The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

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  • Concerned Nigerians ask UK to release Ekweremadu, wife from detention

    Concerned Nigerians ask UK to release Ekweremadu, wife from detention

    Some concerned Nigerians, have asked the Government of the United Kingdom (UK) to release on bail, former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Nwanneka.

    The group, in a protest letter submitted to the British High Commission, Abuja titled ‘The Travail of Senator Ike Ekweremadu: Protest Against Continued Detention Without Trial,’ said Ekweremadu is a law-abiding citizen, a perfect gentleman, and philanthropist, who has used his resources to touch the lives of the less privileged constituents and others.

    Led by Mr Paul Sawa for and on behalf of Concerned Nigerians United for Ekweremadu and Family, the Concerned Nigerians noted that a fair application of the justice system presupposed justice for all the parties, including the accused and presupposed innocence until proven guilty.

    They added that the fine principles of the law guaranteed the fundamental human rights of every accused.

    The Concerned Nigerians further said while they had no doubt that Ekweremadu will ultimately be vindicated, discharged, and acquitted, it is trite that justice delayed is justice denied and it grieved their hearts that Ekweremadu continued to languish in prison without trial over a clearly bailable alleged offence.

    The group stated:

    “We are a body of Nigerians, who have keenly followed and are concerned about the travail of Senator Ike Ekweremadu and family, and the continued detention of a Nigerian citizen, a distinguished and serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who has been held behind bars by the British authorities since he was arrested alongside his wife upon arrival in the United Kingdom on 21st June 2022.

    “We have always known Senator Ike Ekweremadu as a law-abiding citizen, a perfect gentleman, and a philanthropist, who has used his resources to touch the lives of the less privileged constituents and others, but as believers in the rule of law, we have held our peace since his arrest in the hope that the law would vindicate him and his wife in no distant time. Unfortunately, the nightmare has continued with a protracted trial and his continued detention.

    “A fair application of the justice system presupposes justice for all the parties, including the accused. It presupposes innocence until proven guilty. These fine principles of the law guarantee the fundamental human rights of every accused.

    “While we have no doubt that Senator Ike Ekweremadu will ultimately be vindicated, discharged, and acquitted. It is trite that justice delayed is justice denied. Therefore, it grieves our hearts that Senator Ekweremadu continues to languish in a British prison without trial and over a clearly bailable, alleged offence.

    “We recall with concern that the Senator last appeared in court on 4th August 2022. He is billed to appear in court again on 31st October 2022, about three months after, for a pre-trial hearing. But the real trial to determine his innocence or otherwise is scheduled to commence in May 2023, seven months after by which time Senator Ekweremadu would have spent about one year behind bars.

    “Worse still, we gather that the British authorities are also poised to charge Senator Ekweremadu’s ailing daughter to court on the same matter. This is most disturbing, especially as we had expected the UK authorities to be more humane and concerned with the treatment and recovery of the poor lady, who has evidently been through a lot already and whose condition must have been worsened by the travails of her parents in their bid to save her life.

    “We are then moved to ask: Where is the humanity in all of this? Where is human rights in all of this? Where is the presumption of innocence for the accused? Would the Nigerian government subject a UK Member of Parliament to the same shabby treatments and protracted detention on a clearly bailable offence under similar circumstances? More so, if such a UK parliamentarian had written to the Nigerian High Commission, fully disclosing the purpose of the organ donor’s trip, including the particular hospital where the case would be handled?” The group asked.

    The Concerned Nigerians appealed to the UK to grant Ekweremadu bail.

    “The claim by his prosecutors that he is a flight risk is far from the truth, as the Ekweremadu we know, being a legislator of international acclaim, will be more interested in the recovery of his daughter, establishing his innocence, and reclaiming his reputation.

    “Appeal to the UK Government to consider the noble cause of Senator Ike Ekweremadu, being a natural instinct and spirited effort of a loving and responsible father to save the life of his daughter. This is something any other responsible parent could have done; and if this could happen to him, it could happen to anyone,” Sawa said.

    (Sun)

  • Fuel scarcity: IPMAN increases pump price to between N195 -N200 in Oyo, Osun

    Fuel scarcity: IPMAN increases pump price to between N195 -N200 in Oyo, Osun

    As fuel scarcity bites harder in parts of the country, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has said it was no longer possible to sell a litre of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at N180 per litre in Oyo and Osun States.

    This disclosure was made by the Chairman of IPMAN, Ibadan Depot, covering Oyo and Osun States, Mr. Mutiu Bukola, in a chat with journalists in Ibadan on Wednesday.

    His words: “We can’t buy petroleum in Lagos again. Whatever we see, they are selling for us at the rate of N178 excluding transportation cost. The landing cost is now N195. If we buy at the rate of N178, it will take a minimum of N12 to get to Ibadan. If you add N178 to N12 you will know how much it will be.

    “We are struggling to ensure that queues are no more in the petroleum stations. But we will be selling at the rate of N195 to N200 to avoid long queues in Oyo and Osun States.”

    Meanwhile, a tour of some parts of Ibadan, including Akobo, Bashorun, Idi-Ape, Agodi-Gate, Total Garden, Mokola, Adamasingba, and Dugbe showed that hundreds of motorists have begun panic buying of petrol. Long queues were sighted in many of the fuel stations.

    Some fuel stations dispensed the commodity at the rate of 180 per litre, while others dispensed at the rate of N182 to N200 per litre.

    However, a few fuel stations did not open for business as their gates were locked in different part of Ibadan.

    (Sun)

  • Flood Disaster: Death toll increases to 612, 154 places affected – FG

    Flood Disaster: Death toll increases to 612, 154 places affected – FG

    ….. FG says it’ll spend N80bn to repair damaged infrastructures

    ….. Says Nigeria needs 30yrs of consistent investment needed to control menace

    …..States, LGs business to provide temporary shelters

     

    The Federal Government on Wednesday said that the number of death recorded as a result of the devastating flood ravaging the country has risen to 612

    The government also said in about 154 places so far identified that were affected by the flood it requires over N80 billion to repair the infrastructures in the affected areas.

