Aree! Abeokuta ilu Egba, Nigeria oni gba gbe re!! “Abeokuta the home of Egba people Nigeria will never forget you.
Here in Abeokuta the defeat of PDP was spiritually sealed by the decision of one of illustrious sons of the soil, Balogun Owu, Aremu Okikiolu, Olusegun omo Obasanjo by tearing his party membership card a symbol of his bond to the party, with that action every nation loving Nigerian was shown what to do and that they indeed did.
Yesterday it was NEXT LEVEL indeed, as Asiwaju gbogbo omo Odua, the only National leader of APC, led by national example what all nation loving Nigerian must do. His Excellency, Senator, Bola Hamed Tinubu threw the party flag away. The collective symbol of the party was thrown to the ground by no person other than the Jagaban himself.
If you still don’t know what to do with PMB’S candidacy on Saturday 16th February 2019, then you are not a free born, bona fide son or daughter of Odua. The very man who led us into the APC alliance and brought APC to repute. Has shown us what to do. Leadership is premised more on actions than in words. On Saturday, it is do as I did, throw him away and embrace another. May wisdom be given to all nation loving APC members particularly Yoruba sons and daughters. PMB’S defeat is sealed and waiting for delivery on Saturday. Congratulations Nigeria! Make it good riddance to bad rubbish. Jagaban has spoken, we all must show our loyalty to The Leader. Your fellow Egba son and lover of the nation.
The day of reckoning is here. The die is cast. The stage is set. The much-awaited judgment day has arrived. Those who thought that hiding Buhari in the Villa; shielding him from Nigerians could cover his incompetence to provide leadership, have been finally disgraced, stripped naked before the daylight. They have been caught in their own web of conspiracies. Buhari’s cluelessness has been laid bare to see. There’s no where to hid again. The world can see that Nigeria has been left without adequate political leadership in the last three and half years. If the APC is in tatters, imagine what the entire nation has been through.
What happened in Ogun State APC Presidential Rally yesterday, was not only ignoble, perfidious, shameful but pathetic. It put to rest all the speculation why the nation has been struggling heavily since the emergence of Buhari as president. That President Buhari was blatantly stoned together with the leadership of the ruling party in a live event, is not even the real jist here. The bone of the contention at the rally, was Buhari’s inability to show leadership to his party—in crisis, and his insufferable hypocrisy cum acute selfish disposition in abandoning those who brought him to power in political winter. Anyone still searching for the reason why Buhari’s government failed to deliver as promised, please look no further. Here is the answer: An irresponsible father who is playing ostrich when his children are fighting each other with dangerous weapons, the entire house is thrown into a state of chaos and pandemonium, can not be expected to provide leadership to the entire community as a king.
President Buhari has displayed unprecedented level of incompetence as national leader of the APC. How then do we Nigerians expect him to give what he does not have as president of the country? A president who failed woefully to stabilize his party, can never revive the economy, provide security, create jobs, unite the country, empathize with the impoverished and sympathize with the beleaguered. He simply cannot lead—not because he does not want to, but he is bereft of the willpower to show visionary leadership and be father to all. This explains why Nigeria under Buhari is like a rudderless ship that has lost its compass; things are simply falling apart because everything rises and falls on leadership. From the economy to security, it is the same story of an airplane on autopilot. Nature abhors vacuum. Even before the polls, the APC has lost two states of Rivers, Zamfara and now Cross River. It will take political miracle for the ruling party to retain Imo, Ogun States, Oyo and Kano, Bauchi—all thanks to the excesses of the mafias in the party and Buhari’s indecision cum cluelessness.
Many discerning Nigerians have wondered in the past why President Buhari is so parochial and lopsided in his appointments and method of governance. Look no further again. Just take a look at how he has handled the protracted crisis of the APC. President Buhari is an extremely selfish personality. Everyone can go to hell provided his own interests are served. Imagine a sitting president of a party telling his aggrieved party faithfuls, who are looking up to him to bring the party together, to vote for him on Feb. 16 and “vote across party lines on March 2”; the day for governorship election, of which is tantamount to encouraging anti-party activities. He said it in Imo State recently and disgustingly repeated the show of shame in Ogun yesterday.
President Buhari is the first president since the advent of fourth republic to endorse the governorship candidate of another party (APM) in the Villa. Ironically, he later raised the hand of the APC governorship candidate in Ogun State for the same position—in the same Aso Villa. Arguably, he was playing chase game using Tinubu and Gov. Ibikunle Amosu of Ogun State as pawns. The same flawed tactics he is using on Gov. Okorocha and Sen. Hope Uzodinma in Imo State. It has backfired. Who does that? President Buhari was trying to avoid the problem instead of solving it, thereby postponing the evil day, which has finally arrived. What else do one expect party loyalists to do when the supposed leader of the APC has thrown his two hands into the air in utter confusion cum cluelessness? Resort to self help? Yes! Where there is no hierarchy, there is bound to be anarchy.
President Buhari subtly told the APC members that he is only interested in his own election, that you guys “can stab yourselves to death for all I care”. This is the height of recklessness and irresponsibility on the part of the president. He abdicated his fatherly role as an arbiter in the party, thereby outsourcing his responsibilities to the cabal. Adams Oshiomhole as national chairman, did not help matters at all. His desperation to satisfy Tinubu at all costs, has set the fractured party on the infamous path of destruction. President Buhari has shown himself as an insufferable hypocrite and irredeemable egocentric personality, who is ready to throw any leader of the APC under the bus hence his own selfish proclivities are preserved, even if it is at the detriment of the cohesiveness of the APC. I was not surprised when Buhari was stoned together with Oshiomhole, Tinubu yesterday, because he brought it upon himself. You can’t sow irresponsibility and reap respect and honor.
