The Nigeria police have accused PREMIUM TIMES’ reporter, Samuel Ogundipe, of ‘criminal trespass, theft in dwelling house” and other offences. This is contained in the charge sheet filed at the Kubwa magistrate court by the police against Mr Ogundipe. The document obtained on Thursday by this newspaper shows Mr Ogundipe…

The Nigeria Police on Thursday publicly admitted they were detaining PREMIUM TIMES' journalist, Samuel Ogundipe over documents he used for a published story. The police did not say the story or documents use for it was false, but said they were determined to know how Mr Ogundipe had access to…

Jones Abiri, the Nigerian journalist detained for over two years has been released. The journalist was released on Wednesday evening after he met his bail conditions, his lawyer told PREMIUM TIMES. Mr Abiri was detained by the State Security Service for two years without trial over allegations he was linked to armed militancy in…

The Nigerian police secretly commenced the trial of PREMIUM TIMES journalist, Samuel Ogundipe, on Wednesday, while denying him access to his lawyers. The police arraigned Mr Ogundipe at a Magistrate Court in Kubwa on Wednesday afternoon. He was charged with criminal trespass and theft of police document. Earlier on Wednesday,…

International rights group, Amnesty International, has demanded the immediate release of PREMIUM TIMES reporter, Samuel Ogundipe, who was detained by police on Tuesday. Mr Ogundipe was arrested and held by the police anti-robbery squad for refusing to disclose the source of a story published on PREMIUM TIMES. The story contained a report…

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has called for the immediate and unconditional release of PREMIUM TIMES reporter, Samuel Ogundipe, who was detained on Tuesday by the Nigerian Police over a report. The police, through the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), arrested and detained Mr Ogundipe asking him to disclose his source for a story. Apart from…

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Monday suspended the bench warrant issued for the arrest of chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu. A Federal High Court judge in Abuja, Stephen Pam, had given the order on August 8, after Mr Yakubu failed to appear in…

Part of the problems that resulted in the introduction of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) was the protracted nature of many cases in court. Following the core objective of the ACJA, therefore, section 306 of the Act was introduced to curtail the rate at which interlocutory applications led…

A Federal Capital Territory High Court has ordered the suspension of investigation into the alleged involvement of Senate President Bukola Saraki in the Offa Bank robbery, pending further hearing on the matter. Over 30 people were killed in the robbery of banks in Offa, Kwara State, earlier in the year.…

Before the introduction of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), Nigeria’s formal compliance to human rights issues was low. The interests of accused persons not yet convicted was also poorly regarded while the previous laws had significant provisions that discriminated against the rights of women, among other defects in…

A magistrate court in Abuja has varied bail conditions for the release of Jones Abiri, a journalist detained without trial for over two years by Nigeria’s security operatives. Mr Abiri was arrested by operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) in July, 2016 and kept incommunicado without a valid case…

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has reacted to Tuesday's siege on the residences of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu. In a statement, the association described the action of the security operatives as ''a siege against Nigeria's democracy''. The statement signed by the media assistant…

More reactions have continued to trail Tuesday’s siege on the residences of Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, by security operatives in Abuja. The security officers who were seen in multiple vehicles blocked the access routes to the residences of the Senate leaders in the early hours…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has invited Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, for questioning. A July 24 letter to Mr Ekweremadu said he was under investigation for alleged conspiracy, abuse of office and money laundering. Mr Ekweremadu had been under investigation by the EFCC for allegedly owning questionable properties…

The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal on Thursday reserved judgement in a suit seeking to clarify the powers of the National Assembly to alter the sequence of the 2019 general elections in Nigeria. A five-member panel of the court presided by the Appeal Court President, Zainab Bulkachuwa, adjourned…

Three months after the commencement of investigation into the request by Attorney-General Abubakar Malami for the payment of $17 million to two lawyers for their roles in the recovery of $321 million Abacha loot, the House of Representatives is yet to conclude investigation. Reacting to controversial reports trailing Mr Malami's…

The federal government has given reasons why it believes the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, should not be granted bail. The attorney general, Abubakar Malami, said Mr Dasuki's personal right can be violated for the larger public good. He accused Mr Dasuki of being responsible for more than 100,…

A former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Aloysious Katsina-Alu, is dead. He was 76 years old. Information provided to PREMIUM TIMES by multiple sources on Wednesday morning said Mr Katsina-Alu died after a brief illness in a hospital in Abuja. Awassam Bassey, the special assistant on media to the current CJN,…

Hundreds of Shiites on Monday rallied in Abuja to demand the release of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky. The protest started at the Wuse Ultramodern Market in Abuja. The Shiite leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, has remained in detention since he was arrested in December 2015, following a clampdown on his members by…

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, has restated his earlier directive for lawyers and judges to ensure the use of electronic emailing system for transfer of information from July 16. Mr Onnoghen made the call during the launch of the Retrofitted Court and Legal Email System which took place…

Supporters of some of the major political parties were seen inducing voters with money to vote their candidates in the ongoing governorship election in Ekiti State. In some of the polling units, some of the voters received various sums of money ranging from N3,000 to N5,000. A similar situation had…

There have been at least two cases of ballot box snatching witnessed by PREMIUM TIMES observers in the Ekiti State election. One of the cases was successful with no suspect arrested, while in the other case, security operatives stopped the thugs from snatching the box. Yet to be identified persons…

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Kayode Fayemi, arrived his polling unit in his hometown in Isan-Ekiti, some minutes to 11 a.m. Mr Fayemi, who was led through a dense crowd to the polling unit, cast his votes and had a brief discussion with journalists. He said it was…

The Presidency has announced its plan to publicise a list of 200 individuals alleged to have corruptly enriched themselves with public properties. The Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution Okoi Obono-Obla made this known during the launch a software application for the tracking of illicit properties by a Civil…

The Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee has ratified the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) on 31 lawyers, including the Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University, Olarenwaju Fagbohun. Addressing journalists on Tuesday, Secretary of the LPPC, Hadiza Mustapha, said it is also conferring the title on Mohammed…