Judiciary - News Agency Of Nigeria

isaac aregbesola
Jul, Tue, 2023

OCHIE Igbo tasks FG on tackling insecurity in southeast

225 total views today

By Taiye Agbaje

An Igbo group, Odinala Cultural Heritage Foundation (OCHIE Igbo) has called on the Federal Government to come clean on the issue of insecurity ravaging social and commercial activities in southeast.
The group, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Caleb Ekene Onwe, tasked President Bola Tinubu to make a categorical statement on the matter.
It regretted that governors of southeast zone had allowed political differences and selfish primitive acquisition to divert their attention from the crucial need for collective action against the menace of insecurity.

OCHIE Igbo recalled that a few years ago, the southeast was the quintessential bride and cynosure of the entire country, noting that the zone played host to many Nigerians in search of leisure and business due to the prevailing peace.
“However, since 2019, our zone has been locked in a vortex of intractable and unexplainable security issues that seem to have defied solution.
“Painfully, the southeast governors have capitalised on the ugly situation to increase their security votes, without any commensurate improvement in security.

“We make bold to say that the factors militating against security of life and property in the southeast are not entirely unknown.

“Rather, what is unknown is why the governors of the zone have elected to profit from the malaise, whilst the Federal Government on its part sees it as an opportunity to show force or demonstrate military might.

“The resultant effect and impact of the military operations in the south-east leaves much to be desired”, the group stated,” it said.

The group, therefore, appealed to President Tinubu to unconditionally release Nnamdi Kanu in order to douse the l being generated by his incarceration.
It also urged the federal government to send strong caution to Simon Ekpa, an acclaimed member of the proscribed IPOB, through the Embassy of Finland in Nigeria.
The group assured Ndigbo of its continued pursuit for the preservation of peace and social harmony in the region.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
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edited by Sadiya Hamza

Alleged contract breach: Nigerian seeks 0m damages against Google, GoDaddy.Com

isaac aregbesola
Jul, Tue, 2023

Judiciary

Alleged contract breach: Nigerian seeks $150m damages against Google, GoDaddy.Com

