The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Assets declaration: CCT faults charge against Nwaoboshi

    The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, has directed that the charge against Senator Peter Nwaoboshi and other processes filed along with it be returned to the Federal Ministry of Justice.

    CCT’s spokesman Ibraheem Zakariya said Danladi’s directive, which was complied with on Monday, was informed by errors noticed on the charge, by the Registry of the tribunal.

    In a statement, Zakariya said: “The Code of Conduct Tribunal yesterday returned to the Federal Ministry of Justice an application to commence trial against a Senator named Peter Nwaoboshi for substantial non-compliance with the Tribunal’s Practice Direction 2017.”

    Zakariya said the clarification about the status of the case became necessary because information about the existence of the case became public before the Registry of the CCT could take a decision on the case.

    Part of the statement reads: “However, the letter conveying the request to Federal Ministry of Justice, was captioned: ‘Re: CCT /ABJ/02/19 FRN V Senator Peter Nwaoboshi,’  dated 20th June, 2019, and attentioned to S. M. Labaran.

    “The letter reads: ‘Please, recall that you filed an application to commence trial in the above named suit on the 17th of June, 2019.

    ‘I am, however, directed by the Hon. Chairman of Code of Conduct Tribunal to return the application filed due to the following: ‘Non-compliance with paragraph 3 (2) (i), (iii) and (iv) of the Code of Conduct Tribunal Practice Direction 2017 in that:

    • No name of witness(s) is listed on the application; the CCB staff so stated without given a name and address is vague.
    • Since accounts are involved, a Sterling Bank official ought to be listed as witness with attached statement of witness(s).’

    “These are some of the defects, along with others not mentioned.

    “We crave the indulgence of media operatives not to use any matter before the tribunal from anybody outside it, in order to avoid this kind of mishaps of our procedures,” Zakariya said.

    The Federal Government, acting through the the Director of Public Prosecution, Federal Ministry of Justice, last week, filed a three-count charge against Senator Nwaoboshi before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), in which he is accused of making false assets declaration.

    Nwaoboshi is of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing Delta North Senatorial District.

    Nwaoboshi is accused of making false assets declaration in his Form CCB1 submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau by failing to declare three bank accounts he was said to have been maintaining with Sterling Bank (Nigeria) Limited since 2015.

    By his alleged conduct, Nwaoboshi is said to have breached Section 15(1) and (2) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act and punishable under section 23(2) of the same Act.

    Read Also: CCT to arraign ex-Bayelsa Speaker, 4 others July 4

    The Nwaoboshi case is one of the cases recently transferred by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel (SPIP) for the recovery of public property to the Director of Public Prosecution for prosecution.

    The charge reads: “That you, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi adult, male, Nigerian citizen and a serving Senator representing Delta North constituency within the jurisdiction of this Tribunal did make false declaration in your asset declaration Form CCB 1 No: SEN001098 in that you refused to declare Account No: 0008600331 maintained by you with Sterling Bank (Nigeria) Ltd which is in operation since about 2015 and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (1) and (2) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act Cap 015 LFN 2004 and punishable under Section 23 (2) of Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act Cap 015 LFN 2004.

    “That you, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi adult, male, Nigerian Citizen and a serving Senator representing Delta North Constituency within the jurisdiction of this Tribunal did make false declaration in your asset declaration Form CCB 1 No: SEN001098 in that you refused to declare Account No: 0006493689 maintained by you with sterling Bank (Nigeria) Ltd which is in operation since about 2015 and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (1) and (2) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act Cap 015 LFN 2004 and punishable under Section 23 (2) (c) of Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act Cap 015 LFN 2004.

    “That you, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi adult, male, Nigerian citizen and a serving Senator representing Delta North constituency within the jurisdiction of this Tribunal did make false declaration in your asset declaration Form CCB 1 No: SEN001098 in that you refused to declare Account No: 000997287 maintained by you with Sterling Bank (Nigeria) Ltd which is in operation since about 2015 and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (1) and (2) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act Cap 015 LFN 2004 and punishable under Section 23 (2) (c) of Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act Cap 015 LFN 2004.”

