The  Islamic State of West Africa Province on Wednesday attacked Bambula community in the Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State and reportedly abducted the head of the Civilian Joint Task Force in the community, Mohammed Abba, and others. The attack came barely a week after the terrorists attacked Kwallangulum in Chibok, setting many houses on fire. 

Abba had reportedly had been the insurgents’ target since he refused to get compromised.

“The insurgents came in through Ajigum Talala, a part of the forest where ISWAP has a strong unit,” a resident reported. “They headed straight to Abba and took him. They have been warning him before, but Abba refused to cooperate with them. They abducted many others who couldn’t run. They also burnt down  property including a vehicle belonging to the community head.”

The spokesman for  Kibaku Community Development Association, Dr Allen Manasseh,  said  the Ajigum Talala community where the insurgents reportedly came from had been under Boko Haram occupation for a long time and had not been liberated despite claims by the military that the insurgents were no longer there.

READ ALSO SOLDIER KILLS SELF, FOUR OTHERS IN SHOCK ATTACK

He said the war against insurgency was far from being won.  “Talala, where the Boko Haram launched the attack from, was never liberated. It has been under the control of Boko Haram from day one. We have been punching the lies by the military that there is no place under Boko Haram occupation.

“When did they open the Damboa-Maiduguri Road? Was it not recently when (Borno State) Governor Babagana Zulum complained? So, why close federal roads if there were no communities under Boko Haram? Then, why are people still in IDPs camps if there are no communities under Boko Haram?

“Even, President Buhari knows that the military are lying and all the service chiefs know that they are lying. From where are the insurgents coming to attack Chibok villages?

“How many times have they attacked Kwallangulum? Three times since December. So, even if they are not occupying any territory, why are they still carrying out attacks unchallenged? These are the questions we want the media to keep hammering.”

Consequently, yesterday, at the opening of the 10th National Security Seminar organized by the Alumni Association of the National Defence College, AANDEC, in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, and NDC in Abuja, President Buhari charged the Nigerian military to be merciless against  ISWAP. 

President Buhari, represented by the Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, said new threats in the areas of insurgency and terrorism had emerged due mainly to the defeat of ISIS. He stated that the security agencies had been given a renewed mandate to deal mercilessly with all forms of criminality such as terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.

CHIBOK UNDER ATTACK AGAIN AS INSURGENTS ABDUCT CIVILIAN JTF LEADER, OTHERS

It was an atmosphere of mourning yesterday at the Nigerian Army Brigade, Malam Fatori, Borno State, where a Nigerian Army corporal currently fighting the Boko Haram insurgency  reportedly turned his gun at seven of his colleagues and later shot himself. Four of those shot, including the corporal, have been confirmed dead, while the rest are in critical condition. 

The acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col Sagir Musa,  said  the shock incident took place at the Army Super Camp 15, located in  Malam Fatori, Borno State, in the early hours of Wednesday.

The soldier was reportedly going through depression as a result of family issues; after he received information that someone had been sleeping with his wife while he was away on an operation.

According to a soldier, “Soldiers in this particular location spend almost one year before being given a pass to visit their families. Even with the directive from the Theatre Command that soldiers should be allowed to go on pass every three months, the Battalion Commander has refused to comply with such directives. How do you leave a soldier in the war front for 9-12 months without him seeing his family?

READ ALSO FG NOT COMMITTED TO PROTECTING LIVES- CATHOLIC BISHOPS

“Some soldiers’ children don’t even know their fathers. Many homes have been shattered, broken. The camp now is in great commotion. When will soldiers’ lives and welfare of families be valued?”

According to Col. Sagir Musa, “Efforts are ongoing to contact the families of our gallant colleagues who paid the supreme price in the line of duty. May their gentle souls rest in peace.

“Meanwhile, an investigation into the case has since been instituted to determine the circumstances that led to the unfortunate incident.”

Sources attributed the action of the Corporal to either depression or poor visibility, as the terrain where the incident occurred was poor in the early hours of the day.

