Judicial workers’ strike, a misdirected action – Lawyer

 

 Lagos-based lawyer and an expert in labour dispute resolution, Mr. Eteh Enobong, has advised the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria to first exhaust all available avenues to enforce the court order on financial autonomy for the judiciary before resorting to strike.

Enobong described JUSUN’s nationwide strike that commenced on Monday as a misdirected action in the face of failure to explore all the avenues provided by the law.

Had JUSUN exhausted all the avenues provided by the law to enforce the court judgment, Enobong said the union could have sued the specific government officials who failed to implement the judgment for contempt.

The National Executive Committee of JUSUN had directed all its members to proceed on an indefinite strike to protest the non-compliance of state governments with a court order granting autonomy and financial independence to the judiciary.

The judgment was given by a Federal High Court in Abuja on January 13, 2014.

But Enobong, in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Tuesday, said that shutting down the courts by JUSUN members was tantamount to visiting the wrongdoings of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the state governors on the judiciary, which ironically had given judgment in JUSUN’s favour.

He said, “The question is, how do you embark on a strike that affects the very court that gave the judgment you are trying to enforce? How do you intend to enforce that judgment? Or are you also punishing the court that gave judgment in your favour by going on a strike that completely stops its operations?

“Visiting the wrong of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Attorneys-General of the states on the court is certainly highhandedness. It is like victimising and punishing litigants and the court for a wrong that they have not committed. I think the best way is to go back to the court that gave the judgment.”

The lawyer added that by embarking on the strike, JUSUN had also blocked its own chance of approaching the court to obtain an enforcement order against the defendants in its case.

Enobong said, “My opinion is that embarking on a strike after a judgment has been given when there is no step taken for the enforcement of that order from the court that made that order is completely wrongful and unlawful.

“When a party receives a judgment in its favour, the rules of court make provision for procedure for enforcement. In the specific and instant case of JUSUN judgment, all they need to do is bring an application for an order of court directing the particular officer to make remittance to the appropriate account on a regular basis, as per the judgment of the court. Where such an enforcement order has been made and any party refuses to comply, they can be committed for contempt.”

Meanwhile, the coroner’s inquest into the death of about 116 persons in the September 12, 2014 Synagogue Church of All Nations building collapse was stalled on Tuesday owing to JUSUN’s strike.

The coroner, Magistrate O.A. Komolafe, had on December 23, 2014 adjourned till Tuesday to continue with the inquest, which commenced on October 13, 2014.

The inquest could not continue on Tuesday as the gates of the Ikeja Lagos State High Court, venue of the inquest, were shut.

Anna Banner Reacts To Being Pregnant For Flavour

Flavour N'abania

 

Former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) Anna Ebiere Banner has debunked report that she is 2-months pregnant for Nigerian singer, Chinedu Okoli, popularly known as Flavour.

Speaking with Pulse during a phone interview, Anna Baaner said the report was not true.

Report had earlier surfaced that the 19-year-old ex-beauty queen was expecting a baby for Flavour, only months after he welcomed his first child with Sandra Okagbue, an ex-Delta Soap Queen.

A source who knows the former beauty queen had said: “Anna is happy, she looks happy she’s having the child for the love of her life. I just hope she can handle the whole thing, she’s such a young girl.”

"Spill the blood of every Islamic jihadist" - Bishop Oyedepo orders church members

Pastor Oyedepo in the 26-minute rare footage on YouTube was shown angrily shouting: “God has anointed me to lead a revolution against Islamic jihadists,”

“If you catch anyone that looks like them – kill him! Kill him and pull out his neck. I will spill his blood on the ground. What nonsense!”

Is Seyi Shay trying to copy Tiwa Savage?

At the 2014 edition of The Headies, Tiwa Savage was snapped in a raunchy pose with dancehall act Patoranking. In the picture, Mavin's first lady placed her bum on Patoranking's groin region. As usual this generated a lot of noise on social media.

Now, maybe in a bid to get some buzz or outdo Tiwa Savage, female singer Seyi Shay recently did the same to Patoranking. While performing 'Murda' with Patoranking, the singer placed her bum on Patoranking's private region. The event was at the 2014 Lagos Countdown.

It seems Patoranking's manhood is a favourite spot for some of our female singers.

18 female soldiers, Colonel missing after Boko Haram’s attack on Borno military base

 

The disappearance of 18 female Nigerian soldiers who were part of the troops at the Multi-National Joint Task Force camp in Baga, Borno State, before it was overrun by Boko Haram fighters last Saturday has become a subject of serious concern.

Fears were raised particularly about the safety and fate of the 18 female soldiers who were last seen on Friday evening and discovered missing after the base was overrun and occupied by the Boko Haram insurgents.

Security sources said the missing soldiers may have been captured by the Boko Haram terrorists since efforts to locate them since Saturday at nearby barracks have not yielded results.

It was gathered that 26 female soldiers were posted to the military base manned by the Multinational Joint Task Force, but after the fierce attack only eight were seen.

Apart from the female soldiers, it was gathered that an officer, a Colonel, who was the Commanding Officer of the Nigerian troops at the camp, has also not been seen since the insurgents attacked.

Fleeing residents of Baga told reporters that Boko Haram insurgents invaded their town, killing at least 55 people, including soldiers attached to MNJTF.

Both residents and security sources said the attack lasted more than five hours before the terrorists overwhelmed the troops and seized the base as soldiers ran for their lives.

A military source said the attack took the soldiers by surprise, regretting that though the troops made gallant efforts to defend the base, they were out-numbered and could not repel the attack after the expected re-inforcement from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, failed to come.

Hundreds of insurgents were alleged to have taken part in the operation to seize Baga town and surrounding villages, including the military base, which was attacked with heavy weapons.

