Crime
Court Orders ICPC To Pay Ojerinde N1m Damages For Detention
The unlawful detention of former Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Dibu Ojerinde has attracted a fine of N1 million against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
This is the ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice Obiora Egwuatu.
The court also ordered the ICPC to pay Ojerinde the sum of N200,000 to mitigate the hi legal spend on the matter.
According to Justice Egwuatu it was undisputed that there was a pending charge against the ex-JAMB Registrar bordering on conspiracy to sell, sale of forfeited property, and multiple identity cards with different names.
He, however, held that Ojerinde is presumed innocent until he has been proven guilty.
Consequently, he held that although there was a fresh charge against the professor and his arraignment before a sister court was thwarted because of the court vacation, which led to non-sitting of court, detaining him without an order of detention for the duration of custody was a violation of his fundamental rights.
More so, the justice held that though the rearrest of the ex-JAMB boss on January 26 was lawful based on the search warrant obtained from the chief judge of the court, the anti-graft commission ought to have obtained a detention warrant since Ojerinde would not be immediately arraigned.
On that premise, he declared that Ojerinde’s continued detention was unlawful, illegal and a breach of his right to liberty.
He, therefore, ordered that the embattled former JAMB Registrar be released or arraigned immediately.
However, the court held that the applicant had been unable to prove that his right to dignity of person was breached by the ICPC, as he failed to prove that he was either tortured or brought into forced slavery, among others.
In summary, Justice Egwuatu ordered the ICPC to pay Ojerinde the sum of N1 million as damages for the breach of his fundamental right to liberty, and directed the commission to pay him N200,000 as the cost of the suit.
He, however, did not grant the other reliefs sought.
Biztellers reports that in the suit number, FHC/ABJ/CS/179/2023 filed before Justice Egwuatu, Ojerinde, had sought an order to enforce his fundamental rights, following his re-arrest on January 26 within the court premises and his subsequent detention.
In addition, the applicant sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the anti-graft agency and its officers from arresting or detaining him on account of the suit for which he was facing a criminal charge or to file an amended charge.
Among others, he also sought an order directing the commission to pay him the sum of N500 million only, as exemplary damages for the breach of his rights to personal liberty, freedom of movement, the dignity of the human person and the presumption of innocence as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
Recall that the ICPC had dragged the ex-JAMB boss before Justice Egwuatu in an 18-count money-laundering suit.
He was accused of diverting public funds to the tune of N5 billion.
This petition, was necessitated by the fact that Ojerinde was re-arrested on January 26 by the operatives of the ICPC while he was heading to his car with one of his sons after Justice Egwuatu adjourned further proceedings in the charge preferred against him.
One Agudosi Christopher Okechukwu has been arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, for allegedly failing to declare foreign currency at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.
The EFCC, in a statement released on Wednesday by its Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, confirmed that Okechukwu was brought before the court on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, facing a two-count charge linked to money laundering.
“The Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, arraigned one Agudosi Christopher Okechukwu for alleged non-declaration of the sums of £8,020 (Eight Thousand and Twenty Pounds Sterling) and $704 (Seven Hundred and Four United States Dollars) before Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos,” the statement read.
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Investigations revealed that Okechukwu was apprehended by Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) officers at the airport in December 2024, after he allegedly failed to declare the foreign currency in his possession.
The EFCC said the defendant was later handed over for further interrogation.
“The defendant was arrested in December 2024 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, for non-declaration to the tune of £8,020 and $704 and was subsequently handed over to the EFCC for further investigations,” the commission added.
One of the charges read during the court session stated:
“That you, Agudosi Christopher Okechukwu, on the 10th day of December, 2024 in Lagos, within the Jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, failed to make a declaration of the sum of £8,020 (Eight Thousand and Twenty Pounds Sterling) to the Nigeria Customs Service at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Okechukwu pleaded guilty to the charges. Following his plea, EFCC’s counsel, C.C. Okezie, called on operative Abubakar Magaji to present the facts of the case before the court.
While testifying, Magaji narrated how the defendant was initially arrested with £8,020 and $704 and later handed over to the anti-graft agency for further action.
“The NCS handed over the defendant to the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, Okotie Eboh, Ikoyi, Lagos for further investigation after he was arrested with the sum of £8,020 and $704,” Magaji told the court.
Magaji also informed the court that during questioning, Okechukwu admitted under caution that he had declared only £7,000 and omitted the £8,020 and $704.
