CSO Writes CJN, Seeks Probe of FCT CJ, Judge, Asabe Waziri Over Alleged “Persecution” of Lawyer
By Tope Kolawole
A civil society organisation, Public Accountability League (PAL) has called for an independent body of inquiry to probe the connection among the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Justice Baba Yusuf Hussein,
a judge of the court, Justice Jude Onwungbuzie and a management staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, Ms Asabe Waziri.
In a letter written to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Kudirat Kekere- Ekun, dated December 5, 2025, PAL alleged persecution of a human rights lawyer, Barrister Victor Giwa, by the two judicial officers, the police and the NNPCL staff.
Amb. Augustine Ekpo, Director of Legal Affairs of the League called for thorough investigation of all the actors involved in the trial of Barrister Giwa.
He said PAL has been inundated with reports regarding the ongoing persecution of Barr. Victor Giwa, who is currently standing trial before Hon. Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the FCT High Court, Apo, Abuja in Charge No. CR/150/25.
He said the League would have kept mute because the case is before a court of competent jurisdiction but media reports and firsthand accounts provided by Barr. Giwa on 14th November 2025 indicate that our silence may not be golden at this moment.
Barr. Victor Giwa was charged, alongside his associate named Barr. Ibitade Bukola, with the offences of Impersonation and Forgery of the letterhead paper of Awa Kalu (SAN) & Associates.
According to Ekpo, the charge was allegedly prompted and sponsored by Asabe Waziri, a Management Staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
“Prior to this time, the said Asabe Waziri was in a running battle with Barr. Victor Giwa and one of his clients named Cecil Osakwe over Two Units of 3 Bedroom Flats located at No. 1, Mekong Close, Maitama, Abuja which she attempted to purchase in 2021.
“It happened that Asabe Waziri’s grievance against Barr. Giwa started when a Judgment of the FCT High Court delivered by Hon. Justice Othman Usman was levied against her in 2022 and she was evicted from the aforesaid property.
“Our investigation reveals that in June 2024 Asabe Waziri forcefully regained possession of the disputed property through the office of the Chief Judge of FCT with the assistance of armed policemen led by CP Aina Emmanuel, then CP SIB, Area 10, Garki, Abuja. At that time, there was already a pending Notice of Appeal and Motion for Stay of Execution at the Supreme Court of Nigeria against the Judgment of the Court of Appeal in Appeal No: CA/ABJ/CV/246/2022, which Asabe Waziri used to regain possession. The Notice of Appeal and Motion for Stay of Execution filed on 22nd May 2024 are attached as APPENDIX VG3A – 3B.
“Asabe Waziri continually threatened after regaining possession of the property that she would use her connection with the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Hon. Justice Baba Yusuf Hussein, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) to deal with Barr. Giwa. This threat is to coerce Barr. Giwa and his client into issuing to Asabe Waziri the conveyance documents in respect of the Flats which she now illegally occupies.
“On 28th January 2025 Barr. Giwa wrote to the Hon. Chief Judge of the FCT whereupon he raised concerns about this threat but there was no response to his letter. It is important to note that Awa Kalu SAN whose letterhead paper was allegedly forged by Barr. Victor Giwa wrote to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) on 30 May 2025. He stated that he never filed any complaint or incidented a report at any Police Station in Nigeria indicating that his official letterhead paper was forged. The questions begging for answers are: Where is the copy of Asabe Waziri’s petition to the IGP? Why should it be Asabe Waziri that is complaining about the forgery of a letterhead paper supposedly belonging to Awa Kalu SAN? Is the ongoing prosecution (rather persecution) of Barr. Giwa not a case of personal vendetta? “, he wrote.
The League expressed concerns over judicial complicity and further breach of Barr. Victor Giwa’s human rights.
It also said there are indications that Hon. Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie may be acting with the tacit backing of the Chief Judge of the FCT, given the manner in which the case was filed, assigned quickly to him, and reportedly monitored by staff from the Chief Judge’s office.
“While PAL does not make conclusive allegations against the Chief Judge, these circumstances raise serious concerns about potential undue influence and the impartiality of the proceedings. For instance, Hon. Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie issued and signed a Bench Warrant against Barr. Giwa on 15th September 2025 at the second sitting in the Charge. This happened even while Barr. Giwa had not been personally served with the Charge Sheet as required by the relevant laws.
“Also, there were pending applications on the same date challenging jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, which His Lordship refused to entertain, despite the attempt by Ogbu Aboje Esq. (appearing for Barr. Giwa) to move them. Available records show that on 30th September 2025 Barr. Giwa was presented to the Court for hearing of his bail application but My Lord insisted that the Prosecuting Counsel must file a Counter Affidavit before the bail application could be heard. Eventually, the bail application was heard and granted on 8th October 2025 with stringent conditions, which led Barr. Giwa to be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre”, he said.
PAL called for the suspension of the trial and the appointment of an Independent Panel of Senior Judicial Officers to investigate Hon. Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie and examine any undue influence from the Chief Judge of FCT as well as his Director of Enforcement Unit in the ongoing persecution of Barr. Giwa under the guise of criminal trial.
It also called for the investigateion of possible involvement of Asabe Waziri, including her funding of the case, trail of her financial transactions, prior property litigations with Barr. Victor Giwa, and any attempts to use the judicial process for personal vendetta.
It called for the protection of Barr. Giwa’s constitutional rights, ensuring his bail is not revoked arbitrarily, that he has access to due process and fair hearing, and that he is safeguarded from further harassment by Asabe Waziri and her cohorts.
