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Courts Shut As Lawyers Strike Over Imo Judge’s Killing

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Lawyers and judges in Imo State on Monday commenced a three-day strike over the killing of the magistrate in charge of Ejemekwuru Customary Court in Oguta Local Government Area of the state, Nnaemeka Ugboma.

Ugboma was on Thursday afternoon shot dead by fleeing gunmen while presiding over a session in court.

In a bid to express their anger over the magistrate’s killing, the five branches of the Nigerian Bar Association in the state on Monday embarked on a strike.

In Owerri, it was observed on Monday that no court at the State High Court at new Owerri nor the Magistrate Court at Orlu road was sitting.

The judges too did not come to court as the premises became shadows of themselves.

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The NBA chairman in Owerri, Ugochukwu Allinor, said the measure was being taken to urge government to apprehend the killers of the magistrate and for the courts to be adequately protected.

“This dastardly act is highly condemnable as it desecrates the temple of justice and undermines the confidence of the citizens in the judiciary as the last hope of the common man.

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“The Bar therefore calls on the Imo State Government to provide, with immediate effect, security in and around all the courts in Imo State, which have remained porous despite the sensitive role they play in the society.

“The Imo Bar, in consonance with the national body of the NBA, ably led by Y.C. Maikyau, SAN, firmly resists the attempt to undermine the judiciary and the legal profession, and instill fear in the conduct of judicial proceedings. Also, citizens need to be aware that judicial officers and lawyers are not their enemies or opponents, they only aid in the administration of justice.

“In the circumstance, the members of the NBA in Imo State have resolved to boycott all courts in Imo State starting from Monday, February 6, 2023 to Wednesday February 8, 2023, in other to register their displeasure with the current state of affairs.

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“Until the members of the Bar in Imo State are sufficiently assured of the safety of the judiciary, the Bar and the litigants as requested, we shall continue to review the situation and to take further necessary actions.”

 

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Court Orders Release Of 313 Suspected Terrorists

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A Federal High Court in Borno has ordered the release of no fewer than 313 suspected terrorists arrested by the military.

The court ordered their release for lack of evidence to nail the suspects after the investigation.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Buba Edward, disclosed this during a briefing on military operations across the country on Thursday in Abuja.

He assured all that the military would comply with the court order and release the suspected terrorists to the state government.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Military Yields To Pressure, Frees Abducted Lagos Editor

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Buba said, “During the week, as a follow up to a court order of the Federal High Court in Maiduguri, a total of 313 suspects in detention for terrorism-related offences were to be released to the Borno State government.

“The court ordered the release for want of evidence after the conclusion of the investigation and other ancillary matters.

“The cases were prosecuted by the Department of Prosecution, Federal Ministry of Justice. Accordingly, they would be handed over to the Borno State Government for further action.”

The PUNCH reports that this is not the first time suspected terrorists would be acquitted for want of evidence.

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The Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), had on December 4, 2023, said out of a total of 1,323 suspects prosecuted for terrorism, only 366 convictions were secured.

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He noted that 896 others were discharged for lack of evidence.

Fagbemi said, “I must acknowledge the fact that we have come a long way in this initiative. The first phase of the Kainji Prosecution Project commenced in October 2017 with remarkable achievements where we recorded a total of 366 convictions, 896 others were discharged for want of sufficient evidence and 61 other cases adjourned for further hearing.

“There have been three phases of the exercise so far, spanning between October 2017 and July 2018. I must, at this point, challenge all stakeholders to ensure that the momentum is sustained, seeing how important this assignment is to the well-being of our beloved country and her people.”

 

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Alleged Defamation: Foremost Edo-based Human Rights Activist Granted Bail

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An Edo State High Court presided over by Hon. Justice Efe Ikpomwonba, has granted an Edo-based foremost human rights activist and former coordinator-general of Edo Civil Society Organisations, EDOCSO, Leftist Omobude Agho bail for alleged defamation and cyber-stalking.

The human rights activist was brought before Criminal Court 1, Benin City, by police prosecutor, Y. Musa, with a motion exparte for remand of the defendant in prison custody.

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The prosecutor charge reads in part “that you Omobude Agho ‘m’ on or about the 16th day of March, 2024 at Benin City within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, Benin judicial division, with intent to injure the reputation of DCP.

Members of the EDOCSO in the premises of the court in solidarity with their former coordinator-general

“Betty Otimenyin, did made injurious Facebook publication of your Facebook timeline named “Omobude Left Agho” where you referred to her as madam deputy commissioner of police in zone 5 and female deputy commissioner of police connected at the zone 5 respectively and accused her of aiding and assisting one Dominic Edobor in committing crime at Ugbineh community and other several injurious publication which you know to be false and has gone viral in a manner that injures the reputation of DCP. Betty Otimenyin and brought her to disrepute and hatred and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 24(1)(a) and (b)(2)(a)and (b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015.”

READ ALSO: Nigerian Female Engineer Invents Smart Bra To Detect Breast Cancer

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Agho, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Members of the EDOCSO in a joyous mood after Agho was granted bail. Standing by his rights lawyer, Olayiwola Afolabi, SAN.

In his bail application, lead defendant’s counsel, Olayiwola Afolabi, SAN, prayed the court to grant the defendant bail, assuring that he (Agho) will not jump bail.

The presiding judge, having listened to both police counsel and the defendant’s counsel, granted the defendant bail with a surety and a like sum of N500,000.

The surety was to swear to an affidavit of means and resident and workplace to be verified by court officials.

The defendant was able to meet the bail conditions and was released on bail by the court.

The presiding judge thereafter adjourned the case to 21st of May, 2024.

Meanwhile during the arrast and court proceedings, members of the EDOCSO in their large numbers trooped to the court premises in solidarity with their former coordinator-general.

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NAFDAC Intercepts Psychoactive Drugs, Busts Beverage Factories In Southeast

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The National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has confiscated banned pharmaceutical products, valued at millions of naira, in Onitsha, Anambra State, during a raid.

The agency also bust factories manufacturing fake alcoholic beverages in Enugu and Imo states.

NAFDAC’s Director, South East Zone, Martins Iluyomade, revealed this while briefing newsmen in Awka on Wednesday.

He said drugs intercepted in Onitsha included 892 bottles of codeine syrup, 26 packs of Rohypnol tablet (Flunitrazepam) and 16 packs of swings tablet (Flunitrazepam).

READ ALSO: Court Sentences Chinese To Death For Killing Nigerian Girlfriend

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Others were six rolls of Teka Tramadol capsules 100mg, 10 packs of Super Terpentol tablet 200mg and eight packs of Osaka Tramadol capsules 100mg.

Iluyomade applauded the Coordinator of NAFDAC in Anambra, Louis Mmadubuatta,
for a successful operation, saying the drugs posed grave public health danger.

According to him, the drugs were dangerous psychoactive substances, especially Rohypnol, which, he said, was largely used by kidnappers, rapists, cultists and ritualists, on their victims.

“These are controlled drugs which should not be found in an open market or in the hands of individuals,” he said.

Iluyomade said other breakthroughs made included the discovery of a factory under the name BEST IJAW at Ibagwa Aka, in Igboeze South Local Government Area of Enugu State, which specialised in the production of an unapproved dry gin.

He said the factory had eight PVC containers filled with substances suspected to be ethanol and drums of substances equally suspected to be ethanol.

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