Crime Facts

Court To Buhari: You Can’t Abdicate Your Duties To Senate

…faults President on appointment of 11 FCT Judges The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday faulted President Muhammadu Buhari on the appointment of 11 Judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. The court in clear terms told President Buhari that his responsibility in the appointment of 11 judges recommended by the National Judicial Council (NJC) cannot be abdicated to the Senate. The court held that the President acted in contravention of the law when he sent the names of 11 candidates recommended to him by the NJC for appointment as judges of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to the Senate for screening and confirmation. The trial judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, made the pronouncement in a suit filed by an Abuja-based lawyer, Oladimeji Ekengba, contending that the forwarding of the names of the 11 nominees by Buhari to the Senate was in breach of section 256(2) of the Nigerian Constitution. Joined as defendants in the suit are Buhari, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, the Clerk of the Senate, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad and the NJC, as the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, and 7th defendants, respectively. The suit had the Senate and the Senate President joined as the 3rd and 4th defendants respectively. President Buhari had, on July 7, forwarded the names of 11 persons recommended for appointment as Judges of the FCT High Court to the Senate for confirmation. Buhari picked 11 names from among the 33 recommended to him in April by the NJC. The appointees are: Abubakar Useni Musa, Edward Okpe, B. Abubakar, M. Francis, Jude Nwabueze, Josephine Enobi, Christopher Opeyemi, Mohammed Idris, Hassan Maryam Aliyu, Fashola Akeem Adebowale and Hamza Muazu. He forwarded the 11 names to the Senate for screening, but the upper legislative chamber had declined to act on the President’s list having admitted that it had no role to play in the appointment of FCT judges. The 11 judges have since been sworn in by the CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad. Aside from faulting the sending of the names of 11 of the candidates to the Senate, Ekengba, in his suit, also contended that the President lacked the power to pick and choose whom among the candidates to appoint as judges recommended by the NJC. He sought among other prayers, an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Senate from screening and confirming the candidates as judges of the FCT High Court. Justice Ekwo agreed with the plaintiff that Buhari acted in contravention of the provision of Section 256(2) of the Constitution by forwarding the 11 names to the Senate. He, however, ruled that the contravention of the law by Buhari did not affect the judges’ inauguration. In the judgement, Ekwo held that President Buhari acted in contravention of the provision of Section 256(2) of the Constitution. The judge said the only instance where the president could forward NJC’s recommendation to the Senate, in respect of a High Court judge’s appointment, was when it related to the appointment of a head of court, like the chief judge. He, however, held that the fact that President Buhari contravened the provision of Section 256(2) of the Constitution did not affect swearing-in of the judges. “The issue is straightforward. It is whether the first defendant (the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) acted in compliance with the provision of Section 256(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to have sent the names of the 11 persons recommended for appointment as judges of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to the Senate for confirmation. “Looking at the provision of Section 256(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), I find that there is no power or authority, express or implied, given to the first defendant (the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) to send names of persons recommended to him for appointment as judges to the Senate for screening. “All that the first defendant needed to do was to send the names of the appointees to the seventh defendant (the NJC). “The requirement for confirmation by the Senate would only have been necessary and constitutional if the seventh defendant recommended a person to the first defendant for appointment as the chief judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja as provided for in Section 256(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). “To state it clearly, the act of the first defendant, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria), sending the names of the 11 persons appointed by him to the Senate for confirmation was done in contravention of the provision of Section 256(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended),” he ruled. Justice Ekwo proceeded to grant two of the plaintiff’s reliefs, which include a declaration that, by the provision of Section 256(2) of the Constitution, the President “cannot abdicate his duties and responsibilities to the Senate for appointment of persons as judges of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.” The judge equally declared that the names of the individuals nominated by the NJC for appointment as judges of the High Court of the FCT cannot be subjected to the screening and confirmation and that the forwarding of the names to the Senate was contrary to and in breach of Section 256(2) of the Constitution. “As can be seen, this judgement affects only the act of forwarding the names of the appointees to the Senate, which was done in contravention of the provision of Section 256(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). It does not affect the swearing- in of the appointees,” the judge held.

