The police command in Imo on Monday said it has demoted an inspector seen in a viral video, over his alleged extortion of money from motorists in the state.

The incident happened along the Onitsha express road in Imo..

Following the virality of the video, Henry Okoye, the Imo state police spokesperson, said in a statement the erring inspector, identified as Isong Osudueh has been recommended for a reduction in rank after the necessary orderly room proceedings.

In the statement, Okoye added that Aboki Danjuma, the Imo police commissioner said the officer will face an orderly room trial after which other necessary disciplinary actions will be taken against him.

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The statement said that the erring Osudueh supervisor has been issued a query for lack of proper supervision.

“The erring officer, identified as Inspector Isong Osudueh, attached to the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Owerri, has been recommended for a reduction in rank after the necessary orderly room proceedings, for exhibiting such a shameful and unprofessional act, while the supervisory officer has been issued an official query for lack of supervision,” the statement said.

“The disciplinary actions taken against the erring officer underscore the Command’s unwavering commitment to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, transparency, and integrity among its personnel, while effectively discharging its lawful duties and entrenching public trust and confidence.

The CP warned that under his watch, the command will not condone any act of extortion or misconduct by its personnel and warned that any supervisory officer who failed to carry out his oversight duties will be severely sanctioned.

In an effort to bring back the old national anthem, the senate has approved a bill for third reading.

Following the consideration of Tahir Monguno’s report—the chair of the judiciary committee—the upper house of parliament passed the bill.

The old national anthem is themed: ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’.

While presenting his report, Monguno said his committee disagreed with the position of Lateef Fagbemi, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), that the process to change the anthem should be subjected to a wider process.

“The proposed bill is important,” the Borno senator said.

Thereafter, the senate considered clauses of the bill and passed it.

Last week, the house of representatives passed the bill speedily, but it only scaled second reading at the senate.

Majority of the lawmakers in both chambers of the national assembly spoke in favour of the bill when they debated on its general principles.

While debating the bill last week, Victor Umeh, senator representing Anambra central, said an anthem is supposed to be motivational, adding that the current one is anything but emotive.

“The old one we are seeking to bring back is one that evokes emotions,” Umeh said.

“A national anthem is supposed to be motivational. There is motivation in the old anthem.

“I think from what my colleagues have said, there is nothing in the current anthem that motivates our people. If we bring it back, our children will be more committed to the ideals of nationhood.”

There have been mixed reactions since the national assembly began taking steps to reintroduce the old national anthem.

The Gombe State Government said it has filed charges against a man who amputated the two hands of his 12-year-old nephew, Adamu, over alleged phone theft.

The incident happened in Sambi Daji village, Tumu District in the Akko Local Government Area of the state. 

The Director of Public Prosecutions in the Gombe State Ministry of Justice, Abubakar Jungudo, disclosed this in an interview with the punch on Monday, May 27, 2024. 

"We are going to prosecute the defendant. We are awaiting the assignment of the case by the Chief Judge of Gombe State. One of the magistrates in Kashere drew my attention to the case, having seen the seriousness of the injury and it was referred to the Gombe State Command of the  Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps,” the DPP said.

In a statement commemorating Children's Day, the Vice Chairperson of the Nigerian Bar Association, Gombe branch, Mwalin Abdu, condemned the act. 

Abdu, who doubles as Chairperson, Human Rights Committee of the NBA, condemned the spate of child abuse in a press statement she titled, ‘Protecting our future: Urgent action needed on child protection in Gombe State.’

She called on the authorities to implement the Child Protection Law to tackle cases of abuse, stressing the need for concerted efforts towards combating dastardly acts against minors

“In 2018, we woke up to the story of young Zubair Abubakar (13 years old), whose arms were amputated because of the abuse by his teacher; just four days ago was another devastating story of a 12-year-old Adamu from Tumu District in the Akko LGA of the same Gombe State, who also lost his arms due to a similar incident with Zubair Abubakar, over alleged theft of phone,” she said. 

