Author: Lawbreed Limited

The Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has vacated the interim order freezing 124 bank accounts belonging to businesswoman, Aisha Achimugu and companies linked to her, ruling that allowing the ex parte order to remain in force for over 15 months amounted to an abuse of court process. In a unanimous judgment delivered on Wednesday, a three-member panel of the appellate court comprising Justices Muhammad Ibrahim Sirajo, Ishaq Mohammed Sani and Eleojo Enenche discharged the interim freezing order granted by the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt on April 10, 2025. The appeal arose from a suit…

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has convicted Immaculata Nkiruka Ikenwankwor, a United Kingdom-based Nigerian medical professional employed as a Radiographer with the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and registered with the UK Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), of criminal contempt of court. Presiding Judge, Hon. Justice O. A. Musa, in a landmark Ruling delivered on 2nd July, 2026, sentenced the contemnor to 22 months of immediate imprisonment to be served at the Suleja Correctional Facility and issued and signed a Bench Warrant directing the Director-General of State…

A Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan has restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from proceeding with its planned investigation into the finances of the Oyo State Government, describing the move as speculative and tantamount to a fishing expedition. Delivering judgment in a suit filed by the state government, Justice Nkeonye Maha held that while the EFCC possesses statutory powers to investigate financial crimes, such powers must be exercised strictly within constitutional limits and the rule of law. The court found that the Commission’s June 2, 2025 letter to the Oyo State Accountant‑General, demanding details of all contracts…

The Court of Appeal, Lagos Judicial Division, has dismissed an interlocutory appeal filed by the Copyright Society of Nigeria Ltd/Gte against the Nigerian Copyright Commission, thereby affirming the decision of the Federal High Court refusing to grant COSON’s application for an interlocutory injunction against the Commission. In a unanimous judgment delivered on July 9, 2026, the appellate court awarded ₦200,000 costs against COSON. The lead judgment was delivered by Justice Polycarp Terna Kwahar, JCA, while Justice Folasade Ayodeji Ojo, JCA, and Justice Muslim Sule Hassan, JCA, concurred. The appeal arose from COSON’s substantive suit challenging aspects of the Copyright (Collective…

The Federal Government has inaugurated an inter-ministerial committee to develop the 2026 Value Added Tax Modification Order, as part of efforts to ensure the smooth implementation of Nigeria’s new tax laws and provide greater certainty for businesses, investors, taxpayers and tax administrators. The committee was inaugurated in Abuja by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, who charged members to produce a modern, practical and clear VAT framework that reflects the objectives of the Tax Reform Acts and responds to current economic realities. Oyedele described the Tax Reform Acts, which came into effect on…

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has directed police officers across the country to shoot on sight anyone found carrying illegal firearms, as part of intensified efforts to curb insecurity. Disu issued the directive on Friday during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, saying the move followed President Bola Tinubu’s instruction that the lingering security crisis in the state must be brought to an end. The police chief maintained that only authorised security personnel are legally permitted to carry firearms, warning that law enforcement agencies would no longer tolerate the unlawful possession of…

The National Industrial Court sitting in Jos has convicted Prophetess Nwachukwu for trafficking two children, ruling that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. Presiding over the matter, Justice Ibrahim Galadima sentenced the prophetess to two years in prison and imposed a ₦250,000 fine. The court also credited the one month she had already spent in custody before being granted bail. In addition to the sentence, Justice Galadima ordered that Nwachukwu’s name and photograph be entered into the National Trafficking Offenders Register. He also directed that she remain under correctional monitoring after completing her sentence, as required by law.…

Crisis on Friday rocked the planned election of the Nigerian Bar Association, Port Harcourt Branch, forcing the indefinite postponement of the exercise. The election, which was scheduled to hold at the NBA House in Port Harcourt, was disrupted following disagreements over the electoral process, particularly the handling and publication of the voters’ register. The development attracted heavy security presence at the venue, with armed operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services deployed to prevent a breakdown of law and order. Some candidates in the election expressed dissatisfaction with the process, accusing the Electoral Committee of…

A presidential candidate in the 2026 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) National Elections, Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, has criticised the election, describing it as a “charade” and alleging that the process was founded on a flawed system that exposed serious weaknesses in the Association’s electoral framework. In a post-election statement titled “My Assessment of the Charade; I Saw It Coming,” Akinboro expressed appreciation to his supporters across the country, commending them for their “unwavering faith, remarkable commitment and abiding belief” in his vision for a stronger and more inclusive Bar. He said the campaign period gave him the opportunity to connect…

A Canadian lawyer has been suspended for six months after a judge uncovered ChatGPT-generated fake legal citations in a court hearing. The Law Society of Ontario’s discipline tribunal suspended Mary Hyun-Sook Lee, who practises as Jisuh Lee, after finding she committed professional misconduct by relying on AI-generated case law that was either fabricated or irrelevant in a family and estate law matter, the National Post reported. The tribunal ordered Lee to complete remedial measures during her suspension and pay C$10,000 in costs after concluding that she failed to properly represent her client and deliberately misled the court through her submissions.…