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Checkpoint not responsible for Enugu-Onitsha expressway accident, says Army

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Checkpoint not responsible for Enugu-Onitsha expressway accident, says Army

The Nigerian Army has confirmed that the Ugwu Onyeama checkpoint on Enugu-Onitsha expressway, Enugu was not the cause of the accident on Wednesday, June 12.

Four people were reported to have died from the accident while 10 others comprising eight male adults and two females sustained different degrees of injuries.

The military headquarters clarified its stance in a post on X using its handle @HQNigerianArmy on Thursday.

The Army was responding to media reports that claimed its checkpoint was responsible for the accident and the loss of lives, which the Army countered by confirming only two fatalities.

The Army’s post on X states, “The attention of Headquarters 82 Division Nigerian Army has been drawn to the news circulating in some mainstream and social media platforms attributing the Division’s Checkpoint at Ugwu Onyeama as the cause of an unfortunate and tragic accident that claimed 25 lives on 11 June 2024.

“On receipt of the information from an online journalist that sought clarification about the incident, he was informed one-off that the Division does not have a checkpoint there but rather, it has a Location/Base by the roadside to curb the incessant kidnappings the area was hitherto known for.

“This report is inaccurate and full of falsehoods that are meant to tarnish the appreciable efforts of the troops. It is therefore necessary to set the records straight. First, the Division wishes to condole and commiserate with the families whose loved ones were involved in the tragic incident and also pray for the speedy recovery of those injured. The troops only have a base and the barriers used for the checkpoint were removed. Due to the steep gradient of the road, the section has remained problematic since the 1990s before, during, and after the checkpoints were removed.”

The Army also clarified that the accident was caused by an oncoming truck’s brake failure while descending from a slope at the 9th Mile axis ahead of the checkpoint and not at the Army’s checkpoint.

“The accident that occurred yesterday happened about 300m ahead of the soldiers’ base. Preliminary investigation revealed that the accident occurred due to a brake failure of a trailer coming downslope from 9th Mile Axis. The trailer rammed into other incoming vehicles from Enugu and not those coming from the same Axis of the 9th Mile with it. Hence, the crash was a head-on and not a rear collision.

“Thus, the soldiers never stopped any vehicle on the road for any checking but served as a responder to the accident. Also, while the loss of any life is unfortunate, however, only 2 people died at the scene of the accident and not 25 cases being reported.”

The Army further stated it is aware of the efforts of illegal miners and kidnappers operating in the area to get rid of the checkpoint, as such an act would enable them to freely carry out nefarious activities.

“It is disheartening to accuse the military of causing the accident. The Division is not unaware of the efforts of the kidnappers and illegal miners in the area to get rid of the checkpoint. The law-abiding citizens are once again assured of the commitment of the 82 Division Nigerian Army to continue to serve them as the Nigerian Army remains the Peoples’ Army.

“The general public is hereby enjoined to disregard the report as it is not the actual account of what happened. The Division will continue to perform its constitutional roles of protecting lives and property within its Area of Responsibility,” the Army said.

The Federal Road Safety Corps earlier said  25 individuals were rescued from a road accident on the Enugu-Onitsha expressway at Ugwu Onyeama, which occurred on Tuesday.

The agency also said of the “29 individuals involved in the collision, 10 sustained various injuries, while tragically, four lost their lives.”

The Corps Marshal, FRSC Shehu Mohammed, in a statement signed by the corps spokesperson, Olusegun Ogungbemide, on Wednesday ordered a comprehensive investigation into the incident and swift legal action against the responsible driver.

Initial reports suggested that excessive speeding was the root cause of the crash, involving a total of seven vehicles.

 

LG autonomy: Supreme Court reserves judgment

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LG autonomy: Supreme Court reserves judgment

The Supreme Court on Thursday, reserved judgment in the suit filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) on behalf of the Federal Government, against the 36 State Governors of the federation.

The suit is seeking full autonomy for the 774 local governments in the country.

In the suit, marked SC/CV/343/2024, the Federal Government wants the apex court to enforce the autonomy of the local government by, among other things, stopping state governors from appointing caretaker committees to administer local governments in their states.

The Federal Government wants the Supreme Court to rule that any local government manned by a caretaker committee instead of an elected local government chairman and councillors should have their funds from the Federation Account withheld.

It also wants the court to rule that funds due to local governments from the Federation Account should be paid directly to them instead of through the state government to guarantee their autonomy.

