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Cleared but Cast Aside: Army Defies Apex Court, Keeps Acquitted Officer Out
Although the Supreme Court unequivocally dismissed the Nigerian Army’s appeal against the Court of Appeal’s decision that quashed Major Oseni’s conviction and sentence, military authorities have continued to defy the order to reinstate him and settle his outstanding entitlements.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The Nigerian Army has refused to comply with a Supreme Court ruling mandating the reinstatement of Major Akeem Aderogba Oseni, a military officer previously convicted of manslaughter but later cleared by both the Court of Appeal and the apex court.
Despite the Supreme Court’s clear dismissal of the Army’s appeal against the Court of Appeal’s decision overturning Oseni’s conviction, SaharaReporters has learned that the military has yet to reinstate him or settle his accrued entitlements.
According to ”NIVONEWS” a letter signed by Lieutenant Colonel C.W. Okonkwo, on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, previously signaled the Army’s reluctance to comply. Dated shortly after the Court of Appeal ruling, the correspondence asserted that the case remained unresolved at the Supreme Court, and thus the verdict could not yet be enforced.
The letter read:
“I am directed to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 12 July 2023 regarding the above subject written on behalf of your client, Major Akeem Aderogba Oseni (N/12127). You stated that the Court of Appeal overruled the General Court Martial’s conviction and acquitted your client. Consequently, you appealed to the Chief of Army Staff for his reinstatement and payment of all due entitlements.
“It is pertinent to state that the Court of Appeal judgment has been appealed by the Nigerian Army to the Supreme Court. This implies that the status quo on the General Court Martial conviction must be maintained pending the outcome of the appeal, which operates as a stay of execution. Accordingly, your request is discountenanced until the Supreme Court determines the matter.”
However, the legal battle came to a definitive end on February 12, 2025, when the Supreme Court dismissed the Army’s appeal for failure to compile and transmit the record of proceedings. This action affirmed the appellate court’s judgment clearing Oseni.
The certified ruling, delivered by Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji, stated:
“Application filed on 9/10/2023 for an order dismissing this appeal for failure to compile and transmit record of appeal is hereby granted as prayed. The said appeal No. SC/CR/948/2023 is hereby dismissed.”
Despite this conclusive ruling, the Nigerian Army has continued to ignore the order to reinstate Major Oseni—an act viewed as blatant contempt of court and a dangerous affront to the rule of law.
The Court of Appeal had earlier, on October 31, 2023, nullified the 10-year sentence imposed on Oseni by a General Court Martial sitting in Abuja. Led by Justice Biobele Abraham Georgewill, the appellate court found that the prosecution failed to establish a credible case of manslaughter against Oseni.
“From the evidence available to the lower court which was not properly evaluated, Major Aderogba did not intend to cause grievous bodily harm to the deceased as erroneously held by the trial court,” the ruling stated.
The court questioned why Oseni was singularly convicted out of four officers initially charged with the same offence, despite there being no distinctive conduct attributed to him.
His co-accused—Captain Amosu, Major Osawe, and Lieutenant Dogary—had all been discharged and acquitted at different stages of the military judicial process.
The appellate court concluded:
“Having resolved the most crucial issue in favour of the appellant, this appeal has merit and is hereby allowed.
“The judgment of the General Court Martial (GCM) delivered on 7/2/2020, which sentenced the appellant to 10 years’ imprisonment for manslaughter under Section 105(a) of the Armed Forces Act, is hereby set aside. In its place, the appellant is discharged and acquitted.”
Background details reveal that in 2017, Major Oseni and others were instructed by then Chief of Staff of Army Headquarters Garrison, Major General I.N. Obot (rtd), to discipline a detainee—Lance Corporal Benjamin Collins—over an attempted jailbreak.
Records show that Oseni administered only a brief corrective drill and later noticed that Collins appeared to be in medical distress. He arranged for the detainee’s transfer to the Defence Headquarters Medical Centre, where Collins was pronounced dead.
