Andrew Mailafia

A Human rights lawyer and senior advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana has demanded the immediate release of the embattled Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa.

Leadingreporters earlier reported that Bawa was invited by the State Security Service and probed for alleged financial impropriety under his watch.

He has been in the custody of the Department of State Services for exactly 67 days since June 14, 2023.

In a statement issued on Sunday August, 20 in Lagos, Falana said the remand order for Bawa had expired, stressing thatthe Department of State Services lacks the legal backing to continually detain Bawa.

“In view of the fact that Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa has not been charged with any criminal offence whatsoever, the State Security Service ought to have released him from custody. I am not unaware of the claim that Mr. Bawa is being detained on the basis of a remand order issued by a Magistrate Court in the Federal Capital Territory.

“It ought to be pointed out that the remand order has become spent, invalid and illegal as no magistrate has the power under Section 493 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 or Section 35 of the Constitution of Nigeria to authorise the detention of a criminal suspect for 67 days without trial.he added.

According to the statement, “Indeed, under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, the cumulative lifespan of a remand order is 56 days.

Noting that Bawa’s detention has exceeded the permitted period by the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and the Constitution of Nigeria, Falana advised the State Security Service to release Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa from illegal custody without any further delay.

“The Federal Government should ensure that the rights of Messrs Emefiele and Bawa are respected by the State Security Service and the office of the Director of Public Prosecution in the Federal Ministry of Justice, even though the duo had a penchant for disobeying the orders of the courts when they were in office.

“The plight of both suspects should be a lesson for all public officers in Nigeria who always behave as if there will be no tomorrow. However, the Government which rules by law is under a legal obligation not to breach the fundamental rights of citizens except in a manner prescribed by the Constitution of Nigeria.

The All Progressives Congress in Kano state has cautioned the leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Kano State against dragging the chairman of the National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, Hon. Justice Flora Ngozi Azinge, to disrepute due to its dismal defence performance at the tribunal.

Noting that the Kano State government is on a deliberate move to malign the tribunal chairman for fear of what could be possibly the final judgement,created a fictitious story and quoted the tribunal charman out of context.

The APC however, condemned the attitude and said that it amounted to disrespect for the judge and the judiciary in general.

A statement signed on Thursday, August 11 by the immediate past Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs and Spokesperson for Gawuna/Gari Campaign Council, Mallam Muhammad Garba, mentioned that “when Hon. Justice Azinge made the revelation on the alleged attempt to bribe a member of the tribunal by a senior lawyer, she never named any particular party.”

According to him, in order to denigrate the APC, the NNPP government referred to the APC as the bribe giver. The action of the Kano State government is nothing but gimmickry and an attempt to also disparage the All Progressive Congress.”

Stressing that Kano State Government was also preempting the possible unravelling of the actual bribe giver by the tribunal and therefore wanted to malign the judge, Garba said that the allegation by the Kano State Commissioner for Information, Baba Halilu Dantiye revealed that the government was trying to vilify the tribunal before the judgement so that it draws sympathy from the unsuspecting public in the event it is defeated.

“To also further confirm how perplexed they are, they filed an appeal while the tribunal is still holding its proceedings, saying however that their action will not stop the election petition tribunal from going on with its sittings until it delivers final judgement.

“Even with an apparent sign of victory on its side, the APC has not and will never offer any bribe to anyone involved in the case considering that it has presented facts and figures to prosecute the matter before the tribunal”, Garba said.

Pointing that NNPP government had failed to present any tangible witness to depend on its case, Garba however, emphasised that the APC had presented all its witnesses during the proceedings of the tribunal who have been successfully cross-examined.

The speaker of the house of representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has reshuffled some committee chairpersons after the ministerial appointment of Yusuf Sununu, lawmaker from Kebbi state.

Abbas had earlier announced the names of lawmakers who will chair 134 standing committees in the green chamber on July 27.

