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Court declares arrest, detention of member, Air Commodore Mohammed unlawful
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Detention
By Wandoo Sombo
Abuja, Sept.14, 2016 (NAN) The Federal High Court, Abuja, has declared as unlawful, the arrest and continued detention of retired Air Commodore Umar Mohammed, a member of the Presidential team investigating the arms deal in the country.

The judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, made the declaration on Wednesday when he delivered a judgment in a suit filed by Emeka Ohazurike and 19 others.

Dimgba said that the continued detention of Mohammed by the DSS, even after he had perfected his bail conditions was illegal.

He said that if the DSS continued to detain Mohammed even after the court had signed for his release, it would be an assault on the judiciary which is the third arm of government.

The judge held that his detention was unlawful and asked the counsel to the DSS, Mr Shimana Adzer, to convey the message.

Dimgba, however, said that the issue of money and an apology were personal, adding that since he was sure Mohammed did not authorise the suit, he could not grants such reliefs.

The judge had berated the DSS for refusing to produce Mohammed in court following a court order when he was  arrested on June 19.

Ohazurike and his group sued the Department of State Services (DSS) for alleged violation of the fundamental human rights of Mohammed.

Some of the reliefs sought, included that the court should declare that the arrest and detention of Mohammed was unlawful, unconstitutional, malicious and an abuse of his rights to human dignity.

They also wanted the court to order the DSS to pay N500 million damages to Mohammed as well as publish an apology to him in at least two national newspapers.

The group, who said they were acting on behalf of Mohammed as human rights activist, also sought an order directing the DSS to release the defendant.

NAN also recalls that the DSS had arraigned Mohammed over allegations of money laundering, possession of fire arms and violation of Official Secret Act.

Mohammed had pleaded not guilty to the charges and was admitted to bail in the sum of N100 million. (NAN)
WS/OFN

(Edited by Felix Nwadioha)

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Refuse
By Bukola Olaifa
Abuja, Sept. 14, 2016 (NAN) Refuse bins in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) are now overflowing following the long holiday from the last weekend and the Eid el-Kabir celebration.

A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who went round the council on Wednesday reports that uncleared refuse bins littered areas like Apo, Utako, Karimu, Nyanya and the AMAC  secretariat in Garki.

The correspondent further reports that the stench oozing out of the bins scared people away.

Some of the residents of the areas who spoke with NAN decried the situation, saying it posed a health challenge to them.

Meanwhile, workers in some ministries and parastatal agencies appeared not to be done with the holidays as they stayed away from work after the two-day public holidays.

Many of the offices visited, including AMAC, recorded a low turnout of workers.

Mr Danladi kabiru of AMAC said the low turnout could have resulted from workers who had traveled out of the FCT.

On her part, Mrs Veronica Adeosun blamed the low turnout on the current economic challenges that made it difficult to pay transportation fares to work. (NAN)

BOL/LAB/MVO
(Edited by Lydia Beshel/Mbadiwe Okwor)

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Prize

By Omuboye Sukubo

Port Harcourt, Sept. 14, 2016 (NAN) Excel Education Centre in Rivers, has received a cheque of N2.5m prize for winning the 18th edition of the NNPC/SHELL Football Championship for Nigerian secondary schools.

The Port Harcourt-based school received the cheque being the remainder of N3.5m overall price for the tournament at a brief ceremony in Port Harcourt on Wednesday

Speaking at the event, Shell’s General Manager, External Relations,  Igo Weli, said the school put up `a very spectacular performance’ during the competition.

Represented by  Alice Ajeh, Manager, Stakeholders Relations of SPDC, Weli said that the prize was to support sport development in the winning school.

“We have earlier given the sum of one million naira, what we have done today is to fulfill the remaining obligation,’’ he said.

According to Weli, the championship at various stages showed that Nigeria’s secondary schools had numerous talents that require support.

“This holds a great promise for the future of football in Nigeria; it is in ensuring the nurturing of our youth and to guarantee a safe future that we introduced this championship 1998.

“Our primary focus remains to promote the simultaneous pursuit of football careers and academic excellence among our youths,’’ he said.

