Rivers
Soldiers Nab Fake Taskforce Operators In PH
A mild drama ensued at
the Port Harcourt flyover, Abali Park recently as a team of soldiers on patrol arrested three fake task force operators.
The arrest caused a stir at the flyover as people gathered to watch as the team of soldiers dislodged and apprehended the three culprits as they struggled to escape the dragnet of the soldiers.
The Tide gathered that the soldiers acted on a tip off and tracked down the three men whose names were yet to be ascertained, but removed for their diehard attitude in the extortion of their victims.
Realising that the patrol team of soldiers was on their trail, the culprits were said to have zoomed off in a Volkswagen Passat car painted in taxi colours; but were quickly blocked by the team of soldiers in their patrol hilux van and arrested. Some residents and traders who spoke with our correspondent said the arrested men were familiar faces at the Abali Park who flaunt different identity cards allegedly from the Ministry of Urban Development, Port Harcourt City council and Rivers State Environmental Sanitation Authority.
A motorist, Akanimo Udosen who spoke with our correspondent, said the trio were among the lot that harassed and extorted money from motorists and traders on daily basis.
Another motorist, Ebuka Kame, said commercial vehicle owners were major victims of the fake taskforce men who extorted money from them and called on the state government to crack down on the illegal taskforce to save the motorists from the daily harassment and extortion.
When The Tide reporter approached the leader of the patrol team of soldiers for comments he declined to speak on the issue.
It would be recalled that the Commissioner for Urban Development, Hon. Tammy Danagogo had in a press statement, condemned all illegal taskforce operators while affirming that the Ministry would rid Port Harcourt of street markets, and uphold the garden city status of the Rivers State capital.
Similarly, the authorities of the Port Harcourt City Council have also declared its commitment towards sanitising the city, by eradicating street trading among other illegal activities.
Taneh Beemene
Rivers
Rivers CJ To Sanction Lawyers Who Refuse To Comply With ADR Compliance
The Rivers state Chief Judge, Justice SIMONE CHIBUZOR-AMADI has given an indication to sanction any lawyer who fail to comply with directive of a judge in the state to transferred a case to Rivers State Multi Door Courthouse for Alternatives Dispute Resolution.
Justice AMADI stated this during a brief ceremony held at the chief judge auditorium in port Harcourt Friday held to hand over certificates of operation to two private ADR chambers on Precarious Dispute Resolution Services and Harmony Arbitration and mediation center .
He urged the two private ADR centres to be diligent in the discharge of their duties and warned against compromising the standard of Alternative Dispute Resolution, ADR but should observed the regulations set out in collaboration regulation by the state Multi Door Court House.
Earlier in a address, the Director of the State Multi Door Courthouse, VICTOR NWEKE esq, highlighted some of the achievements of the Multi Door Courthouse especially in decongestion of court rooms.
NWEKE while disclosing how the department certified the two private ADR centres called for serious punitive measures be taken against any lawyer who fail to comply with a case referred to Multi Door Court House by a judge or magistrates in the state.
In her acceptance speech on behalf of the two certified private ADR centres, ALICE NIMI commended the State Judiciary and Multi Door Courthouse for the approval and assured that all the rules and regulations spelt out will be followed.
In a related development; the Rivers State Judiciary has assured its readiness to collaborate with Nigerian Securityding Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC in using Alternative Dispute Resolution to resolve some of the issues in their office.
The state Chief Judge , Justice SIMONE CHIBUZOR-AMADI made the promise when he received in audience the Zonal Commander of NSCDC, Assistant Commandant General, AYINLA TALYE OLOWO and his team who paid him a courtesy visit in his office , Friday where issuees ADR utilization took centre stage.
He used the opportunity to brief his visitors on the hurdles judges faces daily in the court room and the need for the decongestion of the court room , stressing that one judge handle more than three hundred cases but that if lawyers and litigants adopt ADR practice court rooms can be releive of the daily congestions.
The state Chief Judge however urged NSCDC to ensure a wider sensitization of the members of the public on the practice of ADR for a better awareness and knowledge.
Earlier in his speech, the Zonal Commander of NSCDC, Assistant Commandant General, AYINLA TALYE-OLOWO said the visit was to seek collaboration on the use of ADR in resolving some issues which he insisted would help decongest the courtrooms.
Our correspondent reports officials of the Rivers State Multi Door Courthouse led by the Director, VICTOR NWEKE led the team of NSCDC on a technical session where information on how to the fully in cooperated into the Multi Door Courthouse and operation of ADR will be emphasized.
Akujobi Amadi