The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Updated: Solicitor General Apata, Adegboruwa, 35 others now SANs

    The Solicitor General of the Federation (SGF) and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Adetayo Toba Apata, rights activist, Ebun-Olu Samuel Adegboruwa and Adedoyin Oyinkan Rhodes-Vivour, wife of Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour of the Supreme Court are among 38 lawyers conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) this year.

    Chief Registrar and Secretary, Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), Hadizatu Uwani Mustapha made this public while addressing a press conference in Abuja on Friday.

    Mrs. Mustapha said, out of the 117 lawyers that applied for the rank this year, 80 were short-listed, out of which the final 38 emerged.

    She said the final 38 constitutes of two females, three from the academics and 35 advocates.

    Mrs. Mustapha added that four female lawyers applied for the rank this year, from among whom two were chosen.

    Read Also: Don’t be rude to judges, new SANs told

    Other successful ones are: Abdullahi Haruna, Manga Mohammed Nurudeen, John Onuegbulam Asoluka, Adedokun Matthew Makinde, Daniel Chwukwudi Enwelum, Emmanuel Adeyeye Oyebanji, Tuduru Uchendu Ede and Abdul Olajide Ajana.

    Also on the list are: Ama Vemaark Etuwewe, Oladipo Adekorede Olasope, Leslie Arthur Olutayo Nylander, Olusegun Oyediran Fowowe, Andrew Essien Hutton, Olukayode Abayomi Enitan, Paul Harris Adkole Ogbole, Olaniyi Maruph Olopade, Samuel Ngozi Agweh and Olusegun Omoniyi Jolaawo.

    Others are: Prof Alphonsus Okoh Alubo, Ayo Asala, Abiodun Adediran Olatunji, Olumide Andrew Aju, Chimezie Victor, Chikwem Ihekweazu, Prof Mamman Lawan, Prof Uchefula Ugonna Chuwumaeze and Usman Ogwu Sule.

    Also listed are: Safiya Umar Babamasi, Echezona Chukwudi Etiaba, Godwin Osemeahon Omoaka, Emeka Onyemaechi Ozoani, Alexander Chukwudi Ejesieme, Aikhunigbe Anthony Malik, Alhassan Akeje Umar and Oyetola Muyiwa Atoyebi.

    Mrs. Mustapha said the swearing in ceremony of the successful 38 legal practitioners will take place during the 2019/2020 Supreme Court’s new legal year celebration, scheduled for September 2019.

  • AFCON 2019: Egyptian forward Salah misses training with cold

    Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah missed training with cold on Friday, two days before the Africa Cup of Nations hosts meet South Africa in a round-of-16 tie.

    The Egyptian Football Association said in a statement on Twitter that coach Javier Aguirre had ordered Salah not to train “so as not to worsen his condition” without giving further details.

    Read Also: AFCON 2019: Nigeria lock horns with Cameroon in Round of 16

    Salah, who scored two goals in three games during the group stage, is one of the biggest names in the tournament and an icon in his homeland.

    His absence would be a significant blow for the seven times champions, who have been criticised at home for their performances in the group stage in spite of winning all three games without conceding a goal.

    Many Egyptians feel that the current team is a shadow of the side which won three successive tournaments between 2006 and 2010.

  • Breast cancer: Oncologist urges adherence to medical advice

    An Oncologist, Dr Brenda Nwammuo, of the Radiology Department, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, has stressed the need for strict adherence to medical advice to check rising cases of breast cancer and related deaths.

    Nwammuo, said this at the official launch of a mammography machine at Eldorado Multi-Specialist Hospital, Awka on Friday.

    Nwammuo, who delivered a lecture entitled “Overview of Breast Cancer Screening”, noted that early detection was key to survival.

    She added that “breast cancer begins when healthy cells in the breast change and grow out of control to

    form a mass/tumour.”

    She made a global and national comparative presentation of the pandemic, adding that

    Read Also: New breast cancer drug found to boost survival rates by 30%

    solutions to high mortality rate was early presentation to medical experts.

