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Court Adjourns Judge’s Trial To March 9

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The Ikeja Special Offences Court yesterday adjourned the trial of a Federal High Court judge, Mohammed Yunusa, charged with corruption, until March 9.
The court took the decision following a request by the defence  for an adjournment to reply an affidavit by the prosecution.
Yunusa’s lawyer, Mr Robert Clarke (SAN), had asked the court for an adjournment  to respond to a counter-affidavit filed by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Clarke in his submission said: “The prosecution yesterday (Monday) served us with a so- called counter-affidavit and written address, we have not had the opportunity to respond.
“On the face of what was served on us, we do not see the necessity for a counter-affidavit since we did not file an affidavit.
“In the circumstance, we need time to give a reply to close all facts before Your lordship.
“We seek to ask for an adjournment which has been foisted on us by the prosecution in order to close all facts placed before us by the prosecution.”
Defence counsel for Esther Agbo, Yunusa’s co-defendant, Mr John Odubela (SAN) agreed with Clarke’s request for an adjournment.
“We have filed a notice of preliminary objection dated February 13 and we served on the prosecution on February 14 and the prosecution served us a response yesterday at 5.08p.m.
“We were able to file our reply on points of law this morning;  though we are ready, it is still subject to the first defendant’s preliminary objection.
“We do not have an objection to the adjournment because out of the five-count charge the first defendant has four-counts,” he said.
The EFCC counsel, Mr Wahab Shittu, however, objected to the requests by the defence, noting that the anti-graft agency was ready to proceed with the trial.
“Your lordship adjourned till today for hearing as arraignment has been done and in adjourning Your lordship made specific orders for both the prosecution and defence to do.
“We have filed all our processes as ordered by Your lordship and there are two witnesses in court which are ready to proceed.
“We have also filed all the necessary documents to ensure that this trial goes on its merits,” Shittu said.
Acceding to the defence counsel’s requests, Justice Sherifat Solebo said:  ”This case is adjourned till March 9 at 9.30a.m. to take all the arguments on the two pending preliminary objections.”
Earlier, Shittu had in an application dated February 9, sought for the change of EFCC prosecuting counsel from Mr A.B.C Ozioko to himself.
The defence in an objection, noted that the application did not have a counsel’s seal which was not in accordance with the Legal Practitioners Rules of Professional Conduct.
Shittu, however, told the court that the payment for the seal had been done on May 24, 2017 but the necessary seal had  yet to be issued by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
Solebo then ruled in favour of EFCC.
“It is unfair to visit the sin of the NBA on the counsel,” she said.
EFCC had arraigned Yunusa, a judge of Lagos Division of Federal High Court, alongside Esther Agbo, a staff member of  the law chambers of Mr Rickey Tarfa (SAN), on January 17.
Yunusa was charged on four counts of attempted perversion of the course of justice and corruption by a public official, while Agbo was charged with offering gratification to a public official.

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Why Wike Is Playing God In Rivers -Asari Dokubo

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A former Niger Delta militant, Asari Dokubo, has claimed that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is “playing god” in the current political crisis that has pitched him against the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
Dokubo also chided President Bola Tinubu for, according to him, handing over “Rivers and Bayelsa” to the ex-governor.
“He is now playing god. It is dead on arrival, all those things that he is doing,” Dokubo said in a video that surfaced on X.com on Monday.
He added, “I advise my friend, President Bola Tinubu; what you are doing to all Ijaw, Ikwerre people in Rivers State (sic). You took Rivers state and gave it one man”
In April, Fubara revealed that the administration has raised the monthly Internally Generated Revenue of the state from N12 billion which he met upon assumption of office to N27 billion.
Dokubo described the development as commendable while alleging that the governor only had access to N6 billion when he assumed office.
“The governor had come out to say that the IGR for Rivers State is now N27bn up from N12bn. The governor is even being economical with the truth. When the governor came in, they were giving him a paltry sum of N6bn,” he said.
Meanwhile, in another twist to the ongoing crisis, Fubara on Monday said that he would set up a panel of inquiry to look into the affairs of governance in the state.
He disclosed this during the swearing-in and administration of the oath of office on Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, as the Attorney General of the state and Commissioner for Justice.
The governor criticized recent comments by the former Attorney-General of the State and Justice Commissioner, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, SAN, who resigned from his cabinet over a fortnight ago and urged the new Attorney-General to defend the state.
He stated, “It is not the one that while you were here… the only thing you do is to sabotage the government.
“Instead of you to close your mouth, you publicly claim that you’re a learned person to tell people that you’re the Chief Law Officer. Chief Law Officer, you were here and went to stand before a Magistrate Court.
“At that time you didn’t remember that you’re a Chief Law Officer going against the ethics of your job.”

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Investors, Tourists To Get Visa Within 48 Hours, FG Assures

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The Federal Executive Council chaired by President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of a tripartite committee to streamline visa processes and acquisition for investors interested in investing in Nigeria.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, revealed this, yesterday, after the FEC meeting held at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
“Our visa processes are becoming cumbersome. The ease of doing business is also tied to our visa processes.
“Going forward, those investors, tourists would find it easy to acquire a visa within the next 48 hours,” Idris said.
The meeting which began on Monday was adjourned till Tuesday to allow for other “far-reaching” decisions, the information minister had told journalists.

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Panel To Probe Governance In Rivers Underway -Fubara …Swears In Iboroma As New Attorney-General

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Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared his readiness to set up a panel of inquiry to look into the affairs of governance in the state.
Fubara disclosed this during the swearing-in and administration of the oath of office on Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, as the new Attorney General of the state and Commissioner for Justice.
The governor criticised recent comments by the former Attorney-General of the State and Justice Commissioner, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, SAN, who resigned from his cabinet over a fortnight ago and urged the new Attorney-General to defend the state.
Fubara stated, “It is not the one that while you were here… the only thing you do is to sabotage the government.
“Instead of you to close your mouth, you publicly claim that you’re a learned person to tell people that you’re the Chief Law Officer. Chief Law Officer, you were here and went to stand before a Magistrate Court.
“At that time you didn’t remember that you’re a Chief Law Officer going against the ethics of your job.”
Addressing the new AG, the governor said, “You have a big task. As it is today in the local parlance, they say the jungle has matured. We will be setting a panel of inquiry to investigate the affair of governance.”
The governor further said there was a deliberate attempt to sabotage his administration, saying, “If we disagree, no matter how bad it is, it should be resolved.
“But it has become very clear that this disagreement there is no headway to it, and for many reasons, there is very visible evidence that there is sabotage, a deliberate attempt to sabotage this administration.
“Maybe where they are they are telling them nothing will happen, it is happening here live, we have our own legislators that are performing their duties according to the Constitution. So that record is threatened.”

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