249 total views today

By Taiye Agbaje

A Nigerian, Mr Chianugo Peter, has sought a 150 million dollars compensation from Google and GoDaddy.com over allegations bordering on the shutdown of his YouTube Audio domain name after eight years of promotional and marketing works.
Peter, through his lawyer, Emmanuel Ekpenyong of Fred-Young & Evans LP, filed the suit before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of a Federal High Court, Abuja.
The plaintiff, in the application marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/238/2023, sued GoDaddy.Com LLC and Google LLC as 1st and 2nd defendants.
In the suit filed April 14, sought the court declaration that he registered the YouTube Audio business name, commenced trademark registration on the logo of the business name and secured the YouTubeAudio.com domain name from the GoDaddy in good faith to carry out genuine business to host his application thereon to attract users.
He also sought a declaration that since GoDaddy and Google encouraged him to make use of the YouTubeAudio.com domain name for the past eight years, “they are estopped from claiming that the domain name infringes any of their trademarks or deny the plaintiff the use of the YouTubeAudio.com domain name.
“A declaration of this Honourable Court that the plaintiff is entitled to compensation from the defendants for the loss of the YouTubeAudio.com brand and goodwill which has accrued on the brand and domain name for 8 years of promotional and marketing works from 2nd July, 2015 to 7th December, 2022.
Peter, therefore, sought an order directing the defendants to pay him the sum of $50 million for promotional and marketing works on the YouTube Audio business name and YouTube Audio.com domain name for eight years from July 2, 2015 to Dec. 7, 2022.
“An order of this Honourable Court directing the defendants to pay the sum of US $ 100, 000, 000 (One Hundred Million United States Dollars) to the plaintiff for loss of anticipated profits associated with the brand equity and goodwill of YouTube Audio and YouTube Audio.com domain name.
“An order of this Honourable Court directing the defendants to pay the Plaintiff the sum of N50, 000, 000 (Fifty Million naira) to enable the plaintiff to carry out fresh registrations of its new name and secure an alternative domain name to host its application to attract users.
“An order of this Honourable Court directing the defendants to pay the sum of N10, 00, 000 (Ten Million naira) paid to the plaintiff’s counsel for prosecution of this suit.”
In the statement of claim, Peter said he was the owner of the YouTube Audio, also known as YTAudio which could be accessed through platforms such as Google Play Store and Apple Store in Nigeria.
According to him, YouTube Audio is a creative mobile application that encourages users to be more creative and enjoy utilising audio as a primary source of entertainment, information, and expression.
He said sometime in 2015, he acquired YoutubeAudio.com and YoutubeAudio.ca. domain names from GoDaddy without any caveat that it infringed the YouTube trademark or any other products of Google.
He further averred that in that year when he applied to GoDaddy to obtain the YouTubeAudio.com and YoutubeAudio.ca domain names, GoDaddycarried out an availability check and confirmed that the names were available for him.
Peter said GoDaddy did not inform him that neither YouTubeAudio.com nor YoutubeAudio.ca domain name was similar to YouTube or any trademark of Google.
“It was upon this premise that the plaintiff consistently paid for the domain name and carried out promotional and marketing works on the domain name,” he said.
Besides, he said from 2015 to April 2022 when he carried out extensive promotional and marketing works on the domain name, Google did not lay claim to the domain name or insist that it was similar to the YouTube trademark.
The plaintiff said he even paid Google to host the YouTube Audio.com application on the Google Play Store in 2021 without any query that the domain was similar to the YouTube trademark or any of its other trademarks.
Peter said the YouTube Audio was duly registered on Feb. 22, 2016 as a business name with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as BN 2395035 and continuously filed tax returns with the Federal Inland Revenue Service in Nigeria (FIRS).
He said the domain was fully established and had a management team, business address, foreign and local bank accounts with several banks, including master card and cheque books.
He said it was after eight years of serious promotional and marketing works on the YouTubeAudio.comdomain name to make it attractive to users and launch its application thereon that the defendants suddenly claimed that the domain name was similar to the YouTube trademark.
Peter, who stressed that GoDaddy registered the YouTube audio.com domain name and gave him the assurance that he had acquired a right over the name.
He insisted that Google also gave him the assurance that he had acquired a right over the name when it took no action throughout the eight years period when he carried out promotional works on the name and even gave approval for the YouTube Audio application to be listed on Google Play Store in 2021.
He said it was based on the assurances of the defendants that he relied upon and incurred tremendous cost and expenses in registering and branding the YouTube Audio.com business and domain name and carried out wide promotional works on the name for eight years.
According to him, on 29th April, 2022, the 2nd defendant (Google), through its Solicitor, Aluko & Oyebode contacted the plaintiff to express its concerns about YouTube Audio and its similarities with YouTube.
He said Google’s lawyer called for amicably settlement of the issue and advised him to change its business name, social media pages, domain names and trading style to YTAudio.
He said through his lawyer, he agreed to an amicable settlement of the issue only if Google was willing to compensate him.
He said instead of taking steps to compensate him, GoDaddy shut down his domain on a claim that it infringed the YouTube trademark after an arbitration proceedings against him before the Forum under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy, adopted by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
According to him, on the basis of the forum’s decision, the 1st defendant shut down the plaintiff’s YouTubeAudio.com domain name and transferred it to the 2nd defendant on 7th December, 2022.
Peter argued that Google did not have a monopoly of the “YouTube” acronym and that was why there were other independent companies and domain names with the “YouTube” acronym such as “YouTube Downloader”, “YouTube Promoter”, “ssyoutube.com”, “YouTube to MP4 Converter” amongst others.
He said that the defendants acted against the assurances they gave him that he acquired a right over the YouTube Audio.com domain name when they commenced arbitration against him and took over the name without any compensation.
When the matter came up for report of service of originating processes on the defendants, only the plaintiff lawyer, Ekpenyong, and counsel to Google, Mark Mordi, SAN, were in court.
Justice Egwuatu adjourned the matter until Oct 11 for mention.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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edited by Sadiya Hamza

