Court of Appeal to Decide Fate of ADC, Accord Party Today in Deregistration Suit

ABUJA — The Court of Appeal, Abuja division, will today hear the substantive appeal challenging the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) , Accord Party , and three other political parties, in a case that has exposed deep tensions within Nigeria’s judiciary and sparked fears of a slide toward a one-party state. The appellate court had earlier adjourned the hearing from June 25 to July 7 to enable all parties in the appeal to file and exchange their processes for a full-scale hearing, and at the proceedings of June 25, counsel for the Accord Party, Musibau Adetunbi, SAN , informed the three-member panel of justices, led by Justice Abubakar Mohammed , that the record of appeal and the final judgment of the Federal High Court had been obtained on Monday, June 22, and transmitted to the Court of Appeal as required by law. The senior lawyer subsequently applied for a short adjournment to enable him and other parties to file their briefs of argument and exchange same to pave the way for the hearing of the matter, and the application for adjournment was not opposed by all other parties, prompting the panel to adjourn the hearing of the appeal till today by 2 pm. Although Adetunbi applied for three days to file and exchange briefs of argument, Justice Mohammed noted that some of the justices would be out of Abuja next week for a special session and announced July 7 as the hearing date, setting the stage for what legal observers describe as a landmark judicial confrontation.

The legal battle began when Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in a judgment, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC, Accord Party, and three other political parties on the ground that they did not fulfill constitutional requirements in the previous election. The affected parties are the African Democratic Congress (ADC) , Accord Party (AP) , Action Alliance (AA) , Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) , and Action Peoples Party (APP) , all of which have fielded candidates in previous elections and maintain structures across various states. Justice Lifu held that the parties failed to meet the constitutional threshold of Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution , which empowers INEC to deregister political parties that fail to satisfy prescribed constitutional requirements, including securing at least 25 per cent of the votes in a state during a presidential election or winning at least one elective seat. He held that the parties failed to secure the required electoral performance in the last general elections in compliance with the provisions of the law, and the court also barred INEC from further according recognition to the parties, accepting nominations of candidates from the affected parties, or giving effect to their activities for the purpose of participating in the 2027 general elections.

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Although INEC opposed the deregistration at the trial court, insisting that the parties met constitutional requirements and even provided evidence—including certificates of return issued to candidates elected on the platforms of the affected parties—Justice Lifu nonetheless ordered the electoral body to deregister the five parties, dismissing the commission’s arguments as unsubstantiated. The suit was instituted by the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL) , which argued that the parties performed poorly in the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections, failing to win seats across key tiers of government, and that their continued recognition as political parties was a waste of electoral resources and a distortion of the democratic process. The plaintiffs maintained that the parties failed to meet the electoral performance thresholds set out in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) , as reinforced by the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC’s regulations, and the forum argued that the continued existence of the said parties as recognised political parties was unlawful and undermined the integrity of the country’s electoral system. The Attorney General of the Federation , Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who was joined as a defendant, threw his weight behind the plaintiffs, arguing that the continued existence of the political parties violated extant provisions of the 1999 Constitution and that the electoral body had the legal duty to deregister non-performing parties to sanitise the political landscape.

In a unanimous ruling delivered on June 16, 2026, the three-member panel of the Court of Appeal ordered an immediate stay of execution of the Federal High Court judgment, preventing INEC from implementing the deregistration order pending the determination of the substantive appeal, a decision that effectively suspended the trial court’s judgment and restored the parties’ legal status. The appellate court not only suspended enforcement of the judgment but also strongly reprimanded Justice Lifu for proceeding to hear the matter and deliver judgment despite an earlier order of the Court of Appeal directing him to stay proceedings, describing his conduct as a direct affront to judicial hierarchy. Justice Mohammed, who led the panel, held that the appellate court has a duty to invoke its power to ensure that its order is obeyed, and he described the action of Justice Lifu as “judicial impunity” and “rascality,” adding that: “What the trial court did was a violation of judicial precedent and the Constitution” . The court held that Justice Lifu’s action was “the highest form of judicial impertinence,” stressing that the Supreme Court had previously held that a judge who acts in such manner “is unfit for the bench, as the conduct amounts to judicial rascality,” and that such behaviour undermines public confidence in the judiciary and the rule of law. The appellate court noted that an enrolled order of the court, signed by Deputy Registrar Josephine Ekperobe, had expressly directed Justice Lifu to stay further proceedings in the suit pending the determination of an appeal filed by the Accord Party, but despite this clear directive, Justice Lifu proceeded to deliver judgment, directing INEC to deregister the five parties and barring them from participating in any future elections, including the 2027 general polls.

