Blog

NAN-H-55

Theft

By Oluwatope Lawanson

Lagos, Nov. 18, 2016 (NAN) For allegedly stealing generator parts valued at N500, 000 from the Federal High Court, Alausa, Ikeja, a security guard, Panshak Paul, was on Friday arraigned in Lagos.

Paul, 27, who resides at No. 69, Babadada St., Alagbole area of Ogun, is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Babaji Ishaku, told the court that the accused committed the offences at the Federal High Court premises, at about 8.00 p.m., on Nov. 12.
“The complainant, one Mr Adenle Taoreed, had reported to work and found out that generator had been vandalised.
“On investigation, it was discovered that the accused had stolen the parts and was caught while trying to sell to parts dealers at Oshodi, Lagos.
“He was apprehended and handed over to the police,” he said.
The offences contravened Sections 285 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.‎
The Magistrate, Mr J. A. Adegun, granted the accused bail in the sum of N150, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
He said the sureties must be blood relations of the accused and must be gainfully employed, with evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
Adegun adjourned the case till Dec. 9 for trial. (NAN)
LAW/EOB/SOA

=============

Edited by Edith Bolokor/Oluwole Sogunle

Ondo PDP crisis: Court of Appeal adjourns indefinitely

NAN-H-34

Adjournment

By Martins Odeh

Abuja, Nov.18, 2016 (NAN) The Special Panel of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, established to determine all appeals arising from the ongoing PDP leadership disputes on Friday adjourned its proceedings indefinitely.

The Chairman of the panel, Justice Ibrahim Salaawu, at the resumption of the day’s proceeding broke the information to the parties.

The Judge said the panel took the decision following a notice of motion for stay from the Supreme Court served on it by the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the PDP.

“Only yesterday, at about 7 p.m, we were served a motion from the apex court ordering the panel to discontinue further actions.

“The motion was filed by all the respondent parties in the pending appeals.

“This include the Ali Modu Sheriff, Biyi Poroye, the Executive members of the Ondo State PDP and the Executive members of the South West Zone of the party,’’ he said.

Salaawu further said “these parties had approached the apex court to order us from further actions pending the determination of interlocutory appeals they had filed at the apex court’’.

The group had approached the Supreme Court following the decision of the Court of Appeal that granted leave to Eyitayo Jegede, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi and Sen. Ben Obi to appeal the decision of the Federal High Court.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that on June 29, Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court upheld Sheriff as the acting national chairman of the party.

The decision bestowed the Sheriff’s faction of the PDP the right to conduct governorship primary of the party for the Nov.26 Ondo State governorship election.

NAN further reports that the dispute later resulted in an interlocutory ruling by Justice Abang who ordered Jegede’s candidacy to be substituted with that of Jimoh Ibrahim.

Dissatisfied with the two decisions of the lower court, the appellants approached the appellate court for reversal.

The appellate court went ahead on Nov.11 to grant the trio (Jegede, Makarfi and Obi) the leave to appeal the decision.

However, the Sheriff faction had immediately challenged the two rulings at the Supreme Court.

Mr Beloulisa Nwafor (SAN), counsel to Mr Biyi Poroye, Ondo state Chairman of PDP, contended that the panel must stay proceedings pending the determinations of those interlocutory appeals.

Nwafor had argued that the court was stripped of its jurisdiction the moment the appeals were entered at the apex court.

He had said the only option left for the panel was to wait until the apex court decided those motions in one or the other.

Also, Mr Raphael Oluyede, counsel to the PDP, aligned himself with Nwafor’s objections.

Oluyede had added that it was trite in law to stay action once an appeal was entered against the decision of a lower court.

NAN further reports that these initial submissions for the panel to stay action were over-ruled and it went on to hear all the appeals placed before it.

The panel had set to deliver judgment on the party’s governorship candidate for the upcoming Ondo governorship election and the authentic national leadership of the party.

NAN reports further that the Supreme Court will on Nov. 21 decide whether the panel should go on with the proceedings or not. (NAN)

OMO/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

NAN-DS-7
Sanctions
By Yahaya Isah
Abuja, Nov. 18, 2016 (NAN) The Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), AVM Muhammad Usman, said the Military would not hesitate to sanction Defence Advisers and Attaches who fell short of expectations in their responsibilities.

Usman gave the warning at the closing ceremony of the 2016 Defence Advisers and Attachés Annual Conference in Abuja on Friday.

