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Charging minors, other protesters with terrorism and treason is illegal, Falana SAN

By Femi Falana SAN

Even though charges were filed against a number of protesters in some state capitals, the Nigeria Police Force decided to arraign 130 protesters including 29 minors on 10 counts, including treason.

Introduction 

Last week, President Bola Tinubu ordered the immediate termination of the treason charge against 119 protesters standing trial for treason arising from the August 1-8, 2024 protests against bad governance and hardship in the country. Consequently, the Attorney-general of the Federation, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi SAN applied for the withdrawal of the charges. Since there was no objection from the defence counsel, the case was struck out by Justice Obioma Egwatu. It is pertinent to review the attempted criminalization of peaceful protests in Nigeria by a governments that is completely intolerant of criticism in a democratic society.

Right of citizens to protest 

The fundamental rights of Nigerian citizens to assemble and protest against unpopular policies of governments are guaranteed by Section 39 and 40 of the Constitution as well as Articles 9 and 10 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, 2004. In the case of the Inspector General of Police v All Nigeria Peoples Party (2008) 22 WRN 65, the Court of Appeal declared police permit for rallies illegal and unconstitutional and directed the National Assembly to amend the Public Order Act to facilitate the enjoyment of the fundamental right to peaceful protests by aggrieved citizens. 

While the National Assembly ignored the directive of the Court of Appeal, the police and other security forces intensified the infringement of the right of Nigerians to protest against governments and other public authorities. However, the right to protest by Nigerians was statutorily protected in the 2015 Amendment of the Electoral Act 2010. Furthermore, section 83(4) of the Police Establishment Act 2020 has imposed a duty on the Nigeria Police Force to provide adequate security for protesters during rallies, meetings and protests. 

Breach of the right to protest against bad governance 

In a brazen violation of the right of Nigerians to assemble and freely voice out their views on bad governance and rising cost of living in the country, the Federal Government and several state governments embarked on a campaign of calumny against the organisers of the August 2024 protests. When the vicious campaign did not achieve its dubious objective, the Federal Government threatened to deal ruthlessly with the organisers of the protest. Out of sheer desperation, the Lagos and Ogun states governments as well as the federal capital territory administration surreptitiously secured ex parte orders to stop the protest. 

For having the temerity to participate in the protest, the police and the armed forces shot at many unarmed protesters. At the end of the protest, not less than 22 protesters were killed. Thus, the deliberate refusal of the police to provide adequate security for the protesters and the unwarranted killing of some of the protesters led to the violence that marred the peaceful protests in some states. 

However, before the protest was called off, President Bola Tinubu said that the Federal Government had heard the protesters loud and clear and would enter into dialogue with the leaders. Notwithstanding the presidential declaration, the police turned round to commence the prosecution of the over 2,000 protesters that were arrested in several states. 

Criminalization of protest 

Even though charges were filed against a number of protesters in some state capitals, the Nigeria Police Force decided to arraign 130 protesters including 29 minors on 10 counts, including treason, incitement to mutiny by urging the military to remove President Bola Tinubu and other related charges before the Abuja judicial division of the Federal High Court. Notwithstanding that section 2(4) of the Terrorism Prevention Act 2022 states that a protest, demonstration or stoppage of work is not a terrorist act, the police sought and obtained an ex parte order to detain the suspects for 60 days for the purpose of investigating them for alleged involvement in terrorism.

Alhough the police had secured an order to detain the suspects for 60 days, they were held for 92 days before they were arraigned in the Federal High Court. Among the suspects were 29 children who were malnourished and dehydrated during their arraignment. Owing to hunger and exhaustion in the congested court room, four minor defendants collapsed and they were rushed to a hospital.  

Illegal arraignment of children in the Federal High Court 

In 2001, Nigeria ratified the United Nations Child’s Rights Convention and enacted the Child’s Rights Act in 2003. We have confirmed that the 36 states of the federation have adopted and enacted the legislation. Thus, under the Child’s Rights Law applicable in each State, child offenders under the age of 18 years cannot be charged in the Federal High Court or State High Court but in the Family Court. 

