Mr Yisa Usman, a Deputy Director with Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) was, on Tuesday, arraigned on allegations bordering on threatening Mrs Raheemat Oloyede on the phone with the intent to blackmail her husband, Prof. Ishaq, the board’s registrar.

Usman was arraigned by the police on behalf of the Federal Government. on a five-count charge before Justice Nkeonye Maha of a Federal High Court, Abuja

He was alleged to have committed the offence with Abdulfatai Usman, now at large, between Feb. 14, 2022 and Feb. 15, 2022.

They were alleged to have intentionally communicated through a network computer system with phone number: +447529723948 with Mrs Oloyede, “a communication which is grossly offensive, indecent, criminal intimidation for the purpose of causing inconvenience or needless anxiety” to her.

They were alleged to have committed the offence contrary to Section 24(1)(a) & 1(b) of the Cybercrime Act 2015.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Usman is the sole defendant in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/139/2023 dated March 29 but filed March 30.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to all the counts after the charge was read to him.

Police prosecutor, Eristo Asaph, made an application for a trial date after the defendant took the plea.
But Moses Balogun, who appeared for Usman, applied for bail.

“Having pleaded not guilty, we shall be applying for bail my lord,” he said.

The lawyer informed that a bail application dated and filed on June 7 had already been served on the prosecution on the same day.
He said the motion on notice was brought pursuant to Sections 35 and 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution and in compliance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.

He told the court that during the investigation of the matter and while Usman was admitted to an administrative bail, he complied with the terms of the bail.

Balogun, who said that Usman was a deputy director, prayed the court to grant him bail on liberal terms or self-recognition pending the hearing and determination of the case.

Asaph did not oppose the application.

Justice Maha, in a ruling, admitted Usman to bail in the sum of N2 million with a surety who must be a civil servant on level 14 and must own a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.

She ruled that the defendant and the surety must submit their travel documents and a passport photograph each to the court registrar.

In the alternative, the judge held that the surety could also be a responsible citizen having paid his tax for a period of two years and must have a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.

She said the surety, who must submit his or her international passport and a passport photograph to the court registrar, must depose to an affidavit of means.

Justice Maha ordered that Usman should be remanded at a correctional centre pending the perfection of his bail and adjourned the matter until Oct. 26 for trial.

But Balogun, who prayed the court to order a release of his client to him pending the perfection of his bail within five days, pledged to write an undertaking to the effect.

The judge granted the plea and ordered that the undertaking must be completed before the close of work.

NAN reports that the police also accused Usman of intentionally publishing letters between Jan. 31, 2022 and Feb. 4, 2022, through a computer system network on WhatsApp social media platforms alleging that the JAMB registrar, Oloyede, and members of the management board of JAMB committed fraud and violated the Federal Government’s regulations.

The message or publication was said to be grossly offensive for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill-will or needless anxiety to them, even though, he knew such information to be false; and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24(1)(a) & (b) of the Cybercrime Act 2015.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas has pledged to uphold the principle of transparency, accountability and the rule of law to deliver good governance for the benefit of all Nigerians.

Abbas made the pledge in his acceptance speech after his emergence as a speaker on Tuesday in Abuja.

“Under my watch, the 10th house shall sustain and even surpass the gains of the ninth house. That is my prayer.

“We shall carry out the task before us jointly. We shall introduce reforms and innovations for the benefit of Nigerians.

“In a few weeks, we shall be reeling out the legislative agenda that will shape the 10th House of Representatives.

“We shall work closely and inter-dependently with the executive and judiciary to give Nigerians the good governance they deserve,” he said.

According to him, we stand at a crucial juncture in our nation’s history, where challenges abound but so do opportunities.

He said the house would champion legislations that would uplift the lives of fellow citizens, promote social justice, and drive sustainable development.

The speaker said the house would focus on strengthening the security apparatus and collaboration with relevant stakeholders to combat insurgency, terrorism, and all forms of criminalities.

