Crime
JUST IN: Yahaya Bello Vs EFCC: Court adjourns to January 21 for ruling or arraignment
A Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned hearing in the money laundering case brought against the immediate-past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to January 21, 2025.
At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, Counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, told Justuce Emeka Nwite that he had two witnesses already in court.
He said his first application was to formally apply that the court should enter a plea of not guilty on behalf of the defendant, even in his absence.
“My first application is to formally enter a plea of not guilty to the defendant, even in his absence. The second point is, not withstanding his physical absence, it is in full compliance with Section 276 of ACJA.
“Flowing from that entry my lord, it is a humble request that we call the first witness,” he stated.
Pinheiro, SAN, in defending his application to enter a plea of not guilty for the defendant, said “the right to plead guilty or not guilty is a right that can be waved by the defendant.
“My lord should hold that the defendant has waved that right.
“What prejudice will the defendant suffer if my lord enters a plea of guilty or not guilty in his absence? Even if he was in court and pleaded not guilty, the situation will still be the same.
The entry of plea of not guilty by your lordship is an invitation to the prosecution to come and prove the veracity of the allegations,” he added.
Michael Adoyi, who appeared for the defendant, however kicked against this, saying that the Prosecution’s application was made contrary to a subsisting order of the judge.
“Our first point of response to the application made by the learned senior counsel to the complainant is that the application is made contrary to the subsisting order of this honourable court, even made this morning – that no application can be entertained by this court in the absence of the arraignment of the defendant.
“The prosecution has stated severally that the court cannot demonstrate helplessness.
The court cannot demonstrate any helplessness in any proceeding and if at all helplessness exists in this proceeding, that helplessness is demonstrated by the prosecution,” he said.Adoyi argued that the court, in a criminal trial, is immune and distinct from the prosecution.
Citing Supreme Court verdicts on similar matters, he said, “The application made by learned senior counsel for the complainant this morning is a dangerous invitation to this honourable court to aide the prosecution in the performance of its duty of presenting the defendant before the court for arraignment and subsequent trial.
“He argued that civil proceeding was different from criminal proceeding.
The Defendant’s Counsel noted that the prosecution’s application could not be anchored on any of the provisions of the ACJA, 2015 that he had cited, as “those provisions do not excuse the need for physical presence of the defendant.”
“In view of this, we urge my lord to refuse the application made by the senior counsel to the complainant,” he said.
The Prosecution Counsel, however, told the court to dismiss Adoyi’s arguments and go ahead with his ruling on entering a plea of not guilty for the Defendant.
Justice Nwite, however, said it might not be possible to deliver the ruling this year.
“It may not be possible to deliver this ruling this year.
You know I am just coming as vacation judge. So what are we agreeing on now learner silk?” he asked. Pinheiro said the matter would be for ruling and/or arraignment of the defendant.
The Judge thereafter adjourned to 21st January, 2025 for ruling on the application by the EFCC and/or arraignment.
Recall that, at the last hearing on September 25, the Counsel to the defendant, A.M. Adoyi, had told the court that the issue of arraignment of the defendant was the subject matter of an appeal entered by the defendant at the Supreme Court with the Appeal Number: “SC/CR/847/2024 and SC/CR/848/2024”.
He said the most appropriate thing to do was to await the decision of the Supreme Court in the aforesaid appeal before taking any step for arraignment so as not to pull the rug off the feet of the Supreme Court.
Crime
Two Police Officers Killed in Deadly Attack on Checkpoint Along Agbani Road, Enugu
Gunmen suspected to be linked to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), launched a sudden and unprovoked attack on a Police Distress Response Squad (DRS) team in Enugu State, resulting in the deaths of two officers and the destruction of a patrol vehicle.
The incident occurred on the night of Thursday, January 15, 2026, along Agbani Road, near the Police Detective College area in Enugu metropolis.
According to the Enugu State Police Command, the assailants opened fire on the officers without warning during a routine operation.
The police team responded immediately with return fire, forcing the attackers to flee. Several of the assailants reportedly sustained gunshot injuries during the fierce exchange.