SOLDIER KILLS SELF, FOUR OTHERS IN SHOCK ATTACK 

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria has accused the Federal Government of being unwilling to end the spate of killings by the Boko Haram insurgents and herdsmen in the country.

In a statement released by their President, Augustine Akubeze, and Secretary, Camillus Umoh, the Catholic Bishops said the failure of the government to arrest the criminals showed its lack of  commitment to protecting lives and property in  the country.

The CBCN issued the statement on Ash Wednesday, which marked the beginning of the 40-day Lenten period. The body claimed Nigeria needs foreign assistance, and appealed to the international community to come to the aid of the Nigerian government in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency and Fulani terrorists. 

“We appeal to the international community to come to the aid of the Nigerian government in the fight against these daredevil terrorists, who want to graze our country. The consequences, should they succeed, will be grave not only for the West African sub-region but also for Africa as a whole.”

“The level of insecurity in Nigeria today is such that whether at home or on the road, most Nigerians, in all the parts of the country, live in fear. The repeated barbaric execution of Christians by the Boko Haram insurgents and the incessant cases of kidnapping for ransom linked to the same group and other terrorists have traumatised many citizens.

“That the perpetrators of these heinous crimes make public shows of them on social media and Nigerians, do not hear of any arrest or prosecution of the criminals raise grave questions about the ability and willingness of the government to protect the lives of the ordinary Nigerians. To make matters worse, many communities are constantly threatened, harassed and sometimes even sacked by herdsmen, as they seek to take over more territories to graze their cattle forcefully.”

The Catholic bishops directed the faithful to be dressed in black on Wednesday to honour those who died as a result of violence, and offer prayers and penance for the repose of the souls of the victims.

The CBCN further said, “As we begin the Holy Season, we, the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria, invite all Catholics in Nigeria as well as other Christians and persons of goodwill to unite in prayer and penance for peace and security in our country.”

In a piece of advise to Christians, it  stated, “This is not a time for compromises for the sake of personal convenience, but rather for heroism in Christian virtues. Remember the words of our Lord: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both the soul and body in Gehenna, (Matthew 10: 28).”

“We, therefore, appeal to the government to immediately put a stop to this unprecedented wave of violence and brutality aimed particularly at Christians. We also call for the arrest and prosecution of all those behind these senseless killings that sow the dangerous seeds of hate and distrust among the various segments of the Nigerian society.”

According to the bishops, it is the moral responsibility of all arms of government to protect Nigerians. Without security, there would be no peace and without peace, there would be no development.

FG NOT COMMITTED TO PROTECTING LIVES- CATHOLIC BISHOPS 

At least 25 children and six pregnant women have been rescued by police in Rivers State from a baby factory in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

According to the spokesman of the state police command, Nnamdi Omoni, the  occurrence followed the offensive launched by the command’s E-Crack Team against the baby trafficking syndicate operating at Oyigbo and Trans Amadi in the Port Harcourt metropolis on Tuesday.

In his words, “Following intelligence reports, our men discovered a baby factory and rescued 25 children and six pregnant women with some other suspects believed to be owners of the place. They are presently at Mile 1 Police Station.”

The police has since commenced moves to track down the other members of the gang.

POLICE RESCUE 25 CHILDREN, PREGNANT WOMEN IN RIVERS BABY FACTORY 

Former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisah Metuh, and his firm, Destra Investments Limited, have been sentenced to seven years in prison after he was found guilty of count one, two and three of the seven-count charge levelled against them by the Federal Government.

Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, convicted the two defendants yesterday. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had preferred the charge against Metuh and his company for alleged money laundering to the tune of N400 million.

Ruling on the first count charge, Justice Abang held that the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, unlawfully transferred the N400 million to the defendants in November 2014.

The judge maintained that Metuh and his firm reasonably ought to have known that the N400 million paid to them formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity of the former NSA since they had no form of contractual relationship with him. According to the judge, Dasuki transferred the money to the defendants in breach of public trust.