Kogi election: Court dismisses Achimugu’s case against APC, Ododo

isaac aregbesola
Jul, Tue, 2023

Judiciary

Kogi election: Court dismisses Achimugu’s case against APC, Ododo

183 total views today

By Wandoo Sombo

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, dismissed a case filed by Abubakar Achimugu against the All Progressives Congress (APC), its governorship candidate in Kogi State, Usman Ododo, Ozigi Deedat and INEC for lacking in merit.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu who delivered the judgement in the suit marked “FHC/CS/585/2023: Achimugu v. APC & 3 Ors”, said the cause of action, which arose on April 14, 2023, was not statute barred, but that the Plaintiff’s case was bereft of merit.

The court also affirmed Ododo as the lawful candidate of APC in Kogi having validly resigned his appointment from Kogi civil service before contesting the primary election.

Achimugu also of APC anchored his suit on the grounds that Ododo, as at the time he contested the primary election to fly the flag of APC in the Nov. 11 election in Kogi, were still public servants in the state civil service.

In the judgment, Justice Egwuatu held that contrary to the claim of Achimugu, evidence showed that Ododo resigned his appointment more than 30 days before participating in the APC primary.

The judge said that exhibits tendered by the defendants showed that while Ododo’s resignation letter was received by the Office of the Kogi governor on March 8, that of the 3rd defendant, Mr Salami Deedat, was received on March 9.

“I have examined the letters of resignation filed by the defendants, they were addressed to the Kogi governor and were duly received and signed.

“A resignation letter becomes effective once it is received and accepted by the relevant authority. It is not when the authority replies the letter that it becomes effective.”

The judge held that where a letter of resignation has been received and duly signed, it takes effect and the employee would not be held responsible if the employer continues with the payment of salary.

The court said it was convinced that the defendant resigned his appointments as Auditor-General for Local Governments and Deedat as Commissioner for Local Governments respectively before contesting the primary election.

“I am satisfied that they resigned their appointments from Kogi government on March 8 and 9 respectively more than 30 days before the April 14 primary election.

“I hold that this suit is bereft of any merit and accordingly dismissed,” the judge said.

Earlier, the court dismissed the preliminary objection of the defendants claiming that the suit was statute barred having not filed it within 14 days as required by law.

The judge agreed with the plaintiff that the cause of action actually occurred on April 14, when Ododo and Deedat contested the primary and not when they purchased the expression of interest and nomination form.

The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) had on April 15, declared Ododo winner of APC primary election to elect a candidate for the party’s for the Nov.11 governorship election in the state.

Miffed by this, Achimugu approached the court asking that the primary election be nullified and Ododo be disqualified from contesting the governorship election on grounds that he was still an employee of the Kogi government when he contested.

The plaintiff in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/584/2023, claimed that Ododo breached Section 182 of the Constitution, Section 84 of the Electoral Act, 2022, and Article 7 of the APC’s Constitution in participating in the April 14 governorship primary of the APC.

Achimugu argued that Ododo’s failure to resign his appointment with the Kogi government, 30 days to the primary, made him ineligible for the Nov. 11guber poll.

Listed in the suit as defendants were the APC, Ododo, Deedat and INEC as 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants.

Amongst the issues brought before the court for determination was whether Ododo was eligible to participate in the governorship election slated for Nov. 11.

This was in view of the fact that both at the time of submitting their nomination and expression of interest forms, were still civil/ public servants and employees of Kogi government.

This they said was contrary to the provisions of Section 182 (2), Section 84 (10) and (11) of the Electoral Act, 2022 Guidelines for the nomination of candidates.

The plaintiff said that if the answer was in the affirmative, the court should amongst others declare that Ododo and Deedat were not qualified or eligible to have participated in the primary election.

This was on the grounds of being persons both employed in public service of Kogi, having failed and neglected to resign, withdraw or retire from employment at least 30 days to the April 14 when the primary election was conducted.

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining Ododo from parading himself as gubernatorial candidate of the APC.

“An order restraining APC and INEC from dealing with Ododo as the governorship candidate of the APC.

