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Victims of terrorist crimes must be treated with dignity, entitled to prompt redress – Justice Binta Nyako

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Victims of terrorist crimes must be treated with dignity, entitled to prompt redress – Justice Binta Nyako
  • Without proper protection for judges and court personnel, courts cannot function effectively

By Lillian Okenwa

A judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice Binta F. M. Nyako, has expressed concern that penal sanctions appear to emphasize the safeguarding of rights and interest of offenders to the detriment of victims and witnesses of crime.

Nyako in a paper, Victims and Witnesses Protection in Terrorism Cases: The Role of Judicial Officers, delivered at a workshop for Judicial Officers on Money Laundering and Counter – Terrorism at the National Judicial Institute, Abuja, noted that: “A close look at the statutory provisions, through procedural laws, to penal sanctions appears to emphasize the safeguarding of rights and interest of offenders while that of the victim and witness of crime has little or is utterly neglected under the Nigerian criminal justice system.

“The Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 intended to revolutionize our criminal justice system with a view of checkmating the imbalance inherent in the old justice system appeared to pay great attention to the welfare of the offender or the accused person(defendant) and give little regard to the victim of crime. This has placed the victim of crime in disadvantageous position that appears to have been forgotten in our criminal justice system.

“It is a trite law in Nigeria that justice is a three-way traffic; justice for the accused person, justice for the victim of crime and justice for the society. The pertinent question is, to what extent has justice for the victim of crime actually touched the life of the victim to reposition him to his previous state? It is against this background, the underlying principle in the promotion of crime victims’ right is to ensure that they are assisted in recovering from the trauma of the criminal violations suffered as a result of the criminal behaviour of another person, as obtainable in America, Britain, etc. or in line with international best practices.

“The Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 as well as the Terrorism Act, 2022 provide for cost, compensation and restitution to be made to the victim of crime as a way of solving problems created by criminal activities. It is the victim and sometime witnesses that feel humiliated and oppressed. This paper intends to examine the current Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment)Act,2022 and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 in Nigeria, whether the plight of victim and witness of crime are adequately compensated or the restitution orders are satisfactory.”

Her Lordship who was on 14 May 2023 elected by women judges from over 72 countries as President of International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ), at Marrakesh, Morocco further observed that: “Victims of crimes are often neglected and left without any form of compensation even when the offender has been found guilty and sentenced. The ACJA has addressed this ugly trend by broadening the powers of the court to award costs, compensation and damages in deserving cases, especially to victims of crime.”

She then counselled that: “Victims of terrorist crimes must be treated with compassion and respect for their dignity. They are entitled to access to the mechanisms of justice and to prompt redress, as provided for by national legislation for the harm that they have suffered. Judicial and administrative mechanisms should be established and strengthened where necessary to enable victims obtain redress through formal or informal procedures that are expeditious, fair, inexpensive and accessible.”

Justice Nyako said: “It is really sad that even the recent ACJA, 2015 could not make adequate or provide institutional framework needed to ensure that the victim of crime can obtain adequate compensation in line with international standard and best practices. Instances of indecent assault and terrorism offences where the provision of the law does not make room for the victim to be psychologically redressed.

“The courts have the discretion to award compensation or not. This discretion is left to the presiding judicial officer worse still, the recent Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 provides for compensation to victims of crime, but did little or nothing to assist the victim of the terror act. The state assumes a responsibility to protect its citizens and consequently proceeds with prosecuting those responsible for breach of the peace but without compensating the victims who sustain injury as a result of the criminal behaviour of the offenders.

“Where the state fails or neglects its responsibility by ensuring adequate security, then it should not relent to compensate the victims of such crime because they are also parties to the criminal justice system. It is my humble submission that the victim of crime should be assisted by the state where the offender cannot be found or the offender is to serve jail term or is poor.”

On the payment of expenses of witnesses, Her Lordship stated thus: “The ACJA in Sections 251 and 252 provide that, when a person attends court as a state witness or defence witness, he shall be entitled to payment of reasonable expenses by the Registrar. However, state does not pay money either to the defence witnesses or the prosecution’s witnesses citing paucity of funds. The Court need to make rulings compelling states to pay the expenses incurred in line with Victims Trust Fund in Sections 91 and 92 of the Act.” The said section indicates the office of the Attorney-General has established a Victims Trust Fund.

Calling for the protection of judicial officers, the onetime President, National Association of Women Judges (NAWJIN) said: “Without proper protection for judges and court personnel, courts are often unable to function effectively or fairly when they are the object of threats or potential threats by terrorist groups or their supporters. Similarly, the criminal justice process can be paralyzed by the system’s inability to protect all participants against intimidation and retaliation. Part of the core capacity of the criminal justice system to deal with acts of terrorism is capacity to effectively ensure the security of judges, prosecutors, and other court personnel, as well as the capacity of jurors, witnesses, and all others who participate in court proceedings…”

In closing Justice Nyako said: “As Judicial Officers expect some legal backing through constitutional and statutory amendments to enable them protect victims and witnesses of terrorist crimes, the judges must utilize the provisions of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2022 and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 and apply them mutatis mutandis  in the protection of victims and witnesses in the criminal justice system in the country because, to my mind, the biggest role of a Judge is to honour the oath of office and defend the constitution.”

