JUDICIARY
LG Autonomy: S-Court Gives Governors Seven Days to Respond to FG’s Suit
By David Torough, Abuja
The Supreme Court yesterday, ordered the Governors of the 36 States of the Federation, to within seven days, enter their defence to the suit the Federal Government filed to secure full autonomy for the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
The order followed an application that FG, through the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, for accelerated hearing of the matter and for the abridgment of the time allowed for all state governors to file their response to the suit.
In its ruling, a seven-man panel of the apex court led by Justice Garba Lawal, said the AGF should upon receipt of the processes containing defence of the governors, respond to it within two days.
The panel fixed June 13 to commence full-blown hearing of the matter.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the body of Attorneys General of the States, Mr. Ben Odoh, who is the Attorney General of Ebonyi State, was present during the proceeding.
Mr. Odoh told the apex court that he was not opposed to the request for the abridgment of the hearing date.
However, he requested for the respondents to be allowed to file their defence to the matter, within 15 days.
While declining to extend the time for the respondents, Justice Lawal said the decision of the apex court was hinged on the fact that the matter is of utmost national importance as well as the urgency of the case.
The court directed that filing of all processes and exchanging of same must be completed before the next adjourned date.
Those that had no legal representation even though they were served with the hearing notice were the Attorneys General of Borno, Kano, Kogi, Niger, Ogun, Osun, Oyo and Sokoto states.
The Justice Lawal-led panel orders that they should be served with a fresh hearing notice to enable them to attend the next sitting.
FG had in the suit marked SC/CV/343/2024, prayed the Supreme Court to okay full autonomy for all the LGAs in the country as the third tier of government.
It prayed the court to issue an order, prohibiting state governors from embarking on unilateral, arbitrary and unlawful dissolution of democratically elected local government leaders.
As well as for an order permitting the funds standing in the credits of local governments to be directly channeled to them from the Federation Account in line with the provisions of the Constitution as against the alleged unlawful joint accounts created by governors.
Besides, FG, prayed the Supreme Court for an order, stopping governors from further constituting Caretaker Committees to run the affairs of local governments as against the Constitutionally recognized and guaranteed democratic system.
It equally applied for an order of injunction, restraining the governors, their agents and privies, from receiving, spending or tampering with funds released from the Federation Account for the benefits of local governments when no democratically elected local government system is put in place in the states.Governors of the 36 States were sued through their respective Attorneys General.
An Ikeja High Court has ordered an online activist, Vincent Otse (alias Very Dark Man) to remove defamatory posts against a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana and his son, Folarin, also called Falz.Justice Matthias Dawodu also ordered VDM to bring down the alleged defamatory video which he made on Sept.
24 against the Falanas.The court also ordered the service of originating summons against VDM through his lawyer, Mr Deji Adeyanju within 14 day. The judge said: “the defendant, his agents and privies are hereby restrained from further releasing, publishing or circulating any defamatory videos, comments about the applicant.“He is to bring down the defamatory video about the applicant which was published on Sept. 24 on all his online social media handles pending compliance with the pre-action protocol of the court.“Leave is hereby granted to the applicant to serve the pre-action bundles, originating processes and all other court processes between parties herein on the defendant by substituted means through his lawyer, Deji Adeyanju.“The applicant must file and serve the pre-action bundles, originating processes and other accompanying processes on the defendant within 14 days.”The court made the orders following an ex parte originating application made by Falana and his son against the actions of VDM where he published “unverified audio recording of a one sided narrative by cross dresser Bobrisky” alleging perversion of justice by the family.Falana had in a lawsuit numbered ID/8586GCM/2024, filed against VDM, sought the order of the court to award a sum of N500 million fine for defamation of character against him.Falana in the lawsuit, also prayed the order of the court, directing the defendant to publish an apology on all his social media handles for the defamatory words contained in the viral video. (NAN)
A Federal High Court sitting in Kano, on Monday, has sentenced 33-year-old Nasiru Isa to seven years in the correctional centre for sexually exploiting an 11-year old girl.
The Presiding Hon. Justice S .M. Shu’aibu convicted Isa, who resides in Darmanawa Bayan Gidan Kallo of Tarauni Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, on a one-count charge of sexual exploitation.
Shu’aibu summarily tried and sentenced the defendant after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
He held that the Prosecution Counsel, Abdullahi Babale, proved his case beyond reasonable doubt and consequently sentenced the defendant to seven years without an option of fine.
