NCP Drags Federal Government To Court; Over Closure Of Schools
The decision of the Federal Government to close down all private and public primary and secondary schools in Nigeria for the registration of voters has been challenged by the National Conscience Party, at the Federal High Court through its lawyer, Femi Falana.
The Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/27/2011 was filed at the Federal High Court on Monday, January 17, 2011 by the Chairman of the Lagos State Branch of the National Conscience Party, Tunde Agunbiade on behalf of two of his children – Akintunde and Oreoluwa who are students of Omole Grammar School, Ikeja.
The plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that the decision of the Federal Ministry of Education to close down all private and public schools from January 4-31, 2011 for the registration of voters is illegal, null and void as it violates Section 10 of the Electoral Act, 2011.
They are also seeking an order of perpetual injunction to restrain the defendant from closing down private and public schools for registration of voters forthwith.
In the affidavit in support of the Originating Summons Agunbiade disclosed that JAMB, WAEC and NECO have, for the past two years, recorded 80% failure and if the illegal closure of schools is not checked the standard of education will continue to nose drive to the detriment of the nation.
Meanwhile, NEXT newspaper yesterday exposed the hypocrisy thrown up by the closure of schools nationwide by reporting that the school President Goodluck Jonathan’s children attend in Abuja, American International School, defied the order by carrying out normal academic activities.
The newspaper also published on its front page the photograph of pupils of the school, including President Jonathan’s children, studying in the school.
Following the embarrassing newspaper report, the Federal Government quickly ordered the school shut as a facesaving measure.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
The decision of the Federal Government to close down all private and public primary and secondary schools in Nigeria for the registration of voters has been challenged by the National Conscience Party, at the Federal High Court through its lawyer, Femi Falana.
The Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/27/2011 was filed at the Federal High Court on Monday, January 17, 2011 by the Chairman of the Lagos State Branch of the National Conscience Party, Tunde Agunbiade on behalf of two of his children – Akintunde and Oreoluwa who are students of Omole Grammar School, Ikeja.
The plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that the decision of the Federal Ministry of Education to close down all private and public schools from January 4-31, 2011 for the registration of voters is illegal, null and void as it violates Section 10 of the Electoral Act, 2011.
They are also seeking an order of perpetual injunction to restrain the defendant from closing down private and public schools for registration of voters forthwith.
In the affidavit in support of the Originating Summons Agunbiade disclosed that JAMB, WAEC and NECO have, for the past two years, recorded 80% failure and if the illegal closure of schools is not checked the standard of education will continue to nose drive to the detriment of the nation.
Meanwhile, NEXT newspaper yesterday exposed the hypocrisy thrown up by the closure of schools nationwide by reporting that the school President Goodluck Jonathan’s children attend in Abuja, American International School, defied the order by carrying out normal academic activities.
The newspaper also published on its front page the photograph of pupils of the school, including President Jonathan’s children, studying in the school.
Following the embarrassing newspaper report, the Federal Government quickly ordered the school shut as a facesaving measure.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
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Imam Killed In Mushin Gang War.
The ongoing gang war in Mushin, Lagos State, has claimed the life of an Imam and at least 10 other persons.
Imam of Olorunsogo Mosque at 5, Elegba Street, Idi-Oro, Mushin,Sulaiman Raji was in the mosque when he was attacked by some unidentified gunmen.
The residents of the area were warned not to come out because some armed youths who are suspected to belong to cult groups were shooting sporadically.
During the melee, the imam was killed while some of the worshippers in the mosque also sustained gunshot wounds.
The late Imam has been buried at his hometown in Kwara State. One of those killed during the battle was identified as Opeyemi Obafemi Lawal, 33.
Opeyemi was said to have gone to Akala area, a notorious trouble spot in Mushin, to see one of his friends when he was shot. He died instantly.
Opeyemi’s widow, Olamide Lawal, mother of two, yesterday, she was still devastated but managed to say that she relied on God to avenge her husband’s killing.
Olamide described her husband as an easy going man who could hardly hurt a fly.
“I cannot fight those who killed my husband. I hand over everything to God to judge,” said Olamide, a hairdresser, who also appealed to well meaning Nigerians to assist her in any form to take care of the two kids.
Some of the residents of the area who spoke on condition of anonymity blamed politicians for the bloody clashes among cult groups and factional members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW.
They alleged that politicians in Mushin area were using the groups to unleash terror on innocent citizens.
One of the residents said there was need for government to provide permanent solution to the menace posed by hoodlums in the area.
The ongoing gang war in Mushin, Lagos State, has claimed the life of an Imam and at least 10 other persons.
Imam of Olorunsogo Mosque at 5, Elegba Street, Idi-Oro, Mushin,Sulaiman Raji was in the mosque when he was attacked by some unidentified gunmen.
