News
Enugu gov unveils state judicial service commission
By Francesca Hangeior
Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, on Thursday, inaugurated the reconstituted Enugu State Judicial Service Commission and Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.
The commission, chaired by Chief Judge Justice Ozoemena Afojulu, includes members such as Dr. Kingsley Udeh, Justice Chibueze Nnamani, Justice Reuben Onuora (Rtd.), Prof. Andrew Chukwumerie (SAN), Hon. Gabriel Agbo, and Dr. Udechukwu Ezeh.
The seven-member Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Attorney General, includes Barr. Seth Nwokolo as Secretary, Dr. Rita Emeh as a member, and representatives from the Nigeria Correctional Service, CAPIO, and CIDJAP.
Governor Mbah emphasised the importance of a functional judicial system in attracting investments and tasked the commissions with ensuring the welfare and employment of judicial officers.
“Recall that in my first anniversary address, I outlined several reforms and steps we have taken in the judiciary.
“This is essential because it also ties to the objective of the government to grow our economy because one of the indicators of the ease of doing business is also the enforcement of the contract. But that would not happen if you don’t have a sound judicial system.
“We are currently digitizing and also digitalizing our processes and procedures. Our effort in making sure we get our procedure in court reported verbatim is at an advanced level. What that will also do is eliminate the burden of longhand reporting to allow our judges to be more effective.
“We are also creating specialized courts in the state to fastrack access to justice. So, this is indeed, a very important commission, and we have taken our time painstakingly to select those who made it as members of this commission,” he said.
Inaugurating the Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, Mbah regretted that a prison designed to accommodate slightly above 650 currently has over 2000 inmates with over 80 per cent of inmates awaiting trial and charged the members with a robust decongestion of the correctional facilities.
“As you may already be aware, the major function of this body is to review the application on clemency and advise the governor with recommendations.
“It is our hope that your decisions and indeed your reviews will not be taken lightly. They would have to be done with a deep sense of duty and also be guided by the objective guidelines you have in looking at each case. We expect that each case would be reviewed on its merit, not driven by any subjective interest because, at the end of the day, this would be for the common good of the society.
“The recommendations you make would ensure that we continue to stay in a safe society and also our prison is decongested,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, speaking during the separate inauguration ceremonies, the Chairman of the Commission and Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Afojulu, as well as the Attorney General and Chairman of the Council of the Advisory Council on Prerogative, Dr. Udeh, pledged the commitment of their support to the governor in his push to reposition the state.
News
Commercial S3x Worker Arrested For Stabbing Bartender To Death Over N200 Debt
A 32-year-old sex worker, Riyanatu Musa, has confessed to have stabbed to death a bartender, whom she owed N200 in Adamawa State.
The sex worker stabbed her victim, identified as Yohanna Musa, during an altercation over N200 balance for liquor in Mubi, according to the police.
Spokesperson for the police in Adamawa State, SP Suleiman Nguroje noted that Musa confessed to the crime during interrogation.
“She narrated that she had collected a bottle of dry gin known as ‘big ben’ and one other from the victim and promised to pay the following day, saying that she paid the sum of N1,500 remaining a balance of N200.
“She explained that the fight ensued between her and the victim when he demanded his money and in the course of it she stabbed him with a knife in the chest to death,” Nguroje said.
News
Nigerians man nabbed for k!lling his mother for rituals
A 29-year-old man has been nabbed by the police for allegedly killing his mother for ritual purposes in Cross River.
Spokesperson for the Police Command in the state, SP Irene Ugbo, confirmed the suspect’s arrest and detention to newsmen on Friday in Calabar, albeit without further details.
The incident had occurred on Dec. 25, 2024 in Batriko, Eastern Boki Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
Credible source revealed that a combined team of police and the security team of Obudu council area made the arrest on Friday.
According to reports, the suspect had dumped his mother’s body in a well in Obudu LGA, while security operatives had been tracking him since the incident occurred.
The source said that the suspect, who was arrested alongside a native doctor, would be brought to the state command for further investigation.
Recall that the suspect was alleged to have shaved his dead mother’s hair and dumped her remains in a well thereafter.
The source told NAN that the arrest of the fleeing suspect was effected by security operatives at the shrine of a native doctor, with a bag containing his late mother’s shaved hair.
“As I speak with you, the suspect and the native doctor are presently cooling off at the Obudu Divisional Police Headquarters,” said the source. (NAN)
News
Royal matter: Appeal Court Orders Fresh Hearing into Kano Emirate Tussle
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has ordered a fresh hearing in the legal battle over the disputed Kano Emirate involving Alhaji Nasir Ado Bayero.
The Appellate Court, in a judgment delivered on Friday, held that Bayero was denied fair hearing due to the shoddy manner in which a Kano High Court conducted proceedings against him.
Justice Mohammed Mustapha, who delivered the lead judgement, stated that the Kano High Court was unfair to Bayero by conducting proceedings without serving him a hearing notice to enable him to present his case.
Justice Mustapha held that all courts of law are bound to ensure justice for all parties by giving them equal opportunities, adding that the conduct of the proceedings against Bayero amounted to a travesty of justice.
Specifically, the Appellate Court held that Bayero ought to have been served with a hearing notice to allow him to present his grievances before judgment was delivered against him in what it described as a shoddy arrangement.
The Court of Appeal, therefore, ordered that the case be remitted to the Chief Judge of the Kano State High Court to be reassigned to another judge for expeditious determination.
Justice Mustapha did not award costs against the respondents in the appeal filed by Ahaji Ado Bayero.
Details later.
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