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How Nigerian Lawyer, Ogebe Secured Release Of Nigerian Man From Death Row In Indonesia

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Emmanuel Ihejirika, a Nigerian man sentenced to death for drug trafficking in Indonesia, has been freed after spending several years in prison.

The news of his release was disclosed by Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), in a statement on Friday through the organization’s spokesman, Gabriel Odu.

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Ihejirika’s release was made possible through the efforts of Emmanuel Isha Ogebe, a Nigerian lawyer based in Washington D.C., who took up his case pro bono.

READ ALSO: Four US Black Rights Activists Convicted Over Russian Ties

Dabiri-Erewa, speaking after a meeting with Ogebe in Washington D.C., lauded the lawyer for his selflessness and dedication in handling the case.

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Years earlier, a Nigerian delegation led by the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Ojo Madueke, and including Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who was then a member of the House of Representatives, and former NDLEA Chairman Mr. Ipinmosho, visited an Indonesian prison to plead for clemency on behalf of 21 Nigerians sentenced to death for drug trafficking.

Despite their efforts, four of the convicts, alongside an Indonesian and a British citizen, were executed.

Ogebe later reached out to Dabiri-Erewa to request her intervention in Ihejirika’s case, which appeared to involve mistaken identity.

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Ogebe offered his services for free and took the case to Indonesia’s Supreme Court, where Ihejirika was eventually exonerated and freed.

Dabiri-Erewa emphasised the severe consequences of drug trafficking in Indonesia, where the penalty is death, and urged Nigerians to avoid criminal activities.

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She also commended Ogebe for his remarkable contribution and thanked the Nigerian Charge D’Affaires in Indonesia, Ms. Patricia Alechenu, for her unwavering support throughout the case.

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Nigerian Grandmother Sacked By UK Varsity Over Misplaced Bracelet

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A 71-year-old Nigerian grandmother, Janet Olufunke Damiro, has been dismissed from her cleaning job at the London School of Economics after being accused of stealing a bracelet.

British tabloid newspaper, Metro UK, exclusively reports on Thursday that Damiro, who moved to the United Kingdom from Nigeria in 1971 and had worked at LSE for 13 years, said she simply forgot the gold bracelet in her purse after finding it during her shift and intending to hand it in later.

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She returned it three days later when questioned by management, but was still suspended and eventually dismissed in April for gross misconduct.

Damiro said, “I can’t sleep. I have never had a bad record or been to HR before in my life.

READ ALSO:Family Kicks As UK Varsity Sacks Nigerian Grandmother

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“LSE have treated me really badly. It was my only job, and I loved working there. I never expected to be suspended or dismissed.

“I did not steal this thing. If I see any items, I always hand them over.

“This is the first time in my life I have had a problem like this since I came to this country. It is really bugging me.”

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Metro reports that more than 70 of her colleagues, including three supervisors, have written to LSE management in her defence, insisting on her honesty and professionalism.

READ ALSO: Children Killed As Russia Launches Largest Air Attack On Ukraine

Janet has always conducted herself with integrity and consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic,” their letter read.

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Her trade union, United Voices of the World, in a post on its website last month, appealed the dismissal and criticised the university’s handling of the situation.

Speaking with UVW, Damiro said, “I don’t steal. I’m not a thief. I’ve worked at LSE for over 10 years without any problems. I just forgot. At my age, you can forget like that.

READ ALSO: Russia, Ukraine Exchange 303 Prisoners As Part Of Agreed Swap

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“They look at me like I’m a thief. It’s unfair. I’ve not been myself at all, I don’t sleep at night. I don’t have a job now, but I have to pay my rent and bills. Who’s going to employ me at this age?”

According to Metro, the university has declined to comment publicly, citing the ongoing nature of the case.

Meanwhile, LSE students have launched a petition calling for her reinstatement, describing the punishment as “deeply disturbing” for what they believe was a “minor mistake.”

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An appeal hearing initially scheduled for May 22 was adjourned, and a new date has been set for later in June.

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Family Kicks As UK Varsity Sacks Nigerian Grandmother

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The family of Janet Damiro, a 71-year-old cleaner recently dismissed from the London School of Economics, has responded to widespread reports surrounding the incident, describing the online and media narratives as misleading and lacking critical context.

The victim’s daughter, Aina Damiro, in a statement made available to The PUNCH on Friday, clarified the events that led to her mother’s dismissal, stating that the situation has been “blown out of proportion.”

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According to her, the incident occurred in February during the final minutes of Janet’s morning shift when she found a bracelet on the floor.

She reportedly picked it up with the intention of handing it in but inadvertently forgot.

READ ALSO: Russia Denies Kidnapping 20,000 Ukrainian Children

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She said that the bracelet was left untouched in her coin wallet, which remained in her locker at the university.

When approached about the bracelet a few days later, she was honest and cooperative.

“She retrieved it immediately and explained what had happened. There was no denial or attempt to hide it,” she said.

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The family insists this was a case of forgetfulness rather than theft or misconduct, stressing that Janet had served the institution faithfully for years.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: US Singer Chris Brown Granted Bail By UK Court

They argued that the university’s decision to terminate her employment was a disproportionate response lacking empathy, especially for an older worker nearing retirement.

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The family said, “To see her name and image used to suggest wrongdoing is not only unfair but deeply hurtful.

“This was an innocent mistake that has been misrepresented in a way that raises questions about how older workers, particularly women of colour in lower-paid roles, are treated.”

The family stated that Janet granted the interview to the Metro UK in good faith, hoping to raise awareness, not to be vilified.

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READ ALSO: JUST IN: US Singer Chris Brown Granted Bail By UK Court

We hope the public and media will reconsider how they are framing this story,” the family added, urging institutions to reflect on their duty to support vulnerable and long-serving members of staff.

The London School of Economics has not issued a formal response as of press time.

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The case has since sparked conversation online under hashtags such as #JusticeForJanet and #RespectElderWorkers.

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Myanmar Arrests Six-year-old Girl, 15 Others Over Ex-general’s Death

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Myanmar authorities have arrested 16 people including a six-year-old girl over the assassination of a retired general shot dead in Yangon last month, state media said.

A former ambassador to Cambodia, Cho Tun Aung, was gunned down outside his home on May 22 in an attack claimed by an anti-junta group calling itself the “Golden Valley Warriors”.

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Myanmar’s military seized power in a 2021 coup, plunging the country into a complex, multi-sided civil war involving pro-democracy guerrillas and resurgent ethnic minority armed groups.

READ ALSO: One Dead, Three Rescued In Lagos Building Collapse

Most fighting is confined to the countryside and smaller towns but grenade and gun attacks on junta-linked targets are regularly reported in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city and commercial hub.

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The Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said 16 members of the Golden Valley Warriors — 13 men and three females — had been arrested in various locations.

Those held include the wife and six-year-old daughter of the suspected shooter, identified as Myo Ko Ko, the state-run newspaper said, without explaining what the girl is accused of.

The report said Myo Ko Ko and another suspect rode to the general’s home on bicycles and shot him before fleeing to a safe house.

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The junta has suffered significant territorial setbacks in recent months but analysts say it is far from defeat, with a powerful air force supplied with Russian jets and military backing from China.

AFP

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