    According to her, statistics from World Health Organisation (WHO) shows that more than 400,000 cancer-related deaths in women are recorded yearly across the world.

    She said “WHO records also reveal that one million new cases are recorded yearly and 4.4 million women currently living with the disease across the world.

    “The record also shows that an estimated 1.7 million women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the year 2020, mostly from developing world, representing a 26 per cent increase from current level.”

    Nwammuo, who said that breast cancer was the most common cancer among females, added that WHO  ranked Nigeria the 4th in the world breast cancer death index in 2014.

    She, therefore, cautioned women, who rather than consult medical experts when they notice such abnormalities in their breasts but resort to traditional medicine practitioners and prayer warriors, against such practice.

    She said “consulting prayer warriors and tradomedince practitioners will only worsen the situation.”

    The oncologist also advised against consumption of red meat and processed meat once someone attained 40 years.

    She emphasised the need for at least 45 minutes of physical exercise daily and consumption of fruits and vegetables.

    She commended the management of Eldorado Multi-specialist Hospital, Awka for being the first to acquire a modern mammography machine in Anambra.

    Dr Simeon Onyemaechi, the Executive Secretary, Anambra State Health Insurance Agency, said the state government was happy with the activities of the hospital.

    He said “we encourage health specialists to come together and establish multi-specialists hospitals, rather than people establishing small clinics here and there.

    “The formation of multi-specialists health centres is the only way we can improve health care services and make the state a health tourist destination.”

    Onyemaechi, who also commended the management of the hospital, said Eldorado was among the service providers under the state’s health insurance scheme doing well.

    Ms Francisca Chinelo-Isuh, the Manager of Eldorado Multi-specialist Hospital Awka, said that after four years of operation, the management decided to acquire a mammography machine to address cases of breast cancer in the area.

    Chinelo-Isuh, who doubles as the matron of the hospital, said the intention of the management was not profit making, adding that the service would be affordable for both poor and the rich.

    Also, Mr C-DON Adinuba, the Anambra Commissioner for Information and Enlightenment, said the state would partner Eldorado Multi-specialist Hospital to tackle breast cancer scourge.

    Highlight of the event was demonstration of personal breast cancer examination by Dr Ifeoma Ajuba, Consultant/Head of Department, Haematology, NAUTH, Nnewi.

    The event was attended by many dignitaries, including officials of Medical Women Association of Nigeria and Nigeria Medical Association, Anambra chapter.(NAN)

  • Police: Commercial vehicles not allowed for operations – Lagos PPRO

    The Lagos State Police Command says the use of commercial vehicles popularly known as `Danfo’ for police operations is unacceptable as defaulters will be sanctioned.

    Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Command, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday.

    Elkana was reacting to public complaints about the use of commercial vehicles by police for operations.

    NAN reports that some armed police operatives use commercial buses to either raid or patrol some parts of the state.

    NAN learnt that some of the operatives would use the commercial buses without payment, claiming to be uniformed personnel.

    According to Elkana, the state Command has operational vehicles in all Divisions and Area commands with Police boldly written on them for easy identification by members of the public.

    Read Also: 11,717 applicants undergoing screening for Police recruitment in Kano — PPRO

    “We have not ordered the use of commercial buses (Danfo) for police operations in Lagos State. There are some stations with such buses painted with police colour and name boldly written.

    “The police colour and names on the vehicles are marks for easy identification by all.  The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Zubairu Muazu, had set up the X-Squad to monitor the activities of the officers and men.

    “We believed that police operatives using commercial vehicles for operations were either on illegal duty or they were not true police officers. We have some unmarked vehicles for special operations but not for general duties.

    “If any member of the public should see police operatives in a commercial vehicle on operation, they should report to the state command,” he said.

    The spokesman said that the X-Squad also monitored those officers who did not dress properly while on duty, saying that many of such policemen had been arrested and punished accordingly.

