Headlines
Opinion: Judiciary in the Dock
By Sehinde Omoniyi
“Somewhere along the way, the balance of power between the prosecution, the defense and the judiciary shifted. We have to readjust it. The stakes are so high – the well-being of so many communities and the trajectories of so many lives, public safety depends on our collective faith in fairness and our view of the law as legitimate” – Emily Bazelon
Over the last few years, the Nigerian judiciary has been perceived as the weeping child of the three arms of government. Whether correctly or otherwise, the common truth is that the man on the street thinks something is fundamentally wrong with the judicial system in Nigeria. This perception places a huge moral burden on the judiciary in this dispensation, and in going forward.
For the first time in the history of Nigeria, judges’ homes were invaded, many top judicial officers are facing trial, and at the height of it all, a sitting Chief Justice was made subject of a public ridicule and in the end, Justice Walter Onnoghen is recorded as the first Chief Justice of Nigeria to be forced out of office on allegations of corruption.
To put it mildly, the integrity of the judiciary in Nigeria has never been this subjected to scrutiny and odium. To compound the problem of the judiciary, the narrow-minded verdict of the Supreme Court in the now celebrated case of the Osun State Governorship Election between Adeleke v Oyetola, seem to have further widened the gulf of trust between the people and the judiciary.
However, the 2019 Presidential Election Tribunal presents another presents another opportunity to the judiciary, to rediscover itself.
Since March, the Tribunal has been fed with tons of evidence on what happened and did not happen by both parties – People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar who is seeking the court’s confirmation of himself as the winner and (or) disqualify candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) President Muhammadu Buhari. Aside the APC and President Buhari, the other respondent is the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) whose conduct of that election has been severally lampooned.
For those who may not have followed the proceedings athe Tribunal, it is important to note that the Petitioner has argued that:
i) The 2nd Respondent (Muhammadu Buhari), was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast at the February 23, 2019 Presidential Election.
ii) The election of Muhammadu Buhari is invalid by reason of corrupt practices
iii) The election of Muhammadu Buhari is invalid by reason of non- compliance with the provision of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended)
iv) Muhammadu Buhari was at the time of the election not qualified to contest the said election, and
v) The 2nd Respondent (Muhammadu Buhari) submitted to INEC an affidavit containing false information of a fundamental nature in aid of his qualification for the said election.
Indeed, in the history of election petitions since Nigeria’s democracy, the amount of witnesses and documented evidence presented by the petitioner including expert witness, has not been recorded.
In a matter of hours, the five-man Appeal Court Judges would be expected to deliver their verdict based on the evidences brought by them. Their task is one which stands to make or mare the judiciary.
Political grandstanding notwithstanding, intimidations from the gladiators and their agents notwithstanding, upon the shoulders of these five judges stands the hope and future of the Nigerian judiciary.
The options before these judges are clear. They either choose to stand by truth supported by evidences presented before them or they may adopt the new albatross of the Nigerian judiciary called technicality and pass over the burden of facing the facts as they are. Whichever way they choose t go, it is a deeper battle of them and their conscience, and the future of the country.
And as stated above by journalist and legal researcher, Emily Bazelon, the judges as the Tribunal owe the legal profession, to Nigerians and humanity in general to display justice and fairness. The judiciary obviously needs a readjustment. “The well-being of so many communities and the trajectories of so many lives, public safety depends on our collective faith in fairness and our view of the law as legitimate”, Emily is not alone in this thought.
The world attention in this coming days is riveted on the Nigerian judiciary, the decision or indecision of the five-man appeal tribunal is sacrosanct.
Sehinde Omooniyi is a Socio-Political writer based in Abuja
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the postings of 31 career and 34 non-career ambassadors to various countries and the United Nations. The Senate confirmed the ambassadors-designate last December.
