Civil society organisations in Kogi State have petitioned key law enforcement and judicial authorities over alleged tampering with court exhibits in the ongoing N10 billion fraud trial involving the Chief of Staff to the Kogi State Government, Ali Bello, and others, warning that the development poses a grave threat to the integrity of the justice system.
The petition, submitted in Abuja by the Community Outreach for Development and Welfare Advocacy (CODWA) alongside allied groups, was addressed to the Inspector-General of Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, the National Judicial Council (NJC), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The action followed a directive issued on February 5, 2026, by Justice J.K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, ordering the Nigeria Police Force and the DSS to investigate allegations that key court exhibits marked N and O were manipulated during the trial.
According to the court, the registrar, Nasiru Onimisi Zubairu, allegedly admitted that the second defendant, Daudu Sulaiman, approached him with a coded request to erase vital WhatsApp messages from a mobile phone tendered as evidence.
Addressing journalists after submitting the petition, Ambassador Comrade Kelvin Akerele, National Coordinator of the Coalition of Youths Advocacy for Good Governance, described the allegations as a direct assault on the sanctity of court records and public confidence in the judiciary.
“Matters touching on the sanctity of court records go to the very heart of the administration of justice. Any compromise in this regard undermines public trust and the integrity of our institutions,” Akerele said, urging security agencies to treat the matter with urgency and transparency.
He cautioned against any attempt to suppress the investigation, stressing that, “We sincerely urge that this investigation is pursued to its logical conclusion and not allowed to be swept under the carpet.”
Also speaking, Hon. Onogu Collins, National President of the Arewa Grassroot Leaders Assembly, condemned actions capable of bringing Kogi State into disrepute, insisting that anyone found culpable should face the full weight of the law.
“People who bring bad image to Kogi State must be used as scapegoats so that others can learn. Nigeria is an institution where such acts must not go unpunished,” Collins said.
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He explained that multiple agencies were petitioned to guarantee accountability, noting that issues bordering on the handling of court exhibits strike at the core of justice and the rule of law.
The groups further reminded the Nigeria Police Force of its constitutional duty to enforce court directives and protect judicial processes, expressing confidence that a thorough and transparent investigation would restore public faith in the justice system and deter future interference with court evidence.
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