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Marafa Slams Matawalle Says Northern Elders Not A Burden To Nigeria

April 21, 2024

By Akinwale Kasali

The position of the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, that the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, is a political burden to the North, has been slammed by Senator Kabiru Marafa.

Marafa said that NEF members are neither a burden nor paper weights, rather, they are respected by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He said it will be better for Matawalle to withdraw the offensive statement and tender, without delay, an unreserved apology to the Northern elders and Northerners in general.

In a statement by Marafa on Sunday titled ‘’Tinubu Presidency: Northern Elders Forum, a political burden to the North, they do not speak for the region’’, described the Northern Elders as ‘paperweights and a burden’.

He said that rather than negatively portraying the Northern elders, Matawalle should have listed the achievements, programmes and policies, projects of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the North and the country as a whole in the first 10 months of the administration.

According to him, calling the elders of the region, which has and gave the highest number of votes to ensure victory for the Tinubu presidency, was counterproductive and a great disservice to the president, who is working tirelessly towards addressing the numerous challenges facing all segments and sectors of the country, among them terrorism, insurgency, economic and financial malfeasance and infrastructural decay, to list a few.

He said that at this moment, what President Tinubu needs from his appointees is support, loyalty and hard work to actualise the Renewed Hope Agenda conceived to return the country to the path of progress and prosperity, not sycophancy and unguarded statements.

Senator Marafa said, “In the last one week, I have been inundated with calls from well-meaning and prominent stakeholders in our region and party, the APC, who know my relationship with the President.

“They are worried and disturbed that the unfortunate statement by the Minister of State for Defence, if not addressed, could affect the president’s electoral fortunes in our region because it will be seen as if the minister spoke the mind of the president or the Presidency.

“The crux of the matter is that; whether you like them or not these people are called Northern Elders, so, unless they are stripped of that title by the people of the region, insulting them is tantamount to insulting the entire people of the region.

“ It’s not in our culture and upbringing to insult elders. No descent society will refer to its elders as a burden and paperweights. The North is not an exception.

“ As one of the senators who worked very closely with Asiwaju as party leader (as he was then called) from the formation of APC through the primaries that led to the emergence of General Muhammadu Buhari as APC presidential candidate in Lagos, the politics of the National Assembly leadership in 2015 and 2019 and the processes and intrigues that characterised the 2023 Presidential Primaries, I can say without mincing words that President Tinubu holds the North, the Northerners, and their leaders in high esteem.

“ Although, I’m not the mouthpiece of either the president or the Presidency, as a Northerner and an elder in the region, as an APC stakeholder and one that has worked closely with both the president and the Vice President, I want to state categorically that this view expressed by Mr Matawalle is his personal opinion and not in any way that of Mr President or the Presidency, and should, therefore, be disregarded.

“I know for sure that the North, Northerners and the Northern elders are neither a burden nor a paperweight in the scheme of things in the region and the country as a whole. The president shares this view, and therefore he is with me on this.”

Nigeria Set To Join Countries Using CNG Vehicles, 600 Buses To Be Delivered This Year

Ayodele Oni

April 21, 2024

By Ayodele Oni

The Federal Government on Sunday gave an update on Presidential CNG Initiative, which was launched in October last year.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga disclosed that after months of detailed planning and background work, the committee driving the initiative is set to deliver on President Tinubu’s vision and promise.

He stated in a statement that already, the committee, being led by Michael Oluwagbemi, an oil and gas expert, has delivered some major foundational reforms to enable the new CNG and Electric Vehicles.

He said “All is now ready for delivery of the first set of critical assets for deployment and launch of the CNG initiative ahead of the first anniversary of the Tinubu administration on May 29.

“After the removal of the wasteful fuel subsidy on May 29, 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu launched the Presidential CNG Initiative in October last year to deliver cheaper, safer and more climate friendly energy. The CNG Initiative was designed to deliver compressed natural gas especially for mass transit.

