Category: News

The federal executive council (FEC) has approved a new policy for tollgates across the country.

Babatunde Fashola, minister of works and housing, disclosed this at a media briefing on Wednesday.

According to a statement by Tolu Ogunlesi, presidential aide, the council granted approval of the ‘Federal Roads and Bridges Tolling Policy and Regulations’ at its meeting on Wednesday.

While noting that the tolling system will prioritise the use of technology, some highlights of the regulations include recommended tolling fees for vehicles as follows: “Cars: N200; SUVs: N300; Private Buses: N300; Commercial Buses: N150, and Luxury Buses and Trucks: N500.”

Mohammed Fawehinmi, the first son of the late human rights lawyer Chief Gani Fawehinmi, is dead. He was aged 52.

He died on Wednesday after complaining of breathing difficulties.

Mohammed had a law degree from the University of Buckingham, England, and was called to the Nigerian bar in 1998.

In 2003, he had a terrible accident in Lagos, which affected his spinal cord and confined him to a wheelchair.

The accident also changed his life, the way he never envisaged.

Mohammed Fawehinmi was unmarried before his death. As he said in an interview in 2018,
the accident affected his life in many ways.

“I just felt that I shouldn’t bother any woman with my condition. I didn’t want anybody to marry me out of pity. Even though I always have females around me, it is not every woman that can stay with a person with a disability of my kind.

“Most of the women I have met in recent times are not the ones that can stay with a man, they are the type who would want to attend parties and keep all sorts of friends instead of looking after me. Of course, a few have come close to what I want but the temperament is nothing to write home about”.

Femi Falana, an activist lawyer, has disclosed that the Benin Republic government refused to put freedom fighter, Sunday Igboho, on a waiting plane after his arrest in the French-speaking country in July.

Falana said the Nigerian government told their Benin Republic counterpart to repatriate Igboho, after his arrest.

The Senior Advocate spoke during an interview on BBC Yoruba on Tuesday.

He noted that the Benin Republic, however, informed the Muhammadu Buhari-led government to understand that obeying the law is sacrosanct to them.

According to Falana: “The Nigerian government asked the Benin Republic government to repatriate Sunday Igboho. In fact, we heard they had even sent an aircraft to be used to bring him down to Abuja.

“The Benin government made its Nigerian counterpart to understand that this is not a lawless society.”

Ghanaians seeking to travel to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) can now do so with ease following the approval of visa free deal between the two countries.

An agreement to offer visa free entry to Ghanaians and UAE passport holders has been approved by Parliament.

The visa waiver agreement, which was contained in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of Ghana and the UAE on mutual exemption of entry visa requirements, is in respect of diplomatic, service/special and ordinary passport holders.

The agreement was executed on November 18, 2019 with the object of waiving the visa requirements for these passport holders in Ghana and the UAE, who can stay for a period not exceeding 90 days.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, presented the MoU to the House on May 26, 2021, which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs for consideration and report in accordance with Order 140(4) and 183 of the Standing Orders of Parliament.

Chairman of the Committee, Bryan Acheampong indicated that during a presentation of their report that Ghana/UAE had had fruitful cooperation, indicating that the two countries were desirous to take the bilateral relations to another level.

According to him, the agreement constitutes a comprehensive framework on visa regimes for both countries and does not impose obligations on the two parties to admit people who are considered to be of questionable character into their territories.

He reported that neither did the MoU impose any financial obligation on the two countries nor provided direct financial gains from its implementation.

The Abetifi MP said the agreement had been fashioned in a way to create a win-win situation for both countries, and added that relaxed visa entry requirement is expected to yield tremendous benefits to citizens of Ghana and UAE through improved relations, trade and bilateral co-operation.

Mr. Acheampong stated that visa waiver arrangements to facilitate the movement of diplomats and government officials are common, except that this one makes ordinary passport holders beneficiaries.

