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MONDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2017
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IGP: FG amends falsehood charges against Misau
Ade Adesomoju, Abuja
T
hE Federal Government
has amended the charges of
spreading injurious falsehood
preferred against the senator
representing Bauchi Central
Senatorial District, Isah Misau.
Misau was earlier arraigned
before the high Court of the
Federal Capital Territory,
Maitama, Abuja on October
19, on five counts of making
injurious falsehood against the
Inspector-General of Police,
Ibrahim Idris, the Nigerian
Police Force, the Police Service
Commission and its Chairman,
Mike Okiro.
The Office of the Attorney
General of the Federation had
on October 10, 2017 filed the
original five counts marked
FCT/hC/CR/345/2017,
against Misau accusing him
of falsely claiming in print
and on electronic media that
police officers allegedly paid
as much as N2.5m to get
special promotion and posting
through the PSC.
The senator was also
accused of falsely claiming that
the IGP was receiving as much
as N10bn from oil companies,
banks, hotels and individuals
as bribe for police protection.
he was also said to have
falsely accused the IGP of
diverting funds meant for
the purchase of Armoured
Personnel Carriers to purchase
of Sport Utility Vehicles or
other exotic cars.
Misau was also said to
have falsely accused the IGP
of making almost half of the
mobile commanders in the
country the people of his Nupe
extraction.
The offences were said to be
contrary to section 393(1) of the
Penal Code.
But the prosecution
through its newly-hired private
prosecuting counsel, Dr. Alex
Izinyon (SAN), informed the
court on November 28 that
he intended to amend the five
counts instituted against Misau.
Misau’s lawyer, Joshua
Musa, had in response, told the
court that he would oppose the
prosecution’s move to amend
the charges.
But shortly after the day’s
proceedings, the prosecution
filed amended charges
together with a motion seeking
the court’s leave to amend
the charges by adding to the
original five.
There is no striking
difference between the old
and new set of charges.
The prosecution merely
split two of the original five
counts into four to make the
amended seven counts.
The trial judge, Justice
Ishaq Bello, who is the Chief
Judge of the FCT high Court,
had on November 28, fixed
Tuesday for the hearing of the
prosecution’s motion asking
for leave for amendment of
the charges, an application
which the defence had said
they would oppose.
Oyintiloye
bags award
Femi Makinde, Osogbo
T
hE Chairman, Osun
State house of Assembly
Committee on Information,
Mr. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye,
has been adjudged the most
outstanding lawmaker in
Nigeria by the Patriots in
Leadership and Service.
According to a statement
in Osogbo on Sunday by the
lawmaker, the Statistician-
General of the Federation,
Dr. Yemi Kale, reiterated that
Osu n State remained the lowest
in poverty index level at the
ceremony where he (Oyintiloye)
was conferred with the award
in Abuja.
The statistician-general, who
was represented at the ceremony
by a Director in the NBS, Mr.
Isiaka Olanrewaju, said some
people thought that Osun
was not doing well in poverty
reduction but the report on the
analysis and the indicators had
proved otherwise.
he said, “We have compiled
some indicators to rank states
based on their performance
and when some people are
thinking that Osun is not doing
well, those indicators proved
otherwise.
“There is one indicator that
measure incidence of poverty
in Nigeria and on the ranking,
Osun State came last, meaning
that Osun is the first state where
poverty would not have its way.
“When you now talk of Osun
State as the state that is not
doing well, these indicators
proved otherwise. That is again
what has reflected in this award,
meaning that such honour
should be given to those who
actually merit it.”
Governor Rauf Aregbesola,
who was represented at the
ceremony by the Commissioner
for Federal Matters, Idiat
Babalola, said he was impressed
by the honour conferred on
Oyintiloye.
The governor stated that
Oyintiloye, who represents
Obokun State Constituency,
had distinguished himself in
leadership and service to the
people of the state and his
constituents.
• L-R: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Lagos State, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola;
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; and Chairman, Board of Lagos State Office of Disability (LASODA),
Dr. Waheed Oki, at the 2017 celebration of International Day of Persons Living with Disabilities in Lagos... on Sunday.
Photo: Segun Bakare
Buhari attributes insurgency to extremist clerics
Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja
P
RESIDENT Muhammadu
Buhari has lamented that
insurgents were able to attract
members in their fold because
of the insidious preaching of
extremist clerics.
he therefore called for an
action plan to halt the trend.
According to a statement on
Sunday by his Special Adviser on
Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi
Adesina, the President spoke
in Jordan at a security meeting
hosted by King Abdullah II.
Buhari also urged leaders,
especially from the Muslim
world, to speak up against the
hateful violence committed by
deranged people in the name
of Islam.
“All nations, irrespective
of religion should partner
effectively in implementing
national, regional and global
action plans to counter violent
extremism,” the President said.
he also reiterated the
commitment of Nigeria
to playing a leading role in
bringing together countries
of the West African sub-
region in a collective security
arrangement.
Buhari said with what
Nigeria had gone through,
it was ready to share the
experiences with a view to
fashioning out comprehensive
action plans in tackling the
scourge of violent extremism
in the region.