“The Federal Government as part of the many intervention programmes to reduce the burden of increase in pump price on the masses, provided N100 billion (part of the N500 billion palliative budget) to purchase 5500 CNG vehicles (buses and tricycles), 100 Electric buses and over 20,000 CNG conversion kits, alongside spurring the development of CNG refilling stations and electric charging stations.

“With necessary tax and duty waivers approved by President Tinubu in December 2023, the PCNGI committee is partnering with the private sector to deliver the promise on the initiative.

“The private sector has responded with over $50 million in actual investments in refuelling stations, conversion centres, and mother stations.

“Also, a safety policy document on 80 standards and regulations that must be strictly adhered to by operators has been developed and approved to ensure CNG conversions are done safely and reliably.

“The deployment of CNG buses and tricycles and the vision to get at least one million natural gas propelled vehicles on our roads by 2027 will mark a major energy transition in our country’s transportation industry.

“The use of more expensive diesel and PMS will gradually be phased out, when many vehicles, including trucks run on natural gas, which our nation has in abundance in at least 30 out of the 36 states of the federation.

“As studies have shown, one of the main causes of air pollution is primarily the amount of gases emitted by gasoline and diesel engines.

“To reduce the pollution, some countries of the world, such as India, China, Iran, Pakistan, Brazil , Argentina, Italy have built fleets of natural gas powered vehicles, instead of going the route of relying on liquid petroleum products propelled vehicles.

“Natural gas vehicles reduce tail pipe emission by up to 40 percent, and Nigeria’s commitment to this course will enable her meet her nationally determined commitments (NDCs) under Paris Climate Accord to which we are signatory.

“From the end of May, Nigeria will take some baby steps to join such nations that already have large fleets of CNG vehicles.

“Remarkably, the Tinubu administration, in driving the nation to the desired destination, has flagged open a new industry, along with thousands of new jobs.

“In all, over 600 buses are targeted for production in the first phase that will be accomplished this year.

“In collaboration with the private sector, the PCNGI is set to deliver 100 conversion workshops and 60 refuelling sites spread across 18 states before the end of this year.

“The vision of Mr. President to deliver one million gas vehicles cannot be possible without the private sector, including the RTEAN, NARTO, NURTW, and players in the downstream sector of the transportation chain and financiers.”

“We Will Teach Them How To Conduct Gov Primary” – PDP Ondo Chapter Mocks APC Over Inconclusive Election

Ayodele Oni

April 21, 2024

By Ayodele Oni

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo state has condemned inability of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to produce its governorship candidate for November election almost 24 hours after the conduct of the primary election.

Chairman of the APC election committee and Kogi state Governor Ododo had declared the primary election inconclusive as he ordered fresh poll in Okitipupa local government on Sunday.

The PDP in a statement on Sunday signed by Kenedy Peretei, its spokesman, stated that “The over hyped All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Primary Election in Ondo State turned out to be a huge charade and a mockery of democracy in every sense of the word.

“The National headquarters of the party raked in a handsome sum of N830m from unsuspecting aspirants who took photographs with their Nomination Forms in Abuja with their supporters.

“Little did they know that, the exercise would be an anticlimax and their aspirations to occupy the number one seat in the State completely eclipsed and all the efforts headed for the dustbin.

“The signs that all would not be well emerged 48 hours before the primary when five of the aspirants petitioned the APC National Headquarters about irregularities on the accredited members for the primary.

“Four years ago, former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, who has been declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) for N85 billion fraud, presided over a similar event in Akure, where none of the aspirants, sighted the Delegates list before the primary.

“As at the morning of the election, it was not clear whether it was going to be Direct or Indirect primary. That was the exercise that produced former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu as candidate of the APC for 2020 Governorship election.

“This time, Gov Ahmed Usman Ododo, Bello’s successor in office has wrecked more havoc than his boss.

“Journalists who tried to monitor the primary were shocked that in almost all the centres that elections were supposed to hold, there were no election materials, neither were there officials to conduct the exercise. The Akure City Hall, one of the supposed centers was empty as at 1.00pm.

“Instead, there were reported cases of violence in Akure South and Okitipupa Local Government Areas, where political thugs had a field day.

