News
ICPC desperate to nail me, says alleged randy UNICAL professor
Cyril Ndifon, the suspended dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar, says ICPC is desperate to create or search for any conceivable crime to nail him.
Mr Ndifon told Justice James Omotosho of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court in a no-case submission filed by his lawyer, Joe Agi, against the ICPC’s amended four-count charge preferred against him and his lawyer, Sunny Anyanwu.
The suspended dean told the court that contrary to the anti-corruption commission’s allegations, the evidence before the court showed that WhatsApp messages between the ICPC’s witness, a female diploma student identified as TKJ, and him were that of “emotional feelings between two lovers and did not in any way put either of the party under fear.”
He argued that there was incontrovertible evidence that he was arrested and investigated on an alleged offence, currently being prosecuted by ICPC, in 2015 when he later proved to the ICPC that he had been cleared of the allegations by the police.
Mr Ndifon was, on January 25, re-arraigned alongside Mr Anyanwu on an amended four-count charge bordering on alleged sexual harassment and attempt to perverse the cause of justice.
Mr Anyanwu, who is one of the lawyers in the defence, was joined in the amended charge filed on January 22 by the ICPC on the allegation that he called TKJ, the star witness, on her mobile telephone during the pendency of the charge against Mr Ndifon to threatened her.
On February 14, ICPC closed its case after calling four witnesses.
ICPC’s counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, had earlier informed the court that the anti-corruption agency had about seven witnesses, with plans to amend the charge to increase the witness number in proving their case against the defendants.
But on the last adjourned date, the commission announced the closure of its case, and the defendants told the court of their plan to opt for a no-case submission.
The duo, through their lawyer, said there was no evidence adduced by the prosecution on which the court could convict them.
Meanwhile, in the no-case submission dated and filed February 19 on behalf of Messrs Ndifon and Anyanwu, Mr Agi argued that the “unwholesome and illegal intrusion” into the professor’s phone by the ICPC had put before the whole world what TKJ and Mr Ndifon intended to make a personal and private communication.
He said the act had injured and negatively impacted their (TKJ and Mr Ndifon’s) characters and persons.
“The commission, who at this time was desperate to create, search for any conceivable crime, seized the telephone of the first defendant (Mr Ndifon), who was under their custody and without obtaining an order of the court as required by Section 45 of the Cybercrime Act,” he said.
The lawyer further argued that the ICPC action also breached Mr Ndifon’s fundamental right as guaranteed by section 37 of the 1999 Constitution by breaking into his phone and going through his phone in search of an offence and without respect to his right to privacy.
“Then, on seeing nude and pornographic pictures in the first defendant’s phone, jumped at the Cybercrime Act to investigate the so-called offence of cyberstalking. This is not only exposing them as an ungovernable monster but like a knight-errant that goes about looking for skirmishes and battles all over the mace.
“My Lord, if this is allowed to stand, then we are all in trouble, and this cannot be the intention of the lawmakers or the law,” he said.
Mr Agi equally argued that during cross examination of the first prosecution witness (PW1), Ogechi Chima, an ICPC investigator, she admitted that though they received several oral and written complaints against Mr Ndifon, TKJ was never mentioned as one of those complainants.
The lawyer, who described the commission’s act as an afterthought, added that TKJ was not even listed as a witness in the original charge but “surfaced after the amended charge was filed.”
He also wondered why the registrar of UNICAL, who was listed as a witness in the original charge, was dropped in their amended charge.
He said in the light of the above, count four, which alleged that the defendants threatened TKJ not to honour ICPC’s invitation, in the amended charge was not commenced by due process of law, thereby robbing the court of jurisdiction.
Besides, Mr Agi contended that in the instant case, counts one and two, which deal with sending and receiving nude videos and count three of the charges, were not within the jurisdiction of the court.
“This honourable court must and should keep the ICPC within the scope and their legally demarcated boundaries as clearly provided in the statute that created them,” he said.
He, therefore, prayed the court to decline jurisdiction.
The defendants’ no-case submission will be heard on February 27.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas has revealed that there is relative stability in the State, but that the State is still fragile.
The Sole Administrator revealed this in Abuja on Friday when appeared before the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Rivers State.
The Committee had invited the Sole Administrator for a proper briefing on developments in Rivers State, following the suspension of the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara by President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking when he appeared before the ad-hoc committee, Ibas requested for more time to properly brief the committee on developments in the State.
Ibas, apologisesd for his inability to attend earlier engagements, explained that the absence was not out of disregard, but rather due to the weighty and urgent demands of stabilising governance in Rivers.
“I have always held the National Assembly in the highest regard. I recognise the importance of your oversight responsibilities and your interest in the progress being made in Rivers, which is presently relatively calm, but still fragile,” Ibas said.
He went further to say: “That said, I only request your understanding and the indulgence of this committee to grant me additional time to adequately prepare and present a comprehensive and constructive briefing.
“Given the complexities and sensitivities surrounding the current transitional period in Rivers. It is important that any engagement with this committee is done with the depth, accuracy and clarity it rightfully deserves.
“I remain fully committed to cooperating with the committee and to ensuring that all relevant information is made available in due course to support your important work.
