From left: Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, former Nigerian President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, Chief of Naval Staff , Vice Admiral Usman Jibril, Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Almakura and Etsu- Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, offering special Friday Jum’at prayer at the National Mosque, Abuja on Friday, September 26, to herald the Nigeria’s 54th Independence Day Celebration. [myad]
What has been happening in Ado Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti state in the South West Nigeria in the past few days is akin to a make-belief movie from a distant land. In deed, no one would have believed that in this millennium; in this digital age where even the illiterate ones have risen from the rubbles of the history and darkness, people, whatever is their denomination, character and mood, would still relish in the medieval attitudinal disposition, all in the name of politics. It was unbelievable that some people, in the name of thuggery, would physically assault a judge of a court; a judicial officer who is supposed to be a referee between the aggrieved and the aggressor. It first happened when on Monday, September 22, 2014, some people classified as political thugs invaded the High Court Number 6 in Ado-Ekiti where Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi was presiding. The invasion of the court by the so-called thugs led to the abrupt end of the court session even as the presiding Judge was ferried away by a detachment of police officers after he had been harassed and chased around his office by the said thugs. And came again on Thursday, September 25, 2014, when another set of political thugs in their hundreds, invaded the High Court premises in the same state capital. In the process, they assaulted Justice John Adeyeye, beat him up and tore his suit into shreds. This was as the police officers on guard were said to be looking unconcerned and uninterested. Other judges in the court, the magistrates and members of staff of the court ran away in panic for their dear lives. In the process, the vagabonds damaged and or destroyed court properties. And worse of it all, the governor-elect under Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Ayodele Fayose addressed newsmen in Lagos on Friday with veiled acknowledgment of the attacks on the two judges. Though he claimed that he was not aware of the attacks but that he and his party (PDP) were not satisfied with the way the judges were handling the electoral petition filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) which is currently ruling the state. Though, a different, but closely related matter, of killing the former chairman of Road Transport Union later cropped-in and threw the state into chaos, the weight of attacks on judicial officers still remained too heavy to be beaten into the background. We in the Greenbarge Reporters consider any assault on the judiciary and or the judicial officer as sacrilege, from the point of view of the place it (the judiciary) occupies in the life of any society, even the medieval one. This is backgrounded on the fact that out of the three arms of government: the executive, the legislature and the judiciary, the last (judiciary) is obviously the one that stands out in terms of promotion of equitability, peaceful existence of homo sapiens and justness in the society. In other words, in a situation where the executive and legislature are suspended, as in after a military coup, the judiciary has always continued to be irresistibly relevant and has always been functioning. It is a common sense therefore for reasonable people to imagine that an attack on the judiciary, under whatever guise or excuse, is an attack on the fabrics of the civilization of the society, portraying he who launches such an attack as purely animal that ought to be roaming aimlessly somewhere in the jungle. We urge the state and federal governments to take this matter more serious by investigating the circumstances for the attacks, the sponsors of the attacks, whether directly or remotely connected; the reasons for the attacks and other relevant matters. The government would in deed, be saving the entire people of this great country from the shame of being classified in the civilized international communities as barbaric that have refused woefully to grow out of the stone-age period; the age before the coming of the Christ. Anything less, like the government trying to engage in the usual blame game with the opposition or justifying the attacks would not change the sordidness of the act and the negative effect it would have in the future of the judiciary in the country.
Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi of All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked the governor-elect for the state, Mr. Ayodele Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to conduct himself with decorum, decency and honour before he is sworn-in on October 16, instead of engineering unnecessary political tension that would destroy the state. The governor who has been in the saddle in the state for nearly four years was responding today, to the political crisis rocking Ado Ekiti, the state capital in the past few days, leading to the killing of the former chairman of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers yesterday and violent destruction of properties today by political thugs. Said Fayemi: “this was precisely what I was avoiding on June 22. And that is why peace has reigned supreme in the state. We all know who the losers would be if all political leaders resort to extra legal means in resolving the problems they have with one another. “We cannot allow this state to degenerate into an anarchical society. What we have gained in four years, we do not want to lose it overnight. And I want to appeal to my brother, the Governor elect, he has his date with history, October 16 will be here soon, let him wait and conduct himself with decorum, with decency and with honour. He doesn’t need brigandage, criminality and the things he engages in all the time.” The hoodlums had today burned down the State and Ado Local Government secretariats of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the residence and five vehicles belonging to the former Chairman of the Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria, Mr. Joseph Olambiwonu (Mentilo), and several other vehicles that were attacked at the wake of the killing on Thursday night of Mr. Omolafe Aderiye, former chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
Other properties destroyed by the arsonists include Fayemi’s campaign office, five APC vehicles, no fewer than 8 tricycles popularly called Keke Fayemi and some other vehicles on the streets of Ado Ekiti, the State capital.