“In one of the videos that was seen online to create impression that the exercise held, the returning officer counted to 400 and jumped to 560. Some of the aspirants have since called for the cancellation of the exercise.

“If the APC cannot conduct a free, fair, transparent and credible primary election for 171,922 of their members, they should perish the idea of presiding over the affairs of Ondo State beyond the eight years in which they have practically stagnated the State.

“It is a shame that, the APC cannot bring only one of their sixteen aspirants to square up with other political parties in the general election through a process that is above board.

“That alone, is an affirmation that, the party should be consigned to dustbin of history, where it rightfully belongs.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ondo State Chapter will once again demonstrate its superior organizational sagacity and democratic credentials this week, through a Governorship Primary Election that will be covered live by media houses and Non-Governmental Organizations in the full glare of the world.

“As at the early hours of today, Journalists were still waiting for the outcome of the charade that Usman Ododo and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege called a primary election in Ondo State.”

Yoruba Renew Call For Independence As Akintoye, Sunday Igboho, Ademola Write President Tinubu

Ayodele Oni

April 21, 2024

By Ayodele Oni

The Yoruba Self-determination Movement has again reechoed the desperation to pull out the entire south west region and other Yoruba speaking ethnics from Nigeria.

The fresh demand for independence from Nigeria is contained in a letter to President Bola Tinubu dated 17th April, 2024.

Yoruba Self determination Movement, under the leadership of Prof Banji Akintoye is leading the struggle for the Yoruba sovereign state separate from Nigeria.

Other signatories to the letter are Chief Sunday Adeyemo Igboho, Leader Yoruba National Defence and Otunba Ola Ademola, Vice-Chairman Yoruba Self-determination Movement.

Among reasons for their request, as earlier demanded are Nigeria’s collapsed economy, education and insecurity to the extent that other nationalities like the Fulanis are threatening the existence of Nigeria.

“Nigeria’s economy has collapsed. Nigerians, including our Yoruba people, are living a life of wrenching poverty and hunger. Important roads have dilapidated for years in our Yoruba homeland.

“Electricity supply has been increasingly fizzling out for years. For decades, businesses have been failing or fleeing from Nigeria – mostly from our Yoruba homeland, the home of most of Nigeria’s businesses before 1960.

“Almost all the businesses and industries that blessed our Yoruba homeland at independence in 1960 have shut down. Though Nigeria is one of the largest producers of petroleum in the world, Nigeria has depended on imported gasoline and has left its own refineries in disrepair, and the price of gasoline has been rising steadily in Nigeria for years. In the past nine months, the price of gasoline has jumped beyond the reach of most Nigerians.

“Mr. President, another crucial matter that we Yoruba must bring before Your Excellency is the horrific and seriously disturbing character of the attitude and the utterly disrespectful approach of one of the nations of Nigeria, namely the Fulani nation, to the Federal Government and the sanctity, integrity and dignity of the Nigeria state and the public order.

“Since 2015, the Fulani have been killing widely among the other peoples of Nigeria, including us Yoruba, destroying farms, villages and other assets, kidnapping men, women and children, extorting large amounts of money as ransom from friends and family of the kidnapped, and repeatedly asserting their intention to seize the homelands of all the indigenous peoples of Nigeria for the purpose of turning all into a Fulani homeland.

“In the Middle Belt, horrendous blood-letting is going on, very many families have been forced into Internally Displaced People Camps, and many of their villages have been seized by the Fulani and renamed as Fulani villages.

“In our Yoruba homeland, our people are resisting somewhat better, but the Fulani attacks and killings and kidnappings are unrelenting and are coming daily, leading to horrific instability, and forcing most of our farmers to abandon farming altogether – thereby dooming Yoruba people to years and years of famine.

“According to an unofficial estimate, the Fulani have killed as many as 29,000 Yoruba people in the years since 2015.

“We Yoruba must not underestimate the Fulani; we must not condemn our people to Fulani killings, destruction, raping, kidnapping and extortion of ransom for decades or centuries to come. Our Yoruba nation may not survive such prolonged battering.

