• About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Friday, August 1, 2025
  • Login
Vital News
  • Frontpage
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Politics
  • National
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • More
    • Crime
    • Judiciary
    • Security
No Result
View All Result
  • Frontpage
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Politics
  • National
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • More
    • Crime
    • Judiciary
    • Security
No Result
View All Result
Vital News
No Result
View All Result
Home Judiciary

Mambilla : The Crusade For Justice In Nigeria By Elaye Youdeowei

Vital News by Vital News
May 28, 2024
in Judiciary, Opinion
0
Mambilla : The Crusade For Justice In Nigeria By Elaye Youdeowei
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Mambilla : The Crusade For Justice In Nigeria

By Elaye Youdeowei

The Agunloye Mambilla trial is of public interest because it gives an insight to the inner workings of government and a reflection of poor governance. It is laden with melodrama and manoeuvres of which the public needs much information and deeper understanding.

The Federal Government of Nigeria devised a criminalisation strategy to free itself from liabilities at the arbitration panel in France where it pleaded that “all the claims on the Mambilla project by Messrs Sunrise were illegal and fraudulently procured”, including the Sunrise’s Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) contract of 2003, its procurement contract of 2012 and all Agreements signed with FGN in 2012 and 2020 because Ministers and government officials were corrupt and did not obey the sitting Nigerian Presidents.

FGN then proceeded to criminalise all actions of officials on the Mambilla project except those under the Buhari’s APC Government whose actions actually led to the arbitration in France.

RelatedStories

Hafsoh Killer, Abdulrhaman Bello To Die By Hanging, Court Discharges, Acquits 4 Others

LPPC Approves Elevation Of 57 Lawyers To SAN Rank

The President Landed At Gateway Airport, And Floodgates Of Goodwill Were Opened By Kayode Akinmade

EFCC Presents More Witnesses In Ex-Kwara Gov. Ahmed’s Alleged N5.78bln Fraud Trial

FGN has striven hard to make a ‘P&ID’ out of the Mambilla, but this is not sticking because Sunrise showed early preparedness for work by partnering with leading hydroelectric-dam construction companies in China and secured adequate funds; and is still ready to commence work on the Mambilla project.

Also, the then President Obasanjo and his Ministers had official transactions for four years with Sunrise’s partners after the BOT contract was awarded in 2003.

Sunrise’s readiness to execute the Mambilla project is also evident from the involvement of Chinese President Xi who told President Buhari to “formally engage or disengage Sunrise to access the Chinese funds which Sunrise secured for the Mambilla project”.

FGN also attempted to use the ‘P&ID treatment’ on the Mambilla case, but civil rights lawyers rose against the criminalisation processes and procedures.

In respect of the criminalisation strategy, the issues that Agunloye must combat are the criminal charges for “awarding a $6 billion BOT contract without cash backing, disobeying oral directives of the President, forging his own letter and receiving a bribe of N3.6 million 16 years after.”

He will also combat the emergent bias, prejudice, and prejudgment on the part of the trial judge and, in general, a lifetime struggle for justice and his civil rights.

The update at the courts so far is that Agunloye’s suit filed in June 2023 to stop EFCC from harassing him was not heard in time and was finally dismissed after EFCC had indeed harassed and arraigned him before the trial judge, Justice Onwuegbuzie, who later dismissed the amicus curiae intervention sought by Agunloye to enable “friends of the court” to appear before the court.

Agunloye’s rights violation suit that the EFCC declared him wanted without judicial intervention and his libel suit against EFCC have been adjourned until 24 June 2024 and 16 October 2024 respectively.

On 15 May 2024, Justice Onwuegbuzie dismissed the preliminary objection raised by Agunloye in a prejudiced, prejudged ruling and set 30 May 2024 for the commencement of the trial.

The thick bias of the trial judge, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, became exposed in the court on 15 May 2024 during which he appeared easily irritable and impatient.

He scolded the defence lawyers for wasting his time with the motion on Amicus Curiae “to invite members of the public to my court” and then again on “the preliminary objection thing” and now “they are asking for time to enable the defendant to attend UCH (University College Hospital, Ibadan) for medical attention,” adding rather coldly: “He can attend UCH today and the court tomorrow.”

In his ruling of 15 May 2024, the Judge, revealed an uncanny bias by literally declaring Agunloye guilty of the allegations charged even before the commencement of the trial.

