Connect with us

News

Court Drama: Justice Crack Rejects Sowore’s Lawyer as Two Counsel Clash Over Representation

Published

on

208 Views

The bail application of social media personality Chidiebere Justice Mark, popularly known as Justice Crack, suffered a setback on Thursday at the Federal High Court in Abuja following a heated clash between two lawyers over who would represent him.

The development created a mild drama in the courtroom after activist Omoyele Sowore reportedly sent his preferred lawyer to stand in for Mark.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik had on May 4 fixed Thursday for the hearing of Mark’s bail application, shortly after he was arraigned by the Department of State Services (DSS). He pleaded not guilty to a three-count charge of cybercrime offences.

The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/253/2026, borders on alleged circulation of false information and publication of materials capable of causing public unrest. Prosecutors claim Mark published a viral video and accompanying statements via his X handle, @JusticeCrack, alleging inadequate feeding of Nigerian soldiers by the Army.

When the matter came up on Thursday, Leyii Abueh of the Federal Ministry of Justice informed the court that the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) had taken over the prosecution from the DSS.

Tension rose immediately after as Femi Balogun and Marshall Abubakar both announced their appearance for Mark.

Balogun told the court he was briefed by the defendant’s family and had already filed a bail application. Abubakar, however, insisted he remained Mark’s counsel, having handled the matter from the outset and not been formally disengaged.

Justice Abdulmalik asked the defendant to identify his lawyer, and Mark pointed to Balogun.

In response, Abubakar applied to withdraw all processes he had filed on behalf of the defendant, including the earlier bail application. The judge granted the request, struck out Abubakar’s processes, and adjourned the matter to May 18, 2026, for hearing of a fresh bail application to be filed by Balogun.

The case continues to attract public interest due to the sensitive nature of the allegations involving the Nigerian military.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

JUST IN: Mob Sets BRT Bus Ablaze After Motorcyclist’s Death in Lagos

Published

on

12 Views

An angry mob has set a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) bus on fire after it reportedly crushed a commercial motorcyclist to death at Ogolonto Bus Stop along Ikorodu Road in Lagos State.

The incident occurred on Friday, October 16, 2026. Eyewitness accounts and social media reports indicate that the motorcyclist was riding alone along the restricted BRT lane when the collision happened. He died at the scene.

Enraged residents and youths then attacked the bus driver and set the vehicle ablaze. Police officers and officials of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), who were nearby, intervened promptly and rescued the driver unharmed.

The identity of the deceased motorcyclist and the exact circumstances of the crash had not been officially confirmed at the time of filing this report. It was also unclear whether any arrests had been made in connection with the burning of the bus.

Continue Reading

News

ARISE News Wins Seven Honours At Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards

The awards recognised the network’s achievements in television journalism and programming, with ARISE News winning the Best TV Channel (Viewer’s Choice) category.

Published

on

By

25 Views

• ARISE News Anchor and host of What’s Trending Ojy Okpe was named Best Newscaster (TV – Female)

ARISE News has emerged as one of the major winners at the just ended Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards (NBMA).

ARISE News won seven honours across television broadcasting, news reporting, presentation and production during the ceremony.

The awards recognised the network’s achievements in television journalism and programming, with ARISE News winning the Best TV Channel (Viewer’s Choice) category.

The network’s flagship breakfast programme, The Morning Show, also won the Best TV Talk Show award, further strengthening its recognition in television broadcasting.

ARISE News Anchor and host of What’s Trending Ojy Okpe was named Best Newscaster (TV – Female).

Rufai Oseni was named Nigerian Broadcaster of the Year (Male), while Vimbai Mutinhiri-Ekpeyong received the Nigerian Broadcaster of the Year (Female) award.

The recognition extended to the network’s newsroom, with Ovieteme George winning Best TV News Reporter (Male) for his contributions to television news reporting.

Behind the camera, Sam Adeyemi received the Best Camera Operator/Cinematographer award, recognising his work in television production and visual storytelling.

Continue Reading

News

Meta removes 3.7 million accounts in West Africa scam crackdown

The joint operation led to 28 arrests, identified more than 30 suspected scam centres and rescued 117 people allegedly trafficked and forced to work in scam compounds in Ghana.

Published

on

By

28 Views

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has removed more than 3.7 million Facebook and Instagram accounts, pages and groups linked to suspected scam networks operating in West Africa.

The joint operation led to 28 arrests, identified more than 30 suspected scam centres and rescued 117 people allegedly trafficked and forced to work in scam compounds in Ghana.

The company announced the crackdown in a statement on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. It involved 14 technology companies and law enforcement agencies from 10 countries.

The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency coordinated the operation with the US Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies. Nigerian authorities were involved.

Other countries included Ghana, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and India.Tech companies that took part included Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Coinbase, Starlink and Adobe.

Meta said the partnership let participants share intelligence across digital platforms, countries and financial systems to identify criminal networks.

Continue Reading

Trending