JUDICIARY
Nasarawa Pensioners Union Disowns Garnishee Order on Government Accounts
From Beauty John, Lafia
The Nigerian Union of Pensioners ( NUP) Nasarawa state council had on Thursday rebuked the actions of some of its members who took the state government to court over payment of pension that led to a garnishee order imposed on the state government’s account by a high court in Abuja last month.
Chairman of the state council, Alhaji Musa Obakpa made the position of the union known in a press conference at the Nigerian Union of Journalists ( NUJ) press centre in Lafia.
According to him, the union disassociates itself from the act perpetrated by few individuals among them who call themselves “Grassroots Concern Pensioners“.
“At the commencement of this struggle, some pensioners christened themselves “grassroot concern pensioners” sought the consent of the leadership of the union to institute legal action against the state government on its inability to settle their gratuity and stoppage of percentage payment of pension”
Obakpa said that the move was rejected by the state council of the union, and the national secretariat in Abuja insisted that the issue be domesticated and amicably resolved.
According to him, the matter was resolved with a written memorandum of understanding discussed and signed by both parties on October 30, 2018.
“We were taken aback when on return from Abuja, the concerned pensioners reneged from the agreement by refusing to withdraw the case from the court, “ he said.
“On the assumption of office, His excellency made a public declaration in his inaugural speech the abolition of percentage payment of pension with a promise to review upward the monthly N20 million often paid by the state government for payment of gratuity to N50 million per month to settle gratuity, while the sum of N10 million will be paid by each 13 local government councils making a total sum of N180 million per month to settle gratuity,” he stated.
According to him, an agreement was reached on February 10 , 2020 that the money would henceforth be shared 30% and 70% ratio for pensioners that went to court and those that did not go to court respectively.
Obakpa revealed that, with the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, which affected the revenue allocation, the leadership of the Union signed an agreement with the state government on June 16, 2020, that N2 million be paid by the local government councils, against the N10 million earlier agreed on.
He said the agreement entailed N76 million would be released on a monthly basis by both the local and state government instead of the earlier agreed 180 million, the agreement was to last until December, 2020.
The chairman said that to his dismay, when the sum of N76 million was released, the concerned group backed out of the agreement and denied being part of the consensus that the money be shared 30% -70% among them, insisting that the money be shared equally when they were just 650 in number as against over 9,000 other members of the union.
While negotiation on the lingering issue of ration on the sum of N76 million released for the payment of June 2020 gratuity was ongoing, the concerned pensioners alongside their counsel hurriedly obtained a garnishee order that froze the state government’s account during the Eid-El-Kabir period, forcing the government to contact banks so as to source money in order to meet up with payment of salaries and pension.
“The union of pensioners wishes to use this medium to inform the public that the action of the concerned group numbering only 650 out of the total number of over 9,000 pensioners in the state does not in any way reflect the interest of other loyal pensioners who consider dialogue and diplomacy as the best way to settle the lingering problem,” he restated.
He commended the effort of governor Abdullahi Sule since assumption of office, his sympathetic nature towards the plight of pensioners in the state, cautioning him to be wary of elements who under the guise of fighting for their rights, have ulterior motive to truncate the good intention of his administration.
“We reject in total any move by the opposition to use our respected union members to achieve their political agenda as currently chicken-in by the concerned group“
The chairman called on the entire membership of the pension union in the state to remain calm and have confidence on the leadership who’s topmost priority was to protect the interest of its members
JUDICIARY
Court Remands Landlord for Alleged Defilement of Tenant’s Daughter
A family court sitting at Iyaganku, Ibadan, on Tuesday ordered the remand of one Musibau Lamidi, 50, for alleged defilement of his tenant’s six-year-old daughter.
The Magistrate, Mrs S. A . Adesina, ordered that the landlord should be kept at the Agodi custodial facility pending advice from Oyo State Director of Public Prosecutions.
Adesina did not take the landlord’s plea.
She adjourned the case until April 25 for mention.
Reports says that Musibau, a resident of Olode, Ibadan, was charged on one-count of defilement.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp Gbemisola Adedeji, told the court that the defendant, on March 13, between 8. 00 a.
m. and 4.00 p.m. defiled his tenant’s daughter.Adedeji said that Musibau had an issue with the child’s mother and asked her to pack out.
The prosecutor said that when the woman went to look for a house to rent, the defendant defiled her daughter.
She said that the offence contravened Section 34 of the Oyo State Child Right’s
Law of 2006. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
4 Friends Docked for Allegedly Threatening Cleric’s Life
Four friends were on Monday docked in a Grade ‘A’ Customary Court in Ibadan for allegedly threatening the life of pastor Charles Gold.
The police charged Olatunji Musibau, 44;Abiodun Folarin, 50; Kazeem Oluremi, 60 and Yusuf Sodiq, 23, with conspiracy and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.
The Prosecution Counsel, Mr Philip Amusan, told the court that the defendants allegedly committed the offence on March 8, at about 2 p.
m., at New Bodija Area in Ibadan.Amusan alleged that the defendants and others at large, threatened violence against pastor Gold, of Echo Evangelical Ministry Ibadan.
He said the offence contravened the probisions of sections 516 and 383 of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The defendants however pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Court President, Mrs Moji Aworemi, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N150, 000 each and one surety each in like sum.
Aworemi held that the surety must be a blood relation to the defendants.
She adjourned the case until April 29, for mention. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
2 Teenagers in Court for Allegedly Stealing Sewing Machine
Two teenagers, Simor Aaron, 19, and Francis David, 18, were arraigned on Wednesday before a Kaduna Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing a sewing machine and other items worth N325,000.
The defendants, both residents of High-Cost Narayi, Kaduna, are standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing, to which they pleaded not guilty.
The Prosecutor, Insp Chidi Leo, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on March 11, at Barnawa Kaduna.
According to Leo, the duo burgled a tailoring shop of one Gladys Peter and stole her sewing machine, six wrappers, and four clothing materials all valued at N325,000.
The prosecutor stated that the defendants were caught and handed over to the police by members of the vigilante group on patrol in the area.
Leo said that the offences contravened Sections 281 and 217 of the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017, which stipulates a three-year jail term for stealing and two years imprisonment for conspiracy.
The Magistrate, Ibrahim Emmanuel, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N100,000 each with two sureties each in like sum, who must be gainfully employed.
Emmanuel adjourned the case until April 22, for hearing. (NAN)