SabiLaw’s Daily Law Tips (Broadcast)

No Bank In Nigeria Can Unilaterally Change/Vary Interest Rate In Its Agreement With A Customer. By Onyekachi Umah,Esq., LL.M, MCIArb (UK) Where there is an agreement between a bank and its customer showing agreed interest rate but without an option for variation of such Interest, such bank cannot vary/change the interest rate. It does not matter whether or not there is.... Read more via ;https://sabilaw.org/no-bank-in-nigeria-can-unilaterally-change-vary-interest-rate-in-its-agreement-with-a-customer/ #SabiLaw

One of the most persistent, stressful, and embarrassing challenges faced by digital borrowers in Nigeria is the threat of public shaming. Many predatory, unlicensed digital money lenders (often called "loan sharks") routinely download a borrower's entire phone book and broadcast defamatory messages to their family, friends, and employers to force repayment. It was embarrassing to receive a message from an unpopular loan app saying that my classmate, who was to celebrate the son’s child dedication the following Sunday, owed Fifty Thousand Naira (N50,000.00). I got a similar message regarding a client of mine who owed our law office some legal fees. The list is endless. If you are wondering whether loan apps, or any apps/platform/person, have any legal right to contact the people in your phonebook, the answer is a definitive NO. Doing so is a severe violation of your human rights, and the Nigerian consumer protection laws and data privacy regulations. Read the full Daily Law Tip on SabiLaw: https://sabilaw.org/can-loan-apps-send-messages-to-my-contacts/

*Can the Police or EFCC Order a Bank to Freeze Your Account Without a Court Order?* Many Nigerians are surprised to discover that they can no longer access the money in their bank accounts. Often, the explanation given by the bank is that the account has been restricted, blocked, or frozen on the instruction of a law enforcement agency such as the Nigeria Police Force or the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). In many cases, the bank will not even inform the account holder; rather, after several failed bank transactions and the account holder contacts the bank, the bank may (mostly orally; "We received a directive from the Police/EFCC to freeze your account") inform the account holder of the restriction, and the bank expects the account holder to understand and take it up with the law enforcement agency. This raises an important legal question: Can the Police or EFCC lawfully order a bank to freeze a customer's account without first obtaining a court order? But does the law actually allow security agencies to block your hard-earned money with a visit to your bank, a simple letter, email or phone call? The answer is NO! Read the full Daily Law Tip on SabiLaw: https://sabilaw.org/can-police-or-efcc-freeze-bank-account-without-court-order/ #SabiLaw

Stripping Suspects is Torture and it’s a Crime.   By Onyekachi Umah, Esq., LL.M, ACIArb(UK) Introduction:  Across Nigeria, most persons (suspects) upon being arrested and detained are forced by the arresting officers to remove their clothes, belts, shoes, phones, wrist watches and other personal belongings. Most suspects are detained in police stations naked (barely wearing a short/pant, if any). Where a suspect is fortunate, he is offered his.... Read more via ; https://sabilaw.org/stripping-suspects-naked-is-torture-and-its-a-crime/ #SabiLaw

Happy new month from all of us at Sabilaw

Persons That Must Obtain SCUML (EFCC) Certificate. By Onyekachi Umah, Esq., LL.M, ACIArb(UK) Introduction: While many banks and bankers may not worry or warn a customer when accepting deposits, they sure will warn and demand for an Anti-Money Laundering certificate (often referred to as SCUML Certificate/EFCC Clearance) before allowing withdrawals and operation of... Read more via; https://sabilaw.org/persons-that-must-obtain-scuml-efcc-certificate/#google_vignette #SabiLaw

Estate Surveyors and Valuers Cannot Prepare Tenancy/Land Documents. By Onyekachi Umah, Esq., LL.M, ACIArb(UK)  Introduction:  The affairs of man are highly regulated for orderliness and control among other things. When any discipline or line of human endeavor is organized and standardized, it also gets regulated. The regulations on a profession place a huge responsibility on the.... Read more via ; https://sabilaw.org/estate-surveyors-and-valuers-cannot-prepare-tenancy-land-documents/ #SabiLaw

Complaints That The Public Complaints Commission Can Handle. By Onyekachi Umah, Esq., LL.M, ACIArb(UK)  Introduction:  In Nigeria, there is a federal agency empowered to control administrative excesses (non- adherence to procedures or abuse of law). It is a created by the Federal Government of Nigeria, to receive and treat complaints of administrative injustice from any person in Nigeria. The agency is the Public Complaints Commission (PCC), it is Nigeria’s Ombudsman. This work will expose the very restricted powers of the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) and.... Read more via; https://sabilaw.org/complaints-that-the-public-complaints-commission-can-handle/ #SabiLaw

Persons That Can Enjoy The National Housing Fund and Loans. By Onyekachi Umah, Esq., LL.M, ACIArb(UK) Introduction:  Adequate shelter (housing) is a constitutional right of Nigerians, contained in the Constitution of Nigeria. There is a special housing fund created to provide Nigerians with houses at affordable prices and to supply cheap loans to for building, purchasing and improvement of residential houses for... Read more via ; https://sabilaw.org/persons-that-can-enjoy-the-national-housing-fund-and-loans/ #SabiLaw

May your prayers be accepted, your sacrifices rewarded,  and your hearts filled with joy and gratitude. Happy Eid Al-Adha 2026 from all of us at SabiLaw.

