Court Order Archives - Page 3 of 8

Kaduna: Court orders el-Rufa’i to pay ₦900m over rights violation

May 28, 2025May 28, 2025 Aminu Imam

A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has awarded ₦900 million in damages against former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufa’i, and five others for violating the fundamental human rights of Adara elders illegally detained in 2019. The presiding judge, Justice Hauwa’u Buhari, delivered the ruling yesterday, in a suit filed by Awemi Dio Maisamari and eight other Southern Kaduna Adara elders. The court ruled that el-Rufa”i personally orchestrated their arbitrary arrest, and is therefore liable for the ₦900 million compensation. The court also awarded ₦10 million in general damages, and…

Court adjourns arraignment of ex-NHIS boss, orders remand in EFCC custody

January 31, 2025January 31, 2025 Aminu Imam

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Kuje has postponed the arraignment of former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Usman Yusuf, until February 3. Recall that Yusuf was taken into custody by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, and appeared before Justice Chinyere E. Nwecheonwu yesterday to face fraud allegations. However, the court delayed the case to permit charge amendments. This development was disclosed in an EFCC statement issued yesterday. During the brief hearing, defense counsel Isah Dokto Haruna requested bail…

Kano: Court restrains Police from arresting anti-graft boss, Rimingado

January 28, 2025January 28, 2025 Aminu Imam

A Kano High Court, presided over by Justice Sunusi Ado Ma’aji, yesterday restrained the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun and the Police from arresting the Kano State Chairman of the Public Complaints and Anti Corruption Commission (PCACC), Muhyi Magaji Rimingado. The Court granted an interim order restraining the Police from inviting, arresting or harassing Magaji pending the hearing of the substantive suit against his arrest last week. Recall that Magaji was whisked away by Police officers last week following his alleged confiscation of property allegedly linked to APC National…

Court declares Lakurawa sect as terrorist group

January 25, 2025January 25, 2025 Aminu Imam

A Federal High Court in Abuja has officially proscribed the Lakurawa sect, declaring it a terrorist organisation, and extending the ban to similar groups across Nigeria, with a specific focus on the North-West and North-Central regions. The presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, in his ruling on the ex-parte originating summons submitted by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, (SAN), on Thursday in Abuja. In the ex-parte application, the AGF sought four Orders, all of which were granted by the court. The Motion, dated January…

Alleged Money Laundering/Theft: Court denies el-Rufai’s aide Sa’idu bail; sends him back to prison

January 22, 2025January 22, 2025 Aminu Imam

The Kaduna State High Court has adjourned the bail hearing of Alhaji Bashir Sa’idu, former Chief of Staff to ex-Governor Nasir El-Rufai, to tomorrow, Thursday. Sa’idu, who is also the former Commissioner for Finance in the el-Rufai administration, has been remanded in custody. He faces 10 charges related to alleged money laundering, embezzlement and theft. The charges, brought by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), accuse Sa’idu of selling $45 million in state funds at an undervalued rate, resulting in a loss of ₦3.96 billion to…

Abuja Federal High Court fines IGP ₦10m for illegal arrest, detention of Bashir Haɗejia

January 18, 2025January 18, 2025 Aminu Imam

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the release of Bashir Haɗejia, a politician and businessman, declaring his arrest and detention by the police unlawful and unconstitutional. The court also fined the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) ₦10 million for the violation of Haɗejia’s fundamental human rights. Delivering judgment on Tuesday, Justice Emeka Nwite criticised the police for raiding Haɗejia’s home without a warrant, and detaining him without justification, describing the actions as a blatant breach of the law. “The invasion of the applicant’s home, his arrest without a warrant…

Kaduna: Court denies el-Rufa’i’s ex-aide, Jimi Lawal bail in money-laundering case

January 17, 2025January 17, 2025 Aminu Imam

A Kaduna State High Court has denied bail to Muhammad Bashir Sa’idu, the former Chief of Staff to Nasir el-Rufa’i, the immediate-past governor of the State, in a money-laundering case filed against him. The court delivered its ruling yesterday, refusing the bail application principally on the grounds that a formal charge had been filed at the Kaduna State High Court II against Sa’idu. According to the Kaduna State Director of Public Prosecution, Samson Irimiya, “The bail application ruling was delivered refusing the bail application principally on the grounds that since…

U.S. Court orders release of seized $6m arms funds to Nigeria

January 4, 2025January 4, 2025 Aminu Imam

Nigeria has successfully reclaimed over $6 million from the United States (US) government, following a prolonged legal battle spanning nearly a decade. The funds were originally seized in 2014 after an arms broker, Dolarian Capital Inc. (DCI), attempted to supply military equipment to Nigeria without the necessary U.S. government license. The U.S. authorities cited a violation of the Arms Export Control Act, leading to the seizure. On December 23, 2024, the U.S. District Court for Eastern California ruled in favour of Nigeria, issuing a permanent order of forfeiture and confirming…

Kaduna: Court stops customs from seizing imported rice in markets, seaports

December 22, 2024December 22, 2024 Aminu Imam

The Court of Appeal, Kaduna division, has ruled that the Nigeria Customs Service, (NCS), has no Constitutional right to confiscate imported rice in open markets. The court gave the order while delivering judgement in an appeal filed by the NCS against the judgment of the Federal High Court, Kaduna, which discharged and acquitted one Suleiman Mohammed of a 2-count charge on the importation of foreign goods. Nigeria. In the judgement, delivered by the three-member panel led by Justice Ntong Ntong, the court also ordered the NCS to release 613 bags…

Rivers: Court bars CBN from releasing allocations to State govt.

October 31, 2024October 31, 2024 Aminu Imam

A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday restrained the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from further releasing monthly financial allocations to Rivers State government. The order also affected the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Zenith Bank and Access Bank, where the State government is also a depositor. Justice Joyce AbdulMalik, in a judgment, held that the receipt and disbursement of monthly allocations since January 2024 by Gov. Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers is a constitutional somersault and aberration, which must not be allowed to continue. The judge held that the presentation…