The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, on Monday, said he was worried about the number of cases pending before the court, lamenting that some judges have over 1,000 cases in their dockets. He said the situation was particularly worse in the Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt Divisions of the Court. “We are accustomed to being expected to do more with less or no resources provided at all. While our needs continue to rise, funding doesn’t keep pace”, Justice Tsoho added. He spoke during a special court session the high court held to mark its 2022/2023 legal year. According to the CJ, sections 29 (5) and 84 (14) of the Electoral Act, 2022, foisted on the high court, the exclusive jurisdiction of hearing and determining pre-election complaints, with section 285 (10) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, mandating that such cases must be concluded with 180 days from the date of filing of the suit. “This is notwithstanding the judges’ existing high-volume dockets that present enormous challenges. “It is necessary to place on record that the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 2022, was enacted without any consultation with the Court. Also, no support whatsoever was provided to address the increased responsibility. This weighed heavily on the operations of the Court”, he stated. Besides, the CJ disclosed that already, a total of 1, 838 pre-election cases were filed before the court, out of which 1, 285 cases were disposed of, leaving a total of 556 cases pending. He further revealed that a total number of 135, 592 cases were pending before the court at the end of the last legal year, comprising of 41, 788 civil cases, 31, 832 criminal cases; 39, 799 motions and 22, 173 fundamental rights enforcement applications. Justice Tsoho said the current number of judges of the court, which stands at 75, is still short of the constitutionally set limit of 100, adding that though the process for the appointment of 15 more judges for the court is ongoing, “there is a crying need to speedily increase the maximum number of judges for the court, in the interest of the litigating public and the general society”, he added. Meanwhile, also perturbed by the number of cases pending in various courts in the country, the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, BoSAN, called for the establishment of a National Constitutional Court that will be saddled with the responsibility of determining all election related cases. The legal body, in a speech it presented at the legal year ceremony, bemoaned that many matters, including fundamental right enforcement suits, have continued to suffer adjournments, owing to plethora of political cases that are flooding the high court. It argued that the constitutional court, which exist in several countries, would upon its creation, be like the National Industrial Court that exercises jurisdiction on matters related to employment and other industrial related matters. “The founding fathers of our democracy and those who fashioned the specialized and exclusive jurisdiction for the Federal High Court did not envisage the aberration of cases on political disputations arising from lack of internal democracy, political shenanigans and impunity in the management of political parties, as one that will interrupt this court from doing its constitutional duty. “Normal cases inevitably had to suffer adjournments thereby frustrating good and urgent causes. “With all humility, we have reached a stage when very urgently, the Parliament, Judiciary and stakeholders in the administration of Justice should consider the establishment of National Constitutional court of Nigeria. “The Constitutional court is one that will handle all constitutional, political and election matters. It will be a Federal Court, of the status of a High court with divisions in all the states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory. “The Court will have unlimited jurisdiction to determine all causes as relating enforcement of or connected with interpretation of the Constitution, enforcement of fundamental rights of the citizens, determination as to whether any person has been lawfully elected into any office from the President, to the State governors and members of all the Legislative houses. “The Court will be like the National Industrial Court of Nigeria that exercises jurisdiction on matters related to employment and other industrial related matters. “All the decisions of the court will be appealable to the Court of Appeal and all appeals ends at the Court of Appeal. “There will no longer be the need to take away about 500 judges from their normal court responsibilities to sit on Election Tribunals all over the country. “We have enough human resources to serve the Court in all capacity. My Lords, there exists Constitutional courts in many countries of the world, where such jurisdictions as proposed function effectively to relieve regular Courts of political cases. “For example, countries like India, South Africa, South Korea, Egypt, Zambia, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Germany. “In all these countries, records are available to show that Constitutional courts have become a solution that enhances jurisprudence, specialization and promotion of political stability through judicial interventions. “Nigeria is perhaps the only country in the world where litigation on political disputations including election causes is the highest in the world. “The Courts including the Supreme Court have constituted the most reliable pillar of support for the practice of democracy since 1999”, BoSAN added in its speech that was read by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN. More so, the SANs noted that the 1995 Constitution that was promulgated by the Federal Military Government under General Sani Abacha, made provision for the establishment of a Constitutional Court. “With a hindsight, one can safely say that it was a grave error, an unfortunate one for that matter that the Court was not established in 1999 when General Abdulsalami concluded the Military Governance in Nigeria. “We believe the advantages of a National Constitutional Court are too great to be ignored at this stage of our constitutional development. “The Court will be busy all through the year, specialization in the Bench and the Bar will