He said that Aattaches system must be the leading edge of this technological shift as more must be done to sharpen the commitment of the military.

“While we do all these for you, we are also committed to sanction those that fall short of expectations.

“The decisions we have articulated showed our resolve to strengthen and to reduce our weaknesses in our determination to serve our dear country better,” he said.

Usman said that the improvement of the intelligence architecture had to continue beyond the conference.

“On our part, we are committed to providing you with the resources to enable you perform effectively.

“But I must also for warn you to be realistic in view of reduced funding and increased defence funding portfolio,“he said.

He said that the conference had focused on the best realisable approaches at improving the attaché system to prepare for the future.

“I, therefore, expect to see qualitative reports and tangible achievements coming from your sections to justify the investment made by the good people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the agency.

“I will make sure those decisions taken by this conference will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the system,“he said.

In his remarks, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, urged the participants to focus on the new reality to ensure that the nation’s security was intact.

He was represented by AVM Bashir Saidu, Chief of Policy and Planning, Defence Headquaters.

“As our nation and armed forces continue to defend the country, we should collectively and adequately prepare for the next set of challenges that may arise.

“The security of Nigerians is vested in your hands and therefore, be prepared to live up to expectations,“he said.

NAN reports that the theme of the conference is “Harnessing Potentials of the Defence Attaché System for improved National Security in Nigeria”. (NAN)
YI/JPE/AMY
Edited by Joseph Edeh and Abdullahi Yusuf
================

NAGAFF hails Senate’s passage of Maritime University Bill
NAN-H-23
Bill
By Bolaji Buhari
Lagos, Nov. 18, 2016 (NAN) The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, on Friday said Senate’s passage of the Bill establishing the Maritime University was good for the development of the maritime sector.

The association’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Stanley Ezenga, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the lawmakers should also push for actual establishment of the university.

“The passage of the bill is good for the maritime industry.

“What the Senate has done, really shows they are true representatives of the people and that they really mean well for the country.

“The University, if eventually realised would help boost capacities in the maritime sector and provide employment for Nigerians.

“We salute the Senate for passing the bill and we hope they will see the whole thing to the end,’’ he said.

The official said the upgrade of the Maritime Academy, Oron into a University was long overdue, and urged the Federal Government to expedite action on that.

NAN reports that the Maritime University bill, sponsored by Sen. James Manager (PDP-Delta) on Wednesday scaled second reading at the Senate, after it was unanimously supported by the senators.(NAN)
BHB/COF/MZA
=============
Edited by Oluyinka Fadare/Maharazu Ahmed

NAN-S-‎7
Sports
By Adedeji Egbebi
Ikere (Ekiti State), Nov. 18, 2016, (NAN) An Ikere- Ekiti-born Philanthropist, Lucas Ijasan, on Friday advised youths in the Ekiti State to always participate in sports for their wellbeing and to be lucratively engaged.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ijasan gave the advise during the annual athletic competition, tagged “5^th Ijasan Memorial Athletics Competition’’ in Ikere-Ekiti.

The championships are held to honour the philanthropist’s late father for his contributions to promoting grassroots sports in Ekiti‎.

Ijasan advised the youth, especially those from his home town to be actively involved in the various sports.

“Participation of youths in sports is very important because that is the only way we can discover sports talents.

“Personally, I volunteered to be sponsoring this programme annually in order to encourage the youth and help them to discover their talents,’’ he said.

Earlier, the organiser of the event, Ayodeji Olowolafe, said the athletics competition had been a talent discovery programme of the state sports council.

“The competition’s major objectives are to discover talents who will represent the state and the country in athletics.

“The state sports council is in support of the championships with the intention of promoting the discovered talents,’’ he said.

Olowolafe urged parents to always encourage their children to participate actively in sports because it was lucrative and profitable.

NAN reports that 20 secondary schools in Ikere-Ekiti participated in the athletics competition.

The participants competed in 12 sports, including 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1,500m‎, 4x100m and 4x400m.

Others are ‎Javelin, Discus, Shot Put, High Jump and Long Jump.

The first, second and third winners of the events were giving prizes, while some of the athletics coaches from the sports council would further train the discovered athletes. (NAN)
DJ/PDE
=====
(Edited by Peter Ejiofor)

NAN-S-5
Training
By Aderonke Ojediran-Lawal
Lagos, Nov. 18, 2016 (NAN) Kinetic Sports, the organisers of COPA Lagos Beach Tournament, on Friday urged the Sand Super Eagles to train adequately for the upcoming CAF Beach Soccer Tournament in December.

