18042019 - PRESIDENTIAL TUSSLE:I always beat you in every election, Buhari tells Atiku
- No tags were found...
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
34—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019<br />
:Vanguard<br />
News<br />
9 prisoners rega<strong>in</strong><br />
freedom <strong>in</strong> Imo<br />
By Chidi<br />
Nkwopara<br />
O WERRI—NINE<br />
<strong>in</strong>mates of the<br />
Federal Prison, Owerri,<br />
have rega<strong>in</strong>ed their<br />
freedom, courtesy of the jail<br />
delivery session carried out<br />
by the Imo State Chief<br />
Judge, Justice Paschal<br />
Nnadi.<br />
The lucky <strong>in</strong>mates<br />
<strong>in</strong>cluded Anayo Akuneme,<br />
Paul Okoro, Chimaobi<br />
Nwosu, Ifeanyi Ekezie,<br />
Solomon Igbosoroeze,<br />
Chukwuka Emeribe,<br />
Ony<strong>in</strong>ye Ekegha,<br />
Emmanuel Christopher<br />
and Eze Maduabuchi.<br />
Speak<strong>in</strong>g before the<br />
commencement of the<br />
exercise, Justice Nnadi<br />
expla<strong>in</strong>ed that the law<br />
empowers the State Chief<br />
Judge to periodically look<br />
<strong>in</strong>to the status of prison<br />
<strong>in</strong>mates, with a view to<br />
sett<strong>in</strong>g free, those that may<br />
have spent more time than<br />
they would have, if<br />
properly convicted.<br />
He recalled that when a<br />
similar exercise was<br />
conducted late last year, no<br />
fewer than 29 <strong>in</strong>mates were<br />
set free.<br />
“The jail delivery exercise<br />
would cont<strong>in</strong>ue after the<br />
Easter break. I have no<br />
doubt that what we are<br />
do<strong>in</strong>g today will ultimately<br />
add up to the people’s<br />
happ<strong>in</strong>ess dur<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
Easter festivities”, Justice<br />
Nnadi said.<br />
The Chief Judge ordered<br />
that the cases of three<br />
deta<strong>in</strong>ees, Fidelis Allison,<br />
Samuel Okoroafor and<br />
Christiana Eze, who were<br />
not aware of the pendency<br />
of their matters, should<br />
resume immediately <strong>in</strong><br />
court, wherever they are<br />
listed.<br />
Justice Nnadi charged all<br />
the freed deta<strong>in</strong>ees to<br />
“refra<strong>in</strong> from anyth<strong>in</strong>g that<br />
would br<strong>in</strong>g <strong>you</strong> back <strong>in</strong>to<br />
conf<strong>in</strong>ement. You must be<br />
of good behaviour and an<br />
asset to the society”, Nnadi<br />
said.<br />
Vanguard recalls that the<br />
Federal Prison Owerri,<br />
which was constructed by<br />
the colonial masters to take<br />
care of about 500 is today,<br />
hous<strong>in</strong>g 2,127 <strong>in</strong>mates.<br />
Accord<strong>in</strong>g to the statistics<br />
displayed on board, 2,069<br />
<strong>in</strong>mates are males, 58 are<br />
females, while only 214 are<br />
convicted and serv<strong>in</strong>g their<br />
terms <strong>in</strong> the prison.<br />
Legal Aid Council lauds<br />
Ugwuanyi’s commitment<br />
to justice delivery<br />
D IRECTOR-GENERAL<br />
of Legal Aid Council of<br />
Nigeria, Aliyu Bagudu<br />
Abubakar has commended<br />
the adm<strong>in</strong>istration of Gov.<br />
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of<br />
Enugu State for the<br />
speedy sign<strong>in</strong>g of the<br />
Adm<strong>in</strong>istration of Crim<strong>in</strong>al<br />
Justice Law of Enugu State<br />
2017 <strong>in</strong>to law.<br />
Abubakar, who also<br />
applauded the state<br />
government for its<br />
implementation of the law<br />
described it as “the best <strong>in</strong><br />
the country”.<br />
The Legal Aid Council<br />
DG gave the<br />
