The Nation Newspaper

Category: Law

Hague Institute initiates people-centred justice reform

The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL), in collaboration with Nigerian institutions and international partners, has launched a new chapter in justice sector reform in the country.

The initiative, titled “Implementing people-centred justice: The Nigerian story”, was launched during a landmark conference held in Abuja on August 7.

A statement by HiiL said the event highlighted how everyday Nigerians perceive the current justice gap.

The group noted that its 2025 Justice Needs and Satisfaction (JNS) report revealed that over 90 per cent of Nigerians experience at least one legal problem every four years.

These include land disputes, domestic violence, and workplace conflicts, yet cost, complexity, and distance often drive them away from formal systems.

The statement quoted HiiL’s

Senior Policy and Advocacy Advisor, Zainab Malik as saying: “People are not asking for miracles, they’re asking for justice that works.

Read Also: Unruly behaviour: Keyamo reads riot act on aviation safety, security

“That means justice that is fast, fair, effective, and affordable.”

According to the statement, a lawyer, Prince Adewole Adebayo, who was the keynote speaker, challenged participants to shift their mindset.

Adebayo was quoted as saying: “Justice is not the law. The law is merely a tool that can lead to justice—or not.

The statement further reads: “Concrete models were showcased during the event. Justice Olugboyega Ogunfowora introduced ‘Ibi Isadi,’ one of the HiiL pilots – a justice hub embedded in health centres.

“Magistrate Rebecca Kuwot Suku shared innovations using simple, local-language contracts to resolve disputes.

“Evangelist Michael O. Ikoku, HiiL’s first social impact investor in Nigeria, presented his journey toward establishing Community Justice Centres.

“The event included strategy-building workshops around four core areas – guidelines, innovation, national strategy and data, emphasising practical next steps to reform.

“Mr. Fernandez Marcus-Obiene, SSA to the President, emphasised the need for broad collaboration, noting that the government alone cannot make things work. Implementation is everything.

“Let us all deliberately take action for good to improve our justice sector.

“HiiL reaffirmed its long-term commitment to supporting data-driven, locally-rooted justice innovation in Nigeria.”

August 12, 2025
Lawyer seeks dismissal of N100m suit by alleged ponzi promoter

The Federal High Court in Lagos has been urged by human rights lawyer, Chief Tony Dania to dismiss a N100 million fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by an alleged promoter of a Ponzi scheme, OMEGAPRO, Joy Odiaka.

Aside asking the court for a dismissal of the suit in its entirety, Chief Dania is also asking the court to award a ‘substantial exemplary cost’ of N20 million, in his favour against Mrs. Odiaka.

The applicant, through her lawyer, Chijioke Jiakponna, has dragged the lawyer alongside six others before the court in a suit marked FHC/L/CS/1444/2025.

Others listed as second to sixth respondents in the suit are: CP Saadat Ismail; Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG); Commissioner of Police (Admin); SP Bolaji Abdullahi (Team Leader Surveillance Section); and DSP Yahya (IPO), all of Force Criminal Investigation Departments (ForceCID) Annex Alagbon Close Ikoyi.

The applicant asked the court for the following: “a declaration that the invitation to arrest, detain, embarrassing, intimidating, and harassment of the applicant is unconstitutional, abuse of power, illegal and breach of the enforcement of fundamental rights of the applicant.

Read Also: EFCC holds ex-Governor Tambuwal over suspicious N189b cash withdrawals

“An order restraining the respondents, their agents, privies and representatives from arresting, detaining, embarrassing, intimidating and harassing of the applicant forthwith.

“An order directing the first respondent to exercise patience for the further maturity of the business.

“An order awarding damage to the tune of N100 million to the applicant, for the incessant invitation, embarrassment, intimidation and harassment.

“And for such further and other orders as this Honourable court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.”

But the human rights lawyer in his counter-affidavit to the suit, after he chronicled what transpired between him and the applicant, urged the court to dismiss the suit in its entirety, and to award a ‘substantial exemplary cost’ of N20 million, against the applicant.

In parts of his counter-affidavit, Dania averred as follows: “That paragraph 3 and 4 of the Affidavit deposed to by the Applicant in support of her application brought under the FREPRs 2009, styled thereon as Originating Summons, hereinafter called O. S, is true only to the extent that, she was introduced to me by one Engineer Jovita Okafor, a retired Asst Director of Finance of Chevron, and that she can handle financial investments, and I entrusted her and believed in her, and the first investment we did in OMEGAPRO turned out to be fraud, I filed complaint against the promoters of OMEGAPRO.