The seven-man panel, of the apex court led by Justice Garba Lawal, announced that parties in the matter would be communicated when the judgment was ready after parties in the suit adopted their processes.

All 36 states in their response opposed the FG’s suit and appealed to the court to throw out the suit.

AGF on his part asked the apex court to grant all the reliefs sought by the federal government in the suit.

The AGF said, “I adopt and rely on these processes. I urge my lords to overrule the various objections and grant the originating summons.”

While some states claimed that they were denied a fair hearing and weren’t served, the AGF clarified that he sent copies of the affidavits to the defendants via WhatsApp and emails.

He added that the court bailiff also served the defendants in their various state liaison offices in Abuja.

According Online reports that the Federal Government in the suit, is urging the apex court to issue “an order prohibiting state governors from unilateral, arbitrary and unlawful dissolution of democratically elected local government leaders for local governments.”

In the suit predicted on 27 grounds, the Federal Government accused the state governors of gross misconduct and abuse of power.

The FG, in the originating summons, prayed the Supreme Court to make an order expressly stating that funds standing to the credit of local governments from the Federation Account should be paid directly to the local governments rather than through the state governments.

The Federal Government further sought “an order stopping governors from constituting caretaker committees to run the affairs of local governments as against the Constitutionally recognised and guaranteed democratic system.”

The AGF, therefore, urged the apex court to invoke sections 1, 4, 5, 7 and 14 of the Constitution to declare that the state governors and state Houses of Assembly are under obligation to ensure a democratic system at the third tier of government in Nigeria and to also invoke the same sections to hold that the governors cannot lawfully dissolve democratically elected local government councils.

Furthermore, he urged to invoke sections 1, 4, 5, 7 and 14 of the Constitution to declare that “the dissolution of democratically elected local government councils by the governors or anyone using the state powers derivable from laws enacted by the state Houses of Assembly or any Executive Order is unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void.”

Pro-Wike lawmakers not State Assembly members – Rivers Govt insists

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Pro-Wike lawmakers not State Assembly members – Rivers Govt insists

The Rivers State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dagogo Iboroma, has insisted that the 27 members of the state Assembly loyal to ex-governor Nyesom Wike have lost their seats as members of the State House of Assembly.
Iboroma said that the lawmakers, led by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, had last year defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC, and are no longer members of the PDP.
Iboroma said this in a statement on Wednesday, stressing that contrary to reports, the Certified True Copy of a Monday judgment by the Rivers State High Court, validated the position that Amaewhule and his colleagues were no longer PDP members and by virtue of that lost their seats as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“The court did not make a declaration that Martin Amaewhule is the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, nor did it make a declaration that Martin Amaewhule and 26 others are members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and the Peoples Democratic Party.
“If it were so, it would have been embodied in the court orders, which have been circulated to you all and displayed by me here for the purpose of clarity,” he said.
According to him, the court had been painted in a bad light and the public misled and misinformed, adding that whatever finding of fact that is not included in the court order is an Obiter Dictum, which has no binding force.
“Once again, I respectively urge the media to desist from giving any interpretation to any judgment without first reading the content of the judgment and seeking legal advice,” he added.
Pro-Wike lawmakers not State Assembly members – Rivers Govt insists

Delta man fakes kidnap, demands N50m ransom from parent

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Delta man fakes kidnap, demands N50m ransom from parent

The Delta State Police Command has arrested suspected self-kidnapper, Nelson Eserada, and his accomplice, Jerry Lawrence.

The Command’s Spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed this on Thursday while speaking to According Metro in Asaba.

He said the suspect and his accomplice reached out to Eserada’s parent and demanded N50 million ransom.

He said, “Following complaints received from the father of one Nelson Eserada at Abraka Division that his son Nelson Eserada was kidnapped and that the kidnappers were demanding a ransom of N50 million in bitcoin.

“The suspect also sent a video of the supposed victim tied and being tortured. The DPO Abraka SP Fabian Ayameh swiftly moved into action and embarked on a technical intelligence-led investigation. On June 10, 2024, one Jerry Lawrence of Jeddo Community Warri was arrested in connection with the crime.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect conspired with the said Nelson Eserada, a 400 Level Student of Banking & Finance Department of the Delta State University Abraka, and that the father had already paid the sum of N5.2 million ransom through a Bitcoin account belonging to the principal suspect Jerry Lawrence.”

Edafe said the suspects are in custody and the investigation was ongoing.

He also added that eight suspected armed robbers terrorizing the Asaba metropolis have been arrested by the command.

