News
We Shall Not Forget Yunus Ustaz Usman,SAN
By Gloria Mabeiam Ballason Esq
It was only eleven days into the year 2024 when seven senior advocates sued the National Judicial Council, Kogi State Judicial Service Commission, Governor of Kogi State and the Attorney General of the state.
The Suit, FHC/Abj/CS/05/2024, sought a declaration that the choice of Mrs. Amina Bello, the then Governor’s wife, was not based on merit but political and ethnic influence. It therefore sought a mandatory order restraining the appointment of new judicial officers until there was compliance with the laws that mandated merit, competence, sound knowledge of the Law, fairness and equity.
The crusade was led by Yunus Ustaz Usman,
who was called to the Nigerian Bar on 30 July, 1983- a legal career that would see him rise to the pinnacle as Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the fifth person in Northern Nigeria to attain the rank.
Mr. Usman led six other learned silks including Messrs Jibrin Okutepa, Patrick Okolo, Abdullahi Haruna, Reuben Atabo, Shuaibu Aruma and Johnson Usman. It was a departure from commentaries and cries for transparency in the process of appointment of Judges in Nigeria as the top brass lawyers moved talk to walk by inviting the Court to define who to wall in and wall out of the hallowed height of presiding and deciding the affairs and fate of men.
My earliest close interaction with Yunus Ustaz Usman SAN was when Olumuyiwa O. Olowokure Esq, former chairman of the Kaduna Bar, requested that I serve in a Law week committee he was presiding over. O.O. was not the kind of person you turned down. He and the erstwhile Director of Public Prosecutions, Gamaliel Byang Kore Esq, were my first guests on my law radio show and had both graciously accepted to serve on the Medico-Legal Board at House of Justice. Sadly, they both passed away few years apart.
Usman, SAN went over and beyond our committee’s request and solely sponsored the visit to the orphanage and attended the event in person after Jumat prayers. Holding one of the babies, he encouraged the forlorn orphans to keep faith and offered to be their earthly father reminding them that their future was secured as God was already their heavenly father. You know, it is one thing to give gifts but to offer one’s self to bear the weight of strangers, is a higher form of humanity.
Usman SAN, lived in that higher realm with his reputable philanthropy of providing scholarship to indigent students, feeding the hungry, donating to causes and often being a top contributor in cash and knowledge to the Nigerian Bar particularly the Kaduna Branch where he was the Leader.
Speaking of leadership, he moved it from adjective to verb. It was the point of my more personal connect with him:
Sometime in 2018, Professor Ernest Ojukwu, SAN joined the race to lead Africa’s biggest legal bar. It coincided with a time when Nigerians who voted President Muhammadu Buhari had resigned from the initial messianic esteem they held him to. There was hence the need to mitigate the leadership deficit by having a Nigerian Bar that would not only be alive to its core mandate of promoting the rule of law but could save whatever was left of Nigeria’s free fall.
Of the three candidates: Professor Ernest Maduabuchi Ojukwu SAN, Arthur Obi Okafor SAN and Paul Usoro SAN, my choice was the silked professor. He was not only the Deputy Director General of Agbani campus of the Nigerian Law School where he had taught me, but his record with clinical legal education, drive for innovation, aversion for convention and commitment to judicial reforms had sufficiently won me over.
Prof. Ojukwu was also Mr. Usman’s choice but a bloc of the leadership rooted for a different candidate. Although he was the leader of the Kaduna Bar, he was never one to browbeat or overawe lawyers into a decision. He understood agency and respected it.
Usman led Ojukwu’s campaign along with other senior lawyers in Kaduna state like Oladipo Tolani, SAN, Femi Morohundiya (now deceased) and Mark Jacob Nzamah Esq, a former Attorney General of the state. He didn’t stop there; he directed the use of my House of Justice office as the state campaign office and situation room, attended meetings and funded the activities of our candidate’s campaigns – a testament to his humility, ability to be his own man and to disagree without being disagreeable.
During the reign of Nasir Elrufai as ‘Emperor of Kaduna state’, I was perpetually in a legal odyssey advocating and litigating against the myriad abuse of power and violations of rights by the Governor. Usman SAN would often encourage me to keep the fight on with sustained courage and hope. As further support, he went on to submit my curriculum vitae to the Independent National Electoral Commission so I could be included in their legal team and although I was not retained, the magnanimity of this amiable leader tugged at my heartstrings.
Of the kindness I received from him, perhaps none would endure as the gift of his daughter, my gorgeous friend, Nana, whose heart is as generous and kind like her father’s. I hope that along with her big brother, Abdulmutallab and her sister Sadiya all of whom are lawyers, they are able to carry forward the justice ideals their father stood for.
Yunus Ustaz Usman SAN died on 11 September, 2024 – 9 months after the date they filed the case against the politicization of not only his home state’s judiciary but Nigeria’s as a whole. For those who knew him, judicial integrity was often his recurring subject of discourse. He understood that true freedom requires the rule of law and a judicial system in which the rights of some are not secured by the denial of rights to others. In his honour, the Nigerian Bench and Bar must recommit to ensuring justice satisfies the appearance of justice and judicial integrity becomes a state interest of the highest order.
Thank you Yunus Ustaz Usman, SAN for your time, service and leadership. Although the earth is poorer with your passing, history’s vault is richer with your legacy and we shall not forget you.
_*Gloria Mabeiam Ballason Esq is the Principal Partner MIVE LEGALS and the C.E.O. of House of Justice. She may be reached at gloriaballason@houseofjusticeng.com*_
News
Investigative Report Attributes Crash of Wigwe’s Helicopter to Pilot Error and Company Negligence
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has published its conclusive report regarding the helicopter crash that resulted in the tragic deaths of Herbert Wigwe, the former group CEO of Access Holdings Plc, along with his family and others.