If aggrieved the APC members could be this outraged and enraged to stone President Buhari at a live program, imagine the tempo of anger burning in the hearts of non-partisan Nigerians; let alone the opposition, who have bore the consequences of Buhari’s clueless and gross incompetent leadership that has cost thousands of Nigerian lives, businesses and millions of jobs both in the formal and informal sectors. What happened yesterday climaxed the beginning of the end of Buhari’s ill-fated presidency. Millions of Nigerians who have lost their jobs and loved ones under this administration due to clueless economic policies and ineffective security strategies, will not go to the APC rally to display their rage. They’re waiting in the works. The real ambush, protest and proper “stoning” will happen coming Saturday when we will “stone” a failed president with our highly “charged” PVCs. Never again shall we reinforce failure as a nation. Someone who cannot manage his political party has nothing to do in Aso Villa as Nigerian president. Never again!
Hon. Jude Idehen is contesting for the seat of House of Representatives Ikpoba-Okha/Egor Federal Constituency on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
We have consulted widely across all 20 wards of Egor and Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Areas and analyzed the challenges facing our nation and constituencies. We have a robust blueprint based on the PDP manifesto to serve as a springboard for our constituency, placing her on a sunlit path of holistic development and material prosperity, and our Nigeria into a land where truth, justice and liberty reigns. These ingredients will satisfy our thirst and quest for unity and progress that for far too long have eluded us.
I shall be part of
those that will use the chambers of the Nigerian National Assembly to prepare a
new bed for our country.
Ours is a genuine road
map, within which are enshrined precise foundational, yet indispensable
principles that are key to peace and progress in a pluralistic society like
Nigeria.
We must transform our constituency and protect her citizens from the present unacceptable condition.My cardinal principles are enshrined in an agenda code-named the “RESCUE” mission. The “RESCUE” mission offers measurable commitments that will be implemented with passion, single-mindedness, incisive competence and experience. The RESCUE mission is an acronym for:
R– Rule of Law
E– Exact True Federalism
S– Secularity
C– Constitutionalism
U– Unity
E– Empowerment and Constituency projects
Rule of Law
It is no news that
successive administrations have made attempts to forcefully unite Nigerians
employing centralism and coercion. It is also true that the repeated failure to
do so implies the necessity of a new strategy to unite our nation. Justice is the
most potent instrument with which a nation can stay glued and in perfect
harmony and co-existence. Unfortunately, we are citizens of a country where
justice is often denied, sacrificed, continually perverted and habitually
mocked. It is almost only in Nigeria that because of the lack of
accountability, nepotism, and gross impunity, giant camels, even if they are
carrying hippopotamuses on their backs, easily pass through the eye of a
needle. There can be no lasting peace or progress in any nation until its
public officials are fully accountable to the people and answerable to the
law.
Hence, we must wage a
peaceful revolution for the supremacy of the rule of law in all facet of our
polity. I will be one of the arrowheads of this peaceful revolution.
Exact True Federalism
As dictated by our
constitution, the Federal Government is a monstrous octopus; its tentacles will
continue to be a clog on the progress and unity of our people. Our constitution
must devolve far greater power from the central government to the federating
units of Nigeria. Dispersing power will help secure our freedom, increase
citizens’ participation as well as structural, functional and institutional
effectiveness. We must wake up and summon that uncommon courage and creativity
to err on the side of subversion and on the compulsion to rule a multi-ethnic
country in a militarist unitary fashion. Restructuring is key.
Secularity
Theology is the mother
of all philosophy; people ultimately become whatever they theologize. Nigeria
is a heterogeneous nation and Nigerians must be free to believe or not believe
in God. Those who choose to believe in God must be free to worship Him or Her
in whatever way they choose so long as their own freedom does not impinge on
the freedom of others. Religion should not become a contrivance for heating the
polity and sowing strife as it has for far too long strained our politics and
divided our people. Nigeria is a secular nation and I will work hard to enforce
this.
Constitutionalism
Forged and foisted on
us by a cabal of military adventurers, our present constitution is incoherent
and inapplicable in several regards. Conscious effort must be made and
deliberate steps taken to replace it with a testament that emanates from the
sovereign wishes of our people. The present arrangement, having been sown on
the winds of certified fraud, has had us embroiled in endless controversies and
turmoil. We must summon the courage and ingenuity to provide for ourselves a
constitution that will reflect our hopes, assuage our fears, and minimize our
conflicts. Such a constitution must be freely negotiated. Hence, I will work
hard for a freely negotiated constitution emerging via a Sovereign Conference
like that of 2014 and any other.
Unity
Truly, Nigerians are
trapped in ethno-religious sentiments. In addition, a ‘them-versus-us’
dichotomy is a nagging thorn in the Nigerian flesh. We often fail to listen to
and empathize with the anguish of one another. Why is it so difficult for all
of us to see the flagrant injustice inflicted on our oil-producing areas, the
incessant terror and killings in many parts of the country? We must not all be
Bini, Ogoni, Ijaw, Yoruba or Fulani before we can identify with a just cause.
Let us stop perishing or stagnating together in the floods of needless
conflicts. Let us bring down fences of segregation and invest in constructing
bridges of understanding. We can collaborate to hasten the infrastructural
development of our Northeast; we can terminate the injustices meted to our
south-south, and accelerate the educational development of our Northwest.
