Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a suit filed by the family of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, against the Federal Government on Monday. The case challenged the revocation of one of Abacha’s properties located in the Maitama District of Abuja. While delivering judgment in the suit, Justice Lifu dismissed the suit for being statute-barred among other reasons. The suit was filed in 2015, nine years ago by the family of the late military ruler where they demanded that the FG return their father’s mansion located at Osara Close in Maitama. Today’s dismissal of the suit makes it the fourth time the Abacha family would lose legal battles on property. The family previously lost twice at a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory and once at the Court of Appeal in Abuja on grounds of jurisdiction. This occasioned the family to approach the Federal High Court to Institute a fresh case. The family among others, prayed the court to nullify and set aside the revocation of the Certificate of Occupancy of the property of the late General Abacha. The family contended that the C of O marked FCT/ABUKN 2478 covering Plot 3119 issued on June 25, 1993, was illegally and unlawfully revoked by the defendants in the suit on January 16, 2006, in breach of section 44 of the 1999 Constitution and section 28 of the Land Use Act. The defendants in the suit are; the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Federal Capital Development Authority, President, Federal Republic of Nigeria and Salamed Ventures Limited as 1st to 4th defendants respectively. The plaintiffs in their statement of claims argued that the FCT under Nasir El-Rufai had “between 2004 and 2005 instructed them to submit the Certificate of Occupancy in their possession for re-certification”. The family claimed the 2nd plaintiff, Mohammed Abacha promptly complied with the directive by delivering the Certificate of Occupancy to the FCDA and an acknowledgement copy issued to him. While waiting for a new Certificate of Occupancy to be issued to them, the plaintiffs asserted that “Mohammed Abacha received a letter on February 3, 2006, notifying them that the Certificate of Occupancy had been revoked without any reason stated in the letter and the adequate compensation not paid.” On this note, the family asked the court to declare as unconstitutional, unlawful, illegal, null and void, the revocation of the property. They also sought an order setting aside the revocation and holding that their Certificate of Occupancy is valid and subsisting. The plaintiffs asked for an order of injunction prohibiting the defendants from taking any further steps on the disputed property and to also compel the defendants to pay them N500M as damages. The defendants in their separate counter affidavits and preliminary objections asked for outright dismissal of the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/463/2016. They prayed the court to grant them an N500M compensation against the FG. Justice Lifu in his judgment, held that the plaintiffs have no locus standi (legal power) to institute the suit. The suit was filed by Mohammed Abacha, the eldest surviving son of the former Military ruler and his widow, Hajia Maryam Abacha on behalf of the Executioners of the Estate of the late Military General. Justice Lifu agreed with the 4th defendant that the cause of action arose on February 3, 2006, when the Certificate of Occupancy was revoked while the case was filed in May 2015, years after the revocation and far more than three months it ought to have been filed. Besides, the Judge held that the plaintiffs lacked locus standi to file the case upon their failure to present as exhibits, their letters of administration to the Estate as required by law and as proof of their claim as the Administrators. The 4th defendant, Salamed Ventures Limited represented by James Ogwu Onoja (SAN), had argued that the suit, at the time it was instituted had become statute-barred having not been filed within three months of the cause of action allowed by law and thus, robbed the court of jurisdiction. He contended that “the suit was caught by the provisions of the Public Officers Protection Act and had become a mere academic exercise and asked the Judge to dismiss it for being frivolous and lacking in merit”. He further argued that Salamed Ventures Limited became owners of the disputed property upon its purchase from the federal government at N595M and issuance of Certificate of Occupancy number 181dw-3adcz-721r-15a8-10 of May 25, 2011. Justice Lifu agreed with Salamed Ventures that the Abacha property was lawfully revoked upon breaches in the covenants in the Right of Occupancy by erecting structures without first obtaining building plans. He dismissed the suit and awarded a cost of N500,000 as the cost of litigation against the plaintiffs to be paid to Salamed Ventures.

  A police sergeant has shot his father to death in the Tudu area of the Maduganari community behind the Borno State Police Command headquarters in Maiduguri. The officer identified as Linus Wadzani was said to have shot his father multiple times. He is a Mobile Police personnel with Mopol 6, Maiduguri, and serves as a security detail at the Borno State House of Assembly. While briefing journalists at the Borno State Police Command Headquarters on Monday, the spokesman of the command Kenneth Daso said the deceased was a retired assistant superintendent of police. He said the deceased served at the state command with the Mounted Unit. Narrating how the incident, Daso said Sergeant Linus got home at about 4:30 pm on Sunday and had a heated argument with the father. This led him to fire him multiple times with an AK-47 rifle, resulting in his instant death. He said when police officers visited the compound of the deceased identified as Wadzani Natsiri, a family member disclosed that when Linus got home, there was no one except the father as such no one could give an account of what transpired. However, the spokesman said a police patrol team calmed the situation when they received a distress call. He said on interrogation, Sergeant Linus confessed to being under the influence of alcohol and other hard substances. According to him, a forensic team from the command has been assembled and blood samples of the sergeant collected to determine his mental status. An investigation has begun into the homicide, he said.

