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Councillors demand better protection from abuse and death threats

Council leaders have demanded urgent measures to tackle what they say is a tide of abuse against councillors, potentially including a specific law against intimidating public officials and a greater willingness to prosecute those who make threats.

A meeting of senior local government leaders from across England heard of regular death threats against councillors and routine abuse or accusations of corruption on social media and in comments under local newspaper website stories.

The executive advisory board of the Local Government Association (LGA), which groups together several dozen council leaders from various parties, had already begun gathering information about the issue before the killing of the Conservative MP Sir David Amess last week.

But in a meeting on Thursday, a series of councillors recounted receiving death threats, saying that the extent of intimidation risked seeing many people put off from putting themselves up for election.

“You shouldn’t have to be a brave superhero to want to stand and represent your community,” said Tudor Evans, the leader of the opposition on Plymouth council, who said he had once been sent a death threat because of a temporary traffic light scheme.

Evans recounted how the previous week in Plymouth, a man had gone into a cafe with a knife in his belt and made threats against local councillors.

Nick Forbes, the leader of Newcastle council, said he had quit almost all social media due to a “daily background” of messages containing homophobic comments or accusations of corruption.

Forbes said he and colleagues felt things were so bad that ministers needed to act. “In the same way that there is additional protection for, for example, police officers and NHS staff, we thought that there should be a specific offence of intimidating or harassing a public official,” he said.

Forbes said the police response to even direct threats was “patchy”, and called for officers and prosecutors to adopt a “zero tolerance approach to harassment”.

While saying that councillors had to make sure their discourse was “mature and sensible”, Forbes argued that some local papers played a role in fomenting hatred: “We need the media to take a responsible attitude, to not boiling complicated, complex issues down to good or bad, demons or heroes, providing clickbait and often using the language of aggression.”

Georgia Gould, the leader of Camden council in north London, said the extent of intimidation was such that councillors should be able to opt out of having their home address publicly visible. She said: “Most of us have probably received some kind of death threat, or other difficult visits to our homes, and I just don’t think it’s a safe situation.”

Isobel Seccombe, the leader of Warwickshire county council, who heads the LGA’s Conservative grouping, said she too had received threats, but was worried that it was becoming so routine that it was seen as inescapable.

She said: “That’s the problem, that we do accept this as a consequence of being a councillor. And our acceptance of it is, in a way, contributing to the problem.”

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Those found guilty of corruption should not enjoy pardon —AGF

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has stated that those found guilty of corruption should not be granted state pardons. He also advised law enforcement agencies to avoid shoddy investigations, urging them to have all necessary facts before summoning individuals for questioning.

The AGF made these remarks at a roundtable organized by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for state Attorneys-General in Abuja on Monday. “I will suggest in our next constitution review exercise that we expunge those found guilty of corruption from benefiting from powers of ‘Prerogative of Mercy’ to serve as a deterrent to others,” he said.

In a statement by Kamarudeen Ogundele, Special Assistant to the President on Communication and Publicity, Office of the AGF and Minister of Justice, Fagbemi emphasized the importance of cooperation from all stakeholders, particularly the Attorneys-General, in the fight against corruption. He urged them to avoid nepotism, political witch-hunting, rivalry, and bigotry in their efforts to fight corruption merely to please their governors.

The minister further stated that there should be no justification for rationalizing corruption or other crimes. He advised that legal opinions on cases should be based strictly on facts, as is the practice in advanced countries, adding, “We should not give in to public sentiments. In Nigeria, we are polarised along political lines.”

The AGF also urged participants and anti-graft agencies to conduct thorough investigations before arresting suspects to prevent unnecessary media trials. “Let us be thorough and take our time before inviting someone for questioning. Don’t do a shoddy job and be quick to say we have caught a big fish…You will catch a big fish. If it is two or three big fish you are able to get in a year and you are thorough, it is alright,” he stated.

Additionally, Fagbemi advised against filing exaggerated or bogus charges against defendants to create public frenzy. He said, “Nobody wants a 50-count charge…make it five or six and be sure. Make sure you get him (suspect) in.”

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Tinubu condoles with families of victims, Niger govt over traffic petrol tanker explosion

President Bola Tinubu has sent heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Niger State on the petrol tanker explosion on the Bida-Agaie-Lapai- road on Sunday in Niger State, which claimed the lives of 48 people and livestock.

According to the Niger Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), many people were injured in the accident, which also involved a truck loaded with cattle and passengers.

President Tinubu commiserated with the families of the dead and injured victims. He also sympathised with the owners of shops affected by the tragedy.

He prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

The President commended the federal and state emergency agencies for their swift response. He similarly commended the good-spirited Nigerians who mobilised to the incident scene to assist the victims.

He pledged continued support for efforts aimed at providing relief to those affected.

President Tinubu has directed relevant federal agencies in transportation and road infrastructure to redouble their efforts and work with state governments to enhance the safety and security of travellers and residents.

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Nigerian businessman Ogionwo charged for $300,000 scam in Oil deal

The Inspector General of Police, through legal officer S.O. Ayodele from the Federal Criminal Investigation Department, Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos, has filed a two-count charge of obtaining money by false pretenses and theft against Nigerian businessman Ebi Otisaye Ogionwo.

In the charges presented before the Federal High Court in Lagos, Ayodele alleges that in 2022, Ogionwo fraudulently obtained $300,000 from Mr. Oluwatosin Adefila of Beltzemo Nigeria Limited. The funds were purportedly meant to finance an oil trading business, but this representation was false.

The charges against Ogionwo are in violation of Section 1 (1) (c) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006.

The two count charge as filed before the court

Count one:

That you, Ebi Otsaye Ogionwo “M” sometimes in 2022,in Lagos, within the Judicial Division of this Honorable Court, did by false pretence and with intent to defraud obtained the sum of Three Hundred Thousand Dollars (S300,000:00) from one Mr. Oluwatosin Adefila of Boltzemo Nigeria Limited under the guise of using the said funds for financing Oil Trading Business, a representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offer contrary to Section 1(1)(c) and punishable under section 1(3) of the Advance Fec,raud and other Related Offences Act 2006, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

Count two:

That you Ebi Otsaye Ogionwo “M” on the same date, time and place, and in the aforementioned Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, did steal the sum of Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300,000.00) from one Mr.Oluwatosin Adefila of Belztzemo Nigeria Limited and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 383 and punishable under section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code Act,Cap C 38,Laws of the Federation of Nigeria,2004.

Meanwhile, 14th of October, 2024 has been fixed for the arraignment of the defendant.