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Mrs. Tinubu and the fraying of Nigeria’s foreign policy and diplomacy

By Charles Onunaiju

Foreign policy and the machinery of diplomacy through which it is executed belong to the core or fundamentals of state policy, for which governments can refine, readjust, and even retool, but not abruptly abandon without undermining the integrity of the State among its peers with which it interacts on the global stage. Diplomacy is routinely sensitive, and gestures from key State actors or those closely associated with them can send strong signals on intentions and direction, all of which resonate with friends and foes alike and can alter the flows of anticipated inputs to the prospective beneficiary state.

For core and premium partners, gestures, signals, and directions must be unambiguously clear and even reassuring; otherwise, reciprocal actions would be restrained, hesitant and even timid to the point of stalemate.

Nigeria’s economic and security challenges have meant that the government’s prioritisation of a robust trade and investment drive with relevant international partners is the right way to go. Progress in this direction has been mixed, but the intervention and interruptions of Mrs. Remi Tinubu, the First Lady and former senator, mean that results would not be expected soon, and even the modest outcomes and gains so far may be lost.

Her latest intervention in Nigeria’s diplomacy, hosting the Trade Representative, Mr. Andy Yih-Pin Liu of the Taipei Trade Office at the State House in Abuja, brought the roof crashing on one of Nigeria’s enigmatic foreign relations and bilateral partnership, spanning more than fifty years. Since 10th January, 1971, when Nigeria established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the basis of its long-enduring relationship and its contemporary fruitful engagement has been on the understanding of mutual respect for the core interests of each other while demonstrating abiding sensitivities to the fundamental concerns of each other.

On this basis, the bilateral relationship, which was recently elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership, has developed and flourished. The People’s Republic of China has become Nigeria’s foremost partner, and this was demonstrated last year, when President Tinubu established the Office of the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP) in the presidency and appointed a Director General to coordinate the partnership to maximise its outcomes and integrate it into the national aggregates for sustainable development.

This was soon after President Tinubu’s State visit to China in September last year. In the document outlining the comprehensive strategic partnership, “The two sides reaffirmed their firm support for each other on issues related to their respective core interests and major concerns, particularly sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Chinese side supports the Renewed Hope Agenda of Nigeria and efforts made by Nigeria in maintaining national unity, peace, security and social stability. The Nigerian side firmly adheres to the One China Principle, acknowledges that there is but One China in the world, and the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory”.

In the run-up to the first anniversary to this historic document, outlining the core interests of each sides and the trajectories to robust and mutually-beneficial partnership, Mrs. Tinubu hosted in the State House, a representative of a Taiwan separatist clique of the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) which is not at all, representative of the broad sentiments of the 22 million residents of the Taiwan region for national re-unification with their kit and kins at the mainland.

The Taiwan question is a product of China’s history and is universally acknowledged as China’s internal affairs. For more than 50 years, Nigeria has held tenaciously to the “One China” policy and has been bold and ambiguous about it. Nigeria’s engagement with the Taiwan region of China coincided with the preeminence of the so-called four Asian dragons in the 1990s, when the military government in Nigeria then, was then focused on what it called economic diplomacy.

Republic of Korea or South Korea, Singapore, China’s Taiwan and Hong Kong were the four dragons and without undermining Nigeria’s One China policy, the military government then was careful to craft only a trade agreement with the Taiwan region leading to the establishment of “Taipei Trade Office” in Nigeria to be headed by a person designated as “Trade Representatives”.

Beijing has not opposed cultural or trade cooperation of Taiwan with people of other countries but frowns at any optics that tend to convey the status of a diplomatic entity to the Taiwan regional authority as that would amount to endorsing “Two Chinas” or “One China, One Taiwan”, which as the Chinese see it, cut painfully at their national sovereignty and territorial integrity and abuse their national sensitivity. The Taipei Trade Office, for its activities that were considered inconsistent with its status as a strictly trade office, was kicked out of Abuja in 2017 by the Nigerian government and directed to relocate to Nigeria’s commercial hub – Lagos, to send an unmistakable signal about the integrity of Nigeria’s “One China Policy”.