Southwest and the Southeast can be structurally unchained and thus, develop at
whatever pace that suits them. As a legislator, I will work hard to sober
reflection, gentle persuasion, robust analysis and essential compromise in the
National Assembly.
Empowerment and Constituency projects
Youth empowerment is a
process where young people are encouraged to take charge of their lives. They
do this by addressing their situation and then act to improve their access to
resources and transform their consciousness through their beliefs, values, and
attitudes.
Achievements of Hon. Jude Ise-Idehen as member, Edo State House of Assembly Representing Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area 2007-2015
EDUCATION:
He renovated over 6
blocks of classrooms in Oregbeni Primary School in ward 2
He provided tables and
chairs in Ogbesun primary school in ward 3
He built 3 blocks of classrooms with headmaster’s office in Ewomodu Primary School in ward 4
He built 3 classroom blocks for Umelu Secondary School, Umelu in ward 5
He built 3 classroom blocks at Evboriaria Primary School in ward 6
He renovated 6 classroom blocks in Enikaro Primary School in ward 7
He provided tables and chairs for Urura Secondary School in ward 4
SECURITY:
He renovated the
Police Station in Ologbo. Over the years, Ologbo has been the bedrock of crime
and violence, and this made the community volatile and insecure. By renovating
the police station, he motivated the police officers and spurred their
enthusiasm to discharge their responsibilities effectively.
ELECTRICITY:
He provided over 10
transformers across the 10 wards in Ikpoba-Okha constituency.
At Evbomoma Village in
ward 9, the indigenes sought his intervention in assisting them with street
lights, which he promptly provided.
SOCIAL WAREFARE:
While at the state
house of assembly, he sponsored a bill for hospitals to always treat bullet
wound victims without prior requirement of a police report.
He also renovated
several health centres in Ikpoba-okha Local Government Area.
He also supported orphanages
and the homeless indigenes with shelter, books, clothes and finance, powered by
an NGO (IYOBOSA HELPING HAND) that was overseen by his wife, Mrs. Gabina
Ise-Idehen.
He has managed to
create a relationship with the Muslims and Christians alike by providing
beverages, food stuffs such as yam, rice, and rams for the Muslims during their
fasting seasons.
He gave small scale business grants to the women in Ikpoba-okha Local Government Area.
He also empowered the
youths by giving them resources like cell phones and recharge cards to start
call centre businesses as well as capital for other start-ups.
WATER:
During his first and
second year in the state house of assembly, all the wards were provided with
borehole facilities, from ward 1 to ward 10.
Over 25 boreholes were
sank in the various communities
BILLS OPPOSED:
Land Use Bill: As member Edo State House of Assembly, he strongly opposed the passage of the Land Use bill introduced by the then state government to oppress the poor.
Iyamho University: He also opposed the establishment of the Edo state University Iyamho stressing the need to first upgrade and standardize the current tertiary institutions in Edo State such as the College of Education Ekiadolor, College of Agriculture Iguoriakhi, Ambrose Ali University Ekpoma, and the Michael Imodu College of Physical and Health Education, Afuze.
The Edo State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Olusegun Odumosu held a Peace Accord and Stakeholders meeting at the Police Officers Mess in Benin City on Wednesday, 30th January, 2019 concerning the general elections scheduled to start in February 2019.
ADDRESS
PROTOCOLS
It is my pleasure, on behalf of the Officers and Men of the Edo State Police Command, to welcome you all to this peace building and peacemaking meeting of critical Stakeholders concerning the 2019 General Elections which is around the corner. I also wish to bring to you the warm greetings of the Inspector General of Police, Ag.IGP. Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, NPM, mni.
There is no better
time to have this strategic meeting than now considering the fact that the
election we are talking about will be conducted in few days from now. This is
actually the time to come together and dialogue on how to have a free and fair
election devoid of any rancor and acrimony. One thing is certain, election will
come and go but Edo State will continue to remain thereafter. Consequently, the
blood of every Edo State citizen is more precious than the election and we
definitely do not need to lose anybody or group in order to clinch to power.
This is the time to get it right so that we can prove to the world that Edo
State can set the pace for a peaceful, free, fair and credible election in
Nigeria.
Election is no war and
should not be seen as war. Always remember that in any contest, there must be
losers and winners. Thus, we must prepare our minds and resolve that we shall
go into this contest in the spirit of sportsmanship.
The Command under my
watch will do everything humanly possible to remain neutral, apolitical, firm
and professional. The Police will provide a level playing ground for all the
Political Parties in the State. This is my irrevocable pledge and I promise to
ensure its full realization in the forthcoming Elections.
There is no doubt
that, the 2019 Elections will be a great test that will subject our
professionalism and commitment to duty, to national and International scrutiny.
The world is watching us and we promise not to let them down. I hereby assure
the good people of Edo state in unequivocal terms that we are fully prepared
for the election as every arrangement has been put in place to ensure that the
Elections would be free, fair credible and most important of all, peaceful. We
shall leave no stone unturned towards achieving this lofty objective.
Let me at this juncture,
salute, the vision and mission of the Inspector General of Police, Ag.IGP.
Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, NPM, mni who assumed duty as the 20th indigenous
Inspector General of Police at this critical time of our Nation’s history. He
has emplaced strategic action plans to police the forth coming elections. I am
convinced and promise you that his strategic action plans, will not only get us
out of the woods but will also reposition the Nigeria Police Force and make her
the envy of all.
The Police High
Command, as part of the preparation for this election has initiated Training
Program on capacity building, on Democratic Policing and Election Security
Management for our Officers and men. This is still up and ongoing.
