A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has restricted participants in the August 1 hunger protest against the federal government to the MKO Abiola stadium, also known as the National Stadium.
Justice Sylvanus Oriji issued the order on Wednesday in Abuja while delivering a ruling in an ex-parte application brought before him by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
In the ex parte application argued by Chief Ogwu James Onoja, the FCT Minister had applied for an order of interim injunction restraining the five leaders of the protesting groups from gathering or parading themselves along any roadway, streets, offices and public premises within the FCT between August 1 and 10, or any other day thereafter, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
He also applied for another order of interim injunction mandating the security agencies to prevent the protesting leaders from gathering or parading themselves along any roadway, office or public premises within the FCT between August 1 and 10, pending the hearing of his motion on notice.
The minister, who said that the federal government was not averse to the protest, claimed that intelligence and security reports reaching him indicated that some elements within the leadership of the protesters intend to capitalise on the planned protest to cause havoc and irreparable damage to public facilities and block roadways to prevent movement of persons and vehicles and disturb public peace.
He claimed that when he contacted the security agencies to ensure that the planned protest did not degenerate into criminality and disturbance of public peace and order, he was told that they are not well equipped to manage any crisis that may arise from the planned protest at short notice; hence, they advised him that prevention is better than cure.
The minister tendered an exhibit from the “Take it Back Movement, FCT”, signed by one Damilare Adenola, in which they threatened to invade the Presidential Villa and also threatened to pull down the outer wires facing the Aso Rock villa during the protest
Besides, they demanded that the FCT provide them with light as well as toilets during the duration of the protest.
In his ruling, Justice Oriji, who recognised the rights of the protesters to embark on the protest, restricted them to the stadium because of the genuine fears expressed by the minister.
“In the light of the above, the court considers it appropriate and expedient to grant an order under the omnibus or general prayer to ensure that the rights of the protesters are guaranteed and that the protest does not negatively or adversely affect the rights of other citizens to move about and to ensure that properties and other public facilities are not destroyed,” the judge held.
He therefore ordered the 1st to 5th respondents to “use the Moshood Abiola Stadium” only for the protest.
Meanwhile, the court ordered the service of processes in the suit as well as the confinement order on the respondents by placing the same in the newspapers.
Defendants in the suit are Omoyele Sowore, Damilare Adenola, Adama Ukpabi, Tosin Harsogba, persons unknown, Inspector General IG of Police, Commissioner of Police, Director General of the State Security Service, Director General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, and Chief of Naval Staff as 1st to 12th respondents.
BREAKING: Court restricts protesters in Abuja to National Stadium
BREAKING: Court restricts protesters in Abuja to National Stadium
Hunger protest: Plot to cause mayhem in Rivers uncovered
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that there is credible information that some mercenaries and thugs have been hired from outside, in the guise of protest, to destroy valuable infrastructure assets in the state.
The governor maintained that the Rivers residents have already resolved not to participate in the planned 10 days of nationwide protest scheduled to begin on August 1.
Fubara made the revelation when he addressed representatives of Civil Society Organisations, stakeholders of National Association of Nigerian Students, Rivers State ethnic and youth groups, and Port Harcourt Motor Spare Parts Dealers Union, Ikoku Branch, among others at the Banquet Hall of Government House in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Nelson Chukwudi, and sent to newsmen.
The governor insisted that several public and clandestine activities of the self-styled detractors over the last months are clear indications that Rivers State does have unrepentant enemies who will do everything possible within their means to destabilize the State.
Governor Fubara said, “You are already aware of the political situation of our State where people are looking for every avenue to destabilise this state. We don’t need to give them that opportunity to carry out that act.
“And that is the reason why I, representing the government, and the service commanders, have always been in touch with you all, pleading that we should shelve this protest.
“And even if you have to do it, we should do it in a way and manner that it will not get out of control.
“I have information that you don’t have. I am aware of the people who are being hired to come into this state to cause mayhem. If anything happens here, we are going to be the greatest losers.
“Our property will be destroyed. Our economy will be destroyed. And when they finish, they will go back to their states.”
He said further, “Look at what has happened in Kenya. It will take them another 20 years to rebuild those things that are being destroyed.
