Understanding Police Suspicion vs. Legal Burden MANY Nigerians misunderstand the difference between suspicion and proof. The police are empowered to act on reasonable suspicion. The courts are empowered to act on proof beyond reasonable doubt. The citizen’s mistake begins when they assume the police are applying the court standard at the point of arrest. In […]
The Weapon Called “Statement” The Statement Myth Nigerians Keep Falling For ACROSS Nigeria, few phrases have done more quiet legal damage than: “Just write your statement.” It is delivered casually, often by investigators who sound reassuring, almost conversational. Yet beneath the calm tone is a machinery of criminal procedure that treats written words not as […]
Birth of Privilege, Burden of Legacy BORN in Lagos in 1927, Abimbola da Rocha Afodu Omololu-Mulele entered a world of affluence but also expectation. Her lineage was not merely prestigious—it was historically catalytic. As the granddaughter of Candido João da Rocha, a colossus of Lagos commerce and philanthropy, Abimbola inherited more than a famous surname. […]
Airstrike Fallout Revives Custody Safety Debate A fresh legal alarm has been raised over the detention location of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), after a Christmas Day U.S. airstrike hit terrorist targets in Sokoto State. His counsel, Barr. Aloy Ejimakor, publicly called for his immediate relocation, arguing that the […]
The Evidence Question: Why Nigeria’s Legal System Trusts Text More Than Voice Notes A Shift in Digital Habits, A Blind Spot in Legal Literacy ACROSS Nigeria’s digital landscape, communication patterns are evolving rapidly. WhatsApp voice notes, Telegram audio messages, and other speech-based chat formats have replaced typing for millions. The shift has been driven by […]
Power, Process, and Custody: Why the Police Cannot Jail You The Authority Question NIGERIA’S detention system operates through a defined chain of authority, but public perception often collapses this structure into a single, frightening word: prison. This misperception, lawyers argue, feeds distrust and misunderstanding of the justice process. Under Nigerian law, policing and corrections are […]
The Hidden Risks of Police Invitations in Nigeria Perception vs. Reality ACROSS Nigeria, the term “police invitation” is commonly misinterpreted. Many citizens believe it is a harmless procedure, but in reality, it is part of a formal investigation. Invitations are issued to gather evidence, clarify statements, or identify suspects—not merely to exchange pleasantries. Recorded Words, […]
Digital Evidence Under Threat The Mirage of Vanishing Conversations IN an era where most agreements, disputes, business negotiations, and personal commitments unfold in chat windows, a new digital behaviour has emerged as a threat to accountability: the insistence on disappearing messages. While the feature was designed for privacy and storage management, its misuse has created […]
Judicial Clarity as Appeal Court Rules on Warri South Ownership THE Court of Appeal has once again settled the question of ownership and territorial authority in Warri South Local Government Area, reaffirming the Itsekiri people as the lawful custodians of the territory. The ruling, delivered on Tuesday in Appeal No. CA/AS/154/2024, dismissed an appeal brought […]
By MELVIN KOFFA Nigerian Bar Association Warns of Economic Risks from Controversial Tax Laws NBA Flags Governance ConcernsIN a strongly worded statement, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called for the immediate suspension of Nigeria’s newly enacted Tax Reform Acts, citing concerns over the legitimacy of the legislative process. President Mazi Afam […]