The Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, has approved the appointment of Alhaji Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli as the 19th Emir of Zazzau.

He succeeds HRH Alh. (Dr) Shehu Idris who died on Sunday, 20th September 2020 after reigning for 45 years.

Alh. Bamalli is the first emir from the Mallawa ruling house in 100 years, following the demise in 1920 of his grandfather, Emir Dan Sidi.

According to a statement by the State Commissioner, Ministry of Local Government Affairs Ja’afaru Ibrahim Sani, until his appointment as Emir of Zazzau, Alh. Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli held the title of Magajin Garin Zazzau and served as Nigeria’s ambassador to Thailand, with concurrent accreditation to Myanmar.

He had been a commissioner in the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission in 2015.

He had worked in the banking sector and as Executive Director and later acting Managing Director of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Corporation.

He was a staff member of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Agency before his stint as head of Human Resources at Mtel; the mobile communications arm of the old Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL).

Born in 1966, Alhaji Bamalli studied Law at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

He holds a master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy and a diploma in Organisational Leadership from Oxford University.

He is also a fellow on Conflict Resolution of the University of York, United Kingdom (UK).

Ibrahim Sani said on behalf of the Kaduna State Government, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has congratulated HRH Alhaji Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli on his appointment and wished him a successful and peaceful reign as Emir of Zazzau.

The Federal Government has ordered an investigation into the alleged missing N2.67bn meant for feeding school pupils during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, announced this in a statement on Tuesday.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC) had raised the alarm N2.67 billion released to 104 Unity Colleges during the lockdown for meal subsidies were in the accounts of private individuals.

But in a statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, Ben Goong, principals of the 104 colleges claimed payments on meal subsidies to Unity Colleges on the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System, (GIFMIS) platform was designed to accommodate individual officers of those colleges officially recognised to receive such payments and disburse same to food vendors.

According to the principals, this followed difficulties encountered by farmers, local food vendors and market women who do not have Tax Identification Numbers (TIN), PENCOM and other requirements to access the payment platform.

In the statement, the principals also claimed payments made during the lockdown period had to do with debts owed food vendors even before COVID 19, some of which are still pending, adding that these debts arose from irregular and inadequate budgetary allocations and releases over the years.

“The investigation is to establish the veracity of the claims to ensure that there is no diversion of public funds or misappropriation of same.

“To this end, the ministry in line with the Minister’s directive is to collaborate effectively with officials of the ICPC to unearth the facts as well as find a lasting solution to the payment system for meal subsidies that will ensure accountability and transparency,” the statement added.

Following an alleged domestic abuse involving rapper Sanmi Goriola Wasiu, popularly known as Lil Frosh against his estranged girlfriend and model, Gift, the singer’s contract with Davido Music Worldwide (DMW) has been terminated.

Lil Frosh had been alleged to have beaten Gift to stupor on Monday after Gift’s manager and brother, Michael took to Twitter to release pictures of Gift’s swollen face and called out the singer, accusing him of abusing his sister several times.

Davido in a statement released on his Twitter account on Tuesday said his record label does not condone violence against women in any form and would not support such behaviour from the singer signed to his label.

The statement read in parts: “In light of recent allegations made against Mr Sanni Goriola Wasiu, also known as Lil Frosh, we would like to state that as a record label, domestic violence is not a trivial matter and we will never support or condone such behaviour.

pic.twitter.com/EsY8xqas9p

— Davido (@davido) October 6, 2020

“Upon internal investigation carried out by the label, we are left with no option than to terminate the recording contract that exists between the label and Lil Frosh immediately. We hereby severe all affiliations with Mr Sanmi Goriola Wasiu, popularly known as Lil Frosh”, the statement read.

Enugu based Legal Practitioner and the originator of the Online Petition calling for the suspension of the AGF’s SAN rank, Mr. Izu Aniagu has petitioned the Chief Justice of Nigeria over the numerous sins of the Attorney General of the Federation.

In  the detailed petition sent to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mohammed Tanko, Mr. Aniagu narrated the gravity of the various acts allegedly committed by the AGF against the legal Profession.

Aniagu urged the CJN to take appropriate steps to address the act of unpardonable impunities emanating from the office of the Attorney General of the federation and Minister of justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.

BarristerNG recalls that about 10,000 lawyers signed the Online Petition by Mr. Aniagu when it was published online.

Mr. Izu Aniagu Esq

Read the full petition Below

1st October, 2020

The Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman,
Legal Practioners’ Privileges Committee,
Supreme Court of Nigeria Complex,
Three Arms Zone,
Abuja.

