News
Court dismisses Nnamdi Kanu’s appeal on unlawful arrest, detention
Court of Appeal on Monday dismissed the appeal filed by Felix Okonkwo, one of the lawyers to the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu over his unlawful arrest and detention by the Police and the DepartmentThe of State Services (DSS) .
Justice Okon Abang dismissed the appeal for want of merit.
Delivering judgment, Justice Abang held that the appellant failed to establish miscarriage of justice in the judgment of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in the matter.
The appellants comprising of Felix Okonkwo, Ikenna Chibuike and Okafor Ugochukwu had dragged the Nigeria Police Force and the DSS before the high court for the enforcement of their client’s fundamental human rights.
The appellants specifically accused the two security agencies of violating their fundamental rights by their unlawful arrest and detention on September 27, 2021, during which they claimed that they were tortured, harassed and intimidated while in the custody of the Police.
Justice Samaila Bature had, in his judgment delivered on March 24, 2022 found the police liable for the unlawful arrest and detention of the the appellants and subsequently imposed a fine of N2 million against Police to be paid to the appellants.
Justice Bature however did not make any order against the DSS because the appellant, then plaintiffs did not disclose any cause of action against the state services.
Not satisfied with the findings and decisions of the high court, the three plaintiffs had approached the Court of Appeal praying for an order to hold that SSS was also culpable in their arrest and detention.
In a unanimous judgment by a three-man panel of the appellate court, Justice Abang held that from the video footage tendered as exhibit by the appellants at the trial court, there was no where the operatives of the SSS were found at the scene of their arrest in the house of Ifeanyi Ejiofor in Anambra state.
They claimed that the N2 million imposed on the police as fine, was paltry and ridiculously low and asked the appellate court to jerk up the fine as compensation for their unlawful arrest and detention.
In a unanimous judgment by a three-man panel of the appellate court, Justice Abang held that from the video footage tendered as exhibit by the appellants at the trial court, there was no where the operatives of the SSS were found at the scene of their arrest in the house of Ifeanyi Ejiofor in Anambra state.
He disagreed with the appellants in their claims that the N2 million compensatory damages was grossly insufficient.
According to Abang, the decision to award compensatory damages is at the discretion of a Judge and cannot be dictated by any plaintiff or appellant.
In the instant case, Justice Abang agreed with Justice Bature that perculiar facts and circumstances of the unlawful arrest and detention of the appellants were carefully considered at the trial court before arriving at the amount.
Besides, Justice Abang said that the appellants did not point out irrelevant facts in the judgement of the high court and did not also disclose their status in the society, they did not point out their monthly or yearly income and also did not point out what they lost in the course of their detention.
“In my opinion and going by the perculiar facts and circumstances of this case, the N2 million compensation to the appellants was properly awarded.
“I cannot fault the award because the appellant did not give any good reason for them to have been awarded a much higher amount.
“In the final analysis, the appeals lacks merit and it is accordingly dismissed, the decision of the trial court is hereby affirmed. There is order as to cost”, Justice Abang held.
Justices Joseph Oyewole and Abba Bello Mohammed endorsed the unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Abang.
News
AGF, Fagbemi takes over casefile of #Endbadgovernance protesters from police
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi has asked the Nigeria Police to transfer the casefile of the 76 Endbadgovernance protesters who were arraigned for treason.
Fagbemi disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
This comes after the #Endbadgovernance protesters, described as minors, were arraigned and later granted N10 million bail each, while the matter was adjourned till January 2025.
Reacting, the AGF said the case would be taken over by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) under the Office of AGF from today, Saturday, 2nd November, 2024.
He said he has directed that the DPPF commence the process for the consideration of the court to bring the adjournment date forward than the January next date.
Fagbemi added that his move on the matter was necessary to make him make an informed decision.
“It has just come to my notice that the police have arraigned those arrested in connection with the Endbadgovernance violent protest in court for various offences, including treason.
“There are some issues my office will need to look into regarding the matter to enable me to take an informed decision.
“I am aware that the court has remanded the defendants in detention centres and adjourned the case to January.
“It is not within my power to vary the order of the court remanding the defendants in detention centres and adjourning the case to January.
“I have, however, directed the Nigeria Police to transfer the casefile to my office and hand over the same to the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) tomorrow, Saturday, 2nd November, 2024.
“I have further directed the DPPF to immediately put machinery in motion for consideration of the court to bring the adjournment date forward (an earlier date),” he stated.
Recall that one of the 76 minors fainted in court on Friday.
Later, it was reported that the court granted the suspects N10 million bail each.
News
“Most of them are married men, none of them is a minor” – Legal counsel to the Federal Government speaks on the arraignment of 76 minors
Legal counsel to the Federal government in the arraignment of 67 minors accused of participating in the End Bad Governance protest, Rimazonte Ezekiel, has come out to dismiss claims that the accused persons are minors and should not have been arraigned.
While speaking to newsmen after their arraignment, Rimazonte said contrary to public opinion, the 67 accused are not minors but “adults and that most of them are married.”
“These boys that we brought to court today, all of them are adults. Most of them are married men, None of them is a minor, Some of them are university graduates.
” The small small kids you are seeing here, they came with some of their parents to greet their loved ones.
“They are not the real suspects standing trial in his case. These boys were arrested in Kaduna and Zaria, Imagine the level we have found ourselves now.
” Do you know how much it cost us to be at this level of democracy in this country? These young boys are trying to destabilize Nigeria using the Russian flags and other countries, calling on the military to remove our President. Is it fair?”
News
Oyebanji attributes leadership style to Mother’s lessons in humility, love
….as mother’s foundation donates multipurpose hall to church
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji has attributed his approach to leadership to the virtues of humility, contentment, and love that his late Mother instilled in him, stressing that her emphasis on simplicity and service has been a major influence in his life and career.
Governor Oyebanji, who disclosed this on Friday at Ikogosi Ekiti, while commissioning an ultra-modern multipurpose hall donated to the First Baptist Church, Ikogosi, by the Abiyamo Esther Oyebanji Foundation, a foundation in memory of the Governor’s mother.
He said the lessons learned at home have guided his approach to governance, helping him maintain perspective and empathy in his service to humanity.
According to him, his late mother was an example of true motherhood who used all she had to assist the less privileged and trained her children the right way to success.
While calling on parents to inculcate the virtues of honesty, love and empathy in their children, the Governor charged the Church and the community to make the best use of the hall as well as cultivate good maintenance culture towards ensuring the durability of the facility.
He assured the community that more development projects would be executed within the town and other towns in the state, calling for a more united front in achieving collective growth and shared prosperity.
“We are here today to give glory to God and celebrate our late Mother who lived for us. Mummy is no more, the greatest legacy to her is what we are doing today, walking the talk, the way he brought us up in humility, contentment, and in love for everybody around us.”
“We were brought up to show love to everybody, to respect people, fear God and serve him. So I am happy today that between myself and my siblings, we are able to bring this together in her memory”, the Governor said.
Also speaking at the event, the wife of the Governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji who described the late Esther Abosede Oyebanji as a disciplinarian and philanthropist, said the Governor’s leadership attributes of empathy and love for the people, as well as commitment to just causes were product of his upbringing, adding that they have been part of him long before he embraced public service.
Other dignitaries and community leaders at the event included the regent of Ikogosi Ekiti, Princess Omobola Adepoju, the President of the Ekiti Baptist Convention, Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Aribasoye, Prof. (Mrs) Ojo and Dr Temiola eulogized the late matriarch of the Oyebanji dynasty and commended the initiative of the children at immortalizing her.
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