Abbas said the house would aim to help create a safe and secure environment that would foster economic growth and social stability.

“Through legislations, the 10th house will promote entrepreneurship and support small and medium-scale enterprises.

“We shall diversify our economy and provide sustainable employment opportunities for our youth.

“We are aware of the challenges in our education, healthcare, and infrastructure sectors amongst other.

“We will work in harmony with the executive arm, while upholding principles of checks and balances.

“Our collaboration will be anchored on the principles of transparency, accountability, and respect for the rule of law,” he said.

Abbas said the victory at the polls was not just for him but for all the members and all Nigerians.

According to him, it is about honouring the trust that has been placed on us and working tirelessly to deliver on our promises of good governance and effective representation.

Abbas said the mandate bestowed on him as speaker would not be taken for granted, assuring members that he would be just and fair to everyone irrespective of political party and perceived differences.

He promised to run an open-door policy for all members and all Nigerians irrespective of political party or creed.

He congratulated his predecessor, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila and prayed for his success in his new office as Chief of Staff to the President.

The Presidential Election Petitions Court sitting in Abuja, on Monday, admitted in evidence certified true copies of INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV) reports for Adamawa (21 LGAs), Ogun (20LGAs), Ekiti (16 LGAs), Rivers (19 LGAs) and Akwa Ibom states (25 LGAs).

The documents were tendered on Monday by the lawyer representing the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, Audu Anuga SAN, who urged the court to admit them as part of his client’s evidence.

He also tendered blurred results obtained from the IReV portal for Ogun State.

The application made by Obi’s legal team was unanimously opposed by the legal team of the Independent National Electoral Commission, President Bola Tinubu, Kashim Shettima and the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The respondents said they would advance their reasons for objecting to the documents at their final written address before the judgement.

The court led by Justice Haruna Tsammani noted the objections of the respondents but eventually admitted the documents as evidence while marking them as exhibits.

Another lawyer representing Obi, Afuba Peter SAN, equally tendered certified true copies of Form EC40GBU for Niger state (10 LGAs), Osun state ( 7 LGAs) ( Edo (3 LGAs), Sokoto states(5 LGAs) and asked the court to admit them.

The forms show the number of registered voters and polling units where elections were either cancelled or did not take place.

The respondents again opposed the tendering of the electoral documents but the PEPC still admitted them as Obi’s evidence.

The petitioners subsequently called for adjournment so as to file more documents.

The prayers were granted and the case was further adjourned to Tuesday.

THE WHISTLER reports that the flagbearer of the Labour Party, Obi, has so far presented a lawyer (who spoke on a US District Court judgement on Tinubu’s bank account), Senior Reporter/Editor, Lucky Ukpewo from Channels Television as well as a software engineer to substantiate alleged non-ompliance to the Electoral Act during the elections by INEC.

He is disputing the polls in over 18,000 polling units.

The National Industrial Court in Abuja has ordered the arrest of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, and the Force Secretary, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Hafiz Inuwa, for contempt of court.

The Court ordered the arrest of the IGP and the Force Secretary for disobeying the court order, which was regarded as contempt over the failure to reinstate some police officers who are graduates of Courses 33, 34, and 35 of the police academy, who were alleged to have been forcefully retired by the force.

The court has earlier ordered the IGP to reinstate the officers who were alleged to have been forcefully retired by the force, but the order of the court was allegedly not obeyed by the IGP.

It will be recalled that the aggrieved officers approached the court and sought an order to nullify their compulsory retirement from the service by the IGP.

The court presided over by Justice Oyebiola Oyewumi, however, ordered the IGP, the Police Service Commission, and the Force Secretary of the Police to reinstate the forcefully retired officers.

But the Police boss and others have failed to obey the judgment of the court delivered on April 19, 2022

However, the Court in a fresh order on June 8, 2023, a copy that was made available to journalists on Tuesday, Justice Oyewumi berated the IGP for the latter’s refusal to obey the court despite advice from the relevant stakeholders in the police force.