Dr. Fayemi who lamented that some people did not care about returning the State to its dark old days between 2003 and 2006 in their desperate bid to actualise their ambitions, said that the crisis was fuelled by Fayose and should be held responsible for all that happened during this crisis.
The Governor who adved the Governor-elect to toe the path of civility, rather than brigandage in resolving disagreements said Fayose should have sought redress if there was any court pronouncement he was not satisfied with. Fayemi stressed that the same Court Fayose was afraid of had more than twice ruled against the State Government under the present administration.
“Don’t let us forget where this originally came from. It is not accidental that we have criminal elements going round, burning properties without prompting. This is not unconnected to what happened to the judiciary, the assault on the judiciary, the attack on the judges and the unfortunate death of Mr Omolafe Aderiye, the former Chairman of NURTW. “All of these are still being investigated but there was one cause: Ayo Fayose should be solely and primarily held responsible for is happening in the State. Mr. Ayo Fayose can deny as much as he likes, I have it on incontrovertible authority, I knew what happened in the court. I am the chief security officer of the State so I should know that he was the one who first rough handled Justice Adeyeye before his thugs had the gut to tear the suit of the judge and then beat him up. Everybody knows his antecedents so if that’s what he wants to bring back to Ekiti, we all owe it a duty as citizens of Ekiti State not to let that happen.
“There are civilized ways of dealing with disagreements, court rulings and court judgements. Ekiti state judiciary has ruled against this government in the past, not once or twice. I did not say because I am the governor say that the Chief Judge should be sacked or beaten up and that the Judges who made such pronouncement against Ekiti State should be battered or beaten up by supporters of our government or officials of our government. There are processes, if you have disagreement with a ruling or judgement, since you have submitted yourself to the processes of the court and you have allowed representation in the court, you appeal the process. It is the right thing to do.”
While disclosing that his decision on June 22 after the result of the governorship election was announced was to avoid a situation where the State will be pushed into avoidable crisis, the Governor called on Fayose to wait till October 16 when he will be sworn in before parading himself in a manner that shows disrespect for the rule of law.
Fayemi urged President Goodluck Jonathan to begin his promised commitment to security at the United Nations summit by prevailing on Fayose before the Governor-elect turns Ekiti State to a crisis-ridden State.
He also urged all concerned authorities to advise Fayose to stop his flagrant disrespect of the law and be law abiding.
Meanwhile, Governor Fayemi has paid a condolence visit to the family of the former chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Mr. Omolafe Aderiye who was killed on Thursday by unknown gunmen in Ado Ekiti.
Fayemi who was earlier advised by some security aides to defer his visit to the family late transport union leader insisted that he had to see Aderiye’s family because the late driver was also one of his citizens until he was killed.
The Governor who was received by Aderiye’s two wives, Kehinde and Funmilayo as well as some of the deceased’s children consoled the family and assured that the perpetrators of the heinous act would not go scot free even as security men are already carrying out their investigations.
“Those who are responsible for burning houses, vehicles and killing an innocent soul, I believe the maximum weight of the law will be brought on them. The investigations are on and will ultimately yield dividends. Enough of this waste of lives in Ekiti. If I am a thug, Ekiti wouldn’t have experienced peace in the last four years of my administration. It is not that I don’t know the politics of bitterness but I was not trained to do such. There’s no way I can wish ill to my neighbour, how much more someone who is close to me?