FEC Approves $1.9bn Rail Line Project To Niger Republic

Customs gets N549.3m for laptops NDDC forensic auditors to receive N745.2m The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved $1.959,744,723.71 for the construction of rail lines from Katsina State to Maradi in neighbouring Niger Republic. Briefing newsmen after the weekly Council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, told newsmen that the Council approved two memos for his ministry. One of the memos, according to him, was the award of contract for the development of the proposed Kano-Katsina-Jibia to Maradi rail line in Niger Republic and to Dutse, the capital of Jigawa, for a total cost of $1,959,744,723.71, inclusive of 7.5% VAT. The other was the award of contract for the design, manufacture, supply, testing and commissioning of one railway crane of 150 ton capacity for emergency and recovery of rolling stocks at the sum of N3,049,544,000. Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, who stood in for the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Silva, said the Council approved the sum of N3,773,784,399.48 for the augmentation of the completed Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) headquarters in Abuja, bringing the total contract to N14 billion. Justifying the approval of the augmentation, Mohammed said: “The important thing about this particular contract is that the building has since been completed; it has since been in use and we inherited this augmentation from 2012. But since governance is a continuum, we are honouring the augmentation, but this headquarters building has been completed; the contractors have been magnanimous while all these arguments about the augmentation were going on. They were magnanimous enough to complete the project and many international conferences have been held in that building.” The minister, who also spoke on behalf of the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, added that the Council approved the sum of N351,540,000 for the procurement of 1,800 units of laptops for training school and computer-based test examinations at three Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) training schools in Gwagwalada, Lagos and Kano. “The major advantage of this particular contract is that it saves the department a lot of money in hiring consultants for training and other services,” he explained. He added that the sum of N197,843,100 was also approved for the expansion of the Customs’ cash management’s software in compliance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) to enhance the efficiency of the Department of Customs. Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, said that Council okayed the approval for the construction of section two of Ohafia to Arochukwu road, comprising Umuahia/ Bende/Ohafia road in Abia State at the sum of N12.088 billion. The 45 kilometres road, he added, was to complement Section One which was previously awarded in 2018, that is the section from Bende/Arochukwu to Ohafia which was 19.27 kilometres, making the entire stretch now under contract Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio, said the concluding memo for the procurement of Field Forensic Auditors for the Forensic Audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) at N745.2 million was approved by the Council. “This brings the total number of field forensic auditors to 16 in addition to the earlier approved Lead Forensic Auditors, Messrs Olumiluwa Bashir and Co. These people are now going to be in charge of the nine states of the Niger Delta which has been divided into 16 Lots. As I stated earlier, Lot one is Ernst and Young for the headquarters. They will be undertaking the 19 years of audit and also bring out the organogram for restructuring of the NDDC for better performance in future,” he explained. On his part, Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, said the Council approved contract award for the procurement of 52 operational Green Maria vehicles to facilitate effective operation in the Correctional Service as well as ease of movement of awaiting trial inmates from the custodial centres.

(Just In): Court Restrains NLC, TUC from Embarking on Planned September Strike

The Abuja Vacation Judge of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, His Lordship, Hon. Justice Ibrahim Galadima has granted an order of interim injunction restraining the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, their officers, affiliates, and privies from embarking on any strike or stoppage of work in whatsoever form described on 28th September 2020 or any other subsequent date pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice. The Court also granted an order of interim injunction restraining the Unions, their officers, affiliates, privies or howsoever described from disrupting, restraining, picketing or preventing the workers or its affiliates or ordinary Nigerians from accessing their offices to carry out their legitimate duties on the 28th September 2020 or any other subsequent date pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice. Justice Galadima made the order sequel to an ex-parte application filed by the Incorported Trustees of Peace and Unity Ambassadors Association through their counsel, Sunusi Musa Esq The Court also granted an order compelling the Inspector General of Police and the Director General Department of State Services to provide protection for the claimants and other Nigerian worker engaged in their legitimate duties from any form of harassment, intimidation and bullying by the officers, agents or privies of the Unions pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.

