An ex-Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, has withdrawn from the race for the position of President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

The former Police top boss announced during a press briefing in Enugu on Thursday that his decision was premised on the order of an Enugu State High Court which barred him from contesting.

The court issued the injunction following a suit claiming Okiro is from Imo State, not Rivers State, where the position has been zoned.

Also, the Indigenous People of Biafra on Tuesday, rejected the proposition that Okiro, who is from Imo State, occupy the position.

According to Okiro, it was on account of the court’s decision that officially stepped down from the race.

“My dear brothers and sisters, I, Sir Mike Okiro CFR, President General Candidate for Ohanaeze Ndigbo Election slated for 10th January 2025 address you today with unwavering resolve. I have been made aware of the Enugu State High Court’s interim order, which regrettably restrains me from contesting the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide Presidency General Election tomorrow.

“The court order, based on alleged non-indigene status, contradicts verifiable facts. It is unfortunate that the court did not invite me or hear from me before giving that obnoxious order which I got from the media. The facts are (a) That I hail from Egbema in Rivers State as shown by my National Population Commission Attestation of Birth. (b) My Traditional Ruler, the Nzeobi of Egbema, has also confirmed my indigene status in Rivers State. (c) I have written many books where my indigeneship of Rivers State is shown in the author’s column. A good example is my best seller, titled: “Nigeria: The Restructuring ‘Controversy”.

“(d) Page 6 of my biography written by Mr. Dozie Okebalama also shows my indigeneship of Rivers. (e) I have attended many Imeobi meetings where I represented Rivers State in the attendance list compiled by the Secretary-General. (f) As a student at the University of Ibadan, I was a member of the Rivers State Students’ Association, where I was elected as Treasurer, and another Great UIte, now Distinguished Senator Andrew Uchendu was elected as Secretary. (g) I was representing Rivers State during the meetings of the South-South People’s Assembly under our respected leader, Chief Edwin Clark, where Prof. Pat. Utomi, another Great Nigerian, represented Delta State. My records and credentials speak for themselves.

“As an Igbo man and elder statesman of Rivers State Extraction whose said position has been zoned to by the electoral committee, I believe in the rule of law and shall respect the court’s order. My Obedience to court orders, no matter how unfavourable, demonstrates our commitment to democracy. I believe in the principles of the rule of law as the rule of law ensures our collective progress. The rule of law safeguards our society; its principles must be upheld and our democratic values are non-negotiable, together we will emerge stronger. Our stance for justice, due process and rule of law shall vindicate us.

“I will not participate in any election pending the final determination of the matter pending before Hon Justice N.R Oji of Enugu State High Court which court gave the restraining order. Although I’ve not been formally served with the suit/processes or order, my commitment to law and order remains unwavering, despite the fact that the reliefs granted in the order against me appears to undermine my fundamental right guaranteed in Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“My distinguished career as Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police underscores my dedication to justice and what is noble. I have instructed the Chambers of Eze Okafor & Co, my lawyers to pursue the case to its logical conclusion to ensure that the purveyors of hate and lawlessness are brought to book in line with our enabling laws. As provided by our constitution, I demand to be heard, and I am sure that the court will ensure that the twin pillars of natural justice will be observed later in handling the case. We have not lost hope in our judicial system.

“I urge my immediate community Egbema, the entire Igbo-speaking people of Rivers state who are solidly behind me and all my supporters across Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra, and Delta to stand by the rule of law throughout the period of this contest. Our resolve strengthens Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s unity and progress. Together, we’ll navigate this challenge. My Governor, His Excellency, Siminialayi Fubara GSSRS unwavering support is most highly appreciated and the same cannot be taken for granted. Your Excellency’s leadership indeed inspires me.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo embodies Igbo unity, progress, and peaceful coexistence. Our organisation promotes harmony among Igbos worldwide. Let’s prioritise peace and unity. I reaffirm my commitment to Ohanaeze Ndigbo Ideals; unity, progress and peace in Igbo land. Justice shall prevail; Igbo unity and progress remain our guiding principles. I assure all of you that we shall overcome this minor setback as our democratic values are non-negotiable.”

The United States Supreme Court has scuttled Donald Trump’s bid to block his criminal sentencing in New York. The apex court on Thursday denied President-elect Donald J. Trump’s emergency bid to halt it, ensuring it would proceed as planned on Friday.

