Metuh’s claim of ill health doubtful – Court

The Federal High Court, Abuja, has expressed doubts as to whether the claim of ill health by Olisah Metuh, the embattled former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), is true.

The trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, said this on Thursday while delivering a ruling on an application seeking the release of Metuh’s international passport to enable him travel abroad for medical treatment.

According to the judge, “I am wondering, if the defendant is really sick as he claims, why did he not appeal the two earlier decisions of the court that refused to release his international passport.

“I doubt that he is really ill as he wants the court to believe, if he is, he should have appealed the decisions of the court at the Court of Appeal.”

The judge wondered why Metuh appealed decisions of the trial court that had nothing to do with his health but refused to appeal those that dealt directly with his health.

Abang held that it seemed there was a hidden agenda by Metuh to present the court as inhuman by filing the same application before the trial court a third time rather than going on appeal.

He said that he agreed with the arguments of the prosecution that filing the application for a third time was an unpardonable and reckless abuse of judicial processes.

The judge maintained that the defendants ought to know that where a trial court decided a matter, it could not be brought before it again under any guise.

He further said that since the prosecution closed its case in 2016, the defendant, rather than defending his case, had taken several steps to frustrate the trial.

The judge said that he could not sit on appeal over his own judgment having already refused an application for the release of Metuh’s passport twice.

He added that contrary to the claim by Metuh’s counsel, Mr Onyeachi Ikpeazu, (SAN), there were no new facts in the current application as the facts in it were the same as those in the last two applications.

“The issues raised in this application have already been determined in the two previous rulings on the matter; there is nothing new in this application.”

He held that on account of Metuh’s conduct since the prosecution closed its case, he could not order the release of his passport and that he lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter having decided it before.

He therefore dismissed the application for lacking in merit and adjourned the matter until April 20 for continuation of trial.

The News Agency of Nigeria  reports that Metuh on March 14, for the third time, asked the court to release his international passport to enable him travel abroad for medical treatment.

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Retired SARS boss shoots self dead in Ogun

The family of a retired Chief Superintendent of Police, David Agholor, has been thrown into mourning after the ex-police officer shot himself dead at his residence on Sharaton Estate, Olaogun, in the Ijoko area of Ogun State.

Agholor, who was the Officer-in-Charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Enugu State Police Command, reportedly shot himself in the head.

Sources close to the deceased said that the family could not explain the reason for his action as he had no history of depression.

Our correspondent learnt that Agholor had called is eldest daughter last Thursday and handed over the keys to his two houses to her.

He was said to have gone to the back of one of the buildings and shot himself in the head.

The ex-cop died on the spot.

One of the sources disclosed that the deceased’s family members had noticed that he was behaving strangely a day to the incident.

The source said Agholor insisted that nothing was wrong with him when he was questioned.

He added that there was shock in the neighbourhood the following day when news broke that he had killed himself.

The source said, “He started behaving unusually on Wednesday evening. When they asked him what was wrong with him, he said he was okay. When he woke up on Thursday, he went to his wife’s bedroom to greet her.

“Afterwards, he had a bath and dressed up. He looked corporate. They asked him where he was going to, but he did not talk. He called his first daughter and handed over the keys to his houses to her. He has two houses on a plot of land. He and his family members lived in one of the houses.

“The other is an uncompleted building, but it has been roofed. He went to the back of the uncompleted building and the next thing the family heard was a gunshot. He shot himself in the head.”

Another source said Agholor had received some strange telephone calls two days before the incident, adding that the suicide had thrown the family into grief.

He said, “He was a retired police officer and a former OC SARS, Enugu State Police Command. I learnt that he had received some strange calls before that Wednesday when his behaviour changed. It was very pathetic.

“He was living fine with his family and did not show any sign of depression all these while. Why he killed himself is still a mystery to everyone. His family members are mourning. It is a sad incident they will not want to share with outsiders. It was reported at the Agbado Police Station.”

The Police Public Relations Officer in Ogun State, ASP Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the suicide.