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi SAN, was reported to have said that the minors were properly charged before the Federal High Court because the Constitution makes it clear that the Federal High Court has jurisdiction in matters related to treason and related offenses. With respect,  the Federal High Court does not have exclusive jurisdiction to try  treason and related offences. 

Even if there was a reasonable suspicion that the minors committed treason they ought to have been  arraigned  in a Family Court pursuant to section 149 of the Child’s Rights Act. But contrary to the Child’s Rights Act applicable in the Federal Capital Territory, the minors were charged with treason at the Federal High Court after they had been detained in the midst of hardened criminal suspects in the anti robbery detention facility in Abuja. Even though they pleaded not guilty to the charge, the arraignment of the minors is illegal in every material particular.

Phoney evidence to prove treason charge 

It is trite that under the Penal Code and Criminal Code, treason is committed by anyone who levies war against the state to intimidate the President or a State Governor or who conspires to levy war against the state. The charge of treason filed by the police did not allege that the suspects raised any war or conspired to levy war against the President and State Governors.  The main offence allegedly committed by the suspects arrested is that they displayed the Russian flag during the protest. A tailor who was sewing the flag was arrested by the police. 

The police Prosecutor ought to have known that it is not a criminal offence to waive a foreign flag in Nigeria. Hence, the flags of the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany and other European countries are hoisted by the majority of hotels in Nigeria while churches hoist the flag of Israel based on the erroneous belief that it is a Christian country.

Seven Polish students were arrested for taking photographs during the protest. They were going to be charged with espionage to give the impression that the protests were instigated by foreign interest groups. The students have since been released when it was confirmed that they are taking part in an exchange programme at the Bayero University, Kano.  

As if such embarrassment was not enough, Comrade Michael Adaramoye was charged with treason because he answers to the sobriquet “Lenin”. Comrades Elejo Opaluwa and Mosiu Abolaji were equally charged with treason for belonging to a socialist organisation that supported the protest. Povey was charged with treason because he sells socialist books in a bookshop at the Secretariat of the Nigerian Labour Congress. 

In a total abuse of prosecutorial powers the police had wanted to prove the grave charge of treason evidence with two fire extinguishers, two prepaid meters, 76 Russian flags and the statements of the defendants. During the investigation the police claimed that it had evidence of 

the billions of Naira with which a  British national, Andrew Wynne (a.k.a. Andrew Povich) had funded the protest. Even though Mr. Whyne was declared wanted and charged for treason in absentia, the proof of evidence does not refer to the billions of Naira allegedly spent by him on the protest.

Trivialisation of treason in Nigeria 

It is often forgotten that after the military conquest of Nigeria, the British colonial regime imposed the Criminal Code and Penal Code on the southern and northern protectorates respectively.  The offences of treason and treasonable felony were set out in both Codes. But the imperial regime never charged any of the “natives” with treason or treasonable felony for calling for an end to colonialism. Even when  the Zikists called for a revolution in the course of a 1948 lecture they were only charged with sedition, tried, convicted and sentenced to three  years imprisonment.

But the first civilian regime charged J.S. Tarka and his political lieutenants with treason.  They were discharged and acquited. Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his political associates were charged with treasonable felony, convicted and sentenced to various terms of imprisonment. Since then, the country has witnessed a complete trivialisation of treason in the hands of civilian and military wings of the Nigerian ruling class. 

The Ibrahim Babangida military junta went to the ridiculous extent of charging five of us with treasonable felony for calling for an end to military rule. Of course, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi SAN and I, turned the case into the trial of General Babangida and his armed colleagues who had sacked the elected Shehu Shagari administration on  December 31,  1983. The junta had no choice but to abandon the frivolous charge. 

Babangida’s comrade-in-arms, General Sani Abacha, made a complete mockery of the law by charging every imaginary enemy with treason. For declaring himself President on the basis of the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by him, Bashorun M.K.O Abiola was charged with treasonable felony. Shortly thereafter, General Abacha authorised that Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu (now President and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces) and 5 other Senators be charged with treasonable felony for demanding  the validation of the results of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election. 4 journalists who exposed the 1995 phantom coup were charged with being “accessories after the fact of treason.”