The company’s Managing Director, Sam Adamu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that by so doing the team would stand a chance of winning the tournament.

“The expectation is that they train as hard as they can and that we are hosting and we are going to win.

“So that’s the target.

“But the target is to become the defending African champions again and this will depend on training very hard ahead of the tournament to achieve the stated objective,’’ Adamu said.

NAN reports that the Sand Super Eagles have previously won the CAF Beach Soccer tournament in 2007 and 2009 and Madagascar won the 2015 edition.

The 2016 edition of the tournament will hold from Dec. 13 to Dec. 18 at the Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The winner and the first runners-up will automatically qualify to represent Africa at the 9th FIFA Beach Soccer Tournament in Nassau, Bahamas, from April 27 to May 7, 2017. (NAN)
OAF/ERO/PDE
===========
(Edited by Emmanuel Okara/Peter Ejiofor)

NAN-DS-5

Drugs

Abuja, Nov. 18, 2016 (NAN) The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Friday said it had seized 5,000 kilogrammes of substance suspected to be cannabis sativa.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Peter Adegbe, told newsmen in Abuja that the seizure was made in Abaji, near Abuja, adding that some traffickers and two trucks conveying the substance were also arrested.

He said that the arrests were made on Tuesday and that the trucks were‎ heading to Kano and Jos through Abuja.

Adegbe said that one Ubale Hashim, driver of one of the trucks and Sanusi Ibrahim, his conductor were arrested with 80 bags of sativa cannabis popularly called Indain hemp, weighing about 734.7 kilogrammes.

He said the second truck laden with about 3,750 compressed sativ‎a cannabis weighing about 3, 934 kilogrammes was impounded after the occupants abandoned on sighting the agency’s officials.

He said that about 872.7 kilogrammes of the substance was also been seized by the command’s team at Gwagwalada in October as part of the onslaught on drug traffickers, especially at this time of the year.

The spokesman said that the Commander of the agency in the territory, Mrs Chinyere Obijuru, had ordered intensified patrols and stop-and-search operations along all routes to the FCT.

He called on FCT residents to be vigilant and report any drug activity in their neighbourhood to the nearest NDLEA office.

It will be recalled that over 2,000 kilogrammes of Indian hemp, cocaine and other illicit drugs were seized by the command in parts of the territory in October. (NAN)

MUYI/OPI/OPI

Edited by Olisa Ifeajika

NAN-H-59

Execution

Isaac Aregbesola

Abuja, Nov. 17, 2016 (NAN) Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, has described as “heartbreaking”, the sentencing to death of a Nigerian in Singapore  for drug related offences

Dabiri-Erewa  said this  in a statement  she issued on Friday in Abuja through her Special Assistant on Media, Mr Abdur-Rahman Balogun.

She recalled that the Nigerian, Chijoke Obioha, 35, was caught in Singapore trafficking in hard drugs on April 9, 2007, with his execution slated for Friday, Nov. 18.

Obioha was arrested with more than 2.6 kilogrammes of cannabis.

Dabiri-Erewa said  Obioha’s family was informed that his appeal for clemency had been rejected.

She described the sentence as disturbing despite repeated calls for Nigerians to desist from criminal activities such as drug peddling.

Dabiri-Erewa said there was nothing much that could be done other than to continue to appeal to the Singaporean authorities for clemency.

“Since Singapore is determined to enforce its laws as a deterrent to drug trafficking, which has reduced due to capital punishment, nothing much can be done except to continue to appeal.

“While we regret the death sentence passed on the Nigerian, we once again appeal to Nigerians to avoid crimes like drug trafficking, especially in Asia which has been declared zero tolerance.’’

She urged Nigerians to avoid drug peddling in their host countries as laws of countries, “no matter its merits, will be difficult to influence’’.

Meanwhile,   Amnesty International has also called on Singapore to immediately halt Friday’s planned execution of Obioha.

Rafendi Djamin, Amnesty International’s Director for South-East Asia and the Pacific said, “the Singapore Government still has time to halt the execution of Chijoke Stephen Obioha.

“We are dismayed that clemency has not been granted in his case.

“But we remain hopeful that they won’t carry out this cruel and irreversible punishment against a person sentenced to the mandatory death penalty for a crime that should not even be punished by death.

“The death penalty is never the solution. It will not rid Singapore of drugs.

