David Omueya Dafinone.

In a statement by the president-general, Olorogun Moses Taiga, the UPU described Dafinone as a foremost Urhobo son who bestrode the Nigerian professional, business and political spaces at various times for over 50 years.

The union recalled Dafinone’s enormous contributions to the accounting profession, his many businesses, which provided hundreds of jobs, and his political exploits, which peaked when he represented the old Bendel South in the Senate from 1979 to 1983.

It also recalled how he put the Urhobo nation in the Guinness Book of Records as the first family in history to produce the largest number of chartered accountants.

Leader, Yoruba Liberation Command (YOLICOM), Kunle Adesokan(left); Spokesperson, George Akinola; Leader, Bunmi Abisogun and Leader, Samuel Olaniyan at the press briefing on the State of the Nation by Yoruba Liberation Command in lagos yesterday 2/10/2018 PHOTO; SUNDAY AKINLOLU

The group claimed that the Yoruba account for over 25 per cent of Nigeria’s population, adding that at over 50 million, the population is larger than that of many countries.

Its spokesman, George Akinola, told newsmen yesterday that after 58 years of Independence, the country “is shipwrecked” with indications of backwardness.

YOLICOM frowned at President Muhammadu Buhari’s style of leadership, which it said “favours the Hausa/Fulani more than any other ethnic group in the country”, alleging that the development was responsible for the braggadocio of the armed Fulani herdsmen.

Akinola described the country’s democratic process as flawed, adding that elections could no longer guarantee either the freewill of the people or good governance.

He said: “As indicated in the events in Osun and Ekiti states, elections have become a savage stock exchange where the state and politicians institutionalise crime, bribe the electorate with illicit money and ensure that the victor emerges through a totally corrupt and inept system.

Seaport

In a statement issued yesterday titled: “Decongestion or Decentralisation: A Distress Call to the Federal Government of Nigeria From the Dying Seaports in Urhoboland”, the group registered its discontent with the neglect Urhobo people have suffered since the country’s independence, especially in the area of seaports development.

The statement jointly signed by its coordinator, Prof. Hope Eghagha; Secretary, Lexzy Ochebejivwie; and members- Prof. Joseph Abugu, Mideno Bayagbon, Joshua Oweibo and Mrs. Linda Binitie-Cassidy, stressed the need to revive the ports and decentralise operations from Lagos State.  

“Considering the enormous internally generated income, which the ports are likely to rake in for both the government and people of Nigeria and Delta State, we are demanding that our seaports be given the kind of attention the seaports in Lagos are receiving,” it stated.

The group decried the situation in which the Urhobo people of the Niger Delta find themselves, especially due to their law-abiding nature.

“To that extent, we must quickly reiterate that it is time we must stop asking for peace and start asking for justice.

“The enormous economic potentials of seaports cannot not be better explained than through the ugly scenario of shipping and shipping-related activities in and around Apapa– occasioned by delays, unending and nightmarish gridlock to and from Apapa Port.

“No other reason is responsible for this situation than for the singular fact that Lagos seaports—Apapa and Tin Can are the only active seaports in Nigeria—even though the country can boast of even bigger seaport elsewhere in Nigeria.

For example, the Delta State seaports have been either abandoned or taken over by the Navy.”

It lamented that the Nigerian Navy has annexed the Sapele seaport, which was once a beehive of economic activities, insisting that part of it is under-utilised without any consideration of the enormous strength and utilitarian value of the port to the people of the state and its neighbours.

“This situation has not only brought untold hardship on the people who depended on the commercial activities of the port at its inception, but has also deepened the level of unemployment and restiveness in the region.

“The only way we as a people are supposed interact with the Nigerian state is the equitable distribution of our commonwealth, through economics, politics, security and industrialisation of the federating unions,” it stated.

Even the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has urged the Federal Government to develop other ports in the country to reduce the pressure of trailers in Lagos, stressing that a single-port nation stands on a very shaky ground, security-wise.  

The group, therefore, urged the Federal Government to develop the Sapele Port for commercial activities, while the Navy should be restricted to its part of the sea, so as to allow space for commercial activities for which the port was originally established.

