Court Remands ABU Professor Over Alleged Forgery

An Abuja High Court sitting in Jabi on Tuesday ordered the remand of Professor Sani Ibrahim of the Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, in a correctional facility over charges of conspiracy, forgery, and criminal trespass.

Prof. Ibrahim, alongside Mr. Mubarak Musa Saliu and other suspects still at large, is being prosecuted by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, in a four-count criminal charge related to a disputed plot of land in Guzape, Abuja. The land in question belongs to NEXTDORA NIG. LTD, registered with RC No. 1190723.

According to the charge sheet, the defendants allegedly conspired in December 2024 to commit forgery and unlawfully entered Plot No. 4411, Guzape, with the intent to commit a felony. They are accused of altering the company’s registration number from RC 1190723 to RC 564478, falsely identifying it as NETCAP INTERSWITCH.

The charges detail that the defendants knowingly used and possessed forged documents in an attempt to misrepresent ownership of the property, offenses punishable under Sections 97, 348, 364, 366, and 368 of the Penal Code Act.

The case, which was filed on April 18, 2025, came up for arraignment after the defendants failed to appear in court on three prior occasions. Prof. Ibrahim, the second defendant, had evaded court summons until he was arrested at ABU Zaria on court orders and brought before Justice Ademuyiwa Oyeyipo on Tuesday.

During the court session, Prof. Ibrahim pleaded not guilty to all charges. His lead counsel, R.O. Atabo (SAN), filed a Notice of Preliminary Objection dated May 20, 2025, challenging the court’s jurisdiction and the validity of the charge.

The defense argued that the charge was signed by one F.A.O. Longe, while the legal seal bore the name “Longe Frank Omokhoje,” which they claimed rendered the charge invalid. Citing Sections 2(1) and 24 of the Legal Practitioners Act and the Supreme Court decision in Yaki v. Bagudu (2015) 18 NWLR (Pt. 1491) 288, Atabo contended the charge was not legally endorsed.

Additionally, the defense claimed that Counts 1 and 4 were incompetent, arguing that Prof. Ibrahim acted under lawful orders from the court and is therefore protected by Section 47 of the Penal Code.

However, the court overruled the objections, siding with the Prosecution Counsel, Barrister Frank Longe, who opposed the arguments in law.

An oral application for bail was made on behalf of Prof. Ibrahim but was promptly opposed by the prosecution. Justice Oyeyipo, in his ruling, ordered that Prof. Ibrahim be remanded in custody until June 19, 2025, pending the filing and hearing of a formal bail application.