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Judiciary Autonomy: Lawyers Denied Access To Edo Govt House

Published

3 years ago

April 19, 2021

Editor

There was a mid-drama at the Edo State Government House, Benin, on Monday as security operatives prevented lawyers under the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, in Edo from entering the office wherein they went to submit letter calling for financial autonomy for the judiciary.

The members led by the Chairman, Benin branch of NBA, Pius Oiwoh, were drawn from Igarra, Auchi, Uromi and Ekpoma branches of the NBA

The members led by the Chairman, Benin branch of NBA, Pius Oiwoh were drawn from Igarra, Auchi, Uromi and Ekpoma branches of the NBA.

After waiting for over one hour, the lawyers matched to Edo State Council Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, where Oiwoh told journalists that their visit to government house was on the directive of the national president of the NBA, Olumide Akpata (who incidentally is from the state) that they should present their letter of appeal to the governor to grant financial autonomy to the judiciary.

He said, “We went there not on a protest. we were there on the directive of the NBA national leadership, but they told us that for security reasons we cannot enter the government house and that all the principal officers in government house were not around.

“I do not want to believe that the Governor ordered what they did to us. However, after staying for over one hour, we decided to pull out of the place but by Monday next week, we will repeat the visit because that is the directive from the national leadership of the NBA that we continuously visit government house with the letter of appeal that is urging the Government to comply with the constitution.

“You will recall that President Muhammadu Buhari in May 2020 issued the Executive Order 10 mandating the Accountant General of the federation to commence deduction from source, the funds accruing to the state judiciaries in the Consolidated Revenue Funds of the states and transfer same to the relevant heads of courts in line with the dictates of the Constitution.

“We are very eager to see that the judiciary enjoys financial autonomy and once the judiciary enjoys financial autonomy, there will also be judicial independence.” he said.

In his response, chairman of the NUJ, Sir Roland Osakwe commended the efforts of the lawyers, assuring that journalists supports the move for financial autonomy for the judiciary.

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Man, 38 Escapes Assassination Attempt In Benin

Published

10 months ago

July 22, 2023

Editor

Innocent Omoruyi

By Omokha Andrew

A 38-year-old activist, Innocent Omoruyi, narrowly escaped assassination in the early hours of Wednesday, July 19, 2023 as his residence at Obe Community,Sapele Road in Benin city was attacked by yet to be identified gun men.

The attack which eye witnesses say was viciously executed on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 bore the markings of a dreaded cult group terrorizing Benin City, the state capital.

The Obe, Sapale Road incident, it was learnt, happened soon after Omoruyi left the house to attend to matters of interest some few metres away from his home.

The assailants were said to have shot sporadically in their frustration as residents scampered for safety.

However, Omoruyi escaped unharmed.

One of the eye witnesses who craved anonymity said: “The felons apparently went for the kill, weilding guns and other dangerous weapons. “We are shocked that they didn’t see Innocent Omoruyi who was just some few metres away from home when they arrived”.

“How that happened, only God knows and it was obvious that it wasn’t his time to die yet and just before that not long ago his business place on Lagos Street, Benin City was burnt down in the middle of the night by unknown arsonists.

“This sequence of events is not ordinary. We know it’s politically motivated due to the role he played in the last general elections. He has been advised to go into hiding at the moment for his personal safety”, he concluded.

When contacted, the police Public Relations Officer Chidi Nwabuzor said he was yet to get any information as regards the latest incident. He promised to feed our correspondent with relevant details as soon as they become handy.

Our information source however revealed that the matter has already been incidented at the Love World Police station on Sapele Road, Benin city.

Business

Nigeria To Earn Over $4bn Revenue As FEC Okays Concession Of Abuja, Kano Airports

Published

1 year ago

May 18, 2023

Editor

Nigeria will earn over $4 billion in nominal revenue as the Federal Executive Council, FEC, on Wednesday okayed the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, to the Corporacion American Airport Consortium, a Luxembourg-based company.

James Odaudu, the Special Assistant on Public Affairs to the Minister of Aviation, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

According to him, the Council also approved that the Federal Ministry of Aviation would be renamed the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace.

The statement noted that the company would make combined upfront payments of $8.5 million for the concession of NAIA and MAKIA.

He added that the development would spur evidential growth within the Nigerian aviation industry.

“In alignment with the Aviation Roadmap, approved by Mr President on 18th October 2016, the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace is delighted to inform all stakeholders, both local and international, and the media, that the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano has been approved by the Federal Executive Council,” the statement said.

In December 2022 and January 2023, Corporacion American Airport Consortium was announced as the preferred bidder for the airport’s concession after scaling through a series of evaluations of technical and financial bids.

Nominal revenues mean income not adjusted for inflation and decreasing purchasing power.

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Russia Expelled From Council Of Europe Amid War With Ukraine

Published

2 years ago

March 16, 2022

Editor

The Council of Europe says it has expelled Russia with immediate effect after 26 years of membership because of the Ukraine war.

The Committee of Ministers took the decision in a special session, the rights body announced in the French city of Strasbourg on Wednesday.

Earlier, Russia had already declared its withdrawal from the Council of Europe after it had taken steps to exclude it.

On Tuesday evening, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe voted unanimously in favour of Russia’s exclusion.

Russia joined the Council of Europe on Feb. 28, 1996.

Together with the formal notification of the withdrawal, the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe also received information from the Russian Federation on Tuesday about its intention to denounce the European Convention on Human Rights.

In a statement on Tuesday evening, the leaders of the Council of Europe once again condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

They expressed their solidarity with the Russian people, who continue to belong to the European family and share its values.

The body said it would continue to stand by Ukraine in the fight against the aggressor.

The Council of Europe monitors the observance of human rights in its 46 member states and is not part of the European Union.

The body reacted to the Russian invasion of Ukraine two weeks ago by suspending Russia’s membership, this decision was considered historic.