The federal government has barred the private sector from administering COVID-19 vaccine, reserving the vaccination exclusively for the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) for safety reasons.

Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said at a media briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja yesterday that the government is restricting the deployment and implementation of the vaccination programme to NPHCDA and will not allow private sector vaccination.

Ehanire explained that it is for purposes of safe and proper management of the COVID-19 vaccination, including dealing with any after-effects that the federal government has banned the private sector from vaccination.
The federal government also said it would soon receive over 42 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for about 45 per cent of the country’s population from the African Union (AU).

It said Nigeria subscribed to two multilateral vaccine access platforms; the first being the COVAX facility that will supply members, including Nigeria, vaccines free to cover 20 per cent of the population.

Giving an update on COVID-19 procurement, Ehanire said the country has subscribed to two multilateral vaccine access platforms, COVAX facility being brokered under the auspices of the AU.

He added that the other multilateral platform is the African Union (AVATT) platform, the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team, chaired by the President of South Africa, Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa from which Nigeria expects to get a total of 44 million doses of vaccines.

According to him, the first batch of the vaccines expected from the Covax facility, which is free, will cover 20 per cent of Nigeria’s population.

Also, aside from the expected first batch of 100,000 vaccines from Covax facility, there has now been a change that now offers Nigeria 16 million vaccine doses in the first half of the year.

On the vaccine acquisition by the AU, Ehanire said there is positive development which showed vaccine doses being acquired by AVATT may increase to 400 million.

He said AVATT had earlier provided 300 million doses of three types of vaccines which have been offered to African countries, based on population, such that no country is left behind.

“Nigeria subscribes to this whole-of-Africa approach that strives to ensure that we are safe and our neighbours are safe.

“We shall be offered over 42 million doses by AVATT. If all the projected vaccines are supplied, we estimate we should have covered over 45 per cent of the population,” he said.

The minister stated that in addition to the proposed sources, Nigeria has bilateral negotiations with Gamaleya of Russia over their Sputnik V vaccine, which they are willing to supply to Nigeria.

He explained that the Russian vaccine has an efficacy of 91 per cent.

“We are also in talks with the High Commissioner of India over the Covax vaccine of Barhat Institute. Both vaccines dossiers are under evaluation with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Ehanire also spoke about the concerns generated by a report that Nigeria was disqualified from assessing Pfizer vaccines due to lack of storage capacity, saying: “This is false, Nigeria has ultra-cold (minus 80 degrees centigrade) freezers in strategic stores in Lagos, Abuja and Bauchi, with space to hold over 400,000 doses of vaccines, more than the 320,000 doses WHO had offered.

He said that the 320,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines had been reserved for countries with very high burden, to which Nigeria did not belong.

The minister, however, said Nigeria is keeping abreast of global development on vaccine deployment and will support the WHO policy on fair and equitable distribution of vaccines. ( thenigerialawyer)

By Abdulrasheed Ibrahim, LL.M, Notary Public

The rate at which paternity crisis is rocking the land this time around is becoming overwhelmingly disturbing. Recently, Adam Nuhu, a former Managing Director of FCMB was in the news. He was accused of being the father of children bore by one Moyo who was a former employee of the bank. Moyo was married to a man by name Thomas who had the impression that those children were his but when the truth eventually came out according to the report that the children were not his, Thomas suffered a stroke and later died of heart depression. This incident shook the nation to its root as different versions of stories were spreading on the social media like a wild fire. The Central Bank of Nigeria and the management of the FCMB were put under serious pressure to sanction the man in the news. The group clamouring for that sanction seemed to carry the day as Adam Nuhu was asked to proceed on leave pending the outcome of the investigation. A woman was brought on board to replace him in that position.