Ironically, President Bola Tinubu who had fled the country to escape the death penalty under a murderous dictator has allowed the police to charge protesters including minors with treason for challenging the untold economic hardship arising from the religious implementation of neoliberal economic policies dictated by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. But for the abrupt termination of the treason charge because of the global condemnation of the trial of child protesters for treason, the regime would have prayed the Federal High Court to convict and sentence 130 Nigerians for exercising their fundamental rights to assemble peacefully and express themselves via the August 2024 protest. 

Conclusion 

From the foregoing, it is crystal clear that the Federal Government set out to use the case of the 130 protesters to discourage Nigerian people from protesting against the harsh living conditions. Since the plan has since boomeranged the Federal Government should be advised to appreciate that charging protesters with terrorism, treason, treasonable felony and allied offences will not cow Nigerians to submission.  

Instead of exposing the country to avoidable shame by charging protesters with a crime punishable by death, the police should be directed to comply with the law by providing adequate security for protesters. That is the only means of ensuring that protests are conducted in a peaceful and civilised manner within the ambit of the law.

Religious/workplace Ethics Conflicts: Lawyer forced to resign over refusal to join morning devotion

The conflict between religious beliefs and workplace ethics played out at Capital Express Global Trustees Limited, Lagos on Thursday when a young lawyer was forced to resign from his appointment following his refusal to participate in the compulsory daily 20-minute morning devotion in the office.

Although nothing in Unique Eke’s appointment letter spelt out certain religious regulations every staff member must abide by, nor was he informed by other means at the time of his employment that refusal to comply with the company’s unwritten religious policy could cost him his job, Eke was instructed by the company’s Group Managing Director (GMD), Obaleke Olufemi to tender his resignation since he (Eke) maintained that his religious belief restrains him from participating in the morning devotion.

Trouble began for the now ex-Trust Associate, a Jehovah’s Witness on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, when he was summoned to the office of the GMD accompanied by other top staff members Mr. Olufemi Kalejaiye and Mrs. Oyinposola Akinsulie.

After expressing his annoyance over Eke’s continual absence at the morning devotion, stressing that it is intrinsic to the organisation’s ideology, he advised Eke to tender his resignation immediately if he could not comply with the policy.

On being summoned again by the GMD on Thursday, Eke’s moves to explain how the policy conflicts with his personal convictions as well as his request for some time to consider the directive was refused as Mr. Olufemi insisted on a letter of resignation by 9:00 a.m. on of the same day.

A part of his resignation letter of November 14, 2024, reads:

“Further to the directives of Mr. Obaleke  Olufemi, the General Managing Director, I hereby tender my resignation from the employment of Capital Express Global Trustees Limited as a Trust Associate.

“On November 13, 2024, at about 8:15 a.m., Mr. Olufemi, in the company of Mr. Olufemi Kalejaiye and Mrs. Oyinposola Akinsulie, expressed disgust at my exercise of the right to be excluded from the office morning devotion, a religious activity which I chose not to participate in. He thereafter directed me to submit my resignation, effective immediately.

“On November 14, 2024, at about 8:00 a.m., I met with Mr. Olufemi in an attempt to explain the reason for my refusal to participate in the religious activity. After our discussion, he reaffirmed his earlier directive and advised me to comply with it on or before 9:00 a.m.

“Notwithstanding the above, I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked here. Thank you…”

Interestingly however, Eke got an email from the company stating that his services were no longer required as his “performance” had been found “to be grossly below acceptance levels.”

This development has led some public affairs analysts to question whether a premium should be placed on competence or certain religious practices or both in organisations.

How nurses at UCH Ibadan use phone torch light as hospital continues to battle power cut

A video of nurses of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo state using their phones as a source of light has gone viral. 

The hospital has been battling power outage for over 17 days. The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company had cut the electricity supply to the Hospital due to unpaid bills. The hospital is being billed under the “band A” tariff structure, resulting in a monthly bill of N80million.

The lack of power supply has affected essential services at the hospital, including surgeries, diagnostic tests, and other critical medical procedures.

Last week, patients and family members protested power and water cuts in the health facility. 

In a recent video by The Cable, nurses of the hospital could be seen using the flashlight of their phone to light up the rooms.

