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Tag: Federal High Court in Lagos

  • Court orders substituted service in contempt case

    Court orders substituted service in contempt case

    The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun be served with Forms 48 and 49, directing him to show cause why an order of committal should not be made against him for alleged disobedience of a court order.

    Justice Alexander Owoeye ruled that the contempt processes, including Forms 48 and 49, be served on the IGP by substituted service through the Commissioner of Police, Legal Department, Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Abuja.

    The order followed the grant of an ex-parte motion filed by a businesswoman, Mrs. Mabel Alabijah Hussein, through her counsel, Kola Sodiya.

    The application alleged a breach of an earlier court order directing all parties to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of a suit she filed against the IGP and others, marked FHC/L/CS/1468/2025.

    Also joined as respondents in the suit are the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Force CID, Area 10, Abuja; the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Force CID Annex, Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos; the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 2, Onikan; CSP P. Bolugi; Inspector Aba Yomi Michael; the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); Adedeji Adesiyan; and Citadel Views Gardens and Estates Ltd., listed as the second to ninth respondents.

    The application arose from the alleged disobedience of an earlier order made on October 9, 2025, in which the court restrained all the respondents from taking further steps in connection with the suit and directed them to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and final determination of the applicant’s fundamental rights application.

    READ ALSO: ‘Nigeria has not recovered from military rule’

    In her ex parte motion, the applicant sought leave to serve Form 48 dated January 6, 2026, Form 49, and all other processes relating to the contempt proceedings on the IGP by substituted means, through the Commissioner of Police, Legal Department, at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House, Area 11, Garki, Abuja.

    The applicant alleged that the IGP, the eighth respondent, and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ogombo Police Station, Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, disobeyed the subsisting court order by failing to maintain the status quo.

    She alleged that they took further steps in the matter by making attempts to arrest her and her eight-year-old daughter on December 16, 2025, contrary to the court’s order restraining such actions pending the determination of the suit.

    She further claimed that, despite the restraining order issued on October 9, 2025, the eighth respondent continued to instigate police officers to harass, investigate, and attempt to arrest her.

    As a result, she said she and her daughter had been living in fear and had gone into hiding since December 16, 2025, following repeated police visits and invitations.

    The applicant also alleged that the DPO of Ogombo Police Station, who invited her for questioning on December 16, 2025, acted under the authority and direction of the IGP.

    She further claimed that efforts were being made to arrest her with the intention of taking her daughter away and handing the child over to the eighth respondent.

    After hearing the submissions of the applicant’s counsel and reviewing the processes before the court, Justice Owoeye granted the application.

    Ruling, the judge held that the applicant was entitled to serve the contempt processes by substituted means.

    He ordered that Form 48 dated January 6, 2026, Form 49, and all other processes relating to the contempt proceedings be served on the IGP through the Commissioner of Police, Legal Department, Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Abuja.

    The matter was adjourned to March 10 for a report of service.

  • Court orders forfeiture of gold bars, N39m to FG

    A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday ordered forfeiture of 35.58 kilogrammes of gold bars and N36 million seized from a gold dealer and a Civil Servant by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to the Federal Government.

    Justice Muslim S. Hassan, who made the order, also ordered the federal civil servant to pay N10million to the government for his part in the deal.

    The first to third defendants are: Bukar Mandara Zarami; his company, Bukar Mandara Zarami Ltd and a Director in the Ministry of Mines and Steel, Kar Nap Fenan Wuyep.

    The trio was re-arraigned on an amended two-count charge of possession of 35.58 kilogrammes of gold bars wrapped in six bags without appropriate permit.

    The counts read in part: “That you, Bukar Mandara Zarami, on or about the 9th day of November, 2018 in Nigeria…dealt in 35.58 kilogrammes of gold bars wrapped in six bags without appropriate permit; and you, therefore, committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 134(c) of the Nigerian Mineral and Mining Act, 2007.”

    “That you, Kar Nap Fenan Wuyep, on or about the 22nd day of May, 2018 in Nigeria, without going through any financial institution, accepted cash payment of the sum of $19,440 from one Bakkkuk Steven Goyol, which sum exceeded the amount authorised by the Law; and, you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1)(a), Section 16(1) (d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 as Amended and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.”

    The defendants pleaded “Guilty”.

    In view of their plea, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo obtained leave of court to review the facts of the case.

    Oyedepo narrated how first defendant, Zarami, was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos on November 11, 2018 with 35.58 kilogrammes of gold bars wrapped in six bags.

