Sahara Reporters Latest News Friday 15th November 2019
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 15/11/19
Read also
Court Remands Akwa Ibom Lawmaker For Kidnapping, Assaulting Woman
The High Court of Akwa Ibom State sitting in Uyo, the capital, has remanded one Hon. Uduak Godwin Etim alias King Pele, representing Ward 6 in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Legislative Council, in prison for an alleged kidnapping, attempted murder, assault and trial of a middle-aged woman, Iniubong Essien.
Etim was charged for kidnapping and assaulting Essien whom he falsely accused of stealing part of the money donated to him at his marriage reception.
He was alleged to have conspired with his wife, Aniedi, to kidnap the victim to his village where she was stripped naked and thoroughly beaten.
Following investigation by the police, the accused person was arraigned in court.
His lawyer, Mr Mfon Ben, raised a preliminary objection to the jurisdiction of the court and argued that the accused person could not take his plea because the Attorney-General of Akwa Ibom State was bias against him and that the police only recommended that the accused person be charged for assault and not kidnapping and attempted murder.
However, ruling on the said objection on Thursday, the trial Judge, Justice Archibong Archibong, dismissed the objection as frivolous and lacking in merit.
He said, “The allegation of bias made by the accused person against the Attorney-General was baseless.”
After taking his plea, the councillor was then remanded in prison custody pending ruling on his bail application is fixed for November 27, 2019.
Meanwhile, lawyer to the victim, Inibehe Effiong, has filed a fundamental rights enforcement lawsuit against the councillor and his wife at the Akwa Ibom State High Court.
Effiong is asking the court to award the sum of N100m as compensation to his client and to order the councillor and his wife to publish a public apology to his client in national newspapers for the gross violation of her fundamental rights to dignity of the human person, personal liberty and freedom of movement.
The fundamental rights suit has been assigned to Justice Ime Umanah of High Court 6, Uyo.
CRIME
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
SSS And The Shamelessness Of A Nation By Stanley Imhanruor Esq
The SSS issued a statement on Wednesday claiming that those, who came forward to collect our clients – Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare (defendants), are not qualified and that it will only release Sowore to his sureties after verification of the sureties. This is the height of impunity and lawlessness and this is how full-blown dictatorship evolves over time.
The SSS then ridiculously accused our lead counsel, the highly respected Femi Falana (SAN), of playing to the gallery simply because the learned silk called on the SSS to release the defendants from illegal custody without further delay and in line with the order of court.
It is crude and antiquated for the SSS to think that everyone will yield to its antic of crass intimidation and oppression.
The SSS is not an appellate court and as such cannot sit on appeal over the decision of the court by giving fresh conditions for the release of the defendants, who have since fulfilled their bail conditions as imposed by the court.
Even in the days of military dictatorship, court orders were obeyed, how much more in a democracy. It is time the SSS shed its pre-colonial mentality.
We are now in the jet age and those, who do not possess the capacity and democratic tolerance to flow with this age and time should not seek to occupy public offices – elective or appointive.
To say the least, the SSS has brought shame on us as a people in the comity of civilised nations.
This country belongs to all of us and not just a set of people who are privileged to be at the helm of affairs presently.
The order of court directing the SSS to release the defendants must be obeyed by the SSS irrespective of whoever maybe wearing a frown. That is how democracy and the rule of law thrive and Nigeria should not be an exception.
For the records, the worst form of corruption is disobedience of court orders by public officers and institutions.
It is, therefore, shameful, hypocritical and benumbing that a government that claims to be fighting corruption is now notorious for disobedience of court orders.
I want to believe that reasonable supporters of the ruling APC are seriously embarrassed by this executive intransigence and lawlessness. Unfortunately, this government under the leadership of General Muhammadu Buhari appears to be on autopilot and sadly so.
Opinion
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Stanley Imhanruor Esq.