    The prosecution also attached to the charge, a document titled: “an application to commence trial,” in which it sought to be allocated a date for the commencement of the case.

    Also attached to the charge was the summary of the prosecution’s case. It reads: “It is the prosecution’s case that the defendant, a serving senator was investigated and found to have falsely declared his assets in his assets declaration Form CCB1 No. SEN001098.

    “The prosecution in this case shall rely on the exhibits and testimonies of witnesses to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.”

  • PDP swaps minority positions in Senate

    The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has replaced Senator Clifford Odia (Edo Central) with Senator Sahabi Yau (Zamfara North) as Senate Deputy Minority Whip.

    Odia is a second term senator who was first elected in 2015, while Yau was first a member of the seventh Senate but lost re-election in 2015.

    Yau made it back to the ninth Senate by virtue of the recent Supreme Court judgment that sacked all elected officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara and replaced them with their PDP counterparts.

    A top party source said the decision to replace Odia with Yau was informed by the need to reflect federal character and spread in the choice of Minority positions in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

    Odia is presently prevailed upon to accept the decision in good faith.

    Read Also: PDP knocks INEC, group over server

    The party has based its decision on the fact that the South South, where Odia hails from, already had two of the eight minority positions in the National Assembly while the North West, where Yau comes from, had none.

    For instance, Kingsley Chinda (Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency), Rivers State, has been picked as Minority Leader in the House of Representatives. Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South) is the party’s choice as Senate Minority Leader, while Emmanuel Bwacha (Taraba South) is Deputy Minority Leader.

    Senator Philip Aduda, who represents the Federal Capital Territory is Minority Whip.

    The party has mandated former Senate President Bukola Saraki to lead a peace delegation to Edo State to pacify leaders and stakeholders in Odia’s senatorial district over the rejig.

    The leaders would be communicating the party’s decisions on the appointment of the Minority principal officers to the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, who will announce the choices on the floor of the chambers.

  • How to end crude oil theft, by expert

    Nigeria has been advised to create alternative operation routes, secure the evacuation routes and expand export activities to the eastern side of the Niger Delta to contain crude oil theft.

    The suggestions were given by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Umugini Pipeline Infrastructure Limited (UPIL), Blessing Ayemhere, on Tuesday during the unveiling of the company’s new logo and brand identity.

    Ayemhere also advised the government to conclude the crude tracking process so it can be fully operational and complement the current strategy used by UPIL.

    According to him, the menace was a huge challenge for operators in the sector, and they were trying multiple strategies to stop it.

    He said: “Vandalism in the oil and gas sector has become a big deal. Aside from the well heads, we also have vandalism of the pipelines along the right of ways.

    “So, we are combating such occurrences from time to time. It is something that operates in the system, and what we are doing is to put multiple strategies in place to safeguard the pipelines and the products.

    “The crude tracking technology has not fully come to effect but every crude has its specific identity. What we do right now is to ensure that the pipelines we use are tracked and we are alerted if there is an intrusion or any other issue.

    “Once we are able to mature as a country to track our crude specifically, then, that would be the next phase.

    “The solution is to create alternative operation routes, secure the evacuation routes and also expand beyond the western side to the eastern side of the Niger Delta.”

    The Nation reports that the midstream firm which transports crude oil to downstream terminal facilities for exploration and production companies was formerly Umugini Asset Company Limited (UACL).

    Read Also: Inside Niger Delta creeks where Nigeria loses billions

    Ayemhere noted that the new logo, a combination of a red horizontal strip and the wordmarks that represents it name, projects the company’s seamless expertise in the pipeline and storage sector in oil and gas industry.

    “It also strives to reinforce our safe, efficient and environmentally friendly service-proposition.

    “We have looked forward to the unveiling of our new brand identity, UPIL. It is a pipeline infrastructure company that operates in the midstream oil and gas sector of Nigeria.

