Falana writes Buhari, seeks release of 40 Nigerians from ‘illegal custody’ of navy

Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to order the release of 40 Nigerians who have been in “illegal custody” of the Nigerian navy.

In a letter on Sunday, the senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said the individuals had been arrested and imprisoned without being arraigned in court.

TheCable had earlier reported how the detainees including Dada Labinjo, a navy captain, and Sherifat Ibe Lambert (also known as Mrs Bola Labinjo), a lt. commander, have been in detention since September 2018 for an undisclosed offence.

Falana had earlier called on Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), to take action against the naval authorities over the “violations of the fundamental rights of the detainees”.

He said the naval authorities had obtained a remand warrant from a magistrate’s court in Apapa, Lagos, but after three months of incarceration without any criminal charges filed against the detainees, the court reviewed their case on January 7, 2019, and ordered that they should be released immediately.

In his letter, the lawyer said the “unlawful detention” contravened sections of the 1999 constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights Ratification and Enforcement.

“We have received complaints from the family members of 40 Nigerian citizens who are being detained without trial on the orders of the Authorities of  the Nigerian Navy,” the letter read.

“It may interest Your Excellency to know that the detainees have been held incommunicado in dehumanising conditions for periods ranging from six to eight months.

“In fact, some of the detainees are incarcerated in an underground military detention facility in Abuja while others are held inside one of the vessels impounded by the Nigerian Navy in Marina, Lagos.

“The  detainees have been subjected to mental, psychological and physical torture contrary to the provisions of the Anti Torture Act, 2017.

“Furthermore, in utter contempt of court the authorities of the Nigerian Navy have defied valid and subsisting orders of competent courts for the unconditional release of some of the detainees.

“Apart from such contemptuous conduct the Nigerian Navy recently denied knowledge of the whereabouts of the 15 detainees held in a detention facility  in Abuja.

“As soon as we pointed out that  the remand order procured by the Nigerian Navy for the detention of the 15 detainees had been quashed by the Chief Magistrate Court in Apapa, Lagos State the Naval Authorities turned round to file criminal charges against 5 of them before a Court Martial.

“Since all the detainees are entitled to their fundamental rights to dignity and liberty guaranteed by sections 34 and 35 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended and articles 5 and 6 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights Ratification and Enforcement Act (Cap A9) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, we urge Your Excellency to direct the Chief Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, to either release the detainees from unlawful custody or arraign them in court without any further delay.

“In view of the fact that the illegal detention of the 40 Nigerian citizens for several months  without trial has exposed the Federal Government to unwarranted embarrassment the Chief of Naval Staff ought to be sanctioned by Your Excellency.”

Below is a list of all the detainees:

• Captain Dada Labinjo,
• Lt. Commander Sherifat Ibe Lambert
• Benjamin Gold
• Peter Pulle,
• Pius Paul,
• Onoja Reuben,
• Adeleke Adewale,
• Labinjo Kehinde,
• Ogunmoyero Oluwasehun,
• Emmanuel Oputa,
• Innocent Sunday,
• Iejoro Friday,
• Hamza Yakubu,
• Segun Yusuf.
• Master-Melvin Jack ;
• Chief Mate-Adebayo Mayoma
• Chief Mate- Francis Oneyema
• 2nd Eng-Godwill Umoh
• Bosin-Miebaka Iyala
• Elect 2-Edu Fidelis
• Elect 2-Richard David
• Camp Boss-Daniel Harrison
• Asaiki Okeoghene
• AB 1-Omogoye Bolaji
• AB 2-Victor Uchendu
• AB 3-Oloyede Ademola
• Oiler-Simon Onyisi Mike
• Eng cadet-Udom Victor Jerome
• Godwin Etiaka Ojodusi        
• Sixtus Ganabel                          
• Owei Ukuto                               
• Jeremiah Victor                          
• Collins Joel                
• Augustine Omonisa                    
• MV Akemijo Deborah          
• Mike Simeon
• Umoren Daniel
• James Archibong
• Umon Godswill Emmanuel
• MT Adeline Jumbo

Governors ‘should stop’ holding funds meant for legislature, judiciary

Some stakeholders have complained about the poor compliance to the financial autonomy granted the legislature and judiciary of respective states in the country.

