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.

Senator Jibrin Barau has emerged as the Deputy President of the 10th Nigerian Senate after his nomination was the only one put forward by former governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi.

A member-elect, Salisu Mustapha supported the nomination

The Chief Justice of the Federal Capital Territory High Court has on Wednesday the 24th day of May, 2023 decongested the Nigerian Correctional Service Center.

Among the prisoners he released was one Hon. Chuma Nzeribe who was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment without option of fine in the matter of Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Hon. Chuma Nzeribe. Charge No FCT/HC/791/2020 which was filed by the EFCC. Presided by Court 14 Hon. Justice Yusuf Halilu.

The convict earlier on filed an application for his bail pending appeal and the EFCC also responded that the FCT High Court does not have the jurisdiction to entertain any application by the Applicant since there’s a pending Appeal before the Court of Appeal and all parties have filed their briefs of argument and issues were joined. While parties were waiting for a date to argue the application for the bail pending Appeal before the Court, the CJ went to the prison and released the Convict. It’s pertinent to note that, the Convict was convicted since May 23rd, 2022 in absentia.

Justice Yusuf made an order after the conviction for the Convict to appear before the Court for sentencing. After thorough surveillance, the Convict was subsequently arrested by the EFCC sometime this year and was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment without an option of fine among others. The Convict was sent to the Nigerian Correctional Service barely 3 Months back.

Justice Halilu Yusuf of the FCT High Court, Abuja, has convicted, Chuma Nzeribe, a former member of the House of Representatives for impersonation, possession of Federal Government documents and using same to fraudulently acquire land.

Nzeribe, who contested the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), was convicted on Monday on four-count criminal charges brought against him by the federal government.

The convict could not be sentenced to prison, however, because of his absence in court on Monday when the judgment was delivered.

Justice Yusuf while delivering the judgment said he would reserve the sentence till the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operatives and police arrest the convict and bring him before the court.

The Judge ordered that the land in Maitama acquired with the forged documents taken over by the owner, Ishaya Madi, with immediate effect.

Nzeribe had shunned the court for the third time without any cogent reason.

EFCC had told the court that Nzeribe wrote the commission a Memorandum of Understanding MoU surrendering the land he fraudulently acquired to the real owner, Ishaya Madi.