News
Court grants ex-gov of Taraba permission for medical trip abroad
Justice Sylvanus Oriji of a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on Wednesday granted permission to former governor of Taraba, Darius Ishaku, to travel to Arjam, United Arab Emirates (UAE) for his routine medical check up.
The judge granted the leave after hearing a motion filed through, his counsel Paul Ogbole SAN.
Ishaku is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on behalf of the Federal Government, alongside a former permanent secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, Bello Yero.
The defendants were charged with 15 counts criminal breach of trust, conspiracy and conversion of public funds to the tune of N27 billion.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
While moving the motion, Ogbole told the court that it was brought pursuant to Sections 6 (6) and 41 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, seeking an order of the court to allow the former governor to travel to UAE for medical check up.
Ogbole said the former governor’s health had deteriorated.
Responding, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, said the first defendant/applicant did not specify the duration of his stay in UAE, adding that this ought to be supplied to the court.
After listening to parties, Justice Oriji, in his brief ruling, held that as part of the bail conditions granted the former governor on October 3, 2024 was that he must not travel out of the country without first applying for the leave of court.
He added that this must have necessitated the application.
He, therefore, granted permission for the former governor to travel out of the country.
The judge subsequently adjourned the case to March 17 for continuation of hearing.
Earlier, the judge had admitted two notebooks with 11 pieces of paper sought to be tendered by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs SAN, through the fifth prosecution witness (PW5), Ismail Oluwadamilare Lawal, on Tuesday.
Justice Oriji overruled the objection by counsel for Ishaku, Ogbole SAN on the admissibility of the pieces of paper, though he did not object to the notebooks being admitted as exhibits.
Continuing with his evidence-in-chief before the court, Lawal, a former personal assistant to Ishaku, said he used to get cash from different people on the instructions of the former governor.
According to him, such people included the Permanent Secretary, Government House, Jalingo, Mr Chindo Audu; Mr Galiya Lodiya; the Taraba State Liaison Officer in Abuja, Dauda .
He added and a brother to his principal, Mr Victor Comlavi, was not an employee of the state government .
Reading from one of the notebooks admitted by the court and marked Exhibit 3, the PW5 informed the court that he paid various sums of money as approved by his principal to different people either in cash or through bank accounts.
“He never questioned any payment made by me on his behalf. After I make payments, they (recipients) must call His Excellency to confirm payment.
“On the face of the write up, His Excellency usually crossed it and write date. This means that he is satisfied with what I have done,,” Lawal told the court.
He further told the court that aside his entry of Dec. 5, 2020 in Exhibit 3, on the directive of the former governor, he paid salaries of personal staff of his principal as well as the gatemen of Ishaku’s house in Takum and the utilities.(NAN)
A group of concerned citizens has raised the alarm over an alleged plot to sabotage President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reforms on local refineries.
The group, Concerned Nigerians led by its National Coordinator Obinna Francis, claims to have uncovered a sinister plot to stop the supply of crude oil to domestic refineries.
According to Francis, the plot is being orchestrated by a cabal within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), in collaboration with importers of fake petrol.
The group alleges that this cabal is seeking to undermine the government’s economic reforms, which have led to a significant reduction in fuel prices and a subsequent decrease in the cost of food items.
The concerned citizens believe that the plot is driven by a desire to return Nigeria to the era of petrol importation and the reintroduction of subsidies.
They argue that cutting off crude oil supply to domestic refineries would create a shortage of refined products, forcing the country to import fuel.
The group claims that the cabal has been manipulating officials in the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to justify the planned refusal to supply crude oil to local refineries.
They also allege that the cabal has the support of individuals seeking regime change, who hope to capitalize on public anger and protests to bring down the government.
Francis added: “The members of the cabal, working through certain officials of NNPCL, have been manipulating their colleagues in the NUPRC, which has responsibility for overseeing the supply of crude oil to refineries in Nigeria.
“Their plot includes sabotaging exploration and distribution infrastructure to justify the planned refusal to cut off crude supplies. This unholy alliance has the support of individuals who have been angling for a regime change.
“Our suspicion is that while the NNPCL/NUPRC cabal pursue the monetary gains of truncating the steady supply of refined products, their political wing anticipates that a disruption in refining capacity would lead to petrol scarcity, drive fuel prices up and hike food prices with the attendant anger against the government of the day.
“They desire to weaponize such public anger into anti-government protests that would bring the administration down. We are concerned that if not stopped, this plot will undo all the gains that have been made in the implementation of economic reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government and doom us all.
“We are further concerned that such a plot at this critical time of our economic evolution would plunge the country into an abyss from which it may never resurface.”
The concerned citizens are calling on President Tinubu and the Department of State Services (DSS) to intervene and prevent the plot from being executed. They praised the president’s economic reforms, which have driven Nigeria towards energy sustainability and revived the oil industry.
The group warned that if the plot is not stopped, it would undo all the gains made by the government and plunge the country into economic chaos.
They urged the president to ensure that no one in NNPCL, NUPRC, or any other connected agency undermines the achievements recorded in the sector.
Actor-turned-politician Desmond Elliot has become a hot topic online after a video surfaced showing his emotional reaction on Monday, shortly after Mojisola Meranda resigned as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Earlier, SPEARNEWS reported that Ms Meranda announced her resignation during a plenary session.
Following her resignation, the impeached Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, was reinstated to his former position.
In a viral video, Mr Elliot, who represents Surulere Constituency 1 in the Assembly, was emotional over Ms Meranda’s resignation.
Dressed in a black native outfit, the 51-year-old attempted to deliver a farewell speech but was overcome with emotion and struggled to hold back tears.
At one point in the viral video, he found it difficult to continue speaking and requested that another lawmaker take the floor while he composed himself.
“Madam Speaker, can you allow others to speak first?” he asked.
Ms Meranda responded, “Have your seat,” prompting him to sit down, covering his face with one hand as he wiped away tears.
Seyi Lawal, an All Progressives Congress (APC) representative from Ikeja Constituency 1, was granted permission to speak in place of Mr Elliot, who has served in the House since April 2015.
Kano State government has made arrangements to feed 91,000 people in 91 designated centres during the 2025 Ramadan Feeding Programme.
Flagging off the feeding programme in m Fagge Local Government Area on Sunday evening, the Deputy Governor and Chairman of the programme, Alhaji Aminu Abdulsalam, said that that the initiative would run for 27 days.
He said that the programme was aimed at supporting vulnerable residents and would provide daily iftar meals to fasting Muslims, alleviating the challenges faced during Ramadan.
“Since the assumption of office, Gov. Abba Kabir-Yusuf, has institutionalised this initiative to support vulnerable residents by providing daily iftar meals during the holy month of Ramadan.
“The programme, which is part of the state’s annual humanitarian efforts, aims to alleviate the difficulties faced by fasting Muslims during Ramadan.
“Recognising the needs of the state’s large population of Ramadan observers, the Kano State Government remains committed to ensuring that relief reaches those in need,” he explained.
Abdulsalam expressed satisfaction with the seamless commencement of the initiative.
He further urged the catering companies involved to ensure prompt and efficient delivery of meals to all feeding centers, in order to achieve the programme’s objectives.
Abdulsalam was accompanied by key officials, including the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, as well as his counterpart in the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Sheikh Tijjani Auwal. (NAN)