43-year-old teacher charged with sexually abusing 13-year-old had ditched husband for boy she called her ‘crystal meth’

Colleen Jo Matarico a special education teacher accused of raping a 13-year-old student in her car had ditched her husband for the teenager whom she referred to as her “crystal meth,” according to prosecutors.

The 43-year-old grandmother, from Los Angeles, USA, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday, November 12 to five felony counts of lewd acts upon a child under age 14,  two felony counts of lewd acts upon a child age 14 or 15, and one felony count of furnishing a controlled substance to a minor, CBS News reported.

Prosecutors alleged that she was sexually abusing the male student for over a year, and even left her husband because she believed she was in love with him, the Los Angeles Times added.

In online messages, she called the teen “her ‘crystal meth’” — and “the only person she would go to jail for,” Deputy District Attorney Ariel Anson told Tuesday’s hearing.


The mom of two continued to pursue the boy after “multiple people in her family” begged her to stop — and the boy said he was “concerned and scared” of her jealousy, the prosecutor said.

Matarico who worked at John Burroughs Middle School started abusing the boy when he turned 13, while she was still his teacher, Anson told the court.

Most of the alleged sex abuse took place between August and November, according to the criminal complaint. She is also accused of giving the boy marijuana.

More recently, when she became aware of the investigation, Matarico allegedly drove to the high school where the boy is now a pupil and waited for him in her car where she allegedly raped him, according to Anson.

The teacher then contacted one of the boy’s friends via Instagram in order to stay in contact with him, the Los Angeles Times said.

It was in one of those messages that Matarico allegedly confessed to leaving her husband because she loved the teenager, and said that he was “her ‘crystal meth,’” Anson said Tuesday.

The teacher’s lawyer, Carlos Bido, pushed for her to be released on house arrest with electronic monitoring because she has no criminal history and has two children ages 11 and 15 as well as grandchildren.

“Ms. Matarico is cooperating fully with the legal process and is prepared to address these serious allegations in court,” Bido told the LA Times.

LA County Superior Court Judge Susan J. De Witt refused to release the teacher.

Anson had argued that Matarico had made clear she would continue trying to contact the boy if released, and that it would put him at harm.

The judge also granted a protective order barring Matarico from speaking with the victim or going near his school or home.

Linda Ikeji

Angry Chinese man tears naira notes in front of Lagos Govt. officials

  • Watch the video

Following the alleged sealing up of his company on account of violating some laws, a Chinese national became so enraged that he mutilated some Naira notes in the presence of government officials.

The incident which was captured on camera took place at a Chinese company located along the Lekki-Epe expressway in Lagos.

The video making the rounds on social media reveals the moment the angry Chinese man brought out the naira notes and tore them right in the presence of the officials. 

Watch the video below.

Doctor and 3 nurses die in same hospital within 72 hours in Oyo state

Cold terror has gripped the residents of Saki, in Saki West Local Government Area of Oyo State, especially those living around Almusharaf Hospital, Oke Sunah following the deaths of a doctor and three nurses within 72 hours.

The residents became apprehensive when a nurse, who is a staff of the hospital died three days ago and then the doctor and two other nurses in the same hospital died between Tuesday and Wednesday.

A resident of the area, Mr Adekunle Lawal, who spoke with Vanguard said: “Three days ago, one nurse died and on Monday another nurse died and yesterday, the doctor and another nurse died.

“We are afraid because we don’t know what caused their deaths. The doctor is a quack doctor. Maybe all of them treated a patient who has a contagious disease which, I think, was not well handled.

“It’s a very big hospital. They carry out minor surgery on patients and at times they invite doctors elsewhere to join them.

“If it’s a contagious disease, how come that no patients died but the staff? People are also speculating that it could be food poisoning. Maybe one of them ate food and gave others to eat. We don’t know. All these are mere assumptions until those responsible for monitoring these hospitals carry out an autopsy on the deceased. None of the patients died, it’s only the staff of the hospital.

“All of them have been buried. You know they are Muslim. Please, the Ministry of Health and other relevant agencies should step in.”

Another resident, Mr Adeola Fehintola, a legal practitioner said, those in charge of surveillance should investigate the matter.