“He further told the court that his statement was recorded under caution. He stated that he was arrested at the MMIA Airport with a total sum of £15,020 and $704.
“He also stated that he declared £7,000 and forgot to declare the sums of £8,020 and $704 on him.
“He said he did not make the declaration because he claimed to have suffered a loss and was going to bring back the corpse of his brother. He submitted the death certificate of his brother, his brother’s pictures and other documents,” Magaji added.
During the proceedings, Magaji identified the defendant’s statement, the handing-over note from the NCS, the arresting officer’s statement, and the recovered currencies. All items were tendered as evidence and admitted by the court.
“Thereafter, Magaji identified the defendant’s statement, the handing-over note from the NCS, the arresting officer’s statement as well as the sum of £8,020 and $704 to the EFCC,” the statement further read.
Justice Bogoro accepted the prosecution’s exhibits, which were marked P1 to P11.
“The prosecution counsel then sought to tender, in evidence, all the documents. Justice Bogoro admitted and marked them as exhibits P1-P11.”
The judge adjourned the matter till May 2, 2025, for judgment and ordered that the defendant be remanded at a Correctional Centre until then.
Two men have been arrested by the police in Aba, Abia State, for allegedly vandalizing iron materials at the long-abandoned Aba Textile Mills, situated in the Eziama Industrial Estate.
The suspects, identified as Mr. Ndubuisi Okoronkwo and Mr. Innocent Mbam, were reportedly caught red-handed while cutting and dismantling iron rods from the roofing framework of the facility’s old structures.
Their arrest came after local security operatives, acting on suspicion, tipped off government authorities and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), leading to swift action by the police.
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During interrogation, both men allegedly confessed that they had been hired by one of the managers overseeing the textile mill, who authorized them to carry out the removal of the materials.
Meanwhile, business owners around the area claimed the illegal removal of materials from the premises has been ongoing unnoticed for quite some time.
“We’ve had our suspicions. The textile mill has been shut since 2000, yet trucks keep going in and out of the premises,” a concerned business owner said.
“Only the managers and their security personnel have access to the facility. So we alerted local security, and that’s how the arrests were made.”
When reached for comment, the Abia State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Maureen Chinaka, acknowledged the inquiry but had yet to issue an official response at the time of filing this report.
Three suspects have been arrested by the Oyo State Police Command in connection with the hijacking of a truck loaded with 45,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) along the Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Road.
The confirmation was made on Sunday through a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adewale Osifeso, in Ibadan.
He revealed that the stolen consignment belonged to NIPCO Petroleum Nigeria Limited.
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Osifeso explained that the police became aware of the incident in the early hours of April 5, 2025, following credible intelligence.
“On April 5, 2025, at approximately 1:00 am, the command’s Monitoring Unit received actionable intelligence regarding a hijacking incident involving a DAF truck with registration number Adamawa YLA 575 ZY on the Ijebu-Ode-Ibadan road,” he stated.
He further revealed that initial findings pointed to the involvement of an armed gang, describing them as “an armed group equipped with sophisticated firearms.”
In response, operatives from the Monitoring Unit were swiftly deployed to track the perpetrators.
Their investigation led them to a filling station at Odo-Ona Kekere, Ibadan, where the hijacked vehicle was located.
“Their efforts led to the discovery of the hijacked truck at the Lincoln Filling Station, Odo-Ona Kekere, Ibadan, where the suspects were in the process of syphoning the PMS,” Osifeso said.
Two suspects — Oyekunle Olaoluwa, 35, and another identified as Akanji Ladele, 51 (real name undisclosed) — were arrested at the filling station.
During questioning, the suspects named one “Femi” as the individual who handed the truck over to them, and who is believed to have coordinated the hijack.
“This revelation led to the identification and subsequent arrest of Basiru Azeez, 30, a pivotal figure in the operation who has since confessed to his role in orchestrating the hijacking and provided details on how the truck was diverted after the crime,” the statement added.
The police have assured residents that efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend more members of the criminal network behind the incident.
Meanwhile, Osifeso called on members of the public to assist security efforts by promptly reporting any suspicious activity.
“The PPRO, therefore, charged members of the public to stay vigilant and report suspicious activities to the local police, emphasising that active participation is vital to the command’s collective effort in fighting against crime,” the statement concluded.
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