The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the hearing of a motion filed by former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, in her ongoing legal battle with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The court, presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo, has rescheduled the hearing for February 17, 2025.

Alison-Madueke, through her counsel, Professor Mike Ozekhome (SAN), filed a motion to amend the originating process in her bid to challenge the EFCC’s action regarding the forfeiture of her assets.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/21/2023, seeks to extend the time within which to apply for an order to set aside the EFCC’s public notice announcing the sale of her assets.

In her application, Alison-Madueke argues that the court orders granting the forfeiture of her assets were made without proper jurisdiction and that she was denied a fair hearing in the process.

She seeks to annul the EFCC’s public notice for the sale of her assets, claiming that the forfeiture orders were issued in violation of her constitutional right to a fair hearing, as guaranteed by Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

The former minister contends that she was never served with the charge sheet, evidence, or any summons related to the criminal charges against her.

She further claims that the forfeiture orders were based on misleading information and that her constitutional right to property was violated.

In response, the EFCC, represented by Detective Rufai Zaki, urged the court to dismiss Alison-Madueke’s application.

Zaki, a member of the investigative team handling the former minister’s case, insisted that Alison-Madueke had been duly charged in court and that the application for the final forfeiture of her assets was legitimate.

He emphasized that the court’s 2017 order for forfeiture had not been overturned on appeal and that the assets were lawfully sold as part of the ongoing efforts to recover proceeds of crime.

The EFCC further noted that the auction of Alison-Madueke’s assets had begun on January 9, 2023, in line with the court’s order.

During the court session on Thursday, Alison-Madueke’s lawyer, Godwin Iyinbor, informed the court of their intention to amend their application challenging the final forfeiture order.

However, no EFCC representative was present in court.

Justice Ekwo confirmed that the EFCC had served the necessary documents to Alison-Madueke’s legal team and adjourned the case to February 17, 2025, for the hearing of the motion to amend the originating summons.

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned the International Criminal Court (ICC) for issuing arrest warrants against him and his former Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, calling the move “anti-Semitic.”

The ICC’s decision, announced on Thursday, also included a warrant for Hamas leader Mohammed Deif.

In a statement, Netanyahu likened the ICC’s actions to the infamous 19th-century Dreyfus affair, in which French Jewish military officer Alfred Dreyfus was wrongfully convicted of treason.

Netanyahu described the ICC’s decision as a “modern-day Dreyfus trial” and predicted it would end in a similar manner, referencing Dreyfus’s eventual exoneration.

The arrest warrants were issued in connection with Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which have been ongoing since Hamas launched deadly attacks on October 7, 2023.

Netanyahu defended Israel’s actions, stating that the country’s war in Gaza was justified, and called the ICC’s accusations “absurd and false.”

He further accused ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan of corruption, alleging that the warrants were part of an attempt to deflect attention from Khan’s own sexual harassment allegations, a claim that Khan has vehemently denied.

Netanyahu also accused the ICC judges of being motivated by “anti-Semitic hatred” toward Israel, stating that the warrants would not prevent Israel from continuing to defend its citizens.

Yoav Gallant, Israel’s former Defence Minister, also denounced the warrants, calling them a “dangerous precedent.”

He argued that the ICC’s decision effectively placed Israel’s government on the same footing as Hamas, equating Israeli officials with the leaders of a group responsible for mass violence, including the killing of children, rape, and abductions.

President Isaac Herzog joined the condemnation, calling the ICC’s decision a “dark day for justice.”

Herzog said on social media platform X that the court had ignored the fact that Israel was “barbarically attacked” and had the right to defend its people.

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar echoed the sentiment, declaring that the ICC had “lost all legitimacy” in attacking Israel’s right to self-defense.

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called on the Israeli government to respond by annexing the entire occupied West Bank, territory Palestinians claim for a future state.

Centrist opposition leader Yair Lapid also criticized the court’s move, stating, “Israel is defending its citizens from terrorist organizations that attacked, murdered, and raped our people. These arrest warrants are a reward for terrorism.”

Meanwhile, the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem called on foreign governments to “enforce the warrants” against Netanyahu and Gallant, labeling the ICC’s ruling as one of the “lowest points” in Israel’s history.

B’Tselem emphasized that personal accountability for decision-makers is essential for justice and freedom for all people living in the region.

The ECOWAS Court of Justice has ordered the Nigerian government to pay ₦10 million in compensation to Glory Okolie, a student who was unlawfully detained and mistreated by the police.

The ruling, delivered on Thursday, November 21, 2024, also mandates the government to implement measures to prevent similar human rights violations in the future.

Okolie, who was arrested on June 13, 2021, was held without judicial authorization.

Along with the One Love Foundation and the Incorporated Trustees of Behind Bars Human Rights Foundation, Okolie filed a case against the government, claiming she was denied legal representation, subjected to forced labor, and physically abused during her detention.

The plaintiffs argued that Okolie’s treatment violated the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Revised ECOWAS Treaty, seeking reparations for the unlawful actions against her.

In its defense, the Nigerian government argued that Okolie had alleged ties to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a group banned in Nigeria for its suspected involvement in terrorist activities.

The government maintained that her detention was necessary for national security reasons.

However, in a ruling sent via email to our correspondent, Justice Ricardo Gonçalves stated that Okolie’s prolonged detention without judicial oversight violated her fundamental rights to liberty and a fair trial under Articles 6 and 7 of the African Charter.

The court condemned her treatment as a clear human rights violation.

“The court has therefore ordered the Federal Government to pay Glory Okolie ₦10 million in damages and cease all forms of harassment against her,” the judgment read.

It also emphasized the need for safeguards to prevent such violations from happening again.

The court, however, dismissed the claims made by the two non-governmental organizations (NGOs) involved in the case, citing procedural issues.

The three-member panel that adjudicated the case included Honourable Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves (presiding judge), Honourable Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma, and Honourable Justice Edward Amoako Asante.