Headlines
Justice Minister Steps Down, Says Ministry Recovered N270bn
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has said funds recovered by his ministry stood at N270 billion from N19.5 billion in 2015.
Mr Malami said this during a valedictory session to mark the end of his tenure as the ministry’s helmsman in Abuja on Tuesday.
Premium Times reported that according to a report by the Vanguard newspaper, Mr Malami also said the government was already trying to ensure the return of asset worth $500million from France, the United States and the Island of Jersey.
He recounted the efforts which resulted in the refund of the Abacha loot from Switzerland, adding that the sum recovered was N322.5 million.
“The fund has since been repatriated back to Nigeria and is now being managed by the National Social Investment Office under the supervision of the World Bank. It is aimed to support households who are living below the poverty line across the country,” the paper quoted Mr Malami.
Mr Malami explained that N19.5 billion had previously been recovered by the ministry before the commencement of the outgoing administration.
“It may interest you to know that as at 29th May 2015, the balance in the recovery account of the Federal Government of Nigeria stood at N19. 5billion. The balance has geometrically increased to N279 billion as at 22nd November 2017 and counting.
Mr Malami also recounted the drafting of the presidential executive order six and eight as efforts initiated by the justice ministry. He said they were both created to safeguard public wealth.
“These instruments have uniquely revolutionised the War against corruption in Nigeria.”
Mr Malami listed the achievements of the justice ministry in its implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
Mr Malami became Nigeria’s justice minister in November 2015, succeeding Mohammed Adoke.
The justice ministry under his tenure had worked with other sectors in the war against corruption to ensure the prosecution of politically exposed persons, most prominent of whom is the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.
Mr Malami’s administration was involved in a number of controversies, especially his obvious support for the continued detention of Dasuki, despite several court orders for his release.
With his recent decision, the ministry’s permanent secretary and Solicitor General of the Federation, Dayo Apata, will lead the ministry till a new minister is appointed in the second tenure of the current administration.
Malami has been regarded as controversial in many quarters based on the ways he handled most cases including Malabu Oil scandal, copyright society crisis among others.
Premium Times
Commissioner of Police, CP Olajide Rufus Ibitoye, acting on the orders of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, through the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in-charge of Force Intelligence Department (FID) Abuja, has extended an invitation to the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, for an “investigative meeting with regards to an incident that occurred during the Sallah celebration within your domain”.
The said incident is in connection with the violence that broke out during the recent Eid-el-Fitr procession in Kano, which resulted in the death of a local vigilante member.
The incident happened as the Emir’s entourage moved from the Eid prayer ground to the palace in a traditional procession. The clash, which marred the otherwise peaceful celebration, led to the tragic loss of life of a vigilante member, Surajo Rabiu, and left one other injured.
The invitation was conveyed in an official letter dated April 4, 2025, and signed by Commissioner of Police, CP Olajide Rufus Ibitoye, on behalf of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in-charge of Force Intelligence Department (FID) Abuja.
The letter reads: “I have the directives of the Inspector General of Police, through the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department (FID), to invite you for an investigative meeting with regards to an incident that occurred during the Sallah celebration within your domain.”
The Emir has been requested to appear before the Force Intelligence Department in Abuja, opposite the Police Headquarters, Area 11, by 10:00am on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
This development comes amid heightened tensions in Kano State following the earlier decision by the State Police Command to ban the annual Durbar festival due to security concerns. The ban, announced days before the Eid-el-Fitr celebration, was intended to prevent any possible breakdown of law and order during the festive period.
However, despite the suspension of the Durbar, a motorcade procession of Emir Sanusi II still took place on the third day of the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations.
The Kano State Police Commissioner, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, had also inaugurated an eight-member Special Investigation Panel (SIP) to investigate the violence.
As at the time of this report, there has been no official response from the Emir Sanusi II’s palace regarding the Police invitation.
Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the political adviser to President Bola Tinubu, has resigned his appointment.
Reports say the former spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) tendered his resignation about two weeks ago.
Further reports quoting presidency sources did not, however, provide details of the reasons for his decision, but only stated that it was on personal grounds.
Baba-Ahmed was appointed in September 2023 as Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Over the past 17 months, he had represented the presidency at several public fora, including a recent national conference themed: “Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathway to Good Governance and Political Integrity”, which held from January 28 and 29, 2025 in Abuja.
The Supreme Court has set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja recognising Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP).
In a unanimous judgment, a five-member panel of the apex court held that the Court of Appeal lacked the jurisdiction to have pronounced Abure National Chairman of the Labour Party, after finding out earlier that the substance of the case was about the party’s leadership.
The apex court held that the issue of leadership was an internal affair of a party, over which courts lacks jurisdiction.
The court further allowed the appeal filed by Senator Nenadi Usman and one other, and held that it is meritorious.
It also proceeded to dismiss the cross-appeal filed by the Abure group of the Labour Party for being unmeritorious.
In January, the Court of Appeal in Abuja reiterated that Abure remained the chairman of the LP.
A three-member panel of the appellate court, in a judgment delivered by Justice Hamma Barka, held that its judgment of November 13, 2024, which recognises Abure as national chairman, subsists and has not been set aside by any court.
Justice Barka made the declaration while delivering judgment in two separate appeals filed by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman and the caretaker committee and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The appellate court in the two separate appeals held that it did not delve into the issue of the leadership of the Labour Party because such issues are not justiciable.
It said that anything done outside jurisdiction amounts to a nullity. Hence, the judgment of the Federal High Court delivered on October 8, 2024, by Justice Emeka Nwite is of no effect because it was delivered without jurisdiction.
