A human rights lawyer, Tope Akinyode, is set to drag the Nigerian Army to court on behalf of Emmanuel Madubuezi, a polytechnic student in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, who was shot by personnel of the Nigerian Army.
On September 14, 2017, stray bullets from operatives of the Nigerian Army hit the student, Madubuezi, who sat in a commercial tricycle on his way to school at the time.
The bullet pierced through the body of the student and hit an elderly woman sitting next to him, who was thrown out of the tricycle due to the impact of the bullet.
The young man’s leg was subsequently amputated at the Holy Trinity Hospital, Port Harcourt, on September 25, 2017.
SaharaReporters gathered that the Army did not foot the medical treatment of Madubuezi or offer compensation of any kind.
When the victim wrote the Army to demand N150m as compensation, the army authorities vowed not to pay him any money.
In the response letter of the Nigerian Army obtained by SaharaReporters, the military arm admitted that its operatives indeed shot Madubuezi, describing the conduct as “highly unprofessional”.
Despite that, the Nigerian Army said that the operatives acted on “frolic of their own”, claiming that since their action was a criminal offence, the erring officers would be charged to court and punished accordingly.
However, the army said no compensation would go to the victim as it will not take liability for the actions of the erring operatives.
Akinyode, who is the National President of Revolutionary Lawyers’ Forum, said Madubuezi and his mother have contacted him to take up the case.
He said, “We’ll ask the court to compel the Nigerian Army to pay N1bn compensation.
The Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has forfeited her May salary to secure the immediate release of five inmates unable to pay for their fines at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
The minister, who made the donation while felicitating with the inmates as part of activities to celebrate this year’s Sallah, said the donation would go a long way in decongesting the overcrowded correctional centre, particularly in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr Aliyu assured the inmates that the FCT Administration would take further legal steps to see to the decongestion of the Kuje Correctional Centre.
“I will not only support the reduction, but I will also lend my voice in the reduction of prison inmates by picking up some bills.
“I will carry out the campaign and speak to well-meaning Nigerians because you cannot leave the burden of good governance to the government alone.
“We know that some of you are awaiting trial, we know that some have not been tried at all, but provided there isthe law, we will not be lawless.
“We will go by the law and get in well-meaning Nigerians and pay up the fines. This will also go a long way to reduce the number besides government pronouncements.
“Government pronouncement as we all know does not come easily in every nation.
“If government pronouncement comes very easily, then definitely, the name correctional centre will be misplaced.
“We know Mr President recently spoke our minds when he spoke about the need to decongest our prisons.
“And I know my Minister, a God-fearing man, and a man with a heart of gold, he will certainly send a message across.
“God willing, FCT Administration will make moves to decongest our prison-based on merit. I in my own capacity, I stand here personally on this Sallah day, I want to donate my salary for the release of 5 inmates.’
Dr Aliyu affirmed that the Correctional Service has been positioned to refine the inmates in the rebuilding of a better society, noting that they could make the best out of the experiences gained at the correctional centre.
“There are times in our life that we erred, but to err is human and to forgive is divine.
“There are times in our life that we are put to test; sometimes we passed the test, sometimes we failed the test.
“For various reasons, we might have found ourselves at the correctional centre. But you know what, you can make the best out of it.
“As we appreciate you, we pray for you to come out to be better citizens that will give us a Nigeria of our dreams. Somebody else cannot give us Nigeria of our dreams and you cannot give us Nigeria of our dreams from outside.
“You can only give us Nigeria of our dream from within, and I know you are already at the preparatory stage. When you leave here either by amnesty or whatever pronouncements, you can only become better citizens,” Aliyu stated.
The Chancellor/Proprietor, Gregory University, Prof. Gregory Ikechukwu Ibe has expressed shock over the death of the former Commissioner of Environment in Abia State, Dr. Solomon Ogunji, saying death has taken away the very symbol and essence of boldness and courage.
Describing the late Ogunji as a friend and a patriot, Prof. Ibe said despite posers and queries on the sudden death of the late Commissioner, no one can question God who he described as the giver of life.