commendation when<br />
members of the body paid<br />
a courtesy visit to the<br />
Government House,<br />
Enugu.<br />
He equally lauded the<br />
state government for the<br />
prompt payment of<br />
monthly subvention to the<br />
Legal Aid Council, add<strong>in</strong>g<br />
that “this gesture shows that<br />
the government takes<br />
<strong>every</strong>one <strong>in</strong>to heart,<br />
especially <strong>in</strong> the area of<br />
justice delivery”.<br />
Abubakar who<br />
appreciated Ugwuanyi for<br />
his commitment to the<br />
progress of the Judiciary <strong>in</strong><br />
the state, said: “The Legal<br />
Aid Council is here to<br />
assure <strong>you</strong> that we are<br />
ready, capable and will<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to cont<strong>in</strong>ue to partner with<br />
other stakeholders to<br />
enhance justice delivery <strong>in</strong><br />
the state”.<br />
The DG disclosed that<br />
the council’s target “is to<br />
ensure that all the 774<br />
Local Government Areas<br />
of Nigeria are covered so<br />
that access to justice is<br />
delivered closer to the<br />
people, especially those<br />
who cannot afford to<br />
transport themselves<br />
around when they have<br />
matters”.<br />
Respond<strong>in</strong>g, Ugwuanyi,<br />
while welcom<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
delegation to the<br />
Government House,<br />
reiterated his<br />
adm<strong>in</strong>istration’s<br />
determ<strong>in</strong>ation to create a<br />
more conducive and<br />
enabl<strong>in</strong>g environment for<br />
the effective adm<strong>in</strong>istration<br />
and dispensation of justice<br />
<strong>in</strong> the state.<br />
Represented by his<br />
deputy, Mrs Cecilia Ezeilo,<br />
the governor highlighted<br />
the progress made so far by<br />
his adm<strong>in</strong>istration <strong>in</strong> the<br />
Justice Sector, say<strong>in</strong>g:<br />
“These <strong>in</strong>clude but not<br />
limited to such milestones<br />
as the enactment of the<br />
Child Rights Law of Enugu<br />
State; the enactment of the<br />
Enugu<br />
State<br />
Adm<strong>in</strong>istration of Crim<strong>in</strong>al<br />
Justice Law considered the<br />
best <strong>in</strong> Nigeria;<br />
establishment of a<br />
functional multi-door Court<br />
House Law; and<br />
sustenance and upgrade of<br />
the Enugu State Sexual<br />
Assault Referral Centre,<br />
among others.<br />
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
VISIT: Enugu State Commissoner of Police, Sulaiman Balarabe (2nd right), <strong>in</strong> a group<br />
photograph with Igwe Dr Emmanuel Ugwu other traditional rulers and the Police Command<br />
spokesman, Ebere Amarizu, dur<strong>in</strong>g a courtesy visit to the traditional ruler of Ibagwa K<strong>in</strong>gdom<br />
<strong>in</strong> Nike, Enugu State.<br />
Unknown gunmen murder town union<br />
leader <strong>in</strong> Anambra<br />
bounty on killers<br />
•Obiano places N5m bounty<br />
on killers<br />
By V<strong>in</strong>cent<br />
Ujumadu<br />
A WKA—UNKNOWN<br />
gunmen have<br />
murdered the president<br />
general of Nimo Town<br />
Progressive Union <strong>in</strong><br />
Njikoka Local Government<br />
Area of Anambra State,<br />
Chief Anthony Igboka.<br />
Igboka, a former member<br />
of the Anambra State<br />
House of Assembly and<br />
state chairman of<br />
Progressive Peoples’<br />
Alliance, PPA, was killed <strong>in</strong><br />
his car on his way home<br />
after an out<strong>in</strong>g. He was<br />
driv<strong>in</strong>g himself at the time.<br />
The state police command<br />
said yesterday that there<br />
were sporadic gunshots<br />
