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Eastern Lawyers Laud Justice Ekwo Over Ruling on Mba, Advise Attorneys Against Steps Capable of Denting the Legal Profession

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A non-governmental organisation (NGO) comprising only attorneys from Enugu State, Oriental Lawyers for Justice, has lauded Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court for refusing today to grant a request by one of the Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANS) working for Peter Mbah, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 general election, to stop the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) from testifying in any forum on the integrity of the NYSC discharge certificate paraded by Mbah.

The Enugu State Governorship and State House of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal is resuming sittings on Thursday, July 7, and the NYSC is scheduled to testify on NYSC discharge certificate A808297 which Mbah, whom the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) controversially declared the winner of the March 18 gubernatorial election, claims to have been issued by the NYSC on January 6, 2003.

“The whole nation is delighted that not only did Justice Ekwo bluntly refuse to grant the request for an interlocutory injunction by Mbah’s attorney, Emeka Ozoani (SAN), but did not allow him to finish the request before he (the learned judge) cut in and stopped Ozoani in his inelegant tracks, thus showing a high level of displeasure with the conduct of the learned Silk”, the Oriental Lawyers for Justice stated in a statement in Enugu this afternoon signed by its chairman, John Bosco Aninwede, and the publicity secretary, Mrs. Ifeoma Ejike.

The CSO said that with this ruling, Justice Ekwo has begun the process of repositioning himself in the public imagination after the controversial order on May 15 acceding to the request by the same lawyer for an interlocutory injunction prohibiting the NYSC from commenting on the genuiness or otherwise of the NYSC certificate even before the courts.

Top NYSC officials, including the Director General, the Director of Certification, and the Assistant Director of Certification had on various occasions between February and June declared Mbah’s discharge certificate presented to INEC as fake.

The lawyers faulted Justice Ekwo for even granting on May 15 the original request for the same order which led to a strong petition against him before the National Judicial Council (NJC).

“It is good that the honorable judge, who has another petition against him before the NJC written by Seplat Energy plc, has begun to take steps to show that he is different from controversial judges who frequently leave the Bench in unpleasant circumstances”, remarked the Eastern lawyers.

The CSO advised lawyers, especially seniors, against making controversial requests or even handling certain cases, however attractive the pay may be.

Lawyers, they noted, are “first and foremost ministers in the Temple of Justice, and an acute consciousness of this fact should guide their conduct always, in and out of court.

“It is infra dig for a lawyer, let alone a learned Silk, to ask the judiciary to gag the very institution which gives out certificates from testifying on the authenticity of a certificate it purportedly issued.

“Acts like this tend to diminish the status of the legal profession in the opinion of reasonable members of society”.

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US military strikes in Nigeria killed 155 Lakurawa terrorists -Report

Dando Sibu, a key Lakurawa commander, is reported to have survived the attack because he left the location less than five minutes before the second missile was fired.

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Military strikes conducted by the US in December 2025 killed 155 Lakurawa terrorists in Sokoro, a report by The New Humanitarian has claimed.

The US focus was Lakurawa though the strikes didn’t touch other jihadist groups including Boko Haram, as well as the al-Qaeda-linked Ansaru.

The publication also claimed that the attacks left 200 additional Lakurawa fighters missing in the week following the operation.

The strikes, carried out in collaboration with Nigerian authorities, were believed to have involved Tomahawk missiles launched from a US destroyer positioned in the Gulf of Guinea.

The missiles targeted three districts in Sokoto State: Isa, Tangaza, and Tambuwal, though only Tangaza is widely recognised as a core area of Lakurawa.

It is believed that Tambuwal is not generally associated with organised armed violence; while Isa is a bandit stronghold largely controlled by Bello Turji.

Although details of the strike on Isa remain unclear, Turji is widely believed to have survived the attack.

A Lakurawa camp in Tangaza, however, reportedly suffered significant losses.

The New Humanitarian reports that there were two missile hits.

The first reportedly killed around 30 fighters. As surviving members converged to assess the damage and assist the wounded, a second missile struck, killing those who had gathered.

In total, an estimated 155 Lakurawa were killed, including 19 who were initially injured but later succumbed to their wounds.

Dando Sibu, a key Lakurawa commander, is reported to have survived the attack because he left the location less than five minutes before the second missile was fired.

However, in the week following the strikes, about 200 Lakurawa fighters were reported missing. The group was also said to have lost nearly half of its cattle, which is a major source of its revenue.

(The Sun)

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Curfew, restriction for Akran of Badagry’s burial rites

Residents said the rites would affect social and commercial activities around the palace and may force many residents especially those working outside Badagry to return home early.

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Following the death of the 89-year-old monarch, De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi I, the Akran of Badagry., restrictions have been imposed on vehicular movements around the palace vicinity with some sections of the road leading to the place barricaded.

Commuters were said to be directed to take alternative routes.

Sources said the traditional worshippers have started observing rites necessitated by the demise of the monarch.

Security and palace officials were seen restricting movement in the immediate vicinity.

Residents said the rites would affect social and commercial activities around the palace and may force many residents especially those working outside Badagry to return home early.

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Akran of Badagry is dead, aged 89

The demise of the monarch marks the end of his 48-year reign on the throne, making him one of the longest-serving traditional rulers in Lagos State.

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Photo: Akran of Badagry, De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi

The traditional ruler of the Badagry local government area in Lagos State, the Akran of Badagry, De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi, is dead, aged 89.

The demise of the monarch marks the end of his 48-year reign on the throne, making him one of the longest-serving traditional rulers in Lagos State.

According to the palace, the Akran was pronounced dead by medical experts, after a brief illness, and the traditional rites for his burial have gradually commenced.

Residents of Badagry, who are currently mourning the loss of their revered monarch, described his death as a heavy blow, noting that the town has lost not just a king but a father figure whose wisdom, counsel and presence brought reassurance in moments of uncertainty.

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