Disable advertisements
:
Customs Proposes Re-introduction Of Import Tax On Petroleum Products
Nigerian Customs ServiceNigerian Customs Service
Nigerian Customs Service
The Eagle Online
The Nigeria Customs Service has proposed that the import tax on petroleum products be reintroduced.
Disclosing this at the 2020 budget defence before the House of Representatives Committee on Customs, Comptroller-General of the agency, Col. Hameed Ali, said that it had become imperative to reintroduce the tax regime in line with global best practices.
Recall that the Federal Government had in 2004 suspended tax on imported petroleum products.
Before the suspension, a tax of N1.50 per litre of any petroleum product was paid by importers of fuel.
Ali noted that currently, the same type of tax was being implemented in about 36 countries at an average of $2.24 per gallon.
He said, “The petroleum tax regime of 2004 before its suspension imposed N1.50 per litre.
“It is the considered opinion of the Service that this regime be reintroduced in line with international best practices as it’s currently operational in over 36 countries at an average of $2.24 per gallon.”
Further disclosing that he had forwarded a proposal for the downward review of vehicle tariff to the Finance Ministry for consideration, the customs boss said that the service was proposing that duty on imported vehicles should remain at 35 per cent while the levy be reduced to between five and 10 per cent.
Oil
Taxes
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Kogi PDP Governorship Candidate, Musa Wada, Sued Over Alleged Certificate Forgery
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the November 16 governorship election in Kogi State, Musa Wada, has been dragged before the Federal High Court, Abuja, over alleged certificate forgery.
The plaintiff, Femi Joseph, is praying for an order of the court restraining Wada from participating in Saturday’s poll as candidate of the PDP.
In a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1147/2019, the plaintiff, through his lawyer, Mike Enahoro Ebah, alleged that Wada forged his primary school certificate, which he filled in the Independent National Electoral Commission Form CF001.
In accordance with Section 31(5) & (6) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended), the plaintiff is claiming that the information supplied by the PDP candidate in both his Form CF001 and the attached First School Leaving Certificate as to his primary school education were false.
Consequently, the plaintiff is praying the court for a declaration that the 3rd defendant’s (Wada) INEC FORM CFOO1 and the primary school certificate, bearing number: 910922, attached therewith and submitted to the 2nd defendant (INEC) by the 1st (PDP) and 3rd defendants, contain false information regarding the 3rd defendant’s primary school certificate.
Elections
Legal
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Fire Consumes Three Buildings In Ogun
Punchng
Fire on Thursday destroyed three buildings and four shops in Abeokuta, Ogun State, leaving victims to count their losses.
The inferno was said to have started in one of the buildings but later spread to others around 1:00am.
It took firefighters about three hours late to put out the fire, which cause is yet to be ascertained.
Residents of the affected buildings said they lost valuables running into several millions of Nigeria including important documents like university certificates and other documents.
“People really lost valuables worth millions of naira. Personally, I also lost valuable items.
“I lost my certificate which I kept in my room, my birth certificate, university certificate, law school certificate and other certificates were lost to the fire incident,” one victim said.
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
E2%80%98operation-positive-identification%E2%80%99-reps-tell-army Go On With ‘Operation Positive Identification’, Reps Tell Army
The Nigerian Army has received the approval of the House of Representatives to go ahead with its planned Operation Positive Identification.
The approval followed a recommendation of the House Committee on Army led by Mr Abdurazak Namdas.
Adopting the report by the panel at the plenary on Thursday, the House resolved, “That the Army can continue with the OPI but in collaboration with other relevant security agencies such as the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigeria Police Force, who should take the lead in the identification process.
“That a joint intelligence and monitoring team should be set up by the agencies involved in order to checkmate possible abuse of the exercise, such as extortion and assault on the people.
“That the Army should regularly brief the Committee on Army for proper assessment of the exercise.
“That the Nigerian Army should disengage from the areas they have successfully completed operations and allow the police to consolidate on the gains.
“That serious and urgent attention should be given to the police in the area of training and retraining so as to equip them to curtail future insurrection or violence that may occur.”