around the Nimo market at<br />
about 8.30pm, which was<br />
about the time Igboka was<br />
killed.<br />
The Anambra State Police<br />
Public Relations Officer,<br />
PPRO, Mr. Haruna<br />
Mohammed said <strong>in</strong> a<br />
statement that on hear<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the gunshots, the police<br />
patrol team attached to<br />
Nimo division rushed to the<br />
scene and saw Igboka on<br />
the driver’s seat of his<br />
Chevrolet SUV vehicle,<br />
lay<strong>in</strong>g unconscious <strong>in</strong> the<br />
pool of his blood and his<br />
body riddled with bullet<br />
wounds.<br />
Accord<strong>in</strong>g to him, the<br />
victim was rushed to Beke<br />
Hospital, Nimo where he<br />
was confirmed dead by the<br />
medical doctor, add<strong>in</strong>g that<br />
the corpse had been<br />
deposited at the hospital's<br />
mortuary for autopsy.<br />
The police statement said:<br />
“Prelim<strong>in</strong>ary <strong>in</strong>vestigation<br />
revealed that the victim was<br />
shot at close range by four<br />
armed men who escaped <strong>in</strong><br />
a pickup van towards<br />
Abacha - Eziowelle road.<br />
Twenty five expended<br />
ammunition of 7.62 mm<br />
ammunition were<br />
recovered at the scene.<br />
“The commissioner of<br />
police, Mr. Mustapha<br />
Dandaura has visited the<br />
scene and ordered for a full<br />
scale <strong>in</strong>vestigation to<br />
ascerta<strong>in</strong> the circumstances<br />
surround<strong>in</strong>g the <strong>in</strong>cident<br />
and br<strong>in</strong>g the perpetrators<br />
to justice.”<br />
The statement appealed<br />
to the public to avail the<br />
command with useful<br />
<strong>in</strong>formation that could help<br />
<strong>in</strong> arrest<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
perpetrators.<br />
Anambra State<br />
government said it received<br />
the news of the kill<strong>in</strong>g with<br />
shock.<br />
Obiano places N5m<br />
Commissioner for<br />
Information and Public<br />
Enlightenment, Mr. C. Don<br />
Ad<strong>in</strong>uba said Governor<br />
Willie Obiano had been<br />
briefed on the violent death<br />
by the Commissioner of<br />
Police, add<strong>in</strong>g that the<br />
governor had announced a<br />
N5m reward to any person<br />
who could provide useful<br />
<strong>in</strong>formation on the identity<br />
of the killers.<br />
The governor described<br />
the kill<strong>in</strong>g as utterly<br />
heartless, not<strong>in</strong>g that<br />
Igboka’s elder brother,<br />
Chief Charles Igboka, a<br />
former Nigerian diplomat,<br />
died only two weeks ago<br />
and was yet to be buried.<br />
“It is a shame that the<br />
kill<strong>in</strong>g of Chief Igboka<br />
should take place <strong>in</strong> the<br />
week lead<strong>in</strong>g to Easter<br />
when men and women of<br />
goodwill throughout the<br />
world are reconcil<strong>in</strong>g<br />
themselves with God and<br />
fellow human be<strong>in</strong>gs."<br />
Railway: Igbo group accuses FG of marg<strong>in</strong>alis<strong>in</strong>g<br />
S-East, S-South<br />
By Anayo Okoli<br />
UMUAHIA—A group,<br />
Igbo Ekunie Initiative,<br />
IEI, has frowned at the<br />
exclusion of South-East<br />
and South-South geopolitical<br />
zones <strong>in</strong> National<br />
Railway Project by the<br />
Federal Government and<br />
described the action as<br />
“another example of<br />
Chibuike Amaechi and<br />
President <strong>Buhari</strong>’s<br />
unpatriotic politics of hate<br />
and exclusion”.<br />
The group said that it was<br />
very unjust for the Federal<br />
Government to borrow<br />
huge amount of money for<br />