“That sometime in February 2024, the applicant introduced another investment scheme, and she collected cash of $5,000 USD from me, and in a week thereafter she received another cash of $5,000 USD from me in trust to invest in the said scheme, in my name, all to the knowledge of my office Accountant Madam Victoria Osuman; there was no returns and no dividends, then I invited her.

“That the applicant has no evidence that she invested the funds in issue, she could not explain what she did with the money, she claimed to have invested the money but chd not provide any evidence.

“That the applicant breached the blind trust I had for her, and when I demanded for her statements of account with Union Bank, to verify if she did not convert the funds, she stopped picking or responding to my calls and messages, even when Engr Jovita Okafor advised her to return the funds, and I made a formal complaint to the Police against the Applicant for criminal breach of trust and criminal conversion of the said funds, but I insisted that the Police should first carried out a discreet investigation to ascertain her likely criminal culpability before inviting her.

August 12, 2025
SAN, businessman accuse LCC trustees of contempt

Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of a Federal High Court, Lagos will on October 30 decide whether or not to grant the prayers of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Babatunde Fashanu and a businessman, Dr Edwards Ademosu to commit the Registered Trustees and Caretaker Committee of Lagos Country Club (LCC) for disobedience to orders of the court.

Fashanu and Ademosu have filed fresh applications before the Court seeking orders of committal to prison against the Registered Trustees and Caretaker Committee of the club.

The Registered Trustees are 1st to 12th defendants and the Caretaker Committee members who are 13th to 27th defendants, were listed as defendants in each of the suit filed seprately by the plaintiffs, Fashanu and Ademosu respectively.

Fashanu, on July 7, 2025 had filed Form 49 Order IX, Rule 13, Judgments (Enforcement Rules Cap, S6 Laws of The Federation of Nigeria, 2004. It was titled, “Notice To Show Cause Why Order of Attachment Should Not Be Made” against the defendants, including Registered Trustees of the LCC (1st to 12th defendants) and 13th, 14th, 17th and 19th defendants.

The plaintiff in Form 49 asked the defendants to show cause why they should not be “committed to prison for having neglected to obey the order of this court made on the 22nd day of October, 2024.”

“That parties are hereby required to maintain status quo”

Aside from being required to attend the court on the next sitting , the defendants were to show cause why an order for commital should not be made against them.

The hearing of the matter before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa has been rescheduled to October 30, 2025 from July 15, 2025.

Ademosu in his suit filed July 9, 2025 asked same defendants to show cause why they should not be committed to prison for having neglected to obey the order of the court made on October 22, 2024 thus: “That parties are hereby required to maintain status quo.”

“Take notice that you are hereby required to attend the court on the first mentioned day to show cause why an order for your committal should not be made.”

Read Also: Unruly behaviour: Keyamo reads riot act on aviation safety, security

In a 14-paragraph affidavit deposed to in support of the motion, Julius Abifarin deposed that despite the service of the court processes by the bailiff on the defendants, the 1st defendant has continued the very activities sought to be restrained in the plaintiff’ s Motion on Notice of October 3, 2024 including reconstitution of the Caretaker Committee set-up under the Consent Judgment of July 4, 2024 in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/321/24 sought to be set-aside.

Abifarin stated that on March 20, /2025, a Motion on Notice was filed herein by the plaintiff to set aside the said reconstitution and inauguration of the Caretaker Committee of the Club.

The deponent that by notice a dated 12/04/2025, some members of the Lagos Country Club appointed by the 1st defendant. slated an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) for 28/04/2025 for “Presentation and ratification of the Caretaker Committees review of the report Disciplinary Committee’s Report as directed in the Consent Judgment. ”

He averred that the 1st defendant and its agents also went ahead to conduct the said EGM on 28/04/2025, adding that the 1st defendant’s and its said agents had earlier issued a notice titled “Lagos Country Club May 2025 General Election Timetable” signed by its said agents detailing the very activities sought to be restrained in his pending Motion on Notice.

The deponent stated that on June 6, 2025, the 1st defendant purportedly swore in the said persons and others said to have been elected into the Club’ s Management Council and listed the documents and true copies of invitations by the 1st defendant and its agents and his address at the swearing-in of the management council of the club dated June 6, 2025.

Abifarin averred further that the 1st defendant and its agents went ahead to conduct elections into the Club’ s Management Council! which he believed will render the Motions on Notice of Octeber 3, 2024 and March 20, 2025 and the suit nugatory as the posts are open to some of the defendants accused of malpractices in said Petitions being the 13th, 14th. 17th and 19th defendants.