The report indicates that the crash, which occurred on February 9, 2024, near the California-Nevada border, claimed the lives of all six individuals aboard, including Wigwe, his wife Doreen, their eldest son Chizi, and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the former chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group). The incident has been attributed to a mix of pilot disorientation and negligence on the part of the helicopter company.
The NTSB identified the pilot’s choice to continue flying under visual flight rules (VFR) despite facing instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) as the main cause of the accident. This decision resulted in the pilot experiencing spatial disorientation, ultimately leading to a loss of control and a crash into the terrain.
The report underscores that the pilot’s struggle to navigate effectively in such conditions significantly contributed to the catastrophe. Furthermore, it highlighted critical shortcomings in the company’s oversight and safety management practices, revealing that the helicopter company failed to ensure compliance with essential safety protocols. This included the proper completion and updating of flight risk assessments and thorough documentation of maintenance issues.
Additional findings from the report indicate that during the flight, the pilot had communicated with the company’s Director of Maintenance (DOM) regarding a malfunctioning radar altimeter, which remained inoperative despite efforts to repair it.
The NTSB also noted that upon arriving at the airport to collect passengers, the pilot and a company flight follower engaged in a phone conversation but neglected to address the radar altimeter’s status or current weather conditions, both critical factors for flight safety.
The report states, “The probable cause of this accident was the pilot’s decision to continue the flight into IMC, which led to spatial disorientation and the loss of control of the aircraft. Contributing factors include the company’s inadequate safety management oversight, failure to ensure proper documentation, and the malfunctioning radar altimeter.”
It further elaborates that during the return flight, the pilot texted the DOM about the radar altimeter issue. After reaching the company’s flight operations base, the pilot discussed the matter with the company flight follower, who also served as the company’s president. A mechanic attempted to troubleshoot the radar altimeter but was unable to resolve the issue, leaving it non-functional.
The mechanic confirmed that both the pilot and the DOM were aware of the radar altimeter’s condition yet proceeded with the flight at 6:22 PM to pick up the passengers. Approximately 40 minutes later, upon landing at the airport for passenger pickup, the pilot and flight follower had further discussions via phone and text but again did not address the radar altimeter’s status or weather conditions.
Boko Haram terrorists have murdered an army captain in the Izge community of the Gwoza Local Government Area in Borno State.
The assailants, who struck in the early hours of Wednesday, also killed a soldier.
Confirming the incident, the Emir of Gwoza, HRH Alhaji Mohammed Shehu Timta, stated that the attackers stormed the area around 1am and engaged the troops.
“It is true that my people in the Izge community came under attack from Boko Haram around 1am. Unfortunately, a Captain and a Soldier paid the ultimate price.
“However, our gallant troops, along with the Civilian Joint Task Force, local hunters, vigilantes, and resilient community members, managed to kill three terrorists. The attackers abandoned their weapons and over ten motorcycles and are still on the run, while being pursued by our security personnel,” he said.
He offered prayers for the souls of those who lost their lives and commended the brave soldiers for coordinating with other security operatives to repel the attack.
“May Allah (SWT) grant the departed souls Jannatul Firdaus. Our courageous men are still in the bush, sacrificing their lives to maintain peace in society,” he remarked.
He also expressed gratitude to the Borno State governor, Prof Babagana Umara Zulum, for providing logistical support to the security operatives, while urging the federal government to equip security personnel with technological advancements in warfare.
The North East region has been subjected to a series of attacks amid Boko Haram’s renewed onslaught.
On Saturday, Boko Haram terrorists attacked the 27 Task Force Brigade in Buni Yadi, Gujba LGA of Yobe State, resulting in the deaths of at least four soldiers and the destruction of numerous operational equipment.
This attack occurred less than 24 hours after the North East Governors Forum convened in the state capital, Damaturu, where they adopted a multifaceted approach to combat insurgency in the region.
Buni Yadi is situated approximately 65km from the Yobe State capital and is the hometown of the state governor, Mai Mala Buni.
The latest attack follows a recent charge from President Bola Tinubu to service chiefs to put an end to the killings.
By Ankeli Emmanuel, Sokoto
The Sokoto State Police Command haa successfully arrested a notorious gun runner along Sokoto-Gusau highway and recovered illegal arms and ammunition in his possession.
A statement by the spokesperson of the Police Command, ASP Ahmed Rufai said there officers
attached to Tureta Police Station acted on credible intelligence while conducting “a stop-and-search operation”.
“‘The operation led to the interception and arrest of Murtala Abubakar, a 45-year-old suspect from Maradun Local Government Area, Zamfara State””.
Continuing, ASP Rufai mentioned items recovered from the suspect to include,
“”Four (4) locally fabricated rifles, Three (3) locally fabricated pistols, Sixteen (16) rounds of AK-47 ammunition and Three (3) rounds of G3 ammunition'””.
While noting that the command remained committed to curbing crime and criminality, ASP Rufai reassured that their intensified efforts towards mobbing up proliferation of illegal arms and fighting crime of all nature is paying off.
The Police Spokesperson, Rufai who further noted that, the suspect and recovered exhibits have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Sokoto, for further discreet investigation, quoted the Commissioner of Police Ahmed Musa as saying, “”This operation reflects our unwavering commitment to public safety. We urge citizens to continue providing timely intelligence to aid our efforts in dismantling criminal networks.”
“”The Sokoto State Police Command remains dedicated to ensuring security across all communities and calls for sustained collaboration with residents to achieve lasting peace””. CP Musa appealed.