Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa , SSA Foreign Affairs and Diaspora received Mr Michael Jonathan Asemota, a Nigerian based in Qatar who returned N150 million wrongfully paid into his account in Qatar.
The Federal High Court sitting in Calabar has directed the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ) and six others to pay the sum of N10 million to one Mr Frank Eko over the case of illegal arrest, detention, assault, battery, humiliation and brutalization.
Oko had dragged the NSCDC; the State Commandant, NSCDC; Mr Ayuk Assam John, the divisional officer in charge of Ogoja Division of the corps; Mr Michael Akwo, Mr Sunday Anoh; Mr Daniel Ebor, and Mr Wilfred Odey to court in May 2016 seeking enforcement of his fundamental rights which he claimed were violated in a case with suit number FHC/CA/FHR/47/2016.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Inyang Ewko declared that the actions of the respondents, particularly third and seventh respondents, Mr Ayuk Assam John and Mr Wildred Odey, respectively, in arresting, detaining and brutalizing, intimidating and traumatizing the applicant; extorting and seizing/confiscating monies from him without any lawful cause, all amounts to abuse of office, ultra vires their statutory responsibilities and powers as provided for in the NSCDC Act No 6 of 2007; Cap N146, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010, thus illegal, unconstitutional and tantamount to a violation of the applicant’s fundamental human rights to his dignity of human person, personal liberty and freedom movement as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Judge ordered that all the respondents jointly and severally pay the sum of N10 million as damages in exemplary and aggravated nature for the embarrassment, harassments, humiliation, torture, pains psychological and mental the applicant was exposed to and suffered as a result of inhuman, malicious and degrading treatment of the applicant’s fundamental human rights.
The Court also ordered the respondents to jointly and severally pay the applicant the sum of N200, 000 for his medical bills at Police Clinic, Ogoja occasioned by the assault and battery.
It also ordered the respondents to jointly and severally pay the applicant the sum of N200, 000 per day and for 25 days they detained the applicant’s truck with Reg No UMA && YW on the false and erroneous allegation that the applicant was diverting automotive gas oil (AGO), popularly known as diesel in the tanker, amounting to a total sum of N5 million.
It also ordered the respondents, particularly Mr Ayuk Assam John and Mr Wilfred Odey to pay the applicant N100, 000 extorted from him before the applicant and the other three persons in the vehicle were released on January 7, 2016 and the sum of N860, 000 seized, confiscated or stolen by John and Odey from the applicant’s Toyota Camry Saloon car with Reg No ABJ 903 HY driven into the respondents’ premises, amounting to N960, 000.
Ekwo also directed the respondents to tender a written unreserved apology to the applicant within 30 days of the judgment.
The case of the applicant from the affidavit he deposed indicated he was a businessman, an Independent Petroleum Marketer, and Manager of Tonimas Petrol Service Station along Igoli Road, Okuku, Yala local government area, and Managing Director of Ultimate Frank Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited.
According to the affidavit on January 7, 2016 at about 9am the third and seventh respondents intercepted and arrested the applicant’s petrol tanker with registration no UMA 77 YW laden with AGO from the company’s depot at Onne, Rivers State for delivery at their Okuku Service Station.
It read in part, “There was a delivery note No 018645 dated 5th January, 2016 (Exhibit MEU-1) from Onne depot. The vehicle was taken from Ogoja local government council gate into the Council headquarters where the respondents have an office on an unfounded allegation that the product was being diverted. The AGO was to be delivered at Tonimas Petrol Service Station along Igoli Road in Okuku Yala, which is a distance of 5 to 8 kilometres from Yala. The third and seventh respondents refused to listen to any explanation concerning the tanker and AGO but subjected the applicant to beatings using their belts, sticks, butts of their guns, the result of which caused swellings and lacerations all over his body. He was further taken to the office of the respondents where he was further humiliated by being asked to frog-jump and detained with three others in their cell for onwards of seven hours.”