Read the entire paper.

Victims_and_Witnesses_Protection1

Nigeria Air: The fraud, barefaced robbery and ridding on Nigerians

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Nigeria Air: The fraud, barefaced robbery and ridding on Nigerians

“According to the Nigerian legislature, departing President Muhammadu Buhari created a fake airline as his final act in office. Buhari even managed to arrange the flight of a lone aircraft bearing the livery of the nonexistent Nigeria Air before taking his final bow..: breitbart.com reported in an article: Departing Nigerian President Apparently Created Fake Airline Final Act Office.

https://twitter.com/Zemedeneh/status/1666128307484602376?s=20

The article further revealed: “African journalists did some digging and discovered the 737 was in fact a ten-year-old Ethiopian Airlines plane chartered for the “unveiling” flight and repainted with the colors of the non-existent Nigerian Air. Reporters who reviewed the plane’s registration paperwork said there was no change of ownership for the plane, a detail confirmed by Capt. Dapo Olumide, the acting managing director for Nigeria Air installed by the departing Buhari…”

Bashir Ahmad, a former special communications assistant to President Buhari, insists that the airline project is not a “fraud” because “the Aviation Ministry has made significant progress towards its realization.”

“Branding unveiled, partnerships and agreements signed, most of the operational certificates issued, and operational offices opened. Nigeria Air will fly to make Nigeria proud,” Ahmad said. 

Ikechukwu Amaechi’s article titled Hadi Sirika and the fraud called Nigeria Air speaks more on this matter.

Some people believe that Nigeria, our dear country, is a criminal enterprise. I agree. But those who perceive the political ideology construct – patriotism – from the prism of the three wise monkeys, a Japanese pictorial maxim which embodies the proverbial principle of “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” aver that such a portrayal is harsh.

I strongly disagree because in reality, the ‘see no evil crowd’ are only parodying the mendacity of the three monkeys in the Japanese folklore – Mizaru, who pretends to see no evil by simply covering his eyes; Kikazaru, who hears no evil, covering his ears; and Iwazaru, who claims to speak no evil by covering his mouth.

Seeing no evil, hearing no evil, and speaking no evil is not the hallmark of patriotism because a conniving attitude and willingness to turn a blind eye towards evil is tantamount to hypocrisy, which is antithetical to the feeling of love, devotion, and sense of attachment to one’s country, the very essence of patriotism.

This hypocrisy which the All Progressives Congress (APC) has elevated to an art is at the root of the country’s extant woes. The party lied its way to power and sustained itself in power for eight years and still counting with more lies and insidious propaganda.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari who hitched a ride to Aso Rock on the anti-corruption wagon turned out to be hypocrisy personified and presided over what will go down in history as the most corrupt administration since Nigeria’s independence in 1960.

For those who wish to see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil, calling out Buhari and his very corrupt administration is a taboo. But the fact remains that even in the petroleum industry where he was the de-facto minister for eight years, many Nigerians are beginning to query the rationale for the continued hounding and demonization of his predecessor, Diezani Alison-Madueke. What crime did Diezani commit that was not committed tenfold under Buhari’s watch?

Under Buhari, crude oil theft became a thriving industry and the cancer of oil subsidy metastasized. But the most blatant fraud seemed to have been committed in the Aviation industry where Hadi Sirika conned an entire nation with a dubious Air Nigeria project, which the House of Representatives called a fraud on Tuesday.

The Nigeria Air debacle epitomizes the impunity that was the hallmark of the Buhari administration. Without due process, Sirika, ignoring entreaties from aviation experts and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) forged ahead with this corruption-ridden white elephant project.

Sometime in November 2022, when it became apparent that the minister would listen to no voice other than his own, the AON approached a Federal High Court in Lagos to obtain an interim injunction to prevent the Ministry of Aviation from progressing with the launch of the new national carrier.

But impudently and I dare say characteristically, Hadi Sirika insisted in March, April, and early May 2023 that the airline will commence operations before May 29, and “nothing would stop it.”

Then, on Wednesday, May 24, he doubled down on Channels TV when he insisted that despite the subsisting court order, an aircraft belonging to Nigeria Air will arrive the country on May 26, three days before the life of the Buhari administration came to a terminal end.

“On Friday, in two days, the Nigeria Air airplane will land in Nigeria, as part of the processes to commence operations. We would, on that day, unveil the aircraft with delivery and everything in Nigerian colours, belonging to Nigeria Air,” he boasted.

And indeed, an Ethiopian Airlines plane landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja with much pomp and ceremony. But before Nigerians could fully take in the drama, the aircraft was flown back to its owners in Addis Ababa.

Many questions have been raised concerning this project. Is Nigeria Air real or a scam? Industry experts insist it is a scam. But assuming, without conceding that there is, indeed, such a project, the question is: why the hurry? Is government no longer a continuum, more so when power was transferred from one APC government to another? Shouldn’t the Buhari government have handed the project to the Tinubu administration to consummate?

