Vreporters

Month: May 2023

  • Assault: Court Dismisses Police Bid To Arraign Seun Kuti

    Assault: Court Dismisses Police Bid To Arraign Seun Kuti


    A Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in the Yaba area of Lagos has dismissed an application by the Nigeria Police Force seeking to arraign Afrobeats singer, Seun Kuti, over alleged assault on a police officer.

    Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun adjourned till July 3 to await legal advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on the matter.

    The musician was in court on Wednesday for the hearing of his case. He was released on bail on Tuesday evening following his detention at the State Criminal Investigative Department, Panti since May 15.

    At the resumed hearing of the case, police counsel, Cyril Ejiofor sought the leave of court to arraign the singer, having preferred a charge against him.

    But Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, representing the defendant, urged the court to dismiss the application and instead accused the police of disobeying the subsisting orders of the court.

    “We have a serious objection to the proposed arraignment on two solid legal grounds; that he is entitled to at least 48 hours’ notice within which to answer to the charge, by virtue of section 82 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos,” he stated.

    “We came here this morning only for the police to say a charge has been filed and most importantly, this charge is contemptuous of the valid and subsisting court order of May 16, that upon the completion of the investigation, the prosecution of the case is to be transferred to the state government, as police can’t investigate and prosecute the case. But the police in total defiance, ignored the order of the court.

    “Also, on the 18th of May, the court adjourned the case to May 23 for the DPP’s advice. Until the court orders are complied with by the IGP, this court can’t entertain the charge from the police.

    “They owe it a duty to disclose to the court why they have overruled this court on the prosecution of this case. There is no appeal against the court’s order. We urge the court to disregard the application of the police, as it is an attempt to treat the court with provocative contempt.”

    In his response to the senior lawyer’s arguments, the police counsel urged the court to dismiss the objection saying that Section 23 of the Police Act, 2020, empowers them to prosecute cases and that the Nigeria Police cannot wait for the state government, having already sent the case file to them.

    “We also rely on last week’s rulings of this court. We have compiled and duplicated this file to the office of the DPP. It is left for them to do their job, we cannot wait for them.

    “We are empowered by law to prosecute all the way to the Supreme Court. Under Section 23 of the Police Act, we have ultimate powers to prosecute which aren’t in conflict with Sections 174 and 211 of the Nigerian Constitution, which gives the AG powers to take over any case, but we cannot wait for the state.

    “The orders of last week have been vacated, and we cannot rely on them as they have no life. Nothing shall apply as a stay of proceedings, not even a pending DPP’s advice. It is unlawful for Silk to address the court when a plea hasn’t been taken. We urge the court to order the defendant to take his plea,” the police counsel said.

    In her ruling, the magistrate, having issued the previous orders, insisted on awaiting the DPP’s advice, before proceeding with the case.

    The courtroom was packed full, and many observers applauded the court’s decision but the court frowned at the applause and threatened to send those at the gallery out.

    Seun Kuti, who was in the dock throughout the proceedings, was also spotted jubilating over the development and turning to look at his wife who was seated, earning another warning from the court.

    According to the Investigating Police Officer, Lekan Ogundare, Seun Kuti committed the offence on May 13 on the Third Mainland Bridge.

    The defendant was said to have driven dangerously on the bridge and deliberately blocked a moving police vehicle.

    He is also alleged to have grabbed one Inspector Mohammed Aminu attached to the Police Training College, Ikeja, who was on official movement and in police uniform.

    The police also said the defendant slapped the officer several times on his face.

  • Kwara Governor Abdulrazaq Emerges New NGF Chairman

    Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State has emerged as the new Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF).

    He replaced Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State whose tenure of office would elapse on May 29.

    This was contained in a communiqué signed by Tambuwal at the end of the 7th emergency meeting of the state governors held on Tuesday night in Abuja.

    It was gathered that Governor Abdulrazaq emerged through consensus while Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde was chosen as vice chairman of the forum.

    “On the leadership of the Forum, the Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, emerged the new Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum through a consensus, and the Governor of Oyo State Seyi Makinde is now the vice chairman,” the communique read in part.

    “Members expressed satisfaction with the success of the just concluded induction for new and returning governors that took place between the 14th and 19th of May, 2023.

    “Members committed to sustained collaboration among the states through enhanced peer review, learning at the sub-national level and deepening the relationship with the federal government and other institutions.

    “Finally, members were briefed by the Chairman of the Forum that the Hon. Minister of Finance has granted the request of the Forum to immediately stop further deductions from the accounts of states to meet Local Government Councils London Paris Club obligations and the monies so far deducted be paid back to the states.”

  • Seun Kuti Regains Freedom After Spending Days in Police Cell (Video)

    Afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti has regained his freedom from police custody after meeting bail conditions on Tuesday.