Weli disclosed that Shell had entered a partnership with a world-class youth development institution, Feyenoord Youth Academy of Rotterdam, Netherlands for international recognition of the championship.

“The agreement also provides for seasoned managers from the academy to train the quarterfinalists and their coaches before the semi-final and final matches.

“And for the first time, Feyenoord coaches selected two of the best players for training tour of the Academy. One of them Kelvin Amadi is from the winning team’’ he said.

In his remark, Prof. Kanaiye Ebeku, Rivers commissioner for education, said the NNPC-Shell joint venture to develop football was quite commendable.

“What you are doing to is educational, remember that sport is educational. I am here because I appreciate your contribution to education in this regard.

“This is recognition for excellence. The Rivers Government is happy to be part of this event. We see this as part of your social corporate responsibility,” he said.

Ebeku commended the school for conquering secondary schools in Nigeria by winning the overall price in the tournament.

Principal of the school,  Florence Dambari, commended SPDC for sponsoring the championship, describing it as `a sound training opportunity for future soccer stars’

“We dedicate this victory to God Almighty, we thank him for the strength and enablement to come out with victory, she said. (NAN)

OAS/AZU/MEMO

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Edited by Azubike and Controlled by Mike Mbonye

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Strike
By Alex Enebeli
Enugu, Sept. 14, 2016 (NAN) Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Enugu State chapter, has suspended its impending strike over non implementation of the Consolidated Judiciary Salary Scheme (CONJISS) in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the union had threatened to embark on indefinite strike over failure by the state government to meet its demands.

The union however decided to suspend the action at the end of its meeting held on Wednesday.

A senior member of the union, who pleaded anonymity, told NAN that the strike was meant to compel the government to implement the package which was contained in the 2016 budget.

He said that the union decided to suspend the strike to give room for dialogue with the government.

“We have suspended the strike to embrace dialogue, but we will continue with the strike if the government reneges on the peace move,” he said. (NAN)
AAE/MNA/AEA
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Edited by Maureen Atuonwu and Controlled by Archibong Asuquo

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Lawyers
By Veronica Dariya
Abuja, Sept. 14, 2016 (NAN) Some Abuja-based lawyers have expressed optimism that there will be laudable reforms that will make the judiciary and the society better in the new legal year.

The lawyers spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews in Kubwa, FCT, on Wednesday.

According to them, in spite of the heights so far attain in the sector, all hands must be on deck to make the judiciary the hope of the society.

One of the lawyers, Mr Ifeanyi Moses, told NAN that he anticipated that the judiciary would be more vibrant and transparent in the administration of justice to restore the confidence of the public in the sector.

“I also expect that the welfare of all judges will improve in terms of increase in their salaries and allocations and that of the assistants are appointed to them because they also do part of the bulk work.

“Courtrooms should be renovated and facilities and infrastructure within the judiciary improved. I expect that this year, there will be no day any court will not sit because of lack of electricity,” Moses said.

He also added that the judiciary must be a beneficiary of the dividends of democracy, saying that it is expected that the weight of the law should come hard on corrupt judges.

“If they are provided with good welfare, infrastructure and the environment and anyone of them has any reason to undertake the hideous terrain of corruption, such judge should be openly de-robed.”

Similarly, Mrs Maureen Ajogo, expressed deep concerns that the standard of practice was declining by the day.

Ajogo said the new legal year redress the declining standard, adding that lawyers must desist from filing frivolous cases, which she said, had become a common phenomenon in the jurisdiction.

“I urge my colleagues to imbibe self-discipline and be truthful to clients.

“We must give room for diligence in the prosecution of cases; we must not encourage corruption because in most cases, with no connivance of lawyers, one cannot get corrupt judges.

“I also strongly believe that we lawyers should corporate with the bench in the prompt and smooth dispensation of justice.

“We should desist from filing frivolous applications and all manner of objections that delay the due hearing of matters on good point.

“We must ensure that both the litigants, the judiciary and judges get our corporation to oil the wheel of progress and justice, not encourage touting, but work toward building a robust administration of justice,” Ajogo said.

