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Mass Trial Of #EndBadGovernance Protesters To Begin In Abuja, Kano, Others As Falana-Led Legal Team Prepares Defence
The mass trial of #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters is scheduled to commence on Monday, September 2, 2024 in Abuja, Kano, Kaduna and Borno courts.
SaharaReporters learnt that those detained over the #EndBadGovernance protests in Abuja will be tried in Justice Emeka Nwite’s court.
Meanwhile, human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN) will be leading a team of lawyers to defend the protesters.
Amnesty International Nigeria had said that over 2,000 protesters were arrested across the country during the 10-day protests against hunger and misgovernance tagged #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria.
It demanded the unconditional release of those arrested, insisting that instead government should begin to address the issues that led to the protests in the first place.
Specifically, Amnesty International said out of the 2,111 suspects arrested across the country, 1,403 had been arraigned in various courts.
It lamented that the suspects were ordered to be remanded in prison custody due to a lack of legal representation.
Last Sunday, SaharaReporters reported that Justice Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja had granted the police’s request to remand 124 protesters in custody for 60 days, pending the completion of investigations.
The court’s interim order was issued in response to separate ex-parte motions filed by police counsel Ibrahim Mohammed, allows for the suspects’ continued detention.
Notably, the court directed that minor suspects be held at the Borstal Home of the correctional centre until the conclusion of investigations.
The affected protesters include minors, who were accused of terrorism and treasonable felonies.
In two ex-parte applications obtained by SaharaReporters, the Inspector-General (IG) of Police sought an interim order to remand the suspects until the conclusion of the investigation, which was granted by Justice Emeka Nwite.
The applications were brought pursuant to Section 66(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) ACT 2022, Section 35 (1) (c) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Section 299 the Administration of Criminal Justice ACT 2015 and under the inherent jurisdiction of this honourable court to administer justice.
In the first motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1154/2024, between Inspector General of Police as Complainant/Applicant and 75 protesters; the police alleged they committed acts of terrorism, treason, and treasonable felonies, including arson and terrorism.
The police said the offence was contrary to Sections 2(1) and (3), 24 and 26 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022; Sections 41 and 42 of the Criminal Code Act; Sections 410, 411, and 412 of the Penal Code Act; and Section 4 of the Miscellaneous Offences Act CAP M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and other enabling statutes.
In the second ex-parte motion with Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1223/2024, the police also sought an order to remand another set of 49 defendants for 60 days pending the conclusion of the investigation.
The defendants include Comrade Opaluwa Eleojo, Michael Adaramuye, Musiu Sadiq, Buhari Lawal, Love Angel Innocent, Suleiman Yakubu, Yunusa Aliyu, Ahmad Nasir, Muhammed Sani, Iliyasu Anas, Abdullahi Sani and Gaddafi Muhammed.
Others include Abubakar Ibrahim 18 Years, Abubakar Adam 19 Years, Suleiman Ali 16 Years, Mubarak Mas’ud 23 Years, Umar Musa 19 Years, Aminu Hussaini 20 Years, Umar Muhd Kabir 23 Years, Ibrahim Aliyu Musa 24 Years, Aminu Muhd 24 Years, Abba Usman 30 Years, Usman Muhd 20 Years, Umar Inusa 18 Years, and Tasi’u Lawan 17 Years.
Others include Ibrahim Rabi’u 16 Years, Jamilu Haruna 16 Years, Muktar Yahaya 17 Years, Usman Surajo 18 Years, Musa Adam 22 Years, Usman Yusuf 22 Years, Usman Yunusa 20 Years, Bello Abdullahi 23 Years, Abba Adamu 22 Years, Isma’il Yunusa Abdullahi 28 Years, Abdullahi Suleiman 17 Years, Haruna Suleiman 22 Years, Suleiman Dauda 17 Years, Abbas Hamza 26 Years, Abubakar Abdullahi 18 Years, and Umar Muhd Sani 26 Years.
Among them are Yusuf Haruna Lawan 21 Years, Yahaya Musa 18 Years, Yahaya Sani 20 Years, Abdullahi Sani 21 Years, Abdulbasit Abdulsalam 34 Years, Muktar Ishaq Alhassan 16 Years, Sani Aliyu 17 Years, Mahmud Mustapha 16 Years, Umar Muhd 24 Years, Umar Abdullahi 17 Years, Tasi’u Muhd 18 Years, Habibu Sani 17 Years, Auwalu Abdullahi 21 Years, Abdulmalik Auwal 19 Years, Umar Ahmad Umar 25 Years, Abubakar Muhd 22 Years, Mustapha Abubakar 17 Years, Umar Ahmad Muhd 24 Years, Sani Hassan Idris 17 Years, Abdulrahaman Ibrahim 17 Years, Kabiru Sani 25 Years, Sammani Ali 25 Years, Abba Ahmad 23 Years, Sa’idu Usman Usman 25 Years, and Salisu Adamu 16 Years.
On Monday, SaharaReporters reported that President Bola Tinubu’s administration had found support from Justice Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja to suppress opposition to its policies, which critics argue are harmful to the people and democracy.
These policies, implemented over the past 15 months, have led to widespread poverty and a surge in the cost of living, with basic food items like beans and rice reaching record prices of N400 and N300 per cup, respectively.
However, the government’s policies have targeted dissenting voices and media practitioners, with Justice Nwite’s recent rulings legitimising the crackdown on critics of the administration.
