National
Court adjourns Saraki’s suit against EFCC, ICPC, others
A Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja, on Tuesday, adjourned two separate suits filed by former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and others.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a short ruling, said the adjournment was to await the report of the Court of Appeal on application for stay of proceedings filed by the ex-lawmaker.
Upon resumed hearing, Saraki’s lawyer, Tunde Afe-Babalola, SAN, informed that he had a pending application for stay of proceedings filed on July 30, 2021..
He said all the parties had been served and that they were ready to proceed.
The judge then asked whether the motion for relisting had been taken.
“Yes, we filed a stay at the Court of Appeal,” he responded.
But the EFCC’s counsel, Christopher Mshelia, who said he was not sure if the commission had been served, said he was not ready for today’s hearing.
Ekenma Okafor, who appeared for Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), said his client had not been served.
“I remember on one of the sittings, the counsel appearing for the applicant had given the court his word that he is withdrawing their appeal.
“We are surprised with this development,” Okafor said.
Afe-Babalola, who said he was not aware of Okafor’s information, said the important thing was that the motion was pending.
“If you had filed a stay at the Court of Appeal, why did you also file a stay here?
“If I grant you stay here, have I not done their duty at the Court of Appeal?” the judge asked.
Justice Ekwo, therefore, said he would give Afe-Babalola a date to enable him to sort himself out at the Court of Appeal and report back.
The matter was then adjourned until April 18 for report of proceedings at the Court of Appeal.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Ekwo had, on Jan. 25, 2023, struck out the suits for lack of diligent prosecution.
After the suits were struck out, Saraki file an application to relist the cases.
The motion on notice seeking an order of re-listing the suits was dated Feb. 1, 2023 and filed Feb. 3, 2023 by Sunday Onubi from Afe Babalola & Co Law Firm.
NAN reports that Saraki, the applicant, had filed the suits marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/507/2019 and FHC/ABJ/CS/508/2019 at the FHC.
In the suits, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Inspector-General (I-G) of Police and State Security Service (SSS) are 1st to 3rd defendants.
Others are EFCC, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and CCB as 4th to 6th respondents respectively.
The ex-senate president had filed the suits following the EFCC’s decision in 2019 to probe Saraki’s earnings between 2003 and 2011 when he was governor of Kwara.
The anti-graft commission was reported to have seized some of his houses in the Ikoyi area of Lagos then.
However, Saraki, on May 10, 2019, filed the two separate suits before retired Justice Taiwo Taiwo to challenge the action of the EFCC.
Justice Taiwo, who was the presiding judge then, ruled on an ex-parte application filed along with the substantive suits.
The judge ordered the anti-corruption agency (4th respondent) and the other five respondents to the suits to stay action on the probe pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed by the applicant.
The order was granted after Sunday Onubi, Saraki’s lawyer, moved the application, on May 14, 2019.
The court had directed the parties to maintain the status quo by suspending the probe.
But the EFCC later applied that the judge should recuse himself and the matter be transferred to another court.
Justice Taiwo sent back the case file to the chief judge and the matter was reassigned to Justice Anwuli Chikere for adjudication.
When the matter came up on July 14, 2021 before Justice Chikere, EFCC Counsel, Chile Okoronkwo, complained that Taiwo’s order had hindered the agency “from performing its duty for about two years now.”
The lawyer, who stated that Saraki continued to hinge on the order of the court any time he is invited, urged the court to vacate the order.
But the suits were reassigned to Justice Ekwo following the retirement of Chikere.
The Northern Youth Congress of Nigeria (NYC) has honoured Dr. Ibrahim Aminu Trader, Executive Director of the Regional Sustainable Energy Centre of Excellence for Sub-Saharan Africa (RSECE), with its coveted Northern Elders Award of Excellence, “Garkuwan Marayun Arewa,” in recognition of his outstanding service to youth empowerment, national unity and social development.
The prestigious award, which translates to “Shield of Northern Orphans,” was conferred during a colourful ceremony at the RSECE headquarters in Abuja.
The event drew a cross-section of youth leaders, civil society groups, and stakeholders from the public and private sectors.
National President of the NYC, Ambassador Auwalu Mohammed Majiri, commended Dr. Trader’s enduring commitment to nation-building.
“This recognition is rooted in Dr. Trader’s consistent efforts to empower young people and his unwavering role as a bridge-builder in Nigeria’s journey toward unity and peace,” he said.
