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JUDICIARY

Borno is not a War Zone, says Commissioner for Justice

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The Attorney-General (A-G)  of Borno, Mrs Hauwa Abubakar, says the state is not a war zone contrary to insinuations in some quarters.

Abubakar made the remark in an interview at the sideline of the 4th Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) National Validation Conference in Abuja.

She stressed that contrary to a media report that there was escalation of Boko Haram atrocities in Borno lately, the state had been peaceful.

She said though there were challenges inhibiting against tackling the issues of human right abuse in the country, the state government was not resting on its oars.

“The state government is up to it to tackle all the issues.

“For instance, there was a recent news by one of the newspapers reporting an incidence of escalation of Boko Haram atrocities (in Borno).

“But the truth is that Borno has been peaceful. Of course, we are still in the insurgency, it hasn’t stopped.

“So it is inevitable for us to hear one or two attacks here and there,” she said.

The A-G recalled that few years back, there were lots of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Maiduguri camps but that the state government had been able to relocate many of the IDPs back to their communities while some of the IDP camps had been closed down.

“That’s to tell you that we are on top of it and all that we need is support, especially from the media, to show the effort the state government is doing in tackling all these issues because Borno State is not a war zone as a lot of people think,” she said.

She said the government was making effort to uphold the rule of law, especially the provision of Chapter 4 of the constitution about fundamental human rights, in its effort to bring back peace to the state.

According to her, the Borno State government is making a lot of efforts; a lot of bills were passed into laws in upholding rule of law, human rights protection, to make Borno better.

“The policy of His Excellency, Prof. Babagana Zulum, is to see that all the victims of Boko Haram Have been treated fairly, rehabilitated and resettled back into the communities.

“We are doing so much and doing it so well notwithstanding what we have gone through.

“Borno State is coming out better and stronger out if it,” she said.

She said kinetic approach to war against Boko Haram by Gov. Babagana Zulum-led government had yielded results and stil yielding results for the state.

“The insurgents will come out and surrender and there is an entry point where they are being received.

“When they are received, we have a rehabilitation centre for them to be rehabilitated.

“Their welfare is being taken care of and I think that is a great effort by Borno State  government in rehabilitating them and making sure that they don’t go back to that criminalities again,” she said.

Earlier, Mr Abdulraman Yakubu, Director of Civil and Political Rights, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), said the essence of the event was for Nigeria to comply with UN guidelines by preparing its national report to the UN Human Rights Council under the mechanism of UPR.

Yakubu, who was also the Co-Secretary of Inter-Ministerial Committee on UPR, said the guideline was that any country being reviewed and preparing its report must consult widely and broadly.

“Today, we are having a larger gathering of stakeholders coming from across the country to validate the draft report that has been prepared by the committee and the consultants,” he said

The Lead Consultant, Prof. Joy Ezeilo, SAN, said UPR was about peer review mechanism where members state of UN judge other state members on their human rights records

Ezeilo, who was former UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, said Nigeria had done well on issues of human rights in some areas and regressed in others.

“But it is a constant continued process. That is why this is important,” she said.

NAN reports that the UPR is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all 193 UN Members States.

The Abuja meeting was to help to contribute to Nigeria’s ability to develop an objective and Independent report on the efforts to promote and protect human rights in compliance with international obligations.

Nigeria was reviewed by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in 2009, 2013 and 2018 during the 1st, 2nd and 3rd UPR Cycles respectively, and preparations have been ongoing for Nigeria’s 4th review scheduled between January and February 2024.(NAN)

JUDICIARY

Pastor Arraigned over Alleged Rape of Married Woman in Edo

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From Joseph Ebi Kanjo, Benin

A 38-year-old pastor, Simeon Okehielem of the Synagogue Prayers Ministry has been arraigned before an Edo State High Court for allegedly raping a married woman, Isoken Vivian Aigbedo.

The pastor, who was accused of engaging in sexual relationships with married women within his congregation, was docked before the court in Benin City, on Thursday last week.