He stated that the 1st defendant and its agents came out with a list of nominated candidates for the “May 2025 General Elections” which included the 13th, 14th, 17th and 19th defendants who are accused of malpractices in the said petitions which are the subject-matter of this suit.

“This honourable court had ordered that the status-quo be maintained in this suit by its Orders of October 22,2024 and November 6, 2024 among others”, he stated, adding that the 1st defendant and its agents thereafter conducted elections into the Club’ s Management Council which included the 13th, 14th, 17th. and 19th defendants as candidates notwithstanding the pendency of this suit and Motions on Notice to bar such.

He averred that sometime in May, 2025, the 1st defendant’s agents published a notice entitled “May 2025 General Election Results” by which persons including the said defendants (the 13th, 14th. 17th and 19th defendants) the focus of this suit were said to have been elected unopposed.

“Thereafter, an “Extraordinary General Meeting” was announced by the pre-emptive Caretaker Committee set-up by the 1st defendant during the pendency of the Court’ s status-quo orders to be heard on June 3, 2025 and was so held accordingly.”

“On June 6, 2025, the 1st defendant purportedly swore-in the said persons and others said to have been elected into the Club’ s Management Council and attached true copies of invitations by the Ist defendant and its agents and his address at the swearing-in of the Management Council of the Club delivered same day.

Dr. Ademosu, in his 24-point affidavit in support of his motion, “Notice To Show Cause Order Of Attachment/Commital Should Not Be Made” averred that n spite of the service of the Form 48 on the said defendants and their being aware of the said status-quo orders ever since they were made, the 1st, 13th 14th, 17th, and 19th defendants have not obeyed the said orders of the court.

He averred: “it is the duty of the court to protect and enforce its subsisting orders to disallow the said parties complained of from being the ones in control of this suit and to avoid erosion of public confidence in our courts.”

Ademosu averred that the defendants complained of are taking the law into their hands by not allowing the court to decide on his Motions on Notice dated September 20, 2024 and March 25, 2025, including the subsisting suit before taking the said pre-emptive actions.

He averred that the 1st defendant and its agents went ahead to conduct elections into the Club’s Management Council which he believed will render his Motions on Notice of September 20, 2024 and March 25, 2025 and the present suit nugatory as the posts are open to some of the defendants accused of malpractices in his petition being the 13th. 14th, 17th and 19th defendants.

Ademosu stated that the said Form 48 which was endorsed on the Court Order of status quo of October 22, 2024 was served on the 1st, 13th. 14th, 17th and 19th defendants by a bailiff through the Office of the Acting General Manager of the Lagos Country Club pursuant to order of the court allowing such service of September 30, 2024.

He deposed that upon not complying with the said status-quo order, he caused “Form 48” (Notice of Consequences of Disobedience To Order of Court) to be issued herein and served on the 1st, 13th. 14th, 17th and 19th defendants.

He averred that the 1st defendant and its agents came out with a list of nominated candidates for the “May 2025 General Elections” which includes the the 1st, 13th. 14th, 17th and 19th defendants, who are accused of alleged malpractices in his said petition which is the subject matter of the suit before the court.

The deponent recalled that the court had ordered that the status-quo be maintained in the suit by its Orders of October 22, 2024 and November 6, 2024 among others.

He claimed that the 1st defendant and its agents conducted elections into the Club’s Management Council which included the the 1st, 13th. 14th, 17th and 19th defendants as candidates notwithstanding the pendency of this suit and Motions on Notice to bar such.

Ademosu averred that sometime in May, 2025, the 1st defendant’s agents published a Notice entitled “MAY 2025 GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS” by which persons including the said defendants, the focus of this suit were said to have been elected unopposed.

He also deposed that thereafter, an “Extraordinary General Meeting” was announced by the pre-emptive Caretaker Committee set-up by the 1st defendant, during the pendency of the Court’s status-quo orders to be held on June 3, 2025.

He averred that on June 6, 2025. the 1st defendant purportedly swore-in the said persons and others said to have been elected into the Club’s Management Council and attached copies of invitations by the 1st defendant and address at the swearing-in of the Management Council of the Club on June 6, 2025.

He averred that he believed that these actions of the 1st defendant who conducted or caused the elections and EGM to be held and those of the (3rd, 14th, 17th and 19th defendants who presented themselves for elections and swearing-in are in breach of the said Orders of Status-quo are contemptuous of the Court.

