Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has called on Nigerian authorities to urgently investigate and prosecute a series of high profile murder cases allegedly linked to powerful individuals.
He warned against what he described as a pattern of cover-ups and compromised prosecutions.
The senior lawyer made this known in a statement under the aegis of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 & Beyond (ASCAB), Falana said Nigeria’s justice system risks losing public confidence if cases involving influential suspects are mishandled or deliberately weakened.
He noted that while some prosecutions have occurred due to public pressure, many are often ‘bungled by public prosecutors,’ leading to questionable acquittals.
Falana referenced the April 5, 2018, armed robbery attack in Offa, Kwara State, where 33 people, including nine police officers, were killed during coordinated bank and police facility attacks.
Although five suspects have been convicted and sentenced to death with their convictions upheld on appeal Falana highlighted ongoing civil and criminal proceedings implicating politically exposed persons.
He said a N2.1 billion civil suit filed by victims’ families names former Senate President Bukola Saraki and ex-governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, among others, based on confessional statements alleging sponsorship of the attackers. Both men have denied wrongdoing.
Falana added that fresh criminal charges filed in April 2026 against the duo and others should be allowed to proceed without interference.
He also stared the on the unresolved case of Abubakar Idris Dadiyata, who was abducted in 2019, Falana urged security agencies to investigate conflicting claims surrounding his disappearance.
Former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai had denied any involvement, while ex-Kano governor Abdullahi Ganduje also rejected allegations linking him to the case.
However, Falana cited recent claims by a political aide alleging that Dadiyata died in police custody, calling for a thorough probe by the Nigeria Police Force and the State Security Service.
Falana also demanded swift prosecution in the Ajiran community killings in Eti-Osa, Lagos State, allegedly linked to a suspected land grabber, Ahmed Tajudeen Akanbi, who was recently arrested through INTERPOL and handed over to Nigerian authorities.
He urged the police to conclude investigations to enable arraignment for alleged offences including murder and attempted murder.
In another case, Falana called for accountability over the death of Chief Lukman Ojora Arounfale, following an alleged assault at the palace of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oyo.
According to the account, the traditional leader was allegedly beaten and detained on the orders of the monarch, Abimbola Akeem Owoade, before later dying from injuries.
Falana said the matter, now reportedly under investigation by the State Security Service, must not be ignored.
On Owode-Onirin market killings, the senior advocate criticised the handling of the August 2025 killing of six traders at Owode-Onirin in Lagos during a land dispute, allegedly involving police officers brought from Nasarawa State.
He faulted the legal advice that cleared the officers on grounds of self-defence, despite ballistic and post-mortem reports, and urged the Lagos State Ministry of Justice to review the decision.
Falana further addressed the April 26, 2026 killing of 28-year-old Mene Ogidi in Effurun, Delta State, by a police officer, describing it as an “illegal public execution.”
While noting that the officer involved has been dismissed and arrested, he called for the case to be prosecuted at the state level rather than by federal authorities to ensure swift justice.
Falana therefore stressed that political considerations must not override justice, urging law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to act independently and transparently.
“Given the gravity of these offences and the loss of lives involved, all suspects regardless of status must be brought to justice.”
He warned that failure to do so would further erode public trust in Nigeria’s justice system and embolden impunity among powerful actors.
