News
Magu: Reps Challenge Presidency In Court
The House of Representatives has urged the Presidency to seek interpretation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Act before a court, following the Senate’s rejection of Mr Ibrahim Magu as chairman.
The House also resolved that the executive should refrain from making statements that connote the usurpation of the judiciary’s powers considering its negative effects on the doctrine of separation of powers.
This followed a motion, yesterday, in Abuja, by Rep. Leo Ogor (Delta-PDP), on the “need to prevent erosion of the Doctrine of Separation of Powers”.
Moving the motion, Ogor explained that by the clear provision of Section 2 (3) of the EFCC Act, the chairman of the anti-corruption agency shall be nominated by the President subject to the confirmation of the Senate.
“Convinced that the EFCC Act is an Act of the National Assembly that can only be set aside by a court of competent jurisdiction, and until that happens, the law remains in force and binding on all persons and authorities in the country.
“Furthermore, the Executive Arm of Government has not filed any proceeding in any court to challenge the provision of Section 2 (3) of the EFCC (established) Act of 2004.”
Ogor said that under the doctrine of separation of powers, the interpretation of the Constitution and Acts of parliament was the sole responsibility of the judiciary and not that of any person or official of the other arms of government.
He said that the statement credited to Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, was capable of eroding the doctrine of separation of powers with its obvious implication of instituting a dictatorship in the country.
Contributing to the motion, Rep. Simon Arabo (Kaduna-APC), said that there was need by the executive to toe the line of separation of powers.
Also, Rep. Kingsley Chinda (Rivers-PDP), said that people should not continue to upgrade opinions to be actual facts.
“Government should be responsive and listen to the opinions of the masses,” he said.
The motion was unanimously adopted when it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara.
The House, therefore, mandated its Committee on Legislative Compliance to ensure implementation of its resolution.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives, yesterday, called on the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to prosecute the persons behind the assassination attack on Senator Dino Melaye.
The call is the outcome of a motion sponsored by Rep. Herman Hermbe (APC Benue) and unanimously adopted by the House.
Moving the motion, Hembe condemned the assassination attempt on his colleague and described the move as ‘needless.’
“It is condemnable that unknown men stormed Melaye’s residence on April 14, and shot sporadically at his building and cars for over an hour.
“Despite several calls to the Divisional Police Officer of Aiyetero Gbedde Police Division, the police did not come until the gunmen exhausted themselves and escaped.
“Melaye survived what appeared to have been an attempted assassination by the sheer grace of God,’’ Hembe said.
In his contribution to the debate on the motion, Rep. Solomon Ahwinahwi (PDP-Delta) said, “Dino must have said so many things, but it is not enough to kill him.
“I think there is need for us to invite the Inspector-General of Police to explain the circumstances surrounding the criminal act.”
On his part, Rep. Anayo Nnebe (PDP-Anambra), urged the Police to intensify efforts to stem cases of assassination in the country.
“We are all potential victims if the trend is not checked.
“Dino was lucky that the attack did not consume him; the next person may not be lucky,’’ Nnebe added.
The Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, referred the motion to the House committees on Legislative Compliance and Police Affairs for further legislative action.
He urged members of the committees to report back to the House within four weeks.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.