As if that was not enough, series of conflicting stories continued to emerge from the social media. While a story had it that the wife of the man in the news, Mrs Hauwa Nuhu was about engaging a lawyer to institute a divorce proceedings against her husband , another one came up that there was nothing of such. Another story was put on social media by those called Moyo’s friends debunking the allegation against her as unfounded and that her children really belonged to her late husband, Mr. Thomas and not to Mr. Adam Nuhu. When the controversy seems to be dying down and going into oblivion, a High Court Judge in Delta State was reported to have summoned the gentlemen of the press addressing them in a press conference disclosing his own share of paternity crisis. As if Justice Anthony Ezonfade Okorodas wanted to avoid the Nuhu Adam’s social media episode, he said:

“…This Press Statement is important in order to prevent damaging speculations, half-truths and outright lies from persons who may want to cash in on the tragedy that has befallen my home. Sometime during the coronavirus lockdowns early last year, I received information from an anonymous source that indicated that the last of three children from my previous marriage was in fact not my biological child. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions at the time, I had to wait until August 2020 to carry out a DNA test. The DNA test result which came out in September 2020 confirmed that I was not the biological father of the child… This repulsive act of my ex-wife prompted me to conduct DNA test in respect of the other two children. A few days ago, the results came out. Sadly, none of them is my biological child… ”

The can of worms opened by the judge has brought about a great argument among lawyers. While some lawyers have saluted the courage of the judge for opening the can of worms, some have condemned the judge for making the declaration openly. Mr. Frank Tietie, a human rights lawyer lambasted the judge for going public with the declaration saying:

“…Such adult children that are affected by an unwarranted public disclosure of DNA test results must be quick to institute legal proceedings against such a father. The legal action must first to subject the man who made such public disclosure of DNA test results, to some form of psychiatric testing in order to determine his well-being, as to his state of mind…”

But another lawyer, Chidi Peter Agbaneje, in a post thought otherwise by putting the blame at the doorstep of the Judge’s ex-wife, who is also a lawyer by saying :

“By foisting children she knew belonged to another man on her ex-husband, Barr Juliet Ototo arguably committed paternity fraud , conduct incompatible with her status as legal practitioner, and should be appropriately be disbarred.”

Agbaneje’s view generated mixed reaction as some lawyers were asking him whether the issue has anything to do with the Legal Practitioner Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) to warrant the debarment of the ex-wife. To another lawyer: “ The judge did very wrong in his actions. Imagine the case of the little boy whom he claims the mum left him when he was only six. Too callous of the judge”. My own question to this was : “If the judge had not spoken ,what would have happened on social media? Have people forgotten the recent incident of the FCMB’s MD now on leave?” With the debate still raging, I submitted further: “Please re-read the judge’s press release .He has not given up the responsibility. If he didn’t speak the self-appointed spokespersons on social media will blow the issue out of proportion.”

The Judge having opening the can of worms, I am of the view that the burden is now on the Judge’s ex-wife to tell the world her own side of the story .Happily the woman in question is a lawyer. The arguments being canvassed by the human rights lawyer, Mr. Frank Tietie are those to be very useful and relevant in the court of law and not in the court of public opinion. They may even find the case of ANOZIA Vs. NNANI (2015) 8 NWLR (Pt. 1465) 241 on issue of paternity very instructive. The woman owes those innocent children the duty to let them know who really is their father .She needs to act urgently in her own interest and that of the children. In Yoruba land, they have a saying that “it is a woman or a wife that really knows the father of her child or children”. According to the judge’s press release, the woman having admitted that the last child was not judge’s, if she is very sure that the other two children are that of the judge, she should immediately as a lawyer takes proper step to challenge the DNA results being relied upon by the judge. Those children should not be allowed to live in total depression for the rest of their life. It is their mother that can save the situation if she really has conscience. The judge had already said it that he has left his ex-wife and her boyfriend to their conscience. Truly “conscience is an open wound ,only truth can heal it” as propounded by Shiekh Usmanu Dan Fodiyo and adopted by the Guardian Newspaper.

I was moved to tears the other day when reading an article written by Chief Dare Babarinsa, a great historian and columnist few years back titled “Gowon is human ,fate is not” where he narrated the story of how General Yabuku Gowon after about 48 years came out to accept the paternity of a son. According to Babarinsa : “Last week, General Gowon issued a brief statement stating that after 48 years, he has come to accept the paternity of Musa. He wanted the public to respect the privacy of his family in this period now Musa needs rehabilitation after serving more than two decades in an American prison…” The story was a very pathetic one that justifies a novelist’s title “The Rich also cry”.

