Law & Crime
Law firm alleges malicious publication by Jaja in disregard to a subsisting court order
By Raymond Iginla (Abuja)
An Abuja based law firm, Dynamic Option Chambers, has accused Mr Tonye Clinton Jaja, a lawyer and a Senior Research fellow of publishing a defamatory, malicious statement in the public domain against its client, Dr Monday O. Ubani, SAN.
Barrister Nkem Okoro (Esq.), a lawyer from the firm and a solicitor to Ubani made this known in a press statement he made available to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday.
The Barrister also accused Jaja who is also a legislative drafting expert of breaching the court order that had earlier restrained him from issuing further defamatory statement in public domain against his client.
He said that the attention of his firm and that of his client, has again been drawn to another reckless, sensational and legally irresponsible publication authored by Jaja,
Okoro said that his client name was casually and maliciously inserted into an alleged criminal narrative by the accused without a single fact, detail, document, transaction, witness, or nexus linking him to any wrongdoing whatsoever.
He stated that his client (Ubani) has never had any dealing whatsoever with Abubakar Malami, the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, nor the author of the malicious publication.
The Barrister said that his client had never been connected in any manner whatsoever to the allegations irresponsibly propagated in the said publication.
According to him, the publication is not only defamatory and malicious, but also constitutes a deliberate violation of a subsisting court order restraining Jaja from publishing further defamatory or tarnishing materials against his client.
He said that despite the pending civil and criminal proceedings that had already been instituted against the accused, he had persistently continued this campaign of reckless publications in utter disregard for the authority of the court and the rule of law.
“It bears repeating that mere mention of a person’s name in a criminal narrative without particulars, evidence nor public interest disclosure. It is character assassination and abuse of media space.
“Our client has neither had any professional, financial, administrative, or personal dealings with the the former Attorney General of the Federation Mr Malami SAN nor with the author.
“The author’s complete failure to supply any factual particulars further exposes the hollowness and mischief embedded in his claims.
“We wish to place the public on notice that our firm has already activated and continues to pursue robust civil and criminal enforcement processes against Jaja, arising from his serial defamatory publications and contemptuous conduct.
“These processes shall be methodically prosecuted to their logical conclusion until full legal redress is achieved,” Okoro said.
He said that if the author of all the defamatory statement genuinely possesses any credible evidence against his client, the proper forum remains the courtroom, and not the media trials, open-letter propaganda, or reckless abuse on public platforms.
Okoro urged the public to discountenance the said publication authored by Jaja in its entirety and to remain guided by verifiable facts, judicial processes, and the rule of law.
He said that further defamatory publications and the previous ones shall attract immediate and escalated legal consequences sooner or later, adding that It is just a matter of time.
Meanwhile, a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has issued a notice of consequences (Form 48) to Dr Jaja, warning that he will be guilty of contempt of court if he continues to issue derogatory publication against this client.
The court added that Jaja maybe committed to prison if he continues in that direction, disobeying a court order restraining and barring him from making a further derogatory statement against Dr Monday Ubani.
The notice of consequences is dated January 12, 2026, and was signed by the Court Registrar in pursuant to order IX, Rule 13 of High Court Rules.
The notice was directly address to Jaja of House 475B, 41 Crescent, off 4th Avenue Gwarinpa, Abuja.
The notice reads “Take notice that unless you obey the restraining orders of Honourable Justice S.U. Bature, made on the 9th day of December 2025.
The notice is directing Jaja to stop making further derogatory publications against the person of Ubani, adding that he will be guilty of contempt of court if he continues, and will be liable to prison.
This notice followed an interim order made by Justice S.U. Bature on Dec. 9, 2025, in the Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/4411/2025 between Monday Onyekachi Ubani (SAN) (Claimant/Applicant ) and Barr. Lilian Okenwa (Editor-in-Chief, Law and Society Magazine and Dr Tonye Clinton Jaja (Defendants/Respondents).
Upon careful consideration of the motion Ex-parte with No. M/16245/2025 dated Dec. 4, 2025, and accompanying affidavit of Susan Nnenna Nwaze, and upon listening to Sir Nkem Okoro, Esq, Counsel for the claimant/Applicant, Justice Bature granted the applicant orders.
An interim order restraining the defendants whether by themselves, agents, privies or howsoever called from making further derogatory publications against the person of the claimant, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
An order directing the maintenance of Status quo antebellum, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
A motion seeking the service of the court processes on the Defendants/Respondents by substituted means; and the matter was later adjourned to December 16, 2025 for hearing of motion on notice.
The issuance of the notice of consequences comes after Ubani Solicitor, Nkem Okoro in a recent press statement accused Tonye Clinton Jaja of violating the subsisting court order by continuing to publish defamatory materials against his client.
Okoro had stated that his firm has activated robust civil and criminal enforcement processes against Jaja arising from his alleged serial defamatory publications and contemptuous conduct.
