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BREAKING: Court Orders FG To Return Kanu To Status Quo, Awards Him N500m Damages

Lifestyle Nigeria gathered that the Federal High Court presided by Justice Evelyn Anyadike has ordered the Federal Government to “restore Nnamdi Kanu to his status quo before 19th June 2021”.

In Wednesday’s ruling on fundamental human rights and extraordinary rendition of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), she also ordered the government to pay N500m as damages to him.

The Court in its further rulings issued an injunction restraining the Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami from prosecuting Kanu consequent upon his extraordinary rendition.

Kanu had in March this year filed a suit through his special counsel Aloy Ejimakor to enforce his fundamental rights stemming from what Ejimakor had termed his “extraordinary rendition” from Kenya in June last year.

In its Judgment, the court dismissed the Federal government’s objections to its jurisdiction and upheld all the reliefs sought by Kanu.

Speaking to the media after the judgment, Ejimakor called on the Federal government to “promptly comply with the judgment, more particularly the part that requires Kanu to be returned to Kenya”.

“We defeated the Federal Government. They said they don’t listen, they have listened today. Court told them that if they know the thing they did in June last year when they went to abduct the man from Kenya, they should return him back to Kenya the same way,” he told BBC Igbo.

“That what they did is bad and illegal, the way they tortured him is illegal. Our prayers to the court are eight, the court granted all. But the one I’m strongly pointing at is for them to take him back to Kenya, that is what the court said. So, I am hoping they will obey. If you offend and the court tells you, you have to accept.

“If you offend the Federal Government, they go to court; why do they go to court? When the court rules against them, they will start dragging foot. If they insist on not obeying the court, then they should dismantle all the courts in the country and we will start exchanging blows.”

Below are the reliefs sought by Kanu:
1. A DECLARATION that the arrest of the Applicant in Kenya by the Respondents’ agents without due process of law is arbitrary, and the Respondents’ enforced disappearance of the Applicant for eight (8) days and their refusal to produce the Applicant before a Kenyan Court for the purpose of Applicant’s extradition is illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional and amount to infringement of the Applicant’s fundamental right against arbitrary arrest, to his personal liberty and to fair hearing as enshrined and guaranteed under the pertinent provisions of CFRN and the Charter.
2. A DECLARATION that the detention of the Applicant in a non-official secret facility in Kenya and the torture of the Applicant in Kenya by the Respondents’ agents is illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional, and amounts to infringement of the Applicant’s fundamental right against unlawful detention, torture and to a fair hearing, as enshrined and guaranteed under the pertinent provisions of CFRN and the Charter).
3. A DECLARATION that pursuant to Article 12(4) of the Charter, the expulsion (or extraordinary rendition) of the Applicant from Kenya to Nigeria by the Respondents without a decision taken in accordance with the law of Kenya is illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional and amounts to infringement of the Applicant’s fundamental right to a fair hearing and not to be expelled from a State Party to the Charter except by virtue of a decision taken in accordance with the law, as enshrined and guaranteed under the pertinent provisions of CFRN and the Charter.
4. A DECLARATION that any criminal prosecution of the Applicant for the purpose of which the Respondents unlawfully expelled the Applicant from Kenya to Nigeria is illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional, and amounts to infringement of the Applicant’s fundamental right to a fair hearing, as enshrined and guaranteed under the pertinent provisions of CFRN and the Charter.
5. AN ORDER OF INJUNCTION restraining and prohibiting the Respondents from taking any further step in any criminal prosecution of the Applicant enabled by the said unlawful expulsion of the Applicant from Kenya to Nigeria.
6. AN ORDER mandating and compelling the Respondents to forthwith restitute or otherwise restore the Applicant to his liberty, same being his state of being as of 19th June 2021; and to thereupon repatriate the Applicant to his country of lawful domicile (to wit: the United Kingdom) to await the outcome of any formal request the Respondents may file before the competent authorities in Britain for the lawful extradition of the Applicant to Nigeria.
7. AN ORDER mandating and compelling the Respondents to issue an official Letter of Apology to the Applicant for the infringement of his fundamental rights; and publication of said Letter of Apology in three (3) national dailies.
8. AN ORDER mandating and compelling the Respondents to pay the sum of N500, 000,000 (Five Hundred Million Naira) to the Applicant, being monetary damages claimed by the Applicant against the Respondents jointly and severally for the physical, mental, emotional, psychological, property and other damages suffered by the Applicant as a result of the infringements of Applicant’s fundamental rights by the Respondents.

Related Topics:Awards Breaking court damages Kanu N500m orders Quo Return Status

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Why Nigeria Needs State Police — Senate President, Akpabio

Lifestyle Nigeria Gathered that President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has made a passionate appeal for the establishment of state police.

