“The law is settled. The court is enjoined to exercise its discretion judiciously and in the interest of justice,” he said.

He held that the mandatory injunction is “ordered that shall be maintain the status quo ante bellum as well as the sheriff of this court and trial court as was the position before the trial court as delivered on 13/6/2024 in the suit no. FHC/KN/CS/182/2024.”

Abang, in granting the injunction, emphasised that the applicant’s process was competent and had met all the necessary legal conditions required to obtain the relief sought.

He noted that a valid appeal was already pending before the Supreme Court, reinforcing the need to preserve the subject matter of the litigation.

In addition, the appeal court acknowledged the applicant’s legal right to protection, considering that he had served as Emir for five years before his removal.

“In my view, I hold that the balance of convenience lies in his favour. It is deserving to protect him pending the determination of the Supreme Court,” Abang ruled.

The court further restrained the respondents from enforcing the January 10 judgment that nullified the Kano State Government’s dissolution of the emirates. It also granted an order maintaining the status quo until the Supreme Court renders a final decision.

The applicant was directed to file an undertaking within 14 days in court to indemnify the respondents in damages in the event that the order not to have been made.

The appellate court’s Jan. 10 judgment had overturned an earlier ruling by the Federal High Court in Kano, which nullified the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law 2024. This law had reversed the creation of five new emirates and reinstated Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as Emir of Kano.

The Court of Appeal, in setting aside the Federal High Court’s decision, ruled that the lower court lacked jurisdiction over chieftaincy matters, which fall within the exclusive domain of the state high courts. (NAN) (www.nanews.ng)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Adenike Ayodele

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it secured a record-breaking 4,111 convictions in 2024.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this information is based on the EFCC’s 2024 statistical report.

The record marks EFCC’s highest number of convictions and the largest single-year asset recovery in the agency’s history since its establishment in 2003.

The report said that the anti-graft agency received 15,724 petitions and investigated 12,928 cases across all zonal directorates in Nigeria.

Of these, 5,083 cases were filed before various courts.

The statistics revealed that advance fee fraud, money laundering, and cybercrime were the most prevalent offences.

It said that the high volume of cases was attributed to rising unemployment, the quest for quick wealth among youths, a large informal economy, and weak regulatory frameworks.

The report stated that the 4,111 secured convictions were recorded across 15 states, including the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.

While the Lagos Zone had the highest number of convictions at 685, followed by Enugu with 516, Maiduguri recorded the lowest number of convictions at 95.

The EFCC said it also recovered significant sums during the year under review.

“Such monetary recoveries include N364.6 billion; 214. 51 million dollars; 54,319 euro; 31,265 euro; CAD$2,990 and AUD $740.00.

“Others are CFA7,821,375, UAE Dirham 170, Riyals 5,115, W73,000, 105 Yen, GH¢225 and Rand 50.”

It said EFCC also secured the forfeiture of over 750 duplexes and apartments to the Federal Government, marking the largest single asset recovery in its history.

“Other forfeited assets included: 173 vehicles, ₦9.478 billion, $2,605,858.30 million and £1,600.

“The others included crypto currencies of 13.37 BTC (worth approximately $572,992.86), 5.97886094 Ethereum (worth $13,353.06), 298.4770071 Green Satoshi Tokens (worth $6), 1,002.547631 USDT ($1,002.22), N2,699,233 worth of USDT (Tether Coin, TRC-20).”

Other assets forfeited to the anti-graft agency were 378 electronics, one factory, one hotel, two gold chains, 14 parcels of land, petroleum products and 70 tons of unidentified solid minerals.

The EFCC’s 2024 report highlighted its aggressive crackdown on financial crimes and record-breaking asset recoveries, reinforcing its commitment to combating corruption in Nigeria.

According to the commission, some of the monetary recoveries have been reinvested by the Federal Government in initiatives that provide significant benefits to the Nigerian people. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa

By Naomi Sharang

Stakeholders in Abuja say the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) can help address obstacles and biases faced by women across various spheres.

They spoke at a town hall meeting on the application of FOIA, organised by the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice and the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS).

The event, which had as its theme, “Leveraging FOIA to Promote Women’s Rights and Inclusion in the Fight Against Corruption”, brought together representatives of the Minister of Justice, Minister of Women Affairs, and the Minister of Youth.

Delivering the keynote address, the Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, noted that increasing the use of FOIA by Nigerian women would help eliminate systemic obstacles in both personal and professional spheres.

Fagbemi was represented by Mr Garuba Godwin, Head of the FOI Unit at the Ministry of Justice.

“Women should leverage on the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 to accelerate their inclusion in the activities of the President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

“The president is very ready to improve women’s involvement in the governance of this great country,” he said.

He further said that the fight to accelerate action should not be left for the women alone.

“The other gender must ensure that women are not discriminated against as both genders have equal right before the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“According to this year’s slogan, ‘Let’s Accelerate Action for Gender Equality’, all hands must be on deck to ensure gender inclusivity in human endeavour”.

In her remarks, Executive Director of CTA, Faith Nwadishi, said that the event was designed specifically to coincide with the commemoration of the 2025 International Women’s Day.

“We need not be reminded that corruption undermines the rule of law, perpetuates inequality, and disproportionately affects women and marginalised communities.

“Nevertheless, our gathering today is not to lament and see women as victims of corruption but as amazons and powerful change agents.

“All women need is information, access to resources, and opportunities to be able to demonstrate the transformative role that promotes accountability, transparency and good governance.”

According to Nwadishi, FOIA enables citizens, including women, to hold governments and institutions accountable for their actions.

“It allows them to track budgets, monitor programmes, and expose corruption where and when they occur”.

Also speaking, the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, emphasised that women’s rights, gender equality, and inclusion were causes deeply important to her.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim, who was represented by EmemMaria Offiong, noted that as Nigeria joined the world in marking International Women’s Day (IWD), it was crucial to highlight the ministry’s commitment to collaboration and creating an enabling environment for these ideals to thrive.

“To achieve this, we need to create more awareness about the Freedom of Information Act, reshape public perception of the Act, and explore various ways to apply it effectively,” she said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa

By Sandra Umeh

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday, ordered a final forfeiture of the sum of 1.43 million dollars, linked to embattled former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele.

The forfeiture suit was filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Ayokunle Faji, in his judgment, held that the sum formed proceeds of unlawful activities and ought to be forfeited to the Federal Government.

The court, consequently ordered forfeiture of same.

The court held that the anti graft agency had proved its case, establishing unlawfulness of the said funds.

The EFCC counsel, Mrs Bilkisu Bahri-Bala, had told the court that the sum was lodged in the account of Donatone Ltd domiciled in Titan Trust Bank.

She had argued that the funds had been established to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

In an affidavit deposed to by one David Jayeoba, an EFCC investigating officer, he said that the commission received Intelligence report on the crime.

According to him, this led to the filing of the forfeiture proceedings.

“In the course of my investigation, the commission received intelligence which led to tracing of the funds warehoused in the Donatone Ltd.

“While investigating the monumental fraud, we discovered a huge amount of money warehoused and concealed in the account of the company, domiciled in Titan Trust Bank.

“Part of the said funds, which represent the proceeds of Emefiele and his cronies’ unlawful activities, are retained in the accounts now sought to be forfeited,” he averred.

According to the deponent, directors were procured by Emefiele, to conceal, retain and disguise funds which are proceeds of unlawful activities.

Justice Faji, had on May 30, 2024, ordered interim forfeiture of the funds, which final forfeiture the court ordered on Thursday. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza