News

ICYMI: Court Grants Oyo Judge Paternity Right of Late Akintola

Published

8 years ago

June 5, 2018

Eric

Justice Aderonke Aderemi of the Oyo State High Court on Thursday granted the prayers of an Oyo state judge, Justice Ladiran Akintola by declaring him a biological son of the late Premier of the old Western Region, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola.

The court by the decision also ruled that Justice Akintola is therefore entitled to a share of the estate of the deceased Premier.

Akintola had approached the court by filing a suit against his half siblings; Chief Abayomi Akintola and Dr Abimbola Akintola, asking that the court declare that the letter of administration being used by his siblings and the one earlier given to his stepmother, Late Faderera Akintola as null and void.

Delivering a judgment which lasted for about three hours, Justice Aderemi in the suit which had earlier been heard before Justice S.A. Akinteye and Justice N.A. Esan held that Justice Akintola had led sufficient evidence in the matter and had entered judgment in his favour.

The court declared as null and void the letter of administration issued in 1968 on the estate of Late S.L Akintola by the Western Nigeria High Court of Justice under Faderera Akintola and Abayomi Akintola on the ground that it was obtained by fraud and concealment of interest in a manner that is inimical and discriminatory against Justice Akintola.

Also, the court declared as null and void the letter of administration issued in October 2007 on the estate of Late S.L Akintola by the Oyo State High Court of Justice under Abayomi Akintola and Abimbola Akintola on the ground that it was obtained by fraud and concealment of interest in a manner that is inimical and discriminatory against Justice Akintola.

The court further held that Justice Ladiran Akintola and the six claimant’s witnesses has led enough evidence to his paternity and ruled that he is the biological son of late S.L. Akintola and is therefore entitled to a share of his estate.

The judge further ordered that the two letters of administration declared null and void is immediately revoked and ordered that the Administrator General of Oyo state take up the management of the S.L Akintola estate until a fresh letter of administration that covers all the three children is issued.

Further, she mandated that the detailed account of the estate be submitted within a month of the judgment and gave an order of perpetual injunction mandating Abayomi and Abimbola Akintola from administering the estate of S.L. Akintola or undertaking any activity on behalf of the estate until the new letter of administration is issued.

In the course of the trial, the defendants had filed a Notice of Preliminary Objection asking for an order dismissing the suit on the ground of Section 17 of the Limitations Law of Oyo state and arguing that the time prescribed by law to contest the estate of a deceased had lapsed as the case was filed 47 years after the death of their father contrary to the 10 years provided by law.

However, in determining the issue, Justice Aderemi noted that the defendants did not plead statute of limitation anywhere in their defense and held that, “defendants are not entitled to rely on facts not stated in their defense before the court. The defendants cannot be allowed to plead issues outside the ones clearly stated before the court,’ Justice Aderemi ruled.

On the issue that Justice Ladiran does not have the locus standi to sue as a beneficiary in the matter of the estate but the court also ruled that he had locus standi.

The court further held that the refusal of the first defendant to testify after the defense had opened its case is tantamount to an admission of the claimant’s allegation, adding that it is wrong for the defense to withhold a proof that it had earlier said it had even when the claimant asked for same.

“It is regrettable that the defendants refused to produce the red diary which the defense claimed contains the record of birth of all children of Late S. L. Akintola even when it was served with court notice to produce same by the claimant, this according to the law reflects that the defense withheld the evidence because it found it will be unfavourable to its case,” the court held.

Counsel to Justice Akintola, Abiodun Abdulraheem further applied to the court that it is entitled to cost after expending so much energy and resources in gathering evidence and resources including an 83-year-old man who was the secretary to Late Ladoke Akintola when he was a Premier.

“The defendants filed 12 applications which were all resolved in favour of the claimant and we spent five years on this trial within which we lost a lawyer on our team. I will be asking for a cost of N100, 000 for the application dismissed this morning and N200, 000 for the main case,” Abdulraheem said.

The court consequently awarded the cost of N200, 000 as cost against the defendants.

News

Another 115 Students of Catholic Missionary School Papiri Reportedly Regain Freedom

Published

10 hours ago

December 21, 2025

Eric

The 115 schoolchildren of St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, who were still being held by their captors as of last Friday, have regained their freedom.

Their release is coming one month after they were abducted by the terrorists in a midnight raid on the school where 315 of them, including their teachers, were taken away.

About 100 of the children were released two weeks ago and have since been reunited with their families.

Although there had yet to be issued an official confirmation of the release as at press time, reports said that the school children were released on Friday evening in faraway forest between Agwara and Borgu local government areas of the State.

Already, security agents from the office of the National Security Adviser have been mobilised for evacuation of the children under heavy security.

Equally, Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago cancelled all official engagement and his proposed brief holiday and ordered prayers for the release of the remaining children.

The governor also ordered the closure of all schools in Niger State and several other federal institutions in high-risk areas to prevent further attacks.

The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, accompanied by other Federal government delegations, visited Kontagora to meet the Catholic Bishop of the Diocese, Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, and distraught parents of the abducted children. Ribadu, during the meeting, assured them that the pupils were in stable condition and would soon be returned safely.

“God is with them, and God is with us. Evil will never win. They are going to come back. I give you that assurance,” he stated during the visit.

However, after 100 of the children were two weeks ago, attention was immediately shifted to the fate of the remaining 215 as security agencies continue coordinated operations to secure their release.

