Index to Nigerian Newspapers

A Federal High Court in Lagos has directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Ministry of Petroleum Resources and National Petroleum Investment & Management Respondent Services (NAPIMS) to stop allocating crude oil to Addax Oil Exploration Plc. The suit was filed by the Federal Government and the Attorney-General of the Federation, while Addax Petroleum Development of Nigeria Limited and Addax Petroleum Exploration (Nigeria) Limited are the first and second defendants/respondents respectively. The judge granted the Mareva Injunction, but ordered the government to swear to an affidavit that it would indemnify the defendants in the event that it misled the court to grant the injunction.

Nigeria is witnessing a surge in protests against the high cost of living, reminiscent of the 2011 #OccupyNigeria protest against petrol subsidy removal and the 2020 #EndSARS protest against police brutality. A fresh protest broke out in Suleja, Niger and Kogi State, following the arrest of 25 protesters. The protesters stormed the streets of Minna, the Niger State capital, and carried placards stating that leadership is about improving the life of the masses, no food, we are dying of hunger, and Nigerians are suffering. The Niger State Police Command clamped down on the protesters, including the initiator of the protest, Aisha Jibrin. The protest forced President Bola Tinubu to order a food intervention to check the food shortage in the country. Presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore called for the immediate release of the women allegedly arrested for initiating the recent food price protest in Niger State, stating that the protest was heroic.

The recent Supreme Court decision involving a senior advocate of Nigeria suggests that there is a need for the criminal justice administration to provide remedy for convicts who are vindicated at the apex court, having suffered damages and deprivations of liberty. However, the law is clear that it is dependent upon the discretion of the court of appeal to determine if it will be proper to grant such application. The presumption of innocence is still in favour of the person, but where the person has been convicted, the issue of presumption of innocence no longer exists. Therefore, the convict has a duty to come by way of an application seeking for bail pending the hearing of their appeal. The Supreme Court can also grant such bails. The strength of the party's application is dependent on the strength of their application, but it is not automatic. To go to the Court of Appeal, a notice of appeal must be filed, which can be done the same day the conviction is made or the following day. A good lawyer should be able to foresee possible outcomes of the case and prepare ahead, and can record the judgment and file the notice of appeal as quick as possible, even if it doesn't contain all grounds. There are different dimensions of appeal, such as using one notice of appeal for the purposes of the appeal or filing additional grounds.