    “Before now, we didn’t really have a dedicated pipeline company. We are actually one of the first pipeline companies operating in the exploration and production space. Our focus is to take the responsibility and the burden of evacuating crude from producers to the point of offtake in the terminal at various locations,” he added.

    “That is what we do and that is why we are rebranding to actually give effect to what we do and to make the market know the problem we are here to solve. The producers of crude oil have their production facilities their responsibility is to extract crude oil, exploit it and so, the crude needs to be taken to the terminals for sale because that is where the buyers come to carry the product with their barges.

    “So, our responsibility is to connect producers to the buyers through the evacuation route. What we do actually is to take the crude through pipelines underground  to the terminals.

    “We do not get involved in barging or shipping at the terminal. The buyers who are the offtakers bring their barges, ships, offtake tanks and they move from the terminal. So, we are not responsible for the security of the barges in the waterways.

    “Our pipeline length is 51.4km and we have what we call the install and the technical capacities. Install capacity is 45,000 barrels/day while the technical capacity is 82,500 barrels/day. Currently, we are still operating below that and what we are trying to do is to help producers along that route know that we have already built an infrastructure that they can key into,” he said.

  • Executive Order likely on state legislature, judiciary autonomy

    Should the recommendation of the Presidential Committee on the Implementation of Autonomy of State Legislature and State Judiciary be accepted, an Executive Order might soon be issued by President Muhammadu Buhari on the matter.

    The panel, chaired by the former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, submitted its report on Tuesday to the President at the State House, Abuja.

    It recommended the signing of an Executive Order by the President for the immediate kick-off of the implementation of the autonomy for states legislature and the judiciary.

    Speaking with reporters at the State House after the submission, Malami said: “Well, substantially, arising from the position of the President relating to the deepening of democracy relating to upholding the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, within the context of governance, Mr. President had sometimes back in March, 2019, precisely, put in place a committee.

    “That committee was mandated to package and make recommendations as it relates to the application, operations and observance of Section 121 of the Constitution which establishes the autonomy of the States Legislature and Judiciary.

    “So, the intention of the committee is to see what can be done with effect to the Constitutional order with respect to the autonomy of the states’ legislature and judiciary in the context of the provisions of the Constitution.

    Read Also: Updated: Sanwo-Olu signs executive order on traffic, refuse mgt

    “So, today (yesterday), the committee has concluded its assignment substantially by way of making available to the President, an interim report indicating the modalities this should follow with due observance of the provisions of the section 121 and due observance of the sustenance of the independence of the States Legislature and Judiciary.

    “So, it is about the constitutional order; it is about the sustenance of the requirements of the constitution as it relates to the independence of the legislature and the judiciary, and the committee has presented its report to Mr. President.”

    On how soon the implementation will commence, he said: “Well, the independence has already been established by the constitution. So, it is now about the implementation of the modalities and amongst the recommendations made to Mr. President is an Executive Order by the President designed to give effect to the implementation of Section 121 which constitutionally establishes the independence of the two arms of government.

    “So, it is about the application, Operation and enforcement of the provisions of the Constitution and with the signing of the Executive Order, l believe the necessary formalities of the whole hearted implementation of this provisions will come into effect.”

    On his continued membership of the committee despite cabinet dissolution, Malami said: “I am here based on the powers of Mr. President who exercises the powers of his prerogatives to appoint anyone, and as a Nigerian for that matter. This remains a prerogative of Mr. President.”

  • Court orders lawyers to serve Dikko charge in N1.1b fraud case

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered lawyers to former Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Abdullahi Inde Dikko, to deliver to him a charge pending against him (Dikko) in the court.

    Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu gave the directive yesterday upon being told that lawyers from Mahmud A, Magaji (SAN) & Co were challenging an earlier court order directing the firm to receive the charge and hand same to Dikko.

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) filed the 10-count charge, in which it accused Dikko and two others of defrauding the Managing Director of Cambial Limited, Yemi Obadeyi, of N1.1 bilion.

    The ICPC said it served the charge on the other defendants – Garba Makarfi (a former Assistant Comptroller in charge of Finance at the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Umar Husseini (a lawyer) – but has been unable to serve Dikko since it was filed last year.

