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Tag: orders

  • IG orders maximum force

    IG orders maximum force

    Inspector General of Police Solomon Arase yesterday ordered the use of ‘maximum force’ to enforce peace.

    In a statement on the activities of MASSOB and IPOB released yesterday by Force Public Relations Officer Olabisi Kolawole, the IG said:

    “The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase has issued a stern warning to MASSOB and IPOB activists to stop threatening public peace or face the full weight of the law. The warning followed the observation by the Nigeria Police Force leadership of the increasing resort to acts of brigandage by sets of misguided individuals who apparently are hiding under the cloak of Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to threaten national security and public peace in parts of South East geopolitical Zone and some other conterminous States.

    “The latest manifestation of this threat is the attempt to blockade the Onitsha end of Niger Bridge on 1st December, 2015, an action that caused major hardship to innocent and law abiding motorists, and citizens. The act also occasioned serious dislocation of business activities.

    “The Inspector-General of Police notes that the increasing resort to acts of brigandage of this nature is pointing to a clear attempt by the brains behind these protests to test the will of security agencies to restore order and guarantee internal cohesion.

    “For the avoidance of doubts, the IGP further notes, the restoration and maintenance of law and public order, and protection of lives and property remain sacred and statutory Mandate of the Nigeria Police. This Mandate, according to him, shall be fully executed in the overriding interests of the nation and vast majority of citizens and residents of the South East geopolitical Zone.

    “Consequently, the Inspector-General of Police has directed the mobilisation and deployment of Police Mobile Force (PMF) across the country to reinforce security in the State Commands that MASSOB and IPOB are currently attempting to utilise as launching pad for their sinister intentions.

    “The Assistant Inspectors – General of Police Zone 5, (Benin); Zone 6, (Calabar) and Zone 9 (Umuahia) as well as all Commissioners of Police in the affected States in the South East and neigbouring States have also been directed to henceforth maximally exercise their statutory Mandate in relation to prevention and disruption of any gathering that threatens public order and national cohesion.

    “Any person or group of persons so arrested in furtherance to the enforcement of this order will be made to face the full wrath of the law.

    “To this end, the Inspector-General of Police advises parents and guardians to call their children and wards to order as the patience of the Force is being stretched to the limit. He firmly affirmed that no individual or group interest can override the interest of the nation and that democratic values provide for exploration of rule of law to advance any concern, not the resort to endless and misguided acts of brigandage, unless there is an ulterior motive as the extant instance tends to dictate.

    “He concluded by asserting that the Nigeria Police Force will not fold its law enforcement arms to allow few misguided elements to continually force hardships on fellow Nigerians either in the South East or any other part of the nation for that matter.”

  • Kano orders immediate closure of Boys College, probes sodomy

    Apparently worried over media reports of sodomy and child abuse at the famous Hassan Ibrahim Gwarzo Boys College, Kano, the State Government yesterday ordered the immediate closure of the school.

    The state Acting Governor, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar issued the directive, while inaugurating a 14-man Committee in Kano to probe the embarrassing allegation.

    The Acting Governor who is also the Commissioner of Education, who was baffled over the development expressed government’s concern over the unfortunate incident.

    He, however, named the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, Professor Abubakar Mustapha as head of the Committee.

    The Committee is charged to, among other frame of reference, ensure a critical and comprehensive investigation of the reported sodomy against students of the Hassan Ibrahim Gwarzo Secondary School for Boys, located at Sallari quarters, so as to identify all victims of the alleged cases, as well as determine the extent of abuse.

    Furthermore, the Acting Governor disclosed that the Committee should also identify the culprits in the alleged act of sodomy against some students of the School and establish the degree of culpability.

    Also, in a statement, signed by the Acting Governor’s Director of Press, Usman Bello,also disclosed that the Committee is to investigate the fore-knowledge of the School management on the cases and ascertain their culpability or otherwise.

