News
Court strikes out lawyer’s suit against Gov. Uzodinma over appointment of CJ
The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, struck out a suit filed by a lawyer, Victor Nwadike, against Gov. Hope Uzodinma of Imo over alleged failure to appoint the most senior judge as the state’s chief judge (CJ).
Justice Mohammed Umar, in a ruling, declined jurisdiction to entertain the suit.
Justice Umar held that Nwadike failed woefully to show in his affidavit the reason he joined the National Judicial Council (NJC) as respondent in his suit.
“Joining the 3rd respondent (NJC) herein is not enough, the applicant must show in his affidavit or reliefs claim against the 3rd respondent else this court will decline jurisdiction.
“The entire gamut of the affidavit in support as well as the reliefs claim by the applicant, none of them hanged on the 3rd respondent.
“On the whole this court decline the jurisdiction to entertain this suit and is hereby struck out,” the judge said, citing a previous Supreme Court decision to back the ruling.
Nwadike had, in a motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1303/2025, sued Imo governor, Attorney-General of Imo and NJC as 1st to 3rd defendants respectively.
The motion was dated and filed on July 2.
The lawyer sought “an order granting leave to the applicant to apply for an ORDER OF MANDAMUS compelling the Governor of Imo State to appoint the most senior Judge of the High Court of Imo State to perform the functions of the Chief Judge of Imo State forthwith, without delaying a day more.”
He said this was in accordance with Section 271 (4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
In the affidavit in support of the motion, Nwadike averred that on April 30, NJC released a statement, directing Uzodinma “to appoint the most senior judicial officer in the State High Court’s hierarchy as the acting Chief Judge of the State in conformity with Section 271 (4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”
He said on June 26, NJC reiterated its earlier directive to the governor to swear in the most senior judge as acting CJ.
According to him, till date, the 1st defendant has failed to appoint the most senior judge of the High Court of Imo State to perform the functions of the Chief Judge of Imo State.
“I have filed this action to compel the 1st defendant to appoint the most senior judge of the High Court of Imo State to perform the functions of the Chief Judge of Imo State, in adherence to Section 271 (4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).”
He said the reliefs sought in the suit are in the interest of justice and the sanctity of the constitution.
Freedomonline reports that Justice Umar had, on July 16, directed Nwadike to address the court on why the court should grant his reliefs considering jurisdictional ground.
The lawyer, who gave his address on jurisdiction on Sept. 22, begged the court to make an order transferring the case to appropriate court in Imo if the court found that it had no jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
Delivering the ruling on Tuesday, the judge held that the NJC, “having discharged its responsibility has no any business in this suit.”
According to him, there is no any identifiable claim against it by the applicant.
“It a trite law that it is the claim of the applicant that determine the jurisdiction of this honourable court.
“A careful perusal of the affidavit in support of the motion ex-parte before this court, specifically Paragraphs 9 and 10.
“It is clear that the 3rd respondent has already discharged its own mandate.
“The 3rd respondent’s name was included just to confer jurisdiction on this court,” the judge said.
News
Police arrest herbalist, step-brother over murder of 22yr old yahoo boy in Delta
Police detectives from Agbor Area Command have arrested a twenty year old herbalist, Amechi Okwuokenye and his elder step-brother over the alleged abduction and murder of a suspected internet fraudster, Friday Liberty, aged 22 years in his shrine at Owa-Alidima in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State.
The herbalist was arrested at his shrine on 23rd October 2025. He and his suspected accomplice are currently in police custody.
The Police also recovered the corpse of the deceased from the suspect’s shrine and deposited same in the mortuary.
Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe confirmed the report in a statement sent to newsmen in Warri.
The statement said, “It was a case of the hunter becoming the hunted, when on the 30th of September 2025, Mr Friday Liberty, aged 22 years old, visited his herbalist, whom he had known for some time now, but this time, he never returned. The family, who initially didn’t know what had happened to their brother, started looking for him.”
