By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
Ms Stella Oyiugo, the embattled lady lawyer standing trial before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, LPDC, for allegedly misrepresenting the interest of the Barewa Old Boys Association, (BOBA) in an Abuja land dispute has asked the panel to subpoena a former secretary of the association for her defence.
Ms Oyiugo is standing trial before the LPDC for supposedly taking over the representation of the interests of BOBA without the consent of patrons of the association who include former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, Sultan of Sokoto, Abubakar Saad and Justice Mohammed Uwais, among others.
At the resumption of her trial before the LPDC, Ms Oyugito sought for subpoenas to Professor Ahmed Tijjani Mora, former secretary of the alumni association and one Ibrahim Salmanu to testify in her defence.
Ms Oyiugo’s counsel , Dr I.N Nwosu made the appeal at the resumed hearing of the Disciplinary Committee on Tuesday, 27th May 2025.
The lawyer indicated that the testimony of the duo was crucial to Stella’s defence as Ibrahim Salmanu was the one who engaged Stella to represent BOBA in court and even swore to a witness statement as a member of BOBA BOT, a position occupied by the likes of General Yakubu Gowon and the Sultan of Sokoto.
She equally submitted that Ibrahim Salmanu was appointed to represent BOBA in the suit by a letter written by Professor Mora, the then Secretary General of BOBA in 2013, to Eagle Aluminium Ltd, a company contending ownership of the land with BOBA. According to Stella, Professor Mora also claimed that the land allocation to BOBA was revoked and asked the company to defend its interest and that of BOBA in the land dispute.
However, BOBA denied the revocation of its allocation of the land as no revocation notice was served on it.
A police investigation report filed at the LPDC , indicted Stella Onyiugo, Ibrahim Salmanu, Linus Ukachukwu, the CEO of Eagle Aluminium and Professor Mora for conspiracy to defraud BOBA of the land.
The investigation report also established that the letters written by Prof Mora to Eagle Aluminium were unilateral and without the knowledge, consent or authority of BOBA and recommended that the Professor should be charged for criminal breach of trust.
The suspects indicted by the police investigation were charged to FCT High Court by the police in November 2024 for conspiracy and criminal breach of trust.
However, the prosecuting police officer, Abdulrasheed Isyaku Sidi, filed a notice of withdrawal and discontinuance of the charge against all the suspects on 27 April 2025 and urged the Court to “terminate any further proceedings forthwith as directed by the Complainant”.
No reasons were given for the withdrawal of the charges, but an Abuja based legal practitioner, Peter Godswill is of the opinion that the withdrawn charges can always be reinstated in accordance with Section 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
Although the criminal charges have been withdrawn, proceedings against Oyuigo for professional misconduct continued at the LPDC for representing BOBA in court without authority. Meanwhile, the substantive case of ownership of the land is also pending at the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division.
The Disciplinary Committee has adjourned further hearing of Oyuigo’s case to 16 July 2025.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