Meanwhile, the economic rationale for the economic and trade outreach to the Taiwan region has dissipated. The People’s Republic of China has become the second-largest economy in the world and the largest trading partner to more than 120 countries in the world. In the past fifteen years, China has been Africa’s biggest trading partner with trade volume nearing 300 billion U.S dollars. While trade with Nigeria climbed to more than 20 billion USD last year, the trade with the Taiwan region stood at less than 400 million USD in the same period. More than two hundred Chinese companies operate in the different sectors of Nigeria’s economy and generate tens of thousands of direct jobs.

Only last March, 74 Chinese companies were reported to indicate interest in investing in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas sector. Nigeria is an important partner of the Belt and Road Initiative, a framework of international cooperation that focuses on building connectivity across vast areas of infrastructure, policy, people-to-people and financial integration. Nigeria’s deepest seaport in Lekki was built in a record time of three years under the Nigeria-China Belt and Road Cooperation.

Nigeria and China’s recent upgrade of their bilateral cooperation to a comprehensive strategic partnership opens a pathway to more fruitful and productive engagement. Mrs. Tinubu reckless forage into the realm of Nigeria’s diplomacy might have dangerously put all these prospects on hold, including the 20 billion U.S dollars gas park in Ogidigben except Nigeria initiate a bold measure to clarify her actions as misdemeanour born out of ignorance and also adequately penalize the Taipei Trade Representative for the impudence and affront on one of the pillars of the country’s foreign relations. For the avoidance, Mrs. Tinubu should be cautioned to halt her foray into Nigeria’s diplomacy.

Last year, while President Tinubu was engaging major Arab states for economic partnership and investment, Mrs. Tinubu went out of her way to host Israeli Diplomats in the State House at a very inauspicious moment when the Jewish State was conducting its most scorch-earth military operations in Palestinian Gaza, targeting women and children.

Notwithstanding that Nigeria maintains a policy of equidistance between Israel and Palestine and is well known for its advocacy of negotiated settlement to their long-running conflict, and has been relatively even-handed to both parties. Mrs. Tinubu’s meeting with the Israeli Diplomats at the State House would have unnerved the Arab States with whom Nigeria was cultivating a partnership for investment and trade, and since that notorious optics in the state House, nothing has been heard from the Arab states of their earlier boisterous assurances to invest in the country.

In most parts of the world, the First Lady or the spouse of the President is not the country’s Chief Diplomat but supports his or her spouse in diplomatic activities, including visits and receptions. There are several domestic worthy causes, the First Lady can support and promote without delving into the ultra-sensitive arena of diplomacy, which defines not only the efficiency of the government but the integrity of the State.

Mr Onunaiju is a foreign affairs analyst based in Abuja.

The views expressed by contributors are strictly personal and not of Law & Society Magazine.

Nigeria Police .v. Sowore: This is a murder plot in disguise, not law enforcement

PRESS RELEASE

We have been alerted to the unfolding horror being visited upon Omoyele Sowore ever since his invitation to the forces headquarters yesterday by the IGP Monitoring team.

It is now public knowledge and no longer news that Sowore, whose only “crime” is that he continues to hold the government accountable and speaks truth to power—especially regarding the current IGP Kayode Egbetokun’s prolonged and controversial stay in office—was invited by the police over some phantom allegations lacking in both substance and legitimacy.

In his characteristic law-abiding manner, Sowore honoured the police invitation yesterday, August 6, 2025. But what followed was not the normal process of the law—it was the reenactment of the dark days of military tyranny, where state institutions become weapons of vengeance and vendetta.

After honouring the invitation, Sowore was detained overnight, and in the early hours of this morning, he was forcibly moved to an unknown God-knows-where, with such violent handling that it dislocated and severely injured his right arm. As if physical injury was not enough, it was gathered in this calculated attack on his life what is believed to be noxious gas was reportedly released into the cell where he was being held and the information reaching us now is that he has been moved to an underground cell.

Let it be clear: these are not accidents, nor negligence, or incompetence—this playing out events are vivid attempts on his health, his life, and his dignity.

We remember how Gani Fawehinmi, one of Nigeria’s boldest patriots, suffered irreversible damage to his health from toxic chemicals sprayed on him while in detention at Gashua Prison. We remember how MKO Abiola was subjected to similar poison tactics while in state custody. These are not coincidences. These are tactics of silence, tools of assassination, deployed by desperate regimes to eliminate voices they cannot defeat in open contestation of ideas.