    He said that for any policeman to go out for operation, there were rules for dressing which included names, numbers for rank and file, basically meant for identification.

    “We have arrested many policemen for improper dressing. Any policeman not properly dressed is not representing the force; such police personnel is fake.

    “As we speak, some are currently undergoing orderly room trial for such offence. The X-Squad operatives are out daily for them.

    “Police officers on special duties with their dressing must let the Command know of their operations,’’ Elkana said.

    (NAN)

  • Police arraign two herbalists in possession of human flesh

    The police on Friday arraigned two herbalists in an Iyaganku Magistrates’ court, Ibadan, for being in possession of some human flesh.

    Ifatunji Alade and Ifaniyi Alabi, whose addresses were not provided, were charged with conspiracy and improper interference of a corpse.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    The Prosecution Counsel, Sgt. Phillip Amusan, told the court that the defendants allegedly conspired together to commit the offence .

    Amusan alleged that the defendants  were caught on June 21, at about 1 p.m. at Onipe village, along Ibadan /Ijebu – Ode Expressway, Ibadan with human flesh.

    Read Also: Police arraign man for stealing Bible, phone from church

    He said the offence contravened the provisions of section 242 (1) (b) and 517 of the Criminal Code Cap 38, Vol . II Laws of Oyo state 2000.

    The defence counsel, Mr Bolarinwa Lawal, prayed the court to admit his clients to bail in the most liberal terms.

    The Magistrate, Mrs Odunola Latunji, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties each in like sum.

    Latunji ordered that one of the sureties must be related to the defendants while the second surety must be Civil Servant on Level eight.

    She adjourned the case until Aug. 8, for mention

    (NAN)

  • Two arraigned over alleged car theft

    Two men, Taiwo Bamidele, 45, and Olorunyemi Olusola, 44, were on Friday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing a Toyota Corolla saloon car worth N3million.

    The defendants, whose addresses were not provided, are standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing, to which they pleaded not guilty.

    The Prosecutor, Sgt. Mike Unah, told the court that the defendants, with other persons at large, committed the offences on May 4, at Elegushi Beach, Lekki Ajah, Lagos State.

    He said that the defendants conspired and stole the car, with registration No. LSR-149 FF, belonging to Mrs Chidinma Ojukwu.

    Read Also: Two arraigned for allegedly stealing cocoa

    Unah submitted that the duo stole the car from where the owner parked it.

    “The complainant reported the case at the police station and the defendants were arrested,’’ he said.

    The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 287 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, which stipulate a three-year jail term for stealing and two years imprisonment for conspiracy.

    The Magistrate, Mr A.A. Fashola, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

    Fashola said that the sureties must be gainfully employed, and adjourned the case until July 18 for mention. (NAN)

  • We’ve Nigerians interest at heart, says Army

    The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Maj.-Gen. Jamil Sarham, has stated that the personnel of the Nigerian Army have Nigerians’ interest at heart.

    He spoke Wednesday at the Primary Healthcare Centre, Rumuokwurusi-Port Harcourt in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, during the free medical outreach, which was part of the activities to mark this year’s Army Day celebration.

    Maj. Gen. Sarham, who is also the Land Component Commander of Operation Delta Safe, was represented by the Commander, 6 Division Medical Services and Hospital, Lt. Col. Johnson Ogah, a Consultant Anaesthetist, while the outreach amid heavy rain by a team of medical professionals, had as beneficiaries: many children, youths and the elderly.

    The GOC said: “The Nigerian Army values the health of people of its host communities, hence the outreach. The programme is in line with the vision of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, to support good health of Nigerians.

    “One thing the Chief of Army Staff likes doing, as part of the Nigerian Army’s corporate social responsibilities, is the medical outreach, which is part of our military/civil relations with the people. It also gives us an opportunity to reach out to people of the host communities, to render our services and for them to know that we have their interest at heart.”

