Human Rights

Police, Brutal Cops Should Compensate SARS Victims – Rivers
Human Rights, Judiciary, Justice, News, Nigeria, Safety, Security

Police, Brutal Cops Should Compensate SARS Victims – Rivers

The Rivers State Executive Council has submitted that police authority or operatives of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad found guilty of brutality and other forms of human right abuses should compensate their victims. This was part of the agreement reached after the five-man committee commissioned by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, to formulate a draft White Paper on the recommendations of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry that investigated brutality and violation of fundamental human rights of citizens by the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad in the state, submitted its report to the Executive Council at the Government House, Port Harcourt. Rivers State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, SAN, while briefing newsmen shortly after t...
CCT Chairman, Umar’s ‘Biafran Boys’ Comment Xenophobic, Liable to Five-Year Imprisonment – Falana
Human Rights, Judiciary, Justice, News, Nigeria

CCT Chairman, Umar’s ‘Biafran Boys’ Comment Xenophobic, Liable to Five-Year Imprisonment – Falana

Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, has described the Code of Conduct, CCT, Chairman, Danladi Umar’s use of “Biafran boys” to classify the traders he had a fracas with at Banex Plaza in Abuja where he assaulted a security guard as xenophobic and liable to five-year sentence. The CCT chairman was caught in a viral video punching a security guard following a disagreement at the parking lot of the plaza. In its reaction, Ibraheem Al-Hassan, the CCT Spokesperson, said in a statement that the guard threatened Umar, while some "Biafran boys" also harassed him. Hassan in a follow-up statement said he was instructed by Umar to use "Biafran boys" in the statement. Reacting to the development, Falana in a statement issued on Saturday said the phrase amounted to xenophobia whi...
NBA Frowns at Alleged Assault of Security Guard by CCT Chair
Human Rights, Judiciary, Justice, News, Nigeria

NBA Frowns at Alleged Assault of Security Guard by CCT Chair

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has frowned at the alleged assault of a security guard by the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, Danladi, saying such action is unbecoming of a legal practitioner. The NBA in a statement by its Public Secretary, Rapulu Nduka, on Thursday said described Danladi’s action as unfortunate in view of his high office. According to the statement, preliminary investigation suggests that Umar failed to uphold good conduct expected of a public officer occupying such high office as CCT Chairman. It noted that a committee of the association would be set up to investigate the circumstances leading to the altercation. The statement read, “The attention of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has been drawn to the video making the rounds where the C...
I Never Bought Abuja property from EFCC – Falana
Corruption, Human Rights, Judiciary, News, Nigeria, Press Statement

I Never Bought Abuja property from EFCC – Falana

Activist-lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has denied ownership of a property at 42, Gana Street, Maitama District in Abuja. He said there was no truth in the story that he bought the property from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The lawyer made the clarifications in a statement yesterday in Lagos, titled: “I have never bought any property from the EFCC.” Falana explained that though he initially expressed interest in the property but withdrew from it before the transaction could be completed. Explaining his position, the activist-lawyer said the disputed property, allegedly recovered by the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), was valued at N6 billion but sold to him for N1 billion sometime in 2015. “I wish to say, without any fear of contradiction, that the propert...
FG Deploys Police, Others to Lekki Tollgate Ahead of Today’s Protests
Armed Forces, Human Rights, Justice, Law Enforcement, News, Nigeria, Safety, Security

FG Deploys Police, Others to Lekki Tollgate Ahead of Today’s Protests

The Federal Government has deployed policemen and over 150 operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, to preempt the breakdown of law and order and possibly forestall the protest tagged #OccupyLekkiProtest at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos on Saturday (today). This comes as some individuals under the auspices of #DefendLagos have also promised to organise a counter-march against the #OccupyLekkiProtest demonstrators. Earlier, the Federal Government and the police had warned youths who planned to protest at the Lekki tollgate on Saturday to have a rethink and shelve the protests. However, the protesters under the auspices of #EndSARS Season 2, vowed to remain steadfast. According to them, the planned protest was necessitated by the decision of the Lagos Stat...
Police Calls on Lagosians to Ignore Calls for Fresh Protest at Lekki Toll Gate
Human Rights, Lagos News, Law Enforcement, Nigeria, Press Statement, Youths

