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Petrol Price Hike Illegal, Says Falana-led Coalition

The recent hike in the price hike negatives the principles of the Nigerian constitution, Alliance for Survival of COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB) has said.

The group, a coalition of over 80 labour and civil rights groups, led by a human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana, has also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to live up to his responsibility.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Chairman of the coalition and radical Lagos lawyer, Falana insisted that the increase was illegal and should be annulled.

ASCAB said the hike will increase the tempo of anger, frustration and desperation of Nigerians who are daily being pushed to the extreme of tolerance of the government’s extremist socio-economic programmes

The group said handing over the mainstream of the economy to the mood swing of global economic forces was like putting Nigeria on auto pilot, which might lead to a crash.

Falana said Nigerians have been stretched beyond their reasonable elastic limit with the ceaseless imposition of policies that push the masses to cliff edge of livelihood.

“The federal government has taken yet another illegal decision. Nigerians are not expected to obey illegal orders,” Falana said

He cited the Supreme Court judgment that vested the right to increased fuel price in the hands of the Minister of Petroleum, a position presently being held by Buhari

He said contrary to the provisions in the constitution, the federal government had been using the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) to fix the prices of petroleum products, adding that following the recent challenge of the usurpation of the powers of the Minister of Petroleum Resources to fix the pump price by the ASCAB, the federal government decided to transfer the power to the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC).

He said “the PPMC announced a new Ex-depot price of N151.56 for petrol last week. In justifying the illegal and insensitive increase in the pump price of fuel, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva was quoted to have said that the government is no longer in the business of fixing prices for petroleum products, saying “we have stepped back. Our focus now is on protecting the interest of the consumers and making sure that marketers are not”

ASCAB faulted the minister, accusing him of reinforcing an illusion that the increase is without the prior consent of the federal government.

He said in the same vein, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed has publicly confirmed the decision of the federal government to hand over the duty of the Minister of Petroleum Resources to the so-called global market forces.

ASCAB recalled that while speaking from Abuja during a web seminar organised by the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), last week, she explained that all tough measures adopted by the federal government were geared towards weathering the current headwinds posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to her, “what that means is that the price of refined petrol will be determined by the global price of crude oil, so the price will keep changing according to how the global market operates.”

ASCAB insisted that decision of the federal government to abdicate its responsibility to fix the price of fuel is the height of official impunity, which should not be tolerated in any democratic society.

ASCAB said “indeed, it is a reckless violation of Section 6 (1) of the Petroleum Act, which provides that: “The Minister may by order published in the Federal Gazette fix the prices at which petroleum products or any particular class or classes thereof may be sold in Nigeria or in any particular part or parts thereof.”

ASCAB cited the case of Bamidele Aturu versus Attorney-General of the Federation (unreported suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/591/2009), where the Federal High Court declared illegal and unconstitutional the policy decision of the federal government to deregulate the downstream sector of the petroleum industry contrary to the combined effect of the provisions of the Price Control Act and the Petroleum Act.

According to the learned trial judge, Adamu Bello J. (as he then was):

“It seems to me that a combined reading of the provisions of sections 4 and 6 of the Police Control Act and the Petroleum Act leaves one in no doubt that the control of and regulation of prices of petroleum products among others, is a legal duty imposed on the government of the Federation acting through its relevant functionaries, that is, Minister of Petroleum Resources and the minister in charge of commerce by the two acts of the National Assembly referred to, so any decision by the government to deregulate the downstream sector as it affects the fixing of price of petroleum products must contend with those enactments. In other words, any decision to deregulate the downstream sector of the petroleum industry by not fixing the prices of products while these extant laws remain in force and has not been amended or abrogated, will be in conflict with those enactments and therefore be illegal.”

ASCAB said since the judgments and orders of the Federal High Court are binding on the federal government as well as all authorities and persons in Nigeria pursuant to section 287 (3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 the decision of the PPMC to increase the price of petrol is contemptuous, illegal, null and void.

