Rihanna Fenty, Barbadian singer, has condemned the arrests of some protesters who gathered for the #OccupyLekkiTollGate demonstration in Lagos.

The singer simply wrote on her Twitter account, “Peaceful protest is a human right!! #EndSARS.”

This was in response to a tweet by the verified Amnesty International Nigeria Twitter account, which stated, “Amnesty International was informed that several protesters were arrested and have been detained. Several sources, including video evidence, tell harrowing stories of widespread use of torture and other ill-treatment against detainees. #EndSARS #LekkiTollGateProtest.”

Rihanna also showed solidarity to the protest by retweeting another post by Amnesty International Nigeria, which read, “Nigerian authorities must: #EndSARS — Immediately end the violent police crackdown against peaceful protesters; — Immediately release all the people arrested solely for exercising their rights to peaceful protest. #Lekkitollgate.”

On Saturday morning, several youths had stormed the Lekki tollgate to protest against the decision of the Lagos judicial panel to grant approval to the Lekki Concession Company (LCC) to resume operations at the tollgate.

The protest was, however, met with opposition from the security operatives, leading to the arrests of several demonstrators including Mr Macaroni.

The development has continued to generate backlash on social media, with many Nigerians slamming the federal government for clamping down on peaceful protesters. (Thenigerialawyer)

By Chibuike Nwabuko

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has eulogised the former governor of the state, late Lateef Jakande, saying that his landmark achievements as governor of this state in education, health, housing, urban renewal and infrastructure will remain touchstones for generations to come.

He added that they can only learn from his worthy example and commit themselves to dutifully serving our people.

Sanwo-Olu who stated this when he took to his twitter handle, informed that he was at the residence of late elder statesman and first Civilian Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande to commiserate with his widow, Mrs Abimbola Jakande, his children and other family members on the passing away of our icon of public service.

His tweets read:

I was at the residence of late elder statesman and first Civilian Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande to commiserate with his widow Mrs Abimbola Jakande, his children and other family members on the passing away of our icon of public service.

Baba’s landmark achievements as governor of this state in education, health, housing, urban renewal and infrastructure will remain touchstones for generations to come. We can only learn from his worthy example and commit ourselves to dutifully serving our people.

(sundiatapost)

• Prescribing Punishment For Suspects’ Parents Is Unconstitutional, Lawyers Warn
• Crime Is Personal, Says Ogu
• No Vicarious Liability In Our Criminal Jurisprudence, Effiong Insists
• It’s Repugnant To Natural Justice — Yusuf
• ‘Parents Of Juvenile Found Guilty Of Cultism Should Bear Liability’
• We’ll Challenge The Bill In Court If Passed — Ajulo

Lawyers have criticised punishment for parents of suspects found guilty of cultism, describing such as unconstitutional.

The Lagos State House of Assembly, while considering amendment of the Anti-Cultism Bill submitted to it by the Executive arm, in the Bill, titled, ‘Unlawful Societies and Cultism (Prohibition) Bill, 2020,’which scaled through the Second Reading via voice votes last Tuesday, seeks to punish parents for the offence of cultism committed by their children.

The Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, said such punishment was to further prohibit unlawful societies and cultism in the state and for other connected purposes, adding that parents of cultists found guilty in the state might be liable for punishment, if the Bill finally becomes law.

But reacting to the development, Deputy Director, Prisoners Rehabilitation And Welfare Action (PRAWA), Ogechi Ogu, said crime is personal, quoting Section 2 of the Criminal Code, which defines an offence as “An act or omission, which renders the person doing the act or making the omission liable to punishment under the Code or under any Act or law.”

Section 7 of the Criminal Code Act, she added, describes principal offenders as: “When an offence is committed, each of the following persons is deemed to have taken part in committing the offence and to be guilty of the offence, and may be charged with actually committing it‐
(a) every person who actually does the act or makes the omission which constitutes the offence; (b) every person who does or omits to do any act for the purpose of enabling or aiding another person to commit the offence; (c) every person who aids another person in committing the offence; (d) any person who counsels or procures any other person to commit the offence.”