READ ALSO SAGAMU CRISIS: IG DISBANDS ZONAL SARS

The judge said: “The issue is whether or not the first defendant has actual knowledge or constructive knowledge or no knowledge at all of the inflow of N400 million from ONSA to the second defendant. If Metuh knows of the inflow of the N400m into the account of the second defendant controlled by him without any contract, then he should have been conscious of receiving such fund.

“And upon being told of the inflow of N400 million by Prosecution Witness 4, why did he fail to confront the bank for not alerting him? And I agree that the first defendant turned a blind eye to receiving the fund.

The prosecution, led by Mr Sylvanus Tahir, successfully proved that the transaction violated Section 1 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012, which pegs the maximum cash transaction an individual can undertake outside a financial institution at N5m.

On count two of the charges, Justice Abang held that the prosecution had advanced evidence that the first defendant had used the said amount for a PDP campaign.

"This is a serious issue that concerns the credibility of the first defendant where he destroyed a confessional statement he made that the 400 million he received from ONSA was to fund the political campaign of the PDP,” the judge held. He also agreed with the counsel to the prosecution that the money was disbursed for the campaign of the PDP.

“My lords, the first defendant, in respect to him, is not a witness of truth. He has not offered any valid explanation in the transfer of N50 million in favour of the joint account of Kanayo Olisa Metuh which him and his wife operated. It is clear that the defendant converted the fund for political activities and personal use,” the judge insisted. With this, he found both the first and second defendants guilty and convicted them for count two.

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The court ruled that  the ex-PDP spokesperson would only spend in prison the highest number of years of jail terms imposed by the court, which is seven years. Justice Abang ordered Metuh to refund N375m to the Federal Government, as the N25m which would have made it the complete N400m had already been voluntarily refunded by Abba Dabo. Dabo, who testified as a prosecution witness, had said he received N25m from Metuh but had to voluntarily refund it to government after he realised that it came from funds linked to the “botched arms purchase deal”.

Meanwhile, members of the Coalition of Public Interest Lawyers and Advocates (COPA) have accused President Muhammadu Buhari of failing to demonstrate a genuine commitment to prosecuting the ongoing war against corrupt practices in the country.

The group’s convener, Mr. Pelumi Olajengbesi, who briefed reporters in Abuja alleged that President Buhari had deliberately refused to purge his own cabinet and administration of corrupt individuals who enjoy protection by virtue of offices they hold through him.

The group referred to a minister who allegedly has a huge unresolved corruption case hanging over his head to buttress its claim.

Applauding the conviction of Metuh, the group enjoined the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to ensure the immediate prosecution of other corrupt persons in President Buhari’s government with the same vigour it deployed in ensuring Metuh’s conviction.

“It is quite embarrassing and indeed disappointing that a president who came into office bearing the toga of integrity would surround himself with individuals who have questionable antecedents and impeachable character.

“We have the case of a minister who has an indecent record and has been charged to court and the administration influenced the withdrawal of the matter through the then Inspector General of Police. EFCC took over the matter but unfortunately before investigating the matter, this man was decorated with a ministerial appointment.

“What we are saying is this, let this administration address this matter to ensure that there is justice in the real sense of it. So if this administration must fight corruption, it must purify itself by purging itself of all individuals who have corruption record. They must be investigated.”

Shortly before passing the sentences on Tuesday, the judge said the facts presented in the case showed that Nigeria needed a rebirth. He said, “Public funds being dissipated by those connected to those in public office and public officers themselves is an evidence of how corruption has eaten deep into the fabric of Nigeria.

“The situation requires a quick diagnostic steps – a drastic situation requires a drastic action – for the attainment of a social engineering in our society, and by so doing, the future of the next generation can be assured. We indeed need a national rebirth.”

