Emmanuel Jatau, a Chief Magistrate, was demoted to Senior Magistrate I by the Nasarawa State Judicial Commission due to his wrongdoing in the contentious matter involving Chioma Okoli and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
A letter dated January 6, 2025, was sent to Okoli’s attorney, Inibehe Effiong, conveying the commission’s conclusion. Yahaya Shafa, the secretary of the commission, signed the letter, which detailed the disciplinary proceedings against Jatau.
“Consequently, I have been directed by the Hon. Chief Judge of Nasarawa State and Chairman Judicial Service Commission to write and inform you that Hon. Emmanuel A. Jatau has been demoted by a grade level lower than his current grade level, i.e., from Chief Magistrate II on GL 15 to Senior Magistrate I on GL 14 and stripped of his magisterial duties,” the commission stated.
On September 17, 2023, Chioma Okoli posted on Facebook that she had sampled Nagiko Tomato Mix, a product of Erisco Foods Limited, and thought it was too sweet.
This is when the case began. In response, the business called her claim “untrue and unfounded.” Eric Umeofia, the CEO of Erisco Foods, petitioned for Okoli’s arrest shortly after she was posted.
The public was outraged by her arrest, and many Nigerians took to social media to urge her release.
She was detained when the police in Masaka, Nasarawa State, acquired an arrest warrant and a remand order from a magistrate court. She later entered a not guilty plea to conspiracy and cyberstalking charges after being prosecuted at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
She was first placed on remand in the Suleja Correctional Center before being released on bond. Unfortunately, Okoli miscarried during the court case.
Effiong petitioned the Nasarawa State Judicial Commission against Magistrate Jatau because he was unhappy with the court orders. Effiong questioned the magistrate’s decision to issue the warrants even though Okoli did not reside in Nasarawa or commit the alleged offenses there, calling Jatau’s actions “brazen.”
“Fundamentally, the Chief Magistrate Court, Masaka, Nasarawa State lacks the jurisdiction (territorial jurisdiction) to entertain the applications for warrant of arrest and warrant of commitment to prison on remand, he wrote in the petition.
“The alleged offences were not committed in Nasarawa state nor is the Defendant living in Nasarawa State. We submit respectfully that a Magistrate Court has no jurisdiction to make any order or issue any warrant whatsoever (whether for search, arrest or remand) for the allegations levied against the Defendant which border on offences allegedly committed under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.”
Effiong further maintained that cybercrime is a federal offense, and the Federal High Court is the only court with authority over it. He demanded that the commission take the proper disciplinary action against Jatau and any other officials implicated.
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