He said the corpse of the retired officer had been deposited in a morgue, adding that investigations had commenced to determine the circumstances that led to the incident.

He said, “His daughter reported at the station that he shot himself in the head while he was in the living room. The scene of the incident was visited and photographed by policemen.

“It is a case of suicide and the command is investigating to know what made him to take that decision. He was a former OC SARS in Enugu.”

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Offa robbery: Police arraign hotel owner, workers, guests

The Proprietor of  Xontec Hotel on Igosun Road, Offa, in the Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State, Mr. Kadir Surajudeen, and members of his staff have been arraigned before a Magistrate’s Court in Ilorin, the state capital, for failing to give police credible information on the gunmen who attacked some banks in the area.

Also arraigned were four guests who stayed in the hotel at the time the assailants allegedly lodged in Xontec Hotel.

Suspected armed robbers, who robbed five banks and killed scores of people on April 5, were alleged to have stayed in the hotel before going for the operation.

Our correspondent learnt on Wednesday that the hotelier and his staff were arraigned on two counts of criminal conspiracy and causing disappearance of evidence, including giving false information to screen an offender.

The staff members of the hotel arraigned with Surajudeen included the accountant, receptionist, room keeper and clubhouse operator.

According to the First Information Report, the offences contravened sections 97 and 167 of the Penal Code Law.

The report said, “On April 6, a team of operatives on investigation into the armed robbery attack extended their investigation based on intelligence gathering to the hotel on Igosun Road in Offa with a view to securing information that could assist discreet investigation into the crime.

“The hotel staff could not, however, satisfactorily give account of questionable lodgers in their hotel prior to the robbery by their failure to maintain or keep proper official lodger register expected to be presented to the police and other law enforcement agencies on demand.

“Others found in the hotel during the investigation failed to give credible information to the police operatives to assist in the investigation concerning their observation in the hotel within the period in question.”

The prosecutor, Mr. David Wodi, told the court that investigation into the case was ongoing.

The defence counsel, Joshua Ijaodola, pleaded with the court to admit the accused to bail pending the outcome of investigation.

He argued that the country’s constitution presumed the accused innocent until the contrary was proved.

Wodi did not oppose the application for bail.

The Magistrate, Mrs. M.B. Folorunso, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.

She adjourned the case till May 3 for mention.

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Breaking: Police recover Senate’s stolen Mace

The Nigerian Police has recovered the Senate’s stolen Mace at a flyover before the Abuja City Gate, where according to ASP Aremu Adeniran, Deputy Force Public Relations Officer Force Headquarters a patriotic passer-by saw it and alerted the Police.

This came as the IGP has ordered the Commissioner of Police FCT Command to beef-up security at the National Assembly.

According to a statement by the Police on Thursday morning the Mace was recovered by the ‘Police teams who engaged in massive raids of identified criminal spots/flashpoints, stop and search operations, visibility and confidence building patrols, intelligence gathering which forced the suspected miscreants to abandon the Mace at a point under the flyover before the City Gate, where a patriotic passer-by saw it and alerted the Police.’ Also the The Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, on Wednesday briefed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on the forceful removal of the Senate mace by some hoodlums on Wednesday morning. 

He was in company of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly (Senate), Sen. Ita Enang. Ekweremadu told State House Correspondent that the briefing was aimed at preventing future occurrence of such act in the legislature to forestall breakdown of law and order. According to the Deputy Senate President when such incidents occur it is imperative that the leadership of the National Assembly briefs the Presidency immediately.

 He added that since Senate President Bukola Saraki was out of the country, he had to brief Osinbajo as President Muhammadu Buhari was attending the Commonwealth of States meeting in the United Kingdom. “I came to brief the Vice President to ensure that there is law and order in the country. “When there is this type of development it is important that he is briefed at the earliest opportunity. “The Senate President is out of the country, so it is my responsibility to come and brief the vice president. “And he has sympathized with us over what happened and he is going to join forces with us to ensure that we get to the root of the matter and make sure this does not happen again,’’ he said.