How To Get Bail After 24 Hours Of Arrest In Nigeria

Daily Law Tips (Tip 648) by Onyekachi Umah, Esq., LL.M, ACIArb(UK)

In Nigeria, every person (including suspects and defendants/accused persons) is assumed to be innocent until a court declares a person guilty. This is a constitutional right that should not be violated by any person (including law enforcement agencies, institutions, leaders and government). However, the reverse is the case, with overzealous law enforcement agencies, going in the circles of; abuse, arrest, abuse, detain and abuse again before taking the suspect to court (if the suspect is fortunate to be arraigned). In Nigeria, “Bail” is mostly seen in law books and movies, since many suspects are detained without bail for weeks in all parts of Nigeria and lawyers get beaten up for seeking bail for clients. This work reveals the quickest means of obtaining bail after 24 hours of arrest in any part of Nigeria.

There is a big gap between criminal law and human rights as contained in our law books and as applied in reality. There are three groups of law enforcement agents in Nigeria; the first group understands the law and applies it thoroughly, the second group understands the law but will not apply it due to corruption, nepotism and fear while the third group does not understand the law and does not care. Unfortunately, the last group seems to be dominating followed by the second group, as such human rights suppressed. Among the concerned human rights are; right to life, right to dignity of human person, right to personal liberty, right to fair hearing and right to freedom of movement.

The essence of bail is to enable a suspect to go home and about his affairs while ensuring the suspect will at a later date, appear in a given place (like the office of a law enforcement agency or in court for investigation or to answer to his case). Bail is not a privilege or favour done to a suspect rather a right of a suspect. Remember that a suspect is not guilty so he/she should not suffer or be treated as if he is guilty. Consequently, a suspect that is detained for an offence not punishable with death (non-capital offences) is entitled to bail within 24 hours of being arrested.

The police (any law enforcement agency) time for detaining a suspect arrested for an offence that is not to be punished with death (non-capital offences) is 24 hours. Time starts counting from the moment a person is arrested, ceased or appears to answers an invitation of a law enforcement agency (whatever the language/term, so far as a person is no longer free). So, once a suspect is arrested, the law enforcement agency must ensure that its further investigation, bio-data capturing, granting of bail and seeking for advice, approval and any indoor management/protocol is completed within 24 hours. Where a suspect is detained beyond 24 hours for an offence that is not punishable with death, the suspect can be granted bail by a court having jurisdiction over the offence.

In Nigeria, a detained person may not be allowed to approach a court to seek his own bail or to even access a lawyer of his/her choice, by overzealous law enforcement agents working on ignorance or corruption. Hence, where a suspect is not granted bail by a law enforcement agency within 24 hours over a non-capital offence, any person can go to court and institute a case against the concerned law enforcement agency (and its agents) on behalf of the suspect. The court will order the suspect to be produced (brought to) court and inquire into the circumstances of the detention. Where the court desires, the court will grant bail to the suspect. The required application for bail in court, can be written or oral, even if the court is a superior court (High Court/Federal High Court/National Industrial Court).

It is better to engage a lawyer to assist with bail application in court. Bail is a right and not a favour. Bail is free because it is a constitutional and fundamental human right, provided freely by the Constitution of Nigeria. Report any law enforcement agent, court staff, magistrate, judge or legal practitioner that request for money/gift in order to grant bail. However, a legal practitioner is entitled to charge for his legal services but no to charge any fee to be paid as bribe or gift for bail.

My authorities are:

