Evesworld Blog

A lawyer，Mr. Nnamdi Nwokocha-Ahaaiwe, on Thursday withdrew his suit seeking an order of a Federal High Court in Abuja to declare President Muhammadu Buhari as not qualified to contest the last year’s presidential election which was won by him (Buhari).   The plaintiff had among other prayers asked the court to direct the Independent National Electoral Commission to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Buhari after winning the last year’s poll.   The plaintiff’s prayers were on the basis that the President did not possess the requisite Primary Six School Certificate or the West Africa School Certificate to run for the office.   But Justice Adeniyi Ademola struck out the case in a short ruling on Thursday following the plaintiff’s notice of discontinuance of the case.   The application was filed on June 27.   Defence lawyer, Mr. Paul Ajiboye, who represented Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress, in court on Thursday, said he had no o

The Independent National Electoral Commission has issued Certificate of Return to Mr. Uche Ogah as the governor-elect of Abia State. INEC Commissioner in charge of the South-East, Amb. Lawrence Nwuruku, performed the duty on behalf of the commission in Abuja on Thursday. The action of the commission followed judgement by a Federal High Court, which ordered the commission to withdraw the certificate of return given to the Governor of the state, Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu, and give it to Ogah. Both Ogah and Ikpeazu contested the Peoples Democratic Party governorship primary in the state. While Ikpeazu came first at the primary, Ogah came second. However, Ogah went to court, saying that Ikpeazu deceived the party by allegedly presenting incorrect tax papers during screening. The court upheld his submission during the trial. The commission said it decided to present the certificate of return to Ogah as directed by the court. Nwuruku told journalists that the cou

The re-run Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Makurdi on Thursday struck out the petition of the All Progressives Congress’ candidate, Daniel Onjeh, against Senator David Mark. The tribunal held that the petition was filed after the stipulated 21 days, as enshrined in the constitution. In her ruling, Justice Chinyere Anulude, who read the ruling, said that due to the sui generis nature of election matters, the day of the election shall not be excluded. According to Anulude, from the date of the filing of the petition, it is clear that the petition is manifestly filed out of time by one day. She pointed out that Section 285(5) of the 1999 Constitution was settled by the Supreme Court in Okechukwu vs INEC and the lower tribunal was bound by it. The tribunal, therefore, held that the petition was defective and statute barred. The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared Mark of the Peoples Democratic Party as winner of the Benue South Senat

A policeman who was beaten to coma by a mob in the Nsukka area of Enugu State on Tuesday has been confirmed dead. Spokesman, Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, disclosed this in a statement. But he did not disclose the identity of the policeman, who accidentally shot, and killed a motorcyclist, before the mob descended on him. The police spokesman identified  the motorcyclist was one Festus Onah. Amaraizu said the incident that led to the policeman’s death is being investigated. However, he said preliminary findings revealed that “the problem came up as a result of the resistance of the occupiers of the building material site, who allegedly and violently resisted government relocation order and started stoning heavily on the officials” of a taskforce which was set up to move traders to the permanent site of the building material market. Our correspondent had earlier reported that the policeman was part of the Nsukka Building Material Taskfor

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday ordered the remand of a former Acting Governor of Adamawa State, Umaru Fintiri, in Kuje prison, Abuja, over five counts of money laundering charges involving about N1.9bn preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.   Justice Ahmed Mohammed made the order after Fintiri pleaded not guilty to all the five counts on Thursday.   The EFCC arraigned Fintiri  along with Mayim Constructions and Properties Limited (the second defendant). ‎   Shortly after Fintiri pleaded not guilty to all the charges, the court heard his bail application but adjourned till Friday to deliver its ruling on it.   Justice Mohammed ordered that the former acting governor be remanded in Kuje prison pending when the court would deliver ruling on the bail application on Friday. ‎   In the charges numbered FHC/ABJ/CR/131/2016, and filed on June 16, 2016, the EFCC alleged that the accused committed the money laundering

Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, some few hours ago canceled his trip to Abia State University, Uturu, where he was billed to be a guest lecturer at the University’s maiden edition of ‘Imminent Persons Lecture’. The postponement of the event which had received a wide publicity across the State may not be unconnected with the news that Dr. Uche Ogah had been issued certificate of return, following a judgment delivered by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday which sacked Ikpeazu as Governor. The Governor reportedly rushed back to the Government House when he heard the news, while on his way to the institution. The Vice Chancellor of the University while announcing the postponement of the imminent persons lecture, said Ikpeazu’s attention was needed at a meeting of national importance in Abuja. Umuahia the Abia capital has remained calm since the announcement of the issuance of certicate of return to Mr. Uche Ogah, While the Ik

Following the Certificate of Return issued to Mr. Uche Ogah as the governor-elect of Abia State by the Independent National Electoral Commission on Thursday, sacked governor, Okezie Ikpeazu as has called on the state citizens to remain calm, assuring them that he is still in charge. Ikpeazu gave the assurance barely one hour after the certificate of return was issued to Ogah. He said: “Fellow Abians, remain calm and law abiding. I am still your Governor. “I have received with concern report of the purported issuance of Certificate of Return to Mr. Uche Ogah by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as governor of Abia State, despite dependency of a notice of appeal and motion for stay of the orders made by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja. “Our laws are clear on this matter. No one may be issued with a certificate of return let alone be sworn in as governor when there is a subsisting appeal and application for stay. “I

gunmen suspected to be kidnappers on Sunday abducted Mrs. Cynthia Diden, one of the wives of the member representing Warri-North state constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly, Mr.  Michael Diden, popularly known as Ejele. Ejele is a close ally of  the state Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa. The suspected kidnappers, who had contacted the family, reportedly demanded N200m as ransom before she would be released. Associates of the lawmaker, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent on Wednesday that she was kidnapped around 7pm on Sunday at the Effurun Roundabout in the Uvwie Local Government Area of the state. It was gathered that the victim was returning home from work when the incident occurred. Findings by PUNCH Metro revealed that she was kidnapped by fierce-looking gunmen numbering five, who had trailed her to the spot. A family source, who confirmed the incident, said her husband decided to keep the kidnap from the public fo

there was chaos on Wednesday at the Maryland end of the Ikorodu Road, Lagos State, as some hoodlums, who were protesting the death of a hawker, vandalised no fewer than 15 vehicles.   PUNCH Metro learnt that the hawker, 22-year-old Nnamdi John, was crushed to death by a Nissan Pathfinder and a trailer while escaping from some officials of the Kick Against Indiscipline, the enforcement arm of the Lagos State Ministry of Environment.  The officials were said to be returning from the Ojuelegba area, where they had gone for a raid and had stopped over at Maryland to round up hawkers and roadside traders in the area.  It was alleged that the KAI officials pursued the victim across the road and he was hit in a bid to escape from the law enforcement agents.  The officials reportedly fled the area as the friends of the deceased and sympathisers blocked the road and went on the rampage.  PUNCH Metro learnt that some of the vandalised buses belonged to the

an angry mob on Wednesday set ablaze a suspected member of a gang of serial rapists that had terrorised Ughelli and its neighbouring communities in Delta State. No fewer than four ladies, including the wife of a popular hotelier in the metropolis, had been raped by the gang of rapists in the last two weeks. One of the victims lost her life in the process. The group, according to residents, specialises in raping and attacking salesgirls and middle-aged women. Luck, however, ran out on the suspected member of the group on Wednesday when he allegedly attempted to rape a salesgirl (name withheld) at the Adagharagba Junction near the Ughelli Central Market. He was said to have been apprehended by the residents. It was gathered that the suspect was apprehended by a mob at about 11.30am when he attempted to rape the salesgirl. A resident, who witnessed the incident, told our correspondent that there had been a lot of killings and rape by a group of young

