The Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Jabi on Wednesday fixed February 18, 2026, for the hearing of a motion filed by the Inspector-General of Police, seeking leave of court for a United Kingdom-based Nigerian, Mr Emmanuel Opeyemi, to testify virtually in an alleged visa fraud case.

The IG filed the motion requesting that Mr Makinde, who is the complainant in the matter, be allowed to give evidence from the United Kingdom.

The prosecution arraigned Shitta Aderibigbe and Fanzine Educational Consult before Justice Ademuyiwa Oyeyipo, on a two-count charge of allegedly giving false information to the British government, to which they pleaded not guilty.

Following the defendant’s not guilty plea, the presiding judge granted him bail for ₦1 million, with two sureties who must be civil servants not below Grade Level 9.

The sureties were also ordered to deposit their passport photographs with the court registry, and must be residents of the Federal Capital Territory.

According to the charge dated April 9, 2024, Aderibigbe was alleged to have given false information to the British Embassy that Emmanuel Opeyemi was married to Dolapo Yusuf.

The police further alleged that the false information threatened the deportation of Mr Makinde to Nigeria.

The prosecution stated that the accused knew the act to be unlawful and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 140 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 98, Laws of Northern Nigeria.

The defendants were alleged to have engaged in visa fraud on January 19, 2023.

The two-count charge read in part:

“That you, Shitta Waliu Aderibigbe ‘m ’, Fanzine Educational Consult of No. 12 Evans Street, Idiroko, along Ijede Road, Ikorodu, Lagos State, and Miss Dolapo Afussat Yusuf ‘f’ (now at large), sometime in January 2022, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired among yourselves to commit a felony, to wit: giving false information to a public servant, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 97(1) of the Penal Code Act.”

“That you, Shitta Waliu Aderibigbe ‘m’, Fanzine Educational Consult of No. 12 Evans Street, Idiroko, along Ijede Road, Ikorodu, Lagos State, and Miss Dolapo Afussat Yusuf ‘f’ (at large), sometime in January 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, gave false information to the British Embassy that Emmanuel Makinde Opeyemi was married to Dolapo Afussat Yusuf — information which threatened his deportation to Nigeria — an act you knew to be unlawful and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 140 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 98, Laws of Northern Nigeria.”

During proceedings on Wednesday, the prosecution counsel, Vincent Imoedemhe, informed the court of the pending motion seeking leave for the complainant to testify virtually from the UK.

He said, “We have a motion for the nominal complainant to testify virtually, and the defence counsel has been served.”

Responding, defence counsel told the court that she had just been served with the motion and would require time to respond.

She added that the defence intended to oppose the application.

In reaction, the prosecution prayed the court for a short adjournment to enable the parties to argue the motion so the court could deliver a ruling one way or the other.

After hearing submissions from both sides, Justice Oyeyipo fixed February 18, 2026, for the hearing of the motion.

The prosecution also applied orally for the complainant to be allowed to testify virtually, stating that Mr Makinde is currently in the United Kingdom.

The court was urged to grant an adjournment to enable the complainant testify virtually on the next adjourned date.

Makinde, who is reportedly battling depression and has been placed on antidepressant medication, is also currently challenging his attempted deportation in the UK through an appeal and judicial review. He is the complainant in the matter.

(Punch)

Update news