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The Lagos State High Court has stopped the third defendant in the trial over the alleged killing of two residents of Ajiran, Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Tajudeen Akanbi, from filing another application similar to those previously brought before vacation judges.
The court directed Akanbi and his lawyers to present any further application before the substantive judge handling the case.
Justice A.M. Ipaye gave the ruling on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at Court No. 51 of the Fast Track/Commercial Division, Tapa Courthouse, Lagos, in Suit No. LD/28350C/2026, The State of Lagos v. Shafi Fatai, Yusuf Ismaila and Hammed Tajudeen Akanbi.
According to the Certified True Copy of the proceedings, none of the three defendants was present in court.
O.T. Ojerinde, alongside Dr. Dayo Ashonibare and Adetura Mariam, appeared for Akanbi, the third defendant/applicant, while Jibril Kareem represented the prosecution.
During the proceedings, Akanbi’s counsel informed the court about a motion ex parte dated August 24, 2026, seeking permission for the matter to be heard during the 2026 long vacation.
However, Justice Ipaye observed that a similar application had already been brought before two different vacation judges before the August 27 proceedings.
The first vacation judge, on July 22, 2026, dismissed the application, while the second vacation judge subsequently struck out another application.
Justice Ipaye consequently ruled that Akanbi could not return to court with the same or a similar application.
The judge directed the defence to approach the substantive judge assigned to the case.
“The Applicant is not permitted to bring same similar application again. They are to go before the Substantive Judge,” Justice Ipaye held.
Naija News reports that the latest development comes after a series of bail applications filed by Akanbi’s lawyers before different judges of the Lagos State High Court.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the defence team approached at least four judges between June and August 2026 in connection with bail applications for Akanbi.
The repeated applications reportedly led a vacation court to describe the pattern as an abuse of court process.
The matter dates back to June 25, 2026, when Justice A.T. Muyideen ordered that Akanbi be remanded at the Ikoyi Minimum Custodial Centre.
The order followed the court’s finding that the police had exhausted the constitutionally permissible period for keeping him in custody.
However, the remand order ran into complications after correctional authorities reportedly refused to admit Akanbi because of his medical condition.
As a result, an interim arrangement was made for the police to continue taking him for medical treatment while the remand order remained in force.
When the three defendants were arraigned on July 3, Akanbi’s lawyers relied on an Affidavit of Urgency in support of a bail application before Justice Muyideen.
The judge, however, reaffirmed his earlier remand order and adjourned the substantive case to November 3, 5, 10, 19 and 25, 2026.
Despite the pending proceedings, another bail application was subsequently filed before Justice Olumuyiwa O. Martins.
In a ruling delivered on July 22, Justice Martins held that the fresh application was unnecessary and amounted to an attempt to undermine the orders of Justice Muyideen.
The application was consequently denied and dismissed.
On August 6, Akanbi’s lawyers approached Justice S.I. Sonaike with another bail application.
The application was struck out after the court found that the same matter was already pending before Justice Muyideen.
The following day, August 7, Justice O.L. Alebiosu also encountered the issue while considering a separate fundamental rights suit and bail application at the Ikeja Judicial Division.
Justice Alebiosu, after checking the Judicial Information System, discovered that a substantive case involving Akanbi was already pending before Justice Muyideen.
The judge consequently declined to determine the bail issue separately, citing the possibility of conflicting decisions.
Naija News reports that Akanbi is standing trial alongside Shafi Fatai and Yusuf Ismaila over the deaths of two residents of Ajiran, Eti-Osa.
The first victim, Sheriff Ishola Salami, was reportedly killed in Moba, Eti-Osa, on April 18, 2023.
The second victim, Prince Kazeem Ademola Akinloye, was reportedly assassinated along Chevron Road on August 26, 2024. The defendants remain before the Lagos State High Court over the allegations.
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