The police spokesperson said the arrest followed complaints of house-to-house armed robbery incidents received from residents in Bonsaac, Okwe, and other areas in the Asaba metropolis.

“The Commissioner of Police CP Abaniwonda Olufemi deployed a new DPO to ‘B’ division Asaba with a clear mandate to identify, and arrest those responsible.

“Consequently, on May 8, 2024, the newly posted DPO CSP Edewor Akponegware received credible information from a concerned resident (name withheld) that he cited some suspicious-looking boys around the Mango Tree Market and that they were armed.

“The DPO immediately led patrol teams of the division to the scene and in the process the following suspects were arrested, John Dalami 25, Musa Suleiman 25, Abdullahi Jibril 20, Solomon Uchechukwu 24, Yusuf Joda 21, Egboka Chukwu Charles 21, and Wisdom Sylvester 21,” he said.

Edafe said the search was conducted at the scene and a Bagco bag containing a locally made cut-to-size gun, and one live cartridge were recovered.

He said the suspects have confessed to being involved in a series of house-to-house armed robbery operations in Issele-Asagba, Coka, and Ibusa areas

The spokesperson said acting on the confessions of the suspects, the special Anti-Kidnapping and Cybercrime squad led the operatives to their hideout at the back of DDPA estate Asaba where six additional suspects were arrested and three locally made cut-to-size guns were recovered.

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s arraignment to June 27

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Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s arraignment to June 27

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, has adjourned the arraignment of the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello for June 27, 2024.

Justice Emeka Nwite, fixed the date for the defendant’s arraignment and plea, in the money laundering suit instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against Bello.

At the resumed hearing, Bello’s counsel, Adeola Adedipe, told the court that both parties already had a meeting outside the court where they agreed on a date.

He said EFCC’s lead counsel, Kemi Pinehero, had approached one of Bello’s counsels, AbdulWahab Mohammed, that the June 13 (today) date, would not be convenient for them to proceed and both parties discussed by way of convenience for another date to be set.

One of EFCC’s lawyers, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), was however in court and said he was not briefed about the said meeting neither was he in the know of an adjournment.

When the matter was called upon as it was listed in the cause list, Adedipe, who was in court for another matter, expressed surprise that Oyedepo was in court for the matter after the two parties had agreed that junior lawyers would be sent to pick a new date, at the instance of Pinehero.

He said there seemed to be a misalignment between the EFCC lead counsels.

He said, “And as senior counsel, it was best agreed by way of convenience for another date.

“It was agreed administratively that junior lawyers be sent to court today to formally take a date as agreed by parties for June 27.

“I personally also approached the registry to confirm this information and it was confirmed to me. That was why I told the court that my appearance today was for another matter.

“What the prosecution has done this morning is an ambush to bring the defendant once again to the realms of social media.”

He also claimed that had the EFCC not approached them to seek an adjournment to a future date, Bello would have been present in court for his arraignment.

Citing the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, he said, “Under 266 of ACJA, there are instances when defendants don’t need to come and this is one of them.

“We came here to pick a date. Of what use will the defendant coming here be? It is the prosecuting counsel that approached us, we did not approach them. We have nothing to hide,” Adedipe said.

Responding, Oyedepo disagreed with Adedipe. He said he was not aware of any meeting that happened between Mohammed and Bello’s team.

He said, “With due respect to my learned friend this court deserves respect. Even though they are not going to respect us because we wear the same cloth they’re bound to respect the court.

“My lord am not aware of any meeting for an adjournment of this matter. My concern here is the integrity of the court and the sanctity of this court.

“On the last adjourned date Abdulwahab SAN was here.

“Myself leading the prosecuting team this matter was adjourned on record. The defence made an undertaking to produce the defendant today. Is it right that we are sitting here and the defendant is sitting at home drinking tea?

“I urge your lordship not to entertain any defence until they present the defendant.”

However, a senior lawyer, Simon Lough, who came for another matter, stood up to intervene.

He said senior counsels didn’t have to attack each other in court on a simple matter.

He said since Adedipe had explained why the defendant was not in court, a new date should be agreed on.

Lough said at the new date, the court could inquire from the prosecution lead counsel on what transpired.

He advised the lawyers to stop the argument in order not to waste the time of the court on other matters.

Adedipe apologised for his client’s absence while he appealed to the court to adjourn till the date which he claimed had already been agreed on.

Justice Nwite thereafter adjourned the case to June 27 on agreement of counsel after an undertaking that the defendant would appear on the next adjourned day.