The Training program
and capacity building initiated at the Police High Command has been replicated
at the Command level, and I have put in place, elaborate security measures
aimed at entrenching and engendering a new dawn in Election and electioneering
process in this command.
Recall that shortly
after my assumption of duty, I paid a courtesy visit to the Oba of Benin
Omon’oba n’Edo Uku akpolopolo Oba Ewuare II where I pledged to do my utmost
best to make the State safe and secure. The Oba Pledged his support and I wish
to tell the good people of the state that I have the royal backing and support
to police the forth coming election in the most peaceful and credible manner we
have ever witnessed in recent times.
The meeting of today
therefore provides another unique opportunity for us all to rob mind towards
this critical engagement in our collective resolve to develop an effective
framework that will engender optimal performance during the forthcoming and
after this onerous national assignment. We must come together and reason
together.
We shall seize this
moment to deploy all our human and material resources in the state to provide a
conducive and crime free environment which will make the election more decent
and acceptable without any rancor or acrimony. Towards achieving this, I
implore all present here to individually and collectively resolve:
As Security Agencies,
we will at this meeting pledge to be neutral, a-political, decisive and
professional.
As Party leaders- we
need to talk to our supporters to vote and not fight.
As Youth leaders who
are in majority, we need to impart it on our people to say NO to violence so
that they will refuse and reject any attempt by anybody to use them as
political thugs.
As market Women and
Traders Associations, we need to talk to ourselves, to do the right thing and
not to be cajoled into vote buying and selling.
As Royal fathers, we
need to talk to our subjects to maintain a peaceful decorum throughout the
period of election..
As Political Parties,
we need to play the game according to the rules.
As Religious leaders,
we need to talk to our flocks that Jesus Christ is the Prince of peace and that
Islam is a religion of peace.
Security generally is
the business of everybody and election security is indeed a collective
assignment. We all must be involved in the spade work of sanitizing the State
to make it a safe and secure space for a seamless Electoral Process.
In this meeting we
should all agree to do the needful, not to give room for Electoral offences and
where or when they occur, the security agencies shall deal decisively with
offender(s) regardless of his or her status as nobody, I repeat NOBODY is above
the law.
As the Co-Chairman of
the Inter Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) comprising
of all the Sister Security Agencies in the State, including the Coordinators of
the National Youth Service Corps and National Orientation Agency, I will
continue with the robust consultative productive and strategically focused
cooperative meetings which my predecessor had had with the committee over time
and by the Grace of Almighty God, we shall deliver on our mandate.
Finally, I am highly
optimistic that we shall have fruitful deliberations in this meeting and we
shall jointly and severally achieve the desired peaceful, credible free and
fair election that we all craved for.
Conclusively, on
behalf of the Inspector General of Police, I want to thank you all for
attending today’s meeting and for being part of the History that we are making
today As we go back, I enjoin you all to put into practical use all the
suggestions and series of advice that would be offered in this meeting because
in doing so, we shall eventually get to our desired destination.
Is the CJN exempted from the presumption of innocence guaranteed by our laws? Is the CJN’s appointment not clothed with statutory flavor? If you cannot sack a clerk in a Government Department outside the provisions prescribed by his terms of employment/ public service rules, I wonder why the CJN should be removed from office like a feather from a chicken! If it’s that simple, there would have been no need for constitutional provisions in that regard! Why then did Baron Montesquieu and his likes labour to develop the political theory of separation of powers? Why is it now an elementary feature in the constitutional democracy of most countries of the world?
According to Dylan Matthews in his article dated 5/10/18 and titled; IMPEACHING A SUPREME COURT JUSTICE IN THE UNITED STATES;
“Impeachment and removal of a federal judge, including a Supreme Court justice, requires meeting a high political bar. Just as with presidents, a majority of the House must approve an indictment to impeach, and a two-thirds supermajority of the US Senate must convict for the judge or justice to lose their office.”
I am surprised that a lot of people continue to refer to the allegations against the CJN without considering the procedure prescribed by law to deal with certain category of persons accused of any infraction of the law. I have argued on many occasions that the law itself is a prisoner of procedure. It is illogical to focus on the substantive law which creates, defines and regulates the duties, liabilities and rights of persons while disregarding the procedural law for enforcing civil and criminal law. This does not add up. For example, can you safely convict a man for an offence having not taken his plea before trial? I think not.
I am still at a loss as to how a court of law or an inferior Tribunal like the Code of Conduct Tribunal can grant an ex-parte order on a date unknown to all parties, following a purported ex-parte application in respect of a subject matter which the same body adjourned to a future date for arguments to be taken from the respective parties as agreed in open court.
Why would an inferior Tribunal not obey the restraining orders of separate superior court of records which restrained it from continuing with the proceedings before it? Nothing in the Constitution makes CCT a superior court of records and the Supreme Court affirmed this in Saraki vs FRN (2016) 3 NWLR( Pt. 1500) 531.
Why will the CCT not respect the proceedings pending before the court of appeal to which appeals from CCT lie?
In the operational system of the rule of law, the courts and judges remain the tonic from which the law itself is nourished. Let me fizzle out any doubt about the power of the courts by referring to the words of the legendary American Supreme Court judge and scholar, Oliver Wendell Holmes, jrn. The learned jurist in his work; The Common Law, (1881) had this to say;
“The decisions of judges, viewed over time, determined the rules of conduct, the legal duties, by which all were bound.”