The court order read, ” It is on record of this court that the court delivered a judgment in this case on 19/4/2022 and ordered that the judgment creditors/applicants should be reinstated forthwith.

” It is on record of this court also that the Police Service Commission, the statutory body that is vested with the power to appoint, promote and discipline the judgment creditors/applicants, had ordered the Inspector General of Police to comply with the judgment of this court.

“It is equally noteworthy that the CP, Legal, the Head of Department of the Nigerian Police Force had also issued a piece of legal advice urging the Inspector General of Police to comply with the order of this court vide a letter dated, and the Inspector General of Police received it on 27/7/2022 yet he has refused to obey or comply with the judgment of this court.

“This is an officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who swore on oath to uphold the rule of law and the same law he has now failed or refused to obey.

“It is also of importance to state that this court has given ample opportunities to him and the Force Secretary to appear before this court and show cause why they are not to be held to be in contempt of this court, the record of the court evinces that they have both been served the enrolment of the order of this court severally yet they both deem it fit to flout the order of this court and desecrated this hallowed chamber and the temple of justice.

“Justice is not only for the affluent, it is indeed for the poor and vulnerable also. I pause to say that I wonder what type of head of an enforcement agency like the police, the Inspector General of Police is, if he finds it so difficult or so difficult it seems for him to obey a simple order of the court.

”I also wonder the type of example he is laying for his officers if he, as the head of the Nigerian Police Force, has chosen/ elected to flagrantly take the law into his advice by the Police Service Commission and his own officer, the CP, Legal to comply. This, I must say, is preposterous and appalling.

“It is in the light of all stated, which are in sync with the record of this court, that I hold the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, and the Force Secretary, AIG Hafeez Inuwa, for being in contempt of this court, they are to be arrested and be produced before this Court for necessary action.”

The court, however, adjourned the case till October 9, 2023.

Nigeria has been ranked fourth among top ten African countries whose citizens spend a huge amount of money to obtain Schengen visas but later got rejected.

A recent analysis of visa expenditures by SchengenVisaInfo revealed the substantial financial burden African countries face in obtaining Schengen visas.

According to the findings, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia spent the most on Schengen visas in 2022 and are ahead of Nigeria in the African Continent. 

Algeria leads with an expenditure of $15,787,992 and a 45.76% rejection of 392,053 applicants, followed closely by Morocco with $10,502,448 with a 28.20% rejection of 423,201 applicants. 3rd is ranked Tunisia with a total of 166,346 applicants where 29.05% of them got a rejection making a total of 48,909 refused applicants and $430,399,2 spent. 

Nigeria is ranked 4th with a 45.14% rejection rate of 86,815 applicants, amounting to 39,189 being rejected, leading to the spending of $430,399,2. Egypt made fifth on the ranking with an 18.61% rejection rate of 167,995 applicants leading to 31,271 of them being refused and a total of $275,184,8 on expenditure.

According to the report, the ranking is based on latest available data received by the EU Commission, adding that “Many African travellers face complex procedures, lengthy waiting times, and also high rates of visa denials.”

These are the top 10 African countries with the highest expenditure on Schengen Visas:

Hon. Justice Nelson Ogbuanya sitting in Portharcourt Judicial Division of the National Industrial Court has granted an Order of Mandamus, directing the National Pension Commission (PenCom) and the Nigeria Police Force Pensions Ltd to furnish police pensioners led by Rtd DSP Benoni Amon, and 4 others as representatives of the 142 aggrieved members of the Retired Police Officers Association, Rivers State Branch, the detailed Template in use for calculating and payment of their Pension category being retirees of the Nigerian Police Force, within one month.

The Court further ordered the Nigeria Police Force Pensions Ltd, being a Pension Fund Administrator, licensed and operating under the Pension Reform Act upon receipt of the said Template from the National Pension Commission, to use the said Template and work out the detailed percentage of the Applicants’ accrued gratuity and pension benefits; indicating the formulae of how each of the retired police officers’ pension and gratuity benefits were calculated with payments made or due, and furnish same to them through their Solicitors, within 3 months, and Copies of the said Template and Calculations shall be filed in the casefile for record of compliance.