    Kuti has been detained by the police for allegedly assaulting a police officer some days ago on Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos.

    Recall that Kuti’s lawyers in a statement had earlier said that he would be released on bail as ordered by the Magistrate.

  • Former UK PM, Tony Blair Visits President-elect, Tinubu Ahead of May 29 Inauguration

    Former United Kingdom Prime Minister, Tony Blair, on Tuesday, arrived in Nigeria and currently in talks with the President-elect, Bola Tinubu.

    However, the reason for his visitation is yet to be revealed at the time of filing this report.

    Blair served as UK Prime Minister between 1997 and 2007.

  • Tension in ATBU as ASUU Chairman Reportedly Assaulted by Soldiers

    Tension in ATBU as ASUU Chairman Reportedly Assaulted by Soldiers

    Punch Newspaper

    Residents of Yelwa Campus of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi State and its environs have been thrown into palpable tension following students’ rampage on Monday after the Chairman of the University’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of the Universities, Dr Ibrahim Inuwa, was allegedly assaulted by some soldiers.

    Inuwa was allegedly assaulted when some soldiers in a convoy of two vehicles drove into the campus but were stopped by the university’s security and prevented from going inside because their vehicles had tinted glasses.

    While the school security personnel were still dragging with the soldiers, Inuwa got to the gate and sought to inquire what was happening but the soldiers allegedly repeatedly slapped him, PUNCH reports.

    It was reported that at 10:15p.m on Monday, scores of students were seen shouting and insisting that the five soldiers who were taken to the institution’s security office be released to them so they could avenge what was done to the ASUU chairman.

    The angry students have reportedly closed down and blocked two major gates leading to the campus as they denied cars access into the school, while those going out had to also turn back, while at the security office where the soldiers were taken, the students tried to force themselves inside but were prevented by the school’s security.


    Inuwa said he was on his way home when he saw the soldiers harassing the security man on duty at the gate, and he parked his car and came to ask what was going on, but immediately, the soldiers started hauling abuse on him.


    The ASUU chairman said that one of the soldiers suddenly descended on him with slaps.

    Inuwa was quoted as saying, “Just this (Monday) night, a few minutes after 8 pm, I was going out of the university and I saw a convoy of two vehicles, they were busy arguing and harassing the security man on duty. At that time, most of the security men were praying in a mosque by the gate. So I had to stop because it is my responsibility as the chairman of the union.

    “I told them that this is a university and we have our rules, and the next thing, they started shoving me, then one of them went to the extreme and slapped me three consecutive times. I called their attention that what they have done is wrong, and I told them they would regret it. You can even see the prints of the slaps on my face.

    “They were claiming that they are military guys but to give us their details was a problem. They were on mufti and they forced their way into the university.”

    Also, the National Internal Auditor of ASUU, Adamu Babayo, who condemned the action of the soldiers, said that without the quick intervention of the school’s security and some lecturers, the students could have lynched the soldiers.
    He said that “They (the military men) are at the security office, we want to know them, but their officers are protecting them and saying we should free them. We have our own rules, just as they have theirs in the military. So, what we are telling them is that we are going to use our own rules to address this matter.”

  • Jamb Announces New Deadline For Sales of DE Forms, Registration

    Jamb Announces New Deadline For Sales of DE Forms, Registration

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has said its 2023 Direct Entry, DE e-PIN sales would close on Saturday, May 26, 2023.

    The board also said the registration of those who obtained the e-PIN ends on Tuesday, May 30, 2023.

    JAMB ‘s acting Director, Public Affairs,Fabian Benjamin, who released a statement Tuesday morning to this effect, recalled that the 2023 DE registration, which commenced in February, 2023, was extended for all desiring candidates to register and was, at a point, suspended to facilitate the incorporation of certain safeguards designed to enhance the sanctity of the exercise.

    He noted that:”The 2023 DE registration is unique among many others as it came with some features meant to enhance the Board’s capacity to permanently address those loopholes hitherto being exploited by some vested interests. “

    “It was, therefore, not at all surprising to witness the surge in the number of candidates in one or two of our offices.
    The new regime which has exposed the quantum of cases of falsifications and other infractions in the DE value chain as reported is one of the many gains of the regulated DE registration exercise.

    “One good thing about the exercise is that the Board has been able to capture only deserving candidates with only pockets of outstanding candidates remaining in a couple of Board’s offices particularly in Lagos. Even here, the Board has adopted a scheduling system whereby candidates are allocated to specific days for their DE registration to preclude any further incidence of overcrowding.

    “The attention of the Board has also been drawn to the unwholesome actions of some tutorial centres and some desperate parents, who are conniving with some A’ level tutorial centres to perpetrate acts prejudicial to the education sector and national interests.