    Hafiz also mandated the Committee to recommend appropriate sanction to be taken by the State Government, based on its findings and observation, as well as any other matter incidental to their mandate.

    The Committee has a two-week deadline within which to submit its report to the State Government.

    Other prominent members of the Committee include, Alhaji Bala Abdullahi, State Coordinator, Network for Justice, Barrister Hussaina Adamu Aliyu and the Chairperson of FIDA.

    Other members of the committee are the Director-General of Hisba, Special Services and Shari’a Commission, Executive Secretary, Private and Voluntary Schools Board, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Maigana Sani, Director, Child Ministry of Women Affairs and Dr Mansur Muhammed Nagoda,  and Chief Medical Director of Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital, while Hajiya Bilkisu Shehu is expected to serve as the Secretary.

  • Ondo tribunal orders parties to file final addresses

    Ondo tribunal orders parties to file final addresses

    The Ondo State Election Petitions Tribunal at the weekend directed parties appearing before it in the Ilaje II petition to file their final written addresses.

    APC’s petition was filed by its counsel, Charles Titiloye, on behalf of the party and its candidate, Gbenga Edema.

    The order followed information by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that it would not be calling any witness and would rest its case on the evidence called by the petitioners and respondents.

    The petitioners last week subpoenaed the Returning Officer, Dr J.A Adewuyi, who was allegedly forced to declare the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Coker Malachi, winner of the election.

    His evidence was corroborated by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Segun Agbaje, who was also subpoenaed to give evidence.

    The first respondent’s counsel called four witnesses without calling Malachi, who was earlier listed as one of the witnesses.

    It was learnt that the decision not to call the PDP candidate, was as a result of fear of cross examination, following his investigation by the police for parading himself as a lawmaker when INEC had not given him a certificate of return.

    The PDP also closed its case without calling any witness.

    The tribunal gave the respondents six days to file their final written addresses while the petitioner is to react within six days.

    The respondents, it was learnt, could file a reply on points of law to the petitioners’ final address within two days.

    The matter has been adjourned till October 5, for adoption of final written addresses by all parties.

    The tribunal thanked the parties for their cooperation towards expeditious hearing of the two petitions ordered to be heard by the new panel through the mandate of the Appeal Court.

  • AJANI IBRAHIM’S TRANSFER: NFF orders 3SC to pay Sunshine N5m

    AJANI IBRAHIM’S TRANSFER: NFF orders 3SC to pay Sunshine N5m

    The Players’ Status Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has ordered Nigeria Professional Football League club, Shooting Stars of Ibadan, to pay the sum of Five Million Naira (N5,000,000) to fellow elite division side, Sunshine Stars FC on or before July 19, concerning the case of player Ajani Ibrahim.

    At its meeting of Monday, June 15, in Abuja, the committee headed by NFF Executive Committee member Babagana Kalli found that Ajani Ibrahim, who has a valid contract with Sunshine Stars of Akure, absconded from the latter’s camp. Though the committee, at an earlier sitting of April 15, had advised Shooting Stars to open up negotiations with Sunshine Stars over the player, the negotiation/discussion was fruitless.

    In its ruling, the committee ordered that the said sum of Five Million Naira (N5,000,000) as transfer fee on the player, should be paid to an account to be made available by the Akure –based club. It also ruled that Sunshine Stars shall be entitled to 20 per cent of future sale of the player Ajani Ibrahim, or the sum of Three Million Naira (N3,000,000) as buy-out clause in lieu of the 20 per cent future sale.

    Shooting Stars Sports Club must also, by Monday next week, pay the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000) to the Players’ Status Committee for the illegal approach on Ajani Ibrahim, and the player himself must by the same date, pay the sum of One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100,000) to the committee for absconding from Sunshine Stars FC camp.

    A request for an appeal of this decision must be sent to the General Secretary of Nigeria Football Federation within 10 days of Shooting Stars FC receiving notification of the decision, otherwise it becomes binding and final.