Eko had gone to court demanding N100, 000 damages but got granted N10 million.
Six-times champion Novak Djokovic survived the Rod Laver Arena furnace to reach the third round of the Australian Open, with a 4-6 6-3 6-1 6-3 victory over Gael Monfils on Thursday.
With temperatures peaking at 39.9 degrees Celsius and reports of 69 degrees being measured on the court surface, Djokovic recovered from a woeful start to take his record over the unseeded Frenchman to 15-0.
Djokovic, playing his first tournament for six months because of an elbow problem, dropped his opening two service games.
Although he battled back to break Monfils twice he wavered again as scrappy opener went his opponents’ way.
After a 24-stroke rally in the sixth game of the second set it was clear Monfils was struggling to cope with the heat.
He repeatedly asked the umpire for more than the allowed 25 seconds recovery time between points.
Both players hung iced towels around their necks at changeovers and Monfils, who leaned on his racket at times, seemingly to remain standing, needed the doctor, telling the umpire that he was dizzy and feeling sick.
“I was dying on the court for 40 minutes,” Monfils told reporters later after having cooled down in a cold tub.
Djokovic rattled through the third set and it looked as though Monfils would quit, but to his credit he recovered his senses to offer some stern resistance in the fourth.
Fourteenth seed Djokovic broke in the eighth game though, but failed to convert his first match point and then faced a break point after losing a rally that left him gasping for air.
Monfils saved two more match points, the second with a superb cross court forehand, but Djokovic converted at the fourth attempt with a simple volley.
“It was brutal, Djokovic, who again played with a compression sleeve and employed a truncated service action, said on court.
“I thought, it is going to be a big challenge for both of us. Gael is one of the best athletes in our sport.
“It was about just hanging in there and try to use every opportunity.”
The 30-year-old Serb will play Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the third round.
Reuters/NAN
Men of the 32 Artillery Brigade in Ondo State yesterday reportedly crushed a ‘notorious’ Indian Hemp ( cannabis ) syndicate inside a forest in Owo, Ondo State.
The operation followed a tip off on the activities of the gangsters in a hideout in the remote forest in the community.
It was learnt that during the operation, there was exchange of fire between the troops and the suspects who later fled due to superior fire power of the soldiers against them.
The drug dealers were said to have been operating in the farm with impunity.
The troops reportedly recovered 63 bags of Indian Hemp, 23 expended cartridges and nine unexpended cartridges.
Criminal activities of the syndicate are rampant especially in Owo, Ogbese and Ose axis of the Sunshine state.
Late last year,officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies ( NDLEA ) across the six geo-political zone were in Ala forest near Ogbese, Akure North local government overnight where they destroyed several acres of ‘cannabis’ plantation.
The Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Owena Barracks, Akure, Major Ojo Adelegan urged the public to always avail the security agencies useful information on criminal acts in the State.
He also warned criminals to stay away from the state, stressing that there is no room for any illegality and undesirable elements in the State.
An Idi-Ogungun Customary Court at Agodi in Ibadan, on Thursday dissolved a 12-year-old marriage due to irreconcilable differences between the couple.
The case was instituted by 36-year-old Raliat Ajila, who accused her husband, Sola Ajila of denying her sex for three years.
Raliat had told the court that her husband with whom she had two kids, had abandoned her in a rented apartment and relocated to his newly completed house with another woman.
According to her, trouble started seven years ago when she noticed that the defendant was having extra marital affairs.
“I caught him with three women on different occasions and this made us quarrel always.
“There was a time he was infected with STDs and urinated blood but I stood with him and healed him of the disease.
“He had refused to sleep with me since 2015 and all efforts to make him perform his conjugal role failed.
“Instead he married another woman and relocated with his new wife to his newly completed house,” Raliat stated.
In his defence, Ajila, said he deliberately denied her sex because of her bad attitude, stressing that Raliat was in always cursing him and that he lost his job because of the curses.
