Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Monday 9th December 2019
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 09/12/19
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Sowore: Nigerian Bar Association Demands Immediate Suspension Of DSS Boss
The Nigerian Bar Association has demanded the immediate suspension of the Director-General of Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi, over the style used in rearresting Omoyele Sowore in court premises.
Operatives of the DSS had stormed the Federal High Court on Friday to arrest Sowore.
The invasion of the courtroom forced Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu to abandon sitting and judicial activities for the day.
The NBA in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kunle Edun, said it was “greatly dismayed at the exhibition of primitivity, thuggery, insane passion for lawlessness, contempt and disrespect for the rule of law by the agents of the DSS”.
The body of lawyers in the country also said that it finds it disgraceful that this ‘court riot’ occasioned by the high-handedness and insensitivity of the security operatives interrupted judicial proceedings and made the presiding judge to abandon judicial proceedings because of safety concerns.
NBA urged President Muhammadu Buhari to “ensure that the Federal Government and agencies under it obeyed court orders,” as the display of “disrespect of the court by the DSS is legendary and unrivalled”.
The organisation called on all Nigerians to stand up and ensure that no government or any of its agencies disrespected the constitution of the country.
The statement added, “We call for the immediate suspension of the Director-General of the Department of State Security from office.
“We make this demand bearing in mind the fact that the DSS under his leadership had established itself as a brutish and irresponsible agency that derives immense pleasure from violating the fundamental rights of Nigerians and disrespecting court orders.
“The National Assembly should review the laws setting up the DSS and indeed all security agencies in Nigeria with a view to repositioning them to be more responsible and responsive to the public.”
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117 Million Bribes Paid In Nigeria Yearly
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A survey by the National Bureau of Statistics and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimates that 117 million bribes are paid in the country annually.
According to an excerpt of the report published by PUNCH on Friday, Nigerians pay bribes equivalent to six per cent of their yearly income.
“In 2019, Nigerian bribe-payers paid an average of six bribes in the 12 months prior to the survey, or one bribe every two months, which is virtually the same as the average of 5.8 bribes paid per bribe-payer in 2016.
“As a result, it is estimated that some 117 million bribes are paid in Nigeria on a yearly basis, the equivalent of 1.1 bribes per adult,” the publication said.
The value of the bribes paid in 2019 amounts to N675bn the research claimed.
The survey carried out by both agencies, found that persons either paid bribes without a demand or public officials actually made the demand.
“More than 93 per cent of all bribes paid in 2019 was paid in cash, a slightly larger share than in 2016. According to the 2019 survey, the average cash bribe paid is N5,754, a sum equivalent to roughly $52 in purchasing power parity.
“Overall, it is estimated that a total of roughly N675bn was paid in cash bribes to public officials in Nigeria in 2019, corresponding to 0.52 per cent of the entire Gross Domestic Product of Nigeria.”
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E2%80%99t-take-rumour-buhari%E2%80%99s-marriage-seriously-%E2%80%93president%E2%80%99s-wife-aisha I Didn’t Take Rumour Of Buhari’s Marriage Seriously –President’s Wife, Aisha
Aisha, wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, has said that she did not take the rumour that her husband was taking a new wife seriously.
Speaking on Television Continental, Aisha said that she was really worried when social media was awash with reports on the death of her husband but said she never took the marriage rumour seriously.
She said, “I didn’t take it seriously because even my husband didn’t know what was happening,
“Both of us didn’t know what was happening; they just decided to bombard social media with it. They are now taking to social media to bring down the government itself.
“I think that we should not allow people that are nothing to override the innocent; I don’t know why people that are supposed to be in charge should remain mute while bad people take over the country from us. It is impossible and totally unacceptable.”
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Nigeria Files Fraud Charges Against P&ID In UK Court
The Nigerian Government has sued Process and Industrial Development Ltd for fraud in a United Kingdom court.
This was revealed to Reuters by a spokesperson for the country’s Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
Nigeria can only set aside the award, which has now climbed to $10bn if it is able to prove in the foundation of the contract that corruption was at play.
“Nigeria’s new filings with the English court is an act of desperation to try to undo the court’s sound conclusion that P&ID’s $10bn award is enforceable,” a spokesperson for the British Virgin Island registered company claimed.
In September, Nigeria received permission to appeal the award judgment but was told to pay a bond of $200m if it intended to enforce a stay of execution while the appeal was in motion.
The government made the guarantee payment last week and added a British chamber to its legal team.
The trial is over a failed 2010 gas processing contract.
Details have since emerged accusing Michael Quinn, co-founder of being involved in several military scams and tax forgery.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has made two arrests over the corruption so far.
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N6.9bn Fraud: Court Grants Fayose Permission To Travel Abroad For Medical Care
The Federal High Court in Lagos has granted permission to a former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, to travel abroad for medical treatment.
Fayose is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for an alleged N2.2bn fraud.
Following an application by his lawyer, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), Justice C.J. Aneke for the second time, granted Fayose permission to go abroad for treatment.
The judge had in July first granted Fayose permission for a foreign medical trip.
The prosecuting counsel for EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), did not oppose Friday’s request.
After granting the travel permission, Justice Aneke adjourned till January 16, 2020 for continuation of trial.
Fayose is being prosecuted alongside a firm, Spotless Limited.
In the charges, the EFCC alleged among others, that Fayose, on June 17, 2014, “Took possession of the sum of N1, 219, 000,000 to fund your 2014 gubernatorial campaign in Ekiti State, which you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit criminal breach of trust/stealing.”
The ex-governor was also alleged to have on the same day “received a cash payment of $5,000,000 from Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, the then Minister of State for Defence, which sum exceeded the amount authorised by law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 1 and 16(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16 (2)(b) of the same Act.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty.
