Siege on Dasuki’s home: AGF‎ yet to assume office, SGF tells Court

ABUJA -‎The Solicitor-General of the Federation, SGF, Mr. Taiwo Abidogun, yesterday, told the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court that the new Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, is yet to assume office.
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‎Consequently, the SGF, yesterday, persuaded Justice Ademola Adeniyi to extend the summon he issued for the AGF to appear in court to ‎explain why the former ‎National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), has remained under house arrest despite a valid court order, till next week Monday.

Former national security adviser of ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Sambo Dasuki (R), speaks with his lawyer Ahmed Raji, during his trial at the federal high court in Abuja, on September 1, 2015. Nigerian prosecutors on September 1, 2015 slapped a charge of unlawful possession of arms against Dasuki. Dasuki was arraigned on a “one-count charge of being in possession of firearms without licence,” Prosecutor Mohammed Diri told the federal high court in Abuja. AFP PHOTO

Malami, SAN, was among the 36 Ministers that were inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari last week Wednesday.

Justice Adeniyi had in a ruling on Friday, held that he must appear in court to explain ‎why ‎an order the court made on November 3, which permitted Dasuki to travel abroad for medical treatment, was violated at the behest of the federal government.

‎The court summon followed ‎complaint by Dasuki’s lawyers, led by Mr. Joseph Daudu, SAN, that armed operatives of the Department of State Service, DSS, had since November 4, barred their client from stepping out of his house.
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‎Daudu told the court that the operatives have continued to lay siege at Dasuki’s residence at No 13 John Kadiya Street, Asokoro District, Abuja‎, a development he said made it impossible for him to travel to the United Kingdom to take care of his budding cancer.

A senior government lawyer that appeared before the court at the last adjourned date, ‎Mr. Shuaibu Labaran, had maintained that the former NSA ‎, who is facing a five-count ‎criminal charge, is also ‎being investigated over his alleged complicity in a fresh money laundering scandal.
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‎Dissatisfied with the reason behind the siege on Dasuki’s home, Justice Adeniyi, while accusing the DSS of acting in total disrespect to a valid court order, ordered the AGF to appear before him.‎

Breaking: 17 GTB Staff Members Found with Fake NYSC Ccertificates

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has discovered 17 staff members of the Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) with fake NYSC exemption certificates.

Four of the suspects were handed over to the police by the corps for onward prosecution while others are to be arrested for prosecution.

Speaking with newsmen at the handing over in Abuja, the NYSC Director of Certification, Alhaji Hudu Aliyu Taura, said the arrest was made possible through the cooperation of their employers, who alerted the scheme for verification of their certificates.

Policeman Commits Suicide For Missing Assessment Exam

LAGOS—There was pandemonium, yesterday, at the Police Training School, Ikeja, Lagos, following the discovery of the lifeless body of Corporal Agi Elias inside his car.

It was gathered that the policeman, attached to Safer High Way Patrol, reportedly committed suicide at about 8p.m, Monday, after he missed an assessment exam held at the training school.
Empty cans of pesticide and some tablets, suspected to have been taken by the deceased, were reportedly found inside the car.

Vanguard learned that Elias, who was part of the policemen undergoing a promotional course that ended Monday, was trapped in traffic on his way from Badagry.

He got to the school, only to discover that the assessment exam conducted by a Commissioner of Police was over. Report said passionate pleas to the examiners fell on deaf ears.

The distraught corporal, as gathered called his wife on phone and informed her not to expect him back home again. He was also said to have told her to come and pick his corpse at the training college.
When Vanguard arrived the scene yesterday morning, Elias’ widow, family members, friends and colleagues were seen weeping profusely.
Colleagues’ stories

According to one of his course mates identified simply as Sanni, “we have been here together since Friday on a training course. Yesterday, Elias was coming from his division in Badagry when he got trapped in traffic, which resulted in his missing the assessment exams.

“He begged the officer in charge to help him but they told him it was late and there was nothing they could do because it was the Commissioner of Police, CP Fatia Owoseni, that conducted the assessment exam.”