Opponents argue that these policies, introduced within the first 15 months, have had devastating consequences for the nation. The court’s decisions have been perceived as aligning with the government’s position, fueling debates about the delicate balance between governance and the freedom to express dissenting opinions.
SaharaReporters reported that Justice Emeka Nwite was the judge who gave an ex-parte order freezing accounts of some alleged #EndBadGovernance protesters.
SaharaReporters last Sunday reported that a Federal High Court in Abuja had issued an order freezing the bank accounts of 32 individuals and companies allegedly linked to the #EndBadGovernance protests that took place across Nigeria between August 1 and August 10.
The protests were meant to highlight the challenges Nigerians faced with increasing hunger, misgovernance and exacerbating insecurity that have forced residents to abandoned their farms, leading to food insecurity.
The order also directed banks to detain account holders or anyone found transacting business on the affected accounts, pending investigation and prosecution.
The account numbers affected include 4010073491 (Fidelity Bank), 1255130019 (Access Bank), 0006084167 (Abbey Mortgage Multipurpose Bank Plc), 0821931299 (FCMB), 1012007655 (FCMB), 0000575573 (A AG Mortgage Bank Plc), 1007871587 (UBA), 2037117333 (UBA), 5421031104 (ECOBANK), 0024541201 (Union Bank), 1022899050 (UBA), 8755008491 (Branch International Services Ltd), 5630208636 (Fidelity), and 4936992542 (Fairmoney Microfinance Bank).
Others are 8755008499 (Branch International Financial Services Ltd), 2088228208 (UBA), 2115678044 (Zenith Bank), 3041823452 (First Bank), 1011828445 (New Edge Finance), 3024402748 (First Bank), 0161502459 (GTBank), 0040580047 (Access Bank), 0250291788 (Wema Bank), 6112464260 (Branch International Financial Services Ltd), 1000774097 (Sparkle Microfinance Bank Ltd), 3434649965 (Fairmoney Microfinance Bank), 2013556714 (KUDA Microfinance Bank), 3104962864 (Polaris Bank), 6112464267 (Branch International Finance Services Lit), 8137051249 (OPAY) and 8137051249 (PALMPAY).
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Ecoparl: Speaker Ibrahima Reaffirms Parliament’s Dedication to Regional Unity
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Air Force Begins Moving Electoral Materials For Edo Guber Election
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has began airlifting the sensitive election materials for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to Benin, Edo State, ahead of the upcoming governorship election scheduled for September 21, 2024.
This was disclosed on Wednesday by the Deputy Director, Public Relations and Information, Group Captain Kabiru Ali.
The operation is part of the NAF’s efforts to ensure the timely and secure delivery of materials necessary for a smooth electoral process.
This development reinforces the collaboration between NAF and INEC to facilitate logistics and ensure a peaceful election in Edo State.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, had previously reiterated NAF’s commitment to providing airlift support for the swift movement of electoral materials during a meeting with INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu.
This airlift operation is a crucial aspect of NAF’s constitutional responsibility to provide Military Aid to Civil Authority, underscoring the force’s dedication to supporting democratic processes in Nigeria. With the election just days away, the NAF’s timely intervention will help ensure the successful conduct of the governorship elections in Edo State.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State had earlier accused the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, of working with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to hunt the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members and supporters in the state and force them into hiding ahead of September 21 governorship election.
Obaseki, who made the allegation when a delegation led by the former Head of State, Abdusalam Abubakar, met with him to get the governor and his party to sign peace accord, said that the IGP had made nonsense of his (Obaseki’s) role as the chief security officer of the state.
The governor had said that the police chief obtained a warrant to arrest 60 members and supporters of PDP in Edo and that the IGP sent an armed “gang” of policemen who invaded the state, attacked PDP members, shot at a local government chairman and arrested 10 persons who are currently being detained in Abuja without charges.
Asked by the former head of state if his party would sign the peace accord, Obaseki said, “The person who is supposed to enforce the peace accord is now an active participant in creating a destructive environment.
“We are now in a situation where from the Inspector General’s office, there are armed gang policemen who came into Edo State, invaded, arrested and took away PDP members.
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“Dancing gives me abundant joy and peace of mind”-Gov Adeleke
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, has given reasons why he loves dancing.
The ‘Dancing Governor’, as he is fondly called, revealed this on Wednesday while responding to a tweet on X.
An X user, @Iwogoke, while praising the governor, stated that Adeleke has been busy fulfilling his electoral promises to the people of Osun State, while his political opponents believe he is only good at dancing.
Iwogoke tweeted, “I’m not flattering you, Your Excellency, your opponents think you can only dance but while they are busy shouting and calling you ‘Dancing Governor’, you are busy fulfilling your electoral promises to the people.”
Responding to the tweet via his verified X account, Adeleke explained that he loves dancing because it brings him joy.
Speaking further on his love for dancing, Adeleke highlighted that while dancing brings him immense happiness, his greater fulfilment comes from delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Osun.
Outlining his administration’s efforts to enhance the state’s infrastructure, he noted that primary health centre rehabilitation is underway in at least 200 out of the 332 wards across Osun State, adding that road construction projects are also progressing in every local government area.
He wrote, “Dancing gives me joy, but delivering on my electoral promises and providing the dividends of democracy to the good people of Osun gives me even greater joy. Rehabilitation of primary health centers is ongoing in at least 200 out of 332 wards, and road construction is progressing in every Local Government!”
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