“In Rivers State, we are not that financially buoyant to now start retrogressing where we have already passed. Instead of maintaining and increasing what we have, we will be thinking of rebuilding, if destroyed. Let us not allow it to happen.”
Fubara acknowledged the prevailing economic hardship that Nigerians are facing but quickly added that the Federal Government, under President Bola Tinubu, is taking believable actions that are geared towards addressing the current hardship and securing a better future for the people.
He urged the activists to look at all the angles to the reasons proffered by the organisers of the planned protest so that they do not just embrace it to please persons who are aggrieved because the system does not favour them.
Naira recovers, trades N1,608/$1 at official window
The naira recovered slightly against the American dollar on Wednesday.
Data from the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) showed that the domestic currency gained N13 to close the month at N1,608/$1, down from N1,621/$1 recorded on Tuesday.
The intra-day high and low recorded during the day were N1,645/$1 and N1,399/$1 respectively, representing a wide spread of N246$1.
READ ALSO: Naira sheds N2 to begin week at N1,611/$1 at official window
The naira lost N15 against the dollar at the parallel section of the foreign exchange market to trade N1, 610/$1 as against the N1, 595/$1 it recorded the previous day.
The naira also shed N5 against the British Pound to trade N2,085£1 as against the previous trading day’s N2,080£1.
The Canadian dollar continues to close flat against the naira to trade at N1,200| CA$1.
The naira lost N10 against the Euro to trade ₦1,750/€1 as against the previous ₦1,740/€1.
By: Babajide Okeowo
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Tinubu mourns Ondo monarch
President Bola Tinubu has extended his condolences to the people of Idanre, the government and the people of Ondo State, over the passing of the Owa of Idanre kingdom and paramount ruler of Idanre land, Oba Frederick Aroloye.
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, on Wednesday, the President paid tribute to the first-class traditional ruler.
Tinubu described the late monarch as “an advocate of peace, prosperity, and development during his remarkable 48-year reign on the throne of his ancestors.”
“While joining the good people of Idanre to pray for the repose of the soul of the late monarch, the President affirms that the Owa will be long remembered for upholding the dignity of the throne and for his unwavering commitment to the progress of his people,” he said.
The monarch passed away on Wednesday at the age of 102.
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PRP urges Nigerian govt to initiate peace moves with #EndBadGovernance protesters
The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) on Friday urged the Federal Government to initiate peace moves with organisers of the #EndBadGovernance protests.
The PRP National Chairman, Malam Falalu Bello, made the call in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
A nationwide protest called by a group of Nigerians to show their displeasure with the hardship and other problems occasioned by the policy initiatives of the current administration will take place on August 1.
The Federal Government and other concerned Nigerians have continued to appeal to organisers of the protest to drop the idea to avoid a repeat of the unfortunate experience of the October 2020 #ENDSARS protests in the country.
READ ALSO: Nigerian govt urges #EndBadGovernance protesters to embrace dialogue
The Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, on Tuesday, restricted the protesters to the Freedom Park in Ojota and Peace Park in the Ketu area of the state.
Bello said: “We acknowledge the inherent right of citizens to protest and exercise their fundamental freedoms as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution which guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and association.”
He said that the current wave of protests in Nigeria was a testament to the resilience and determination of citizens to demand better governance and improvement in their living conditions.
“We urge the government to listen attentively to the cries of the protesters and take concrete steps to address their concerns.
“In the last years, the PRP has consistently advocated for good governance in Nigeria.
“We have called for a reduction in the cost of governance, urging the government to prioritise prudent spending and eliminate wasteful expenditure.
“We have also emphasised the need to tackle corruption head-on, holding those in power accountable for their actions and ensuring transparency in public transactions.
“Furthermore, we have pushed for improved security measures to ensure the safety and well-being of all Nigerians,” the PRP chief added.
Bello urged protesters to exercise their rights responsibly and peacefully.
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Guinea ex-dictator Dadis Camara jailed for 20 years over 2009 massacre
A Guinean court sentenced ex-dictator Moussa Dadis Camara to 20 years in jail for crimes against humanity on Wednesday, after a landmark trial over a 2009 massacre at a political rally.