It also charged the government to dredge the Warri port and restore its full capacity, utilisation and commercialisation, while shipping activities should be decentralised so that federating unions with capacity for water transportation are provided with equal playing ground for development

“The restoration of our seaports to its glorious days should be treated as a matter of utmost urgency,” the statement added.

• Another flogs step-son to death
The Edo State police command yesterday paraded a 35-year-old man, Moses Friday, for impregnating his teenage daughter, name withheld, a 13-year-old primary school pupil in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area.The suspect, who is a commercial motorcyclist, denied having any sexual intercourse with his daughter, but accused his teenage daughter of sleeping around.

According to him, “she told the police that I am responsible for her pregnancy and I told the police that I am not but they did not believe me. They started beating me and because of that, I admitted that I did it.”The victim, who is now five months and one week old pregnant, however, said her biological father had been having carnal knowledge of her since she was seven-year-old, adding that each time she attempted to scream for help for neighbours to come to her rescue, her father would threaten to kill her with his machete.

“My father used everything to force me to come to the bed and lie with him. I have told my father no several times, but he would threaten to kill me with his cutlass. I am in Primary six and some neighbours saw me and took me to the community leader in our area at Okha, where they asked me what happened to my stomach. I didn’t know what they were saying. They asked me when I last saw my menstrual period. I didn’t understand what they are talking about, until the police told me I am pregnant and asked me who did it. I told them my father sleeps with me at night,” she said.

The suspect, who hails from Cross River State, said he lost his wife, the mother of his three children some years ago and was earlier living in Ologbo town before he was chased by the community youths over his sexual promiscuity. Edo State Commissioner of Police, Johnson Kokumo, while parading 76 suspects allegedly involved in various offences ranging from armed robbery, kidnapping and cultism, said the suspect is notorious for the heinous act, as he has been chased from several communities where he resided owing to complaints about his sexual atrocities. Kokumo said the suspects would soon be charged to court after investigations have been concluded.

Meanwhile, the Edo police command has arrested Mathias Otabor for allegedly flogging his three-year-old stepson, Destiny Meshack, to death. Police said the incident occurred at No. 8, Obanosa Street, off Second East Circular Road, Benin City. The police boss said Mathias flogged his step-son with belt and cable wire until he collapsed and died. He said the body has been deposited at the Central Hospital mortuary.

Among other suspects paraded for armed robbery were Ekpan Emmanuel, 21; Chuks Lateef, 22; Kelvin Airuoyuwa, 19 and Emmanuel Ogheneovo, 21. Those apprehended for cultism according to CP Kokumo included John Emmanuel, Blessing Okhai, Godwin Edet, Blessing Osagie, Lucky Ese, Sunny Victor and Osayuki Iyase. Others were; Alex Isaac, Michael Osagiede, Shamsu Abubakar, Isekhure Nosadeba, Ipea Godfrey, Peter Anyasi, Lucky Ossai and Nwaedozie Iweanya. Some of the suspects confessed to the crimes while others denied. The police boss while assuring members of the public of adequate security of lives and property in the state said the suspects would soon appear in court.

President of Timeless Impact Club (TIC) Lagos, Tunde Lawal, has called on Nigerians to give generously to the less privileged in the society and do more to take kids off the streets and give them hope for the safety of everyone.

“Some of us only give to members of our family but we need to cultivate the attitude of giving to people outside our family. Everybody needs us and our failure to know that increases the number of ‘area boys’ on the streets. They will be off the road if we generously donate because getting them off the roads will also give us the freedom to move freely,” he said.

Speaking after donating mattresses, fans, pillows, among other materials to the Agege Public Healthcare Centre to mark its yearly Impact Day, Lawal said: “We are here for the community service day of the club. The last one took place in Abeokuta where we visited an orphanage home. This year, we decided to come to Agege after we identified the need of the healthcare centre.

“We are a new club, we are just four years in existence but we have contributed to the society. Aside donating materials, we take up cases once we are able to identify individuals that need sponsorship for programmes, education, or skills empowerment.