The residents of the area were warned not to come out because some armed youths who are suspected to belong to cult groups were shooting sporadically.
During the melee, the imam was killed while some of the worshippers in the mosque also sustained gunshot wounds.
The late Imam has been buried at his hometown in Kwara State. One of those killed during the battle was identified as Opeyemi Obafemi Lawal, 33.
Opeyemi was said to have gone to Akala area, a notorious trouble spot in Mushin, to see one of his friends when he was shot. He died instantly.
Opeyemi’s widow, Olamide Lawal, mother of two, yesterday, she was still devastated but managed to say that she relied on God to avenge her husband’s killing.
Olamide described her husband as an easy going man who could hardly hurt a fly.
“I cannot fight those who killed my husband. I hand over everything to God to judge,” said Olamide, a hairdresser, who also appealed to well meaning Nigerians to assist her in any form to take care of the two kids.
Some of the residents of the area who spoke on condition of anonymity blamed politicians for the bloody clashes among cult groups and factional members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW.
They alleged that politicians in Mushin area were using the groups to unleash terror on innocent citizens.
One of the residents said there was need for government to provide permanent solution to the menace posed by hoodlums in the area.
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For allegedly stealing his employers Range Rover jeep worth eight million naira, a house help, Ali Shettima was today arraigned before a Surulere Magistrates Court, Lagos.
Shetima and his accomplice Ibrahim Lawal are standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.
While the first accused pleaded not guilty to the charge of conspiracy he, however, pleaded guilty to stealing, his accomplice on the other hand pleaded not guilty to both charges.
Prosecutor, Sergent Idowu Onime, told the court that the duo committed the offence on December twenty-two at Surulere, Lagos.
Magistrate, A. Tobi, adjourned the case till wednesday next week, for ruling on their bail application. .
Shetima and his accomplice Ibrahim Lawal are standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.
While the first accused pleaded not guilty to the charge of conspiracy he, however, pleaded guilty to stealing, his accomplice on the other hand pleaded not guilty to both charges.
Prosecutor, Sergent Idowu Onime, told the court that the duo committed the offence on December twenty-two at Surulere, Lagos.
Magistrate, A. Tobi, adjourned the case till wednesday next week, for ruling on their bail application. .
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Three policemen who allegedly stole police riffles have been taken before a Lagos Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ebute Meta.
The accused, Felix Okwaji, Romanius Ogu, and Sunday Okoh, are standing trial before Chief Magistrate, Philip Ojo, on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.
The prosecutor, ASP Innocent Effiong, said the three conspired to steal three police riffles with ninety rounds of live ammunition, the value of which has yet to be determined.
However, counsel to the accused,S.A. Adewale, told the court that the three were former police officers and not thieves.
Each of the accused pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of two hundred thousand naira with two sureties in like sum.
Further hearing of the case has been fixed for March twenty-five.
The accused, Felix Okwaji, Romanius Ogu, and Sunday Okoh, are standing trial before Chief Magistrate, Philip Ojo, on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.
The prosecutor, ASP Innocent Effiong, said the three conspired to steal three police riffles with ninety rounds of live ammunition, the value of which has yet to be determined.
However, counsel to the accused,S.A. Adewale, told the court that the three were former police officers and not thieves.
Each of the accused pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of two hundred thousand naira with two sureties in like sum.
Further hearing of the case has been fixed for March twenty-five.
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Congestion At Ikoyi Passport Office Blamed On Decrepit Machines.
The endless queues of applicants seeking to acquire Nigerian passports at the Ikoyi Passport Office, Lagos, have been blamed on the decrepit scanning machines being used in the office.
The scanning machines, introduced in 2008, regularly broke down, resulting in the delay in issuance of the new e-passports and the machines were acquired more than 10 years ago.
The number of the passport applicants had progressively risen from 800 to more than 1,000 daily, pointing out that the number was beyond the capacity the machines could handle.
The machines were few and could not handle the increasing number of applicants.
The rise in the number of applicants may not be unconnected with the initial December 2010 deadline for the rejection of non-machine-readable passports.
The Federal Government, however, in December extended the deadline to enable more Nigerians to obtain the new passports.
The endless queues of applicants seeking to acquire Nigerian passports at the Ikoyi Passport Office, Lagos, have been blamed on the decrepit scanning machines being used in the office.
The scanning machines, introduced in 2008, regularly broke down, resulting in the delay in issuance of the new e-passports and the machines were acquired more than 10 years ago.
The number of the passport applicants had progressively risen from 800 to more than 1,000 daily, pointing out that the number was beyond the capacity the machines could handle.
The machines were few and could not handle the increasing number of applicants.
The rise in the number of applicants may not be unconnected with the initial December 2010 deadline for the rejection of non-machine-readable passports.
The Federal Government, however, in December extended the deadline to enable more Nigerians to obtain the new passports.
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