Popular singer and half of P-Square, Peter Okoye, aka Mr P, has debunked the song theft allegation levelled against him by his twin brother and former bandmate, Paul Okoye, aka Rudeboy.

Rudeboy recently accused Mr P and their former producer, Vampire, of stealing his songs.

He claimed that he wrote and sang a song titled ‘Winning,’ which was supposed to be released with his album next year. To his surprise, Mr P released the same song by the same producer.

Reacting to the allegation, Mr P claimed that the song was co-written and composed by himself and Calypso60.

He stated that it was impossible for him to steal his own song as claimed by his twin brother.

He begged his brother to allow him to focus on making music and stop the negativity.

In an Instagram post, Mr P wrote, “Person no dey thief him own Property! It is well! Thank you, @iam_vampire_official, for the clarification.

“For the record, ‘Winning’ was written and composed by @calypso60music and myself. Produced by @iam_vampire_official and co-produced by @goldswarm.

“They all deserve their Credit. And I appreciate them.

“Just As I said in my open letter three months ago, ‘Allow me to do my music in peace.’

“Now that I have a new single out, please allow me to enjoy my new single, WINNING, in peace. Enough of the negativity!

‘Winning’ is out on all music platforms; continue streaming and don’t get distracted. Love y’all, peace.”

Liverpool opened up a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League as Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah struck in a 2-0 win over Aston Villa.

The Reds took full advantage of Manchester City’s latest defeat at Brighton earlier on Saturday to surge further clear of the champions.

Liverpool failed to hit the heights of their second-half humiliation of German champions Bayer Leverkusen in a 4-0 Champions League win in midweek.

But Arne Slot’s men were again defensively solid to protect a sixth clean sheet in 11 league games and take a firm grip on the title race.

Villa’s fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions sees Unai Emery’s men slip to eighth, but only one point off third-placed Nottingham Forest.

The Anfield crowd was fired up by news of City’s 2-1 defeat at Brighton and inspired a fast start from the home side, but it was Villa who had the better chances in the opening period on the counter-attack.

Ryan Gravenberch produced an excellent last-ditch block to repel Jacob Ramsey’s shot before Leon Bailey headed over when unmarked at the back post.

Set-pieces have been one of Villa’s big threats during their two-year rise under Emery, but it was from their corners that Liverpool looked most dangerous before the break.

The opener arrived when Virgil van Dijk’s long clearance caught the visitors under-manned at the back and Bailey would likely have been sent off for bringing down Salah had Nunez not burst onto the loose ball to net his third goal of the season.

Liverpool were then dealt a blow as Trent Alexander-Arnold hobbled off with a muscle injury that is likely to rule him out of England duty in the coming weeks.

Only wasteful finishing from Nunez saw Villa escape from a carbon copy move to the first goal.

This time Salah played in the Uruguayan on the break from a corner, but he slotted high and wide with only Emi Martinez to beat.

The first half story of Villa’s set-pieces continued as Caoimhin Kelleher was twice forced into fine saves from Amadou Onana and Diego Carlos to preserve Liverpool’s lead at half-time.

Morgan Rogers wasted another huge chance for the visitors to level just seconds into the second half when he sliced wide.

Nunez continued to have the best of Liverpool’s opportunities as he headed wide from Andy Robertson’s cross at the other end.

The home side were set for a nervy finale until Salah gave them breathing space six minutes from time.

Carlos’ header was charged down by the Egyptian who raced through on goal to dink in his 10th goal of the season.

Liverpool’s 15th win in 17 games since Slot took charge moves them into a commanding position in the title race.

Arsenal are 10 points adrift of the leaders ahead of a dauting trip to in-form Chelsea on Sunday.

And an out-of-sorts City are next to visit Anfield on December 1 after Liverpool visit bottom-of-the-table Southampton when Premier League action returns following an international break.

An incredible long-range goal from Jamal Musiala took Bayern Munich five points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table with a 1-0 win at St Pauli on Saturday, as their major title rivals stumbled.

While Bayern fought hard to win in Hamburg, defending champions Bayer Leverkusen, second-placed RB Leipzig, and Borussia Dortmund all dropped points.

St Pauli, promoted in the summer, fought hard against their heavily favoured opponents and wanted to avoid a repeat of the 8-1 thrashing handed out last time Bayern visited.

Musiala, who scored the only goal in Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Benfica, won the ball centrally before advancing and letting fly from just under 30 metres, his shot bouncing in off the crossbar.

The 21-year-old now has scored five in his past four games since returning from a hip injury.