1. CHIEF SUNDAY ADEYEMO IGBOHO MATTER IN BENIN REPUBLIC.
2. 
   We are happy that we succeeded in preventing his unlawful deportation to Nigeria by the Nigerian government. We still insist that the Rule of Law and due process must be followed. Pressure is being mounted on the Benin Republic government not to buckle under the overbearing and corrupting influence of Nigeria. We thank Yorubas worldwide for mounting daily pressure on the Benin Republic government to free the victim of State Terror without delay.
3. 
   Even though there is no formal Charge against him anywhere apart from the informal allegation for which he was remanded in Prison custody by the Court, there is a limit to the number of days he can be remanded under Benin law. Lawyers are busy taking some legal steps towards securing his release as soon as possible. His wife has been allowed visitation right to him.
5. SUNDAY IGBOHO VS ATTORNEY GENERAL AND SSS AT THE HIGH COURT OF OYO STATE, IBADAN.
6. 
   Consequent upon the application ex-parte argued by Chief Yomi Aliyu SAN, the court granted order restraining the Federal Government of Nigeria, the SSS and all security agencies from arresting, detaining, harassing, molesting or blocking the accounts of Chief Sunday Igboho pending the determination of the substantive Suit. This is a major victory which guarantees that even of Chief Sunday Igboho enters Nigeria today, he cannot be arrested lawfully. The case has been adjourned for further hearing.
8. CASE OF THE 12 PERSONS ABDUCTED FROM THE IBADAN HOUSE OF CHIEF SUNDAY IGBOHO ON JULY 1, 2021 AND DETAINED IN ABUJA SINCE THEN.
9. 
   After hearing argument on the application filed by Pelumi Olajengbesi Esq. the Court granted bail to all the detainees on terms. There is need to satisfy the conditions attached by the Court to the bail granted before they can be released from SSS custody.
11. MATTER OF OBA OGBONI BAKARE DETAINED FROM THE LAGOS RALLY.
12. 
    Oba Ogboni Bakare has also been granted bail by the Magistrates Court consequent upon the DPP advice which absolved him of the charge of the murder of the lady felled by police bullet at the Ojota rally on July 5.
14. INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT: ACKNOWLEDGED RECEIPT OF COMPLAINT OF CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY (YORUBAS) LODGED AGAINST NAMED FUNCTIONARIES OF THE GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA BY A COALITION OF YORUBA SELF- DETERMINATION GROUPS.
15. 
    The complaint prepared by Attorney Omojola as acknowledged by the International Criminal Court is still undergoing processing. There is need for all groups in each Country to begin to mount pressure on their home governments to push for the official investigation of the complaints by the ICC prosecutor. This can be done by sending copies of the petition to
    
16. GENERAL NOTE PAYMENT OF LEGAL FEES
18. 
    In view of our experience in the manner several groups engaged and paid other lawyers apart from those engaged with the approval of Professor Banji Akintoye for the Chief Sunday Igboho Benin Republic Intervention and pending the emergence of the imperative Central Coordinating Platform for the Yoruba Nation project, we strongly advise that payment of professional fees be routed through Professor Banji Akintoye to whom we have forwarded the recommended lawyers’ fees for proper coordination and accountability. This will enable us avoid lamentation by donors whose donations were not routed through the coordinated channel.

We urge that individual groups should refrain from payment of professional fees directly to lawyers contrary to the advice we have given. The Yoruba Nation project is a huge project which will require huge funds as we progress hence money should be conserved and not wasted in uncoordinated multiple payment to lawyers and other professionals for the same job. While we commend the zeal of all our groups to be counted among those who responded to the needs of the agitation for Yoruba Nation, we urge that resources be managed with wisdom.

Thanks.
OLASUPO OJO
CO-ORDINATOR, LEGAL AFFAIRS

Sources in the diplomatic, close the former President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo say’s the Ex president travelled to Zanzibar, an island in Tanzania, on August 1 and rerouted to the Francophone country.

He was said to have travelled to Benin Republic in the guise of condoling with Nicephore Soglo who recently lost his wife – Roseline Soglo.

Roseline died on July 25 at the age of 87 in Cotonou.

Soglo was president of Benin Republic from 1991 to 1996.

TheCable understands the former Beninise president and Obasanjo have maintained a warm relationship over the years.

“He’s asking the Beninise authorities to grant the separatist leader asylum, and not to return him to Nigeria.

“The former president intervened on the request of some south-west leaders.”

Igboho was arrested by Beninise security forces while attempting to flee to Germany.

The Department of State Services (DSS) raided his residence in Oyo on July 1, killing two people and arresting 12 of his supporters.

He has been in detention in Cotonou since his arrest.

An aide of Obasanjo confirmed the former president was in Benin Republic.

TheCable learnt Obasanjo returned to Nigeria by road through Idiroko land border in Ogun stat

Some peaceful protesters who were demanding Buhari’s return to Nigeria were on Thursday evening challenged by the British police

President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly called police officers in London to prevent Nigerian protesters from gathering in front of the Nigeria House at Trafalgar Square in London, United Kingdom.

In a video obtained by SaharaReporters, some peaceful protesters who were demanding Buhari’s return to Nigeria were on Thursday evening challenged by the British police.

Buhari is in London for medical treatment.

After attending the Global Education Summit on Financing Global Partnership for Education (GPE) 2021-2025, the Nigerian President stayed behind to see his doctors, even as resident doctors in his country have gone on strike.

The police officers were seen speaking with the Nigerian protesters, seemingly persuading them to stop protesting there.

Also, more officers were seen arriving in police vans while a Nigerian woman was heard screaming without fear, the demands of the protesters which included the President returning to Nigeria and putting an end to the killings in the West African country.

A police officer was heard saying, “The cameras are on. Someone was sticking out last night, you just got lucky,” and when he was asked if he upholds the law, he replied, “I am without fear or favour”.

One of the female protesters said, “They are killing in our country, they are killing our people, Buhari is here with Boris Johnson and I am surprised that Prime Minister will condone such, condoning corruption and murder, it is terrible.