We are watching history repeating itself.

The Nigeria Police Force has now descended from being a constitutional law enforcement body to becoming an execution squad for the enemies of democracy.

Let it be known to all, both home and abroad, that any harm that comes to Omoyele Sowore, in body or in spirit, will be fully accounted for, and the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector-General of Police, and those who ordered this atrocity will stand answerable before the law and before the people.

We warn the Nigeria Police to immediately shelve this satanic script of slow assassination, release Sowore unconditionally, and tender public apology for the cruel violation of his human rights and bodily safety.

This impunity will not pass silently.

SIGNED

TOPE TEMOKUN, ESQ.
Lawyer and Human Rights Activist.
August 7, 2025.

Dentist and engineer wife caught shoplifting at the airport

American dentist Husain Zoher Kapadia, 35, (pictured with a patient) and his engineer wife spent weeks behind bars after being caught red-handed stealing luxury items in an airport in notoriously strict Singapore.

An American dentist and his engineer wife spent weeks behind bars after being caught red-handed stealing luxury items in notoriously strict Singapore. 

The pair, Husain Zoher Kapadia, 35, and Amatullah Kapadia, 30, were arrested on June 23 after stealing from designer shops at Changi Airport. 

Authorities said the couple, who are both US nationals, stole more than $750 of upmarket items from Louis Vuitton and Dior at the airport before trying to board their jet. 

They made it to their seats on a flight set for Mumbai before airport police hauled them away. 

Cops said that CCTV from inside the airport captured the couple in the act, and both were swiftly prosecuted and subsequently pleaded guilty to theft. 

Kapadia was handed an 18-day jail sentence, and his wife was sentenced to a week behind bars for the brazen shoplifting. 

State Prosecuting Officer (SPO) Ng Chee Wee argued at their sentencing that Kapadia had stolen out of greed.

‘He had a habit of overspending, and he did not want to pay,’ the prosecutor said.

Authorities said the couple’s shoplifting spree began around 5 pm after they entered Changi Airport’s Terminal 1. 

They were seen on CCTV targeting a Louis Vuitton store first, where Kapadia stole a credit card holder worth $600. 

The couple then moved to Terminal 3 around 5:40 pm and went to Cosmetics & Perfumes by The Shilla, a designer store. 

Kapadia then took a bottle of Dior Sauvage perfume worth around $160 and slipped it into his pocket, with prosecutors saying he had his wife act as a lookout. 

According to an image of Kapadia at his dentistry practice, he works at a clinic in Houston, Texas.  

He and his wife got off lightly for their stealing frenzy. 

Singapore has one of the world’s lowest crime rates thanks to draconian laws that outlaw chewing gum, e-cigarettes and the failure to flush a public toilet.

People caught taking drugs face lengthy prison sentences and 24 strokes with a cane.

Anyone caught dealing illegal substances is executed.  

Zenith Bank slammed with N85m fine by court for freezing customer’s account with invalid court order

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has imposed a fine of N85million against the Zenith Bank and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for freezing one of the bank’s customers’ accounts by relying on an invalid court order.

The court also ordered the bank to immediately unfreeze the account domiciled in its branch at 63 Usuma Street, Maitama, opposite Transcorp Hilton Hotel, and publish a public apology to the customer – Abhulimen & Co – in two national newspapers and its website..

Justice S. U. Bature issued the orders in a judgment in which he held, among others, that the bank’s decision to freeze the customer’s account, based on a supposed order by a Magistrate Court, but without notifying the said customer, was illogical and a betrayal of the banker-customers relationship between parties.

Justice Bature noted that it was unfortunate that a major financial institution like Zenith Bank, with a Legal Department, supposedly manned by lawyers, would claim to have acted based on an invalid order by a Magistrate Court that lacked the jurisdiction to entertain any banking-related case, including issuing orders for the freezing of a bank account.

The judgment delivered on sighted on Thursday, was on a suit marked: FCT/HC/CV/2194/2024 filed by Paulyn O. Abhulimen (SAN), with Zenith Bank and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) as defendants.

