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Makinde charges Judicial service commission to fast-track system

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Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, said on Tuesday that his administration would work with the judiciary to bring about the needed reforms that will make Oyo State greater.

The Governor, who stated this while inaugurating the State’s Judicial Service Commission, maintained that the commission had the mandate to fast-track the judicial system in the State by ensuring the quick dispensation of justice and the independence of the judicial arm of government.

A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that Governor Makinde made the declaration at the Executive Council Chambers of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.

The Governor urged the commission, which had as its members the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Muntar Abimbola (chairman); the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Professor Oyelowo Oyewo; the President of the Customary Court of Appeal, Eni Esan; Mr. Lateef Adetunji Adedigba; Mr Kehinde Alade; Mr Yusuf Olatunji; Mr Adedigba Wahab and Mrs Medinat Akanbi (secretary), to “get straight to the tasks.”

He said: “I am always delighted to perform ceremonial functions, especially the ones that work to strengthen democracy. For me, the most beautiful part of democracy is checks and balances provided by each arm of the government. So, we are here today to inaugurate and swear in the Oyo State Judicial Service Commission.

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This has just been done. This is in line with the provision of Chapter 6, Section 197, subsection 1(c) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, which states that “there shall be each state of the federation a state judicial service commission”.

The Governor added: “This commission has an important mandate, which borders on activities to ensure the independence of the judiciary and the quick dispensation of justice.

For the benefit of non-legal minds here, we have heardbefore now about a legal maxim which goes thus: justice delayed isjustice denied, which basically means that if a wrong is not corrected within a reasonable time, it may not have been well corrected at all. The Bible also has a version for this and it records that when asentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, people’s hearts are
filled with schemes to do wrong.

“These two sayings emphasise the importance of not just dispensingjustice but doing so in a timely manner. A situation where cases drag in court because there are not enough judges to hear the cases is an aberration and a gift to the guilty.

“In fact, in 2017, a civic tech organisation took Oyo State government to court because according to them, about 80 per cent of the inmates in what should now be called Agodi Correctional Centre are awaiting trial. Aside from persons who are in prison, there are also several cases in the judicial system that are being delayed. If these cases are  heard within a reasonable timeframe and pronouncements are made of them, then people will not abuse court processes. “Well, I am not trying to indict the judiciary because an indictment on the judiciary is an indictment on all of us because the various arms of government are a reflection of who we are as a people. So, this is one reason why this inauguration is important.”

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Governor Makinde added that the commission is to appoint judges and to see to the promotion and disciplinary control of judicial and non-judicial staff members, among other tasks.

He said: “The members of the commission are to appoint judges. They are also expected to see to the promotion and disciplinary control of judicial and non-judicial staff members. It is my belief that with this inauguration, members of the commission will get straight to this
task so that we can get our judicial system working faster.

“I am also hoping that working with the Legislature. We can domesticate the Nigerian Correctional Service act 2019 and begin to implement the provision of that act, especially regarding the number of inmate in correctional facilities and the condition under which they are kept. If we say that Oyo State is a Pacesetter State, we should set the pace in having a reformed judiciary.

“I look forward to working with you in bringing about the judicialreforms that will make Oyo State greater.”

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Crime & Court

Rivers Police Parade Juju Priest, 25 Suspects in Car Snatching Ring Bust

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Some items seized from the shrine

The Rivers State Police Command has made a significant breakthrough in dismantling a car snatching ring with the arrest of a Juju Priest, Ugochukwu Onuigbo, and 25 other suspects.

The arrests were made public during a parade held on Wednesday at the Command Headquarters on Moscow Road in Port Harcourt, as Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, shed light on the operation.

Explaining the circumstances surrounding the arrests, Commissioner Disu stated, “For some time now we have noticed that a lot of cars were being stolen and some robbed in town and we tasked officers of our tactical team and our investigators to move into it. Today, I am very happy to inform you that about 26 suspects who specialise in stealing vehicles and robbing them have been arrested. Our greatest joy is the arrest of Chidozie Anthony Onyekwe and Kelechi Igwe.”

Speaking further on the roles of the apprehended individuals, Disu highlighted, “Chidozie is the leader of persons who come into Rivers State to steal cars. Not only does he come in here, he trains his men well. He is linked to all the suspects here who have been arrested before for this same offense of stealing cars. At the same time, Kelechi Igwe is an expert at removing trackers from vehicles. Almost all the vehicles stolen from Rivers State must pass through Kelechi for him to remove the trackers for them. He’s also a wonderful mechanic.”