    Read Also: New GOC for Army’s 6 Division

    One of the beneficiaries of the well-attended free medical outreach, Chief Nelson Wali, who is also the Vice Chairman, Rumuokwurusi Nvuike Council of Chiefs, lauded the Chief of Army Staff for initiating the outreach and the army medical team for the efforts.

    Wali disclosed that he was diagnosed and given free drugs for treatment, just like many others.

    While also speaking, other beneficiaries: Chief Loveday Ihunwo and Mrs. Victoria Gospower pleaded that the medical outreach should be a continuous exercise, for more persons to benefit.

  • Usoro: Court rejects Emmanuel’s bid to suspend trial

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday refused Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel’s application for an indefinite adjournment of the trial of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president Paul Usoro (SAN) for money laundering.

    Emmanuel’s lawyer, Mr Ogbonaya Nwakwo, had urged Justice Rilwan Aikawa to adjourn the trial sine die (indefinitely) to allow the Court of Appeal determine his appeal against the court’s May 30 ruling.

    The court on May 30 dismissed the governor’s prayer to decline jurisdiction to entertain the charge because the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had no locus standi to file it.

    Emmanuel argued that EFCC was wrong to name him in the charge since he enjoys immunity as enshrined in Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution.

    Aside Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom Commissioner for Finance Nsikan Nkan, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Uwemedimo Nwoko, Accountant-General Mfon Udomah and an account officer Margaret Thompson Ukpe are also named in the charge.

    Read Also: NBA cautions against influencing judges in post-election litigation

    EFCC accused them of laundering N1.4billion state funds through Usoro.

    Dismissing Emmanuel’s objection on May 30, Justice Aikawa held: “Including the governor’s name in counts 1-4 does not make him a defendant. The mere mention of his name is not enough to make the applicant (Emmanuel) a defendant in this trial.”

    Dissatisfied, Emmanuel appealed the ruling and prayed Justice Aikawa to suspend trial until the appeal is determined.

    But, prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo argued that adjourning the case sine dine was tantamount to stay of proceedings which is prohibited by Section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), Section 40 of the EFCC Act and a Supreme Court verdict.

    Ruling, Justice Aikawa agreed that since Emmanuel was not a party to the charge, he could not ask for an adjournment.

    After the ruling, EFCC called its first witness, Udom Idongesit, a Zenith Bank Relationship Manager at the Aka Road, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, branch.

    Led in evidence by Oyedepo, the witness told the court that sometime in March 2016, she went to the Akwa Ibom State Government House in Uyo for marketing, during which she overheard a conversation between Emmanuel and the Accountant-General on the need to pay Usoro some money.

    “This payment, I got to understand, should have gone to Access Bank. I took that as information for myself because the business I do basically thrives on information.

    “I got back to my office and checked through the system to see if the defendant (Usoro) had an account with Zenith Bank and I found no such account existed,” Idongesit said.

    According to her, through her efforts, her branch was given a withdrawal instrument of N700million on Akwa Ibom State Accountant-General’s imprest account on March 10, 2016.

    The witness said she subsequently got Usoro’s contact from Emmanuel on March 14, 2016.

    “I put a call through to him, that I had the payment and he needed to open an account. He instructed me to work with two of his colleagues.

    “When I confirmed the exact names registered on the form, I sought the approval of my zonal head to open the account and made the deposit while waiting for documentation.

    “I filled the deposit slip and the depositor’s name that I filled was Paul Usoro,” Idongesit said.

    The court admitted as exhibits the instructions given to the bank for the withdrawal of N700million, as well as the documentation for the Zenith Bank account opened for Usoro.

    Justice Aikawa adjourned until October 21 for continuation of trial.

  • Navy arrests four vessels laden with 2million litres of stolen diesel

    Authorities of the Central Naval Command (CNC) of the Nigerian Navy have arrested four vessels transporting about 2million liters of suspected illegally-refined Automated Gas Oil (AGO) popularly called diesel.

