The House of Representatives has passed two bills seeking to increase the number of judicial officers in the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court as well as legalise virtual appearances and proceedings in the courts. The House raised the number of Justices in the appellate court from 90 to 100, while the number of judges at the FHC …

The Senate on Wednesday indicted 37 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government for various financial infractions. The alleged offences are contained in the 2016 report of the Auditor General of the Federation (AuGF) which was adopted by the Senate. The resolution of the Red Chamber followed its consideration of the report of the Senate Public Accounts Committee …

Promoters of Ponzi schemes now risk up to 10 years imprisonment following the passage of the Investments and Securities Amendment Bill (ISB) 2023 into law by the Senate. The bill, which is expected to aid the functioning of the capital market and facilitate the ongoing economic diversification in the country, among others, had been passed by the House of Representatives …

The Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Tessy Diai has begun the first quarter of the 2023 jail delivery programme by releasing two prisoners – Abubakar Abdullahi and Ufuoma Victor – from the Sapele Custodial Centre. Abdullahi had been in detention since 2020 for alleged conspiracy, kidnapping, and armed robbery, while Victor, who was accused of the same offence, had …

A bill seeking to amend the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act, 2004 and grant it more powers to revoke licenses for the cultivation of cannabis plants in Nigeria for medicinal purposes failed to fly in the House of Representatives on Thursday. On Wednesday at the plenary, the measure that Hon. Benjamin Kalu and Hon. Olumide Osoba had co-sponsored …

Ayo Ademiluyi, one of the well-known lawyers leading the charge for justice for the EndSARS protesters in Lagos, filed a lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in federal court in Lagos yesterday for failing to upload his name as the winner of the February 25 Eti-Osa Federal Constituency election and the candidate of the Labour Party (LP). Addressing …

Tope Akinusi, 35, was remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Center on Monday by an Ikeja Magistrates’ court in Lagos State’s Ogba district after it was claimed that he attempted to steal from the Gospel Faith Mission International Church in the state’s Ayobo district. The Magistrate, Mrs L. A Owolabi, made the remand order after the defendant who is facing two-count …

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Maiduguri Zonal Office on Monday secured a five-year jail term against the Auditor General for Local Government in Yobe State, Alhaji Idris Yahaya. Yahaya, who is standing trial over alleged misappropriation, was found guilty and convicted by Justice Muhammad Lawu Lawan of the Yobe State High Court on a one-count charge of criminal …

The Kano State Executive Council (KSEC) has given approval for the Kano State Anthem Bill 2023 and its transmission to the State House of Assembly for passage into law. The KSEC has also approved the state Rural Access Roads Establishment (RARA) Bill 2022 and the State Roads Funds 2022 Bill. The state Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Mallam Muhammad …

The Supreme Court on Wednesday consolidated various suits instituted by state governments – numbering 10 – with the most recent joiner being Abia State. The suit is challenging the implementation of the Naira redesign which introduced late last year. The motion for the consolidation was argued by counsel for Rivers State, Emmanuel Ukala. Ukala, while moving the motion on notice, …