“The girlfriend of the deceased then informed the family that she heard a conversation about the said Friday liberty and a certain herbalist, and advised that they should reach out to the said herbalist.
“The family contacted the herbalist, who denied seeing him but promised to do some spiritual incantations so their brother could return alive.
“Having spent money on the herbalist, and the result was not forthcoming, they then reported the matter at the Agbor Area command via a petition on 14th October 2025.
“And this decision proved to be the turning point in the case as the area command detectives embarked on an intelligence-led investigation.
“During the course of the investigation, the detectives uncovered the last person whom Friday Liberty contacted, and found out it was the same herbalist who denied knowing his whereabouts.
Surveillance was laid around his shrine at Owa-Alidima in Ika North East LGA, for days, until he was arrested on 23rd October 2025, in his shrine while hiding inside a refrigerator.
“Upon his arrest of the herbalist Amechi Okwuokenye, aged 20 years, confessed that both he and his brother Smart Okwuokenye, aged 26years, kidnapped the victim liberty Friday and the motorcycle rider identified as Isioma Ugbeje, who carried him to the shrine.
“They further stated that Friday Liberty has been his long-time customer who frequently visits him to hypnotise clients so they could give him money easily( in his words, ‘to tie clients ‘).
“The herbalist said his elder brother approached him that he needed money and advised him to lure any of his clients so they could kidnap him and ask for ransom, and the unlucky person they could lure was Liberty Friday.
“They kidnapped him and the Okada Rider and demanded a ransom of N10,000,000. When they noticed that the plan was not working, they murdered him and the motorcycle rider and dumped their bodies in a soak away pit by the shrine.”
SP Edafe stated that the suspects are in custody, and the remains of the victims have been evacuated and deposited at the mortuary for autopsy.”
He added that, “The commissioner of Police, Delta State, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda assures the public that the command will ensure that justice is served in this case.”
News
Lagos police arrest Chinese national over Ikeja CCTV shop explosion
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a Chinese national in connection with the recent improvised explosive device (IED) blast that rocked a CCTV camera shop on Kodesho Street, Ikeja.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, picked up the suspect, identified as Joe Gu, around 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 25, at his residence, No. A11, Bila Vista, Banana Island, Ikoyi.
According to the sources, the arrest followed ongoing discreet investigations into the explosion, after the complainant named the Chinese businessman as a possible mastermind of the attack.
Preliminary findings indicated that the suspect and the complainant had a prior business relationship that deteriorated in 2013 after a disagreement.
“It was further gathered that during the fallout, the suspect allegedly threatened to disrupt the complainant’s business operations,” the source revealed.
The police confirmed that the suspect is currently in custody as investigations continue to establish his role and possible motive.
The command assured that updates on the case would be made public as soon as new information emerges, reaffirming its commitment to uncovering the truth behind the explosion.
News
Tompolo denies issuing 21-Day ultimatum to FG over Kanu release
High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, has disowned a social media publication claiming he gave the Federal Government 21 days to release Nnamdi Kanu.
In a statement signed by his Media Consultant, Paul Bebenimibo, Tompolo said he has nothing to do with the matter and described the publication as false and mischievous, alleging it was the handiwork of his enemies determined to discredit him over his ongoing fight against illegal crude oil activities in the Niger Delta region.
The statement further reaffirmed Tompolo’s loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his support for the President’s renewed hope agenda. It added that Tompolo remains committed to the total eradication of illegal oil activities and stands firmly behind President Tinubu’s administration and second-term ambition.
“The Federal Government and the general public should disregard the said publication in its entirety. High Chief Government Ekpemupolo has nothing to do with the issue of Nnamdi Kanu and remains focused on his duties in protecting the nation’s oil assets.”
The statement concludes by urging Nigerians to ignore fake news aimed at causing division or mischief within the Niger Delta region
THN reported that the self-proclaimed leader of the proscribed separatist group Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, was unable to begin his defence on Friday in his ongoing terrorism trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Kanu told the court he could not proceed because he had not been given access to the case file, which he said is necessary for him to adequately prepare his defence.
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