“You know Saki is very close to the borders. Maybe someone with a contagious disease has just come in. My people are living there, those in charge should do something urgent to know the actual cause of death.”

Vanguard

Chris Anyanwu’s Bold Leap

By Ikechukwu Amaechi

On December 2, 2024, Nigerians will converge at the main auditorium of the National Universities Commission for the public presentation of Senator Chris Anyanwu’s autobiography, Bold Leap.

To be sure, this is her third book. She wrote the first, The Law Makers, Federal Republic of Nigeria, while she was an NTA correspondent at the National Assembly in the Second Republic. The second, The Days of Terror, came after her release from General Sani Abacha’s gulag in 1998.

But Bold Leap is significantly different and, no doubt, will stir up the hornets’ nest for the very reason that she pulled no punches in the 612-page tome.

An autobiography can be tricky because of the tendency of the author to remember only what is convenient, which most times creates the faux pas of presenting opinions as facts. But Bold Leap is refreshingly different because the author remembered everything, and left out no details no matter how inconvenient. That makes the book truly “an inspirational story of a woman of exceptional talent and indomitable spirit.”

Born on October 28, 1951, nine years before Nigeria’s independence, the frightening life trajectory of C-Gal, as she was fondly called, encapsulates Nigeria’s story. Like many other Igbo children her age, the years of innocence and comfort of her upper middle class family were brusquely shattered in the late 1960s when Nigeria decelerated to the Hobbesian state of nature, and life suddenly became “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

Her father, Hon. Nicholas Diala Ukah, popularly called N.D. Ukah, who started off as a primary school teacher after passing the First School Leaving Certificate Examination with distinction quickly climbed the academic ladder, culminating in a University of London degree in British Economic History.

In the late 1940s, he joined the National Council of Nigeria and Cameroons (NCNC), and just as he did in academia, he also rose rapidly in politics – first Council Chairman for Mbaise District Council and in 1959, he won election to represent Owerri North-East Federal constituency in the House of Representatives.

Then the fratricidal war broke and her blissful world vanished. She was already at the reputable Owerri Girls Secondary School, comely and elegant, with the world at her feet, when the mayhem ensued.

Even when the guns were silenced, nothing was ever the same again. She and her younger sisters lived in the bush for nearly a month to escape Nigerian soldiers who were going from door to door in search of girls to take away as war booty.

When eventually school resumed, the world as the hitherto tarry-eyed girls knew it had changed. “Draw the line. The civil war brought an end to life as it used to be. It was the end of innocence in my generation and the beginning of the harsh realities that began as overt and covert retribution for the secession of Biafra, retributions and realities which have persisted decades after the war till today,” she wrote.

But little did she realize that the worst was yet to come – the ultimate tragedy. Her father was arrested and taken to a detention camp in Port Harcourt where he was starved and brutalised for three months by the Nigerian Army for no reason other than that he was a member of the Federal House of Representatives.

“The ill-treatment at the camp obviously took a heavy toll on his health. He was looking very thin, unwell and quiet… During the detention, he developed kidney problem,” Chris wrote.

She recalled going to see him on his death bed at the Emekuku Hospital and still remembers his plea. “With tubes in his nose and mouth, all he could tell me was to go home and take care of my siblings. I have obeyed that injunction ever since.”

She had no choice. Her father was only 51 years when he died in August 1971, leaving behind 13 children, the eldest was Chris who was only 20 years and a widow, a fulltime housewife without any source of income.

“My dad’s death automatically turned me into head of the family working hand in hand with my mom,” she further stated.

Chris Anyanwu said she was told by “a former Inspector General of Police that the camp where they kept and starved my father and other leaders arrested at the end of the war was managed by Chief A.K. Horsfall, a Rivers State man who later became head of the National Intelligence Service.”

After supervising the liquidation of her innocent father, the same forces seized his properties in Port Harcourt and not even the pitiable condition of their late friend’s widow could convince them to let go even when she came begging.