    In view of the development, the ICPC, on the last date, applied under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) for the charge to be served on the ex-Customs boss through the lawyer who represented him during investigation, a request the court granted.

    At the resumed hearing yesterday, Dikko (the first defendant) was absent, while Makarfi and Husseini were in court.

    When the judge sought to know why Dikko was absent and was not represented by any lawyer, Adenekan Shogunle (for the prosecution) said in compliance with the court’s order, the charge has been served on the law firm of Mahmud A. Magaji (SAN) & Co for onward delivery to Dikko.

    A lawyer from the law firm, Miss. B. O. Odigie, said the charge was wrongly served on her firm, and that she has filed an application to challenge the service.

    According to her, the firm was not briefed by the first defendant to represent him in this case, although the firm was representing Dikko in other cases.

    In view of Odigie’s submission, Justice Ojukwu asked the prosecution lawyer why he prayed the court to be allowed to serve the first defendant through the law firm.

    Shogunle said: “We asked that M. A. Mahmud (SAN) & Co be served because they had acted as solicitors to the first defendant in the cause of investigation. They undertook to produce the first defendant whenever his presence was required.

    “The letter they wrote to that effect is marked: ‘Exhibit ICPC 2,’ dated November 16, 2018, and addressed to the Chairman ICPC, where they introduced themselves as solicitors to the first defendant.”

    When confronted with  the “Exhibit ICPC 2,” Odigie sought time to “put our house in order.”

    Shogunle said he would have prayed the court for the issuance of an arrest warrant against Dikko, but for his realisation that from the way Odigie sounded, it was obvious the firm had not handed the charge to Dikko.

    Justice Ojukwu said the court was not interested in whether or not the law firm was briefed to handle the case on behalf of the first defendant, but that the firm was only required to hand the charge to Dikko as ordered by the court.

    Read Also: Customs housing: Dikko, others for trial from May 23

    She consequently adjourned till November 21 for arraignment.

    Dikko, Makarfi and Hussain are accused of defrauding a real estate firm, Cambial Limited, of N1,100,952,380.96, using their offices.

    In 2010, the NCS was said to have bought a housing estate in Kuje, Abuja, comprising 120 units of duplexes from Cambial Limited at N4.8billion.

    Beside allegedly deducting N819,047,619.04 as legal fees, agency fees, Value Added Tax (VAT) and Withholding Tax, Dikko and Makarfi were said to have asked Cambial Ltd to pay the N1,100,952,380.96 into Hussain’s law firm’s account as “security for the completion of works in the estate,” before the firm could access what was left of N4.8billion paid by the NCS into its (Cambial’s) Zenith Bank account.

    In counts six, seven and eight, Hussain was said to have “entered a deal with Dikko and Makarfi” to transfer N250m to Abys Motors Ltd’s account in GTB, N486m to Hasbunallah BDC Ltd and to withdraw N260m from the N1,100,952,380.96, which they allegedly obtained from Cambial by false pretense.

    Makarfi was, in count nine, said to have received “an aggregate of $3m which was delivered to you in cash by Abdullahi Usman Musa, a representative of Hasbunallah BDC Ltd,” which formed part of the N1,100,952,380.96

    He was, in count 10, accused of making false statement to ICPC’s investigator by claiming that he agreed to receive the N1,100,952,380.96 into his firm’s account “as a favour to Dikko and Makarfi, because he believed the money was death benefit on behalf of an unnamed deceased family friend.”

    One of the counts, Dikko, Makarfi and Hussain. were said to have “on or about the 6th of April 2010, by false pretence and with intent to defraud, conspired with each other to induce one Mr. Yemi Obadeyi, Managing Director of Cambial Limited, to pay the sum of N1,100,952,380.96 into the account of Capital Law Office, a private law firm owned by Umar Hussain  under the pretext that the said sum was required as a refundable ‘completion security deposit’ in respect of the contract  for the purchase of 120 units of duplexes as residential accommodation for of the Nigerian Customs Service.”

