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Court Strikes Out Defamation Charge Against Dele Farotimi

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In line with Prof Afe Babalola’s promise to forgive defamation charge against Lagos-based lawyer and author, Mr. Dele Farotimi, the Federal High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, has struck out the criminal charge filed by the police against Farotimi.

Justice Babs Kuewumi struck out the charge following an application by the police prosecutor, Samson Osobu, to withdraw the case.

Osobu told the court that the prosecution had filed a notice of discontinuance.

He said: “The matter is slated for hearing today, but we have filed a notice of discontinuance dated January 29, 2025, and filed this morning”.

Predictably, Farotimi’s team of lawyers, led by Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), raised no objection.

That paved the way for Justice Kuewumi to strike out the case, with the judge declaring: “This case is hereby struck out.”

Outside the courtroom, Olumide-Fusika told journalists that the case has been concluded in this particular court but declined to comment on related matters pending in other courts.

He also said that he advised Farotimi against granting press interviews on the matter.

Meanwhile, another criminal charge filed by the police against Farotimi is pending before the Magistrate Court also in Ado-Ekiti.

The case before Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun was adjourned to February 13, 2025, and it is expected that the police will also move to discontinue proceedings in that court and withdraw the charge.

There are also civil cases against Farotimi pending before the FCT High Court, Abuja, the Ogun State High Court, Oyo State High Court, and Rivers State High Court which were filed by lawyers in the Afe Babalola Chambers in those states.

Some of the courts had granted interim orders restraining Farotimi or any person acting through him from further printing, publication and sale of his book titled: “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System”.

It is not yet clear whether those cases will also be discontinued.

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Police Invite Sanusi for Questioning over Sallah Day Violence

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Commissioner of Police, CP Olajide Rufus Ibitoye, acting on the orders of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, through the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in-charge of Force Intelligence Department (FID) Abuja, has extended an invitation to the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, for an “investigative meeting with regards to an incident that occurred during the Sallah celebration within your domain”.

The said incident is in connection with the violence that broke out during the recent Eid-el-Fitr procession in Kano, which resulted in the death of a local vigilante member.

The incident happened as the Emir’s entourage moved from the Eid prayer ground to the palace in a traditional procession. The clash, which marred the otherwise peaceful celebration, led to the tragic loss of life of a vigilante member, Surajo Rabiu, and left one other injured.

The invitation was conveyed in an official letter dated April 4, 2025, and signed by Commissioner of Police, CP Olajide Rufus Ibitoye, on behalf of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in-charge of Force Intelligence Department (FID) Abuja.

Emir Sanusi II

The letter reads: “I have the directives of the Inspector General of Police, through the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department (FID), to invite you for an investigative meeting with regards to an incident that occurred during the Sallah celebration within your domain.”

The Emir has been requested to appear before the Force Intelligence Department in Abuja, opposite the Police Headquarters, Area 11, by 10:00am on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.

This development comes amid heightened tensions in Kano State following the earlier decision by the State Police Command to ban the annual Durbar festival due to security concerns. The ban, announced days before the Eid-el-Fitr celebration, was intended to prevent any possible breakdown of law and order during the festive period.

However, despite the suspension of the Durbar, a motorcade procession of Emir Sanusi II still took place on the third day of the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations.

The Kano State Police Commissioner, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, had also inaugurated an eight-member Special Investigation Panel (SIP) to investigate the violence.

As at the time of this report, there has been no official response from the Emir Sanusi II’s palace regarding the Police invitation.

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Hakeem Baba-Ahmed Dumps Tinubu’s Appointment As Political Adviser

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Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the political adviser to President Bola Tinubu, has resigned his appointment.

Reports say the former spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) tendered his resignation about two weeks ago.

Further reports quoting presidency sources did not, however, provide details of the reasons for his decision, but only stated that it was on personal grounds.

Baba-Ahmed was appointed in September 2023 as Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Over the past 17 months, he had represented the presidency at several public fora, including a recent national conference themed: “Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathway to Good Governance and Political Integrity”, which held from January 28 and 29, 2025 in Abuja.

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Court Stops Pro-Wike Rally in Bayelsa

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The High Court of Bayelsa State sitting in Yenagoa has issued an order restraining associates of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, from holding a mega rally in the South-South State pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

The proposed rally was scheduled for Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, on April 12, 2025.

Hon. Justice I. A Uzakah granted the motion ex-parte in Suit No. BYHC/YHC/CV/133/2025 was filed by the state’s Attorney General, Biriyai Dambo (SAN).

“An order of the interim injunction is hereby made or granted restraining the 1st and 2nd Defendants, whether by themselves, their agents, associates, privies, representatives (or any person whatsoever acting at their behest), from conducting, convening, coordinating, engaging in, organizing, participating in, holding, hosting, or facilitating any political assembly, rally meeting, or gathering within Bayelsa State, for the purpose of solidarity, hosting, and celebrating the 2nd Defendant in Bayelsa State, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction,” the court order read.

The matter has been adjourned to April 11, 2025, for hearing.

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