He did not stop there. In his work; The path of the law (1897), he went further to say that;
“[T]he prophecies of what the courts will do in fact, and nothing more pretentious, are what I mean by the law.”[20]:458.
Against this background, can it be said that the CCT was right to have disregarded pending litigation in the courts of our country which have constitutional duties to determine disputes between persons and Government? The answer in my opinion is no.
No sensible person can be opposed to the lawful trial of anyone, no matter how highly placed if there is an allegation of infringing the law against such a person. The very strong point being made here is very simple; where there is a constitutional method set out for sanctioning a judicial office holder which has over time being recognized by the courts of law, such judicial officer cannot be removed by any other means other than that prescribed by law.
In the circumstances, the CCT was wrong to have made the ex-parte order under reference. If the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation facilitated this type of order, then it acted infra dig. The President was also wrong to have acted on it. The proper thing to do now is for the aggrieved party to get the court of Appeal to set that unlawful ex-parte order aside forthwith and let the status quo be returned in our national interest. That would not stop the Government from prosecuting the CJN upon the charges brought against him as long as they do so appropriately.
I, Hakeem Olusegun Odumosu assumed duty as the 39th Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command on 02/01/2019. I thank the Inspector-General of Police IGP Ibrahim K. Idris NPM, mni for the confidence, trust he has in me in providing me this opportunity to serve as the Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command. I was properly briefed by my predecessor CP Johnson Babatunde Kokumo in a well-organized official handing and taking over ceremony. I also appreciate my predecessor for his clear objectives that he sets forth for me to improve upon. I hereby state categorically that with God on our side, guidance of the Inspector-General of Police IGP Ibrahim K. Idris NPM, mni, support of His Excellency, Edo State Governor Mr. Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki and cooperation of all residents of Edo State, we shall collectively achieve a safer and more secured Edo State during my tour of duty. The stage is set for more effective and efficient Policing in the State. Policemen in Edo State under my watch will step up their activities in the performance of their statutory duties as stipulated in section 4 of the Police Act and other relevant laws.
MISSION STATEMENT
My mission as the Commissioner of Police Edo State Command is to reduce crime and criminality to the barest minimum through maximum utilization and deployment of human and material resources available to the Command. This will be carried out in line with Inspector-General of Police trust of Policing in accordance with International best practices using Community Policing as pivot with the sole target of providing secured and conducive environment for all law abiding citizens of the state to thrive in their chosen endeavours. I intend to achieve this through;
POLICING STRATEGIES
1. Visibility Policing. Police will be deployed to all the nooks and crannies of the State to provide tight security for all and sundry so that the good people of Edo State can sleep not only with their two eyes closed but will also snore.
2. Quick response and prompt intervention to distress calls.
3. Prompt, professional, unbiased and discrete investigation of all criminal cases.
4. Zero tolerance to crime and criminality in all its ramifications including, Cultism, Robbery, Kidnapping etc by ensuring that criminal will have no place to hide in the State because it will be too hot for them to perpetrate their criminal acts. Edo State will not be used as transit camp and or hibernation abode to criminals.
5. Zero tolerance to corruption: This shall be abhorred in all its ramification. All Police personnel of this Command have been warned against this. I promise to handle all complaints of corruption against any of my officers and men with utmost dispatch. No culprit shall go unpunished. This I promise the people of Edo State.
6. Respect to human rights: The Police in Edo State under my watch will ensure that all fundamental human rights of citizens as enshrined in Chapter 4 Section 33-43 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) will not only be respected nut also protected.
7. Collaborating and providing adequate security to all government agencies to enable them achieve their set goals and objectives.
8. Enhancing robust relationship with other sister security agencies like the Military, and other paramilitary security outfits to ensure that security is jointly brought to the steps of every law abiding citizens of Edo State.
9. Collaborating with other stakeholders e.g. Traditional Institution, Vigilante groups, Civil Liberty Organizations, Labour Unions, Police Community Relations Committee etc.
10. I shall equally synergize with the Judiciary to make sure that criminals are not only brought to justice promptly, but ensure that full weight of the laws is brought on them to serve as deterrents to others.
11. I shall ensure that members of the Public have unfettered access to all Police formations in the State to be able to lodge complaint which shall be promptly attended to. One immediate and first step towards achieving this is the launching here today of 100 of dedicated and permanent telephone lines and telephone boxes that cover all the 55 Police Divisional Headquarters, 10 Area Commands, 6 Police Posts, and all other Police formations in the state. All the Telephone lines have been activated. You are at liberty to call any Police station right now and lodge your complaints including passing information on traffic situations and criminal incidents. In furtherance to this, I have directed all Area Commanders and DPOs to boldly print their personal GSM numbers as well as that of their principal officers especially ACO’s, ATO’s, DCO’s, DTO’s, Ops patrol and guard, Admin Officers, Station Officers etc and display them in conspicuous places in their Area Commands and Divisions for all members of public to see and reach them without any encumbrance. I will not tolerate situation where Area Commander or DPO will turn himself or herself to a tin god or remain inaccessible to members of the public. I hereby solicit for co-operation and assistance of the press in widely disseminating these numbers to members of the public. You may save a life through this. The second phase of this information security strategy will be unveiled in due course.
12. I shall build and shot-up the warning thrust, mutual suspicion etc that exist between Police and members of the public to let them have more confidence in reporting cases and/or giving information to Police, I assure that all information rendered shall be treated with utmost secrecy and informant’s identity fully protected.
13. Embarking on a pro-active and confrontational Policing strategy of taking war to the den of the criminals so as not to let them have a respite or leeway to plan and unleash terror on innocent citizens of Edo State.
