Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, warned counsel appearing before her against engaging in conduct capable of stalling proceedings, threatening to invoke the court’s contempt powers where necessary.

The warning came during proceedings in a matter involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, over properties allegedly linked to him.

At the hearing, counsel to the EFCC, J.S. Okutepa, SAN, informed the court that he had earlier received a call from lead defence counsel, J.B. Daudu, SAN, notifying him of his engagement at the Court of Appeal on time-sensitive matters and indicating that a representative would attend with a letter to that effect.

“My Lord, I came and met the letter which was given to us, showing that he is before the Court of Appeal in two matters involving the PDP. But before then, My Lord, I had written to the learned senior counsel expressing my profound displeasure over the manner we have been treated in this matter,” Okutepa said.

In her response, Justice Abdulmalik emphasised the need for strict compliance with court directives, noting that the interim forfeiture order had been published for fourteen days to enable interested parties to show cause.

“My directive is that this interim forfeiture was placed in a newspaper for fourteen days for parties to show cause. I am going to give a definite date for hearing. Any counsel whose processes are not in will be deemed to have shut himself out,” she said.

The judge further warned against any form of misconduct in court, stating: “If you are not satisfied with my decision, you can approach the appellate court. But at the next adjourned date, this matter will be heard. If your processes are not filed, they will be deemed abandoned. I will not entertain any rascality from any lawyer who decides to be unruly in my court. If need be, I will cite you for contempt, dock you, and jail you.”

Justice Abdulmalik subsequently ordered all parties and interested persons to file and serve their processes on or before April 27, 2026.

“All parties and interested persons must file and serve their processes on or before April 27, 2026. Any defaulting party has shut itself out. Any process served after that date will not be recognised by this court,” she ruled.

She added that responses must be filed within stipulated timelines to ensure readiness for hearing.

The matter was adjourned to May 26, 2026, for the hearing of all pending applications.

Dele Oyewale
Head, Media & Publicity
April 21, 2026

The trial of Ali Bello, nephew of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, was stalled on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, following an adjournment at the request of his new counsel, Ahmed Raji, SAN, to enable him familiarise himself with the facts of the case.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Ali Bello, who is also the Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, alongside Dauda Sulaiman on an amended 16-count charge bordering on misappropriation and money laundering to the tune of ₦10,270,556,800.00 (Ten Billion, Two Hundred and Seventy Million, Five Hundred and Fifty-Six Thousand, Eight Hundred Naira).

At the commencement of proceedings, the new defence counsel informed the court that he was briefed on the matter only the previous day and needed time to study the case file and familiarise himself with the facts. He added that he had informed the prosecution and was seeking an adjournment.

Prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, opposed the oral application on the grounds that the existing defence counsel, A.M. Aliyu, SAN, ought to have formally notified the court in advance about the introduction of new counsel, in accordance with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

“My Lord, I can confirm that he spoke to me this morning, and I told my learned brother that I do not have the power to do anything about that. A.M. Aliyu should have made a formal application, but he is yet to do so. I refer Your Lordship to Sections 46, 47, and 49 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, which outline the procedure to be followed where a defendant intends to engage additional counsel. The counsel stepping aside must inform the court by way of an application with clear dates, and the law stipulates not less than three days before the date fixed for hearing. I urge Your Lordship not to grant the request for adjournment on account of a speculative application that has not yet been filed,” he said.

However, Justice Omotosho granted the request in the interest of fair hearing and adjourned the trial to May 5 and 6, 2026.

The Federal Government has filed a 13-count charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja against a retired Major General, a retired Naval Captain, a serving police inspector, and three others over their alleged involvement in a plot to wage war against Nigeria and commit acts of terrorism.

The defendants—Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (rtd), Captain (NN) Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (rtd), Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani—are scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday, April 22, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Also listed in the charge, but said to be at large, is a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.

The charge, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, accuses the defendants of offences ranging from treason and terrorism to failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.

At the heart of the case is the allegation that the defendants conspired in 2025 to undermine the Nigerian state.

According to the charge, they “conspired with one another to levy war against the state in order to overawe the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” an offence punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.

The prosecution further alleged that the defendants had prior knowledge of a planned treasonable act involving one Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others but failed to alert the authorities.

The charge states that they, “knowing that it was intended to commit treason, did not give the information thereof with all reasonable dispatch to either the President or a peace officer.”

In a related count, the defendants were also accused of failing to take preventive steps, as they allegedly “did not use any reasonable endeavours to prevent the commission of the offence.”

Beyond treason, the Federal Government is prosecuting the defendants for terrorism-related offences under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The charge alleged that they “conspired with one another to commit an act of terrorism in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Specifically, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru are accused of participating in meetings linked to terrorist activities.

Prosecutors claim they acted “in a bid to further a political ideology that may seriously destabilize the constitutional structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The charge also accuses the defendants of providing support for terrorism, alleging that they “knowingly and indirectly rendered support” to facilitate acts of terror.

In addition, the prosecution alleged deliberate suppression of intelligence, stating that the defendants “had information which would have been of material assistance in preventing the commission of the act of terrorism but failed to disclose it to the relevant agency as soon as practicable.”

The case further traces financial transactions allegedly linked to terrorism financing, with multiple defendants accused of handling proceeds of unlawful activities.

Bukar Kashim Goni is alleged to have “indirectly retained the aggregate sum of ₦50,000,000, being part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: terrorism financing,” while Abdulkadir Sani allegedly retained ₦2,000,000 from a similar source.

Zekeri Umoru, according to the charge, “without going through a financial institution, accepted a cash payment of ₦10,000,000,” and also retained an additional ₦8,800,000 suspected to be proceeds of terrorism financing.

Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim was also accused of taking possession of ₦1,000,000 linked to the same alleged scheme.

All financial-related counts were brought under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.