Court refuses to review judgment on sack of ECOWAS Commission staff

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Court refuses to review judgment on sack of ECOWAS Commission staff

The Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African State has rejected the request by the ECOWAS Commission and its President to review the judgment that nullified the sack of a staff of the Commission, Suleiman Mohammad Hussaini.
The court had in 2022 held that the appointment of Hussaini, a Controller with the ECOWAS Commission, was illegally and unlawfully terminated by the Commission and its President.
In a ruling on the application by the ECOWAS Commission seeking a review of the judgment against it, Justice Dupe Atoki held that the application was inadmissible and lacked merit.
Justice Atoki who is a member of the three-man panel of Justices that heard the ECOWAS Commission’s application, said that reasons advanced in the application for review of the judgment delivered on March 10, 2022 was untenable.
The judgment delivered in the suit marked ECW/CCJ/JUD/03/22 had faulted the termination of appointment of Hussaini as a staff of the ECOWAS Commission carried out on February 27, 2018 and set it aside.
However, two months after the judgment was delivered, the ECOWAS Commission and its President returned to the same court pleading that the judgment against them be reviewed.
Their claim in the application for judgment review was that they had stumbled on a fresh fact that Hussaini was charged with criminal offences at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The ECOWAS Commission and the President asked the court for an order stopping payment of salaries to Hussaini until the criminal charges against him on alleged financial irregularities are fully determined.
Their grouse was that Hussaini was aware of the criminal charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) but concealed the charges and refused to bring it to the attention of the ECOWAS Commission.
However Hussaini in opposition to the application for judgment review, asked for its dismissal on the ground that the request was inadmissible having fallen short of requirements under Article 25 of the 1999 Protocol and Articles 92 and 93 of the Court’s Rules.
Hussaini asserted that the charges against him did not arise as at February 27, 2018, when his appointment was unlawfully terminated and that he was not under any obligation to bring information on the charges to the attention of the Commission and its President as they claimed.
He asserted that on September 27, 2019, his name was dropped from the charges leaving only one Muhammad Dangana as sole defendant.
Hussaini demanded the dismissal of the judgment review application and prayed that the ECOWAS Commission and its President be ordered to pay him one million dollars ($1,000,000) as damages for filing frivolous, vexatious, irritating and baseless application against him.
In its ruling, the court held that the ECOWAS Commission and its President met the requirements of presenting fresh facts and applying within timeline.
The court however said that the ignorance of the ECOWAS Commission and its President was due to their negligence and that their application failed to meet the cumulative requirements of Article 25 of the Protocol and Article 92 of the Rules of the Court.
Justice Atoki alongside Justices Gberi-be Outtara, who presided and Ricardo Claudio Monteiro Goncalves, unanimously declared the application inadmissible and consequently dismissed it for lacking in merit.
Court refuses to review judgment on sack of ECOWAS Commission staff

Sallah: Osun Amotekun assures of maximum security

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Sallah: Osun Amotekun assures of maximum security

The Corps Commander of Osun Amotekun Corps, Brigadier General Bashir Adewinmbi, rtd, has assured the residents of the state of maximum security of lives and property during and after the 2024 Eid-eil-Adha celebration.
Adewinmbi, who disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in Osogbo on Thursday, also said there was no cause for alarm as the operatives of the security outfit were on red alert in all the local governments of the state to ensure a hitch-free celebration.
He also warned Amotekun operatives to stick to extant rules of engagement and guard against acts of unprofessionalism during the celebration.
“As directed by His Excellency Senator Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke for hitch-free sallah celebration in the state, I have directed Area Commanders, Local Government Commanders, and Operational Units of the command to deploy all operational and intelligence assets at their disposal following the directive of His Excellency Senator Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke the Osun State Governor, to effectively protect their areas of responsibilities and ensure smooth celebrations during and after Eid-el-Adha festivities.
“There is no call for alarm as the operatives of the corps were on red alert in all the local government in the state for the hitch-free Sallah celebration.
“I have also warned commanders and operational operatives to ensure that personnel under them stick to the Osun Amotekun Corps extant rules of engagement and guard against acts of unprofessionalism as they will be held vicariously liable for any lapses.
“I entreat all and sundry to celebrate responsibly and peacefully as well as call on Muslims Ummah to use the period to pray for the peace and progress of Osun State and Nigeria at large,” Adewinmbi said.
While assuring of adequate security and safety during and beyond the period of the celebration, Adewinmbi called on residents to remain supportive, law-abiding, and vigilant, while promptly reporting acts of crime and criminality to the nearest Amotekun Command and other security agencies.
Sallah: Osun Amotekun assures of maximum security