Abhulimen had sued through the law firm of Kehinde & Partners LP, claiming that, in early 2024, after being unable to access the account of her firm – Abhulimen & Co – and make transactions with it, she discovered that the bank placed a post-no-debt (PND) on.

She claimed to have subsequently contacted an official of the bank, who is in charge of the account – Obi Okafor – who told her about the development, following which the bank, in March 13, 2024 claimed to have frozen the account based on an order obtained by the NPF from a Chief Magistrates Court in Mararaba Gurku, Nasarawa State.

Justice Bature, in the judgment found that the bank acted on an invalid order made by a court that lacked the requisite jurisdiction.

The judge said: “The said account was opened at the first defendant’s (Zenith Bank’s) Transcorp Hilton branch, here in Abuja, and the second defendant (NPF) is also domiciled in Abuja.

“The rationale behind seeking the said order at a Magistrate Court under the Nasarawa State jurisdiction cannot be understood, and the second defendant did not appear to be able to give any explanation or reason as to why they decided to follow this line of action.

“The said Magistrate Court lacked the territorial jurisdiction to entertain the application.

“And, regarding the substantive jurisdiction of the court to make the order, it is clear from the provisions of Section 251 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended), that matters relating to banks and banking transactions are within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, and matters relating to banker-customer disputes are jointly under the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, State High Courts and High Court of the FCT,” he said.

Justice Bature added: “From the foregoing, it is clear that Magistrate Courts lack the jurisdiction to entertain an application for an order to freeze a bank account of a person, and should not have entertained the said application in its entirety.

“The legal department of the first defendant (Zenith Bank), being lawyers, should have been aware of this position of the law and taken the appropriate action in this situation, as they ought not to have obeyed the court order in the first place.

“Thus, the first defendant was wrong to have placed a PND on the account of the claimant based on the order of a court lacking the requisite jurisdiction to do so. I so hold,” he held

The judge faulted the failure of the bank to inform the claimant about its decision to freeze her company’s account, describing it as a breach of the duty of care it owed to its customers.

Justice Bature said: “It is the humble opinion of this honourable court that, the first defendant owed the claimant a duty of care of duly informing her that her account had been frozen.

“The first defendant placed a post no debit on the account of the claimant’s firm, but same was not communicated to the claimant until she encountered difficulties in the use of the said account.

“It is the humble opinion of this honourable court that, the first defendant owed the claimant a duty of care of duly informing her that her account had been frozen

“The failure of the first defendant to inform the claimant of the state of affairs on her account amounts to negligence on the part of the first defendant and hence, a breach of duty of care and due diligence owed to the claimant. I so hold,” Justice Bature said.

Having found that the bank and the NPF acted unlawfully, the judge proceeded to declare among others, that an order to freeze a bank account cannot validly be granted ex-parte to last indefinitely.

He also declared that the Chief Magistrate Court of Nasarawa State, sitting at Mararaba Gurku, lacked the requisite jurisdiction to make an order to freeze the claimant’s Zenith Bank Plc’s account (Account Number: 1012272348) based on an ex-parte application.

The judge also declared that the act of freezing the claimant’s Zenith Bank Plc’s account (Account Number: 1012272348) without a valid order of a court of competent jurisdiction is a breach of the banker-customer relationship between the claimant and the first defendant.

He also declared that the bank’s failure to timely inform the claimant that her account had been frozen constitutes a breach of the duty of care the first defendant owes to the claimant.

Justice Bature ordered the bank to immediately vacate the Post No Debit (PND) order placed on the claimant’s account and “tender an unreserved apology to the claimant in writing in two National newspapers and on their websites for the grave inconveniences suffered by the claimant in this matter.

“The defendants are hereby ordered to jointly and severally pay the sum of N60million to the claimant as general damages for the embarrassment, psychological trauma, financial distress, emotional stress and grave inconveniences suffered by the claimant due to the defendants’ actions.

“The defendants are hereby ordered to jointly and severally pay the sum of N25m to the claimant as cost of this action,” Justice Bature said.

WAEC under fierce attack as results portal goes down

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has come under renewed fire following the temporary shutdown of its result checker portal on Wednesday evening, a move it attributed to “technical issues.”