Chris Anyanwu writes about these gross injustices without bitterness. And the perspicacious former President Olusegun Obasanjo, her mate at Jos Prisons, applauds: “Chris was able to render otherwise tear-inducing details in a manner that removed the sting from the bitter experience to allow the reader enjoy accounts of unfair experiences without the revulsion that such stories ordinarily should have elicited.”

But, come to think of it, why should she be bitter when, despite all odds, she is a real “walking miracle” whose life has been so blessed and full of richness?

Bold Leap is a breath-taking chronicle of her enthralling life experiences. Obasanjo said if he was to propose an alternative title for the book, he would have called it “Triumph of Courage.” This is an incredible story of a woman with a never-say-die spirit.

Hers is a charmed life. She became an idol at the NTA where she was National Assembly, Diplomatic and OPEC correspondent. About eight years into her phenomenal career, she went to her home state of Imo to serve as Commissioner for Information. She later became the publisher and Editor-in-Chief of The Sunday Magazine (TSM), a weekly newsmagazine. Today, she owns a chain of radio stations – Hot FM.

Not even the three-year incarceration on the trumped-up charge of “accessory after the fact of treason” at Kirikiri, Jos, Gombe and Kaduna Prisons could break her spirit. Before Abacha suddenly dropped dead on June 8, 1998, the government had castrated her economically but there is no killing the beetle. Like the phoenix, she rose from the ashes of despair.

Bold Leap is the life story of a phenomenal go-getter, who plunged headlong into the murky waters of Nigerian politics and came out triumphant, serving two terms as a senator. In the Senate she scored a treble firsts – first senator to be elected on the platform of a small regional party (APGA), first female elected to the Senate from Imo State and first senator from the State to be re-elected. In her first term she served as vice chairman of the Senate Committee for Defence and Army and in her second term she was the chairman, Committee on Navy.

The account of her political odyssey in Imo State will generate enough heat in the coming days, no doubt. But the book is a treasure-trove on Nigerian politics.

“Everything is bought. You buy votes to be nominated. You buy votes to be elected to office. And then you must pay to defend yourself from frivolous court cases and bad judgments. It is an all-round corrupting, wearying and spirit-crushing experience,” she explains.

Bold Leap is the story of the grit of a young woman who rather than allowing the tragedy of her father’s untimely death derail her, soldiered on, first by acquiring solid education from choice U.S. universities and coming back home to build a fairytale career in journalism.

The book chronicles major socio-economic and political developments in the country in the last four decades and the major players. Chris Anyanwu had a relationship with most, if not all of them, which makes her one of the most consequential Nigerian journalists, ever.

But the book is not only about Chris Anyanwu and her incredible exploits in journalism and politics. It is also about Nigeria. She hinted that in a short note she sent to me: “Appendix 1 – 2, etc. is a goldmine. I would like you to go through and possibly ask: what is it about? Why?”

The two appendixes dealt with the lingering National Question. On February 22, 1994, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Odumegwu, Ikemba Nnewi, delivered the second TSM Diamond Lecture – “Nigeria: The truths which are self-evident.”

Ever charismatic, Ojukwu brought down the roof down, literally. In the March 6, 1994 edition of TSM, Chris Anyanwu wrote: “As he spoke, many cried. Young people, old people, they all had tears in their eyes. I see this picture of Chuba Okadigbo raising his horsewhip in the air, his face overtaken by excitement and in the foreground a vastness of people hanging both hands in the air.”

What did Ojukwu say? “Nigeria is sick. It is our duty, each and everyone one of us, to help cure it.”

According to the Ikemba Nnewi, the country was sick because “the sovereign people of Nigeria have never succeeded in designing for themselves their own society.” The implication he further elucidated was that, “Nigeria cannot be a nation unless its fundamental law is articulated and is accepted by Nigerians for universal application.”

It is pertinent to quote Ojukwu’s speech in some detail: “For those who enjoy the executive control of Nigeria, for those who enjoy almost exclusively the resources of this country, the term “One Nigeria” is like music to their ears. They love it, they want it to remain forever and if it is necessary to maintain One Nigeria by force, they would do so. If it became necessary to hold their partners in the Nigerian enterprise hostage, indeed captive in the corporation, all the better. For fear of being misunderstood or misrepresented, let me repeat. One Nigeria is a good idea but my objection lies in the idea that One Nigeria cannot and must not be questioned.”