Metuh Bags Seven Years in Prison for Money Laundering

Following the death of a player of Remo Stars Football Club, Kazeem Tiamiyu who was allegedly arrested and killed by police operatives at Sagamu on Saturday, the Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, has announced the disbandment of the Zonal Intervention Squad, Obada-Oko, Ogun State. The late footballer was  allegedly pushed out of the police vehicle and crushed to death by an oncoming vehicle on the Abeokuta-Sagamu Expressway.

The death of the footballer led to violent protests in Sagamu, and resulted in the death of several protesters as policemen deployed to control the protesters shot and killed some. 

The Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Criminal Investigations Department, Force Headquarters, Peter Ogunyonwo, who had been ordered by the IG to take over the case, announced the disbandment during a condolence visit to the parents of the deceased on behalf of the IG. He explained that the ZIS operatives were on an illegal duty and did not obtain clearance from the police formation at Sagamu before arresting the deceased. According to the him, a police inspector indicted in the case had also been dismissed, while other officers were under investigation.

He noted that the death of Tiamiyu would prompt the police to carry out more reforms and pledged that full Investigation would be carried out. He promised that the police would do everything possible to purge itself of “trigger-happy elements”.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has vowed to defend Nigerians against extrajudicial killings and human rights abuses by men of the Nigeria Police Force. The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, spoke in Abuja on Tuesday at a public hearing organised by the House Committee on Police Affairs, themed, ‘Repositioning the Nigeria Police for Enhanced Service Delivery.’ While citing the killing of Tiamiyu,  the Speaker said citizens now live in fear of  the police.

Present at the event were the IG, Adamu, represented by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Operations), Abdulmajid Ali; Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr Dayo Apata (SAN), for the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN); and the Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi.

Also present were the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, represented by the Emir of Kebbi, Alhaji Ibrahim Mera; a former Assistant IG and Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu; a former IG and Chairman, Police Service Commission, Musiliu Smith; representatives of the service chiefs, Department of State Services and the National Orientation Agency, among others.

Gbajabiamila said, “In the last few days, we have all witnessed as the city of Sagamu in Ogun State has been unsettled by an orgy of violence resulting from the extrajudicial killing of a young footballer by officers of the Nigeria Police. Citizens who gathered to protest this killing were soon themselves at the receiving end of police bullets.

“This is not an isolated incident. We are daily inundated with news reports of interactions between citizens and the police resulting in the injury and death of those citizens. Reports of police harassment of young people have become so rampant that they barely even break through the news cycle except when public anger becomes so great that it results in breakdown of law and order.

“We can no longer stand for this, and we will not. This House of Representatives has a responsibility to speak for our citizens and we will continue to do so even when it is inconvenient.”

The Speaker pointed out that the first responsibility of the state was to protect lives and property and all other things stem from this fundamental obligation.

He said, “We are confronted with an urgent need, deserving of our utmost attention and dedication. We must fix the Nigeria Police Force, restore public confidence and make the institution once more deserving of the true faith and support of the Nigerian people.”

Gbajabiamila noted that the hearing was convened to examine ways the House could improve the capacity of the police to deliver on their obligations to the people.

Claims Knowledge of Terrain And Language Will Aid Amotekun

Myetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria has asked the Oyo State Government to include its members in the Operation Amotekun security outfit. .

A former chairman of the association, Yaqub Bello, said this during a public hearing of the state security network agency bill 2020 in Oyo State. At the public hearing, which took place at the Parliament Building, Secretariat Ibadan, in Oyo State on Monday, the former Chairman of MACBAN in the state and Chairman of the Cow Sellers Association of Nigeria in Oyo State, Yakubu Bello, said  Amotekun is a good initiative that must be supported. 

READ ALSO: SAGAMU PROTESTS DEATH OF FOOTBALL STAR: THREE KILLED, MANY INJURED

Bello said: “We, the Myetti Allah Group in Oyo State, are in support of this  Amotekun initiative. We applaud the Oyo State governor for the initiative, it is a good development. Some of us have been in Oyo State for over 40 years, cohabiting with the natives, married Yoruba women and have children. So, our request is to include Miyetti Allah as members of Operation Amotekun to enhance the job of the outfit, since we know the terrain of where we rear our cattle.