New York Times reports that in a brief unsigned order, a five-justice majority noted that Mr. Trump was not facing jail time and that he could still challenge his conviction “in the ordinary course on appeal.”

According to the news outlet, although Trump had argued that being sentenced 10 days before his inauguration would distract from the presidential transition, the majority held, “The burden that sentencing will impose on the president-elect’s responsibilities is relatively insubstantial.”

New York Times further reported that the majority included Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Sonia Sotomayor; Amy Coney Barrett; Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Four of the court’s conservative justices — Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito Jr., Neil M. Gorsuch and Brett M. Kavanaugh — noted dissents without providing reasons.
The sentencing is now free to move forward on Friday morning in the same Lower Manhattan courtroom where Mr. Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying records to cover up a sex scandal that had endangered his 2016 presidential campaign. The president-elect has indicated he plans to appear virtually.

After a series of unsuccessful legal maneuvers in New York State courts, the former and future president had hoped to prevail before a friendlier audience: a Supreme Court with a 6-to-3 conservative majority that includes three justices Mr. Trump appointed during his first term.

But the court opted to stay out of the case, despite having come to Mr. Trump’s rescue in a string of other recent matters. In July, the justices granted former presidents broad immunity for official acts, undermining a separate criminal case against Mr. Trump in Washington.

The show of independence from five of the justices in connection with the New York case — less than two weeks before the inauguration — capped the former and future president’s frenzied campaign to stave off the embarrassing spectacle of a sentencing. After months of delay, the sentencing will now formalize Mr. Trump’s conviction, cementing his status as the first felon to occupy the Oval Office.

A spokeswoman for the Manhattan district attorney’s office, which prosecuted Mr. Trump, declined to comment.

At a news conference on Thursday evening in his Mar-a-Lago estate, Mr. Trump attacked the case and vowed to mount a formal appeal of his conviction, even though he was expected to avoid jail or any other substantive punishment.

“We’re going to appeal anyway, just psychologically, because frankly it’s a disgrace,” he said.

But he found a silver lining, saying the Supreme Court ruling essentially spurred him forward.

“I read it and I thought it was a fair decision, actually, so I’ll do my little thing tomorrow,” he said.

The Supreme Court’s decision served as an early test of the influence Mr. Trump might wield over a panel of justices the majority of whom have previously appeared sympathetic to his legal troubles.

The revelation that Mr. Trump spoke this week by phone with Justice Alito fueled concerns that Mr. Trump has undue sway over the court.

Justice Alito said he was delivering a job reference for a former law clerk whom Mr. Trump was considering for a government position. But the disclosure alarmed ethics groups and raised questions about why a president-elect would personally handle such a routine reference check.

Justice Alito did not recuse himself from Thursday’s decision. He dissented, meaning he would have voted to block the sentencing.

Almost any other defendant would have already been sentenced by now. But after a jury convicted Mr. Trump in May on all the counts he faced, Mr. Trump’s lawyers lodged a flurry of filings seeking to unwind the conviction, or at least block the sentencing.

They intensified the effort even after the judge overseeing the case recently signaled that he would spare Mr. Trump jail time or any other substantive punishment, making any sentencing largely symbolic.

Seeking to persuade the Supreme Court to intervene, Mr. Trump’s lawyers had cited the court’s own ruling last year on presidential immunity. In that landmark decision, the justices granted former presidents broad immunity for official acts, dealing a serious blow to Mr. Trump’s criminal case in Washington, where he was accused of trying to overturn the 2020 election results.

In the application this week, Mr. Trump’s lawyers argued that he was entitled to full immunity from prosecution — as well as sentencing — now that he has been re-elected.
“Forcing President Trump to prepare for a criminal sentencing in a felony case while he is preparing to lead the free world as president of the United States in less than two weeks imposes an intolerable, unconstitutional burden on him that undermines these vital national interests,” they wrote.

But the district attorney’s office called his claim of immunity “baseless.”
“There is a compelling public interest in proceeding to sentencing,” they wrote, and added that “the sanctity of a jury verdict and the deference that must be accorded to it are bedrock principles in our nation’s jurisprudence.”