    Other members of the committee are Jude Anyadufu, Dahiru Sadi and Austin Popo. Nasiru Jibril is secretary and Joshua Onoja the assistant secretary.

  • Supreme Court orders bizman, company to refund N85.6m to Benue

    Supreme Court orders bizman, company to refund N85.6m to Benue

    The Supreme Court has ordered a businessman, Kris Onyekwuluje, and his company, Artex Investment Limited, to refund N85,575,111.60k to the Benue State Government for the shoddy execution of a supply contract awarded to them  over 10 years ago.

    In a judgment delivered yesterday, the court’s five-man bench unanimously dismissed an appeal filed by Onyekwuluje and Artex against a 2005 decision of the Court of Appeal, Jos, in which they were earlier requested to make the refund.

    Onyekwuluje and his company were awarded contract for the supply and installation of some transmitters for the state’s radio station.

    Dissatisfied with the qualities of the materials supplied and the conduct of staff and officers of Artex, the state set up a judicial commission of inquiry under Section 2 of the Commission of Inquiry Law, Laws of Northern Nigeria 1963 to ascertain whether there was “abuse, misuse or misappropriation of money meant for the project.”

    The commission was also to ascertain “whether there was any improper or fraudulent practice or unjust enrichment by any person and to apportion blame and recover the monies believed to have been misappropriated, unjustly obtained or fraudulently administered. “

    At the end of its sitting in 1999, the commission issued a white paper which indicted Atrtex Investment and requested it to refund N85,575,111.60k, a decision the company and Onyekwuluje objected to and sued before the Federal High Court, Enugu in 2000.

    In the suit marked FHC/EN/CP/2000, Onyekwuluje and his company challenged the decision of the commission on the grounds that they were denied fair hearing and that the commission exceeded its jurisdiction.

    In its judgment on January 23, 2001, the trial court dismissed the suit on the grounds that the plaintiffs failed to establish that the commission lacked the jurisdiction to inquire into a contract transaction between the plaintiffs and the Attorney General of Benue State.

    They appealed the judgment at the Court of Appeal, Jos, which upheld the trial court’s decision, prompting Onyekwuluje and his company to appeal to the Supreme Court which gave its judgment yesterday.

    Justice Suleiman Galadima, who read the lead judgment of a five-man bench, held that the appellants’ right to fair hearing was not breached by the commission as earlier decided by the two courts below.

    “In the case at hand, the records show that the appellants fully participated in the proceedings of the 3rd respondent (the commission) from the beginning to the end of the sitting. They cannot now complain that they were denied fair hearing.

    “In the final analysis, I cannot disturb the concurrent findings of facts by two courts below as they have not been shown to be perverse or not reached as the result of a proper consideration of facts placed before them. In the circumstances, the decision of the Court of Appeal is hereby affirmed and the appeal is accordingly dismissed,” Justice Galadima said.

    Justices Mary Peter-Odili, Olukayode Ariwoola, Musa Dattijo Muhammad and Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who were on the panel that heard the appeal, agreed with Justice Galadima’s reasoning in the lead judgment.

  • Senate orders filling stations shut over fuel scarcity

    Senate orders filling stations shut over fuel scarcity

    Chairman of the Senate Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources investigating the lingering fuel scarcity in the country, Magnus Abe, yesterday directed the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to seal off any filling station hoarding the product.

    Abe also assured that the long queues at filling stations across the country would soon disappear.

    He told reporters in Abuja that the committee has approached the Lagos State government and National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to allow tanker drivers lift petroleum products in compliance with the resolutions agreed with the Senate joint committee and stakeholders in the oil industry.

    “I have spoken with the Lagos State Commissioner for Transport and the Chairman of NUPENG in Lagos and they’ve assured me that everybody is complying.

    “The situation will improve and it will continue to improve. There’s still a lot of panic buying going on but, as days go by, the queues would reduce,” Abe said.