Musiala told Sky Germany he “didn’t know” he could shoot from such a distance, adding: “I’ve practiced a bit in training to shoot from distance… but not that far!

“That it went in today made me happy… It was my first goal from outside the box this season and I’m always trying to work on different things to improve myself.”

RB Leipzig were held to a scoreless draw at home with Borussia Moenchengladbach, the Saxons’ third 0-0 in the league this season.

Gladbach, floating in mid-table, were stronger in the opening half, Germany striker Tim Kleindienst having a shot saved on the 22nd-minute mark and Franck Honorat hitting the crossbar.

Leipzig kicked into gear in the second, Christoph Baumgartner and Lois Openda both spurning good chances for the opener.

The draw means Leipzig have dropped five points in their past six games and are in danger of losing touch with Bayern.

“We threw everything into it but we were missing the last pass, the last bit of quality,” Leipzig striker Yussuf Poulsen told Sky.

“We wanted the win, we had the right attitude but we needed a bit more quality — we’ll work on it over the international break.” 

Injury-hit Dortmund suffered yet another setback, losing 3-1 at Mainz after Emre Can was sent off in the 27th minute for a studs-up tackle on Lee Jae-sung.

Can, playing in the unfamiliar centre-back position, was replaced by Felix Nmecha, another midfielder, who was at fault for Mainz’s opener, allowing an unmarked Lee to head in.

Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy won and converted a penalty to level things up but Jonathan Burkardt put Mainz back in front just before half-time, slamming in a Danny da Costa pass from close range.

Paul Nebel added a third early in the second period to put Mainz on course for their first home win.

A frustrated Julian Brandt did not point the finger at his captain, saying “(Can) knows he has to be a bit more careful and he’s annoyed about what he did… but that’s not why we conceded three goals.”

Champions League finalists last season, Dortmund have lost their past six away games in all competitions.

Leverkusen’s title defence continued to stutter with a 1-1 draw at last-placed Bochum, who equalised in the final minute.

Leverkusen were ahead from the 18th minute onwards after Florian Wirtz slid a ball across the turf and into the path of Patrik Schick, who blasted home.

The visitors seemed on track for victory until Bochum’s Koji Miyoshi popped up to grab a loose ball after a mistake from Jonathan Tah and slide it in at the near post.

Leverkusen captain and goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky called the late goal “a bitter slap in the face”.

Leverkusen are now nine points behind Bayern and have dropped 13 points this campaign, more than they did across all 34 games last season.

The draw was just Bochum’s second point this season after 10 games in their first match under veteran coach Dieter Hecking.

Elsewhere, Werder Bremen won 2-1 at home against Holstein Kiel thanks to an 89th-minute goal from Oliver Burke.

AC Milan dropped further points in the Serie A title race with an entertaining 3-3 draw at lowly Cagliari on Saturday, despite leading twice.

The 19-time league champions remain seventh but are now four points off the Champions League places and seven behind pacesetters Napoli.

Rafael Leao scored twice in the first half to give Milan the lead after Nadir Zortea’s early opener.

Cagliari struck back soon after the breakthrough Gabriele Zappa before Tammy Abraham restored the Rossoneri’s lead, only for Zappa to score a sensational equaliser in the final stages.

“This draw is clearly a step backwards,” AC Milan coach Paulo Fonseca said to DAZN, referencing his side’s midweek 3-1 victory in the Champions League against Real Madrid.

“Our problem today was our defence, we lacked aggression, we let them cross too much, we lost too many aerial duels, it’s not possible to win a match in those conditions.”

For the home side, the draw takes them to 16th place on 10 points, one clear of the drop zone.

Zortea gave Cagliari the perfect start on two minutes as he smashed home from the back post after a corner.

Leao brought Milan level 13 minutes later with a lobbed finish after being sent in behind the defence by Tijjani Reijnders’ excellent lofted pass.

The Portuguese winger then doubled up five minutes before the break as Youssouf Fofana released him with an accurate long ball to his feet and he rounded the goalkeeper to give Milan the advantage.

Nine minutes after the break Fofana was at fault as he inadvertently played Zappa in behind his own defence and the Cagliari player finished past the advancing Mike Maignan.

Abraham looked to have completed the comeback for Fonseca’s side with his second goal of the season when he tapped home on 69 minutes.

But Zappa equalised again for Cagliari with one minute left via a thumping volley from a looping cross that flashed past Maignan before he could react.

Earlier, Parma came from behind to beat fellow strugglers Venezia 2-1 away from home.