President Goodluck Jonathan has sought the support of Bishop of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo in the task of repositioning Nigeria for peace, progress and prosperity. The President, who felicitated with Oyedepo as he marked his 60th Birthday tomorrow, remarked: it is my prayer that you will continue to partner with us in our quest to reposition Nigeria for peace, progress and prosperity.” He extolled the good virtue of the Bishop’s massive accomplishments as a devoted servant of God and his immense contributions to the education of Nigerian children. In a letter written to congratulate Oyedepo, Presiding Jonathan said that Bishop Oyedepo’s life is “truly worthy of celebration. “I write on behalf of my family, the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to rejoice with you as you mark your milestone 60th birthday anniversary. “Yours is, indeed, a life truly worthy of celebration. You have attained lofty heights not just as an accomplished selfless servant of God, but also in the committed service of community, country, and our common humanity. “You have not only committed to giving your all in pursuit of the massively impactful propagation of the Word, you have also embraced the cause of providing quality education for our children. “As Almighty God continues to bless you, I wish you robust health and many more years of happiness, uncommon accomplishment and fulfilling service to Nigeria and humanity.”
Kwara Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, has made it clear that the state government under his leadership is ready to embrace the Public/Private Partnership approach to develop and promote sports in the state. The governor who made this known today at the launching of an endowment fund for the first state sports summit in Ilorin said that his government is committed to transforming sports using the summit as a multidimensional approach. Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Isiaka Gold, the governor said that his government would collaborate with the private sector to achieve the desired results. The Kwara governor assured stakeholders in the state’s sports sector that the endowment fund would be judiciously spent for their benefit. Also speaking, Mr. Tamuno Danagogo, the Sports Minister and Chairman, National Sports Commission (NSC), said that the commission would mobilise the general public to help develop sports in Nigeria. Danagogo, who was represented by the Director, Grassroots Development, Malam Alhassan Yakmut, lauded the state government for its initiative and emphasised the need to use sports to positively engage youths. Over N13 million was realised at the launching of the endowment fund with N10 million coming from Sterling Bank. Awards were given to sports personalities including one time African ping-pong champions, Coach Kasali Lasisi and the late Super Eagles player, Rasheed Yekini.
Wife of the resident Pastor of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Otumara Brach, Warri, Delta State, Pastor John Kayode, and four children have been burnt to death in a midnight fire that gutted parts of the church at Emiko Close, Angle Part. It was gathered that John Kayode was away attending a CAC Pastors’ Conference in Osun State, when the fire consumed his wife, Kayoda and children: two boys and two girl; aged between eight and 18. Bright December, who was among neighbours to notice the fire said: “At 11pm. on Wednesday night, electricity supply started fluctuating dangerously. Some vigilantes came out to see what the problem was thrice, though nothing was noticed. ‘They cried for help’ “Midnight was when I looked out and saw a girl banging on the glass windows of one of the rooms on fire. Later, the mother started shouting for help. But the burglary proofs everywhere made it hard for us to gain entry into the house. “A lady then alerted other neighbours, but it was too late. The Pastor’s wife and the daughter with her at the outer room screamed for 15 minutes and that was it. By the time it was possible to gain entry, the boys and a girl were already burnt in one room, while the second girl and mother died in the other room.” Mrs. Margeret Ichibo, a church member, said: “I left the Church after prayers with her (Kayoda) on Wednesday. That was in the day. I rushed back few minutes to 1a.m., and fire fighters were just labouring to break in, but it was too late. “National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, personnel tried to evacuate the bodies, but we advised that police be informed first. “By the time police came, NEMA had switched off their phones. It took the courage of youths in the neighbourhood and some of the fire service to bring out the bodies between 5 and 6a.m. “The bodies have been deposited at the Warri Central Hospital Mortuary.” The Church Secretary, Mr. Sunday Ogoigbe, said: “We can always rebuild the church. The real pain is in losing out Pastor’s wife and his entire children. “Indicators as to the cause of this tragedy point to electrical fault. But then the only people who could have explained the true cause are dead.”