The vice president of the club and head of Community Service, Michael Osinloye, said: “We decided to go to a remote location, and we felt Agege is one of the locations in Lagos that get the least government attention. Hospitals in Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Surulere and Ikeja get some attention from the government and other humanitarian organisations. Assistant Director, Nursing Service, Public Healthcare Centre, Mrs Abimbola Oguntokun, referred to the donation as a prompt intervention and urged them to come back to do more for the healthcare centre.

The family of the middle-aged man who drowned after jumping into the Lagos lagoon in the early hours of Tuesday yesterday claimed his body from the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU).
   
The man identified as Lekan (surname withheld) passed on despite efforts of paramedics present to resuscitate him. On him were found two identification cards, a national ID card and a membership card of the Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association (NATA). All efforts to reach the association to confirm the late Lekan’s membership met a brick-wall as members reached refused to comment.
   
It was gathered that he jumped into the lagoon after trekking on the Third Mainland Bridge for some time and was initially rescued by some local fishermen before officials of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) arrived at the scene.A source close to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), who pleaded for anonymity, told The Guardian that suicide in the lagoon was now on the increase than ever before. “There is no week that we don’t have a case of someone jumping into the Lagos lagoon, which never get reported.

“We don’t want to make a noise about it because we believe suicide isn’t something to be celebrated or glorified and we also do want to not only give them dignity in death but afford their families and loved ones a degree of privacy. “No family would like to hear their loved one passed away, worse still, in a circumstance like suicide. It would be terrible for us to now start dragging their names and faces in the media. Times are hard but I want to encourage anyone going through a difficult time to reach out for help. Suicide isn’t the option.”
   
Confirming that they were not yet clear on what drove the late Lekan to take his life, he added that investigations were still ongoing. However, a visit by The Guardian to the residence of the deceased at the Aswani area in Isolo met a somber mood. The tenants in the house where he lived haven’t come to terms over his death. They were seen standing in groups and discussing the unfortunate incident.

Members of his family refused to speak but a few neighbours described him as a gentle, peaceful and God-fearing man. In unison, they wondered what would have driven him to take such a drastic step. A resident who pleaded anonymity said spiritual forces might be at work as the deceased didn’t look like someone that wanted to end his life in such manner.
   
This latest incident is coming some months after the controversial case of a woman who was reported to have jumped to her death in the lagoon after abandoning her car on the bridge. Till date, no body has been recovered despite several days of search. Also, last month, a robber who was escaping police chase, jumped into the lagoon with his loot.

The operatives of the Rapid Response Squad were chasing after the ‘one-chance robbers’ on the bridge when one of the suspects jumped into the lagoon with the gang’s loot. Two others were arrested. The robbers abandoned their vehicle and were fleeing on foot when they were arrested.

Tragedy occurred yesterday evening in Akure, the capital city of Ondo State as a petrol tanker carrying 33,000 litres of petrol fell at Shagari Village junction on Akure-Owo expressway, killing four people and a toddler.  

The incident occurred few metres to an NNPC petrol station as the tanker spilled its content on the road and later caught fire, burning no fewer than seven vehicles.The Guardian gathered that a commercial bus and six private cars, as well as many motorcycles, two residential houses and many shops along the road were also affected. 

According to an eyewitness, the victims, whose identities were yet to be identified as at press time, were occupants of the burnt vehicles who were trapped and burnt inside the affected vehicles without rescue. 

“The tanker was on a high speed when a Toyota Corolla car suddenly crossed the road, as the tanker driver was trying to avoid hitting the car, he swerved off his lane and the vehicle fell on the car and caught fire immediately.” 

The eyewitness added that the inferno had started several hours before the men of Ondo State Fire Service arrived the scene to put it out. He added that some men of the state police command and the men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) supported sympathizers to minimize the effects of the incident and casualties.

In the recent discovery, the Bois de Vincennes, a park on the outskirts of eastern Paris, is popular with joggers and boules players during the day but a business spot for Nigerian sex workers when darkness descends.

Over the years, stories of women deceived into giving up their money for a “better life” in Europe but later forced into prostitution, have made news headlines.