At an unrelated news conference on Thursday, the district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, said his office’s “function right now primarily is to continue to give voice to that verdict.”

In their filing to the Supreme Court, Mr. Bragg’s prosecutors noted that Mr. Trump had yet to have a full appellate panel rule on the matter and had not mounted a formal appeal of his conviction. Consequently, they argued, the Supreme Court lacked jurisdiction over a “non-final” state proceeding.

Earlier Thursday, a judge on the New York Court of Appeals in Albany, the state’s highest court, declined to grant a separate request from Mr. Trump to freeze the sentencing. Also this week, a judge on the First Department of New York’s Appellate Division in Manhattan rejected the same request.

That judge, Ellen Gesmer, had grilled Mr. Trump’s lawyer about whether he had found “any support for a notion that presidential immunity extends to president-elects?”

With no example to offer, Mr. Blanche conceded, “There has never been a case like this before.”

In their filing Thursday, prosecutors echoed Justice Gesmer’s concerns, noting that “This extraordinary immunity claim is unsupported by any decision from any court.”

They also argued that Mr. Trump’s claims of presidential immunity fell short because their case concerned a personal crisis that predated his first presidential term. The evidence, they said, centered on “unofficial conduct having no connection to any presidential function.”

The state’s case centered on a sex scandal involving the porn star Stormy Daniels, who threatened to go public about an encounter with Mr. Trump, a salacious story that could have derailed his 2016 campaign.

To bury the story, Mr. Trump’s fixer, Michael D. Cohen, negotiated a $130,000 hush-money deal with Ms. Daniels.

Mr. Trump eventually repaid him. But Mr. Cohen, who was the star witness during the trial, said that Mr. Trump orchestrated a scheme to falsify records and hide the true purpose of the reimbursement.

Although Mr. Trump initially faced sentencing in July, his lawyers buried Justice Juan Merchan in a flurry of filings that prompted one delay after another.

Mr. Trump’s application was filed by two of his picks for top jobs in the Justice Department: Todd Blanche, Mr. Trump’s choice for deputy attorney general, and D. John Sauer, his selection for solicitor general.

Last week, Justice Merchan put a stop to the delays and scheduled the sentencing for Friday.

Mr. Trump faced four years in prison, but his election victory ensured that time behind bars was not a viable option. Instead, Justice Merchan indicated that he would impose a so-called unconditional discharge, a rare and lenient alternative to jail or probation.

“The trial court has taken extraordinary steps to minimize any burdens on defendant,” the prosecutors wrote Thursday.

This report Supreme Court Denies Trump’s Last-Ditch Effort to Avoid Sentencing was originally published by New York Times.

• “Lack of parenting skills, knowledge of the Child’s Rights Law of Lagos State, learning challenges of pupils and students, and protection of the health and general well-being of children are shamefully displayed here” —Ex-Lagos NBA Chair, Tam-George

Stella Nwadigo, the teacher who was captured on video dealing some deadly slaps to the cheeks of a three-year-old pupil in her class appeared before Magistrate M.O. Kusanu at the Ogba Magistrate Court on Thursday.

She was earlier arrested for physically assaulting a toddler at Christ-Mitots International School in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

Nwadigo, who was apprehended after a video surfaced online showing her repeatedly slapping the young child, Abayomi Micheal, reportedly pleaded not guilty to the charges read to her. 

The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency disclosed this in an update on X.com on Thursday.

The statement read, “Following the ongoing viral case of child abuse, all concerned parties appeared today, 9th January 2024, at the Ogba Magistrate Court. (sic)

“The matter was assigned to Magistrate M.O. Kusanu. Two charges were read to the suspect, to which she pled not guilty.”

Nwadigo’s defence counsel was said to have applied for bail, which the court reportedly set at N200,000.

The statement added, “Her defense counsel applied for bail, which the court set at ₦200,000 and two verifiable sureties.

“The suspect has been remanded in a correctional facility, and the case is adjourned to the 18th January 2024 for trial.”

PUNCH reports that the viral video, which showed Nwadigo repeatedly slapping Abayomi while attempting to teach him how to write the number six, ignited public outrage, leading to widespread calls for justice.

Nwadigo was also suspended by the school’s management, while Abayomi was reportedly hospitalised following the incident.

