Author: Lawbreed Limited

MEDICAL AND DENTAL PRACTITIONERS’ INVESTIGATION PANEL (MDPIP) ESTABLISHES A PRIMA FACIE CASE OF MISCONDUCT IN A PROFESSIONAL RESPECT AGAINST DR. ALIYU JOSEPH YAHAYA, THE RESPONSIBLE MEDICAL OFFICER WHO MANAGED THE LATE MRS AKUDO LOVELYN JOHN Ten months ago, the life of my dearly beloved wife, Akudo Lovelyn John was cut short following childbirth at Gynescope Specialist Hospital, Ikate, Lekki, Lagos State. She was not allowed an opportunity to fight for her life when the Responsible Medical Officer, Dr Aliyu Joseph Yahaya (the “Consultant”), refused and failed to timely transfer her or urgently summon surgical intervention to rescue her; and she…

The US Mission Nigeria has clarified that visa application fees are non-refundable, regardless of whether an applicant’s visa is approved or denied. The mission stated this in a post shared on its official social media account, @USinNigeria, on Wednesday, addressing the misconception that applicants are entitled to a refund if their applications are unsuccessful. “MYTH: If a U.S. visa application is refused, the applicant receives a refund,” the mission stated. It explained that the fee covers the processing of the visa application and does not guarantee that a visa will be issued. “FACT: The fee paid is an application processing…

Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, OFR, SAN, has told the Supreme Court that applications for leave to appeal filed at the Court of Appeal are not being heard, and that the decision of the Supreme Court said to prevent them from being heard decided nothing of the sort. He was delivering the address of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria at the special session of the Court marking the commencement of the 2026/2027 legal year. He raised the matter after pressing the Supreme Court on consistency and precedent. “It is worthy of note that within the past one year, the…

Enforcement proceedings have commenced in Nigeria against assets linked to Alhaji Abdulrahman Musa Bashar, Chairman of the Rahamaniyya Group of Companies, following orders issued by the Federal High Court to give effect to an English judgment in Nigeria. The enforcement action, which commenced on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, follows a February 25, 2026 order of the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, granting Petrichor Energy FZCO leave to register a judgment of the High Court of Justice of England and Wales for enforcement in Nigeria. The Federal High Court subsequently issued writs of attachment and sale dated May 15, 2026.…

The Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has commenced consultations on the proposed establishment of an Appeal Division, a reform that could significantly change the court’s current judicial structure. At present, judgments of the ECOWAS Court are final and are not subject to ordinary appeal. The proposed Appeal Division would therefore introduce a new layer of judicial review within the regional court system. President of the ECOWAS Court, Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, disclosed the development at the Court’s 2026 Annual International Conference in Dakar, Senegal, where the regional judicial institution is marking…

The Court of Appeal, Benin Division, has issued an interim order staying the execution of an Edo State High Court judgment that nullified the appointment of HRM Michael Sado as the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella and ordered the reinstatement of Lukeman Akemokue. The appellate court made the order on Tuesday following an application filed in the ongoing appeal against the High Court judgment, effectively preserving the existing position pending the hearing and determination of the substantive appeal. The dispute concerns the traditional stool of the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella in Edo State. In March 2026, Justice O.A. Otamere of the Edo State…

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has dismissed a security officer for granting unauthorised access to Aichatou Assabe el-Rufai, one of Nasir el-Rufai’s wives, to see him in custody, TheCable can report. Insiders told TheCable that Daniel Stephen, the security officer, was caught on CCTV footage assisting Assabe to enter the commission’s premises outside the approved visitor access procedure. According to Stephen’s handwritten statement seen by TheCable, the incident occurred on Sunday, July 5, 2026. The former governor of Kaduna is facing trial over alleged money laundering and conversion of public property. El-Rufai has been in…

The African Bar Association (AFBA) has been granted Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), marking a landmark milestone for the international organization and its role on the global stage. In a formal communication dated July 30, 2026, signed by Birgitte Bryld, Acting Chief of the NGO Branch, Office of Intergovernmental Support and Coordination for Sustainable Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the United Nations confirmed that ECOSOC adopted the recommendation of its Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) on 21 July 2026, formally granting the status to the Association. What Is Special Consultative Status?…

The Canadian government has released guidance outlining categories of foreign nationals who may be allowed to work in the country without obtaining a work permit. The guidance, issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada on its website and cited by PUNCH Online on Thursday, explains that certain foreign nationals can qualify for exemptions based on the nature of their work, activities, or circumstances. However, being included in one of the exempt categories does not automatically guarantee entry into Canada or a work permit exemption in every situation. Travellers must meet the specific conditions attached to their category. 25 categories covered…

By Uchenna Mathew, Secretary, NBA Lagos Branch Taskforce on Illegal Practice of Law The first year of the NBA Lagos Branch Taskforce on Illegal Practice of Law has demonstrated what purposeful leadership, collective commitment and a clear mandate can achieve. Under the leadership of Moshood Abiola, the Taskforce has moved from identifying the problem of illegal practice to taking concrete steps to confront it. One of its significant achievements has been creating visibility for the Taskforce. Members of the Branch, lawyers from other branches and members of the public now have a platform through which complaints about illegal practice can…