In a statement issued at the end of a two-day conference in Abuja, the stakeholders comprising Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation, Ita Enang, a presidential aide, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for assenting to the fourth alteration bill which grants the houses of assembly and judiciary of states financial autonomy.

The president had, in December 2018, constituted an implementation committee to drive the actualisation of the autonomy.

The stakeholders complained that many states have fallen short of compliance while calling for the adoption of “the budgeting model operating at the federal level where the sum due to the judiciary and the legislature are captured as first line charge in the budget laid before and passed by the legislature”.

Among the demands they made were the call for: “the budget proposal of the legislature and judiciary should be defended before the relevant committees of the legislature”.

“That the total sum, both capital and recurrent, approved in the annual budget of the state, be released monthly on a pro–rata basis by the accountant-general of the state, directly to the heads of the legislature and the judiciary, and heads of judicial service committee or commission,” they said in a communique.

“That the budgeted sum, capital and recurrent howsoever described, be released to the judiciary to be spent by the judiciary on the projects, programmes and capital development of the judiciary, including recruitment and training of personnel. And so for the legislature.

“That the current practice in some states where appropriated recurrent expenditure due the judiciary and legislature in the budget, are released to the judiciary and legislature and the capital components are warehoused in the executive is hereby abolished.

“That the model budget template of the judiciary and legislature, the strata of line consultations and inter arms, as well as inter-agency pre-budget consultations and front loading as already done in some states, be adopted.”

They also demanded the creation of “a state allocation committee comprising the commissioner of finance, the accountant general of the state, the clerk of the state house of assembly, the chief registrars of high courts, sharia court of appeal and customary courts, the secretary of the judicial service commission/committee and the secretary of the state assembly service commission if any, for the purpose of determining the amount due to each arm of government based on the budgetary provision but subject to the funds available to the state.

“The retirement benefit and pensions of judicial officers of superior courts of records in the state should be paid by the national judicial council as they receive their salaries and allowances from the NJC while in office.

“Encourage all state houses of assembly to pass funds management law or budget process law by whatever name called, as a legal framework that will ensure judicious budgeting and use of funds accrued to the state.”

The communique was signed by Malami, Enang, Paul Usoro, president of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA); Nasiru Ajanah, chief judge, Kogi state and 18 others.

The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) had pledged commitment to full implementation of the autonomy.

- THECABLE

Google doodle celebrates posthumous birthday of late Samuel Okwaraji

Google Doodle on Sunday celebrated the posthumous birthday of professional footballer, Samuel Okwaraji.

Google Doodle is a special, temporary alteration of the logo on Google’s homepages, intended to commemorate holidays, events, achievements, and notable historical figures.

“Samuel Sochukwuma Okwaraji was a professional footballer who played internationally for Nigeria.

“He was also a qualified lawyer who had a masters in international law from the Pontifical Lateran University of Rome.

“Samuel Okwaraji, a Nigerian midfielder was born on May 19, 1964, to Janet Okwaraji and David Okwaraji.

“He collapsed and died of congestive heart failure in the 77th minute of a World Cup qualification match against Angola at the Lagos National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos State on August 12, 1989.

“The autopsy showed that the 25-year-old had an enlarged heart and high blood pressure. The sudden death was similar to that of Marc-Vivien Foé less than 14 years later,” it said.

During his football years, Okwaraji enjoyed successes as he had a stint with European football clubs; AS Roma, Austria Klagenfurt, NK Dinamo Zagreb, VfB Stuttgart.

As such, he was made a member of the Green Eagles squad of 1988 and scored the fastest goals in the history of African Nations Cup.

Okwaraji died at the age of 25.

- PM NEWS

Police confirm killing of Igbinedion varsity lecturer

DanMallam said the lecturer, Kelvin Izevbekhai, was killed in an attempted escape bid when the victims were being marched into the forest by the kidnappers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the gunmen were said to be operating near Okada junction along the Benin-Lagos highway.

