The two defendants were scheduled to be arraigned alongside another accused person, Cecil Osakwe, on a nine-count charge marked FCT/HC/CR/222/2023, filed by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

They are accused of criminal conspiracy involving the alleged forceful eviction of occupants and damage to property valued at about N300 million.

When the matter was called on Friday, the prosecution counsel, Aderonke Imana, told the court that although the charge was filed in January 2023, arraignment had repeatedly stalled due to what she described as a consistent pattern of absence by the defendants.

She argued that neither the first nor second defendant had consistently appeared in court or informed the prosecution of their absence, insisting that a bench warrant was necessary to compel attendance.

However, counsel to Victor Giwa, Ogbu Aboje, opposed the application, informing the court that his client was absent due to illness and had submitted medical documentation to support his condition. He also urged the court to hear a pending application before proceeding further.

He asked the court to excuse Giwa’s absence, citing health challenges as the reason for his non-attendance.

In response, the prosecution maintained that arraignment is the proper starting point of any criminal trial, adding that any proceedings before it would be invalid.

The prosecution therefore urged the court to issue a bench warrant to ensure the defendants appear for arraignment.

The third defendant, Cecil Osakwe, was present in court with his lawyer, Farouk Akanbi.

Delivering her ruling, Justice Samira Bature granted the prosecution’s request and ordered the arrest of Victor Giwa, stating that the explanations and medical documents presented amounted to deliberate delay tactics.

The judge noted that the case had suffered repeated delays since it was first filed in 2023 and commenced before her court in July 2024, lamenting that arraignment had still not taken place nearly two years later.

Justice Bature stressed that courts are not venues for delay tactics, adding that the defendants had shown disregard for the judicial process by failing to appear for arraignment.

She further ruled that all pending applications could only be considered after proper arraignment, stating that the court’s jurisdiction in criminal matters becomes fully activated only after that stage.

According to a statement by his media aide, Nnadi Atupulazi, Mohammed is currently on a speaking tour in the United Kingdom, where he is engaging audiences on leadership, governance, and public communication.

The sessions are based on his new book, Headlines and Soundbites: Media Moments That Defined an Administration, which documents his time as Nigeria’s government spokesman from 2015 to 2023.

Mohammed stressed that communication plays a central role in governance, describing it not as a supporting tool but as a core element of political leadership and administration.

He stated that his experience strengthened his conviction that effective communication is essential to both politics and governance.

He also highlighted how strategic messaging helped unify the then-opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), enabling it to challenge and eventually defeat the ruling party in the 2015 general elections.

As part of his engagements, the former minister delivered lectures at the Leadership Speaker Series of the Cambridge International Education Conference at St John’s College, Cambridge, as well as at the London School of Economics.

Speaking at Abbey College, Cambridge, Mohammed traced the evolution of Nigeria’s opposition politics, recalling the aftermath of the 2003 general elections, which he described as a major setback for opposition parties.

He explained how the 1999 elections produced a relatively balanced political landscape among major parties, but said the 2003 polls drastically weakened the opposition, leaving his party with only Lagos State.

According to him, this political setback forced a realignment that eventually led to the formation of successive opposition coalitions, culminating in the emergence of the APC.

Mohammed noted that despite its limited control at the time, the opposition relied heavily on communication to remain relevant, describing it as its most powerful tool.

He said every message had to be carefully crafted to ensure visibility and influence in the public space.

Through consistent messaging and political engagement, he explained, the opposition gradually regained strength, expanding its influence from one state to several before merging into the APC in 2013.

He added that the APC quickly became a dominant opposition force and eventually achieved a historic victory in 2015, when it unseated the ruling party at the national level for the first time.

Mohammed concluded that his experience reaffirmed the importance of communication, describing it as a tool of persistence, clarity, and strategic influence in governance and politics.

In a statement released on Friday, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, SAN, responded to a publication titled “Is Lagos State Shielding Killers?”, which criticised the handling of the August 27, 2025 incident involving Inspector Manu Bala and four other police officers.

Pedro described the report as “false, misleading and not supported by facts,” maintaining that no prima facie case was established against the suspects based on evidence submitted by the Lagos State Police Command.

He explained that the police, under Section 74 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, sent the case file to the Ministry of Justice for legal advice after initial investigations.

After reviewing witness statements, suspects’ accounts, and other documents, the ministry concluded that there was no direct evidence linking the accused officers to the deaths of the six traders.

According to him, there was no eyewitness testimony confirming that the policemen shot the victims, despite the incident reportedly taking place in a busy market environment.

Pedro added that available findings suggested traders allegedly attacked the police during a land dispute, during which one officer, Inspector Jibrin, was disarmed and his rifle reportedly used by a trader to fire shots. He also noted that the inspector was assaulted and later hospitalized.

He further stated that the only civilian suspect arrested was later confirmed not to have been present at the scene.

Due to the gravity of the case, the ministry initially held back a “no case to answer” opinion and ordered further investigation. On October 30, 2025, it requested key materials including autopsy reports, ballistic analysis, and firearm examination results.

However, he said the police failed to submit the requested documents within 45 days, despite a reminder sent on December 17, 2025, while the suspects remained in detention and were denied bail.

After about six months without additional evidence, the ministry issued its legal advice on March 3, 2026, stating that no prima facie case had been made against the suspects.

The advice recommended withdrawal of charges of conspiracy and involuntary manslaughter under Sections 411 and 224 of the Lagos Criminal Law due to insufficient evidence.

Pedro, however, stressed that the matter is not closed and could be reopened if new evidence emerges, noting that criminal prosecution has no time limit.

He disclosed that provisional post-mortem and ballistic reports were later submitted by the police after the legal advice was issued and are currently under review for possible further action.

Defending the decision, he said refusing to prosecute without adequate evidence is a legal and ethical duty, not an attempt to protect anyone.

He added that justice must balance the interests of victims, suspects, and society, warning against allowing emotion or speculation to drive criminal prosecution.

Pedro reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the rule of law, insisting that all decisions on prosecution will continue to be guided strictly by credible evidence and due process.