In the recent discovery, the Bois de Vincennes, a park on the outskirts of eastern Paris, is popular with joggers and boules players during the day but a business spot for Nigerian sex workers when darkness descends.

The Bois de Vincennes, a sprawling park is home to horse riding schools and a zoo. It has also been partly commandeered by human traffickers.

The park’s central road is yet another point on the map of a massive cross-continental trafficking network that has channeled tens of thousands of Nigerian women and children throughout Europe and as far as Malaysia.

A recent discovery by CNN revealed ‘The Bois de Vincennes’ as another spot in France where many young Nigerian women are forced into prostitution.

In the video, several scantily dressed women believed to be Nigerians are seen littered all over the park, waiting for anyone interested to patronize them.

A Nigerian woman who has since gone into hiding, opened up about her ordeal and how she was lured into slavery all the way from Nigeria.

According to the mother of one, she was forced to sleep with clients by her madam for €20 (N84,000) each. Nadège, one of the trafficked women, who could not give her real name for safety reasons after managing to escape, told CNN how a female Nigerian pimp, simply called ‘Madam’ who she met in Lagos, promised her a better life in Europe, working as a waitress.

“I was told it was like a paradise. But getting here, it was from frying pan to fire,” she said. Nadège, 20, was trafficked from Nigeria to France and forced into sexual slavery at €20 ($23). She and other girls would later have to pay off a huge debt of €50,000 (N20.8 million) and sometimes more, to Madam.

According to Nadège, before leaving Nigeria, the victims were made to take an oath at a “juju” temple never to speak about their deal with madam or the debts they owe her. She said they were made to lie in a coffin while taking the oath, with a threat of death (return to the coffin) if they broke the rules.

Nagede said she travelled from Nigeria to France with a fake passport her madam gave her. She was sent to work in the Bois a week after she arrived.

Her madam gave her a €100 (N41,800) daily target and took away her passport and all her earnings, except money for food and rent.

“Sometimes you work from 6:00p.m. to 6:00a.m. and maybe get home by 8:00a.m.,” she says. She would start work again, elsewhere, from 3:00p.m. until 6:00p.m., then you have to go to your normal place of work.”

Nagede said she cut ties with her madam when she got pregnant a year later and decided to keep her baby. She said after her escape, “I was waiting patiently for the death or the madness. I was like… ‘Should I go over to the street and start working? Should I abort my baby?’”

She has escaped harm as the networks have less of a physical presence in France and with the help of a lawyer, she has been able to gain asylum there.

Nagede is discouraging other young ladies against journeying to Europe in search of greener pastures, saying: “Don’t even think of it. Even now I don’t have hope for myself. My past already destroyed my future,” she said.

In March, CNN published a report of how Nima Elbagir, one of its correspondents, went undercover from Edo State through the Libya desert in order to have a first-hand experience of migrants who risk their lives to Europe through the desert.

Yehudi Pelosi, a lawyer who specializes in asylum law and human trafficking, said that as part of the ceremony the women are often forced to eat a kola nut and a chicken heart, and drink a concoction of gin and blood.

Some of their pubic hair is taken, and their head, breasts and shoulders are often ritually scarred.

Charities working closely with the women say they are petrified of the oath’s power. Nadège was convinced that breaking it meant going mad or dying.

Families suffer, too. Charities say madams pay “cultists” — military-style gangs — to threaten and sometimes kill girls’ relatives back home.

David Omueya Dafinone.

URM described the scion of the Dafinone family of Okpe in Sapele Council of Delta State as a national figure and a man of international stature, integrity and repute.

Coordinator of URM, Prof. Hope Eghagha, and secretary, Lexzy Ochibejivwie, in a statement made available to The Guardian, described the late chartered accountant as one of the few men in the country who could be said to have made their mark and wealth from hard work and profound vision.

“Senator Dafinone lived a good, worthy, prosperous and long life. We therefore use this medium to express our deepest condolences and pray God to comfort the family during this time and beyond.