The Ekiti State Governor, Mr Kayode Fayemi, has declared a 7:00pm to 7:00am curfew in the state to stem the drift of the state to anarchy, with people tagged ‘political thugs’ taking to the streets burning houses and looting. Violence erupted on the streets of Ekiti today following the murder, yesterday, of the Chairman of Ekiti State Taxi Drivers Association, Mr Komolafe Adeoye. The chairman of Ekiti State Taxi Drivers Association was reportedly murdered in his home when some armed went to his house and shot him dead. It was gathered that the rampaging hoodlums also burnt down many houses, destroyed properties and looted, even as they forced residents to remain indoors. Announcing the curfew in a State-wide broadcast today, Governor Fayemi said with this development, he has suspended his Thank You tour of the State, even as he advised the citizenry to be vigilant and provide security agencies with details of suspicious activities that can undermine the peace of the State.
While calling on all stakeholders in the State to cooperate with government “to stop the violence and brigandage that had brought about serious embarrassment” to the State, Dr. Fayemi charged all and sundry to temper their “competitive zeal with civility and empathy”.
“In order to forestall further descent into anarchy in our state, I am taking the very difficult decision to suspend the Thank You tour which I am undertaking as part of our transitioning -out formalities. Also, I have taken the decision to institute a dusk to dawn curfew in the State immediately. Accordingly, there would be no movement between the hours of 7.00pm and 7.00am everyday till further notice”, he said. Speaking on the series of incidences that had sparked up crisis in the State, the Governor recalled the desecration of the Court and the beating of Judges by thugs “acting on the incitement of an interested party in the presence of law enforcement agents with inappropriate response”.
Dr. Fayemi said he reliably gathered that the thugs again attempted to prevent the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal from sitting on Thursday when they acted on the order of the Governor-elect, Mr Ayo Fayose who was present at the scene.
“The fact that this assault did not meet with any strong deterring repercussions from the appropriate authorities further emboldened the miscreants. They subsequently attempted to prevent the Ekiti State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal from sitting yesterday Thursday September 25. I am advised incontrovertibly that thugs acting on the command of Mr Ayo Fayose who was also present to lend his clout to the travesty, brazenly assaulted a senior judge and urged his thugs to beat him up and later tear his clothes. The court premises was thrown into confusion and those present scurried away in search of safety and security. This was on the back of his specious allegation that the judiciary in the State is compromised and biased against him. And the answer to that was to resort to jungle justice and take laws into his hands.”
Fayemi who expressed worry that the obstruction of justice is a clear invitation to anarchy that characterized the State some years ago, urged all political actors in the State to exercise caution in the interest of the State.
“Considering the cases that have triggered the recent spate of violence are politically related, the political elite in our state from all disparate quarters must exercise caution. We must rescue our state from the precarious slippery slope that some have desperately pushed us to. We should not imperil the very people we seek to serve by resorting to violence and brigandage. One does not burn down his homestead to establish his claim of ownership or leadership.”
On the closure of the State Courts by the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Ayo Daramola, the Governor said he has directed the State Attorney General to issue a legal advisory to the Chief Judge and all parties to the existing cases in the State High Court as well as the State Governorship a election Petition Tribunal on the desirability of seeking an alternative venue for the hearing of the cases outside Ekiti State.
According to the Governor, the State can no longer afford to witness the blizzard spectacle of the beating up of judicial officers and wanton intimidation of lawyers and court personnel.
The governor-elect for Ekiti state under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ayodele Fayose has declared that he and his party had no confidence in the trial judge, Justice Isaac Ogunyemi and the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola; the duo he alleged had compromised the integrity of their offices by being sympathetic to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. He said that the judges, who were violently attacked within the week by political thugs loyal to PDP, were trying to help APC which he said is bent on procuring a black market judgment in its favour.
