Author: Lawbreed Limited

WhatsApp has announced an editing feature to allow users to alter messages up to 15 minutes after they have been sent. The Meta-owned messaging service has started rolling out the editing function globally and it should become available to all users in the coming weeks, the platform said in a blogpost. Messages that have been edited will have an “edited” notification displayed alongside them, although the edit history will not be shown so you cannot view what the post said before it was altered. The feature can be activated by pressing down on a message and selecting “edit” from the…

By Olumide Babalola In 2021, when it seemed the Federal Government (FG) was not serious about enacting a principal data protection law in Nigeria, I approached the Community Court of Justice (ECOWAS Court) to compel the FG to honour its obligation under the Supplementary Act on Personal Data Protection Within the ECOWAS. That suit (ECW/CCJ/JUD/02/23) predominantly sought an order compelling Nigeria to enact a comprehensive data protection law to address many areas not currently covered by the existing laws. The FG responded by asserting their compliance with their obligations having enacted the following extant legislation bordering on data protection: 1999…

The Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, sitting in Abuja, on Monday, rejected request to allow its day-to-day proceedings on petitions seeking to nullify the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, to be televised. The Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five member panel dismissed as lacking in merit, the application which was brought before it by the two major candidates that are challenging the outcome of the presidential election that held on February 25. The court held that no regulatory framework or policy direction, permitted it to grant such application. It held that allowing cameras in the court room is a major judicial…

The National Population Commission (NPC) says it has spent about N200 billion for the preparation of the 2023 population and housing census. Speaking at a breakfast meeting on Thursday, Nasir Kwarra, executive chairman of the commission, said the money spent was part of the N800 billion expected from the federal government as the total budget for the conduct of the population census. Kwarra said the money included the cost of more than five years of preparing for the exercise. He said the cost of conducting a digital census was high as the commission would be procuring equipment and data needed…

The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has ordered the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) to reinstate nine cadets of 67 Regular Course ‘unlawfully’ dismissed by the NDA after their Presidential commissioning on October 5, 2019, and award them their degrees. This Court ordered the Military Institution to pay the accrued entitlements of the affected officers from the date of the dismissal. While delivering a 50-page judgment on Thursday, the Presiding Judge, Justice Muhammad Umar described the academy’s action to withdraw the cadets after their graduation as “unconstitutional, unlawful and amounts to conviction to trial”. “The plaintiffs are entitled to be…

A Sabo-Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court, in Lagos, yesterday, granted an application for an extension of remand of embattled afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti, for additional four days. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Adeola Olatubosun, extended Kuti’s remand until May 22. According to him, the extension is to allow for further investigation into the case. Mr. Kuti was charged with assaulting a police officer, when he allegedly slapped an Inspector of Police, after driving dangerously on the Third Mainland Bridge, in Lagos State, and deliberately blocking a moving police vehicle, on May 13, 2023. He was earlier arraigned, on Tuesday, May 16, during…

Mild drama played out on Tuesday at the ongoing trial of the suspended DCP Abba Kyari and others when journalists and lawyers were restricted from gaining access to the venue. The trial is before Justice Emeka Nwite of Court 10 of the Federal High Court in Abuja. The presiding judge reportedly gave the order following an application to the effect by the counsel for National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Mr Sunday Joseph. Joseph, who is a director of the Legal and Prosecution Department of the NDLEA, it was learnt applied for the protection of the identity of a witness…

A Yaba Magistrate Court on Tuesday gave the police 48 hours ultimatum to conclude its investigations into the case of embattled Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti after which the court will grant him bail. The Police had initially requested for a 21 day remand of the defendant pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions(DPP). The prosecution team of the police was led by S. A Adebese and Morufu Animashaun. However, the trial Magistrate, Adeola Olatunbosun refused the police application. Rather, she granted 48 hours for the Afrobeat musician to remain in custody for the police to conclude its investigations…

An Ondo State Magistrate’s Court has jailed the traditional ruler of Ode community in the Akure North Local Government Area of the state, Oba Adewale  Boboye, for unlawfully demolishing some property, palm trees and food crops. The destroyed property belonged to The Apostolic Church along Ado Ekiti Road, Igoba, Akure. He was arraigned on six counts bordering on felony, to wit malicious damage. The prosecutor, Sergeant Ajiboye Babatunde, told the court that the convict and others at large at the Pastorate and Laity of The Apostolic Church, Nigeria, conspired to commit felony, to wit: malicious damage. He also informed the…

A Federal High Court in Abuja has stopped the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) from further imposing fines on broadcast stations in Nigeria. The court on Wednesday gave an order of perpetual injunction restraining NBC from imposing fines, henceforth, on broadcast stations in the country. In his judgement, Justice James Omotosho voided the N500,000 fine imposed individually on 45 broadcast stations on March 1, 2019. The judge said NBC is not a court of law, and therefore, lacks the power to impose sanctions as punishment on broadcast stations. He described the NBC Code, which gives the commission the power to impose…