Tragically, two officers suffered severe gunshot wounds and were rushed to a hospital for emergency treatment, where they were later confirmed dead by medical personnel.In the chaos, the operational patrol vehicle caught fire and was burnt.
Reports indicate the attackers used a snatched Lexus 330 Jeep for the operation.In a swift follow-up, police operatives recovered the bullet-riddled Lexus 330 Jeep that had been carjacked from its owner and used by the gunmen in the attack.
Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, has ordered an intensified manhunt involving tactical and intelligence units to track down and apprehend the fleeing suspects.
He emphasized that the Command is leveraging actionable intelligence to sustain the pursuit and bring the perpetrators to justice.
CP Giwa appealed to members of the public to provide credible information that could aid the ongoing investigation, assuring that the police remain fully committed to preventing such subversive and violent acts from going unpunished.
The attack marks a fresh escalation in security challenges in the region, with police maintaining a resolute stance against criminal elements.
The identities of the slain officers have not yet been released, pending notification of their families.
The Enugu State Police Command extended condolences to the bereaved families and colleagues of the fallen officers.
Crime
Supreme Court Orders Sule Lamido ₦1.35bn Corruption Trial to Resume
In a landmark unanimous decision delivered today, the Supreme Court of Nigeria has set aside the July 2023 ruling of the Court of Appeal that discharged former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, his sons Mustapha and Aminu Lamido, and their associated companies from corruption charges.
The five-man panel, led by Justice Abubakar Sadiq Umar, upheld the appeal filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), declaring it meritorious.
The apex court has now directed the defendants to return to the Federal High Court in Abuja to continue their defense against the allegations.
The long-running case stems from a 37-count charge bordering on money laundering, abuse of office, and related offenses. The EFCC accuses Lamido of laundering approximately ₦1.35 billion in alleged kickbacks from contractors during his tenure as governor between 2007 and 2015. His sons and companies Bamaina Holdings Limited and Speeds International Limited are also implicated in the alleged financial misconduct.
After the prosecution closed its case, the defendants filed a no-case submission at the trial court presided over by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu. The Federal High Court rejected the submission, ruling that the evidence presented was sufficient to require the defendants to enter a defense.
The defendants successfully appealed that decision to the Court of Appeal, which discharged them in July 2023. Dissatisfied, the EFCC escalated the matter to the Supreme Court, arguing that the appellate court erred in law by halting the trial despite a prima facie case having been established.
Today’s ruling reinstates the charges and paves the way for the trial to resume at the lower court, marking a significant development in one of Nigeria’s most prominent high-profile corruption prosecutions spanning over a decade.
Legal analysts view the decision as a reinforcement of the judiciary’s commitment to ensuring accountability in public office cases, with the matter now set to proceed to full trial and potential conclusion.
Crime
Tragic: Husband’s Body Found Days After Wife’s Killing
The body of Ayoola Ayanwale, the prime suspect in the brutal killing of his wife, has been discovered in Ogun State, bringing a shocking and grim conclusion to a case that has gripped public attention.
According to residents of River Valley Estate, Ayanwale’s lifeless body was found on Friday evening in the Sotubo area, just days after the violent death of his wife, Mrs. Ayobami Ganiyatu Ayanwale.
Personal items believed to belong to the deceased suspect were recovered at the scene, raising immediate questions about his movements in the days following the alleged murder of his wife and the circumstances surrounding his own death.
The grim discovery comes barely 48 hours after security agencies launched a statewide manhunt for Ayanwale, following the Thursday night killing that left Mrs. Ayobami Ganiyatu Ayanwale dead and sparked widespread outrage across the state.
The incident has once again thrust the issue of domestic violence into the national spotlight, with many residents and activists calling for stronger measures to protect vulnerable individuals and prevent such tragedies.
Police authorities have yet to release an official statement on the cause of Ayanwale’s death or confirm whether foul play is suspected. An investigation into both deaths is ongoing.
The double tragedy has left the local community in mourning and disbelief, with many asking how a domestic dispute escalated into such fatal consequences for both parties involved.
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