General
Emefiele Loses Suit to Challenge Court’s Jurisdiction
By Adedapo Adesanya
An Ikeja Special Offences Court on Wednesday dismissed the application filed by the embattled ex-Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear his case.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed a 26-count charge against Mr Emefiele for alleged misuse of office, resulting in losses of $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion.
His co-defendant, Mr Henry Omoile, is standing trial on related offences, including unlawful acceptance of gifts from the former CBN chief.
Justice Rahman Oshodi, in his ruling today, held that the court had jurisdiction to try Mr Emefiele on the charge, citing relevant authorities.
He, therefore, dismissed Emefiele’s application and held that EFCC had established a territorial jurisdiction on counts eight to 26, with various facts in the proof of evidence attached to the case file.
The court, however, struck out counts one to four of the charge which bothered on abuse of office, saying the allocation of foreign exchange without bid, which was the subject of counts one to four was not punishable under the law.
“Allocation of foreign exchange without reason is not defined as an offence in any written law.
“The objection to counts one to four succeeds and is hereby struck out.
“The objection challenging the court’s territorial jurisdiction over count eight to 26 fails, and is hereby dismissed.
“The prosecution has established sufficient territorial nexus in this case,” the judge said.
The judge, thereafter, held that the case should proceed to trial and adjourned until February 24 for continuation of trial.
Mr Emefiele’s Counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), had on December 12 2024, argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case in Lagos.
Mr Ojo contended that the alleged offences, including abuse of office, fell outside the territorial reach of the court.
He said the charge violated Section 36(12) of the Constitution, and asserted that the actions Emefiele was accused of, were not legally recognised offences.
He stated that the Lagos State House of Assembly did not have legislative authority over matters on the Exclusive Legislative List.
Mr Ojo, therefore, said Section 73 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, under which counts one to four were filed, could not apply extra-territorially to any alleged abuse of office by Emefiele.
The learned silk argued that a court’s territorial jurisdiction referred to the geographical area within which its authority could be exercised.
According to him, outside of that territorial jurisdiction, the court can not act.
He urged the court to strike out counts one to four of the 18 amended information filed on April 4, 2024, on the grounds that the offences occurred outside the court’s jurisdiction.
The EFCC Counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), in his counter affidavits, had argued that the court had the authority to hear the case.
Mr Oyedepo argued that the alleged offences were economic and financial in nature, therefore, within the jurisdiction of EFCC.
He also added that the evidence in support of the facts, proved Lagos as the appropriate venue for the trial.
Mr Oyedepo further submitted that the subject matter of the charge fell squarely within the court’s jurisdiction, as the offences were committed within the court’s territorial reach.
He argued that the evidence and witness testimonies pointed to Lagos as the proper location for the trial, adding that the objections raised by Mr Emefiele’s legal team were not substantiated by facts or evidence.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State will declare open the 53rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Congress of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) taking place from July 23–24, 2026, at the Providence Hotel, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.
The event is expected to bring together leaders from advertising, marketing, media, government and the wider creative economy to examine the forces reshaping the industry.
A statement from the group stated that the programme, themed AdVolution: The End of Advertising as We Know It and How to Win What Comes Next, will have the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr Mohammed Idris Malagi; the Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Mr Lekan Fadolapo, and others in attendance.
The conference will feature keynote presentations by the CMO of Fidelity Bank, Mr Meksley Nwagboh, and the chief executive of Big Cabal Media, Tomiwa Aladekomo. They will share insights on the evolving advertising landscape and the opportunities shaping its future.
This year’s congress comes at a time when artificial intelligence, digital platforms, changing consumer behaviour and the creator economy are transforming how brands connect with audiences and deliver value.
The conference will examine some of the industry’s most pressing issues, including the shift from interruption-based advertising to participation-led engagement, the evolution of agencies into technology-driven ecosystems, the rise of the creator economy and the growing need to move beyond traditional commission models towards measurable business impact.
The president of AAAN, Mr Lanre Adisa, described this year’s theme as both timely and necessary.
“This year’s AGM comes at a defining moment for our industry. AdVolution captures the reality we are all facing: a period of big change that is reshaping how we work, create and deliver value. This gathering is an opportunity for industry players to come together, exchange ideas and shape the next chapter of advertising in Nigeria,” he stated.
Activities will commence on July 23 with a members-only Business Session featuring the President’s stewardship address, committee reports and deliberations on the Association’s progress and strategic direction.