The announcement, posted via WAEC’s official X handle, @waecnigeria, sparked fresh criticism as many Nigerians continue to express outrage over the poor performance recorded in the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, particularly in English Language.

“WAEC hereby informs the general public that the result checker portal @waecdirect.org is temporarily shut down due to technical issues.

“However, the Council is working assiduously to ensure that candidates are able to access their results in the next 24 hours. We apologise for any inconvenience this might have caused you,” the notice read.

Wednesday’s notice has further fuelled speculation and public discontent over the examination body’s credibility, especially after Monday’s announcement that only 38.32 per cent of the 1,969,313 candidates who sat the 2025 WASSCE obtained credits and above in five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics, the worst performance recorded in a decade.

Across social media platforms, many candidates and concerned Nigerians pointed fingers at WAEC’s logistics failures, especially the delayed conduct of the English Language paper, which reportedly held late into the night at many centres on May 28.

On X (formerly Twitter), several users shared screenshots of results showing credit passes in other subjects but failure in English, calling for a comprehensive review of the English Language scripts.

Tweeting at @sikimark, Mark Imohi wrote, “It is concerning that the English exam, which was delayed at centres nationwide, is now resulting in widespread failures. If JAMB could make amends, we hope you (WAEC) will take steps to rectify the situation. It was a national disgrace.”

Another user, @_samad1, lamented, “We wrote exams at 8 pm. We were given one hour or 30 minutes to answer questions that should last two and a half hours. There was no light, and everyone was in a hurry to leave. Please rethink.”

Some candidates expressed optimism that once the portal is reopened, there could be changes in the scores.

“When the portal is reopened, you will see magic,” tweeted Daniel Ebitimi (@ebitimi_da15726).

Others alleged deliberate manipulation and revenue generation motives behind the poor grading.

“Just like JAMB, WAEC is gambling with the future of Nigerians. If the majority of the D’s, E’s and F8’s awarded in English are rechecked, WAEC will pay dearly,” @JayTrezy posted.

Parents also joined the chorus of displeasure, expressing confusion over how students who excelled in other subjects could have failed English.

“My daughter got five A1 and two B2, only to get D7 in English and Physics (withheld),” tweeted a parent, @Johnway11145073.

Another user, @DEYHOT_official, pleaded, “WAEC, please I am begging, help us check the English Language exam again. I can’t accept this result. I struggled so hard to get money and pay for this exam, and now you failed me. This result is affecting my future.”

Some went as far as demanding a total recall of the 2025 results.

“We reject this year’s results, particularly the English and Maths. WAEC, please do the needful to avoid mass protests,” @pastorbtdaniels posted.

The Teacher, @MarquizDejavex wrote, “Students wrote English paper in the mid night and yet WAEC failed them.”

King Jeporphs, @e_okwori tweeted, “The students who were robbed and given abysmal grades in English should tag presidency, Minister of education to have an external body revise the whole exam process.”

WAEC has yet to issue any further clarification on the English Language grading or respond to the growing demands for a review of the affected scripts.

Snowflake solicitors are destroying a once proud profession

By Suella Braverman

Britain’s legal profession – once a byword for rigour, intellect and integrity – now finds itself the latest battleground in the war against excellence. A cohort of aspiring solicitors has taken to petitioning for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) to be made easier. Their complaint? The exams are “too hard, disproportionately challenging”, and, of course, “biased towards certain backgrounds and learning styles”. In other words: “We didn’t do well, and it must be someone else’s fault.”

There could hardly be a more telling parable of our times. The snowflake sensibility – once confined to undergraduate common rooms and the wilder fringes of social media – has now infected even the corridors of legal ambition. The future custodians of our justice system are not asking for a level playing field; they are asking for the pitch to be tilted until everyone scores.

The argument, if we can call it that, is that maintaining high standards will inevitably restrict “diversity” in the profession. And here we are again, at the familiar intersection where merit collides with identity politics – and where the latter is expected to triumph, no matter the cost. This isn’t about widening opportunity. It is about lowering the bar.

Having sat more than a dozen legal exams across three jurisdictions – from the halls of Cambridge to the benches of the Sorbonne, and ultimately the famously exacting New York bar – I speak from a place of experience. These were not fun. I lost a stone in weight during one set of particularly punishing exams. They were not “inclusive”. They were not designed to reflect my personal learning style. They were difficult. That was the point. And when I passed them, I felt a precious sense of achievement and readiness for the real world of legal practice.