    This is as the government has said that there is no technology to dictate natural disaster and even blamed the people in the areas for not heeding to the early warnings of the impending disaster since February this year.

    Already, the government said that relief materials have been delivered to 22 states, while the Nigerian Air Force would help to airlift the relief materials to Rivers and Bayelsa states where means of transportation to deliver the materials have been a problem.

    Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq said 3,219,780 persons were affected and 1,427,370 persons displaced.

    She further said that the impact analysis summary of the flood disaster as at 21st October, 2022 showed that 2,776 persons were injured, 181,600 houses partially damaged, 123,807 houses completely damaged as well as 392,399 farmlands totally damaged, adding that all these sadly took place, “despite early warnings and actions coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.”

    The Minister further said, “The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development and agencies under the supervision as well as relevant MDA’s including Ministry of Water Resources, Health, Agriculture and local and humanitarian actors in the country are ramping up activities as stipulated in the recent FEC approved National Food Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan, NFEPRP, with a view of providing emergency protection and assistance as well as building their resilience to cope and recover from the situation.

    “The FMHADMSD and NEMA are now focused on two strategies on the response phase: search and rescue operations and the provision of lifesaving emergency relief materials for victims.”

    She said that the search and rescue efforts covered 25 states, 199 local government areas and 1020 communities.

    According to her, “Supply of specialized equipment including motorized and inflatable boats to Bayelsa and Kogi states for the purposes of search, rescue, recoceries and evacuation.”

    Also speaking, the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, said it will take 30 years of consistent investment to control flood menace.

    The Minister also said that nobody can stop the phenomenon in the country and that government can only minimize the impact of the occurrence.

    He said, “There is no technology on earth, none that can tell you the extent of the floods, none whatsoever. You work on the basis of data that you have before.

    “Now that the rains have come that is what hydrology is all about, this is a record and now we’re resetting the clock. So that our future plans will now consider that this is the historical catastrophic level that we will not account for, that is what engineering does. This has never happened before.”

    He also said despite the early warning system in place, a lot of capital intensive initiatives remain to be done in future to avert the consequences of flood disasters.

    Suleiman said that it is not something that can be achieved under one administration alone.

    Fielding question on why the country has not deemed it necessary to destil the rivers, he said, “When you talk about destilting a river, you see people talk about destilting as if it’s the normal destilting of a well.

    “When you talk about destilting a river, you are talking of billions of cubic meters of earth or soil or sand. To start with, where do you deposit it? And i can tell you the level of the economy of the country, cannot support that kind of thing at this point in time. But there are natural base solutions.

    “One of the key things we can do just simple planting of trees, catchment management will reduce the problem. There are rivers that we were able to descend right now as I’m talk to you farther down eastern parts of the Jigawa state into Yobe state we have been opening river channels on River Hadeja all the way down to Kamadugu Yobe linking into Chad.

    “That is possible for some rivers. For a river like river Niger, you need much more than that you need what we call river training. That is not only an expensive venture, but it’s also a long term venture.”

    He said the present administration is already working on a flood management masterplan that will take at least three years to complete.

    “And what we’re trying to do at this point in time under this administration is to prepare at least initiate the preparation of that masterplan.

    “The study alone to prepare that Masterplan will take a minimum of three years by our estimate, like I mentioned in my report, just dealing with river Niger and Benue alone, this river training that we’re talking will include dredging to provide an irrigational channel and also creating banks or levies on the banks to protect shore protection to prepare to prevent against flooding, just a rule of funds estimate that we did, it will cost about $14 billion and it will take years to implement.”

    While noting that flood victims ignored warnings to evacuate, Suleiman also blamed tree felling and degraded soil for the massive impact of this year’s floods in the country.

    Also speaking, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, absolved federal government from blame for not providing temporary shelters for citizens in vulnerable flood plains who said they had nowhere to go.

    According to him, it is the responsibility of states and local governments to do that.

    He said from initial assessment, his ministry has identified 154 places where transport infrastructure worth N80 billion is impared or damaged by the recent floods in parts of the country.

    Fashola stated: “You see, first of all, let us be clear, this is not in Nigerian, unique problem. We see this all over the world. It’s a human issue. At least let us dimension that whether it was in Pakistan, Florida, this early warnings were issued. Some people left, some people didn’t leave.There are human issues.

    “So, let’s just understand, first of all, is a human issue and let us not situate it as a Nigerian problem. Now, also realize that there are levels of government involved here. There is a federal government, there is a state government, there are 36 of them. And there are 774, local governments, those places relating to who builds where, who sets up the house, of course are local planning issues that are not the responsibility of the federal government.

    “Those are some of the things government does. And it doesn’t mean everybody will relocate.

    “But as we speak here, some people didn’t not relocate, some might have. But the job we have to do now is to bring relief to those who are impacted. That’s our job now.

    “So, recriminating about what happened yesterday, doesn’t solve the problem. And what we have come to brief you about the steps being taken to make life livable, easy for the survivors, to commiserate with those who have lost people and property and to plan a way to make life better for tomorrow.

    “What we have lost yesterday is gone. Let’s stop recriminating about it. And let’s focus on how we can ensure that we’re in a better position today and tomorrow and beyond.”

    On his side, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said, “You see, I think we should be very broad minded and open minded about this issue.

    “I watched and I’m sure many of you watched on television, how two thirds of Pakistan was underwater because of this flood. If you watched like I did, how Florida was unable to handle this matter.

    “You see, it is not a humanitarian affair or an APC affair, is a human affair, an environmental disaster. And I did not see any country that can prepare adequately, especially when citizens refuse to cooperate.

    “As far back as February, NIMET, warned everybody. People have built across channels. They’ve built on villages, they violated at will the planning regulations. Now disaster now comes and you say water resources was not ready, humanitarian affairs was not ready and even information was already.

    “You see, let’s face it, what is happening today is happening all over the world. Let’s join hands together with all government at every level, with all NGOs and private sector.