A Lebanese and bureau de change operator, Aly Sayad, has been accused of absconding with $487,700 (about N170m)  in the Victoria Island area of Lagos State. It was learnt that three businessmen had approached the suspect in his office on Idowu Taylor Street, Victoria Island, to help them change $487,700 to naira. He was alleged to have left the men in the office after collecting the money, saying he was going to the bank to transfer the naira equivalent to their various bank accounts. After waiting for hours, the victims were said to have gone to the bank where Sayad claimed he was going to do the transaction, but could not find him. He was alleged to have fled with the money. The case was reported at the Bar Beach Police Division, where a manhunt was launched for the suspect. A police source told PUNCH Metro that the incident happened on Tuesday, adding that the complainants approached the police after searching for Sayad for seven hours. He

A popular musician in the North East has gone missing just days after releasing a scathing song accusing local lawmakers of corruption, police and family said Wednesday. Ado Dahiru Daukaka went missing in the Adamawa State capital, Yola, after he left his house early on Friday to offer dawn prayers at a mosque. His new song accuses politicians from President Muhammadu Buhari’s ruling party of corruption and predicts they will not be voted in the 2019 election. The song “Gyara Kayanka”, or ‘Put your house in order’ in the local Hausa language, accuses local lawmakers of being selfish and corrupt. The family of the singer said he was a political target. “It is obvious his disappearance is an abduction by some interests who are infuriated by his latest song which exposed corruption among legislators at the state house of assembly,” Daukaka’s relative Atiku Mustapha told AFP . “We believe they abducted him as a warning to other critics like him. They just want

An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s witness in the ongoing trial of Mr. Rickey Tarfa (SAN) has revealed how Tarfa allegedly paid money into the bank account of two federal High Court judges. The witness, Tosin Owobo, said this while being led in evidence by the counsel for the EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo. Tarfa is standing trial before Justice A.A. Akintoye of a Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere. The witness, who is an EFCC operative, told the court that in the course of investigation, the commission wrote letters to Zenith and Fidelity banks requesting information on Tarfa and Awa Ajia Nigeria Limited’s account. The responses showed that the signatory to the company’s account was a Justice which was later found to be Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa. Also featured in the statement of account was one Mohammed Nasir Yunusa, another judge of the Federal High Court. The witness gave a breakdown of some transactions in the account linking Tarfa

The United Nations Humanitarian Chief, Mr. Stephen O’Brien, has released about N3.7bn ($13m) as life-saving support to the 250,000 Internally Displaced Persons in the North-East. The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, who announced this in a statement, said that the money was released the by the Central Emergency Response Fund. “The United Nations humanitarian chief, Stephen O’Brien, has released $13m from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), to provide life-saving assistance to 250,000 people in parts of theNorth-East of Nigeria. “The destruction of crops and looting of livestock have left many people unable to support their families. “More than 50,000 people need seeds and tools for the upcoming planting season. Women, girls, men and boys have suffered or witnessed terrible abuses. “CERF funds will enable humanitarian partners to provide critical psycho- social support and protection

A Chief Magistrate Court in Kano, Kano State, on Tuesday, dismissed the bail application of the five suspects accused of killing Mrs. Bridget Agbahime at Kofar Wambai Market The accused reportedly killed the 74-year-old trader on June 2, 2016, for making blasphemous remarks against Prophet Mohammed. At the resumed hearing, the prosecution counsel, Ekwe Sunday, urged the court not to grant the suspects bail. According to him, since the case is a capital offence, it will be out of place to grant them bail. The prosecution counsel added, “In the interest of the public and the state, the court should not grant them bail because the accusation against the suspects is not only capital in nature, but also is a grievous offence.” But, the counsel for the defendants, Gambo Abdulsalam, while arguing that the court had jurisdiction to entertain the case, urged the magistrate to release the accused persons on bail. According to Abdulsalam, in making judicial d

The All Progressives Congress in Kwara State on Tuesday said it supported the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki’s view that “there is a government within the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.” The party also faulted the President’s response in a statement by his media aide, Mr. Femi Adesina. The party made this known in a statement by its state Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari. Instead of embarking on a “futile drive to denounce and dismiss the obvious,” the APC in the state said it expected the Presidency to embrace introspection and take right steps in the interest of the nation. This, according to the publicity secretary, is to forestall the wrath of Nigerians who are getting weary of excuses for the numerous challenges facing the country. He also accused Adesina of trying to create discord between the Prseident and the Senate leadership. Buhari said, “The statement by Mr. Femi Adesina on behalf of Mr. President is not only un