August 12, 2025
Agency to tackle gambling addiction

The Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LSLGA) has launched SafePlay, a central self-exclusion tool that replaces fragmented systems once limited to individual operators, in lkeja.

The platform offers a unified response to gambling problems by standardising how self-exclusion is enforced across the state.

Before now, punters who wished to self-exclude had to arrange with individual operators. This meant that a gambler could deactivate their account with one betting platform and remain active on others, undermining self-exclusion. With SafePlay, the agency has closed this loophole.

A single enrolment bars the user from licensed platforms for a period, with more restrictions on promotional content and marketing outreach.

Read Also: EFCC holds ex-Governor Tambuwal over suspicious N189b cash withdrawals

At the event on Wednesday, the Chief Executive Officer, LSLGA, Mr. Bashir Are, said: “This is not just a regulatory requirement. It is a human-centered solution that puts the well-being of the punter first.

“We are proud to introduce this tool as part of our broader commitment to building a responsible, ethical, and inclusive gaming ecosystem.”

He said SafePlay allows for exclusion periods ranging from three months to five years. Once a punter initiates the process—either through a licensed operator or directly on the SafePlay portal— operators are required to enforce the decision.

This approach signals a more assertive regulatory posture from the LSLGA, one that prioritises public interest while modernising oversight. By embedding SafePlay as a mandatory feature for all licensed operators, the agency is strengthening its supervisory capacity and tightening compliance measures around player protection.

August 12, 2025
‘How my lawyer-mum inspired my writing’

Daring. Courageous. These were the words with which a lawyer, Mrs Nneka Umeh, described her daughter, Chimamanda Lucia Umeh, who bagged a merit award from the Federal Government College Lagos (FGCL), following the release of her second book titled: IJANIKIN (My Journey through College).

Mrs Umeh, Alternate Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lawyers in the Media forum, watched proudly as the daughter was presented with the Merit Award and Certificate by the Director/Principal of the FGCL, Dr. Kehinde Famuyibo.

“Chimamanda is very daring. She dares to venture into tough and sometimes rough paths, and she bluntly assures me that she will succeed; surprisingly, too, she does. I am amazed at her courage,” the lawyer said.

The young author became popular after her first book in 2022, titled: The Twins of Ihazi.

Umeh, who says she aspires to become the next Chimamanda Adichie of her time, presented her latest work during the 44th Valedictory Service for the graduating class of 2025 held at the Adebisi Kafaru Hall of the FGC Lagos.

Kadi of the Kwara State Sharia Court of Appeal, represented by Dr. M.O. Sanni, a lecturer in the Department of Language, Arts and Social Science Education Faculty of Education, Lagos State University (LASU), congratulated young Chimamanda for achieving this milestone, adding that it should serve as encouragement to other students.

Sanni delivered a sermon with the theme: Unlocking potentials – the importance of hard work and determination, urged students to always keep their eyes focused on their goals and also work hard to ensure that they succeed.

Giving an illustration with young Chimamanda, he noted that her success did not just happen in a single day, but was a product of resilience, determination and endurance.

Read Also: Unruly behaviour: Keyamo reads riot act on aviation safety, security

“Chimamanda has achieved a feat that God is clearly happy with: to write and to read.

“As students, there is much potential in you, and when you strive towards your goal, read and work hard, you will certainly achieve success just like Chimamanda,” he said.

Sanni harped on the need for students to eschew conduct that is inimical to growth and imbibe the virtues that have been instilled in them, in their citadel of learning.

He urged all graduating students to note that as their college journey ends today, it also marks the beginning of a new phase in life for them, adding that they must take care not to fall by the roadside.

He said: “You must now pursue your dreams and keep chasing them until you reach your goal; you must never look down on your colleagues because life does not end here, and you never know where you will meet again.”

Head of the English Unit and PRO of the college, Mrs Olamide Olufowobi, read the citation of Chimamanda, while the school’s Principal, Dr. Famuyibo, personally anchored the book launch.

Members of the Old Students Association of the College came out en masse to show support for their newest inductee.

Pastor of the Holy Ghost Sanctuary, Charismatic Renewal Ministries, Ifeanyi Okoh, who also delivered a sermon, enjoined all students to be good ambassadors of Christ and exhibit conduct that edifies God in their lives.

Prayers were later said for the graduating students by both the Christian and Muslim clerics.

Young Chimamanda was earlier honoured with a Merit certificate and award for her feat, breaking history as the first student to release two books while still in college.