1. Sections 32, 161, 162, 163, 164, 494 and 495 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and its equivalent in states across Nigeria.
2. Sections 34, 35, 36, 230, 237, 249, 255, 260, 265, 318 and 319 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.
3. Judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria (on the nature and effect of Bail) in the case of SULEMAN & ANOR v. COP PLATEAU STATE (2008) LPELR-3126(SC)
4. Judgement of the Supreme Court of Nigeria (on bail) in the case of UGWU v. STATE (2020) LPELR-49375(SC)
5. Judgement of the Court of Appeal (that every person is presumed innocent) in the case of ALAYA v. STATE (2007) LPELR-8841(CA) citing Eyu v. The State (1988) 2 NWLR (Pt.78) 602 at 610, Abiola v. FR.N. (1995) 7 NWLR (Pt.405) 1 at 155
6. Judgment of the Court of Appeal (on whether bail can be granted in non-capital offences) in the case of OGEDE v. FRN (2018) LPELR-46816(CA)
7. Judgment of the Court of Appeal (on whether bail can be granted in capital offences) in the case of OGEDE v. FRN (2018) LPELR-46816(CA)
8. Judgment of the Court of Appeal (that oral bail application can be made in any court, including courts of record) in the case of Chief Alhaji Moshood Kashimawo Abiola V. Federal Republic of Nigeria (1995) NWRL PART 370 P.155.
9. James Ezeh, “Nigerian Lawyer Hospitalised after Police Assault, NBA Demands Justice” (Premuim Times, 13 October 2019) 1 September 2020.

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Djokovic Out Of US Open After Hitting Judge In The Neck

Novak Djokovic, the favourite for the men’s singles title at the US Open, is out of the competition after he accidentally hit a line judge in the neck when he hit the ball back off his racket.

He had just lost a point in the opening set.

Players who hit another person on the court can be automatically disqualified from the competition by way of a loss.

Djokovic realized immediately he hit her and approached the person.

Pablo Carreno Busta, the No. 20 seed and a 2017 semifinalist, will advance to the quarterfinals. The score of the first set was 6-5.

There will be a new Grand Slam men’s singles champion for the first time in six years.

Carreno Busta went on a run after trailing 5-4 and rattled off five points in a row. One of those was overturned by a challenge and he evened up the match.

After a third break point, Djokovic smashed the ball and hit the sideboard after play ended, via BBC Sports. Commentators noted that it could be bad if he did that and were to hit someone, and wondered why he hadn’t been given a warning for the dangerous move.

He has a history of similar actions.

At one point before his default, Djokovic fell over when Carreno Busta forced him to change directions.

He appeared to hurt his left shoulder.

He was trying to win his 18th career Grand Slam. He was 26-0 so far this season.

Djokovic attempted to state his case to stay in the competition, telling the officials he could take a game penalty or set penalty rather than a full tournament ouster.

Via Ben Rothenberg at The New York Times, Djokovic also noted that the line judge was able to get up and didn’t need to be taken to the hospital.

Official Andreas Egli reportedly stood firm, while Djokovic continued his plea, saying, “If she would have gotten up right away …” per Rothenberg. The line judge dropped to her knees on the hit near the back of the court and reached for her neck.

Chair umpire Aurelie Tourte made the announcement to an empty stadium — no fans are allowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic — after Djokovic went over to shake hands with Carreno Busta.

Djokovic will lose all ranking points and be fined the prize money he won for reaching the round of 16, according to the USTA statement.

P&ID Case: Kayode, SAN, Calls For Domestication Of Arbitration Process And Adoption Of Virtual Arbitration

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Adetokunbo Kayode, has advocated for the domestication of the arbitration process in Nigeria due to the cost involved in doing it overseas.

Kayode, SAN, said this during an interview at Sunrise Daily program at Channels Television.

He said, “we must reorientate ourselves about the understanding of arbitration and the implication, and as I said also, seek to domesticate it because most of the government-related arbitration are done either in Paris or in London or somewhere else;”

He mentioned some of the challenges of doing arbitration outside the country to include financial cost and difficulty in obtaining visa among others. He, therefore, advised that arbitration should rather be carried out in Nigeria

“it costs money. You need to get a visa for instance to go to London. What if you couldn’t get it? And it costs money to move up and down. Why not do it in Abuja or do it Lagos which will be easier for us.

“And I do not think based on the doctrine of Party equality, if you are really the key person like in P&ID case, there is no reason why this Arbitration should not have been in Abuja.