How cultists blinded me for refusing to join group

Emotion ran high, as 23-year-old Olamilekan Ibidokun, gave a blow-to blow account of how he lost his sight after he was attacked by members of the Aiye confraternity in the Ketu area of Lagos, for refusing to join the confraternity. The incident, according to him, occurred in December 2016, during a street carnival in the Ketu area of the state. He claimed that the attackers are still roaming the streets of Lagos freely, without justice meted out. He traced the genesis of his predicament to the day he met one Abass, who lived in the same neibhourhood (Ketu) with him. He alleged that Abass, a member of Aiye confraternity consistently invited him to join his group but that he refused. According to him: “ He and other members invited me to join the Aiye cult group and when I refused, they decided to punish me and use me as an example to others. I attended a carnival in 2016, in celebration of the Yuletide but instead of enjoying myself, I was attacked by members of that dreadful sect. They stabbed me in both eyes and left me to die. “ I was admitted at Bolakunmi Hospital, Ketu, for two weeks, from where I was referred to the Ikorodu General Hospital. From there I was referred to the Lagos State University Hospital, LUTH, and many other hospitals. At a point, I got tired of my parents spending money without any progress and I advised them to stop. “I used to see before but now everything has gone dark. To adapt to the new state and add value to myself, I attended the Federal Nigeria Society for The Blind, at Oshodi, where I learned how to use canes to make chairs, hamper, baskets among other things. “The challenges of getting things done as a blind person is enormous but I thank God for the gift of life and I remain hopeful that one day, my perpetrators will be brought to book,” he said. Mother cries for justice His mother, Mrs. Fausat Ayeni-Ibidokun, therefore appealed to the Commissioner of Police Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, to help her family by ensuring that the perpetrators of the act were arrested. She explained that the incident was reported at the Ketu division but that nothing had been done to effect the arrest of those allegedly responsible. She alleged that she gave the Investigative Police Officer, IPO, and the Divisional Crime Officer, DCO, then some money to pursue the case, without result. She said: “I kept going to the station to seek justice. At a point, the Inspector frustrated my efforts because he was constantly demanding money and I didn’t know what to do. Anytime I went to the station, I was told that the DPO was not around. Out of frustration, I had to leave the matter to God”

Trump refuses to promise transfer of power if he loses US vote

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday refused to guarantee that he will transfer power if he loses the November election, earning scorn from his Democratic challenger Joe Biden and even from within his own party. “Well, we’re going to have to see what happens,” Trump responded when asked at a White House press conference whether he is committed to the most basic tenet of democratic rule in the United States — the peaceful handover of power upon a change of president. Biden, who holds a steady lead over the Republican incumbent in opinion polls ahead of the November 3 vote, expressed incredulity. “What country are we in?” the former vice president said, when asked about Trump’s comment by reporters. “Look, he says the most irrational things. I don’t know what to say.” Republican Senator Mitt Romney, a frequent but rare party critic of Trump, went further, saying that any hesitation on the core constitution guarantee was “unthinkable and unacceptable.” “Fundamental to democracy is the peaceful transition of power; without that, there is Belarus,” he tweeted. – ‘Get rid’ of ballots -Trump followed up his remarks — unprecedented in modern times for a US president — by resuming his near daily complaint about the fairness of the election. Apparently referring to the increased use of mail-in ballots due to the coronavirus pandemic, he said: “You know that I’ve been complaining very strongly about the ballots and the ballots are a disaster.” Trump frequently claims that mail-in ballots are vulnerable to mass fraud and are being encouraged by Democrats to rig the election. However, there is no evidence that ballots sent through the postal service have ever led to significant fraud in US elections. At the press conference, Trump seemed to suggest annulling what are expected to be the huge numbers of mailed-in ballots, noting that in such a scenario, he would remain in power. “Get rid of the ballots and you’ll have a very peaceful — there won’t be a transfer, frankly. There’ll be a continuation,” he said. Trump’s latest insistence that there cannot be a free and fair presidential election came as pressure mounts over his plan to put a new, right-leaning justice on the Supreme Court. Trump is set to nominate a replacement on Saturday for the late liberal-leaning justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died last week. His Republican Party, which has a majority in the Senate, is then expected to quickly confirm the nominee. If they succeed, the nine-justice court would then likely have a strongly pro-conservative bent for years to come. Democrats are crying foul, saying that the process should wait until the results of the election are known, allowing the winner to shape the Supreme Court. With Trump and the Republicans mounting a series of court challenges against the use of mail-in ballots, the chances of a contested election result are considered high. On Wednesday, Trump said he thinks the election “will end up in the Supreme Court.”