POSTINGS OF NON-CAREER AMBASSADORS / HIGH COMMISSIONERS
S/N NAME MISSION APPROVED
1. SENATOR GRACE BENT: LOME-TOGO
2. SEN. ITA ENANG: SOUTH AFRICA
3. IKPEAZU VICTOR: SPAIN
4. NKECHI LINDA UFOCHUKWU: TEL-AVIV, ISRAEL
5. MAHMUD YAKUBU: QATAR
6. PAUL OGA ADIKWU: THE VATICAN CITY HOLY SEE
7. VICE ADMIRAL IBOK-ETE EKWE IBAS: THE PHILIPPINES
8. MR. RENO OMOKRI: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
9. HON. (ENGR.) ABASI BRAIMAH (FMHR): BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
10. MRS. ERELU ANGELA ADEBAYO: PORTUGAL
11. BARR. OLUMILUA OLUWAYIMIKA AYOTUNWA: TOKYO, JAPAN
12. RT. HON. UGWUANYI IFEANYI LAWRENCE: ATHENS, GREECE
13. BARR. CHIOMA PRISCILLA OHAKIM: WARSAW, POLAND
14. AMINU DALHATU: UNITED KINGDOM, UK
15. LT. GEN ABDULRAHMAN BELLO DAMBAZAU: BEIJING, CHINA
16. HON. TASIU MUSA MAIGARI: GAMBIA
17. OLUFEMI PEDRO: AUSTRALIA
18. BARR. MUHAMMED UBANDOMA ALIYU: ARGENTINA
19. LATEEF KAYODE ARE: USA
20. AMB. JOSEPH SOLA IJI: RUSSIA
21. SEN. JIMOH IBRAHIM: UN PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE
22. FEMI FANI KAYODE: GERMANY
23. PROF. ISAAK FOLORUNSO ADEWOLE: OTTAWA, CANADA
24. AJIMOBI FATIMA FLORENCE (F): AUSTRIA
25. MRS. LOLA AKANDE (F): SWEDEN
26. AYODELE OKE: FRANCE
27. YAKUBU N. GAMBO: SAUDI ARABIA
28. SENATOR PROF. NORA LADI DADUUT: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
29. BARR. ONUEZE CHUKWUJIKA JOE OKOCHA SAN: DUBLIN
30. DR. KULU HARUNA ABUBAKAR: TUNIS, TUNISIA
31. RT. HON. JERRY SAMUEL MANWE: PORT OF SPAIN, T&T
POSTINGS OF CAREER AMBASSADORS / HIGH COMMISSIONERS LIST
S/N NAME MISSION APPROVED
1. AMB. NWABIOLA EZENWA CHUKWUMEKA: COTE D’IV/OIRE
2. BESTO MAIMUNA IBRAHIM: NIAMEY-NIGER
3. MONICA OKWUCHUKWU ENEBECHI: SAO TOME, STP
4. AMB. MOHAMMED MAHMUD LELE: ALGIERS-ALGERIA
5. ENDONI SYNDOPH PAEBI: OUAGADOUGOU-BURKINA FASO
6. AHMED MOHAMMED MONGUNO: CAIRO EGYPT
7. AMB.JANE ADAMS (NEE OKON) MICHAEL (F): KINGSTON-JAMAICA
8. AMB. CLARK-OMERU ALEXANDRA (F): LUSAKA-ZAMBIA
9. CHIMA GEOGGREY LIOMA DAVID: BAMAKO-MALI
10. AMB. ODUMAH YVONNE EHINOSEN: MALABO –E/GUINEA
11. AMB WASA SEGUN IGE: BEIRUT, LEBANON
12. RUBEN ABIMBOLA SAMUEL (F): ROME, ITALY
13. AMB.ONAGA OGECHUKWU KINGSLEY: MAPUTO, MOZAMBIQUE
14. AMB.MAGAJI UMAR: KINSASHA, DR CONGO
15. AMB.MUHAMMAD SAIDU DAHIRU: NEW DELHI-INDIA
16. AMB. ABDUSSALAM HABU ZAYYAD: DAKAR-SENEGAL
17. AMB SHEHU ILU BARDE: ACCRA GHANA
18. AMB.AMINU NASIR: ETHIOPIA
19. ABUBAKAR MUSA MUSA: N’DJAMENA, CHAD
20. AMB. HAIDARA MOHAMMED IDRIS: THE HAGUE-NETHERLANDS
21. AMB.BAKO ADAMU UMAR: RABAT-MOROCCO
22. AMB. SULU GAMBARI OLATUNJI AHMED: MALAYSIA
23. AMB.ROMATA MOHAMMED OMOBOLANLE (F): TANZANIA
24. AMB. SHAGA JOHN SHAMAH: BOTSWANA
25. SALAU, HAMZA MOHAMMED: TEHRAN, IRAN
26. AMB.IBRAHIM DANLAMI: KENYA
27. IBRAHIM ADEOLA MOPELOLA (F): COTONOU-BENIN
28. AMB.AYENI ADEBAYO EMMANUEL: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
29. AMB.AKANDE WAHAB ADEKOLA: BERNE-SWITZERLAND
30. AMB. AREWA (NEE ADEDOKUN) ESTHER (F): WINDHOEK-NAMIBIA
31. AMB.GERGADI JOSEPH JOHN: LIBREVILLE-GABON
32. AMB. LUTHER OGBOMODE AYO-KALATA (F): SIERRA LEONE
33. DANLADI YAKUBU NYAKU : KHARTOUM-SUDAN
34. BELLO DOGON-DAJI HALIRU: BANGKOK, THAILAND
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already received agrément from the United Kingdom for the High Commissioner-designate, Ambassador Aminu Dalhatu. Similarly, France has sent the agrément for Ambassador Ayo Oke.
