News
Taraba judiciary unveils draft family court rules
The Taraba State Judiciary on Wednesday, unveiled the 2025 Draft Procedure Rules for the establishment and operation of a Family Court in the state.
Unveiled during a Validation Programme in Jalingo, the exercise, according to the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Joel Agya, marked a major milestone in the implementation of the family court system, which he said, is geared towards addressing a range of domestic and gender-based legal issues in the state.
The family court, as announced by Justice Agya, will have jurisdiction over matters such as child abuse, divorce, domestic violence, adoption, and maintenance.
Emphasizing the importance of protecting vulnerable individuals, he noted that perpetrators of gender-based violence are often individuals with close access to victims, including family members, teachers, religious leaders, and others in positions of authority.
“These crimes are committed in homes, public places, workplaces, schools, and even on public transport,” Justice Agya said.
Stressing the need for a dedicated court to handle such sensitive cases, he revealed that following the establishment of the Family Court, the judiciary has sought technical assistance from the National Judicial Institute, NJI, in drafting the rules that would guide its operations.
The move, he said, will ensure smooth, efficient, and just proceeding in family related cases.
Agya, who did not only acknowledge the advocacy efforts of the First Lady of the state, Mrs Agyin Kefas, whom he said is instrumental to the creation of the court, he also commended the state governor Agbu Kefas for his unwavering support to the judiciary, which has led to notable reforms under his administration.
Also speaking, the state first lady Mrs Kefas, expressed gratitude to the judiciary for swiftly responding to her call for the court’s creation.
She highlighted the urgent need to tackle rising cases of child abuse, rape, and discrimination against women and children.
In a statement, Secretary to the State Government, Chief Gibson Kataps, advocated for capital punishment for rapists, declaring that such crimes are inexcusable and must be dealt with severely. “Women are more in number than men, and no rapist has any justification for the act,” Kataps said, praising the governor’s wife for her commitment to the protection and development of women and children.
On his part, the Administrator of the NJI, Justice Salisu Abdullahi, who was represented by the Chief Studies, Yusuf Kayode, noted that the newly drafted rules were shaped by international best practices, competitive jurisprudence, and broad consultations.
“These rules are not just procedural frameworks; they are instruments of justice. They are designed to ensure that proceedings involving families and children are swift, sensitive, rehabilitative, and respectful of human dignity,” Abdullahi stated.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Thursday, swore in General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd) as Minister of Defence at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
General Musa’s appointment follows the resignation of Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar on Monday, December 1, 2025. His nomination was announced the following day and transmitted to the Senate, where it received expedited screening and confirmation.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, General Musa was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the Nigerian Army in 1991 and had a distinguished military career. He was appointed Chief of Defence Staff by President Tinubu in 2023 and retired in October 2025.
As Chief of Defence Staff, he championed inter-service security collaboration.
With his swearing-in, the new Defence Minister is expected to immediately assume duties as the Tinubu administration seeks to consolidate recent security gains and fast-track reforms aimed at achieving lasting peace and stability nationwide.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Sen. Adeniyi Adegbonmire, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, attended the swearing-in ceremony.
Also in attendance were the spouse of the new Minister, Mrs Lilian Oghogho Musa; Chief of Defense Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede; Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan Kukah; and Justice Kumai Bayang Akaahs (rtd).
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has said it has appealed the judgment of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, which ordered the release of twenty-seven houses to James Ibechukwu Okoye and his company.
In the Notice of Appeal filed at the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, the Commission expressed dissatisfaction with the decision of the trial court, which was delivered on October 31, 2025.
EFCC counsel, Abba Mohammed, SAN, sought two orders from the Court of Appeal, which include; Staying the execution of the judgment of the trial court pending the hearing and determination of the appeal; and such further or other orders as the court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.
Meanwhile, the Commission said it felt obliged to correct the distortions and misrepresentations contained in a news story titled “EFCC Invades Abuja Property Despite Court Order Restraining Agency, Awarding N20 million To Jona Brothers”.
It explained in a statement on X that the Abuja property, Plot 680-689 Cadastral Zone B06, Mabushi, Abuja, referenced in the report, is a subject of criminal charge before Justice A.I Kutigi of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court .
However, the EFCC said it sought and secured an order of interim forfeiture of the property before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja pending the determination of the criminal charge before Justice Kutigi.
“In granting the order, the court authorized the EFCC to ‘appoint competent persons/ firm to manage the assets/properties listed in the schedule therein, temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government pending the conclusion of investigation and determination of criminal charges against the suspect,’”
“It is also important to point out that the criminal charge struck out by Justice Osho Adebiyi and the N20m cost she awarded is not in any way connected to the interim order.
“In addition, the enforcement of the interim forfeiture order of the property by the Commission is without prejudice to ongoing appeals on court pronouncements about the true ownership of the property. The appeals are ongoing and the EFCC is diligently attending proceedings.”
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun has reaffirmed the commitment of the country’s judiciary to protection of human rights as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution and other international laws and treaties.
She emphasized that the judiciary remains steadfast in its constitutional mandate to uphold the rule of law and protect the rights of citizens.
The CJN spoke on Thursday at the conference on ‘Proportional Force and Respect for Human Dignity: A Dialogue in Governance’, organized by the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, in collaboration with Citizen FM.
The Administrator of the National Judicial Institute, NJI, Justice Babatunde Adeniran Adejumo, represented the Chief Justice of Nigeria at the conference.
In the goodwill message, Justice Kekere-Ekun congratulated the National Human Rights Commission on its 30th anniversary and commended the organizers for holding the conference on International Human Rights Day.
She emphasized that when authority is exercised with restraint, discipline, and accountability, it strengthens public trust and reinforces the legitimacy of institutions.
The CJN reiterated the judiciary’s commitment to protecting human rights and providing remedies where they are infringed.
“Let me make it abundantly clear that the judiciary remains steadfast in its constitutional mandate to uphold the rule of law and protect the rights of citizens,” she said.
The CJN further commended the NHRC for promoting dialogue and awareness on critical human rights issues in Nigeria.
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