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Like the repentant terrorists, 70 soldiers convicted of mutiny deserve pardon, Falana tells Buhari

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FALANA, SOLDIERS, PARDON

 

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has penned a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, urging him to pardon 70 convicted Nigerian soldiers.

The fiery lawyer, who defended 58 of the 70 soldiers, said their dismissal from the army was ill-advised by the military authorities.

The dismissed military personnel were tried by General Courts Martial and convicted of mutiny between 2013 and 2014.

“In prosecuting the war on terror, the Federal Government deployed thousands of ill-equipped and ill-motivated members of the armed forces to the North-east region to fight the well armed insurgents from 2013-2014,” Mr Falana said.

He noted that a large number of soldiers who survived the insurgents’ onslaught deserted the military.

Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), explained in his letter, dated August 25 to President Buhari, that the convicted “troops demanded arms and armament from the military authorities”.

“Instead of attending to such legitimate demand, the military authorities accused scores of the soldiers of sabotaging the counter insurgency operations of the Federal Government and proceeded to set up courts-martial to try them for mutiny.”

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Falana faulted the courts martial for refusing to appreciate that the demand for weapons by the soldiers was justified under section 179 of the Armed Forces Act, (Cap A20) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

According to him, the law permits a soldier, rating or aircraftman, to make a complaint to his commanding officer, and that he shall not be penalised for having made a complaint so far as the complaint does not contravene any provisions of the Act.

The lawyer also said the courts martial’s decisions convicting and sentencing the soldiers were against judicial precedent.

He said the decisions failed to respect the Court of Appeal’s 2003 judgement in the case of Segun Oladele, a corporal, and 22 others versus the Nigerian Army quashing the sentence of life imprisonment imposed on the appellants for protesting against the injustice meted out to them by the military authorities.

The human rights lawyer reminded the president of the pardon being granted repentant terrorists by the government, arguing that “the soldiers who were convicted of mutiny for demanding for weapons to fight such terrorist deserve to be granted pardon.”

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In urging the President to pardon the soldiers, Falana pointed out that a presidential panel to probe arms procurement for the military had established instances of diversion of public funds against top military officers.

In the letter, Falana referenced the Arms Procurement Panel instituted by Buhari, which confirmed that the sums of $2.1 billion and N643 billion set aside for the purchase of equipment for the counter-insurgency operations were diverted by some military officers.

“The coterie of military officers who cornered the fund deliberately sabotaged the counter insurgency operations of the government of Nigeria,” the letter read in part.

He, therefore, said the demand of the soldiers for weapons to fight the insurgents was in order.

“Since the highly placed criminal elements who sabotaged the war on terror and exposed our country to eternal shame and ridicule have been identified and made to refund their loot, the convicted soldiers ought to have been released from prison custody.

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“But the convicts were made to spend the 10-year prison term. Notwithstanding the completion of their prison term the convicted soldiers ought to be granted pardon by Your Excellency,” he said.

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FAAN shuts KFC at Lagos airport over alleged discrimination against Gbenga Daniel’s son

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The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) says it has shut down Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), an international fast food restaurant chain, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, over discrimination against a passenger.

 

On March 27, Debola Daniel, son of Gbenga Daniel, former governor of Ogun state, had posted on his official X page about his experience at KFC, MMIA branch.

 

According to Daniel, the restaurant had stopped him and his family from entering, stating that “no wheelchairs were allowed”.

 

“Just as we were about to sit, the lady at the till – who was apparently the manager – called out loudly, ‘No Wheelchairs Allowed’,” he posted.

 

“She refused to listen to reason and stood her ground that at kfcnigeria Murtala Muhammed branch, wheelchairs and wheelchair users of all shapes and sizes were not permitted in the premises and we should leave immediately.

 

“I have never been the type of person to make a fuss or complain about my disability.”

 

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Reacting to the development in a statement on Thursday, Obiageli Orah, director, public affairs and consumer protection at FAAN, said the authority had investigated the matter and made their decision.

 

 

Orah added that the shutdown will take effect from today, March 28.

 

“In line with Lagos State law on people with special needs, Part C, section 55 of General Provisions n Discrimination which states that, ‘A person shall not deprive another person of access to any place, vehicle or facility that members of the public are entitled to enter or use on the basis of the disability of that person’,” FAAN said.

 

“The management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has closed the KFC facility at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos with effect from March 28, 2024.

 

“This is as a result of a social media report by a Passenger with Reduced Mobility (PRM), alleging discriminatory treatment he received at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

 

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The MD/CE of FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi, Kuku intervened swiftly by deploying a management team comprising the Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection,  Mrs Obiageli Orah, the Regional  Manager  South West, Mr Sunday Ayodele, Ag. General Manager Public Affairs, Mrs Ijeoma Nwosu-Igbo and the International Terminal Manager, Mr Kerri, to investigate the allegation. 

 

“It is based on the findings of the team that FAAN  has shut down the KFC facility at the MMA, where the incident occurred.”

 

Orah said the authority has instructed KFC management to tender an unreserved apology, in writing, to the affected PRM and a policy statement of non-discrimination be written and pasted conspicuously at the door post of their facility at MMIA before it resumes operation.

 

The authority also apologised to Daniel and assured all airport users that they will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that the rights of every passenger are not infringed upon.

 

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JUST IN: Detained Binance’s executive drags Ribadu, EFCC to court

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Tigran Gambaryan, Binance’s head of financial crime compliance, has sued Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser (NSA) and the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alleging violation of his fundamental rights.