Part of the contention of Mr. Frank Tietie was that: “the public disclosure of the contents of such DNA test results to the the public is most reprehensible. Why would any man subject a child or children born within the wedlock to such psychologically debilitating encounter ,foisting such traumatic experience that will permanently scar the self-esteem of such children, especially older ones ,for life? It is utterly cruel and selfish ”. A response to this was not far fetched in the following words by another lawyer : “It’s very unfortunate that most of us are very hypocritical in our analysis of issues .The woman who committed fraud and left a man to ridicule for several years to the amusement of the public should walk around with her secret intact while the innocent judge who has been made to train another man’s child and still willing to continue with such responsibility is labelled callous because he brought out the truth to the public .Whoever feels that of the judge should pray that him or her male sibling (s) experience that evil that the judge was subjected to and let him or her handle it in his own way.”

There is this saying that think twice and deeply before you act. Did the woman also ever think of what could be the effect or consequence of her act on the children when engaging in extra- marital affairs outside the matrimonial home while still in marriage relationship with the judge? To borrow from the words of Mr Tietie, did the woman also ever think of “such psychologically debilitating encounter, foisting such traumatic experience that will permanently scar the self-esteem of such children, especially older ones, for life?” Is it not seem to be very clear from this incident , why some religious scriptures prescribe serious punishment for those engaging in adultery and fornication?

This incident is not without lessons for those who want to learn one.Why should a man and a woman decide to go into marriage and refuse to be faithful to each other to the extent of having extra marital relationship outside the matrimonial home? Just like the way every segment of human endeavour is being faced with the challenge of morality , so also marriage is being faced with serious challenge of morality. The late Chief Obafemi Awolowo was right when he once said that: “Unless our morals are set aright, we can never do anything right in this country.” The late sage was a competent authority to give advice on various aspects of human endeavour including issue of marriage as it was not for nothing that he propounded the theory of “Jewel of inestimable value” to describe his own beloved wife, late Chief Madam Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo. According to Chief Awolowo in his autobiography published in 1960:

“…My wife Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo (nee Adelana) has been a jewel of inestimable value. She is an ideal wife; and I am sure she too regards me as an ideal husband .The outpouring of her love and devotion to me and to our family is exceedingly and beyond words…With my wife on my side, it has been possible for us to weather all financial storms…I owe my success in life to three factors: the Grace of God, a Spartan of self-discipline, and a good wife…It is a matter for joy and profound gratitude to Almighty God that our mutual love and devotion has been richly blessed…”

What this goes to show is that for a man or a woman to succeed in life and have peace of mind, he or she needs a good and ideal partner in marriage with self-discipline, mutual love and devotion. An individual cannot plant maize and expect to harvest yam during the harvest period.

I once wrote an article published in the Daily Independent Newspaper of October, 10, 2013 titled : “Salami : Salute to a Courageous Judge”. Justice Ayo Salami was a retired President of the Court of Appeal who saw hell in the hands of the Nigerian politicians who tried to rubbish and disgrace him out of office. When he was retiring from the Court of Appeal, he likened himself in his valedictory speech to the biblical Joseph who was sold into slavery by his brothers.

Recently, the Deputy Senate President and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Senator Ovie Omo Agege said that the Supreme Court Justices are pushing for their retirement age to be increased from to 70 to 75 years. Presently the retirement age for both Justices of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal is 70 years. The Judges at the courts below ( i.e. Federal and States’ High Courts) are equally said to be pushing for their retirement age to be increased for 65 to 70 years. Justice Salami has come out to oppose and speak against such move citing some reasons. In his actual words:

“ I contended that very few of us had birth certificate .Invariably we rely on declaration of age , which is generally inflated because they are inferred from incidences or occurrences the happening of which we were not sure of ….Many of them are not healthy. They regularly travel abroad for treatment, and some of them forget easily in addition to memory challenges. In the circumstance some of the justices would only be there as passengers to fulfil statutory conditions without ability to make meaningful contributions. This is a condition that could easily be exploited by dishonest members of the court…”