FEC approves N12bn for construction of section II of Ohafia–Arochukwu Road

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N12 billion for the construction of the Section two of the Ohafia to Arochukwu road in Abia. The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, stated this at the end of the Council meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, at the State House, Abuja, on Wednesday. He said: “The memorandum presented by the Ministry of Works and Housing today is for the Section two of the Ohafia to Arochukwu road. “This section comprises Umuahia/Bende/Ohafia road in Abia State and it was approved for construction at N12.088 billion comprising a distance of 45 kilometers to complement Section One which was previously awarded in 2018, that is the section from Bende/Arochukwu to Ohafia which was 19.27 kilometers. “So with this award now, the entire length of the road is now under contract with the same contractor and we hope for expeditious execution.’’ The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, also said that the Council approved the purchase of 52 operational vehicles for effective operation of the Nigeria Correctional Service. He said: “We considered in the Council the award of contract for the procurement of 52 number operational Black Maria vehicle to facilitate effective operation in the Correctional Service as well as ease of movement of awaiting trial inmates from the Custodial centres, 247 of them in all to about 5,022 courts in Nigeria. “This is to compliment what we have already acquired between 2016 and 2019 of about 451 Operational Green Maria vehicles. “The objective is to ensure that the delay associated with trial of inmate is reduced if not eliminated.” The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, also disclosed that the council approved N745 million for hiring of additional forensic field auditors for the audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). “The memo that was presented by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs was a concluding memo on the procurement of Field Forensic Auditors for the forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission and today the council approved additional forensic field auditors at a total sum of about N745.2 million. “This brings to the total number of field forensic auditors to 16 in addition to the earlier approved Lead Forensic Auditors, messrs Olumiluwa Bashir and Co. “These people are now going to be in charge of the nine states of the Niger Delta which has been divided into 16 lots. As I stated earlier, lots one is Ernst and Young for the headquarters. “They will be undertaking the 19 years of audit and also bring out the organigram for restructuring of the NDDC for better performance in future.’’ He said the Council also approved the need to attach investigative security agencies, the relevant ones to each of the team to ensure transparency in the exercise. According to the minister, this will ensure that whatever comes out of the forensic audit is acceptable not just in Nigeria but to the international community.(NAN)

Tension in Ebonyi community as unkown assailants launch attack on woman in farm

Palpable tension has enveloped the Amaeze Community in Ishiagu, Ebonyi state, after 30-year-old Miss Chinenye Aroh, was brutally attacked and abandoned unconscious in a farm by yet-to-be identified assailants. A relation of the victim, Christy Aja, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakiliki on Wednesday that Aroh was attacked in a remote farm at Ugwueziavo around 6am on Monday. According to Aja, the suspects trailed their victim to tha farm, where they inflicted several machete cuts on her and left her in a state of unconsciousness. “They assumed that she had passed on and fled the scene, leaving her in a pool of her blood. “She usually leaves early in the morning anytime she wants to go to farm and there were few people going to farm by that time. “My sister is not the troublesome type or somebody that keeps many friends. She keeps to her self so we wonder why anybody would want to kill her in cold blood,” Aja said. She said that passersby, who saw her lying unconscious in the farm rushed her to a hospital in the area, where medical doctors were battling to resuscitate her. A former Chairman of the community, Mr Uchenna Anyim, said that the incident had left the entire community in fear and confusion. Anyim described the attack as “callous and barbaric”, adding that the community had reported it to the Ivo Divisional Police Headquarters. He said that the community would spare no efforts to unmask the perpetrators of the dastardly act. He said: “The incident happened on Monday at Ugwueziavo and we have reported to the police. “The victim has not died, though she’s in serious pains and has been in intensive care unit battling to survive. “The entire community is in shock over the incident and we have vowed to uncover the perpetrator of this evil act against our sister.” The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Loveth Odah, confirmed the incident to NAN, saying that the command had commenced investigation into the matter. “We have report from the Police Divisional Headquarters, Ivo that a woman was severely attacked, assumed dead after being inflicted with several machete cuts by her assailants. “We have commenced investigation into the attack and we assure the public, especially relatives of the victim, that the perpetrators of the dastardly act will be fished out and made to face justice,” Odah said.