He called on family and friends of late Dr. Ogunji to take solace in the fact that he left visible legacies on the sands of time which cannot be erased easily.
“I received with palpable shock disturbing news about the sudden death of my friend and compatriot, Dr. Solomon Ogunji, who until the sad development was the Abia state Commissioner for Environment.
“Who would have imagined that death could so gain advantage over a serial development political technocrat like Solo? Death oh death why have you taken away the very symbol and essence of boldness and courage from our body politic?
“Questions, queries and more posers, yet no answers except the constant reminder that no one can question the Almighty, who remains the giver of life.
“We shall therefore continue to take solace and be consoled by the tangible legacies and footprints of Solo on the sands of time,which cannot be easily wiped off, while praying for the repose of the soul of this courageous soldier who fought and won countless earthly battles, obtaining many laurels in the process. Indeed you fought gallantly and will ever be remembered, not just for the victories but for your zeal, passion, and commitment to every good course you identified with” he said.
The House of Representatives has expressed dismay over allegation credited to the Executive Director, Project, and member of the Interim Management Committee NDDC, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh accusing the lawmakers of deliberately delaying the passage of the 2019 NDDC budget, describing the allegation as ‘simply untrue’, ABN TV reports.
The House of Representatives while reacting to the allegation made against it by Dr. Ojougboh in a television interview said the Executive Director’s accusation snacks of ineptitude, ignorance, and/or deliberate mischief, adding that the accusation is defamatory.
Dr. Cairo Ojougboh
In a release on Tuesday signed by the Spokesperson, House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu while accusing Dr. Ojougboh is attempting to deceive Nigerians about the financial improprieties of the Commission added that it (House of Reps) is the one pushing the Commission to do the needful and render account to the Nigerian people.
“The attention of the House has been drawn to certain statements by Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, Executive Director, Projects and member of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (“NDDC” or the “Commission”), in what can only be described as an unhinged television interview on Arise News. The House of Representatives understands that the spurious and defamatory claims made in that interview by Dr. Ojougboh were engineered to cast aspersions on its integrity and credibility. Therefore, while we cannot speak to the activities of the previous assemblies, it has become imperative for the 9th and present House of Representatives to issue the following rebuttal.
“The claims by Dr. Ojougboh that the House of Representatives delayed passage of the 2019 NDDC budget are simply untrue and indicate a concerning ineptitude, ignorance and/or deliberate mischief by the Executive Director to deceive Nigerians about the financial improprieties of the Commission. When in reality, it has been the House pushing the Commission to do the needful and render account to the Nigerian people.
“Section 18(1) of the NDDC (Establishment) Act mandates the Commission to, not later than 30 September in each year, submit to the National Assembly, its budget estimates for the following year. The House recalls that for more than 13 months after the time required by law, the Commission deliberately failed to submit its 2019 budget to the National Assembly for approval, choosing instead to engage in illegal and unauthorized spending to the tune of billions of naira. It took the intervention of the House, following a motion moved by Rep. Benjamin O. Kalu on November 26, 2019, to compel the Commission to present its 2019 budget. The House further recalls that on December 10, 2019, the date fixed for the budget defence, the Commission failed to appear with its 2018 budget performance report, a document critical to assessing its previous expenditures and approving its 2019 budget; as a result of which, the budget defence had to be stepped down. The Commission was only able to return with their budget performance report on February 5th, 2020 following which the House passed the 2019 budget 3 weeks after (February 27th, 2020).
“The House states that the negligence and/or deliberate mischief of the Commission has also frustrated all efforts by the National Assembly to expeditiously approve the Commission’s 2020 budget. We recall that on April 28 and May 12, 2020, the National Assembly sent joint reminders to the Commission requesting copies of the 2019 budget performance report to enable it to consider the Commission’s 2020 budget. Unfortunately, in a reply dated May 13, 2020, the Commission cited the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse for their failure to provide their 2019 performance report. This is curiously ironic considering that despite the pandemic, they have been able to access their offices to spend monies, handle sharing of palliatives, make payments in billions of Naira and undertake transfers, promotions, and suspensions of public officers, etc. Therefore, till date, the Commission has refused to render an account of their 2019 budget expenditures to Nigerians.