“In the event Ododo was declared winner of the Nov.11 gubernatorial election before the case was fully determined, the certificate of return issued to him by INEC should be withdrawn.”

Mr Josiah Daniel-Ebune, counsel to Achimugu, told newsmen after the court proceedings that he would brief his client on the judgment to know the next line of action.

APC was represented by Abdulwahab Muhammed SAN; Ododo was represented by M.Y. Abdullahi SAN, and INEC, by AA Adeniyi SAN.(NAN) www.nannews.ng

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Edited by Sadiya Hamza

Kogi poll: Court orders INEC to publish Abdullahi’s name as NNPP valid candidate

Afonne Emmanuel
Jul, Tue, 2023

Judiciary , Politics

Kogi poll: Court orders INEC to publish Abdullahi’s name as NNPP valid candidate

224 total views today

By Taiye Agbaje

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the name of Mr Hassan Abdullahi as the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP)’s bonafide candidate for the Kogi governorship election on Nov. 11.

Delivering judgment, Justice James Omotosho, held that having scored the highest lawful votes in the April 16 primary poll conducted by the party and monitored by INEC, Abdullahi’s name ought to have been uploaded and published in the list of candidates for the November election on the commission’s portal.

Justice Omotosho held that the substitution of Abdullahi’s name with the name of Mr Musa Mubarak contravened Sections 84(1) and 84(5)(b) (I) and (ii) of the Electoral Act, 2022, as well as Article 34 of the Constitution of NNPP, including the guidelines for conduct of primaries for nomination of candidates for off-season gubernatorial elections.

He further held that any other primary election conducted outside the April 16 poll was unlawful and unconstitutional.

The judge, who dismissed the preliminary objection of the 1st and 2nd defendants, said that the suit was not statute barred, having been filed within 14 days as provided by the law.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abdullahi, through his lawyer, Mustapha Ibrahim, SAN, had sued the NNPP, Musa Salihu Mubarak and INEC as 1st to 3rd defendants in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/651/2023.

In the originating summons dated May 9 but filed May 11, Abdullahi sought an order mandating the NNPP to withdraw Mubarak’s name and resubmit his name to INEC as its governorship candidate for the forthcoming poll.

He also sought an order compelling INEC to remove Mubarak’s name as NNPP’s candidate from its portal and restore his name as the valid candidate of the party.

The plaintiff equally sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC and its staff from publishing Mubarak’s name as NNPP candidate for the November poll in the list of candidates on its portal, among other reliefs.

The judge granted all the reliefs sought.

Meanwhile speaking to newsmen shortly after the judgment, Abdullahi, who felt elated, said “justice has finally taken its course.”

“The only place for an ordinary man is the court. We have approached the court and the court has granted all our reliefs. So I am very happy,” he said.

Abdullahi said his next step was to see how to reconcile all aggrieved members with a view to winning the Nov. 11 poll. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Sadiya Hamza

My wife beats me constantly, divorce-seeking husband tells court

Rabi'u Sani Ali
Jul, Tue, 2023

Judiciary

My wife beats me constantly, divorce-seeking husband tells court

258 total views today

By Judith Ezeudogu

Mr Raphael Chima, a businessman, on Tuesday, dragged his wife, Joy, before a Customary Court in Jikwoyi because she frequently beats him.

He made the allegation in a divorce petition he filed against her before the court.

“My wife physically abuses and harasses me. She slaps me at the slightest chance. She abuses me mentally,” he said.

He also told the court that his wife was disrespectful to his parents.

The petitioner told the court that his wife has long abandoned their child to him, that he has been the only one caring for the child without the help of his wife.

He prayed the court to grant him the custody of the only child of the marriage and dissolve the marriage between him and his wife.

The respondent, Joy denied the allegations.

The presiding judge, Dada Oluwaseyi, advised the couple to explore reconciliation.