”They are killing in our country. Let him just go and resign, enough of the killings in Nigeria, where is that done and he has the audacity to come to this country for healthcare. He keeps embezzling our money and killing people, that’s our story. Muhammadu Buhari, the President of Nigeria is a terrorist and we will not back down, we are not violating the law, it is our civic right and we will exercise it.

The governor also said in one occasion, he had to run for close to two kilometres to escape after about 15 herdsmen attacked him on his farm at Tyo-Mu community, near Makurdi, the state capital.

Ortom was one of the governors to push for the anti-open grazing law in his state over deadly clashes between the nomads and farmers, a move that was heavily criticised by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, which are the umbrella bodies for nomadic herders in the country.

He once told Fulani killer herders to go to Bauchi State saying there was no room for them in his state.

Because of that, I was targeted for elimination, That they will go after me either in my home, farm or wherever they could get me.

“But like I always say, my life is in the hands of God, not in the hands of any Fulani man or anybody whatsoever.

“And I remain firm, I will fight for the truth, equity and fairness till when God permits that I will not be here again, then I will go.

“I appreciate the security personnel attached to me, they were able to repel them and they could not have access to me.

“I thank God for my fitness too. To be able to run for close to two kilometres without stopping, means that God has given me strength, and I am grateful to God.”

Ortom said his grudge is with killer Fulani herders and not people of Fulani extraction.

He said, “I am not going to subject myself to intimidation by anyone whatsoever.

“I don’t have problems with any Fulani man or the Fulani race, but I have a problem with Fulani bandits, who have vowed to take over Nigeria as their ancestral home and I say no, not when I am here as governor leading my state.

“I am not concerned about other states, any state that wants to give their land and themselves to be slaves to Fulani men, I have no problem with them but, in my state, I have consulted with my people and what I am doing is in line with the wishes of my people, and on that, I stand. I have not infringed on anybody’s right.

“My lawyer is here, he is going to make a petition against the leadership of Miyetti Allah because they came out to target me and, behind the scenes, they are planning to eliminate me in my land.

“If I can’t go to the farm as governor with the entire security around me, then who else can go to the farm? You can imagine the pains that we have here in Benue State.

“I don’t know why these Fulani men are coming from Niger, Mali, Chad and Senegal and other parts of the world to Nigeria.
“They have destroyed Mali completely, nothing is happening there, they have destroyed Libya, they have destroyed several other countries with their aggression and they think they can come here and destroy Nigeria. I don’t know what they mean.

“And anytime our Livestock Guards and security agencies go after them, then run back into the forest across the river.

“This is not fair, I am going to make a petition against the leadership of Miyetti Allah because I hold them responsible.

“I have been calling for the arrest of these people since 2017 and they are going about their normal businesses in Abuja, in Yola, Kano and everywhere without security personnel inviting them for questioning.

“And my pain is that these people are protected by our security personnel who are paid with our tax payers’ money. These are security men that are inadequate because of the crisis created by Miyetti Allah and the police are still protecting them.

“Why, are we second-class citizens? I am not a second-class citizen to anyone in this country.

“I pay my tax just like any other person and I am law-abiding and I hope that the security agencies will question these people on why they should single me out in their Yola meeting and behind the scenes giving orders for me to be eliminated. I have seen the result today. If not for the security personnel that were with me it would have been a story.

“Recall that Governor Fayemi came out clearly and said this government has failed. Providing security is nil. Everybody is running all over the place; traditional rulers, governors, politicians and all. If I am not safe in my state, who else is safe?

“We are begging the Federal Government that brought them (Fulani militia) into the country, they should settle them to go back to where they came from so that we can have our peace. Even if it means taxing all of us to settle them to go away so that we can go to the farm, we will do that. If I cannot go to the farm, who else can go to the farm in Benue?

Department of State Services Agrees To Release Eight Among 12 Chief Sunday Igboho’s Aides.

This was even as the agency brought the 12 aides before the Federal High Court, Abuja before Justice Obiora Egwuatu.

The applicants are Abdulateef Ofeyagbe, Amoda Babatunde, Tajudeen Erinoyen, Diakola Ademola, Abideen Shittu, Jamiu Noah, and Ayobami Donald.

Others are Adelabe Usman, Oluwapelimi Kunle, Raji Kazeem, Taiwo Opeyemi and Bamidele Sunday.

The security agency, however, objected vehemently to the bail of four others.

The wife of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Uchechi, has called on the British government to prevent President Muhammadu Buhari-led government from subjecting the IPOB leader to further harm.

Uchechi stated this in a letter forwarded to the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom, UK, Dominic Raab MP.

The wife of the IPOB leader noted that only Raab can end her nightmare with Kanu in detention.

Uchechi’s call was contained in the letter by Kanu’s UK legal team, Bindmans LLP.

Bindmans LLP sent the pre-action letter on behalf of the Kanu family to Raab MP, challenging his ongoing failure to provide consular assistance to the IPOB leader who is a British national.