JUDICIARY
Court Adjourns El-Zakzaky, Wife’s N4bn Suit Until March 9

A Federal High Court, Abuja yesterday adjourned two separate suits filed by Leader of the proscribed Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenah, until March 9 for hearing.
Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date after counsel to the defence appeared in court with an application for extension of time to regularise their processes.
Justice Ekwo granted their prayers and adjourned the matter until March 9 for definite hearing.
The judge ordered all the parties to file all the processes necessary for the hearing, saying that “on the date of hearing, the processes of any parry that is absent from court shall be deemed as adopted.
”El-Zakzaky and his wife, in the suits filed on October 14, 2021, had sued the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) for N2 billion each over the seizure of their passports.
The plaintiffs said their passports were seized from them after they returned from a government-supervised medical trip to India in 2019.
El-Zakzaky and his wife were then standing trial at the Kaduna State High Court on charges of culpable homicide, unlawful assembly, among charges filed against them in connection to the bloody clash between IMN members and soldiers in Zaria, Kaduna State, in December 2015.
The couple, who were freed of the charges with the Kaduna court declaring them not to have any case to answer in a July 28, 2021 ruling, said, in their rights enforcement suits, that the Indian trip “was supervised and controlled” by the Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the DSS.
The trip “was aborted for reasons best known to the Federal Government,” the couple said, adding that their passports and other travelling documents were then taken from them “and kept in the custody of the respondents.”
Following the Kaduna court’s ruling, the couple’s lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, wrote separate letters to the NIA, the DSS, and the AGF, demanding the release of their passports allegedly seized after the Indian trip.
The couple said in their suits that while NIA replied to their letter, both the DSS and the AGF ignored them.
According to them, they subsequently approached the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to verify the status of their passports “to enable them to travel for urgent medical attention” only to be told that “there is a restriction” placed by the DSS stopping them from travelling outside Nigeria.
NIS officials informed them that their passports and other travel documents seized from them cannot be replaced unless the restrictions are lifted and the passports released to them, the couple said.
Their lawyer argued that the seizure of their passports and travel restrictions placed on them, actions which they attributed to DSS and the AGF, violated their rights to “freedom of movement guaranteed by Section 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended).
The lawyer also argued that the seizure violates Article 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights Act (CAP A9) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The couple, in their suits, urged the court to declare that the seizure of their passports was “illegal and unconstitutional.”
The plaintiffs also argued that the action of the DSS and the AGF violated their fundamental right to “freedom of movement guaranteed by Section 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended).
The plaintiffs also urged the court to declare that the “Red Flag Travelling Restrictions” placed on their passports and land borders by the respondents without a court order is illegal and unconstitutional.
They, therefore, asked the court to declare that the refusal of the DSS and the AGF to allow them to travel abroad for medical treatment “constitutes a threat to their lives guaranteed by Section 33 of the Nigerian constitution”.
The “Red Flag Travel Restrictions” placed on El-Zakzaky’s passport with number A50578740 and that of Zeenah numbered A50578739 violates their rights, their lawyer argued.
Each of them asked the court to order the respondents to pay them N2 billion, totalling N4 billion, “as general and exemplary damages” for the violation of their “rights to freedom of movement, fair hearing and property”. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
Pastor Arraigned over Alleged Rape of Married Woman in Edo

From Joseph Ebi Kanjo, Benin
A 38-year-old pastor, Simeon Okehielem of the Synagogue Prayers Ministry has been arraigned before an Edo State High Court for allegedly raping a married woman, Isoken Vivian Aigbedo.
The pastor, who was accused of engaging in sexual relationships with married women within his congregation, was docked before the court in Benin City, on Thursday last week.
The charges against Pastor Okehielem followed a year 2022 incident in Uholor Community of Benin City where the cleric allegedly drugged and raped the woman leading to the birth of a child.
Recent DNA results reportedly confirmed the pastor as the biological father of the child, which prompted the Nigerian Police to re-arrest and formally arraign him.
The presiding judge, Justice Erhabor, granted an ex-parte order to remand the suspect at the Benin Correctional Custodial Centre for 14 days, pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Ministry of Justice, Edo State.
The State Prosecutor, P.O. Odion told the court that the alleged offence occurred in February 2022.
Okehielem was slammed with two-count charge on alleged rape and administering a stupefying substance with the intent to commit a felony.
The charge sheet, marked Suit No: BLOD/2323M/2025, reads: “That you, Okehielem Simeon ‘m’, in or about the month of February 2022, in Benin City within the Benin Criminal Division, did rape one Mrs Isoken Vivian Aigbedo and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 4, punishable under Section 5(1) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2021.
“That you, Okehielem Simeon ‘m’, in or about the month of February 2022, in Benin City within the Benin Criminal Division, with intent to commit a felony, administered a substance to stupefy one Mrs Isoken Vivian Aigbedo, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 256 of the Criminal Law of Edo State, 2022.”
Speaking to journalists after the court session, the victim’s legal counsel, Clinton Ogbebor, applauded the Police for its diligence.
“We are in court today over the alleged rape of my client, Mrs Isoken Aigbedo, by one Pastor Simeon Okehielem,” he said.
Ogbebor confirmed that the case file would now be forwarded to the office of the DPP for legal advice, after which the trial will proceed accordingly.
The development has stirred debates across Benin City, with residents and religious leaders expressing shock and calling for justice.
The case has been adjourned pending further legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution.
JUDICIARY
Court Bars Bello from Acting as Nasarawa APC Chairman

A Senior District Court 3, Lafia, Nasarawa State, on Thursday restrained Mr Aliyu Bello, the embattled Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, from presenting himself as Chairman or a member of the party.This followed a motion filed by Suleiman Turaki, Counsel to Ibrahim Iliyasu, the Chairman of APC in Gayam Electoral Ward of Lafia Local Government Area of the state.
Report says that on July 1, Iliyasu, alongside 13 other officials of the party in the ward, suspended Bello from the party over alleged anti-party activities. The order signed by Abdullahi Lanze, Senior District Judge of the court, stated that the prayer was granted after hearing the application presented by the applicant’s counsel.The order specifically restrained Bello, his agents, privies, supporters or any person acting on his behalf, authority, or direction, from presenting himself as a member or Chairman of the party.The court also barred Bello from issuing statements, carrying out functions, or acting in any manner whatsoever, through the media or otherwise, as a member or Chairman of APC.This would be pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice. (NAN).JUDICIARY
Unemployed Man Arraigned for Allegedly Impersonating Military Officer

A 30-year-old unemployed man, Sadiq Usman, on Thursday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly parading himself as a military officer.
Usman is facing a two-count charge of impersonation.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, Supol Josephine Ikhayere, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on May 24 at about 3.
30 p. m. at Alaba Rago Market area of Ojo, Lagos State.Ikhayere said that the defendant, who was unemployed, unlawfully had in his possession a Nigerian military camouflage uniform, cap, belt, and boots.
“He paraded himself as a member of the Nigerian Army and had in his possession two Nigerian Navy identity cards,” she said.
According to her, the defendant was arrested when he failed to give a satisfactory account of the items.
The prosecutor said that the offences contravened sections 77(a)(b) and 79(a)(b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Section 77 stipulates a three-year jail term for anyone found guilty of impersonating a member of the armed forces or the police.
Section 79 stipulates two years imprisonment for unlawfully wearing the uniform of the armed forces.
The Magistrate, Mr Lateef Owolabi, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N150,000 with two reliable sureties in like sum.
He ordered that the sureties must show evidence of tax payments to the Lagos State Government.
Owolabi adjourned the case until July 1 for mention. (NAN)