Justice

AI Accuses Nigerian Military of Detaining, Abusing Boko Haram Escapees
Armed Forces, Child Abuse, Human Rights, News, Nigeria, Safety, Security

AI Accuses Nigerian Military of Detaining, Abusing Boko Haram Escapees

Amnesty International has reported that dozens of women and young girls who escaped captivity by Boko Haram extremists have faced unlawful detention and abuse within Nigerian military facilities. The report, released on Monday, highlights ongoing human rights violations in the country’s northeast. The Amnesty International report is based on 126 interviews, mostly with survivors, conducted over the 14 years since Boko Haram launched its insurgency. It documents the harrowing experiences of women and girls who were detained, often along with their children, for extended periods due to their real or perceived associations with the extremist group. The report echoes longstanding concerns about the Nigerian military's human rights record, which has faced accusations of extrajudicial kil...
Minister Makes U-Turn, Offers Gifts to 100 Orphaned Girls Ahead of their Mass Wedding
Human Rights, News, Nigeria, Religion, Women Empowerment

Minister Makes U-Turn, Offers Gifts to 100 Orphaned Girls Ahead of their Mass Wedding

In a move that has surprised many, the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, appears to have withdrawn her disapproval for the proposed mass wedding of 100 orphaned girls in Niger state. The Minister announced scholarships and provided various gift items to 100 orphaned girls in Niger State on Thursday. This initiative comes ahead of their mass wedding scheduled for Friday, sponsored by Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly. The minister, who initially opposed the mass wedding, citing violations of the Child Rights Act, addressed a press conference in Abuja, where she revealed her efforts to halt the wedding. "I have petitioned the Inspector General of Police and filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction to stop the wedding," Kennedy-Ohanenye stated. ...
Federal High Court Halts Reinstatement of Emir Sanusi and Abolishment of Kano Emirates
Judiciary, Justice, Legislature, Nigeria

Federal High Court Halts Reinstatement of Emir Sanusi and Abolishment of Kano Emirates

Kano, Nigeria – The Federal High Court in Kano has issued an ex-parte order preventing Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf from reinstating Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II. This order will remain in effect until a substantive suit challenging the reinstatement is resolved. The court's decision also temporarily halts the abolishment of four Kano emirates: Bichi, Gaya, Karaye, and Rano. This development follows a bill passed by the Kano State House of Assembly on Thursday that supported the reinstatement of Emir Sanusi and the dissolution of the aforementioned emirates. Justice A.M. Liman, who presided over the case, directed all parties to maintain the status quo ante pending the determination of the suit. The suit was filed by Sarkin Dawaki Babba and Aminu Babba-Dan’Agundi, seeking to prevent the re...
Monaco Midfielder Faces Sanctions for not Supporting LGBTQ
Human Rights, News, Religion, Senegal, Sports

Monaco Midfielder Faces Sanctions for not Supporting LGBTQ

France's Sports Minister Calls for Action Against Mohamed Camara France's Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra has called for sanctions against Monaco's midfielder Mohamed Camara. The call came after Camara covered a message supporting LGBTQ on his jersey during the team's final league match on Sunday. During the French championship's annual campaign against discrimination, each team wore a badge with the word "homophobia" crossed out. This campaign, held during the weekend's final phase, aims to promote inclusivity and condemn discrimination. Camara, however, chose to cover the badge and also boycotted the pre-match group photo where players stood in front of a banner bearing the same message. His actions took place during Monaco's 4–0 victory over Nantes. Describing Camara...
Judiciary is the Biggest Threat to Nigeria’s Democracy – Obi
Elections, Judiciary, Justice, News, Nigeria

Judiciary is the Biggest Threat to Nigeria’s Democracy – Obi

Enugu, May 17, 2024 – Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, has declared the judiciary as the foremost threat to Nigeria’s democracy, rather than the electoral umpire. Obi made these remarks during his keynote speech at the fifth memorial of late Justice Anthony Aniagolu at Godfrey Okoye University in Enugu. In a candid and critical address, the former governor of Anambra State lamented the current state of Nigeria's judicial system, which he described as being plagued by corruption and inefficiency. "Justice in Nigeria goes to the highest bidder and has become commodified," Obi stated emphatically. "While the judiciary, today, still boasts of a few outstanding judges, there is an undeniable decline in our judicial system. This decline ...
Agbakoba, Others Head to Court Despite FG’s Suspension of Cybersecurity Levy
Finance, Judiciary, Justice, News, Nigeria