    “This is a human affair, it is a disaster, which does not make a difference between one party or the other, or one part of the country or the other. As we speak today, about five local governments out of seven in Bayelsa is under the water.

    “And like the Honorable Minister has said, we are receiving four times the amount of rain that we have ever received in the history of this nation. So please, don’t let us think the solution is blaming government. Let’s please be objective in our assessment and understanding of the issue at hand.”

    (Vanguard)

  • Pinnacle Unveiling: This project is a strong manifestation of your resilient spirit, Gov. Sanwo-Olu to Mbah

    Pinnacle Unveiling: This project is a strong manifestation of your resilient spirit, Gov. Sanwo-Olu to Mbah

    By Prince Ejeh Josh

    The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has showered encomiums on the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of the Pinnacle Oil and Gas Ltd and Enugu State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Dr. Peter Mbah over the world-class, state-of-the-art Pinnacle petroleum products terminal located in Lekki Free Trade Zone, Lagos, commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari over the weekend.

    Sanwo-Olu, who said he had visited the massive facility on a number of occasions for assessment, commended Mbah for his doggedness, courage and audacity in believing in the possibility of the project, adding that the heroic project “is a manifestation of the very, very strong can-do spirit that we have in our country, Nigeria”.

    The All Progressives Congress’ governor who was visibly impressed with the ingenuity of the project was heard on different occasions saying, “I think Peter (Mbah) deserves another round of applause” while assuring that his administration will continue to create enabling environment for investment in the state.

    Further shedding light on the economic impact of the facility on the country’s economy, Sanwo-Olu said: “Pinnacle oil’s Petroleum Products Terminal has been designed to make possible the direct transfer of petroleum products from large vessels, through its Conventional Buoy Mooring (CBM) and Single Point Mooring (SPM) facilities.

    “What this means is that vessels as large as between 90,000 Dead Weight Tons (DWT) and 150,000 DWT can conveniently berth here, and discharge their products efficiently, with minimal turnaround time.

    “In addition, this facility can store up to 300 million litres of refined Petroleum Products. By all standards this is an impressive facility, built to the highest standards available anywhere in the world.

    “The facility will not only serve Nigeria, it is also being positioned to serve the export market across West Africa, cementing Lagos’ place as the prime hub for commerce and logistics in West Africa.

    “I hereby commend Pinnacle Oil and Gas for bringing this massive industrial dream to reality, as part of your commitment to ‘Fueling Nigeria’”.

    On his part, the Pinnacle CEO said the ultra-modern purpose-built petroleum products intake, offtake and storage facility was possible because of the company’s firm belief in its mantra, vision, mission of being driven by innovation in order to make life easier for the people than the previous state of affairs in Nigeria.

    The Enugu-born accomplished business mogul further said the primary purpose behind the project is the delivery of solution to the public, stressing that Pinnacle Oil and Gas Ltd is open for business and poised to serve the nation.

  • Documents, records intact despite fire incident – WAEC

    Documents, records intact despite fire incident – WAEC

    There was confusion at the premises of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) as an early morning fire on Wednesday engulfed the headquarters of examination body in Yaba destroying parts of the buidling.According to reports, several people are still trapped in the building as the fire rages.

    The cause of the fire which started at about 6.50 am, was yet to be ascertained as of 7.15 am. The fire had broken out at the middle of the high-rise building as those trapped in the building were seen frantically calling for help.

    It was gathered that men of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and other emergency responder are presently at the scene tomput out the raging fire. Meanwhile hours later the Management of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), said documents and records store in its office in Yaba in Lagos are intact despite the fire that engulfed its office early today.

    A terse statement from the examination body the fire that engulfed its facility in Lagos in the early hours of Wednesday has been put out by a combined team of fire fighters, adding that no life was lost in the inferno.

    The statement signed by head of public affairs unit Moyosola Adesina was silent on the cause of the fire.

    (Sun)

  • INEC announces 93.5m voters for 2023 Polls, sanctions 23 officials over multiple registrations

    INEC announces 93.5m voters for 2023 Polls, sanctions 23 officials over multiple registrations

    Ahead of next year’s general election, the Independent National Election Commission INEC has declared over 93.5 million Nigerians as eligible to participate in the exercise as voters.

    INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during the third quarterly meeting with political parties.

    Noting that 12.29 million Nigerians successfully completed their registrations as new voters in the just concluded Continuous Voter Registration CVR, Yakubu added that after a rigorous clean up of the data using the Automated Biometric Identification System ABIS, over 2.78 million were identified and removed as ineligible registrants.

    Consequently, he said the commission has identified 23 of its registration officers for severe sanctions having attempted to engage in multiple registration of Nigerians.

    Yakubu’s disclosures came as the Inter-Party Advisory Council IPAC passed a vote of confidence on him for his innovations to reshape the electoral process.

    The political parties specifically hailed the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS and the INEC Result Viewing IReV Portal in the recently concluded elections in the country and for next year’s general election.

    No going back on BVAS, IReV

    Speaking at the meeting, the INEC Chairman again declared that the decision to deploy BVAS and IReV for the forthcoming polls was cast in stone.

    He said only last week, INEC commenced the training of master trainers on election technology to ensure a seamless process, adding that from Thursday, INEC will commence the same training at zonal levels and subsequently train all its ad hoc staff for the 176,846 polling units nationwide.

    “On this note, let me once again reassure Nigerians that there is no going back on the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS for voter accreditation. There is no going back on the transmission of results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal IReV in real-time on Election Day.

    “There will be no Incident Form that enables ineligible persons to vote using other people’s Permanent Voters Cards PVCs during elections. We are committed to ensuring that the 2023 General Election is transparent and credible, reflecting the will of the Nigerian people”, he stated.

    9,518,188 new voters

    Yakubu also disclosed that at the end of the recent CVR, 12,298,944 Nigerians successfully completed the registration as new voters and that after a rigorous cleaning-up of the data using the Automated Biometric Identification System ABIS, a total of 2,780,756 (22.6%) were identified as ineligible registrants and invalidated from the record.