    “Consequently, the Board is restating its determination to always innovate means and ways of checkmating all acts of infractions and at the same time would not hesitate to impose appropriate sanctions on any A’level awarding institutions found wanting.
    All A’level institutions are enjoined to be vigilant as there are deliberate intention by desperate candidates to compromise their operations.

    “All genuine aspiring DE candidates, who are yet to register for the exercise are, therefore, urged to come out now to register as the Board would not entertain any further extension,”the statement read.

  • VC Announces Sack of 13 Lecturers Over Sexual Assault, Others

    The Edo state government has sacked 13 lecturers of state-owned Ambrose Ali University (AAU), Ekpoma, over alleged offences raging from falsification of age, fraud, misconduct, extortion and sexual harassment, among others.

    The institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Asomwan Sunny Adagbonyin, disclosed this on Monday while presenting the university disciplinary committee’s report to members of AAU Special Intervention Team (SIT).

    According to him, the sacking of the erring staff was due to the recommendations of the institution’s disciplinary committee which found them guilty of the offences.

    “The disciplinary committee had given the affected staff fair hearing and recommended that the criminal aspect of the disengaged staff should be reported to security operatives.

    A lecturer who was the head of nursing science was recommended for sacking after he was reportedly found guilty of extorting students of N32,000 and N52,000.

    The VC further disclosed that an associate professor and a lecturer were dismissed for collecting unapproved levy from students while another lecturer who was indicted for sexual harassment was also dismissed.

    He added, “The lecturer claimed to only make advances, but went to the said girl’s church to plead for forgiveness. The victim has been protected and reassigned to another lecturer.”

    Speaking further, Adagbonyin said the affected staff are from the Faculty of Basic Medical Science, Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nursing Department, Engineering Department, Faculty of law, Political Science, as well as the former Director of the University’s Farm.

    He said that out of the 209 disciplinary cases received, the institution’s disciplinary committee had concluded 132 of the cases, representing 63 per cent while 77 cases representing 37 per cent are pending.

  • American President Announces Delegation To Tinubu’s Inauguration

    President of the United States of America, Joseph Biden has announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to attend the inauguration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the sixteen duly elected President of Nigeria on May 29.

    The delegation will be led by Marcia L. Fudge, Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

    A statement from the White House on Monday lists other members of the delegation as Mr. David Greene, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., U.S. Embassy Abuja, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, United States Representative (D), California, Marisa Lago, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, U.S. Department of Commerce, General Michael E. Langley, Commander of U.S. Africa Command, Enoh T. Ebong, Director, U.S. Trade and Development Agency, Mary Catherine Phee, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of African Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Judd Devermont, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs, National Security Council and Monde Muyangwa, Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Africa, U.S. Agency for International Development.

  • Court Rejects Request for Live Coverage of Petitions against Tinubu

    Vanguard News

    The Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, sitting in Abuja, on Monday, rejected request to allow its day-to-day proceedings on petitions seeking to nullify the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, to be televised.

    The Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five member panel dismissed as lacking in merit, the application which was brought before it by the two major candidates that are challenging the outcome of the presidential election that held on February 25.

    The court held that no regulatory framework or policy direction, permitted it to grant such application.

    It held that allowing cameras in the court room is a major judicial policy that must be supported by the law.

    “The court can only be guided and act in accordance with the practice directions and procedures approved by the President of the Court of Appeal.

    “We cannot permit a situation that may lead to dramatization of our proceedings,” Justice Tsammani held.

    Besides, the court held that the request was not part of any relief in the petitions before it, saying it was merely hinged on sentimental claim that it would benefit the electorates.

    It maintained that the petitioners failed to establish how televising the proceedings would advance their case, adding that such live broadcast would not have any utilitarian value to add to the determination of the petitions.

    Whereas it was a former Vice President and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who came second in the election, that initially made the request for a live coverage, subsequently, candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, threw his weight behind the demand for live broadcast of proceedings of the court on the petitions.

    The duo, through their lead lawyers, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, and Dr. Livy Uzoukwu, SAN, maintained that petitions they lodged to query the declaration of the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as winner of the election, was “a matter of monumental national concern and public interest”.

    They argued that the case involved the interest of citizens and electorates in the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, who he said voted and participated in the presidential poll.

    Atiku and the PDP insisted that their case against Tinubu, being a unique electoral dispute with a peculiar constitutional dimension, they said it was a matter of public interest in which millions of Nigerian citizens and voters are stakeholders, with the constitutional right to be part of the proceedings.

    They specifically applied for; “An order, directing the Court’s Registry and the parties on modalities for admission of Media Practitioners and their Equipments into the courtroom”.