14. Constant training and retraining of our officers and men in line with IGP’s directive to mitigate against the incidences of misusing firearms to avoid accidental discharge and unprofessional handling of weapons.
15. Providing medical care to the officers and men to keep them physically and mentally alert in order to serve and protect the citizen of the State. The medical tour and spot activities were started on Monday 7th and 9th January, 2019,I promise to keep these activities on.
16. Mopping-up of illegal arms and ammunition in the hands of unauthorized persons or groups continues. The Inspector general of Police IGP Ibrahim K. Idris NPM, mni directives on Presidential order in mopping up illegal arms and ammunition subsists. It is advised that should there be any person or group of persons that are still in possession of illegal arms and ammunition to submit them to the Police as the Edo State Police Command under my leadership will not leave anyone found culpable unpunished.
ACHIEVEMENTS:
Within two weeks in the office with God on our side, we have been able to make some modest achievements which include but not limited to the followings:
1. ARMED ROBBERY:
The Command through a well-coordinated intelligence foiled nine (9) armed robbery incidences in different locations within the city and Sabongida-Ora of the State. During this, the following arrest and recovery were made;
i. Number of suspects arrested – 16
ii. Number of arms recovered – 5
iii. Number of vehicles recovered – 4
iv. One wood carved gun
v. One rubber pistol gun
vi. Number of assorted phones recovered – 9
2. FOILED ROBBERY INCIDENT/RECOVERY OF VEHICLE/OTHER ITEMS:
On 08/01/2019, the operatives of Iguobazuwa Police Division while on township patrol intercepted a white FIAT bus Reg No. ATN-818-YV along Benin/Lagos Road by Okada Junction. The driver of the vehicle on sighting the Police made a sudden stop and he and his gang took to their heels. Operatives conducted search on the vehicle and the following items recovered; one big generator, twelve giant motor batteries including the white FIAT bus Reg. No. ATN-818-YV. Investigation revealed that the recovered items were property of MTN Communication. Investigation is in progress to clamp down the criminal elements.
3. CONSPIRACY/ARMED ROBBERY:
On 08/01/2019, the Command operatives acting on a distress call by one Stella Omolola ‘f’ of No. 9, Uwa Street off First East Circular through control room, Benin City that some armed robbers are in their area, immediately operative swung into action and comb the entire area and arrested the following suspects; Osazuwa Joseph ‘m’ and search was conducted on him immediately one locally made double barrel recovered from him. Suspect have made statement to the crime
4. ARMED ROBBERY:
On 10/01/2019, operatives of the Command who were on patrol along Sapele Road by fly over intercepted on Nissan Vannet bus taxi coloured Reg. No. Ab-388-XA and as soon as they saw Police they ran into nearby bush but with intensive bush combing, two of the suspects were arrested namely; Emmanuel Saka ‘m’ aged 25yrs and Okha Happy ‘m’ aged 26yrs. While searching the vehicle, the following items recovered from them; one locally made single barrel gun, one expended cartridge, one live cartridge, one face mask, six assorted handsets and one Nissan Vannet bus Reg. No. AB-388-XA. The suspects have made useful information to the Police. Investigation continues.
5. MURDER:
Ø Breakthrough was recorded in two out of the four murder cases reported during this four (4) days of my taking over here. In this, suspects were not only arrested, weapons of committing the offence were recovered and confessional statements are recorded. They will be charged to court at the completion and the other final completion of investigation. Investigations are in topmost gear in the other outstanding ones.
Ø Two (2) murder cases of DICKSON IGBINOBA ‘M’ AGED 47YRS and SUNDAY OBAKHENA ‘M’ AGED 22YRS were received from Egor quarters, Benin City and Sabongida Ora areas of Edo State.
Ø Murder case at ugbogun: Investigation is in advance stages for other
6. On 13/01/2019, the operatives of Ekiadolor Police Station, Edo State arrested one Waila Idehen ‘m’ aged 35yrs a native of Ovbiogie Community, off Benin/Lagos expressway, Edo State, who gruesomely murdered his wife Mrs. Maureen idehen ‘f’ aged 28yrs and his two children Derek Idehen ‘m’ aged 3yrs and Desmond Idehen aged 2yrs by firing them through the bedroom door with his English Made Double Barrel gun over a mere misunderstanding. The gun was recovered while suspect made statement and confessed to the crime. Investigation is in progress.
7. CULTISM:
Ø A total of four (4) cases of cult activities were reported in the city, Okpella town, Ogua Community and Okomu Community in Edo State. Police prompt action on these report led to arrest of 10 suspects who are being charged to court.
Ø On 13/01/2019, the Command operatives acting on information arrested one Osarumwese Anthony ‘m’, Wisdom Ojo ‘m’, Saturday Obazee ‘m’, Awansoba Omoruyi ‘m’ along with some quantity of Indian hemp, at Igiebor Hotel, Udo Town in Iguobazuwa, Edo State suspects confessed members of Jurist and Eiye secret cult confraternity.
Ø On 10/01/2019, Operatives of the Command while on township patrol intercepted one taxi cab with about five occupants, but on search of them two of them namely Osazee Enoma ‘m’ aged 22yrs and Edgar Winchester ‘m’ aged 17yrs were members of Vikings secret cult group. Investigation continued.
NUMBER OF SUSPECTS ARRESTED – 24
8. FRAUD
Ø The Operatives of the Command foiled a case of obtaining the sum of N220,000.00 under false pretence by one Saibu Ali ‘m’ who is currently under investigation.
