Court Rules Out N1 Billion Suit Against Buhari’s Former Minister, Malami

The former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, saw the N1 billion lawsuit against him dismissed by the FCT High Court sitting in Kubwa during his tenure.

An Abuja-based property developer, Cecil Osakwe, filed a lawsuit against the former minister, a civil servant, Asabe Waziri, and two others, which include the former minister’s office and the Federal Ministry of Justice.

However, Osakwe’s failure to prosecute diligently led Justice Oluyemisi Adelaja to strike out the matter on Thursday.

“The claimant is the one who filed the action and is required to be seen diligently prosecuting the same, but they are not in court, and there is no reason for their absence before the court.

“They have, therefore, been absent without reason, and consequent upon Order 32 Rule 4, this case is struck out for want of diligent prosecution,’’ Adelaja ordered.

In June 2022, the Federal Government filed charges against Osakwe for advance fee fraud totalling N130 million and criminal intimidation of Waziri, a Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation staff who had purchased a property from Osakwe in Maitama, FCT.

Osakwe then countersued the former attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, along with the Federal Ministry of Justice and Waziri. Seeking punitive damages of N1 billion and general damages of N100 million, Osakwe’s counsel, Mr. Victor Giwa, represented him in the lawsuit.