Category: Judiciary

Brazil Cocaine Bust: Vessel Seized, 21 Detained as NDLEA Intensifies Port Crackdown

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…. .. “Nigeria will not be your foothold,” Marwa warns global cartels, following a court-ordered 14-day detention of the merchant ship A Federal High Court order has authorized the NDLEA to detain the MV San Antonio and 21 crew members after a 25.5kg cocaine shipment from Brazil was intercepted at the Apapa seaport. The discovery, made on December 6, 2025, followed a precise intelligence-led raid. With the vessel now under guard, its international crew—including the captain and sailors from Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and the Philippines—is being held as the agency…

Akabogu Law Firm Commits to Education with New Nautical Science Scholarship

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Renowned maritime law firm Akabogu Law is investing in the future of the industry by championing exceptional talent. The firm has committed a ₦450,000 scholarship to Miss Adoga Joyce Ohekwuru, the top Nautical Science graduate identified and honored earlier this year by Platforms Communications. This initiative underscores Akabogu Law’s dedication to fostering academic excellence among Nigerian maritime students. Joyce, a student of Delta State Maritime Polytechnic who completed her National Diploma in Nautical Science in 2023 and graduated with Distinction, having scored 3.76 in her Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA),…

‘No Merit’: Supreme Court Dismisses Maryam Sanda’s Final Appeal, Affirms Death Sentence

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In a final ruling on Friday, December 11, the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence handed to Maryam Sanda for the culpable homicide of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello Sanda. Sanda was first sentenced to death by hanging on January 27, 2020, after an Abuja High Court convicted her of the culpable homicide of her husband, Bilyamin Bello, whom she stabbed to death in 2017. After spending six years and eight months behind bars at Suleja prison, President Bola Tinubu utilized his executive authority to reduce her total sentence to 12 years. Attorney…

Justice on Trial: Gombe Magistrate Arraigned in N1.4m Bribery Scandal

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Gombe magistrate Mohammed Suleiman Kumo in the state High Court over allegations that he accepted N1.4 million in bribes. Facing serious allegations of corruption, Gombe magistrate Mohammed Suleiman Kumo appeared before Justice H.H. Kereng in a Gombe High Court this week. The EFCC arraigned him on Wednesday on three counts of receiving monetary benefits of N1.4 million via a proxy account, an offence under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000. According to the charges filed by the EFCC,…

High Seas Law: NSC, NJI Drive Dialogue at 2026 International Maritime Justice Seminar

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In preparation for the biennial International Maritime Seminar for Judges scheduled for 2026, the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Akutah Pius Ukeyima, Esq, MON, FCILT, Ph.D has renewed his  agency’s commitment. Ukeyima stressed the Council’s determination to bolster maritime judicial capacity and lauded the National Judicial Institute (NJI) for its vital, ongoing assistance to the Council. Dr. Akutah who led a high-level delegation to the National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja for a courtesy visit with the Administrator, Hon. Justice Babatunde Adejumo, OFR. Ukeyima stated that the…

Bandits Causing Chaos Across Nigeria: A Breakdown of the Crises

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Sooth News presents an exclusive English translation of a recent BBC Hausa report. The report highlights how banditry is causing chaos across various parts of Nigeria, fostering fear and insecurity and disrupting daily life. We have translated this story for our readers to provide a comprehensive understanding of the situation, covering the key details of the insecurity crisis currently afflicting the nation, as originally reported by the BBC. ‘’Nigeria is grappling with a severe security crisis characterized by widespread kidnappings, killings, and various other security challenges. Comments previously made by…

Nigeria’s Diversity a Gift, Not a Burden, Says Marwa

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…. Recalls defying military orders to ensure Bola Tinubu became Lagos Governor. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd) has called on Nigerians to safeguard the country’s diversity, framing it as an essential gift rather than a burden. He insists this national trust requires collective effort to maintain unity and drive progress. In a statement released Saturday, NDLEA Director of Media & Advocacy Femi Babafemi announced that Chairman Marwa made the call for unity while delivering a keynote address at a…

Major Blow to Terror Logistics: 22 Suppliers Captured in Borno Crackdown

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Security forces under the Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation Hadin Kai have apprehended 22 suspected terrorist logistics facilitators in the Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State. Zagazola Makama, a counter-terrorism publication revealed, the suspects were transporting a large quantity of smoked fish believed to be linked to insurgent financing. Twenty-two suspects were arrested by the 112 Task Force Battalion, under the 24 Task Force Brigade, at a Mafa checkpoint on Wednesday afternoon, Makama’s publication reported. Ibrahim Bukar, 40, identified as the prime suspect, was intercepted with several others while…

Bauchi Governor Presents N878.1bn 2026 Budget to State Assembly

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By Bashir Hassan Abubakar Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, on Thursday presented a budget proposal of N878,152,907,900 for the 2026 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly for consideration. Tagged the “Budget of Consolidation and Sustainability,” the governor said the proposal is designed to strengthen financial reporting, boost revenue generation, and sustain ongoing development programmes. Mohammed said the fiscal plan is premised on an oil production estimate of 1.6 million barrels per day, a benchmark oil price of $68 per barrel, and an exchange rate of N1,440 to the…

Akutah Recognized, Calls For Public Service Excellence as Judges Decry Media Trials

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The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Badagry Branch celebrated industry excellence by recognizing the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Akutah Pius Ukeyima, Esq. The recognition was a highlight of the branch’s 10th Annual Law Week, which also included the launch of the second edition of the Heritage Bar Journal on Thursday, November 27. While addressing attendees at the 10th Annual Law Week in Lagos, the visibly surprised Dr. Akutah stated that the recognition was entirely unanticipated. He affirmed that dedicated service ultimately speaks for itself, recalling his extensive years…