The presentation had come on the heels of the school’s Speech and Prize-giving Day 2025, held at the college’s main auditorium on July 19.

Speaking before the presentation, Dr. Famuyibo had expressed delight at the initiative of his student, who he said has made the school proud.

He had noted that the feat achieved by young Chimamanda, who had successfully written two books during her stay in the college, was the first ever recorded in the history of the school.

“I am pleased with this good work done by one of our learners in the college; This novel, IJANIKIN, is her second book, and I must say that she has really made us proud,” he said

While presenting the award to Umeh, Famuyibo urged her not to relent in her good works, but to keep aspiring for greater heights.

Miss Chimamanda told newsmen that she was happy to have passed through college at the FGCL.

She had attributed her mentorship to the famous literary icon, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, whom she describes as a fine writer.

“I am grateful to God Almighty for his mercies in seeing through my secondary education; it was a challenging journey, but God came through for me.

“I most humbly appreciate my amiable principal, Dr. Tokunbo Famuyibo, for all his fatherly encouragement to all learners in the college. He is indeed a game changer.

“I also thank all my teachers, especially those of the English unit, for helping me succeed in this journey, through their untiring tutoring, without which I couldn’t have come this far.

“I must say that I am inspired by the legendary Chimamanda Adichie, whose literary works are nothing short of uplifting; this has greatly encouraged me to pick up my childhood desire of writing,” she said

The young writer dedicated her award first to God Almighty for keeping her alive to tell her story.

She also dedicated the award to her family, especially her mother, Mrs Nneka Umeh, who she said had always spurred her to action with the phrase “never give up”

Umeh described herself as being a work in progress, adding that she is optimistic that her “journey” will always remain safe.

August 12, 2025
Trial of two for allegedly defaming Maharaj Ji adjourned

An Oyo State Magistrate Court at Iyaganku in Ibadan has adjourned the hearing of a defamation case filed against Prophet Amos Ojo, a.k.a Elewuogbo and Mr. Gbenga Dan Asabe till December 3.

In the case before Magistrate Olaoluwa Olanipekun, the police accused the defendants of defaming Satguru Maharaj Ji.

The magistrate issued a bench warrant against Asabe after he missed the previous hearing on the excuse of severe stomach ache, as stated by his counsel, and his failure to show up in court on July 31.

Ojo, the second defendant, was present.

Maharaj Ji’s counsel, Olasehinde Obisesan, explained that the magistrate adjourned due to a notice from the High Court ordering a stay of proceedings.

Read Also: EFCC holds ex-Governor Tambuwal over suspicious N189b cash withdrawals

He said the Magistrate’s Court was asked to halt the case pending the determination of an appeal against a no-case submission that was struck out.

Obisesan stated that one of the defendants had gone to the High Court to appeal against a no-case submission seeking to free him from the suit, but which was struck out by the magistrate.

He said to allow a fair hearing, Magistrate Olanipekun opted to await the outcome of the appeal at the High Court.

”A bench warrant, which is a court order authorising law enforcement to arrest an individual for failing to appear in court or violating the terms of their bail or probation, has been issued against the first defendant,” the lawyer explained.

August 12, 2025
‘Alex-Ibru group’s suit against SEC abuse of court process’
- TCN minority shareholders laud oversight
Minority shareholders of Tourist Company of Nigeria Plc (TCN) have described a suit by the Alex Ibru group challenging directives by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as an abuse of court process.

They commended the SEC for its principled stance in overseeing TCN.

The minority shareholders, who account for over 4,000 members of the company, said the failure of the Alex Ibru group to complete the buyout of Ikeja Hotel Plc led to the current deadlock.

They said they had for years been at the short end of the stick due to family disputes and boardroom politics impacting their stakes in the publicly listed company.

According to them, the situation was almost without solution, with no dividend paid for so many years, until the regulatory intervention of the SEC seven years ago, which halted the affairs of TCN “from the spiralling loss, and lack of accountability before this intervention, which was welcomed by the minority shareholders”.

The minority shareholders, in a statement by a shareholder of Ikeja Hotel Plc and Chairman, Zonal Shareholders Mobilisation Committee for Annual General Meetings, Dr Olatunde Okelana, DFIJP, said regardless of whether the Alex Ibru group has now acquired over 80 per cent equity in TCN, the company still has 4,991 shareholders and retains its status as a public company (Plc).

