The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday admitted statements and video recordings made by six alleged coup plotters during military interrogation as evidence in their ongoing trial.

The court dismissed the defendants’ claims that the materials were obtained through torture, inducement and coercion, ruling that the prosecution had established that the statements and recordings were voluntarily made.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik delivered the ruling during a trial-within-trial instituted to determine the admissibility of the disputed materials.

The judge described the defendants’ allegations of duress as an afterthought, noting that there was no evidence to substantiate claims that they were tortured or forced by military personnel to make the statements.

The six defendants are retired Major General Mohammed Gana, retired Navy Captain Erasmus Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni and Abdulkadir Sani.

The Federal Government, through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, arraigned the defendants on April 22 on a 13-count charge bordering on treason, terrorism, failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.

Justice Abdulmalik had ordered the trial-within-trial on May 11 after defence lawyers challenged the admissibility of the statements and video recordings tendered by the prosecution.

The defence had argued that the materials were not voluntarily obtained, alleging that the defendants were subjected to torture, inducement and other forms of coercion during their interrogation by military personnel.

The objection followed the testimony of four prosecution witnesses, including an Army officer identified by the codename AAA, who tendered video recordings of the defendants’ interrogations before the court.

However, after examining the arguments presented during the trial-within-trial, Justice Abdulmalik rejected the defence’s objections and admitted the statements and video recordings as exhibits.

The admission of the materials means the prosecution can rely on them as part of its evidence as the substantive trial progresses.
Following the ruling, the court adjourned the case until December 7 and 10 for continuation of the trial.

A federal judge in the United States has dismissed a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump’s administration seeking to delay the certification of Alaska’s Senate election results over concerns about a second candidate bearing the same name as the Republican incumbent.

Judge Sharon Gleason ruled on Sunday that the proposed legal intervention was unworkable, warning that changing election rules shortly before voting could create confusion among voters and discourage participation.

The US Department of Justice had asked the court to prevent the certification of the results if incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan loses Tuesday’s midterm election.

The lawsuit centred on the participation of another candidate named Dan Sullivan, whom the administration alleged could confuse voters intending to support the Republican senator and split his votes.

Trump had claimed that Democratic candidate Mary Peltola recruited the additional candidate to gain an unfair electoral advantage by misleading voters.

The administration sought an investigation if Peltola emerged victorious to determine how many votes cast for the second Dan Sullivan were actually intended for the Republican incumbent.

However, in her ruling, Gleason rejected the request, describing the proposed intervention as impractical and warning of its potential consequences for the electoral process.

“Such an attempt would likely result in voter confusion and consequent incentive to remain away from the polls. Such late-breaking changes to the election rules are strongly disfavored,” the judge said.

Trump had previously acknowledged personally ordering the legal action, making the lawsuit an unusual intervention by the federal government in an ongoing Senate election.

The case has attracted attention amid concerns about possible legal challenges to Republican losses in the midterm elections, which will determine control of the US Congress.

Alaska is among the states where Democrats are seeking to unseat Republican incumbents as part of their efforts to secure a majority in the Senate.

The ruling means the administration’s request to block certification on the basis of the second candidate’s name will not proceed.

The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) has invited applications for the 2027 conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), setting a non-refundable processing fee of ₦5 million for lawyers in private practice and ₦2.5 million for legal practitioners employed in government service.

According to a notice signed by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and Secretary of the LPPC, Kabir Eniola Akanbi, the application portal will open at midnight on Sunday, November 1, 2026. Applications must be submitted online through the committee’s official website, “www.lppconline.com” (https://www.lppconline.com).

The exercise is being conducted under Section 5(2) of the Legal Practitioners Act and Paragraphs 10(1)–(4) of the 2022 Guidelines for the Conferment of the rank.

The committee has directed prospective applicants to pay the prescribed fee into its designated accounts with Zenith Bank or Guaranty Trust Bank and upload evidence of payment to the portal for verification.

Applicants will receive a confirmation email from the LPPC Secretariat before proceeding with the application process.

Application Deadline and Submission Requirements

The LPPC has fixed midnight on January 31, 2027, as the deadline for online applications. Applicants must also ensure that the required physical materials reach the committee’s secretariat before 4 p.m. on February 1, 2027.

The committee warned that applications that fail to comply with the prescribed guidelines or arrive after the stipulated deadlines will be rejected and treated as non-submissions.

All applicants, whether seeking the rank through legal advocacy or academia, must upload clear and legible copies of the mandatory and supporting documents specified in the guidelines.

Applicants are advised to prepare their documents early, ensure that all uploaded files are readable and verify that their submissions satisfy the relevant requirements before the deadline.

Additional Requirements for Academic Applicants

Lawyers applying through the academic category face additional documentation requirements.

The LPPC has directed academic applicants to submit seven physical photocopies each of their curriculum vitae and impact statement, alongside the required digital materials.

In addition, every applicant must submit five flash drives containing a copy of the completed application form downloaded from the portal and copies of all mandatory and supporting documents uploaded during the online application process.

These requirements mean that completing the online application alone will not satisfy the entire submission process. Applicants must also ensure that the required physical materials are delivered to the LPPC Secretariat within the prescribed period.

The committee has directed applicants seeking clarification to contact its secretariat through [email protected].

LPPC Maintains Separate Fees for Private and Government Lawyers

The prescribed processing fees are:

Applicant category| Non-refundable fee

Lawyers in private practice| ₦5,000,000

Lawyers employed in government service| ₦2,500,000

The fee structure makes the processing charge for private practitioners twice that prescribed for government-employed lawyers.

The fees are processing charges for applications and should not be confused with a guarantee of conferment. Applicants must still satisfy the committee’s eligibility criteria and assessment requirements before they can be awarded the rank.

Prospective applicants should consult the official LPPC notice and the applicable guidelines to confirm the complete eligibility, documentation and assessment requirements.

68 Lawyers Received SAN Rank in 2026

The announcement comes weeks after the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, swore in 68 legal practitioners as Senior Advocates of Nigeria on October 12, 2026, during a special session of the Supreme Court marking the commencement of the 2026/2027 legal year.

The group comprised 67 advocates and one academic, Professor Nnamdi Onyeka Obiaraeri.

The LPPC had approved their elevation at its 174th plenary session in July.

The conferment of the SAN rank is one of the legal profession’s most significant recognitions in Nigeria.

It recognises demonstrated professional distinction in advocacy or academic contributions to the development of law, subject to the committee’s prescribed criteria.

The annual application process gives eligible practitioners an opportunity to be considered for the distinction.

What Applicants Should Do Next

Lawyers intending to apply for the 2027 conferment should review the applicable guidelines before the portal opens on November 1.

They should also verify their eligibility, prepare supporting documents, confirm the prescribed payment procedure and plan for both online submission and delivery of the required physical materials.

With the online deadline set for January 31, 2027, and the physical-submission deadline following on February 1, applicants should avoid leaving document preparation or delivery until the final hours.

The LPPC has made clear that late or non-compliant applications will be treated as non-submissions, making adherence to the stated requirements essential.

Official application portal: “www.lppconline.com” (https://www.lppconline.com)