Hans Nicolussi Caviglia opened the scoring for the hosts but goals either side of the break from Emanuele Valeri and Ange-Yoan Bonny moved the Tuscans up to 14th, three points clear of the relegation zone.

Venezia remain bottom of the table on eight points after their eighth defeat in 12 outings since being promoted back to Serie A last term.

Later, Juventus will look to close their four-point gap to league leaders Napoli but face a visit from city rivals Torino.

The pick of Sunday’s action is the trip of Napoli to second-place Inter Milan, with Antonio Conte’s side only one point ahead of last year’s champions.

Wolves ended a wait since April for a Premier League win by beating fellow strugglers Southampton 2-0 before Manchester City aim to end their losing run at Brighton on Saturday.

League leaders Liverpool are also in action later when seventh-placed Aston Villa visit Anfield.

Wolves boss Gary O’Neil was under huge pressure to deliver after a 13-game winless run in the top-flight and got the perfect start when Pablo Sarabia swept home Matheus Cunha’s pass for the club’s fastest ever Premier League goal.

Cunha smashed home a stunning second goal himself early in the second period to give Wolves a vital three points which sees Southampton replace them at the bottom of the table.

Fulham moved into the top six by inflicting more misery on Crystal Palace with a 2-0 win at Selhurst Park.

Emile Smith-Rowe pounced on an error from Maxence Lacroix to open the scoring in first-half stoppage time.

The Eagles’ hopes of a fightback were hit when Daichi Kamada saw red for a wild lunge on Kenny Tete.

Harry Wilson came off the bench to score twice in stoppage time to secure a 2-1 win over Brentford on Monday and the Welsh international was an impact substitute again to wrap up the victory seven minutes from time.

Yoane Wissa scored twice as Brentford twice came from behind to beat Bournemouth 3-2.

Twice the in-form Cherries led through Evanilson and Justin Kluivert.

But the Bees have taken 16 points from a possible 18 at home this season.

Brentford quickly levelled on both occasions through Wissa and Mikkel Damsgaard.

Wissa then completed the comeback with his seventh goal in eight league appearances this season.

Brentford edge ahead of Bournemouth into the top half of the table.

West Ham and Everton did little to quell the discontent among both fanbases in a 0-0 draw.

There were loud boos at full-time at the London Stadium from the West Ham support, but a point does edge Everton four clear of the bottom three.

History could be made at the Amex later should an injury-hit City lose once more.

Never in his 16 seasons as a manager has Pep Guardiola been defeated in four consecutive games.

Liverpool lead City by two points thanks to a brilliant start to life in England for Arne Slot.

The Dutchman has won 14 and drawn one of his first 16 games in charge in all competitions and the Reds may be meeting Villa at the right time.

Unai Emery’s men have lost their last three games in three different competitions after a promising start to the campaign.

Arsenal are aiming to bounce back from their own tough run when they visit Chelsea in the pick of Sunday’s action.

AFP

al Madrid forward Vinicius Jr scored a hat-trick to help the LaLiga champions snap a two-game winless run in all competitions with a commanding 4-0 victory over Osasuna on Saturday.

This follows shock defeats by Barcelona and AC Milan, their first back-to-back home losses in over three years.

Real suffered two major early blows against Osasuna as forward Rodrygo and defender Eder Militao were both forced off injured.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti brought Morocco forward Brahim Diaz and 21-year-old academy defender Raul Asencio off the bench and his side kept calm led by a brilliant performance from Vinicius.

The Brazilian forward opened the scoring in the 34th minute after taking a Jude Bellingham pass in his stride to beat the offside trap and firing an unstoppable strike past goalkeeper Sergio Herrera.

Bellingham recovered his scoring instinct by netting his first goal of the season with a brilliant finish eight minutes later, lobbing the ball over the goalkeeper to extend Real’s lead. 

Real’s stand-in right back Lucas Vazquez was also forced off but Vinicius extended the lead with a great goal in the 61st minute, running on to a long pass from his goalkeeper Andriy Lunin before rounding Herrera and tapping into the empty net.

Eight minutes later, Diaz stole the ball from a distracted defender on the edge of the box and put it on a plate for Vinicius to fire home and wrap up a comprehensive win with his second hat-trick in four games.

Vinicius is now second in LaLiga’s top-scorer race with eight goals in 12 games, six behind Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski.

Second-placed Real climbed to 27 points, six behind leaders Barcelona. Osasuna are fifth on 21 points.

