Welcome to The Jurist Newspaper’s weekly round-up of legal happenings in Nigeria. In this recap, we’ll walk you through the key court events that defined the legal scene.
Let’s delve into the stories that unfolded in the past week.
Kickstarting the week’s legal arena, Nigerian music star Davido faced off against former NFF President Amaju Pinnick in a N2.3 billion breach of contract suit. The dispute over Davido’s alleged no-show at the “Warri Again” event introduced jurisdictional objections.
Also, transitioning to a sober note, an Ondo State High Court sentenced Abayomi Joseph to death for the brutal murder of his neighbor. The backstory unveiled a tragic machete attack fueled by accusations of well water poisoning, concluding with the court dismissing Joseph’s plea of insanity.
In the political scene, the Labour Party (LP) expressed frustration over the delayed receipt of the Certified True Copy (CTC) following the Supreme Court’s October 26 verdict confirming President Bola Tinubu’s victory.
In the Legislative arena, the Nigerian House of Representatives made strides by approving the N27.5 trillion 2024 budget for a second reading. House Leader Julius Ihonvbere’s optimism about increased allocations for national security and basic education provided a positive outlook.
Across borders, a Chinese court commenced a hearing on compensation claims by families of passengers missing from Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in 2014. More than 40 families seek compensation and demand a resumption of the search, bringing attention to this ongoing international legal battle.
Furthermore, the National Industrial Court declared the compulsory retirement of Mrs. Yinka Tunji-Ojo by Odu’a Investment Company Limited as unlawful. The court ordered Odu’a Investment to pay her N83 million in salaries and emoluments, revealing a significant victory in the realm of employment disputes.
Closing the curtains on the week, the Central Bank of Nigeria issued a directive for banks to continue accepting both old and redesigned currency notes, overturning the initial December 31 deadline. This adjustment, in response to a Supreme Court order, maintains the legal tender status of old notes until further notice.