    The defendants’ alleged offences are said to be contrary to and punishable under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

  • Lawan: no jumbo pay for Senators, Reps

    Senate President Ahmad Lawan has said contrary to insinuation, no member of the National Assembly receives jumbo pay.

    The Senate President also asked the Presidency to submit the country’s annual appropriation bill in September or first week of October to enable the National Assembly pass the budget within three months.

    Lawan, who spoke when he hosted executive members of the Senators’ Forum in his office, noted that talks about senators and members of the House of Representatives receiving jumbo pay is not true.

    The senator said his  monthly take home pay is N750,000. He added that funds are also provided to run his office.

    He said: “We owe Nigerians everything. The National Assembly is going to be open to the public. Let Nigerians know what we are doing, but one thing I want to emphasise here is that I don’t believe in anything called jumbo pay to the National Assembly.

    Read Also: Lawan’s SA on New Media resigns

    “Members, both in the Senate and House of Representatives, receive what is their salary. I receive N750,000 as my salary, but I need to function as a senator. My office needs to be properly funded. Therefore I cannot conduct my oversight without some funding.

    “So I believe that Nigerians need to understand this. We need to continue to explain to Nigerians, and I will also urge you to explain to Nigerians because they need to be kept abreast with happenings in the National Assembly.

    “They deserve to know how their resources are being utilized, and this is what we will continue to do. I believe that the National Assembly needs proper funding because the legislature is so critical to any development. When an institution wants to legislate on almost everything under the sun, they should have the best and Nigerians should have the best outcome…”

  • Zakat foundation gives hearing-impaired baby N6m

    They appeared with their relatives in a sober mood. Many were in pains because of their health challenges. Some shed tears when they listened to pathetic stories of others.

    But they all left the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) head office of a faith-based charity organisation, Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation (ZSF), in happiness on Tuesday.

    The 53 people with various health issues went home with N32 million courtesy of the foundation.

    Five-year-old hearing-impaired boy Ramadan Muhammed was the biggest beneficiary as his mother, Mrs Aminat Muhammed, received N6 million cheque from the foundation.

    Mrs Muhammed said Ramadan’s both hear are impaired and the doctor said he needs N12 million to fix them.

    “We detected the disorder when he was two years old. When I realized that, I took him to the hospital. On getting to the hospital the doctor said, he will have to undergo surgery to correct the disorder and the sum of N12 million will be required for the surgery,” she said.

    She thanked Zakat payers for the gesture.

    Read Also: UCH oversubscribed, overwhelmed by patients — CMD

    “I am very grateful to Allah and ZSF for giving me N6 million out of the N12 million needed for the surgery. I pray to Allah to be pleased with Zakat payer for removing the burden from my son,” she said.

    Miss Ganiyat Sanni, a kidney failure patient lying critically ill at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) got N2.5 million.

    Her mother, Mrs Afusat Sanni said she needs N8 million for a transplant.

    She was shedding tears while recounting her daughter’s ordeal that started in 2014. Some of the people who came for assistance could not hold their emotion as they listened to Mrs Sanni – they cried.

    Mrs Sanni said she’s donating one of her kidneys to her daughter, saying: “I was advised to donate my kidney for her with a treatment cost of N8.5 million. I have raised N3.5 million before coming here. With this cheque, it remains N2.5 million to complete the cost of the surgery. Nigerians should assist to save the life of my daughter with the remaining N2.5 million. I don’t want her to die.

    “She is supposed to be writing the current Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) but she couldn’t due to her health condition. Right now, I just received a call from LASUTH that she needs blood transfusion urgently. Please save my daughter from dying.”

    ZSF Executive Director Prince Sulayman Olagunju at a short briefing before the disbursement of cheques to beneficiaries said the gesture was is in line with the foundation’s tradition of prioritising health and restoring the lost hope of the patients towards regaining their health.

    Olagunju said the beneficiaries require funds for urgent surgeries and treatments for heart diseases, kidney transplants, stroke, fractures, cancer of the breast and hip replacements, among others.