On my part, I do not see the need for such increase in the retirement age. If our judges and Justices are unanimous on this demand, it means they are all comfortable with what is happening in the system including deprivation of the independence of judiciary, poor facilities and remuneration and the unnecessary work load they are being shouldered with. It was the politicians that insisted the other time that they must be allowed to argue their appeal on governorship election cases up to the Supreme Court which further increase the work load of the Supreme Court Jurists. The appeal on such cases used to terminate at the Court of Appeal. I am of the view that the Supreme Court Justices in particular must be seriously concerned, and be pushing for the constitutional review that will checkmate the nature of the appeal cases that go to the Supreme Court as observed by some Justices of the Court. There are appeal cases that should not have business going to the apex court but should terminate at the Court of Appeal. Another thing again is that we operate a system that encourages people to falsify their ages unnecessarily. It is not surprising that some judges have been sanctioned in recent time for falsifying their ages when going into the system. It is not the number years that a judge put into the judicial service that matters but the positive impact and contributions made. It is for this reasons that I concur with Hon. Justice Ayo Salami (retired) and I have nothing more to add.

NOTE: Anyone is at liberty to disagree with my above submissions as I will surely appreciate a balanced, fair and objective rebuttal.

*Says Lagos Govt cannot enforce court judgement as that is the work of the Sheriffs of the court.
*Says The Survey Plan Relied Upon By Lagos Govt Is Forged
*Says Lagos Govt Is Desperate To Justify Its Illegality

A human rights lawyer and former 2nd Vice-President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Monday Ubani, has replied the Lagos State government’s statement on its alleged aiding and abetting of land grabbing at 1, Folorunsho Kuku Street, Opebi

In a statement made available to TheNigeriaLawyer, Ubani said despite his alarms, the Lagos Government has been trying hard to justify the illegality of its action.

He said, “I have just seen the Press Release of the Honourable Commissioner of Information and Strategy of Lagos State, Mr Gbenga Omotosho concerning the land grabbing episode at 1, Folorunsho Kuku Street, Opebi in which Lagos State erroneously got itself entangled and illegally helped notorious land grabbers to chase away the rightful owner of a land and put the land grabbers into physical possession.

“Despite my alarm that this action is patently illegal and wrong, the State Government through its Officials have been trying hard to justify this illegality having succeeded in using the state apparatus to commit the heinous illegality of “enforcing judgement” over a land that was never part of the alleged judgement of the Supreme Court.”

Ubani said he was away on holiday when tenants of the house were ejected by Lagos Govt. He raised alarm over the issue consequent upon which he was invited by officials of Lagos Govt and during the meeting, he said he made it clear to them that Lagos State Government cannot enforce court judgement as that is the work of the Sheriffs of the court.

Furthermore, he said he made told the government officials that the land in question was not a subject of the judgment sought to be enforced neither were the survey plans been relied upon by the Lagos government tendered or used in that case

“I returned to Lagos on the 10th of January, 2021 and on the 11th of January, 2021, I attended a meeting presided over by The Solicitor General/Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Mrs Titilayo Shitta-Bey. It is important to point out that, that is the only meeting I attended over this issue, therefore the statement that a Committee set up by Lagos State Government sat from 4th of January to 1st of February 2021 is clearly news to me. I was never invited to any other meeting other than the one of 11th of January, 2021 which had some officials of several ministries and the Surveyor-General of Lagos State in attendance.

“At the said meeting I raised the issue that:

“Lagos State Government cannot “enforce” court judgement as that is the work of the Sheriffs of the court. I am proved right because after the invasion in collusion with Lagos State Government officials, the Meadows’ Family, the supposed judgment creditor, has gone back to court to ask the court re-issue the “warrant of possession” for them to carry out execution on Folorunsho Kuku Street that was never and had never been part of the subject of judgement of both at the trial and at appellate Courts. The matter came up two weeks ago, that is last January, 2021 which is several weeks after the illegal invasion by the land grabbers in collusion with Lagos State Government officials.

“The Surveyor-General’s report that my client’s land fell into the subject of the judgement at the trial court was seriously objected to by my humble self because the surveyor-general based his report upon a FORGED SURVEY (it was never part of the proceeding at the trial court in Suit No ID/513/80). This purported survey plan upon which the surveyor-general based his report was never used, tendered and admitted in evidence in that case. I have a complete copy of the entire court proceedings that took place on that case and a complete set of all the surveys that were also tendered and admitted in court. I also have the court judgements which never made mention of a purported survey plan drawn by one Suveyor Ogunbiyi in 1981 which is the wrong survey that the Surveyor General of Lagos State has used in his report which the Special Task Force on Lands Grabbers acted upon. I made this particular point clear to the Committee, but my findings were that the Committee members from Lagos State Government came to the meeting with a mindset to clear their names and present a report to the governor that will clear their mess by insisting that they acted upon the purported survey that never existed during the trial of the case.

