News

Court Sentences Kwara Journalists To Prison For Defamation

Published

1 year ago

April 14, 2023

Editor

A Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, has sentenced two online journalists, Gidado Shuaib and Olufemi Alfred to three months imprisonment over a false publication about an Agro-allied company based in the state.

The duo convicts who worked for News Digest, an online publication, were found guilty of criminal conspiracy and defamation by the court.

The convicts were arraigned in court in November 2019 for the publication titled “Inside a Kwara factory where Indian hemp is legalised” in the News Digest publication in 2018 edition.

The offences charged under criminal conspiracy and defamations were contrary to sections 97 and 392 of the penal code law and punishable under the same sections of the law. The judgement was delivered on February 7.

Their arraignment followed a petition written against them by Hillcrest Agro- Allied Industries Limited located at Kilometre 4, Ajase -Ipo Road, Amberi village in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.

The prosecution alleged that the published article, according to the petitioner, portrayed the company which is into rice production as a place where Indian hemp is being smoked freely by workers.

During the trial, the company, Hillcrest Agro-Allied Industries Limited, told the court that the article in the online publication had caused the company and the petitioner huge financial and reputational damages.

According to the petitioner, the publication had made the company to suffer huge financial loss adding that “as a result of the article published in the online publication (News Digest) in June 2018, the company was denied a loan facility to the tune of $10,000.000 (10 million Dollar) by the funding partner known as Arab group in the United Arab Emirate and equally lost a deposit sum of $250,000.00 (250,000 dollar.)”

Delivering judgement on the matter after about five years of legal battle, the magistrate, Mr A.S Muhammad said, “I have carefully considered the evidence of PW1 (Shakirat Yusuf) on the character of the convicts as well as considered the Allocutus made by learned counsel to the convicts and I have equally reflected on the provisions of sections 316 and 417 of the Kwara state administration of criminal justice law, 2018. In compliance with the provisions under S.417 (2) (d) of the Kwara state ACJL, 2018, I shall not pass a maximum sentence on the convicts.

“Premised on the forgoing for the offence of conspiracy, I sentenced the 1st and 2nd defendants to a fine of N40,000 only each or 2 months imprisonment in default of payment.

“On defamation, the 1st and 2nd convicts are sentenced to a fine of N60,000.00 only each or 3 months imprisonment in default of payment.

“For clarity, each of the convicts is to pay a fine of N100,000.00 only for the offences of conspiracy and defamation respectively, having been convicted in default of payment, the sentence shall run concurrently.

“Rights of Appeal exist within 30 days”, the presiding magistrate said.

But reacting to the sentencing, the counsel to the journalists, A.S Ibraheem Gambari Esq, insisted that journalists have the right of appeal and that efforts are on top gear towards exercising that constitutional right.

Gambari stated that they were still studying the judgement and will do the needful soonest. They noted that if not for some administrative delays in obtaining the Certified True Copy of the judgement from the court’s registry, “the notice of appeal would have been filed by now.”

The counsel revealed that: “There was evidence before the trial court that the police report which purportedly indicted our clients came into existence even before they were invited by the police. In other words, the police had already found them culpable long before they were invited to state their own side of the story.

“Also, an ex-employee of the company testified before the court that he was not only a witness to how smoking of Indian helm pervaded the site but equally, it was the persistent smoking of the Indian helm that informed his decision to sever his employment with the company. What’s more, in order to establish the verisimilitude of his assertion, the same witness tendered his bank statement evidencing the receipt of his monthly salaries from the company during the period where smoking was prevalent. It therefore remains a conundrum how the court found them guilty in the face of this empirical evidence among others.”

Gambari added that they believe that “justice will be achieved at appeal so that patriotic youthful elements in the society like our clients will not be discouraged from embarking on their respective altruistic endeavours.”

News

JUST IN: 36 Speakers Back State Police

Published

26 mins ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

Speakers of the 36 Houses of Assembly in Nigeria on Thursday expressed support for the National Assembly’s ongoing efforts to alter the 1999 constitution to create state policing in the country.

The Speakers made their resolution known at the end of their meeting in Abuja.

The Senate and House of Representatives are currently working to amend various constitutional provisions, including those regarding state police, financial autonomy for local government, fiscal federalism, and mayoral status for the FCT.

Details shortly…

News

Military Declares Nigerien Terrorist Wanted For Zamfara Killings

Published

57 mins ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

The Defence Headquarters on Thursday declared wanted, a terrorist leader, Halilu Buzu, from Buzu in the Republic of Niger.

Buzu who resides in Shinkafi LGA of Zamfara State, operates an illegal gold mine in Zamfara and is a prominent cattle rustler and arms supplier.

Major General Edward Buba, the Director Defence Media Operation disclosed the development on Thursday during a bi-weekly media briefing on military operations conducted in the country during the past week.

Buba said, “Troops are actively fighting in various theatres of operation across the country and are focussed on destroying both the military capability as well as the will to fight off the terrorists and their cohorts across the country.

“Accordingly, troops are hunting senior terrorist leadership that is of operational importance in terms of coordination of the terrorist attacks against troops and citizens. Troops are also hunting those that are of symbolic value including all those declared wanted.

“Troops are in hunt of one, Halilu Buzu, a terrorist leader that hails from Buzu in the Republic of Niger. He settled in Subbubu Forest and lives in Shinkafi LGA of Zamfara State. His camp and illegal gold mine are located at Kawayi in Anka LGA of Zamfara State, where he has a lot of boys working for him.