Dr. Trader, who has a storied career in public service and finance, expressed deep gratitude to the NYC.
He described the recognition as “humbling,” adding that his passion for uplifting the next generation remains central to his work.
“As someone who became the first Northerner to graduate at the age of 19, and having held top roles in the civil service and banking sector, I understand the power of opportunity,” he stated.
“Through RSECE, I continue to support youth initiatives and encourage entrepreneurship as a tool for nation-building.”
The award serves as a powerful endorsement of Dr. Trader’s leadership, humanitarian values and grassroots impact, particularly among marginalised communities.
His honour, according to observers, stands as a beacon of hope and a call to action for others committed to Nigeria’s collective progress.
National
Talata Mafara Resident Praises Tinubu, Matawalle For Eliminating Bandit Leaders Jijji, Kachallah Sagili
Residents of Talata Mafara Local Government Area in Zamfara State have expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, Minister of State for Defence Dr Bello Matawalle, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, and Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa for their roles in the elimination of two notorious bandit leaders
The operation, which targeted Jajji Ɗan Auta and Kachallah Sagili, has been hailed as a significant step towards restoring peace in the troubled region.
Yakubu Ibrahim Mafara, speaking on behalf of the Talata Mafara community, issued a statement on Friday commending the concerted efforts of the Nigerian government and security forces.
“We are very grateful to Matawalle, Tinubu, NSA, and others,” he said, reflecting the community’s relief and optimism following the operation.
The statement underscored the profound impact of the operation on the local population, which has long endured the terror inflicted by bandit groups in Zamfara State.
The operation took place on Thursday in Maikwanugga, a community within Talata Mafara Local Government Area, where security forces, alongside local vigilante groups, conducted targeted patrols along the Mafara axis.
According to the statement, reports indicate that Jijji Ɗan Auta and Kachallah Sagili, both feared bandit leaders responsible for numerous attacks, kidnappings, and extortion in the region, were neutralised during the operation.
” Their deaths have been described as a turning point for the community, which has suffered years of violence and insecurity.
“The killing of Jijji Ɗan Auta has brought relief and fresh air into our community,” Yakubu said, echoing the sentiments of residents who have lived under the shadow of banditry for years.
The operation is seen as a direct response to the escalating violence in Zamfara, where armed groups have terrorised rural communities, disrupted livelihoods, and displaced thousands.
The community’s gratitude reflects growing confidence in the government’s commitment to tackling insecurity in Nigeria’s northwest.
Meanwhile, the operation was a collaborative effort involving the Nigerian military and local vigilantes, who have increasingly played a critical role in intelligence-gathering and community defence.
The patrols in the Mafara axis were part of a broader strategy to dismantle bandit strongholds and restore normalcy to Zamfara, a state that has become a hotspot for banditry and kidnapping in recent years.
“The elimination of Jijji Ɗan Auta and Kachallah Sagili is expected to weaken the operational capacity of bandit groups in the region.”
The Nigerian military has called for stronger collaboration with relevant agencies to ensure proper documentation of individuals entering the country, citing the role of foreign herders in escalating violence in regions like Plateau and Benue States.
Maj.-Gen. Markus Kangye, Director of Defence Media Operations, made the appeal during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday.
“There are agencies responsible for this, and we need to collaborate effectively,” Kangye said, emphasizing the importance of a joint framework to tackle insecurity.
“Those entering Nigeria must be properly documented and accounted for.”
He said recent attacks by armed herders in Plateau, Benue, and other parts of the country have left dozens dead and displaced thousands, particularly in farming communities.
Kangye revealed that investigations point to foreign herders as the primary perpetrators of these violent attacks, with their distinct speech patterns and physical features setting them apart from local herders.
“The Hausa language spoken in Nigeria differs significantly from that in Mali, the Central African Republic, or Ghana,” he explained.
“When we apprehend these herders and terrorists, their speech and appearance—sometimes even their hair—indicate they are not from Nigeria.”
He noted that the Shuwa Arabs in Borno are the only Nigerian community with some similarities to Sahel-region herders, but even they are distinguishable.
While acknowledging that some Nigerian herders contribute to conflicts by encroaching on farmlands, Kangye stressed that the majority of the violence is driven by foreigners crossing Nigeria’s porous borders.
“The ongoing killings reported in certain areas are primarily committed by individuals who have infiltrated our borders,” he said.