Mr Abbas Hamid, another lawyer, said that a proactive Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) should help to address some of the challenges facing the system.

He said: “I like to see a more coordinated bar that will respond and connect with not just the desire but the expectations of the Nigerian people.

“With a proactive, responsible and active NBA that operates away from the desire to curry people and provide the leadership that is needed from that professional body, there will be a turnaround.” (NAN)
DVK/OFN
(Edited by Felix Nwadioha)

NAN-H-53
Election
By Ali Inuwa
Maiduguri, Sept.14, 2016 (NAN) Sen. Abubakar Kyari, Chairman, Senate Committee on INEC, has said that the last minute shifting of the Edo Governorship election to Sept. 28, will not affect the expected outcome.

Kyari was reacting to accusation made by the PDP that the postponement of the poll was aimed at manipulating the outcome by the ruling APC.

He told newsmen in Maiduguri on Wednesday that the postponement was inevitable.

“Up till Wednesday, INEC was ready for the election because I spoke with INEC chairman who was already in Benin and he said there was no going back.

“He (chairman) said that INEC can only shift the election if there was strong and tangible reasons for that,” Kyari said.

He added that the commission was forced to shift the election after seeing some evidence from security agents.

“But unfortunately, the reasons given by the police and the State Security Service (SSS) were so strong that within a short while INEC began to see some semblance of planned attack.

“So INEC had to cave in and postpone the polls, I remember that even the police had made arrangement to mobilize 23, 000 personnel for the polls before the last minutes shift,” Kyari said.

The senator noted that it was sad that some politicians were accusing the government of collaborating with INEC to shift the polls for political gains.

“The election was postponed due to the security situation and not because of any political reason. I do not think it was because the APC could not win.

“Like I said, the postponement cannot affect the outcome or give advantage to the ruling APC as being alleged by in media reports,” he said.

Kyari recalled that the 2015 elections were postponed and the outcome was not affected.

“You will remember that even last year’s elections were postponed by weeks and the outcome was not affected.

“Whatever you do in election matter, it will not affect the outcome because the people have already made up their minds,” he said.

The INEC committee chairman, who represents Borno North in the National Assembly, also defended the INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu on the prevalence of inconclusive elections.

“Yakubu is a man of integrity and a first class technocrat, so the issue of inconclusive elections is not peculiar to him.

“Even in 2011 there were inconclusive elections, we just forget so soon; last year elections in Imo State were inconclusive and that was when Prof. Mahmud Jega was INEC chairman,” he said.

Kyari said that attention was being focused on inconclusive elections now because they were hapening in bye-elections rather that during general polls.

He attributed the reason for rising cases of inconclusive elections across the country on the desperation by politicians to win at all cost.

“We now have two strong parties; the APC and the PDP who are almost at par in terms of strength.

“Some politicians are now desperate, sometimes employing violence to disrupt elections leading to inconclusiveness.

“INEC has no choice but to declare election inconclusive once election materials are hijacked and elections disrupted on a large scale.

“Of course this has to do with election guidelines which must be adhered to by INEC,” he said.

The senator also defended INEC decision to declare elections inconclusive rather than declare one of the candidates’ winner in an election marred by violence.

“INEC cannot disregard election guidelines and declare wrong candidate winner of an inconclusive election because it had a reputation to protect.

“INEC reputation will be a subject of ridicule once the other candidates go to court to seek redress,” Kyari said. (NAN)
ABI/ESAN/AEA
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(Edited by Abiodun Esan and Controlled by Archibong Asuquo)

Boko Haram: 2 Div GOC says Army in control

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Army

By Akeem Abas
Ibadan, Sept. 14, 2016 (NAN) Maj.-Gen Kasimu AbdulKarim, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division, Ibadan, says the Nigerian Army has totally decimated the activities of Boko Haram insurgents in the country.

AbdulKarim disclosed this on Tuesday during an interactive session with newsmen at the Tiger’s Den, Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment, Ibadan.

“If you look at what has been happening before now and make a comparison yourself, you will know that the Armed forces are in charge.

“We have not been having incessant attacks on either hard or soft targets,” he said.