“Having Fulani amongst members of the outfit will make it easier for Amotekun officials to distinguish between genuine herdsmen and criminals while on patrol. A Fulani man can also serve as an interpreter while interrogating any suspected herdsman.”

“We want our children to also be employed as  Amotekun personnel. Our children can help the  Amotekun officers in the area of identification of the real herders from the criminal minded Fulani, our children can speak our language to them and through that, they can identify either they are criminals or not. We should give our children the privilege to serve as Amotekun  personnel, so those innocent souls will not be punished for an action that was not done by them.

OYO MYETTI ALLAH BACKS OPERATION AMOTEKUN, DEMANDS INCLUSION OF MEMBERS 

SARS officer faces dismissal as IG orders probe

Protests staged by grieving men, women and youths in Sagamu, Ogun State, over the death of a Remo Stars Football Club player, Kazeem Tiamiyu, aka Kaka, have led to the death of two persons, while several others sustained varying degrees of injury.

Tiamiyu and his friend had been arrested by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad on Saturday while he bought engine oil for his car at Sagamu. While taking them to a police station, the victim was allegedly pushed out of the vehicle and was crushed by an oncoming vehicle on the Abeokuta-Sagamu Expressway. He was rushed to a hospital where he was confirmed dead.

The Ogun State Police Command had issued a statement explaining that the late footballer jumped out of the moving police vehicle on his own. But the player’s teammate, Sanni Abubakar, who was with him at the time of the arrest, claimed that he was pushed out of the vehicle. 

Sagamu youths took to the streets on Monday, protesting, as they demanded justice for the late defender and an end to the activities of SARS operatives in the area, chanting anti-police slogans. The group visited the palace of the Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, to express their grievances and condemn the incessant brutality and indiscriminate arrests by law enforcement agents in the town and environs.

The protest, which began peacefully, degenerated and turned bloody when the angry youths met resistance from a detachment of armed security agents drafted to stop them and engaged them. The police fired live bullets to disperse the protesting youths and, in the process, three  people were hit by live bullets while the protesters charged at the armed officers.

Read also, PDP Demands Review of 2019 Presidential Election Verdict

The PPRO disclosed that the police had completed investigation into the killing of the footballer. He claimed that only one SARS officer was involved in the incident, and added that the inspector had been tried in an orderly room and recommended for dismissal.

The spokesman of the State Police Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi said the command was awaiting the approval of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2, Ahmed Iliyasu. He said, “We have already investigated the man and tried him. We have also recommended him for dismissal. But being an inspector, it is not the CP that will approve it; the recommendation has been sent to the AIG Zone 2 for approval and as soon as it is approved, he will be charged to court.”

A statement by the Special Adviser on Public Communications to the governor, Remmy Hazzan, described the killing of the youth as unfortunate.

“In the first place, the extra-judicial death of any resident in Ogun State is a very painful one for the government, let alone that of a promising youth, whose death the government will leave no stone unturned to ensure justice is not only done, but also seen to have been done at the end of the day.

“There is no doubt that our youth have the right to protest the killing of the late young football star. However, what started as a legitimate peaceful protest was hijacked by criminally minded people, who turned same into a violent one.”

Mohammed Adamu, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), has ordered the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) to investigate the death of the Remo Stars’ defender and assistant captain and ensure justice was done on the matter. The statement read in part: “The Inspector General of Police, IGP M. A. Adamu, has ordered the Deputy In­spector General of Police in-charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, DIG Anthony Ogbizi, to, with immediate effect, take over investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death of Late Mr. Tiamiyu Kazeem in Sagamu, Ogun State, on February 22, 2020.

