Rivers
RSG Debunks Police Claims On House Leader
Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State yesterday dismissed as a lie, the police version of the circumstances surrounding last Thursday’s arrest of the Leader of the House of Assembly, Hon Chidi Lloyd.
According to the State Police Command’s spokesman, DSP Ahmad Muhammad, Lloyd was responsible for the murder of Police Sergeant Urang Obediah and one Kingsley Ejeuo whom the police described as his political opponent.
However, the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr.David Iyofor, said the story put out by the police was a “completely distorted and untrue account” of what happened.
He said Governor Amaechi has no private plane or jet, as claimed by the police and Lloyd “was nowhere near the plane that took the Governor from Port Harcourt to Abuja.”
Governor Amaechi, he added, “was about to leave for Abuja, when he was informed that the Rivers State Police Commissioner, Mbu Joseph Mbu, had ordered that the plane (which is not the governor’s private jet, as claimed by the police) cannot leave Port Harcourt because Hon. Lloyd was in the plane and about to ‘escape’ with Governor Amaechi.
“Shocked, several calls were put across to CP Mbu that were not answered. CP Mbu later showed up and when the governor asked him, he denied giving such an order. He then went on and on, making a baseless, noisy argument that no one could comprehend. Governor Amaechi then called the Inspector-General of Police (IGP). While the Governor was speaking with the IGP on the phone, CP Mbu was shouting at the Governor on top of his voice, trying to disrupt the conversation between the Governor and the IGP, to the shock and disbelief of those that were there.” Iyofor said.
Iyofor stated that the governor only heard about Lloyd’s arrest in his (Lloyd’s) house in the presence of his family members and lawyer, Emenike Ebete,while the governor was away in Abuja.
Ebete also disputed the police claim. Speaking on the phone yesterday, he said the police action was politically motivated, adding that Lloyd neither drove the car in question nor knew Ejeuo in his life time.
He said Lloyd was arrested in his (Lloyd’s) residence and not the Air Force Base as claimed and Lloyd personally gave the police the direction to his house.
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