Minimum Wage: Beware of mass sack – Nigerian Govt tells Labour

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Minimum Wage: Beware of mass sack – Nigerian Govt tells Labour

The Federal Government has warned the organized labour against negotiating a new minimum wage that would lead to mass retrenchment of workers or endanger the welfare of about 200 million Nigerians.
Speaking at the opening of the 2024 Synod of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, noted that the N250,000 minimum wage demanded by labour could undermine the economy.
The Information Minister stressed the imperative of a realistic wage system that safeguards against mass retrenchment while addressing workers’ needs.
Idris restated the government’s dedication to reassessing the minimum wage but cautioned against demands that could disrupt the economy.
He stated: “As I have repeatedly said, the Federal Government is not opposed to the increase of wages for Nigerian workers but we keep on advocating for a realistic and sustainable wage system for the workers – a wage system that will not undermine the economy, lead to mass retrenchment of workers and jeopardize the welfare of about 200 million Nigerians.
“We want the labour unions to understand that the relief that Nigerians are expecting, and that they fully deserve, will not come only in the form of an increase in wages.
“It will also come as an effort to reduce the cost of living and to ensure that more money stays in the pockets of Nigerians.
“And this is where programs like the Presidential CNG initiative come in.
That program alone, by replacing or complementing petrol usage with CNG, will cut transportation costs by as much as 50 per cent.”
Minimum Wage: Beware of mass sack – Nigerian Govt tells Labour

Fonseca named new AC Milan coach

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Fonseca named new AC Milan coach

Former Roma coach Paulo Fonseca is to return to Italy as the new boss of AC Milan, the Serie A runners-up announced on Thursday.

“Milan’s new coach will be Paulo Fonseca,” said former Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, representing the owner, at a press conference.

Fonseca, 51, who has signed a three-year contract, has been with French club Lille since 2022.

He succeeds Stefano Pioli, who was sacked at the end of the 2023-24 season after five seasons in charge.

“We studied very carefully what he did, how he prepared his matches,” said Ibrahimovic, who had two spells as a player with the club, ending his on-field career with Milan in 2023.

“We want him to bring his identity of game, his offensive style to our team, to our players.

“After five years we wanted something new, with all respect to Stefano Pioli.”

Born in Nampula, Mozambique, in 1973, Fonseca began his coaching career in Portugal with stints at Pacos de Ferreira, Porto and Braga before spending three years at Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, where he won seven trophies and finished with a record of 103 wins in 139 matches.

In 2019, he took over at Roma, whom he led to fifth and seventh in Serie A, before heading to Lille, taking them to fifth and fourth in Ligue 1 and guiding them into Europe in both seasons he had in France.

Milan are coming off a trophy-less season — their 19th league title came in 2022 — where they were second best by some distance to city rivals Inter who won the title.

They were eliminated from the Champions League at the group stage, finishing third behind Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain and lost to AS Roma in the quarter-finals of the Europa League

The announcement marks Fonseca the second big managerial change in Italy in two days.

On Wednesday, Juventus named Thiago Motta as their successor to Massimiliano Allegri who was sacked last month.

AFP

Troops storm terrorists’ camp in Plateau, recover weapons

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Troops storm terrorists’ camp in Plateau, recover weapons

Troops of the Nigerian Army recovered weapons after storming a terrorist camp in Pandem forest, Qua’an Pan LGA of Plateau State.
A counterinsurgency expert focused on the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, said the raid was conducted by troops of Operation Safe Haven in the state.
According to Makama, the troops carried out the operation on June 12.
Intelligence sources told Makama that the terrorists fled the location upon sighting the troops.
The sources said the troops discovered a recently dugout enclave in the forest.
It was gathered that during the raid, the troops searched the location and discovered hidden two AK-47 rifles, two AK-47 magazines and 13 rounds of 7.62 MM special ammunition.
The sources added that the troops have intensified efforts to apprehend the fleeing terrorists.
Recall that in April, troops recovered a bread factory at a hideout of the Islamic State of West African Province, ISWAP, in Borno.
The troops also discovered a factory in Abulam-BUK, Damboa LGA of Borno state where ISWAP fighters manufacture improvised explosive devices, IEDs.
Troops storm terrorists’ camp in Plateau, recover weapons

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