A Lagos State High Court Judge, Justice O.A. Akinlade, has been reported to the National Judicial Council (NJC) for alleged abuse of office and obstruction of justice in a divorce case, Suit No. LD/15719WD/2023.

The petition, dated October 15, 2025, was filed by Mr. Uche Vincent Ononaiwu, the respondent in the case, who accused Justice Akinlade of frustrating his constitutional right to appeal months after delivering judgment in the matter.

According to Ononaiwu, the judgment — delivered on May 21, 2025 — not only granted all the reliefs sought by his estranged wife, Omolola Alice Makinde, but also allegedly included an order for his arrest by the police, even though such a request was not part of the original prayers before the court.

Ononaiwu said his legal team had filed both a Notice of Appeal and a Motion for Stay of Execution in August 2025, which were duly served on the opposing counsel. However, he alleged that Justice Akinlade’s court refused to release the case file to the Appeal Section of the Lagos State High Court, thereby stalling the appeal process.

He further alleged that on September 24, 2025, his lead counsel, Chibuzor T. Obiajunwa, received a call from a man who introduced himself as Mr. Lawson Abiodun, purportedly a staff of Justice Akinlade’s court, inviting both parties to a meeting with the judge.

“The caller said he was calling at the instance of Honourable Justice Akinlade to invite both parties for a meeting. He even mentioned that the Judge was listening to the call on speakerphone,” the petitioner stated.

Ononaiwu said his counsel declined to attend the meeting, citing the unusual and non-transparent nature of the invitation.

He added that he had earlier written a petition to the Chief Judge of Lagos State on October 9, 2025, titled “Complaint Against Hon. Justice O.A. Akinlade for Abuse of Office in Suit No. LD/15719WD/2023,” but no action was taken.

Dissatisfied with the lack of response, the petitioner turned to the NJC, urging it to intervene and sanction the judge for what he described as a “clear and egregious abuse of power” and “obstruction of justice.”

“My constitutional right to appeal has been unjustly hindered. I humbly pray that the NJC takes appropriate disciplinary action to ensure justice is served,” the petition concluded.

As of the time of this report, the NJC and the Lagos State Judiciary are yet to issue any official response regarding the allegations.