[FIL EPHOTO] Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

The Guardian investigations revealed that for about two weeks running, hoodlums have been operating in the axis, unleashing attacks on passengers alighting from buses and those heading to their various destinations from as early as 5:00a.m.

Narrating his experience, a driver, Seun Ibukun, said the attackers usually hide in locations not too far away from the road and immediately they see passengers alighting from buses, they rob them of their possessions.

“Immediately they see anybody coming down from the bus, they just appear from nowhere to collect their phones and whatever they have with them.

The hoodlums use to operate with cutlass, which often times they hide in their back. Once they come close to you, they will bring out the cutlass from their back.

“It is no longer safe to walk very early in the morning along the road or to wait for buses right from the Ojota dumpsite to the China Town area and environs.

More disturbing is the fact that the perpetrators often get away with the crime, which they usually perpetrate when police officers in the area are not at their post.”

Recounting his ordeal, a passenger who identified himself as Tope Owoeye, said he escaped death by the whiskers four days ago when he was attacked few metres from the Ojota dumpsite by hoodlums who tried to pushed him down at the elevated portion of the road in an attempt to confiscate his valuables.

Another driver, Ibrahim Salau told The Guardian that the miscreants sometimes pretend as if they are also waiting for bus just to rob people waiting for vehicles.

“Once they see passengers alighting from the opposite direction, they would run as fast as they could to rob the person.

We alerted two of our passengers some days ago to run to safety immediately we saw two young men crossing the road after they alighted from the bus.

It is becoming rampart for young men to waylay early risers in order to rob them of their ATM, phones, purse and bags”, he said.

He advised the Lagos State government to beef up security on the road early in the morning so that those going to their offices would feel safe without losing lives and valuables.

Salau also counseled people to be vigilant while waiting for bus on the highways not to fall victim of the miscreants’ attacks.

Police, have arrested one Emmanuel Nwodu, aged 38, of Fagba, Iju area, who specializes in manufacturing fake beverages and adulterated alcoholic drinks.

The state police spokesman, Chike Oti, who made the disclosure, noted that the suspect was arrested by the police team along Mosalashi market, Sango Agege, with two cartons of alcoholic drinks suspected to be adulterated.

According to Oti, “On interrogation, the suspect confessed that he produces the drinks in his one-room shop at Mosalashi market, Agege.

He later led operatives to the said shop at Mosalashi market where he concocts the drinks.

A search warrant was executed and the following items were recovered: two 30 litres of chemical suspected to be ethanol, two cartons of Elders Aromatic Schnapps suspected to be fake, 51 small bottles of Chelsea dry gin suspected to be fake, 35 pieces of Chelsea cork, five labels of Lords, Chelsea and Elders alcoholic drinks”. 

The suspect was charged to court yesterday. It would be recalled that on April 3, 2018, at Ajuwon market, Mushin, the police also arrested and prosecuted a 55-year-old trader, Benjamin Ojukwu, involved in the production and distribution of fake wine and alcoholic drinks.
 
Also, on April 11, 2018, the Commissioner of Police, CP Edgal Imohimi, led operatives to arrest the owners of an illegal brewery, valued at over N120 million, where fake stout and malt drinks were produced at Igbogbo Bayeku area of Ikorodu. The factory was subsequently closed down by the authorities.

“The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State has directed all Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers and heads of investigating outfits in the state to take the issue of public safety and security seriously by looking out for those behind this type of trade and ensure their arrest and prosecution.

He hinted that the preponderance of kidney diseases and other diseases of the vital organs may not be unconnected with the intake of these adulterated products produced by these unscrupulous individuals,” Oti said.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State police boss has urged Lagosians to always contact the command whenever they notice anything untoward in their environment for prompt action.

Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has just received Vice Preaident, @ProfOsinbajo in Kaduna this morning, for the the National Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) Clinic - Kaduna Edition.

Osinbajo was in the state to launch the state's edition of the scheme.

The vice president, who was accompanied by Governor Nasir El-rufai and other dignitaries, went round the market amid tight security to acknowledge beneficiaries and encourage them to judiciously use the loan.