    Asked if the Senate was satisfied with the progress recorded since it brokered truce among stakeholders in the oil sector,  Abe said: “Nobody can say he’s satisfied with the present situation because as I would say, this is something that would happen again and again except we have a drastic review and overhaul of the entire system and the entire scheme…this is not a permanent solution.

    “It’s a stop-gap measure to allow normalcy to return to the sector. It would be the responsibility of the incoming administration to look for a more permanent solution.

    “I am very confident that normalcy will soon be restored and I urge Nigerians to give the system a chance to correct itself and those who have fuel do not necessarily need to go back to the filling stations to refill because there’s no scarcity coming.

    “Those who do not need to buy for their cars or jerry-cans  should not buy in jerry-cans to store at home because when you do that, you are contributing to the scarcity.

    “We have given very clear instructions to the DPR that anybody who has stock and is not selling in the hours that we have agreed, should have their licenses revoked and their facilities sealed.

    “I will get in touch with DPR today to ensure that the nobody toys with that instruction.

    “If anybody has information to the contrary, that the filling stations are hoarding, they should contact DPR and they would be dealt with.”

     

  • Supreme Court orders Dariye to submit self for trial

    Supreme Court orders Dariye to submit self for trial

    The Supreme Court yesterday ordered former Plateau State governor, Chief  Joshua Dariye, to submit himself for trial on corruption and money laundering charges before the high court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

    The apex court, by a unanimous decision,   dismissed the former governor’s appeal for lacking in merit.

    Two members of the panel, Justices Sylvester Ngwuta (who read the lead judgment) and Chima Nweze, frowned on the delay tactics adopted by Dariye to prevent his trial.

    Ngwuta described Dariye’s action  as a sad commentary on the nation’s fight against corruption, while   Nweze said the belief by some members of the elite class that they are above the law, was worrisome.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had, in 2007, obtained the leave of an FCT High Court to prefer charges against Dariye.

    The commission subsequently filed a 23-count charge against him.

    He was also accused of diverting state’s funds estimated at billions of naira while in office. He pleaded not guilty to the charge, following which the trial judge, Justice Adebukola Banjoko, fixed November 13, 2007 for the commencement of trial.

    Before that date, however,  Dariye filed an application, challenging the competence of the charge and the jurisdiction of the court. He argued that he ought to be tried at  a Plateau State High Court and not the FCT High Court.

    On December 13, 2007, the trial judge heard and dismissed Dariye’s application for lacking in merit, a decision he appealed to the Court of Appeal, Abuja and subsequently to the Supreme Court.

    In the lead judgment yesterday, Justice Ngwuta resolved all the four issues distilled for determination by the court against the appellant.

    “So, the appeal has no merit. It is, hereby, dismissed. The appellant should go back to the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to stand his trial on the charges levelled against him.

    “This is a sad commentary on our fight against corruption. Appeal dismissed,” Ngwuta said.

    Justice Nweze said: “I have noticed a most worrying trend in most recent time, particularly among the politically exposed citizens of this great country, imagining that they are above the laws of the land,  have perfected some awkward and baseless tactics of delaying their trial when they run into conflict with the law.

    ” The appellant in this appeal falls into this category. In 2007, about eight years ago, leave was granted to the respondent to prefer charges against him. He was duly arraigned before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.

    “On November 13, the date set aside for the prosecution to marshal its witnesses, he implored the trial court to quash the charges against him on the grounds that the trial court lacked the jurisdiction to hear and determine the charges.

    “When the application was dismissed, he proceeded to the Court of Appeal, Abuja division, which held and dismissed his appeal. Instead of returning to the trial court to face his trial, he appealed against the lower court’s judgment. I agree that this appeal is unmeritorious,” Justice Nweze said.

    Other members of the panel that heard the appeal agreed with the lead judgment.