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Also, it was disclosed that the stolen cars were transported to Mgbuka Obosi in Onitsha, Anambra State, where they were dismantled and sold as scrap. A total of 79 vehicles have been connected to the suspects, many of whom reportedly formed their alliances while serving time in correctional facilities.

Out of the total, 17 vehicles have been recovered, with some already returned to their rightful owners.

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Crime & Court

EFCC Nabs Five for Illegal Solid Mineral Transportation Without Licenses

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Operatives from the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have apprehended five individuals for their involvement in the possession and conveyance of three truckloads of various solid minerals without the necessary licenses.

In a statement released on Tuesday, EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, identified the suspects as Dauda Suleiman, Quadri Oladimeji, Abubakar Alhassan, Anas Sanusi, and Auwal Garba. Among them, Suleiman, Alhassan, and Sanusi were operating as truck drivers, while Oladimeji and Garba served as truck boys.

The arrests, carried out along Maraba road in Ilorin, Kwara state, and Ogbomosho, Oyo state, between March 21 and 22, 2024, were made possible through credible intelligence and surveillance efforts.

The suspects were caught transporting solid minerals, suspected to include marble stone, white powder, lithium, and lepidolite, to Shagamu and Alakija in Ogun and Lagos States for commercial purposes, despite lacking the required licenses. They claim to have been hired for the task.

The trucks seized from the suspects were identified as carrying the registration numbers JJJ 206 YG (Lagos), T24413 LA (Lagos), and KNT 635 XP (Niger), respectively.

This incident marks another crackdown by the EFCC on individuals engaged in illegal mining activities within the country.

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Previously, on February 5, the agency arrested 41 individuals suspected of illegal mining in Ilorin and impounded 12 truckloads of assorted minerals mined without licenses. With this recent arrest, the total number of individuals apprehended stands at 46, with 15 vehicles seized in the last month for similar offenses.

According to the statement, the suspects will face prosecution in court once investigations are concluded.

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Crime & Court

NDLEA Seizes Over 44,948.1kg of Illicit Drugs In Lagos, Edo, Ondo

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In a crackdown on drug trafficking, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) disclosed the seizure of a staggering 44,948.1 kilograms of illicit drugs across Lagos, Edo, and Ondo states.

Alongside the confiscations, eight suspects were apprehended during the operations, revealed Femi Babafemi, the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, on Sunday.

The anti-narcotics agency disclosed that it also impounded 11 vehicles owned by drug cartels as part of the enforcement efforts.

Among those arrested were five individuals, including 67-year-old Sunday Otulugbu, Agbayeogor Joshua (39), Kelvin Ofuasia (45), Williams Peter (37), and Kamaru Onimisi (44).

According to Babafemi, a substantial amount of cannabis, totaling 7,687.8 kilograms, was destroyed in a warehouse located in the Ala forest of Akure, Ondo State, with an additional 670 kilograms evacuated on Saturday, March 23.

In separate operations, significant quantities of cannabis were eradicated in the Uzebba/Avbiosi forest, leading to the arrest of Kabiru Idris (36), Alaba Jimoh (40), and Lekan Asobere (35).

Similarly, in the Okpuje forest of Owan West LGA, NDLEA operatives, with military support, razed 5,000 kilograms of the illicit substance, further intensifying the crackdown.

The agency’s efforts extended to Edo State, where a substantial 14,310.8625 kilograms of psychoactive substances were destroyed on farms spanning 5.7 hectares in the Ohosu/Ugbogui forest of Ovia South West Local Government Area on Tuesday, March 19.

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Highlighting a well-coordinated operation in Lagos State on Wednesday, the NDLEA seized 10,534 kilograms (10.534 tonnes) of Ghanaian Loud, a strain of cannabis, in the Ajah area. Additionally, 11 vehicles linked to the drug cartel were confiscated during the operation.

The recovered vehicles include an Iveco truck marked KRD 522 YE, Toyota Sienna vehicles marked AAA 338 GL, AAA 308 EP, and LSD 744 GP, a Nissan bus marked EKY 846 YG, a Mercedes bus marked EPE 743 XT, among others.

 

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