“I don’t want to touch this subject (the injuries), because it hurts me to see colleagues crying… It breaks my heart…” Diaz, who missed over six weeks this season with a thigh injury, told Real Madrid TV.

“We won convincingly,” Diaz added. “We played a complete game, with hard work and effort. The victory was needed. Now we have to continue at this high level, because we have talent.”

The Chairman of the Presidential Tax Reform Committee, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, has raised the alarm that businesses will suffer while the economy would retrogress if state governments are allowed to collect value-added tax (VAT).

Speaking on a live television programme at the weekend, Oyedele recalled that a similar approach was attempted in the 1980s with sales tax, but the sub-national governments failed to generate significant revenue through it.

“By 1999, we were writing the constitution because we now have the 4th Republic. But what we did was to just replicate the 1979 Constitution,” Oyedele said.

“In 1979, there was no VAT. So, there was no VAT in the 1979 Constitution.

“However, by 1999, we had implemented VAT for about five years. And it was becoming our top revenue tax. How on earth did we forget to put it in the 1999 Constitution? “Because it wasn’t stated in the 1999 Constitution, lawyers will state to you that it’s a residual matter.
“Because it’s a residual matter means it belongs to the subnational. That’s why Rivers State and Lagos State have been to court and won.

“If we get a judgment from the Supreme Court today, it will tell you that VAT should be collected and administered by the states. That will be chaotic.

“States will collect less, businesses will suffer, the economy will retrogress.

“On balance, the new reform is meant to treat everybody equitably. Try to get us out of the impression that when you start doing VAT at state level, you make so much money, which is not the case.
“In fact, today, the VAT on imports and international services is actually more than the VAT we collect in Nigeria, within our jurisdiction.

“And that amount that is collected from international services and import VAT is not attributed to any state. It goes into the pool and is shared.
“So, today we shared VAT between and among states based on derivation, 20 per cent; based on equality, 50 per cent; and based on population, 30 per cent we are proposing that correct derivation and share, 60 per cent based on derivation, 20 per cent based on population and 20 per cent based on equality,” he explained.
Oyedele also said another more attractive proposal by the committee is to allow the federal government to reduce its VAT share, and give room for states to have more.

“We thought it was going to be very difficult for the federal government,” he said.
“We asked the federal government, can you please seed five per cent of your share to the state instead of taking 15 per cent, why don’t you take 10 per cent, now we have five per cent that can give us a buffer that we can use to do fiscal equalisation and actually writing the law to guarantee every state that as a result of our reform, you will not collect less than you would have collected under the old formula.
 “I thought that should be good enough. It’s actually just saying to you as a state that your risk is zero, but the upside is significant.

“Your VAT revenue can double in less than two years if they allow this reform to go through, because it would also motivate states to take interest in the economic activities within their jurisdiction,” he added.
Oyedele further said the new tax reform bills under consideration at the National Assembly will halt revenue collection by federal agencies such as the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

He said the bills aim to stop approximately 60 federal agencies from collecting taxes, allowing them to focus on their primary mandates.
The committee chairman added that the new measures will simplify tax collection across the country and enhance the operational capacity of the agencies.
President Bola Tinubu had on October 3, asked the National Assembly to consider and pass four tax reform bills.

The bills include the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Tax Administration Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill.
According to the bill, VAT would be increased to 10 per cent by 2025 and reduce Company Income Tax (CIT) to 27.5 per cent from an average of 30 per cent over the same period.
Under the proposed bill, Personal Income Tax (PIT) will be raised to 25 per cent for high earners from next year, from about 20 per cent.

President Joe Biden will meet with President-elect, Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday after the US leader pledged an orderly transfer of power back to the Republican he beat in elections just four years ago.

Trump, who never conceded his 2020 loss, sealed a historic comeback to the presidency in the November 5 vote, cementing what is set to be more than a decade of US politics overshadowed by his hardline right-wing stance.
Biden will join the tiny club of US presidents to return power to their White House predecessor — with a previous instance coming when president Benjamin Harrison handed back to Grover Cleveland in the 19th century.

The Democrat will meet Trump at the Oval Office at 11:00 am (1600 GMT), the White House said Saturday, with the clock ticking down to the ex-president’s return to power in January.
The 78-year-old ex-reality TV star won wider margins than before, despite a criminal conviction, two impeachments while in office and warnings from his former chief of staff that he is a “fascist.”
Exit polls showed that voters’ top concern remained the economy and inflation that spiked under Biden in the wake of the Covid pandemic.