But truth be told, the so-called May 26 launch is nothing but an orchestration of scam by people who have captured the Nigerian state and are daring all of us to do our worst.

This much was admitted on Tuesday by Captain Dapo Olumide, the interim Managing Director of the purported airline when he appeared before the Senator Biodun Olujimi-led Senate Committee on Aviation.

Captain Olumide, who admitted that the aircraft used in the unveiling was a chartered flight from the Ethiopian Airlines stable, also confessed that the costly gambit was undertaken simply to prove to Nigerians that the project was not a fluke.

So enraged was the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation that the Chairman, Nnolim Nnaji, after meeting on Tuesday with the stakeholders in the aviation sector who largely denied knowledge of the so-called launch, called the exercise a fraud.

The Committee which decried the fact that Hadi Sirika went ahead to flag off the operations of Nigeria Air despite a standing Court order, and without any provisions for sustaining the operations of the airline, lamented that “the process indicates the exercise to be highly opaque, shrouded in secrecy, shoddy and capable of ridiculing and tarnishing the image of Nigeria before the international community.”

While putting it on record that “the Committee and indeed the National Assembly had no role in the purported launch of Nigeria Air or anything related thereof,” the House of Representatives urged President Bola Tinubu to “urgently constitute a high-level presidential committee to undertake a holistic review of the processes of the whole Nigeria Air project and … ensure that all individuals, or groups, or organizations involved in the controversial shenanigan named ‘Nigeria Air Take-Off’ are brought to book, prosecuted and sanctioned.”

Before the damning verdict of the National Assembly on Tuesday, an unsigned statement purportedly from the airline’s media office surfaced in Abuja on Monday, detailing the benefits derivable from a national carrier.

Since then, some media personalities claim to have bagged some consultancy jobs with the phantom airline and pleading with anyone who cares to listen to help deodorize the stench of the Sirika mess. Who is paying them and from which funds? Only God knows. Shortly after the House of Representatives came down hard on Sirika, former special assistant on digital communications to Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, took to Twitter to contradict the lawmakers.

“NigeriaAir is NOT a fraud, the Aviation Ministry has made significant progress towards its realisation. Branding unveiled, partnerships and agreements signed, most of the operational certificates issued, and operational offices opened. NigeriaAir will fly to make Nigeria proud,” he tweeted.

Perhaps, Sirika took him into confidence and he smelt the coffee. But majority of Nigerians are not sold on his bogus claims.

The Nigeria Air project has become a Gordian knot. Will Tinubu be able to untie it? I doubt. Sirika is a sacred cow from Katsina State and he is an APC chieftain. Above all, if his disclosure in December 2022 is anything to go by, even Tinubu knows how and where the filthy lucre from the Nigeria Air fraud was deployed.

During a fundraising dinner in Abuja on Thursday, December 15, 2022, for the then APC governorship candidate in Katsina State, Dikko Radda, Hadi Sirika boasted that the party had more than enough money to influence the outcome of the 2023 elections.

Sirika, who spoke in Hausa, said: “Even if you are allan musuru (a magician), I don’t believe you can go to Musawa and defeat Abu Ibrahim. You cannot go to Dutsi and defeat Hadi Sirika. Or you go to Kafur and defeat Aminu Bello Masari. Wallahi (I swear to God). It is not possible! If you think it is possible, bisimillah (proceed in the name of Allah).

“Election day will soon come. We will amass money and we will amass essential commodities. We have them already! You mean money? Wallahi we have it! Wallahil azim (Allah is the witness to what I am saying) we have money! We have working tools, i.e. money. Wallahi we have them! I repeat, wallahi we have them!”

That explains why Hadi Sirika won’t get the Diezani treatment. Unlike Diezani whose party lost power in 2015 mainly because of Goodluck Jonathan’s naivety, APC and its hardened apparatchik triumphed in 2023 and the fraud, impunity and hypocrisy will only get worse.

Man confesses to murder after being chased by ‘avenging spirits’, as advocacy for inclusion of traditional oaths in courts rise

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Man confesses to murder after being chased by ‘avenging spirits’, as advocacy for inclusion of traditional oaths in courts rise

In his book, Utilising Sworn Traditional African Oaths in Curbing Corruption and Effecting Justice in Nigeria: Legal, Cultural and Religious Basis, Ubiwe Kabetu Eriye said:” Let the oath-taking revert back to the old ways, where and when people were made to swear by tradition, using the efficacies of local gods and deities to hold people duly accountable for their deeds while in office.  The anger of the gods does not hold till tomorrow. 

“Every man pays for his misdeeds, misconduct, to the people instantaneously. If therefore our leaders are led to take the oath of office based on the dictates of Amadioha, based on the powers of Sango, Ogun, and so on, the endemic and habitual issues of bribery, corruption, nepotism, abuse of trust in office and such related atrocious acts of abuse of responsibility will be curtailed or stopped in its entirety…”

Days ago, Madzibaba Bond Gumira, a well-known leader of the Johane Masowe Nyenyedzi Nomwe Apostolic sect in Zimbabwe hurried to a police station and confessed to a murder.