    “We sincerely feel the pains of those we could not consider after undergoing a series of screening exercises for lack of enough funds. We pray Allah to open His door of mercy for them,” he added.

  • Chrisland’s supervisor sent to Kirikiri prisons as court revokes bail

    Justice Sybil Nwaka of an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Tuesday revoked the bail of Chrisland School Supervisor, Adegboyega Adenekan, who is standing trial for allegedly defiling a two-year-old pupil of the school.

    Justice Nwaka revoked Adenekan’s bail for one day after expressing concerns that he might become a flight risk and not come to court at the next adjourned date fixed for today (Wednesday).

    The judge took the decision after Adenekan was led in defence for over an hour by his counsel, Olatunde Adejuyigbe (SAN).

    At the end of his defence, the trial judge declined to let him go back home in line with the bail he has been enjoying but rather sent him to Kirikiri Prisons.

    “My intuition is telling me that the defendant may not appear tomorrow for the continuation of his trial. For his own security, I am hereby revoking his bail and order that he be remanded in Kirikiri Prisons until the next adjourned date,” the Judge ruled.

    The defendant is facing a lone count charge of child defilement before the court.

    During resumed proceedings yesterday, Adenekan told the court that he found the allegations that he defiled a pupil of the school as “false and highly embarrassing.”

    The defendant told the court that he had built a teaching career spanning over 23 years and that no parent has ever accused him of child defilement.

    When the defendant was asked how he met the victim’s mother, the school supervisor said he knew the woman as one of the parents of pupils at Chrisland School, Ajah, Victoria Garden City.

    He said he became aware of the allegation against him on November 14, 2016.

    Adenekan said: “It was on a Friday around 8pm , I received a call from an unknown number and she introduced as a parent in the school. She outrightly told me that I had sexually abused her two-year-old daughter.

    “I was shocked at the allegation. She now further went on to tell me that we should keep the matter between the two of us and not tell anyone.

    “She ended the call and thereafter sent me a message that read: ‘I want you to still be friendly with my child’.

    Adenekan claimed to still have on his phone the text message sent to him by the girl’s mother.

    He also claimed to have told his wife about the discussion he had on my phone.

    The defendant told the court that he was also threatened by the father of the girl.

    Read Also: Raped Chrisland schoolchild recounts ‘bad things’ done to her

    Adenekan said he reported the matter to the Head Teacher and a meeting was convened, with the girl’s mother in attendance.

    “During the meeting, it was concluded that the child should be examined by the school’s hospital. The mother refused. She later called her husband who gave his consent,” he said.

    Adenekan said it was the girl’s mother that made arrangement for a polygraph test to be conducted on him by Halogen Securities in Maryland and that he consented because he had nothing to hide.

    “I was shocked when the report of the Halogen test came back and it said that I was lying. I strongly believe that the child’s mother and the security company that conducted the test fabricated the results.

    “The child was in pre-school 1 when I met her. I only stand at the door of their class and say, ‘hello children.’ The class teacher and the two class assistants are usually there. I have never been alone with the child in question. I have never taken her out of the class to my office,” he said.

    When asked if he defiled the child, he said, “I have two daughters – age 14 and 16. I would never allow someone do such to my children. I have been married for 18 years. My wife is even here. I have no special relationship with the child.”

    When the school supervisor was asked if he knew the child drew his penis, he said, “I heard she drew a penis but that is between her and her mother. I have never exposed my penis to this child neither have I fingered her or put my penis in her vagina. I am very sure everything is fabricated,” Adenekan said.

    The two-year-old girl in her testimony had earlier accused the defendant of defiling her.

    She had told the court, “Mr Adenekan put his wee wee (penis) in my bum bum (vagina).

    State Prosecutor, B.T Boye had called about six witnesses who testified before the court while the defence had called two teachers of the school who described the defendant as a role model.

    Adenekan was forced to open his defence after the court dismissed his application in which he submitted that he had no case to answer.

    Justice Nwaka adjourned till today for cross-examination of the defendant.