Through:

The Chief Registrar of Supreme Court and Secretary of the
Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee,
Secretariat of the Legal Practioners’ Privileges Committee,
Supreme Court of Nigeria Complex
Ground Floor, Abuja.

Your Lordship,

SUSPENSION OF THE RANK OF SENIOR ADVOCATE OF NIGERIA AND ALL RELATED RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES ON MR. ABUBAKAR MALAMI, SAN, ON THE GROUNDS OF CORRUPTION, ABUSE OF OFFICE, BALKANIZATION AND INTIMIDATION OF THE NIGERIAN BAR AND THE JUDICIARY.
Please, accept and record this letter as my petition against the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, with reference to the subject matter also captured therein.

This petition, first and foremost, arose in view of the recent Statutory Instrument No. 15 of 2020 (the “Instrument”) issued by Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, which purportedly amended the 2007 Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners (RPC). The said amendment effectively removed certain provisions, including the provisions on stamp and seal for legal practitioners and payment of practicing fee.

It would be recalled, my Lord, that the above amendment of the RPC evoked agitated reactions from Nigerian lawyers and was also greeted with so much anger even from among ordinary people for not following procedure as prescribed by the enabling law.

Section 12 (4) of the Legal Practitioners Act (as amended) confers the power to issue rules of professional conduct for legal practitioners, and any amendments thereto, on the General Council of the Bar (the “Bar Council”). The Bar Council comprises the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation, the Honourable Attorneys-General of the thirty-six states of Nigeria, and twenty members of the NBA. Consequently, the RPC and any amendments thereto may only be validly issued after it has been deliberated upon and approved at a properly convened meeting of the Bar Council.

My Lord, there is, unfortunately, no evidence of a meeting convened by members of the Bar Council with respect to the said instrument. As a matter of fact, no member admitted to have been issued with notice of any meeting leading to some of them vowing to challenge the action of the Attorney General in the law court. Therefore, to that extent, it is only safe to conclude that the Attorney General of the Federation acted unilaterally and illegally in his decision to amend the RPC.

My Lord, the action of Mr. Abubakar Malami should have been ordinarily glossed over as a mere “passion of the moment”. However, doing so at this point will be dangerous, especially in view of his habitual desecration of the legal profession since his assumption of office. Mr. Abubakar Malami, from inception has abused his position to the extent that further indifference to his impunity, which of course has already pervaded the entire judicial process, will inevitably lead to the implosion of the legal profession in Nigeria.

Aside his other malfeasance, by circumventing the Bar Council to arrogate to himself the unilateral power to make laws for the body of the legal profession, Mr. Malami has shown his unpretentious loathing for the rule of law and as such must be punished in accordance with the laid down procedures.

The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) by virtue of section 5 (7) of the LPA CAP L11 LFN, 2004 is saddled with the responsibility to make the guidelines and confer the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria to qualified legal practitioners in Nigeria. The guidelines contain certain criteria that must be considered for the conferment/withdrawal of the rank, which must not only pre-exist in a candidate but must inure in him even after the conferment of the rank. Some of these criteria as provided in Paragraph 19 (1) of the Guidelines are as follows:
“a candidate must demonstrate high professional and personal integrity; be honest and straightforward in all his professional/personal dealings; be of good character and reputation; show observance of the Code of Conduct and etiquette at the Bar; and demonstrate high level of understanding of cultural and social diversity characteristic of the Nigerian Society”. See also Sub-paragraph (17) (a) which provides “that a candidate should demonstrate clear qualities of leadership and loyalty to the legal profession.”

My Lord, Mr. Malami has overtime demonstrated uncommon disregard and disloyalty to the legal profession. His unilateral issuance of a new RPC has deepened the division among lawyers. He is accused to have unilaterally amended the RPC with intendment to facilitate the breakaway of lawyers from the northern part of the country from the national body and create a factional body known as the Northern Bar Association.

It is a public record, my Lord, that some group of lawyers from the north in the guise of protesting the disinvitation of Governor Nasir El-Rufai by the NBA to her annual Bar Conference, wrote to the Attorney General and demanded his endorsement and recognition of a splinter body. It is also on record, that following that demand, Mr. Malami, responded a few days after by issuing a new RPC. The timing of his illegal action which unfortunately coincided with the time the new leadership of NBA was trying to settle grievances generated during the bar election has brought a sad day in the legal profession.

There’s no doubt that Mr. Malami’s action is a clear contravention of the guidelines which provide for honesty, straightforwardness and loyalty to one’s professional/personal dealings. He is also guilty for failing to understand the cultural and social diversity characteristic of the Nigerian Society as provided in the Guidlines. This is because, rather than demonstrating leadership, Mr. Malami exploited the misunderstanding arising from the diversity in culture and opinion among legal practitioners to alter the power of a united bar in favour of a select few.