“We as a people concede that it is the prerogative of the Nigerian Federal Government to deal with crimes as it chooses; but we as a people are clearly opposed to continuing to participate in a state entity in which the Government seems to lack the systemic strength, the political will, and the moral confidence to treat crimes as crimes and criminals as criminals.

“We believe that a situation like that portends a horrific deepening of the already deep anarchy and economic failure of Nigeria, and that it promises to galvanize Nigeria to an all encompassing violence and war which would consume millions of Nigerian lives and export disaster and human suffering to the rest of West Africa.

“We Yoruba cannot consent any longer to being a part of such an inevitable and imminent disaster.”

The Movement asked the federal government to do the followings :

“That the Nigerian Federal Government shall, within the next two months, but not later than June 15, 2024, inform us Yoruba Self-determination Movement that the Nigerian Federal Government have graciously agreed to our proposal for negotiation and that they have set up a negotiation team that will meet and dialogue with our Yoruba nation’s negotiation team.

“That as soon as we receive the communication from the Nigerian Federal Government in response to this request of ours for negotiation, we shall forward the list of our negotiation team to the Nigerian Federal Government.

“That the Nigerian Federal Government’s negotiation team and our negotiation team shall meet to appoint co-chair persons, to agree on a date for the first negotiation meeting, to the negotiation venue, and to the negotiation agenda and process.

“That the Nigerian Federal Government shall invite the United Nations, African Union and the Economic Community of West African States, to send observers to the negotiation meetings.”

Delay Or No Delay, We Have Done Well – Gov Ododo On Ondo Gov Primary Election

The Source

April 20, 2024

By Ayodele Oni

Kogi State Governor and chairman of the Ondo State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election committee has expressed satisfaction on the conduct of the election.

He commended stakeholders and members of the party in Ondo state for their orderly conduct and massive turnout during the direct primary election in the state.

Governor Ododo gave the commendation while receiving reports from members of the APC Governorship Primary Election committee, security agencies and other stakeholders who monitored the conduct of the election in different parts of the 18 local government areas in the state.

According to Governor Ododo: “I have received reports from our committee members and security agencies as well as NGOs monitoring the election including video footages and I can say that the process has been transparent and we are going to produce a candidate that will unify the APC ahead of the November, 2024 governorship election in the state.”

Responding to questions over delay in arrival of materials in some wards and local government areas, Governor Ododo said he was certain that the delay has no adverse effect on the conduct of the primary election.

The Kogi State Governor also expressed confidence that concerns noticed in the revalidated membership list would not have any major impact on the outcome of the primary election, stressing that the committee is well guided by the APC guidelines for the nomination of candidates for general elections and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.

Governor Ododo called on the aspirants and their supporters to see the primary election as a contest among brothers and sisters in one family seeking to make the family better as candidate of the party in the November, 2024 Governorship election in Ondo State.

Blame CBN For Nigeria’s Economic Woes – Prof Eleazu, President Nigeria Economists

The Source

April 20, 2024

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Much of the blame for the economic woes bedevilling the country and their attendant effects on the citizenry should be domiciled at the door steps of the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN.

The deviation from its statutory roles, as envisioned ,by the CBN Act of 1958 which include but not limited to the promotion monetary stability, maintenance of external reserves of the country, ensuring a sound financial environment, and serving as bankers of last resort has been the major banes of the country’s apex bank.

And until the managers of Nigeria’s financial regulatory body begins to entertain meaningful advice from experts ,it will continue to trotter ,and the country’s economy remain comatose .

These were the views canvassed at the weekend, by the President of Nigeria Association of Economics NAE, Professor Innocent Eleazu at a press briefing in Owerri in commemoration of his 60th birthday celebrations.

According to him ,over the years the CBN has gradually, but steadily abandoned its statutory functions, preferring instead to engaged in the churning out of clumsy and inept policies, which in turn has negatively affected all facets of the economy.

The renowned economist decried a situation where by the CBN will be superintending over the policy of borrowing money to service already acquired debts, adding that the development represents a new low for the acclaimed giant of Africa.

