Author: The Nation

• APC chieftain killed in Rivers

By Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki, and Rosemary Nwisi, Port Harcourt

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman in Ezza North local government area, Peter Nweke has died after some suspected thugs beat him into a coma on Saturday during the governorship and state assembly elections.

Police spokesperson Onome Onovwakpoyeya confirmed Nweke’s death yesterday, saying that the politician was beaten up and rushed to hospital unconscious where he was later pronounced dead.

Onovwakpoyeya said an investigation has been launched into the death.

Police in Rivers State also confirmed the murder of the Campaign Director-General (DG)for the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, Chisom Lenard.

Leonard was kidnapped from his hometown on Saturday morning before the governorship and House of Assembly elections and was later found dead in a forest.

Police spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko, said the killers would be found and prosecuted.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has seized 1,205,260 pills of opioids in Kogi and Gombe states.

The Agency said it also disrupted the activities of a drug syndicate that operates between Nigeria, East Africa, and Europe, with the arrest of two members of the cartel at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

Spokesman of the Agency, Femi Babafemi, said in a statement yesterday that operatives at the Lagos airport had, on March 13, intercepted a member of the drug syndicate, Ejezie Vitus Ifeanyi, during a screening of inward passengers on Ethiopian Airline flight from Malawi via Addis Ababa at the arrival hall.

According to the statement, when a search was conducted on him, it was discovered that one of his two bags had a false-bottom concealment.

It reads, “During preliminary interview of the suspect, he confessed that a member of the syndicate was waiting at the airport car park to pick him. An immediate follow-up operation led to the arrest of Chukwu Franco Bright, who was waiting in a grey colour Mercedes Benz C180 coupe, marked EKY 973 GQ to receive the drug consignment.

“After his arrest, a proper search of the bag was conducted before the two suspects leading to the recovery of 3.00 kilograms of heroin. Findings reveal that the drug syndicate networks between Nigeria, and Malawi, Mozambique in East Africa and Europe. While Chukwu who lives in Lagos is responsible for the recruitment and coordination of the activities of mules on behalf of other members of the cartel based in Mozambique and Malawi, another set operates from the South-Eastern part of Nigeria.”

The Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC) has intercepted bales of fabric meant for voter inducement.

In a post on its Twitter handle on Saturday, the anti-graft agency said it has arrested a number of persons suspected to be involved in vote buying.

According to the statement, EFCC‘s Election Monitoring Team in Sokoto intercepted bales of fabric allegedly belonging to a principal officer of the Sokoto State House of Assembly.

It stated that the items have been moved to the Sokoto Zonal Command of the Commission pending the conclusion of investigation.

The EFCC also disclosed that in nearby Kebbi State, precisely Argungu Local Government Area, its operatives intercepted a suspect with a vehicle fully loaded with fabrics and other items suspected to be earmarked for voter inducement.

“Furthermore, the team monitoring the voting exercise around LEA Kabala Doki, Kaduna led by CSE Wakilu Omokide also arrested two individuals suspected of vote buying.

“Upon their arrest, a total sum of N67, 500, a list containing names of voters with their PVC numbers and their bank account details amongst others, were recovered from them.

“The vigilance of the monitoring teams also paid off in Port Harcourt, Rivers State where two ladies and six men were arrested at different locations (Moscow Road, Elekahia Township and Mile 2) for alleged involvement in voter inducement.

“The suspects were arrested with A4 papers that had names, telephone and account numbers of persons suspected to be voters. The suspects have volunteered statements to the Commission.”

Music Producer, Efeoghene MacDonald popularly known as Efe Mac Roc has unveiled plans to scout and attract artists to the music world.

The graduate of computer science from the Benson Idahosa University, Edo State said he has been into talent development in the entertainment industry for a while.

He said as a producer, he visits villages to look for world class talents that the world have not heard of, polish them and showcase them to the world

He said: “We just go around looking out for amazing things around them and from there we give them a platform to showcase their talents. I have a platform where you can come and sing either other people’s song and the aim of it is you getting visibility and showcasing your talent to the world.

“Why I’m doing this is because nobody is even paying attention to the up and coming singers in the streets. Everybody wants to be identified with the big names up there, they are not really paying attention to those in the grassroots.

“So it’s what I have set up to do, give these guys hope and let them know that basically there is hope and there is a platform for them to come showcase their talents.”

“We have a lot of talents that got signed and also some good recommendations. We have a lot of artists that go into major talent hunts and some of them get into the final stage and it is really a big boost.”

Seven persons yesterday sustained injuries, while properties including cars were vandalised after armed thugs attacked residents of Abule Ado, a community in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area (LGA) of Lagos.

Among the injured were said to be people returning from church and those who were attacked in their homes.

They were said to have suffered gunshot, machete injuries inflicted on them by the hoodlums who operated with reckless abandon.

Video footage and audio messages shared across social media platforms showed armed hoodlums going after residents of a particular ethnic group following the fallout of Saturday’s election.

It was learnt that the outcome of the election was not favourable to the hoodlums who accused non-indigenes in the community of voting against their interests.

The miscreants were said to have invaded people’s homes, destroying vehicles, breaking windows and doors, and attacking the residents.

The violence, which lasted several hours, was said to have snowballed into an ethnic fight as those being attacked regrouped to defend themselves.

They were alleged to have also invaded a hotel in the area and destroyed many vehicles parked on the premises.

It was learnt that it took the intervention of military men to restore calm in the area.