Biden, who dropped out of the race in July over concerns about his ability to continue at the age of 81, called Trump on Wednesday to congratulate him after his election win.
The Democratic leader urged Americans in a solemn televised address to “bring down the temperature,” in stark contrast to Trump’s refusal to accept his 2020 election defeat.
Trump has begun to assemble his second administration, naming campaign manager Susie Wiles to serve as his White House chief of staff.

She is the first woman to be named to the high-profile role and the Republican’s first appointment to his incoming administration.
“Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected,” Trump said of the steely 67-year-old Florida native. “Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again.”
The other frontrunners for a place in the Trump 2.0 administration reflect the significant changes it is likely to implement.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a leading figure in the anti-vaccine movement for whom Trump has pledged a “big role” in health care, told NBC News on Wednesday that “I’m not going to take away anybody’s vaccines.”
The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, could also be in line for a job auditing government waste after the right-wing SpaceX, Tesla and X boss enthusiastically backed Trump.
Trump is expected to wield the axe on many of Biden’s signature policies. He returns to the White House as a climate change denier, poised to take apart Biden’s green policies with his pledge to “drill, baby, drill” for oil.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has acknowledged that few judges were giving the Nigerian judiciary a bad name, insisting that the country’s judiciary is blessed with upright and courageous judges.

The Emir of Kano, His Royal Majesty Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi II, also asked the Nigerian judges especially justices of the Supreme Court to administer justice with the fear of God, and also remember that they are accountable to God.

This is just as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Dr Wale Babalakin has lamented what he described as the deterioration of judicial independence in Nigeria occasioned by the increasing influence of state governors and other political figures over judges.

Justice Kekere-Ekun stated this yesterday at a public discourse on ‘Ethics, Morality And The Law’, organised by the Movement for Islamic Culture and Awareness (MICA) to mark its 30th anniversary and the elevation of Justice Habeeb Adewale Abiru to the Supreme Court.

She maintained that Nigeria was endowed with very hardworking and knowledgeable judges, warning however, that judges should remember that as “individuals we are accountable to ourselves and to God.”
The CJN added that the perspective of the ordinary citizen, who observed and assessed the extent to which ethics, morality and the law co-existed harmoniously in the society must be taken into consideration.

She added that public acceptance of the law also hinged on its alignment with fundamental principles, the need for clarity, stability and independence of the judiciary, as well as the fair exercise of authority by law enforcement.

According to her, the foundations of justice were influenced by the Abrahamic faith prevalent in the society, adding that both Islam and Christianity preach morality uprightness, and righteousness.
She said: “The role of the legal practitioner within this framework, merits a particular attention.
“The lawyer, often seen as both antagonist and protagonist in the pursuit of justice, must navigate a terrain where law, ethics, and morality intersect.

“This dual role requires balancing the scriptures and the law with ethical constitutions, often containing moral and legal questions that may seem at odds. As a minister in the temple of justice, the lawyer’s commitment to justice involves upholding legal standards, while advancing principles that follow society’s ethical expectations.

“The degree to which this alignment is achieved influences public trust in the judiciary and the law, affirming that our legal system should not only administer justice but also resonate with the community’s moral convictions.

Justice Kekere-Ekun stated: “I will say we take notes of everything that has been said. As the Honourable Attorney General pointed out, and this happens in every sector of our society, it is unfortunate that by and large our judges are knowledgeable, upright, courageous, and hardworking but few ones are giving us a bad name.”

In his remarks at the event, the Emir of Kano, Sanusi II, asked Nigerian judges, especially the justices of the Supreme Court, to administer justice with the fear of God.
The Emir, who said his New Year resolution is not to be controversial, however, urged the judges not to allow hatred for people to make them do what is not right.

He said judges should focus more on substantive justice, and not rely on technicalities.
“Do not be an advocate for wrongdoers and do not be an advocate for those who deceive themselves, because Allah does not love sinful wrongdoers.
“When your friends come to you when the government comes to you, and you listen to them and you tilt judgment in their favour. Ask yourself, who will be your advocate before God, on the Day of Judgment?” Sanusi queried.

In his remarks, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) underscored the importance of fairness and integrity in the Nigerian legal system, urging legal professionals to recommit to ethical values.

 “First, you have to be good. On the inside, you have to be good,” he said.
“You have to be able to improve our personnel, our sister, our brother, our colleague,” he added.
Speaking on the theme “Ethics, Morality, and the Law – Christian Perspective,” the Very Reverend Professor Konyinsola Ajayi (SAN) condemned what he termed “lawlessness in the law” and urged Nigeria’s legal professionals to reflect on the role of ethics and morality within the judiciary.

