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CSO vows to institute legal action against Niger retiring Chief Judge, Commissioner of Police over detention of journalist
A Civil Society Organisation, Action Aids For Transparency and Justice (AAFTJ), has threatened to institute a legal action against the outgoing Chief judge of Niger State, Justice Mohammed Aliyu Mayaki, and the Commissioner of Police in Niger State, Mr Adamu Usman for unlawful detention of a Minna based Online Journalist, Alhaji Uthman Mijinyawa Siraja over a publication exposing the appointment of the daughter of the outgoing chief judge as the Secretary of the State Judicial Service Commission (JSC), ahead of most qualified applicants.
The Journalist who was arrested two weeks ago after the said publication on CAPITAL POST went viral, while the outgoing Chief judge felt embarrassed, described the report as malicious and damaging to his person.
The Civil Society felt that the said publication was in consonance with the provision of the 1999 Constitution as amended as well as the Freedom of Information Act, hence, the arrest and detention of the journalist by the Chief Judge of Niger State constituted a breach of his fundamental human rights.
The CSO in a press statement jointly signed by the North Central Director of (AAFTJ), Comrade Abdulmajeed Jimoh, and the Head of Legal Services, Barrister Jameela Okpanachi which was released on Sunday, vowed that the Commissioner of Police in Niger State, Adamu Usman and the outgoing Chief Judge would be prosecuted, saying they should be prepared to face the full wrath of the law for unlawful detention of the Journalist.
Explaining his experiences over his detention, Alhaji Uthman Mijinyawa said: “I was invited by the Chief Protocol of the State Judiciary, one Danladi Sallau Pangu for a discussion only for the Chief Protocol who claimed that the Chief Judge alledged that he divulged the information of Niger State Judiciary to me as he was the closest person to the Chief Judge only for me to publish online.
“The Chief Protocol then arranged with the Police from GRA Divisional Police Command where I was whisked away like an ordinary criminal and taken to State Headquarters for onward interrogation and kept in CID custody for three days.
According to the press statement which was made available to CAPITAL POST, the CSO said after going through the publication and making findings in Minna, the report was discovered to be the true position of the whole contents.
“We further discovered that the daughter of the outgoing Chief Judge, Aisha Mohammed Aliyu Mayaki was acting as the Secretary of the State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) on level 17 which is the position of Permanent Serectary in the State Civil Service.
“We further learnt from a confirmed authority that an emergency JSC meeting was conveyed on Tuesday last week, and one Abdulrahaman Garafini who was a Deputy Chief Registrar Litigation was hurriedly appointed as the substantive Secretary of the JSC.
“Equally, it was also discovered that the outgoing Chief Judge inaugurated 13 new Magistrates on Friday with his daughter on the first list.
“Our question here is this. Why the Journalist was arrested and detained for doing his work perfectly and professionally.
“Why should the Police Commissioner allowed himself to be used by the outgoing Chief Judge to arrest and detain the Journalist who we even gathered that he has been covering the activities of the Command and the Judiciary for years.
“If the outgoing Chief Judge felt offended with the report, the appropriate thing for him to do is to institute a libel suit against the Media organization and not even the Journalist who was doing his work.
“For all these unlawful detention of the Journalist, we are left with no option than to seek redress against the Chief Judge and the Commissioner of Police for allowing himself to be used to intimidate Alhaji Uthman Mijinyawa Siraja.”
The wife of Senator Isah Jibrin (Echocho), Hajia Aishat has offered cash and food items worth millions of naira to widows and vulnerable women across Dekina local government Councils, promises to take similar gesture across the nine local government in Kogi East.
The exercise which was tagged: “Widows Empowerment”, saw the Senator’s wife distributing cash and food items to cushion the effect of Ramadan.
Items distributed are bags of rice bags of salt, cartons of seasoning, maggi etc, which were evenly distributed to widows and vulnerable women across party lines.
A beneficiary who spoke with our correspondent at Odu in Dekina Local Government Council, Hon Fitumi thanked Hajia for her continuous effort in coming through for widows and vulnerable regularly.