“Halilu is also a prominent cattle rustler and illegal gold miner. Last week, his boys killed 19 villagers at Farar Kasa. He is a High-Value Target and therefore declared wanted. Meanwhile, he is one of several others that we would be declaring wanted.

“Additionally, Halilu is a major arms supplier, trusted by arms dealers for supplying arms from Libya. When troops close in on him, he moves across the border into the Republic of Niger for refuge. At this time, we are through appropriate channels calling on the Nigerian authorities to apprehend and hold him accountable for his atrocities.

“These categories of terrorists are relentlessly targeted by troops, such that we will be able to strike them out and take them off the battlefield as soon as possible. It is clear that the fate of the terrorists perpetrating insecurity in our nation will be violent and short. Troops will stop at nothing to take them out of the battlefield.”

The DMO further announced that soldiers fighting the counter-insurgency war and carrying out other security operations across the country, killed 227 terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, oil thieves, and other criminals in the past week. Additionally, they arrested 529 criminals, rescued 253 kidnapped hostages, and recovered numerous weapons.

Buba said, “During the period under review, troops discovered and destroyed 18 dugout pits, 34 boats, five drums, four receivers, four reservoirs, and 97 storage tanks. Other items recovered include 198 cooking ovens, nine vehicles, three pumping machines, two speedboats, one outboard engine, and 57 illegal refining sites. He added that troops also recovered 1,442,700 litres of stolen crude oil and 154,650 litres of illegally refined AGO.”

On the breakdown of the weapons recovered, he aded that, “they included 89 AK47 rifles, 40 locally fabricated guns, 59 dane guns, two pump action guns, eight locally fabricated pistols, 6 x 36 hand grenades, three IEDs, one RPG 7 tube, one RPG 7 charger, 4 AGL rounds, one barrel of QJC Gun, one barrel of PKT with receiver, one barrel of Dushka Gun, 250kg bombs used by NATO and Eastern Bloc aircraft, and one MRAP.”

He further noted that troops prevented oil thefts amounting to over N1.3 billion in the Niger Delta region.

He also revealed that in the course of the operations, troops recovered 231 assorted weapons and 6,441 assorted ammunition.

Buba emphasized that troops are actively fighting in various theatres of operation across the country and are focused on destroying terrorists’ military capabilities.

Buba concluded by stating that troops are relentless in their pursuit of terrorists and criminals, determined to take them off the battlefield and bring an end to their atrocities. He commended the troops for their dedication and sacrifice in ensuring the safety and security of the nation.

News

Ministry Pushes For Walking, Cycling As Safe Means Of Transportation

Published

1 hour ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Olorunola Olufemi, has emphasised the need for sustainable, safe, and efficient transport modes in response to rapid urbanisation and population growth.

Olufemi highlighted walking and cycling as key components of a healthier and more sustainable urban transport system.

The permanent secretary stated this at a two-day capacity building programme ‘Safer Roads for Pedestrians and Cyclists in Nigeria’ in Abuja, on Thursday.

Olufemi, who was represented by the Deputy Director, of Road Transport and Mass Transit Administration of the Ministry, Akhidenor Cynthia, pointed out that Nigerian cities were predominantly characterised by informal transport systems, which have significant negative impacts on residents’ health, socio-economic status, and the environment.

The permanent secretary, who spoke on the theme ‘Walking and Cycling as tools for unlocking sustainable mobility and development in Nigerian cities‘ stressed the the need to create safer roads for pedestrians and cyclists to improve overall well-being and urban harmony.

He said, “The rapid population growth urbanisation with limited provision of quality transport system to meet the growing need makes it imperative to adopt more sustainable safe and efficient modes of transport which walking and cycling symbolise.

“Our city’s transport landscape is largely dominated by transport informalities with attendant externalities that impact the health, socio-economic and environmental wellbeing of residents.

“Today, we come together with a shared purpose to create a future where our roads are safer for pedestrians and cyclists, ensuring their wellbeing and promoting a sense of harmony in our country.”

He added that the ministry as the lead government agency, has been at the forefront of promoting sustainable transport and implementing various industry reforms.

He introduced the project as part of the efforts by the FG which is aimed to integrate walking and cycling into urban mobility plans.

The organiser of the programme, Chief Executive Officer, of Ochenuell Mobility, Emmanuel John, highlighted the long-standing neglect of cycling as a means of transport due to inadequate attention and development.

John emphasised that the lack of proper infrastructure, limited policy initiatives, and insufficient public awareness have left many people feeling unsafe about cycling on roads.

To address these issues, he said the NGO was introducing a draft for a national cycling policy.

He said, “Generally, cycling has not received the desired attention over the years. For that reason, people seldom use it as a means of transport.

“However, due to the lack of infrastructure, limited policy development, lack of knowledge and public awareness, many people are afraid of cycling on the road because they feel it is unsafe.

“The lack of safety is a function of infrastructure, poor policy implementation, and a poor regulatory enforcement system that will ensure your safety.

“In the course of this programme, we are presenting a draft of the national cycling policy to stakeholders. On June 3, we will present a second draft during a larger stakeholders meeting.”

The project is being carried out as a collaboration between seven Nigerian organisations in collaboration with the United Nations Habitat and the UN Road Safety Trust Fund.

The Nigerian Stakeholders include the Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Health, Federal Road Safety Corps, Africa Urban Cycling Organisation, Transportation Growth Initiative, Greenlight Initiative, Driving School Association of Nigeria, and Ochenuell Mobility.