“Meanwhile, the IGP, while commiserating with the family and friends of the deceased, calls for calm and assures that justice will be done in the matter, reiterating that any person found culpable will be brought to book.”

SAGAMU PROTESTS DEATH OF FOOTBALL STAR: THREE KILLED, MANY INJURED 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the Supreme Court to review its judgment on the petition it filed in respect of the 2019 presidential election.This is just as the main opposition party accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of intimidating judges of the apex to force a reversal of its verdicts on Bayelsa and Zamfara states.

The PDP, at a press conference addressed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja, also tasked the apex court to take a second look at the governorship elections in Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Osun states.The text of the press conference was tagged, “Position of the PDP on the desperation of the APC to subjugate, intimidate for the purpose of annexing the Supreme Court over Imo, Bayelsa and Zamfara governorship election judgments.”

According to Ologbondiyan, the party found it “ludicrous, ridiculous and insulting to the sensibilities and respect of the Supreme Court justices for the APC to hurriedly and malevolently head to the Supreme Court to attempt to arm-twist the lord justices to effect a forceful reversal of the valid, flawless and faultless judgments on Bayelsa and Zamfara states’ governorship elections.”

The party  demanded a review of the apex court’s judgment on the 2018 governorship election in Osun State in which the Supreme Court upheld the APC’s candidate, Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s victory  and dismissed the PDP candidate, Ademola Adeleke’s appeal.

It also demanded a review of the Supreme Court judgment on the 2019 Kaduna State election involving the APC candidate, Nasir El-Rufai, and his PDP opponent, Isah Ashiru.

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The opposition  party further called  for  a review of  the Supreme Court judgment on the Kano State governorship election involving the APC candidate, Abdullahi Ganduje, and his   PDP counterpart,  Abba Yusuf,  as well as the apex court’s verdict on the Katsina  State governorship poll. In its judgment, the Supreme Court upheld the election of the state governor, Aminu Masari, and dismissed the appeal of his challenger, Senator Yakubu  Danmarke, of the PDP.

Ologbondiyan said the PDP was demanding reviews of the judgments  because of the alleged plot by the APC “to pressure the justices of the Supreme Court to upturn the judgment of Justice Mary Odili-led panel on the Bayelsa State governorship election.”

The party further disclosed that it would also seek the review of the Supreme Court verdict on the Katsina governorship election petition.“The PDP equally has no choice than to ask the Supreme Court to review the Kano, Kaduna and Katsina election judgments because of manifest violence and substantial non-compliance to our electoral law. The PDP will also ask the Supreme Court to review its judgment on the Osun governorship election in view of manifest, complete and total disregard to our electoral rules in the conduct of the elections,” Ologbondiyan added.

PDP Demands Review of 2019 Presidential Election Verdict

The sale and consumption of beef has been banned  in the Uwheru Kingdom in the Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State following incessant  attacks on farmers and other residents by herds men. The ban was imposed on Saturday at a meeting of the kingdom, where prominent sons and daughters of Uwheru Kingdom, including Prof. Patrick Muoboghare, the Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education, were present. 

The ban  has taken immediate effect, following  repeated attacks on the communities by Fulani killer herdsmen in which no fewer than 10 persons were killed. In the last years, about 86 farmers in Uwheru communities have been killed in herdsmen related attacks. 

According to an anonymous source, , “By this ban, nobody can bring cow meat to any of the communities that made up Uwheru Kingdom for any function, be it burial or any other celebration. You can’t kill our people and expect us to be eating cow meat when our people can’t go to farm. The ban takes effect immediately.”

Herdsmen Attacks Prompts Beef Ban in Delta

Femi Otedola, business mogul, has described the oil refinery and fertiliser plant owned by Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man and president of Dangote Group, as the eighth wonder of the world. Otedola made this comment in a tweet on Wednesday after he paid a visit to the site of the projects in Lagos.

The oil refinery, which is still under construction, is currently valued at $12 billion. It would be single largest in the world when completed, with the capacity to meet Nigeria’s fuel consumption, and the fertilizer plant is estimated to have a capacity of 2.8 million tonnes of urea annually.