“But if we continue to put it in London then you know that it costs money to go there. And sometimes you don’t get visa as a said. If you don’t get money then you don’t move on with the case.” Kayode said

The learned silk added that there is now virtual arbitration which can also be taken advantage of.

“But there is a reprieve because now we are doing virtual arbitration so you could actually sit down here and do your arbitration online whether the arbitration is based in London,” He said

Blasphemy: We Will Keep Monitoring Shariff’s Appeal Process — NBA

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has confirmed that an appeal has been filed against the conviction of Yahaya Shariff Aminu who was recently sentenced to death by the Upper Sharia Court, Kano

This is contained in a statement signed by the NBA National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Rapuchukwu Ernest Nduka, made available to TheNigeriaLawyer (TNL) titled “RE: NBA WADES INTO THE REPORTED CASE OF REFUSAL BY THE FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL CENTRE TO ALLOW LAWYERS ACCESS TO YAHAYA SHARIF-AMINU, WHO WAS SENTENCED TO DEATH BY THE KANO STATE UPPER SHARIA COURT.”

Nduka said, “It will be recalled that on the 2nd day of September 2020, the Nigerian Bar Association went on a fact-finding mission to the Federal Correctional Centre Kano, where the fact-finding team confirmed that Yahaya Sharif-Aminu had been denied access to lawyers and thus was unable to take steps in appealing the death sentence on him, by an Upper Sharia Court.

“The Nigerian Bar Association has now been informed by Kola Alapini Esq, that an Appeal has now been filed on behalf of Yahaya, challenging the sentence of the Upper Sharia Court. The said Appeal No. K/37CA/2020 was filed on the 3rd day of September 2020 and duly served on the Attorney General of Kano State. It has been confirmed that the Attorney General of Kano State has since received the said notice of appeal.”

NBA recalls that the governor of Kano State has vowed to sign death warrant for Shariff’s execution if Shariff fails to appeal against the conviction. It said it is now expecting the stay of Shariff’s execution until he exhausts his right of appeal.

“It will also be recalled that the Governor of Kano State in a press statement had stated that he will be constrained to sign the warrant of execution in respect of the judgement of the Upper Sharia Court if there is no appeal against the said judgement.
It is expected that the execution of the judgement and the signing of the warrant of execution will be stayed in order to allow Yahaya exhaust his constitutional right of Appeal.”

NBA emphasized on right of appeal and legal representation of accused persons and vowed to monitor Shariff’s appeal process

“The Nigerian Bar Association reiterates that every accused person is entitled to be given the requisite opportunity to exercise his constitutional right of appeal and his right to be represented by a lawyer of his choice.

“The Nigerian Bar Association shall keenly monitor the process.” the statement concluded

Fuel, Electricity Tariff Hike: Removal Of Subsidy Long Overdue — Presidency

As Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress (TUC) and relevant organs of Labour are preparing to embark on strike over hike in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, from N148 to N161 per litre, the Presidency has said the removal of subsidy is long overdue.

According to a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, to stop the mismanagement of taxpayer money, eliminate corruption associated with subsidies on petroleum products, power, fertilizer among others, the decision to implement long-delayed reforms, withdraw and allow the market to determine their prices are tough decisions the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration had to make to deliver dividends of democracy.

According to the Presidential Media aide, the current administration is facing multiple challenges along with COVID-19, which include low earnings, near-collapse of the oil market, floods, threats of terrorism and banditry but that a good government must take decisions for the people’s good.

The statement read thus:

The All Progressives Congress, (APC) came to power in 2015 defeating an incumbent administration amidst very high expectations from President Muhammadu Buhari.

Five years on, the administration has worked hard to meet many expectations, but still, there are certain tough decisions which had to be taken to put back the country on the path of sustainable development.

To stop the mismanagement of taxpayer money, eliminate corruption associated with subsidies on petroleum products, power, fertilizer among others, the administration took the decision to implement long-delayed reforms, withdraw and allow the market to determine their prices.

Subsidy removal in these sectors had long been foreseen by successive administrations as game changers in search of solutions to move forward with the nation’s development. These are reforms that are necessary and overdue. Blueprint upon blueprint, timeline upon timeline had come and gone but courage to take bold decisions was not there.

