Author: TheScrutinyNG

By Dr. Monday O. Ubani, SAN Introduction Recent discussions in the public space, following the reference by the adopted son of our respected brother, Obi Cubana, to himself as “next of kin,” have generated widespread debate and misunderstanding. It has become necessary to clarify the true meaning, legal position, and implications of the term “next of kin” under Nigerian law. While an adopted child enjoys full rights equivalent to a biological child within a family, the term “next of kin” carries a far more limited and technical meaning. This write-up seeks to enlighten the public accordingly. 1. Meaning of “Next…

By Olawale Olaleye Some weeks ago, an older friend and brother asked if I had any link to our famed Juju maestro, King Sunny Ade (KSA)? A prominent Nigerian from Osun State was planning his 90th and wanted KSA as the main act. KSA and the old man had known each other over the years and had always related until lately when KSA became unreachable. So, efforts were being made to see who else could reach him, hence my brother-friend approached me. Unfortunately, I didn’t have his contact information at the time, but I jokingly told him, “There’s no one…

By Kassim Afegbua Governor Monday Okpebholo comes across as an uncommon personality doing uncommon things with less talk, but more reach. Those who wrote very unpalatable news about him, derided him with benign remarks, have since swallowed their vomits, and have now become Chief promoters of this easy going Governor that has his eyes set on his objectives. They insulted his intellect, lampoon his calm demeanor, misunderstood his candour, underestimated his acceptability and political reach, and at the end of the day, the Governor defeated his opponents handsomely. In fact, some of them have since become Okpebholo’s unsolicited publicists. They…

By Dr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani, SAN I have read with respectful interest the recent piece authored by brilliant mind,  Dr. Ope Banwo, titled “The NBA and the N300 Million ‘Donation’ Mess  –  Is it Legit Fundraising or Proof of a Compromised Lawyers’ Body?” While I appreciate Dr. Banwo’s concern for ethical purity in public institutions and Associations like NBA,  his attempt to caricature the Nigerian Bar Association’s acceptance of a financial donation from the Rivers State Government of His Excellency Fubara as a moral collapse or institutional compromise is, at best, overly idealistic and, at worst, dangerously disconnected from the…

By Dr. Monday O. Ubani (SAN) In recent times, a disturbing and dangerous trend has emerged within the Nigerian legal and political landscape. It is the deliberate misinterpretation and misrepresentation of final court judgements, particularly those of the Supreme Court, by parties to suits. Rather than submitting to the authority and finality of these decisions, parties now cherry-pick aspects of the judgements that suit their personal or political interests, often spinning misleading narratives that cause confusion, tension, and disorder within the polity. This trend has played out brazenly in several recent cases, the most notable being: 1. The case of…

A group, Bayelsa APC Stakeholders’ Forum (BASF), has written an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the aftermath of the faceoff between Governor Douye Diri and the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike. In the letter signed by Chief Samuel Yousuo and Elder Ebigoni Gabriel, the chairman and secretary of the forum respectively, and made available to newsmen, the group alleged that the faceoff between Diri and Wike stemmed from alleged promise of northern leaders to Diri to be a vice presidential candidate to either the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, or Bala Mohammed, the governor of Bauchi…

By Olawale Olaleye  From the very first day she resisted a re-allocation of her seat in the senate and how the male-dominated chamber pushed back with evident lack of emotional intelligence and maturity, it became obvious that, beyond Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Nigeria might have entrusted her life to the most impossible Senate in her political sojourn.  Women and drama are 5 and 6, and it’s been so since the creation of man. An intervention of sensible men at that point in time, perhaps, dissolving into an executive session, and trashing it all out at once, could have quelled the now…

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has urged battalion commanders to demonstrate exemplary leadership in their respective commands to enable troops to tackle emerging threats to national security effectively. Oluyede made this call while addressing battalion commanders participating in the just-concluded First Commanding Officers’ Workshop 2025, held at the Headquarters of 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan. This was contained in a statement issued by the Director of Army Public Relations, Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, on Friday in Abuja. Oluyede described battalion commanders as a crucial link between the operational and tactical levels of command. READ ALSO: Women’s Group Protests…

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, dismissed the bail applications filed by four suspects linked to notorious bandit kingpin, Bello Turji. Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling, held that the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), who is the prosecution of the charge, had made a compelling case against the defendants that releasing them would be a great threat to the nation’s national security. Justice Nwite agreed with the arguments of counsel to the AGF, David Kaswe, that though granting bail is at the discretion of the court, this decision must be exercised judicially and judiciously. READ ALSO: Obasanjo…

The Transmission Company of Nigeria says four of its towers along the Owerri-Ahoada 132 Kilo Volt (kV ) Double Circuit line have been vandalised resulting in their collapse. Mrs Ndidi Mbah, TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja. Mbah said that the affected towers, T171 to T174, were compromised, which led to their collapse at approximately 6:23 pm on Tuesday. According to her, the towers were discovered after a failed trial reclosure that prompted a subsequent patrol. A “reclosure” refers to the automatic re-energisation of a power line after a fault has been…