The Ministry has also conveyed the nominations of the other 62 designated envoys to all the countries concerned, including a request for their agréments in line with standard diplomatic practice.
President Tinubu has directed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should immediately commence the induction programme for the ambassadors-designate and High Commissioners.
Bayo Onanuga,
Special Adviser to the President,
(Information and Strategy)
March 6, 2026.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted bail to the former Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, his son Abdulaziz Malami, and his wife Asabe Bashir in the sum of N200 million each and two sureties in like sum.
As part of the bail conditions, one of the sureties is to deposit title deeds of properties in highbrow Maitama or Asokoro.
The defendants have been ordered to deposit their international passports with the court.
They are to remain in the custody of the Nigerian correctional service pending perfection of their bail conditions.
Justice Abdulmalik subsequently adjourned the matter until March 16 for the commencement of the trial.
Headlines
Israeli Ambassador Accuses Iran of Spreading Terror, Sponsoring Extremist Activities in Nigeria
Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, has accused Iran of sponsoring extremist activities in Nigeria and other parts of the world, alleging that Tehran supports groups aimed at destabilising countries while pursuing its hostility against Israel.
Freeman made the remarks on Friday while speaking during an interview on The Morning Show on Arise News.
The envoy claimed that Iran is the only country within the United Nations that openly expresses a desire to destroy another sovereign state, referring to repeated threats against Israel.
According to him, the Iranian government has, over several decades, supported militant groups and terror organisations around the world in pursuit of that objective.
Freeman alleged that Iran has backed groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah, adding that Tehran was also behind the October 7 attack carried out by Hamas against Israel.
He further claimed that Iranian activities aimed at spreading instability have been observed across several regions, including Europe, Australia, and parts of Africa.
Speaking specifically about Nigeria, the Israeli ambassador alleged that the Islamic Movement of Nigeria receives backing from the Iranian government.
According to Freeman, statements of support from Iran’s leadership, including posts by Ali Khamenei on social media, have openly indicated such ties.
He said: “The issue here is about Iran. Iran is the only country in the world, in the United Nations, who expressly desires to wipe another country off the face of the earth. Iran has stated its very policy is to destroy Israel. Is to wipe Israel off the map is to make sure they kill every single person and no regime, no country that has an express desire to destroy Israel, and it’s not only an expressed desire.
“We’ve seen over 47 years, they’ve taken all the actions they can in order for that to happen. We’ve seen them sponsor terror organizations. They were behind October the seventh massacre of Hamas. We’ve seen them sponsoring Hezbollah. We’ve seen them acting in Europe. We’ve seen them acting in Australia. We’ve seen them acting in Nigeria.
“We’ve seen these people acting all across the world in order to spread disturbance for them to try and carry out their aim of destroying Israel, and Israel will not allow another country to have nuclear weapons when they’ve expressly stated they want those weapons to destroy Israel”.
“I think that it is well documented. We know that there are certain movements, for example, the Islamic movement of Nigeria is sponsored and is backed by the Iranian regime. This is not me saying this, we’ve seen that documented by the Iranian regime.
“The Supreme Leader posted on X his support and his backing there. So that’s very open. And there are other areas as well that Iran is working for, destabilizing, not only Nigeria, but all of West Africa.”