Ogu said when the definitions above are combined with the element of proving an offence, which is intention to commit the offence, it becomes very clear that criminal responsibility is completely personal and it is clearly out of place to punish a parent because his/her child is a cultist.

She stated: “This is completely against our laws. The Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and Administration of Criminal Justice Laws of States in the country clearly state that a person cannot be arrested in lieu of a person suspected to have committed the offence. See for example Section 7 of the ACJA2015.

“The Nigerian constitution also considers null and void, any law that is contrary to natural justice, equity and good conscience.

“Parents of cultists are also likely to be victims of their activities and mostly may not know the activities of these persons. It is against the law of natural justice to make them serve punishment for the actions of these children.”

Also, human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, said if the proposed law purports to impose punishment on parents of cultists, it would be declared unconstitutional and void to the extent of its inconsistency with the constitution, because there is no vicarious liability in our criminal jurisprudence.

He stressed that there is no basis for such legislative proposal and such law is preposterous and offensive to justice.

“Most of these cultists in Lagos work for the politicians; they are recruited as political thugs and mercenaries during elections. Should members of the Assembly and other politicians who patronise them during elections be punished too?” he queried.

The Child Rights Law of Lagos State, he noted, has imposed obligations on the state government for the benefit of children, including provision of education and others, adding: “But the state government has failed to enforce the said law, thereby making young people vulnerable to cultism and other vices.”

Following the same line of thought, activist, Festus Ogun, believed the provision of the Bill stipulating the arrest and prosecution of parents for the offence committed by their wards is illegal, arbitrary and unconstitutional.

The positions of our extant laws, he said, are clear on the fact that arrest in lieu is unlawful, noting: “You cannot go ahead to arrest an entirely different person for the offence committed by another, for any reason whatsoever.

“Section 7 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act made a clear provision in this respect. In fact, the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, by virtue of Section 4, made it absolutely unlawful and improper to arrest an innocent person in substitution for a suspect.”x

Ogun said the Lagos State House of Assembly must resist the urge to make harsh laws that would encroach on the people’s human rights, as it is unfair and against the law of nature.

“The right to personal liberty of the people is at risk if the law is allowed to scale through and it would invariably violate Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Passing a law with a provision that is inconsistent with the constitution amounts to a nullity.

“Section 1(3) of the 1999 Constitution provides that any other law that is inconsistent with the provision of the constitution shall, to its extent of the inconsistency, be void. The law will not stand the test of legal and constitutional validity.”

University don, Dr. Fassy Yusuf, also a lawyer, described the Bill with such provision as unconstitutional, null, void and repugnant to natural justice, as you cannot visit the sin of somebody on another person.

“The Lagos State House of Assembly should repeal that Bill and come out with something that would be acceptable to all. Something must be wrong with our lawmakers to think that the parents of suspected cultists should be held accountable, unless the parents are accessory before or after the fact or accomplice of the offence. Otherwise, it is offensive to natural justice,” he emphasised.

ED, CISLAC, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani

Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, argued that if and when proper investigations are made and it is proven that the parents of cult members support their children, they should be held liable.

“On the other hand, I do not think it would be right to hold parents liable strictly when their children join cults, because most of these students join the cult groups as adults and they are no longer minors. Thus, they should be accountable for their actions and decisions.

“Section 40 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution provides that ‘Every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons and in particular, may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interests,” he said.x

Rafsanjani, however, noted that the law frowns at unlawful assembly, association or society, saying: “Section 62 of the Criminal Code Act defines society and unlawful society, while Section 64 of the Criminal Code Act provides that any person who is a member of an unlawful society or knowingly allows a meeting of an unlawful society to be held in any house, building or place belonging to or occupied by him or over which he has control is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for three years.

“Penal Code Act, which covers the entire Northern Nigeria, also defines unlawful society in Section 97A, which provides that whoever manages or is a member of an unlawful society shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years or with a fine or both.

“As a Nigerian citizen captured under Sections 25, 26 or 27 of the 1999 Constitution, the fundamental rights of such a citizen are guaranteed under Sections 33 to 46 of the same constitution.”

