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Lawyer Say 6 Cameroonian Lecturers, Others Detained Illegally

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By Gloria Ikibah

Lawyer to six Cameroonian professors teaching in some Nigerian universities and four others, Barr Joseph Fru, has said that his clients were illegally imprisoned by the Cameroonian authorities.
Naijablitznews.com recalled that they had petitioned the House of Representatives to help secure their release after being allegedly abducted from Nigeria and imprisoned in Cameroon since January 2018.
The petitioners, all of Cameroonian nationality, of which the others include refugees and asylum seekers, said they were all legally resident in Nigeria.
According to their statement, they were illegally abducted  and deported from Nigeria on January 5th 2018 to Cameroon, on “frivolous allegations of plotting to destabilize the government of La Republique du Cameroon (LRC) President Mr. Paul Biya.”
They petitioned that they were unfairly tried and incarcerated.
In the petition they submitted to the House Committee on Public Petitions by their lawyers, they said two separate judgments in Nigeria had been ruled in their favour connection with the matter.
They stated that despite the judgement by Nigerian courts that their arrest and deportation were illegal hence they should be released and compensated financially, they were still being held at the Kondengui Security Detention facility in Cameroon.
They also added that in October 2022, the UN Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UN-HRC-WGAD) in Communication 59/2022 of 14th October 2022, found their arrest and detention by Nigeria and Cameroun arbitrary and illegal and it had asked both countries to unconditionally free the victims and pay them appropriate compensation.
At the penultimate hearing of the matter before the House Committee on Public Petitions a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Manu, had said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had no record if this petition.
He had said their findings revealed the matter was handled by the government as a security and legal matter.
Briefing reporters after another hearing on the matter on Tuesday, Fru said said they were optimistic by the intervention of the legislature in resolving the matter.
Fru, who was in the company of family members of those affected, said however rued that the representative of the United Nations and relevant agencies of the Nigerian government were missing at the hearing.
He said those who failed to turn up included the Attorney General of the Federation, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, UN High Commission Country Representative, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Intelligence Agency and the Department of State Services (DSS)
He said, “There is a clarification that we need to make that is fundamental and cardinal. They were abducted. They were not arrested. When you say someone is arrested, there is a legal course for them to be picked up by the forces of law and order. And in a normal arrest situation, you have probable cause that you are being suspected of committing a crime and before you get to that point, there has to be a procedure you follow to get either an arrest warrant or search warrant that may lead to their apprehension.
“But when someone arbitrarily without any legal course is picked up and then held for as long as they were held in Nigeria before being sent to Cameron that is called an abduction.
“An abduction does not end when we know where they are. That illegal act continues and abides with them until that illegality is cured. And to this point that illegality has not been cured and that is why we are still in prison.
“The second thing is that they were not repatriated. You repatriate someone when you go through a legal channel and you exhaust all the legal processes and the court decides that they go back to where they came from to answer in that jurisdiction. Before you repatriate someone there has to be bilateral treaty that is observed. None of that in this case.
“We adjourned for 11 June 2024 because the committee is not happy with the fact that the last time they were elements of the government of the executive arm that were required to be at the hearing but none of them showed up.
“So motions were moved and it was adopted that these entities should necessarily appear in the next hearing so that resolution to this can be taken. In the event they do not show up, the committee is ready to move forward. How they move forward depends on their deliberation and that is above my pay grade.
“The Chairman said they were going to give these entities a last chance to appear so they can have enough information to go by and come up with a resolution.”
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President Tinubu Speaks On Ajuri Ngelale’s Indefinite Leave Request

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has endorsed Ajuri Ngelale, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, indefinite leave request.

Recall Ngelale, in a statement on Saturday, announced an indefinite leave of absence.

He proceeded on the leave to attend to pressing medical matters affecting his immediate family.

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In a statement he posted on his general communication WhatsApp platform on Saturday, Ngelale revealed that he submitted a memo to the Chief of Staff on Friday.

He noted that the memo was a means of notifying him of the decision to pause his functions, including his roles as Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action and Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen.

Ngelale explained that the decision was after consultations with his family due to a worsening medical situation at home.

He expressed hope to return to full-time national service when circumstances permit.

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In a statement posted on X by Tinubu’s Special Assistant on New Media, Olusegun Dada and signed by the Presidency, Tinubu approved Ngelale’s request.

Tinubu stated that he fully understands his Chief spokesperson’s reason and sympathizes with the circumstances that have led to this seemingly difficult decision.

The statement read: “The President has received the memo from Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity and Official Spokesperson of the President as well as Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, informing of his decision to proceed on an indefinite leave of absence for personal and health reasons.

“The President accepts his reasons for the leave, fully understands them and sympathizes with the circumstances that have led to this seemingly difficult decision.

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“While extending his heartfelt prayers and best wishes to Chief Ngelale and his family during this challenging moment, the President hopes for a speedy recovery and full restoration to health.

“The President notes his tireless efforts and dedication in serving the nation, and thanks him for the remarkable contributions he made in his various capacities, especially in advancing national discourse and leading efforts on climate action and other key initiatives.

“The President wishes him well in all his future endeavors.

“During this period, we kindly ask that the wish for privacy of Chief Ngelale and his family be respected.”

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Confusion As FG Denies Ownership Of Yacht Spotted In France With Nigerian Flag

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…says it belongs to an undisvcosed private individual

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The presidency, on Saturday, denied ownership of a yacht spotted hoisting Nigerian flag in St-Tropez, a coastal town in France.

There had been reports of a “presidential yacht belonging to the Nigerian government being used for vacation at St Tropez” on social media.

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Senior Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on digital and new media, Otega Ogra, in a post on X, said the yacht belongs to a private individual.

The presidential aide said flags used by the president or armed forces do not contain the coat of arms like the one on the yacht.

Ogra said on Saturday, “There have been false claims circulating that a private individual’s yacht was spotted in St. Tropez is a Nigerian government yacht. Here are some points to consider in order to discern the truth.

“The 42m Bennetti yacht currently being shared online has been privately owned for around 5 years since it was constructed.

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It is important to note that this specific yacht has no connection or ownership ties to the Nigerian government, president or armed forces. Any claims or assertions suggesting otherwise are simply not true and inaccurate.

“It is not uncommon for luxury yachts to fly the flag of the owner’s country as well as the flag of the country in which they are registered.

“The official Nigerian flag is Green-White-Green without a coat of arms in the middle. Flags representing the Nigerian President or the Armed Forces do not contain a coat of arms in the center. Placing anything in the center of the flag is a clear deviation

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Constituency Devt: Senator Manu fulfils promise, installs solar energy as alternative source of power for constituents(Photos)

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

In a bid to enhance better life for his constituents, Senator Manu Haruna has facilatated installation of solar energy in Takalafiya community in Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State.

Senator Manu who represents Taraba Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly fulfilled his promise of ensuring the energy needs of his constituents are adequately taken care of.

This initiative reflects his unwavering commitment to addressing the energy needs of his constituents by providing a reliable and sustainable power source.

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The solar energy project is expected to improve the quality of life in the community, enabling access to electricity for homes, schools, and local businesses, while also promoting environmental sustainability.

This project is part of Senator Haruna’s broader efforts to enhance infrastructure and development in Taraba Central.

Manu is also working tirelessly to make sure areas not connected to the national grid are connected within the shortest period possible.

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