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Court Strikes Out Case Against Rivers LG Boss, 4 Others

Published

7 years ago

March 18, 2015

A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday, struck out a suit brought against the Chairman Caretaker Committee, Etche Local Government Area of the state, Hon Charles Anyanwu and four other members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by the Nigerian police for lack of jurisdiction.
The accused persons were however rearrested by a detachment of armed policemen, who stormed the court immediately the judge struck out the case.
Charles Anyanwu and the others were arraigned on a one-count charge of unlawful possession of one pump-action rifle in suit No PHC/PH/42C/2015 before Justice Lambo Akambi
The prosecuting police officer, DSP Paul Idenyenmm, O/C legal prosecution, State CID, Port Harcourt told the court that the accused, Charles Anyanwu aged 44, on the 7th day of February, 2015, at Ulakwo, Etche in Port Harcourt judicial division of Federal High Court, did unlawfully have in possession, one pump action rifle which is a prohibited fire arm without license.
The prosecution alleged that the accused committed an offence punishable under section 27(7) of firm arms Act cap F28 laws of the federation of Nigeria 2004.
The defence counsel led by B.E .I Nwofor (SAN) and other 14 counsels in their submission, opposed the charge brought by the prosecution on the ground that the section quoted does not exist in law, and as such, can not be heard by the court.
The Senior Advocate told the court that section 27 of the firearms Act cap F28 does not have up to sub-section 7, rather it stopped at subsection 5.
He, therefore urged the court to strike out the matter as lacking in merit and defective, and queried the jurisdiction of the court to hear such matter.
The prosecuting counsel led by D Deinwigwe (SAN), however, did not oppose the argument of the defence counsel on the defect of the charge brought against the accused before the court.
The prosecution later applied to the court for the withdrawal of the charge which the court granted.
The trial judge, Justice Lambo Akanbi, after hearing the submission of both the prosecuting counsel and the defence upheld the arguments of the defence counsel, and struck out the charge for lack of merit and jurisdiction.
Other accused persons arraigned along side, Hon Charles Anyanwu, include Hon Tony Gboms, Alhaji Onurukwe, Prince Adiele Sam Wobo, Bestman Amadi and Boch Nsirim.
Meanwhile, an Elder statesman and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, Prince Emma Anyanwu has been allegedly dragged to a juju shrine in Ahoada East LGA of the state by his elder son, Hon Charles Anyanwu.
Hon Charles Anyanwu is the chairman, Caretaker Committee (CTC) for Etche Local Government Area and also the first son of the elder statesman.
The Tide learnt that the trouble between the CTC chairman and his father was the former’s membership with the All Progressive Congress (APC).
The Tide further learnt that Charles Anyanwu dragged his father to the shrine for allegedly by hiring thugs to destroy the fence and building under construction situate along Ulakwo (I) road.
The Tide also learnt that prince Emma Anyanwu had last year ordered some thugs to de-roof a building belonging to his son for allegedly hoisting APC flags and banners in his compound. It was gathered that it was such provocation that prompted Charles to buy a property outside the compound to erect his own building in the community, which was also destroyed by unknown thugs allegedly hired by his father.
A source, who spoke to The Tide, on condition of anonymity said that Prince Emma Anyanwu became angry upon hearing from a messenger that he has been summoned to appear before the shrine on a date yet to be decided.
According to him, the messenger of the shrine also told him not to enter into the disputed building until the matter was decided and resolved amicably.
However, Prince Emma Anyanwu, not satisfied with the development to save his reputation and image before his political associates, reported the matter to the state police command, which immediately swung into action, and arrested the CTC chairman his first son.
The source blamed the development on political intolerance and lack of maturity among the political class in the state and the nation at large.

Family members of victims of 2014 Nigeria Immigration recruitment tragedy who got automatic employment from President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, last Friday. Photo: NAN

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Nigeria, US Sign Pact To Reduce Illicit Trafficking Of Ancient Arts

Published

3 days ago

January 21, 2022

The Tide

The Federal Government and the United States, yesterday, signed the Cultural Property Implementation Act (CPIA) Agreement.

According to the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, the CPIA would reduce the pillage of Nigeria’s ancient arts which are mostly smuggled to Europe, the US and other places for the benefit of art collectors.

Mohammed said the signing of the MoU became necessary because, despite all efforts by the Ministry of Information and Culture and the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, with the assistance of law enforcement agencies, to prevent illicit export of the nation’s archaeological and ethnological materials, widespread looting and illicit excavation of these materials still continue.

He said this when he signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the CPIA with the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, in Abuja.

Special Assistant to the President on Media, Office of the Minister of Information and Culture, Segun Adeyemi, disclosed this in a statement titled, ‘Nigeria, US Sign Pact To Reduce Illicit Trafficking of Ancient Arts.’

Mohammed was quoted as saying, “This legislation was enacted by the United States to restrict the importation into the US of archaeological materials ranging in date from 1500 B.C. to A.D. 1770 as well as ethnological materials, including those associated with royal activity, religious activity, etc from nations that have entered into the kind of bilateral initiative that we are signing here with the United States today.”

The minister said on the basis of the agreement, Nigerian antiquities being imported into the US without the requisite export permit will be seized at the border of the US and returned to Nigeria without the arduous and costly task of going through the labyrinth of judicial and diplomatic processes.