    Oyedepo said: “He (Zarami) was brought to the Lagos Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, where the gold bars were measured and counted in the presence of the first defendant, his counsel, a representative of the Ministry of Mines and Steel. All parties present signed the measurements document.”

    He told the court that investigations revealed that the first and second defendants did not have the appropriate permit to possess or deal in 35.58kg of gold.

    Oyedepo said although the first defendant, in his statement to the EFCC, stated that he gave an official of the Ministry, Steven Bakkuk, about N3, 000,000 (Three Million Naira) as royalty, investigation showed that the actual amount he was supposed to pay as royalty was N6,772,64,16.

    According to Oyedepo: “This shows clearly that there was no appropriate permit for that quantity of gold bars.

    “Investigation further revealed that instead of the official from the Ministry, who received the money from the first defendant, to put the funds in the treasury, he transferred the sum of N700,000 to the third defendant, who is a Director in the Ministry of Mines and Steel.

    “This led to further investigation into the account of Bakkuk, whose account was used for transfers of unlawful enrichment.

    “It was discovered that about N28m in tranches was sent to the third defendant.

    “On May 22, 2018, the sum of $19,440 in cash was given to the third defendant, which is in excess of the amount authorized by Law to be received in cash and it constitutes an offence against the Money Laundering Act 2011.”

    The prosecution informed the court further that the defendants had entered a plea bargain with the government.

    He said: “The first defendant has issued a cheque of N3,000,000 in favour of the Federal Government as one of the terms agreed upon in the plea bargain.

    “The first defendant, as part of the plea bargain, also agreed to forfeit the undeclared 5.5 kilogrammes of Gold Bars to the Federal Government.

    “It was also agreed that the EFCC, in conjunction with the Deputy Chief Registrar of this Honourable Court, would facilitate the sale of the forfeited Gold Bars and the proceeds will be remitted into the Consolidated Revenue Funds Account of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    “Third defendant, in the plea bargain, agreed to pay a fine of N10million and forfeit the recovered Access Bank drafts to the tune of N36million.”

    In view of their guilty plea, Oyedepo prayed the court to convict the defendants on the amended charge and prayed the court to sentence them to the terms agreed in the plea bargain.

    Justice Hassan, upheld the terms of the plea bargain and convicted the defendants.

    The judge held: “The plea bargain is made the judgment of the court.”

  • New judge to hear Patience Jonathan’s suit against EFCC

    A new judge, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court in Lagos, has taken over a suit filed by former first lady Dame Patience Jonathan challenging a “no-debit-order” placed on her account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    It followed the elevation of Justice Mohammed Idris to the Court of Appeal.

    Justice Aneke yesterday adjourned until May 22.

    The EFCC, Skye Bank Plc (now Polaris Bank) and three companies – Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd and Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Ltd are the respondents.

    Read also: El-Rufai drums up support for EFCC

    Mrs. Jonathan, in the suit filed in 2016, is demanding N200 million damages.

    She is urging the court to compel the EFCC to immediately remove the “no debit order” placed on her accounts with $9.8 million.

  • EFCC arraigns 19 for alleged illegal oil deal

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned 19 men at the Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly dealing in petroleum products illegally.

    They were charged before Justice Rilwan Aikawa with conspiracy, unlawful dealing in petroleum products and illegally storing them.

    EFCC alleged that they conspired to deal in about 21,840 litres of Automotive 605 Oil (AGO) (diesel) without licence.

    They were said to have stored the products “in two fibre boots”, contrary to Section 4 of the Petroleum Act of 2004.

    Read also: Security agencies uncover plot by PDP, others to discredit poll

    Prosecuting counsel Abubakar Idris said the Navy arrested the suspects last September and handed them to the EFCC.

    They are Ayeni John, Emmanuel Tosu, Emopin Moneyin, Malade Aiyetimiyi, Odroja Ojuene, Ikedehinbu Idowu, Abogun Ota, Elamah Augustine, Olarotimi Elikanah, Thankgod Benjamin, Abbas Friday and Victor Goldsmith.

    Others are Gbenga Thomas, Ibane Austine, Idowu Surprise, Asemia Thomas, Agbayoh Lawrence, Saliu Malik and Ayetiniyi Ademola.

    The alleged offence also contravenes sections 1(17), 3(6) and 4 of the Miscellaneous Offences Act of 2004, punishable under Section 17.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    Justice Aikawa ordered that they be remanded in prison custody pending hearing of their bail applications.

  • EFCC re-arraigns Kalu for ‘laundering’ N7.6b state funds

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Tuesday re-arraigned former Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu for allegedly laundering N7.65billion state funds.

    He pleaded not guilty to an amended 39-count charge that was read to him before Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos.