    Among those whose registrations were invalidated were double/multiple registrants, underaged persons and outrightly fake registrations that failed to meet INEC’s business rules.

    “Consequently, the number of valid registrations (post-ABIS) is 9,518,188.

    “In terms of demographic distribution, 7.2 million new voters or 76.5% are young people between 18-34 years while there is a slightly higher number of female (4.8 million or 50.82%) than male (4.6 million or 49.18%) voters. In terms of occupation, 3.8 million (40.8%) are students. Hard copies giving the full details of the distribution of the new voters are included in your folders for this meeting.

    23 officials for punishment

    “The Commission deployed thousands of diligent staff for the CVR exercise and the vast majority of them discharged their duties conscientiously. Unfortunately, a few of them did not. The fictitious registrations were carried out by some of our Registration Officers involved in the field exercise and could easily be traced. Each registration machine is operated using an access code tied to a dedicated e-mail assigned to a staff.

    “There is therefore an audit trail that gives the total number of persons registered by each official involved in the registration exercise. In some cases, some of them made as many as 40 attempts or more to register one fake voter. As a result, the Commission has so far identified 23 Registration Officers involved in this unethical conduct and disciplinary action has commenced. We shall continue to protect the integrity of our voters’ register. It is pivotal to credible elections. It is also a national asset and easily the largest database of citizens in Africa and one of the largest in the world.

    “The 9,518,188 new voters have been added to the existing register of 84,004,084 voters. The preliminary register of voters in Nigeria now stands at 93,522,272. It is preliminary because Section 19(1) and (2) of the Electoral Act 2022 requires the Commission to display the hard copies of the register of voters for each Registration Area (Ward) and Local Government Area (and simultaneously publish the entire register on the Commission’s website) for a period of two weeks for scrutiny, claims and objections by citizens not later than 90 days to a General Election”, he stated.

    Accordingly, Yakubu said in the next few days, the Commission will print 9,352,228 pages of the register, while the hard copy will be displayed for each of the 8,809 Registration Areas (Wards) and 774 Local Government Areas nationwide. Also, the entire register will be published on INEC’s website for claims and objections as required by law.

    “The display of the physical register will take place at the designated centers from Saturday 12th – Friday 25thNovember 2022. Further details, including the procedure for filing claims and objections, will be released by the Commission next week. I would like to appeal to all Nigerians to seize the opportunity of the display to scrutinize the list and help us to clean it up further so that the final register of voters for the 2023 General Election can be compiled and published.

    “The Commission is also working hard to ensure the completion of printing of remaining PVCs for new voters as well as those that applied to transfer or the replacement of their lost or damaged cards. In the coming days, we will also inform Nigerians of the detailed plan to ensure a seamless collection of the PVCs. We are aware that Nigerians expect an improvement in the procedure for PVC collection. Since the end of the CVR in July this year, we have been working to ensure that citizens have a pleasant experience when they come to collect their cards”, he stated.

    Vote of Confidence

    IPAC Chairman, Engr. Yabagi Yusuf Sani who spoke on behalf of the political parties said the INEC leadership is well on track for the Elections

    “I want to use this occasion to also reaffirm the confidence of IPAC in the leadership of INEC for its consistent demonstration of diligence, uncommon zeal and patriotism in the pursuit of the agency’s statutory mandate”, he stated.

    Sani also condemned attacks on the INEC Chairman by shadowy figures who have been using unregistered and unknown groups to launch scurrilous online attacks on Prof. Yakubu just because of his commitment to the introduction of technologies to improve the electoral process.

    He said; “On the basis of our evaluation that INEC has been well on track, the leadership of IPAC additionally, wishes to use this occasion to condemn the emerging antics and smear campaign by certain shadowy and cowardly figures who clearly have embarked on the treacherous and unpatriotic conspiracy of reversing the outstanding landmarks, the INEC has recorded in recent years in the annals of the nation’s electoral history.

    “To us in IPAC, the real object of the darts of venom being directed at the person of the Chairman and the institution of the INEC are merely a decoy. The real target of the machinations is the circumvention of the deployment of the Biomodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, the Electronic Transfer of results and the other security devices INEC has deftly and painstakingly put in place to enhance the integrity of the electoral process.

    “The spurious allegations they are orchestrating especially in the online platforms are part of the strategies to prepare the grounds for their planned onslaught to achieve their nefarious goal within legal frameworks. It is also aimed at blackmailing and intimidating Professor Mahmoud Yakubu to surrender by compromising the stance of the Commission on the strident, airtight security measures against the maladies of rigging and other electoral malpractices that had perennially tarnished the integrity of elections in the country in the past.

    “However, we believe that they will not have their way no matter their desperation and whatever their pranks and machinations. The use of technology in the conduct of elections in Nigeria has become sacrosanct and fait accompli. Every player in the country’s power game must come to terms with the new reality that, they can no longer rig elections brazenly and with impunity.

    “Mr. Chairman Sir, you can count on the usual support of IPAC, and as it is, the goodwill and backing of most citizens of the country in the present circumstance. We urge you to remain steadfast and strong in the consciousness that, you have your hard-earned reputation to protect; that the eyes of the entire nation and indeed, the wider global community are keenly focused on you..

    “At the end of the day, your choice on the issues currently at stake, will go far in defining your legacy, long after our generation. In other words, history beckons on you”, he stated.

    IPAC also expressed concerns on the emerging negative signals against peaceful and credible conduct of the 2023 general elections which Sani said include the brazen breach of the provisions of the Electoral Act and other extant laws on the use of money with impunity, during the last off-season governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states.

    He said the IPAC leadership has also noted the spike in the use of divisive languages and hate speeches by several chieftains and spokespersons of some political parties in the mass media and at political rallies.

    “We want to assure you that the reprehensible, irresponsible and reckless utterances which are already heating up the polity with the potential of leading to the even more dangerous dimension of igniting mutual hate, animosity and violence along the nation’s existing tenuous fault lines is being addressed by IPAC.

