Law
PIB: IPMAN commends National Assembly for inclusion of PEF
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria has commended the National Assembly for the inclusion of the Petroleum Equalisation Fund in the newly passed Petroleum Industry Bill. The Public Relations Officer of IPMAN, Yakubu Suleiman, gave the commendation on Sunday in a statement. Suleiman said the legislative arm of government had demonstrated that it was sensitive to the yearnings of majority of Nigerians for a permanent solution to the energy problems in the country. He said the entire content of the bill as passed by the Senate would serve as a catalyst for the inflow of the much desired foreign direct investment to boost the economy. He said: “The much awaited Petroleum Industry Bill has come to ease Nigerians of the pains that necessitated the call for the Bill in the ...
Yoruba Nation: Police arrest, teargas protesters in Lagos
The Ojota venue of the Yoruba Nation rally has turned rowdy as police teargassed and also shot in the air to disperse protesters. Police also sprayed water cannon on the protesters to forestall the breakdown of order. Newsmen observed that more security operatives including men of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and their vans have been deployed to the venue of the protest. The Police also arrested some protesters at the venue of the rally and were kept in the waiting Black Maria. They also cordoned off the strategic points where the protesters had gathered. Motorists and other road users have also been advised to ply alternative routes to their destinations. Earlier, Odumosu while speaking to journalists, stressed that Lagos State ...
South Africa’s Jacob Zuma mounts last-ditch legal fight against jail term
South Africa’s ex-president Jacob Zuma on Friday mounted a last-ditch legal bid to avoid prison after the country’s top court ordered him jailed for failing to appear before graft investigators. In a landmark ruling, the Constitutional Court on Tuesday handed Zuma a 15-month term for contempt after he snubbed a probe into the theft of state assets under his tenure. If the 79-year-old fails to turn himself in by Sunday, police will be given a further three days to arrest him and take him to jail to start the sentence. As the deadline loomed, Zuma pleaded on Friday that the order be “reconsidered and rescinded.” “It will not be futile,” Zuma said in papers filed to the court, “to make one last attempt to invite the Constitutional Court to relook its decision and to merely reassess whether it...
Ondo assembly passes anti-open grazing, judicial autonomy bills into law
In a bid to regulate the activities of herdsmen and the rearing of livestock in the state, the Ondo State House of Assembly has passed into law the anti-open grazing bill. The House also passed into law the bill on the autonomy of the judiciary and the bill on violence against persons prohibition. The bills were passed after the chairmen of three committees submitted their reports on the bill. The plenary session of the Assembly, held on Thursday, was presided over by the Speaker, Mr Bamidele Oloyeloogun. Speaking on the bills at the session, the committee chairmen remarked that the bills were in the best interest of all citizens of Ondo State. On the anti-open grazing bill, Mr Taofik Mohammed of the House Committee on Agriculture explained that the bill was to regulate rearing and grazing...
DSS asks Sunday Igboho to surrender
The Department of State Services (DSS) has asked Yoruba Nation activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, a.k.a Sunday Igboho to surrender to the nearest security agency. The Public Relations Officer of DSS, Dr Peter Afunanya, gave the advice at a media briefing on Thursday in Abuja. He said 13 people were arrested in a raid on the Ibadan home of the activist early on Thursday. “Consequently, ADEYEMO/IGBOHO is advised to turn himself in to the nearest security agency. “Those cheering and eulogising him may appeal to or advise him to do the needful. He should surrender himself to the appropriate authorities. “He or anyone can never be above the law”, Afunanya said. He said those arrested will be charged accordingly. He said the operation was based on intelligence report that Igboho had stockpiled arms...
Courts fixes date for ruling in Sheikh El-Zakzaky’s no-case-submission
A Kaduna High Court on Thursday, fixed July 28 for ruling in the No-case-submission filed by the leader of the proscribed Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Ibrahim Zakzaky and his wife Zeenat. Justice Gideon Kurada fixed the date after the prosecution and counsel to the defendants, addressed the court on the no case submission prayer. Mr Femi Falana, SAN, and lead counsel to El-Zakzaky, who spoke to reporters shortly after the adjournment, prayed the Court to rule in favor of his clients. “The prosecution and the defence addressed the court on the the no-case-submission prayer. ” We did indicate last time that even though the prosecution called 15 witnesses, we felt that no case has been established to warrant our clients being in court. ” In other words, we addressed the court that there...
