A Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square, TBS, has sentenced Andrew Ominikoron, a driver of Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, to death by hanging for having killed Bamise Ayanwola, a 22-year-old fashion designer.

The murder occurred on February 26, 2022, at about 7pm near the Lekki-Ajah Conservation Expressway, Lagos.

The trial Judge, Sherifat Sonaike, gave the judgment today.

In March 2022, Ominikoron, 47, was arraigned by the Lagos State Government on four counts charge bordering on alleged rape, conspiracy sexual assault and murder.

The prosecution said Ominikoron conspired with others now at large and forcefully had sexual intercourse with Bamise after which he murdered her. The defendant pleaded not guilty to the offence.

However, the convict, while giving his testimony during trial earlier, told the court that he illegally picked up Bamise at the Chevron bus stop on a return trip to Oshodi after he had off-loaded passengers on the Oshodi-Ajah route at around 8pm that day.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration have requested a 90-day extension from a United States District Court to produce documents relating to an alleged drug investigation involving President Bola Tinubu dating back to the 1990s.

The request was submitted on Thursday in a joint status report filed with the US District Court for the District of Columbia.

The case stems from a series of Freedom of Information Act requests by an American legal transparency advocate and founder of the platform PlainSite, Aaron Greenspan.

Greenspan is seeking the release of records connected to a Chicago-based drug ring and has named Tinubu along with three other individuals: Lee Andrew Edwards, Mueez Abegboyega Akande, and Abiodun Agbele.

The court, presided over by Judge Beryl Howell, had earlier ordered the FBI and DEA to provide a status update on the search and release of non-exempt documents by May 2, 2025.

However, in the latest filing, both agencies said they needed more time to complete their searches.

The report reads, “Aaron Greenspan (“Plaintiff”) and Defendants Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the only remaining defendants in this case, respectfully submit the following joint status report proposing a schedule to govern further proceedings, pursuant to the Court’s Order of April 8, 2025 (ECF No. 47).

“Pursuant to the court’s order, the defendants, FBI and DEA must search for and produce non-exempt records responsive to the plaintiff’s FOIA requests (FBI Requests Nos. 1588244-000 and 1593615- 000, and DEA Request Nos. 22-00892-F and 24-00201-F).

“The FBI and DEA have initiated their searches for responsive, non-exempt, reasonably segregable portions of records requested by the plaintiff and anticipate completing their searches in ninety days.

”Greenspan opposed the delay, arguing that the agencies had already delayed the process for years and that some documents had already been identified.He proposed a much shorter deadline.

“Given the years-long delay already caused by the defendants and the fact that many responsive documents have already been identified, the plaintiff proposes that the FBI and DEA complete their searches and productions by next week, or, at the very least, produce unredacted versions of the already-identified documents by next week, with the remainder completed in 14 days.

The defendants provide no rationale for why their search for documents should take 90 days.

“The FBI and DEA have initiated their searches for responsive, non-exempt, reasonably segregable portions of records requested by the plaintiff and anticipate completing their searches in ninety days,” Greenspan said.

The FOIA requests, filed between 2022 and 2023, sought records from multiple federal agencies.

Initially, the FBI and DEA issued “Glomar responses,” refusing to confirm or deny the existence of relevant records.

The court later deemed this response inappropriate, ordering the agencies to proceed with full or partial disclosures where applicable.

Greenspan is also seeking reimbursement of $440.22 in filing and mailing costs.

The two sides remain at odds over when the next joint status report should be filed.

While the agencies proposed July 31, Greenspan urged the court to set the deadline for May 31, 2025.

“The plaintiff intends to request reimbursement for his costs: the filing fee of $402.00 and $38.22 for certified mail postage, totalling $440.22.

“The defendants propose that the parties submit a joint status report on or before July 31, 2025 to update the Court on the case status following the agencies’ search for responsive, non-exempt, reasonably segregable records requested by the plaintiff.

The plaintiff proposes that they submit a joint status report on or before May 31, 2025,” the report added.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release businesswoman Aisha Achimugu within 24 hours.

The ruling was issued by Justice Inyang Ekwo on Wednesday, also directing all parties involved to report back to the court on May 2, 2025, to confirm compliance.

Recall that Achimugu was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Tuesday morning upon her arrival from London.

The EFCC had previously declared her wanted in connection with allegations of conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, money laundering, corruption, and possession of properties suspected to have been unlawfully acquired.

Justice Ekwo had on Monday, ordered Achimugu to submit herself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in connection with an ongoing investigation of her alleged crimes.

The Judge also held that following her appearance at the EFCC office, the anti-graft agency is to return with her and appear before the court on Wednesday, April 30, to report.

This issue is sequel to a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Achimugu at the Federal High Court against the EFCC, DSS, Civil Defence, police, and the Nigeria Immigration Service, alleging violations of her rights.

The suit was part of her legal battle following her previous arrest and investigation by the EFCC on money laundering and conspiracy charges.

Her legal action prompted the court to order her appearance before the EFCC on Tuesday, April 29, and subsequently before the court on April 30.