    “Sooner than later, our effort in ensuring decency and issue based campaigns will manifest in the conduct of our members; the political registered parties. candidates and their spokes persons”, he declared.

    (Vanguard)

  • Court fines FG 500m over Kanu’s illegal extradition, orders his return to Kenya

    Court fines FG 500m over Kanu’s illegal extradition, orders his return to Kenya

    The Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, Wednesday, ordered the Federal Government to pay N500 million as damages to the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, for forcefully abducting and renditioning him from Kenya in June last year.

    Presiding Judge, Justice Evelyn Anyadike, also declared Kanu’s extraordinary rendition from Kenya as illegal and a gross violation of his fundamental human rights.

    Kanu, had through his Special Counsel, Mr Aloy Ejimakor, challenged his “abduction and extraordinary rendition from Kenya without any court warrant”, and demanded his restitution to his country of abode, Britain or Kenya where he was before the abduction in June 19, 2021.

    Kanu’s lawyer also asked the court to “redress the myriad of violations that came with his rendition, such as the torture, unlawful detention and the denial of the right to fair hearing which is required by law before anybody can be expelled from one country to the other.

    He demanded N25 billion as damages for the gross violation of his rights and the torture he was subjected to both in Kenya and Nigeria.

    Meanwhile, the Federal Government in its preliminary objections, argued that the matter had already been entertained by the Abia High and that the said incident did not occur within the jurisdiction of the court.

    But the court struck out the preliminary objections, saying that where an incident occurred in two states any federal high court in either of the states had jurisdiction over the matter, stressing that violation of Kanu’s rights began in Afaraukwu Umuahia and continued in Kenya.

    The Court also held that Kanu’s lawyer had successfully established a case of torture against his client which the defendants laboured in vain to deflate.

    In considering the prayer for damages, Justice Anyadike held that Kanu had been “exposed to global ridicule which requires global cleansing”.

    The Court, therefore, awarded N500 million in damages against the Federal Government.

    The Respondents had no representation in the Court but Kanu’s lawyer, Ejimakor thanked the court for granting justice to his client.

    Later in an interview, Ejimakor said the judgement was a victory for the oppressed people and commended the judiciary for remaining the last hope of the common man.

    He urged the Federal Government to obey the judgement and other similar rulings in Kanu’s favour and release him without further delay.

    Ejimakor further told the Federal Government to return Kanu to Kenya where he was before his abduction by the agents of the Government on June 19 2021.

    He insisted that IPOB is not a terror organisation contrary to claims by the Federal Government.

    Ejimakor said that terror organisations do not have Defense Counsel anywhere in the world unlike IPOB which has identifiable lawyers all over the world.

    He called for the de-proscription of the pro-Biafra movement and the release of all its members in different security detention facilities.

    Other members of Kanu’s legal team present at the court were Patrick Agazie, Ifeyinwa Nworgu, Tochukwu Arugbuonye, Franklin Amandi, Ohaeto Uwazie and Mandela Umegborogu.

    National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council, OYC, Igboayaka. O Igboayaka was also present at the court.

    Igboayaka called on President Buhari to show he had respect for the rule of law and release Kanu without further hesitations.

    He said that the entire Igbo youths both at home and abroad had continued to stand firm behind Kanu who he described as a rare hero.

    Below are the eight-point reliefs sought by Kanu which were all granted except the N25 billion in damages which was slashed to N500 million:

    “1, A DECLARATION that the arrest of the Applicant in Kenya by the Respondents’ agents without due process of law is arbitrary, and the Respondents’ enforced disappearance of the Applicant for eight (8) days and their refusal to produce the Applicant before a Kenyan Court for the purpose of Applicant’s extradition are illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional and amount to infringement of the Applicant’s fundamental right against arbitrary arrest, to his personal liberty and to fair hearing as enshrined and guaranteed under the pertinent provisions of CFRN and the Charter.

    “2, A DECLARATION that the detention of the Applicant in a non-official secret facility in Kenya and the torture of the Applicant in Kenya by the Respondents’ agents is illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional and amount to infringement of the Applicant’s fundamental right against unlawful detention, torture and to a fair hearing, as enshrined and guaranteed under the pertinent provisions of CFRN and the Charter).

    “3, A DECLARATION that pursuant to Article 12(4) of the Charter, the expulsion (or extraordinary rendition) of the Applicant from Kenya to Nigeria by the Respondents without a decision taken in accordance with the law of Kenya is illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional and amounts to infringement of the Applicant’s fundamental right to a fair hearing and not to be expelled from a State Party to the Charter except by virtue of a decision taken in accordance with the law, as enshrined and guaranteed under the pertinent provisions of CFRN and the Charter.

    “4, A DECLARATION that any criminal prosecution of the Applicant for the purpose of which the Respondents unlawfully expelled the Applicant from Kenya to Nigeria is illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional and amounts to infringement of the Applicant’s fundamental right to fair hearing, as enshrined and guaranteed under the pertinent provisions of CFRN and the Charter.

    “5, AN ORDER OF INJUNCTION restraining and prohibiting the Respondents from taking any further step in any criminal prosecution of the Applicant enabled by the said unlawful expulsion of the Applicant from Kenya to Nigeria.

    “6, AN ORDER mandating and compelling the Respondents to forthwith restitute or otherwise restore the Applicant to his liberty, same being his state of being as of 19th June 2021; and to thereupon repatriate the Applicant to his country of lawful domicile (to wit: the United Kingdom) to await the outcome of any formal request the Respondents may file before the competent authorities in Britain for the lawful extradition of the Applicant to Nigeria.

    “7, AN ORDER mandating and compelling the Respondents to issue an official Letter of Apology to the Applicant for the infringement of his fundamental rights; and publication of said Letter of Apology in three (3) national dailies.