He argued that a Nigerian citizen under the provision of these laws should not be punished for the crime of cultism/unlawful society where he or she has not been found guilty of such by a competent court.

Notwithstanding, Rafsanjani explained that parents of juveniles below 18 years who are found guilty of acts of cultism should bear some form of liability for the actions of their wards.

He advised that the Bill should specify conditions under which a parent can be held liable as well as specify the kind of punishment such parents/guardians should receive.

“Parents of adults above the age of 18 should, however, be punished only if the child in question lives under their roof or they have been found guilty of having knowledge or supporting the cultist activities of the child.

Dr Kayode Ajulo

“Furthermore, the Bill should provide for punishment for sponsors of cultism. There are influential and wealthy people in society outside parents who sponsor cult activities in schools and communities. Anyone found guilty of such should be held liable and made to face the punishment.”x

Abuja-based constitutional lawyer and activist, Kayode Ajulo, described the Bill as a huge joke and vowed to challenge it in court, if passed, warning the state government not to allow its sense of judgment to be beclouded by unnecessary sentiments.

“I don’t think it can stand; it will affect natural consequence. It is so clear that nobody should be meant to suffer for the sins of another. We all have our lives to live, and again, I don’t need to warn the Lagos State government that they should not allow emotion to becloud their sense of judgment.

“It is the same way whereby no one can be punished or arrested for a crime of another. This Bill is the kind of laws we saw in the olden days; it is an ancient laws. It is not the law of this contemporary time. It is the kind of laws that operated before Christ, the time of Nebuchadnezzar and Herod.

“So, it should not be. If the Bill is passed, we will go to court and the court will strike out that provision of the law.

“Yes, one may want to understand their sentiments, but many children live with their parents. Unfortunately, it is good parents that often churn out bad children. Most of the time, it is not their making.

“So, I want to believe that is a joke. It is very a huge joke; it can’t work,” Ajulo insisted. (Guardian)

Comedian Debo Adebayo who is better known as Mr Macaroni has condemned the police for the treatment meted out to him and other protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate, claiming that they were stripped naked.

“When we were picked up, we were taken to Adeniji where we were beaten, we were stripped naked,” he said in a video posted on his Twitter handle on Sunday. “Everyone was beaten.”

The comedian explained that he initially did not want to go for the protest as he had been warned by his family, but noted that he changed his mind because people will be at the Toll Gate.

He claimed that his phone was also destroyed after he was arrested by the law enforcement agents.

“The only reason I went there is because I knew people would be there and in good conscience, I don’t know,” the comedian added.

“But I knew people would die and I saw it, and I can confirm it that if words did not get out, people would have died because nobody would have known where anybody was or who picked up who.”

Macaroni and several others were on Saturday arrested by the police for protesting against the decision of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry to reopen the toll gate, which was symbolic of last October’s #EndSARS protests. They, were, however, granted bail.

On October 20, military officials opened fire at peaceful protesters gathered at the toll.

Although the Nigerian government and military have denied any wrongdoing, critics say it is premature to reopen the toll gate until all investigations are concluded.

The Federal Government had on Thursday warned against violence in the planned protest, going further to urge the organizers to cancel their demonstration. (Thepleadge)

We are constrained in issuing this public statement at this time to set the records straight. Before now, we have restrained ourselves from speaking out for several reasons. Among other reasons, this is because we’re a quiet and dignified family that seeks to avoid publicity as much as possible and do not believe in litigating matters in the court of public opinion and not given to hugging the klieg-lights of media.

However, after a lot of reflection and deliberation, we have decided that it is important we now break our silence. We have taken this decision because we realize that the consequences of misinformation, especially in this social media era of alternative reality, can be grave, as a lie told repeatedly may begin to appear as the “truth”. We have taken this decision because it is clear to us that Helen Prest/Helen Davies (parading herself under the name of “Mrs. Helen Prest- Ajayi”) continues to seek to perpetuate a lie/fraud on the public by exploiting our predisposition as a quiet family to maintain an honourable and dignified silence. But even the saying “silence is golden” must have its exceptions and must not be stretched too far. Today, we break our silence. We break it not only for ourselves, but also for other similarly-situated families. We break it because we believe it is our responsibility to play our part in ensuring that the Nigerian society must be one where ladies like Helen Prest are not encouraged to perpetuate a lie/fraud on the public for any reason whatsoever, whether to secure their so-called celebrity status or delusional ego tripping or otherwise.