  The federal government has denied that the military is running a secret abortion service involving female officers and men. The Minister of Information Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the rebuttal at a news conference in Abuja in response to a report by a foreign news agency report that no fewer than 10 000 female military operatives were subjected to forced abortions by the military in Nigeria. Mohammed, who described the report as concocted, wondered how the news agency arrived at the figure after reportedly speaking with 33 persons and relying on “unidentified sources” only as the basis for the story. The minister said, “As you are all aware, an international news agency recently reported that the Nigerian military, in their fight against Boko Haram/ISWAP, has been running a secret, systematic and illegal abortion programme in the Northeast, ostentibly – according to the news agency – because ‘the children of insurgents are predestined, by the blood in their veins, to one day take up arms against the Nigerian government and society’. The story also claimed that 10,000 such abortions have been carried out from 2013 to date on women and girls. “The news agency made this grave allegation without a scintilla of evidence, citing only anonymous sources and the reported review of phantom ‘documents.” The agency claimed that its investigation was based on interviews with 33 women and girls. Interview with 33 women and girls to arrive at the bogus claim of 10,000 abortions? And in a further indication that the figure of abortions quoted was arbitrary or possibly conjured, the agency first put the figure at 12,000 before settling for 10,000. “The Federal Government hereby categorically states that there is no ‘secret, systematic and illegal abortion programme’ being run by our military in the Northeast or anywhere across the country. We also hereby reject the accusation of running an abortion programme levelled at our military, We state categorically that this story is a scary instance of fake news and disinformation combined. The writers deserve an award in fiction writing. “The question is: what’s the motive of this news agency and the usual suspects who have latched on to this story? Why is this so-called investigation coming at a time that our heroic men and women in uniform have been recording successes after successes, decimating the terrorists, rescuing abducted persons and receiving hundreds of thousands of terrorists who have surrendered? “For the record, the Nigerian military has rescued 11 Chibok girls with all their children, 2,018 other persons (comprising 339 adult males, 660 adult females and 1019 children), while 82,645 persons, comprising 16,621 male fighters, 24,638 women and 41,386 children, have surrendered. “The military has also neutralized 494 terrorists (note that this does not include terrorists neutralized through airstrikes and terrorists’ infighting). Why is this news agency not playing up these positive news but instead chose to give prominence to a phantom abortion story? “Is this a ploy to demoralize and distract our fighting forces? Is it a strategy toset the world against Nigeria and cut off the support that is critical to crushing terrorists? Only the news agency can answer these questions. “But we stand by our military, which has served meritoriously at home, and at regional and global peacekeeping operations from 1960 to date. We know that military operations in the Northeast are not arbitrary but based on the military’s Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and Rules of Engagement (ROE), among others. Where any proven infraction or criminal act has been committed by any soldier, the law has always taken its course. “But it is beyond the pale and downright dangerous to accuse a nation’s military, without any verifiable evidence, of massive illegal abortions and infacticide. “I will like to once again alert the nation to the dangers posed by fake news and disinformation. I have had a reason to speak on this at this forum,when I warned that fake news and disinformation constitute a clear and present danger to the 2023 election. However, fake news and disinformation, if not checked, can also have a negative impact on our nation’s ongoing fight against terrorism,” Mohammed warned.

  The Osun State Government has accused the immediate past governor of the state, Gboyega Oyetola, and his team of looting public properties at the Governor’s Lodge in Abuja. The accusation was contained in a statement by Olawale Rasheed, the spokesperson of the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Monday. Titled ‘How Oyetola’s Team Looted Abuja Governor’s Lodge– Osun Govt’, the statement revealed that during an inspection, it was discovered that valuables have been looted from the lodge. The statement read, “The Osun State Government is constrained to report yet another discovery of mindless looting of public properties at the Governor’s lodge in Abuja. The unprecedented pillaging of assets in the lodge was uncovered when a physical inspection was conducted on the facility during the weekend. “On the physical inspection team was the Chairman of State Assets Inventory and Recovery Committee, Dr B.T Salam, and other top government functionaries. “The lodge was stripped of all valuables acquired with public funds by those officials of the past administration. From the main house to the service flats and up to the boys quarters, clear indications of valuables removed can be observed. Items such as television sets, chairs, foams, electrical fittings, bed sheets, spoons, and cutleries, among other valuables, were illegally removed from the lodge. “Every utility vehicle procured for use in the lodge was also carted away from the building. The lodge was in a terrible state and similar to the way we found the Deputy Governor’s quarters and others at the Government House in Osogbo following the brazen looting of that facility. “We are shocked by this lust for materialism as evidenced in the unexplained pilfering of public properties by officials of the past administration. Civil servants in the Abuja lodge confirmed the pillaging of the state’s asset by Mr Oyetola’s men but said they were powerless in stopping them. “That this happened in the Federal Capital Territory is another peep into the gross abuse of office by officials of the past administration. Those who think we were playing politics with the revelation only just need to see the level of theft of public assets that we found on the ground. “This matter, just like those before it, is being looked into by the Assets Inventory and Recovery Committee, and we want to assure the public of this government’s firm resolve to recover every stolen asset. “We want to call on whoever is in possession of public properties to return them forthwith. The Assets recovery committee is working round the clock to track and recover all looted assets.”