Military
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Nigerian Charged In Kenya For Preaching Without Permit
A Nigerian pastor, Joseph Ezeking, has been charged alongside a Kenyan woman, Alice Kawira, for preaching in public without authorisation and permit.
Ezeking, 39, and Kawira, 35, are reported to have on diverse dates between January and September 2019 engaged in the exercise without the requisite permit.
According to NairobiNews, Kawira was charged with harbouring the foreigner in her house while knowing that he was illegally engaging in evangelism.
Appearing before Isiolo Principal Magistrate, Evanson Ngigi, on Wednesday, the duo were also charged with obstructing police officers, who had gone to arrest them.
They pleaded not guilty to the three charges and were each released on a Sh100,000 bond.
The case will be heard on January 30, 2020.
Christianity
Kenya
Legal
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Kogi/Bayelsa Elections: Buhari Calls For Fairness, Police Threaten Ballot Box Snatchers With Death
Ahead of Saturday’s governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states, President Muhammadu Buhari has called for fairness and transparency.
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari called on contestants and their supporters to play by the rules.
The statement reads, “On Saturday, November 16, voters in two states, Bayelsa and Kogi, will be left alone to decide who takes charge of the administration of their important states for the next four years.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has made a strong demand for exemplary conduct of non-partisanship on the part of election and law enforcement officials in the two states.
“All must carry out their functions with fairness and transparency; without let or hindrance and without fear or favour.
“I call on voters in Bayelsa and Kogi states to exercise their franchise in a peaceful and orderly manner and in line with the law in all situations.
“Law enforcement officials must ensure that citizens are allowed to vote without harassment and intimidation.”
Meanwhile, the police has warned that anyone caught snatching ballot boxes during the election in both states would pay with their lives.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Operation, AbdulMajeed Ali, gave the warning on Thursday while addressing journalists in Kogi.
He said, “Anyone caught will not be spared and will not live to do that ever again.
“We have enough personnel and capacity to deal with anyone that tries to foment trouble on Saturday. Just watch, if anyone tries to snatch ballot box on Saturday, he will pay dearly for it.”
Elections
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Kogi/Bayelsa Polls: Coalition Urges US, UK To Place Visa Ban On Politicians Sponsoring Violence
A Coalition of Civil Society groups known as Center For Liberty, has called on United States of America and United Kingdom to place visa ban on any politician and official working to undermine the elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states.
This follows an alarm raised by the group over plans by some persons to cause havoc and disrupt Saturday’s gubernatorial elections both states.
The group disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja while submitting a petition to the Ambassadors of United States of America and United Kingdom in Nigeria at their respective embassies.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, Co-convener of CFL, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, said the plot to undermine the two elections were real and there had been reported incidents of violence and killings.
He said, “We strongly advocate a further extension of visa restriction to the immediate family members of the affected politicians, individuals and officials responsible for undermining our elections.
“We wish to draw the attention of the US, UK, European Union and other development partners to the build-up of the governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa scheduled for November 16, 2019, which is gradually assuming a worrying dimension.
“The plot to undermine the two elections are very real and there have been reported incidents of violence and killings.”
Elections
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Nigerians March In Front Of Abuja House In London To Demand Sowore’s Release
Some Nigerians in the United Kingdom have protested in front of Abuja House, London, where President Muhammadu Buhari is believed to be receiving medical treatment to demand the immediate release of pro-democracy campaigner and Publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore.
Carrying placards bearing different inscriptions, the demonstrators also called for the release of Olawale Bakare, leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, and other political prisoners in the country.
Despite demonstrating in front of the facility for hours, no Nigerian official came out to address them.
President Buhari’s administration has refused to release Sowore and Bakare despite two court orders directing the Department of State Services to free them.
Sowore was arrested in Lagos on August 3, 2019 for calling on Nigerians to take to the streets in peaceful protests to demand a better country.
Human Rights
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
You can also check