Agbakoba, Others Head to Court Despite FG’s Suspension of Cybersecurity Levy

The Federal Government has quietly withdrawn the controversial 0.5% cybersecurity levy, despite the resentment it generated. Senate Chief Whip Ali Ndume praised President Bola Tinubu for listening to the people, ordering a review of the levy, and suspending its implementation. However, the withdrawal has not appeased all critics. Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), BudgIT, and 136 concerned Nigerians have sued the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the Federal High Court in Lagos over its failure to withdraw the circular directing banks to deduct the levy from customers' accounts. Similarly, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Olisa Agbakoba said he would challenge the implementation of the levy in court. Last week, the CBN relied on the Cybercrime Act 2015 (as amended) t...
Ex Abia State Commissioner Denies Claims of Financial Impropriety
Corruption, Justice, News, Nigeria

Ex Abia State Commissioner Denies Claims of Financial Impropriety

John Kalu, who previously served as the Commissioner for Information, Trade & Investment under the administration of former Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, has provided additional insights into the contentious forensic audit report released by the government of Alex Otti. Kalu, shedding light on some of Ikpeazu’s accomplishments during his tenure, offered a detailed account of the conception and implementation of the airport project. These details were shared through a statement issued to the media on Sunday. Kalu addressed a publication by the "Whistler" Blog purportedly linked to Governor Alex Otti’s ally, Chief James Chijioke Ume (Koos) of Abam in Arochukwu LGA of Abia State. The publication continued the media onslaught against former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, echoing un...
Minister Declares Press Freedom, while Journalist Arrests Mount
Human Rights, Justice, Law Enforcement, News, Nigeria

Minister Declares Press Freedom, while Journalist Arrests Mount

Mohammed Idris, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, celebrated government's commitment to press freedom despite evidence to the contrary. Making this bold proclamation during a press briefing held on Friday, the Minister stated that since Bola Tinubu assumed office as President on May 29, 2023, no journalist has been detained in Nigeria. The occasion for this declaration was a press briefing jointly organized by the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, the Federal Ministry of Environment and Ecological Management, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to mark the 2024 World Press Freedom Day. Idris further claimed that Tinubu’s administration had fostered the most conducive environment for journalists, off...
Dele Momodu Decries APC’s Alleged Attempts to Destabilize Opposition
Elections, Justice, News, Nigeria

Dele Momodu Decries APC’s Alleged Attempts to Destabilize Opposition

Dele Momodu, a prominent figure within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating a campaign to undermine and destabilize the opposition party. Speaking during an interview on Channels Television's Politics Today on Thursday, Momodu expressed concerns over what he perceives as the APC's concerted efforts to weaken the PDP. According to Momodu, the APC is employing various tactics to dismantle the opposition, including attempts to co-opt susceptible individuals, intimidate those who resist, and sow discord within the party's ranks. "The APC will do everything possible to destroy opposition; buy those who are buyable, to terrorize those who are not buyable and make sure that the party is in disarray, that is all," ass...
David Hundeyin: Coastal Road Project Awarded to Company Tied to Convicted Criminal
Corruption, Infrastructure, Justice, Lagos News, News, Nigeria

David Hundeyin: Coastal Road Project Awarded to Company Tied to Convicted Criminal

In a startling revelation, investigative journalist and writer, David Hundeyin, has voiced serious apprehensions regarding the recent awarding of the Coastal Road Project to Hitech Construction, a company owned by Gilbert Chagoury, a convicted criminal with ties to heroin trafficking, under the leadership of Bola Tinubu. The project's extravagant cost and dubious timeline have ignited controversy within the Nigerian public sphere. Hundeyin has shed light on the swift progression from the project's awarding to the initiation of property destruction along the proposed right of way, dubbing it potentially the quickest contract mobilization in Nigerian road construction history. Furthermore, he has underscored Hitech Construction's dismal track record, suggesting it appears ill-prepared to...