Oluwaseyi adjourned the matter until July 27, for report of settlement or hearing. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

Rabi'u Sani Ali
Jul, Tue, 2023

Judiciary

Alleged contract breach: Nigerian seeks $150m damages against Google, GoDaddy.Com

214 total views today

By Taiye Agbaje

Peter, through his lawyer, Emmanuel Ekpenyong of Fred-Young & Evans LP, filed the suit before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of a Federal High Court, Abuja.

The plaintiff, in the application marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/238/2023, sued GoDaddy.Com LLC and Google LLC as 1st and 2nd defendants.

In the suit filed April 14, sought the court declaration that he registered the YouTube Audio business name, commenced trademark registration on the logo of the business name and secured the YouTubeAudio.com domain name from the GoDaddy in good faith to carry out genuine business to host his application thereon to attract users.

He also sought a declaration that since GoDaddy and Google encouraged him to make use of the YouTubeAudio.com domain name for the past eight years, “they are estopped from claiming that the domain name infringes any of their trademarks or deny the plaintiff the use of the YouTubeAudio.com domain name.

“A declaration of this Honourable Court that the plaintiff is entitled to compensation from the defendants for the loss of the YouTubeAudio.com brand and goodwill which has accrued on the brand and domain name for 8 years of promotional and marketing works from 2nd July, 2015 to 7th December, 2022.

Peter, therefore, sought an order directing the defendants to pay him the sum of $50 million for promotional and marketing works on the YouTube Audio business name and YouTube Audio.com domain name for eight years from July 2, 2015 to Dec. 7, 2022.

“An order of this Honourable Court directing the defendants to pay the sum of US $ 100, 000, 000 (One Hundred Million United States Dollars) to the plaintiff for loss of anticipated profits associated with the brand equity and goodwill of YouTube Audio and YouTube Audio.com domain name.

“An order of this Honourable Court directing the defendants to pay the Plaintiff the sum of N50, 000, 000 (Fifty Million naira) to enable the plaintiff to carry out fresh registrations of its new name and secure an alternative domain name to host its application to attract users.

“An order of this Honourable Court directing the defendants to pay the sum of N10, 00, 000 (Ten Million naira) paid to the plaintiff’s counsel for prosecution of this suit.”

In the statement of claim, Peter said he was the owner of the YouTube Audio, also known as YTAudio which could be accessed through platforms such as Google Play Store and Apple Store in Nigeria.

According to him, YouTube Audio is a creative mobile application that encourages users to be more creative and enjoy utilising audio as a primary source of entertainment, information, and expression.

He said sometime in 2015, he acquired YoutubeAudio.com and YoutubeAudio.ca. domain names from GoDaddy without any caveat that it infringed the YouTube trademark or any other products of Google.

He further averred that in that year when he applied to GoDaddy to obtain the YouTubeAudio.com and YoutubeAudio.ca domain names, GoDaddycarried out an availability check and confirmed that the names were available for him.

Peter said GoDaddy did not inform him that neither YouTubeAudio.com nor YoutubeAudio.ca domain name was similar to YouTube or any trademark of Google.

“It was upon this premise that the plaintiff consistently paid for the domain name and carried out promotional and marketing works on the domain name,” he said.

Besides, he said from 2015 to April 2022 when he carried out extensive promotional and marketing works on the domain name, Google did not lay claim to the domain name or insist that it was similar to the YouTube trademark.

The plaintiff said he even paid Google to host the YouTube Audio.com application on the Google Play Store in 2021 without any query that the domain was similar to the YouTube trademark or any of its other trademarks.

Peter said the YouTube Audio was duly registered on Feb. 22, 2016 as a business name with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as BN 2395035 and continuously filed tax returns with the Federal Inland Revenue Service in Nigeria (FIRS).

He said the domain was fully established and had a management team, business address, foreign and local bank accounts with several banks, including master card and cheque books.

He said it was after eight years of serious promotional and marketing works on the YouTubeAudio.comdomain name to make it attractive to users and launch its application thereon that the defendants suddenly claimed that the domain name was similar to the YouTube trademark.

Peter, who stressed that GoDaddy registered the YouTube audio.com domain name and gave him the assurance that he had acquired a right over the name.