Over the last few days, one claim acquiring a potent resonance with the online community, sections of the labour movement and the opposition is that the actions are ill-timed and ill-advised.

There is nothing new in the fact that the country is today fighting multiple challenges along with COVID-19, including low earnings, near-collapse of the oil market, floods, threats of terrorism and banditry but the challenges notwithstanding, a good government must take decisions for the people’s good.

As President, Muhammadu Buhari takes these difficult decisions, both popular and unpopular and as a leader because he is demonstrating the right courage to take such decisions as they become necessary in view of present circumstances.

History will be kind to President Buhari because in addition to his amazing ability to command votes, he will be remembered as the President who made real contributions to economic and overall national development by eliminating the evils of corruption embedded in subsidies.

In any democracy, the most important certificate in governance is acceptance by the people and, with the support of ordinary Nigerians, President Buhari has shown a rare determination to carry out the bold initiatives as these ones driven by nothing other than the greatest good for the greatest number of people. In carrying out the reforms, the President needs the support and understanding of all citizens-inclusive of the opposition parties, the labour movement and civil society groups.

In these challenging times, the President is pushing development goals not politics and history will judge him in favourable terms rather than his critics in the new media and the opposition.

Judicial System In Nigeria Is Enmeshed With Too Much Technicality, Denying People Access To Justice — J.S Okutepa,SAN

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. J.S Okutepa has stated that the technicalities in the nation’s judicial system are too much to such an extent that Nigerians are denied access to justice as a result.

This is contained in a statement issued by him which was made available to TheNigeriaLawyer (TNL).

“Our justice system needs a thorough review. There is no need to approach the seat of justice when all you get is technical justice that does not examine and appreciate the merit and issues in the causes or matters.

“There is no need celebrating technical victory or justice because, in the long run, those principles will turn round to hurt all of us. Part of the reasons why both the executive and legislative arms of government treat Nigerians with contempt and disdain is because we have a justice system that does not serve the people with pure and undiluted justice.” He said.

In addition, he noted that citizens are being denied access to justice on the premise of locus standi, thereby, inhibiting them from questioning Government.

“For instance, if anyone who is led to believe that policies and programmes of governments are being done or run in breach of the overall interest of the people and contrary to law and constitution can be allowed to ventilate such grievances without being denied a hearing under locus standi, governments will behave well.”

Furthermore, he stated that people are being denied justice by virtue of some anachronistic principles.

“But most cases and matters are always denied the opportunity of merit-based hearing because of this and other anachronistic legal jargon that does not give justice to Nigerian people.” He said.

Meanwhile, he noted that the believe of most people is that the judiciary is not independent.

“The popular held believes of most Nigerians today outside of the legal profession is that the judiciary and our judges are not free from political and societal influences and that justice in Nigeria is for the highest bidders or those who have the means of production.

“Whether that is true or not is outside my power to conclude. But where people begin to think that the judex is compromised or that justice is not served or that judgements delivered go against facts that are too notorious to be denied, then the confidence of the people in the judicial processes is thus eroded.” He said.

Also, he restated that justice is rooted in public confidence.

“That is why it is said that justice is rooted in confidence and where right-thinking members of the society are led to hold the notion that the judex has been compromised, then justice is thereby denied.”

However, he noted that the system is now enmeshed with technical justice.

“Today our justice system has developed some principles of law that have constantly denied justice to the people who seek it at the seat of justice.”

The learned silk cited instances of such in the following words:

“For instance why must our judicial officers demand that public documents must be tendered by the makers. Who are the makers of public documents? Again why is the judiciary insisting that documents are written in the English language which is the official language of the court be demonstrated. Is it not the law that documents speak for themselves.