And therein lies a truth we are fast forgetting: standards are not meant to flatter us, they are meant to test us. The whole premise of a professional exam is that it provides an independent measure of competence. It is meant to be hard. It is meant to discriminate: not on the basis of race or class, but on the basis of skill, preparation and effort. That is not injustice. That is fairness.

If I’m paying a lawyer, a doctor, or a pilot for their services, I do not want someone who merely feels entitled to the role. I want someone who has earned their place. Their colour, class or creed do not matter to me. What matters, and should matter, is their calibre. And if that view now makes me unfashionable, then so be it.

But the consequences of this race to the bottom go far beyond a few disgruntled exam-takers. Undermining legal standards risks hollowing out one of the UK’s most formidable exports: our legal profession itself. English law is the governing framework of choice for international commerce precisely because it has been shaped by a world-class profession. A profession forged through rigour, not rhetoric.

Flooding it with underprepared entrants – however well-meaning or well-intentioned – will not promote equity. It will diminish excellence. And it is the very people supposedly being helped who will suffer most, entering a crowded profession where oversupply drives down wages and erodes prestige.

Here, then, is the central paradox: in the name of inclusion, we exclude the very mechanisms that uplift. Hard work. Discipline. Ambition. Standards. The old virtues are being recast as vices: elitism, snobbery, oppression. And all to appease a cultural mood that seems to confuse equal opportunity with equal outcomes.

But Britain cannot afford this decline. Not in a century where the likes of China, India, and the United States are training their brightest and best to surpass us. While they chase excellence, we chase excuses.

This is not compassion. It is cowardice, disguised in the language of empathy. It is not progress, it is entropy. And unless we reclaim the idea that standards matter – that excellence should be earned, and that challenge is a feature, not a flaw, of a functioning society – then we will become a country incapable of producing not just good lawyers, but good professionals of any kind.

The question, then, is not whether the SQE is too hard. The question is: when did we become so soft?

Culled from The Telegraph

Abuja Lawyer raises alarm over alleged bail manipulation and systemic abuses in Magistrate Courts, petitions FCT Chief Judge

Dr. S. M. Oyeghe, Esq., an Abuja-based rights lawyer, has lodged a petition with the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the Director of Magistrates, concerning what he described as widespread irregularities and systemic abuses within the FCT Magistrate Courts.

The main plank of the petition is the controversial practice of allowing prosecutors to verify sureties’ addresses after bail has already been granted.

The petition, also copied to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and other key stakeholders in the legal profession, condemned the practice as “oppressive, unlawful, anti-justice, and exploitative.”

Dr. Oyeghe’s protest stemmed from his experience in the case IGP v. Owoupele Eneonekumoh (Charge No: CR/DUT/686/25) before Magistrate Abdullahi Ahmed Ilelah. Though the court granted bail, the defendant remained in custody as prosecutors insisted on personally verifying the addresses of the sureties—a process that stalled for days due to the absence and alleged unresponsiveness of the prosecuting counsel.

“Upon grant of bail, it was perfected; however in the process, we were informed that the addresses of the sureties must be verified by the Prosecution,” the petition reads. “We immediately raised concerns about the policy of subjecting the verification to the Prosecutor instead of the Court. The same prosecutor who opposed the defendant’s bail should not be accorded such a sensitive task.”

According to Dr. Oyeghe, repeated appeals to court officials to reconsider the practice were ignored. He recounted that the prosecutor, A. S. Oyeyemi, Esq., claimed to have travelled out of Abuja and then failed to respond to calls or designate an alternate contact, resulting in the defendant being held in custody since July 31, 2025, despite the court’s bail order.

He described the practice as one that compromises judicial independence by placing enforcement of a court order under prosecutorial control. “It is demeaning to the courts, as their order on bail is subjected to the whims and caprices of the prosecution,” he said. Dr. Oyeghe also alleged that the practice has, in some instances, been turned into a “money-making venture,” with some prosecutors delaying or obstructing the process unless bribes are paid.