Unknown gunmen on Monday evening  invaded   Gurguzu village, near  Maguzawa, an outskirts of  Rigasa in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State,  killing four persons while many persons sustained varying degrees of injuries. An eyewitness put the number of those injured at six while another source said the figure was higher than six. The incident, it was learnt, took place some minutes after 6pm on Monday, when unknown gunmen rode on bikes invaded  a farm in the village and shot the farmers. Four died on the spot. Our correspondent also gathered that the injured victims were rushed to an undisclosed hospital for medical treatment. Presently, it was gathered that more than 500 people from Gurguzu village were displaced and taking refuge at a primary school in Rigasa. Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Government has sued for peace, urging residents to remain calm and go about their lawful businesses. It said it had launched a manhunt for those who perpetrat

A police sergeant, Yusuf Hadi, has been ambushed and shot dead by suspected militants while in a boat on Ishuti River in the Egan area of Igando, Lagos State. Our correspondent learnt that the gunmen, who were in another boat, attacked Hadi, who was attached to the Police Mobile Force 43, two female passengers, and the boat operator around the Agbara Bridge, towards Totowu community in Ogun State. PUNCH Metro gathered that the incident occurred at about 3pm on Monday, and was reported at the Igando Police Division. Some policemen at the Igando division were said to have rushed the sergeant to a private hospital but he did not survive the attack. It was learnt that the militants, believed to be pipeline vandals, also dispossessed the ladies of their phones and money, before ordering Hadi to lie flat in the boat. The sergeant, who was in uniform as of the time of the attack, was said to have begged his assailants to spare his life. However, the vandals s

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Apo, Abuja, on Wednesday dismissed a fundamental human rights enforcement suit filed by a former Minister of Aviation Mr. Femi Fani-Kay‎ode, seeking an order releasing him from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Fani-Kayode, the spokesperson for the then Peoples Democratic Party’s Presidential Campaign Organisation‎ for the 2015 election, ‎had filed the suit following his arrest by the EFCC on May 9, 2016 with respect to criminal allegations relating to diversion of funds meant for arms procurement to political campaigns. The anti-‎graft agency arraigned him alongside a former Minister of Finance, Nenadi Usman, who was the Director of Finance of the campaign organisation‎ and others for money laundering before a Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday. Justice Olukayode Adeniyi delivering judgment on the suit filed by Fani-Kayode to challenge his detention by the EFCC, held that the leg

The police in Lagos State have arrested a woman identified simply as Saratu, for allegedly burning the private parts of her seven-year-old nephew, Razak Qudus. PUNCH Metro learnt that Saratu allegedly burnt the boy’s private parts with a stove after he was accused of stealing N100. Our correspondent learnt that the victim, who is a primary four pupil in a private school, lived with the suspect in the Afariogun, Oshodi area of the state. It was gathered that Saratu’s neighbours reported the matter to a coordinator of the Child Protection Network, Ebenezer Omejalile, living in the area, who in turn reported to the police. Our correspondent learnt that the matter was reported at the Makinde Police Division, Oshodi, and Saratu was arrested. Speaking with PUNCH Metro , Omejalile said the victim had been taken to a hospital for a checkup while the police had charged the suspect to court. He said, “The victim is her nephew. The boy attends a private nursery a

Two suspected land-grabbers have been brought by the police before a Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, over alleged murder. The police accused the defendants, Femi Bakare, 52, and 46-year-old Adewale Kazeem, of killing one Afeez Osunfunmi on the Golf Estate, Lakowe, in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos. A police prosecutor from the Inspector-General of Police’s Office brought the suspects to court on two counts of murder. The court was presided over by Magistrate A. Adefulire. PUNCH Metro learnt that the deceased had been at loggerheads with some land speculators, before he was killed on May 15, at about 9.30pm. The incident was reported at the IG’s monitoring unit at Kam Salem House, Obalende, which led to the arrest of the suspects.  The prosecutor told the court that the offence contravened sections 221 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The charge read in part, “That you, Femi Bakare, Adewale Kazeem and others now at large on May 15, 2016