This is akin to what Professor Glanville Williams, a world-renowned scholar of criminal law, described with “Let’s give him a fair hearing so that we may hang him” of an extreme bias of a judge that has made up his mind to convict an accused person.

The prejudicial and pre-judgmental finding of guilt against Agunloye, when the trial has not begun or any evidence led, pointedly shows the unlikelihood of fair trial and manifest bias by Justice Onwuegbuzie.

After months of the Mambilla trial in Abuja, the following facts are staring at us in the face:

a.   Chief Obasanjo’s grandstanding is all about covering up his infractions in the power sector during his eight-year tenure as President.

b.   The defence of FGN in the Arbitration in France is “Deny, Criminalise, and Escape.”

c.    The issues that led to the arbitration in France were under the Buhari’s APC Administration and Agunloye is not part of the international arbitration in any form.

d.   Agunloye is being used as scapegoat-sacrifice in the hope that his conviction by a Nigerian court would absolve the FGN of its conduct under Buhari’s APC Administration.

e.   EFCC, without a Fiat from the Attorney General and without compliance with its Establishment Act, arraigned Agunloye before a court angling for a conviction at all costs.

f.   The bias of the trial judge, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, is palpable.

In all of these, Agunloye has consistently insisted that he did not commit any crime, and that Nigeria’s Presidents Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, Jonathan, Buhari, and Tinubu know about his innocence and that FGN is prosecuting him to corroborate its pleas at the arbitration in France.

This is why people are saying that FGN wants to convict Agunloye to free itself from liabilities in the Arbitration even though FGN knows that the issues that led to the international arbitration were caused under Buhari’s APC Government and not by Agunloye.

The Mambilla case is of public interest and a “political case” even though FGN calls it a “criminal case.” Eminent local and foreign civil rights icons and activists became frantic when the bias of Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie was revealed in his own ruling prompting the establishment of a Worldwide Crusade against the re-enactment in Nigeria of what Glanville Williams denounced as “Let’s give him a fair hearing so that we may hang him”.

*Mr. Elaye Youdeowei,
UK Truth and Justice Group*
(vitalnewsngr.com)

Tags: AgunloyeCourtEFCCmambilla
Previous Post

Lagos Remains Committed To Children’s Well-being – Youth Commissioner

Next Post

All Cement Trucks To Run On CNG By 2025 – Dangote

Vital News

Vital News

RelatedStories

Hafsoh Killer, Abdulrhaman Bello To Die By Hanging, Court Discharges, Acquits 4 Others
Judiciary

Hafsoh Killer, Abdulrhaman Bello To Die By Hanging, Court Discharges, Acquits 4 Others

July 31, 2025
LPPC Shortlists 74 Lawyers For SAN Rank, Calls For Public Scrutiny
Judiciary

LPPC Approves Elevation Of 57 Lawyers To SAN Rank

July 25, 2025
Eid -el-Adha : Governor Abiodun Congratulates Muslims,Charges Them On Selflessness, Compassion
Aviation

The President Landed At Gateway Airport, And Floodgates Of Goodwill Were Opened By Kayode Akinmade

July 23, 2025
EFCC Presents More Witnesses In Ex-Kwara Gov. Ahmed’s Alleged N5.78bln Fraud Trial
Judiciary

EFCC Presents More Witnesses In Ex-Kwara Gov. Ahmed’s Alleged N5.78bln Fraud Trial

July 22, 2025
At Whose Instance Are You Here On Earth? by Taiye Olaniyi
Opinion

At Whose Instance Are You Here On Earth? by Taiye Olaniyi

July 21, 2025
Next Post
All Cement Trucks To Run On CNG By 2025 – Dangote

All Cement Trucks To Run On CNG By 2025 - Dangote

Abiodun Restates Resolve To Upscale Infrastructural Transformation Of Ogun

Abiodun Restates Resolve To Upscale Infrastructural Transformation Of Ogun

Emirship Tussle : Kano Government Bans Public Protest, Demonstration

Emirship Tussle : Kano Government Bans Public Protest, Demonstration

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow Us

Recommended

Gov. Bello Presents Staff Of Office To New Ohimege Koton Karfe, Tasks Him On Peace, Security

Gov. Bello Presents Staff Of Office To New Ohimege Koton Karfe, Tasks Him On Peace, Security

2 years ago
Ijebu East Councillors Impeach Suspended Chairman, Wale Adedayo  .