    “8, AN ORDER mandating and compelling the Respondents to pay the sum of N25,000,000,000.00 (Twenty-Five Billion Naira) to the Applicant, being monetary damages claimed by the Applicant against the Respondents jointly and severally for the physical, mental, emotional, psychological, property and other damages suffered by the Applicant as a result of the infringements of Applicant’s fundamental rights by the Respondents.”

    (Vanguard)

  • PDP: Ortom, Benue Elders withdraw support for Atiku

    PDP: Ortom, Benue Elders withdraw support for Atiku

    Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom on Tuesday appeared to withdraw his support for the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar.

    Mr Ortom accused the PDP candidate of dishonoring him as Governor and working against the interest of Benue residents.

    His comments came after a group of elder statesmen in Benue, Minda Leaders of Thoughts, also withdrew their support for Atiku over alleged hate speech and profiling of Benue people.

    Mr Ortom appeared to have been incensed over Atiku’s comments on the recent killings by suspected herdsmen in Benue state.

    He accused Atiku of working with Miyetti Allah, a herdsmen group with a militant arm.

    “It was not correct for a presidential candidate who is seeking to rule the people to say that kind of thing,” Mr Ortom said on Tuesday at the Chapel of Grace, Government House, Makurdi.

    “It was very wrong. And it would appear that he doesn’t even reference me and consider me to be a Governor of my state.”

    Mr Ortom also said Mr Atiku had sidelined him in selecting his presidential campaign team.

    “I am not in his campaign team,” Ortom said. “The people they appointed there, no consent from me. So I’ll remain on my own. But I’m waiting; when the election comes, we shall vote the election according to the election.”

    ‘Ortom Is wrong’

    Reacting to Ortom’s comment on Channels Television’s Politics Today, a member of the PDP presidential campaign team, Dele Momodu, faulted the Benue Governor.

    “To label him an agent of Miyetti-Allah, that’s wrong,” Momodu said. “He can say anything about Atiku Abubakar, but to call him an agent of Miyetti Allah, I disagree vehemently with that.

    “If you don’t want to support a man . . . it’s very easy to give a dog a bad name, in order to hang it. But it is wrong to disparage a man who has served his country meritoriously, who has done everything he could for every part of his country . . . but because you are playing politics, because you disagree with him, then you use such weighty words against him, well there’s always another time.

    “I am telling you that even Governor Wike, who is supposed to be the angriest among them, because he participated in our primaries, he has not used such words against Atiku Abubakar.”

    Mr Ortom is one of several PDP Governors who have decided not to actively support Atiku’s 2023 presidency bid.

    Others include Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo and Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State.

    Apparently led by Mr Wike, the group of Governors have called for the replacement of the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, with a Southerner.

    They claim Ayu, a northerner, promised to resign if the PDP ticket goes to a northerner.

    However, Mr Ayu has indicated he will not step down, at least until after the elections in February.

    (Channels TV)

  • APC: Nat’l Chairman, Adamu, accused of withdrawing N3bn from ‘secret’ accounts by ‘sacked’ directors

    APC: Nat’l Chairman, Adamu, accused of withdrawing N3bn from ‘secret’ accounts by ‘sacked’ directors

    The crisis in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has worsened as the “sacked” directors at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, Tuesday accused its national chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, of operating “secret accounts” without the resolution of the National Working Committee (NWC).

    The “sacked” directors, in a statement, also accused the chairman of disregarding the cashless policy and withdrawing the sum of N3bn from the “secret accounts.”

    Adamu had, on April 22, ordered all departmental directors at the party’s headquarters in Abuja to proceed on indefinite suspension over allegations of corruption.

    They are; Elder Anietie Offong (Director, Welfare); Bartholomew I. Ugwoke (Research); Abubakar Suleiman (Finance); Dr Suleiman Abubakar (Administration); Salisu Na’inna Dambatta (Publicity); and Dare Oketade, Head, Legal.

    On assumption of office on April 1, Adamu set up a transition committee headed by a former governor of Jigawa State, Ali Saad Birnin Kudu, to study the handing over notes of the then Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee led by Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni and other issues affecting the party.

    The directors were said to have been sacked based on the recommendations of the committee.

    Our correspondent reports that all efforts to get back to their offices, including writing a letter dated July 20, 2022, seeking the intervention of the National Executive Committee (NEC), proved abortive.

    The compulsory one-month leave given to them started on April 22, and ended on May 22, 2022 but they were not allowed to return to their offices.

    Addressing a press conference last week, Adamu, a former governor of Nasarawa State, accused the directors of corruption, saying his administration inherited a debt of N7.5bn from the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee.

    But the statement signed by the five “sacked” directors and the head of legal, argued that the transition committee didn’t recommend their sack, hence they are still legitimate staff of the party and must be paid their entitlements.

    They said Adamu’s claim of inheriting N7.5bn debt from the Buni committee was false, alleging that he (Adamu) rather opened secret accounts without the approval of the NWC where he made a withdrawal of N3bn against the cashless policy.

    Part of the statement reads: “Allegation of corruption at the secretariat. This allegation is groundless and unproven. The withdrawal of N3,000,000,000 (three billion naira) in cash from some secret accounts that were reportedly opened without a resolution of the current NWC, or approval by the National Executive Committee (NEC), did not happen when the directors and head of legal were in office.

    “An explanation of this anomaly and breach of the cashless policy by the national chairman is desirable lest unwholesome allegations fly around.

    “We are compelled to respond to some of his claims, which are totally unfounded, to keep the records in the public domain accurate, thus making same a reliable source of reference in the future.

    “We can simply say that there were no ghost workers in the APC secretariat during the tenure of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee.

    “To substantiate the claim of the existence of ghost workers, their names and total number should be published by the chairman (Adamu).

    “There is no substance in the claim that there were arrears of staff salaries when the current leadership of the party assumed office.”

    This is because staff salaries were paid up to the end of March 2022 to ensure that the new leadership of the party comes in on a clean slate regarding staff salaries.

    “The staff can testify to this fact. It is therefore incorrect to say that the Abdullahi Adamu team inherited any salary arrears.