According to a local publication, the religious leader handed himself over to the authorities and confessed to shooting and killing a traditional healer, known as a “n’anga.” The circumstances surrounding the crime are yet to be revealed.

Shortly after carrying out the murder, he reportedly fled to a police station to seek refuge from a spirit, or “Ngozi” in Shona, of the person he allegedly killed.

Witnesses claim that the prophet arrived at the station with his Toyota Fortuner covered in dust, claiming that he had been pursued by the restless soul.

Inspector Simon Chazovachiyi, the spokesperson for the Mashonaland East police who confirmed the incident, said they will be carrying out an investigation.  Following the prophet’s surrender, the police discovered a bag containing a gun near the crime scene.

Tafadzwa Chitsa, who witnessed the prophet’s arrival at the police station, described how he seemed distressed and disheveled.

In the paper, A Legal Reappraisal of Customary Adjudicatory System in Nigeria posted on the website of nigerianlawguru.com, it was suggested that: “Since oath-taking in the English courts is flouted with impunity and reckless abandon, we recommend that natives be subjected to the various methods for the administration of oath used in their locality. This will save time and perhaps end the endless delay associated with trials in the courts. It is also capable of reducing the financial expenses incurred by litigants. Additionally, truth will be easily discovered.

“To achieve the onerous task of adopting the method of oath-taking according to customary law, we recommend that the extant edicts or laws be amended to accommodate the suggestion that oath-taking in accordance with native law be used in matters between natives (who subscribe to the regime of native law) in the open court without the necessity of giving evidence. The experiment should commence first with the Customary Courts… and subsequently, the gains from the experiment should be extended to English Courts in Nigeria.”

Disintegration looms if our federal structure if not reformed, Professor of Law warns

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Disintegration looms if our federal structure if not reformed, Professor of Law warns

To avoid what he referred to as a looming “violent disintegration, ”a Professor of Comparative Constitutional Law and Governance, Edoba Bright Omoregie (SAN), is calling for a speedy modification to the irregularities in Nigeria’s practice of federalism.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria cautioned that continued resistance to adopting federalism in the real sense instead of embarking on reforms may lead to further disintegration as is currently being witnessed in the country.

Prof. Omoregie, in the Inaugural lecture, delivered at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) titled: Nigeria’s Federal System in a Quandary: The Whys and How to Fix It, identified the principle of power-sharing; incoherent system of federal solidarity and non-obligation to provide a minimum standard of living for citizens, etc, as the major challenge of Nigeria’s federal system.

 According to the learned professor, “Adoption in the quest for federalism reforms in Nigeria would be realised if the current imbalance in the distribution powers is reversed. We must do everything possible to avoid the looming violent disintegration because we are heading towards that direction. The sign of possible disintegration is glaring. This is happening in Ethiopia and other countries. So, we need to fix our faulty federal system to avoid violent disintegration.

“The 1999 Constitution institutes a federal system which denies the states their autonomy relative to the Federal Government… It is manifest in fiscal allocation and inter-government revenue relationship by which the states are denied direct and autonomous access to significant tax revenue sources…

“State governments have also been denied autonomy in the horizontal organisation and management of their internal administration. The first point where this is manifest is the enacting of a single national constitution and the implied prohibition of sub-national constitutions. This is in contrast to the country’s pre-1966 federal system when the regions had their own regional constitutions in addition to the national constitution.”

The senior Advocate then urged that a “high premium should be placed on federalism expertise to promote the imperative of federalisation and reform contested aspects of Nigeria’s federal system while forestalling unprincipled constitution alteration of the system.”

He further added that “a well-resourced expert-driven reform and constitution alteration of unsatisfactory aspects of Nigeria’s federal system, should be put in place.

“The deployment of policy federalism to address gaps in the dysfunctional aspects of Nigeria’s federal system pending constitutional alteration should be encouraged.”

He further advocated the establishment of institutions wherein true federalism would be taught.

In a goodwill message, a former Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, Dr. Samson Osagie, said the guest lecturer placed the topic “within the context of the complicated federal structure Nigeria pretends to be operating at the moment.”

According to Osagie, “Indeed in the midst of the confusion created by the constitution which vests all powers on the Federal Government, (as items in both the Exclusive and Concurrent lists are items on which the Federal Government has powers to legislate) Nigeria in actual practice is actually a Unitary State with abundant and unworkable principles of Federalism.”

Nigeria should recognize the importance of electoral integrity, By Mojúbàolú Olufúnké Okome

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Nigeria should recognize the importance of electoral integrity, By Mojúbàolú Olufúnké Okome

#SomberTuesday has spilled over into Wednesday!

Nigeria is in the “emil’okan era. The lawsuits challenging the election results are also ongoing. The final disposition of the cases is yet to happen. But it’s hard to imagine that they’ll overturn the results. The big shocker of the moment is the removal of the fuel subsidy, a development that caused an immediate escalation of the price of petrol at the pumps. At up to 600 naira, prices are high enough to be destabilizing for many salary earners who depend on their cars for transportation. People who take public transportation also experienced immediate doubling, tripling, and even quadrupling of their transportation costs. All consumer goods are likely to be similarly affected. Organized labor immediately threatened a nationwide strike, but has now called off the strikes and announced agreements with the government to consider increases in the minimum wage. How exactly will ordinary Nigerians make ends meet? How will the majority put food on the table? How will they meet their basic human needs? These questions have no ready answers.