A resident of Baga, Abubakar Kaka, a fisherman, who fled from the town, said no fewer than 50 villagers, including five soldiers, were killed, while others sustained injuries in the attacks.

Kaka also said he saw soldiers fleeing before leaving the town.

He said Boko Haram fighters went from room to room at the base, but met few soldiers as the majority had left the camp and scattered in various locations.

He said: “Many of us found ourselves in the bush.

“In fact, some of the soldiers removed their uniforms to avoid being identified by the terrorists.

“I saw soldiers who disguised as civilians by pulling off their uniforms and boots to avoid the terrorists.

“Some of us gave our clothes to them to enable them disguise and escape into Chad for safety.”

Military sources speculated that some of the fleeing soldiers may have gone to the nearby Monguno barracks, close to Maiduguri or were still moving farther in-land through the bush.

A security source said the insurgents also stormed other neighbouring communities, shooting indiscriminately at people and added that the militants also destroyed and burnt hundreds of houses and shops, often using fuel and other explosive devices.

Efforts to obtain comments from the Defence Headquarters on the alleged missing female soldiers did not yield positive results as the Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Olajide Laleye, could not respond to text messages urging him to comment on the matter.

Actress Moji Olaiya – “I Dumped My Husband Because Of Domestic Violence”

  

Popular Yoruba actress Moji Olaiya's marriage troubles reached the ears of the public when she walked out of her marriage due to domestic violence. Nollywood actress Monalisa Chinda also recently dropped the huge bomb about experiencing the same horrible experince.

The actress and mother of one who is also the cultural ambassador of Ekiti State spilled the beans in an interview with Vanguard on January 3, 2015. Moji Olaiya split with her husband Bayo Okesola due to the fact that he was abusing her. During the interview she mentioned that she walked away from her marriage to avoid living as a victim of domestic violence and also to protect her daughter.

She went on to admit that a woman needs a man by her side and she is in fact currently dating a new man but cannot reveal his identity until Bayo Okesola who she married in 2007 is legally her divorced husband.

The actress who converted from Christianity to Islam made it known that she has every intention of re-marrying.

Gen Buhari attends Lagos state annual thanksgiving

APC Presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari joined Governor of Lagos state Babatunde Fashola, RCCG General Overseer Pastor Adeboye and his wife to offer praise to God for 2015 at the state house arena in Ikeja today January 4th. Other dignitaries present at the thanksgiving included APC National Chairman John Oyegun, Gov Rotimi Amaechi, APC VP Candidate Prof Yemi Osinbajo.

 

‘Nigerian Army has Buhari’s academic record’

The Director of Public Relations of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier Olaleye Lajide, has dismissed reports that the Army could not find academic records of the presidential candidate of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari.

The military spokesman made the disclosure while responding to a text message from SaharaReporters seeking clarification about the status of Buhari’s records. Brigadier Lajide affirmed that the Nigerian Army is in possession of all records of serving, retired and deceased officers since its inception. He added, however, that all military officers are supposed to keep original copies of their certificates.

According to him, in the event where an officer loses his or her original copy of records, the concerned officer must officially apply for copies from the army. He stated that the army responds to such requests in an expeditious manner.

Brigadier Lajide also said he was a former director of records at the Nigerian Army headquarters and had seen records of older and retired generals. He added that he was in no doubt that General Buhari’s records were intact.

PDP Woos Atiku, Kwakwanso, Others

The Peoples Democratic Party has said that it is wooing former members of the party, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Kano State Governor, Alhaji Rabiu Kwakwanso, who defected to the All Progressives Congress to return to the party before the next general elections.

The PDP National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo, who stated this on Friday at a press conference in Ile-Ife, said the party had begun moves to bring back the former members.

He said, “The PDP has begun moves to bring back some of our former chieftains who are now in the APC. The PDP reconciliation committee set up by the National Working Committee will meet with all former members for the purpose of bringing them back before the next general elections.”

Oladipo, who urged Nigerians to support the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan, said the President had achieved a lot despite the security challenge confronting the nation.

According to him, Jonathan has recorded tremendous success in electricity supply, road construction and railway resuscitation, among other achievements.

Expressing confidence that the PDP will record landslide victory in the poll, Oladipo said, “The APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, is too old to rule Nigeria; he cannot be compared with Jonathan. Buhari is too strict and harsh for Nigerians, while Jonathan is meek, humble and dedicated to the course of democracy and good governance.

Atiku and Kwankwaso were among the four aspirants who contested the APC presidential primary Buhari.

It will be recalled that APC had made the presidential aspirants signed a bond that they would not dump the party should they lose at the primary won by Buhari.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, said he was not aware of the development, but admitted that Oladipo was competent enough to speak on party issues.

He said, “I just came back from holiday today (Friday). I have not spoken with the secretary. Oladapo is the secretary of the party and he knows what is saying. I have not heard that before and we h ave not discussed.

“But he is a knowledgeable person; he is a professor and I believe whatever he said must be correct, but I am not aware of the development.”

However, Kwakwanso said he was not aware of the development.

The governor’s Director of Press, Halilu Baba Dantiye, said he was not sure that the PDP had met with the governor on the issue.

“We are not aware of such move. We don’t know about it,” he said.

Attempts to speak to Atiku’s media aide, Mallam Garba Shehu, failed as all calls and text messages sent to his mobile were not responded to as of the time of filing this report.

But the spokesperson for the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the party would leave the PDP to pursue the illusion.

He said, “I think that the PDP has now perfected the art of distraction. We wish them good luck in their endeavour. The APC is no longer a political party; it has become a movement.

He said, “And when you are dealing with a movement using old tactics, you are about to fail. APC today is driven by the people and the distractions of the PDP will not even scratch us.”