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Nasarawa Judicial Commission demotes magistrate over Erisco Foods critic Chioma Okoli’s case
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The Nasarawa State Judicial Commission has demoted Emmanuel Jatau, a Chief Magistrate, following his handling of a controversial case involving Chioma Okoli and the Nigeria Police Force.
In a letter dated January 6, 2025, and signed by Yahaya Shafa, the commission’s secretary, it was revealed that Jatau was demoted from Chief Magistrate II (Grade Level 15) to Senior Magistrate I (Grade Level 14) and stripped of his magisterial duties.
“Consequently, I have been directed by the Hon. Chief Judge of Nasarawa State and Chairman Judicial Service Commission to write and inform you that Hon. Emmanuel A. Jatau has been demoted by a grade level lower than his current grade level i.e from Chief Magistrate II on GL 15 to Senior Magistrate I on GL 14 and stripped of his magisterial duties,” the commission said.
The disciplinary action stemmed from Jatau’s issuance of arrest and remand warrants against Okoli, which were deemed “fraudulent” and outside his jurisdiction.
The saga began on September 17, 2023, when Okoli, via Facebook, claimed that Nagiko Tomato Mix, a product of Erisco Foods Limited, was sugary. The company, led by its CEO Eric Umeofia, denied the claim and filed a petition that led to Okoli’s arrest by the police.
She was subsequently arraigned on charges of conspiracy and cyberstalking. Although remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre, she was later granted bail. Amid the ordeal, Okoli tragically suffered a miscarriage, sparking public outrage and widespread calls for justice.
Inibehe Effiong, Okoli’s legal counsel, filed a petition against Jatau, arguing that the magistrate had overstepped his jurisdiction.
Effiong highlighted that Okoli neither resides in Nasarawa State nor committed any alleged offences there; the charges of cybercrime fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, as stipulated in the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
Effiong described Jatau’s actions as a “brazen” abuse of judicial authority and demanded an investigation.
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The Department of State Service (DSS) has arraigned five associates of former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Silva, before the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations that they concealed information about the whereabouts of their principal, who the agency said was implicated as a financier of an alleged aborted coup attempt against President Bola Tinubu.
Silva, a former Governor of Bayelsa State, has been declared wanted by the Federal Government, while some of his identified properties have been marked for forfeiture following allegations that he sponsored and masterminded the purported coup plot.
The five associates — Reuben Ayuba, Musa Mohammed, Friday Paul, Paganengigha Anagaha and Ayebaifife Suobite — were brought before Justice Peter Lifu on Wednesday and charged with allegedly concealing the whereabouts of Silva, who the DSS described as a fugitive of the law.
A two-count charge filed against them indicated that the accused persons, on April 28, 2026, became accessories after the fact of felony by concealing the whereabouts of Timiprey Silva, said to be a fugitive of the law.
The alleged offence is said to be contrary to Section 519 of the Criminal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The DSS also accused them of conspiracy to commit a felony, specifically concealing the whereabouts of Timiprey Silva, who is described as a fugitive of the law, contrary to Section 516 of the Criminal Code LFN, 2004.
However, all the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
DSS lawyer, Emmanuel Orubor, urged the court to fix a date for the agency to open its case by calling witnesses to testify against the accused persons.
Meanwhile, Sunusi Musa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who represented Reuben Ayuba and Paganengigha Anagaha, the first and fourth accused persons, moved applications for bail on behalf of his clients.
Similar bail applications were also argued by Ibrahim Imadegbelo, who represented Musa Mohammed, the second accused person; I. G. Kelubia, who stood for Friday Paul, the third defendant; and E. C. Sogo, who represented Ayebaifife Suobite, the fifth accused person.
The lawyers informed Justice Lifu that their clients had been in custody since October 25, 2025, and urged the court to admit them to bail on liberal terms.
In a brief ruling, Justice Lifu granted the accused persons bail in the sum of N5 million each, with two sureties each in the like sum.
The sureties are required to swear to an affidavit of means, provide evidence of three years’ tax payment, show evidence of visible means of livelihood and deposit their recent passport photographs.
Justice Lifu further ordered that the identities of the sureties must be verified by the Registrar of the Court.
Pending the perfection of the bail conditions, the judge ordered that the accused persons be remanded in Kuje Prison.
The judge fixed July 22 for the commencement of trial.
The charges against them read:
COUNT ONE:
“That you, RUBEN AYUBA, MUSA MOHAMMED, FRIDAY PAUL, PAGANENGIGHA ANAGAHA and AYEBAIFIE SUOBITE, adults, males, on or about the 28th day of April, 2026, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did become accessories after the fact of felony by concealing the whereabouts of Timiprey Silva, who is a fugitive of the law and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 519 of the Criminal Code Act LFN, 2004.”
COUNT TWO:
“That you, RUBEN AYUBA, MUSA MOHAMMED, FRIDAY PAUL, PAGANENGIGHA ANAGAHA and AYEBAIFIE SUOBITE, adults, males, on or about the 28th day of April, 2026, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did conspire to commit a felony to wit: concealing the whereabouts of Timiprey Silva, who is a fugitive of the law and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 516 of the Criminal Code LFN, 2004.”
The Delta State House of Assembly says the decision to declare the seat of the member representing Udu Constituency vacant was taken in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Information and House Leader, Hon. Emeka Nwaobi, gave the explanation in Asaba.
Nwaobi said the Assembly acted strictly within its constitutional powers and not for political reasons.
He said, “The House merely carried out its constitutional responsibility after considering the resignation and defection letter submitted by the lawmaker representing Udu Constituency.”
The assembly spokesman explained that the Constitution clearly states the conditions under which a lawmaker can defect from the political party on whose platform he or she was elected without losing the seat.
According to him, the only condition is where there is a division or crisis within the political party at the national level.
He said there was no evidence before the Assembly to show that the lawmaker’s defection met that constitutional requirement.
Nwaobi said, “The Delta State House of Assembly is guided solely by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Every action taken by the House is rooted in the law, and nothing is done outside the provisions of the Constitution.”
He added that the Assembly’s resolution should not be seen as a political vendetta but as a faithful implementation of the Constitution.
The House leader reaffirmed the commitment of the Assembly to the rule of law, constitutional democracy and legislative integrity.
He urged members of the public to study the relevant provisions of the Constitution before drawing conclusions on the Assembly’s decision.
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