The defendant, who confirmed marrying another wife and relocating to his new house, asked the court to uphold the request of his wife and dissolve the marriage because he was not ready to continue with the union.
The President of the court, Chief Mukaila Balogun, held that both parties had consented to the dissolution of their union.
“Evidence of the estranged couple has proven that both were tired of the marriage and the court has no option than to do what they requested.
“The marriage is therefore dissolved and parties are free to go their separate ways without any molestation,” Balogun ruled.
He further directed the defendant to pay N7, 000 as monthly upkeep allowance for the children.
He also ordered Ajila to be responsible for the children education and other needs.
NAN
Unknown gunmen have abducted a 14-year-old girl in Kankia Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Father of the victim, Alhaji Salisu Mai-Tiles, said that the gunmen invaded his residence at Sabuwar-Abuja quarters in Kankia at about 1:30 a.m on Thursday.
He said that three well armed persons broke into his residence and demanded for money, while the remaining gang members stayed outside.
“They asked me to give them money, which I did; whatever they asked we never objected to their demand to save our lives, but unfortunately, they went with my 14-year-old daughter,” he said.
It was gathered that the gang members also blocked Katsina-Kano road in Kankia and robbed motorists at gunpoint.
In a related development, suspected armed robbers have shot dead a policeman attached to WAPA Shopping Mall in Katsina on Thursday night and carted away undisclosed amount of money.
Efforts to get the reaction of the state police command was not successful as its spokesman, Isa Gambo did not respond to phone calls and SMS text message sent to him.
NAN
A husband, Mr Lamidi Adebayo on Thursday asked an Ado-Ekiti Customary Court to dissolve his 28-year-old marriage with his wife, Bose.
The petitioner is accusing Bose of adultery, drunkenness and dishonesty.
Adebayo, 48, a commercial driver and resident of No. 89, Isato Street, Ado-Ekiti, told the court that the couple had not conducted any marital rite, but they have four children.
He further told the court that his neighbours had informed him several times that his wife and one of her friends were “touring the houses of men”, but never believed the information.
The petitioner said the nature of his job as a driver made it difficult for him to be at home always.
“I was shocked on Nov. 7, 2017 when my childhood friend, named Lateef, a herbalist, invited me to his house, and told me that I should forgive him that he has been having secret affairs with my wife.
“He told me that the respondent informed him that her husband had died long time ago, whereas am still very much alive,” he said.
The petitioner also alleged that the respondent was a drunkard who takes gin, assorted wines and palm wine to stupor every morning.
Lamidi said he had tried every possible means to stop his wife’s adulterous act and drunkenness but to no avail.
The petitioner, therefore, urged the court to dissolve the marriage because of her behaviour and dishonesty.
The plea of the woman was not immediately taken, but the President of the Court, Mrs Olayinka Akomolede, after hearing the petitioner’s testimony adjourned the case to Feb.15, for further hearing.
NAN
The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) in Niger on Thursday said it deployed 742 personnel to political wards across the state to ensure massive registration of eligible voters.
Prof. Samuel Egwu, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, made the disclosure in an interview in Minna.
“We have so far registered about 95, 434 which consists of 61,867 males and 33,747 females and issued them with their permanent voters cards.
“We also have 132,985 unclaimed PVCs, 366 seeking transfer and 163 un-printed and omitted cases, and 465 cases of lost of permanent voters cards.”
He said that the commission is also attending to 553 cases of corrections in their permanent voters cards.
“Those that had earlier registered and had not collected their Permanent Voter Cards ( PVCs ) should also come forward for collection in our offices across the 25 local government areas of the state,” Egwu added.
The REC of INEC solicited the support of stakeholders including traditional and religious leaders in mobilizing eligible residents to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voters’ Registration in the state.
“I urge media organisations to deploy all sustainable and effective mass media strategies to mobilise eligible voters to participate actively in the exercise.
“We have also reached out to the leaders of various political parties to mobilise more eligible voters to register,” Egwu said.
