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President Bola Tinubu has assented to the National Anthem Bill 2024 reverting to the old national anthem, “Nigeria, we hail thee”.

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, revealed this on Wednesday at a joint session of the National Assembly marking the Silver Jubilee Of Nigeria’s 4th Republic.

President Bola Tinubu is expected at the joint session.

Akpabio said the sitting is primarily to launch the new national anthem, explaining that the President will not be making a speech because he has to leave to launch the Abuja metro line.

The Senate and the House of Representatives had previously passed the legislation to swap the national anthem from “Arise, O Compatriots” to “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” at separate sittings.

The old anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee”, composed when Nigeria gained independence on October 1, 1960, has replaced the “Arise, O Compatriots” anthem.

Lillian Jean Williams, a British expatriate who lived in Nigeria during its independence, penned the lyrics for “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” while Frances Berda composed the music. The anthem played a significant role in shaping Nigeria’s national identity and unity during the 1960s and late 1970s.

What are the lyrics to Nigeria We Hail Thee?

Nigeria, we hail thee,
Our own dear native land,
Though tribe and tongue may differ,
In brotherhood, we stand,
Nigerians all, and proud to serve
Our sovereign Motherland.

Our flag shall be a symbol
That truth and justice reign,
In peace or battle honour’d,
And this we count as gain,
To hand on to our children
A banner without stain.

O God of all creation,
Grant this our one request,
Help us to build a nation
Where no man is oppressed,
And so with peace and plenty
Nigeria may be blessed. 

More to follow…

   
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has summoned the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, and the Chief Judge of Kano State High Court over conflicting interim injunctions regarding the Kano Emirate, causing uncertainty in the state.

The Federal High Court in Kano, presided over by Justice S. A. Amobeda, issued an order for the eviction of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II from the Kofar Kudu Palace, reinforcing the authority of the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero.

“An order of interim injunction restraining the respondents from inviting, arresting, detaining, threatening, intimidating, harassing the Applicant, or infringing on his rights is hereby granted,” stated Justice Amobeda.

He added, “This order ensures that Emir Aminu Bayero enjoys all rights and privileges accrued to him by virtue of his position.”

On the other hand, the Kano State High Court, under the jurisdiction of Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu, issued an injunction to protect Muhammadu Sunusi and other key figures from potential harassment by state authorities. This order prevents any interference with the Emir’s autonomy and the seizure of key symbols of his authority, such as the twin spear, the Royal Hat of Dabo, and the Ostrich-feathered shoes.

Details later…..

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, discharged the President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Kore, Alhaji Bello Bodejo, of an alleged terrorism charge filed against him by the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a short ruling, discharged Bodejo after counsel for the AGF, Aderonke Imana, moved an oral application for the withdrawal of the three-count charge.

Upon resumed hearing, Imana informed the court that she had an oral application.

The lawyer said the application was pursuant to Section 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015.

She said the request was further predicated on the power of the AGF under Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“Consequently, the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation has instructed me to withdraw this charge against the defendant in the interest of justice.

“That is our humble application my lord,” she said.

Bodejo’s lawyer, Ahmed Raji, SAN, did not oppose the application.

The senior lawyer thanked the AGF, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, for his “magnanimous gesture.”

“We urge your lordship to discharge the accused person under the sections referred to by the prosecutor,” Raji said.

The prosecution commenced trial on Tuesday, May 28, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in two criminal cases involving former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, and ex-Aviation Minister, Hadi Abubakar Sirika.

Emefiele was, on May 15 arraigned before Justice Maryanne Anenih on a four-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In the charge, marked: CR/264/2024 Emefiele is among others, accused of approving the printing of new naira notes between October 2022 and March 2023 without recourse to due process of law.

He was also accused of approving the withdrawal of the total sum of N124,860,227,865.16 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation in a manner not prescribed by the National Assembly.

The alleged offences are said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 123 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89 Laws of the Federation, 1990.

Sirika and his brother, Ahmad Abubakar Sirika are facing a 10-count charge bordering on contract fraud in respect of which they were arraigned on May 23 before Justice Suleiman Belgore.

The ex-minister and his brother (staff of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources) were arraigned with two companies – Enginos Nigeria Limited, and Samahah Integrated Investments Limited.

 In a count of the charge, marked: FCT/HC/CR/347/2024 the EFCC accused Sirika of awarding three contracts, valued at about N5,772,279,460.00 to a company – Enginos Nigeria Limited – owned by his brother, Ahmad.

