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Alleged miscarriage of Justice: NJC to investigate Osun Judge

Published

9 months ago

August 26, 2023

Justice Kudirat Morayo Akano

Alleged miscarriage of Justice: NJC to Investigate Osun Judge

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has promised to investigate Justice Kudirat Morayo Akano, an Osun State High Court judge, over claims that she deliberately subverted the course of justice when she threw out a case brought before the court.

In a letter obtained by FIJ, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) and chairman of the NJC, stated that the council was looking into the allegations against Akano.

“This is to acknowledge receipt of your petition dated 29th June, 2022, on the above subject matter and verifying affidavit forwarded vide letter dated 9th May, 2023, and to inform you that action is being taken, please,” the CJN said in a one-paragraphed acknowledgement letter he personally signed on July 7.

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NJC’s decision followed a petition written by the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice’s Michael Agaasi on behalf of Adeniyi Sulaiman, a plaintiff in the case Akano struck out.

Sulaiman, a contestant to the stool of Alawo of Awo, a community in the Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State, claimed that the judge struck out a case in which he was challenging the selection of Taiwo Rasaq Adegboye as the new Alawo of Awo on September 13, 2021.

In the case marked HED/48/2021, which was instituted by Sulaiman against Taiwo Abdulrasaq Adegboye before an Osun State High Court sitting in Ede, Sulaiman claimed that Taiwo forged some documents used during his selection as the Alawo of Awo.

Sulaiman said that, rather than hear the matter on its merit, the Iragbiji-born judge was said to have disposed of it after four appearances before her court.

The human rights group said it believed that the judge had compromised her position as a judicial officer and only the NJC could investigate the matter, hence the petition.

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Student killed in Anambra seminary school fire

Published

1 hour ago

May 20, 2024

Trends Admin

Student killed in Anambra seminary school fire

The Bishop Crowther Memorial Seminary School, Awka, Anambra State capital, was over the engulfed by fire.

Fire broke out of the school around 11.30 pm on Saturday. The cause of the fire has yet to be ascertained.

At least one student was killed and several properties were destroyed during the fire incident.

It was also gathered that the fire damaged the school’s hostel, including mattresses and other students’ belongings.

The victim, a student who died in the incident, was said to have been taken to a mortuary.

The Media Unit of Anambra State Fire Service confirmed the incident in statement on Sunday.

The state Fire Service Chief, Chukwudi Chiketa, disclosed that firefighters and a fire truck were deployed immediately to the scene of the incident and the fire was contained.

According to the statement, the fire chief had visited the school on Sunday for inspection, where the principal narrated how the fire affected a part of the school’s hostel.

The statement was titled, ‘Update on the incident that occurred in Bishop Crowther Seminary, Awka’.

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It read in part, “The Anambra State Fire Service Chief arrived at Bishop Crowther Memorial Seminary School, Awka at 10:55 a.m. on Sunday, for a firsthand inspection and assessment of the level of damages caused by the fire outbreak that occurred on Saturday night in the school.

“Recall that Anambra State Fire Service received a distress call at 11:30 pm, on Saturday, May 18, 2024, which reported a fire outbreak in one of the school’s hostels. Our firefighters and one of the fire trucks were deployed immediately to the scene of the incident, and the fire was contained.

“The cause of this fire is still unknown, but it’s confirmed that one of the students died at the scene and has been taken to a mortuary.

“The school Principal, Ven. Dr Emendu, who received the fire chief, narrated how the fire affected a part of the school’s hostel, damaged everything, including mattresses and other students’ belongings therein, and left one dead. According to the principal, there was no other casualty, and no injury was recorded.”

Emendu commended the state fire service, stating that they arrived promptly and prevented the fire from further escalation to other parts of the building.

“The Fire Chief sympathised with the school management and the entire students of Bishop Crowther Memorial Seminary School, urging them to take heart as God will console them in his own way.

“He also commiserated with the family of the deceased, who at the time of the visit were still on their way to the school, stating that it’s always painful and heartbreaking to lose a child, not to talk of in such a situation of fire outbreak. He prayed to God to give them the fortitude to bear the loss,” the statement read.