My Lord, while we agree with Mr. Malami that every citizen of Nigeria has the right to freedom of association and right to conduct his or her cases in the law courts, the requirement of NBA’s stamp and seal has never been to prejudice those rights. The RPC only seeks to checkmate the activities of quacks parading as lawyers. Without a strong body and/or instruments to checkmate practitioners, my Lord will agree with me that every profession will undoubtedly go the way of the dogs.

Going further, my Lord, it is also a well known fact that Mr. Abubakar Malami, as the Attorney General and Minister of justice, has been in the eyes of the storm for many wrong reasons including wanton disregard to court orders, lack of diligent prosecution, failure to prosecute, shielding of suspects, usurpation of offices, indiscriminate filing of nolle prosequi and/or withdrawal of cases, as well as bias and corruption.

By virtue of Paragraph 25 (1) (a) of the Guidelines, “the rank of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria may be withdrawn from any person holding the rank by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee if the person is adjudged to have conducted himself in a manner incompatible with the dignity and honour of the rank; or guilty of professional misconduct.”

Mr. Malami, by persistently obstructing the cause of justice, even as the chief law officer of the federation, has conducted himself in a manner incompatible with the dignity and honour of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

On November 18, 2018, through a lawyer from his office, Pius Akuta, Mr. Malami withdrew a fraud case filed by the EFCC at Lagos High Court against John Abebe, younger brother to late Stella Obasanjo. As the Attorney General of the Federation, he also filed for the discontinuation of a N25 billion criminal charge against Senator Danjuma Goje without any justification after over seven years of diligent investigation and prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Furthermore, my Lord, Mr. Malami withdrew a criminal case against the Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar; and also demanded for the withdrawal of the cases against Mohammed Bello Adoke, Diezani Alison-Madueke and others involved in the Malabu Oil scandal.

As the Chief Law Officer of the Federation, Mr. Malami also withdrew criminal charges against soldiers accused of killing police officers and a civilian in the bid to aid the escape of billionaire kidnapper, Bala Hamisu, popularly known as Wadume; and also suspended the investigation of alleged fraud in Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL).

Other ignominious acts by the Attorney General, my Lord, include halting the prosecution of former Comptroller General of Customs, Mohammed Inde Dikko, shielding the ex-Customs boss from refunding of $8million to the governmen; and writing a letter dated 16th December, 2016 withdrawing the case of fraud filed against Godsday Orubebe, former Minister for Niger Delta; as well as the reinstatement of Abdulrasheed Maina, former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, into the Federal Civil Service Commission without due process.

My Lord, Mr. Malami is also accused of auctioning of sea vessels holding crude oil seized by the Federal Government, violating Section 31(2) and (4) of the EFCC Act 2004. He is also said to have authorized the sale of vessels by companies under EFCC prosecution for similar offence of illegal bunkering. Furthermore, he was indicted of duplicity of payment of $16.9million fees to two friends as new lawyers for the recovery of the loot traced to a former Head of State, Sani Abacha, after a Swiss lawyer, Enrico Monfrini, who helped in the recovery was fully paid by the previous government.

Going further, my Lord, Mr. Malami has also consistently disobeyed court orders by refusing to release persons who have been granted bail by competent courts of jurisdiction such as the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky; National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), as well as the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu who remained in custody for over three years despite being granted bail by courts.

There are also serious allegations that Mr. Malami shadily acquired assets worth billions of Naira after his appointment as the Attorney General and Minister of justice. These assets include Rayhaan Hotels worth about N500million, located at opposite Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Zaria Road, Kano State; a property worth about N600million located at Ahmadu Bello Way, Nasarawa GRA, Kano; a newly constructed school at the back of Nitel at Gesse Phase 1, Birni Kebbi, Kebbi State, worth about N700million. Other assets include property allegedly built by Malami for his son located at Gesse Phase II in Birni Kebbi worth over N400million; a mansion known as Azbir Arena allegedly built by Malami for his second son; Azbir Arena, an entertainment centre worth over N3billion, with a big plaza and kids playing centre and hotel, all combined in one expansive property.

My Lord, the above accusations against Mr. Malami are too weighty to be ignored and therefore requires an urgent reactions. To this extent, my Lord, we demand that the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee should immediately commence a process to withdraw the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria from Mr. Abubakar Malami. The withdrawal of the rank can be done before setting up inquiry into the matter to ascertain his level of his innocence. This is in accordance with Paragraph 25 (2) of the Guidelines which provide thus:
“The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee may suspend a legal practitioner from the use of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria pending the determination of any disciplinary action, complaint or prosecution against such a legal practitioner.”