While calling for a stronger
and well-coordinated
collaboration, the President
said the joint regional
collaboration under the
auspices of the Multinational
Joint Task Force, combined
with the efforts of the Nigerian
Armed Forces, had gone a long
way to decimate the activities of
extremists in West Africa.
At the end of the meeting,
participants resolved to come
up with concrete action plans
that would change the narrative
of violent extremism in the
West African sub-region at a
follow-up meeting to be hosted
by Nigeria.
I’m still entitled to $800m compensation, says Kanu
Ade Adesomoju, Abuja
T
hE leader of the proscribed
Indigenous People of
Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has
said that despite being granted
bail by the Federal high Court
in Abuja where he is being
prosecuted alongside others on
charges of treasonable felony,
he is still entitled to the $800m
compensation for his alleged
unlawful arrest and detention
in 2015.
This is contained in his
response to the motion filed by
the Federal Government asking
the Community Court of the
Economic Community of West
African States sitting in Abuja
to dismiss a fundamental human
rights enforcement suit filed by
the IPOB leader.
Kanu had filed the suit on
March 3, 2016 demanding
$800m as compensation from
the Federal Government for his
alleged unlawful arrest in 2015
and detention.
But the Federal Government,
through its lawyer, Mrs.
Maimuna Shiru, filed its motion
on November 13, stating that
Kanu having been granted bail by
the Federal high Court in Abuja
on April 25, 2017, and allegedly
jumped bail, the judgment of
the ECOWAS Court on the suit
would serve no purpose.
But Kanu, through his lawyer,
Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, objected
to the Federal Government’s
motion contending that granting
bail to the IPOB leader was just
a partial satisfaction of prayers
sought in the suit.
he maintained that the
ECOWAS Court had the power
to grant his client the $800m
compensation sought since the
IPOB leader’s rights had been
violated.
Ejiofor stated in his written
address, “We submit therefore
that the court has powers
to order for payment of
compensatory damages when
found that the plaintiff’s right
has been violated.”
3
PDP will
become solid
after convention
–Jonathan
F
ORMER President
Go odluck Jonathan,
has said that the Peoples
Democratic Party will become
solid after its national
convention on December 9.
Jonathan expressed the
optimism in an interview with
newsmen after his visit to
Governor Nyesom Wike of
Rivers State, in Port harcourt,
on Sunday.
he said that he was hopeful
that by Saturday the PDP
would elect its new set of
national officials
The former President
said, “God willing, we will go
through the convention and the
party will become solid. Now,
we have the National Caretaker
Committee and when you are a
caretaker you are not as strong
as an elected chairman.
“You know the party just went
through challenges, luckily we
passed the challenges through
the pronouncement of the
Supreme Court.
“Now we want to formerly
elect the national officials of
the party that will lead us to
the 2019 elections.”
Jonathan said he was not in
Port harcourt for any meeting
but to appreciate the support
Wike gave him during the
burial of his brother- in-law.
A sked of his assessment of
the two-and-half years of Wike
administration, Jonathan
described him as one of the
best governors.
“he is one of the best
governors in terms of
commitment and putting
structures on the ground. I
have always said that for you
to say you are doing well as a
governor you must add value
to whatever you met on the
ground.
“he met certain structures
and he improved on them.
he has build roads and other
infrastructure.
“he even invited me to
inaugurate one of the roads
and bridges during the state’s
anniversary. That is why people
call him Mr. Project.”
Jonathan commended
the good work of the media,
their objective reportage and
sensitisation of the public.
‘ Osun has resolved 5,000 herdsmen, farmers’ clashes’
Femi Makinde, Osogbo
T
hE Commissioner for
Special Duties in Osun
State, Mr. Mudashiru
Oguntola, has said the state has
been able to settle about 5,000
conflicts between herdsmen
and farmers in the state.
Oguntola said the proactive
measures put in place by the
state and the prompt resolution
of the cases was the reason
why there had been no violent
clashes between herdsmen and
farmers in the state.
The commissioner said this
in Osogbo at a press briefing
attended by members of staff
and students of the Armed
Forces Command College, Jaji
Kaduna, who are on study tour
to the state.
The commissioner listed
Iwo, Ila, Imesiile and Esaoke as
some of the towns where these
conflicts between herdsmen
and farmers were recorded. he
added that the clashes between
herdsmen and farmers were
some of the greatest security
challenges currently facing the
nation.
he said, “The committee
set up by state government
on Security and Youth
Empowerment in 2016 has
been able to settle 5,000 cases
between herdsmen and farmers
in the state. That is why Osun
is the most peaceful state
especially when it comes to the
peaceful coexistence between
herdsmen and farmers.
“Also, in reducing the
problem of herdsmen, we have
dug 13 boreholes for herdsmen.
We have representative from
farmers, chairman of Fulani,
market women and men,
chairman of Bororo women
in farming and others who
assist in making peace. We are
using traditional way of conflict
resolution. That is why there is
peace in Osun.”
he explained that most of
the cattle rearers in Osun State
were born in the state and had
stayed long while some of them
had married Yoruba women,
saying there was the need for
all ethnic groups living in the
state to live together in peace.
The commissioner urged
the herdsmen to get land
for rearing their cattle,
while stressing that the state
government would assist them
with necessary amenities in
such areas in order to make
sure that the existing peace in
the state was not truncated.