News

Dowen College: Oromoni’s Family Alleges Delay Tactics, Cries For Justice

Published

4 years ago

June 26, 2022

The family of deceased 12-year-old Junior Secondary School (class two) student of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos State, Sylvester Oromoni Jnr, who was purportedly tortured to death by some senior students that wanted him initiated into a cult group, has raised the alarm that plots of delay tactics at coroner inquest are being hatched in some quarters to frustrate the family at seeking justice for their late son.

While appealing to Nigerians to keep faith with the family in the determination to secure justice for their deceased son, the Oromoni family indicted the representative of the Nigerian Bar Association in the court proceedings, one Bernard Onigah, who it claimed was being used to create confusion at every court sitting “just to ensure that the coroner never arrived at a conclusion to make its final report, based on findings and substantial evidence at its disposal.”

The deceased father, Mr. Stylvester Oromoni, who spoke with newsmen in Warri on Saturday, urged the leadership of the NBA to withdraw Onigah from the court proceedings “in order to allow the coroner to carry out its job diligently, so as to arrive at a conclusion in bringing out its report on the matter early enough.”

The family claimed that any attempt by the NBA leadership to continue to keep the person of Bernard Onigah, as its representative in the court, would be interpreted as complicity on the part of the body to frustrate the coroner proceedings, thereby prolonging its sittings in order to deny the family the justice craved over their son’s death.

While assuring that no amount of frustrations could make the family abandon the cause of justice for their son, Oromoni noted that “the family was determined to seek justice even if it’s going to take them another three decades.”

He said, “From the events of the past few weeks at the Coroner Inquest, we can draw a conclusion that some party in the case have resorted to using one Bernard Onigah, a representative of the Nigerian Bar Association in the matter, to buy more time by causing confusion and unnecessary set back at every of its sittings in order to delay its report and thereby frustrating the family.

“We, the members of the Oromoni family, hereby urge the leadership of the NBA to immediately withdraw its representative, Bernard Onigah from the coroner in order to assist in making the court draw conclusions based on findings and present its report appropriately.

“We wish to state categorically that failure of the NBA leadership to withdraw Bernard Onigah, from the panel after this passionate appeal would be interpreted as complicity on the part of its leadership to continue to frustrate the court proceedings through its representative, who had been causing confusion and dragging the court back.

“We are not unmindful of the fact that the NBA representatives just like other bodies were supposed to play an observer role in the inquest proceedings, but to our greatest surprise, the said Onigah has assumed the role of a defence counsel in the case by raising issues that tend to frustrate proceeding in order to buy time before the coroner.

“However, we want to appeal to Nigerians to keep the faith alive with the Oromini family and wish to thank everyone who stood by us during our trying period last year December when we lost our dear promising son, Sylvester Oromini Jnr, to the cold hand of death as a result of complications from the torture he received while in school.

“We assure everyone that we will continue to remain focused on the case and no amount of plots to frustrate or discourage us would succeed, as we are determined more than ever before to get justice for our late son even if it would take us another 30 years to achieve this, we are prepared.”

PUNCH

News

UNIMAID, Federal Polytechnic Matriculate 82 Degree Students

Published

18 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Editor

University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) in affiliation with the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi has matriculated 82 students into the degree programmes across five courses.

Speaking during the matriculation ceremony at the Federal Polytechnic Bauchi on Tuesday, Professor Muhammad Laminu Mele, the Vice chancellor, University of Maiduguri, charged the matriculated students to strictly adhere to the rules and regulations guiding the two institutions to enable them achieve the set objectives.

The VC, who was represented by Professor Muhammad Ahmad Waziri, Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Services, warned that any student or group of students trying to breach the peace of the two institutions would face the full wrath of the law.

The Don further assured that the University and its affiliated institutions would continue to make easy access to higher quality education to the teeming population across the country.