Some hoodlums have raped a salesgirl (name withheld) to a coma after beating her at the Ekuigbo community of Ughelli-North Local Government Area of Delta State.  The incident occurred on Monday at a store where the victim sold fish feed. The girl was said to be in her 20s.  It was gathered that the incident was one of several rape cases in the community as the wife of a popular hotelier had also been reportedly attacked and raped last Friday.  A source told our correspondent that the girl was found naked in a pool of blood by a trader in the area.  “The victim was left at the point of death after she was raped by some boys. She was discovered naked by the owner of an adjoining shop in the same building. The woman then raised the alarm.  “Sympathisers helped to rush her to a hospital,” a witness told our correspondent.  The witness described the incident as shocking, calling on security agencies to act quickly to forestall rape incidents in the area

No fewer than 25 persons have been seriously injured after an overloaded truck belonging to Dangote Cement rammed into seven vehicles at the Odukpani Junction in Cross River State. The truck, which was reportedly overloaded with bags of cement, was said to have lost control due to  the recklessness of the driver. The unregistered truck, which had the number ICT-11F-050 inscribed on it, crushed seven vehicles, including a Toyota Sienna (Abuja: HZ 719 ABC); Volkswagen Golf (Akwa Ibom: AE 900 TTU); Suzuki (Cross River: DUK 17 XA); Mercedes Benz 190E (Abuja: AS 774 RSH); Toyota Highlander (DUK 273 AA) and a motorcycle. A survivor told PUNCH Metro that the accident occurred around 7.45pm on Sunday, adding that no life was lost as of the time of the crash. The victim, who asked not to be named, explained that no rescue agency was in sight hours after the incident, alleging that a team of policemen fled the scene as soon as the accident happened. He said

The Chief Accountant of the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Ondo State, Mr. Kayode Asaju, has been kidnapped by suspected gunmen.  Asaju, who was on his way to Abuja, was reportedly abducted on Sunday on the Lokoja-Abuja Road.  A source in the hospital told our correspondent on Monday that Asaju was on his way to Abuja for an official meeting scheduled in the Federal Capital Territory, before the hoodlums stopped his vehicle on the highway and took him away.  The source added that the suspected kidnappers had contacted the family of the victim and demanded N5m as ransom. Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ondo State Police Command, Mr. Femi Joseph, said the command would work with the Kogi State Police Command to ensure the accountant was rescued unhurt.  “Though it did not happen in our jurisdiction, we will join forces with the Kogi State command to rescue the victim. He will be released very soon,” the spokesman said.

Some suspected pipeline vandals have abducted a landlord, Samson Olufemi, on Voera Estate, Arepo area of Ogun State.  PUNCH Metro learnt that the vandals had entered the estate through the creek and scaled the fence into the victim’s house on Michael Ajao Street. They were said to have turned off his generator to trick him out.  Our correspondent was told that Olufemi, who worked in a brewery, however, sent his son outside to check what went wrong and restart the generator. The vandals were said to have emerged from their hideout, forced the boy back into the house and abducted his father. Our correspondent gathered that the victim had only packed into the estate four months ago, after completing the building.  A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the vandals looted the family’s valuables before disappearing with Olufemi into the creek.  He said, “The incident happened last Friday night. The vandals jumped over the fence into the man

A 22-year-old woman, Bara’atu Rabiu, has been remanded in the Minna Medium Security Prison for allegedly cutting off the penis of her rival’s one-month-old baby, Buhari. She was arraigned on Monday on one count of attempted homicide before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Minna. PUNCH Metro learnt that Bara’atu allegedly cut off the victim’s penis at their home in Kuta town, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State. It was learnt that the suspect had been married to her husband, Mohammed Rabiu, for seven years, without a child. She allegedly cut off the baby’s penis to punish him for marrying a second wife. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Bala James, explained that the suspect wanted to kill the victim, adding that the child, who was named after President Muhammadu Buhari, survived the attack. He said, “The woman used a sharp knife to cut through the genitals of the one-month-old baby. She had been married to her husband for sev