FRSC to auction unclaimed vehicles in Akwa Ibom
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Akwa Ibom Command, on Wednesday said that it would auction all unclaimed vehicles in its custody. In a statement issued by Mr Paul James, the command’s Public Enlightenment / Public Relations Officer said that all vehicles impounded within the last six months and unclaimed would soon be auctioned. James said the corps reserved the right to invoke relevant sections of the law to auction any impounded vehicles not claimed after six months. He said traffic offenders offered with offence sheets and their documents confiscated and vehicles impounded should claim their vehicles or be auctioned. “Consequently, traffic offenders who are issued with notice of offence sheet, either have their documents confiscated or vehicles impounded to secure payment of their...
Lagos assembly to establish organ transplant dept
The Lagos State House of Assembly has organised a public hearing on a bill to establish an organ harvest transplantation department in the state Ministry of Health. The Chairman, House Committee on Health Services, Mr Hakeem Sokunle, made the disclosure at one-day public hearing on Organ Harvest and Transplantation Bill on Wednesday in Lagos. Sokunle explained that the department was to advise the state government on all matters relating to organ harvest, transplantation and preservation. The lawmaker said the department would also formulate and develop state strategies, guidelines and protocols for medical transplant and harvest in the state. He said: “The bill when passed into law will formulate and develop state strategies, guidelines and protocols for medical transplants and harvest in...
Nasarawa governor frees 36 prison inmates, donates N250,000 transport fare
The Nasarawa State Government has released 36 inmates in the state’s correctional centre to reduce overcrowding. The inmates, who are prisoners mostly awaiting trials and convicts, were released by State Governor Abdullahi Sule who visited the correctional facility in Lafia on Wednesday. The Lafia Correctional Centre is one of the six prisons in the state, located along Doma Road, Lafia City and is known to be overstretched presently with mostly awaiting trials inmates. Speaking while presiding over the release of the prisoners, Governor Sule said the move was to mark the June 12 Democracy Day. ‘I am glad to be here. By law, it is the responsibility on the part of leaders to forgive when it is time to forgive because God forgives us. When I looked at the faces of these inmates, I discovere...
Settlers in occupied West Bank agree to evacuate illegal outpost
Israeli settlers who constructed an unapproved outpost near Beita in the occupied West Bank said they have agreed to withdraw from the site. Tensions in the occupied West Bank reached new highs in the past months with the Evyatar settlement being one of the focal points of clashes as settlers refused to evacuate the land and Palestinians demonstrated against their presence. Several Palestinians have been killed and dozens wounded by Israeli forces supporting the illegal settlers. According to a statement on Wednesday by the Samaria Regional Council, a settlers’ organisation, the Israelis are due to leave by Friday following a compromise offered to them by the Israeli government. The Samaria Regional Council also reportedly said the settlement’s structures will not be demolished, but rather...
IPOB’s lawyer reacts to Nnamdi Kanu’s arrest, extradition
The lead counsel to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has said the arrest and arraignment of Nnamdi Kanu earlier Tuesday was without his knowledge. “We have just confirmed through a correspondence from the Federal High Court Abuja about the arrest and the extradition of my Client- Mazi Nnamdi Kanu by the Nigerian State,” Mr Ejiofor said in a statement on Tuesday evening. “He was brought before the Federal High Court No 2 Abuja today on an Eleven count charge, though without our knowledge,” the attorney added. He said regardless of the offences or charge against his client, he is still presumed innocent of the allegation under the law. Mr Kanu, who is being prosecuted on charges of treasonable felony, was re-arrested and returned to Nigeria on Sunday, the A...
Lagos assembly warns local councils against extorting courier, logistics operators
Pool Photo The Lagos House of Assembly on Monday ordered local government councils and local council development areas (LCDAs) in the state to desist from extorting and harrassing operators of courier and logistics services in the state. Mudashiru Obasa, the House speaker, said the local councils do not have the power to tax logistics and courier services. He said the power of the councils was limited to the registration of bicycles as dictated by the Constitution. Mr Obasa said it was important to act against the action of the councils because it affects the ease of doing business in the state. “We have to make them understand that going out to disturb well-planned and organised businesses that stand to create employment for our youth especially with the rate at which students graduate wi...