    The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) CNC, Rear Admiral Saidu Suleiman Garba said on Wednesday that the vessels were arrested by naval operatives at various locations within Brass Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

    Garba named the vessels as MV Messiah 1, Barge Miracle, Barge KOME XVIII and NICHOLAS Marine insisting that the arrest and seizure of the vessels was in line with its mandate to protect critical resources within the nation’s maritime environment.

    He explained that MV Messiah 1 and Barge MIRACLE belonging to one Messrs Abday Logistics and Multilinks Limited were rounded up with their contents at the terminal operated by Nigerian Ago Oil Company (NAOC) in Brass.

    The FOC said the vessels were getting ready to discharge suspected illegally-refined AGO when they were apprehended by the operatives.

    Read Also: Navy arrest 19 suspects, recovers five boats, 168 drums of AGO

    He further said that the barge, KOME XVIII and NICHOLAS Marine were accosted with seven crew members while they were transporting the suspected illegal product to the Brass terminal.

    Garba said preliminary investigations revealed that the vessel NICHOLAS Marine was formerly known as PROPHET ELIJAH 1 heightening suspicion of the motive behind the change of name.

    He said: “Laboratory tests were conducted on the samples of the products obtained from the various vessels which came out negative, showing that the sampled products failed the Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR) laboratory testing thereby confirming their illegally refined status”.

    He advised criminals to steer clear of the waterways and the maritime environment adding that the navy would continue to enforce zero tolerance for crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, illegal oil bunkering and other sundry crimes.

    The Commander Forward Operating Base, FORMOSO handed over the four vessels and seven suspects to operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigations and prosecution.

    Speaking after receiving the suspects, the Principal Detective Superintendent, Shehu Jibralla, assured the Navy of thorough investigation and prosecution.

  • Social media, leading cause of suicide among youths- Expert

    Dr Olusola Oluwanuga, Consultant Psychiatrist with National Hospital Abuja, has attributed rising spate of suicide among youths in Nigeria to the social media and socio-economic challenges.

    Oluwanuga, who is also Head of Psychiatric Unit, stated this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday, inc

    She said the introduction of social media had both positive and negative impact on young people, noting that it had taken the place of family interaction and communal living.

    She said consistent use of the internet had caused isolation among individuals; and which has affected socialisation and interaction with those they should be communicating with, leading to depression and lack of resilience to handle stress.

    Read Also: Shun vices, varsity tells students

    “Today it is difficult to find families sitting, eating and watching movies together, rather parents and children are always on their phones with no opportunity to discuss burning issues.

    “In offices workers are on the internet and social media interacting with people they sometimes do not see or know, joining invisible communities and various chat rooms on their phones.

    “Such individuals are often exposed to right or wrong ideas likely to have negative impact on their mental health as a result of taking hard drugs.

    This further alters their brain and ability to make right decisions resulting to depression and suicide.

    “Due to lack of resilience to handle challenges, some young people also obtain different chemicals such as snipers, to end their lives,’’ she said.

    Oluwanuga stressed that when young people were faced with challenges and stress, with no opportunity to speak to anyone, they might become frustrated, emotionally stressed and might consider suicide.

    She also noted that the social media was making young people lose their confidence, self-esteem and identity.

    “Social media has also had negative impact on some people where they put fake pictures on Instagram and Facebook with fake identities and location.

    “This could send wrong information to their peers who probably live in remote areas, causing a feeling of hopelessness; and which could influence suicidal thoughts.’’

    Oluwanuga acknowledged the need for young people to speak up and learn to communicate with friends and family, rather than engage in messaging and chatting.

    Oluwanuga urged parents to create more time and take up their responsibilities in training and nurturing; and interact more with their children and wards.

    She called on organisations, schools and offices to hire counselors where students and members of staff could speak confidentially to, about issues that bothered them.

    She said religious leaders and professionals such as psychiatrists and psychologists had a role to play in mentoring and engaging young people to become resilient in handling pressures and stress.

    The consultant also called on government to establish communal centres and recreational parks to encourage interaction among citizens. (NAN)