On the way out, the minority shareholders said: “If the Alex Ibru group desires sole control of TCN, the proper and responsible course of action is to make an open and fair offer to buy out the remaining shareholders and take the Company private, just as 11 Hospitality Limited did with Capital Hotels Plc and in line with the SEC directives.”

The statement reads in part: “It is not in dispute that the Alex Ibru group holds a majority shareholding in The Tourist Company of Nigeria Plc (TCN).

Read Also: Unruly behaviour: Keyamo reads riot act on aviation safety, security

“However, their conduct suggests a belief that, by their majority control, other stakeholders, particularly Ikeja Hotel Plc and the investing public, can be disregarded.

“This posture appears to stem from their significant interests in both TCN and Ikeja Hotel Plc, leading them to assume they can act with impunity in both companies without accountability.

“What the Alex Ibru group also failed to disclose is the existence of a N36 billion shareholder loan owed to Ikeja Hotel Plc, a loan funded by the investing public in Ikeja Hotel, which Chief Anthony Idigbe (SAN) and Alhaji Abatcha Bulama were appointed to represent on the Board of TCN.

“They seem to overlook the fact that Ikeja Hotel Plc is a publicly listed and regulated entity, whose equity investment and substantial shareholder loan to TCN must be disclosed under the listing rules of the Nigerian Exchange Ltd and are subject to oversight by both the Nigerian Exchange and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

“As such, it remains subject to the full regulatory authority of the SEC, independently of any special regulatory intervention.

“Public companies do not lose their public character merely because they are delisted from the Exchange or because a majority shareholder emerges.”

The minority shareholders faulted a suit by the Alex-Ibru group challenging the SEC’s findings and directives.

“SEC Findings and Directives of June 27, 2025, on the Deloitte forensic investigation were a natural outcome of the SEC regulatory process.

“It amounts to an abuse of process for a party that has fully participated in a regulatory process to resort to court challenging the existence of the process.

“The Alex Ibru group clearly does not understand governance as they have equated shareholder control with governance and cited the Chairman’s lack of shareholding to mean disqualification to serve on the Board.

“This is against corporate governance principles and international best practice, which dictates that board Chairpersons be Independent Non-Executive Directors with 0.01 per cent or 0 per cent shareholding as the threshold for independence.

“The Chairman is a professional, corporate governance expert and learned silk delivering on his mandate from the SEC to break the management deadlock and restore the companies to profitability and corporate governance best practice, a feat at which he has been largely successful.

“Indeed, Nigerian law requires that 30 per cent of the board be independent non-executive directors, and in some countries, the requirement is that they be the majority. The reason is to prevent the owner mentality which the Oma/RFC/Alex Ibru group have betrayed.

“It is imperative to highlight that majority shareholding does not empower such shareholders to take control of the Board to the exclusion of the minority.”

The minority shareholders stated that the Alex Ibru group, in their press release, failed to disclose that in their action against Chief Anthony Idigbe and the Company Secretary, PUNUKA Nominees Ltd, in suit FHC/L/CS/260/2023 between Omamo Investments Corporation v. TCN & Ors, the names of the Chairman and Company Secretary were struck out as no reasonable cause of action was disclosed against them.

The statement adds: “Chief Anthony Idigbe also strongly disclaims the allegation of demanding a payout running into hundreds of millions of naira and is advised to take necessary steps to preserve his name and legacy.”

The minority reiterated that SEC’s regulatory oversight is not limited to TCN alone but extends to Ikeja Hotel and its investee companies, including both TCN and Capital Hotels Plc.

Urging the Alex Ibru group to buy out the remaining shareholders if it desires sole control of TCN, the minority shareholders said trying to sideline them will not work.

“This current approach is more reflective of an investor attempting to punch above its financial and operational capacity, while risking the long-term viability of a national hospitality asset that they appear ill-prepared to adequately fund or revive.

“Nonetheless, the minority shareholders thank the SEC for its principled stance and ongoing efforts to protect shareholder interests in TCN and urge the Commission to continue its oversight until proper corporate governance and shareholder equity are fully restored,” the statement added.
August 12, 2025
Wanted: stringent laws against indiscriminate felling of trees

Stringent laws are needed to end the indiscriminate felling of trees.

This call was made by stakeholders and environmental experts in Abia State.

They warned about the negative effects and dangers of the high rate of illegal wood logging and indiscriminate sinking of boreholes.

They spoke at the end of a week-long Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) sensitisation workshop for stakeholders and other key players in the campaign on tree planting.