“At that point I felt that the Committee cannot resolve the issue as it was set up purposely to clear their “mess” and not to mete out justice as this press release from the Commissioner of Information and Strategy justifies my position. The Land grabbers have taken over the land and have set out to sell the land (if they have not sold everything) to persons that are very close to this State government as my investigation reveals.” Ubani said

The human rights lawyer responded to all the issues raised in the Lagos Government’s press release. According to him, meeting was held only on January 11, not between 4th of January to 1st of February as stated by Lagos Govt

He also said the mechanic tenants of the land in dispute are legitimate and lawful tenants and Lagos Govt has no right to eject them because govt is not a recovery agent of citizens

“Let me address seriatim the other issues raised by the said Commissioner in his press release.

” ‘That the Committee invited all the parties between 4th of January to 1st of February, 2021’ . MY RESPONSE. As stated earlier, I was invited only on the 11th of January, 2021 and I attended only on that date and not aware there was any other meeting involving parties to this issue. The truth of the matter is that Lagos State Government cannot ordinarily be a judge in its own case. We accused Lagos State Government of aiding land grabbers to take over my client’s land illegally and it is preposterous that the said Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Justice was investigating the matter that we alleged is committed by The Special Task Force on Land Grabbing that is a Unit under them! What an irony?

” ‘That the Special Taskforce on Land Grabbers acted upon a petition on behalf of the Meadows to eject occupants of the land which harbors shanties, mechanics and miscreants’. MY RESPONSE. This is clearly laughable. The mechanics that were there were rent paying tenants to the owner of the land, and the property in question was fenced round with a big gate. The mechanics are known within the Estate and are lawful tenants who pay their appropriate dues and levies to the Landlord/ Resident Association. The chairman of the Estate Mr Steve Omamole has testified to that effect.
Upon what basis in law will a State Government act upon a petition of a private citizen to eject fellow citizens without complying with due process and law? Since when did Lagos State Government constitute itself into a law court to engage in recovery of premises on behalf of other citizens? The more the Lagos State Government tries to justify this brazen illegality, the more they get themselves completely soiled in this embarrassing impunity!

” ‘That the Petitioners tendered copies of judgements obtained from various courts, High Court, Suit No LD/513/80, Court of Appeal – Appeal No. CA/1/92 and the Supreme Court – SC /146/1995) and other documents showing their title to the land to substantiate their position’. MY RESPONSE. This was the most embarrassing of all the statements in this press release. I ask again, when has Lagos State Ministries or Agencies become the law court that enforce judgement of the court? If it is true as alleged that the Petitioners have these judgements, why can’t they go to court to enforce their judgements? When did they obtain these judgments? Have they enforced them before? Why did they not complete the execution? Why are they now waking up from sleep to enforce 41 year’s judgements in 2020 on a different address with a different survey? Is the Commissioner of Information aware that this same Petitioner was in court two weeks ago(this January, 2021) to ask the court to re-issue warrant of possession over the same property that Lagos State Government have purportedly helped them to enforce judgement in December 2020? Is Lagos State Government aware that the Survey Plan with which they deceived the Surveyor General to act upon in order to write that our client’s land forms part of the subject of judgement was never part of the proceeding in Suit No ID/513/80? Please note that the Hon Commissioner erroneously described the suit number as LD/513/80.

“Further question will be what other documents did the petitioner show to the Lagos State Government as alleged by the Hon Commissioner that got the Special Taskforce On Land Grabbing convinced that my client’s land formed part of the subject of the judgement of the Courts in favor of the judgment creditor? Could it be the survey OGEK 1911/81 drawn by one Surveyor Ogunbiyi which the Chairman of the Taskforce Mr Arole said he got from the Court but which was never part of the proceedings in Suit No ID/513/80? How can a whole government agency believe in a document that was never part of the proceedings during trial and chose to act on it? What irks me in this whole mess is the brazen inability of the Lagos Government Officials to appreciate the gravity of this blunder. Their bold-faced attempt to justify this illegality is clearly amazing, shocking and alarming!

