JUDICIARY
Akpan Drags Gov Udom to Court over Joint LG Account Law
By Tseaa Armstrong, Abuja
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice have been dragged to an Eket High Court as co-defendants in a suit no: HEK 72/2019, dated, filed and served on 5th November, 2019 by Chief Aniekan Willie Akpan, plaintiff and one time chairman of Eket LGA of Akwa Ibom state.
The plaintiffs are praying the court to determine whether the Akwa Ibom State government has complied with the provisions of the state joint local government account law 2009.
Secondly, whether, Eket LGA of the Akwa Ibom state is entitled to projects appropriated within 15% of the derivation revenue standing to the credit Akwa Ibom state from 2009 till date.Secondly, they are seeking to know whether Eket LGA of the Akwa Ibom state is entitled to projects appropriated within 15% of the derivation revenue standing to the credit Akwa Ibom state from 2009 till date.
In a signed affidavit, the plaintiffs seek the following reliefs: a declaration that the defendants have contravened the provisions of the distributions of projects, an order of the courts for the defendants to comply forthwith with the state joint account law 2009 and thirdly, an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from further contravening the provisions of the state joint local government account law.
Sections 3 of the law states inter alia: “The derivation Revenue standing to the credit of the state from the federation account pursuant to sub-section (2) of section 162 of the constitution shall be distributed between the state and local governments as follows: A minimum of 15% shall be appropriated for projects in the LGs from where natural resources are derived; 5% shall be retained by the state government as intervention fund for ecological land disaster problems in the state and the development of Uyo capital city and the balance shall be utilised by the state government for the development of all the LGAs including the LGAs from where the natural resources are derived.
JUDICIARY
Court Strikes Ex-Kogi Governor’s Bail Application
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….
JUDICIARY
5 Men Face N25m Worth of Milo Products Theft Charge
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)JUDICIARY
Court Grants Mother Custody of 2 Children
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)