To navigate the country out of its prevailing economic predicament, Prof Eleazu has called for a total reform of the country’s apex bank, with a view to once again re aligning it with its founding objectives as clearly spelt out by the 1958 CBN Act.

For the seasoned academic ,the CBN has performed abysmally and. disappointed the Nigerian people, in all ramifications, particularly in the areas of being a lender of last resort, financial adviser to the federal government, and promotion of monetary stability.

“NNPP Should Be Grateful To God For Giving It Kwankwaso” – Habib Former Kano Chairman

The Source

April 20, 2024

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Former Kano State Chairman and founding member,of the New Nigeria Peoples Party NNPP Malam Hashim Habib has claimed that the entry of Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was the tonic that the party needed to discover its rhythm in the political equation of the country.

Habib who was reacting to Dr Boniface Aniebonam earlier assertion that the NNPP’s presidential candidate during the last general elections betrayed him ,noted that as a pioneer chairman of the party in kano ,as well as an insider ,he is aware that the fortunes of the party grew with the entry of the former Governor of kano state .

Malam Habib who spoke on Saturday April 20 2024 at an interactive session with the. Media in kano, noted that with the popularity and wide acceptance garnered by the party ,particularly in kano where it produced the Governor and many legislators both at the state and national level ,the statement credited to the party’s founder were without decorum and contentment.

According to him ,before the entry of Senator Kwankwaso with his.supporters ,the NNPP was only existing in name ,without a visible presence in most states of the federation.

The former Kano state NNPP chairman, insisted that instead of vilifying its former presidential flagbearer ,the party hierarchy ,including Aniebonam should be grateful to God for availing them the presence and political weight of Dr Kwankwaso .

“Kwankwaso’s entry brought NNPP its major victory that was spectacular and unimaginable. We won the governorship in kano with the highest number of votes .

Through out the country ,no other governor scored a million votes . It is a milestone and feat . More over ,the party’s presence at the National Assembly is unprecedented” Habib noted.

He therefore called on Aniaebonam and his supporters to exercise restraint ,and conduct their activities in line with the maturity expected of statesmen,adding that they should not allow fifth Columnists to distabilise the party.

“They Are Wining And Dining In Hotel Rooms”‘ – Ondo Gov Aspirant Accuses Election Committee Members Of Abandoning Duties

Ayodele Oni

April 20, 2024

By Ayodele Oni

One of the Governorship Aspirants in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ondo state, Olusola Oke, SAN, has accused members of the Governor Ahmed Ododo led electoral committee of indolence. He said are staying in their hotel rooms in Akure, wining and dining.

Oke said members of the committee abandoned the task they were sent to Ondo State to perform and gave room for all sorts of manipulations during the primary election.

The aspirant, through his campaign committee insisted that ni election took place in Ondo state on Saturday.

A statement signed by Oyewamide Ojo, spokesman for the campaign group states “The Olusola Oke Campaign Organisation will like to make its observations known before the whole world is deceived that gubernatorial primary election was conducted today in Ondo state by the All Progressives Congress (APC), as expected.

“The truth is that no primary election was conducted. What happened in all the 203 wards in Ondo state can be described as a sham. It defies all descriptions of decency and democratic conduct.

“It is our observation that members of the Ododo-led primary election committee, constituted to conduct the nomination exercise, merely simulated active functionality by taking a late “stroll” out of their hotel rooms, where they were dining and wining.

“The primary election materials were not distributed to the 203 wards across the State, as expected and assured by the election committee.

‘Members of APC, who are eligible to vote for their preferred aspirants, did not have the opportunity to do so. Many of them queued in the sun till 3:00 pm, waiting for the conduct of the shadow poll.

“At another instance, regrettably enough, the election officers that were to conduct the exercise in the wards are known supporters of one of the aspirants.

“These people were kept in one hotel where they were to perpetrate all sorts of evil, to compromise the process of choosing the candidate of our party.

“Virtually all the guidelines put in place to ensure the integrity and smooth conduct of the nomination exercise, reinforced by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who stood in for HE Usman Ododo at the stakeholders’ engagement held on Friday 19th April, 2024, were violated by the election committee.