Speaking at the launch, Osinbajo said when the traders repay the collateral-free loan of N10,000, they qualify for higher sums of N15,000, N20,000, N50,000 and N100,000. He said the loan was meant to empower them to expand their businesses and trade.

In a chat with one the beneficiaries, Mrs. Esther Onne, who was full of praises for the vice president, said the money will go a long way to drive her food stuff market.

She said: “I appreciate our vice president for promoting this initiative.

I have heard about the success of the scheme in other parts of the country but I thought it will be politized but to my surprise it was a very fair process.

I have received the money and I have immediately invested it on my business.”

Jafar Abubakar, a trader in ginger and garlic admitted his initial scepticism about the scheme but had a change of mind when he was registered.

A newly formed professional organisation for the advancement of Isoko nation, Enyaharo Isoko has launched an appeal fund to assist displaced Isoko residents affected by the ravaging floods sweeping through the lower River Niger and parts of Delta State.

Lagos-based filmmaker, Opa Williams, drew the attention of the group to the two Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps at Ozoro and Emede and appealed to Enyaharo Isoko members to rise to the challenge of assisting the flood victims.
 
The campaign started in earnest when the filmmaking duo of Chico Ejiro, and the organisation’s convener and vice president, Kinsley Omoefe, began the fundraising drive that prompted a flurry of support last week.

The funds will be deployed to procure relief materials for the victims so as to make their present condition tolerable.
 
Virtually all the lower part of Isoko, comprising communities in the riverine areas, along the River Niger and Ase Creek, have been submerged under water in a flood that rapidly claimed farmlands and homes and which has rendered thousands homeless and their livelihood, mostly cassava, yams, and plantains lost in the flood.
 
This year’s flood is reminiscent of the flood disaster of 2012 that saw these same communities affected, including Uzere, Araya, Ivrogbo-Irri, Umeh, and Ikpide-Irri. So far, over 5,000 persons have been displaced, with many evacuated from the affected parts.
 
Made up of Isoko skilled professionals in various fields of human endeavours, Enyaharo Isoko has also made an urgent appeal to all well-meaning Isoko philanthropists to come to the aid of the flood victims to help ameliorate their suffering.

The organisation also appealed to politicians and the two council chairmen of Isoko North and South council areas to do all they could to rehabilitate the victims until the flood subsides.

Buhari and other APC members at a Oyetola's victory rally

Crisis started when the party held parallel governorship primary election, which produced two candidates for the 2019 election.

Adekunle Akinlade from Ogun West senatorial district and Dapo Abiodun from Ogun East senatorial district emerged from the parallel polls.

Ogun West district, peopled by Yewa indigenes, have never produced a governor in the state.

The elders who spoke under the aegis of Ogun West Elders Council (OWEC) in Abeokuta yesterday insisted that it was only fair that the senatorial district produces the governor in 2019.

They insisted that since the creation of the state 42 years ago, they have been ‘robbed’ of every opportunity of occupying the governorship seat in the state.

Chairman of the Council, Chief Ajibola Olagbayi told journalists that “the primary election that produced Akinlade) was free, fair and credible, as we followed all guidelines of the electoral process. So, there is no reason why another primary should be held.”

Olagbayi accused the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), which is responsible for supervising the election of having compromised the process by imposing a particular governorship candidate on the party.

Court

Oba Adedeji was dragged before the court over a chieftaincy title of the Olokeogboran but failed to appear before the court when the case was mentioned.

The court presided over by Justice D. I. Kolawole had earlier in his ruling on July 12, 2017 ordered Oba Adedeji to install one Chief Emmanuel Adekunle Alabi as the Olokeogboran after his selection by the quarter’s screening committee.

The monarch, however, refused to obey the order of the court and the counsel to the king, Mallam Ashiru Ganiyu, argued to justify the action of the monarch but was overruled by the judge. The counsel to Olokeogboran, Tunji Osho, prayed the court to commit the monarch to prison for disobeying court order.

While delivering his judgment, Justice Kolawole ruled that Oba Adedeji should be remanded in prison custody for 14 days for contempt of court.

He also ordered the Commissioner of Police, Gbenga Adeyanju, to immediately arrest the monarch and hand him over to the state prison officials.