 According to him, the invasion of the Senate “is a threat to our democracy’’. “The invasion of the parliament is not acceptable to any person, it is not acceptable to me, it is not acceptable to my colleagues, it is not acceptable to the Vice President and I believe it is not acceptable to the President,’’ he said. Ekweremadu noted that those involved in the act were on their own. “I appeal to the media to help us bring an end to this brigandage so that people have to behave in a very responsible manner. “But let me assure you that we are on top of the situation, we continued our sitting today and we are going to continue tomorrow,’’ Ekweremadu stated. He said that the police were still investigating the matter and that the Senate would find out those who aided the coming of the invaders. “I believe some of them have been arrested and we will get to the root of the matter,’’ he declared.

The police statement read thus Sequel to the invasion of the Senate Chambers of the National Assembly, Federal Republic of Nigeria on the 18th April, 2018 by some suspected thugs who disrupted the Senate Plenary Session and carted away the Mace of the Red Chambers, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris NPM, mni, immediately instituted a high-powered Police Investigation and Intelligence Team coordinated by the IGP Monitoring Unit of the Force and further directed a total lock-down of the Federal Capital Territory with intense surveillance patrol and thorough Stop and Search Operations at various Police check-points with a view to arresting perpetrators and possible recovery of the stolen Mace. 

The Police teams engaged in massive raids of identified criminal spots/flashpoints, stop and search operations, visibility and confidence building patrols, intelligence gathering which forced the suspected miscreants to abandon the Mace at a point under the flyover before the City Gate, where a patriotic passer-by saw it and alerted the Police. 

While a discreet investigation into the incident is still ongoing to arrest and bring the perpetrators to justice, the Nigeria Police Force appreciates the spirited members of the public, most especially motorists within Abuja Metropolis for their support, cooperation and timely information during the rigorous stop and search operations for the recovery of the Mace. The renewed commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to guarantee protection of Lives and Property, Peace and Stability and sustain democracy in the country remains unequivocal and unwavering.

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Attack on Senate: Terrorists invade National Assembly, rubbish democracy, say Reps

Members of the House of Representatives have said that a better description for Wednesday’s attack on the Senate is “terrorism.”

The visibly angry lawmakers did not only condemn the invasion of the Senate by suspected thugs but also called for an investigation to unearth persons who planned the security breach.

There was pandemonium in the premises of the National Assembly, particularly the lobby of the ‘White House’, for over an hour after the invaders successfully carted away the Mace of the Senate.

Visitors and members of staff of the National Assembly were seen running for cover amid the confusion. Some of them initially thought that armed robbers or terrorists had invaded the legislative building.

As a mark of solidarity with the Senate, the members, led by the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Yussuff Lasun, had marched to the Senate’ chambers to sit briefly with senators.

They later returned to the House to debate the invasion, following a motion moved by the Leader of the House, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila.

The leader told members to brace against what he called a carefully planned affront on the legislature, “the very heart of democracy.”

He added, “This is akin to a terrorist attack; there is no better way to describe it.

“We must not give them the opportunity to celebrate this attack.”

Gbajabiamila noted that the invasion had again brought to the fore the urgency to strengthen security at the National Assembly.

He said, “How this is possible anywhere in the world beats my imagination.

“The moment has come for us to do what we should have done a long time ago; to beef up security at the National Assembly.

“You see people hawking in the corridors like a commercial centre. People come here to sell Suya and all manner of things take place here.

“This attack simply meant that we have been sitting ducks here.

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Man impregnates 13-year-old Beninoise maid

A 29-year-old man, Friday Oyedele, has been arrested by the police in Lagos for allegedly raping and impregnating a Beninoise, Funmi, in the Ilupeju area of the state.

It was learnt that Oyedele was sleeping with the victim in the house of her mistress, one Alhaja, on Olusoji Idowu Street, Ilupeju.

Aside the rape, he allegedly penetrated the victim with a ring which he said would kill her if she told anyone about the sexual assault.

The secret was concealed until the victim became three months’ pregnant and the matter was reported at the Ilupeju Police Station by a resident.