Beyond the surety verification issue, the petition identified other alleged troubling practices at the FCT Magistrate Courts, including:

  • Refusal to entertain oral bail applications, a policy Dr. Oyeghe argued contradicts the fundamental nature of Magistrate Courts as courts of summary jurisdiction.
  • Prolonged adjournments for bail rulings, which he said defeat the goal of speedy justice.
  • Excessive bail conditions, such as mandating that sureties must be Level 16 or 17 civil servants or own property in upscale areas like Maitama or Asokoro—criteria Dr. Oyeghe described as tantamount to denying bail outright.
  • Forum shopping and irregular filing of First Information Reports (FIRs), where police allegedly file charges in distant or preferential courts rather than those nearest to the police station or location of the alleged offence.

Dr. Oyeghe concluded the petition by urging the Chief Judge of the FCT to launch a comprehensive review of these practices and initiate structural reforms. Among his recommendations was the implementation of a central filing system for FIRs, with assignments made solely through the Chief Magistrate to eliminate forum shopping and enhance public trust in the judiciary.

As of the time of this report, neither the FCT Judiciary nor prosecuting authorities have issued a formal response to the allegations raised in the petition.

Credit: BarristerNG.com

Group demands national database to track sexual violence offenders

Little girl suffering bullying raises her palm asking to stop the violence

A group under the aegis of Christian Women for Excellence and Empowerment in Nigerian Society, CWEENS, has called for the creation of a centralised database to track and prosecute offenders of sexual violence, especially in conflict areas.

The group also described sexual violence as a humanitarian crisis that demands urgent national attention.

This was disclosed by the National Coordinator of CWEENS, Prof. Oluwafunmilayo Para-Mallam, at an event to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflicts, held in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

She said, “Sexual violence has become a weapon of war, with victims ranging from internally displaced women to young girls and persons with disabilities.

“The crisis has extended beyond rape to include physical, emotional, and socio-economic abuse driven by systemic patriarchy and worsening insecurity.”

Para-Mallam, a gender advocate, maintained that, “The survivors of sexual abuse suffer lasting psychological scars including depression, suicidal thoughts, and societal rejection.

“Many victims face double tragedy when families disown them, and husbands divorce wives raped during captivity, leaving them re-traumatised and unsupported,” Para-Mallam said.

According to her, data from recent studies show that 95 percent of victims are female, especially disabled women who are at greater risk.

She said, shockingly, 82.3 percent of perpetrators were known to survivors, including family members, teachers, and neighbours, highlighting how violence was thriving even in homes and schools.

Para-Mallam said urgent steps that could be taken to curb the menace included deployment of gender-responsive policing and women-led task forces in IDP camps.

She also suggested funding for women’s agribusiness to reduce poverty-driven trafficking and mass awareness campaigns to challenge patriarchal norms.

Suspected fraudster remanded for allegedly seizing late businessman’s companies, diverting ₦200 million

A Federal High Court in Lagos presided over by Justice Deinde Dipeolu has ordered the remand of a middle-aged man, Solomon Ehiem, at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre following allegations of fraudulently taking over companies belonging to a deceased businessman.

According to the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Ehiem and an accomplice who remains at large conspired to unlawfully assume control of three companies—Refron 22 Gas Limited, Refron 410 Gas Limited, and J.C. Nwadike Tech Company—previously owned by the late Chima Joseph Nwadike.

The police further alleged that Ehiem fraudulently transferred, retained, and took possession of ₦200 million from the companies’ accounts for his benefit.

Ehiem was arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing, and fraudulent conversion. He pleaded not guilty.

The prosecution, led by Justin Enang, told the court that the offences took place in Lagos in February 2025 and violated Sections 20(a) and 18(1) & (2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. The offences are punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.

Following the plea, the prosecution requested a trial date and asked the court to remand the defendant pending the conclusion of proceedings.

The matter has been adjourned to 12 August 2025 for the hearing of the bail application.

Dauda Musa Komo was a worthy son of Zuru

It has been a little over two months since the passing of Colonel Dauda Musa Komo (rtd) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he served as Military Administrator between 1993 and 1994, but the Zuru people of Kebbi State, where he was raised, are still mourning.

A former President of the Zuru Emirate Development Society (ZEDS), Col. Komo, reportedly played a pivotal role in the growth and development of Zuru.

