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Rivers Acting CJ Frees 15 Prisoners
L-R: President, Trade Union Congress, Mr Boboi Kaigama;President, Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr Ayuba Wabba, Project Director, Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, Mrs Helen Jemerigbe and leader of the Nigerian delegation, Dr Clement Illoh, at the 104th International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, last Wednesday.
The Rivers State Acting Chief Judge, Justice Daisy W. Okocha, has granted pardon to 15 prisoners on awaiting trial in various courts in the state.
Okocha also admitted in to bail, Mr. Ebere Orji, a level 14 Civil Servant on awaiting trial at the Federal Prisons, Port Harcourt, for over five years for allegedly standing as a surety for an accused person who is currently at large.
The Acting Chief Judge released the inmates during a gaol delivery exercise at the Port Harcourt prisons, yesterday.
Okocha, while admitting Orji to bail in the sum of N50,000 and one surety who must be resident in the state, said it was to give him chance to continue in the trial in case the court would want him to pay the bail bond.
The State Acting Chief Judge, while granting pardon to the freed inmates, told them to be of good behaviour in the society.
According to her, the exercise was sequel to the recent inauguration of the six – member Administration of Justice Committee headed by herself for the exercise in accordance with the provisions of the criminal justice (Release from custody) (Special provisions) Act (Cap. C 40 laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004).
The offences that were considered during the exercise cut across abduction, defilement, cultism, rape, stealing, among others.
Among the lucky inmates who were discharged and acquitted by the state Acting Chief Judge, are a 16-year old nursing mother, Miss Mary Isaiah from Delta State, charged with conspiracy and murder as well as Miss Blessing Asu, suffering from mental discorder.
Also freed were Ejike Samuel (17), Festus Monsigia (77), Emmanuel Udoh, Sampson Braide, Micheal Ilo, ThankGod Ekene, Ibrahim Yusuf and Solomon Yellowe.
They were pardoned for staying in the prison above the years’ of their jail terms if convicted by the court as stipulated by the law.
However, Mrs Oluchi Amadi, a widow, Emmanuel Enyi, Muhammed Usman, and a Manager of Diamond Bank were not lucky to the breath fresh air of freedom, as they were told by the Acting Chief Judge to go back to the court and perfect their bail terms.
Okocha ordered the prison officers to ensure that those inmates on cultism charges and discharged by her were made to sign congnisance agreement to be of good behaviour before they are finally released from the prison.
The Chief Registrar, High Court, Leondard K. Adoki, the State Director of Public Prosecution, Members of Legal Aid Council, FIDA, Police as well as the State Controller of Prisons, were on ground to give a helping hand to the Acting Chief Judge during the exercise.
One of the prisoners, who regained freedom, Mr. Lele, told newsmen that God had transformed his life while in prison, adding that he would be of good behaviour, and not indulge in any act that would return him to the prison custody again.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of four new members to the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement yesterday, said the appointment is to fill existing vacancies and strengthen the board’s capacity.
The statement said the approved nominees are Mr. Olusegun Omosehin of the National Insurance Commission and Engr. Wole Ogunsanya of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria.
Tinubu also endorsed the nomination of Sam Onyechi, who represents the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum and Barrister Owei Oyanbo from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
The President encouraged the new members to leverage their expertise and dedication to enhance local content development within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
It added, “The nominations arose from the exit of previous institutional representatives from the Governing Council.
“The NCDMB Governing Council, established under Section 69 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, comprises representatives from key institutions.
“These include the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, and the National Insurance Commission.”
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced plans to construct additional hostels, rehabilitate roads, and enhance power supply in the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).
NDDC’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, disclosed this during a visit to the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, yesterday by a delegation from the UNIPORT’s Governing Council.
Ogbuku stated that the NDDC had committed to upgrading facilities at UNIPORT as part of efforts to foster partnership with educational institutions across the Niger Delta.
According to him, the implementation of additional projects at the university forms part of a broader strategy to improve education standards in the region.
“Aside from the construction of new hostel blocks and installation of a 300 KVA solar inverter system, the NDDC will also facilitate more projects in the university.
“The commission will also deploy its engineers to assess the condition of UNIPORT’s roads and hostels for potential rehabilitation,” he said.
Ogbuku noted that upon completion, the projects would add to various initiatives previously undertaken by the commission at the university.
“These and other projects reflect our commitment to actualising President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the Niger Delta region,” he added.
He reaffirmed the NDDC’s dedication to fostering development and strengthening partnerships across the region.
Earlier, Sen. Mao Ohuanbunwa, Chairman of UNIPORT’s Governing Council, who led the delegation commended the current leadership of the NDDC for its achievements in accelerating development in the Niger Delta.
He highlighted the university’s infrastructural challenges, noting that it lacked adequate facilities to accommodate its growing student population, and appealed for the NDDC’s support in addressing the shortfall.
“Currently, UNIPORT has a total student population of about 50,000, while its hostel accommodation capacity can only cater for 5,000 students.
“We therefore urge the NDDC to assist in the construction of additional hostels, improve transportation facilities, and facilitate the acquisition of gas turbines to enhance power supply for our students,” Ohuanbunwa pleaded.
The Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, commended NDDC for its impactful projects across the Niger Delta and extended an invitation to the commission to participate in the institution’s forthcoming 50th anniversary celebrations.
The Senate has rejected a motion to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters after the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission, late Prof Humphrey Nwosu.
Nwosu presided over the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which was truncated by the former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).
The election which was won by the late business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola, was adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the electoral history of Nigeria.
The motion to rename INEC after Nwosu was re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe yesterday after lawmakers threw it out last Wednesday.
Abaribe called for posthumous national honours to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
However, the proposal sparked a heated debate once again, with lawmakers deeply divided over Nwosu’s legacy.
Senator Osita Ngwu acknowledged that Nwosu operated under a military regime, which restricted his ability to announce the results.
He argued that “there was no way he would have announced the results with a gun to his head. That doesn’t change the fact that some of us see him as a hero.”
Senator Austin Akobundu, however, described it as most uncharitable for lawmakers to dismiss Nwosu’s contributions, insisting that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s hall of honour.
On the other hand, several senators like Senator Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the idea outright, questioning why the Senate should honour someone who failed to announce the results insisting that “nothing should be named after him”.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi argued that history does not reward efforts, but only results.
“As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him,” he submitted.
Also, Senator Sunday Karimi criticised Nwosu for lacking the courage to speak out, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that immortalising him would undermine the memory of MKO Abiola, the widely accepted winner of the June 12, 1993, annulled election.
“Any attempt to do anything beyond a one-minute silence is to rubbish Abiola’s legacy,” he tendered.
After intense deliberation, most senators rejected the motion through a voice vote.
They, however, agreed to honour him with a one-minute silence and extend condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other prayers to immortalise Nwosu.