Ekiti state has been in the news lately following an alleged attack by party followers of Ayo Fayoshe, on an election tribunal judge, Justice John Adeyeye, beating him up and ripping his clothes for being allegedly rude to Mr. Fayose. Fayose, who addressed newsmen today in Lagos on the sordid state of affairs in Ekiti state called to the Chief justice of Nigeria, Justice Alomar Murktah urged her to use her to investigate the activities and roles of the two judges especially the Chief Judge, Daramola. The governor-elect claimed that he was not aware that a judge was beaten up in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, adding: “infact, this is strange to me. Though, I visited the Election Petition Tribunal as a party to the case and I was the only one that was allowed passage by security to the Tribunal. And to the best of my knowledge, the three judges handling the Tribunal case actually seated. “How can I order the people to beat up a Judge that has nothing to do with me? At what point was this Judge beaten? Was he a member of the Tribunal? Because I went to the Tribunal and not the regular Court. “But, I want to point out that a situation whereby Judges Or judicial officers who should be custodian of the law got compromised with politicians, then anarchy sets in. The Judge handling the suit against my qualification dropped the case because of tension and because he lacks the confidence to continue….It would have been better for him to insist that he would try the case based on its merit. It is sad that most of our judges have compromised. “If you have been defeated in all the 16 local Government and you now want to come through the window, it won’t be like ice cream party to APC. I would not be too cheap like Segun Oni. I am not going to be cheap at all because I am elected by the people. “I don’t care about whatever they write about me because I have grown a thick skin. The strategy of APC will not work. Nobody, no matter how highly placed would remove me cheaply.” Fayose had on 24 September 2014 alleged of a plot by the state All Progressive Congress (APC) in connivance with some elements in the state judiciary to botch his inauguration on October 16 as governor and that APC is planning to install the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Adewale Omirin as acting governor. The governor-elect said however that despite the alleged partisanship of the two judges, he had enormous confidence in the state judiciary and consequently urged that the case be reassigned to another judge that had no leaning whatsoever. Fayose while accusing the APC of desperation to arm-twist the people of Ekiti who in their own wisdom and decision elected him as their next governor, to snatch their victory through the backdoor, advised the state Governor Kayode Fayemi to continue to be a responsible man which he manifested when he openly admitted that he lost the election.
“You have misinterpreted Islam into a religion of harshness, brutality, torture and murder. This is a great wrong and an offense to Islam, to Muslims and to the entire world.” These words were contained in a 22-page letter, signed by over 120 Islamic scholars across the world, denouncing the Islamic State Militants In Syria, Iraq. The array of Muslim leaders and groups publicly rejected the Islamist movement since it imposed its brutal rule over large areas of Syria and Iraq. Five Muslim nations have also joined a US-led military campaign against it. The 22-page letter, written in Arabic, quoting heavily from the Qur’an and other Islamic sources, is just as clear as those groups in condemning the torture, murder and destruction which Islamic State militants have committed in areas they control. The 126 signatories to the letter are all Sunni men from across the Muslim world: Indonesia, Morocco and other countries such as the United States, Britain, France and Belgium. Amongst those who signed the letter were the current and former grand muftis of Egypt, Shawqi Allam and Ali Gomaa, former Bosnian grand mufti Mustafa Ceric, the Nigerian Sultan of Sokoto Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar and Din Syamsuddin, head of the large Muhammadiyah organization in Indonesia. Eight scholars from Cairo’s Al-Azhar University, the highest seat of Sunni learning, also put their names to the document. In the letter, the scholars not only denounced the killing of US journalists, James Foley and Steven Sotloff and British aid worker, David Haines as murder, but also rejected it, based on the Muslim custom of protecting emissaries between groups. The letter described as “heinous war crimes” several cases of militants killing prisoners, totalling at least 2,850. To stress this point in an Islamic way, it gave several quotes from Prophet Muhammad forbidding such practices and said that Arab Christians and the Yazidis, followers of an ancient religion derived from Zoroastrianism, were both “people of the book” meant under Islamic sharia law to be protected. The scholars concluded in the letter by saying: “Reconsider your actions, desist from them, repent from them, cease harming others and return to the religion of mercy.”
President Goodluck Jonathan acknowledges cheers from top government officials as he landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, today after attending the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the United States of America during the week.
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“You have misinterpreted Islam into a religion of harshness, brutality, torture and murder. This is a great wrong and an offense to Islam, to Muslims and to the entire world.”
President Goodluck Jonathan acknowledges cheers from top government officials as he landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, today after attending the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the United States of America during the week.