It was learnt that the gunmen abducted Izevbekhai and other passengers in the bus they were travelling in.

“The driver of the minibus was said to have fled into the bush along with four other passengers.

“Unfortunately, one of the passengers who tried to escape during the abduction was killed by the gunmen.

“The police went after the kidnappers in the bush and succeeded in rescuing the victims.”

He said the police were working on a new strategy which entails taking the war to the kidnappers’ den in the jungle, adding that it is the best way to tackle the scourge.

Spokesman for the university, Mr Jide Ilugbo, who confirmed the killing described it as “barbaric.”

İlugbo said late Izevbekhai was a First Class graduate and was employed in the university in 2016.

He said it was now dangerous to travel on the Benin-Lagos highway due to frequent attacks by armed robbers and kidnappers.

The official said it was unfortunate he ran into hoodlums, saying that the trailer parked before Okada junction is a hideout for criminals.

- PM NEWS

SHOCKING ! School gardener kills SS 3 student in Lagos

Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested a school gardener for allegedly killing a Senior Secondary School (SSS) three student of Jubril Martins Memorial Grammar School, Iponri, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

A statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Bala Elkana on Sunday said the incident occurred on May 15, 2019.

According to Elkana, at about 2.40pm on May 16, the Iponri Police Station received a complaint from Jubril Martins Memorial Grammar School, Iponri that on the previous day at about 4.40pm one Femi Aderonmu, a gardener with the said School engaged one Adagun Rafiu, 16, an SSS 3 student in a fight along Oke-Olu road Iponri and that in the process, the student fell down and became unconscious and was rushed to Smith Medical Hospital where he later died.

“Eye witness accounts show that the deceased person was returning home with his friends after writing WAEC and the suspect blocked him on the way and pulled him down, on the accusation that the deceased student has insulted him before.

“Homicide detectives from State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, have visited the Crime scene, corpse of the deceased is deposited at the mortuary for autopsy. The suspect is arrested and will be charged to Court for murder,” he said.

- PM NEWS

EFCC smokes out 10 ‘Yahoo boys’ in Abuja, seizes car, laptops

The Abuja Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, at the weekend, arrested ten suspected internet fraudsters.

They were Habib Adeyemi, Lawal Kehinde, Victory Jemibor, Solomon Enuneke, Ubgehi Joshua and Tosan Ogbe. Others are Onajite Ejovwo, Anthony Igbonoeme, Tunde Azeez and Adeyemi Habib.

A statement by the commission said operatives swung into action following intelligence report on their activities.

Some of the items recovered from them were two (2) exotic cars Six (6) laptops, 10 smart phones and 1 international passport.

The suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

- DAILY POST

39-year-old woman strips naked in Lagos church, urinates on altar

A 39-year-old petty trader, identified as Aderibigbe has shocked fellow worshippers after she stripped naked and urinated on the altar.

She was arraigned before the Yaba Magistrate’s Court in Yaba in Lagos at the weekend for insult on religion and disorderly conduct.

Aderibigbe, a resident of Pedro Area of Lagos was alleged to have committed the crime at Firebrand Power Ministry, Lagos State.

Sergeant Modupe Olaluwoye, the Police prosecutor, informed the court that the defendant committed the offence at 8 p.m. on May 13, at No. 49, Onabola St., Ladi-lak area of Bariga, Lagos.

According to the Prosecutor, Mr Francis Osibowale, the Pastor in charge of the church, caught the defendant’s 15-year-old son vandalising church property.

“My Lord, when Aderibigbe was told that the pastor had taken her son to the station, she took off her clothes inside the church building.

“She also climbed the altar and began to urinate,” she said.

Osibowale told the court that offence goes agsinst the provisions of sections 124 and 168 (a) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

If found guilty, the defendant is liable to two years jail term for the offence of insult on religion while disorderly conduct stipulates three months upon conviction, both with options of fine.

Mrs. Oluwatoyin Oghere, the Chief Magistrate, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum.

The judge ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed and must show evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos state government.

The matter was adjourned until May 22 for mention.

- DAILY POST