AbdulKarim said that the division would continue to provide adequate security within the western region of the country.

According to him, “this division has not actually had so much security challenges as compared to other areas.

“The western region is the most peaceful in the country and we will uphold it,” he said.

He said the division had been able to deal decisively with issues of kidnapping, robbery, cultism and herdsmen clashes.

“Some of the suspected Boko Haram members arrested within our division have been handed over to the police for prosecution,” he said.(NAN)

TAA/AMY

Edited and controlled by Abdullahi Yusuf

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Police

By Aminu Ahmed Garko

Sokoto, Sept. 14, 2016 ( NAN) Alhaji Mohammed Abdulkadir, Commissioner of Police in Sokoto State, on Wednesday commended the people of the state for the peaceful conduct of Eid-el-Kabir festivities.

Abdulkadir, who made the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto, said that ” so far, so good, no report of crime was reported before, during and after the festivities across the state”.

He said that the residents had demonstrated  maturity by obeying security personnel instructions that led to the peaceful conduct of all events in the state.

He called for improved working relationship to enable the command to sustain the peaceful nature of the state.

The police boss added that the command would continue to ensure peaceful atmosphere that would enable residents to move in peace to accomplish their legitimate businesses.

He, however, appealed for more support from the people by supplying the police with useful information that could aid the command to arrest criminals.

He said that time had come for the residents to imbibe the culture of offering information to the security agencies, to apprehend and prosecute criminals in their midst.

” We have put in place sensitive security measures that will make it difficult for men of under world to operate as our men were battle ready to deal with any unforeseen circumstances, ” he said.

He also commended the command personnel for demonstrating high sense of professionalism that led to the peaceful celebrations in the state .( NAN)
AAG/IA

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

Edo 2016: PDP accuses Oshiomhole of influencing election postponement

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Postponement

Benin, Sept. 14, 2016 (NAN) Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo, Mr Dan Orbih, has accused Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of masterminding the postponement of the governorship election in the state.

Orbih made the allegation at a news conference at the party’s secretariat on Wednesday, in Benin.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on Thursday announced the rescheduling of the election from Sept. 10 to Sept. 28.

It had explained that the shift was in compliance with security alert from the Police and Department of State Service (DSS).

Orbih alleged that Oshiomohole colluded with Gov. Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State and a female staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the election.

He said that the postponement was to enable the governor and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to perfect “their evil plans of buying Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) across the 18 Local Government Area of the state’’.

According to him, Oshiomhole called for postponement to enable him manipulate the card reader.

“Oshiomhole has also perfected some plans to use the police to arrest PDP leaders in the state, especially those he recently attacked with thugs for refusing his car gifts.

“He has invited militants from neighbouring state and lodged them in various hotels ahead of the rescheduled election,” the chairman alleged.

He therefore called on the security agencies in the state to up their game ahead of the Sept. 28 gubernatorial election.

He also appealed to INEC, “as an independent body, not to be used by some desperate politicians to rig the election”. (NAN)

AJOM /KOO/OPI

(Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa and Olisa Ifeajika)

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Dutse LG targets 109,960 children for polio immunisation

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Immunisation

Dutse, Sept. 14, 2016 (NAN) The Dutse Local Government Council of Jigawa is targeting over 109,960 children for immunisation against polio virus in the forthcoming polio immunisation in the area.

The health educator of the council, Alhaji Sani Yusif, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Wednesday.

Yusif said the council had received enough doses of Oral Polio Vaccines (OPVs) to conduct the exercise.

He explained that the children would be immunised against polio and five other child-killer diseases during the five-day campaign.

The health educator said that a team of 658 trained ad hoc staff, including 482 vaccinators, would conduct the exercise.

According to him, the team would commence the exercise on Sept. 15 with Direct Observed Polio Vaccination (DOPV) at markets, motor parks and other special places within the council area.

Yusif, therefore, urged parents in the area to cooperate with the officials by making their children available for the Immunisation.

NAN reports that the September main round of polio immunisation would commence in all the 27 Local Government Areas of the state on Saturday, Sept. 17. (NAN)
MNB/AFA
Edited by Felix Ajide
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