In her contribution to the issue, a former Vice Chair of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Abiye Tam-George noted that:

“In addressing learning challenges that children face in learning centres, it is essential to focus on step-by-step interventions to support and correct the child’s progress.

“There is no need for corporal punishment, as the issue often stems from a lack of knowledge or understanding. Any teacher who resorts to corporal punishment is committing a felony.

“The Child’s Rights Act or the Law of Lagos State can be accessed online for more information on the legal protections in place for children. Corporal punishment is strictly prohibited, and engaging in such practices is a criminal offence in Nigeria.

“Should an investigation reveal that a teacher has violated this law, she will be held accountable and face legal consequences.

“The law also requires that neighbours, doctors, or any individuals who witness or suspect child abuse report it. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse, and there will be no defence for those who violate these protections.

“Lack of parenting skills, knowledge of the Child’s Rights Law of Lagos State, learning challenges of pupils and students, and protection of the health and general well-being of children are shamefully displayed here.

“Ignorance of the law is not an excuse.”

The lead counsel of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has commended a human rights organisation, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), for its detailed report documenting the atrocities and systematic human rights violations in Eastern Nigeria, including the bloody invasion of his ancestral home in Anambra State.

According to him, the publications serve as essential resources for the human rights community, offering a comprehensive guide for investigation and advocacy efforts.

Ejiofor in a statement said the call to action for international organisations, including the United Nations (UN) and the International Criminal Court (ICC), underscores the urgency of holding perpetrators accountable and ensuring justice for victims.

He said, “It is with immense gratitude and profound appreciation that I acknowledge the detailed and well-researched report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), as supported by esteemed international experts, scholars, and human rights advocates.

“Your painstaking effort in documenting the atrocities and systematic human rights violations in Eastern Nigeria, particularly as it pertains to well detailed account of the bloody invasion of my ancestral home, is truly commendable.

“The reports respectively titled “Ocean of Innocent Blood Flowing in Eastern Nigeria” and “Human Rights Made in Nigeria”, provide an in-depth analysis of the grave violations suffered by defenseless citizens. These meticulously compiled findings shine a spotlight on the egregious acts of extrajudicial killings, torture, enforced disappearances, and widespread destruction of property, which continue to threaten the sanctity of life and fundamental freedoms in the region.

“These publications serve as essential resources for the human rights community, offering a comprehensive guide for investigation and advocacy efforts.

“I particularly commend their dedication to exposing the systemic failures of governance and the complicity of state and non-state actors in perpetuating these atrocities. The call to action for international bodies, including the United Nations and the International Criminal Court, underscores the urgency of holding perpetrators accountable and ensuring justice for victims.

“This is not only a significant contribution to human rights discourse but also a critical tool for policymakers, researchers, and advocates globally.

“As someone directly affected by these heinous violations, I am deeply encouraged by the courage and commitment displayed by all those involved in this project. Let this monumental work inspire collective efforts to restore justice, peace, and human dignity in Eastern Nigeria.

“Thank you once again for this invaluable contribution to the fight for human rights and accountability.”

The Governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, has appointed Collins Edomaruse as his Special Adviser, International Development Partners.

Prior to his appointment, Edomaruse, a Fellow of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (FNGE), was also a founding member of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers of Nigeria (GOCOP).

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of METROWATCH, Collins Edomaruse held several senior Editorial positions in THISDAY, including Group News Editor, Group Politics Editor, Deputy Editor (Daily, Saturday and Sunday titles), and Editor, Nation’s Capital/Abuja Bureau.

He is popularly known as ‘General’ because he mastered the Defence Beat in his days as a defence correspondent.

By Ishita Srivastava and Alex Hammer

Autopsy reports have revealed how an ex-Meta engineer murdered his twins last year in their $2.1 million family home before turning the gun on himself. 

Anand Sujith Henry, 37, killed his sons Noah and Neithan, both four and his wife, Alice Benziger, 38, at their ritzy San Mateo house in February 2024. 

Responding officials found the couple with gunshot wounds beside a 9mm pistol and a loaded magazine in the bathroom. 

The bodies of the boys was found on a couch inside one of the five bedrooms. 

In a newly released coroner’s report, San Mateo officials have discovered the children were killed in a homicide. 