*Children's day- 27 May 2026** To every amazing child across Nigeria! Today, we celebrate the true leaders of tomorrow and the pride of our nation. Happy Children's day! From all of us at SabiLaw #ChildrensDay2026 #EveryChildMatters #CelebrateOurChildren #NigerianKids #SabiLaw

When The Doctrine of Ex Turpi Causa Against Illegal Contracts Does Not Admit an Exception. By Muhibudeen, Qosim Atanda It is an elementary principle of law that for every general rule of law, an exception or a set of exceptions may necessarily follow. While exceptions are by law (common law doctrines or statutory enactments) and/or equity created to impede the operation of the general rule of law, they must satisfy the requirement of the law. Their operationality is confined to the circumstance; they could be sustained by the court. Such is the doctrine of exturpi causa non oritur actio as a general principle of law. The long-standing rule of law (the common law) is that.... Read more via; https://sabilaw.org/when-the-doctrine-of-ex-turpi-causa-against-illegal-contracts-does-not-admit-an-exception/#google_vignette #SabiLaw

Punishments For Landlords and Tenants In Nigeria. By Onyekachi Umah, Esq., LL.M, ACIArb(UK) Introduction:  Several times landlords ask for the punishments for tenants. Landlords inquire about fines and imprisonment terms for tenants that breach tenancy agreements. Also, tenants wonder about the punishment for landlords in their tenancy relationships. Tenants want unruly landlords and their agents to be punished. So, both landlords and tenants believe there must be.... Read more via; https://sabilaw.org/punishments-for-landlords-and-tenants-in-nigeria/#google_vignette #SabiLaw

Failure to Have “NIN” Is an Offence.  By Onyekachi Umah, Esq., LL.M, ACIArb(UK) Introduction:  To manage the identity and particulars of persons in Nigeria, the federal government of Nigeria enacted a federal law for the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). The federal law was made in 2007 but became popular only in 2020, when federal government threatened to... Read more via; https://sabilaw.org/failure-to-have-nin-is-an-offence/ #SabiLaw

Hire Purchase and Rent-To-Own: The Difference. By Onyekachi Umah, Esq., LL.M, ACIArb(UK) Introduction:  Common in auto-mobile retailing is hire purchase. Hire purchase is a hire that comes with an option to purchase the hired goods. It is a mixture of a contract of hire and an option to purchase. Recently, in the real estate sector is a new diction and option; “Rent-To-Own”. Both hire purchase and rent-to-own are... Read more via; https://sabilaw.org/hire-purchase-and-rent-to-own-the-difference/ #SabiLaw

Who Can Be Lawfully Killed In Nigeria? By Onyekachi Umah, Esq., LL.M, ACIArb(UK) Introduction: Every person in Nigeria has a right to life. People cannot be killed except in four (4) extreme circumstances provided by the constitution of Nigeria. Hence, under the constitution of Nigeria, there are circumstances where the right to life of any person may be restricted and deprived. Where this is done in line with the constitution of Nigeria, it is a lawful restriction and deprivation. However, where any person is killed outside the approved provisions of the constitution of Nigeria, it is an unlawful violation of human right and the violator must be prosecuted. This work reveals the four (4) circumstances when any person in Nigeria may be lawfully killed.... Read more via ; https://sabilaw.org/who-can-be-lawfully-killed-in-nigeria/ #SabiLaw

Forced Marriage Is An Offence In Nigeria. By Onyekachi Umah, Esq., LL.M, ACIArb(UK). Introduction:  Marriage is for two consenting adults (male and female). An adult has not been nationally defined by law, however, a child is a person that is below 18 years old. Nigeria has three (3) forms of legally recognised marriages; English/Statutory Marriage, Customary Marriage and then Islamic/Sharia Marriage. All the forms of marriages seem to allow child marriage. Child marriage is forced marriage, since a child lacks the... Read more via ; https://sabilaw.org/forced-marriage-is-an-offence-in-nigeria/ #SabiLaw

Is the Land Use and Allocation Committee that has the Jurisdiction to Entertain Cases Relating to Compensation. By Onyekachi Umah,Esq., LL.M, ACIArb (UK) It is a Land Use and Allocation Committee and not any court, that has jurisdiction to entertain any dispute as to amount of compensation calculated.. Read more via ;https://sabilaw.org/it-is-the-land-use-and-allocation-committee-that-has-the-jurisdiction-to-entertain-cases-relating-to-compensation/ #SabiLaw

The Settlement of a Criminal Case is a Crime. By Onyekachi Umah, Esq., LL.M, ACIArb(UK) Introduction: An offence is what the law says is an offence. Irrespective of tradition and religion, it the law in Nigeria, that determines what is an offence. Hence, certain actions and inactions that may be morally acceptable may be legally unacceptable (crimes) and vice versa. An example is “adultery”, in the southern part of Nigeria, adultery is not an offence/crime even though it is morally wrong. Morality further affects the way, victims and their supporters react and report crimes to law enforcement agencies. Often times, when a crime happens in a family setting, most people mistake such for... Read more via ; https://sabilaw.org/the-settlement-of-a-criminal-case-is-a-crime/#google_vignette #SabiLaw

How to Get Bail After 24 Hours of Arrest in Nigeria.  By Onyekachi Umah, Esq., LL.M, ACIArb(UK) In Nigeria, every person (including suspects and defendants/accused persons) is assumed to be innocent until a court declares a person guilty. This is a constitutional right that should not be violated by any person (including law enforcement agencies, institutions, leaders and government).  However, the reverse is the case, with overzealous law enforcement agencies, going in the circles of; abuse, arrest, abuse, detain and abuse again before taking the suspect to court (if the suspect is.... Read more via ; https://sabilaw.org/how-to-get-bail-after-24-hours-of-arrest-in-nigeria/ #SabiLaw