Read also, Maryam Sanda Appeals Death Penalty, Pleads for Acquital

According to Otedola, who described the projects as “8th wonder in the world”, the fertiliser plant is complete and ready for inauguration while the refinery is 75 percent complete.

Devakumar Edwin, Dangote Group’s executive officer, said that the completion of the refinery would be delayed until the end of 2020. This was in contrast to the early 2020 projected completion date that was earlier announced. According to Edwin,  the delay is due to difficulty in importing products, which is caused by the gridlock at the Apapa ports.

OTEDOLA HAILS DANGOTE'S REFINERY AS THE 8TH WONDER OF THE WORLD

Defendant Labels Her Trial Miscarriage of Justice

Three weeks after she was convicted and sentenced to death by hanging for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, Maryam Sanda has approached the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, to appeal her death sentence and plead to be acquitted. 

According to her, the judgment of the trial court was tainted by bias and prejudice, and this to the denial of her right to fair hearing and her consequent conviction based on circumstantial evidence, despite the reasonable doubt that was created by evidence of witnesses, lack of confessional statement, absence of a murder weapon, lack of corroboration of evidence by two or more witnesses and lack of autopsy report to determine the true cause of her husband’s death.

In the notice of appeal predicated on 20 grounds and filed by her legal team which was headed Rickey Tarfa (SAN), Maryam Sanda said the judgment of the trial court was, “A miscarriage of justice.”

According to her legal team: “The trial judge exhibited bias against the defendant in not ruling one way or the other on the said motion challenging his jurisdiction to entertain the charge” and “therefore fundamentally breached the right to fair hearing of the defendant.

“In ground two, the appellant contended that the trial judge erred and misdirected himself by usurping the role of the police when he assumed the duty of an Investigating Police Officer (IPO) as contained in Page 76 of his judgment”.

On the said page, Justice Halilu had said: “I wish to state that I have a duty thrust upon me to investigate and discover what will satisfy the interest and demands of justice.”

The appellant submitted that the wrongful assumption of the role of an IPO made “the trial judge fail to restrict himself to the evidence adduced before the court” and instead went fishing for evidence outside those that were brought before the court.

Read also, Nigeria's Oil Reserves Will Run Dry in 49 Years

The defendant insisted that while: “The duty of investigation is the constitutional preserve of the police, “the constitutional duty of a trial court is to assess the credible evidence before it and reach a decision based on its assessment.”

She argued that “The trial’s court usurpation of the duty of the police by taking it upon itself to investigate and discover negatively coloured its assessment of the available evidence and resulted in it reaching an unjust decision contrary to the evidence before it.”

On ground 5, the appellant argued that: “The trial judge erred in law and misdirected himself on the facts when he applied the doctrine of last seen and held at pages 82 – 83 of his judgment that the appellant was the person last seen with the deceased and thus bears the full responsibility for the death of the deceased, and thereby occasioned a miscarriage of justice.”

According to the particulars of error in support of ground 5: “There is no evidence before the trial judge that the defendant was the last person who saw the deceased alive” since “PW2 (Prosecution Witness 2), in his evidence, before the trial judge stated that he was called by the deceased, he saw the deceased and asked the deceased what was the problem.”

She added that Exhibit F, the statement of Sadiya Aminu, tendered before the trial court (who was initially charged as 4th defendant in the amended charge) also confirmed that the deceased was alive, though injured when she saw him.

It was submitted that: “The circumstantial evidence which the trial court relied upon in its application of the last seen doctrine does not lead to the conclusion that the defendant is responsible for the death of the deceased.”

Consequently, she prayed the Court of Appeal to allow her appeal, set aside her conviction and acquit her.

MARYAM SANDA APPEALS DEATH PENALTY, PLEADS FOR ACQUITTAL 

Nigerian newspapers,on one page.