Justice Benedict Kanyip of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Abuja, recused himself on Tuesday from hearing cases filed by 62 former staff members of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) who were recently dismissed from the bank.

The judge, who is also the President of the NICN, withdrew from the cases after it was revealed that one of the lawyers representing the CBN’s legal team, Mr. Damian Dodo, SAN, is his in-law.

The 62 claimants, all ex-CBN staff, had filed individual lawsuits against the bank, challenging their recent disengagement. One of the lawsuits, marked NICN/ABJ/26x/2024, was filed by a team of lawyers led by Ola Olanipekun, SAN.

The claimants are seeking to have their termination letters nullified, arguing that the CBN’s action violated the provisions of the CBN Act 2007 and the bank’s Human Resource Policies and Procedure Manual (HRPPM).

The claimants are also requesting that their employment contracts be declared valid, and they seek an order for reinstatement to their previous positions or higher ones.

Additionally, they are asking for back pay, including salaries, allowances, and other entitlements that would have been earned if their employment had not been wrongfully terminated.

On Tuesday, 31 of the 62 lawsuits were listed for hearing, with the remaining cases scheduled for Wednesday.

Counsel for the claimants also filed a motion to consolidate the cases.

During the hearing, Olanipekun informed the court that the case was scheduled for mention, and CBN’s lawyer, Obafemi Agaba, announced that several law firms, including D.D. Dodo, SAN & Co, would represent the bank.

It was then that Justice Kanyip noted that Damian Dodo, SAN, was his in-law and expressed his discomfort in continuing the case.

After seeking the counsel of the claimants’ legal team, Justice Kanyip decided to recuse himself from the matter, and ordered the case, along with the other related suits, to be reassigned to a different judge for further proceedings.

Both Olanipekun and Agaba expressed confidence in the judicial process, with Agaba emphasizing that justice must not only be done but be seen to be done.

A lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Dr. Osita Chinedu, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen on Monday night in the Aroma area of Awka, Anambra State.

The attackers also stole his vehicle.

According to eyewitness accounts, the gunmen flagged down Dr. Chinedu’s car, demanded his keys, and shot him.

One eyewitness remarked, “Someone was shot dead this evening. They say he was a lecturer from UNIZIK. Please, everyone, stay safe this yuletide. If someone demands your car, hand it over; our lives are more important.”

A colleague at UNIZIK, who preferred to remain anonymous, expressed sorrow over the tragic loss, stating, “A fellow sports enthusiast and colleague was shot dead last night. This is no longer funny. We and our children are no longer safe in this state, not even in the capital city.”

The Anambra State Police Command confirmed the murder.

SP Ikenga Tochukwu, the police spokesperson, stated that the murder occurred at 10:10 PM at Aroma Junction, and the assailants fled with the victim’s 2006 ash-colored Toyota Corolla, which had an Enugu license plate.

The police have launched an investigation into the incident and urged anyone with information about the crime or the stolen vehicle to contact local authorities or call the police control room at 07039194332 or SP Ikenga Tochukwu at 08039334002.

The police also expressed condolences to Dr. Chinedu’s family and friends.

Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has reinstated two parcels of land to the family of the late General Sani Abacha, two years after they were revoked by the former governor, Nasir el-Rufai.

The lands, which had been seized in 2022, are located at No. 9 Abakpa GRA and No. 1 Degel Road, Ungwan Rimi, GRA, in Kaduna city.

The properties, which measure 2,284 square meters and 3,705 square meters respectively, were originally covered by Kaduna State Certificates of Occupancy.

In 2022, the state government, under el-Rufai, revoked several land titles in Kaduna, citing violations of the terms of Right of Occupancy.

The Abacha family’s lands were among those affected, with Sani Abacha’s name listed among the 34 titles revoked.

Following the revocation, the family’s lawyer, Reuben Atabo (SAN), filed a legal challenge, seeking redress for what he described as a public embarrassment.

The family sought the return of the properties through legal proceedings, which included suits filed in the Kaduna State High Court.

In a move to resolve the matter, Governor Sani issued two letters on December 10, 2024, reinstating the titles to the two pieces of land.

The letters, sent on behalf of the Kaduna Geographic Information Service (KADGIS), informed the Abacha family that their titles were reinstated, with the condition of settling any outstanding fees or charges related to the properties.

The letters were addressed to Mohammed Sani Abacha, via the family’s lawyer.

Gunmen, believed to be terrorists, have abducted at least 25 people, mostly women and children, in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The incident occurred late Sunday night in the Ajasa community, where several homes were also looted by the attackers.

A local resident, who wished to remain anonymous, reported that the gunmen arrived in large numbers and fired indiscriminately into the air to announce their presence.

While no one was killed, the assailants took the 25 victims and transported them into the forest.

The resident also noted that the attackers faced no resistance as security forces did not arrive in the area until hours after the gunmen had left.

Concerns were raised about the well-being of the abducted individuals, particularly the children and infants, who would likely suffer in the cold harmattan conditions in the forest.

The gunmen have yet to make contact with the community regarding the victims, a pattern consistent with previous abductions in the region.

The source called for increased security in the area, as communities have been frequently targeted by such attacks.

He pointed out a similar incident that occurred just days earlier, when gunmen attacked a neighboring village, killing one person and injuring another during the day while farmers were harvesting crops.

The police spokesperson for the state, ASP Abubakar Aliyu, confirmed that inquiries would be made into the incident.

As at the time of this report, no further details have been released.