    EFCC said Kalu, whist being governor between 2001 and September 2006, procured Slok Nigeria Ltd, a company owned by him and members of his family, to retain N7.2billion in its Inland Bank Plc account, on his behalf.

    Read Also:EFCC fails to present witnesses in Sen Jang’s case

    The commission said the money “formed part of the funds illegally derived from the treasury of Abia State government and which was converted into several bank drafts before they were paid into the said company’s account”.

    Kalu was accused of collaborating with Udeh Jones Udeogu Slok Nigeria and Emeka Abone (at large) “in concealing the genuine origin of an aggregate sum of N7, 197,871,208.70…”

    The alleged offence violates Section 17(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004, and was liable to be punished under Section 16.

    Kalu and Udeogu, a former Director of Finance in Abia State Government House, pleaded not guilty to the charge. They were initially arraigned on a 34-count charge to which five fresh counts were added.

    Prosecuting counsel Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) said the amendment was needed because of new evidence provided by the 19 witnesses who testified in the trial. He said he would not call additional witnesses despite the amendment having closed the prosecution’s case on May 11.

    Beside the N7.2billion, the defendants were also accused of receiving N460million allegedly stolen from the Abia State Government treasury between July and December 2002.

    EFCC said they breached Section 427 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap 77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990.

    Udeogu, Slok Nigeria, Abone and Michael Udo, also at large, were accused of collaborating with Kalu to conceal the “genuine origin” of allegedly stolen funds.

    Justice Idris, who was elevated to the Court of Appeal but was permitted to conclude the case, allowed the defendants to continue on the bail granted them 11 years ago when they were first arraigned.

    Defence counsel Gordy Uche, Solo Akuma and K.C. Nwofor, all Senior Advocates of Nigeria, said they had pending no-case submissions, and that they needed time to respond to EFCC’s written address opposing their applications.

    Justice Idris adjourned until July 25.

  • Man jailed two years for drug trafficking

    Man jailed two years for drug trafficking

    A Federal High Court in Lagos, on Thursday  sentenced a 30- year-old man, Abubakar Nasir, to  two years imprisonment for drug trafficking.

    The unemployed convict who was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA ) on a count charge of dealing in narcotics, had pleaded guilty.

    He begged the court to temper justice with mercy and give him another chance and promised to be a better person in life, if given the opportunity.

    In her judgment, Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo, found the defendant guilty as charged and accordingly convicted him.

    Read also: Court docked man for N.26m fraud

    She, consequently, sentenced him to two years imprisonment, beginning from the date of his arrest.

    Earlier, the Prosecutor, Jeremiah Aernan, had told the court that the convict committed the offence on Sept. 20.

    Aernan said that the man was arrested at the Yadoya Market in Mile 12 Lagos.

    He said that about 300 grammes of cannabis sativa known as Indian hemp was recovered from the convict and he was arrested and subsequently charged to court.

    He said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 11 (c) of the NDLEA Act Cap. 30 Laws of the Federation, 2004.

    NAN

  • PDP convention: Court refuses hear members’ suit

    PDP convention: Court refuses hear members’ suit

    The Federal High Court in Lagos Tuesday adjourned till January 16 for hearing in a suit by some People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members seeking to be allowed to participate in Saturday’s National Convention.

    The suit was filed by a member of the PDP National Working Committee, Alhaji Adewole Adeyanju, Ogun State Youth Leader Femi Alao, “national delegates” for Sagamu and Ijebu North Local Government Areas Idris Muniru and Chief Tuke Omotara, chairman of Ijebu East LGA Badejo Abiodun and chairman of Sagamu LGA Kola Akinyemi.

    They sued for themselves and on behalf of “PDP Ogun State Delegates to the National Convention”.

    The defendants include the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP, the party’s National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Senator Ben Obi, Tunde Odanye, and 25 others.

    The plaintiffs are praying the court to hold that the PDP National Caretaker Committee cannot validly prevent them and other delegates from Ogun State from participating as delegates in the December 9 convention.

    According to them, there were subsisting and binding judgment and orders of the Federal High Court in Lagos and Abuja delivered and issued on June 24, 2016 and on August 10.

    The plaintiff said by virtue of the court verdicts, only they were entitled to attend and participate in the PDP convention.

    They urged the court to restrain the PDP Caretaker Committee in Ogun State from usurping the plaintiffs’ functions as “authentic officers of the Ogun PDP Executive Committee” led by Chief Adebayo Dayo.

    The plaintiffs sought an order of injunction restraining the party leadership or their agents from preventing them from attending the conference.

