JUDICIARY
Court hears Nnamdi Kanu’s N20bn Suit against Malami, NIA Boss Nov. 18

A Federal High Court, Abuja has fixed Nov 18 for hearing a N20bn suit filed by leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, against the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, SAN.
Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date for hearing the suit, which also has the Director-General of National Intelligence Agency (NIC), Ahmed Abubakar as a defendant.
Newsmen report that Kanu, through his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, had filed a writ of summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1702/222.
The application, dated and filed on Sept. 23, listed Abubakar Malami and Ahmed Rufai Abubakar as 1st and 2nd defendants respectively.
Ejimakor sought “a declaration that the defendants’ arrest and imprisonment of the plaintiff (Kanu) at a location in Kenya and the subsequent imprisonment of the paintiff in the aircraft that conveyed him from Kenya to Nigeria amounted to false arrest and false imprisonment.
“A declaration of this Honourable court that the defendants acted in bad faith and/or abused their public offices in falsely arresting and falsely imprisoning the plaintiff at the said location in Kenya and said aircraft.
i”An order of this honourable court directing the defendants to, jointly and severally, pay to the plaintiff the sum of N20,000,000,000.00 (Twenty Billion Naira only) being general and exemplary damages.
“An order of this honourable court directing the defendants to separately write and deliver to the plaintiff, an unreserved personal letter of apology.”
He prayed that the letters of apology shall be prominently and boldly published full-page in two Nigerian newspapers of national circulation.
He also sought an order of the court, directing the defendants to pay the cost of the suit, among others. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
Federal High Court Mourns ex-Chief Judge

The Federal High Court (FHC) on Thursday, extends condolences to the family, friends, and associates of its former Chief Judge, Justice Daniel Abutu.
The Chief Registrar of FHC, Sulaiman Hassan, in a statement in Abuja, said the court announced “with deep sorrow, the passing of” Abutu.
“According to family sources, he died on Tuesday after a brief illness.
“He hails from Kogi and was born on March 15, 1946.
“The Late Chief Judge served the court and the nation with distinction.
“He was known for his unwavering commitment to justice and administrative excellence.
“His leadership and contributions have left indelible marks on the judiciary and the legal community at large.
“The Federal High Court extends her heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, friends and all who were touched by his exemplary life and service.
“May his soul rest in perfect peace. Amen.
In honour of his exemplary service and enduring legacy, all divisions of the federal high court are hereby directed to display a portrait of the late chief judge in a dignified and visible area within the respective court premises.”
Hassan said the court has ordered the immediate opening of condolence registers at all its divisions to allow judges, staff, members of the bar, and the general public to pay their tributes and express sympathies to the late Abutu.
He added that further details regarding funeral arrangements would be communicated in due course.
NAN reports that Justice Abutu in one of his landmark judgments on Jan. 21, 2010, directed the Federal Executive Council to produce evidence that then President Umaru Yar’adua can continue to discharge his functions as president in the next 14 days or risk a definitive order of the court ordering the swearing-in of the vice.
Justice Abutu gave the ruling in the lawsuit filed by a member of the opposition, Farouk Aliyu asking to declare the sickly ‘president’ incapacitated and therefore swear in his deputy, Goodluck Jonathan.
The suit was filed by civil rights attorney, Bamidele Aturu.(NAN)
CRIME
Court Remands 10 Over Alleged Armed Robbery, Murder

An Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court, Ibadan, on Thursday, ordered the remand of 10 persons in a correctional facility over alleged armed robbery and murder.
The defendants include Sheriff Lawal, 27, Lawal Bashit, 23, Oyewale Sodiq, 30, Akeem Ogunyemi, 41, and Kazeem Afolayan, 40.
Others are Akeem Raji, 37, Olabode Hammed, 25, Yusuf Lekan, 26, Ayomide John, 23 and Samuel Okezie, 32.
They are facing a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy, armed robbery and murder.
The Magistrate, Mrs Gladys Oladele, did not take the plea of the defendants for want of jurisdiction.
She directed the police to return the case file to the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.
She adjourned the case until July 21 for mention.
The Prosecutor, Sgt. Samuel Owolabi, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on May 15, at about 9.30 p.m, at Oak Hotel, around Moniya, Ibadan.
Owolabi said the defendants robbed one Shuaibu Adam of the sum of N100, 000, while armed with sticks and cutlasses.
He said the defendants also unlawfully caused the death of one Abdul Isah, 23, by beating him with sticks and inflicted injury all over Adam’s body.
He said the offences contravened Sections 516 and 319 of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000. (NAN)
CRIME
Man jailed 10 Months for Stealing Neighbor’s Refrigerator

A Kaduna Magistrates’ Court, on Thursday sentenced a 23-year-old man, Abba Danladi, to 10 months imprisonment for stealing his neighbour’s refrigerator and television set worth N500,000.
Danladi, who resides in Kawo area of Kaduna State, was convicted of conspiracy, housebreaking, and theft.
The Magistrate, Ibrahim Emmanuel, sentenced him after he pleaded guilty to the crime and begged for forgiveness.
Emmanuel, however, gave the convict an option of a fine of N15, 000 and also ordered him to restitute the N500,000 to the complainant, Rebecca Victor.
He held that if the convict failed to restitute the N500,000, he would serve additional 11 months imprisonment.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp Chidi Leo, told the court that the complainant of the same address with the defendant reported the matter at the Kawo Police Station, on May 29.
Leo said at about 4.20 p.m. on May 28, the complainant returned from work and discovered that some persons had broken into her room through the window and made away with her refrigerator and television set.
He added that in the course of the investigation, the convict was arrested and when interrogated, he confessed to being one of the perpetrators of the crime.
The prosecutor said that the defendant committed the crime with two other persons, at large.
He said the offence contravened the provisions of the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017.(NAN)