We must set the record straight that our mother, Mrs. Oluwayemisi Adenike Ajayi, and our father, Dr. Olutosin Ajayi, Founder/CEO of First Foundation, who got married in July 1974 under the Marriage Act, remained married until our father’s death in April 2020 (i.e., they were never divorced). We must also set the record straight that Helen Prest was never married to our father, whether under the Marriage Act, by customary marriage or any form of marriage known to our law. As many lawyers know, and Helen Prest who presumably herself is a lawyer, ought to know, our father in any event could not have been legally married to anyone else without first divorcing our mother, which he never did.
The irony in all of this is that the fact that our father was never married to Helen Prest is only in dispute in the court of public opinion, but is not in dispute even by Helen Prest in the court documents filed on her behalf. We refer the public to the filings by Helen Prest in Suit No. ID/7096GCMW/2020 that was before the Ikeja Division of the High Court of Lagos State. Specifically, paragraph 4(h) of the Counter-Affidavit filed on her behalf in that suit states that Helen Prest was “his [i.e. our father] partner and civil companion for the past twenty-five years prior to his death.”

Despite the fact that Helen Prest has never claimed to be married to our father in any court filings, she brazenly persists on various social media platforms (and through the collaboration of certain newspapers) in deceiving the public into believing that she was married to our father, including constantly referring to him as “my husband” in her posts and referring to herself as “Mrs. Helen Prest-Ajayi.” She persists in seeking to create an alternative convenient reality in the public, while recoiling to a different position in court documents, knowing fully well that the public would not bother to check her court filings and in the expectation that we will continue to operate under a “silence is golden” policy. All in a face-saving effort, with her many collaborators and internet trolls, to stifle the truth. Well, the game is up, Helen Prest.

Those peddling the idea that Helen Prest was ever married to our father, Dr. Tosin Ajayi, are either doing so out of ignorance based on the lie she sold them or are just being mischievous.
We end by saying that many that knew our father regarded him as a very smart and intelligent man. We have no doubt that he was. While our father and our mother might have had some disagreement along the line (not unusual in marriage), we’re equally sure that for very good reasons their separation never resulted in divorce till our dad passed on. He chose to remain married to our mother and both of them still had cordial relationship. We have no doubt that he also had good reasons for choosing never to marry Helen Prest. He did not marry Helen Prest and Helen Prest knows this and she confirmed this to many people we know.

SIGNED:
The Children of Mrs Oluwayemisi Adenike Ajayi

The group noted that Nigerians have right to live in any part of the country.

Miyetti Allah in a statement also vowed to retaliate the alleged attacks on and loss of herdsmen and their cattle.

The National Secretary of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Alhassan Saleh, stated these during an interview with Punch.

Saleh said it was wrong to drive herders out of any part of Nigeria and that even if there were criminals among them, it was the function of the government’s security forces to identify and arrest them.

He said the eviction of herdsmen from the southern region of the country was a dangerous precedent and that the best way to solve the herders-farmers crisis was for state governments to provide ranches and grazing routes for the herders and their animals.

Recall that the Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, issued an eviction order to Fulani Herdsmen in the forest reserves in the state.

He said, “Nobody has the right (to evict herdsmen). If you say you are going to evict us, we will resist eviction. We have been surviving in harsh environments; if we do not resist, we will be wiped out of the planet. If you kill a herder, don’t go and sleep, we will revisit you, and it’s not because we hate your tribe. People attack herders, and in one way or the other, herders have found a way to retaliate.”

Also, Saleh said nobody could bar foreign herdsmen from entering Nigeria, saying most of the herders entering to the country once settled in Nigeria but relocated to other neighbouring countries like Ghana and Benin republics.

He said, “All those who travelled to the Benin Republic and others are coming back home. All those saying they will bar foreign herders from entering Nigeria are just playing to the gallery because if they know the ECOWAS Protocols, they would know they cannot chase them away. That is why the position of the Bauchi State Governor [Bala Mohammed] is the true position. You have no right to evict anybody from any part of the country.”