Consequently, President Bola Tinubu appointed Sununu as minister of state for education on Wednesday.

However, the speaker on Thursday, announced the reshuffling of committee chairpersons following Sununu’s appointment.

According to the speaker, “Following the nomination of some members of the 10th House of Representatives as Hon Ministers by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and void in the leadership of some standing committees of the House, it is my pleasure to announce the appointment of the following lawmakers to fill up the vacant positions.”

He noted that the appointments shall take immediate effect and the legislative record shall be updated when the House resumes from recess”.

The newly appointed commitee chairman on healthcare service who will replace Yusuf Sununu is Dennis Idahosa, a lawmaker from Edo state.

While Emmanuel Ukpong-Udo,a lawmaker from Akwa Ibom state, is to replace Idahosa as the chairman of electronic and digital banking committee.

Bukar Talba, Borno lawmaker, replaces Emmanuel Ukpong-Udo as chairman of institutional reforms committee.

Pascal Agbodike, lawmaker from Anambra state, takes over as chairperson of hydrological services committee from Mamudu Abdullahi, lawmaker from Niger state, who has been moved to serve as chairperson of the house committee on army.

Nigerian Youth reacted to the call by Nigerian artiste, Azeez Fashola aka Naira Marley, popularly “Igbo labi,” (loosely translated as “marijuana born”) to shun drug abuse.

During his visit to the Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brigadier General Buba Marwa, on Thursday, Naira Marley cautioned Nigerians against drug abuse.

A video obtained from the internet showed the Musician stating that drug abuse is dangerous to human health.

Naira Marley among Nigerian youth is known to promote drug use among other social vices in his songs and music videos.

According to him, “It’s your boy Naira Marley, I’ll like to urge my fans – Marlians and all Nigerian youths to stop doing drugs because it’s not good for your well-being. Stop substance abuse of any form; I’ve keyed into this campaign to support the NDLEA to stop drugs on the streets. It’s not good, it makes you go back to doing crime.”

Reacting to the development, the spokesperson for the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said, “See who’s on board ⁦@ndlea_nigeria⁩ War Against Drug Abuse advocacy campaign; it’s your favourite, Naira Marley.”

Nigerians on Twitter have, however, expressed their dissatisfaction on the development

The embattled faculty of law Dean of the University of Calabar has been suspended by the management of the institution over allegations bordering sexual harassment.

Ndifon’s suspension was effected on August 17, following a probe by the management of the school into the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him by female students of the faculty on Monday.

An earlier viral video on social media had shown the students of the faculty protesting in the office of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, bearing placards with inscriptions such as, “Ndifon must go for our sanity”, “We are tired of buying law journals”, “We are tired of lecturers not attending classes”, and “Law girls are not your bonanza; Prof. Ndifon should stop grabbing us and others.”

Meanwhile the university professor had denied the allegation levelled against him in an interview with CrossRiverWatch, stressing that the protest was orchestrated by individuals within the faculty who held a grudge against him.

Also a letter signed by the school registrar, Gabriel Egbe, made available to the press through the university’s spokesperson, Eyo Bassey said the management was unsatisfied with the response to the query served on Ndifon.

The letter partly read, “Please refer to our letter Ref UC/REG/DISC.45A dated August 14, 2023 on your alleged violation of the provisions of the extant laws and policies of the University and your response to the said letter, which was dated August 16, 2023.

“The Vice Chancellor has gone through your written representations and is not satisfied with your explanations.

“She has therefore directed that you be relieved of your position as Dean, Faculty of Law and placed on suspension while the matter is referred to a panel that will be set up to investigate these allegations.

“The relief of position as Dean, Faculty of Law, and suspension from official duties takes effect from August 17, 2023 You are to hand over all University property in your possession, including all official responsibilities presently handled by you to the Sub-Dean of the Faculty before vacating office.

“You are to stay away from the university premises except while responding to an invitation from the panel investigating these allegations.”