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“Courts are enjoined to protect their integrity. This Court has supervisory authority over the trial court. The decision of the lower court to proceed with the judgment despite the express order of this court is a brazen violation of the hierarchy of the court and the 1999 Constitution” .

Interestingly, INEC itself supported the application for a stay of execution at the appellate court, a move that surprised many observers given the commission’s statutory role as the electoral regulatory body. Represented by a legal team led by Haliru Mohammed, INEC informed the appellate court that the commission was surprised by Justice Lifu’s decision to proceed with delivery of judgment despite the earlier order restraining the lower court, and according to the commission, it was never formally notified about delivery of the judgment and only became aware of the development through media reports. In a statement that underscored the commission’s discomfort with the trial judge’s conduct, INEC declared: “We were not aware of any notice from the court regarding the delivery of the judgment. We only saw it as breaking news in the media. We therefore do not oppose the application of the appellant to stay execution of the judgment” , effectively aligning itself with the political parties seeking to overturn the deregistration order.

The judgment carried significant political implications, as it affected candidates sponsored by the affected parties, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar , presidential candidate of the ADC, and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke , governorship candidate of Accord Party in the upcoming state election, both of whom would have been rendered ineligible to contest future elections if the deregistration had been enforced. Both political figures slammed the deregistration judgment, describing it as an attempt to weaken opposition politics and undermine democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Atiku’s camp describing the ruling as a “judicial coup” against democracy. The ADC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the court ruling as a threat to democracy and warned against actions capable of destabilising Nigeria’s political system, arguing that the judgment contradicted constitutional provisions and electoral laws governing political parties and that it was an overreach by the judiciary into the affairs of political associations. The party also faulted the judgment, citing the subsisting Court of Appeal order directing a stay of proceedings, which the trial judge proceeded despite being aware of, and described the development as an embarrassment to the Nigerian judiciary and a dangerous precedent for the rule of law. Had the judgment been enforced immediately, thousands of aspirants would have lost their legal platforms ahead of the 2027 general elections, and the Court of Appeal’s intervention was widely seen as averting a potential constitutional and electoral crisis that would have disenfranchised millions of voters who identify with the affected parties.

Today, the Court of Appeal will hear the substantive appeals filed by the affected parties seeking to set aside the deregistration judgment, and all defendants, including INEC, have urged the appellate court to overturn the trial court’s verdict on the grounds that it was delivered in breach of judicial hierarchy and without proper consideration of the evidence presented by INEC. Legal observers note that the outcome of today’s hearing will determine whether the five political parties can continue to participate in future elections, including the 2027 general elections, and whether the judiciary can restore public confidence in its ability to enforce its own orders and maintain decorum among its judges. The case has become a test of the resilience of Nigeria’s democracy and the independence of its judiciary, and all eyes are on the Court of Appeal as it prepares to deliver a verdict that could reshape the country’s political landscape for years to come.

Court of Appeal to Decide Fate of ADC, Accord Party Today in Deregistration Suit

Nigerian-Born Teen Among Two Found Guilty of Murder in Enfield Gang Shooting

LONDON — The United Kingdom’s Central Criminal Court, better known as the Old Bailey, has convicted two 18-year-old men of murder following a fatal shooting that exposed the deadly underbelly of gang violence and social media feuds in north London. On Monday, July 6, 2026, a jury found Emmanuel Popoola, who is of Nigerian heritage, and Tayvon Etefia guilty of murdering 18-year-old Keanu Harker in Enfield. The verdict came after a six-week trial that painted a chilling picture of how a trivial online slight escalated into a cold-blooded execution, leaving a family shattered and a community reeling from yet another loss of young life to street violence.

