NNPC fails to stop Ararume’s N100bn case against unlawful removal as board chairman – Newstrends
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NNPC fails to stop Ararume’s N100bn case against unlawful removal as board chairman

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Senator Ifeanyi Ararume

•As two SANs storm out of proceedings 

•Court fixes March 28 for judgment

The Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) yesterday failed to halt hearing in a N100 billion suit instituted against President Muhammadu Buhari over the alleged unlawful removal of Senator Ifeanyi Ararume as Board Chairman of the NNPCL, just as two senior lawyers representing the oil company in the suit stormed out of the proceedings.

Hearing in the matter filed by Ararume at the Federal High Court, Abuja had been stalled on two previous occasions by the NNPCL.

The plaintiff, Araraume had instituted a N100 billion suit against Buhari, over his alleged unlawful removal as Non-Executive Chairman of the newly-incorporated NNPCL.

Besides Buhari, the NNPCL and the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) were second and third defendants respectively.

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had on January 11, adjourned the matter to January 23, for definite hearing.

When the matter up yesterday, the judge directed parties to identify and adopt their processes as their brief of argument in the matter.

Reacting, lead lawyer to the NNPC, Prof. Koyinsola Ajayi, drew the court’s attention to a motion for stay of proceedings challenging the January 11 of the Court, which had declined to take the NNPCL’s motion of preliminary objection to the substantive suit.

Ajayi, was of the opinion that the application for stay be taken and the court takes a decision one way or the other before progressing with the case.

Responding, Justice Ekwo declined, insisting that the court would take all motions together, including the substantive suit.

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After several attempts to make the judge take the application for stay first, failed, Ajayi, while observing that the position of the court has placed him at an uncomfortable position, asked the judge for permission to withdraw from the proceedings.

Responding, Ekwo reminded the lawyer that he was not the one who engaged Ajayi and as such the senior lawyer was at liberty to take whatever decision he seems good.

At this juncture, Ajayi withdrew from the proceedings and walked out of the court and was followed by Etigwe Uwa, SAN, who represented NNPC at the January 11 proceedings.

However, the court reminded Ajayi that a process already filed before a court was deemed adopted even if the lawyer refuses to do so.

The judge subsequently called on other parties to adopt their various processes.

Responding, Ararume’s counsel, Chief Chris Uche, urged the court to invoke the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) to nullify the removal of his client as the Chairman of the NNPCL.

Uche argued that Buhari acted outside the law to remove Ararume as Board Chairman after incorporating the oil company in his name and was billed for inauguration in that capacity.

But Buhari’s lawyer, Mr. Abubakar Shuaib, disagreed with Ararume and prayed the court to dismiss the suit on the grounds that it was statute barred at the time it was filed.

Specifically, Shuaib argued that Ararume’s suit offended Section 2(a) of the Public Officers Act and as such was incompetent.

Similarly, lawyer to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Mr Akeeem Mustapha SAN, told the court it lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit.

Mustapha in exonerating the CAC claimed that his client did not play any role in the removal of Ararume, other than incorporating NNPCL as a limited liability company based on the document submitted to it.

He, however, submitted that Ararume’s appointment was political, adding that the president has the power to hire and fire.

He stressed that Ararume’s appointment had nothing to do with the CAMA law.

Shortly, after parties adopted their brief of arguments, Justice Ekwo announced that ruling and or judgment in the suit is fixed for March 28.

Araraume had asked for N100 billion to compensate for damages caused him by the alleged unlawful and unconstitutional way and manner he was removed as the NNPCL chief after using his name to incorporate the entity.

In the suit marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/691/2022, the former Senator formulated four issues for determination by the court.

One of the issue was whether in view of the provisions of the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the NNPC, Companies and Allied Matters Act 2010 and the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, the office of the Non Executive Chairman is not governed and regulated by the stated provisions of the law.

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Police nab fake inspector, recover stolen cars

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Rivers State Police Commissioner, Olatunji Dosu

Police nab fake inspector, recover stolen cars

Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested a fake Inspector who engages in armed robbery and car snatching, among other crimes. 

This was disclosed by the Rivers State Police Commissioner, Olatunji Dosu while parading the suspect among other suspected criminals on Wednesday.

According to the Dosu, Monday Igbali, the fake inspector, was a former sergeant who was dismissed after being charged in a kidnapping case in 2021.

He noted that three fancy cars were recovered from Igbali, who runs a gang of five criminals.

Dosu states, “The command commenced an investigation in response to a report filed on August 11, 2023, by one Fibika Kingsley that his Lexus EX330 had been stolen at gunpoint along Agip Road by five gunmen.’’

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“The investigations led to the arrest of one Monday Igbali, aged 43, a native of Okwuzi in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA of Rivers State.

“He is a former police sergeant who was dismissed after being indicted in a kidnapping case in 2021.

“Since his dismissal, he has continued to parade himself as a police officer, even claiming to be an Inspector of Police, a rank he did not attain before his dismissal.

“He works with a gang of five, with four gang members still at large.

“He has robbed a total of nine cars and sold them for between N1.3m and N2.5m each. He was arrested on March 8, 2024, at his home in Chokocho, Etche, after the police conducted due surveillance following investigations.

“We have recovered three cars from him: a Lexus 330, a Lexus IS250, and a Toyota Highlander.”

Police nab fake inspector, recover stolen cars

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Breaking: Military releases FirstNews editor, Segun Olatunji

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Breaking: Military releases FirstNews editor, Segun Olatunji

The military has finally released Segun Olatunji, editor of FirstNews, who has been in their custody since March 15.

Olatunji was released on Thursday to Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) General Secretary Iyobosa Uwugiaren and The Nation Deputy Editor Yomi Odunuga under a bridge in Asokoro, Abuja.

It was also learnt that the documents for his release were signed inside a security vehicle with heavily armed operatives.

The security agents were said to be masked and the number plates of their vehicles covered up.

The editor was abducted by armed men in his home in Iyana Odo, Abule Egba area of Lagos, on March 15.

His family members were kept in the dark on his whereabouts and why he was arrested.

Several groups, including the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Nigerian Guild of Editors, almost daily mounted pressure on the government for Olatunji’s release.

On Wednesday, the Nigerian chapter of the International Press Institute said the journalist was in the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).

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BREAKING: Court orders military to release 313 suspected terrorists

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BREAKING: Court orders military to release 313 suspected terrorists

A Federal High Court in Borno State has ordered the release of at least 313 suspected terrorists detained by the military.

The court ordered their release due to a lack of evidence to charge the suspects after the investigation.

Maj. Gen. Buba Edward, the Director of Defence Media Operations, announced this during the operational briefing on Thursday in Abuja.

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He said, “The court ordered the release for want of evidence after the conclusion of investigation and other ancillary matters.

“Accordingly, they would be handed over to the Borno State Government for further action.”

BREAKING: Court orders military to release 313 suspected terrorists

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