” ‘That the Coordinator of the Lagos Task Force confirmed the authenticity of all documents presented by the Petitioner and obtained approval to embark on the enforcement in conjunction with other government agencies whose representatives were part of the Committee set up to establish facts of the matter – Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Ministry of Transportation and Office of the Surveyor- General, Lagos State’.MY RESPONSE. It is important we note that from this statement, Lagos State Government has admitted that they were the ones that helped a land grabber to chase away the legitimate owner of his land using state apparatus. Secondly, I ask which of the documents did the said Coordinator of the Lagos Taskforce confirm as authentic? Is it the judgement, the survey or the court proceedings? How does a judgement obtained on over 12 acres of land at Abule Onigbagbo cover a land in Opebi? Assuming but not conceding that Abule Onigbagbo has suddenly become Opebi, what survey plan was used to determine that the judgement of the trial court covered the land situate and lying at No 1 Folorunsho Kuku Street, Opebi which is a subject of a certificate of Occupancy obtained from the same Lagos State Government since 1989?

“Why is the said judgement creditor the owner of only the 6 plots of my client’s land at No 1 Folorunsho Kuku Street, Opebi and not the owner of all the adjoining lands on left, right and its surroundings, more so when the judgment of the trial court was for over 12 acres of land? Most importantly is how did the Coordinator of the Special Task Force conclude his investigation and establish that the Petitioner has authentic documents when he knew that there were persons present in the property whose interest on the property he could have requested for in order to give every party to the matter a fair hearing? Was Lagos State fair in using all those above mentioned agencies to grab a citizen’s land without given the citizen the opportunity to explain the reason for his presence on the property? The tenants on the property have been there for over 20 years overlooking the property for our client. They have evidence of paying land charges up to date, in fact in 2019 they received a letter of commendation from Lagos State Government for prompt and regular payments of their charges.

“In all these, to us, is the shocking revelations coming from the contradictory press releases coming from the various ministries of Lagos State over this impunity perpetuated by Lagos State Government over the land in Folorunsho Kuku Street, Opebi. Fact checks on the reasons advanced by the Ministry of Physical Planning is different from the one given by the Ministry of Transport and the one given by the Ministry of Environment differed from the one given by the Special Taskforce on Land Grabbing. Finally this last one released from the Ministry of Information and Strategy contradicts the earlier one issued by the Ministry of Physical Planning which alleged violation of physical planning laws. Whosever and whatsoever made Lagos State Government, the Centre of Excellence to engage in this brazen impunity and their recalcitrance justifying this illegality shall be revealed sooner or later.

” ‘That the Meadows family (the Petitioner) was also invited to the Committee and it was established that after the execution of the judgement of the High Court of Lagos State, some mechanics and miscreants dislodged them from the land, and all efforts to remove the trespassers had proved abortive until the petition to the Lagos State Special Task Force’. MY RESPONSE. It is unfortunate that this press statement has clearly indicted the Lagos State Government as aiding and abetting land grabbing in Lagos State. How can someone who has a certificate of occupancy of 1989 with lawful tenants who pay their dues, one as Mechanics to the Local Government Area with receipts, two, with evidence of receipts of payment of land use charges to the State Government and three, with evidence of receipts of payment to the Landlord/Association of the Estate be described as miscreants worthy of being dislodged by the State Government? How can anyone justify this type of illegal act by the Lagos State Government? Under the military, an attempt like this by the Lagos State Government to treat a citizen like a miscreant was frowned at by the Supreme Court in the famous case of Ojukwu V Lagos State Government, and we are now under democracy where the constitution and the rule of law should prevail!