The statistics show that the emil’okan era is a continuation of Nigeria’s continued obliviousness to gender equity, inclusion of people living with disabilities, the poor, and the youth. Power has been appropriated by an ableist, oligarchic gerontocracy. Youths (under 30 years old ) constitute 70 percent of the population of Nigeria. Multidimensionally poor people are about 133 million (63 percent of the population) People living with disabilities are not found in elected and appointed positions of authority to any appreciable degree.

Nigeria is still bedeviled by dangerous levels of insecurity, abductions and kidnappings. Effective governance remains a serious challenge, with weak political institutions pointing to the lack of state capacity and political will to address these challenges. 

Unemployment and underemployment are endemic. Decent jobs would solve the problem, but where are they to be found? Instead of seriously addressing this problem, the unemployed are exhorted to be entrepreneurial. But how many entrepreneurs succeed? How many fail to meet their goals? What options exist for them?

People have spoken of being hopeful that this new administration will address the country’s pressing socioeconomic problems, a signal that they demand accountability from the president who made hope a central part of his campaign promises. They are optimistic about the possibility of solutions that improve their quality of life. Calls for unity and support for the emil’okan administration also are expressions of hope that the new administration will address the problems dutifully. Prayers are deployed to express optimism about the administration’s success.

Nigeria should become more serious about genuine democracy, and recognize the importance of electoral integrity as a contributory factor. INEC must be reformed to fulfill its mandate as an election management body.

Nation-building is an urgent task. The constitution guarantees the full rights of citizenship to all Nigerians, meaning that we should create and strengthen a nation that serves all Nigerians with equity, justice, and fairness. This would be a contributory factor to unity, as well as to political, social, and economic transformation. On these matters, we should not perpetually agonize, but we must organize in a purposeful manner to build the nation that we want.

Democracy means that all Nigerians have access to full citizenship rights, and that fundamental principles and values like freedom, equality, fairness, equity, justice, and transparency, accountability, the rule of law, respect for human rights should become part of the modus operandi in Nigeria. Genuine democracy entails the enumerated principles and values being felt as realities by all Nigerians.

Majority of Nigerian youths wonder if there will be an end to shapa (unrelenting suffering). Many hope to japa–leaving the country by any means necessary to improve their life-chances and prospects of upward mobility. If these tendencies are to change to any appreciable degree, there must be opportunities here at home. Further, the dominance of octogenarians over Nigeria’s governance systems should end.

The new currency remains rare. ATMs are still not well-stocked, frustrating those with bank deposits. Mobile telephones experience so many network problems that take away the seamlessness of communication. The proposed cashless economy remains elusive. Inflation is high enough but the removal of the fuel subsidy will make things worse. The economic downturn is still a reality that is yet to be effectively addressed.

We urgently need genuine democracy and economic development, personal and human security, the well-being and welfare of citizens, and the masses’ ability to meet their basic needs.

#EndSARS youth protesters hoped the 2023 elections would change the status quo. They participated robustly but were disappointed by the conduct of the elections. The 2020 #EndSARS protests called for good governance, an end to police brutality, extortion, impunity, economic inequality, marginalization, targeting of youths and other minorities, and an end to political violence. They demanded deepened democracy. But the state responded with brutal repression. The #EndSARS youths’ protests were also labelled as foreign-sponsored and unpatriotic.

The 2020 Lekki massacre at #LekkiTollGate & other locations should never happen again.

Nigerians deserve unity, peace, democracy and sustainable development. These are core demands of the #EndSARS protesters.

Kleptocracy is ruinous. The resources belonging to all Nigerians should not be appropriated by a few oligarchs and their cronies. We must rescue present and future generations from the ill effects of kleptocracy.

Nigerians deserve positive transformation, where we collectively create a democratic country. We must embrace the challenge before us with determination, tenacity, and optimism and be ready to work together for the Nigeria we want.

#NigerianWomenArise #EndPoliceBrutalityinNigeriaNOW

#EndSars

#EndSWAT

#EndImpunity.

Howard Zinn’s statement has profound implications for Nigeria’s economic, political, and social development:

“Civil disobedience, that’s not our problem. Our problem is that people are obedient all over the world in the face of poverty and starvation and stupidity, and war, and cruelty. Our problem is that people are obedient while the jails are full of petty thieves, and all the while, the grand thieves are running the country. That’s our problem.”

I now repeat my weekly exhortation:

Let the kleptocrats give back our stolen wealth so that we can fix our infrastructure, schools, hospitals, and also offer worthwhile social protection to our people. Let the masses enjoy the full benefits of citizenship in Nigeria. Let the leaders and political class repent and build peace with justice.