  • Addressing the rate of disobedience to court orders

    Addressing the rate of disobedience to court orders

    In many occasions, concerned citizens in Nigeria have expressed worry about the spate of disobedience to court orders in spite of democratic governance.

    They observe that some elements saddled with the responsibility of protecting the law are somewhat found to be abetting disobedience to court orders in some cases.

    Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court, Lagos, in his opinion, said “disobedience to court order in the country has become an endemic disease which has eaten deep into the fabric of Nigerian society’’.

    According to him, the situation requires urgent attention to restore sanity in the Nigeria judicial system.

    Corroborating this viewpoint, Mr Femi Falana, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), recently called for the efforts of all stakeholders at checking the rate of disobedience to court orders.

    He insisted that the Bar has a great role to play in that regard, noting that in the past; it was the responsibility of lawyers to ensure that people complied with court orders.

    Falana recalled that when the late Mr Alao Aka-Bashorun was the president of the Bar, he directed Nigerian lawyers to protest the disobedience to a court order during a military regime.

    “Then, for the first time, Nigerian lawyers went on strike to protest the disobedience to court order; but this day, it has become part of our culture of impunity,’’ he said.

    Sharing similar opinion, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo, challenged members of the Bar to fight against disobedience to court orders.

    He said at the opening ceremony of the 2014/2015 Edo Legal Year recently in Benin that disobedience to court orders constituted a threat to the rule of law.

    “Every lawyer must endeavour to uphold the law and those that live by the court must not be seen to aid and abet disobedience.

    “If senior advocates of Nigeria advise people to disobey court orders, it is a sad thing and if the Bar keeps quiet in the face of such disobedience, then it is a terrible thing for the rule of law.

    “If court bailiffs are assaulted in public view and senior advocates and other learned members of the community keep quiet, it is not the best.

    “This is because those who may not be affected today may be the people to be affected tomorrow, particularly where the rule of law operates on the basis of precedent.

    “The challenge of defending democracy demands that we have not just an independent judiciary, but a courageous judiciary with potent teeth to bite or  smile regardless of those appearing before us,’’ he said.

    Observers, however, note that Oshiomhole’s view represents the recent occurrence in Edo House of Assembly where members of the house refused to obey court order that barred them from entering the legislators’ quarters in Benin.

    They note that disobedience to court order by the members obviously escalated the crisis in the house.

    They recall that the crisis was preceded by the suspension of the Deputy Speaker of the house, Rep. Festus Ebea of All Progressives Congress (APC) and three other members who defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    They also observed that the house leadership secured a Benin High Court order, restraining the defected lawmakers from entering the assembly complex and legislative quarters in Benin but the orders was not obeyed.

    According to them, the fallout of the disobedience is that both parties are still in court, the House of Assembly has two speakers and the lawmakers are divided.

    Citing a similar example, observers recall that in spite of the order of Jos Federal High Court, barring the conduct of the election of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), the association recently went ahead to conduct the election.

    They note that in disobeying the court order, the Aminu Maigari led faction of the association conducted the election that produced Mr Amaju Pinnick as the NFA chairman.

    Stakeholders insist that such practice is worrisome and can cause anarchy if not checked on time.

    Mr Sunday Ameh, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), stressed that court judgments should be obeyed always, until they are set aside, saying that “affected parties are under obligation to face the judgment being executed against them.’’

    Also, an Abuja-based lawyer, Mr Terkaa Aodoo, said there was no justification to disobey the orders of court.

    “ In fact, anybody or corporate organisations have no right to disobey court orders no matter how the order was given.

    “If the order was given in error, the only thing to do is to challenge the order in an appeal court to set it aside.

    “But to disobey court order amounts to contempt of court and the court can carry out contempt proceedings against the disobedient person or group.

    “ So, disobeying court order is a very fundamental issue that should not be encouraged in our judicial system,’’ he said.

    Observers, nonetheless, insist that court orders are disobeyed with impunity in connivance with some elements in the judiciary.