“Dr. Ojougboh’s claims that the House of Representatives “vandalized and raped” the 2019 budget by adding ₦85bn Naira are not only false but paint a rather disturbing image of the Executive Director’s emotional state as well as his relationship with facts and reality.
“Contrary to the allegations of padding, the House recalls instead, that it was forced to cut down the budget estimates from ₦409bn to ₦345bn when it was discovered that the Commission’s projected expenditures were unrealistic, having exceeded their revenue source by ₦63bn.
“The House is also concerned by Dr. Ojougboh’s grave allegations attempting to indict President Muhammadu Buhari of influencing the 2019 NDDC budget by inserting the so-called “President’s regional projects”. While we have a duty to remove any suspicious items identified in the budget, it must be stated that the House is not aware of any line items in the 2019 budget estimates bearing the name or indicating the personal interests of the President.
“The insinuations by Dr. Ojougboh that the House of Representatives is against the ongoing forensic audit of the Commission are untrue and misleading. The House has always expressed its total support for the forensic audit ordered by the President.
“This is further evidenced by the fact that it was the House at Committee level which added a provision for the forensic audit in the 2019 budget after discovering that the Commission’s original budget estimates failed to include a line for the forensic audit.
“Echoing the sentiments of Nigerians, our only concern is as to the propriety of the appointment or supervision of the forensic auditors and also to ensure that any auditing process is done in accordance with the Constitution. The House insists that a supervision of the auditing process by the IMC or any other subjects of the audit, defeats the cardinal principle of natural justice, nemo judex in causa sua (no-one is judge in his own cause) and undermines the integrity of the investigation.
“As the People’s parliament, the 9th House of Representatives remains committed to exposing corruption, inefficiency or waste in any aspect of the government. We state that our support for the forensic audit does not in any way silence or preclude our oversight mandate in Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN) (as altered) as both arms of government must continue to work according to the principles of the doctrine of separation of power. It is an exercise of the system of checks and balance and not a duplicity of effort. Therefore, the House will continue independent investigations in order to be equipped with information in anticipation of the outcome of the forensic audit.” the statement read.
The Rivers State government have on May 10, 2020, destroyed Prodest Hotel, Eleme for violating The Executive Order 6
Recently the state government released test results of the manager and 26 others arrested which all returned position for the novel Coronavirus pandemic
Head of Nigeria Police Complaints Response Unit, Yomi Shogunle, has shared how a bride in waiting has been hospitalized due to shock.
According to Shogunle, the bride’s fiance impregnated his ex-girlfriend during lock-down after her family opted for an indefinite postponement of their wedding.
The groom’s family’s request for a quiet wedding and the bride moving in with the groom was rejected.
The waiting groom and is ex then reconnected during the lock-down and then got her pregnant.
“A wedding slated for Week-2 of #CoronaVirus lockdown. Due to new bylaws, the groom’s family suggested a quiet solemnization (10 people) & big party later but the bride’s family opted for indefinite postponement.
Groom’s request for the bride to move in with him till the new date was rejected.
The waiting groom & Ex connected, she came on a visit, couldn’t return to her base cos of inter-state lockdown.
They stayed together all through the stay-at-home orders.
Ex is now pregnant, their parents saying no abortion. Bride in waiting now hospitalized for shock.”
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has warned that parents who enrol their children in the Almajiri education system stand the risk of prosecution and two years imprisonment.
ABN TV Reports that Governor El-Rufai stated this when he visited 200 Almajiri children repatriated from Nasarawa State and undergoing rehabilitation and optical screening at Government College, Kurmin Mashi, Kaduna, on Monday, May 25.
Almajiri is ideally a system of Islamic education practised in northern Nigeria, where young children leave their homes to live with Islamic scholars and learn about religion.
However, the system has over the years been corrupted with thousands of such children roaming the streets begging for alms and food, and without any form of education.