“We are optimistic that this agreement will reduce the pillage of our irreplaceable archaeological and ethnological materials, as the market for these materials is being shut in the United States against illicit traffickers.

“The agreement will last for an initial period of five years. If it works well, as we anticipate it will, it shall be renewed for a longer term. We implore other friendly nations to take a cue from the United States of America and join us in finding means to prevent the illegal importation of our antiquities into their countries,” he said.

The minister, who thanked the US Government, in particular the US Embassy in Nigeria, for making the MoU possible, said the Nigerian Government looks forward to a diligent implementation of the landmark agreement, so it can become a game-changer in the nation’s efforts to prevent the looting of its priceless ancient works of art.

In her remarks, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Beth Leonard, said the agreement was aimed at preserving, restoring and protecting Nigeria’s cultural heritage.

“In Nigeria, over the past decade, the US Mission has partnered with the Nigerian government and state institutions to preserve cultural landmarks and sites through projects worth over one million dollars and funded by the US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation.

“Just last November, I signed a grant award to digitally survey the Busanyin Shrine located within the Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove. That $125,000 grant will help document a series of shrines within the Grove and provide training to local professionals in digital tools and cultural heritage management,” she said.

News

Three Out Of 10 Nigerians Are Mentally Sick -Reps

Published

3 days ago

January 21, 2022

The Tide

The House of Representatives has said that three out of every 10 Nigerians have one form of mental illness or another.
Quoting the World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics, the House added that over 20,000,000 Nigerians were currently suffering from various degrees of mental illness or disorder without psychiatric health care.
To this end, the House mandated its Committees on Health Institutions and Healthcare Services to liaise with the Federal Ministry of Health towards improving mental health facilities around the country and further carry out serious sensitization of Nigerians on this issue.
It also asked the Committee on Health Institution to explore the modalities of liaising with stakeholders in the health sector to promote, educate and sensitise Nigerians on mental health.
The resolution, however, followed a motion titled “Need to Address the Rising Cases of Mental Health in Nigeria” presented by Hon. Uchechuku Nnam-Obi from Rivers State and considered by the House at yesterday’s plenary.
Presenting his motion, Nnam-Obi noted that the World Health Organisation (WHO) considers mental health as a state of well-being in which the individual can cope with the stress of life, work productively and contribute to the community.
According to him, mental illness manifests in mood disorder, anxiety disorder, trauma-related disorder, personality disorder, old age-related disorder, substance abuse disorder or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning.
He said: “According to the World Health Organisation statistics, over twenty million Nigerians are currently suffering from various degrees of mental illness or disorder without psychiatric health care.
“Three out of 10 Nigerians have one form of mental illness or the other, presently there is no mental health legislation in Nigeria. However, the Nigerian mental health policy is the only framework that has access to mental healthcare, dealing with mental and neurological disorders in Nigeria, discouraging stigmatisation against persons with mental disorders and has institutionalised standards for Psychiatric practice.
“The increase in cases of depression is traceable to multifactorial inter and intrapersonal issues which leads to suicidal death in the country and this requires urgent attention.
“Nigeria has only 130 Psychiatrists with over 20million citizens suffering from mental disorders.
“With the few functional Mental Health Facilities and inadequate mental health practitioners in the country, mental health cases are left for traditional practitioners, hence the upsurge in mental health in Nigeria.
“The statistics are troubling and the continued lack of a legal framework on mental health in the country will simply cause the situation to degenerate”
Adopting the motion, the House gave six weeks to the committees within which to carry out the assignment and report back to it for further legislative action.

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Wike, PDP Govs Commiserate With Tambuwal Over Brother’s Death

Published

3 days ago

January 21, 2022

The Tide

Representatives of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, yesterday, paid a condolence visit to the Sokoto State Governor, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal over the death of his elder brother, Alhaji Muhammed Bello.
Bello, who is also the Waziri of Tambuwal, passed on in Sokoto, last Tuesday night at the age 87.
He was the head of the Tambuwal family.
On the PDP governors’ delegation were, Governors Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State; Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu); Oluseyi Makinde (Oyo); and Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State.
The Vice Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, who led the delegation, said they were in Sokoto to commiserate with Tambuwal and his entire family over the sudden death of his elder brother.
“We feel your pain, and we understand that a great vacuum has been created, not only within the caliphate, but across Nigeria and other places where Daddy had sphere of influence. We believe that God Almighty will grant you the fortitude to bear this great loss.
“We are, however, consoled by the fact that Daddy left legacies that will remain indelible; one of them is your very good self and your impact and contributions to our dear country.”
The governors urged the Tambuwal family, particularly the Sokoto State governor, to remain strong, steadfast and uphold those virtues which the late Waziri of Tambuwal, cherished so much.
In his response, Sokoto StateGovernor, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, who is the PDP Governors’ Forum chairman, said the entire Tambuwal family was gladdened by the condolence visit.
According to him, his late elder brother, who lived his life in the service of community, held the family title, Waziri of Tambuwal for 37 years after the demise of their father.
“We are, indeed, very highly consoled not only by your presence, but your words of consolation. For you to have left behind whatever you are doing in your respective states to come all the way to Sokoto this afternoon, shows clearly how you sympathise with us and how close you are to us. I assure you that we appreciate this.”