In the Emefiele case, the prosecution called its first witness, Ahmed Bello Umar, who said he retired in July last year as the Director of Currency Operations at the CBN.

Led in evidence by prosecuting lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), Umar said he knew the defendant as the Governor of the CBN while he served as the Director, Currency Operations.

He explained that the management of the apex bank comprised two major structures – the Committee of Governors (COG) and the Board of Directors (BOD).

Umar further explained that the COD is made up of five members, which include the Governor ( as Chairman) and, the four Deputy Governors of the bank (as members).

He said the BOD is made up of 12 members, which include the Governor, the four Deputy Governors, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Accountant General of the Federation (AGoF) and five external members appointed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The witness the BOD is the highest decision-making body of the CBN, while the COG takes care of operational matters as it relates to the day-to-day running of the bank.

Umar recalled that sometime in August 2022, the management of the CBN directed his department to come up with a memo on the redesign of the naira notes.

“We prepared the memo for the consideration of the COG and passed it through the line Deputy Governor, (that is Deputy Governor, Operations), which he forwarded to the Governor,” he said

The witness added that the COG deliberated on the memo until October 26, 2022, when its directions and approvals were forwarded to his department

He said after the meeting of the COGs on October 26, the Corporate Secretariat Dept conveyed anticipatory approval from the COGs, pending ratification by the BOGs.

The witness said the COG did not approve all the requests as contained in the memo prepared by his department, adding that while some were rejected, some were modified.

“The proposal for the exercise to take place in 2023 was not accepted by the COG.

“The memo was referred for the consideration of the BOD and it was so considered by the BODs on the 15th of December 2022,” he said.

The witness explained the procedure for the issuance of new notes and coins by the CBN.

He said the procedure to issue new notes or coins requires that the BOD communicates to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the design, form, and devices that shall be contained in the currency.

Read Also: Court orders interim forfeiture of $4.7m, N830m, properties linked to Emefiele

The witness added that after the approval of the President, the production of the currency will commence.

At that point, Oyedepo applied for an adjournment on the grounds that he wished to attend the burial programmes for the late former Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde.

Defence lawyer, Mahmud Magaji (SAN) did not oppose the prosecution’s request for an adjournment, following which Justice Anenih adjourned further proceedings till Wednesday afternoon.

In the trial of Sirika and others, the prosecution also called its first witness, Musa Odiniya, who retired on May 5 last year as the l Director of Procurement in the Federal Ministry of Aviation.

Led in evidence by prosecuting lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) Odiniya took the court through the procurement procedure in the ministry and the process for the award of the contract.

The witness’ testimony ended abruptly when Jacobs told the court that he also wanted to attend Lamorde’s burial events and sought an adjournment.

The three defence lawyers – Magaji, Michael Numa (SAN) and Sunusi Musa (SAN) did not object to the prosecution’s request for adjournment, following which Justice Belgore adjourned till 9 am on Wednesday.

A Federal High Court sitting in Kano State has issued an order of interim injunction restraining the Inspector General of Police, the Kano State commissioner of police, and the Department of State Services from inviting, arresting, detaining, threatening or arresting mister Aminu Ado Bayero.

Ruling on a motion exparte, Justice Amobeda issued an order restraining the Nigeria police and all other respondents from denying Bayero the use of his official residence and palace at the emir’s palace, Kofar Kudu as well as enjoyment of all rights and privileges accrued to him by being Emir of Kano
and not evicting anything, anybody residing within the palace illegally pending the hearing and the determination of the originating summons.

The attorney general of the federation, the attorney general of Kano State, Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the IGP, and the commissioner of police, Kano Command are listed as respondents in the suit.

Others are the State Security Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, and Nigeria Airforce.

The development is coming a day after a Kano High Court ordered Bayero to cease parading himself as the 15th Emir of Kano and also directed the police to evict him from the mini palace at the State Road.

The court presided over by Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu said the order is effective until 11th June 2024 when the substantive motion will be heard.

This legal tussle followed a Federal High Court ruling on Thursday which restrained the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sunusi II as Emir of Kano and suspended the law establishing the dissolved five emirates in the state.

However, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf contested the ruling, claiming that the judge who issued it was in the US. Governor Yusuf has vowed to report the matter to the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF). He insisted that “there is nothing stopping the recognition of Muhammadu Sanusi II as Emir of Kano”.

In defiance of the initial ruling, Sanusi II moved into the emir’s palace on Friday and commenced his duties as the Emir of Kano. On Saturday morning, Bayero, who was out of town when he was deposed, returned to Kano and was escorted under heavy security to a mini palace on State Road.