The main conference takes place the next day and will conclude with the AAAN Gala and Awards Night, celebrating outstanding contributions to Nigeria’s advertising industry.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The share certificates, seven landed properties, and $2.1 million linked to the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, have been finally forfeited to the federal government.
The final forfeiture was affirmed by a unanimous judgment delivered by a five-member panel of the Supreme Court on Friday, July 17, 2026.
The panel led by Justice Ibrahim Mohammed Saulawa set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal and affirmed the decision of the Federal High Court, Lagos, which had ordered the final forfeiture of the assets on the grounds that they were reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.
Following the final forfeiture order made by the Federal High Court, Mr Emefiele challenged the decision before the Court of Appeal, which reversed the judgment of the trial court.
Dissatisfied with the appellate court’s decision, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) approached the apex court, which has now restored and affirmed the judgment of the Federal High Court.
The forfeited properties include a fully detached duplex of identical structures situated at No. 17B Hakeem Odumosu Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos; an undeveloped parcel of land measuring 1,919.592 square metres, covered by Survey Plan No. DS/LS/340, situated at Oyinkan Abayomi Drive (formerly Queens Drive), Ikoyi, Lagos; and a bungalow situated at No. 65A Oyinkan Abayomi Drive (formerly Queens Drive), Ikoyi, Lagos;
Others are a four-bedroom duplex situated at 12A Probyn Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; an industrial complex under construction on 22 plots of land in Agbor, Delta State; eight units of undetached apartments on a plot measuring 2,457.60 square metres, situated at No. 8A Adekunle Lawal Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; and a full duplex together with all its appurtenances on a plot measuring 2,217.87 square metres, situated at 2A Bank Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Ebonyi State Police Command has insisted on conducting a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death of Miss Mary Habila, a physiotherapist who died at the residence of the Minister of Works, Mr David Umahi, in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The demise of the deceased, which occurred in late June, recently became public and has sparked calls for a probe from many quarters.
Meanwhile, the family of the deceased has approached the court to stop the autopsy, but experts tell Business Post that the family has no authority to file an affidavit, as this is a case of suspected murder against the state and not the family.
Mr Umahi has also called for a probe.
The Ebonyi Police Command said the autopsy was necessary to establish the cause of death and support its ongoing investigation, despite objections from the deceased’s family.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Joshua Ukandu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday, stating that the police had commenced a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ms Habila’s death.
Mr Ukandu said preliminary investigations revealed that the deceased and a colleague were members of the medical team attached to the Minister of Works and had accompanied him to his hometown in Uburu, where she later died in a room within the compound of his residence.
According to him, detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) have visited the scene, documented relevant evidence and obtained statements from persons connected to the incident.
He added that the command had concluded arrangements to engage a qualified pathologist to carry out a post-mortem examination, which it considers crucial to determining the actual cause of death.
Mr Ukandu explained that the police became involved in the matter after receiving a distress call on June 27, 2026, from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ohaozara Division, informing the command of a medical emergency involving Habila and requesting his presence at the David Umahi Federal Teaching Hospital, Uburu.
“On arrival, the DPO was informed by hospital authorities that Miss Mary Habila had been brought in dead.
He immediately briefed the Commissioner of Police, who directed that the matter be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for thorough investigation,” the statement read.
The police spokesperson disclosed that while the family of the deceased had opposed the conduct of an autopsy, the command considered the procedure necessary in view of the circumstances surrounding the death.
“The Command therefore awaits the attendance of the family or their duly appointed representative, as their presence is essential to the conduct of the post-mortem examination,” Mr Ukandu said, assuring the public that the investigation would be conducted professionally, transparently and without bias, stressing that every necessary step would be taken to uncover the circumstances surrounding Habila’s death.
Mr Ukandu further assured that the command would continue to provide updates as the investigation progresses.
Family Seeks to Stop Autopsy
The family of the deceased, who is a staff member of the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences and was seconded to the Federal Ministry of Works, formally requested the withdrawal of further investigation into her death and declined an autopsy.
In an affidavit titled Affidavit of Withdrawal of Case filed before the High Court of Justice of Ebonyi State, her father, Tanko Habila Wisdom, said the family was not alleging any foul play in her death and wished to proceed with her burial.
According to the affidavit, Mary Habila died on June 27, 2026, in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The deponent stated that before her death, Habila was a staff member of the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences and had been seconded to the Federal Ministry of Works in Mabushi, Abuja, where she served in the Office of the Minister of Works for about three years.