“Our number has increased recently because of the tension in Ghana and Benin republics. The Benin Republic ones have integrated with the Yoruba in such a way that they speak the language. They were initially living in the South-West, and they are coming back,” he added.

Saleh described the eviction notice to herders as propaganda, adding that “innocent” herders were becoming the casualties.

He said, “They expected a reaction from us, maybe by way of attacking other ethnic nationalities. But that is wrong because the herders they are attacking are the innocent herders. Are the criminals representing anybody? They are doing their criminal enterprise. Our pain is that the people who are supposed to know are pretending as if they don’t know.”

Saleh also asked governors to provide land for ranching for the herders as a solution to the ongoing crisis, adding that herders’ eviction would only lead to wider consequences.

Source: Newspot

By Chibuike Nwabuko

Catholic Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, His Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins has tasked leaders and all Nigerians to imitate God through love, as they celebrate St. Valentine’s Day.
Martins, who was represented by the Dean, Ikeja Deanry, Very Rev. Father Patrick Obayomi, during a programme tagged Valentine 2021 Day with the Archbishop with the theme: “Love is tested in the midst of adversity,” where 19 couples renewed their marriage vows, at Catholic Church of the Ascension, Ikeja, Lagos, lamented the state of insecurity in the country.

Martins, who condemned Nigerian leaders’ nonchalant attitude, said the country was sitting on a keg of gun powder. He said only love could bind a nation together.

“When leaders fold their arms, simply because their family members are not affected in the ongoing mayhem, it shows they do not love their fellow Nigerians, who voted them into power. When they care less for the people they are supposed to protect, they are not emulating God of love, who created man in His image and in sacrificing His only begotten son, ”he said. (Sundiatapost)

By Chibuike Nwabuko

In a move to reduce the increasing tension and curb insecurity in Nigeria, the Federal Government is set to convene town hall meetings in the six geo-political zones.

Government is expected to confer with state chief executives, religious leaders, women and youth groups in a bid to find lasting solutions to the spiralling, multiple security threats in the country.

A statement issued by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said the move was in furtherance of Federal Government’s commitment to address multiple security threats facing Nigeria.

It said the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd) convened a meeting of the General Security Appraisal Committee (GSAC) on 11th February, 2021.

The meeting, which was attended by the service chiefs and heads of law enforcement, security and intelligence agencies discussed the threats of kidnapping, terrorism, banditry, armed robbery and the resultant consequences of these threats on lives and property.

It said as part of renewed commitment to make Nigeria safe and secure, the meeting resolved to strengthen inter-agency coordination, stakeholders’ engagement and consultation in order to find lasting solution to the multiple security threats.

“Working with the service chiefs and heads of security and intelligence agencies, the NSA is coordinating a Whole -of -Government and Whole-of Society approach that cuts across the legislature, judiciary, ministries and departments , states and local governments and the civil society to ensure that every stakeholder plays a role in securing our towns and villages.

“The NSA believes that addressing these threats call for the deployment of all national assets, including the cooperation of all Nigerians.

Consequently, the National Security Adviser will be leading a delegation of heads of federal law enforcement, security and intelligence agencies to the geo-political zones to hold town halls meeting with the state governors, traditional and religious leaders, members of the legislature, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), youth and women organisations”, it said.

It said the meetings are expected to provide direct assessment of the security situation, generate local feedback and recommendations, encourage geo-political synchronisation of effort among states and to also create a pathway to lasting peace and security.

The ONSA said the first of the town hall meetings was scheduled to hold in Kaduna State on Monday, 15 February 2021 with all seven governors of the North-western states.

“The Federal Government is deeply concerned about the current spate of criminal activities and is taking major steps to strengthen the capacity of security agencies, while upgrading the security architecture, and implementing a multi-pronged strategy that involves political, humanitarian, economic and security measures.

“The Federal Government is equally committed to working with the states and community leaders to strengthen peace, security and development in all parts of the country”, it said. (Sundiatapost)