Headlines
Court Turns Down DSS Request, Orders Immediate Release of Sowore
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The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday ordered the release of the convener of #RevolutionNow protest, Omoyele Sowore. Justice Taiwa Taiwo, who gave the order, urged the Department of State Services (DSS) to release Sowore to his lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), who must produce the accused person whenever the court wants him to appear over charges brought against him.
Sowore, who is the publisher of the news website, Sahara Reporters, and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2019 election, was arrested on August 3 by the DSS, two days before his planned rally tagged RevolutionNow. A few days after his arrest and detention, precisely on August 8, the DSS obtained permission of the Federal High Court to detain him in its custody for another 90 days for alleged terrorism offence, but the court granted 45 days.
Efforts by Sowore and his counsel to abridge the time proved abortive as the court declined to hear their plea. Falana had tried to explain to the court that it was misled by the DSS into granting the request. Although the court had fixed that day for hearing on the application, Justice Nkeonye Maha, however, refused every move to entertain the motion on the ground that she lacked the power to vacate or review an order made by a court of equal jurisdiction. “The court has given an order; do I have the power to set aside (an) order of a court of equal jurisdiction?”
Justice Maha held that since Justice Taiwo, who granted the order would be back soon, Falana should return to him or rather channel his application to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.But Falana insisted that even though the other party was asking for adjournment, the court had the power to abridge the date. “My Lordship will do justice to the matter, otherwise, the man will be there for 40 days, which is not in the interest of justice,” he prayed.
With the failure of that plea, the activist Sowore spent the whole 45 days in the DSS custody. But yesterday, the parties returned to the same Justice Taiwo, who ordered an immediate release of Sowore to his lawyer. The judge, however, held that since the charges of terrorism had already been filed against Sowore, he must deposit his international passport and other travel documents to the court to guarantee his availability for trial.
Earlier, Justice Taiwo stood down the case after hearing arguments from both parties. Falana had argued that the order issued by the court on August 8, permitting the DSS to hold the activist for 45 days had expired on September 21. He, therefore, prayed the court to issue a consequential order releasing Sowore from the custody of DSS.
But the counsel to DSS, G.O Agbadua, told the court that since the charges had been filed against the activist on September 20, it was lawful to continue to keep him until arraignment. Falana kicked against Agbadua’s position on the ground that the filing of charges could not metamorphose into a detention order, adding that a citizen could not detain a citizen in anticipation of arraignment.
Agbadua had earlier withdrawn the application filed by the DSS seeking the extension of the period of detention of Sowore for another 20 days. He based his request on the ground that charges had been filed against the activist. Consequently, Falana withdrew Sowore’s application for bail on the ground that the application had become an academic exercise since the order of detention had expired.
With the expiration of the detention order and the withdrawal of the DSS’ request to further keep Sowore in custody, Falana, therefore, urged the court to order the release of his client.Justice Taiwo, in his ruling, agreed with Falana and consequently, ordered the immediate release of Sowore from custody.In a reaction to the ruling, the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere described it as a courageous demonstration by the court.
The Guardian
A United States-based policy advisory and lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has alleged that Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, spent millions of dollars to prevent the release of records of his alleged drug trafficking case.
Von Batten-Montague-York made this allegation in a post on its verified X handle late Tuesday.
According to the firm, Tinubu’s claim that he was not attempting to block the release of the records is contradictory to the action of his own legal team in the ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case.
It accused Tinubu of having petitioned the court and consulted with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA, as part of efforts to prevent the records from being released.
“Despite claiming innocence, Tinubu has spent millions of dollars to ensure that his drug trafficking records are never released.
“The description of the underlying matter is merely a civil case. The involvement of US law-enforcement agencies in the records dispute demonstrated that the matter involved sensitive investigative material,” the firm said.
The latest allegation from the firm came against the backdrop of the ongoing legal battle over the release of records held by the US Department of Justice, DOJ, FBI and DEA, concerning historical investigations involving Tinubu.
United States District judge, Beryl Howell, had granted Donald Trump-appointed attorney, Jeanine Pirro, additional days to release the alleged drug-trafficking records.
Tinubu had joined the request of the US Department of Justice for a 10-day extension to respond to a motion seeking the release of records relating to allegations of drug trafficking.
Born on December 24, 1971, in the Mbeya Region, Dr Emmanuel John Nchimbi grew up in a family rooted in public service. His father, Mzee John Nchimbi, hailing from Songea District, served as an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and Regional Police Commander for Mtwara.