My Lord, the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee has always demonstrated a strong capacity to discipline Senior Advocates of Nigeria. In 2010, the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee debarred and ostracized Michael Kaase Aondoakaa SAN, a former Attorney-General of Nigeria and Minister of Justice following a petition written by Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) against him for subverting the rule of law in the country.

The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee also in 2018 suspended the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria on one Mrs. Oluwatoyin Ajoke Bashorun over her refusal to pay rent for nine years on a rented property she occupied. In the same way, the committee also announced the withdrawal of the rank from Mr. Kunle Ogunba for abusing court process and derailing the course of justice. My Lord, without doubt, none of the above instances of misconducts could have been as fatal, gloomy and destructive as the many allegations of infringement against Mr. Malami.

My Lord, the level of confidence that a nation’s justice system enjoys depends on how far those heading the system are willing to observe the written laws themselves. To this extent, we urge my Lord to take appropriate steps to address the act of unpardonable impunities emanating from the office of the Attorney General of the federation and Minister of justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.

May my Lord be pleased.

Yours faithfully,

Izu Aniagu Esq

Cc: The President,
Nigerian Bar Association,
National Secretariat,
NBA House,
Plot 1101 Mohammadu Buhari Way,
Central Business District, Abuja,
F.C.T, Nigeria.

OWERRI – Contrary to reports in some newspapers, the Justice Benjamin Iheaka Panel of Inquiry which investigated the award of contracts in Imo State is specific on the administration of former Governor Rochas Okorocha, according to a statement by the Imo State Government.

Mr Oguwike Nwachku, Special Adviser/Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hope Uzodinma in the statement clarifying the report submitted the governor on Monday, said: “Recall that the Panel submitted its report to Governor Hope Uzodimma on Monday, October 5, indicting the Okorocha regime and saying it uncovered fraudulent contracts worth N106billion which the regime should be made to refund.

“Consequently, the report by a local newspaper, Nigerian Watchdog, that former Governors Achike Udenwa and Ikedi Ohakim are to refund N106 billion together with Okorocha should be ignored as the probe period did not extend to their regimes.

“The mix-up arising from the duration of the probe – 2011 to 2019 – and not -2006 to 2019 – is highly regretted.”

The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria has called on Security Agencies to secure the release of its member, Ms Paulette Bisola Ajayi, who was recently abducted in Rivers State

This is contained in a statement signed by FIDA Nigeria’s Country Vice-President/National President, Mrs Rhoda Tyoden and National Publicity Secretary, Eliana Martins made available to TheNigeriaLawyer (TNL)

“FIDA Nigeria received the shocking and terrible news yesterday of the abduction of her Rivers State Branch Member, Ms Paulette Bisola Ajayi, by four fully armed men in front of her home in Port Harcourt.

“We join in calling for the prompt safe release of Ms. Paulette Ajayi by her abductors and appeal to the Security operatives to put all machinery to rescue this young and promising lawyer.

“We further appeal to the Governor His Excellency Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, to put all resources at his disposal in place to assist in the immediate rescue of our colleague.” the statement reads in part

FIDA also sympathized with the family and mother of the abducted who sustained injuries while trying to save her daughter.

“Our hearts go out to her family especially her mother Mrs. Ngozi Kathryn Ajayi, a past ViceChairperson and active member of the same FIDA Rivers State Branch. We also pray for her quick recovery as she was seriously brutalized while trying to save her daughter from the hands of the abductors.”

Furthermore, FIDA commended the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for setting up Task Force regarding the abduction and urged all those who know the whereabouts of Paulette Ajayi to provide information

FIDA said, “FIDA Nigeria commends the prompt action of the NBA National President, Mr. Olumide Akpata, in this matter; we repose our confidence in the six-member task force he has set up and offer our full support.

“We similarly call for assistance from well-meaning Nigerians with key information about the whereabouts of Paulette Ajayi to come forward with the requisite information.

“The issue of security of lives and property in the country is of paramount importance and the
government must step up in dealing with this menace daily plaguing our communities. All around Nigeria the story is the same. Prompt cohesive action is required by the Government to save Nigerians.”

Access to Justice (A2J) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of abusing his powers in the appointment of Supreme Court Justices.

The group, in a statement entitled: “Appointment of Justices of the Supreme Court:  President Buhari’s antics sets alarm off on the future of the Nigerian Judiciary”, said the manner the President handled the appointment to the Bench of the country’s apex court  ”damaged the integrity and independence of the Judiciary in Nigeria’’.

