A human rights lawyer, Timzing Venyri Ramnap, has petitioned the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), to institute criminal proceedings against former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Umar Danladi, over an alleged assault on one CLEMENT SARGWAK at Banex Plaza, Abuja, or grant fiat for private prosecution.
In the petition dated May 14, 2026, and submitted to the Federal Ministry of Justice, Ramnap urged the AGF to review available evidence and take necessary legal action over the alleged assault of one Clement Sargwak.
The incident, which reportedly occurred on May 29, 2021, at Banex Plaza, Wuse 2, Abuja, had generated public attention after a video of the altercation circulated widely.
Ramnap stated that he was acting both as a Nigerian citizen and as the legal practitioner who prosecuted a related petition before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.
Citing Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as Sections 104 and 106 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, the lawyer maintained that the alleged act constitutes a criminal offence.
The conduct, if proven, constitutes the offence of assault punishable under Section 265 of the Penal Code Act, applicable in the FCT, he said, adding that no criminal charge had been filed against the former tribunal chairman to date.
He called on the AGF to either initiate prosecution or grant him fiat to commence private prosecution before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.
Ramnap further indicated readiness to provide all relevant materials, including video evidence and witness statements earlier submitted to the Senate.
He stressed that allowing the matter to go unaddressed could undermine public confidence in the justice system.
“The principle that no person is above the law must be upheld. Public confidence in the justice system requires that allegations of this nature are properly tested in court,” he said.