Seven other defendants were handed sentences of up to life imprisonment at the end of a landmark trial that played out over nearly two years.
On September 28, 2009, and in the following days, members of Dadis Camara’s presidential guard, soldiers, police and militia brutally suppressed an opposition rally at a stadium in the suburbs of Conakry.
In one of the darkest chapters in the West African nation’s history, at least 156 people were killed, hundreds more wounded and 109 women raped, according to a UN-mandated commission of inquiry.
Security forces had been massively deployed for the hearing, in a case keenly awaited by victims’ families for nearly 15 years.
Just before sentencing, the court had announced the charges would be classified as crimes against humanity.
And the court also ordered for compensation to be paid to the victims, running from 200 million to 1.5 billion Guinean francs ($23,000 to $174,000).
“This trial is of the utmost importance to me,” Kadiatou Sow, who was raped during the massacre and the aftermath of the massacre, told AFP before the sentencing.
“I want these soldiers to pay a heavy price with sentences befitting their crimes,” she added.
Sow also lost her husband, whose body was never found.
– Crimes against humanity –
Ten of the 12 accused were present to hear the court’s judgement.
Former junta chief Dadis Camara, dressed in a traditional green and yellow boubou, remained motionless as the verdict was read by the court in the capital Conakry.
He was also convicted of having planned to suppress the demonstration and of having failed to punish those who carried it out.
Along with 11 other government and military officials, Dadis Camara had been accused of murder, sexual violence, torture, abduction and kidnapping.
He always denied any responsibility, blaming his subordinates.
The trial — which began on September 28, 2022, the anniversary of the killings — gripped the West African nation, with the courtroom drama carried on television and radio.
Judges heard from 11 defendants — who blamed each other for the massacre during the trial — as well as a dozen witnesses. Around 100 victims provided chilling testimonies.
Before the sentence was handed down, Asmaou Diallo, president of an association of the massacre’s victims and their relatives, told AFP their eyes would all be fixed on the judge.
“We really expect the truth and for light to be shed with this verdict,” Diallo said.
The chief prosecutor had called for Dadis Camara and other defendants to be sentenced to life in prison.
– ‘Moment of truth’ –
Defence lawyers had argued that reclassifying the charges as crimes against humanity on the day of the ruling would rob them of an opportunity to defend themselves and infringe their right to a fair trial.
Both the accused and the plaintiffs have 15 days to appeal the verdict. The prosecutor’s office will have two months.
Ahead of the verdict, Tamara Aburamadan, an international justice legal counsel for Human Rights Watch, called it “a long-awaited moment of truth for the victims and their families”.
But the trial has taken place against a background of repression of both the opposition to Guinea’s military rulers and the media.
The day before the verdict, protests against the “forced disappearance” of pro-democracy activists Oumar Sylla and Mamadou Billo Bah paralysed parts of Conakry, with several injured in clashes between demonstrators and the police.
Though the authorities deny holding the pair, civil society organisations say they are being held incommunicado. They have called for further demonstrations.
International organisations and human rights activists have highlighted the unprecedented nature of the trial in Guinea.
It is the first of its kind to challenge the impunity of the country’s security forces, which are seldom held to account, according to the UN probe.
AFP
Police detonate explosive device in Lagos
The Lagos State Police Command anti-bomb squad has deactivated an improvised explosive device in the Ikeja area of the state.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this to According Online on Wednesday.
He said the device, which was wrapped in a bag, was dropped by the roadside from an unregistered vehicle along Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way.
Details later…
Dayo, a Sociology graduate, covers City and Crime on the Metro Desk. He is a resourceful, self-motivated and result-driven journalist.
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Nigerians can now earn up-to 20% returns by investing in treasury bills, fixed income, commodities and real estate. Managing investments is best on this app. start now
Food prices are going up, but smart Nigerians are making millions from trading foods and commodities on this app. Start here
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Police dismisses report of attack on Owerri correctional centre
The Imo State police command has dismissed a report on the attack on the Owerri Correctional Center by gunmen.
The command’s spokesman, ASP Henry Okoye, made the clarification in a statement on Wednesday in Owerri.
He was reacting to a report by an online platform that hoodlums attacked the facility on Wednesday.
