News
Lawyers hail NJC’s decision on Onnoghen, Ag. CJN
. Defend yourselves in 7 days- NJC
. Petition against CCT Chairman Umar sent to commission
By: Oliseamah Okwuchukwu
Lawyers hailed yesterday the action of the National Judicial Council (NJC) on the crisis of integrity rocking the Judiciary.
The NJC at its emergency meeting in Abuja issued suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen and Acting CJN Tanko Muhammad a seven-day deadline to respond to petitions pending against them.
The petition against Justice Onnoghen relates to the allegation of violation of the code of conduct for public officers in relation to his alleged failure to declare his assets.
Justice Muhammad is alleged to have engaged in misconduct in allowing himself to be sworn in in a manner that breached law, tradition and constitutional provisions.
NJC’s spokesman Soji Oye said in a statement that the council also elected to refer the petition against Code of Conduct (CCT) Chairman Justice Danladi Yakubu Umar to the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC).
It was learnt that Justice Onnoghen and Justice Muhammad were not at the meeting, which was chaired by retired Court of Appeal President Umaru Abdullahi.
The case against Umar, The Nation learnt, relates to his alleged abuse of judicial authority or breach of constitutional provisions by the orders he made in the course of proceedings in the charge against the suspended CJN
In one of such orders, the CCT rejected to be bound by High Courts orders directing it to stay proceedings.
Another is the ex-parte order the CCT made on which President Muhammadu Buhari claimed to have relied in suspended Onnoghen and inaugurating Justice Muhammad in acting capacity.
It was also learnt that the NJC chose to abridge the usual 14 days response time to seven, in view of the weighty issues involved in the petitions.
The NJC is to reconvene on February 11.
“I’m happy with the development. NJC and the Judiciary will work together to strengthen our judicial system,” rights activist and lawyer Monday Ubani said.
The statement reads: “The National Judicial Council held an Emergency Meeting today and considered four (4) petitions filed at its Secretariat. The petitions are:
“Petition against Hon. Mr. Justice W.S.N. Onnoghen, GCON by Zikhrillahi Ibrahim of Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civil Education;
“Petition against Hon. Mr. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, CFR by Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative;
“Petition against Hon. Mr. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, CFR by Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, OON; and
“Petition against Hon. Danladi Yakubu Umar, Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal by Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative.
“Council referred the petition against Hon. Danladi Yakubu Umar to the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) which is the appropriate constitutional body empowered to deal with it.
“In line with its procedure, Council also forwarded the petitions against Hon. Justices W.S.N. Onnoghen, GCON and I. T. Muhammad, CFR to them for their responses.
“In view of the gravity of the matters involved, Council abridged the usual response period from fourteen (14) to seven (7) working days for the Hon. Justices to respond.
“Hon. Mr. Justice W. S. N. Onnoghen, GCON and Hon. Mr. Justice I.T. Muhammad, CFR recused themselves from the meeting. Consequently, Council elected Hon. Mr. Justice Umaru Abdullahi, CON, former President of the Court of Appeal, as Interim Chairman to preside over the meeting.
“Council will reconvene on the 11th February, 2019.”
Source: The Nation
News
“80% Of Buildings In Lekki Have No Approval” – Lagos State Commissioner For Physical Planning & Urban Development Reveals
The Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide, has stated that 80 per cent of buildings in Ibeju Lekki have no approval.
Olumide disclosed this while speaking to newsmen recently.
In his words; “Just last week Thursday and Friday, myself and the team were in the Ibeju Lekki and Epe axis and you would agree with me that anybody passing through that corridor would see a lot of estates marked. We went there, and I can tell you that from what we saw, over 80 per cent of them do not have approval.
The procedure to get approval is first to get the planning information, as to what those areas have been zoned for. In this case, what we have is agricultural land, and people now go to their families to buy agricultural land. Of course, those lands would be sold because those families do not know the use such land would be put to.
The next thing to do is the fence permit. If you missed the earlier information on not knowing the area zoning, at the point of getting the fence permit, you would be able to detect what the area is zoned for. After that, the layout permits a large expense of land follows.”’
Olumide noted that a layout permit cannot be obtained if it is not zoned for the purpose it was designed for or for the purpose it was being requested.
“So, you can see all these layers, but people still go ahead to start advertising. Some have even gone to the extent of displaying the sizes they want to sell. Imagine someone in the diaspora who wants to send money without any knowledge. Then, no approval is eventually gotten. Even if they pass the assignment and the survey to them, we would not grant the individual permit, because that area is not zoned for that purpose’’ Olumide said
This partly explains why some of the houses are being turn down currently in the state.
News
Lady Dies After Friends Pushed Her Into Boiling Pot Of Fresh Pepper In Delta State
A Nigerian man identified as Israel Joe, has revealed how his friend, Roseline, died after she was pushed into a boiling pot of fresh pepper and tomatoes by her two female friends in Sapele, Delta State.
Joe stated that Roseline, a caterer, went on a trip with her friends to Sapele for a catering job where the bitter ordeal occured.
She tragically passed away on Saturday, April 13 after spending two weeks at the hospital in a very horrible state.
In a Facebook post on Friday, Joe said that before her untimely death, Roseline confided in him about two of her friends who were treating her coldly.
And he has vowed to bring them to justice.
This is such a heartbreaking event.
News
IPOB Declares May 30th As Sit-at-home Day Across The Southern East States To Honour Biafran Fallen Heroes
The Indigenous People of Biafra has declared May 30, 2024, as a sit-at-home day across the South-East to celebrate Biafran soldiers.
The pro-Biafran group said that day is set aside annually to celebrate the men and women who died in the Biafran war between 1967 and 1970 and beyond and even until now.
This was made known in a press statement by the group’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, on Thursday, adding that every Biafran in the South-East is expected to sit at home and reflect on the war.
He cautioned South-East residents to avoid loitering about on this day, adding that those who intend to travel to and fro Biafra land must do so before the evening of May 29.
The IPOB statement also directed that all the residents of “Biafra Land” are to stay indoors from 6 am to 6 pm on May 30, 2024.
He also called on christians and traditionalists to pray to Chukwu okike abiama for the fallen heroes, And also for the independence of Biafra from Nigeria.
-
News5 days ago
Nigerians Seek Woman Who Spoke Out Eloquently Against Fuel Scarcity In Viral 1994 TV Clip
-
News4 days ago
Anambra State Government Arrests Man For Marrying Off His Underage Daughter
-
News4 days ago
IPOB Declares May 30th As Sit-at-home Day Across The Southern East States To Honour Biafran Fallen Heroes
-
Education3 days ago
Federal Government Sets To Commence School-To-Work Scheme
-
News2 days ago
Lady Dies After Friends Pushed Her Into Boiling Pot Of Fresh Pepper In Delta State
-
Finance2 days ago
EFCC Chairman Tasks Nigerian Youths Against Crimes And Fraudulent Acts
-
News3 hours ago
“80% Of Buildings In Lekki Have No Approval” – Lagos State Commissioner For Physical Planning & Urban Development Reveals
-
Entertainment3 hours ago
Celebrities Turn Up For The Dedication Of Ali Baba’s Triplets In Lagos