Student killed in Anambra seminary school fire

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NSCDC uncovers fresh illegal refining sites in Rivers

Published

2 hours ago

May 20, 2024

Trends Admin

suspected oil thieves

NSCDC uncovers fresh illegal refining sites in Rivers

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested nine suspected oil thieves at an illegal refinery in a forest boundary between Rivers and Abia.

The NSCDC Public Relations Officer (PRO), Babawale Afolabi, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

Afolabi said: “We apprehended nine suspects caught in the act of illegally refining stolen crude extracted from a vandalised oil wellhead.

“We also discovered an ongoing construction of a local refinery with the capacity to produce 60,000 litres of crude at once.

“Visibly at the massive illegal bunkering we noticed large hoses and galvanised metal pipes laid to transfer stolen crude across the processing channels.”

According to him, the suspects arrested are; Oghene Wede (M) 32years, Moses James (M) 25years, Chidi Nwosu (M) 53years, Samuel John (M) 24years.

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Others are; Emmanuel Paul (M) 20years, Oghenevo Nwebi (M) 43years, Martina Whinnypeter (F) 38Years, Nwabuchi Nwogu (M) 41 years and David Okere (M) 20years.

He said that interrogation of the suspects and further investigation had commenced, adding that the suspects would thereafter be charged in court.

He said the massive site contained over 15 Modular ovens with 4 fabricated reservoirs and 30 pits dug out to store processed AGO.

“Exhibits recovered are RWD 5.0 GFE-6500 power generating set, two yellow colour pumping machines, metal and plastic buckets, cutlasses, saw, mats, welding Machine, galvanized metal pipes, different heavy-duty hoses, automotive gas oil (AGO) illegally processed in cooking ovens,” Afolabi said.

The NSCDC had said on Saturday that its operatives uncovered and dismantled an illegally constructed refining site with over 100,000 litres of stolen crude oil in Adobi settlement in Etche Local Government, Rivers State.

NSCDC uncovers fresh illegal refining sites in Rivers

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Ekiti selected monarch arraigned for certificate forgery

Published

2 hours ago

May 20, 2024

Trends Admin

Ekiti selected monarch arraigned for certificate forgery

Ado-Ekiti—The Oba-Elect of Araromi-Ekiti in Ijero Local Government Area of the State, Babalola Adebomi on Monday was arraigned at Federal High Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State capital for certificate forgery.

According to the charge sheet, Babalola, 48 was arraigned on two-count charge, bordering forging a certificate of University of Ibadan and presented same to University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti for job in 2008 and also forging his discharge certificate of National Youth Service Corps(NYSC) and presented same to the University Teaching Hospital for job.

The charges sheet NO:FHC/AK/16/2024 reads inter alia: “That you Babalola Babatunde on or about the 15th day of January, 2008 at the University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did make and uttered a forged University of Ibadan Result which you knew to be false and with intent that it may be used or acted upon as genuine by the University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti to offer you a job and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.

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“That you Batalola Babatunde on or about the 15 day of January, 2008 at the University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did make and uttered a forged National Youth Service Corps Certificate which you knew to be false and with intent that it may be used or acted upon as genuine by the University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti to offer you a job and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 12 of the Miscellaneous Offences Act”.

However, Babalola pleaded not guilty to the charges while his attorney, Attah Paul said he had filed an application on notice and prayed the court to give the application hearing.

The prosection attorney, Itunun Osobu told the court that he was yet to read the issues raised by the Defendant’s attorney in his reply to the counter-affidavit he filed.

Osobu added that he would be presenting two witnesses before the court to prove the charges.

The Defendant’s attorney, therefore prayed the court to release the Oba-Elect on bail, promising that he would not jump bail.

When asked if the defendant has any surety, Attah said Babalola has a younger brother who is a business man based in Akure, Ondo State capital, adding that the defendant’s in-law has a property in Akure and prayed the court to present the defendant to nearest police station pending the adjournment date.

In his ruling, Justice Owoeye ordered that the defendant, Babalola Babatunde be detained in Assistant Inspector General of Police’s office, and adjourned the hearing till Thursday, May 23, 2024.