Speaking at a national dialogue on Security and State Police, held in Abuja, Senator Akpabio declared that the mounting security challenges across the country have made the creation of State Police to complement Federal Police compelling.

The President of the Senate appealed to the gathering to ensure that the State Police departments are insulated from politics, religion, and ethnic extremism.

He said: “In working out modalities for the state police and the security of our nation, we must not forget that security is not a privilege, but a fundamental right of every Nigerian. It is our duty to ensure that this right is upheld, that justice is served, and that the rule of law prevails.

We must build a security architecture that is robust, transparent, and accountable. If we are to set up state police departments, we must ensure that they are free from the shackles of politics, religious extremism, tribalism, and ethnicism. We must empower them to serve and protect, without fear or favour.

“As we consider this proposition, let us draw inspiration from the United States of America, a nation that has successfully implemented a system of state and federal policing. Let us learn from their experiences and adapt their models to suit our unique socio-political context.

Let us ensure that our state police forces work in harmony with their federal counterparts, collaborating to fight crime, preserve peace, and safeguard our democracy. In the USA, the FBI, the federal police body enforces federal laws and the state police departments enforce state laws. The FBI also investigates inter-state crimes. We must draw the lines because to have functional state police we must have a strong federal police.”

Akpabio who shared strong reservations about abuse of State Police as instrument of witch-hunt asked his colleagues to cooperate in building a system that is fair, just, and equitable for all.

“But let us never forget that the power of the state police should never be used as a tool of oppression or witch-hunting. Let us ensure that political powers do not manipulate the state police to silence dissent or target their enemies. Let us ensure that the influential do not exert undue influence over the state police, and that justice is blind to wealth, power, politics, or status. Let us build a system that is fair, just, and equitable for all.

“Therefore, in this hallowed hall, let us embrace this dialogue as an opportunity for unity, understanding, and collaboration. Let us rise above our differences and work towards a common goal – a safer and more secure Nigeria.

Let us use our collective efforts to build a nation that can withstand the challenges that lie ahead, a nation that can combat the monster of insecurity that currently threatens our collective well-being.“

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JUST IN: Tinubu opens African Counter-Terrorism summit in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has kicked off the African Counter-Terrorism Summit in Abuja’s Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, said in a statement on Sunday that a high-level conference organized by Nigeria in partnership with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) will take place from April 22 to 23.

Platinumpost reported that the objective of the summit is to enhance multilateral counter-terrorism cooperation and reshape the international community’s collective response to terrorism in Africa, emphasizing African-led and African-owned solutions.

Special guests present at the security summit include: Mr Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary General, United Nations office of Counter-Terrorism; Ms Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General United Nations and Patrice Talon , President of the Republic of Benin, among others.

More details to follow…

(Nation)

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“God Is Nothing Without Me”: Viral Graduate Tenders Apology For His Bad Grammar

Lifestyle Nigeria gathered that a recent Benue State University (BSU) graduate, Msuega Terna Jnr, has apologized for his contentious graduation celebration post, which went viral on Facebook.

Msuega, who was celebrating the completion of his university career, posted photographs of his signing out on the Facebook page “TIV SINGLES” with a comment littered with poor language.

His now-deleted message said, “Hello Tiv shingles, celebration with me. I am a graduation from BSU.

“God is nothing without me.”

In a follow-up Facebook post on Sunday, Msuega clarified that his viral graduation post was not intended to disparage or drag his alma mater through the mud, but rather to raise publicity for himself. He said that it was intentional.

“In the said publication, I deliberately used wrong sentence to create awareness of my signing out from the university, though it was deliberate, but with no intentions of hurting anyone, a group, community or Institution.

“The publication has generated mixed reactions from users of social media, the academics, religious believers and different groups of people. “It was not intended to drag the reputation of any individual, group, community or Institution to the mud, neither was the publication to discredit God.”

He also stated that he believes in the existence of God. “I want to tender my unreserved apology for making people believe a graduate can’t express himself, doubting the reputation of my school, feeling I’m using God’s name for joke.

“To the best of my knowledge, I have acquired education from one of the best universities in Nigeria and I can express myself very fluently, equivocally without commiting blunders of such gravity and I’m also a religious believer that believes in the existence of God.”

Check out some of the reactions that trailed his apology below:

Ordue Edward Shagba said: “Polished English it’s. I hope this Apologies goes viral too. Congratulations.”

Aondowase Akpenwe said: “U lack the expected university trained characters assumed to be acquired by you. That’s all.”

Iorfa Madaky said: “You brought everything upon yourself, I pray your school don’t find a reason to use you as an example to put a stop to this cruise of a thing.”

L.B. Ume-Lai said: “Tswara ambi. “Shey u wan trend? “E go soon com out for newspapers. “U go explain explain tire.”