The statement,  signed by A2J’s Convener Joseph Otteh and Project Director Deji Ajare, claimed that the President’s actions created suspicions about the independence of Supreme Court Justices and could kindle in-fighting and jostling within the court itself.

“His antics speak also to blackmail; the President tells the Judiciary that if his favoured names are not submitted for appointment, no other persons recommended to him by the NJC will be appointed into the Supreme Court. And the Judiciary apparently got the message!”

Access to Justice recalled that “in October 2019, the National Judicial Council (NJC) submitted a list of four serving Justices of the Court of Appeal, Justices Adamu Jauro, Emmanuel A. Agim, Samuel Oseji and Helen M.Ogunwumiju, to the President of Nigeria, for appointment as Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

“Until August 31, 2020 – i.e. nearly one year – the President did not forward the aforesaid names to the Senate for confirmation.

“By mid-August 2020, the NJC again submitted another list of four Justices of the Court of Appeal to the President for appointment into the Supreme Court. The four comprise Justices Lawal Garba, Addu Aboki, I. M. M. Saulawa and Tijjani Abubakar.

“On the 31st of August 2020, the President submitted the names of the first and second sets of nominees for appointment to the Supreme Court of Nigeria to the Senate for confirmation.

“The Senate read the letter asking for confirmation of the nominees on the 29th of September, 2020.

“Therefore, while it took about 11 months for Nigeria’s President to send names of the first set of nominees for Supreme Court positions to the Senate for confirmation, it took just about two weeks to do so for the latter set of nominees.”

The group noted that the Presidency has offered no explanations for what it described as “a huge and remarkable contrast in the pace with which it acted on the recommendations of the NJC with respect to both sets of nominations”.

According to the group, the processes leading to the recommendations of both sets of nominees for appointment to the Supreme Court were unarguably flawed, given that the NJC and the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC), did not observe the requirements of the applicable Judicial Appointment Guidelines regarding notification and publicity for the vacancies, alongside offering an opportunity and level-playing field to every qualified person to be considered for selection as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

It argued that the FJSC  withheld information of its “compliance” procedures in spite of Freedom of Information Requests made to it by Access to Justice.

“Therefore, it appears reasonable to conclude that the President’s reluctance to act on the first setof nominations sent to him in October 2019 was not as a result of any flaws or defects with the process leading to the nominations.

The group asked: “So why did the President wait for so long before acting on the NJC recommendations, even when it was clear that the Supreme Court was, following the retirement of six of its eighteen justices within the last year, functioning at breaking point for so long? In spite of the volatile inferences that can be drawn from his actions, the President has not found it fitting to offer any explanations with respect to these nominations?.”

It said: “The impression all of this creates is that the President was set on manipulating how the Supreme Court is configured, politically and ethnically, now and for the near future; he wanted to determine how seniority amongst the Justices of the Supreme Court is ordered as well as which Justices of the Court can be expected to succeed to the highest judicial office as Chief Justice of Nigeria.

“The President’s letter to the Senate makes specific mention of the confirmation being “according to their ranking of seniority at the Court of Appeal”.

“The conduct of the entire process leads to the conclusion that the Presidency had withheld from seeking the confirmation of, and making the appointments of the four Justices whose names were on the first set of recommendations from the NJC simply because it was targeting the inclusion of further names for appointment to the Supreme Court,  names that were not included in the first list.

“Furthermore, that the President was willing to wait out the occurrence of that event, as well as ensure that its targets did not lose their comparable rankings with earlier nominated persons notwithstanding that the Supreme Court was almost collapsing with overbearing workloads due to its lean workforce.

“The President has also created unpalatable public suspicions about his motives for delaying the Supreme Court appointments, and, in fact, some sections of the public have alleged there is a quid pro quo motive involved in it.”

The group said the  Presidency’s interference with appointments into Supreme Court appointments further undermines the integrity and independence of the court, and politicizes membership of a court that ought to be a neutral, impartial, non-partisan and non-political institution.

It said the precedent the President had set would diminish the stature of the Supreme Court, as well as promote similar efforts in the future to manipulate the process along lines of vested or opportunistic  interests.

“The Presidency has abused its powers of the appointment of Supreme Court Justices, belittling it also by antics, which only serve overarching parochial, selfish interests.

“While the President has often voiced support for judicial reform and respect for the Judiciary, what he does in actual fact belie the rhetoric. President Buhari has inflicted incalculable long-term damage to the integrity and independence of the Judiciary in Nigeria,” it stated.