He insisted that Google also gave him the assurance that he had acquired a right over the name when it took no action throughout the eight years period when he carried out promotional works on the name and even gave approval for the YouTube Audio application to be listed on Google Play Store in 2021.

He said it was based on the assurances of the defendants that he relied upon and incurred tremendous cost and expenses in registering and branding the YouTube Audio.com business and domain name and carried out wide promotional works on the name for eight years.

According to him, on 29th April, 2022, the 2nd defendant (Google), through its Solicitor, Aluko & Oyebode contacted the plaintiff to express its concerns about YouTube Audio and its similarities with YouTube.

He said Google’s lawyer called for amicably settlement of the issue and advised him to change its business name, social media pages, domain names and trading style to YTAudio.

He said through his lawyer, he agreed to an amicable settlement of the issue only if Google was willing to compensate him.

He said instead of taking steps to compensate him, GoDaddy shut down his domain on a claim that it infringed the YouTube trademark after an arbitration proceedings against him before the Forum under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy, adopted by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

According to him, on the basis of the forum’s decision, the 1st defendant shut down the plaintiff’s YouTubeAudio.com domain name and transferred it to the 2nd defendant on 7th December, 2022.

Peter argued that Google did not have a monopoly of the “YouTube” acronym and that was why there were other independent companies and domain names with the “YouTube” acronym such as “YouTube Downloader”, “YouTube Promoter”, “ssyoutube.com”, “YouTube to MP4 Converter” amongst others.

He said that the defendants acted against the assurances they gave him that he acquired a right over the YouTube Audio.com domain name when they commenced arbitration against him and took over the name without any compensation.

When the matter came up for report of service of originating processes on the defendants, only the plaintiff lawyer, Ekpenyong, and counsel to Google, Mark Mordi, SAN, were in court.

Justice Egwuatu adjourned the matter until Oct 11 for mention.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

Court orders closure of police case in suit against APGA National Chairman

isaac aregbesola
Jul, Mon, 2023

Judiciary

Court orders closure of police case in suit against APGA National Chairman

208 total views today

By Taiye Agbaje
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Bwari has abruptly closed a case filed by the Nigerian Police against the National Chairman, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Edozie Njoku, and another over alleged conspiracy to alter a judgment of the Supreme Court delivered by retired Justice Mary Peter Odili.
Justice Mohammed Madugu, who gave the order due to failure of police prosector, Rinasomte Ezekiel, to produce other witnesses in court, directed Njoku and Chukwuemeka Nwoga, the defendants in the charge, to open their case.
Justice Madugu observed that the defendants were charged to court on Nov. 22, 2022 by the police.
He said Ezekiel had made the court to see the urgency of the matter, and assured that he would close his case within two weeks.
The judge, however, expressed dismay that since Nov. 22, 2022, the police lawyer had only called two witnesses, with several adjournments.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that on July 4, Justice Madugu had threatened to close the case of the prosecution if he failed to produce his remaining witnesses in court on the next adjourned date.
At a resumed trial, the judge, based on the oral application by the police lawyer for a 5-minute stand down, magnanimously stood the matter down for an hour to enable the prosecution counsel to call his witnesses.
However, upon resumption of sitting, Ezekiel informed the judge that his remaining witnesses said they would not appear before the court.
He said the witnesses asked him to inform the court of their pending application before the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court for the matter to be transferred to another court.
When asked by the judge about his opinion on the development, Ezekiel said “everybody has freedom of expression” and that he aligned himself with the application of the witnesses.
Ezekiel sought an adjournment pending the time the CJ would take action on their application.
Reacting, the defence counsel, Panam Ntui, opposed the application for an adjournment.
He said the court had indulged the prosecution for so long a time, stressing that “even some of their excuses are untenable and lack any iota of probative value.
“This latest antic is aimed at delaying proceedings, and shouldn’t be allowed.
“It is on record that from November 2022, when the defendants were arraigned, the prosecution said in two weeks, he would be closing his case.”
Ntui argued that criminal case is of public interest and not for self aggrandizement of the prosecution counsel.
“The prosecution counsel had at four different occasions pleaded for an adjournment including this stand down today.
“Even when the prosecution asked for five minutes, the court granted over an hour stand down for the prosecution to call his remaining witnesses.
“This court still has an inherent jurisdiction to go on with this matter except at a time, transfer to another court is endorsed by the CJ,” he said.
The lawyer urged the court to close the case of the prosecution, having failed to call his witnesses.
“We are ready to open our defence,” he prayed the court.
Justice Madugu, who ordered that the police case be closed for lack of diligent prosecution, directed the defence to open their case.
Meanwhile, Ntui called Njoku, as his first defence witness to give evidence-in-chief.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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edited by Sadiya Hamza

