Following a petition written by Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law to the House of Representatives and the subsequent issuance of summons to Governors of Benue and Zamfara as well as the Speakers of both states by the House Committee on Public Petitions, Freelance Journalist Federation (FJF) have petitioned the Department of State Security (DSS), to investigate and prosecute those behind the group for criminal conspiracy and false personation.
Recall that on 27th March, 2025, persons who are not lawyers under an unregistered group called Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law authored a petition and signed as lawyers.
The petition which was addressed to the Speaker, House of Representatives, was referred to the House Committee on Public Petition for a review and without verifying the authentication of the Petition issued summons through Petition No. 638 of 2025 to the Governors of Benue and Zamfara States as well as the Speakers and Leaderships of both States House of Assemblies dated 30th April, 2025 for Thursday, 8th March, 2025.
In a strongly worded petition to DSS from the chambers of Sorkaa and Associates which was signed by the Principal Partner, Tsembelee Daniel Sorkaa Esq, Solicitors to FJF, a copy of which was sighted by our correspondent, and copied to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) the petitioners prayed DSS to investigate and prosecute those involved with the group for criminal conspiracy false personation and cheating under section 96, 97, 181, 323 and 326 of the Penal Code Act
The identity of those to be investigated by the DSS as per the petition are; Barr. Onwudiwe Emmanuel Onwudiwe, E.J. Agada, Esq., Barr. Real Asuoquo, Barr. Joseph Akpereshi, E.S. Johnson, Esq., Barr. Stephen Tephen Terese, Barr. Egonu Ugochukwu, Onumah Joseph Esq., Barr. Kelechi Emmanuel, Barr. Machunga Godsen, Barr. Jobril Ibrahim.
Others are; Salish Bature, Esq., Barr. Hope Tolutope, John S. Olorunfemi, Esq., Barr. Abubakar Izudeen, Barr. Umar Abdullahi, Ibitayo Tolulope, Esq., Barr. Msughter Vershima, Ortserger Kumashe, Esq., and Barr. Messiah Okpariabe.
In particular, the petition mentioned one Samuel Ihensekhien, Esq., who was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2012 with SCN079106 who represented Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law at the House Committee on Public Petition to produce the actual people who are not lawyers but authored the petition as legal representatives.
“We, there demand for their arrest, investigation prosecution of everyone who criminally conspired, was involved in false personation, and cheated by personation in the fictitious petition from a non-existent group/unregistered entity.
“The affidavit deposed by our client further revealed that on Thursday, 8th May, 2025, Samuel Ihensekhien, Esq., represented the Petitioners at the House Committee on Public Petition without the fictitious faceless, non-existent individuals parading to be lawyers who authored the Petition and signed the petition as mentioned above.
“Furthermore, the brief of our clients shows that Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law at No. 38, Maman Nasir, Asokoro, Abuja, with email address as Guardaiansofdemocracy@yahoo.com and phone contact of 08123849726 are all fictitious and a false representation of what is actually not available. This is in the public domain and can be verified by anybody
“We hereby demand on behalf of our clients, the invitation of Samuel Ihensekhien, Esq., having become the face of the horde, to produce the persons who criminal conspired, falsely personated and cheated by impersonation as lawyers and the immediate arrest, investigation and prosecution of everyone who criminally conspired, fasely personated and cheated by personating lawyers to author a fictitious Petition to the Speaker, House of Representatives, under Sections 96, 97, 181, 323 and 326 of the Penal Code Act of the Federal Republic of Nigeria upon receipt of our legal correspondence”, the petition stated.
News Editor