Thirty years thence, Nigeria is still at the crossroads. By including Ojukwu’s speech in the Bold Leap, Senator Chris Anyanwu is simply pointing Nigerians to where the rain started beating them, a proof of her continuing service to fatherland. It is one book that Nigerians who seek knowledge must read!

Immigration cries out over increasing irregular migrants entering Nigeria

  • As armed bandits decapitate 6, abduct 13 in Niger state

While the Controller of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Edo State Command, Martins Moye, has raised the alarm over the rising number of irregular migrants entering Nigeria., not fewer than 10 people were killed, six of whom were beheaded, and over a dozen more kidnapped by armed bandits in an attack in a community in Niger state.

Moyespoke at the 2024 Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) enlightenment campaign against irregular migration in Benin City, Edo State. 

The theme of the event was “Say No to Migrant Smuggling. If You Must Migrate, Migrate Safely, Orderly, and Regularly.” 

Speaking at the event, Moye emphasized the urgency of the campaign given the increasing numbers of irregular migrants. 

Assistant Controller of Immigration David Amanahu, a facilitator from NIS headquarters in Abuja, also delivered a message from the Controller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap. 

Amanahu noted, “The Controller-General’s message is clear: the NIS is now more focused than ever on border management and migration issues.” 

Another facilitator, Deputy Superintendent of Immigration Woshak Danladi, outlined the severe dangers of irregular migration. 

“Irregular migration can cost you your freedom, and in some cases, even your life. 

“There’s a risk of organ harvesting, human rights abuses, and many more dangers,” he warned, urging officers to actively educate the public on these risks.

Meanwhile, the agents of terror stormed two communities in Rafi Local Government and broke into people’s homes on Tuesday said Abdullahi Nurudeen, a youth leader in Belu-Belu, one of the affected communities.

“They shot dead 10 people, but later they beheaded six of the victims,” he told Anadolu via telephone, adding that “the attackers also kidnapped over 12 people in our community and one more in Wayam, another village attacked by the bandits.”

Wasiu Abiodun, a spokesman for Niger State police command, confirmed the attack but did not say how many people were killed or kidnapped.

“Some people were kidnapped during the attack but we cannot ascertain their number,” he told Anadolu.

He said the bandits may have attacked in retaliation for joint security forces raids on their hideouts in Niger State the last weekend.

Corruption or? Mining marshals, security forces clash over illegal Chinese miners’ arrest in Kebbi

The Mining Marshals deployed to end illegal activities in mining sites across the country, have claimed that they were stopped by security forces from arresting some Chinese nationals engaging in the illegal exploitation of lithium in Libata, Ngaski Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

The incident which occurred last Friday pitched the mining marshals against the military and policemen, who claimed that they were there to protect the Chinese.

Federal Government had through the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake and Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, in collaboration with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, recently commissioned the mining marshals, a specialised unit drafted from the NSCDC as part of efforts to tackle the menace of illegal mining in the country.

During the sting operation, the illegal miners temporarily moved to their living quarters at the site, apparently having gotten wind of the swoop by the mining marshals. They were, however, pulled out and lined up for onward conveyance to Abuja by the team led by the mining Marshals Commander, Attah Onoja.

The Marshals claimed that they were stopped by security officials from taking the suspects away having been earlier cleared to carry out the operations.

To forestall the breakdown of law and order, the commander of the Mining Marshals was said to have quietly retreated, noting that necessary steps known to law were being taken and he would stop at nothing to ensure lawful mining activities in the area and Nigeria at large.

Onoja explained that they embarked on the operation not to halt mining activities in the area but to ensure that those operating there were duly licensed, since the information at their disposal did not capture those mining there hitherto as the licensees.

At the mining site, the Marshals were alleged to have discovered the presence of vehicles belonging to a China-State-owned company.

Alleging illegality of the operations in Libata via a telephone conversation, Chief Executive Officer, of El-TahDam Exploration, Engr. Adamu Tah, said his company validly acquired a Mining Lease to operate on the site with the $50 million processing plant designed to create over 3,000 jobs, but was denied access by the Chinese under the cover of a company and aided by both military and mobile police attached to sustain their operations.