"Even though the office of the Attorney General has taken over the prosecution of the cases, we believe that is not enough, because these two stories are just a tip of the iceberg of the numerous daily-reported and unreported complaints or cases of child abuse in the state, ranging from sexual abuse, child labour, child molestation,  child trafficking and so on.”

"The heartbreaking tales of young victims like Zubair Abubakar and Adamu from Gombe State underscore a troubling reality: child abuse remains a pervasive issue in our communities, transcending mere headlines to expose the harsh realities faced by our most vulnerable members.

“While the ratification of the Child Protection Law in 2022 was a pivotal step, the gap between legislation and its effective enforcement looms large, leaving the children at risk and their futures uncertain.”

She called on stakeholders to rise to the occasion to put a stop to the overwhelming incidences of child abuse in Gombe State typified by the cases of Abubakar and Adamu.

“The time for passive observance has passed, the safeguarding of every child’s well-being demands immediate and resolute action. Gombe State must move swiftly to implement and enforce the Child Protection Law, ensuring that those who exploit and harm our children face the full force of justice. Robust reporting mechanisms, specialised victim support services, and widespread awareness campaigns are imperative to redress the rampant abuse, exploitation, and trafficking that plague our dear state,” she added. 

Lake Chad Basin counterterrorism and insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, who narrated the tragic event explained that the suspect caught Adamu and tied his hands with a rope, intending to keep him captive until he revealed where he hid the phone.

By the time the rope was loosened, his hands had become severely damaged, and doctors were forced to amputate them to save his life. 

“His elder brother did this to him after accusing him of stealing his mobile phone. The brother caught him and tied his hands with a rope, intending to keep him captive until he reveals where he hid the phone. Tragically, the rope was too tight, cutting off circulation to his hands. By the time the rope was loosened, his hands had become severely damaged, and doctors were forced to amputate them to save his life,” he added.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has criticized the federal government for dragging the state to court alongside 35 other states over Local Government (LG) autonomy. Sanwo-Olu emphasized that Lagos State already fully complies with LG autonomy and should not be part of the legal action.

The federal government filed a suit at the Supreme Court against all 36 state governors, seeking to prevent the arbitrary dissolution of democratically elected local government leaders. However, Sanwo-Olu argued that including Lagos in the lawsuit was a legal error since the state’s local governments have been enjoying autonomy for decades.

Speaking at the ongoing Justice Reform Summit organized by the Lagos State Judiciary, Sanwo-Olu supported the suit but highlighted that the Attorney General of the Federation should have identified non-compliant states before initiating legal proceedings. He suggested that only states violating autonomy should be sued rather than all 36 states collectively.

He said: “It is interesting to read that the Honorable Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation has sued all the 36 states because Governors did not give autonomy to the third tier of government. The only mistake I am going to tell our Attorney General is that some of us are in compliance.

“The Attorney General should have done his due diligence to identify which states are not compliant, so we don’t sue all the 36 states together. You can determine which states are not violating the Constitution. If it is three, four or five states that comply, then you can sue the 31 states for violating the autonomy of the local governments. That is part of the back work that we need to do.”

Drawing a parallel with Singapore, a fishing village with environmental similarities with Lagos, Sanwo-Olu said Singapore’s faith in the rule of law and fairness transformed the efficiency of the country’s justice system, leading to its rapid economic growth and prosperity.

He said: “Just like Lagos, Singapore has no resources. Singapore is what it is today because of the Ease of Doing Business. Registering a business in Singapore takes less than 30 minutes, surpassing many countries in ease of doing business. Singapore has one of the best judiciary systems in the world; they have quick turnaround time in mediation and dispute resolution.”

Representatives of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and the Attorney General of the Federation acknowledged the strides made by the Lagos judiciary in promoting justice development. They pledged continued support for reforms to enhance public trust in the judiciary and foster economic growth.