  The Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command have arrested one Hashiru Baku – the mastermind behind the murder of late Brigadier General Harold Udokwere. Udokwere, who was the National Chairman, Retired Members of the Nigerian Armed Forces, was murdered by armed robbers who invaded his residence on June 22, 2024, and took away his gun. The police arrested and paraded Ibrahim Rabiu, Nafiu Jamil, Aliyu Abdullahi and Mohammed Nuhu in connection with the crime on June 24, 2024. Addressing journalists on Monday while parading arrested suspects, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Bennett Igweh said Baku was arrested in Kano State while trying to run away from the country. Igweh said the suspect was an escapee from the Kuje Correctional Centre. He said, “I did show you the four killers, kidnappers, and robbers that went and killed Brigadier-General Uwe Harrod, retired. Today, I will show you the organiser of the killing and the robbery. “As well as we have recovered the general’s gun that was with him. We have recovered the wristwatch of the general and the wife’s jewellery which they stole from the general’s house. “The organiser is here and we have arrested him. He is the organiser. He was in prison and during the Kuje Correctional Centre attack, he escaped.” The police boss added that “instead of him to repent, he continued with more audacity. We arrested him in Kano where he was trying to exit the country. “We recovered these drugs in his residence. So, that’s what they take and they will continue to be high.” Details later…

  A max airline aircraft lost six tyres while attempting to take off from the Yola Airport in Adamawa on Sunday evening. The airline’s Director of Public and Consumer Protection Bimbo Oladeji said the aircraft was carrying 119 passengers and six crew members. “This evening, Max Air’s flight NGL1649, a Boeing 737 with registration 5N-ADB, carrying 119 passengers and six crew members, was cleared for takeoff from Yola Airport en route to Abuja,” she said in a statement late Sunday. “During the takeoff roll, a loud bang was heard, identified as the bursting of the rear gear tyres. Initially, two tyres burst. While attempting to taxi off the runway, the remaining two tyres also burst, rendering the aircraft completely disabled.” But no person was injured owing to the incident, she said. “Fortunately, no injuries were reported. A go-team, led by NSIB Director General Captain Alex Badeh Jr., will visit the incident site tomorrow morning to conduct an investigation,” Oladeji said.

  A Federal High Court in Abuja has declined to bar Governor Siminalayi Fubara from spending government funds pending the hearing and determining the suit filed by the Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly. Ruling on the motion ex parte marked FHC/ABJ/CS/984/24, Justice Emeka Nwite declined to grant the prayers, though he ordered the plaintiffs to put the defendants on notice. Justice Nwite however granted the motion ex parte to serve the 5th to 10th defendants in the matter by substituted means saying “the leave is hereby granted to the plaintiffs/applicants, to serve the 5th to 10th defendants/respondents with the plaintiffs/applicants’ originating, and any other process (es) filed or issued in this suit by substituted means to wit: by publishing same in the Nation Newspapers.” The judge further adjourned the matter to the 7th of August to hear the motion on notice. The 5th to 10th defendants are Mr Fubara, Accountant-General of Rivers; Rivers Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC); Chief Judge of Rivers, Justice S.C. Amadi; Chairperson of RSIEC, Adolphus Enebeli and the Government of Rivers State respectively. The 1st and 2nd plaintiffs being the Rivers State House of Assembly and Martin Amaewhule, had filed the suit through their counsel, Joseph Daudu SAN against the Central Bank of Nigeria, Zenith Bank Plc, Access Bank PLC, and the Accountant General of the Federation as the 1st to 4th defendants. The court ruling comes after Fubara, last week, vowed to remain upright, and never to govern the state on bended knees no matter how much he is pushed politically. “I will not, I repeat, I will not govern our dear State on my knees (bending). If that was the purpose, I would not do that. I will stand to govern our dear State and stand continually on the side of right,” the governor emphasised. He said there was a fierce battle to destroy the soul of the state, but expressed optimism that he will win the battle, with the support of well-meaning persons who are standing firmly with him. Governor Fubara remarked at the country home of Sir Celestine Omehia in Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State last Saturday. The governor, accompanied by some elders of the State, was in Ubima to commiserate with Sir Omehia, who had just laid his late mother, Mrs Ezinne Cecilia Omehia, to rest after 95 years. Fubara told Omehia and other elders at the gathering of the need for every true lover of the state, to unite and be resolute in the fight to safeguard the soul of Rivers State. “And I am happy to say, and I’ve said it over and again, it doesn’t matter the number of people that are standing with me, I will stand on that side of truth.” The governor decried the evil of politics of bitterness and the telling danger it has on the progress of the state, which according to him, should be discouraged as a bad political culture in contemporary times. He urged whoever claimed to love Rivers State, not to be party to anything, directly or indirectly, that will bring the state backwards. “Anybody who claims to love this State should not be party to anything, directly or indirectly, that will bring us backwards,” he said.