    “The one-month compulsory annual leave for the directors and head of legal was a strange idea. The extant APC Staff Conditions of Service list the types of leave recognised. There is nothing like Compulsory Annual Leave. It was a contraption and totally ultra-vires.

    “It was conceived to merely get rid of innocent senior staff and loyal members of the party from their jobs. We remain loyal party members.

    “Relying on the relevant provisions of the APC Staff Conditions of Service and the approved APC Constitution as amended, we still regard ourselves as legitimate members of the APC staff.

    “This is because, going by the APC constitution, the chairman, working alone or in conjunction with the members of the NWC, does not have the power to remove any employee of the party or recruit new staff without following the rules and procedures set out in the APC Constitution and the APC Staff Conditions of Service.

    “What we said in our communication with the chairman and other appropriate organs of the party was that, in the event our services were no longer required, we should be disengaged through the rules spelt out and our entitlements paid, including all salaries from September 2022 and any subsequent months to the date of disengaging us fairly.

    “We humbly urge the national chairman to kindly, and as an experienced administrator, pore through the Audited Financial Statement 2021 carefully. Therein, there is no sentence or paragraph which includes any legal fee liability.

    “Therefore, given this fact, it is regrettable that the claim of a N7.5 billion outstanding legal fee was made by no other person than the national chairman of our great party. His Excellency should have attached the list of the cases for which fees are outstanding and other relevant details.”

    Adamu faults claims

    When contacted, Adamu, in a telephone interview with Daily Trust, faulted the claims of the embattled directors, saying they have an allergy to money not spent.

    “I laugh. They have an allergy to seeing money not spent, and they see me as the person behind it. They have their masters somewhere. I don’t fight shadows. If I want to fight, I fight straight. Let those who are behind them come out openly.

    “There was nothing I did as Abdullahi Adamu; whatever I did was an act of the NWC, fully composed, full attendance and decision accepted by all. It is NWC’s decision. I’m not going to go into details,” he said.

    (Daily Trust)

  • Lai Mohammed says the worst of insecurity is over, avers Nigeria is safe

    Lai Mohammed says the worst of insecurity is over, avers Nigeria is safe

    Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has said the worst is over as far as insecurity is concerned.

    Mohammed stated this at a Ministerial Session at the ongoing UNESCO Global Media and Information Literacy Week.

    He added that the military and other security agencies were up to the task of protecting Nigerians and non-citizens.

    He said, “I can assure all that our military and other security agencies have continued to do everything possible to secure and protect Nigerians and foreigners living in Nigeria.

    “Terrorists have been hard hit and put on the run. Bandits have been decimated and scattered. Our country is safer today than at any time in recent times, thanks to the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform. Nigerians too should continue to be alert but must not panic. Like I said in a recent statement, as far as insecurity is concerned, the worst is over for Nigeria.”

    Mohammed also said some media outlets and social media personalities were usually caught spreading unverified information on their platforms just for clickbait and the attendant monetary gain.

    “Talking of clickbait, this may be what informed the spread of the supposed security alert issued recently by some foreign embassies in Nigeria.”

    “One would imagine that if indeed this kind of security alert was issued, it was for the attention of citizens of the issuing countries in Nigeria. Suddenly, this alert found its way into the media, both new and traditional, thus creating panic in the polity.

    “Schools were shut, businesses were closed, travel plans were altered, lives were disrupted. No one cared to find out about the authenticity of these alerts. They just published, got the benefit of massive clickbait and damned the consequences.”

    (Daily Trust)

  • Ekweremadu’s community appeals to FG for help, shuts market, prays for God’s intervention

    Ekweremadu’s community appeals to FG for help, shuts market, prays for God’s intervention

    In demonstration of solidarity with their son and former deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, the people of Mpu community in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State shut their market at the weekend to pray for divine intervention in his ongoing trial alongside his wife in the United kingdom over alleged organ harvest conspiracy.

    The community equally appealed to the Federal Government to intervene in Ekweremadu’s continued detention insisting it was injustice both to him and Nigeria. They claimed the Nigerian government could not have treated a UK member of parliament in the same manner.

    They made the appeal during a one-day prayer summit organised by the leadership of the community to seek divine intervention on the matter.

    Leading the prayer, Head Pastor, Ancient Path Restoration Revival Assembly, Nathaniel Nwankwo, admonished the people to put their faith in God as the ultimate decider of every case.

    “We are committing Mpu community primarily to God, thanking Him for the good things he has done for the land and asking for divine intervention in the trouble surrounding our brother, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who had been away from the shores of Nigeria since June 21,2022 for an allegation that has no basis,” he said.

    President-General of the Community, Chief Francis Oshimiri-Ude, said Ekweremadu had saved so many lives by his acts of philanthropy, expressing grief that “water appears to be sticking between his teeth for trying to do the same for his own daughter.”

    He described Ekweremadu as an illustrious son of the community saying without him, their world seems shattered.

    “We know he didn’t commit any crime. This is a man with a heart of gold, who has transformed our communities and many communities in Enugu West and beyond. So, those holding him should investigate his life style from birth to know that he has good records, the reason we started giving leadership responsibilities even before he was 10 years old. He should be released unconditionally to rejoin his people and continue his good works, which he had been carrying out for over 20 years now.”

    In a sombre mood, one the women leaders, Mrs. Happiness Ajah, said they had cried uncontrollably because Ekweremadu is all they have.

    Traditional ruler of Amokofia Mpu Autonomous Community, Igwe Cyprian Udemefuna, his counterpart from Anekeorji Mpu Autonomous Community, Igwe David Ajah and traditional ruler of Achi Orie Mpu Autonomous Community, Igwe Cletus Udechukwu, said the entire community had been in sober mood following the ordeal facing the Ekweremadu’s family in the UK.

    The Royal fathers, who described the Senator as a great achiever and a worthy Nigerian, encouraged members of the community to intensify prayers without ceasing until something positive happens.