“Why is it that in elections petition cases our judges will be insisting and demanding that you call polling by polling unit evidence when in most cases the violence and thuggery associated with elections are so obvious that even the blind and the deaf know what politicians do in our elections. The pretenses of our judicial system to deal frontally with real issues in cases that have come before the courts is gradually and almost killing our practice of democracy. The brand of democracy being encouraged by our legal system seem to me to be completely different from the kind of democracy we copied from the civilised world.” He said.

Meanwhile, the learned silk noted that the system in Nigeria is not helping access to justice.

“Nigeria is about the only country I know where wrongdoers dared you to go to court because they knew or have reasons to know that to get justice in our unjust system is like a camel going through the eyes of the needle.”

“I think as legal Practitioners we have a burdened duty to show the light for others to follow for the overall development of our nation Nigeria.” He concluded.

Subsidy: Past administrations lacked the courage to take bold decisions, says Garba Shehu

Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, says past administrations did not have the courage to take unpopular decisions.

Shehu, in a statement on Sunday, said President Muhammadu Buhari will be remembered as the leader who made “real contributions to economic and overall national development by eliminating the evils of corruption embedded in subsidies”.

The Buhari-led administration in March announced that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) would no longer absorb the differentials between the landing cost and retail price of petrol.

As a result of this, the retail price of petrol has been adjusted monthly to reflect the realities of the global crude oil market.

“Subsidy removal in these sectors had long been foreseen by successive administrations as game changers in search of solutions to move forward with the nation’s development. These are reforms that are necessary and overdue. Blueprint upon blueprint, timeline upon timeline had come and gone but the courage to take bold decisions was not there,” he said.

According to Shehu, Buhari has shown the rare determination to carry out bold decisions that are driven by the desire to ensure the greatest good for the people.

“In carrying out the reforms, the president needs the support and understanding of all citizens-inclusive of the opposition parties, the labour movement and civil society groups,” the presidential aide said.

“In these challenging times, the president is pushing development goals, not politics and history will judge him in favourable terms rather than his critics in the new media and the opposition.”

Buhari’s Supporters Call Daily Trust Newspaper Toilet Paper For Cartoon Depicting Lavish Wedding Of President’s Daughter

The cartoon drew inspiration from Aisha’s several posts on Instagram where she displayed pictures of Hanan’s wedding.

Supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari have described a Nigerian newspaper, Daily Trust, as toilet paper over a cartoon published by the tabloid. 

The cartoon shows the President’s wife, Aisha, holding pictures of the wedding on her hands and displaying in faces of Nigerians struggling to find their balance in life.

The cartoon drew inspiration from Aisha’s several posts on Instagram where she displayed pictures of Hanan’s wedding. 

In reaction to the cartoon, the Twitter handle of the artist, Bulama Mustapha, had been besieged by Buhari’s supporters, calling the Daily Trust employee names and even insinuating that he should blame himself if he was arrested for the cartoon.

One supporter of Buhari, Abdul Ishaka, described Daily Trust as “toilet paper” for publishing the cartoon. 

He said, “Dear Daily Trust Toilet Paper, What is really the meaning of this disgusting cartoon? This is pure evil and hate mongering….Aisha Buhari and her family did a very quiet wedding for their kid and you have a place in your dark heart to mock them?”

Another loyalist of Buhari, Mohammed Shehu Usman, wrote, “This has further proved that your publication is toilet paper and should be trashed in the bottom pit of hell. Shame on you.”

Recall that SaharaReporters had exclusively reported how event planners for the wedding of Hanan and her groom, Mohammed Turad, were flown in from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to add colour and spice to the ceremony. 

This news media also gathered that most of the items including souvenirs used for the occasion were brought in from the Arabian country.

saharareporters

EXCLUSIVE: Event Planners, Others Flown In From Dubai For Lavish Wedding Of President Buhari’s Daughter, Hanan

The wedding ceremony between President Muhammadu Buhari’s daughter, Hanan, and her groom, Mohammed Turad, on Friday had all the trappings of a fairytale nuptials.

Apart from the opulence on display, SaharaRepoters reliably gathered that event planners for the wedding were flown in from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to add colour and spice to the ceremony.