Okoro however warned that all further defamatory publications would attract immediate and escalated legal consequences.
Law & Crime
EFCC Receives Petition Alleging Massive Looting, Abuse of Office, Others By Ex-Badagry West LCDA Chairman ‘
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has reportedly received a petition from a civic organisation, Integrity Youths of Badagry West, accusing the Chairman of Badagry West Local Council Development Area, Hon Hennugbe Joseph Gbenu, of large scale corruption, misappropriation of public funds and illegal acquisition of properties within and outside Lagos.
A stamped receipt issued by the EFCC on May 7, 2025 at exactly 11:25 a.m, confirms that the anti-graft agency has taken delivery of the petition.
The petition, originally dated May 1, 2025 and addressed to the Department of State Services, was signed by the group’s President, Ibraheem Semako, and contains extensive allegations backed with addresses of properties, names of alleged collaborators and descriptions of financial practices they say have crippled development in Badagry West LCDA since 2021.
Petitioners Allege Zero Development Despite Billions in Allocations
According to the document, Hon Gbenu, who assumed his second term on July 27, 2021, has allegedly run the council in a manner described by the group as idle, opaque and disconnected from governance. The group alleges that the Chairman attends office only at his convenience and “acts like an emperor in the council secretariat.”
Despite billions in statutory allocations released to the LCDA between 2021 and 2025, the petition states that only three visible projects can be credited to his administration. These include a six classroom block at Emuko Primary School, a maternity centre at Boglo and a new administrative block at the council headquarters in Kankon.
The group notes that no new roads, water facilities, rural electrification projects, community infrastructure or public welfare programmes have been executed during his tenure. They describe the state of the LCDA as “pathetic” and inconsistent with the volume of funds received from the federal allocation framework.
Chairman Accused of Acquiring Fuel Stations, Beach Resort and Multiple Properties
The petition lists several properties said to have been acquired by Hon Gbenu within four years, alleging that these assets were funded with council money.
Among the properties named are:
• AP Fuel Station located at Roundabout, Badagry
• AP Fuel Station opposite Badagry Grammar School
• OLASEDO Fuel Station at Iyana Iyafin, along the Lagos Badagry Expressway
• A developing beach resort located after Sultan Beach on Seme Road
• A plot of land valued at more than forty eight million naira at Y Junction, Dokoh, Badagry
The group claims that these projects, several of which are commercial ventures, were never declared in any official asset register, and raises concerns that they were acquired without any legitimate source of income beyond diverted council funds.
Petition Also Points to Alleged Money Transfers to Political Godfather
The youth organisation alleges that Hon Gbenu has been diverting a substantial portion of the LCDA’s monthly allocation to his political mentor, Hon Hontonyon Bamgbose. According to the petition, the funds are used to prosecute political battles within Badagry and sponsor anti party activities including litigation that reportedly stretched to the Supreme Court after Bamgbose lost a primary election in 2019.
The petition accuses Bamgbose of benefiting from a “large share” of the council’s finances and claims the relationship has drained funds meant for development.
Three Alleged Collaborators Named in Financial Diversion
In what appears to be a detailed breakdown of a financial network, the group lists three individuals said to be assisting the Chairman in diverting funds and acquiring properties.
They are identified as:
• Sunday Josiah also known as Achiever
• Ajaneson Olajide
• Wheto Meshack
The petition claims these individuals assist in procurement of properties, movement of funds and concealing ownership through unofficial channels.
Attempt to Install Vice Chairman as Successor
The petition alleges that Hon Gbenu and his political associates have started sponsoring the council Vice Chairman, Rauf Ibrahim Kayode Yemaren also known as Rikay, as a successor to prevent any future scrutiny of the alleged financial irregularities.
The group alleges that “large sums of council money” are already being spent on political mobilisation for Yemaren’s chairmanship ambition, describing it as a continuation strategy to cover traces of mismanagement.
Group Says Mismanagement Has Cost Lives and Calls for Forensic Audit
Integrity Youths of Badagry West states that the alleged diversion of funds has deeply affected local welfare and destroyed opportunities for development. The petition claims that many residents have suffered preventable hardship and deaths due to lack of basic social amenities which the LCDA should ordinarily provide.
Citing the EFCC Act, the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act and the Nigerian Constitution, the group says the alleged acts amount to crimes against the people of Badagry West.
They are requesting:
• A full investigation of Hon Gbenu and his collaborators
• An independent forensic audit of all LCDA accounts from July 2021 to date
• A probe into all suspicious properties linked to the Chairman
• Prosecution of all persons found culpable
The petitioner, Mr Semako, also declared his willingness to provide additional evidence, photographs and further clarification to investigators.
As at press time, Hon Gbenu and other individuals mentioned in the petition have not publicly responded. The EFCC has also not issued any statement regarding the next steps.
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