“What is very interesting about the narrative above about the said Meadows Family is the several lies that this said family have told the court on why they want the court to re-issue warrant of possession to go back to execute the 41 years judgement. In one instance, they told the court that they did not have money to complete the earlier execution, hence they are now ready financially to complete it. In another application before the court, they told the court that they have completed execution but that the people on site agreed with them to vacate, however they have refused to vacate after the agreed time. In the third application before the court they told the story as re-told by the Lagos State government on their behalf that the alleged miscreants dislodged them after a successful execution. Which of these stories are true? We found out through our investigations that the family through their various counsel did abandon all these fraudulent applications anytime the court raised issue about the genuineness of their strange requests. Even if they are true, which I am not conceding, which area do they want to carry out the execution? Is it on the area for which judgement is entered or upon another area which was never part of the judgement of the court? Interestingly the Courts on which these strange applications were made usually suo motu raised these issues and the next thing is that their lawyers will abandon the application abruptly and run away. We have evidence of these. This was their method of trying to levy execution on a place they never procured judgement on until they found Lagos State Government as a good ally. The question will be why would Lagos State Government lend itself willingly for this type of infamy?” he said

Ubani said Lagos Govt lacks power to question the ex-parte order granted against Lagos Govt in respect of he land in dispute. He said his alarm was never to seek sympathy or blackmail in social media

The statement reads in part, ” ‘That Ubani did not also provide any document to justify that the land belongs to Circle Nigeria Limited. The Committee also ascertained that the ex parte order submitted by Mr Ubani was in the name of Circle Nigeria Limited but the C of O attached thereto was in the name of Kayode Owoseye Akingbade – two different entities”. MY RESPONSE. This part was the most ridiculous. I ask again, has Lagos State Government Officials taken over the responsibility of the court of the land? Is it not funny that in one breadth the Hon Commissioner admitted that a court of competent jurisdiction granted our client an interim order and in another breadth he is querying our documentary evidence to obtain the order? Is the Hon Commissioner of the view that i got the order without documentary evidence to show ownership of the property by Circle Nigeria Limited? Is the Hon Commissioner by his assertion here querying the competence of the learned Judge who granted the order of injunction? Is the Hon Commissioner trying to rewrite the ruling of the court, which is actually what they did by invading our client’s land in collusion with the land grabbers. If I may ask, is the Hon Commissioner saying that if a legitimate land owner with a certificate of occupancy sells his land to a subsequent purchaser who has a deed of assignment coupled with being in possession for a period spanning over 20 years, that that person is in the eyes of the law a trespasser and a miscreant? Honestly I do not seem to get the argument of the Honorable commissioner on the issue of a certificate of occupancy bearing a name different from the subsequent purchaser. It again speaks volume on the desperation to justify this brazen illegality.

” ‘That all the Survey Plans from both the Meadows family and that of Mr Ubani’s client revealed that the subject land falls within the Meadows’ family land; and that the land on which enforcement was carried by LSSTF falls within the parcel of land for which Meadows family obtained judgment in their favor in Suit No LG/513/80′ (I am sure he meant ID/513/80). MY RESPONSE. When I appeared at the Committee on the 11th January, 2021 I saw the desperation of everyone from the State Ministries to justify the illegality hence their recourse to a survey plan that was never part of the proceedings, I counseled myself to follow process and procedure and allow the State Government to continue in their quest to justify themselves. The truth of the matter is that the survey plan made available to the Surveyor General to chart the alleged composite plan which gave him a wrong result and report was a fake survey plan as it was never part of the court proceedings in Suit No ID/513/80. All my atfempt to point out this fact to the Committee was rejected because the Committee had already made up its plans to JUSTIFY THE ILLEGALITY THAT TOOK PLACE ON THE 31ST OF DECEMBER 2020.

“Sincerely speaking when I noticed the desperation of the Lagos State Officials over this land issue, we had counseled ourselves to pursue this matter legally in the court of law, but the current press release from the Hon Commissioner has made this rebuttal very imperative to avoid a situation where lies unrefuted will be taken as truth.

“I am amused by the accusation that I used social media for sympathy and blackmail. I am not seeking for anyone’s sympathy but for truth to be unveiled. Secondly I am a lawyer of reputable standing and not known for blackmailing. It will be wise for the Lagos State Government to admit this grave error and correct the injustice rather than engage in smearing a name of a lawyer that is out to pursue undiluted justice for his client. Social media is open to everyone and the Lagos State Government have just used it to convey their opinion, even though, wrongly on this issue.

