JUDICIARY
Court orders NNPC, Mobil to pay N82bn Judgement Debt to Akwa Ibom Communities

A Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice Taiwo Taiwo has ordered the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited to pay the sum of N82 billion judgement debt owed some oil communities in Akwa Ibom State. The Akwa Ibom communities had sued for compensation for economic losses they had suffered as a result of the oil spillages caused by explorations by the two oil giants.
The communities in Ibeno Local Government Area of the state led by Obong Effiong Archianga and nine others brought a lawsuit against the NNPC and Mobil through their lawyer, Lucius Nwosu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
They had, in their original suit, sought about N100 billion compensation for economic losses they had suffered as a result of the oil spillages. The judge, Taiwo Taiwo, had, in a judgement in June 2021, ordered Mobil and NNPC to pay the Akwa Ibom oil communities cumulative damages of N81.9 billion over oil spillage that ruined their economic lives. “The companies during exploration had been using decrepit pipelines under water and caused multiple spills. They were asked to recompense,” Mr Nwosu told journalists on Monday.The judge, while ruling on garnishee proceedings initiated by the affected communities, on Monday, dismissed all the objections raised by the two oil firms and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) against making the garnishee order absolute. “Since all challenges to the order nisi dated 15 December, 2021 have been dispensed with and found lacking in merit, the order nisi is hereby made absolute against the garnishes,” Justice Taiwo ruled. Last week Seplat Energy entered into a contract with a Nigerian unit of Texas-based oil major Exxon Mobil, to procure Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited’s entire oil assets in Nigeria. This development, Mr Nwosu said is “unfortunate,” even as he urged the NNPC to quickly get Mobil’s assets in its custody to pay the judgement debt. He warned that the Nigerian government will be held liable.
JUDICIARY
Man Docked for Allegedly Cyberstalking Girlfriend

A 26 – year-old man, Damilola Emmanuel, was arraigned in an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly cyberstalking his girlfriend.
The police charged Emmanuel who lives in Ajila Royal Quarters, Elebu , Ibadan with defamation , criminal threats and causing breach of peace .
The Prosecution Counsel, W/PC Olapeju Durodola alleged that on May 24, Emmanuel posted nude videos of his 24-year-old girlfriend on Snapchat and other social media platforms.
Durodola alleged that the defendant posted the video with intention to injure her reputation and expose her to hatred, contempt and ridicule her.
She alleged that the defendant threatened the life of Balogun by sending her text messages that he was a silent killer.
Durodola said the defendant allegedly conducted himself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by sending the complainant’s nude sexual video on social media.
She said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 86, 249 (d) and 373 of the Criminal Code Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Olabisi Ogunkanmi, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum.
Ogunkanmi said one of the sureties must be a landed property owner.
She adjourned the matter until Sept. 10, for hearing.(NAN)
JUDICIARY
My Ex Wife Wants To Kill Me, Man Cries To Court

A businessman, Abdulrazak Yunusa on Monday dragged his former wife, Latifat Sanusi before a Sharia court sitting at Magajin Gari, Kaduna state, alleging that she is threatening to kill him.
The counsel to Yunusa, Faham Ahmad told the court that she threatened to stab him.
“Sometimes she threatens my client with a pestle.
I am afraid she wants to kill me”, he said.He prayed for a restraining against Yunusa to go to her parent’s house and stay pending when the case was finalized.
On her part, the accused denied the claim saying she had no intention of killing the father of her children.
The Judge, Malam Muhammad Kabir referred the case to the police for investigation and adjourned to June 11 .
(NAN)JUDICIARY
Judiciary Workers Threaten Strike from June 2

The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has directed its members in all federal courts nationwide and other judicial institutions to withdraw their services from June 2.Mr Mustapha Laminu, National Vice President, North Central said this in a statement signed and issued on Friday in Abuja.
Laminu said the strike had become imperative to press home its demands as their members were yet to receive the one month wage award recently paid by government. According to him, this action is to protest against the non payment of five months arrears of wage award, non implementation of N70.000 national minimum wage and the non implementation of the 25/35 per cent salary increase.“The union had written severally to the management on the need to see reasons through 21 day ultimatum, seven days ultimatum and have to shelve the action following the intervention of my lord the Chief Justice of Nigeria.“It is unfortunate that the Judiciary, as an arm of government, is being punished while other arms of government have since been enjoying.“All what we are saying is that our members are stoning us, accusing us of compromising considering the unfold hardship brought about by government policies.“We will continue this action until and unless the government pay us this money,” he said.Laminu alleged that they gathered that the Ministry of Finance had released the new amount to the Accountant General of the Federation but he refused to pay the Judiciary.He therefore called on all Chapters chairmen to ensure compliance to the directive. (NAN)