They attributed the continued harmful effect of climate change on the ecosystem to the arbitrary and indiscriminate felling of trees and the inability of government and private individuals to imbibe the culture and habit of tree planting.

They noted that one of the most effective ways of addressing climate change is an aggressive planting of trees by the government across the three tiers of government.

Read Also: EFCC holds ex-Governor Tambuwal over suspicious N189b cash withdrawals

Member representing Abia State on the Board of NDDC, Chief Honourable Dimgba Eruba, who lamented the negative impact of deforestation on society, said it weakens the environment, with adverse effects on the people.

“We no longer breathe in fresh air in our houses, and the environment is usually hot; it is unhealthy.”

Eruba, who said NDDC would be planting 30 trees in each of the selected schools in the pilot project, assured that the agency was going to plant more trees in all 17 local government areas of the state.

“NDDC is not only intervening in infrastructure, but also intervening in making sure that the erosion that is earmarked for the region is controlled.

“The population that comes from oil exploration in the region is controlled.

“It is time to make sure that nature is restored so that the people will live a quality life, that is the campaign of the NDDC.”

Managing Director (MD) Foundation for Sustainable Development Options (FOSDO), Dr. Anthony Chovwen, lamented how the environment of the Niger Delta is being threatened by the effects of climate change.

He noted that the foundation had already started planting trees along the eastern bypass corridor and had deployed an ICT mechanism, “Joro fencing”.

He said the process is being replicated in selected Abia schools.

He emphasised the need to teach the younger generation the importance of tree planting if the goals of the project are to be achieved.

He stressed the three Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) of the campaign.

He said that to sustain and safeguard the environment, citizens must learn how to imbibe the culture of protecting it.

“Instead of celebrating your child’s birthday and throwing a lavish party, plant a tree to mark the birthday of such a child,” Chovwen said.

August 12, 2025
‘Laws should prioritise youth development, job creation ‘

Asiwaju Bola Oluwole, has promised to champion laws that will directly improve the lives of Nigerians, with a special focus on youth development, job creation and social welfare, if elected on August 16.

Speaking during a campaign rally in Sagamu on Saturday, Oluwole declared that his legislative agenda would be people-centred, aimed at solving everyday challenges and unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s young population.

Oluwole, who is Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the upcoming Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency by-election, said the youth are the backbone and labour force of any country.

Read Also: Unruly behaviour: Keyamo reads riot act on aviation safety, security

He said: “If we do not create the legal and institutional frameworks that empower them, we risk wasting our greatest resource. My mission in the National Assembly will be to sponsor and support laws that provide vocational training, entrepreneurship support, access to funding and targeted job creation programs for young people.”

Beyond youth empowerment, Oluwole outlined other priority areas where he intends to push for legislative reforms including economic and industrial Growth with a vision to enact laws to encourage small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) through tax incentives, simplified business registration and industrial development policies that attract investment.

He stated that education reform which would work on legislation to improve public schools, enhance teacher welfare and integrate digital literacy and skill-based training into the curriculum as well as policies that provide farmers with access to credit facilities, modern farming tools and improved storage systems to reduce post-harvest losses would be part of his legislative efforts.

August 12, 2025
Tinubu’s cabinet, the North and accountability imperative
- By Ismail Auwal
For two full days in Kaduna, Northern Nigeria rewrote the playbook on democratic accountability. There was no stage. No scripts. No political rallying. What unfolded instead was something rare in Nigeria’s political culture—a public, unscripted, and data-backed performance review of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. Ministers and security chiefs did not merely attend ceremonial appearances. They stayed. They listened. They responded. They answered tough questions, many of them unfiltered. And they came armed not with rhetoric, but with evidence.

The summit, put together by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, was, by all accounts, unprecedented. It yielded the big stage for criticism and commendation alike. Ministers had to earn their applause with substance, not slogans. For once, governance was not hiding behind podiums or siren-blaring convoys. It was face-to-face with the people.

It would have been easy to mistake the gathering for another government jamboree. But you only needed to sit in the crowd, to listen to the raw questions from the led, to hear the hard numbers ministers were made to justify, to know this was different.

President Tinubu himself, we were told, wanted to attend but chose to respect the regional character of the event. Instead, he reportedly followed the proceedings live, postponing other scheduled meetings just to stay glued to the conversations in Kaduna. In a political system where leaders often govern from a distance, this gesture of attention spoke volumes.

And his cabinet did not disappoint.

From the SGF to the National Security Adviser, from the Minister of Defence to the Minister of Livestock and the Budget Minister, the government team sat in the same hall with citizens and critics and gave an account. What emerged was a picture not of perfection, but of real progress.