    They urged the court to nullify the appointment of Odanye and others as Ogun State PDP Caretaker Committee, saying their appointment was contrary to a judgment delivered by the court on June 24, 2016.

    They said the judgment recognises the Adebayo Dayo-led executive committee as the authentic one.

    The plaintiffs further urged the court to order the Inspector-General of Police, the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agents to seal off and close and down the Ogun PDP secretariat operated by the caretaker committee.

    Tuesday, the plaintiffs’ lawyer Mr Ajibola Oluyede said the defendants had filed their counter affidavits to the plaintiffs’ originating summons.

    “There’s no impediment to the hearing of this application. It is a substantive issue relating to PDP convention scheduled to hold on Saturday.

    “So, it’ll he tidier for this application to be taken. The matter is time sensitive. We urge the court to hear this application,” he said.

    But, PDP’s lawyer Dr Yemi Oke urged the court not to hear the application.

    Faulting Oluyede’s prayer, he said: “This type of practice is not encouraging at all.”

    He said the issue boiled down to a power tussle between Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and Senator Ahmed Makarfi, which he said the Supreme Court had resolved.

    Counsel for the Ogun Caretaker Committee, Mr Afolabi Fasanu (SAN) said: “I’m objecting to the hearing of this application today (yesterday). As at yesterday (Monday) they were still filing further and better affidavit.

    “We need to respond by affidavit. We have a Preliminary Objection which borders on the jurisdiction of this court. In the light of the above, we’ll be craving the court’s indulgence to adjourn the matter.”

    There was a heated verbal exchange between Oluyede and Fasanmi following the plaintiffs’ counsel’s bid to have the case heard in view of the soon-to-be-held convention.

    Justice Mohammed Idris advised them to “act according to law”, adding that the “conduct of counsel should be moderate”.

    The judge said the plaintiffs’ Originating Summons and the defendants Preliminary Objection would be heard together when the defendants would have filed all their responses.

    Justice Idris adjourned until January 16 for hearing.

  • Patience Jonathan’s $15.591m case for Jan 19

    Patience Jonathan’s $15.591m case for Jan 19

    The Federal High Court in Lagos Monday adjourned hearing of Mrs. Patience Jonathan’s suit seeking to unfreeze her accounts till January 19

    The accounts are said to have $15.5million in them.

    Justice Mohammed Idris adjourned to enable the former first lady’s lawyers to respond to an objection by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Mrs Jonathan is praying the court to discharge a no debit order placed on the accounts.

    The judge on May 8 held that Mrs. Jonathan and other parties must give oral evidence on the money’s ownership.

    According to him, all the defendants’ counter-affidavits contain disputed facts that could not be decided without oral evidence.

    He directed them to file pleadings, which they did.

    “In the circumstances, the court hereby orders that the parties herein file pleadings in accordance with the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules 2009 and trial shall then proceed accordingly,” Justice Idris held.

    The EFCC had urged the court not to unfreeze the accounts because the money was suspected to be “proceed of crime”.

    Skye Bank Plc, Jonathan’s former aide Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Ltd and Avalon Global Property Development Ltd are the other respondents.

    The companies, through their representatives, had pleaded guilty to laundering the money last September 15 when they were arraigned before Justice Babs Kuewumi of the same court.

    They were charged along with Dudafa, Briggs and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku, for allegedly laundering the money.

    Unlike the companies, Dudafa, Briggs and Bolodeoku pleaded not guilty to the 17-count charge.

    In a supporting affidavit to her application, Mrs Jonathan’s aide, Sammie Somiari, said Dudafa helped the former first lady to open the accounts around March 2010.

    The deponent claimed Mrs. Jonathan was the sole signatory to the accounts and that she had no relationship with the companies.

  • How Diezani cash was allegedly shared, by EFCC

    How Diezani cash was allegedly shared, by EFCC

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) has tendered documents in court showing how funds allegedly diverted by former Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke was allegedly shared.

    The commission said Alison-Madueke allegedly shared $115,010,000 (about N35billion) to different individuals in 36 states ahead of the 2015 general election.

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mohammed Belgore and a former minister of National Planning Prof Abubakar Suleiman are on trial before Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Lagos.

    EFCC accused them of directly receiving N450million in cash from Alison-Madueke without going through a financial institution. They pleaded not guilty.

    The money they received, the commission said, was shared to electoral officers and others in Kwara State.

    Suleiman and Belgore, according to documents tendered by EFCC, collected N450million on behalf of Kwara.

    Every other state also got part of the cash, according to documents sighted by our correspondent Wednesday.