Beyond his law enforcement career, the elder Nchimbi was actively involved in politics, serving two terms as a National Executive Committee (NEC) member for Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) through the armed forces wing and later as a CCM regional secretary.
Dr Nchimbi began his primary education at Oysterbay Primary School in Dar es Salaam from 1980 to 1986. He pursued his O-Level studies at Uru Secondary School (Form I to III) from 1987 to 1989 before transferring to Sangu Secondary School, where he completed Form IV in 1990.
He then moved to Forest Hill Secondary School in Mbeya for his A-Level education between 1991 and 1993.
Advancing to higher education, Dr Nchimbi earned an Advanced Diploma in Administration from the Institute of Development Management (IDM) Mzumbe in Morogoro between 1994 and 1997.
Upon graduating, his political trajectory accelerated rapidly: he was elected as a member of CCM’s National Executive Committee (NEC), and by 1998, he was elected Chairman of the CCM Youth Wing (Umoja wa Vijana wa Chama cha Mapinduzi – UVCCM).
Alongside his rising political responsibilities, Dr Nchimbi built a professional background in public service and academia. He worked at the National Environment Management Council (NEMC) from 1998 to 2003.
During this period, he pursued further studies, obtaining a Master of Business Administration (MBA) specialising in Banking and Finance from Mzumbe University between 2001 and 2003. He was later appointed District Commissioner for Bunda (2003–2005) and went on to complete a Doctorate (PhD) at Mzumbe University between 2008 and 2011.
He served in that capacity until October 2006, when he was reshuffled to serve as Deputy Minister for Labour, Employment, and Youth Development until February 2008. He subsequently served as Deputy Minister for Defence and National Service until November 2010.
Source: The Star
Headlines
Tinubu Orders Arrest, Suspension of Three Perm Secs As ICPC Uncovers Another Fake Govt Agency
President Bola Tinubu on Friday ordered the immediate arrest and suspension of three federal Permanent Secretaries over their alleged involvement in the operation of another fake agency uncovered by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, who disclosed this to newsmen after briefing President Tinubu on the latest findings from the commission’s ongoing investigation into fictitious agencies and weaknesses in public sector processes named the affected Permanent Secretaries to include M S Danjuma, Engr Nadungu Gagare, and Richard Pheelangwah.
The Commision’s latest discovery is coming barely few weeks after exposing the fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
According to Aliyu, the newly uncovered entity, operating as National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, had allegedly secured office accommodation within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) without authorisation from the President.
The discovery, he said, was made during the broader investigation into the PFIPC, which President Tinubu had directed the ICPC to undertake.
The fake agency, according to ICPC boss, was promoted by Prince George Buchi Nwabueze, who allegedly operated under several variations of his name, including George Nathan Nwabueze, Honourable George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and George Buchi Nwabueze.
Aliyu disclosed that the commission was engaging relevant officials in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to establish how the purported agency came to operate from government premises and to obtain other vital information required for the investigation.
“I have briefed Mr President comprehensively on these new developments. ICPC will continue with its investigation,” he said.
Following the fresh findings, Aliyu said President Tinubu had directed the immediate arrest of Prince George Buchi Nwabueze, as well as the immediate suspension of the three named permanent secretaries.
The commission is expected to establish the roles played by the suspended officials and other individuals in the emergence and operation of the purported agency.
Aliyu said the latest discovery underscored the need for tighter controls and greater scrutiny of government institutions and internal administrative processes.
He commended President Tinubu for ordering a wider policy audit of federal agencies and government processes, describing the initiative as a proactive measure to strengthen the governance system.
His said: “President Bola Tinubu must be commended for the proactive step of directing the policy audit of MDAs and internal government processes towards strengthening government governance system.”
The latest development has widened the scope of the ICPC’s investigation into the proliferation of fictitious government entities and alleged exploitation of official structures by individuals seeking to create the impression of government authority.
The commission’s investigation into the PFIPC was initiated after the purported agency came under scrutiny, with the President subsequently directing the ICPC to unravel those behind its operations and determine whether public officials facilitated its activities.
With the discovery of another purported agency operating from government premises, the ICPC probe is now expected to examine broader institutional weaknesses that may have enabled unauthorised entities to gain access to federal government facilities and present themselves as legitimate government bodies.