The Court held that the 1999 Constitution (as Amended) guarantees the retired officers’ entitlement to pension and gratuity, and they can lawfully demand for the template used in calculating their pension and gratuity, particularly when there are complaints of discrepancies and errors; and awarded the sum of N1m each against the National Pension Commission and the Nigeria Police Force Pension Ltd, in favour of the Retired Police Officers Association as cost of action.

From facts, the Applicants- Rtd DSP Benoni Amon and 4 others who are retired police officers and members of the Retired Police Officers Association, Rivers State Branch, instituted the case for themselves and as representatives of the 142 aggrieved members of the Retired Police Officers Association, Rivers State Branch, against the National Pension Commission and the Nigeria Police Force Pension Ltd, for failure to provide them with template and details of calculation of their gratuity and pension payments, which they alleged to be inaccurate and marred with observable anomalies and shrouded in secrecy.

They averred that they had pleaded with the Pencom and Nigeria Police Force Pensions Ltd to address the issue as they live in abject poverty as a result of the underpayment of their terminal benefits, but all were to no avail.

In defence, the National Pension Commission challenged the jurisdiction of the Court on the ground of alleged incompetence of the suit for being filed outside 3 months statutory period stipulated under the Public Officers Protection Act (POPA), and being academic as the Applicants have been paid their terminal benefits, and an explanation was earlier made to them as they requested.

The Nigeria Police Force Pensions Ltd contended that an Order of Mandamus cannot be made against her, not being a public body, and urged the court to strike out its name and award a punitive cost of N50m against the Applicants.

In opposition, the Retired Police Personnel counsel Ola Faro Esq. averred that the suit is not academic, but meritorious and appropriate for judicial review, being a suit bordering on issues of accurate payment of pension, and the responses made by the Respondents were unsatisfactory as the template they requested were not released to them.

In a well-considered Judgment, the Presiding Judge, Justice Nelson Ogbuanya after careful evaluation affirmed the jurisdiction of the Court and dismissed the objection for lacking merit, and held that the date of commencement of the suit was just barely one month of the cause of action, and certainly far within the 3 month-period provided for by both the POPA and Judicial Review Rules of the Court, more so, as POPA is not applicable to employment- related claims.

The Court further held that the National Pension Commission who is laced with the statutory authority to take charge and render effective service in supervision of the use of appropriate Template for calculating pensioners’ terminal benefits cannot shy away by shifting the responsibility to the Police Force Pensions Ltd who apparently is not much trusted by the Applicants.

Justice Ogbuanya ruled that the failure of the National Pension Commission to attach the pension and gratuity template and formulae in their response letters entitles the Applicants to seek legal redress in this Court, by way of judicial review for an Order of Mandamus directing them to furnish them with the said template to aid their enquiry over the acute shortfall and discrepancies in the payment of their pension and gratuity earnings.

Justice Ogbuanya while agreeing with the stance taken by the Police Force Pensions Ltd that it cannot be issued with an Order of Mandamus, not being a public body, however, held that the Police Force Pensions Ltd performs statutory duty under the Pension Reform Act, and therefore a necessary party to this suit, and appropriate orders can be made against it.

A woman, Mrs Taiwo Ahmed, has narrated how armed robbers invaded her home in Iwo, Osun State, in August last year, spent more than 12 hours with her before carting away her vehicle, a Toyota Sienna, clothes and many household tools.

Mrs Ahmed said she had almost given up on the recovery of the vehicle until she got a call from police operatives telling her that her car had been recovered and some of the suspects apprehended.

She gave the narration while speaking with the Nigerian Tribune at a press briefing held by the Osun State Police Command recently.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Yemisi Opalola, who represented the Commissioner of Police, Kehinde Longe, had told journalists how police operatives arrested 14 suspected armed robbers, receivers of stolen property and other conspirators.