Nonetheless, Oseni was court-martialed and sentenced on February 7, 2020. The Army Council later confirmed the sentence.
Unsatisfied with the proceedings, Oseni sought legal redress through renowned human rights lawyer Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), who successfully secured his exoneration on appeal.
Further compounding the injustice, a Federal High Court in Abuja ruled in 2024 that both the Nigerian Army and First City Monument Bank (FCMB) violated Oseni’s fundamental rights by freezing his bank account without legal basis, despite the absence of any financial element in the manslaughter charge.
In a judgment delivered on October 28, 2024, Justice G.K. Olotu stated:
“The 1st Respondent usurped the power of the Court to order a freezing of the account… They probably thought that they are above the law. But the principle of exemplary damages will now tell them and show them that they are not above the law.”
The court awarded N400 million in damages—N100 million in general damages and N300 million in exemplary damages—jointly against the Nigerian Army and FCMB.
”NIVONEWS REPORTS’
The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has appealed to residents of Abia State and other road users along the Aba–Azumini highway to protect the newly completed road from activities that could damage it.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
FERMA’s South-East 2 Zonal Director, Suleiman Mohammed Omonowo, issued the warning during an inspection of the project, cautioning against the burning of tyres during celebrations, which he said could damage the road surface.
He noted that destructive practices by some youths and community members often contribute to the early failure of road projects across the country.
“Our advice to road users, especially indigenes, is to protect the road from destruction. Let nobody come and destroy it or burn tyres in the name of celebration,” he said.
Omonowo said the Aba–Azumini highway was previously in a very bad condition before FERMA intervened, describing it as a death trap for commuters and residents.
He also expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done on the project, adding that drainage structures such as catch pits would help prevent flooding and extend the lifespan of the road.
According to him, the highway serves as a major link between Aba, several Abia communities, and Cross River State, carrying heavy traffic daily.
He urged local construction firms to improve on quality delivery to compete effectively with foreign contractors.
Meanwhile, the Federal Roads Maintenance Engineer in Abia State, Festus Okafor, said FERMA workers have not faced harassment or violence from residents during operations in the state.
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), Yobe State Command, has declared a 30-year-old inmate wanted after he escaped following a road accident involving a prison transport vehicle.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The incident reportedly occurred on April 13, 2026, while inmates were being conveyed from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Potiskum to Damaturu.
In a statement issued in Damaturu, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSC Abdullahi Adamu, said the vehicle conveying the inmates was involved in a crash during the journey.
He said the accident happened while efforts were ongoing to rescue those affected.
The escaped inmate was identified as Dahiru Mohammed, with prison number J/1539/24, who was admitted into custody on November 29, 2024.
The Correctional Service described him as dangerous and warned members of the public not to have any form of contact with him.
It urged residents to report any useful information that could lead to his re-arrest to the nearest security agency.
Authorities also cautioned that harbouring a fugitive is a criminal offence punishable under the law.
The Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, has ordered the University of Ibadan (UI) to reinstate three students suspended over their participation in a protest against tuition fee hikes.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Nkeonye Maha set aside the decision of the university’s Central Student Disciplinary Committee, ruling that the students were denied fair hearing during the disciplinary process.
The court held that the failure to allow the students call witnesses and present evidence violated their constitutional right to fair hearing, rendering the sanctions against them invalid.
The affected students — Aduwo Ayodele, Mide Gbadegesin, and Nice Linus — were suspended on July 14, 2025, after taking part in a protest against increased school fees approved by the university’s governing council.
Dissatisfied with the suspension, they approached the court, arguing that the disciplinary proceedings breached their fundamental rights and due process.
They asked the court to quash the suspension, reinstate their studentship, and award damages for alleged rights violations.
In her ruling, Justice Maha agreed with their arguments, stating that the university’s actions failed to meet the standards of natural justice.
Following the judgment, rights group CAPPA hailed the decision, urging the university to comply fully, reinstate the students, and issue an apology.
The group said the ruling reinforces constitutional protections for freedom of expression and serves as a warning against the suppression of student protests in tertiary institutions.
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