The spokesman described the report as false and misleading.
Okoye said: “The command wishes to state clearly that the said publication is entirely false, misleading, and malicious.
“The publication is a calculated attempt by mischief makers to create unnecessary fear and anxiety in the minds of the people of Imo.
“We wish to inform Imo people that the operatives of the entire security agencies have been massively deployed to all the nooks and crannies of the state, including the correctional center to avert any threat of attack.”
He similarly dismissed a video of an alleged invasion of a hostel at the Imo State University (IMSU) by security personnel.
He warned the university students not to have anything to do with the planned nationwide protest in the country.
“A thorough investigation of the video revealed that nothing of such happened in either the IMSU hostel or anywhere in the state.
“The command is committed to protecting the rights of peaceful protesters but warned against any violent demonstration that could lead to the destruction of lives and property in the state.
“Consequently, a thorough investigation has been initiated to apprehend the purveyor of the misleading publication cum video,” the spokesman added.
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August 1: Give Tinubu more time – Kogi East Senator Echocho to youths
In the light of the impending August 1 nationwide protest, Kogi East Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho has called for patience among the youth of the area.
Echocho asserted that the current economic challenges will soon pave the way for brighter days.
The senator’s statement comes amidst widespread frustration and calls for change due to escalating economic hardships.
In a statement he issued, Echocho acknowledged the difficulties faced by Nigerians but stressed the importance of trusting President Bola Tinubu’s vision and plans for national development.
Expressing optimism about the president’s capacity to fulfil his promises, he emphasised that the sacrifices currently being made are temporary and necessary for long-term improvement in the lives of citizens.
He urged youths to exercise patience and allow time for the president’s reforms to take effect.
Echocho listed several measures that the federal government has taken to address issues related to hunger and other pressing challenges. These include “food distribution to various states and local governments across Nigeria; the turnaround maintenance of federal government-owned refineries, set to commence before the end of this financial year; sales of crude oil to Dangote in naira to encourage production activities; distribution of fertilisers to farmers; and provision of capital support to market women.”
He said: “The government is prioritising the welfare of its citizens and working towards delivering tangible results that will enhance their lives.”
He underscored the critical need for unity and support during these challenging times, recognising that while his appeal is a positive step, more action is required to alleviate the widespread suffering among Nigerians.
He concluded by reiterating the need for collective unity and support as the nation navigates these turbulent times, emphasising that such solidarity is crucial to overcoming current challenges and building a better future for all Nigerians.
August 1: Give Tinubu more time – Kogi East Senator Echocho to youths
Lagos police to enforce court restrictions on protest timing, venues
The Lagos State Police Command has assured residents of its commitment to maintaining peace and order in the state as nationwide protests are set to begin on Thursday, August 1.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday which stated that the command will not allow any person or group to infringe on the fundamental human rights of others, including the right to freedom of movement and dignity.
The statement read, “The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Adegoke Fayoade, mni has assured Lagosians that the Command has emplaced necessary measures to ensure safety of lives and property, free flow of traffic and a peaceful environment for carrying out their respective lawful duties.
“This assurance has become imperative following news making the rounds about nationwide protests billed to start on Thursday, August 1, 2024, an action capable of grounding commercial activities and obstructing free flow of traffic.”
The command also emphasised its role in enforcing a court order restricting protests to designated areas.
It added “Also, the command is in receipt of an order from a court of competent jurisdiction restricting peaceful public protest, rallies, procession and meetings to Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ikorodu Road, Ojota Lagos and Peace Park, Ketu, Lagos from 8 am to 6 pm on 1st – 10th August, 2024.
“The Nigeria Police Force, as a law enforcement agency, shall duly enforce this order.
“To this end, the command hereby assures everyone willing to join in the proposed protests that maximum security will be provided at the indicated locations.”
The police urged protesters to abide by the security arrangements to ensure zero breakdown of law and order and prevent hijack of the protests.
Residents were also urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station as CP Fayoade has reassured peace-loving Lagosians to go about their lawful duties without fear of harassment or intimidation.
According Online reports that a Lagos State High Court, on Tuesday, restricted the proposed nationwide protest in Lagos to the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota and the Peace Park in Ketu.