News

Court Upholds Authenticity of David Mark-led ADC Executive

Published

1 day ago

December 20, 2025

Eric

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday, declined an application seeking to restrain the African Democratic Congress, led by Senator David Mark, from holding conventions, congresses or meetings to elect or ratify members of its executive bodies and other party structures.

Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling, refused the motion ex parte filed by a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, Nafiu-Bala Gombe, holding that granting such an application without hearing from the other parties would amount to overreaching.

“I have listened to the submission of the learned counsel for the applicant and have also gone through the affidavit evidence with exhibits thereto along with the written address,” the judge said.

Justice Nwite noted that the court had earlier, on September 4, 2025, ordered the defendants to show cause why an interim order restraining them from acting as leaders of the ADC should not be made, stressing that parties had since exchanged processes in the substantive matter.

“It is not in dispute that the present application is an off-shoot of the substantive matter of the said application.

“It is not in dispute that all the parties are already before this court. Hence, any ex-parte application without a notice to the other parties will be overreaching.

“Hence, the interest of justice will be met by putting the other parties on notice. Consequently, the application is refused,” Justice Nwite ruled.

He proceeded to adjourn the matter until February 3, 2026, for the respondents to show cause.

In the motion ex parte marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, Gombe listed the ADC, Senator David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as first to third defendants, while the Independent National Electoral Commission and Chief Ralph Nwosu were named as fourth and fifth defendants.

Filed on December 15 through his counsel, Michael Agber, Gombe sought three interim reliefs, including an order restraining the ADC from holding any convention, congress or meeting to elect or approve persons into its executive committees or governing bodies pending the determination of a motion on notice.

He also sought an order restraining INEC from attending, monitoring or recognising any such activities by the party, as well as an order directing the maintenance of the status quo in the management and organisation of the ADC.

When the matter was called, Agber informed the court that he had a motion ex parte. Justice Nwite recalled that a similar application had earlier been refused, with an order that the respondents be put on notice.

“Now, is there any difference from this application?” the judge asked.

Agber argued that the prayers were different, stating that the application was aimed at restraining ADC and INEC from taking steps that could affect the pending suit.

In response, Justice Nwite said: “Now, the case is already before me and if any person does something untoward, such action will be null and void.

“This application ought not to come by way of ex-parte because already, the parties are already before the court. So I am just telling you my mind.”

Emphasising the need for fair hearing, the judge added: “I cannot make an order in the absence of the party as justice is tripartite.
You can not shave somebody’s head in his absence”.

Despite the court’s reservations, Agber was allowed to move the motion. He said it was brought pursuant to Order 26 Rule 6 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019, Sections 82 and 83 of the Electoral Act 2022, and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.

In an affidavit of urgency, Gombe alleged that despite the pending suit, the ADC, with the acquiescence of INEC, had continued to hold meetings nationwide in preparation for conventions and congresses under what he described as the “illegal leadership of Senator David Mark and others.”

He cited several instances, including the unveiling of an alleged new ADC national headquarters, the issuance of membership cards to prominent political figures, and the release of party guidelines for the Osun governorship primary election, which he claimed were in contempt of an earlier court order.

Justice Nwite recalled that on September 4, 2025, the court had similarly refused Gombe’s earlier ex parte application seeking to stop the David Mark–led leadership of the ADC, and had instead directed that all defendants be put on notice.

News

Ex-CJN Tanko Mohammed is Dead

Published

5 days ago

December 16, 2025

Eric

A former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad (retd.), is dead. He was aged 71

The former CJN reportedly died at a hospital in Saudi Arabia, about two weeks before his 72nd birthday on December 31.

Muhammad’s death was confirmed in a condolence statement on Tuesday in Abuja by the Nigerian Association of Muslim Law Students (NAMLAS).

In the statement titled “NAMLAS Condolence Message on the Passing of Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, GCON, Former Chief Justice of Nigeria,” the association described his passing as a significant loss for the country.

“Indeed, to Allah we belong, and to Him we shall return.

“The Nigeria Association of Muslim Law Students (NAMLAS), National Headquarters, Abuja, receives with profound sorrow the news of the passing of Honourable Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, GCON, former Chief Justice of Nigeria. His demise is a monumental loss to the Nigerian judiciary, the legal profession, the Muslim Ummah, and the nation at large,” NAMLAS said.

The association hailed Justice Muhammad as “a towering figure of integrity, humility, and unwavering commitment to justice.”

According to NAMLAS, throughout his judicial career, Muhammad “exemplified the highest ideals of the Bench—fairness, courage, and fidelity to the rule of law.”

“As Chief Justice of Nigeria, he discharged his responsibilities with wisdom and restraint, leaving behind a legacy of service that will continue to guide generations of legal practitioners,” the statement added.

Beyond his role on the Bench, the association noted the late jurist’s mentorship of young Muslim law students across the country.

“To NAMLAS, the late Chief Justice was more than a jurist; he was a fatherly pillar and a source of encouragement to Muslim law students across the country,” it said.

The association also highlighted that the deceased’s “support, moral guidance, and openness to the aspirations of young Muslim legal minds reflected his deep belief in mentorship, continuity, and the nurturing of future custodians of justice.”

It extended condolences to his family, the Nigerian judiciary, and the nation.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, the Nigerian Judiciary, the Government and people of Nigeria, and the entire Muslim Ummah”.

The association offered prayers for the repose of his soul, asking that Allah forgive his shortcomings, accept his good deeds, and grant him “the highest abode in Jannatul Firdaus.”