“In a return to the dark days of thuggery in Ondo State, our supporters, and supporters of other aspirants, were beaten, intimidated and chased away from most of the designated voting centres by known political thugs and secret cult members hired by one of the aspirants.

“This level of violence has turned hospitals to the abode of our supporters and other members of our party.

“The ignominious attack of a senior correspondent with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr. Tayo Ikujuni, by a cabinet member in Ondo State, Saka Yusuf Ogunleye, was symptomatic of the climate of fear and terror visited on innocent but supportive members of APC across the state.

“It is instructive that Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ondo State Council, has directed Media Houses and professionals in Ondo State to halt the coverage of the activities of the Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye.

“Therefore, we like to state, very categorically, that no primary election was conducted by the APC in Ondo state today, Saturday, 20, 2024. Rather, what happened was shameful, and it constituted a serious dent on the image of our dear party.

“We expected that a decent nomination exercise, characterized by peace, freedom of our members to make their choices and fairness, would be conducted. We waited patiently for it, however, what we got was heart-rendering.

“We, therefore, appeal to all our supporters across the eighteen local government areas of the state to remain peaceful and calm as we wait further briefing from our members across the state and our principal.”

Ondo APC Gov Primary Election: Collation Of Results Ongoing As Aspirants Say No Election Took Place

Ayodele Oni

April 20, 2024

By Ayodele Oni

Results of the Saturday’s governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state are trickling to collation centre in Akure just as four governorship aspirants are insisting that there was no election in their area.

With the results tilting in favour of incumbent Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the four aspirants called for the cancellation of the governorship primary election.

They accused the Governor Ahmed Ododo led committee of giving room for fraud to favour Aiyedatiwa.

On their arrival in Akure earlier members of the committee, while addressing some of the aspirants said the task of the committee was to return one of them as a candidate of the party.

Addressing newsmen after arriving Ondo state

Ovie Omo-Agege said, “We are here as part of a seven member primary election committee headed by his Excellency, governor of Kogi state, Hamed Ododo and I am the secretary of the committee and other members here with me.

“The directive given to us was clear. Go to ondo state and conduct a free and fair primary and return to us a flagbearer.”

Report across the 203 Wards indicate that violence and absence of voting materials in some centers, were the order of the day.

The aspirants, who also asked the national leadership of the party to, as a matter of urgency, remove the chairman of Electoral Committee, noted that they no longer trust in his ability to conduct a free and fair election following the current controversy trailing the exercise.

Addressing journalists, the aggrieved aspirants, led by Gbenga Edema, faulted the exercise and warned that the development if not handled well might affect the outcome of the shadow election and the November governorship election.

At the stakeholders meeting held at St. Thomas event centre, the secretary of that committee, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege said the collection of voting materials which include the membership registers, and others will be distributed to the electoral officers whose names he announced to us in each of the 203 wards of Ondo State.

“That they should come to BON Hotel to collect the materials and that accreditation will start by 10am, to be completed by 1pm while voting proper will start by 1pm and end by 2pm, then the announcement of the results.

“As I am talking to you now, we’ve been here since 6am, believing that our people will collect the materials, but unfortunately, His Excellency Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, came out to tell us that materials had been distributed. At what time? In what places? We don’t know!

“Unfortunately, for him, the returning officers and electoral officers of my ward, Mahin Ward II in Ilaje local government are here and unable to collect any material.

“What we are asking for is a credible election. So, we are asking the leadership of the party to look into this. If they’re not ready for this election, they should postpone it and the right thing should be done.”

Okuama Residents Sue Army, Slam N200bn Lawsuit Against It

Akinwale Kasali

April 20, 2024

By Akinwale Kasali

The Nigeria Army has been slammed with a N200 Billion lawsuit by residents of Okuama Community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State for allegedly brutalizing, harassing, demolishing properties and inflicting pains, anguish on the people of the area, and also indicting the people for the killing of 17 Soldiers.

Residents of Okuama filed this lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State demanding the sum for general and exemplary damages from the Nigerian Army.