Police spokesman Benjamin Hundeyin described it as intra-community fight and confirmed that normalcy had been restored 

He said: “The police have since restored normalcy in Abule-Ado.

“Intra-community fight broke out in the area earlier this morning resulting in destruction to property. Owing to the timely arrival of the police, no life was lost and no property was razed as widely claimed. 

“Two persons have been arrested and investigation has commenced into the matter.”

Six persons were reportedly feared missing when some gunmen attacked six Hummer buses carrying INEC officials in Kogi in the early hours of yesterday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the incident, which occurred around 2am of March 19 at Abajana, left several officials with gunshot wounds including policemen and drivers.

The six missing persons include two serving NYSC members and four ex-Corps members.

The injured persons were admitted at Federal University Teaching Hospital, Lokoja.

Mr Salisu Ibrahim, one of the bus drivers, who was shot in his right leg, and recuperating at the hospital, told NAN that the attackers took them by surprise.

The Lagos High Court sitting at Yaba has ordered a lawyer, Mr. K. O. Bakare, to pay a N10million fine for encouraging his client to file a suit that had already been decided at another Lagos High Court and the Court of Appeal.

Justice E. O. Ashade dismissed the suit and ordered Bakare to pay the N10m “personally” to the Defendants/Applicants.

The 1st to 3rd Defendants/Applicants are Princess Fausat Dania, Barrister Jabar Ameen, (For themselves and on behalf of the Onbiya Ruling House of Are Ejimosu royal family) and His Royal Majesty, Oba Abdul Fatai O. Aromire (Ojora Of Ijora And Iganmu kingdom).

The court held that the lawyer adopted the failed strategy of advising his client to challenge the nomination of Prince Wasiu Akanbi Lawal Akapo as the Aro Elect of the Aro Ejimosu Family of Ojora Royal Family, despite the same matter being on appeal before the Supreme Court.

The judge, in dismissing the suit filed by Mr. Wasiu Ademola Sanni, noted that Bakare was involved in the case both at the high and appellate courts, so, he could not claim inadvertence or ignorance.

Mr. Sanni approached the court in suit LD/81866CMW/2021 challenging the selection and nomination of Prince Wasiu Lawal Akapo from the Onbiya Ruling House of Aro Ejimosu Family of Ojora Royal Family to fill the vacant seat of Chief Aro of Ijora.

He also sought to restrain the Ojora of Ijora and Iganmu from accepting and installing Prince Akapo as the Aro of Ijora.

But the defendants/applicants opposed him through their team of counsel led by Timi Seriki, SAN.

They prayed the court to dismiss the suit on the ground, among others, that the suit is caught by the doctrine of res judicata.

Justice Ashade upheld the defendants’ application, according to a Certified True Copy of the judgment obtained by The Nation.

He held that the action of the claimant was not only frivolous but also brought in mischief and bad faith.

He noted that the claims being sought by the claimant had already been decided by Suit No. LD/3820/99 – Gafari Yusuf Fadiya & Ors v. Kolawole Oloyede & Ors by Justice Bola Okikiola-Ighile of the High Court of Lagos and unanimously affirmed by the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos in Suit No. CA/L/419/2016, to the effect, that the Onbiya Ruling House of Aro Ejimosu should produce the candidate to occupy the vacant seat of Chief Aro of Ijora.

Justice Ashade berated Mr. Bakare, for encouraging his client to file the suit.

The dispute about who should occupy the stool of Aro of Ojoraland has been in litigation for more than 20 years with the Onbiya Ruling Family of Aro Ejimosu successfully proving its case at both the High Court and Appeal Court as the family to produce the candidate for the Ojora Royal Family of Lagos hierarchy.

Justice Ashade held: “Under the evidence before this Honourable Court in respect of this instant action, I am unable to find any cogent reason(s) why the application of the Defendants/Applicants should be refused as I find the arguments of or Counsel to the Defendant/Applicants to be meritorious.

“I am, therefore, inclined to agree with the submissions of the learned Senior Counsel to the Defendants/Applicants, it is in the best interest of justice to grant this application because all conditions to raise res judicata co-exist in this suit and I see improper use of a court process that is vexatious or frivolous and meant irritate or annoy the Defendants in a most embarrassing manner in the suit before this court.”

The judge added that “More worrisome in this present suit is that Mr. K. O. Bakare was/is the learned Counsel to the 2nd Defendant/Appellant the Suit No. LD/3820/99 – Gafari Yusuf Fadiya & Ors v. Kolawole Oloyede & 1or, Appeal No. CA/L/419/2016 and Appeal No. SC/CV/576/2020, respectively.

“Learned Counsel to the Claimant is, therefore, mostly to be blamed for the filing of this instant suit. It is a failed strategy or tactic of the learned Counsel…

“If the strategy adopted by the Counsel works, he takes full credit. And if the strategy fails, he must also take full blame for responsibility with equanimity.

“Learned Counsel must at all times adhere to what is well within the law and should desist from ill-advising a party by giving him a false hope as clearly seen in this suit,

“In the result, this Court is of the considered view that the application dated 2/6/2020 but filed on 8/6/2022 succeeds, accordingly, it is hereby granted as prayed. This suit is hereby dismissed.

“From the records of this Court as assessed in the instant suit, a punitive cost must be awarded against the Claimant but payable by the learned counsel to the Claimant personally in the circumstance of this suit.

“Consequently, I award the Cost of N10million against the Claimant/Respondent in favour of the Defendants/Applicant and to be paid personally by Mr. K. O. Bakare, learned Counsel to the Claimant/Respondent.”