    They also called on the South East Traditional Rulers Council to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari on the matter, especially given Ekweremadu’s usual interventions for other Igbo leaders in difficult situations.

    They said: “We closed the market and shops today to demonstrate the weight of anger in us over our brother’s incarceration in the UK. In fact, it is to show that we are highly annoyed. We are also here to ask God for his mercies, to bring back our brother and son, who has been held overseas for trying to save his daughter in a proper way. He wrote to the UK authorities and did not hide anything.”

    (Sun)

  • Court issues arrest warrant against Diezani Alison-Madueke

    Court issues arrest warrant against Diezani Alison-Madueke

    A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, issued an arrest warrant against the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, believed to be residing in the UK.

    Justice Bolaji Olajuwon granted the request, after counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Farouk Abdullah, made an oral application.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the court had fixed Nov. 3, 2021 for the EFCC to give a report on its effort at extraditing Alison-Madueke to the country to stand her trial, and for possible mention of the case.

    But on the adjourned date, the case was stalled as neither Abdullah nor Alison-Madueke was in sight.

    Justice Olajuwon then fixed today, Jan. 24, for the matter and adjourned for report or or for possible mention of the matter.

    It was reported that though Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu was initially the presiding judge in the matter, the case was reassigned to Justice Olajuwon, following the transfer of Ojukwu to the Calabar division of the court.

    It would be recalled that Ojukwu had, on Oct. 28, 2020, rejected the EFCC’s prayer to issue a warrant of arrest against Alison-Madueke, citing the commission’s failure to enforce the earlier criminal summons, which the court issued on the former minister since July 24, 2020, saying court orders are not made in vain.

    The commission had, in requesting for the criminal summons in July 2020, claimed that it was required to facilitate the ex-minister’s extradition to Nigeria.

    Faced with the failure of the ex-minister to honour the summons, the EFCC, through its lawyer, Abdullah, urged Justice Ojukwu to issue a warrant of arrest against her, saying that the extradition process failed as a result of the absence of the warrant of arrest.

    The judge, who turned down the request, directed the lawyer to file an affidavit to that effect supported by evidence from the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), and adjourned for report and possible arraignment of the defendant (Alison-Madueke).

    However, when the matter was called on Monday, Abdullah was in court.

    He told the court that all efforts by the agency to get the ex-minister extradited when the matter was before Ojukwu were unsuccessful.

    Abdullah, who made an oral application for an arrest warrant, said the application was part of the requirements by the office of the AGF for the extradition.

    He said that the arrest warrant was needed to further give the International Police (INTERPOL) the impetus to bring the defendant to Nigeria to answer to charges against her.

    Justice Olajuwon then granted the application and adjourned the matter sine die pending when the defendant (Alison-Madueke) is arrested and produced in court.

    According to reports Abdullah had, in an application, urged the court “to issue an arrest warrant against Alison-Madueke, who is believed to be in the UK to enable all law enforcement agencies and the INTERPOL to arrest her anywhere she is sighted and be brought before the court to answer to the allegation made against her before the court.”

    He said since the summon had not been able to achieve the desired result, the need for a warrant of arrest cannot be over-emphasised.

    It was reported that the court had, on July 24, 2020, ordered the former minister to appear before it and answer to the money laundering charge filed against her by the EFCC.

    The court gave the ruling in an ex-parte motion marked FHC/ABJ/CR/208/2018 brought by Abdullah.

    The EFCC had accused the former minister of fleeing the country for the UK in order to escape justice, among others.

    The lawyer, in a document filed along with the motion ex-parte, said it sought to question Alison-Madueke, without success, in relation to many allegations against her, including “her role as the Minister of Petroleum Resources and her role in the award of Strategic Alliance Agreement (SAA) to Septa Energy Limited, Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited and Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited by NNPC.

    He said it also wanted Alison-Madueke to respond to questions about “her role in the chartering of private jets by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Ministry of Petroleum Resources and her role in the award of contracts by NNPC to Marine and Logistics Services Limited.”

    Abdallah said the agency was investigating Alison-Madueke‘s business relationships with Mr Donald Amamgbo, Mr Afam Nwokedi, Chief lkpea Leemon, Miss Olatimbo Bukola Ayinde, Mr Benedict Peters, Christopher Aire, Harcourt Adukeh, Julian Osula, Dauda Lawal, Nnamdi Okonkwo, Mr Leno Laithan, Sahara Energy Group and Midwestern Oil Limited, among others.

    He added that Alison-Madueke was also required to clear air on “her role in financing the 2015 general elections, particularly the money that were warehoused at Fidelity Bank Plc in 2015 prior to the elections.”

    He said it equally wanted the ex-minister to speak on several items, documents and Jeweleries recovered from her house at No: 10, Chiluba Close, off Jose Marti Street, Asokoro, Abuja, and some identified property that were linked to her In Nigeria, UK, U.S., United Arab Emirate and South Africa.

    It would be recalled that the EFCC Chairman, Abdultasheed Bawa in the April 2021 edition of the agency’s in-house magazine, disclosed that the anti-corruption commission recovered 153 million dollars from Alison-Madueke.

    Bawa said the agency also recovered the final forfeiture of over 80 property in Nigeria valued at about $80 million from the former minister, who has been living in the UK since leaving office some years ago.

    The EFCC boss said he would want the former minister to face trial in Nigeria.

    Besides, as part of the ongoing investigations of the former Petroleum Minister, the EFCC. on Dec. 15, 2021, said it arrested a former Managing Director of Fidelity Bank Plc, Nnamdi Okonkwo, allegedly over an additional $72.87 million still in the coffers of the bank.

    Okonkwo and Charles Onyedibe were quizzed by operatives over the latest discovery.

    Okonkwo, who is the chairman of First Bank Holding, alongside others, had earlier been grilled over $153 million and another $115 million by the commission.

    While all the 153 million dollars were recovered by the EFCC, the cases involving $115 million, as it relates with the Independent National Electoral Commission bribery matter, are in various courts. the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, had disclosed in a statement.

    (NAN)