Police Harrasment: Court Grants Lawyer Bail

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Apo, has granted a lawyer, Mrs Bukola Ibitade, bail.

Ibitade and her boss, Barrister Victor Giwa, were accused by the police to have forged a letterhead, belonging to a renown Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Awa Kalu.

But Awa Kalu, in a letter to the Inspector General of Police, Mr Katode. Egebtolun, put a lie to the allegation of the police against Ibitade amd Giwa.

Despite the letter of Prof. Awa Kalu to the Inspector-General of Police, formally distancing himself from the allegation of forgery and impersonation against Giwa and Ibitade, the police have gone ahead to press charge against Giwa.

Chief Kalu, in a letter to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, had said his letterhead was never forged and that he had not at anytime lodged any complaint to the police about forgery of his document.

Professor Kalu, in a letter dated May 30, 2025, addressed to the Inspector General of Police, clarified that he neither filed a complaint nor reported Mr. Giwa for allegedly forging his firm’s letterhead.

The letter comes in response to Charge No. CR/150/25 instituted by the police, in which Giwa and Ibitade were accused of forging the official letterhead of “Awa U. Kalu (SAN) and Partners” — formerly “Awa U. Kalu (SAN) and Associates” — to communicate with the Attorney General of the Federation.

Prof. Kalu wrote, “I wish to inform you that the internet is agog with news that a charge is preferred against the above named gentleman, indicating that he forged my official headed paper.

“Please note that I have neither filed a complaint nor have I incidented a report at any Police Station in Nigeria indicating that Mr. Victor Giwa forged my official headed paper.”

During the hearing of the motion for bail for Ibitade, her Counsel, Ogbu Aboje,
urged the court to grant her bail on liberal term.

According to him, the defendant is a lawyer and cannot jump bail.

“We have a motion dated October 8, 2025 and filed on the same date. The motion seeks an order to admit the 2nd defendant to bail pending the hearing and determination of the case.

“We are seeking an order of the court to admit the second defendant to bail on very liberal condition. We urge the court to dismiss the counter affidavit of the prosecution and grant them defendant bail”, he argued.

The prosecution, Mr Eristo Asaph, prayed the court to turn down the motion for bail.

He submitted, “We are opposing the bail application and have filed counter affidavit deposed to, by one Clement Akpan and the counter affidavit is accompanied by one exhibit marked “NPF A” and it’s also accompanied by a written address. We urge my lord to refuse the application”.

In his ruling, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, granted Ibitade bail in the sum of N30m with two sureties who must be level 16 civil servants.

According to the court, the sureties must be able to produce the defendant at every sitting of the. Court amd must have a valid ID card.

The clarification by Prof. Kalu significantly undercuts the foundation of the forgery allegation, which reportedly hinges on the unauthorised use of his firm’s name and letterhead.

His statement meant there was no formal accusation from the primary party whose identity was allegedly misused.

Also, Victor Giwa had in a letter to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, dated 23rd May, 2025, asked the IGP to probe the allegation of financial inducement to charge him to court.

Specifically, Giwa called Mr Egbetokun, to investigate the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, legal services of the Nigeria Police, Chiozoba Oyakhire Ehiede, AIG Aina Emmanuel and Ms Asabe Waziri, over allegation of frivolous xharge filed against him and one other.

He called on the IGP to probe the connection between the AIG, Legal Services of the Nigeria Police and Asabe Waziri, a staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.