Police Calls on Lagosians to Ignore Calls for Fresh Protest at Lekki Toll Gate

Lagos state government and the Police on Thursday urged the people of state to shun calls for fresh protest slated for tomorrow at the Lekki Toll Gate. They said the fact that two groups scheduled protests for Lekki Toll Gate would cause confrontation, pandemonium, public disorder and wanton destruction of property. The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Hakeem Odumosu and Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso made the appeal at a press conference addressed at Bagauda Kalto Centre, Alausa, Ikeja Two groups, “Occupy Lagos Lekki Toll Gate” and “We Rebuild Lagos” had scheduled protest for Saturday at the toll gate over return of the facility to its owner, Lekki Concession Compan...
Court Unfreezes #EndSARS Campaigners’ Bank Accounts
Finance, Human Rights, Judiciary, Justice, News, Nigeria

Court Unfreezes #EndSARS Campaigners’ Bank Accounts

Following the freezing of the bank account of some promoters of the #EndSARS protesters, a Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria to unfreeze 20 bank accounts linked to protesters and promoters of #EndSARS with immediate effect. The order was given by Justice Ahmed Mohammed following the sudden withdrawal of a suit filed against them by the CBN through its counsel, Michael Aondoakaa (SAN). The apex bank had asked for 180 days to probe the alleged crime against the defendants. It opted to withdraw its earlier application for an extension of time and the defendants through their lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), subsequently decided to withdraw all processes filed against the suit. During hearing on Wednesday, Aondoakaa told the court that he had discussed w...
Uganda: Court Orders Soldiers to Vacate Bobi Wine’s Home
Armed Forces, Elections, Human Rights, Judiciary, Justice, News, Uganda

Uganda: Court Orders Soldiers to Vacate Bobi Wine’s Home

A court in Uganda has order security operatives to vacate the home of opposition leader, Bobi Wine, whose house arrest since the recent presidential poll has drawn international pressure, his lawyer said on Monday. Security forces have laid siege on the home of the 38-year-old musician turned politician, preventing him from leaving his home in Kampala since he cast his vote in the January 14 election where he contested against the long-serving incumbent, President Yoweri Museveni. The opposition leaders counsel, George Musisi told Reuters, "The judge ordered that the state and its agencies should immediately vacate his property and his right to personal liberty should immediately be reinstated." The 76-year-old Museveni has been in power for 35 years prior to winning a new term in...
Alleged Assault: Deeper Life School Principal, Others Granted N500,000 Bail Each
Human Rights, Judiciary, Justice, News, Nigeria, Youths

Alleged Assault: Deeper Life School Principal, Others Granted N500,000 Bail Each

The magistrates’ court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Thursday, granted bail in the sum of N500,000 each to the principal of the Deeper Life High School, Uyo, and four accused persons in the case of the alleged molestation of an 11-year-old Junior Secondary School 1 pupil, Don-Davies Archibong. According to The PUNCH, the seven accused persons arraigned were Mrs Ndidi Solomon (suspended Principal), Joseph Nseabasi, Akpan Johnson, Egor Wilson, Joseph Ikenna, and two minors, Shalom Ibukun and Ola Feyisetan. The accused are standing trial on four counts bordering on conspiracy to commit felony to wit; indecent treatment of boys under 14 and thereby committing an offence punishable under section 556 of the criminal code cap 38 vol 2 laws of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria, 2000. The two...
Sowore, Four others Arraigned in Abuja For Alleged Public Disturbance
Human Rights, Judiciary, Justice, News, Nigeria

Sowore, Four others Arraigned in Abuja For Alleged Public Disturbance

The publisher of online platform, Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore has been arraigned with four others before a Magistrate’s Court in Wuse zone 2, Abuja by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). Sowore,Juwon Sanyaolu, Damilare Adenola, Peter and Kimrere were by the the Special Weapons Tactical Team of NPF in Abuja over their alleged participation in a protest march on the eve of the New Year celebration. They were arraigned on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly and public disturbance. The prosecution, however, alleged that the defendants were arrested on New Year eve with placards calling for a violent revolution against President Muhammadu Buhari. The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge. Details shortly…