It is time for Nigeria to lead the way for Africa and call time on the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the 1998 Rome Statute that brought it into being. Twenty-five years into its existence, it is all too clear that the ICC is dangerously unfit for purpose. The...
judiciary
Supreme Court of Nigeria has ordered lawyers, litigation staff, court registrars and other legal practitioners appearing before it to immediately stop using the title “Barrister” as a prefix to their names in all official dealings with the apex court. The directive was conveyed in a memorandum dated July 13,...
Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) has accused the Minister of Works, David Umahi, of threatening its National President, Engr. Tabara Samuel Kato, following the association’s ₦20 billion lawsuit seeking an independent investigation into the death of 26-year-old nurse, Mary Habila. Speaking at an emergency press conference on Tuesday, SOKAPU...
Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has strongly condemned the abduction of a Kebbi State High Court judge, Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza, describing the incident as a dangerous assault on Nigeria’s judiciary and the rule of law. Justice Bunza was reportedly kidnapped by suspected armed bandits on Sunday night after gunmen...
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has celebrated Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, on her historic election as the first elected and second female President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), describing her emergence as a watershed in the legal profession and a triumph for merit, excellence, and gender inclusion. President Tinubu...
President Bola Tinubu has forwarded a legislative proposal to the Senate seeking a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s criminal justice system through the repeal and re-enactment of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA). The proposed legislation, titled the Administration of Criminal Justice Bill, 2026, seeks to repeal the existing...
Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, on Thursday, 2nd July 2026, paid a courtesy visit to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen institutional collaboration between the Nigeria Police Force and the Judiciary in advancing effective criminal justice administration...
All Progressives Congress (APC) has congratulated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on the successful commissioning of the newly completed Court of Appeal Complex with state of the art amenities, and the 20 unit residential quarters for Court of Appeal...
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said true judicial independence is built on the dignity and welfare of judicial officers, insisting that protecting the dignity of judges keeps the justice system shielded from manipulation and compromise. He noted that while a well-supported judiciary is indispensable to good governance, his administration...
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to judicial independence and institutional reforms as he commissioned the newly completed 10-unit Court of Appeal Judges’ Quarters in Katampe District, Abuja, describing the project as a strategic investment in the rule of law and democratic governance. Represented by...
A Federal High Court in Abuja has revoked the bail earlier granted to the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, after he failed to appear for the continuation of his trial. The decision was delivered on Tuesday by Justice Mohammed Umar following submissions by the...
President Bola Tinubu has again charged the Nigerian judiciary to ensure swift, fair justice that is blind to a litigant’s status or tribe, insisting that a compromised legal system threatens democratic stability. Instead of widespread citizen frustration with prolonged case backlogs and slow adjudication, he maintained that the administration...
Federation of International Women Lawyers (FIDA), with support from Co-Impact, on Wednesday convened a state-level consultation in Sokoto aimed at examining the career progression and leadership opportunities available to women within Nigeria’s judiciary. The one-day engagement, themed “Probing Women’s Career Progression and Leadership Pathways in the Judiciary,” brought together...
The year 1993 changed Nigeria’s judiciary. Over a period of a mere five months, the military that year contrived to overthrow the government twice. First, in June, Ibrahim Babangida, the army General who was Nigeria’s military ruler at the time, nullified an election his regime reorganised to determine who would succeed...
African Democratic Congress (ADC) has questioned the move by lawyers to Nafiu Bala Gombe seeking the reassignment and transfer of his suit against the David Mark-led National Working Committee. In a statement signed on Friday by the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said...
Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has raised serious concerns over emerging legal and political developments ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that judicial interference in the internal affairs of political parties could undermine Nigeria’s democracy and rule of law. In a strongly worded statement signed by its President, Mazi...
Judges must not bully lawyers or abuse contempt powers — NBA President condemns detention of counsel
Judges must not bully lawyers or abuse contempt powers — NBA President condemns detention of counsel
Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has expressed strong concern over what it described as disturbing incidents involving judges allegedly bullying lawyers and ordering their detention, warning that such actions threaten the integrity of the justice system. In a statement issued by NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, the association said...
The National Judicial Council (NJC) has commenced a discreet but far-reaching investigation into some highly placed judges in the country, including heads of courts, insiders at the council have told PREMIUM TIMES. The NJC is the constitutional body responsible for appointing, promoting and disciplining judicial officers in Nigeria. The...
*My Justification: Mike Ozekhome, SAN, Represents Peace, Justice, and the Voice for the Voiceless in Nigeria.* For over four decades, Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome, SAN, has stood as one of Nigeria’s most fearless defenders of the oppressed, the marginalized, and the constitution itself. His name is inseparable from...
The recent decision of the Supreme Court has prompted deep reflection and widespread concern across the country. The ruling—widely perceived as empowering the President to remove elected leaders at will—has sent shockwaves through the polity and raised serious questions about the future of democracy and federalism in Nigeria. In...