Yahaya Bello: Lawyers storm Supreme Court, condemn EFCC’s alleged abuse of judicial process

Published

9 months ago

April 22, 2024

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Yahaya Bello: Lawyers storm Supreme Court, condemn EFCC’s alleged abuse of judicial process—-No fewer than 500 legal practitioners from across the country, Monday, stormed the Supreme Court in condemnation of what they called the illegal approach of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) in handling its allegations against former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.

The lawyers, under the umbrella of judicial watchdogs, faulted the siege on the ex-Gov’s residence, in a bid to arrest him, despite a valid court order to the contrary, which had not been vacated.

The lawyers also submitted a petition to the National Judicial Council and the President, calling their attention to the situation, which they said, must not be overlooked.

Co-Convener of Judicial Watchdogs, Barr Sylvanus K. Alewu, said not only has Bello’s fundamental rights been breached, but that the judiciary had also become willing tools in the hands of enemies of Nigeria’s rule of law.

The lawyers, therefore, urged the NJC and President Bola Tinubu to call the EFCC to order in order to stop further abuse and disobedience of court orders.

“It has become pertinent again that we address well-meaning Nigerians on the current attacks on the Judiciary by the very institutions created by law to enforce and guarantee the sanctity of our judicial processes.

“As young lawyers, we envisage a judiciary where justice is not only done but also seen to be manifestly done. It is in our patriotic quest to always pursue ventures that guarantee an independent judiciary that dispenses justice without fear nor Favour that we formed this civil society of lawyer

We are therefore perturbed that desperate politicians and corrupt elements in our polity are working very assiduously to bring the judiciary that sacrificed its all to guard its jurisdiction jealously under the military regime to public odium and opprobrium.

“It is more worrisome that even the very institutions that are created by law to enforce our laws have become willing tools in the hands of enemies of our rule of law and the judiciary to harangue our judges and bring the justice system to public ridicule.

The current case between the EFCC and Gov. Yahaya is the most heinous of such instances. It is sickening that the commission will move to lay siege and even attempt to arrest the former governor of Kogi state despite being served a valid court order that restrains them from doing so and without vacating the said order.

“The events of the past few days is capable of eroding the many gains and national acclaim the commission recorded and enjoys from majority of Nigerians who see the establishment of the commission as the greatest intervention to the endemic corruption that has rocked our public service and government institutions since the return of Nigeria to democracy in 1999.

“The only succour is that the current president of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a leader who gave his all to sustain our democracy. The president, at a point, became a victim of political with-hunt.

“We have submitted petitions to the Nigerian Judicial Council and Mr. President asking that they use their good offices to call the EFCC to order and stop any form of abuse and disobedience of court orders,“ he said.

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Over 20 States Sue Trump Administration Over Order Seeking To Revoke Birthright Citizenship

Published

14 hours ago

January 22, 2025

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Over 20 States Sue Trump Administration Over Order Seeking To Revoke Birthright Citizenship—-A coalition of Democratic state attorneys general filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday to stop President Trump’s executive order that seeks to eliminate birthright citizenship.

Mr. Trump invoked presidential powers to begin his long-promised immigration crackdown shortly after taking office on Monday. His executive actions included an order directing the federal government to stop issuing passports, citizenship certificates and other documents to many children born in the U.S. whose mothers are in the country illegally, or for whom neither parent is a legal permanent resident.

The lawsuit by the 18 states, filed in federal court in Massachusetts, claims Mr. Trump’s initiative violates the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which the federal government has long interpreted to mean that those born on American soil are citizens at birth. The cities of San Francisco and Washington, D.C., also joined the suit. The 14th Amendment says: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

“The great promise of our nation is that everyone born here is a citizen of the United States, able to achieve the American dream,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement to CBS News. “This fundamental right to birthright citizenship, rooted in the 14th Amendment and born from the ashes of slavery, is a cornerstone of our nation’s commitment to justice.”

The suit is seeking a preliminary injunction to halt enforcement of the executive order, and ultimately, to invalidate it. The states that joined the suit are: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.

“The President’s executive order attempting to rescind birthright citizenship is blatantly unconstitutional and quite frankly, un-American,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. “We are asking a court to immediately block this order from taking effect and ensure that the rights of American-born children impacted by this order remain in effect while litigation proceeds. The President has overstepped his authority by a mile with this order, and we will hold him accountable.”

Mr. Trump directed that his order should be enforced in 30 days. It was challenged soon after it was issued, when the American Civil Liberties Union and other advocacy groups filed separate lawsuits seeking to thwart it.

Later Tuesday, a group of four more states — Illinois, Arizona, Washington and Oregon — filed a lawsuit of their own in Washington state targeting the executive order, bringing to at least four the number of suits challenging it.

“We need to discuss bipartisan commonsense immigration reforms, but denying birthright citizenship, which dates back centuries and has been upheld twice by the U.S. Supreme Court, is not the solution,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a statement.

A federal judge in Seattle, John Coughenour, set a hearing for Thursday on a request from the four states for a temporary restraining order blocking Mr. Trump’s edict.

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Tanker Explosion Kills Driver, Injures One In Ibadan

Published

15 hours ago

January 22, 2025

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Tanker Explosion Kills Driver, Injures One In Ibadan—-A tanker loaded with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) has exploded, killing its driver and injuring one other person in Ibadan.

Mr Yemi Akinyinka, General Manager (GM), Oyo State Fire Services Agency, confirmed the incident in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Ibadan.

Akinyinka further said the incident resulted in the death of the tanker driver and injured the motor boy.

“The incident happened around Fijabi House, Agbowo, Ojoo/Iwo Road Expressway.

“The agency received a distress call about the fire incident at exactly 2.45 a.m. through a telephone call.

“The service swiftly deployed personnel to the scene and curtailed the fire from spreading to the nearby residential area.

“On arrival, we met three trucks of 20-metre distance from one another involved in the fire incident,

“The driver was burnt to death while the motor boy was rescued alive and taken to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, for treatment,” he said.

Akinyinka stressed that the tanker was utterly destroyed by the fire while the other two trucks were rescued by the agency’s personnel.

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