He gave their names as Rasaki Bakare a.k.a Ari, Emmanuel Tayo, Oluwasanmi Adebanjo, Julius Olalekan, Kehinde Afeez, among others. Recovered from the suspects were eight vehicles, including Lexus RX350, Toyota Sienna, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Matrix and Toyota Dyna.

The PPRO disclosed that the suspects carried out robbery operation in different towns including Iwo, Ikirun and Inisa, adding that they abducted one of their victims from Ikirun at gun point before they dispossessed him of his Lexus RX350 SUV, phones and other valuable items worth over N7 million.

“Immediately the case was referred for discreet investigation, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad recovered the Toyota Lexus RX350 in Akure, Ondo State.”

She added that intelligence led the operatives to Iwo/Ikirun axis where other vehicles were also recovered. Opalola stated further that anti-kidnapping detectives recovered a Toyota Corolla (big daddy) and arrested three suspects – Tayo, Rasaki a.k.a Aro, and Oluwasanmi – at Olodo area in Ibadan, Oyo State.

“Further investigation led to the arrest of Femi Adeniran, Ogunremi Adeyemi, Ayobami Azeez and Lawal Omotayo for aiding the registration and computer production of fake number plates and documents for the stolen vehicles,” she added.

The image maker listed the buyers of the stolen vehicles as Safianu Abubakar, Mohammed Abdullahi, Adewale Abiodun a.k.a Dudu, Kazeem Ayandelea.k.a Cowbell and AdebisiKabiru, saying that all the suspects would be charged to court after investigation must have been completed.

Narrating her experience, Mrs Ahmed said: “On October 12 last year, the armed robbers woke me up by using the flat side of a machete to hit me. It was only my eight-year-old daughter and I that were at home. I saw the one I later knew as Tayo picking my phone beside my bed. He also took my purse and picked another phone from it. He was the one that also picked my car key.

“One of them started barking: ‘lie down!’ I complied immediately. One of them went out, remaining two others. They started asking questions: ‘Where is your husband? Where are others? Where are you working?’ I told them it was just I and my daughter. I said I was a teacher and they asked me to call my boss that I would not be able to come to school because I was bereaved and had travelled to Sagamu in Ogun State. They dialled the number from my phone and put it on speaker.

“One of them asked for my phone code and I gave him. He checked my bank accounts and discovered I had N79,000 in one of them. I had initially told them that I didn’t have any money. They came to me and said that they would punish me for telling a lie. I started crying, asking them of what I did. I told them I just opened the account about a month before they came. They asked for details of the account and I told them. When they checked and saw what I told them was true, they decided not to hurt me with the cutlass that one of them had raised. They were with me from the early hours of the day till evening of the same day.

“They went out to check my vehicle, Toyota Sienna, and discovered it was not functioning. They asked me what was wrong with it and I told them it was the battery. They told me that one of them would go to buy a new battery, asking me to cooperate with them. One of them left, one was with me and the third one stood outside.

“When my daughter was pressed and needed to go to the toilet, they did not allow her. I had to tell her to pee on the bed. They checked my luggage and removed my clothes. They took my two new blenders, two new electric kettles, a microwave machine, an alkaline pot, pressure cooker, among other items. They ate the bread I had at home with stew. They also consumed the fried fish I had. They drank malt drink, juice and water.

“When my former boss heard of it, she told the Commissioner of Police and the case was transferred to Osogbo. I was happy when I heard that the vehicle had been found.”

Some of the vehicles recovered from the suspects and buyers of stolen vehicles
One of the suspects, Rasaki Bakare a.k.a Aro, 31, from Ikirun, confessed thus during an interview: “I was arrested for invading a house at Inisa with my gang members. We went to the residence of our victim at midnight with cutlass and iron rod. We opened the door forcefully and took the victim’s vehicle, a Toyota Camry (big daddy) and phones. We were taking it to our buyer, one Sunday Ogbemudia, in Ibadan, unknown to us that he had been arrested.