She acknowledged similar gesture by Senator Isah Jibrin (Echocho), a fortnight ago at Ankpa when youths in their numbers from three Local Government Areas were trained in Agriculture and empowered, stressing that people are now living testimony to the effort of the lawmaker.
“”We are aware of several intervention projects, empowerment and developmental projects of Senator Echocho and we are not surprised seeing Hajia toeing the similar path.
“The distribution of food items and cash today is not only a rekindling of hope to the beneficiaries, but an encouragement that despite their condition, they were not forgotten.
Hajia Labran, and other APC Women leaders who spoke on behalf of women, applauded Hajia Aisha Echocho and pray Allah to strengthen her to carry on, urged others to emulate her sustainable initiatives.
The women advised other political office holders to emulate what is good and just, which they believed would strengthen the party.
As part of the activities to celebrate the golden anniversary of the University of Calabar, the wife of the President of the Senate, Mrs Ekaette Unoma Godswill Akpabio was on Saturday, March 22, 2025 conferred with an honorary doctorate degree in Education Management.
The ceremony held at the main campus of the institution in Calabar, Cross River State also saw the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike awarded the honorary doctorate degree in Law.
Other awardees included Major General Moses Bisong Obi (rtd) (Doctor of Peace and Conflict Studies) and Supreme Court Justice, Emmanuel Akomaye Obi (Doctor of Law).
In her acceptance speech after the conferment by the 15th Emir of Kano and Chancellor of the University, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, the wife of the Senate President, Mrs Akpabio thanked the Governing Council and Management of the University for finding her worthy of the honour.
A statement by the Special Assistant on Media/communication to the President of the Senate, Anietie Ekong quoted Mrs Akpabio as saying “I am happy to be honoured with this award from the prestigious University of Calabar that I have heard so much about from my dear husband, an alumnus of this great institution.
“I was wondering when I will join him as a great Malabress and that day has come and I am grateful to the University for this honour,” she said.
Mrs Akpabio promised to work with other awardees especially the Minister of the FCT to provide infrastructural assistance to the university.
In a citation the University extolled Mrs Akpabio for her philanthropic and humanitarian efforts towards uplifting the lives of women and the vulnerable of the society through her non governmental organisation, the Family Life Enhancement Initiative.
She was also recognized as a Champion of women’s rights and as one who used her position as the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State to fight for the inclusion of more women in governance.
On his part, Chief Wike said he was honoured to be among the recipients of award. He extolled the Visitor of the University, President Bola Tinubu for working tirelessly to promote tertiary education in the country.
Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed disappointment over the declaration of State of emergency in Rivers State, saying it discredits Nigeria’s image.
The declaration by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sent Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara packing for six months, while the elected members of the State House of Assembly have also been suspended.
Jonathan stated this while speaking as the Chairman at the Haske Satumari Foundation Colloquium in Abuja on Saturday.
He said elected officials have been removed from office in a very disappointing manner.
Contrary to Jonathan’s view however, the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, expressed support for Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers.
The party said no responsible government will allow a situation to deteriorate before taking decisive action in the best interest of its citizens.
NNPP National Chairman, Dr. Agbo Major, told newsmen: “President Tinubu is the Chief Security Officer of Nigeria.
“The information available to him as president from intelligence sources may not be in the public purview.
“The government in Rivers was suspended and no one can actually say what would have happened by now, judging from the deepening crisis.
“The crisis was further compounded by some leaders who, instead of offering advice or promoting peace during the turmoil, allowed it to escalate before later stepping in to criticize.”
But for President Jonathan, “These actions by key actors in the executive and legislative arms of government paint the country in a negative light.”
He said it was not the norm for former presidents to comment on issues, so as not to heat up the polity.
However, Jonathan said, his comment became necessary after calls from many Nigerians, urging him to speak on the events in Rivers State.
He added that the image of the country and how much investments a country attracts is dependent on the actions of the executive, legislature and judiciary of that country.
Goodluck Jonathan faulted the situation where an individual can dictate to the judiciary, noting that it makes it difficult for anyone to have faith in the judiciary.
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