“By executing people for drug-related offences, which do not meet the threshold of most serious crimes, Singapore is violating international law.

“Under Singaporean law, when there is a presumption of drug possession and trafficking, the burden of proof shifts from the prosecutor to the defendant.”

According to the Amnesty director, this violates the right to a fair trial by turning the concept of presumption of innocence on its head.

“Drug-related offences do not meet the threshold of the “most serious crimes” to which the use of the death penalty must be restricted under international law.

“International law also prohibits the imposition of the death penalty as a mandatory punishment and Amnesty International opposes the use of the death penalty outright, regardless of the crime,” he said. (NAN)
IAA/DO/MO
==========
Edited by David Onilede/Morayo Omolade

FG commences renovation of Lafia abattoir on Monday – Commissioner

NAN-H-56

Abattoir

By Mohammed Baba Busu

Lafia, Nov. 18, 2016(NAN) The Federal Government would commence renovation work on the Lafia Central Abatoir on Monday, Nov 21, according to Alhaji Lawee Aiyu-Yusuf, the Nasarawa State Commissioner for Agriculture and Water Resources.

The Commissiooner, whos disclosed this in Lafia on Friday, said that the gesture was part of the Federal Government’s efforts toward improving the standard of living of Nigerians.

The commissioner, while receiving the House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture, who were on an oversight visit to the ministry, said that government made the renovation a priority in view of the relevance of abatoirs to human health.

He commended efforts by both the federal and state governments toward improved agricultural yields, and called for more intervenions by the federal government to complement efforts by the state government.

The official lauded Gov.Tanko Al-Makura’s prompt response to the demand for fertiliser and other farming inputs, saying that the gesture had boosted food production this season.

He said, however, that his ministry was unable to achieve 100 percent budget performance, and blamed that on inadequate funds and current economic challenges.

The commissioner identified shortage of manpower, vehicles, high overhead cost and decayed infrastructure as major challenges confronting the ministry, and solicited for the law makers’ support in that direction.

Earlier, Alhaji Abubakar Kana,(APC-Kokona West), Chairman of the comittee, had said that the visit was not a witchhunt but to assess the 2016 budget performance index with a view to address challenges.

“The committee needs to know the budget details and performance of the ministry in the 2016 fiscal year; this will serve as a guide while considering demands submitted in the 2017 fiscal year,” he said.

He expressed the assembly’s readiness to collaborate with the executive arm and other stakeholders toward addressing challenges faced by stakeholders involved in the food production chain. (NAN)

BAB/ETS/ETS

============

Edited by Ephraims Sheyin

NAN-H-47

Ruling
By Olawale Akinremi
Ibadan, Nov. 18, 2016 (NAN) Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of the Federal High Court in Ibadan, on Friday, struck out the bail application filed by Adeola Olaniran, the second accused in the N8 billion CBN currency scam trial.

Ruling on the application, Ayo-Emmanuel held that the bail application had not met any of the cogent conditions that must be considered before he could grant bail to Olaniran.

“There must be a positive, cogent and convincing medical report issued by an expert in that field of Medicine, among other things that must be considered, before granting the bail application.

“Without a valid and credible medical report, I cannot rely on the position contained in the affidavit supplied by the defence counsel to exercise my discretion  in favour of this application, and it is hereby struck out,” the Judge stated.

Ayo-Emmanuel, thereafter, adjourned the case to Dec. 15, for continuation of trial.

Earlier, Mr Olalekan Ojo, counsel to Olaniran, had filed a bail application praying the court to consider the ill-health of his client in granting him bail.

However, Mr Adebisi Adeniyi, the prosecution counsel, opposed the bail application, contending that other accused persons in the similar condition had been denied bail.

Meanwhile, hearing on the plea bargain arrangement entered into by Tope Akintade, the fourth accused person was equally adjourned to Nov. 30.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Ademola Oni, also on trial for the offence, had been convicted after he went into a plea bargain arrangement with EFCC.

Similarly, Oluwanike Afolabi, had initiated a plea bargain process with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

NAN reports that Kolawole Babalola, Philip Togun, Olaniran and Akintade along with others have since 2015 been standing trial on multiple charges bordering on conspiracy, forgery, stealing and recirculation of mutilated N8 billion currency notes, property of the CBN. (NAN)
SEM/AOS/PIO
==========
(Edited by Bayo Sekoni/Idonije Obakhedo)