Reports suggest that the boys were found in a supine position, with a pillow resting along each of their right sides which indicated that they were smothered to death. 

Officials also noted a large ‘foam cone’ emerging from Noah’s nose and mouth at the scene and small red or purple dots on the boys’ faces – signs of strangulation or choking. 

Examiners explained that that the dots and the pillows ‘suggests the possibility of smothering, however this diagnosis cannot be made based on the limited investigative information and nonspecific findings’, according to the Sacramento Bee. 

Henry, a former Software Engineering Manager at both Meta and Google, filed for divorce in December 2016, records show – years before Benziger, a data science manager at Zillow, gave birth. 

Apparently, the divorce never materialized, and after leaving his post at Meta this past June, Henry founded  his own AI company.

The firm, identified on the seasoned computer scientist’s social media as Logits, provides enterprises with the means to ‘privately train and serve Generative AI models’ to serve their own specific business needs. Its site, as of writing, is down.

Before that, he worked at Meta for a year and a half, after a nearly eight-year stint at Google’s office in Sunnyvale.

At one point, Henry lived in New York City, where he was a member of Toastmasters, a non-profit that teaches how overcome a fear of public speaking.  

During that time, the family lived in at least four apartments across San Francisco, records show before relocating to the home where the crime occurred.

This move happened around the time of the birth of his children – and local police revealed that in the time since, they have been called to the home several times.

They did not disclose the nature of those calls, and said there was no note left at the scene.

Benziger’s mother had reportedly been staying with the family, leaving on February 11 – the day before the murder suicide.

Neighbors said that they have never seen anything like this in their community.

Ashley Villalobos, 27, who worked as a nanny for the twins two years ago, shared her own shock at the news and how she’d never seen any red flags with the couple.

‘My heart aches that their lives were taken in such an unforeseeable incident,’ she wrote in a social media posting. 

‘I can’t wrap my head around how or why. All I have is the memories and silly beautiful moments I got to share with these boys.

‘Every morning they loved to play with bubbles in the front yard while we waited for the morning bus to pass by on Alameda so they could wave hi! It was always a highlight of their morning.

‘Anand would come into the room while Alice wrapped up her work stuff,’ Villalobos continued.

‘He would say to the boys with a big smile excited to see the boys ‘alright boys time to play with papa!’ They jumped with joy happy to play with dad.

‘Alice loved those boys sooo much,’ she wrote. ‘I can’t come to understand what went wrong…. You just never truly know.’

The couple, family said, were both alumni of TKM Engineering College, and also both attended Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

After that, Alice obtained a Master’s in data science at the University of San Francisco, her LinkedIn shows, after which she held positions at Dictionary.com, Idibon, and Change.org, before assuming her senior role at Zillow six years ago.

The couple emigrated to the US in 2018. Henry’s father, Dr G. Henry was the former principal of Fatima Mata National College in Kerala, India.

Culled from Mail Online

In a disturbing turn of events, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is now grappling with a major scandal involving the disappearance of substantial amounts of cash and valuables from its Lagos Zonal Command.

Credible sources told PRNigeria that between $350,000 and $400,000 has reportedly gone missing, along with expensive jewelry and other high-value items.

This troubling revelation comes just days after the EFCC dismissed 27 of its officials due to misconduct and fraudulent activities, a move that has raised questions about accountability and oversight within the agency.

The dismissals, announced on Monday, followed recommendations made by the EFCC Staff Disciplinary Committee and were subsequently ratified by the commission’s Chairman, Ola Olukoyede.

While the investigation into the missing funds is already underway, the EFCC finds itself in a precarious position as it seeks to restore public trust. The agency, which has long been regarded as the frontline warrior against financial crimes, is now facing scrutiny for alleged lapses in its internal controls.

As of the time of this report, efforts to reach the EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, for comments on this latest debacle have been unsuccessful. The absence of an official response raises further concerns about transparency and the agency’s commitment to addressing allegations of misconduct.

As the investigation unfolds, many are left wondering what measures will be taken to prevent future incidents and restore faith in an agency tasked with combating corruption. This latest scandal serves as a stark reminder of the challenges facing the EFCC in its mission to uphold integrity and accountability in Nigeria’s financial system.

Credit: PRNigeria