Connect with us

News

Emefiele loses bid to stop $4.5bn, N2.8bn fraud trial

Published

on

573 Views

Former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele has lost the chance to stop the $4.5bn, N2.8bn fraud trial after the Lagos State Special Offences Court, on Wednesday, dismissed an application filed by the former governor, challenging the court’s jurisdiction to entertain the fraud charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Justice Rahman Oshodi, in his ruling, held that the court had the jurisdiction to try Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile.

The judge, however, struck out four of the 26 counts filed by the EFCC against the defendants for lack of jurisdiction.

Justice Oshodi explained: “Allocation of foreign exchange without reason is not defined as an offence under any written law. The objection to counts one to four succeeds and is hereby struck out.

“The objection challenging the court’s territorial jurisdiction over counts eight to 26 fails and is hereby dismissed.

“The prosecution has established sufficient territorial nexus in this case.

”The judge subsequently adjourned the case for trial continuation on February 24, 2025.

The EFCC had arraigned Emefiele on 26 charges, bordering on abuse of office and illegal allocation of $4.5bn and N2.8bn.

At the last adjourned date on December 12, 2024, Emefiele’s counsel, Mr. Olalekan Ojo (SAN), argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case in Lagos.Ojo contended that the alleged offences, including abuse of office, fell outside the territorial reach of the Lagos Special Offences Court.

He also argued that the charges violated Section 36(12) of the Nigerian constitution, asserting that the alleged offences were not legally recognised under Nigerian law.

Furthermore, Ojo emphasised that since the Lagos State House of Assembly does not have legislative authority over matters on the Exclusive Legislative List, Section 73 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State (2011), under which counts one to four were filed, cannot apply extraterritorially to the alleged abuse of office by Emefiele.

Ojo added that a court’s territorial jurisdiction is limited to the geographical area within which its authority can be exercised and urged the court to strike out counts one to four of the amended charges filed by the EFCC on April 4, 2024.

In response, EFCC counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), argued that the court had the authority to hear the case.

Oyedepo contended that the alleged crimes were economic and financial in nature, falling within the EFCC’s jurisdiction.

He also maintained that substantial evidence supported Lagos as the appropriate venue for the trial.

According to Oyedepo, the subject matter of the charges clearly fell within the court’s jurisdiction since the offences were committed within its territorial reach.

He noted that evidence and witness testimonies pointed to Lagos as the proper location for the trial and argued that the objections raised by Emefiele’s legal team lacked factual or evidential support.

Following the arguments, Justice Oshodi initially adjourned the case to January 7, 2025, for a ruling on the application challenging the court’s jurisdiction.

However, the ruling was not ready on that date, prompting an adjournment to Wednesday, January 8, 2025.

The case has now been adjourned to February 24 and 26, 2025, for the continuation of trial.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

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

News

FG announces two-week traffic delays on Kara–Berger Bridge for repairs

The TRACE Acting Commander, Mr A. Ojerinde, stated that a multi-agency operation including TRACE, the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, and the Nigeria Police Force will be deployed along the corridor to enforce traffic control.

Published

on

By

18 Views

THE Federal Government has alerts motorists and commuters on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway of possible travel delays, starting Tuesday September 8 for two weeks repair works on the Kara–Berger Bridge

The project, earlier slated to commence in August 2026, was suspended for traffic review following public outcry over short notice and the need for effective traffic management.

The two-week rehabilitation project, directed by the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, involves the replacement of deteriorating expansion joints to improve road safety, structural integrity, and long-term traffic flow on the busy corridor.

The project is expected to run through September 22, 2026.

The Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, TRACE, alongside the Federal Ministry of Works and key stakeholders, in a statement, warned motorists to prepare for lane restrictions, particularly during peak commuting hours.

The TRACE Acting Commander, Mr A. Ojerinde, stated that a multi-agency operation including TRACE, the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, and the Nigeria Police Force will be deployed along the corridor to enforce traffic control.

Ojerinde, who urged road users to plan ahead, said “Leave earlier than usual to accommodate expected travel delays.

Continue Reading

News

MKO Abiola’s Documentary to hit Cinemas in October

Published

on

22 Views

A new documentary on the life and political struggle of the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola is set to premiere in Nigerian cinemas in October.

Titled MKO, the 108-minute film is directed by Ose Oyamendan and produced with American documentary filmmaker Mark Jonathan Harris. It explores the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, widely regarded as free and fair, Abiola’s subsequent detention, and the controversial circumstances surrounding his death in custody in 1998.

The documentary features interviews with key figures including former military rulers Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, Abiola’s running mate Baba Gana Kingibe, members of the Abiola family, journalists, and diplomats.

Oyamendan, who worked as a young journalist during the June 12 crisis, has described the film as an investigative documentary that examines Nigeria’s unfinished democratic journey. It had its world premiere earlier this year at the Sheffield DocFest in the United Kingdom.

The Nigerian cinema release is scheduled for early October, with some reports linking the premiere to Independence Day on October 1.

Continue Reading

News

BREAKING: JAMB releases underage UTME results, clarifies admission conditions

Published

on

26 Views

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results of underage candidates for viewing.

In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by the Board’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr Fabian Benjamin, JAMB defined an underage candidate for the 2026 admission exercise as any candidate who will be less than 16 years old as at September 30, 2026.

Benjamin said the results were released primarily to enable candidates and their parents or guardians to know their performance in the examination. However, he stressed that the release does not confer eligibility for admission on all underage candidates.

According to him, the results cannot be used for admission or any other official purpose, except by candidates who satisfy the stringent requirements prescribed for exceptionally performing underage candidates.

Candidates can check their results by sending “RESULT” to 55019 or 66019 using the same SIM card with which they registered for the UTME.

JAMB reiterated that only underage candidates who demonstrate exceptional academic ability and maturity will be considered for admission through a rigorous, multi-stage assessment process. Key requirements include a minimum UTME score of 320, at least 80 per cent performance in relevant Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) subjects where applicable, satisfaction of the Post-UTME requirements of their chosen institutions, and a final assessment conducted by experts.

Continue Reading

Trending