Director (Civil Litigations) – Mr. Dayo Apata

Mr. Dayo Apata is currently the Director of Civil Litigation and Public Laws. A civil litigation, public policy formation and implementation in Nigeria. He has meritoriously traversed through the ranks of the Nigeria Civil Service having worked in Power Sector, Public Finance Sector, and Education Sector and in the Ministry of National Planning where he doubled as Legal Adviser and Head Coordinator of National Economic Council (NEC).

A highly experienced technocrat, with diverse competence in Legal, human, material and financial stewardship having served as Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Ekiti State on a secondment.

Director (Legal Drafting) – Mr. Tahir Aminu Hamza

Mr. Tahir A. H an experienced lawyer and administrator was born on 25th November, 1959. He hails from Kano Municipal Council of Kano State. He joined the Federal Civil Service as a State Counsel in November, 1983.

He has progressed in service to the level of Director and was the Director in charge of Solicitor department before his movement to Legal Drafting Department as the Director.

He is a member of National Institute and happily married with children.

Director (Law Reporting) – Mrs. Ekweonu Chinyereugo Christie

Mrs. Ekweonu was born in Port-Harcourt on 3rd April, 1958, she is from Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State. She started her early education at Santana Primary School, Awomama in Oru Local Government Area of Abia State, from 1965. She also attended St. Catherine’s Girls Secondary School Nkwerre, Imo State where she obtained GCE O/L in 1977 and she obtained GCE A/L in 1979 from Federal School of Arts and Science Aba.

Mrs. Ekweonu attended University of Jos where she studied Law and graduated as best student in constitutional law in 1983. She attended the Nigerian Law School V.I, Lagos from 1983 to 1984 and obtained her BL. In 1999 she obtained a Post-Graduate Diploma in Legislative Drafting. Mrs. Ekweonu had her mandatory National Youth Service Corps with the Federal Ministry of Justice, Lagos, from August 1984 – July 1985. After her Law Office Attachment at David Garrick and Co, Lagos in 1984 she started her carrier with Federal Ministry of Justice’s Mercantile and Industrial Law Department in December 1985 she was moved round various department and MDAs in various capacities.

She was promoted Director in January, 2013 heading Law Reporting Department in substantive capacity, a position she has been holding in acting capacity since 4th October, 2005. Mrs. Ekweonu participated in several in-service Workshops, seminars and conferences both locally and abroad.Mrs. Ekweonu’s hobbies include, reading, writing, singing, and dancing, as well as exercising to keep trim and fit.

She is married with Children.

Director (Finance And Accounts) – Mr. Yakubu Mohammed

Mr. Yakubu Mohammed was born on 8th December, 1959 in Ajitata – Enjema, Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State. He obtained his First Leaving Certificate in 1972 from RCM Trans School, Ogbagbala Okpokwu and later proceeded to Government Teachers’ College, Ankpa and obtained Teacher’s Certificate GD II in 1980.

He attended University of Jos, Plateau State for his B.Sc (Hons) in 1985. He later bagged an M.Sc Finance from the University of Calabar in 2002 as well as MBA in 2004 from the same Institution.He joined the Federal Civil Service on 19th July, 1993 and has served in various capacities before he was promoted to the rank of a Director on 1st January, 2013.

He joined the Ministry of Justice in August 2016 to head the Department of Finance and Accounts.He’s a member of several professional bodies like FICA, FABS, ACIA, CNA and ACTI.

He’s happily married and enjoys reading, table tennis and travelling as hobbies.

Director (Human Resource Management) – Dr. (Mrs.) Maria Onyaye Ogar

Dr. (Mrs.) Maria Onyaye Ogar hails from Bekwarra Local Government Area of Cross Rivers State. She was born on 19th of March, 1958 in Ogoja. She had her primary Education in Holy Child Convent School, Ogoja with her First Leaving Certificate in 1969. She then proceeded to Holy Child Secondary School, Mount Carmel Ogoja and obtained her WASC in 1975. She had G.C.E. ‘A’ LEVELS in 1978 from the Federal School of Arts/Science, Ogoja.

Mrs. Ogar then proceeded abroad and bagged her BSc. and MSW from the Temple University, Philadelphia in USA in 1982 and 1984 respectively and a PhD in 1999 from the University of Calabar, Cross Rivers State.She joined the University of Calabar as an Administrator on 1st August 1986 and worked in various capacities and rose up to the post of a Principal Assistant Registrar before transferring to the Federal Civil Service on 17th October, 2001 as a Chief Admin Officer.

She has worked and earned her promotions accordingly to the post of a Director in January 1st, 2011. She was posted to the Ministry of Justice as the Director Human Resources Department on 21st June, 2016.
She is happily married and blessed with children.

Her hobbies are reading, travelling and listening to gospel music.

Director (International And Comparative Law) Anukam Isibhakhomen Stella

Mrs. Stella Isibhakhomen Anukam hails from Edo State, was born on 26th May 1962. She started her early education in Uromi Girls Grammar School, Uromi where she completed her O’Levels with Grade 1 in 1979. She proceeded to University of Ife (now OAU) in 1980 and graduated with LLB Hons in 1984. She was in Law School Lagos between 1984 and 1985 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in August 1985.

She joined the services of the Federal Government of Nigeria as a people State Counsel in 1987 and worked in various departments as Assistant Legal Adviser in various MDAs. She was the pioneer Legal Adviser and Secretary of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) until she was promoted to the rank of a Director in January 2015.

She is a member of various professional bodies among which are the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) London, Fellow, Chartered Institute of Secretaries and Administrators in Nigeria (ICSAN). Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in Nigeria, Member, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), International Bar Association (IBA), International Law Development Organization (IDLO) and Association of Professional Negotiators and Mediators (APNM).

She is happily married and blessed with children. Her hobbies are service to God and humanity, reading, aerobics and writing.

DIRECTOR (CITIZENS RIGHT) – Mr. Bebu Fanee Kinwinage

Mr. Bebu hails from Deeyor in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State. He was educated at the Nigeria Law School, Victoria Island Lagos, where he bagged Barrister-AT-Law certificate (B. L) and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1986. After graduation from the Rivers State University of science and Technology Port Harcourt with Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree Hons in 1985.

He had earlier on obtained the Division one in His West African School Certificate Examination in 1979 from Government Secondary School Olobiri in Beyelsa State.

He joined the Federal Civil Service as a Pupil state counsel on the 26th of February 1988 and rose through the ranks to the position of Director Legal on the 1st of January, 2014. In the course of his career, he attended and participated in 5th course in legal drafting in 1990, and the 14th Advanced course in Practice and Procedure in 1994 both at the Nigeria Institute of Advanced Legal studies, University of Lagos Campus, Akoka, Lagos.

He attended and participated in a seminar tagged (legal aspect of external debt management) at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public administration (GIMPA) Legon, Accra Ghana in 1991 and a follow up workshop at Ota, Ogun State same year.

He also attended participated in a number of workshops on arbitration and other ADR technics in Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt and South Africa. He has fought many legal battles in the course of his career, many of which he won.

He is happily married with children.