Another policeman, who spoke to Vanguard on the condition of anonymity, said: “Even if he missed the assessment exams, that is not enough reason for him to take his life. His death is not ordinary.
“Elias was comfortable. He had two cars: an SUV and the Passsat in which he died and two houses in different parts of Lagos. He did not even think of his family, his wife and two children.”

His corpse has been deposited in the morgue at Lagos State Teaching Hospital.

I thought he was
relaxing—VENDOR

A newspaper vendor, Bekky Onabanjo, who claimed to have seen the deceased park his vehicle Monday night, said: “One of his legs was outside while the other was inside the car. He was there till we closed for the day at about 7p.m. I thought he was relaxing.
“It was this morning (yesterday) that we found his lifeless body already stiff inside his vehicle. There was also an empty can of a pesticide inside the car, suggesting he could have committed suicide.”

Police statement

Confirming the incident, the command’s spokesman, Mr. Joe Offor, said: “A policeman was found dead in his car with number plates 489 AY, parked at the entrance gate of High Barracks, Ikeja today (yesterday) at about 7.30a.m.”
Source:Vanguardngr

Fashola, Others Arrive As Ministers-Designate Get Portfolios

After five months without ministers, President Muhammadu Buhari will today inaugurate 36 ministers-designate that were recently screened and cleared by the Senate.

The 36 ministers-designate are expected to be given their portfolios today and they will all be sworn in at the same time.

Governor Wike Sacks Rivers Revenue Chairman

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state has sacked Onene Oshila-Obele Oshoko, the chairman of the Rivers State Internal Revenue Board.

According to Daily Post, there was no reason given for the sacking of the revenue boss.

Pro-biafra Protest Moves To Rivers

Ongoing Pro-Biafra protest against the arrest of Director of London-based Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, by the Federal Government on Tuesday, spread to Rivers, paralysing socio-economic activities in Port Harcourt.

Confirming this to newsmen in Port Harcourt, Spokesman of the Police Command in the state, Mr Ahmad Muhammad, said that the protesters came into the state from Aba on Monday night.

According to him, they spent the night at Oyigbo and commenced the protest from there before moving into Port Harcourt.
The Biafra movement demonstration began early last week in parts of the South-East and spread to Asaba, Delta, on Friday, where no fewer than 20 of the demonstrators were arrested by the police.

In Rivers, the protesters, some riding on motorcycles and flying Biafra flags, marched through Aba Road into Port Harcourt city but where intercepted by the police with a barricade between Rumukrushi and 1st Artillery junction.

At that point, the scene became rowdy and the police used teargas in effort to disperse the protesters. In the stampede that ensued, some of the protesters fell down as they scampered for the safety.

But, some of them, who later converged on a spot in the area, claimed that the people that fell down were shot with live ammunition by the police. One of the protesters, Samuel Elijah, 25, explained that the reason for the demonstration was to make the Federal Government to release Kanu.

Some residents of Aba Road, who were forced to shut their homes and businesses, decried the development, saying it was ill-timed and unnecessary. They also said that the protesters ought to have complied with the procedure for protests to avoid clash with security agents.
On the alleged use of live ammunition on the protesters, the police spokesman declined comment and did not also confirm if arrests had been made
Source: Vanguardngr

7,436 Nigerians crossed European borders illegally in 2015, says EU

Abuja – The European Union on Monday said 7,436 Nigerians crossed into Europe from Nigeria illegally in the second quarter of 2015.

Mr Richard Young, EU Deputy Head of Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, made this known on the side line of a news briefing on migration in Abuja.

Young explained that the figure was the number of irregular migrants that were officially recorded by the EU Border Agency, Frontex.

He said that out of the 7,436 immigrants, 7,124 illegally crossed through the sea borders into Europe during the period.

He said the agency recorded a total of 170,155 migrants that illegally crossed the borders into Europe from various countries in the period.

“In this situation, they are referred to as irregular immigrants in the sense that they crossed the border illegally but may have a right of asylum.