Ajayi cited specific cases as examples of the judicial system’s failure, including the controversy surrounding the Emir of Kano, which he described as “an emanation of lawlessness.”
He questioned whether the rule of law truly underpins current judicial practices, adding that the decisions of the courts often confuse the public rather than provide clarity.

He said: “The law today is providing the greatest uncertainty you can think about.  The Nigerian judiciary was one of the best in the world. Australia, New Zealand, and the Commonwealth referenced Nigerian court decisions,” he said.

The senior lawyer said today’s legal system suffered from an erosion of this reputation due to inconsistent judgments and a perceived lack of accountability among judges.
Addressing the religious implications of the judiciary’s role, Ajayi appealed to the moral and ethical responsibilities that judges bear.
“God is the author of morality and ethics. He created the law and requires it to be underpinned by these things.”

Ajayi called for all Nigerians, particularly those in positions of power, to examine their actions within the broader ethical framework of their faiths.
“Justice is the foundation of society, and we must be careful to ensure that it does not become what will bring the house down,” he concluded.

Earlier, speaking on the theme: “Ethics, Morality, and the Law -Role of Legal Practitioner,” a former Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) said the greatest tool that humans invented was the law, adding that law separated humans from animals.

Also speaking, Babalakin (SAN) decried the deterioration of judicial independence in Nigeria.
He condemned what he described as a “systemic collapse” of the nation’s judicial system, calling for urgent reform to restore its independence and integrity.
 He noted that the declining autonomy of the judiciary was due to the increasing influence of state governors and political figures over judges.

He said: “The problem of the legal system is systemic. “We are trying to treat the consequences, not the causes of the problem.”
He argued that the decline in the judiciary began in the mid-1970s, when “most eminent judges were arbitrarily retired without trial, without questioning, marking a turning point for the nation’s judicial standards.”

Reflecting on the past, Babalakin recalled the reverence once held for judges.
He recounted how Mobolaji Johnson, the former military governor of Lagos State, had reportedly invited the esteemed Justice JIC Taylor to a state function.
According to him, Taylor declined, “prioritising his judicial duties over the governor’s invitation. That was the end of the story.”

“There is no system that can have the judicial officers under a strong influence of the executive that can do well,” he said.
He condemned the practice where some governors referred to judges as ‘my judges’, adding that in those days, no governor would have had the audacity to refer to a judge as ‘my judge’.
Babalakin further highlighted the financial challenges faced by judges, particularly in state courts.

Criticising what he called a “culture of mediocrity” that infiltrated Nigeria’s legal practice, Babalakin called on legal professionals to “reposition and rebuild” the profession from foundational levels, including law school and the bar.

He urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to step up and reclaim its historic role as a moral and legal force.

An Abeokuta, Ogun State Magistrates’ Court on Friday sentenced a 19-year-old boy, Ibrahim Abubakar, to six months in prison for stealing 282 chickens and other valuable items worth over N2.2 million.

Abubakar, whose address was not provided, was convicted on a one-count charge of stealing.

The Magistrate, B.O Ilo, held that evidence presented by the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the convict was guilty of an offence as charged.

He then sentenced Abubakar to six months in prison without an option of fine.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Inspector Lawrence Olu-Balogun, told the court that the convict committed the offence between May and October at Number 44 Iyana Cele in the Sabo Area of Abeokuta.

Mr Olu-Balogun said the defendant entered into a poultry farm and stole 282 live chickens valued at N2.115 million, belonging to one Ademide Yusuf.

He also said the convict entered the compound beside the poultry farm and stole valuable items worth N70,500.

The prosecutor said, “The items stolen include one iron bed frame, valued at N25,000, electric wires valued at N20,000, one change-over switch valued at N5,000 and electric switch valued at N2,000. He also stole a seesaw iron which costs N10,000, one hammer valued at N3,500, a First Aid Box valued at N5,000, belonging to one Mrs Itunu Opatola.’’

 The prosecutor explained further that before the day the defendant was caught he had been coming to the poultry farm to steal various numbers of chicken totalling 282 chickens.

“The defendant was inside the poultry farm trying to steal chickens when the owner visited the farm. He immediately jumped out of the compound through the fence. He was later caught with two live chickens and other stolen items from Opatola’s compound, and he later confessed that he had been the one stealing the chickens that were missing,” he said.

Mr Olu-Balogun said the offences contravene Section 390(9) of the Criminal Laws of Ogun, 2006.

(NAN)