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Badoo: Lawyer petitions Lagos police command over unlawful detention, harassment of Abayomi Alaka.
AN Ibadan based legal practitioner, Barrister Tunde Ojehomon has petitioned the Lagos State Police Command over the unlawful arrest, prejudicial stigmatization, harassment, false accusation and detention of his client, an oil marketer and owner of Alaka Petroleum, Alhaji Abayomi Alaka for having a link with the deadly Badoo cult.
Contained in a press statement issued and made available to journalists in Ibadan, Barrister Tunde said the actions of the Lagos State Police Command shows that they have no respect for fundamental human rights and the rule of law by detaining Alhaji Abayomi Alaka, saying that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Section 36 (5) stipulates that a person is presumed innocent until his guilt is proven beyond reasonable doubt in a court of competent jurisdiction which the Lagos State Police Command did not follow.
The legal practitioner said his client was wrongfully arrested, detained, paraded without preliminary investigation to ascertain a reasonable degree of involvement, culpability only for them to release Alhaji Alaka when they realized that they have trampled on his fundamental human rights. He, also noted that he was even released without any surety.
He stressed that the Police Command has no right under the law to parade suspect yet to be tried in the court of law and convicted, adding that his client has never been, he is not and will never be a member of any cult or notorious groups that is disturbing the peace of residence of Lagos State.
Barrister Tunde further argued that the allegation against his client is untrue, baseless and a mere deliberate attempt to damage his hard earned reputation and image.
Barrister Tunde then called on the Inspector General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris to caution the overzealousness of his men against baseless stigmatization of innocent citizens via prejudicial parade.
He said as a law abiding citizen, his client has approached the court of law to seek redress to the issue.
He, however requested the Lagos State Police Command to tender an unreserved apology to his client by placing their apology letter in some National Dailies so that members of the public will know that Alhaji Alaka was wrongfully accused, lamenting that the Police has caused a lot of havoc and psychological trauma to him.
Crime & Court
EFCC Chair Raises Alarm on Rampant Fraud in Nigeria’s Electricity Sector
Ola Olukoyede, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has raised concerns over widespread corruption in Nigeria’s electricity sector, attributing frequent national grid failures to fraudulent practices involving substandard materials.
Olukoyede made these remarks on Tuesday during a visit from the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.
He revealed that ongoing investigations in the power sector had exposed disturbing levels of malpractice, often resulting in compromised infrastructure and recurrent grid collapses.
“As I am talking to you now, we are grappling with electricity. If you see some of the investigations we are carrying out within the power sector, you will shed tears,” Olukoyede stated.
He further explained that contractors awarded projects to supply electrical equipment were substituting recommended materials with cheaper, inferior alternatives.
“People who were awarded contracts to supply electricity equipment, instead of using what they call 9.0 gauge, they will buy 5.0,” he said, noting that such fraudulent practices contribute significantly to the country’s unstable power supply.
“So, every time you see the thing tripping off gets burnt, and all of that, it’s part of our problems.”
The EFCC boss disclosed that the agency would be intensifying efforts toward crime prevention rather than focusing solely on asset recovery.
He emphasized that future scrutiny would prioritize spending by government ministries and agencies to curb misappropriation at the source.
News
Customs Surpasses Revenue Target with N5.7 tn Collection
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced a record revenue collection of N5.7 trillion as of November 12, 2024, surpassing its yearly target by 10 percent.
This was disclosed by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, at the ongoing 2024 Comptroller-General of Customs Conference in Abuja.
Themed “Nigeria Customs Service: Engaging Traditional and New Partners with Purpose,” the conference showcased the Customs Service’s progress in modernizing its operations and fostering collaborative partnerships.
“Today, I stand before you to demonstrate how our commitments in 2023 have evolved into tangible achievements,” Adeniyi stated.
He attributed the revenue growth to a series of reforms, including the implementation of a one-stop solution for cargo alerts, a revamped ICT infrastructure, streamlined inspection procedures, and enhanced automation.
Adeniyi explained that these changes reflect the agency’s commitment to elevating operational transparency and efficiency.
“We pledged to re-align our free trade operations, elevate cargo integrity standards, and expand our scanning capacities,” he said.
“Above all, we promised to usher in a new era of customs operations—one built on transparency, efficiency, and genuine collaborations with our partners.”
As of Tuesday, November 12, Adeniyi confirmed that the NCS collected N5.07 trillion, achieving the anticipated 10 percent revenue surplus.
“This performance validates our partnership-driven approach to revenue collection and trade facilitation,” he added.
Adeniyi also highlighted recent strides in trade facilitation, revealing that six companies have been selected to benefit from the Authorised Economic Operators programme, which provides fast-tracked customs clearance and other trade facilitation benefits.
Similarly, the NCS has processed 21 requests under an advance ruling programme, designed to expedite customs decisions on import and export cargoes before they reach Nigerian ports.
The Comptroller-General expressed optimism about the NCS’s potential to drive further economic growth, citing the agency’s commitment to fostering partnerships and advancing innovative practices within the customs sector.
News
Half of Shortlisted Directors Fail Federal Permanent Secretary Exam
Nineteen out of the thirty-eight directors who were shortlisted to fill permanent secretary vacancies within the Federal Civil Service have failed the qualifying examination, a memo from the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) revealed on Tuesday.
The memo, signed by Dr. Emmanuel Meribole on behalf of the examination committee, disclosed that the qualifying exam was conducted on Monday, November 11, 2024.
The Federal Government, through the OHCSF, launched the recruitment drive in October to fill permanent secretary vacancies in eight states.
Providing insights into the progress, Eno Olotu, Director of Press at OHCSF, stated, “Of the 38 eligible directors who sat for the exam, 19 have passed the first stage and will move on to the second stage, which will assess their competency in using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in government operations on Wednesday, November 13, 2024.”
Olotu highlighted the rigorous three-stage selection process, designed to ensure that only the most capable individuals are appointed to these high-ranking civil service roles.
This comprehensive approach, according to OHCSF, aims to elevate the quality of leadership across federal ministries.
The directors who advance beyond the ICT proficiency test will face a final stage on Friday, November 15, 2024, where a panel of senior government officials and private sector experts will conduct a final evaluation to determine their suitability for the permanent secretary positions.
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