“We got different vehicles from our three operations. We had sold two to Ogbemudia and wanted to sell the third one when we were apprehended. The police have recovered them. I got N55,000 from the first stolen car, and N45,000 from the second one.”

Another suspect, 31-year-old Tayo who also hails from Ikirun and is married with four children, told the Nigerian Tribune about his involvement in armed robbery: “I’m a mechanic but started armed robbery last year. It was Yusuf (at large) who introduced me to it. We met in Ilesa Prison when I was serving a two-year sentence for stealing phones. Later, my people were able to pay the fine option after I had served for nine months and I was released from prison.”

How we carried out operation

“I was at home in Ikirun when Yusuf called me. He told me to go to a residence to take a vehicle. He said his area brothers would show me the house. Three of us went to the targeted house in the early hours of the day. We removed the window burglar-proof grills and got inside the house. It is true that Yusuf and the third gang member, Ajanaku, used cutlass to beat the woman in the house for her to wake up.

“It was Yusuf who went to collect money from the woman’s account. He used it to buy car battery. Three of us sold the car to Ogbemudia.”

What led to my arrest

“The last robbery operation was in a Pastor’s house and that led to my arrest. In the early hours of May 11, Aro, Tunde and I went to the pastor’s house along Inisa road. We forcefully entered the house and took the Pastor’s vehicle to Ibadan. We called Ogbemudia, unknown to us that he had been arrested.”

Oluwasanmi, aged 25, also from Ikirun, explained his involvement: “I met Aro and he told me of his intention to rob in a house. He asked me to follow him and I joined him and Tayo, making three of us. Tayo held a cutlass, Aro held a rod while I held a gun that was not functioning well.”He admitted being a hemp smoker, saying that he started two years ago.

Afeez Kehinde, from Iwo, admitted being the one who pointed out Mrs Ahmed’s house to those who went to rob her. “It is true that Yusuf slept in my room. I knew him as an area brother. What happened was that my friend, Julius, and I met Yusuf on our way from railway station. We picked him on our bike. While on the way, he told us to take a route as he wanted to say hello to someone. We got to a spot and he pointed at a house, telling us that it was his boss’s residence. When we got to our residence, Yusuf told us that he would come to stay with us the following week. Two days after, he told us to show his boss’s house to Tayo. We did and left the neighbourhood.”

The lawmaker representing Zaria Federal Constituency, Tajudeen Abbas, has emerged as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Abbas, who was elected in an “openly declare” ballot system was elected by members of the House on Tuesday.

The anointed candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) defeated Idris Wase and Aminu Jaji in a voice vote on Tuesday at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.

Abbas scored 352 votes of the total 359 votes cast while Jaji and Wase polled three votes each.

Former Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Idris Wase and Ahmed Sani Jaji scored three votes each.

One member-elect, who died immediately after the general elections, was the only member that did not vote.

Immediate past Speaker and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila took part in the election.

Abia Lawmaker, Benjamin Kalu on Tuesday emerged deputy speaker of the House of Representatives for the 10th Assembly.

He would deputise Tajudeen Abbas who had earlier emerged as the speaker.

Kalu, who was the spokesman of the 9th Assembly, was not opposed when nominated.

Kalu secured his position before the voting began as Imo lawmaker, Princess Miriam Onuoha, stepped down for him.

A candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the Senate presidency, Godswill Akpabio has emerged the 10th President of the Senate after defeating Senator Abdulaziz Yari.

Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa-Ibom State and lawmaker from Akwa Ibom North West emerged winner after polling 63 votes to defeat his opponent, Abdulaziz Yari, former Zamfara State governor, who got 46 votes.

The result was announced by the clerk of the National Assembly, Sani Tambuwal.

He said 107 senators voted.

Akpabio was the anointed candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the seat of number 3 citizen, but was challenged by Yari, who is also of the APC.