According to him, the convict is to pay additional N1 million fine as compensation.
Earlier, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Kano State Command, alleged that the defendant committed the offence at Darmanawa Quarters,Tarauni LGA, Kano State on October 5.
Babale said that the defendant allegedly lured his neighbour’s 11-year-old daughter into his wife’s room and sexually exploited her.
“The defendant had sex with the survivor on three different occasions.
“Once in the defendant’s wife’s room and twice at an uncompleted building.
“The defendant gave the survivor bread, groundnut and N20 before sexually exploiting her,” Babale told the court.
The prosecution presented two exhibits, including the confessional statement of the defendant and the survivor’s testimony, to the court to prove his case.
Babale said that the offence contravened the provisions of section 16(1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 and punishable under Sec 26(1) of TIP ACT 2015. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
Alleged kidnap: Ebonyi Court Adjourns Ruling on Fiat Application on Ivo LGA Chairman, 8 others Trial
A High Court in Abakaliki on Thursday fixed Oct. 17 to decide on a fiat tendered by a Lawyer, Mr Emeka Uwakwe on the trial of Mr Emmanuel Ajah, former Chairman of Ivo local government area of Ebonyi over alleged armed robbery, kidnap and murder. Ajah and eight other suspects had on Jan. 17, 2017 robbed one Mrs Pauline Osita of her N2 million, phone and other valuables.
The defendants also on Jan. 18, 2017, allegedly kidnapped one Mrs Catherine Okorie and allegedly killed her on Jan. 22 on the same year.Other eight defendants include: Chibuike Okereke, Mathew Ogbudike, Ezenwa Nwafor Okoro Ugochukwu, Kelechukwu Azubike, John Nwankwor, Chigozie Okereke and Obichi Uzoigwe.Uwakwe was authorized by the Attorney General of Ebonyi state, Ben Odoh, to prosecute the defendants trial.But the move to take over the case of the prosecutor was not granted.The Defence Counsel, C.N Mgbada, C.A. Okenu, Ifeanyi Igwe and J. N Unah argued that Uwakwe would not join in the prosecution.“The reason being that he was a member of the Defence Counsels and had been in the matter from the beginning till date.“We urge the court to reject the document on Uwakwe fiat application,” the added.The Presiding Judge, Justice Elvis Ngene, after the argument adjourned the matter until oct. 17, Nov. 21 and Nov. 28 for ruling on fiat. (NAN
S/South APC Annul Suspension of Lokpobiri
ShareBy Mike Odiakose, Abuja South-South zone of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has annulled the purported suspension of the Minister...
PDP Mourns Victims of Jigawa Tanker Explosion, Calls for Inquest
ShareBy Johnson Eyiangho, Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed deep sorrows over the tragic petrol tanker explosion which...
Election Disputes: Go to Court, Which Court?
ShareBy Tonnie Iredia There is nothing new about elections in Nigeria. Except for the annulled June 12 election, we have...
Bauchi Councillor Renovates Boreholes, Promise to Tackle Water Scarcity
ShareFrom Ajiya Ayuba, Bauchi The Councillor representing Bogoro Ward, Bogoro local government area of Bauchi State, Hon Gwandah Simon has...
Zungeru Bridge Collapse: Senate Calls for Works Ministry Intervention
ShareBy Eze Okechukwu, Abuja The Senate on Thursday expressed worries over the imminent collapse of Zungeru Bridge in Niger State,...
PDP Senate Caucus Sues for Peace among Warring Parties
ShareBy Eze Okechukwu, Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senate Caucus on Thursday appealed to warring factions in the party...
Kwara Gov’t, Nigerian Air Force Launch Ogbomoso-Ilorin Highway Operation Secure
ShareFrom Samuel James, Ilorin The Kwara State government in collaboration with the Nigerian Air Force 303 Composite Group (303 CG)...
Bago Commends FG on Inauguration of Federal University of Education, Kontagora
ShareFrom Dan Amasingha, Minna Niger state Governor, Umaru Bago has commended the Federal Government for the official inauguration of the...
Niger Agricultural Model ‘ll Revolutionize Sector in Nigeria for Food Security – Obasanjo
ShareFrom Dan Amasingha, Minna Former Nigeria President, Olusegun Obasanjo has lauded the efforts of the Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago...
Gowon, Father of Nigeria’s Unity, Says Etsu Nupe
ShareFrom Dan Amasingha, Minna. Chairman of Niger State Council of Traditional rulers and Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya said former Head...