Ijebu East Councillors Impeach Suspended Chairman, Wale Adedayo .

2 years ago
170,000 COVID-19 Deaths Recorded In Eight Weeks – WHO

170,000 COVID-19 Deaths Recorded In Eight Weeks – WHO

3 years ago
FG Confirms Arrival Of 130 Nigerians From Sudan

FG Confirms Arrival Of 130 Nigerians From Sudan

2 years ago

Instagram

    Please install/update and activate JNews Instagram plugin.

Categories

  • Agriculture/ Water/ Mineral
  • Aviation
  • Business
  • Crime
  • Culture
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • Environment
  • Football
  • Foreign
  • Gender
  • Health
  • Judiciary
  • Labour
  • National
  • News
  • Oil & Gas
  • Opinion
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Power
  • Religion
  • Security
  • Sports
  • Transport
  • Uncategorized

Topics

Abiodun Abuja APC arrest Atiku Bandits Bello Benue Buhari CBN cement Court Dangote death dies drugs Economy EFCC Election elections FG gunmen Hajj INEC Kano kidnap Kill Kogi Kwara Lagos NDLEA Niger Nigeria Ododo Ogun Oyo PDP Police Power refinery rescue road Security students Tinubu
No Result
View All Result

Highlights

Hafsoh Killer, Abdulrhaman Bello To Die By Hanging, Court Discharges, Acquits 4 Others

FG Seeks Partnership With Dangote Cement To Bridge Housing Gap

Canada Announces Plan To Recognise Palestinian State By September

Governor Alia Dissolves Benue Executive Council, Appoints New Chief of Staff

Dangote Cement Set To Commission 3Mta Grinding Plant In Côte d’Ivoire

Abdulrahim Thanks Governor Ododo Over Appointment as Governing Council Chairman Of Kogi College Of Nursing

Trending

NUC Team Pays Revalidation Visit To FUOYE, Lauds Visible Transformation Of Distance Learning Institute
Education

NUC Team Pays Revalidation Visit To FUOYE, Lauds Visible Transformation Of Distance Learning Institute

by Vital News
August 1, 2025
0

A delegation from the National Universities Commission (NUC) has paid a revalidation visit to the Distance Learning...

Work Ongoing To Re-Erect Three Towers Along Kainji-Birnin Kebbi Transmission Line – TCN

FG Awards Contracts Worth N68.7bln For Power Projects In Universities, Teaching Hospitals

July 31, 2025
Ododo Applauds President  Tinubu, Minister Of Works Over Ongoing Reconstruction, Expansion Of Abuja–Lokoja Highway

Ododo Applauds President Tinubu, Minister Of Works Over Ongoing Reconstruction, Expansion Of Abuja–Lokoja Highway

July 31, 2025
Hafsoh Killer, Abdulrhaman Bello To Die By Hanging, Court Discharges, Acquits 4 Others

Hafsoh Killer, Abdulrhaman Bello To Die By Hanging, Court Discharges, Acquits 4 Others

July 31, 2025
FG Seeks Partnership With Dangote Cement To Bridge Housing Gap

FG Seeks Partnership With Dangote Cement To Bridge Housing Gap

July 31, 2025
ADVERTISEMENT
Vital News

Vital News is an online newspaper with a mission to uphold professional journalism by reporting and publishing only facts and figures-based news reports across Nigeria and beyond.

Recent News

  • NUC Team Pays Revalidation Visit To FUOYE, Lauds Visible Transformation Of Distance Learning Institute August 1, 2025
  • FG Awards Contracts Worth N68.7bln For Power Projects In Universities, Teaching Hospitals July 31, 2025
  • Ododo Applauds President Tinubu, Minister Of Works Over Ongoing Reconstruction, Expansion Of Abuja–Lokoja Highway July 31, 2025

Categories

  • Agriculture/ Water/ Mineral
  • Aviation
  • Business
  • Crime
  • Culture
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • Environment
  • Football
  • Foreign
  • Gender
  • Health
  • Judiciary
  • Labour
  • National
  • News
  • Oil & Gas
  • Opinion
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Power
  • Religion
  • Security
  • Sports
  • Transport
  • Uncategorized

© 2022 Vital News - . All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Frontpage
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Politics
  • National
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • More
    • Crime
    • Judiciary
    • Security

© 2022 Vital News - Vital News by Vital News.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In