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Court Orders CBN To Pay Benue Communities N8 Billion Over 2001 Military Invasion

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The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, on Monday, directed the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to forthwith, pay the sum of N8billion to Tiv communities in Logo, Ukum, Kwande and Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas of Benue State, to cover for damages they suffered when their towns were invaded in 2001 by soldiers of the Nigerian Army.


The court, in a ruling by Justice Iyang Ekwo, made the garnishee order to enforce a consent judgment the Enugu State Division of the Court of Appeal delivered on February 2, 2015.


Even though Justice Ekwo earlier granted an application the communities brought for the initial order of “garnishee nisi”, at the resumed proceeding on Monday, he made the garnishee order “absolute”.


Consequently, he ordered CBN to pay the N8bn into an interest-yielding account to be opened and maintained in First Bank of Nigeria Plc by the Chief Registrar of the court.
The court said it would later issue an order for the disbursement of the money after the CBN complies with the payment order, stressing that terms of the disbursement would be signed by first class chiefs of Jukun, Logo, Kwande, Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas on behalf of the Tiv Traditional Council.


Specifically, Justice Ekwo held: “The garnishee (CBN) is hereby ordered to pay the garnishee sum into an interest-yielding account to be opened and maintained by the Chief Registrar of this court in First Bank of Nigeria Plc.

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“The order authorising the disbursement of the money shall be made upon being satisfied with the terms of disbursement including the legal fees jointly singed by Ocha Ulegede, Esq, and J.K Gadzama, SAN, for the ganishors and endorsed by first-class chiefs of Jukun, Logo, Kwande, Katsina-Ala local government areas on behalf of the Tiv Traditional Council.”


The orders followed two suits that was initiated on behalf of the communities by 14 plaintiffs, Dr. Alexander Gaadi, Peter Orngu, Terfa Akaagba, Anongo Unishigh, Ngunengen Adula, Demelu Adula, Zaki Mazan, Mbakesen Ayatse, Mbayemen Maswuan, Anande Agashia, Azenda Igo, Elizabeth Aoughakaa, and Andrew Juntu.
Cited as defendants in the suits that were consolidated by the court, were, the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces (then President Olusegun Obasanjo), the then Minister of Defence, Chief of Army Staff and the Attorney-General of the Federation.


The plaintiffs told the court that their communities suffered irreparable losses in terms of both properties and lives as a result of the military invasion that took place around March, 2001.

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We don’t have power to determine tenure of IGP – Police Service Commission

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Police

The Police Service Commission, PSC, has said it has no constitutional powers to determine the appointment or removal of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP.

Gatekeeper recalls that the Police Service Commission had last week directed all serving police officers who have served for 35 years, or attained the age of 60 years, to proceed on immediate retirement in line with existing laws.

Since the directive several public commentators have argued that the directives should also affect the tenure of the IGP.

But Ikechukwu Ani, Head, Press and Public Relations of the PSC, in a statement on Monday, said, “By virtue of Paragraph 30, part 1 of the third schedule to the Constitution, and clause 6 (1) of the Police Service Commission (Establisment) Act, 2001, the Commission is charged with the responsibilities of appointment, promotion, dismissal and exercising disciplinary control over persons holding offices in the Nigeria Police Force (except the Inspector General of Police).

“The law is clear on the mandate of the Commission and it does not extend to the Inspector General of Police who is an appointee of Mr. President with the advice of the Police Council.

“The Commission wishes to state that it is comfortable with the size of the powers which the Constitution has bestowed on it and is not interested in shopping for more powers that obviously are not backed by law.”

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Electricity, telecom tariffs increase unconscionable, should be stopped – Shehu Sani

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Former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has described the planned increase in electricity and telecom tariffs as unconscionable.

The statement comes after the telecoms regulator last week approved the increase in mobile tariffs.

The federal government also recently said that plans were ongoing to increase electricity tariffs “over the next few months.”

However, Sani, who said the government’s plan is unreasonable, insisted that it should be halted.

The ex-lawmaker also expressed his support for the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the scheduled protest against the government’s proposal, calling it a welcome development.

“The planned increase in electricity tariffs in the midst of poor power supply and the proposal to increase telecom tariffs is unconscionable and should be halted. The scheduled labour union protest is a welcome development,” he posted on X.

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Trump to cut off funding to South Africa, gives reason

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Donald Trump

The United States President, Donald Trump, has revealed his decision to cut off all future funding to South Africa, citing poor treatment of “certain classes of people.”

Trump made this known on Sunday in a post on Truth Social, his social media platform.

According to Trump, South Africa was seizing land and mistreating some citizens without concern for the violations of their rights.

“South Africa is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY.

“I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!” Trump wrote.

Reports suggest that the American leader may be defending White South Africans, some of whom have alleged that the South African policy is unfair to them.

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