Ø In another development, on 11/01/2019 the Command arrested six (6) fraud suspects one Abel Ogbebor ‘m’; Harrison Etumah ‘m’, Asemota Uwala ‘m’, Festus Wekpe, Wahab Uwagboe ‘m’ and Sunny Ighodaro ‘m’ who posed as House agents and fraudulently obtained the sum of seven million naira from one Ogboko Austin ‘m’, a resident of Benin City.
NUMBER OF SUSPECTS ARRESTED – 11
9. KIDNAPPING
a. ARREST OF KIDNAP SUSPECTS, RECOVERY OF ARMS/CARTRIDGE
On 04/01/2019, the command through a corroborated efforts of Nigerian Naval Officers foiled a kidnap incidence and arrested three (3) suspects one Ali Abubakar ‘m’ aged 40yrs, Abubakar Suleiman ‘m’ aged 30yrs and Babatunde Emmanuel ‘m’ aged 25yrs at ishawa and Agor Communities in Etsako LGA of Edo State, who kidnapped a Naval Officers one SLT Mohammed Awwal ‘m’ attached to the Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Emiri Ondo State who was on transit to Eze Market in Edo State.
b. RESCUE OF KIDNAPPED VICTIM
On 11/01/2019, the operatives of Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber-crime Unit through a corroborated efforts of vigilante group and hunters rescued unhurt one Omobude Monday ‘m’ aged 55yrs of Urhokuosa Community along Benin/Auchi Road, Edo State, who was kidnapped in his farn at Adams Camp at Urhokuosa Community. Two other kidnapped victims were also rescued. Efforts are on top gear towards arresting the perpetrators of the crime.
10. CHILD STEALING
A case of child stealing was reported at Utese Village in Ovia North East LGA of Edo State. The Command operatives swung into action and arrested three (3) suspects and rescued the two female victims. They are equally being charged to court.
11. SEXUAL OFFENCE:
Ø ARREST OF DEFILEMENT SUSPECTS:
The Command operatives arrested one Odaro Archimiedis ‘m’ of No. 38, Eke Street, off Sakponba Road, Benin City, following a complainant against him be one Orobosa Edugie ‘m’ for defiling one Miss Faith Edigin ‘f’ aged 13 yrs old suspects made statement and denied committing the crime. Investigation is on-going.
Ø ARREST OF DEFILEMENT SUSPECT
The Command operatives attached to Ekpoma Police Station arrested one Anthony Okhoria ‘m’ at No. 9, Isidohomen Street, Ekpoma, Edo State following a report made by one Oribor Ibhare ‘f’ that the suspect defiled her daughter one Praise Abraham ‘f’ aged 8yrs. Suspect made statement and confessed to the crime. Investigation is in progress, thereafter suspect will be charged to court.
12. RAID
On 11/01/2019, 12/01/2019 and 13/01/2019, the Command conducted raid operation in criminal black spots and vulnerable points in the state. During the exercise, a total number of 110 suspects were arrested. The suspects were thoroughly interrogated, 68 out of 110 were screened out and 32 are currently under investigation.
SUMMARY OF ACHIEVEMENTS
NUMBER OF ARMS RECOVERED – 14
NUMBER OF AMMUNITION RECOVERED – 72
NUMBER OF VEHICLES RECOVERED – 4
NUMBER OF ROBBERY SUSPECTS ARRESTED – 16
NUMBER OF KIDNAPPING SUSPECTS ARRESTED – 3
NUMBER OF CULT RELATED SUSPECTS ARRESTED – 57
NUMBER OF FRAUD SUSPECTS ARRESTED – 9
NUMBER OF MURDER SUSPECTS ARRESTED – 15
NUMBER OF DEFILEMENT SUSPECTS ARRESTED – 5
NUMBER OF KIDNAPPED VICTIMS RESCUED – 6
NUMBER OF DEFILED CHILDREN RESCUED – 4
NUMBER OF CHILDREN STOLEN AND RESCUED – 2
NUMBER OF SUSPECTS ARRESTED DURING RAID OPERATION – 110
NUMBER OF SUSPECTED SCREENED OUT OF 110 – 68
NUMBER OF RAID SUSPECTS UNDER INVESTIGATION – 32
TOTAL NUMBER OF VICTIMS RESCUED – 14
TOTAL NUMBER OF SUSPECTED ARRESTED – 106
CONCLUSION
Once again, I wish to assure all law abiding people of edo State that while I remain the CP in the State, their security needs shall not be treated with levity.
Thank you all and God Bless.
HAKEEM OLUSEGUN ODUMOSU Psc, COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, EDO STATE COMMAND, BENIN CITY
The views expressed by Prof. Sagay on this matter is in the public domain. In disagreement with those views, the following opinion is herein expressed.
The CJN is specifically a judicial officer and a public officer in general. If he breaches his oath of office contained in the 7th Schedule, which includes compliance with the 5th Schedule of the Constitution dealing with declaration of assets, he is guilty of misconduct as a judicial officer. No question about that. In which case, he ought to face NJC first before being tried by any other body. By the powers vested in NJC by the 3rd Schedule, it can deal with all matters relating to broad issues of policy and administration. NJC ,has pursuant to its powers, made very elaborate rules to deal with all sorts of misconduct by judicial officers. CJN cannot be an exception to those rules as he is a judicial officer.