  The Imo State Government has announced that the two Craneburg contractors who were abducted on December 9, 2022, along Okigwe Road in the state have regained their freedom. In a terse statement on Monday, the state said the kidnap victims regained their freedom through a combined effort of security forces. “The victims were presented to Governor Hope Uzodimma this morning at the State Government House, Owerri. “The state government is leaving no stone unturned in securing the lives and properties of Imo citizens,” the statement read in part.”

  A Pentecostal Archbishop and Presiding Officer of Unifaith Living Church Incorporated, Paul Hanson, has narrated how he was stripped by gunmen on his way to Anambra State to consecrate a Bishop-elect named Norman Okeorimili. Hanson said the incident happened at Akata Market Square, Orlu, Imo State, on Sunday at 2pm.   He narrated his ordeals in the hands of the hoodlums to journalists during the consecration ceremony of the bishop-elect at Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, on Sunday. The cleric, who was driving from Akwa Ibom State, said his car, regalia, rank badge, money, six phones, among other belongings, were taken away by the hoodlums.   While narrating his ordeal, he expressed deep worry that a cleric could be stripped and all his belongings removed. He said, “This incident happened at Akata, Orlu market square, in Imo State, while I was coming from Akwa Ibom State, to consecrate the Bishop-elect of our church, Norman Okeorimili, in Ogidi.   “I was stripped; they left me with a pant, my car and all in it removed. They included six phones that included those of my driver, money, regalia, badge rank, among others. “It was somebody I don’t know that brought his car to help me. He helped me to the Police Area Commander and from there I called my Divisional Police Officer in Akwa Ibom and told him what happened. The attack on me didn’t stop me from consecrating Norman Okeorimili.” Reacting, the newly-consecrated bishop said that God had destined that the consecration must be performed despite the attack, pointing out that the cleric must accomplish his assignment as ordered by God. “That is why what God said would happen nobody would stop Him. They couldn’t stop the consecration as it was the will of God that today, Sunday, it would come to pass,” Okeorimili said. PUNCH

  Monday 12 December 2022 Obi promises to restore Ibadan’s lost glory Tinubu meets Muslim leaders, promises to diversify economy I can’t understand Boko Haram phenomenon – Atiku Withdrawal limits will cripple campaign funding, say parties Solution to Boko Haram insurgency is strong leadership – Atiku 2023 Presidency: I don’t have all the answers, but we’ll listen, act – Atiku Why Tinubu is better choice for Nigerians than Atiku, Peter Obi – Fani-Kayode I’ll be fair, just President to all – Tinubu Suspected assassins rape UNIJOS student to death IPOB to American institutes: Provide evidence that we threatened 2023 elections 34 years after Lockerbie bombing, suspect in US custody Gunman shoots dead three women in Italy Why I deleted tweet on Deborah’s lynching in May – Atiku PDP Crisis: I’ve met Wike 5 times, says Atiku Atiku’s convoy nearly crushed me to death – Tinubu’s spokesman 6 dead, 25 injured in Kogi auto crash How I Will Resolve IPOB Agitations – Atiku Olaolu Mudasiru, Vetiva Capital co-founder, killed in hit-and-run accident NDLEA intercepts cannabis concealed in cans of baby food, beverage at Lagos airport Chimaroke Nnamani: I’m supporting Tinubu for south-east’s interest, not personal gains iPhone users to pay $3 more as Twitter relaunches subscription service SERAP to governors: Disclose details on spending of N625bn derivation refunds or face legal action Olaolu Mudasiru, Vetiva Capital co-founder, killed in hit-and-run accident 27 male corpses found on roadside in Zambia Ortom meets with Tambuwal, says ‘arrogance, nonchalance’ of PDP leadership fuelled division Obasanjo, Obi, Adebanjo visit Ohanaeze headquarters in Enugu Amnesty International: Military Attacks On Civilians In Rivers Community Must End Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…

