By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The judge presiding over the fundamental human rights enforcement suit filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has recused himself from the proceedings. The withdrawal is due to the judge’s scheduled leave, leading to the case file being returned to the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court for reassignment to another judicial officer.

The suit, brought before the FCT High Court, alleges violations of El-Rufai’s fundamental rights. Among the grievances cited are an alleged unlawful invasion of his residence in Abuja by operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The case also involves other agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS), in connection with ongoing legal matters concerning the former governor.

The recusal was confirmed to be by Justice Hussaini Belgore. Consequently, proceedings in the fundamental rights case have been indefinitely paused pending the reassignment of the matter by the Chief Judge.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

A fresh twist emerged in the trial of former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, on Friday, as a Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that his earlier bail no longer stands following the reassignment of his case.

The court held that since the matter had commenced afresh before it, all previous proceedings — including the bail granted by Justice Emeka Nwite — were deemed terminated, thereby requiring a fresh bail application.

The EFCC had filed a 16-count charge against the former AGF, over alleged money laundering and unlawful acquisition of assets running into over N8.7 billion.

At the resumed hearing, the prosecution, led by J.S. Okutepa, announced appearance and applied that the pleas of the defendants be taken on the amended 16-count charge.

Malami, his son, Abdulaziz, and his wife, Asabe, each pleaded not guilty to the amended charges.

Following the plea, the prosecution urged the court to fix a date for trial.

The defence, led by J.B. Daudu (SAN), however, asked the court to sustain the earlier bail conditions granted by Justice Nwite, arguing that the Federal High Court is one court and that the defendants had already been admitted to bail.

Responding, the prosecution acknowledged that bail had previously been granted but argued that the new court retained the discretion to either adopt the earlier conditions or impose fresh ones.

He added that while he would not press the issue further, the court should impose conditions capable of ensuring the defendants’ attendance at trial.

Recall that the earlier bail conditions included N500m bail each, with one surety each who must own property in Maitama or Asokoro. The defendants were also required to deposit two international passports each with the court, while the residences of the sureties were to be verified by the Assistant Chief Registrar.

In her ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, held that where a case begins afresh due to reassignment, earlier proceedings are extinguished in law.

The defence conceded that there was no formal bail application before the court but sought to make an oral application.

The court declined, directing the defence to file a formal bail application and serve it on the prosecution, after which a short adjourned date would be given for hearing.

The defence further informed the court that fixing a trial date could pose difficulties because the first and second defendants were currently in the custody of the Department of State Services and were unreachable.

The court responded that it could not speculate on the position of any party and that the prosecution had a duty to ensure the defendants’ availability.

The prosecution, however, maintained that the defendants were not in its custody and that it could not compel the DSS to produce them.

Justice Abdulmalik subsequently adjourned the matter till March 6 for the hearing of the bail application and commencement of the trial.

She ordered that Malami and his son be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, while his wife be remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre.

By Abdulgafar Oladimeji

The immediate past governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has called on public and private sector business operators past governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has called on public and private sector business operators to embark on massive investments in grassroots sports development programmes as a tool to empower Nigerian youths and diversify the economy.

The former governor, who is the grand patron of Ganduje Babes FC, said that the development of young athletes, provision of adequate and quality sports infrastructure, alongside major sponsorships of grassroots sports events, are among the foremost approaches through which Nigeria’s human and capital development agenda can be further achieved.

Speaking when he received the players and officials of the Nationwide League One (NLO) side, Gandujiyya Babes, who paid him a courtesy visit, Ganduje thanked the management of the club for their persistence and consistency in running the affairs of the club since its inception a decade ago.

He decried the austerity pattern that had recently trailed the disbursement of support funds to amateur football clubs in Kano, reassuring NLO clubs in the state that with the latest political realignments, they would now witness a new regime in terms of monetary and moral support to clubs affiliated with the NLO Kano Forum.

He lamented that since he left office as the executive governor of the state, the forum was deprived of the annual support funds and intervention funding that had in the past been disbursed to the clubs to ensure they carried on with their activities without disruptions to their calendar.

Ganduje admitted that he is aware of the constraints presently confronting NLO clubs domiciled in the state, stating that with the new political alliance that has brought him and the incumbent Kano State governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, together, he pledged to intervene to make sure the situation is reversed. This, he said, is to help breathe life back into the activities of NLO football clubs operating in the state.

He then appealed to operators in the public and private sectors of the economy to invest more in grassroots sports promotion and development programmes.

He pointed out that the global sports sector is the fastest-growing economy, saying that in Kano and Nigeria at large, the grassroots sports sector deserves massive commercial and social investments in tandem with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He said that under his tenure as the executive governor of the state, huge resources were invested in the sector with the motive of helping Kano youths pursue and realize their sports aspirations. He stated that hope is not lost, since he harbors confidence in the reliable commitment and vigor of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to pursue any project that will impact the lives of Kano youths, assuring that better days await grassroots sports activities in the state.

The chairman of Ganduje Babes FC, Ibrahim Usman Arzai, applauded the former governor for his support to the club since its creation 10 years ago, adding that Ganduje’s close confidant, Comrade Mohammed Garba, had always provided solid grounds for the club to survive tough times by rendering financial support.

He said the club was created to help recruit youths from all the 44 local governments of the state with the motive of empowering them, disclosing that plans are underway for the club to embark on an awareness tour of the 44 local governments to sensitize the youths on the new sports agenda of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

He disclosed that hundreds of Kano youths have benefited from the development initiative programmes implemented under the aegis of Gandujiyya Babes FC.

He then presented the newly recruited head coach of the club, Muhammad Inuwa Baba, to the grand patron.