Why You Can Be Arrested Without Committing a Crime in Nigeria IN Nigeria, and indeed in many legal systems worldwide, arrest does not equate to guilt. The law allows law enforcement agencies to detain individuals based on reasonable suspicion, rather than conclusive evidence. This distinction—critical to understanding criminal procedure—is often misunderstood by the public, with […]
Rethinking Bride Price and Marital Dissolution ACROSS many Nigerian communities, a long-standing belief persists: that a customary marriage cannot be dissolved unless the husband physically collects the bride price he previously paid. For some women seeking to exit broken unions, this belief has become a source of fear and prolonged uncertainty. However, legal practitioners and […]
From Odojele Village to London’s Halls of Learning BORN on 13 May 1911, in Odojele Village in Onitsha, present-day Anambra State, Sir Louis Nwachukwu Mbanefo emerged from modest beginnings to become one of the most consequential legal minds of his generation. The son of Odu Mbanefo, a traditional chief, he grew up at a time […]
Magistrates Resume Suspended Industrial Action MAGISTRATES in Cross River State, under the aegis of the Magistrates Association of Nigeria (MAN), on Monday resumed their previously suspended industrial action over the state government’s failure to address outstanding welfare and work-related demands. The association said the decision followed the expiration of the deadline it gave the government […]
By TINA TOLUTOPE THE leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has formally approached the Court of Appeal to challenge his conviction and life sentence for terrorism-related offences handed down by the Federal High Court in Abuja. Kanu, who is currently serving his sentence at the National Correctional Centre in Sokoto, […]
Why the Distinction Matters in Law THE concepts of human rights and fundamental rights are central to modern legal systems, yet they are frequently misunderstood or conflated. While both aim to protect human dignity and freedom, constitutional development has drawn a clear legal distinction between the two. This distinction affects how rights are recognised, who […]
Digital Breakups and an Emerging Legal Risk IN the age of social media, romantic relationships increasingly leave behind a permanent digital footprint. Photographs once shared affectionately on Instagram, Facebook, or WhatsApp often remain long after relationships dissolve. What many users fail to realise, however, is that these lingering images can expose them to significant legal […]
Maintaining the Status Quo in Pending Cases IN Nigerian courts, the Latin legal maxim Lites Pendente Nihil Innovetur, meaning “During the pendency of a suit, nothing should be changed,” remains a cornerstone of procedural law. Grounded in the doctrine of lis pendens, this principle dictates that once a legal dispute is filed before a competent […]
By STELLA JUSTICE NNENNAYA THE LEGAL MEANING OF STATE OF ORIGIN IN MARRIAGE Clarifying a Common Misconception ACROSS Nigeria, confusion persists over whether a woman’s state of origin changes after marriage. In official forms, employment processes, political appointments, and public service documentation, married women are often pressured to claim their husband’s state as theirs. However, under […]
Background: A One-Week Shutdown and a Legal Debate THE decision by Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Charles Soludo, to shut down the Onitsha Main Market for one week has reignited a long-running national debate over the limits of executive power in Nigeria’s federal system. The closure followed continued observance of Monday sit-at-home actions by traders, a […]