  • Apprentice found dead in sack

    An 18-year-old apprentice has been found dead in Abraka Community in Ethiope East Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta State.

    The girl, identified as Favour Ogheneyenrohwo, was found dead in a sack, was learning tailoring in Abraka.

    The deceased hailed from Ughere Community in Ethiope East LGA.

    A source said the victim may have been strangled as marks were visible on her neck.

    It was also gathered that the deceased pubic hairs were shaved off after she was murdered last Wednesday.

    It was learnt the deceased was found in a sack at the Police Station Junction near Bob Izua Motor Park, Abraka around 7:30pm.

    Delta State Police Commissioner (CP) Adeyinka Adeleke, said the police have begun a manhunt for her fleeing male acquaintance.

    Read Also: Man, lover found dead in Lagos

    Adeleke said: “The lady in question was with her sister and she had a call. When she wanted to leave, she told her sister that she was going to visit her boyfriend.

    “But when her relatives waited for her after a while and couldn’t find her, they started searching around for her whereabouts. The next day they saw her dead body tied in a sack and her boyfriend whom she was said to have gone to visit fled the area.

    “So it is not a ritual, but a murder case. The physical sign on her body shows in the neck that she was strangulated. Maybe somebody tempered with her neck and threw her body into the bush. Her boyfriend is nowhere to be found. He is on the run.”

    CP Adeleke said the victim’s corpse has been deposited in the mortuary.

  • Oando seeks to join Tinubu’s suit against SEC

    Oando Plc on Monday urged the Federal High Court in Lagos to join it in a suit filed by its Group Chief Executive Officer Wale Tinubu and his deputy Mr. Omamofe Boyo against the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

    Tinubu and Boyo are challenging SEC’s decision to remove them from office, impose a fine on Tinubu and bar them from being directors of public companies for five years.

    Oando’s lawyer Yele Delano (SAN) told Justice Ayokunle Faji that his client intended to be joined in the suit.

    He sought an adjournment to enable him file the necessary processes.

    Besides, he also said he would be praying the court to consolidate similar cases on the SEC decision.

    Tinubu and Boyo’s lawyer Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) also urged the court to join Oando in the suit.

    He said his clients would be affected should the court refuse to grant Oando’s application in the event it goes an appeal.

    Oyetibo urged the court to take a favourable look at the application for joinder, so that progress can be made in the suit.

    But, SEC’s lawyer Chief Anthony Idigbe (SAN) said the case was set for hearing, and that he was ready to go on.

    The court had on June 3 restrained the SEC from acting on its decision against the plaintiffs.

    Ruling on an ex-parte application filed by Tinubu and Boyo, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun ordered parties to maintain status quo.

    SEC had on May 31 announced the conclusion of an investigation of Oando and ordered Tinubu and other affected board members to resign.

    Read Also: Oando, SEC urged to settle out-of-court

    On June 2, it announced it had set up an interim management team headed by Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu to oversee the company’s affairs and to conduct an Extraordinary General Meeting on or before July 1 to appoint new directors to the board, who would subsequently select a management team

    Tinubu and Boyo filed the suit numbered FHC/L/CS/910/19 to challenge the SEC decision.

    They sought “an order of interim injunction restraining the second respondent (Sunmonu) from acting as the head of the interim management of Oando Plc pending the hearing and determination of the motion for interlocutory injunction.”

    After hearing the applicants counsel, Justice Olatoregun ruled: “That an interim order of injunction is granted within the prayers sought; parties are to maintain the status quo ante pending the determination of the motion on notice.”

    Based on another application, the court granted leave to Tinubu and Boyo to file a motion for a judicial review of SEC’s decision.

    Justice Ayokunle Faji granted “an order of certiorari bringing up to the Federal High Court for the purpose of being quashed, the decision of the first respondent (SEC) contained in its letter dated 31st May 2019”.

    Delano prayed the both suits be consolidated and Justice Faji adjourned until July 4 for arguments.

    He fixed July 22 for hearing of the substantive suit.