Borno State governor Kashim Shettima PHOTO: TWITTER/GOVERNOR BORNO

Shettima scored 2, 735 votes to defeat Ali Wurge who polled five votes at the just concluded primary elections held at the El-Kaneni Sports Centre, Maiduguri.

Declaring the results yesterday, Chairman of the Election Committee, Ahmad El-Marzuk, said the governor fulfilled the party’s conditions to contest the senatorial polls.

In his acceptance speech, Shettima said: “With my emergence as the senatorial candidate of APC for Borno Central senatorial district, I will do my best at the polls.”

Also, Senator Mohammed Abba Aji has won the Borno Central senatorial ticket by scoring 597 votes at primary election to contest the 2019 election on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s platform.

He defeated Grema Terab and Bukar Kachallah, who polled 242 and four votes respectively.

Chairman of PDP Election Committee, Dr. Andy Aghadi, who declared the election result yesterday in Maiduguri, said having scored the highest number of votes, Abba Aji has been declared winner.

In his acceptance speech, he thanked the security personnel for conducting a peaceful and coordinated election without any hitches.

Abuja. Photo credit: Answers Africa

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Abubakar Bwari, who visited Mpape yesterday, said a flowing substance like magma was oozing out of the locality on account of preliminary observations.

“We have condoned off the area so that sample would not be tampered with. We (have) also put equipment in place to unravel the mystery behind the earth tremors in the city centre,” he said.

An Abuja High Court has foreclosed a Police Officer, Oluremi Adefemi Adeoye, from cross-examining one Mike Ile, who slammed a N100 million defamation case against him.

The decision to foreclose the defendant from cross-examining the plaintiff followed the continuous absence of the defendant and his counsel in the court for the matter.

Mike Ile had dragged the Police Officer, currently in Ethiopia on a peace-keeping mission, to the court over publications of defamatory statements against him on the facebook timeline of the Officer.

In the suit filed last year by his counsel, Baba Isa, the plaintiff is claiming the sum of N100 million as “general damages for defamation and malicious falsehood published by the defendant on his Facebook timeline on the 18th and 19th October 2017.”

The plaintiff is also asking the court to restrain the defendant; by himself, his agents or servants from any alleged publication of a defamatory nature” against him.

He also seeks an order of the court, "directing the defendant to retract the defamatory publications and malicious falsehood within 48 hours of delivery of judgment in the case and publication of an apology on his Facebook timeline and other mainstream media channels in a form approved by counsel to the plaintiff."

The defendant had, in the Facebook post, accused the plaintiff of allegedly defrauding people under the guise of charity and that he (Mike Ile) had duped two women of the sum of N11 million.

The said post also accused the plaintiff of collecting N800, 000 from a sick woman on a hospital bed.

The plaintiff said that the defendant is a policeman popularly known as Remi Adeoye II on Facebook. He claimed the defendant also boasted in October 2018, that he was ready to meet Mike Ile in court, ending his boast with “lets go there”.

Ile said exactly one year after the defendant’s injurious post against him which he claimed was out of “meticulous investigations,” from his base in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, that Mr Adeoye has failed to turn up in court as necessary.

According to Ile, “His lawyer has come up with several laughable excuses in attempts to prolong the case and evade possible justice. It is even more worrisome that a man who claimed to have more than enough evidence of fraud in 2017, has been unable to file a single word in court for all of twelve months. Dramatically, he has blocked almost everybody who called him out for his lack of professionalism and fairness on the matter. He has built a draconian reputation as Nigeria's “Commissioner of Facebook Police Force.”

Mr. Ile also said that just last week, that the defendant boasted on a Facebook thread that he (Ile) was the one stalling the court case as he was ready to cross-examine Mike but that the plaintiff was not available for cross-examination.

At the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, the attention of the court was drawn to a letter by counsel to the defendant seeking for an adjournment as he will not be in court, on the ground of ill-health.

Worried by the two-time absence of the defendant's counsel for the proceedings in the matter to go on, the trial Judge, Justice Jude Okeke, in a short ruling, agreed with the submissions of the plaintiff's counsel that the defendant is foreclosed from cross-examining the plaintiff.

