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In my first year at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) I took part in the “Ali Must Go” Protest of 1978. It was a popular protest against the commercialisation of education by the Olusegun Obasanjo military junta. Since then, I have participated in many protests against military and civilian dictatorial regimes in […]
Continue ReadingThe Criminal Ordinance imposed on conquered territories by the British colonial regime provided for the detention of people at the pleasure of His Majesty, the King of England. The few traditional rulers who challenged the ruthless exploitation of the resources of the territory of Nigeria and particularly the monopoly of coastal trade by foreign business […]
Continue ReadingSometime in 2017, the Buhari administration forwarded the National Water Resource Bill to both chambers of the National Assembly with a request that it be passed into law. The bill which sought to transfer the control of water resources from states to the Federal Government was rejected by many Nigerians. Hence, it was dumped by […]
Continue ReadingClause 8 (1) of the $400 loan agreement signed by Federal Ministry of Finance (Borrower) on behalf of Nigeria and the Export-Import Bank of China (Lender) on September 5, 2018, provides that: “The Borrower hereby irrevocably waives any immunity on the grounds of sovereign or otherwise for itself or its property in connection with any […]
Continue ReadingIn my training as a lawyer I was taught that it was a criminal offence for anyone to engage in stealing or theft, fraud, obtaining money by false pretences, corruption, looting and conversion of goods. My lecturers did not teach me about money laundering, illicit financial flows, shell companies, safe havens and other new terms […]
Continue ReadingLagos lawyer and rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana SAN, has denied receiving the sum of N28m from the suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu, who is being investigated for corruption allegations by a special presidential panel. Falana, in a pre-action letter signed by his lawyer, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika […]
Continue ReadingIt is pertinent to note that the aforementioned Justices of the Court of Appeal carried out the extrajudicial duties assigned to them by state governors pursuant to the fiats received from the President of the Court of Appeal. It is on record that at the end of such enquiries, the Justices resumed duties in their […]
Continue ReadingIn the judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria delivered on May 9, 2020 in the case of Ude Jones Udeogu v Federal Republic of Nigeria (unreported Appeal No SC. 662C/2019), section 396 (7) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 was declared illegal and unconstitutional. The section had empowered a newly appointed Justice of […]
Continue ReadingChief Richard Osuolale Akinjide was born in 1930 to an influential family in Ibadan, Oyo State. He attended Oduduwa College in Ile-Ife from where he passed out in Grade One. Like most privileged members of his generation, Chief Akinjide travelled to the UK in 1951 for the proverbial golden fleece. He read Law at the […]
Continue ReadingSince section 285 (6) and (7) of the Constitution provides that a court in a pre-election matter shall deliver its judgment within 180 days and an appeal arising therefrom shall be determined within 60 days from the date of filing the appeal, it is submitted that any of the parties involved in the Bayelsa State […]
Continue ReadingIn a unanimous judgment delivered on February 14, 2020, the Supreme Court of Nigeria sacked the Bayelsa State Governor-elect, David Lyon and his Deputy, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieoyo who had run on the platform of the All Progressive Congress. The judgment was nullified on the grounds that Degi-Eremieoyo presented false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission […]
Continue ReadingAgainst the background of the gross abuse of police powers in the northern and western regions in the first republic the drafters of the 1979 Constitution recommended the establishment of the Nigeria Police Force for the entire federation. In order to justify the aberration it was said that single police is not inherently incompatible with […]
Continue ReadingHuman rights lawyer, Femi Falana SAN says Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) sent a delegation to the court on Monday, December 9, to apologise for the invasion by its operatives during the re-arrest of Sowore. Speaking at the Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting event in Lagos, Falana said the delegation visited the court […]
Continue ReadingRights activist, Femi Falana SAN has raised a fresh alarm on plans by the Department of State Services to transfer detained activists, Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare popularly known as Mandate, to solitary confinement at a correctional center. Sowore’s lead defence counsel revealed this in a letter dated December 1, 2019 and addressed to the […]
Continue ReadingWhether or not it is constitutional for a judge to order the detention of a citizen for 90 days as provided under the Terrorism Prevention Act, activist and lawyer, Femi Falana SAN said yesterday that it is time to find out. The senior lawyer said the detention of the convener of #RevolutionNow protests, Omoyele Sowore, […]
Continue ReadingThe Economic and Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured 312 convictions and recovered assets worth N11.5 billion. In the first quarter of this year the EFCC recorded 192 convictions and recovered assets of N117 billion. It is indisputable that the rate of convictions has increased due to the Administration of Criminal Justice Act which has provided […]
Continue ReadingLagos lawyer and activist, Femi Falana SAN, has mocked the position of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the nationality of Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria’s former vice president. He spoke at the weekend during a press freedom conference organized by the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ). Atiku and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are […]
Continue ReadingA human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana at the weekend said President Muhammadu Buhari had turned Nigeria into a banana republic, citing prevailing cases of banditry, insurgency and violence that beclouded the country. Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), added that Buhari’s civilian administration was apparently worse than the military rule he presided over […]
Continue ReadingLast Tuesday the Minority Report and Draft Constitution for the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1976, was publicly presented at the University of Lagos. The historical context of revisiting the 43-year old document is bound to generate hope with an admixture of regrets. A quick reminder might be necessary at this juncture. As part of the […]
Continue ReadingIt is an undeniable fact that it was the struggle of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) as well as other patriotic forces for the indigenization of the oil and gas industry which culminated in the enactment of the […]
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