Perhaps the most emotional moment came from the security team. Nuhu Ribadu, the NSA, did not give a generic update. He presented photographic evidence, gruesome, perhaps, but necessary, showing the corpses of high-profile terrorists like Dogo Isah and Kachalla Shekau, neutralised in recent operations.

Read Also: EFCC holds ex-Governor Tambuwal over suspicious N189b cash withdrawals

He detailed the numbers: 12,100 hostages rescued. Over 30 high-level bandits and gunrunners now face prosecution. The Abuja–Kaduna expressway, once a corridor of fear, is now seeing traffic at night. No longer whispers of victory, now backed by names, places, photos, and prosecutions.

And beyond the battlefield, logistics have changed. Through the Davon Bill, Nigeria has begun producing its own Armoured Personnel Carriers. No more years-long waits for foreign procurements. Nigeria is, at last, is arming itself with tools made by its own hands.

Then came the Minister of State for Works, Barrister Bello M Goronyo. He was not vague. He stood before the summit and listed 135 road projects completed across the North—naming them, state by state. Journalists were invited to verify. The Kaduna–Kano rail project, once a frozen promise, is now visibly back on track.

One project stood out: the Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway. Originally designed in the Second Republic, it never made it into any modern administration’s manifesto—until now. Tinubu revived it not for votes, but for its strategic value in linking the North to economic ports. That’s not politics. That’s planning.

When Minister Atiku Bagudu took the microphone, he didn’t sugarcoat the reality. Tinubu, he reminded the audience, inherited an economy drained by debt, distorted by unsustainable fuel subsidies, and disoriented by multiple exchange rates. “It was like drawing water from a dry well,” he recalled the president telling ministers.

Instead of patching the cracks, the administration restructured the economy from the root. Hard decisions were taken not to punish but to recalibrate.

New ministries were created, not for bloated bureaucracy, but for clear mandates. Livestock Development to address the age-old pastoral economy. Blue Economy to harness Nigeria’s maritime potential. Creative Economy to formalise an already thriving industry. And perhaps most crucially, Regional Development, to ensure that every corner of the country is given the pencil to draw its own path to progress.

The results? Debt dropped and revenue grew across all the sub-Nationals. The minister revealed how Jigawa State’s debt dropped from N40 billion in 2023 to just N1 billion by early 2025. That’s not a miracle. That’s what happens when revenue rises and wasteful spending shrinks.

The most powerful image from Kaduna wasn’t in any official photograph. It was in the sight of federal ministers, men and women of high office, sitting quietly in the audience, taking notes, occasionally nodding to citizens’ complaints, and staying until the very end.

It was the Minister of Work, Dave Umahi, explaining project timelines without evasion. It was the Minister of Housing, Ahmed Dangiwa, detailing unit-by-unit housing developments from Karsana to Katsina, backed by photographs, drone shots, and completion rates.

For Northern Nigeria, this summit was not just about assessing the federal government. It was a statement of its own agency. Too often, regional identity has been hijacked by division or nostalgia. But in Kaduna, the North asked hard questions, not as opposition, but as stakeholders.

Civil society groups grilled ministers on gaps. Traditional rulers called for more climate-resilient farming policies. Media personnel were not just invited—they were encouraged to ask unscripted questions. The tone was respectful, but firm. And the administration responded in kind.

However, it was not all smooth sailing for the government; even then, the meeting in Kaduna demonstrated that this administration is a listening one and is doing its best to tackle the challenges.

Inflation is still high. Unemployment still bites. And food prices continue to challenge families. Insecurity still bites many communities. No one at the summit pretended these problems had vanished. What was clear, however, was that this is not a government claiming omnipotence.

“We haven’t solved everything,” one minister admitted, “but we’re not sleeping either.” That line stuck with me. Because for once, it didn’t feel like lip service.

I have attended dozens of government summits and policy talks. But Kaduna was different. It was, in every sense, a turning point, a demonstration of how democracy is meant to function when the governed are not just spoken to, but spoken with.

A presidency willing to submit itself to a region not known for political loyalty. A cabinet that offers not slogans but data. And a population that, rather than shouting from the margins, entered the room and took the microphone.

If we do this again, if other regions follow suit, Nigeria may yet turn the corner not just on governance, but on trust.

The North asked questions. The government answered. And in that dialogue, democracy did not just survive. It showed signs of life.

•Auwal, a public commentator, writes from Abuja.
August 12, 2025