Oct 1: Kanu orders Sit-at-home to IPOB members

The leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Wednesday, advised his members to sit-at-home on October 1, 2020, Nigeria will celebrate its independence. Disclosing this in a statement signed by Comrade Emma Powerful, Media and Publicity Secretary, Kanu said: “We the global movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by our great Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to announce to all Biafrans, friends of Biafra and lovers of freedom all over the world that Biafrans across the globe shall observe a sit-at-home in Biafraland and where permissible in the diaspora, join our Yoruba bretheren agitating for Oduduwa Republic, in public protests to mark the October 1, 2020. “We therefore, enjoin all Biafrans and every conscious Nigerian, especially those ethnic nationalities reeling from the triple double blow of state sponsored terrorism, bad governance and economic annihilation, to boycott every government organised ceremony designed to eulogise the failure that Nigeria has begone. This is the time to let the world know how disastrously intolerable human existence is in Nigeria today. “If you want to see an end to terrorism and organised mediocrity, now is the time to register your anger by ensuring that you and your household sit-at-home on October 1, 2020. Do not risk the life and well-being of your children by allowing them to gather in groups in the open where terrorists may find it easier to blow them up or kidnap them. There is credible intelligence that terrorist groups are planning to slaughter our children should they venture out to celebrate or march on October 1st. “This order is to highlight our position and resolve as Biafrans that we are no longer interested in propping up a crumbling terrorist state. The leadership of this great movement in conjunction with supporters of Biafra freedom across the globe have concluded every arrangement to let the whole world know and understand that we are no longer part of this shambolic monument to terrorism and failure. “As Nigeria marks its independence on October 1st this year, we IPOB will appropriately declare our intention towards the full and irreversible restoration of Biafra sovereignty and independence for all oppressed ethnic groups in Nigeria. “Complete and total lockdown of Biafraland and other terror ravaged areas of the Middle Belt come 1st of October 2020 is sacrosanct, irreversible and non-negotiable “Wholesale slaughter of innocent Judeo-Christians and state sponsored ethnic cleansing cannot be going on in our land at the same time as fake jamborees are being organised by the same sponsors terror attacks, in order to deflect our attention away from the imminent danger we are all in. “We therefore urge that all markets, schools and businesses in Biafraland and beyond be shut down as a mark of respect to all those who have died as a result of terrorism against innocent civilians especially Christians, ethnic cleansing in Southern Kaduna and elsewhere across the Middle Belt. Everywhere in Biafraland must be under lock for Nigeria and the world to know that we are all united in our march toward total freedom. There should be no public events or ceremonies in Biafraland to avoid any needless loss of lives. “We are a people that can never be obliterated from the surface of this earth.”

Many dead in Kogi fire tragedy

…..Buhari mourns No fewer than 30 persons have been reported dead In The Kogi Fire Disaster That Resulted From The Fuel Tanker that lost control, rammed into vehicles and exploded around Felele area of Lokoja, Kogi State capital. Though the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, put the casualties figure at 23, sources said it was more, if those who sustained injuries and later died in the hospital are counted. Five students of Kogi State Polytechnic, three primary school children, their father and another woman with her two kids, have been confirmed to be among the casualties. Also killed in the inferno was a businessman identified simply as Pastor Samson, his wife and three children, who until his death was a member of Baptist Church, Felele. Mr. Samson, a dealer in sewing machines, was on his way to drop his children off at school, as he normally does, when the accident occurred. The petrol-laden tanker, property of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, was said to have suffered brake failure around 8:30a.m. and rammed into five cars, two motorbikes and three tricycles, popularly known as Keke NAPEP, killing all occupants. Reacting to the petroleum tanker explosion on Wednesday morning in Lokoja, the Kogi State Capital which claimed the lives of travellers, school children, bystanders, including some students of Kogi State Polytechnic, President Buhari said that “I am seriously worried about the frequency of these unfortunate and large scale tragedies in the country which cause needless deaths.” The President in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu said, “these frequent incidents that result in loss of lives and property are a national scandal caused by our indifference to safety standards.” He explained that “many accidents are preventable if proper proactive and precautionary measures are put in place or properly observed as routine policies.” President Buhari regretted that “ours is a country where we move on whenever tragedies occur instead of taking preventive safety measures to forestall future calamities.” He called on the county’s transport authorities, traffic and road management agencies as well as law enforcement officials to sit up and enforce safety standards with more seriousness, adding that “refusal to do the right thing can cause potential tragic problems that harm innocent people”. According to him, “Nigeria is not having a shortage of laws and regulations, but our problem is lack of zeal to enforce those laws and regulations for the sake of public safety.” He condoled with Kogi State government and the families of the victims of the tragedy.

Electricity tariff, fuel price hike: FG moves to abort planned strike

…Invites Labour to a meeting Thursday …Labour confirms invitation, says leaders will attend In a desperate move to abort the planned Monday, September 28 nationwide strike and mass protest over the recent hike in electricity tariff and petrol pump price, the Federal Government has convened meeting with the organized labour for today. The meeting which will be hosted by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, is scheduled to hold by 3pm at the Old Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja. Recall that the previous meeting between the Government representatives and labour on September 15, ended without any agreement without any adjournment day. One of leaders of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity, acknowledged receipt of the government’s invitation and confirmed that labour leaders would attend. According to him, yes, our leaders received invitation from government for a meeting on Thursday (today). We will attend the meeting because we have made demands. We will attend the meeting to see if our demands will be addressed. We cannot make the demands to the government and they invite us to look into our demands, we say no, we are not attending your meeting.