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2 Years Illegal Detention: Court Adjourns N9bn Suit By Ijaw Activist

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Justice Iniekinimi Abraham Uzaka of the Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Yenagoa on Thursday adjourned to June 14th the suit filed by the Ijaw Right Activist, Comrade Collins Opumie over his alleged two years illegal detention in the secret detention centre of the operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS).

According to Justice Uzaka, the Counsel to the plaintiff, Ebipreye Sese Esq should “put his house in order” by ensuring the error in the address of service to the First sets of defendants are corrected under the rule of the court.

Justice Uzaka, at the resumed sitting of the court, with the Counsel to the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC), S.M. Tsado present, advised the plaintiff that despite the single address involved, the address used should be uniform.

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Also addressed in court is the issue of seeking the leave of the court before service, which the plaintiff counsel explained that the current Bayelsa State High Court rules,2010 did away with the provision for seeking leave to issue and serve a writ of summon outside jurisdiction.

Speaking with newsmen, after the court sitting, Ebipreye Sese Esq, assured that though the unlawful arrest and detention suit filed against the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Nigerian Police is at the preliminary stage,” at the next hearing we will file a request for accelerated hearing.”

The Counsel, Ebipreye Sese Esq Collins, further stated that suit files by True man Opumie against his illegal and arrest and detention by the operatives of the DSS on the allege prompting of the Security department of the NOAC, who falsely accused him of being a threat to the company is right and just,” he has the right to seek redress.”

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READ ALSO: Why I Can’t Refund Wike On Flyover — Tinubu

Comrade Opumie, in the suit numbered YC/324/2022, is demanding for the sum of N9 billion in damages and praying the court to declare that his arrest, torture and subsequent detention without proper food and medical attention and access to family members for two years amounting to unlawful imprisonment.

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Ex-CBN Gov, Emefiele Faces Fresh Charge Over Printing Of Naira Emefiele

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has preferred a fresh charge against the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, over an allegation that he illegally printed Naira notes while he held sway at the apex bank.

The anti-graft agency, in the four-count charge it entered before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, equally accused the former CBN boss of unlawfully approving the withdrawal of about N124.8billion from the consolidated revenue fund.

According to the EFCC, the defendant, acting in violation of law and “with intent to cause injury to the public,” okayed the printing of naira notes without the approval of both the former President, Muhammadu Buhari and the board of the CBN.

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Emefiele, who is already facing multiple charges both in Abuja and Lagos, is expected to take his plea before trial Justice Maryann Anenih.

READ ALSO: Alleged Fraud: Court Admits Bundles Of Documents As Evidence Against Emefiele

Specifically, the charge against him, read: “That you Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, between the 19th day of October 2022 and 5th March 2023 in Abuja, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the CBN Act, 2007, by approving the printing of N375,520,000.00 pieces of colour swapped N1, 000, at the total cost of N11,052, 068,062 without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.

“That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, between the 19th of October 2022 and 5th March 2023 in Abuja, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, by approving the printing of 172,000,000 pieces of colour swapped N500 (Five Hundred Naira) Notes, at the total cost of N4, 471,066,040 without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.

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“That you Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, between the 19th day of October 2022 and 5th March 2023 in Abuja, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the CBN Act, 2007, by approving the printing of 137,070,000 pieces of colour swapped N200 (Two Hundred Naira) Note, at the total cost of N3, 441, 005, 280 without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.

READ ALSO: How I Collected Dollars In Cash For Emefiele, Dispatch Rider Tells Court

“That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, on or about the 7th day of October 2020, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 80 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), by approving the withdrawal of the total sum of N124, 860, 227, 865.16 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation in a manner not prescribed by the National Assembly, which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.”

It will be recalled that President Bola Tinubu had on June 9, 2023, suspended Emefiele from office as the head of the apex bank.

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He was later arrested at his Lagos residence by DSS operatives.

The former CBN boss was subsequently transferred to the custody of the EFCC, which on November 28, 2023, docked him on a six-count charge that bordered on his alleged involvement in procurement fraud.

Though Emefiele, who initially spent 151 days in custody of security agencies, was later granted bail to the tune of N300million and ordered to produce two sureties that the trial court stressed must be Abuja residents that have landed property within the Maitama District, the defendant could not perfect the conditions till December 23, 2023, when he was released from Kuje prison where he spent about 34 days.

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JUST IN: Tinubu Officially Suspends 0.5% Cybersecurity Levy

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President Bola Tinubu has officially suspended the controversial 0.5% cybersecurity levy on electronic banking transactions.

Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris said President Tinubu ordered the suspension following deliberations by members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

READ ALSO: Tinubu Bows To Pressure, Orders CBN To Suspend Implementation Of Cybersecurity Levy

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Idris disclosed this at the State House in Abuja on Tuesday after the FEC meeting.

Details later…

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BREAKING: ASUU Threatens Nationwide Strike

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The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has threatened to embark on another nationwide strike to protest absence of governing councils in all federal universities across the country among other issues the government is yet to address.

The body which recalled that the federal government dissolved governing councils of the universities in May, last year, has asked Nigerians to hold the government responsible for any decision it takes to protest the action of government.

President of ASUU,Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke,spoke at a press conference which is ongoing at ASUU national secretariat,Abuja.

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