Such matters include compliance with extant laws, code of conduct of judicial officers and matters bothering on administration of justice. However, non-related crime is excluded. A non related crime is one that does not flow from the occupation of office as CJN. For example, murder, arson etc. Unequivocally, the duty to declare asset as CJN flows from occupation of that office. A good question to ask at this stage is whether Hon. Justice Onnoghen would have been ordinarily required to declare his assets, if he did not occupy the office of CJN or that of a Supreme Court judge? The answer in my view is no. The argument that asset declaration is for all public officers and that it is therefore unnecessary for NJC to wade into it, is illogical and ought to be rejected.
The provisions of the 3rd and 5th Schedules of the Constitution are not in conflict. There is nothing in the 5th Schedule which precludes NJC from lodging a complaint of breach of the code of conduct against a judicial officer to the Code of Conduct Bureau. The provisions of the said two Schedules of the Constitution under reference ought to be read together and not in isolation of each other. This is necessary as a breach of the code of conduct is also a judicial misconduct. Whether the allegation against a judicial officer is one of bribery or failure to abide by the oath of office, it is within the competence of NJC. No rocket science is needed to appreciate this.
It has been suggested that if NJC were to dismiss a judicial officer for misconduct, the officer ceases to be a public officer and cannot be prosecuted for breach of code of conduct applicable to public officers. This is most misconceived. The material period in the application of statutes for purposes of imposing sanction for such breaches is the period when the infraction occurred. If the offender was in public service when he committed the breach, then subsequent dismissal from service cannot preclude him from facing trial before the code of conduct for such breach. Certain misconduct can attract both a trial for breach of the code of conduct before the Tribunal and dismissal in accordance with due process. Why are the likes of Dasuki and other former officers still standing trial on allegations of corruption? Are they still in public service?
Prof. Sagay is entitled to his opinion, but on this occasion, the one he rendered appears patronizing and cannot be the correct position of the law in view of existing judicial decisions of courts of superior records in similar matters.
Hon. Austin Nwachukwu, a former member of the House of Reps from Imo State has sued Chief Chukwuma Ekomaru, SAN in the High Court of FCT for gross professional negligence in failing to sign the Writ of Summons with which the said SAN instituted an action against ARIK AIR in Abuja High Court on behalf of Hon. Nwachukwu.
In suit no CV/073/18 filed for the plaintiff by the Law Firm of West-Idahosa & Co, the plaintiff is claiming against the Defendant several reliefs, including a declaration that the Defendant breached his duty of care to him by not exercising reasonable care in failing to sign the Writ of Summons filed in court on plaintiff’s behalf and for which reason the Court of Appeal set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court in suit no FHC/ABJ/273/10 awarding the plaintiff the sum of five million naira as damages against ARIK AIR who refused to airlift the plaintiff when he presented himself for that purpose after buying a Business class ticket.
The plaintiff is also seeking to be refunded the professional fees paid to the Defendant in addition to the payment of millions of naira as exemplary damages for professional misconduct and negligence.
In the suit the plaintiff accused the Defendant of dishonesty by abandoning his case after being paid a substantial part of the agreed professional fees which led plaintiff to engage the services of another lawyer. In the Statement of Claim, the Plaintiff alleged that after making documents available to the Defendant in a bid to brief him to handle another election petition for him, the Defendant rushed to his opponent in the said petition and accepted the brief to defend the petition against plaintiff.
Plaintiff pleaded, that on each day his case in court against ARIK conflicted with the election petition hearing, Defendant would abandon his case against ARIk in which he represented Plaintiff as counsel to defend the election petition in which he subsequently represented plaintiff’s opponent having been originally briefed by the plaintiff to represent him in prosecuting the election petition . No date has been fixed for hearing.
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus and the Senate President who is also the Director General of Atiku Presidential campaign committee Dr Bukola Saraki have said that the Presidential Candidate Atiku Abubakar and the party must regain power to save Nigeria democracy.
The duo spoke in Abuja when they inspected the party’s Presidential campaign office in Maitama preparatory to the start of the nationwide campaign.
Conducting the Senate President round the campaign complex, the National Chairman said that the rebranded and repositioned party is ready to go to Nigerians with issues when the campaign begins.
According to a statement from his media office signed by Ike Abonyi, the National Chairman said that the party hopes to have a very successful electioneering just like their just completed primaries that was climaxed with the landmark National Convention.
The Senate President said that everything is set for the party to conduct one of the best Presidential campaigns in history as Nigerians are anxiously waiting for the party.
Dr Saraki said that every hand must be on deck to see off the All Progressives Congress, APC, to save our democracy and rescue the country.
The Senate President was accompanied on the inspection of the campaign office by members of the National Working Committee of the party and other critical stakeholders of the party.
The Director General of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council and Senate President Bukola Saraki has assured that, given the mounting support by Nigerians, the PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, is coasting to victory in the February 2019 Presidential election.
Senator Saraki stated this while inspecting the Legacy House headquarters of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja on Tuesday.
Saraki, who was conducted round various offices at the Legacy House by the party’s National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, promised to effectively harness and coordinate all efforts and lead the party and our candidate to victory in the elections.
Since the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as PDP Presidential candidate, there has been renewed hope among Nigerians towards actualizing their collective quest to rescue our nation from the misrule of the incompetent, divisive and deceptive President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.
Already, Atiku Abubakar’s candidacy has reunited Nigerians across board and reawakened our collective consciousness towards the restoration of purposeful leadership and national productivity, irrespective of ethnicity, religion and political affiliations.
The PDP therefore urges Nigerians to continue in mobilizing for the election and be ready for an issue-based campaign that offers solutions to the myriad of security, economic and social problems the Buhari administration has plunged our nation into.