a national project only for<br />
some sections of the country<br />
to be excluded from the<br />
project.<br />
They accused both<br />
President Muhammadu<br />
<strong>Buhari</strong> and Transportation<br />
M<strong>in</strong>ister, Chibuike<br />
Amaechi of deceiv<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
people of South East and<br />
South South with fake<br />
promises that the zones<br />
were covered by the<br />
railway contract only for the<br />
fund<strong>in</strong>g not to materialize,<br />
say<strong>in</strong>g that the APC<br />
government practices what<br />
they called “apartheid<br />
policies of exclusion”.<br />
In a statement signed by<br />
its President, Chief<br />
Tochukwu Ezeoke and the<br />
Secretary, Lawrence<br />
Nwobu, Igbo Ekunie<br />
Initiative accused the<br />
<strong>Buhari</strong> government of<br />
deliberately abandon<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the railway contract <strong>in</strong> the<br />
two zones awarded by the<br />
regime of former President<br />
Goodluck Jonathan.<br />
“The attention of Igbo<br />
Ekunie Initiative, a coalition<br />
of professionals <strong>in</strong> Nigeria<br />
and the Diaspora has been<br />
drawn to a report detail<strong>in</strong>g;<br />
the blatant neglect and<br />
exclusion of the South East<br />
and South-South <strong>in</strong> the<br />
national railway project.<br />
This is despite the federal<br />
government borrow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
billions of dollars and<br />
mortgag<strong>in</strong>g the whole<br />
nation to a debt that only<br />
some sections benefitted<br />
from.<br />
“The adm<strong>in</strong>istration of<br />
Goodluck Jonathan<br />
awarded contracts <strong>in</strong> 2011<br />
for Port Harcourt to Aba,<br />
Umuahia, Enugu, Oturkpo,<br />
Makurdi, Kafanchan,<br />
Kaduna and Kuru-Jos,<br />
Bauchi, Gombe,<br />
Maiduguri.<br />
“Tra<strong>in</strong> services were<br />
<strong>in</strong>crementally <strong>in</strong>troduced<br />
from 2014 as sections were<br />
completed. The contracts<br />
were at 85 per cent<br />
completion when President<br />
<strong>Buhari</strong> took over <strong>in</strong> May<br />
2015 and abandoned<br />
rehabilitation and<br />
construction of the railway<br />
l<strong>in</strong>e.<br />
“The South West has been<br />
enjoy<strong>in</strong>g railway services<br />
s<strong>in</strong>ce 2012 with the Lagos<br />
to Kano and Lagos to<br />
Abeokuta rail l<strong>in</strong>es; the<br />
North has had the Lagos<br />
to Kano l<strong>in</strong>es s<strong>in</strong>ce 2012,<br />
Kano to Nguru s<strong>in</strong>ce 2013,<br />
M<strong>in</strong>na to Kaduna, Ilor<strong>in</strong> to<br />
Kano s<strong>in</strong>ce 2014 and<br />
Zaria-Kaura s<strong>in</strong>ce 2015.<br />
“For over two years, the<br />
M<strong>in</strong>ister of Transportion,<br />
Chibuike Amaechi<br />
repeatedly claimed that the<br />
Federal Government was<br />
embark<strong>in</strong>g on a new $20<br />
billion Port Harcourt to<br />
Maiduguri railway l<strong>in</strong>e<br />
which turned out to be false<br />
when President<br />
Muhammadu <strong>Buhari</strong><br />
denied knowledge of the<br />
project dur<strong>in</strong>g the recent<br />
<strong>election</strong>s.<br />
“We note that <strong>in</strong> the case<br />
of the South East and<br />
South South, the m<strong>in</strong>ister<br />
of transportation Chibuike<br />
Amaechi and the <strong>Buhari</strong><br />
adm<strong>in</strong>istration have<br />
deliberately excluded the<br />
South East and South<br />
South while deceiv<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
public to believe otherwise."