Anambra: FG backs AGF on possibility of declaring state of emergency – Newstrends
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Anambra: FG backs AGF on possibility of declaring state of emergency

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The Federal Government has expressed support for the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, on the possibility of declaring state of emergency in Anambra State if the incessant killings and other criminal acts in the state persist.

Malami had given the indication on Wednesday that the Federal Government would not rule out the option of declaring a state of emergency in Anambra State given the violence in the state ahead of the November 6 governorship poll in the state.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Abuja, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said Malami’s position was to avert constitutional crisis in the state.

Mohammed said no government would fold its arms and allow the pillar of democracy to be destroyed.

He said: “In the last couple of weeks, IPOB had imposed sit-at-home on the citizens, they did not allow people to go to schools, markets and there are also high profile killings.

“The AGF said yesterday that government will do whatever it takes to restore law and order in Anambra and the entire South East to ensure that symbols and pillars of democracy are not tampered with.

“The forthcoming election in the state is one of the pillars of democracy

“Those who are criticising the AGF on this, have they thought for one minute what will happen if election does not take place in Anambra State on November 6?

“They should bear in mind that under our constitution, a governor cannot spend an extra day beyond the mandate of four years.

“What will happen will be constitutional crisis of immense proportion.”

The Minister recalled that during previous democratic dispensations, state of emergency was declared in Ekiti and Plateau States.

He said what was happening in Anambra State presently was worse than what happened in Plateau and Ekiti States when state of emergency was declared.

On the position of some critics that government did not declare state of emergency in Zamfara, Katsina and Kaduna States where they alleged there were more killings, the Minister said the situation was not the same with Anambra State.

Mohammed said: “You do not compare apples with oranges, the bandits in Katsina do not want to leave Nigeria.

“They do not want to declare their own republic and they are not saying there will be no elections.

“They are primarily criminals.

“It is a disingenuous argument to say that they have killed more people in Katsina, Zamfara and Kaduna than they killed in Anambra.

“What is happening in Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna and Niger is criminality and government will not condone it.

“I have not seen the bandits hoist any flag anywhere as opposed to Boko Haram.

“Until they were dislodged in Bama they set up their own government, collecting taxes.”

The Minister added that if there is any need to declare state of emergency in Zamfara, Katsina and Kaduna States, the government would not hesitate to do so.

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Navy arrests suspected oil thief enroute Cameroon with 15,500 litres of PMS

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Navy arrests suspected oil thief enroute Cameroon with 15,500 litres of PMS

The Nigerian Navy, Forward Operating Base (FOB), Ibaka, Akwa Ibom, has arrested a suspected oil thief enroute Cameroon with 15,500 litres of suspected Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

The commanding officer, Capt. Uche Aneke, disclosed this at Ibaka while handing over the suspect and the seized product to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC).

Aneke said that the suspect was arrested with the exhibit at about 2:00 a.m. on Friday.

He said the navy received intelligence report that a boat was conveying suspected smuggled products through FOB Ibaka operational area and heading towards Cameroon.

”We intercepted the boat and discovered that it was laden with 15,500 litres of products suspected PMS concealed under a tarpaulin.

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”We also found a suspected smuggler onboard who was arrested immediately,” he said.

The commanding officer warned against smuggling of illegal consignments in or out of the country, saying that the navy was committed to tackling such activities.

”We are committed towards detecting every criminal move around our operational area using advanced surveillance equipment and intelligence.

”Criminals are warned, Nigeria’s water and coastal areas are not for illegal activities,” he said.

Receiving the exhibit, Mr Etefia Koko-Ette, Head, Anti Vandal Unit of the NSCDC Command in Akwa Ibom, said that further investigation would be conducted on this matter.

Navy arrests suspected oil thief enroute Cameroon with 15,500 litres of PMS

(NAN)

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3 Ondo Amotekun officers dismissed for misconduct, 7 suspects paraded

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3 Ondo Amotekun officers dismissed for misconduct, 7 suspects paraded

Adetunji Adeleye, State Commander of Amotekun corps, made the disclosure while parading seven suspects for human trafficking and house breaking before newsmen on Tuesday in Akure.

Adeleye said the three dismissed officers would be prosecuted in line with the regulations guiding the corps.

“Today, we have three Amotekun personnel that had gone through the normal process of court marshal and are being dismissed today for professional misconduct.

“They cease to be members of Amotekun Ondo State Corp as from now and we would ensure that adequate punishment would be meted out to them even after dismissal,” he said.

Adeleye, who called for more credible intelligence information from residents, said that a vehicle, which was stolen by armed bandits around Akure community, was recovered through timely information.

According to him, the electronics equipment also stolen from a resident of the community was recovered and investigations are ongoing to apprehend the robbers who fled when they cited corps personnel.

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“Out of the seven suspects we are parading today, we have three that were arrested for human trafficking cases and we have four others that were arrested for house breaking.

“And we were able to retrieve all the items stolen from their operation, which would be handed over to the rightful owners.

“However, this is to reconfirm that the response to distress calls is actually working for us in order to reduce crime to the minimum,” he stated.

Adeleye also said that the command had deployed 700 officers across the 18 Local Government Area of the state ahead of the Easter celebration. He admonished the people to shun night travels for their benefit and safety of lives and properties.

“To commuters, we advise you to reduce traveling late in the night, and early in the morning. However, we will commence our 24-hours patrol from the end of this week to ensure safety.

“We want to encourage the good people of Ondo state to give us timely information to work for them,” he added.

3 Ondo Amotekun officers dismissed for misconduct, 7 suspects paraded

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Man bags life imprisonment after defiling neighbour’s 5-yr-old daughter

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Man bags life imprisonment after defiling neighbour’s 5-yr-old daughter

An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced a man, Ugochukwu Onuoha, to life imprisonment for defiling a five-year-old minor, his neighbour’s daughter.

Justice Rahman Oshodi, in his judgment, held that the prosecution had established beyond reasonable doubt, the charge of defilement against Onuoha.

Oshodi said the prosecutrix (survivor) was a child at the time of the incident.

He said the prosecutrix’s mother’s evidence that Onuoha apologised and promised not to do it again was an admission which corroborated the prosecutrix’s evidence.

According to him: “There is abundant evidence that the defendant committed the crime.

“I believed the prosecutrix when she testified before me as she was resolute that it was the defendant that penetrated her vagina with his penis.

“She maintained this during cross-examination and gave further details to embellish her evidence in chief.

“The evidence shows that the defendant had sexual intercourse with the victim, who, to his knowledge, was a child.”

The judge, thereafter, found Onuoha guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

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The court further held that the medical evidence showed short and long-term impacts on the victim as the sexual intercourse he had with the survivor could cause structural damage to the vagina, the uterus, and other surrounding organs.

Oshodi said: “According to the medical evidence, by the age of the victim, the sexual intercourse you had with her could cause vagina bleeding and may lead to death.

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