“I am a firm believer in Lagos State as a Centre of Excellence and I think I have contributed my own little quota to the development of the State especially pertaining to the election of this present government both at the centre and at the State level. However, I will not be intimidated in pursuing the rights of any of my clients by any government official whose office is only temporal as the State will outlive any individual.

“The Lagos State Government through their officials acted wrongly in the manner they dispossessed a citizen of his land. They need to check their process and procedure in investigating cases of land grabbing to avoid aiding and abetting land grabbers in perpetuating their nefarious acts. The State Officials erred gravely over our client’s land episode and it is alarming that instead of redressing the manifest injustice, the Centre of Excellence is digging deep in infamy and encouraging anarchy. The people who grabbed our client’s land have sold out all the land to desperate buyers with the aid and assistance of the State Government. This is clearly evil, unlawful and a dent on the good name of Lagos State. That they are trying to justify this is terribly alarming!

“However due to my profound respect and love to the current governor, His Excellency Mr Jide Sanwo-Olu, a complete gentleman i would have said more on this issue, but I am restrained to hold my gun powder dry. I am too sure that he is yet to know the whole truth about this sad episode.

“Conscience is an open wound, only truth heals it. (Thenigerialawyer)

The Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and restitution for victims of SARS and the Lekki Tollgate incident at the weekend heard how a man was beaten to death by policemen attached to Okokomaiko Division.

The deceased, Julius Adeogun, a lotto operator, was allegedly killed in 2018 by cops who arrested him during a raid.

In her evidence before the panel, the deceased’s widow, Mrs. Adewunmi Adeogun alleged that her husband was apprehended on January 31, 2018 during a raid on their street.

The woman who wept uncontrollably said he was arrested alongside many other people but unfortunately, he never came back.

“Unlike others who were allegedly released after allegedly paying the bail fee, my husband was not that lucky as he was beaten to death,” she stated.

According to the woman, her late husband was the one taking care of his aged parents, their four children and herself.

However, hearing could not continue on her matter as a result of her emotional state. The panel in its wisdom held that the woman was unfit for cross-examination by the police counsel and adjourned the matter to March 9 for further hearing.

Prior to this case, the panel heard five other petitions including that of Adebayo Yinka Austin vs Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), which involved an alleged wrongful arrest, detention. ( thenigerialawyer)

Eleven years old boy, Master Osasu Omoigui who was hit by a stray bullet on his genital during the #EndSARS protest said he would like to be a medical doctor when he grows up.

The primary three pupil of Maria Christian Academy, Benin, who spoke with journalists when his Mother, Stella Omoigui, appeared before the Edo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry for victims of the SARS and Police related abuses to present her petition pleaded with the state and federal government to come to his aid to actualise his dream.

“I want to be a medical doctor by the time I grow up and finished my education, please, the government and every spirited individual should help me”, he said.

He said he can’t go to school because of the problem.

Speaking before the panel, Stella Omoigui, said she sent her son on an errand when he was hit by a stray bullet on his genital.

Mrs. Omoigui, said Osasu was asked to take ripe plantain to his father along Old road, Sapele road, Benin, when he was hit by bullets from police officers dispersing the #EndSARS protesters.

“My son was later treated and discharged from the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH. Since the incident, I have been spending the little resources I have on him.”

” He can’t pass out urine except through a fixed pipe on his abdomen, this has forced him to always be on wrappers instead of trousers.”

Omoigui’s mother has however demanded for N50 million as compensation and for his medical bills.

The panel chairman, Justice Ada Ehigiamusoe (rtd), said the child’s condition must be treated with prompt attention.

“I have a medical doctor in my team, looking at the young man, he’s about 11 years old, he is unable to dress properly like normal human being, we found him to be wrapped in wrappers and the medical doctor in my team, examined him and found that he is badly damaged in his genital region and we have reviewed that this calls for an emergency intervention.

“We will do the necessary things that will be required of us just like the state government has always done, matters of this nature be treated promptly. If you recall, we have similar matters of about two of them, deaf and dumb, more than that and promptly, the state government intervened.

“It is one of those things, the consequences of that protest, we can’t really lay our hands on anybody but we will try our best to make the adequate recommendations.

Justice Ehigiamusoe and other members of the panel however raised some amount of money for the victim. (Thenigerialawyer)