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E2%80%93amnesty-international ICC Investigation In Nigeria Now Inevitable –Amnesty International
Amnesty International has invited the International Criminal Court to immediately begin an investigation into crimes being committed by the Nigeria Government.
AI, while reacting to the publication of the annual report of the Prosecutor of the ICC on preliminary examinations, which sets out the work of the ICC over the last year looking at countries around the world where crimes may have been committed to decide whether to open investigations, Netsanet Belay, Amnesty International’s Research and Advocacy Director, said that an ICC investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the conflict in North-East Nigeria is now inevitable.
The ICC had released its 2019 report on preliminary examinations.
The ICC prosecutor said it is losing patience with the failure of the Nigerian Government to investigate and prosecute those responsible for crimes committed by different insurgent groups in the country.
AI, stressing the need for investigation in Nigeria, lamented that the government was not keen on delivering justice.
Belay said, “The prosecutor has also confirmed that she will make a final decision in 2020 on whether to proceed to investigate specific crimes.
“Should Nigerian authorities fail to demonstrate tangible steps to fulfil their obligations, she will be bound to proceed towards a full investigation.
“Victims have been waiting for justice for over 10 years. Nigeria has already demonstrated that it is not willing to investigate and prosecute those responsible for heinous crimes committed by all parties to the conflict in the North-East.
“The ICC should have already launched an investigation but there can be no doubt that the time will come in 2020 for the ICC to step up to its role as the court of last resort.”
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E2%80%99s-time-hold-nigeria-accountable-says-sowore%E2%80%99s-wife It’s Time To Hold Nigeria Accountable, Says Sowore’s Wife
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Opeyemi, wife of the pro-democracy campaigner and journalist, Omoyele Sowore, has condemned the rearrest of her husband by the Department of State Services inside the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday.
Sowore was rearrested by the DSS less than 24 hours after he was released following another order by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the same court.
Reacting to the latest development, Opeyemi described the rearrest of her husband as “gross misuse of power and outrageous display of lawlessness”.
She said, “Today was a turning point in Nigeria’s history, unlike anything its democracy has ever seen.
“In just 24 hours, the world witnessed Nigeria’s democracy disintegrate further with a gross misuse of power and outrageous display of lawlessness.
“This government has shown us repeatedly their irrational conduct and extreme inability to follow the rule of law.”
Speaking further, she said that Nigerians must all come out to hold the government accountable while also calling on global outcry to ensure his freedom.
She added, “We don’t have the luxury of time, it’s urgent that we hold this government accountable.
“We cannot go at this alone, Sowore’s life depends on a global outcry, your advocacy and intervention.”
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Sowore: DSS Desecrated Temple Of Justice, Says Rights Group
Non-governmental organisation, Centre Against Injustice and Domestic Violence, has said that the Department of State Services desecrated the temple of justice by invading the Federal High Court, Abuja, to rearrest pro-democracy campaigner and journalist, Omoyele Sowore, on Friday.
Speaking through its Executive Director, Gbenga Soloki, the CAIDV called on the Chief Justice of the Federation to summon the Director-General of DSS for questioning over the unholy display of power by his men.
Soloki said, “The Chief Judge of the Federation should summon the DG of DSS and ensure he produces those that invaded a court of law so that the appropriate punitive measures could be meted out to them to serve as deterrent.”
The group also noted that failure to do so will invariably lead to more acts of impunity in future.
Soloki also appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to call the leadership of the DSS to order and stop them from “ridiculing our country by the naked display of power”.
He stressed that since the accused had been admitted to bail, any other issue or matter should be left under the purview of the court rather than the unruly manner in which he was abducted in court by gun-wielding men of the secret service.
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E2%80%93serap Sowore’s Rearrest, Mockery Of Justice –SERAP
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has condemned the rearrest of pro-democracy campaigner and journalist, Omoyele Sowore, by operatives of Department of Security Service on Friday.
SERAP frowned against the harassment and intimidation of Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, by armed DSS operatives, who stormed the courtroom in a bid to rearrest the activist and forced her close proceedings abruptly.
In a statement on Friday, the group said the action of the DSS was shameful.
The statement said, “The violent rearrest of Sowore right inside the courtroom, is a textbook case of a mockery of justice and abuse of judicial process.
“It drives home the failure of the Nigerian Government to fulfill its constitutional and international human rights obligations to respect citizens’ human rights and observe the rule of law.”
SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, added that the invasion of the courtroom and the ill-treatment of Sowore was a blatant attack on the rule of law and the sanctity and integrity of Nigeria’s justice system.
The organisation called United Nations Human Rights Council, African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and members of the international community to prevail on the Nigerian authorities to end violations and abuses of human rights and threats to the rule of law.
The statement added, “An independent judiciary free from intimidation and harassment is a basic precondition to a functioning democracy under the rule of law.
“If Nigerian authorities are serious about human rights and the rule of law, they should hold those responsible to account.
“Only then will Nigerians have full confidence in this government’s ability to protect their human rights, obey the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary.”
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BREAKING: Bishop Oyedepo Tackles Buhari Again Over Citizens’ Poor Welfare
Founder and General Overseer of the Living Faith Church Worldwide popularly known as Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, has again condemned the Nigerian Government under President Muhammadu Buhari for its failure to make the country better for the people.
Oyedepo, who was preaching at the ongoing Shiloh 2019 programme, also asked the government to focus on curbing hate act in the country rather than hate speech.
He said that the reason the people had continued to complain and condemn the administration of President Buhari was because he was not doing well.
The popular preacher said, “If government was doing well, the people would not complain.”
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