    “With the huge and tremendous technological advances and developments in Nigeria and beyond, including the current trend by this Honourable Court towards embracing electronic procedures, virtual hearing and electronic filing, a departure from the Rules to allow a regulated televising of the proceedings in this matter is in consonance with the maxim that justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done.

    “Televising court proceedings is not alien to this Honourable Court, and will enhance public confidence”, the petitioners added.

    However, in separate processes they filed before the court, both Tinubu and the APC urged the court to dismiss the application which they described as an abuse of the legal process.

    Tinubu, in a counter-affifavit he filed alongside the Vice President-elect, Kashim Shettima, accused Atiku of deliberately attempting to expose the judiciary to public opprobrium.

    According to them, the court “is not a rostrum or a soapbox. It is not also a stadium or theatre. It is not an arena for public entertainment.”

    The respondents maintained that Atiku’s request had no bearing with the petition, insisting that it was only aimed at dissipating the judicial time of the court

    They stressed that Atiku failed to realise that the virtual court system that was adopted during the Covid-19 pandemic, was backed by a practice direction that was administratively issued by the President of the Court of Appeal.

    “Another angle to this very curious application is the invitation it extends to the court to make an order that it cannot supervise.

    “The position of the law remains, and we do submit that the court, like nature, does not make an order in vain, or an order which is incapable of enforcement,” the respondents added.

    Besides, they argued that the application was at best, “academic, very otiose, very unnecessary, very time-wasting, most unusual and most unexpected, particularly, from a set of petitioners, who should be praying for the expeditious trial of their petition.”

    “Petitioners have brought their application under Section 36(3) of the Constitution which provides that the proceedings of a court/tribunal shall be held in public.

    “The word ‘public’ as applied under Section 36(3) of the Constitution has been defined in a plethora of judicial authorities to mean a place where members of the public have unhindered access, and the court itself, sitting behind open doors, not in the camera.

    “Even in situations where a class action is presented, the particular people constituting the class being represented by the plaintiffs or petitioners are always defined in the originating process.

    “Here, in this application, the public at whose behest this application has been presented is not defined, not known, not discernable.

    “Beyond all these, it is our submission that the court of law must and should always remain what it is, what it should be and what it is expected to be: a serene, disciplined, hallowed, tranquil, honourable and decorous institution and place.

    “It is not a rostrum or a soapbox. It is not also a stadium or theatre. It is not an arena for ‘public’ entertainment.

    “With much respect to the petitioners, the motion is an abuse of the processes of this honourable court,” Tinubu argued.

    On its part, APC, through its team of lawyers led by Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, told the court that contrary to Atiku’s claim, the presidential election “is not subject matter of any national concern”, insisting that the election was “well managed by INEC with turnout of voters in their millions”.

    It argued that proceedings of the court was already being adequately coveted by the media.

    “There is nothing unique or peculiar in the electoral dispute that emanated from the outcome of the 25th February 2023 election that is different from the earlier five presidential elections in the country since the Advent of the Fourth Republic and if anything, the February 25 2023 election referred to, has the least litigation since 1999,” APC added.

    It further argued that live broadcast “will subject the proceedings of the court to unnecessary sensationalism and undue social media trial, which distracts from the kernel of the serious business before the court”.

    Continuing its argument against the application, APC, averred that allowing live televising of the proceedings, “will defeat the protection afforded to witnesses, expose them to avoidable censure and put them in a precarious situation.

    “Televising of election tribunal proceedings (live) will only cause unnecessary tension, violence and unrest among the public, which may lead to breach of peace”, APC added, even as it urged the court to dismiss the application in the interest of justice.

    INEC equally opposed live broadcast of the proceedings.

  • ASUU Goes To Poll, Elects New Leaders

    ASUU Goes To Poll, Elects New Leaders

    Punch Newspaper

    Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, have unanimously elected Professor Emmanuel Osodeke to a second two-year term as the union national president.

    It was learnt that the union members also re-elected Chris Piwuna, a Consultant Psychiatrist and Associate Professor in the College of Medicine, University of Jos, as Vice President in addition to Osodeke of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State.

    During the 22nd National Delegates Conference of ASUU, held at the University of Jos in Plateau State between May 19 and 21, 2023, they were re-elected.

    Other National Officers of ASUU who were also re-elected during the conference include Prof. Siji Sowande (Treasurer); Prof. Ade Adejumo (Financial Secretary); Dr Austen Sado (Investment Secretary); Dr Adamu Babayo (Internal Auditor) and Dr Aisha Bawa who replaced Dr Stella-Maris Okey as the Welfare Secretary.

    Osodeke who spoke with our correspondent on his way to Abuja after the National Delegates Conference described it as successful.

    He said “We have finished with our national delegates conference in Jos. It was successful. We are on our way back to Abuja. We will issue a statement regarding the conference and my re-election and other national officers when we get back to our station . Thank you”