“This unfortunate incident underscores LASTMA’s resolute commitment to preserving lives and ensuring safety on Lagos roads through proactive interventions and collaborative engagements with emergency response agencies,” he said.
The crew of the crude oil carrier, MT Heroic IDUN has asked a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to stop the Federal Government from “illegally” executing their “extraordinary rendition” of the vessel from Equatorial Guinea to Nigeria.
The PUNCH earlier reported the vessel, which can lift about three million barrels of crude oil, was seen around Total Energies Safe Anchorage operated by Akpo Field on August 7 but evaded arrest in Nigeria and fled to Equatorial Guinea, where it was later arrested.
There were speculations at the time that the vessel had lifted crude oil from the oil field.
However, the Navy admitted that the vessel arrived at Akpo Field at midnight on August 7, 2022, with the obvious intention of lifting crude oil within the field but had no chance to load before being accosted by the Nigerian Navy Ship Gongola at the oilfield terminal.
A source told our correspondent that Equatorial Guinea agreed to hand over the vessel to Nigeria on November 6 for further investigation after two months of diplomatic negotiations.
Meanwhile, the claimants told the Abuja court that because there was no extradition treaty between the two countries, any alleged attempt to pressure Equatorial Guinea to extradite them to Nigeria would be illegal and violate their rights under Nigerian and international law.
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Through their lead counsel, Babajide Koku (SAN), the crew prayed for the court’s intervention.
They recounted as false the Nigerian Navy’s claim that MT Heroic IDUN attempted to illegally load crude oil from Akpo Terminal in Nigeria, noting in particular that the Navy admitted in a statement on August 19, 2022, that it found no crude oil on MT Heroic IDUN.
They added that the vessel and crew were unlawfully arrested by the Equatorial Guinea Navy under pressure from the Nigerian Navy.
The MT Heroic IDUN, with 26 persons onboard, comprising 16 Indians, eight Sri Lankans, one Polish national, and one Filipino national, was arrested on August 22, 2022, by the Equatorial Guinea Navy shortly after the vessel left Nigerian waters.
Fearing their unlawful removal from Equatorial Guinea to Nigeria on the Nigerian Navy’s request, the 26 applicants and the vessel filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit marked FHC/ABJ/C8/2058/2022.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and the Nigerian Navy are the respondents.
The applicants averred in an affidavit in support of the originating application, that “on July 18, 2022, the charterers of the vessel requested a Letter of Comfort from the owners for loading at Akpo Terminal in Nigeria (Terminal) with laycan (dates for loading) of August 17 and 18.
“On August 4, 2022, the charterers and sub-charterers instructed the vessel to proceed to the terminal and, following that, to Ceiba Marine Terminal to load a cargo of crude oil and then to Rotterdam in Holland to discharge the cargo. The lay date was then set or narrowed to August 8, 2022.”
They further averred that the sub-charterers, BP, likely failed to inform the terminal of this change and/or to ensure that the correct paperwork was in place.
Though admitting that the Nigerian Navy told them at about 9pm to follow it to the Bonny Fairway buoy for investigation, MT Heroic IDUN, however, stated that it declined because its master feared that moving close to the Nigerian shore at night was too risky because of piracy concerns.
“There was also confusion over the name of the Nigerian vessel, which at that time was misspelt “Agola” and could not be found on Google as a registered naval vessel,” they added.
The claimants averred further that the interdiction by Equatorial Guinea was unlawful and breached United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea Articles 58, 87, 97, and 100 relating to innocent passage and the right to be on the high seas without interference.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Navy Chief of Policy and Plans, Rear Admiral Saidu Garba, said, “The brazen act of defiance to constituted authority by the captain of the vessel necessitated the Nigerian Navy to invoke the collaboration of neighbouring Equatorial Guinea through the Yaoundé Architecture to arrest the vessel as we noticed that it stopped making way in the Equatorial Guinea waters.”
Alleged money laundering: Court temporarily freezes 21 bank accounts, orders holders’ arrest
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday ordered the temporary freezing of 21 bank accounts domiciled in some commercial banks and directed the arrest of the account holders by the police.
Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order after counsel for the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police, Ibrahim Mohammed, moved a motion ex-parte to the effect.