The charges against Pastor Okehielem followed a year 2022 incident in Uholor Community of Benin City where the cleric allegedly drugged and raped the woman leading to the birth of a child.

Recent DNA results reportedly confirmed the pastor as the biological father of the child, which prompted the Nigerian Police to re-arrest and formally arraign him.

The presiding judge, Justice Erhabor, granted an ex-parte order to remand the suspect at the Benin Correctional Custodial Centre for 14 days, pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Ministry of Justice, Edo State.

The State Prosecutor, P.O. Odion told the court that the alleged offence occurred in February 2022.

Okehielem was slammed with two-count charge on alleged rape and administering a stupefying substance with the intent to commit a felony.

The charge sheet, marked Suit No: BLOD/2323M/2025, reads: “That you, Okehielem Simeon ‘m’, in or about the month of February 2022, in Benin City within the Benin Criminal Division, did rape one Mrs Isoken Vivian Aigbedo and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 4, punishable under Section 5(1) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2021.

“That you, Okehielem Simeon ‘m’, in or about the month of February 2022, in Benin City within the Benin Criminal Division, with intent to commit a felony, administered a substance to stupefy one Mrs Isoken Vivian Aigbedo, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 256 of the Criminal Law of Edo State, 2022.”

Speaking to journalists after the court session, the victim’s legal counsel, Clinton Ogbebor, applauded the Police for its diligence.

“We are in court today over the alleged rape of my client, Mrs Isoken Aigbedo, by one Pastor Simeon Okehielem,” he said.

Ogbebor confirmed that the case file would now be forwarded to the office of the DPP for legal advice, after which the trial will proceed accordingly.

The development has stirred debates across Benin City, with residents and religious leaders expressing shock and calling for justice.

The case has been adjourned pending further legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution.

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JUDICIARY

Court Bars Bello from Acting as Nasarawa APC Chairman

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A Senior District Court 3, Lafia, Nasarawa State, on Thursday restrained Mr Aliyu Bello, the embattled Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, from presenting himself as Chairman or a member of the party.This followed a motion filed by Suleiman Turaki, Counsel to Ibrahim Iliyasu, the Chairman of APC in Gayam Electoral Ward of Lafia Local Government Area of the state.

Report says that on July 1, Iliyasu, alongside 13 other officials of the party in the ward, suspended Bello from the party over alleged anti-party activities.
The order signed by Abdullahi Lanze, Senior District Judge of the court, stated that the prayer was granted after hearing the application presented by the applicant’s counsel.
The order specifically restrained Bello, his agents, privies, supporters or any person acting on his behalf, authority, or direction, from presenting himself as a member or Chairman of the party.The court also barred Bello from issuing statements, carrying out functions, or acting in any manner whatsoever, through the media or otherwise, as a member or Chairman of APC.This would be pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice. (NAN).

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JUDICIARY

Unemployed Man Arraigned for Allegedly Impersonating Military Officer

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 A 30-year-old unemployed man, Sadiq Usman, on Thursday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly parading himself as a military officer.

Usman is facing a two-count charge of impersonation.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The prosecutor, Supol Josephine Ikhayere, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on May 24 at about 3.

30 p.
m. at Alaba Rago Market area of Ojo, Lagos State.

Ikhayere said that the defendant, who was unemployed, unlawfully had in his possession a Nigerian military camouflage uniform, cap, belt, and boots.

“He paraded himself as a member of the Nigerian Army and had in his possession two Nigerian Navy identity cards,” she said.

According to her, the defendant was arrested when he failed to give a satisfactory account of the items.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened sections 77(a)(b) and 79(a)(b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Section 77 stipulates a three-year jail term for anyone found guilty of impersonating a member of the armed forces or the police.

Section 79 stipulates two years imprisonment for unlawfully wearing the uniform of the armed forces.

The Magistrate, Mr Lateef Owolabi, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N150,000 with two reliable sureties in like sum.

He ordered that the sureties must show evidence of tax payments to the Lagos State Government.

Owolabi adjourned the case until July 1 for mention. (NAN)

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