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Court Orders Arrest Of 2 Lawyers Over Alleged Forgery, Impersonation

Published

1 month ago

September 15, 2025

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting at Apo, on Monday, issued a bench warrant against two lawyers charged with forgery and impersonation.

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie made the arrest order following repeated failure of the defendants- Victor Giwa, and Ibitade Bukola- to appear before the court to enter their plea to the charge that was preferred against them by the Inspector General of Police.

In the charge marked: CR/150/25, the duo were accused of conspiring to forge a legal document purportedly issued by the chambers of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Prof. Awa U. Kalu, with the intent to mislead the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF.

According to the three-count charge, the alleged offence occurred on June 28, 2024.

The prosecution alleged that the defendants forged and signed a letter on the official letterhead of the SAN, requesting the AGF to suspend a scheduled arraignment.

The contentious letter, titled “Urgent and Solemn Appeal to Suspend the Arraignment of Our Colleague Victor Giwa on Charge Number: CR/222/2023”, was allegedly addressed to the AGF.

It allegedly sought intervention of the AGF to halt an arraignment that was scheduled before trial Justice Samira Bature of the high court.

The IGP, in the charge, maintained that the two lawyers committed offences punishable under Section 97, 179 and 364 of the Penal Code Act, 2004.

At the resumed proceeding of the court on Monday, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Eristo Asaph, noted that the defence lawyer told the court that the 1st defendant was bereaved, hence his absence for the scheduled arraignment.

The prosecution counsel further noted that it was on the strength of an application by the defendant that the case was adjourned.

He, therefore, wondered why the duo were also absent in court for the case to proceed.

Responding, the defence counsel, Mr. Ogbu Aboje, told the court that the 1st defendant, Giwa, wrote a letter that was accompanied with a medical report dated September 3, indicating that he had a health challenge he described as “Degenerative disorder of the lumber vertebrae,” in addition to his hypertensive condition.

He added that the 2nd defendant equally went to the hospital on Monday morning to keep to a routine appointment for the immunisation of her daughter.

More so, he drew attention of the court to an application the defendants earlier filed to challenge its jurisdiction to entertain the case.

Dissatisfied with the developments, the prosecution counsel urged the court to issue a warrant for the defendants to be arrested y security agencies and produced for their trial.

In his ruling, Justice Onwuegbuzie held that having listened to both parties, he was minded to accede to the prosecution’s request.

He court stressed that the medical report did indicate that the 1st defendant would not be able to attend court, adding that the 2nd defendant did not adduce any material to justify her absence.

Consequently, relying on the provision of section 266 (2) and 352 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), Justice Onwuegbuzie issued a bench warrant for the defendants to be arrested and produced before the court on October 8.
(VANGUARD)

News

JUST IN: Tinubu Reverses Maryam Sanda’s Pardon, Convict To Spend Six Years In Jail

Published

23 minutes ago

October 29, 2025

Editor

After backlash for granting a presidential pardon to Maryam Sanda, sentenced to death in 2020 for the killing of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, President Bola Tinubu has revoked the pardon and reversed her sentence to 12 years.

This was revealed in an official gazette released by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday.

According to the gazette, Sanda, who had already spent six years and eight months at the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre, got the new approved term on compassionate grounds.

Details later…

News

JUST IN: Tinubu Bows To Pressure, Reviews Pardon For Kidnapping, Drug-related Offences

Published

56 minutes ago

October 29, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has ordered a review of the presidential pardon granted to at least 175 persons at the National Council of State meeting on October 9, 2025, following nationwide outrage over the inclusion of individuals convicted of serious offences.

In a statement on Wednesday, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said, “Consequently, certain persons convicted of serious crimes such as kidnapping, drug-related offences, human trafficking, fraud, unlawful possession of firearms/arms dealing, etc., were deleted from the list.”

Onanuga added, “Others who had been hitherto pardoned in the old list had their sentences commuted.”

Details shortly…

News

JUST IN: Senate Clears Oluyede As Chief Of Defence Staff

Published

2 hours ago

October 29, 2025

Editor

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Chief of Defence Staff-designate, General Olufemi Oluyede, as it began the screening of the newly appointed service chiefs at the National Assembly complex in Abuja.

Oluyede was confirmed barely an hour after he and other nominees arrived at the complex amid tight security.

Welcoming the nominees to the chamber, Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the screening as a constitutional duty aimed at ensuring that only the most competent and patriotic officers are entrusted with safeguarding the nation.

Akpabio said, “Distinguished colleagues, it is with great pleasure that I welcome our newly appointed Service Chiefs to the hallowed chamber of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

On behalf of the entire Senate, “I congratulate you on your well-deserved appointments and commend you for the years of dedicated service you have rendered to our great nation.”

He further explained that the exercise was part of the Senate’s oversight responsibility to guarantee discipline and professionalism within the armed forces, adding that the chamber looked forward to a constructive interaction that would strengthen Nigeria’s security system.

The Senate President added, “Today’s exercise is in keeping with our constitutional duty to provide oversight and ensure that only the most competent, patriotic, and disciplined officers are entrusted with the task of safeguarding our national security and territorial integrity.”

Leading the delegation, Oluyede arrived at the National Assembly complex around 10 a.m. alongside other senior officers. The nominees are being screened by the Committee of the Whole, chaired by Akpabio, before formal confirmation.

Their appearance follows a letter from President Tinubu, which was read during Tuesday’s plenary, urging the Red Chamber to give “expeditious consideration” to the nominations.

The President listed the nominees as General Olufemi Oluyede (Chief of Defence Staff), Major General Waheedi Shaibu (Chief of Army Staff), Rear Admiral Idi Abbas (Chief of Naval Staff), Air Vice Marshal Kennedy Aneke (Chief of Air Staff), and Major General Emmanuel Undiendeye (Chief of Defence Intelligence).

The screening comes just a week after Tinubu held a closed-door meeting with the new service chiefs at the Presidential Villa — his first official engagement with the military hierarchy following last week’s sweeping shake-up in the armed forces.

According to the Presidency, the appointments form part of the administration’s broader efforts to strengthen the national security architecture and improve coordination among the military and intelligence agencies.

Tinubu had also lauded the outgoing service chiefs for their “patriotic service and leadership” and urged their successors to justify the confidence reposed in them by upholding professionalism, unity, and vigilance within the Armed Forces.