News

Court sentences fake lawyer to three years imprisonment in Rivers

Published

7 years ago

June 3, 2019

Eric

A Magistrates’ Court in Choba, Rivers State, on Monday sentenced a fake lawyer identified as Sunday Ejiofor to three years in prison.

Ejiofor, who was also accused of defrauding a commercial motorcyclist, had pleaded guilty to only one charge, which was read before him in court.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr. Israel Agbeso, said he convicted the accused person for only three years because he (Ejiofor) did not inconvenience the court during the trial, adding that the sentence was without any option of fine.

He said, “The defendant, having pleaded guilty, is hereby convicted. He is convicted on lone charge. Having considered the defendant’s act of not inconveniencing the court, he is hereby sentenced to three years in prison without option.”

It was learnt that the convict (Ejiofor) had during his escapade as a fake lawyer hired a commercial motorcyclist, Wisdom Phillip, to convey him to different places, but failed to pay the motorcyclist the sum of N15,000 they both agreed for the three days service rendered.

The charge marked OZMC/115c/2019, “That you, Ejiofor Sunday, on the 25th of March 2019, along Aluu road, falsely represented yourself by action as a legal practitioner.”

But Ejiofor had begged the court for mercy immediately he pleaded guilty to the single charge read to him.

However, the prosecutor, Tom Ledornun; an Assistant Superintendent of Police, had told the court that the convict had shown the commercial motorcyclist an identification card bearing his (Ejiofor) passport photograph, which indicated that he was a lawyer.

“The defendant had engaged the services of a motorcyclist at the cost of N5,000 per day. The driver carried him (defendant) for three days, amounting to N15,000.

“The driver demanded his money after the service was rendered, but the defendant represented himself to be a legal practitioner and threatened to hand over the driver to police. He displayed an identity card bearing his image wearing lawyer’s wig.

“Passersby became interested and took both of them to the police. Police requested him to identify himself with his seal number and the year he was called to bar, but he could not,” the prosecutor said.

News

Appeal Court Affirms Ruling Barring VIO from Impounding Vehicles, Fining Motorists

Published

4 days ago

December 4, 2025

Eric

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday upheld the judgment that stopped the Directorate of Road Traffic Services and Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) from seizing vehicles or imposing fines on motorists.

In a unanimous decision by a three-member panel, the appellate court found no basis to set aside the Federal High Court’s ruling of October 16, 2024, which restrained the VIO from harassing motorists.

The appeal filed by the VIO was dismissed for lacking merit. Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi delivered in the lead judgment.

The high court had earlier ruled, in a judgment by Justice Nkeonye Maha, that no law authorizes the VIO to stop motorists, impound vehicles, or impose penalties for alleged traffic offences.

The case arose from a fundamental rights suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/1695/2023) filed by lawyer Abubakar Marshal.

Marshal informed the court that VIO officials stopped him at Jabi in Abuja on December 12, 2023, and seized his vehicle without lawful reason. He asked the court to determine whether their actions violated his rights.

Justice Maha agreed and ordered the VIO and its agents not to impound vehicles or impose fines on motorists, describing the actions as unlawful. She held that only a court can impose fines or sanctions.

She ruled that the VIO’s conduct breached the applicant’s constitutional right to property under Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 14 of the African Charter. She further held that the VIO has no legal authority to seize vehicles or penalize motorists, as doing so infringes on rights to fair hearing, movement and presumption of innocence.

Although Marshal, represented by Femi Falana, SAN, requested ₦500 million in damages and a public apology, the court awarded ₦2.5 million.

The Directorate of Road Traffic Services, its Director, its Abuja Area Commander at the time (identified as Mr. Leo), team leader Solomon Onoja, and the FCT Minister were listed as respondents.

They appealed the decision, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.

News

Tinubu Nominates Ibas, Dambazau, Enang, Ohakim As Ambassadors

Published

4 days ago

December 4, 2025

Eric

President Bola Tinubu has nominated Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, the immediate past sole administrator of Rivers State and a former Chief of Naval Staff, as a non-career ambassador.

Tinubu also nominated Ita Enang, a former senator; Chioma Ohakim, former First Lady of Imo State; and Abdulrahman Dambazau, former Minister of Interior and ex-Chief of Army Staff, as non-career ambassadors.

News

Senate Confirms Chris Musa As New Defence Minister

Published

5 days ago

December 3, 2025

Eric

The Nigerian Senate has confirmed General Christopher Musa, the former Chief of Defence Staff, as the country’s new Minister of Defence.

The announcement was contained in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu.

Musa, who retired from the military just 40 days ago, was nominated by President Tinubu on Tuesday to succeed former Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who stepped down on health grounds.

According to Onanuga’s statement, the Senate approved Musa’s appointment on Wednesday through a voice vote, following a thorough screening session during which lawmakers posed numerous questions.

“Senate confirms Gen. Christopher Musa as Minister of Defence The Senate has confirmed the former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, as the Minister of Defence. The Senate confirmed Musa on Wednesday via a voice vote after a rigorous screening session in which lawmakers asked him many questions,” the statement read in part.