In a remark, the Rector of the Polytechnic, Alhaji Sani Usman, said they were affiliated with the university to pursue academic excellence, describing the affiliation as a huge pillar in the education reforms.

The Rector, who was also represented by Dr. Dalhatu Saidu, the Deputy Rector of the Polymeric, commended the university of Maiduguri for not only improving the UNIMAID’s conducive learning environment but expanding the horizon to different higher institutions of learning across Nigeria.

He therefore advised the newly matriculated students to pursue knowledge, to interact freely with the Polytechnic staff, be vigilant and be a brother’s keeper, adding that this would help to achieve the desired objectives.

The affiliated courses included BSc Mass Communication, BSc Accountancy, BSc Public Administration, BSc Business Administration and BSc Banking and Finance respectively.

News

Trouble Looms As Egbesu Group Drags FG To Court Over Resource Control, Others

Published

18 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Editor

Group known as Supreme Egbesu Assembly (SEA) has dragged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to a Federal High Court, Yenagoa, over failure to create additional 24 Local government councils in Bayelsa State as the need for Ijaw to control natural resources in its territory.

The Originating Summons marked: FHC/YNA/CS/63/2026 was filed on Tuesday April 21, 2026 by the plaintiffs including; Felix Tuodolo, Weri Digifa, Ebi Waribigha, Kabowei Akamade, Rosebella Jackson, Thomas Jacklloyd, Primrose Kpokposei, David Imole and Welman Warri at the Federal High Court Yenagoa.

Joined as defendants in the suit are the National Assembly, the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Attorney General of the Federation.

In the court documents, the Egbesu Assembly premised their action on the alleged failure of the federal government particularly the National Assembly to deliberate, approve and amend the relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

This, according to them, is to allow for resource control as well as the creation of additional LGAs in the state to fulfil the requirements in line with the Constitution.

The group is therefore seeking, among others, the amendment of the constitution by the National Assembly to allow for the right to resource control.

The Supreme Egbesu Assembly described the suit action as a promise kept.

Mranwh, In a press statement announcing the institution of the lawsuit on Tuesday, the Egbesu Assembly recalled that, on 12th February 2026, it wrote to both the Federal Government and the National Assembly wherein its gave a 21-Day ultimatum for the duo to respond to the age-long demands for resource control and creation of additional LGAs or face a lawsuit.

The statement partly reads: “Recall that on 12th February 2026, we did inform you that we have written to the National Assembly and the federal government on the need for the creation of an additional 24 Local Government Areas in Bayelsa State as well as the control of our God-given natural resources in Ijaw territory.

“We promised that if the National Assembly and or federal government did not respond to these age-long demands, we were going to seek legal actions to address our demands.

News

BREAKING: Tinubu Sacks Wale Edun, Dangiwa As Ministers

Published

19 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has approved a minor reshuffle of the Federal Executive Council, removing the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, from their cabinet positions.

Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Yomi Odunuga, said the development was contained in a memo signed by the
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.

According to the memo, Taiwo Oyedele has been appointed as the new Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.

Also appointed is Dr. Muttaqha Darma as Minister-designate for Housing and Urban Development.

The memo directed the outgoing ministers to complete handover processes to their respective successors or supervising officials.

It stated that all handing over and taking over activities must be concluded on or before the close of business on Thursday, 23rd April, 2026.

Explaining the decision, Akume said the changes were aimed at improving coordination and strengthening delivery across key sectors of the economy under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“These changes are aimed at strengthening cohesion, synergy in governance as well as achieving more impactful delivery on the economy to Nigerians, through the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Akume stated.

He added that President Tinubu acted in line with his constitutional powers as provided under Sections 147 and 148 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The SGF also conveyed the President’s appreciation to the outgoing ministers for their service to the nation and wished them well in their future endeavours, noting that the process of cabinet reinvigoration would remain continuous.

The statement further noted that Taiwo Oyedele was appointed as Minister of State for Finance in March 2026, while Edun was among the ministers appointed on August 16, 2023.