The applicants, mainly farmers, traders, and businessmen, who applied for the enforcement of their fundamental human rights to a fair hearing, the dignity of the human person, private and family life, freedom of movement, choice of residency, private and family life, and the right to own property are Victor Akemor, Madam Omotiwori Olarehor, Victor Odi, Okrika Emmanuel, Austin Eferemua, and Evelyn Edjekola.

Others in suit no. FHC/WR/CS/41/2024 before Hon Justice I.M Sani are Pa James Ubredu, David Oghenewede, Lucky Orode, and Iwriogbo Best, Felix Orhiunu, Bernard Michael, Oghenekobiruo, Vero Joseph, Ebikawe Emmanuel, Francis Uphurie, and Hon Belvis Adogbo.

They are suing for themselves and on behalf of, members of in the interest of the residents of the Okuama community.

The applicants’ lawyers, Chief Malcolm Omirhobo, Akpokona Omafuaire Esq., Seprebofa Oyeghe Esq., O. L. Ofuasia Esq., and Ernest Ogbaga Esq. applied on Thursday.

The reliefs sought against the Nigerian Army are as follows:

“A declaration of this honorable court that the respondent’s accusation, media trial, and sentencing of the applicants, and the residents of the Okuama community for the murder of 17 soldiers, which they have no hands in, on March 14, without any police investigation, or any public inquiry indicting them for the crime without following due process of law, is a flagrant violation of the applicants’ rights.

“The residents of the Okuama community’s right to a fair hearing, which is, therefore, illegal, unlawful, and unconstitutional.

“ A declaration of this honourable court that the respondent’s deployment of troops for the invasion, and brutal reprisal attacks on the applicants and residents of Okuama community for the death of 17 soldiers, which they have no hands in, without any police investigation, or any public inquiry indicting them for the crime, and without following due process of law, dishing out collective punishment on them, killing, maiming, brutalizing, harassing, intimidating, coercing demolishing, destroying, razing, and burning down of their properties, leaving only the Anglican Church, the Okuama Secondary School, and the Aderha Primary School buildings standing, causing them to disperse and flee to various towns, villages, forests, bushes and creeks for safety, living the life of destitute under torturous, inhuman, degrading and excruciating condition without shelter, food, drinking water, medication, money or means of income, and clothes, exposed to weather, diseases, snake and mosquito bites, and other dangerous wild animals is a flagrant violation of the applicants, and the residents of the Okuama community have the right to the dignity of their human person, and, therefore, illegal, unlawful, and unconstitutional.

“ A declaration of this honourable court that the respondent’s troops invasion, and forceful eviction of the applicants, and the residents of the Okuama community from their homes in a manner that interfered, and robbed them of their privacy, family bond, and unity, causing them to disperse and live apart for the death of 17 soldiers, which they have no hands in, without any police investigation or any public inquiry indicting them for the crime, and without following due process of law is a violation of the applicants and residents of the Okuama community right to private and family life, and, therefore, illegal unlawful and unconstitutional.

“ A declaration of this honourable court that the respondent’s cordon-off of the Okuama community, of the Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, preventing, barring, prohibiting, and restraining the applicants, and residents of Okuama community from gaining access into their community, and homes to live their normal li, fe and carry on their normal business, and, thereby depriving them of their right to move freely in and out of their community and their right of choice to reside in Okuama community for the murder of 17 soldiers, which they have no hands in, without any police investigation or any public inquiry indicting them for the crime, and without following due process of law is a flagrant violation of their freedom of movement, and right of choice of place of residency, and, therefore, illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional.

“ A declaration of this honourable court that the respondent’s troops razing and burning down of the properties of the applicants and residents of the Okuama community, leaving only the Anglian Church, the Okuama Secondary School and the Aderha Primary School buildings standing, forcefully and compulsorily seizing, and taking over possession of their land without any Delta State Government or Federal Government of Nigeria compulsory acquisition of the land and payment of compensation to the applicants and residents of the Okuama community, and without their input and the looting of the applicants, and the residents of the Okuama community’s moveable properties, the particulars which are contained in the affidavit in support of this application by the troops and neighboring villagers for the murder of 17 soldiers, which they have no hands in without any police investigation, or any public inquiry indicting them for the crime, without following due process of law, is a flagrant violation of the applicants’ and residents of the Okuama community right to own both moveable and immovable properties, and, therefore, illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional.