This is no time for politics as usual. The people elected should be those trusted to bring justice, equity and human security to the entire country, not expedient, unethical and egocentric individuals determined to dominate for self-aggrandizement or sectional gain. We don’t need oligarchs’ continued domination. We also need a government that puts the interests of the majority of citizens first. I am still hopeful that this will happen in my lifetime.

Prof. Mojúbàolú Olufúnké Okome is a professor of political science at Brooklyn College in New York.

Mobile policeman physically assaults female doctor in Delta hospital

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Mobile policeman physically assaults female doctor in Delta hospital

Police brutality was taken to another level last week when an armed mobile policeman reportedly rained blows and physically assaulted a female medical doctor in a Delta state-owned hospital in Ogwashi Uku, Aniocha south council area of the state.

According to NIGERIAN TRIBUNE, the crisis started on Thursday night when some policemen on escort duty to a burial ceremony in Ogwashi Uku town rushed some persons to the hospital following injuries they sustained during a fight that ensued at the wake.

According to findings, shortly after the victims were attended to by the doctor, one of the policemen became hostile despite all efforts made by his colleagues to calm him down.

“The policeman holding his gun started shouting at the doctor inside the emergency ward. He said so many things to the doctor. He was insisting that one of the victims in particular (his brother) be treated.

“Despite being told outrightly by the doctor and others health workers that the person and indeed all others have been treated, the man was not satisfied.

“He moved towards the doctor while sitting and gave her a severe blow, kicked and dragged her to the ground until some staff come to her rescue.

“The other policemen sensing more danger hurriedly escape from here.

“Other doctors were so sad what happened to their colleague and immediately decided to shut down”, an eyewitness account said.

In his reaction, the Permanent Secretary in the state health management board, Dr Paul Okunbor described the action of the policeman as unacceptable adding that the issue of doctors in the facility protesting over the matter was being addressed.

Dr Okunbor hoped the police authority would expedite action as it had assured to fish out the mobile policeman .

Confirming the story, the state police public relations officer DSP Bright Edafe said the suspect, a mobile policeman is not from the state command and that he was yet to be found.

He said the policemen involved accompanied some personalities outside Delta state to a burial ceremony in Ogwashi Uku, assuring that no stone would be left unturned in the command’s investigation to get the policeman in question.

However, Delta State Commissioner of Police (CP), Wale Abass has apologized to the management of the general hospital Ogwashi over the assault.

The CP in a said the officer whose identity is yet unknown acted in a manner unbecoming of a police officer. “His action is inexcusable and unpardonable, and as such, he will surely be identified and dealt with accordingly…

“The Command condemns the act in totality as no citizens of Nigeria or residents deserve to be treated in such a manner by the police or anybody.”

US school district bans Bible for being ‘too vulgar or violent’ for children

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US school district bans Bible for being ‘too vulgar or violent’ for children

In a move that is already generating mixed reactions, a school district in the US state of Utah has removed Bibles from elementary and middle schools for allegedly containing “vulgarity and violence.”

This was following a complaint from a parent that the King James Bible contains materials unsuitable for children.

In 2022 Utah’s Republican government passed a law banning “pornographic or indecent” books from schools. Most of the books that have been banned so far relate to topics such as sexual orientation and identity.

The banning of the Bible comes amid a larger effort by US conservatives in states to ban teachings on controversial topics such as LGBT rights and racial identity. Bans on certain books deemed offensive are also in place in Texas, Florida, Missouri, and South Carolina.

Some liberal states have also banned books in some schools and libraries, citing perceived racially offensive content.

The Utah decision was made this week by the Davis School District north of Salt Lake City after a complaint filed in December 2022.

Officials say they have already removed the seven or eight copies of the Bible they had on their shelves, noting that the text was never part of students’ curriculum.

The committee did not elaborate on its reasoning or which passages contained “vulgarity or violence”.

According to the Salt Lake Tribune newspaper, the parent who complained said the King James Bible “has ‘no serious values for minors’ because it’s pornographic by our new definition“, referring to the 2022 book-ban law.

The Utah state lawmaker who wrote the 2022 law had previously dismissed the Bible removal request as a “mockery”, but changed course this week after calling it a “challenging read” for younger children.

The district’s ruling determined that the Bible’s content does not violate the 2022 law, but does include “vulgarity or violence not suitable for younger students”. The book will remain in place in local high schools.

Bob Johnson, the father of a primary school student in the Davis School District, told CBS News that he opposes the Bible’s removal.

“I can’t think of what’s in the Bible that you would have to take out of it. It’s not like there’s pictures in it,” he said.

The district is not the first in the US to remove the Bible from its shelves.

A Texas school district last year pulled the Bible from library shelves after complaints from members of the public opposed to conservatives’ efforts to ban some books.

Last month, students in Kansas requested to have the Bible removed from their school library.

