The National Judicial Council has dismissed a viral report claiming that 34 lawyers failed an “integrity test” and were dropped from the Federal High Court bench race.

In a statement dated December 31, 2025, and signed by its Secretary, Ahmed Gambo Saleh, the Council described the report as inaccurate and unauthorised.

According to the NJC, the events cited in the report occurred solely at the level of the Federal Judicial Service Commission.
It stressed that the Council itself has not decide on any of the candidates mentioned.

The NJC explained that some applicants were discontinued by the FJSC due to adverse findings from petitions.
Others exited the process simply because they failed to meet the qualifying score to advance further.

“The report is inaccurate and does not reflect what transpired at the FJSC level,” the Council stated.
It added that no integrity screening or elimination was conducted by the NJC.

The clarification followed media reports alleging that 34 nominees, including a police officer, failed integrity checks.
Those reports claimed only 28 of 62 applicants passed the screening after a computer-based test.

Saleh warned that speculative reporting could mislead the public and unfairly tarnish candidates’ reputations.
He said participants engaged in the process in good faith and deserved fair representation.

The NJC also disclosed it had launched an internal investigation to trace the source of the unauthorised statement.
Appropriate steps, it said, would be taken to protect the credibility of judicial appointments.

The Council reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, fairness, and due process.
It urged journalists to verify sensitive information through authorised channels before publication.

A new year offers a rare and necessary invitation: to push back. To reject self-defeating narratives. To refuse the lie that our worst moments are our truest identity.

As the year unfolds, may we be defined by courage, to seek truth, and to act with purpose.

At Law & Society magazine, we begin the year with gratitude for our readers and confidence in the values that bind us: accountability, compassion, and moral clarity.

May the year ahead bring wisdom in judgment, courage in advocacy, and the quiet assurance that growth remains possible.

From all of us at Law & Society Magazine, Happy New Year!

A Magistrates’ Court in Akure, the Ondo State capital, has ordered the arrest of the state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Seun Osamaye, over an alleged assault on a Chief Magistrate, Mrs Temitope Alphonso.

The arrest order followed the commissioner’s failure to appear in court to answer charges bordering on assault, intimidation and threats to life allegedly committed against the Chief Magistrate.

According to court documents, the incident occurred at the premises of the Ministry of Women Affairs while Chief Magistrate Alphonso was on an official engagement with the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, in the presence of staff members.

In an affidavit attached to the charge, Magistrate Alphonso alleged that the confrontation stemmed from a judgment she earlier delivered, which was unfavourable to the commissioner.

She claimed the commissioner reacted by verbally abusing and physically assaulting her.

Meanwhile, when she asked Mrs Osamaye to stop cursing her, the commissioner allegedly ordered her to shut up, describing her as a mere magistrate and boasting that even the Chief Judge of Ondo State could not question her.

The magistrate further alleged that the commissioner threatened her life, warning her to watch her back and claiming she had all the apparatus to make her go missing if she was not careful.

She reportedly beat her chest while making the threats and claimed that neither the governor nor the Chief Judge would be able to rescue the magistrate.

The affidavit read, “That when I asked her to stop cursing, the defendant told me to shut up and said I was just a mere Magistrate, adding that even the Chief Judge of Ondo State cannot open his mouth when she is talking.

“The defendant further warned me to watch my back, claiming she had all the apparatus to make me go missing if I was not careful. She beat her chest while making the threat.

“She also stated that by the time she was finished with me, the Governor of Ondo State would not be able to rescue me, let alone the Chief Judge.”

At the hearing on Wednesday, the commissioner was absent from court.

Her counsel, Barrister Adewusi, told the court that she was undergoing medical treatment at a hospital in Ilara-Mokin and requested a stand-down to enable him present evidence of her hospitalisation.

The presiding Magistrate, Damilola Sekoni, granted a one-and-a-half-hour stand-down and ruled that the commissioner must appear in court or face consequences.

When the case resumed, the defence presented a medical report, but it was immediately challenged by the prosecuting counsel, who questioned its authenticity.

In his ruling, Magistrate Sekoni rejected the medical report, describing it as unsatisfactory and lacking essential details such as the date and time of admission, as well as proof that the commissioner was medically unfit to attend court.

The court noted that the document failed to show that Mrs Osamaye was admitted and described it as hastily prepared.

The court noted the commissioner’s blatant disregard for its authority and consequently ordered her arrest and remand in prison custody.

The case has been adjourned to 12 January 2026 for further hearing.

Sahara Reporters

A viral video of an unnamed Nigerian cleric warning Muslims against participating in Christmas celebrations has reignited debate over religion and national cohesion—just as the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, publicly marked the holiday in southeastern Nigeria.

The cleric, in a 20-second video circulated widely on Christmas Day, described Christmas celebrations as sinful for Muslims, claiming participation amounted to denying Allah and would lead to hell. The clip sparked backlash online, with critics accusing the preacher of promoting intolerance in an already polarised country.

In sharp contrast, the Emir of Kano spent Christmas in Abia State, where he attended the 2025 Atani Day celebration in Arochukwu Local Government Area alongside Governor Alex Otti. Sanusi praised Otti’s administration and urged Nigerians to strengthen interethnic and interreligious ties.

Speaking at the event on December 25, Sanusi said Abia’s transformation under Otti had drawn attention well beyond the state and Nigeria.

“Even outside Abia and outside Nigeria, people have taken note of the great transformation of the last two years,” the emir said, congratulating the governor and offering prayers for continued progress. He also disclosed that he serves on Otti’s international economic advisory council.