It was further gathered that an official of the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender, who was sent to the station, was verbally assaulted by the relatives of the suspect and the Alhaja, who said the duo were lovers.

Efforts to rescue the victim to a government shelter were reportedly resisted as the Investigating Police Officer, one Rosaline, allegedly said the families had agreed to amicable settlement.

The OPD worker said the suspect’s family boasted that nothing would come out of the case.

“The victim, before she was taken from me at the station, said she was brought from Cotonou, Benin Republic, to Lagos to work as a maid for one Alhaja on Olusoji Idowu Street, Ilupeju. She said her mother was dead, while her father was in the village. She noted that she did not finish primary education before she was brought to Lagos.

“She said her ordeal started when the perpetrator defiled her for the first time and threatened her with a ring that she would die if she told anybody what happened between them. The victim explained that she had lost count of the time the man had sex with her.

“She further stated that she wanted to report him to her mistress, but she was afraid that she would die due to the threat from the perpetrator, until she became pregnant. The perpetrator’s father resorted to threat that if his son was sent to jail, he would be released in a day,” he said.

However, Funmi’s mistress claimed that the suspect brought her from Benin Republic to Lagos, adding that Oyedele was 19 years old.

But the victim, in a video clip obtained by our correspondent, said the suspect raped her.

She said, “I work as a maid at Ilupeju. Whenever I finished working and went to the backyard to sleep, the boy, Friday (Oyedele), would use a ring to sleep with me.  When I decided to tell people, he said I should not. Friday said if I did, I would die. Whenever I tried to tell people, I would forget. The man is 29 years old. He told me so himself. I am three months pregnant.”

The Director of the OPD condemned the incident, expressing anger at the alleged police involvement in the plot to kill the case.

She said, “It is disheartening to learn that the police, in cohort with certain relatives, are trying to settle and pervert justice despite the effort of the Lagos State Government to ensure that perpetrators are brought to book.

“The Lagos State Government is, however, not relenting in its determination to ensure that this scourge is eradicated from our society for the sake of the citizenry, especially children and other vulnerable groups.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chike oti, confirmed the incident.

He, however, denied allegations of compromising the case.

He said, “The girl and the man, 19-year-old Friday Oyedele, are lovers; even though they are too young to engage in such act. The result of their relationship was the pregnancy. The suspect was arrested and will be arraigned tomorrow (Wednesday).”

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 Nurses, pharmacists others declare indefinite strike at federal hospitals

Nurses, pharmacists, medical laboratory scientists and other workers under the umbrella of the Joint Health Section Unions in Federal Government owned hospitals across the country have begun an indefinite strike.

The workers said on Wednesday morning they had to resort to the strike to press home their demands because the FG had refused to act on   the agreements reached with them when they suspended their last strike on the same issue of adjustment of Consolidate Health Salary Structure and payment  of arrears of CONHESS 10 over six months ago.

The National Vice Chairman of JOHESU,  Dr. Obinna Ogbonna, who declared the strike after addressing a congress of the union at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile Ife, said it was painful that while the FG had implemented the salary structure for medical doctors, other members of the unions had been neglected since 2009.

Apart from the upward adjustment of CONHESS,  he said the government had also failed to employ additional health professionals, upwardly  review of retirement age from 60 years to 65 and failure to implement a particular court judgment.

He said the unions first gave the FG a 21-day ultimatum but no action was taken adding that after that another strike notice of 30 working days was given but there was no effort to implement the agreement by the FG.

He said, “Consequent upon this, therefore, JOHESU has no other choice than to proceed on an indefinite nationwide strike as from the midnight of Tuesday 17th April, 2018, which is the spiraling of the notice of strike.

“Therefore, JOHESU hereby directs all her her members in Federal Health Institutions all over the country to commence the strike immediately ( midnight of Tuesday, 17th April , 2018 ) unfailingly. States and Local Government Health Institutions are by this placed on red alert and are to continue intense sensitisation and mobilisation of our members for possible entry into the fray if the government foot drags in attending to our demands.”

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