By Mohammed Musa In a stunning rebuke of executive overreach, the Federal High Court sitting in Bauchi has restored hope to mill...
By Mohammed Musa
In a stunning rebuke of executive overreach, the Federal High Court sitting in Bauchi has restored hope to millions of Nigerians who believe in the power of justice. On July 1, 2025, Hon. Justice Aminu Garba ordered the Bauchi State Government to pay N100 million in damages and publicly apologise to Dr. Sa’idu Abubakar, the former Accountant General, over his illegal arrest, detention, and humiliation.
It wasn’t just a win — it was a landmark moment. A declaration that power cannot always bully truth. And that the Federal courts, when they stand firm, are still the last line of defence for the oppressed.
Dr. Abubakar’s story is sadly familiar. He was a respected technocrat serving the people of Bauchi — until politics got in the way.
He was suddenly removed from office, arrested without cause, detained like a common criminal, and subjected to intense investigations. They searched for evidence, they found nothing. No missing funds, no fraud, no misconduct.
Just silence. Then shame. Then freedom.
What makes this case different is what followed. Dr. Abubakar didn’t disappear into the shadows. He fought back — with the law on his side. And the Federal court agreed: his rights were violated, his dignity trampled, and justice demanded compensation.
Now a Permanent Secretary in the Bauchi civil service, Dr. Abubakar’s name has been cleared not just administratively, but historically. The judgment wasn’t just about him. It was about every innocent Nigerian who has been dragged, detained, disgraced — then dumped.
The N100 million compensation isn’t just damages. It’s a statement. A message. That no matter how powerful your persecutors are, the Constitution still matters, the gavel can still thunder in favour of the innocent.
This case is more than a personal vindication. It’s a legal and moral triumph that proves the federal judiciary can still roar when pushed. In an era where many institutions bend under political pressure, the Federal court in Bauchi stood tall.
Hon. Justice Aminu Garba deserves national commendation. His ruling sent a clear signal: rights are sacred, and impunity has a price. He did not cower before the state, he sided with the truth.
Let’s be clear: this wasn’t just a technical judgment. It was justice served with courage—a judgment that should be studied in law schools and echoed in civil rights circles.
Too often in Nigeria, public officials are hounded for refusing to play dirty. Lives are ruined over baseless allegations. Files are opened to intimidate. Media trials are launched to destroy, but in this case, the federal judiciary pushed back hard.
Dr. Abubakar’s case is a textbook example of how state power can be misused — and how the law, when allowed, can reset the balance.
For too long, impunity has reigned. Innocent people have been jailed without trial, forced out of office without process, and painted as guilty without proof. This judgment cracks that wall. It says: enough.
And it does more. It gives hope. It reminds us that Federal courts aren’t just ceremonial chambers — they’re the guardians of our freedoms. That even in a country battered by corruption and strongman politics, justice can still stand up, speak out, and swing the hammer in the right direction.
Dr. Abubakar’s courage must not go unnoticed. It takes guts to fight the system — especially when the system wants you erased. His resistance gave the Federal judiciary a chance to shine. And shine it did.
This is not the time to move on quietly. It’s the time to reflect and amplify. If we ignore victories like this, we embolden the next abuser of power. If we celebrate them, we tell every Nigerian: you have rights, and you can win.
So yes — kudos to the Federal judiciary for standing firm, for choosing principle over politics, for reminding us all that justice is not dead in Nigeria.
Kudos to Dr. Sa’idu Abubakar for refusing to be broken, for trusting the law, and for proving that even in Nigeria, truth still has power — and power can still be held accountable.
It would be recalled that there was an earlier judgement by Justice Kunaza N. Hamidu of Bauchi State High Court No. 2, which still favored Dr. Sa’idu Abubakar
Let this judgment echo from courtrooms to classrooms, from civil servants to civil society because justice won and history will remember.
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