 

According to reports on February 28, Gambaryan was detained, alongside Nadeem Anjarwalla, Binance’s regional manager for Africa, by the Nigerian authorities after honouring the invitation of the office of the national security adviser (ONSA) and EFCC to discuss issues relating to the company’s operation in Nigeria.

 

Gambaryan and Anjarwalla’s passports were seized by ONSA.

 

However, on March 25, Anjarwalla escaped from custody and fled Nigeria with a smuggled passport.

 

Before escaping custody, on March 12, Anjarwalla was reported to have fallen illwhile in detention.

 

According to reports on Thursday, Gambaryan, in the originating motion dated and filed March 18 by his lawyer, Olujoke Aliyu, from Aluko and Oyebode Law Firm, sought five reliefs before Justice Inyang Ekwo.

 

Also, Anjarwalla filed a separate right enforcement suit before Ekwo.

 

Gambaryan and Anjarwalla, in the suits marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/356/24 and FHC/ABJ/CS/355/24, had sued the ONSA and EFCC as 1st and 2nd respondents.

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The duo sought the same relief.

 

Gambaryan, a US citizen, in his application, sought a declaration that his detention and seizure of his international travel passport contravened Section 35 (1) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended).

 

He said the act amounted to a violation of his fundamental right to personal liberty as guaranteed by the constitution.

 

The Binance executive also sought an order directing the respondents to release him from their custody and return his international travel passport with immediate effect.

 

Gambaryan equally sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents and agents from further detaining him in relation to any investigation into or demands from Binance.

 

Also, he sought an order for the respondents to issue a public apology to him, and also prayed for the cost of the action on a full indemnity basis.

 

In a statement in support of the suit, Gambaryan said he is an American citizen who visited Nigeria on February 26, along with his colleague to honour the invitation of the ONSA and EFCC to discuss issues relating to Binance in Nigeria.

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Giving an 11-ground argument as to why his application should be granted, Gambaryan said he and his colleague, Anjarwalla, dutifully attended the meeting.

 

Gambaryan said after the meeting, they were detained by the respondents and had remained in detention since then, adding that he did not commit any offence during the meeting, nor was he informed in writing of any offence he committed in Nigeria at any other time.

 

“The only reason for his detention is because the government is requesting information from Binance and making demands on the company,” he said,

 

Gambaryan also said he was not a member of the board of directors of Binance.

 

ANJARWALLA’S SUIT WITHDRAWN

When the two suits were called on Thursday, Tonye Krukrubo, appeared for Anjarwalla and Gambaryan.

 

Krukrubo told the court that though the respondents were served two days ago, they were not represented in court.

 

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The lawyer, however, drew the attention of the court to their notice of withdrawal of legal representation for Anjarwalla filed on March 26, without giving details of why they were withdrawing their legal representation.

 

Also, upon resumed hearing in Gambaryan’s suit, Krukrubo said though the processes had been served on ONSA and EFCC, they were still within time to respond.

 

He, therefore, sought an adjourned date, saying the respondents’ time to file their applications would expire next week Thursday.

 

In his judgement, Ekwo said having withdrawn their legal representation, “it means that the applicant has no legal representation and requires that the matter be adjourned for the applicant to seek legal representation and for the respondents to be given an opportunity to come to court”.

 

The judge adjourned the matter until April 8 for further mention.

 

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EKEDC recalls Tinuade Sanda as CEO, says she was erroneously removed

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The Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) Plc says the directive terminating the appointment of Tinuade Sanda from her role as managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) has been nullified.

 

Babor Egregor, EKEDC’s chairman, legal and regulatory committee, board of directors, made the clarification in a statement on March 27.

 

According to EKEDC, this follows subsequent clarification issued by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) dated March 27.

 

The DisCo added that an earlier directive by the regulator on March 21 “was misunderstood and unilaterally acted upon by the Chairman of the Board without recourse to the Board or the appropriate committees of the Board saddled with the responsibility for such oversight”.

 

“The legal fulcrum and basis for the purported recall of the seconded staff has been vitiated and now non-existent since the basis of the recall of the seconded staff was the initial misinterpretation of the previous NERC resolution/orders,” the company said.

 

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However, EKEDC said the “express recall and termination of the contract of employment of staffers/employees whose actions led to a loss of revenue to EKEDP. The staff in question, Wola Joseph-Condotti, Sheri Adegbenro and Aik Alenkhe, had been subjected to Disciplinary Committee proceedings – the outcome of which has been contested by some Board members.”

 

The aforementioned staff, according to the company, were accused of fraud and negligent actions through ghost workers and exited staff, which occasioned financial losses to Eko DisCo.

 

STAFF FACING DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE WILL NOT RESUME

EKEDC said aside from the employees facing a disciplinary committee, all seconded management staff of WPG Limited whose recalls were done in “error” are mandated to return to their respective positions.

 

“As a responsible corporate entity, EKEDP shall be providing full co-operation with the appropriate law enforcement agencies including the Nigerian Police, the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the leadership of the Nigerian Body of Benchers and relevant members of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee for further actions on the alleged fraud perpetuated by the afore-mentioned persons,” the company said.

 

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“We once again thank our Regulator, NERC, for providing this clarification, the NESI stakeholders, and the public for their kind concerns, as well as the employees of EKEDP and WPG Limited for their patience through all of this.”

 

Meanwhile, EKEDC said the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) also serves as a federal government representative on the EKEDC board of directors.

 

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