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6 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 26, 2022
Biafra: Kanu asks Supreme Court to
strike out FG's appeal, order his release
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA-- The embattled
leader of the Indigenous
People of Biafra, IPOB,
Nnamdi Kanu, on Friday,
asked the Supreme Court to
strike out the appeal the
Federal Government lodged
to challenge the judgement
that ordered his release from
detention.
Specifically, Kanu, in an
application he filed through
his team of lawyers led by
Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN,
and Ifeanyi Ejiofor, applied
for an order of the apex court,
"striking out and/or
dismissing the Respondent’s
Appeal No: SC/CR/1361/
2022, for want of diligent
prosecution". He is also
asking for an order setting
down his own cross appeal
for hearing.
The IPOB leader contended
that going by Section 6 (1) of
the Supreme Court
(Criminal Appeals) Practice
Direction 2013, FG, had only
10 days within which to file
and serve him with its brief
of argument, upon the service
of record of appeal.
He further argued that Order
2 Rule 29 (1) & (2) and Order
6 Rule 9 of the Supreme
Court Rules, As Amended
2014, empowered him to
seek the striking out of FG's
appeal for want of diligent
prosecution.
According to him, "Parties
were served with the record
of appeal since the 2nd
November, 2022.
"The ten (10) days stipulated
under the Fast Track Rules of
this Court for the Respondent
to file its Appellant’s Brief has
since elapsed. The
Respondent is not diligent in
prosecuting its appeal.
"The purpose of this Court’s
Rules and Practice
Directions, is to provide fair,
impartial and expeditions
administration of criminal
appeals especially in relation
to offences of terrorism, rape,
kidnaping, corruption,
money laundering and
human trafficking.
"On the 28th day of October,
2022, the lower court while
relying on the Notice of
Appeal filed by the
Respondent, granted the
Respondent’s application for
stay of execution of the
judgment of the lower court,
and consequently stayed the
execution of its judgement
delivered on the 13th
October, 2022, which
discharged the Applicant and
prohibited his further
detention.
“The Respondent, which
obtained an order of stay of
execution of the judgment of
the lower court, on the basis
of this appeal, has not
demonstrated any good faith
in prosecuting the said
appeal
"Owing to the pendency of
the instant appeal, the
Applicant who was
discharged by the lower court
since the 13th October, 2022,
is still in the custody of the
Appellant/Respondent’s
State Security Service (SSS),
where he has been held in
solitary confinement since
the 29th day of June, 2021.
"Striking out and/or
dismissing the Respondent’s
appeal will serve the best
interest of justice and fair
trial, having particular
Over 600 persons benefit from medical outreach in Kwara
Fourteen beneficiaries of
Professor Wale
Sulaiman's medical
intervention at Share,
Ifelodun Local Government
Area of Kwara State are to
undergo surgery, 157
received free eye glasses,
while others received free
medical care and drugs.
Prof Sulaiman, the Kwara
South Senatorial Candidate
of the Social Democratic
Party sponsored the medical
intervention in collaboration
with Sakinah Medical
Outreach, an international
medical organization
reputed for providing
medicare to the vulnerable in
urban and rural
Communities. The
medical outreach was held
at Share Community Town
Hall, Ifelodun Local
Government Headquarters,
Kwara State where over 600
aged men, women, artisans
and physically- challenged
patients benefited.
Commenting, the Team
Lead/ Chairman, Sakinah
Medical Outreach, Dr Yusuf
Salman said, " Our
organization is partnering
Prof Wale Sulaiman's
initiative to give opportunity
to the less privileged in
communities to access
medical facilities with ease.
The beneficiaries had the
privilege to discuss their
health concerns with
qualified medical
practitioners, which
comprised doctors,
pharmacists, nurses and
Wike Approves N500m Take
off Grant For JMOJI
By Egufe Yafugborhi
PORT HARCOURT -
RIVERS State governor,
Nyesom Wike, has offered
N500Million take off grant
for the Justice Mary Odili
Judicial Institute (JMOJI),
Port Harcourt.
Wike announced the grant
yesterday as Chief Justice of
Nigeria, Olukayode
Ariwoola, unveiled the
JMOJI and the Federal
Judicial Service
Commission, South-South
Liaison Office, both built by
the Rivers State Government.
Harping on the imperative
for solid takeoff for the
JMOJI, Wike said, "I have
made my budget 2023
presentation and it was not
included. But I've told the
Commissioner for Finance
that since the budget has not
been approved, he should
make sure it is included.
"But to start off for now until
when next year's budget will
be released, we are making a
grant of N500 million to them
so that the institute can start
immediately to enable us have
the full benefit "
Wike noted that the
health counselors". A
beneficiary, Mrs Barikisu
Zubair who expressed
gratitude to Prof Wale
Sulaiman for rendering
selfless service to humanity
said, "we thank the sponsor
for his genuine concern for
the less privileged in Share
and neighboring
communities.
•As CJN unveils Rivers projects for judiciary
National Judicial Institute
(NJI) saddled with the
training of judges and
magistrate yearly has the
challenge of carrying
capacity, which means not
every judge and magistrate
billed for the continuous
training can be lucky for
admission in any current year.
To close the gap with
projects like the JMOJI, Wike
said, "If Nigeria is operating
a true federal system, there is
nothing wrong for the state to
have its own judicial institute
that will train judges who
apply the laws, preside over
matters that affect the State
and business around here.
"Thank God today that the
federal government through
the CJN has approved it.
What we are doing is to
complement efforts of NJI. We
are not taking over functions
of NJI. We are only
complementing, so that our
own judges will be ahead of
other states."
The Governor said the
Justice Mary Odili Judicial
Institute will be willing to
accommodate other judges
and magistrates that will be
referred to it by NJI and train
them free of charge.
2023: Tell
Atiku to stop
running,
Tinubu begs
Gbaramatu
King during
visit to Delta
By Akpokona Omafuaire
THE All Progressives
Congress, APC,
Presidential Candidate,
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed
Tinubu yesterday
begged the Pere of
Gbaramatu Kingdom,
HRM. Oboro Gbaraun II
to tell the Presidential
Candidate of the
People’s Democratic
Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku
Abubakar to stop
contesting elections in
the Country.
Tinubu made the call
during his address when
he visited the reverred
monarch at his palace in
Oporozo, Warri South-
West Local Government
Area of Delta State.
He noted that there are
few of the presidential
candidates contesting
election.
Tinubu said, “One says
he is Atiku. How many
times has he been
running? He’s always on
the run. He is never tired
of running. Tell him to
go and sit down.”
According to Tinubu, the
other one lies with
statistics and arithmetic.
“No Indian can solve it.
To mention his name is a
disgrace to me.”
Tinubu said the
particular candidate
give wrong statistics and
wrong arithmetic of the
economy.
While noting that the
Pere of Gbaramatu
Kingdom needs a man
who knows the
road,Tinubu said,
“That’s me.”
He promised that he will
not be far away from the
Gbaramatu people if
elected president as he is
going to consult with
them for the development
of the area as well as
provide employments for
the teeming youths.