Connect with us

News

A Trial Against Justice: The Case Of Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan And The Weaponization Of Law In Nigeria, By Dr. Oludare Ogunlana

Published

on

The Federal Government of Nigeria has filed criminal charges against one of the only four female senators in the Nigerian Senate, Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan. On June 3, 2025, she is expected to appear before a court, not because she has misappropriated public funds or betrayed her office, but because she dared to speak out against alleged sexual harassment by the President of the Senate. Instead of encouraging a transparent investigation and allowing her to tender evidence in pursuit of justice, the state has chosen to pursue her through criminal prosecution. This is not a search for the truth. It is a punishment for courage.

At the heart of the prosecution’s case is a deeply troubling figure. Sandra Duru, who also goes by the alias “Professor Mgbeke,” is widely known for her false academic claims, fraudulent behavior, and history of blackmail and impersonation. She has presented herself as a doctor and professor with no proof, has no known legitimate source of income, and reportedly survives on government welfare in the United States. She has used online platforms to defame others and is rumored to have a felony record and unresolved immigration issues. That the Nigerian government would rely on such an individual as its principal witness against a sitting senator raises grave concerns. It tarnishes the credibility of the justice system and makes a mockery of due process.

If it is indeed true that Ms. Duru was planted to pose as a sympathizer, to befriend Senator Natasha and extract private information only to turn it over for political purposes, then this is not merely a legal misstep. It is entrapment disguised as prosecution. It is a gross abuse of power and a betrayal of the constitutional guarantee of fairness. This should alarm every citizen who believes in the sanctity of law and the responsibility of government to protect, not persecute, its people.

 

Your Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I appeal to your conscience. You are no stranger to state repression. You were one of the faces of defiance during Nigeria’s struggle against military rule. You suffered exile and persecution for championing democracy, civil liberties, and good governance. Today, you are at the helm of that same republic. It is under your watch that a woman is being dragged to court, not for wrongdoing, but for naming her abuser. This is not the Nigeria you fought to build. This is not the democracy you envisioned when you stood against the military’s grip on our country. If your administration becomes known for silencing women and shielding power through legal intimidation, history will not be kind.

I also call on Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, fondly known as MOB, the current Leader of the Nigerian Senate. Many of us remember your days as a student activist in the early 1990s, your sharp legal mind and your fearless commitment to justice. You were a symbol of resistance and one of the few who stood up when silence would have been safer. Today, you occupy a position of great influence. You are no longer at the margins of power. You are within the walls where decisions are made and wrongs can be righted. The world is watching you. History is watching you. Will you speak now, or will you be silent when your voice matters most?

 

This moment is larger than Senator Natasha. It is about the integrity of our institutions, the dignity of our democracy, and the message we send to women and youth across the country. If we allow the courts to be used as weapons against the vulnerable, if we permit those with power to prosecute those who speak truth, then we have surrendered the very principles on which our democracy stands. John Locke warned that where law ends, tyranny begins. The Nigerian justice system must not become a servant of vengeance. It must not be reduced to a theatre of political puppetry.

I urge President Tinubu and all those who still believe in justice to act now. Build a legacy of fairness, not fear. Uphold institutions that endure beyond your administration. Protect the dignity of every Nigerian, regardless of gender, status, or political alignment. Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan deserves justice, not persecution. Her courage should be commended, not criminalized. If we fail to defend her now, we risk losing the very soul of our democratic promise. May we not look back with regret, but act now with resolve, and let history record that we stood on the side of truth when it mattered most.

 

By Dr. Oludare Ogunlana

Distinguished Cybersecurity Professor, Digital Forensic Examiner, and Principal Investigator, OSRS

Business

Nigeria projected among top-five world’s biggest economies

Published

on

Nigeria has been projected to be among the top five biggest economies in the world by 2075.

The Spectator Index disclosed in a post on Friday, quoting a Goldman Sachs’ document titled ‘The Path to 2075—Slower global growth, but convergence remains intact’.

According to the news platform, Nigeria’s economy is estimated to reach $13.1 trillion by 2075.