In the words of the Judge, "I have listened to the submissions of counsel to the plaintiff, records of the court showed that, on 10th May 2018 the matter was adjourned to 18th June 2018 for cross-examination of PW1, 18th June turned out to be public holiday and the case was adjourned, off record till today for the same purpose.

"The attention of the court has been drawn to a letter dated 25th September, 2018, sent to the defendant's solicitors on the same date by the claimant's solicitors reminding them to attend court today.

According to the plaintiff, "The letter was assumed on the face of it received by the defendant's solicitor and today, neither the defendant nor the defendant's solicitors are present in court, while the claimant himself was present.

"The defendant has sent to the court a letter dated 2nd October, 2018 seeking for an adjournment for the reason that Mr Uko Akpanuke, one of the counsel in the case is involved in a matter outside the jurisdiction of this court and that Mr. Nichola Udeh, the counsel who authored the letter is indisposed health-wise.

"It was not slated in the letter for the benefit and guidance of the court, the name and particulars of the matter that Mr. Akpanuke has gone to handle outside the court’s jurisdiction.

"Besides, Mr Udeh, who authored the letter stated that he is indisposed health-wise.”

However, following the letter of reminder sent to the defendant's solicitors against today's (October 4) sitting, the court held that the defendant has not made out a case to warrant an adjournment.

However, Justice Okeke, after hearing the complaints, held that "The application is therefore refused , the defendant, having been availed of opportunities on March 21, 2018, May 10 and today to cross-examine PW1, who is available in court and ready for that, but the opportunities were not used, the application to foreclose the defendant from cross-examining PW1 is hereby granted, the defendant 's right to cross-examine PW1 is hereby foreclosed," held.

Further hearing in the matter was slated for November 5, 2018.

Nigeria Police Force has summoned Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Senator Dino Melaye and Senator Ben bruce for leading protest to the headquarter of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.

The three lawmakers alongside other leaders of the People's Democratic Party on Friday led a protest demanding the cancellation of the just concluded Osun State governorship election.

During the protest, PDP leaders were allegedly harassed and teargassed by security operatives of the Nigerian government.

“I have just been teargassed by the Police at INEC office. Gunshots have been fired. This was still a peaceful protest. How can I be treated like this in a country I have fought for and invested in? This is madness, I came with words they answered with bullets,” Murray-Bruce said.

“We will peacefully struggle to get his stolen mandate restored to him.”

Melaye also posted pictures of himself and a Police officer in a tussle whom he said physically molested him during the protest.

“Evidence of the attack on me by the police. I was molested physically and teargassed. We demand Justice.”

But following this accusation by the PDP leaders, the police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood alleged they disrupted public peace and public safety, and forcefully entered the Force Headquarters to damage and destroy Police equipment and Government properties

"Senator Bukola Saraki, Senator Dino Melaye and Senator Ben Bruce who were captured on camera to have been involved in the disturbance of public peace and public safety, unlawful blockade of Shehu Shagari way for several hours preventing motorists, road users and other members of the public from having access and passage on the highway," Moshood said.

"The Inspector General of Police has directed an immediate investigation into this unprovoked and unwarranted attack on the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and the Force Headquarters premises which is against the law and condemnable," he added.

The police spokesman, therefore, ordered the PDP leaders to report themselves to the IGP Monitoring Unit at the Force Headquarters on Monday, 8th October 2018 for investigation.

Nigeria's Institute of Chartered Arbitrators

Nigeria's Institute of Chartered Arbitrators has described arbitration process as a viable and potent option for settlement of commercial and investment disputes.

Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos, to announce its 2018 annual conference slated for 24 and 25 October 2018, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), of the institute, Shola Osodi-John explained that the conference will focus on promoting opportunities for business owners, legal practitioners and other
professionals.

The Chairman of the 2018 Annual Conference Planning Committee, Victor Ihekweuazu, said the conference will create opportunity for young persons both at the student and young professionals cadre to engage and embrace arbitration and ADR.