The Police in Eket, Akwa Ibom, have assured that public facility vandalism would be completely tackled in the town and its environs. The Divisional Police Officer, SP Felix Ekpoudom, stated this shortly after visiting a vandalised water fountain at Udom Emmanuel Boulevard in Atabong, Eket town.

Ekpoudom said that the police became aware of the incident after the visit of Governor Umo Eno to Eket on May 3.The Police in Eket, Akwa Ibom, have assured that public facility vandalism would be completely tackled in the town and its environs.

The Divisional Police Officer, SP Felix Ekpoudom, stated this shortly after visiting a vandalised water fountain at Udom Emmanuel Boulevard in Atabong, Eket town. Ekpoudom said that the police became aware of the incident after the visit of Governor Umo Eno to Eket on May 3.

The DPO said that it was wrong to steal or vandalise public facilities, saying,” Those who do so are agents of underdevelopment”. We have observed that acts of vandalism are happening in some areas in Eket. We have begun our surveillance, we shall get hold of them,” he said. Ekpoudom urged residents of Eket to support the support with credible information to tackle the ugly menace.

”We need the cooperation of the community, you have to work with the police to tackle this challenge. We are committed towards tackling vandalism and other unlawful activities in the area. We shall apprehend them,” he added.

Earlier, the community Youth Leader, Mr Willie Mbong, described the issue of public facility vandalism in the area as worrisome. That water fountain is adding to the aesthetic beauty of the town. It is a bad thing to vandalise and steal some of its components.

”We shall take this issue seriously by reporting it to the appropriate authorities. Those behind this act must be unmasked.” He assured that the community would do everything possible to support the Police towards apprehending those involved in the act.

Source: Dailypost

A Kano State High Court has set May 27, 2024, for the commencement of hearing in the case of the alleged suspension of the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.  The court, presided over by Justice Usman Malam Na’abba, will hear three applications: a preliminary objection, a joinder application, and an application challenging the court’s jurisdiction.

The applicants, Haladu Gwanjo and Laminu Sani Barguma, are seeking an order of interim injunction on Ganduje’s suspension from the APC.Counsel for the applicant, Ibrahim Sa’ad, requested a new date to respond to the counter affidavit filed by the respondents. Counsel for the respondents did not object to the request.

Counsel for the fourth respondent, Lydia Oyewo, informed the court that her client was not served with the court processes. Parties seeking to be joined in the case also informed the court of their position.

Justice Na’abba fixed May 27 for the hearing to allow all parties to serve their processes and respond to the applications.

Source: sunnewsonline

In other news – Military forcefully took away suspected oil bunkerers from police custody – IGP tells court

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP, has told a Federal High Court in Abuja that the military forcefully took away some suspects allegedly involved in oil bunkering from police custody.

Counsel to the IGP, Idris Mohammed, revealed this to Justice James Omotosho when the matter was called for the alleged oil bunkerers to take their plea in a five-count criminal charge filed against them. The IGP had, in an earlier charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/60/2024, listed 19 alleged oil bunkerers for prosecution. Read more

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP, has told a Federal High Court in Abuja that the military forcefully took away some suspects allegedly involved in oil bunkering from police custody. Counsel to the IGP, Idris Mohammed, revealed this to Justice James Omotosho when the matter was called for the alleged oil bunkerers to take their plea in a five-count criminal charge filed against them. The IGP had, in an earlier charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/60/2024, listed 19 alleged oil bunkerers for prosecution.

They include MT Harbor Spirit, Muhammad Malik Sidique, Joju Oil and Gas Ltd, Shittu Joseph, Enudi Kenneth Amechi, Jeremiah Oberhiri Nyohe, Abiodun Kolapo Joseph, Razaq Mahmud, Onwe Jonas Egana, Jeremiah Fezighe Gilbert as 1st to 10th defendants.

Also joined in the criminal charge dated and filed February.15 are Idon Simeon Amon, Adedeji Nathaniel Thomson, Effiong Ekpo Otu, Preye Moses Egbuson, Opoufoni Owei, Abiodun Razaq, Youngstar Amon, Collins Ebuka Eluche and Taiye Rashid Balogun as 11th to 19th defendants respectively. However, the police, in an amended charge dated and filed February 28, brought criminal charges against only MT Harbor Spirit, a Vessel, Muhammad Malik Sidique and Joju Oil and Gas Ltd as 1st to 3rd defendants, respectively.

In the amended charge, count one read that MT Harbor Spirit, Muhammad Malik Sidique, Joju Oil and Gas Ltd and the 4th to 19th defendants in the earlier charge (now at large) “on February 4, 2024, in the Deep Sea in Ogbogoro Oil Field, Brass Area of Bayelsa State, conspired” to tamper with oil pipeline for the transportation of crude oil. The offence, according to the prosecution, is punishable under Section 1(7) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

In count two, the defendants and others now at large were alleged to have on February. 4 in the Deep Sea in Ogbogoro Oil Field, Brass Area of Bayelsa State, wilfully tampered with OML 59, Ogbogoro 001 Oil Field, operated by ELF for the transportation of crude oil. In count three, the defendants were alleged to be dealing in about 80, 000 litres of crude oil without lawful authority or appropriate license.

Count five accused the defendants of storing about 80, 000 litres of crude oil in MT Harbour Spirit Cargo Tanks in the Deep Sea in Ogbogoro Oil Field without appropriate licence contrary to Section 4 of the Petroleum Act, Cap P10, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. However, at the point of taking their plea, the IGP’s lawyer, Mohammed, informed the court that Muhammad Malik Sidique was the only defendant in court.

He said though a five-count charge dated and filed on February 15 was preferred against 19 defendants and that the 4th to 19th defendants were forcefully taken away by the armed forces during one of their visits to their custody.

The lawyer prayed the court to issue warrant of arrest against the 4th to 19th defendants who he alleged were at large. But Justice Omotosho faulted Mohammed for claiming that the 4th to 19th defendants were at large when he had earlier told the court that the armed forces forcefully took them away.

The judge frowned at the abuse of the word “at large” adding that such words are used for suspects or defendants whose whereabouts are unknown. With what you have said that the armed forces took them to their custody, are they at large? At large is when somebody cannot be traced,” the judge said.

The IGP’s lawyer, thereafter, sought the leave of court to amend the amended charges in open court. But the judge observed more anomalies with the charge sheet and then ordered the prosecution to go and put his house in order.

“Go and serve them there (at the military custody) and bring them or you remove their names from the charge. We are here for justice. I don’t know them,” he directed.

The IGP’s lawyer, then, told the judge that the police did not hand over the defendants to the military, rather, they forcefully took them away from their custody.

Counsel for the defendants, Michael Mbanefo, did not oppose to the further amendment of the charge. However, Mbanefo urged the court to direct the prosecution to agree with him and grant Sidique administrative bail because he had been in custody since his arrest. But Justice Omotosho declined, saying “the court does not grant administrative bail”. Justice Omotosho thereafter adjourned the arraignment of the alleged oil bunkerers til March 6.

Source: dailypost