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JUDICIARY

NIN-SIM: SERAP Drags Buhari to Court over 72m Blocked Lines

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serap
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Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has sued President Muhammadu Buhari over the failure to unblock the phone lines of over 72 million telecommunication subscribers barred from making calls on their  Subscriber Identity Modules, SIMs.

The suit followed the recent directive by the Federal Government to telecommunications companies to block outgoing calls on all unlinked lines, as the deadline for the verification expired on March 31.

 Following the directive, over 72 million subscribers have now been barred from making calls.

In the suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Opeyemi Owolabi, at the Federal High Court in Lagos, the organization asked for; “an order setting aside the directive by President Buhari to telecommunications companies to block outgoing calls on all unlinked lines without due process of law, and for being inconsistent with the requirements of legality, necessity and proportionality.

Joined in the suit as respondents are: Mr Abubakar Malami(SAN), Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and Mr. Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy. SERAP also demanded for “an order of perpetual injunction restraining President Buhari and the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami from unlawfully directing telecommunications companies to block outgoing calls on all unlinked lines, without due process and in violation of Nigerians’ human rights.”

SERAP further sought “an order directing and compelling President Buhari to ensure adequate infrastructure and logistics to allow Nigerians including persons with disabilities, older persons, and persons living in remote areas, to capture their data and conclude registration to obtain National Identity Number (NIN).”

The organization stressed that, “directing and compelling the Federal Government to unblock the phone lines unlawfully barred would be entirely consistent with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], and the country’s international obligations to respect, protect, and promote socio-economic rights.”

SERAP also maintained that, “Where agencies of government are allowed to operate at large and at their whims and caprices in the guise of performing their statutory duties, the end result will be anarchy, and authoritarianism, leading to the loss of the much cherished and constitutionally guaranteed freedom and liberty.”

According to SERAP, “It is in the interest of justice to grant this application.“Access to telecommunications services is a condition sine qua non for the effective exercise of human rights. Therefore, the decision to block people from making calls is discriminatory, and a travesty. “The blocking of phone lines of Nigerians without due process of law has disproportionately affected those on the margins of society. “This has resulted in the discrimination of marginalized or vulnerable groups.”

The suit filed read in part: “While Nigerian authorities have a legal responsibility to protect, ensure and secure the rights to life and property, any such responsibility ought to be discharged in conformity with human rights standards. “Fundamental rights are regarded as part of human rights and are protected to enhance human dignity and liberty.”

“Unblocking the phone lines unlawfully barred from making calls would improve respect for the rule of law, and ensure people’s right to freedom of expression, and access to information, as well as their right to associate with others.” “The blocking of people from making calls constitutes impermissible restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression, information, and association.

“The decision to block the phone lines also appears to be arbitrary, and lacks any legal framework, independent and judicial oversight. “This may allow authorities to act in an unfettered and potentially arbitrary or unlawful manner. “Under international human rights law, States including Nigeria ‘shall not engage in or condone any disruption of access to digital technologies for segments of the public or an entire population.’ “States must refrain from cutting off access to telecommunications services.

“Millions of Nigerians including persons with disabilities, elderly citizens, persons living in remote areas have been unable to capture their biometrics, and obtain their NINs due to logistical challenges, administrative and bureaucratic burdens, as well as the persistent collapse of the national grid. “The rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and freedom of association, whether offline or online, promote the democratic ideal by allowing citizens to voice their concerns, challenge governmental institutions, and hold the government accountable for its actions.”

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JUDICIARY

Court Strikes Ex-Kogi Governor’s Bail Application

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Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello
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Justice Maryann Anenih o a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court on Tuesday struck out the bail application filed by former governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi.Anenih struck out the application on the grounds that it was filed when the former governor was yet to be taken into custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The application was filed on Nov.
22, while the former governor was taken into custody of the anti-graft agency on Nov.
26 and arraigned on Nov. 27.(NAN)

Details later….

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JUDICIARY

5 Men Face N25m Worth of Milo Products Theft Charge

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Court Sentences Applicant to 6 Months in Prison for Stealing Cell Phone
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Five men, on Monday appeared before an Ota Magistrates’ Court in Ogun, for allegedly stealing a truck load of Milo products worth N25 million.The defendants, Temidire Ramon, 35, Aminu Yusuf, 26; Olusola Opadare, 35; Oludayo Adeleye, 38, and Amodu Jimoh, 51, are standing tial on a two-count charge of stealing and conspiracy.

The prosecutor, Insp E.
O.Adaraloye, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on Oct.
13, 2020, at Agbara in Ogun.Adaraloye, said that the defendants conspired and stole a truck load of Milo products valued at N25 million, belonging to Nestle Company.He said that the offences contravened Sections 390(9) and 516 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun, 2006.They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Magistrate, Mr O.A Onagoruwa, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N500,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.He ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed and must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.Onagoruwa also ordered that the sureties must show evidence of tax payment to Ogun State Government.He adjourned the case until Dec.12 for hearing. (NAN)

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JUDICIARY

Court Grants Mother Custody of 2 Children 

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A Grade 1 Area Court, Kubwa has granted Maryam Muhammad custody of two children from her former husband, Bashir.

The judge, Musa Sabo ordered Bashir to pay Muhammad N175,000 for a self contained apartment in arrears following the plaintiff’s claim of already paid rent.

Sabo added that Bashir should secure a self contained apartment or pay the plaintiff N250, 000 annually for accommodation.

He said that the children would spend first and third term holidays with their father and second term holidays with their mother.

The judge said the father could pick his children up every weekend for outings within 10a.m to 6.

pm from the mother and notify her before hand.

He also ordered him to pay outstanding school fees if any and pay the plaintiff arrears for the fees she claimed to pay after verifying same as she failed to prove it.

Sabo ordered Bashir  to pay N40,000 from October 2023 To February 2024 and subsequently pay N45,000 monthly for the children’s upkeep..

Regarding the children’s medication, he ordered Bashir to make an arrangement based on his financial capability.

Earlier, the plaintiff approached the court for custody of her children, maintenance, Islamiyya school fees, enrollment of one of the children in a special needs school and transportation.

She also sought for Bashir to refund N770, 000 which she paid for her house rent with the children and pay for the medicals of the children.

Bashir however said his ex-wife paid the rent without his consent adding that he is a civil servant and not financially capable.

“I do not earn up to N2 million annually and I am currently paying N600,000 rent annually. My children are already under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS),” he said.(NAN)

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