Justice Nwosu-Iheme of a FCT High Court Wuse Zone 2 in Abuja on Monday sentenced the husband of late gospel singer, Osinachi, Peter Nwachukwu, to death by hanging.

Nwachukwu was found guilty of culpable homicide resulting in the death of the deceased ( his wife) on April 8, 2022.

The judge held that the prosecution had proven the burden of proof placed on it by the law and subsequently found the defendant guilty.

Nwachukwu was arraigned on June 3, 2022 by the Office of Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF), on behalf of the Federal Government, on a 23-count charge .

The charge was on culpable homicide punishable with death, criminal intimidation, cruelty to children, criminal intimidation of children, spousal battery, among others.

In the course of trial, the prosecution called 17 witnesses, including two children of the late Osinachi, who testified as fourth prosecution and fifth prosecution witnesses, PW4 and PW5 respectively.

The prosecution also tendered 25 documents as exhibits before the court.

The defendant testified for the defence and further called four other witnesses and tendered four exhibits in his defence.

Shortly before sentencing, the defendant, counsel , Reginald Nwali, in his allocutus pleaded with the court to be lenient in its judgment.

Similarly, the prosecution counsel, Mrs Aderonke Imala, urged the court to give force to the law as stipulated.

Justice Nwosu-Iheme subsequently sentenced Nwachukwu to death by hanging on Count 1, while he was sentenced to two years imprisonment each on Counts 2, 3, 8,9, 12, 13, and 18.

The court sentenced the defendant to six months imprisonment on Count 10, three years imrisonment in Count 11, while he was fined the sum of N500,000 and N200,000 respectively on Counts 6 and 7 respectively.

(NAN)

There are growing reports that Yakubu Garba, the Deputy Governor of Niger State, is on the brink of stepping down from his position, with sources indicating that he has already begun moving his personal belongings out of his official residence.
According to Daily Nigerian, unusual activity indicating a move by the deputy governor to resign was sparked by movements around his official residence over the weekend, suggesting preparations for his departure. Sources close to the deputy governor revealed that he has substantially moved his belongings to his private home, signaling that he could resign at any moment.

The governor and the Secretary to the State Government, SSG are not in the country, the camp of the governor has put pressure on staff in the SSG’s office not to acknowledge any letter of resignation should Garba go ahead to submit it.

As of now, he has moved most of his belongings out of the official residence. He is expected to resign soon,” a source told Daily Nigerian.

Despite these signs, it is unclear if Garba has changed his mind after a reported meeting with some traditional rulers who visited him on Sunday night in an attempt to persuade him to stay in office. Details of the discussions remain unclear, and it is unknown whether they had any impact on his decision.

Insiders suggest that the deputy governor’s decision to resign is driven by a growing rift with the state’s governor, Umaru Bago. According to sources, Garba has been repeatedly sidelined and disrespected within the administration, despite being elected on the same ticket as the governor.

The tension between Garba and Governor Bago intensified recently over the upcoming local government elections. Garba, who hails from Shiroro, had endorsed Babangida Kudodo as the preferred candidate for the APC in the area. However, the final list released by the party’s headquarters featured a different candidate, Isyaku Bawa, a move reportedly made on the governor’s orders.

Further fueling the rift, sources claim that Garba’s influence within the government has diminished, with even his monthly allowances being drastically reduced. “He has been excluded from major government decisions, and his role has been diminished despite his significant contributions to the party and his loyalty to the governor. Even his financial entitlements have been cut,” said an anonymous source.

Despite the widespread speculation, Garba has yet to publicly confirm any plans to resign. His press secretary, Ummikhultume Abdullahi, however, denied any knowledge of a resignation, adding that she had recently met with Garba at his official residence, and he had not yet fully moved out.

As the situation unfolds, many are left wondering whether Garba’s resignation will indeed take place or if ongoing discussions with influential figures in the state will convince him to stay in office.

The Batombu Unity and Development Initiative, Abuja (BUDIA), has raised an alarm over invasion of Baruten in Kwara state by bandits and terrorists, demanding for urgent government intervention.

This was contained in a statement issued and signed by its President, Nasir Abubakar Othman and endorsed by the Board of Trustees.

The nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for the welfare and development of the Batombu people, expresses grave concern over the worsening insecurity caused by escalating terrorism, which pose a critical threat to lives and properties in Baruten and Kaiama Local Government Areas of Kwara State.

“In recent months, communities in Baruten and Kaiama Local Government Areas, located near Kainji Lake National Park, have endured a surge in violent killings These blood birth has led to tragic loss of lives, widespread destruction of properties and a growing climate of fear and cessation of farming and economic activities.

The violence has displaced and disrupted numerous families, local businesses and agricultural activities, as well as severely destabilized and displaced the affected areas.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES
ALH. YUSUF TUNKU
Chairman
PROF. UMARU SEMO ISHIAKU Member
RT. HON. IBRAHIM ISA BIO
Member
RT. HON. ZAKARI MOHAMMED Member
RT. HON. MOHAMMED OMAR BIO
Member
IBRAHIM ALIYU KPEROGI
Member
SABIYABE YAHAYA Member
EXECUTIVES
BARR. ABUBAKAR NASIR OTHMAN
President
ABDULLAHI KABIR
Vice President
MOHAMMED JIBRIL FCA
General Secretary
ABDULLAHI HALIDU ALIYU
MADAKI’N GWANARA Treasurer
BARR. ABUBAKAR KOTO ALIYU
Legal Adviser
HAJIA AISHA AHMED OYORU President Women Wing

The towns of Chikanda, Yashikira, Kuburufu and Gure are now overwhelmed by the influx of internally displaced persons (IDPs), the majority of whom are women, children, and elderly individuals.

This critical situation calls for immediate intervention from the government and security agencies to restore order and protect vulnerable populations in these communities.

BUDIA commends the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, along with senior military officials and representatives of security agencies, for visiting Kaiama as part of their ongoing assessment efforts.

However, we strongly urge the government to extend similar assessment visits to the troubled areas of Baruten Local Government Area to address the urgent needs of affected communities and adopt a comprehensive strategy to resolve this crisis.

Similarly, we call on all residents of Baruten and Kaiama to remain law abiding and vigilant, promptly reporting any suspicious activities or unfamiliar movements of strangers to security agencies stationed within their communities and to traditional rulers.
BUDIA stands in solidarity with all sons and daughters of Baruten and Kaiama as we urgently appeal for decisive military intervention to end the violence and restore peace and stability in our communities.