    For instance, two Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chiefs received N500million for Cross River State; two party chiefs got N650million on behalf of Lagos State; while two party men received N450million for Taraba State.

    Two PDP chiefs collected N700million for Kaduna State; two party chiefs got N450million for Gombe State; four party chiefs got N700million on behalf of Imo State, while two men collected N450million for Anambra State, among others.

    The commission tendered two documents marked as Exhibits 7 and 7A, with breakdown of how the monies were to be shared.

    According to one of the documents entitled: Kwara State, four polling booth agents in 2,406 units got N10, 000 each (amounting to N96, 240,000), while presiding officers got N20, 000 each (totaling N48, 120,000).

    Fifteen electoral officers received N250,000 each (totaling N3,750,000); 15 supervisors got N100,000; 15 returning officers were given N50,000 each; 193 ward returning officers got N20,000 each (totaling N3,860,000), while the state returning officer allegedly got N1million.

    According to the document, a total of N155, 220,000 was shared among the electoral officers in Kwara.

    Read : $1.5b Loot: Fresh facts emerge on Diezani ’s Nigeria trial request

    Another document entitled: Security and Transportation Per State, also tendered by the commission, contains a breakdown of how some of the money from Mrs Alison-Madueke was allegedly shared.

    The breakdown is follows: Resident Electoral Commissioner (N10million); Administrative Secretary (N5million), Head of Operations “and his boys” (N5million), other officers (N2million), Resident Assistant Inspector-General of Police (N2million), and Commissioner of Police (N10million).

    Others are: Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations (N2million), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Operations (N1million), ACP Administration (N1million); Officer in Charge, Mopol and “men in the state” (N7million), and “21c Mopol” and unit commanders (N10million).

    The rest are: Director of the State Security Services (SSS) and his men (N2,5million), military officers (N50million), other security agents (including the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) (N20million).

    In the charge, EFCC accused Belgore and Suleiman of conspiring to make cash payment of N450million, which exceeded the amount authorised by law, without going through a financial institution.

    They were also accused of making cash payment of N450million to one Sheriff Shagaya without going through a financial institution.

    The alleged offence, to which the defendants pleaded not guilty, contravened sections 1 (a), 16 (d) and 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 16 (2) (b).

    The trial will continue on November 13 and 14.

  • Patience Jonathan: Court reserves ruling on motion to reverse guilty plea

    Patience Jonathan: Court reserves ruling on motion to reverse guilty plea

    Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday reserved ruling in a motion seeking to set aside the guilty plea of four firms allegedly used to launder 15.5 million dollars belonging to a former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan.

    The motion was filed by a lawyer Amajuoyi Azubuike Briggs who is standing trial alongside former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, and Adedamola Bolodeoku.

    The three of them are charged with concealing a total sum of 15.5 million dollars which is said to form part of the proceeds of an unlawful act through various banks in Nigeria.

    They were charged along four firms namely — Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Ltd and Avalon Global Property Development Company.

    While the three accused pleaded not guilty to the charges, the four firms had pleaded guilty through their representatives — Friday Davies, Agbor Baro, Dioghowori Frederick and Taiwo Ebenezer.

    Justice Babs Kuewumi convicted the firms on the alleged offence following a review of the facts of the case by prosecution after their plea.

    Dissatisfied, Dudafa and Briggs filed separate applications seeking to reverse the plea before the court.

    The applications were dismissed by Justice Kuewumi on the grounds that the same issues were being canvassed by the accused at the Court of Appeal.

    The Court of Appeal in its judgment on June 15 directed the lower court to hear Briggs’ motion seeking to reverse the firm’s plea.

    At the resumed hearing of the case yesterday, EFCC prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo sought the court’s permission to continue with the examination-in-chief of the first prosecution witness.

    The request was opposed by defence lawyers.

    Briggs’ lawyer Mr Ige Asemudara drew the court’s attention to the Appeal Court’s judgment which ordered the hearing of his client’s motion challenging the guilty plea of the four firms.

    He also disclosed that he had filed another motion seeking to set aside the conviction of the four firms.

    Lawyer representing the four firms Mike Ozekhome (SAN) also notified the court of the existence of a motion he filed since May 8 seeking to set aside the guilty plea of the firms.

    According to him, the court cannot proceed to trial when the plea of the firms which are in joint trial with the other accused persons is in contention.

    Lawyers to the other accused Gboyega Oyewole (SAN) and Joseph Okodieme, also aligned themselves with the submissions.

    Justice Kuewumi then opted to hear Briggs motion as directed by the Court of Appeal.

    The court has fixed Nov. 22 for hearing of other pending applications in the case.