“I only request the understanding and the indulgence of this committee to grant me additional time to adequately prepare and present a comprehensive and constructive briefing given the complexities and sensitivities surrounding the current transitional period in Rivers.
“It is important that any engagement with this committee is done with the depth, accuracy and clarity it rightfully deserves.
“I remain fully committed to cooperating with the committee and to ensuring that all relevant information is made available in due course to support your important work,” he said.
Meanwhile, addressing newsmen after a close door meeting, the Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Julius Ihonvbere (APC-Edo) said that the committee resolved to give a new date to the sole administrator.
Ihonvbere, underscored the constitutional role of the National Assembly in legitimising and overseeing the state of emergency declared in Rivers.
According to the chairman, the federal legislature remains central to the state’s transitional process.
Ihonvbere reaffirmed the committee’s constitutional mandate and expressed satisfaction that the administrator had finally honored the invitation after earlier delays.
He emphasised that the committee’s mandate was rooted in constitutional authority and that some of its terms had already been communicated to the administrator in an earlier letter.
The chairman encouraged the administrator to feel at ease, stressing that the committee members had been carefully selected to ensure broad representation across geopolitical zones and legislative experience.
“I want you to feel relaxed because the members you see here were carefully selected based on zonal representation and membership of the House to advance the progress that Rivers needs to make in order to be part and parcel of the holistic structure of democracy that Nigeria represents today.
“We have demonstrated again and again our preparedness to do this job efficiently and effectively,” he assured.
The Kogi State Utility Infrastructure Management and Compliance Agency, (KUIMCA) has explained the reasons behind the disruption in the service mobile Telecom giant, MTN in the state, pointing out that MTN owing to non compliance.
The Telecom service has been experiencing a service distruption in the last two weeks and witnessed total shut down in the last one week.
The Director General of KUIMCA Director General, Dr Taofeeq Isah while speaking with journalists on Friday in Lokoja attributed the shut down to the failure of the Telecom company to comply fully with rules of operation as stipulated in the official gazette guiding their operation in the state.
“In my assumption of office last August, I went through their files and discovered that they have not fully complied with the rules guiding their operations in the state. I called them for a discussion where they complained of being overbilled concerning the area of the state covered by their optic fibre.
” I went with them for verification exercise to assess their claim which took about 4 days and we found out they were even covering more areas than they claimed.
“We asked they to go and make the necessary payment but MTN refused. That is why we sealed off their facilities after obtaining court order to do so so”.
The Director General called on the citizens of the state to be patient with them since their interest was being protected .
He said that since MTN is not the only network operating in the state, citizens as well as the security agencies to consider switching to other networks considering their importance in securing the lives and property of Citizens which should not be compromised under any circumstance.
Also speaking, the Executive Chairman, Kogi State Internal Revenue Service , Salihu Enehe said that MTN has arrogated to itself so much power that they have been refusing to respond to so many entrities asking for complainces on various termes of operations in the state.
The Chairman who was represented by a Director in the agency Hassana Salawu noted that
MTN has been indulging in violation of various rules not only the optic fibre right of way across the state but also and have violated every rules guiding their operations in the state.
“MTN claimed to have 48 optic fibres when audit revealed they have 199 fibres laid under the ground in the state. We have called for reconciliation meetings severally but they claimed not to be ready up till now”.
But in a swift reaction, the MTN spokesperson in the State, though will not want his name in print, confirmed that negotiations is on going, assured that the issues will soon be resolved.
By Gloria Ikibah
Eight out of the nine Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members representing Osun State in the House of Representatives have firmly restated their loyalty to the party and Governor Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke, distancing themselves from recent defection claims.
Their stance follows public comments by Rep. Busayo Oluwole Oke, who recently exited the PDP and hinted that other members of the Osun caucus were poised to follow his lead.
In a joint statement released in Abuja on Friday, the lawmakers which include Reps Bamidele Salam, Ajilesoro Abimbola Taofeek, Mudashiru Lukman Alani, Akanni Clement Ademola, Omirin Emmanuel Olusanya, Adewale Moruf Adebayo, Adetunji Abidemi Olusoji, and Oladebo Lanre Omoleye—made it clear they remain committed to the PDP and its leadership in the state.
They described Oke’s exit as unsurprising, pointing to what they called his long-standing pattern of defiance, public criticism of the party, and antagonism towards the Adeleke-led government.
The lawmakers labelled his defection as an act of ingratitude, given the political opportunities the PDP had afforded him over the years, and cautioned him against spreading misleading narratives aimed at courting favour within his new political camp.
-
Economy16 hours agoMore Nigerians to experience poverty by 2027 – World Bank
-
News8 hours ago2027: Pro-Fubara protesters want suspended Gov to run as Atiku’s VP(Video)
-
News11 hours agoOborevwori /Okowa: PDP experiencing a rebirth and will soon bounce back-Saraki declares
-
Politics15 hours agoLabour Party reaffirms Abure-led leadership after Supreme Court judgment
-
News16 hours agoGovernor Oborevwori’s Defection: A Masterstroke That Handcuffs Delta’s Opposition
-
News15 hours ago2027 done deal, more governors joining APC – Ganduje declares
-
News9 hours agoEdo poll: How APC allegedly offered witnesses N30m bribe
-
News10 hours agoBenue still boiling as gunmen hijack vehicles, kidnap 19