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

Court Restrains NLC, TUC from Embarking on Strike, Protest in Abuja

Published

8 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Eric

The National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja has stopped the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and their affiliates from proceeding with a planned protest in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Justice Emmanuel Sibilim issued the interim injunction on Monday, barring the labour unions from embarking on any form of industrial action or protest within the nation’s capital. The court also restrained three individuals — Comrades Benson Upah, General NA Toro and Stephen Knabayi — who were listed as respondents in the suit.

The ruling followed an ex parte application jointly filed by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). The motion, marked NICN/ABJ/30/26, was argued on behalf of the applicants by a legal team led by Mr. James Onoja, SAN.

In its order, the court restrained the 1st to 5th respondents, “their privies or agents, from embarking on strike pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.” It further directed the 5th to 9th defendants, who are security agencies, to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order in the FCT.

The claimants informed the court that the Chairman of the FCT Council had circulated a mobilisation message to union members and affiliates, calling for a mass protest scheduled for February 3. They argued that the planned action amounted to a violation of an existing court order.

According to the FCT Minister, an earlier injunction was granted by the court on January 27, after which the NLC and TUC allegedly issued fresh directives to their affiliates to intensify and sustain the strike, citing an appeal they had filed against the restraining order. He maintained that such actions were intended to provoke chaos and disrupt public order in Abuja.

Following the ruling, the court adjourned the substantive matter to February 10 for hearing.

Details contained in an affidavit filed in support of the application outlined the sequence of events that led to the court action. The claimants averred that:

“On the 19th of January, 2026, the workers in the employment of the 2nd Claimant acting under the aegis of the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC), commenced an industrial action by locking all entrance to offices and the secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, including closure of schools and all departments and agencies of the 2nd Claimant. Thereby, bringing the governmental functions and activities of the Claimants to a standstill.”

The affidavit further stated: “Being law abiding, the claimants herein instituted an action at the National Industrial Court Abuja, in Suit No: NICN/ABJ/17/2026, between the FCT Minister & anor V. Rifkatu Iortyer & anor, wherein the court on the 27th of January, 2026 made an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants therein JUAC, its affiliate unions, and all employees of the 2nd Claimant were restrained from further embarking on any industrial action, and ordered to resume work pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”

The claimants alleged that the injunction was openly disregarded after it was served on the parties.

“Immediately the order of the court was served on parties, the 1st Defendant acting through the 3rd Defendant issued a directive titled: ‘REINFORCEMENT DIRECTIVE TO ALL AFFILIATE UNIONS IN THE FCT’ urging the workers in the employment of the 2nd Claimant to resume industrial action,” the affidavit read.

It added that on January 28, the NLC and TUC issued another directive titled: “‘DEFEND YOUR RIGHTS WITH COURAGE AND DIGNITY: WE ARE WITH YOU’ wherein they directed that workers of the 2nd Claimant should resume industrial action and jettison the order of the National industrial Court made on the 27/1/2026.”

The court filing further stated that the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC) subsequently followed the directive, instructing its members to resume the strike through a notice dated January 28, 2026, signed by Comrade Abdullahi Umar Saleh as JUAC secretary.

According to the affidavit, the situation escalated when the FCT Council allegedly issued another mobilisation notice.

“Acting under the directives aforementioned, the 5th Defendant, acting, as the chairperson of the 1st Defendant; FCT Council, issued a directive on the 31/1/2026, to all affiliate unions named therein to mobilize their members who are employees of the 2nd Claimant for a mass protest in the Federal Capital Territory… on the 3rd of February, 2026 by 7.00 am prompt with a view to causing chaos, breakdown of law and order, and prevent the smooth administration of the 2nd Claimant.”

The claimants said they were compelled to return to court out of fear that the planned protest could disrupt vehicular movement and infringe on the rights of residents and visitors to the FCT.

“The Claimants are apprehensive of the breakdown of law and order obstruction of vehicular movement, violation of the rights of the residents of the Federal Capital Territory, particularly those in the private sector and other government establishments, which includes other States of the Federation, expatriates and tourists, hence the resort to court action,” the affidavit concluded.

News

Ex-Cross River Gov Donald Duke Joins ADC

Published

3 days ago

January 30, 2026

Eric

Former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), formally pitching his tent with the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Duke registered as an ADC member in Ward 5 of Calabar Municipality, where he collected his party membership card, marking his official entry into the opposition party.

His move comes amid recent internal concerns within the ADC in Cross River State. Former ADC governorship candidate, Dr Effiong Nyong, had written to the party’s National Chairman, protesting the inclusion of some individuals from the state in the ADC’s 50 Wise Men and Women Policy Manifesto Committee.

Nyong faulted a statement by the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, which listed persons who, according to him, neither resigned from the PDP nor made contributions to the ADC, calling for their removal.

Political observers believe Duke’s swift formal registration may be linked to the controversy, as the former governor had earlier been named among prominent figures associated with the party.

Recall that Duke previously left the PDP for the Social Democratic Party (SDP), where he emerged as the party’s presidential candidate under controversial circumstances.

Meanwhile, ADC leaders in Bakassi Local Government Area have intensified calls on Cross Riverians to identify with the party, describing it as a credible alternative ahead of future elections.

Rising from a stakeholders’ meeting involving chapter executives, ward chairmen, and secretaries, party leaders accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of misrule and urged Nigerians to reclaim the country.

In a statement signed by the Bakassi Chapter Chairman, Emmanuel Asuquo, and Secretary, Eko Boco, the party reaffirmed its loyalty to the ADC national leadership, pledging support for the National Chairman, Senator David Mark, and National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, while urging undecided citizens to join the party’s “transformative agenda.”

News

Police Nab Suspect Behind Dummy Bomb Threat to Lagos Schools

Published

4 days ago

January 30, 2026

Eric

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old man over alleged fake bomb threat messages to two private schools in Ikeja Government Reserved Area (GRA).

The suspect was tracked and arrested on January 24 in the Okota area of Lagos State following digital investigations.

According to the sources, the suspect allegedly sent WhatsApp messages threatening a fire explosion to the Human Resources Manager of AVI–CEENA School and the Chief Security Officer of Grange School, both located in Ikeja GRA.

Although the messages were sent from an unknown phone number, police said digital tracking led to the identification and arrest of the suspect, identified as Kosisochukwu Chukwuekenyem Ogbumuo.

The suspect is currently in police custody and will be charged to court on conclusion of investigations.

Police said inquiries are ongoing to determine the motive behind the threats and whether other individuals were involved.

The Lagos State Police Command reassured parents, school authorities and residents of Ikeja GRA of its commitment to maintaining security and preventing panic or disruption within the education sector.