The homicide was rooted in a bitter rivalry between two Enfield-based gangs: the 3×3 gang and the Get Money Gang (GMG) , both of which have been linked to drill music and territorial disputes across north London. The immediate trigger was a series of voice notes exchanged on Snapchat, in which comments were made implying that Popoola could not afford to buy mobile data for his phone. What began as a virtual taunt — a dismissive remark about a teenager’s financial status — quickly became a real-world manhunt. On the evening of June 26, 2025, Popoola and Etefia mounted a high-powered Sur-Ron electric dirt bike and began patrolling the streets of Enfield in search of Harker, who was a known affiliate of the rival gang, determined to settle the score with lethal force.

According to prosecutor Louise Oakley KC, the defendants spotted Harker cycling home along the Great Cambridge Road, completely unaware that he was being hunted. Etefia rode the e-bike while Popoola sat as a passenger, and as they drew alongside the victim, Popoola produced a self-loading pistol and fired three shots at close range without warning. Two bullets struck Harker — one in the head and another in the chest — causing him to collapse instantly onto the tarmac. In a harrowing detail presented to the jury, Oakley described how the fatally wounded teenager somehow managed to crawl a short distance into the front garden of a residential address just off the Great Cambridge Road, desperately seeking help that would never come. Emergency services were called, but the teenager was pronounced dead at the scene, his bicycle, covered in blood, later found abandoned nearby as a grim testament to the violence that had unfolded.

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In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, the killers abandoned their clothing and the e-bike in a bid to destroy evidence. They were picked up by an associate, Eliezer Mbaki, who drove them away from the scene and helped them evade the initial police cordon. But their freedom was short-lived. Two days later, on June 28, 2025, Popoola attempted to flee the country entirely, booking a one-way Eurostar ticket from London St Pancras to Paris with the help of his then-18-year-old girlfriend, Anais King, who paid for the ticket and later travelled separately to join him. Meanwhile, Etefia also attempted to board a Eurostar train but was intercepted by police just two minutes before departure, with officers boarding the carriage to arrest him in a dramatic last-minute intervention. Detectives tracking King’s movements used her as a crucial lead; when she flew to Paris, French authorities placed her under surveillance, and she unknowingly led them to the apartment where Popoola was hiding. He was arrested by Paris gendarmes and later extradited back to the UK to face trial, closing the net on a cross-channel escape that had nearly succeeded.

Beyond the two murder convictions, the jury also found three accomplices guilty of perverting the course of justice for their roles in obstructing the investigation. Eliezer Mbaki, 25, was convicted for driving the getaway car that spirited the killers away from the crime scene. Anais King, 19, was found guilty for facilitating Popoola’s escape and initially lying to investigators about his whereabouts. A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was also convicted for assisting in concealing evidence, including helping to dispose of the murder weapon and the discarded clothing. All three will be sentenced at a later date, with the court making clear that anyone who aids killers in evading justice will face severe consequences.

The jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts for both Popoola and Etefia on charges of murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, rejecting defence arguments that sought to minimise their culpability. The two men are scheduled to appear for sentencing on Thursday, July 9, and Friday, July 10, 2026, and they face life imprisonment, with judges expected to impose lengthy minimum terms that will keep them behind bars for decades. The gravity of the offence, combined with the premeditated nature of the attack and the use of a firearm, means both are likely to receive sentences that reflect the severity of taking a young life over a trivial social media squabble.

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In a powerful statement issued after the verdict, Keanu Harker’s family called for urgent action to address the epidemic of youth violence and gang culture that continues to claim young lives across the capital. They spoke of a lifetime of pain and loss that can never be undone, expressing hope that the case would open people’s eyes to how damaging gang culture has become for young people. “Too many children are losing their lives, and too many families are being left to suffer unimaginable heartbreak,” they said, urging policymakers and community leaders to intervene before more young lives are taken and more parents are forced to endure the same anguish they now live with every day. Their words resonated far beyond the courtroom, reigniting public debate about the root causes of youth violence in London.