Multiple killings: Port Harcourt pastor sentenced to death

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Multiple killings: Port Harcourt pastor sentenced to death

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD… You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your deeds, declares the LORD.…” Jeremiah 23:1 (Holy Bible)

For murdering his choir mistress, Orlunma Nwagba whom he allegedly impregnated, her friend, Chigozie Ezenwa, and Chigozie’s 11-month-old baby,  Cresabel a High Court of Justice in Port Harcourt has sentenced one Pastor Chidiebere Okoroafor, to death by hanging

The self-acclaimed pastor who is the General Overseer of the Altar of Solution and Healing Assembly, Oyigbo, Rivers State was said to have committed the offence on December 11, 2017, in the Oyigbo Local Government Area of the state.

Delivering his judgment, His Lordship, the Honourable Justice S.O. Benson, said the evidence and confessional statements from the pastor showed that he committed the crimes.

Justice Benson said the prosecution proved the case of murder against the cleric and ordered that he should be hung by the neck until he dies or given a lethal injection which also kills faster.

The two women reportedly visited the pastor’s house in Oyigbo for a conversation about the said pregnancy but he tricked them to a bush and committed the act in two different locations.  Chigozie Ezenwa, Orlunma’s friend was with her 11-month-old baby, Cresabel.

On 17 December 2017, officers of the Rivers State Police Command arrested Okoroafor following an alarm raised by Ezenwa’s husband over the disappearance of his wife and baby.

Condemning the now common trend of religious leaders taking advantage of their members, Toyin Falola in her article Religious Mumu published by Nigerian Tribune on March 24, 2023, wrote: “It is common knowledge that the major reason why people attend church and Jumat services religiously is that they seek solutions to their problems. As much bad governance is enough to seek God’s intervention for various human issues ranging from terminal illnesses, protection, promotion, unhappiness, barrenness, unemployment, and marital problems, to poverty, which is an average African’s motivation to seek God’s face, also cause people to become staunch believers. To get swift, miraculous answers to these problems, many people fall prey to the traps of “men of God”, who only look to fill their pockets and bellies…

“Pastors and Muslim clerics are considered mini gods who can do no wrong. The Bible verse, “Touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm,” is an ever-ready response by Christians in defense of their highly revered pastors who would not think twice before taking advantage of their desperation to get their problems solved. They forget that a “man of God” is first a man. Religion has rendered humans gullible to the extent that they excuse things their religious leaders do that are not even in tune with what is written in the Holy books. How do you explain a pastor who sleeps with a woman looking for the fruit of the womb and says his sperm is the anointing that will cause her to have her child?”

Addressing journalists outside the courtroom, the prosecuting counsel from the state Ministry of Justice, Precious Ordu, expressed satisfaction over the judgment, adding that the prosecution received several threats in the course of the trial.

“Justice has been served to the state, the complainant, and the convict. This will serve as a deterrent to all those who intend to commit the same offence because it is justice for all,” he said.

However, counsel to the defendant, Innocent Ekwu, said he and his team would appeal the judgment.

“We, as counsel for the defendant, have decided to appeal the case. We are going to file our notice of appeal as quickly as possible because we have grounds on which we believe that the defendant did not commit the offence,” he said.

Nigeria’s wrestling champion, Blessing Oborodudu wins United World Bureau wrestler of the month award

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Nigeria’s wrestling champion, Blessing Oborodudu wins United World Bureau wrestler of the month award

Nigeria’s Silver Olympic Medallist, Blessing Oborodudu, was conferred with Wrestler of the Month award by the United World Wrestling Bureau (UWWB).

It could be recalled that after 7 months of layoff due to surgery, the Commonwealth champion who was certified fit made a comeback with a gold medal at the recently concluded African Senior Wrestling championships in Hammamet Tunisia. She was handed a record 13th title at the African events.

Felicitating with the athlete, the Permanent Secretary, the Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, said Nigeria is proud of its athletes, assuring that the Ministry will continue to create an enabling environment for them to excel in their sporting career.

“We felicitate with our Silver Olympic Medallist, Blessing Oborodudu on this award. We congratulate her and we are proud of her as a nation.

“As a Ministry, we will continue to support all our athletes to ensure they compete favourably with their counterparts globally so as to record more podium performances for our dear nation,” he said.

Alhaji Abubakar also called on all sports-loving Nigerians and philanthropists to join hands with the President Asiwaju Bola-Ahmed Tinubu-led Administration by taking advantage of the new sports industry policy to invest in sports with a view to developing the sector for the benefit of our teeming youth.

He explained that with the new policy, sports is no longer a mere re-creation but a business and thus, urged all relevant stakeholders in the industry to invest in the sector for the benefit of our young athletes as well as our economy as that is the practice the world over.

Government, he added, “cannot do it alone.

Ismaila, further called on  Sporting Federations to ensure they put on their best and technical know-how in order to record more podium appearances in all international competitions for our country.

Lawyer in open letter to Tinubu – Do not operate 95:5% policy in favour of one ethnic group

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Lawyer in open letter to Tinubu – Do not operate 95:5% policy in favour of one ethnic group

An Open Letter to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu – Righteousness Exalts A Nation!

4th June, 2023

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,

Aso Rock Villa,

The Three Arms Zone,

Federal Capital Territory,

Abuja.