He said that educating eligible residents on the importance of acquiring PVC was necessary as it would allow them the opportunity to vote in future elections.
NAN
The Indian Government says it is providing 3.5 million dollars as capacity building assistance to train Nigerian government officials under its India Technical and Economic Cooperation ( ITEC ) programme.
Indian High Commissioner, Nagabhushana Reddy, at an event to mark the ITEC Day in Abuja on Wednesday, said that the fund would cover 310 civilian and 120 defence training programmes between 2017 and 2018.
The Indian government had in 2017 announced 50 extra slots be given to Nigeria to extend the participation of its officials.
Reddy, however, added that an additional 1.2 million dollars was made available for 55 training programmes offered in 2017.
“The key objective of this development partnership is to aid and assist Nigeria in its national efforts to improve capacity building and bring about technological innovations.
“We are hopeful of training 10 rural women to become solar engineers referred to as `solar mamas’; they will be trained in fabrication, repair and maintenance of solar lanterns and household lightening systems,” he said.
He further said that 100 million dollars had been made available to Nigeria in 2017 as part of India’s 10 billion-dollar concessional loans to African countries for the implementation of projects of their national priority.
“I am a happy to mention that India extended 100 million dollars to Nigeria in 2017 which the Federal Government decided to utilise for projects in power sector including solar energy and rural electrification in three states: Kaduna, Cross River and Enugu.”
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Khadija Ibrahim, commended the Indian government in enhancing relations between both countries through the programme.
Ibrahim who noted that the programme which had benefitted hundreds of Nigerians in various sectors, said the training assistance showed India’s determination to strengthen south-south cooperation with developing nations.
“I would like to encourage the alumni of the ITEC programme to put to good use the training received from the various institutions attended in India.
“The knowledge acquired stands you in good stead in the pursuit of your various careers.”
The ITEC programme instituted in Sept. 1964 is a flagship programme of the Indian government’s capacity building efforts.
ITEC Day has also been observed every year on Sept. 15 or during the course of the year.
NAN
Abike Dabiri – Erewa, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora has hailed a Nigerian, Michael Asemota, for returning QR1,502,000 ($441,127.99) about N150 million wrongfully posted into his account in Qatar.
Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Special Assistant on Media to Abike Dabiri-Erewa said in a statement that the SSA gave the commendation when she received Asemota in her office on Wednesday in Abuja.
The SSA said that such a rare display of honesty and sincerity from a Nigerian in the Diaspora had given the country as other Nigerians living in Qatar a good image.
She urged Asemota to continue to be a good ambassador of Nigeria and implore other Nigerians in the Diaspora to emulate the positive image he has given to Nigeria in Qatar .
“With this exceptional act of honesty, you have given a positive image to Nigerians and Nigeria in Qatar, and indeed, world over.
“We are truly proud of you and urge you to continue to extol the virtues and strength of the Nigerian heritage of honesty, integrity and honour.
“Your shinning beacon serves as inspiration to the Youth of Nigeria’’, Dabiri-Erewa stated in a letter of commendation personally signed by her and given to Asemota.
Asemota, a native of Edo state but based in Doha, Qatar, had opened an account with a cheque of QR150, 200 with an undisclosed commercial bank, where he is the sole signatory of the account.
“I got back home, I received an alert showing that a QR1,502,000 had been credited into my account by mistake instead of QR150,200.
“I went to see the manager to report the error of QR1, 502,000 deposited into my account. After checking for confirmation, the manager gave me a warm handshake in appreciation,” he said.
Asked why he alerted the bank about the error, Asemota said: “I knew the money did not belong to me and should not be in my account in the first place, so there were no motives and temptations to keep it.”
He said the singular act had given Nigeria and Nigerians positive image in Qatar in the midst of bad stories of Nigeria emanating from the country.
Asemota is an official of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation-Qatar (NIDO-Qatar), the umbrella body of Nigerian residents in the country.
NAN