Ministerial list: FCT deserves slot, Abuja-based lawyer, Olajengbesi says

Afonne Emmanuel
Jul, Fri, 2023

Judiciary , Politics

Ministerial list: FCT deserves slot, Abuja-based lawyer, Olajengbesi says

227 total views today

By Taiye Agbaje

An Abuja-based human rights lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, says it will be injustice for the indigenous people of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), if the current administration does not give the FCT a ministerial slot.

Olajengbesi, who is the Managing Partner at the Law Corridor, a law firm in Abuja, urged President Bola Tinubu on Friday not to deny the FCT the benefits of a state.

He said it would be hypocritical not to allot a ministerial slot to the FCT after the party considered the FCT as a state, while arguing the requirement of 25 per cent of votes during the presidential election.

He said the All Progressives Congress (APC) argued during the 2023 presidential election that the FCT is a state, citing Section134 (1) (b) and (2) (b) with emphasis on “two-thirds of all the states in the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja”.

“For fairness, justice and equity, the APC-led government of President Bola Tinubu should not deny the Federal Capital Territory a ministerial slot just as each of the 36 states get at least one ministerial slot,” he said.

Olajengbesi said that his call was in line with Section 318 of the 1999 Constitution on federal character principle to promote national unity, foster national loyalty and give every citizen of Nigeria a sense of belonging to the nation.

“Also, Section 14 (3 and (4) of the 1999Constitution says that composition of the Government of the Federation must be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity.

“The APC-led administration should give a sense of belonging to the aboriginal people of Abuja and give a ministerial slot to an indigene just as each of the 36 states produced indigenes as members of the Federal Executive Council.”

Olajengbesi noted that no indigene of Abuja had been appointed FCT Minister since the return to democracy in 1999, yet political parties use the FCT as a state to get the required constitutional votes to win presidential election.

He listed the past FCT ministers to include Ibrahim Bunu, from May 1999 to February 2001 (Borno State) and Mohammed Abba Gana, from February 2001 to July 2003 (Borno State).

Others were Nasir elrufai, from July 2003 to July2007 (Kaduna State); Aliyu Modibbo Umar, from July 2007 to October 2008 (Gombe State) and Adamu Aliero, from December 2008 to April 2010 (Kebbi State).

He also listed Bala Mohammed from Bauchi, as the occupant of the seat from April 2010 to May 2015.

The legal practitioner said that Mohammed Bello, the immediate past FCT Minister under former President Muhammadu Buhari, is from Adamawa, while his Minister of State, Ramatu Aliyu, is from Kogi. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Emmanuel Afonne

Vivian Ihechu
Jul, Thu, 2023

General News , Judiciary

Lagos govt. installs 48 traditional rulers in 3 years

957 total views today

By Florence Onuegbu

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Wednesday, said the government installed 48 Obas from June 2020 to May 2023.

Sanwo-Olu made this known at the State House Ikeja during the inauguration of the Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs, for another five years.

He said the state government recognised and appreciated the vital role the traditional rulers played in ensuring peace, harmony and stability.

According to him, this creates a conducive environment for everyone in the communities to live, work and transact their businesses, without fear or intimidation.

“It is in furtherance of this conviction that a total number of 48 Obas were installed from June 2020 to May 2023.

“It is important to state here that the inauguration of this council further attests to the high pedestal this administration places our traditional institution and its relevance to the contemporary governance structure and delivery of dividends of democracy.