“ A declaration of this honourable court that respondent’s troops entering into the Okuama community to perform the statutory and constitutional duties of the Nigerian Police Force on March 14, 2024, and the respondent’s troops invasion, brutal reprisal attack, killing, maiming brutalizing. harassment, intimidation, and coercion of the applicants and residents of the Okuama community for the death of 17 soldiers, which they have no hands in without any police investigation or any public inquiry indicting them for the crime, and without following due process of law through collective punishment on 15/3/2024 without due process, and the backing of law that led to the forceful eviction of the applicants, and the entire residents of the Okuama community from their homes, the demolition, destruction, razing and burning down of their buildings, properties leaving only the Anglian Church the Okuama Secondary School and the Aderha Primary School buildings standing, the looting of their movable properties causing them to disperse and flee to various villages, towns, bushes, forests and creeks for safety, where they now live as destitute under inhuman, degrading and excruciating conditions, the cordoning off of the Okuama Community land from the applicants and the residents, refusing them access into their community, and their rights to live there and the unlawful seizure and taking over possession of their land by the respondent’s troops, is an abuse of power.

“ An order of this honourable court for the enforcement of the fundamental rights to the dignity of the human person, right to a fair hearing, right to private and family life, freedom of movement and right of choice of place of residence and right to own property of the Applicants and residents of the Okuama community, against the respondent, her servants, and agents and/or privies.

”An order of this honourable court restraining the respondent, her servants, agents, and/or privies from further violating fundamental rights to the dignity of the human person, right to a fair hearing, right to privacy, and family life, freedom of movement and right of choice of place of residency and right to own property of the applicants and residents of the Okuama community.

”An order of this honourable court compelling the respondent to stop her troop’s continued invasion and occupation of the Okuama community, enabling the applicants and residents of the Okuama community to take back possession of their land that has been illegally and unlawfully seized and occupied by the respondent to rebuild their community.

”An order of this honourable court compelling the respondent to stop her troops of the cordon off of the Okuama community to allow the applicants and residents of the Okuama community to have access to move freely in and out of their community and have their right of choice to reside there as Nigerian citizens.

“ An order of this honourable court compelling the respondent to allow the applicants and the residents of the Okuama community to go back home from the towns, villages, forests, and bushes, where they are presently living as destitute fugitives under torturous, inhuman, degrading and excruciating condition without shelter, food, drinking water, medication, money and cloth exposed to weather, diseases, snake and mosquito bites and other dangerous wild animals to help them regain their right to the dignity of their human person and to rebuild their community.

”A perpetual injunction of this honourable court restraining the respondent, her servants, agents, and/or privies from killing, embarrassing, coercing, bullying, harassing, intimidating, tormenting, torturing, dehumanizing, debasing and frustrating the Applicants and the residents of the Okuama community from enjoying their fundamental right to dignity of their human person, right to fair hearing, right to private and family life, freedom of movement, right of choice of place of residence, and right to own property.

” The sum of N100,000,000.00 (One hundred billion Naira) as general damages against the respondent in favor of the applicants and the residents of the Okuoma community for the respondent’s violation of their fundamental right to the dignity of their human person, right to a fair hearing, right to private and family life, freedom of movement, right of choice of place of residency and right to own property and the destruction, burning and razing down of the whole buildings in the Okuama community, leaving only the Anglian Church, the Okuama Secondary School and the Aderha Primary School buildings standing, and the looting of their moveable properties, the particulars, which contain in the applicants affidavit in support.

“The sum of N100,000,000.00 (One hundred billion Naira) as exemplary damages against the respondent, in favour of the applicants and the residents of the Okuama community for the respondent’s abuse of power to oppress, repress, and subjugate the applicants and residents of the Okuama community.

”And for such further order or orders as this honourable court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of this case.”

The court is yet to fix a date for the hearing of the application.

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