Alleged Forgery, Impersonation: Giwa, Arrested in Lagos

Abuja-based lawyer, Victor Giwa, who was declared wanted by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Apo on Monday, has been arrested by officers of the Nigeria Police Force in Lagos.

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie had, on Monday, September 15th, 2025, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Giwa and his co-defendant, Ibitade Bukola, after they failed to appear in court for their scheduled arraignment on charges of forgery and impersonation.

Police sources have confirmed that Giwa was picked up in Lagos on Friday, September 19th, 2025, and is currently being held at the Zone 2 Police Headquarters and expected to be transferred to Abuja on Monday, September 22, in compliance with the bench warrant.

In the charge marked CR/150/25 filed by the Inspector General of Police, the duo of Giwa and Bukola are accused of conspiring to forge a legal document purportedly issued by the chambers of, Awa U. Kalu, SAN with the intent to mislead the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

In a three-count charge, the alleged offence occurred on June 28, 2024, prosecution Counsel claims that Giwa and Bukola forged and signed a letter on the official letterhead of Awa Kalu (SAN), requesting the AGF to suspend a scheduled arraignment in a contentious letter, titled “Urgent and Solemn Appeal to Suspend the Arraignment of Our Colleague Victor Giwa on Charge Number: CR/222/2023”was allegedly addressed to the AGF.

It purportedly originated from the SAN’s chambers and sought intervention to halt the arraignment scheduled before Hon. Justice Samira Bature of the High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on July 2, 2024, arguing that the charges against Giwa at the FCT high court, Maitama, should be withdrawn in the interest of “natural justice, equity, and fair play.”

Earlier Giwa, alongside property developer Cecil Osakwe and one other, were to be arraigned on a nine-count charge bordering on alleged illegal eviction, criminal intimidation, threat to life, and property damage amounting to N300 million, before Justice Bature.

However, the fresh charge before the FCT High Court Apo brought against Giwa and Bukola includes conspiracy to commit forgery and impersonation (punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Act, 2004), dishonest execution of a fraudulent document (Section 364), and false personation of a legal practitioner (Section 179).

At the resumed sitting of the court on Monday, Prosecution Counsel, Eristo Asaph, recalled that at the last sitting on 26 May 2025, counsel to the 1st defendant had notified the court of the loss of two sisters and was preparing for their burial for which an adjournment was sought and granted.

Counsel for both defendants, Ogbu Aboje, told the court that the first defendant, Mr. Giwa had written a letter along with a medical report to the court dated September 3, notifying the court that he has need to attend to a serious and urgent medical issue adding that the 2nd defendant, has to visit the hospital that morning on a routine appointment over her daughter’s immunisation.

The prosecution counsel, Asaph opposed the 1st defendant’s letter before the court and also agued that the 2nd defendant did not bother to produce any letter to show the medical appointment so the court should reject her plea stressing that in view of the development, a bench warrant should be issued against both the 1st and 2nd defendants for refusing to honour the court

Reacting, the defence counsel drew the attention of the court to the explanations of the defendants about their medical issues and pleaded on their behalf on the matter as they had out of respect for the court deemed it necessary to notify it.

Ruling, Justice Onwuegbuzie having listened to both counsels observed that the medical report did not say the 1st defendant would be unable to attend court while the 2nd defendant did not even produce any document at all, hence issued a bench warrant according to Section 352 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act ACJA, against the defendants to compel their appearance at the next adjourned date of October 8, 2025

Garry Ochigbo, Edited By Grace Namiji