He said: “The Chinese, because of the illegal mining they are undertaking there, exploiting and carting away countless tonnes of crude materials, want to frustrate our efforts to set up the processing plant there. They also have some state actors in strong support since the complaint letter to that effect dispatched to them remains unattended. Other local cohorts and influential figures are clearly behind their illegal act, no doubt.”

According to Tah, who confirmed that he had won the support of the host community to make his planned $50 million investment in the area, all he wanted was for the illegal occupants to vacate the site so that he could resume operations and continue with his plan to establish the processing plant.

Credits: Vanguard

Only judges can free themselves from undue pressures, Okutepa, SAN

By J.S. Okutepa, SAN

It is only the judiciary that can free itself from the pressures of litigants, some Nigerian lawyers, and even some members of the power that are in the Nigerian state. There is no doubt that Nigerian judges are being subjected to all manner of pressures by some members of the executive, the legislature, and even the judiciary.

There are some lawyers too who subject judges to pressures of all kinds. There are some judges too that allow themselves to be subjected to pressure. Their conduct suggests their availability to do the bidding of those polluting the stream of justice just for pecuniary and other unholy interests.

Judges have been given enormous powers. Why should a judge not order the arrest of anyone who attempts to influence the proceedings before him? There are orderlies and security agencies attached to judges. These judges have powers to commit anyone who attempt to influence them for contempt. Why are judges not ready to use the powers of contempt and arrest those who approached them for favour? Why are judges not reporting lawyers and litigants influencing them to appropriate agents? Why are judges keeping quiet when influenced? The judges in Nigeria need to free themselves from those who influenced them to pervert justice. Only judges can free themselves.

There is an interesting story I read in Law and Contemporary Nigeria: Deflections Dr Olu Onagoruwa, Inspired Communications Ltd, 2004 Pages 22 to 23. This is what I saw.

“Perhaps an occasion which more vividly illustrates the greatness of Justice Taylor was one in which I was directly involved some few years back. As a junior counsel to Mr. Abraham Adesanya, I had gone with him to Justice Taylor’s court with the customary feverish expectation, for nothing can be taken for granted in his court. Mr. F.T.O. Akinsanya was the lawyer on the other side. The case was an appeal from the Land Registry. As the court sat, Justice Taylor looked sweepingly at the whole courtroom and said, ‘You lady stand up, move forward, remove your scarf. Are you not the lady who came to see me in the chamber last week?

“The lady replied, ‘No, sir.’ Mr. Abraham Adesanya rose and spoke, ‘My Lord, I feel that this is a case of mistaken identity.’ Justice Taylor retorted: ‘Mr. Adesanya, my brain may fail me (which I doubt), but my eyes have never failed me.’ He went further: ‘I am adjourning this court for 10 minutes during which time I want you to question your client closely.’ The atmosphere of the court was one of utter suspense; it was as if the roof of the court would fall on us all. Immediately, the judge rose, one of his clerks told Mr. Adesanya that it was true that our client had come to influence the Chief Justice about her case and that she ran away when the Chief Justice called his Orderly to arrest her. Our client confessed. When Justice Taylor came back into court, Mr. Adesanya rose to apologise on her behalf, The Chief Justice said that if she had denied flatly, he would have called his witness against her. Brusquely, and with a spontaneous decidedness, the Chief Justice told Mr. Adesanya: ‘I am now biased against your client, and I am transferring this case to another judge.’ Mr. Adesanya, however, rose to say that he believed that the Chief Justice was still capable of deciding the issue, especially as it was an appeal on points of law alone. The Chief Justice then consulted Mr. Akinsanya’s view and Mr. Akinsanya expressed implicit confidence in any decision the Chief Justice might give as he was sure he would never do anything perverse.”

Why are our judges not following this example? Many judges hold tenaciously to case files even when there are allegations of biases against them. Once there is an appearance of improprieties, a judge ought to recuse himself.

Lawyers who make allegations of bias or improprieties against judges falsely ought not to escape sanctions. We must return to the golden era of purity of practice. Only the judiciary can free itself.

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