“On our part, as an administration, we have continued to support our traditional rulers with welfare packages to enhance their mobility and general upkeep, as well as the construction and renovation of palaces across the state.

“It is our expectation that all of these will aid seamless discharge of your duties in your respective domains,” he said.

The governor urged the traditional rulers to continue serving as vital bridges between the people and the government, as fathers of their respective communities.

He said the vital issue of security in the state should be of collective concern; as the traditional rulers’ collaboration with the government and its security agencies would help in safeguarding the peace that Lagos state had always enjoyed.

Sanwo-Olu thanked the traditional rulers for their support for his re-election and especially the election of President Bola Tinubu, as well as all other APC candidates, both at the Federal and state levels.

”Let me assure you all, our royal fathers, that I will continue to cherish and rely on your support and wise counsel, as we strive to raise the profile of Lagos state among the comity of modern city-states in the world.

“Through commitment to the implementation of our T.H.E.M.E.S+ development agenda.

“On this note, it is my honour and privilege to inaugurate the newly approved Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs under the chairmanship of His Royal Majesty, Alaiyeluwa, Oba Riliwanu Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos for another five years,” he said.

Mrs Kikelomo Bolarinwa, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs, said that the reconstitution came with consideration for the inclusion of all the First Class traditional rulers across the five divisions of the state.

“The traditional institution contributes phenomenally to good governance in Lagos, in the area of resolution of chieftaincy matters and giving advice to government on chieftaincy, security, inter-community relations and other public policy issues in the state,” Bolarinwa said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Edith Bolokor/Chioma Ugboma

ASF France trains 30 members of committee against torture

isaac aregbesola
Jul, Tue, 2023

Judiciary

ASF France trains 30 members of committee against torture

176 total views today

By Taiye Agbaje

Avocats Sans Frontieres (ASF) France, on Tuesday, began a two-day training for 30 members of the National Committee Against Torture (NCAT) on the legal framework on torture and effective implementation of the Anti-Torture Act, 2017.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerian Government Inaugurated the NCAT on Sept.11,2022 with the aim to eliminate torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.
Angela Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, the Country Director of ASF France, who stated this during the opening ceremony, said participants were drawn from the law enforcement agencies, judiciary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), among others.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NCAT was set up by the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, as one of his commitment to torture prevention in the country.
Uzoma-Iwuchukwu said the essence of the training was to provide capacity support to NCAT to enable it perform its function efficiently in terms of torture prevention in the country.
The country director said the organisation, also known as Lawyers without Borders France, had been able to support at least 2, 000 victims of torture across various states in the country.
She disclosed that the organisation was able to secure a judgment on Monday at ECOWAS Court, Abuja in favour of Mr Sunday Ayodeji whose leg was amputated due to a gunshot by a police officer in Kaduna State.
According to Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, the torture victim, whose case was handled on pro-bono basis by ASF France under the European Union (EU) and Agence française de Développement (AFD) funded SAFE Project, was awarded N60 million damages with an order for the immediate return of his confiscated possessions.
She called on the government to do more in the implementation of the Anti-Torrure Act in Nigeria.
She said at the end of the two-day training, members of the committee would have been better schooled and supported, having their capacity built by experts to take on from international best practices to be able to do their work better as a committee against torture.
Ms Leann Johnston, the acting High Commissioner, Australian High Commission, said the training by ASF France was part of development programme her country was supporting in Nigeria.
She said the commission was interested in promoting human rights globally and supporting local programmes that help to support victims of toture, among others.
The Executive Secretary of NHRC, Chief Tony Ojukwu, said Nigeria had taken legislative, judicial and other measures to implement the United Nations Convention against Torture, Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT) as well as the Optional Protocol to the Convention (OPCAT).
Ojukwu, represented by Director, Monitoring Department, Okay Agu, said the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Anti-Torture Act 2017 and Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015, further demonstrated Nigeria’s commitment to protect all persons from torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment.
He said this was also to ensure that persons, irrespective of their circumstances, were treated with utmost dignity.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Sadiya Hamza