Described as a great icon, a man whose life embodied service, integrity, and commitment to the advancement of his people, members of ZEDS attest that his indelible contributions will forever be remembered and should serve as a beacon of inspiration for current and future generations.

He was on Saturday, 12 July 2025 laid to rest with full military honours at the family cemetery in Zuru, Kebbi State. The funeral ceremony was attended by senior military officers, both serving and retired, family members, friends, associates, and dignitaries from the Zuru Emirate.

Komo was appointed by late General Sani Abacha as Military Administrator of Rivers State during one of the most turbulent periods in the Niger Delta’s history. He was tasked with maintaining order amid escalating unrest fuelled by the environmental degradation caused by oil companies and the protests of the Ogoni people

His tenure saw the establishment of the Rivers State Internal Security Task Force, led by Major Paul Okutimo. But the darkest chapter of Colonel Komo’s administration came with the arrest, trial, and execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Nine in 1995. Saro-Wiwa, a prominent environmental activist, led the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) in their resistance against environmental devastation and exploitation.

During the Service of Songs for Colonel Komo on July 11, 2025, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who represented Senator Douye Diri, Governor of Bayelsa State, described him as “a revered elder statesman, a father figure, and a mentor to many across the nation.

“His legacy is deeply rooted, far-reaching, and widely acknowledged with profound respect. Without a doubt, his absence will be strongly felt across all spheres where his influence brought guidance, calm, and purpose.

“For us in Bayelsa State, the Late Colonel Komo is remembered as a stabilising figure, a symbol of strength and foresight during his tenure as Military Administrator of the old Rivers State, from which Bayelsa was later created. His leadership left a lasting imprint on the region and its people.

“On behalf of His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State and Man of Peace (MOP), we extend our heartfelt condolences to the family over this irreparable loss.

“May the family draw strength and comfort from the exemplary life he lived—as a patriotic leader and a sacrificial servant of God.

Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim Shittu, Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations 8 Division, in a statement on the burial, said: “All gathered to pay final respects to a distinguished senior officer whose exemplary service, professionalism, and life of impact remain worthy of emulation.

“Born on 5 March 1954 in Zuru, Kebbi State, Colonel Komo hailed from the Zuru Local Government Area. He began his educational journey at the primary level before gaining admission into the Nigerian Military School, Zaria, where he obtained the West African School Certificate in 1973.

“He proceeded to the prestigious Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of the 15 Regular Course and was granted Regular Combatant Commission on 20 March 1976 on the rank of Second Lieutenant at the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, United Kingdom.

“An officer of the Nigerian Army Signals Corps, Colonel Komo served with dedication and distinction, rising to the rank of Colonel on 5 January 1997. He retired from active military service effective 1 June 1999, after a meritorious career spanning over two decades. He passed away on 30 May 2025.”

Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, was ably represented at the funeral by the Commander 1 Brigade Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Timothy Opurum.

In his tribute, Brigadier General Opurum described the late senior officer as a brilliant, resourceful, disciplined, confident and professional military officer with impeccable integrity. He noted that Colonel Komo approached leadership not merely as a position, but as a solemn responsibility, demonstrating unwavering commitment to mission success and the welfare of his subordinates.

He further described the deceased as a courageous leader who faced every challenge with resolve, consistently placing the mission and his team above personal comfort. His calm strength in the face of adversity, Brigadier General Opurum remarked, was a constant source of reassurance to those around him.

Highlighting Colonel Komo’s legacy as Military Administrator of Rivers State, Brigadier General Opurum praised him as a champion of peace and a people-oriented leader. At a time of widespread unrest, he initiated a state-wide peace mission that successfully reconciled warring communities and restored stability. His administration prioritized impactful developmental projects and people-centred programmes, including the rehabilitation and dualization of major roads, expansion of access to clean water, improved housing for civil servants, and the empowerment of rural communities to complete abandoned projects through state-supported labour initiatives. He also introduced reforms that enhanced the efficiency of the state’s revenue system.

Highlights of the funeral rites included the traditional firing of volleys, the presentation of the national flag to the Next of Kin, the sounding of the Last Post, and the Reveille. All symbolizing the nation’s final salute to a gallant officer.

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