Ibe Pascal, Owerri Three gunmen and a policeman have been killed after an attack on the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral commission in Imo State on Monday. Mike Abattam, the police spokesperson in the state told our correspondent that one policeman sustained injuries from the attack. Two suspects were arrested alive. It was gathered that the gun duel lasted for an hour and kept the residents of Owerri, the state capital awake throughout the night. The spokesperson for the police in the state, Michael Abattam, who spoke to our correspondent at the command headquarters in Owerri, were the lifeless bodies of the hoodlums were paraded said five riffles, two vehicles, charms, locally made bombs , phones and money were recovered from the slain gunmen. He also confirmed the death of a cop and injuring of another operative. Abattam said ” they attacked the INEC headquarters in Owerri, around 3am. They threw bombs at the roof of the INEC building but unfortunately for them, they were resisted by our men who were guarding the place. They came in four vehicles and fully armed. “While they engaged our men on ground we reinforced. Noticing that we were stronger they ran away , abandoning one of their vehicles. We gave them a hot chase towards the Onitsha Road. Fortunately we neutralised three of them. 0thers escaped with bullet wound injuries. Unfortunately one of our men paid the supreme price. Another one was injured. We recovered two vehicles. We also recovered five riffles, charms, locally made explosives, phones and money and other exhibits.” “We are currently chasing after the fleeing ones, “Abattam assured. CP Barde assures of relentless efforts Speaking during the parade, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP Barde Mohammed assures of the command’s relentless efforts to see that the state is secured. He tasked journalists to report on what exactly happened on every incident and to also shun fake news. Uzodimma blames desperate politicians On assessment visit at Imo police headquarters, Imo governor, Hope Uzodimma blamed desperate politicians over continued incessant attacks in the state. He insisted that desperate politicians are behind those attacks on police facilities, INEC and others. According to Uzodimma, “No matter how desperate politicians try bring insecurity in this state, there will be free and fair elections in Imo State in 2023. Speaking further, “Those who are behind these attacks are politicians who want to win an election but never wanted the elections to hold, but it is not possible, “Uzodimma said. Photos Bellow:  

  Amnesty International Nigeria has raised the alarm that residents of Bodo in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State were attacked by the military. In a statement on Sunday, the organisation described the alleged attack as a clear violation of Nigeria’s obligation under international human rights law, and international conventions to which it has subscribed. Osai Ojigho, Director, Amnesty International Nigeria, called on the military authorities to bring those behind the attack to book. The new paramount regent of Bodo Community, Joseph Kpai, was quoted as saying the army, police and navy invaded the community that they had guns. “On Wednesday 7 December 2022, the police, navy, and Army came in the morning and shot sporadically, and because of that, about four persons are lying critically ill and some people were also arrested, and we do not know their whereabouts.” “On 7 December attack, the following people were arrested: Michael Zabbey (dumb), Peter Kogbara, Vikere Joseph, Miriam Paago, Victor Filima (a minor) and Nekabari Gbarato. Their whereabouts is still unknown. And the threat is that they are going to come back again. As a community, we do not know what to do,” he was quoted to have said. The Bodo community alleged that this is not the first time that a combined team of the police, navy, and army is invading the community. “In the November invasion, the military came at night and some people were allegedly abducted. Those abducted include Pius Menega, Clement Vulasi, Lekie Naaduuna, Lucky Visa, James Ntete, Paul Zabbey, and two others,” a resident reportedly said. According to media reports, the invasion of the community may be connected to a protest on 4 October 2022 which allegedly led to the dethronement of the traditional ruler of Bodo Community, King John Berebon. Following the alleged dethronement, Bodo people reportedly marched to the Gokana local government council secretariat and the palace of Gberemene Gokana to inform the traditional institution that the people of Bodo had appointed Joseph Kpai as the new paramount regent. “The people of Bodo community are victims of many years of environmental catastrophes as result of activities of oil companies. Oil spills have left many people with illnesses while water and trees are all also contaminated,” Amnesty International said while calling on the authorities to institute independent investigations into the alleged invasion. “Nigerian authorities must also ensure adequate reparations for the victims, including their families. The wanton use of the military in policing civil disturbances in almost all cases leads to human rights violations, as it is happening in Bodo community. The police must be instructed, trained and equipped to deal with restive situations in line with international law and standards. “All those involved in this violation must be held accountable and the invasion must end immediately,” Ojigho said. The military is yet to react to the allegation.