Dear Sir,

               TRUTH, RIGHTEOUNESS AND JUSTICE

I am impelled by my religious conviction which requires me to tell the truth to all men, low or high, to write this letter to you, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu(BAT). I am unable to address you as President neither am I able to congratulate you on your swearing in for the following reasons: firstly, there were reports of violence, voter’s intimidation and INEC compromise of the electoral process that brought you to the office you now occupy; secondly, your victory is being challenged at the Election Petition Tribunal and until the Tribunal adjudges you to be the victor, it will be inappropriate to address you as President or congratulate you. I hope the 10th National Assembly will take a cue to amend the law to enable election Petitions to be concluded before swearing into any elective office.

In jurisprudence, known as the science of law, there is what is called the Social Contract being the basis upon which people agreed to form an organised society and cede some of their rights to a leader in return for protection and service delivery. The Social Contract also implies that the people must consent for someone to be their leader, especially in a democracy otherwise the very foundation of the Social Contract is breached, what lawyers will call fundamental breach which entitles the other party to rescind the contract and sue for damages. The application of this to any compromised election entitles the citizenry to reject the outcome and for the perpetrators of the electoral heist to be tried and imprisoned. What is akin to the jurisprudential Social Contract is enshrined in Section 14 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 which provides that “sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria from whom government through this Constitution derives all its powers and authority”. This means that for anyone to lawfully occupy any elective office in Nigeria, the people must actually consent to it.

Flowing from the foregoing, and until the Election Petition Tribunal is able to affirm your victory, I am only able to address you as a placeholder of the office of the President which, fortunately, entitles you to exercise all the powers of the office of the President. Hence, I commend to you the following just and right approaches for the exaltation of the country.

Firstly, do not appoint to your Cabinet any praise singer as they do not have anything to offer the citizenry but will only occupy the office to enrich their pockets. You should identify Nigerian technocrats from around the world and appoint them to come and serve their motherland WITHOUT LET OR HINDRANCE.

Secondly, do not imitate President Buhari who appointed only his kinsmen to sensitive positions of the country as we are over 250 ethnic groups that comprise Nigeria. Also, do not operate the policy of 95:5% in favour of one ethnic group as against the others. Also, do not make careless statements such as referring to a section of the country as “a dot in the circle”. Emphatically, as a current father of the nation, you must do justice to all without partiality.

Thirdly, you must begin to probe the Buhari-led government immediately. Start from oil theft in the Niger Delta and then NNPC (and gradually to other fabrics of that government). Do I need to pre-empt you about the humongous malfeasance you will discover from such probes?

Fourthly, you are well past the seventh (7th) floor of your life which means by God’s special grace you might just have another three (3) more floors to climb. Sincerely, I wish you long life! However, the point here is to remind you that you are already wealthy and you do not need more money to continue a good life. I am not saying do not collect your salaries and allowances BUT DO NOT LOOT OR EVEN PILFER THE TREASURY. The Bible tells me that “The earth is the Lord’s and its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it.” That simply means we are ALL caretakers on earth as we own nothing because one day whether we live 120 years or more we will die and leave behind whatever wealth we have amassed since God owns everything on earth. So, it is senseless to amass illegitimate wealth especially when it will AFFECT the citizenry. Apart from you sir, eschewing corruption, fight corruption within your administration sincerely because no matter how punctilious you might be some of the people you will appoint in your administration are only coming to loot not to serve the country.

Fifthly and fundamentally, create institutions through the instrument of law. A revered Philosopher of yore has postulated that let law rule instead of the whim of man which is not better than an animal. So, there cannot be a strong man in favour of the society because such will culminate in abuse of power but we can rely on good laws as they ought to apply to all equality. Also, strong institutions we outlive your administration to the ultimate benefit of the country. You should constitute intelligent and versatile lawyers to identify institutions we need to turn Nigeria into the league of civilised nations. I will recommend a few lawyers into this proposed Committee such as Femi Falana (SAN), Mike Ozhekhome(SAN), Olisa Agbakoba(SAN), Mr Sylvester Udeme, among other numerous sagacious lawyers for appointment into this critical mission to establish strong institutions in the country.

Sixthly, I want to hint on the security of the nation. It is crystal clear to even the blind that the security of the country is at an abysmally low ebb, unfortunately. Carnage everywhere which the Buhari-led government did next to nothing to tackle. Please sir, in the name of Jehovah most high, do not imitate such. Firstly, try to get the National Assembly to establish state and community (local government) policing. Security is first and foremost local, hence the local communities must be substantially involved to achieve 100% security of their communities. If you are unable to get the National Assembly to do that, double the size of the current police force in addition to the policy that 50% of the police in any police station must be indigenes of the particular community where the police station is situated.

Seventhly, the manner and way the Buhari-administration removed the fuel subsidy is a summary of the anti-poor policies over the eight years of that government. Please sir, it is your duty to quickly cushion the effect of that anti-poor policy of fuel subsidy removal. Firstly, ensure all our refineries are working again as soonest as possible. Secondly, increase the salaries of civil servants by at least 50% which means that minimum wage has to be not less than #45,000.

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria where truth, righteousness and justice shall reign!

Yours faithfully,

Othniel Ikpibako

[email protected]

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