    They say that the NBA, as suggested by Falana, should address arbitrary disobedience to court orders.

     

    •Ukoh is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

  • Oshiomhole orders immediate payment of Bendel Insurance Players

    GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has ordered the immediate payment of the salaryn arrears of Bendel Insurance players and officials .

    The directive to pay all outstanding monies came when the governor received some key persons who are involved in sports management in the state and Nigeria.

    Oshiomhole, who our sources said expressed some reservation in the way and manner coach Austin Eguavoen left the club, said the governor promised to do all that is necessary to get Bendel Insurance out of the National league and into the premiership .

    The governor also directed that a 36-seater bus should be provided for the players , while a 14-seater bus for the officials .

    The Commissioner for Sports , Comrade Chris Okaeben last week told sports journalists in Benin that the vouchers were currently in the office of the Accountant- General while also promising to ensure prompt release of their salary arrears .

    Okaeben expressed confidence in the players and the technical crew led by Roland Ewere to deliver Bendel Insurance our of their present predicament .

    Bendel Insurance will on Saturday play their third match in the second half of the 2013/14 league season with MFM Football Club in the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium main bowl.

  • Cement grade: House berate SON for flouting orders

    Cement grade: House berate SON for flouting orders

    The House of representative has slammed the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) for not following due process before announcing new cement grade. This was contained in the report of the ad-hoc committee on public investigative hearing on the composition and pigmentation of cement (cement quality) in Nigeria, resolution no (HR 27/2014), which was presented to the general assembly.

    The lawmakers pointed out that in the course of the public hearing, SON published in the national dailies a new grading/categorization of cement and uses in the Nigerian market place either to pre-empt the outcome of the Committee’s assignment or to demonstrate that it was on top of its responsibilities in the regulation of the sector.

    According to the Committee members,  the action undertaken by SON is deemed a step in the right direction except that it was faulted on grounds that its Governing Council, whose responsibility is to look into cement quality is not properly constituted in line with S. 3(2) of its Act and process did not comply with the process laid down in S.12 Of its enabling Act.

    The lawmakers stated further in the report that none of the cases of building collapse in Nigeria which were investigated by relevant independent professional bodies was traced to substandard cement.” There  is  therefore    no  scientific  study  that  has  arrived  at an empirical  conclusion  linking  any case of building  collapse  in Nigeria  to substandard  cement” they stressed.

    “The Governing Council of SON properly constituted in line with S.3 (2)  of  the  SON  Act  and  in  strict  compliance  with  S.12  of  the SON  Act should  in the  immediate  require  all cement  manufacturers  in Nigeria  to  retool  and  upgrade  their  production  lines  to  produce  the 42.Smpa    cement    grade    within    a    reasonable    time    taking    into consideration  the  cost of social dislocation  and Article  111.B .15 of the United  Nations  Guidelines  on Consumer  Protection,  1999 a Protocol  to which Nigeria  is a signatory.

    “Cement  has  a  shelf  life  and can  also  expire  or  lose  its  essential qualities  due to poor  stacking  or exposure  to the elements. “At  the downstream  informal  construction  sector  is not controlled  or regulated  and relevant  standards  on concrete  and related  issues  are not enforced  in the  country”.

    The House recommended that  cement  manufacturers    in  Nigeria  can  reposition  their  plants within  a  reasonable  time  to  enable  them  produce  the  42.Smpa  grade which  some  of them  are  currently  producing  to meet  the  special  needs of their customers.

    It added that  SON  and  Council    for  the  Regulation    of  Engineering    in  Nigeria (COREN)  be  required  to  outsource  the  monitoring  of cement    quality    to  reputable    institutions    of  learning    in  all  the geopolitical  zones  of the country  (with  SON  specifying  the methods  of sampling  and  testing)  until  SON  establishes  functional  laboratories  for its own use  in those geopolitical  zones.