“After all investigations are done and it is found that they do not have the right of asylum, then they are referred to as illegal immigrants,’’ he explained.

The envoy disclosed that EU had earmarked 1.8 billion pounds to set up an emergency trust fund for stability and addressing root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in Africa.

According to him, the fund is set up to address the crises in the regions of the Sahel and Lake Chad, the Horn of Africa and North Africa.

In an earlier address with newsmen, a senior EU official said the fund made available by member states was aimed at fostering stability and contributing to better migration management in Africa.

The official, who spoke under condition of anonymity, said that the forthcoming 2015 Valletta Summit on Migration would bring EU and African countries together to enhance partnership and find common solutions to illegal migration.

He said that the meeting would build on existing frameworks of cooperation to address the root causes of migration, establish and organise legal migration channels.

He said that the meeting would also focus on ways to enhance the protection of migrants and asylum seekers as well as tackle exploitation and trafficking of migrants.

The official added that the meeting would also improve on policies on the return and re-admission of illegal migrants.

He also confirmed attendance of the 34 African countries invited to participate in the summit.

“We have invited African countries we have agreements with on migration; half of them would be represented at the levels of Heads of State and Government while the others would be represented at the ministerial levels.

“Out of 28 EU member states, 22 will be represented at the Heads of States and Governments,” he said.

He added that the African Union, ECOWAS and other regional economic communities across Africa would also be represented at the summit.

The official reiterated the commitment of EU to assisting African countries in building stronger migration policies and addressing root causes to migration.

Source : Vanguardngr

Crisis, as Dogara ushers in 96 House committees

Dogara has declared war against Buhari, party, says Pro-Gbajabiamila group

ABUJA — The 96 new standing committees of the House of Representatives were yesterday inaugurated at a session boycotted by the House leader, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila.

Dasuki drags FG to court, says his life is in danger

ABUJA —Former National Security Adviser, NSA, under President Goodluck Jonathan, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), yesterday, dragged the Federal Government before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, insisting that his life is in danger.

Former national security adviser of ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Sambo Dasuki (R), speaks with his lawyer Ahmed Raji, during his trial at the federal high court in Abuja, on September 1, 2015.  Nigerian prosecutors on September 1, 2015 slapped a charge of unlawful possession of arms against Dasuki. Dasuki was arraigned on a "one-count charge of being in possession of firearms without licence," Prosecutor Mohammed Diri told the federal high court in Abuja.  AFP PHOTO

Former national security adviser of ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Sambo Dasuki

Dasuki, who approached the court through his legal team led by Mr. Ahmed Raji, SAN, said he has been kept under house arrest by armed operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, since November 3.

He lamented that the DSS operatives laid siege to his house and prevented him from travelling abroad for medical treatment despite a subsisting court order that permitted him to go and take care of his budding cancer and return to the country within three weeks to continue his trial.

Dasuki, in a fundamental right enforcement application he filed against the Federal Government, yesterday, pleaded the high court to uphold his rights to dignity and security of life.

He further prayed the court  to issue a mandatory order compelling the Federal Government and its agents, especially the operatives of the DSS, to vacate his house located at 13, John Kadija Street, Asokoro with immediate effect.

His application was predicated on sections 36(5) 37 and 41 of the 1999 constitution, as amended, as well as on sections 1(1) and (2) and 266 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.

The former NSA equally sought an order of the court extending the leave that was initially granted to him by Justice Ademola Adeniyi on November 3.

Justice Adeniyi had in his ruling, okayed Dasuki for three weeks medical leave abroad owing to his “deteriorating health condition”.

Meantime, decrying that security operatives refused him from enforcing the order of Justice Adeniyi, Dasuki, yesterday, urged the court to stop the siege to his house and order the Federal Government to allow him to seek proper medical attention abroad as he was earlier permitted to do by the court.

His application was premised on five grounds, among which included the fact that the action of the DSS runs contrary to  a valid order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

Electoral offenders must be punished – Buhari

ABUJA—President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, called for punitive measures against perpetrators of electoral malpractices, saying it was not enough to cancel polls and order fresh ones.