Recall that in August, SaharaRepoters had revealed how First Lady and mother of the bride, Mrs Aisha Buhari, flew to Dubai in a private jet owned by billionaire Mohammed Indimi under the guise of a medical emergency to shop for luxury items ahead of Friday’s wedding.

It was reliably scooped on Saturday that most of the items including souvenirs used for the occasion were brought in from the Arabian country.

The wedding, which had security personnel prohibiting guests from taking photographs, saw the event planners and other vendors flown in from Dubai pocketing huge amounts in United States dollars for their services apart from the cost of bringing them into the country.

Apart from being against the President Buhari administration’s drive to promote local content, the importation of the vendors from Dubai also flouted the ban in non-essential travels in and out of Nigeria at this time.

Government banned international flights from coming into and leaving the country in March in order to curb the spread of Coronavirus in Nigeria.

The elaborate ceremony comes a few days after the administration of President Buhari increased the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit widely known as petrol from N145 to N161, causing many households untold crisis following the attendant effect on the prices of basic commodities including food items.

In a video of the lavish ceremony dubbed ‘The First Wedding’ for being the first of its kind to hold inside Aso Villa, Nigeria’s seat of power, and seen by SaharaReporters, guests numbering about 10 sat close to each other on a table, breaching the Coronavirus safety protocols of government in the process. 

Earlier on Wednesday, SaharaRepoters revealed how some guests for the wedding were declining the invitation over fear of contracting Coronavirus especially after it emerged that President Buhari’s closest aide and Senior Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs, Sarki Abba, had recently recovered from the virus.

Abba, who has since resumed duties after recovering from the virus, was considered still unsafe to mingle with others inside the Presidential Villa by some persons including the First Lady.

In order not to expose her family and guests at the wedding, Mrs Buhari vowed not to allow Abba attend the wedding as a result of this situation.

She also opposed the idea of Mamman Daura, a nephew and close confidant of Buhari, attending the event despite the President’s insistence that he be a part of the occasion.

This situation sent panic among some guests, who chose not to attend the ceremony and risk their health.
View this post on Instagram

Congratulations to turad and @hanan_buhari Groom’s father’s wedding reception at his residence Thank you for choosing blue velvet #presidentialwedding #day2 #hananbuhariswedding #hananbuhari #buhariturad #buharimarwa #hananbuharislovestory #hananMuhammad #hananslovestory #presido #bedgepictures #hudayyabride #bbnaija #bbnaija2020 #bigbrothernaija #shesaidado #adamaindimiwedding #throwbackthursday #adamaindimi #inconversationwithzahra #presidowedding #adamaindimi #presido #indimiwedding #arewawedding #adamaindimislovestory

A post shared by #Hamadforever (@theweddingjournalng) on Sep 4, 2020 at 7:26am PDT

But despite the absence of some prominent Nigerians at the occasion, Friday’s wedding between Hanan and Turad had all the glitz and spark synonymous with such calibre of events.

Turad is the son of an ex-lawmaker from Kaduna State, while Hanan, one of Buhari’s daughter’s, is a graduate of Photography from Ravensbourne University in England, who in July 2019 ordered the Department of State Services to arrest a young businessman based in Delta State, Athony Okolie, after he was issued a mobile number by telecommunications company MTN previously used and abandoned by her.

Okolie spent 10 weeks in unlawful detention before he was finally released by the secret police.SEE ALSOThoughts Of Suicide Is Only Thing On My Mind –Okolie, Man Unlawfully Detained By DSS For Using SIM Card Previously Owned By President Buhari’s Daughter33 Comments8 Months Ago

Earlier in January, Hanan was again in the news after she attended an event to photograph a Durbar by Rilwanu Adamu, Emir of Bauchi, in one of the jets in the presidential fleet.

The move was condemned by Nigerians but the Presidency defended the action by saying that it was a normal procedure.
View this post on Instagram

#hamad4ever #hamadforever

A post shared by #hamadforever2020 (@theweddingstreet_ng) on Sep 4, 2020 at 12:36pm PDT

saharareporters

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