Speaking during the visit, Governor El-Rufai said any Islamic cleric who enrols any child into the Almajiri system would also be prosecuted, jailed, and fined N100,000 or N200,000 per child.
Governor El-Rufai while expressing his delight at the rehabilitation of the repatriated Almajiris, said the state has a responsibility to do whatever it can to give them hope and a better future.
“We will, therefore, continue to take delivery of every Almajiri pupil indigenous to Kaduna state for rehabilitation, treatment and enrollment into formal school nearest to where their parents live.
“We will continue to do this until we clear Kaduna state of the menace of the Almajiri system, which is not education but the abuse of the privilege and future of a child.
“Our ultimate goal is for them to acquire formal education without depriving them of the opportunity to acquire Quranic education.
“They will continue their Quranic education but under the care of their parents and not under someone who does not know them or paid to look after them,” he said
The UK government has announced June 15 for the reopening of all non-essential retail stores as part of plans to further ease the lockdown measures.
ABN TV reports that the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday night disclosed this at the daily Downing Street press conference.
He said some easing of Lockdown Measures will begin along with primary school openings planned from June 1, with outdoor markets and car showrooms among those allowed to become operational from next week.
“Then, from June 15, we intend to allow all other non-essential retail, ranging from department stores to small, independent shops, to reopen.
“This change will be contingent upon progress against the five tests and will only be permitted for those retail premises which are COVID-secure,” Johnson said.
Non-essential retail will include shops selling clothes, shoes, toys, furniture, books, and electronics, plus tailors, auction houses, photography studios, and indoor markets.
Shops like supermarkets and pharmacies, deemed as essential, have been operating throughout the pandemic.
He went on to say that new guidance for the retail sector to meet the necessary social distancing and hygiene standards will be issued for shops to put plans in place in time for a mid-June opening.
“I want people to be confident they can shop safely, provided they follow the social distancing rules for all premises,” Johnson said.
“These are careful but deliberate steps on the road to rebuilding our country,” the UK prime minister said, adding that around 25,000 contact tracers to keep track of the infection rate will be in place by June 1 to help open up the economy.
He also noted that businesses will only be able to open once they have completed a risk assessment in consultation with trade union representatives or workers, and are confident they are managing the risk.
According to the Johns Hopkins University data, the number of COVID-19 infections in the country has crossed 260,000 and more 35, 000 people have died.
House spokesperson and member representing Bende Federal Constituency, Rep. Benjamin Kalu, has congratulated Paul Ikonne on his recent appointment as the Executive Secretary of the National Agriculture Land Development Authority, NALDA.
Drum Africa News reports that Hon. Benjamin Kalu stated that his appointment to NALDA is testament to the fine quality of the men and women of Abia extraction.
In his letter of congratulation dated May 24, the legislator promised to work with the new Executive Secretary of NALDA for the benefit of Abia State.
Africa has so far been spared the worst impact of the coronavirus, but World Health Organisation, WHO, is worried the continent could face a “silent epidemic” if its leaders fail to prioritise testing for it.
“My first point for Africa, my first concern, is that a lack of testing is leading to a silent epidemic in Africa.
“So, we must continue to push leaders to prioritise testing,” WHO Special Envoy Samba Sow, told a news conference in Geneva on Monday.
The WHO’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said Africa was the region with the fewest diagnosed coronavirus cases, accounting for less than 1.5 per cent of the global total and just 0.1per cent of deaths.
The WHO regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, said some countries had taken measures to curb the disease at a high economic cost.
Those measures meant the pandemic was having a milder impact so far than some models had predicted, Moeti said.
Tedros credited the continent’s experience dealing with other epidemics as helping it scale up its response to the coronavirus and be spared the impact seen elsewhere so far.
All African countries had preparedness plans in place, he said, although there were still “gaps and vulnerabilities”.
Deputy spokesman for the House of Representatives, Mr. Philip Agbese, has disclosed some state governors threats on Tinubu’s tax reform bills.
Agbese also disclosed that...