The report showed that Nigeria followed China ($57 trillion), India ($52.5 trillion), the United States of America ($51.5 trillion), and Indonesia ($13.7 trillion) in projected world’s biggest economies by 2075.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 3.84 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024. The country’s GDP is estimated to be $568 billion at the end of 2024 in real GDP terms.

Africa’s most populous nation is expected to reach a GDP estimate that could be $585.9 billion.

The development comes as the President Bola Tinubu administration projects a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

Meanwhile, financial analysts had expressed doubts over the possibility of Nigeria achieving a $1 trillion economy by 2030 when the country’s projected GDP growth rate is 3.2 percent.

Continue Reading

News

Ex-Imo Gov Ohakim, IGP, others win fundamental rights suit by Amuchinwa

Published

on

Justice Binta Mohammed of the High Court of the Federal Capital has dismissed a fundamental rights suit filed by one Lady Chinyere Lilian Amuchinwa on 4th May 202, against six parties, including former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

The suit stemmed from Lady Amechinwa’s claims that Ohakim and another party instigated the police to detain her at the Force Headquarters in Abuja in July 2021 over what was not stated in the suit.

Recall that the claim is not unconnected with public accusations made by Lady Amuchinwa against Dr Ohakim which were later found to be unsubstantiated and Ohakim was exonerated.

In their reply to the suit, Ohakim, the IGP and the others challenged the suit as devoid of cause of action and an abuse of the process of the court, the suit having been filed after other similar suits were being pursued elsewhere by Lady Amuchinwa against Dr Ohakim.

The suits included a fundamental rights suit in Imo High Court Owerri, an appeal at Owerri Division of court of appeal court and charges filed at Federal High Court, Abuja, all of which the court noted were either dismissed or struck out against Lady Amuchinwa.

In the full judgment, Justice Mohammed held that “From the unchallenged and uncontroverted evidence in this suit, it is established that the Applicant/Respondent, has commenced a multiplicity of action involving the same set of fact and the same persons therefore constituting an abuse of the judicial process.

“Therefore this issue is resolved in favour of the 1st 3rd and 4th Applicant/respondent as well as the 5th Respondents/Applicants.”

“In conclusion the preliminary objection of the 1st 3rd 4th and 5th Respondents/Applicant succeeded accordingly, the suit filed by the Applicant/Respondent for Enforcement of Fundamental Right on 4/5/22 is hereby dismissed.

“The Applicant has failed to establish a cause of action against the 6th Respondent as nothing remotely connects him to the suit of the Applicant, his name is accordingly struck out from the suit.

“There will no need to consider and determine the Applicant suit the preliminary objections to the suit having succeeded and the suit dismissed.”

Continue Reading

News

‘Great vacuum’ – Kebbi governor, Idris mourns Dantata

Published

on

The Governor of Kebbi State, Dr. Nasir Idris, has expressed deep sorrow over the death of renowned businessman and community leader, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, describing his passing as a monumental loss to the nation.

Dantata reportedly died on Friday night in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, after a brief illness.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Governor Idris said he received the news of Dantata’s death with profound grief and sadness, noting that Nigeria has lost a rare figure whose life was dedicated to economic development and humanitarian service.

“Alhaji Aminu Dantata was a true icon whose kind is rarely seen. He committed his life to building our economy and uplifting humanity through selfless service. His passing has left a great vacuum that will be difficult to fill,” the governor said.

Governor Idris offered prayers for the late elder statesman, asking Almighty Allah to forgive his shortcomings, grant him mercy, and admit him into Aljannah Firdaus.

He extended heartfelt condolences to the Dantata family, the people of Kano State, and all Nigerians mourning the loss, urging them to draw inspiration from the exemplary life the late businessman lived.

The governor also called on citizens to continue praying for the deceased, and to reflect on his legacy as a reminder of the value of service, humility, and commitment to humanity.

“May Allah forgive him and make his grave a garden from the gardens of Paradise. Ameen,” he added.

Continue Reading

Trending