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police have described the killing as “senseless” and praised the cooperation with French authorities that led to Popoola’s arrest, calling it a model of international collaboration in tackling cross-border crime. The case also highlights the growing role of social media platforms like Snapchat in fuelling real-world violence, particularly among drill music-affiliated gangs in London, where online disrespect is often met with offline retribution. Local community leaders in Enfield have called for renewed investment in youth services, mental health support, and conflict resolution programmes to prevent similar tragedies, warning that without meaningful intervention, the cycle of retaliation will continue to claim more young victims.

The court has remanded both convicted men into custody until their sentencing later this week, while the accomplices — Mbaki, King, and the 17-year-old — will face their own sentencing hearings in the coming weeks. The case continues to reverberate across the UK, reigniting debates about knife and gun crime, the influence of online gang disputes, and the urgent need for early intervention to steer young people away from violence before it is too late. For Keanu Harker’s family, however, no verdict or sentence can bring back their son, and they have vowed to continue campaigning for systemic change in memory of the teenager whose life was cut short over a dispute that should never have left a smartphone screen.

Nigerian-Born Teen Among Two Found Guilty of Murder in Enfield Gang Shooting

Police arrest 153 suspects, recover guns, drugs in Lagos Operation

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested 153 suspected criminals and recovered firearms, illicit drugs, unregistered motorcycles and other suspected stolen items during a major security operation in the Igando area of Lagos as part of the ongoing Operation KO S’AYE launched to combat kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes across Lagos and Ogun states.

The intelligence-led operation, conducted in the early hours of Sunday, targeted criminal hideouts around the Boolar dumpsite near Okofilling Bus Stop and other identified black spots within the Area M, Idimu policing axis, where suspected hoodlums were believed to be operating.

According to the Lagos State Police Command, the coordinated raid commenced at about 5:45 a.m. after operatives received credible intelligence on the activities of criminal elements in the area.

Police operatives drawn from different formations of the command simultaneously stormed the identified hideouts, leading to the arrest of 153 suspects without major resistance.

During the operation, officers recovered 100 unregistered motorcycles, 54 mobile phones, one double-barrel gun, two single-barrel guns, one locally made double-barrel short gun, two military camouflage uniforms, assorted charms, six generators suspected to have been stolen, substances suspected to be Indian hemp, and various quantities of illicit drugs.

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The command said the operation forms part of its sustained strategy to dismantle criminal networks, clear identified black spots and ensure there are no safe havens for criminals anywhere in Lagos State.

Confirming the operation in a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, said the raid was aimed at flushing out hoodlums, suspected cultists, armed robbers, drug traffickers and other criminal elements allegedly terrorising residents within the Idimu-Igando axis.

He disclosed that all the suspects are currently in police custody while investigations continue to determine each individual’s level of involvement in the alleged criminal activities.

According to the police, suspects found to have committed criminal offences will be prosecuted in accordance with the law after investigations are concluded.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, commended the officers involved in the operation for their professionalism, courage and commitment to duty.

He reaffirmed the command’s determination to sustain Operation KO S’AYE, stressing that similar intelligence-driven operations would continue across Lagos to dismantle criminal hideouts, disrupt organised crime and improve public safety.

The police commissioner also appealed to residents to continue partnering with security agencies by providing timely and credible information capable of helping law enforcement identify criminal hideouts, arrest offenders and prevent crimes before they occur.

Operation KO S’AYE was recently launched by the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, as a special security initiative covering Lagos and Ogun states following growing concerns over kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes along the Lagos-Ogun corridor.

The operation combines intelligence gathering, coordinated raids, bush-combing exercises and increased patrols in forests, border communities and other vulnerable locations considered potential hideouts for criminal gangs.

Within days of its inauguration, the operation had already recorded several breakthroughs, including the rescue of kidnapped victims, the arrest of suspected kidnappers and the recovery of firearms in separate operations across Lagos and Ogun states.

Security experts say the latest arrests highlight the renewed emphasis on intelligence-led policing by the Nigeria Police Force, noting that sustained collaboration between residents and security agencies will be critical to dismantling criminal networks and strengthening public confidence in law enforcement.

They also believe that continued clearance of criminal hideouts and enhanced surveillance of high-risk communities could significantly reduce violent crimes and improve security across the Lagos metropolitan area and neighbouring Ogun State.

Police arrest 153 suspects, recover guns, drugs in Lagos Operation