Justice Nwite also granted the “order directing the banks to issue details of the account package(s) and to place a Post-No-Debit (PND) on the accounts, disable the ATMs while allowing inflow into the said accounts” pending the conclusion of the investigation.
“I have listened to the submission of the learner counsel for the applicant and gone through the affidavit evidence.
“I am of the view that the motion ex-parte is meritorious.
“The application is hereby granted except that the period of the investigation can only last for a period of 90 days,” Justice Nwite said.
The judge adjourned the matter until April 3 for mention.
The banks are Access Bank Plc, Sterling Bank Ltd, Wema Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Union Bank Plc, Guarantee Trust Bank Ltd, United Bank of Africa Plc, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, First Monument Bank Plc, Heritage Bank Plc, TAJ Bank Plc and Keystone Bank Plc.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that while the I-G is the applicant in the motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1965/V/2024, the 13 banks are sued as 1st to 13 defendants respectively.
The I-G, in the motion filed by Mohammed, sought an interim order directing the listed “banks to freeze the accounts mentioned in the schedule attached to this summon pending investigation and prosecution of this case.
“An order directing the banks to issue details of the account package(s) and to place a Post-No-Debit (PND) on the accounts, disable the ATM while allowing inflow into the said account as from the date of this court order.
Youths beat Osun monarch for appointing Imam on disputed community
The crisis erupted in the Hallelujah community in Egbedore local government area of Osun State on Friday, as enraged residents beat the newly installed Ajeniju of Hallelujah, Oba Jelili Olaiya while attempting to conduct jumat service in the area.
The Ajeniju, who was installed by the Timi of Ede a few months ago, against the will of the Ido-Osun community, was beaten to a pulp by angry youths, saying he had no right to install a chief Imam in the community.
It was gathered that the monarch had last week turbaned one Ahmad Tijjani as Chief Imam of the Hallelujah community, but while gathering some people at his palace to observe jumat prayer, some youth allegedly from Ido-Osun invaded the palace and disrupted the exercise.
Some of the aggrieved youths while shouting at the monarch queried his authority to install and conduct jumat prayer in a domain belonging to a separate monarch.
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The mob beat the monarch seriously and vandalised the palace before security operatives could intervene in the situation.
A security source who pleaded anonymity disclosed that it took the intervention of security operatives to rescue the monarch from the scene.
“The situation escalated, resulting in the vandalization of the palace and a physical attack on Ajenifuja of Hallelujah, who sustained serious injuries. He has since been taken to the State CID for further investigation and safety”, said the source.
However, another source in the community disclosed that the monarch has been taken to the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo for treatment.
Confirming the incident, the Special Adviser to Governor Ademola Adeleke on Security, Hon. Samuel Ojo said he will not comment on the incident pending the outcome of an investigation on the matter.
Lagos commuter bus summersaults, LASTMA rescues 8 injured passengers
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has rescued eight injured passengers involved in an accident at Hammadiya inward Abule-Egba.
The LASTMA General Manager, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, confirmed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.
The statement was signed by Mr Taofiq Adebayo, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, LASTMA.
Bakare-Oki said the road traffic incident which involved a commercial long bus, popularly referred to as ‘Molue,’ at Hammadiya inward Abule-Egba, caused severe injuries and significant disruption to traffic.
“The accident was triggered when the vehicle, registered as KTU 801 XM, lost control at excessive speed, reportedly due to driver impatience.
“In an attempt to avoid colliding with another LT commercial bus and pedestrians awaiting transport at the roadside, the driver veered sharply, resulting in the bus crashing into the expressway median and overturning.
“Several passengers sustained injuries, while others escaped through the bus’s windows,” he said.
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He said that officers from LASTMA promptly arrived at the scene, executed a well-coordinated and efficient rescue operation.
“Eight individuals, including five males and three females, suffered varying degrees of injuries. Among the injured was the bus driver, who sustained a fractured left arm.
“All victims were immediately handed over to LASAMBUS medical personnel and transported to the General Hospital at Ile-Epo for urgent medical attention,” he said.
Bakare-Oki said to ensure the free flow of traffic and public safety, LASTMA’s Response Unit was swiftly mobilised to oversee the removal of the overturned vehicle.
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