By Gideon Njoku
The House of Representatives Member, representing Isikwuato Federal Constituency, Honourable Amobi Godwin Ogar, was, on the orders of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, arrested and committed to the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja.
The committal order was issued by Justice Yusuf Halilu shortly after Ogar, was arrested and brought before the court.
Dated June 24, 2026, a Thursday, the committal order is to the effect that the Federal Lawmaker, should remain in the custody of the Kuje Correctional Centre until July 6, the day the case was adjourned to.
Unconfirmed reports, because no contrary Court order has been made public, however, say he is already out of custody pending the July 6 date for the resumption of the case.
His problem stemmed from alleged criminal defamation and false declaration.
Titled *Warrant of Commitment to Prison,* the Court order indicate that Ogar is standing trial in Charge No. CR/650/2024, and reads in part:
“The Officer in Charge of the prison at Kuje, whereas the above-named person has been arrested and brought before me, accused of the offences of criminal defamation and false declaration, you are hereby authorised and required to receive him and detain him in custody until further order; provided that, if no further order has been as to his disposal before July 6, 2026, you shall deliver him to a police officer to bring him before me with this warrant for an order as to his disposal.”
The Lawmakers problem began when the Federal Government, on July 31, 2024, filed a five-count criminal charge against him. The charges border on alleged criminal defamation and false declaration.
The Lawmaker in count one, was alleged to have, in May 2023, sworn to a false affidavit at the registry of the FCT High Court, Abuja, dated May 18, 2023, against Hon. Nkeiruka Chidubem Onyejeocha, then Minister of State for Labour and Employment, in which he claimed, allegedly, that, during a meeting with her (former Minister’s) supporters at her residence, she told them that she had “bought over” the Tribunal Judges, particularly Hon. Justice Halima Saleeman.
The charge said Ogar knew the allegation was false, and so, committed an offence contrary to Section 164 of the Penal Code, Cap. 89, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1963, punishable under Section 158(2) of the same Act.
In count two, Ogar was accused of making a second false and defamatory declaration in the same affidavit dated May 18, 2023, in which he alleged that the former Minister influenced the removal of the former chairman of the panel, Hon. Justice Halilu, to pave the way for Hon. Justice Halima Saleeman, whom she allegedly knew personally and who would deliver judgment in her favour.
The prosecution insist that the statement was not only false but constitute an offence contrary to Section 391 of the Penal Code, Cap. 89, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1963, punishable under Section 392 of the same Act.
Count five reads: “That you, Hon. Amobi Godwin Ogah, male, 44 years, a member representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State, sometime in May 2023, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court in the FCT, Abuja, committed an offence by making a false declaration against Hon. Nkeiruka Chidubem Onyejeocha, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Federal Republic of Nigeria, with intent to destroy her reputation, as a result of which she suffered harm to her reputation, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 393 of the Penal Code, Cap. 89, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1963, and punishable under the same section of the Act.”
There is no love lost, politically, between former Minister Onyejeocha and Honourable Ogar. The two battled, in 2023, for the Isikwuato/Umunneoche Federal Constituency. Even though the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had declared Onyejeocha, then the incumbent Federal Lawmaker winner, she was sacked by the Court and Ogar declared the duly elected Member of the House of Representatives seat.
Onyejeocha was, thereafter, appointed by President Bola Tinubu as the Minister of State, Labour. A couple of months ago, she resigned her Ministerial appointment in obedience to the President’s order that any Government appointee, interested in elective does so.
A former Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, she has secured the nod of his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, to run again for the Federal seat.
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