Sanusi, who arrived in Abia on December 23, commended the cultural displays at the celebration and called for unity across Nigeria’s regional and religious divides.

“I hope we will continue to build bridges across the Niger, hold hands, and remain brothers and sisters—citizens of one great country,” he said, recalling his decades-long friendship with Otti dating back to their banking careers.

Governor Otti, in his remarks, described the emir as a close friend of more than 20 years and praised his resilience amid past political and institutional challenges.

“Sometimes, when people politicise ethnicity and religion, it’s because they have no argument,” Otti said, adding that Sanusi’s personal journey—from former Central Bank governor to emir—offered lessons in courage and steadfastness.

Otti also used the occasion to defend his administration’s record, assuring residents that his government remained focused on service delivery despite criticism and political distractions. He apologised for the disruptions caused by ongoing infrastructure projects and said contractors had been directed to speed up work.

Highlighting investments in health and education, the governor said his administration has consistently allocated between 15 and 20 percent of the state budget to both sectors. He cited the revival of Abia State College of Education (Technical), Arochukwu, noting that long-overdue salaries had been paid and accreditation restored after several years.

The Atani Day celebration featured cultural dances and was attended by traditional rulers, including the Eze Aro of Arochukwu Kingdom, community leaders, and government officials.

The contrasting moments—one amplifying religious exclusion, the other projecting interfaith harmony—underscored Nigeria’s ongoing struggle to balance deeply held beliefs with national unity.

OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU

By M. O. Idam, Esq.

I write as a genuine advocate of good governance, constitutionalism, and accountability in Nigeria to formally demand an immediate and thorough probe into the grave allegations raised by Hon. Abdussamad Dasuki. These allegations claim that the version of the Tax Reform Act gazetted and published after presidential assent contains material alterations when compared with the version duly debated and passed by the National Assembly. Given the seriousness of this claim and its implications for legislative integrity and the rule of law, it is imperative that a comprehensive investigation be conducted and clarity restored before any attempt at implementing the law.

The disturbing alarm which was raised on 17 December 2025 on the floor of the House of Representatives has gravely undermined confidence in the tax law sought to be implemented. Even if it does not outrightly impugn the law’s genuineness, it unquestionably casts a serious shadow of doubt over the authenticity and veracity of its contents.

Needless to say, the allegation raises a fundamental constitutional concern as to whether the law debated and passed by the National Assembly and transmitted for presidential assent is indeed the same law that was gazetted by the Clerk of the National Assembly following Your Excellency’s presidential assent.

While the foregoing issues, together with several other unresolved questions surrounding the tax law intended to be implemented, demand urgent resolution in the interest of administrative integrity, if not the rule of law, it has become necessary to suspend the implementation of the law pending a thorough probe and the gazetting of the correct version duly passed by the National Assembly and assented to by Your Excellency before such implementation.

Please accept my compliments of the season as I urge that wise and impartial counsel, free from political considerations or personal gain, should be permitted to prevail.

Yours faithfully,

M. O. Idam

Download full judgment

A Federal High Court in Abuja has delivered a landmark judgment redefining local government autonomy and dismantling long-standing state control over basic education funds.

In a ruling delivered on October 13, 2025, Justice Emeka Nwite declared key provisions of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act unconstitutional, holding that Nigeria’s 774 local governments are autonomous entities entitled to direct access to federal education funding.

The suit, filed by Sesugh Akume against the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation, challenged sections 11(3) and 13(1) of the UBE Act 2004, which placed the administration and disbursement of UBE funds under State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs).

Justice Nwite ruled that those provisions violate sections 5, 7(1) and Item 2(a) of the Fourth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which recognise local governments as a distinct and self-governing tier of government.

“The local government system is not an appendage or extension of state government,” the court held, declaring that any law subjecting local governments or their agencies to state supervision is null and void.

The judgment effectively dismantles the legal framework that allowed states to act as gatekeepers for billions of naira in federal education grants.

Under the now-nullified provisions, UBEC funds could only be accessed through SUBEBs, which applied for and administered the grants on behalf of local governments. In practice, the court noted, many states failed to apply for the funds at all, while others retained and centrally controlled the resources.

UBEC has repeatedly confirmed that hundreds of billions of naira earmarked for basic education remain unclaimed.

Justice Nwite ordered that local governments must — not may — pay their 50 percent counterpart funding through their Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs) and access UBE funds directly from UBEC, without interference from state agencies.

The court further directed UBEC and the Attorney-General to formally notify all 37 SUBEBs and 774 LGEAs of the ruling within three months. The deadline for compliance expires on January 14, 2026.

Beyond funding, the ruling has far-reaching administrative implications. By affirming that LGEAs are no longer subject to SUBEB supervision, the court effectively transferred responsibility for staffing, management and implementation of basic education to the local governments themselves, including the employment of teachers.

The decision comes amid a deepening education crisis. Nigeria currently has an estimated 18 million out-of-school children, according to UBEC data. Many public schools lack classrooms, teachers are owed salaries, and learning facilities are in severe disrepair — despite the existence of statutory funds designed to address those gaps.

The court’s ruling reframes the debate over local government autonomy, shifting it from a political slogan to an enforceable constitutional reality. By restoring fiscal and administrative control to the local level, the judgment aims to bring governance — and accountability — closer to the communities most affected.

Whether the ruling will translate into improved classrooms, paid teachers and increased enrolment now depends on compliance by federal agencies and the capacity of local governments to manage education delivery independently.

Click here to download the full judgment.