BREAKING: JUDGE HANDLING SEN. MELAYE’S ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION CASE IS DEAD

Justice Aromeh Benson Akogu, the Kabba Resident High Court Judge in Kogi who is currently handling the case of attempted assassination of Sen. Dino Melaye is reported dead.

It was gathered that the judge died in Anyigba on the 31st of Dec, 2017 at about 11:40pm during a cross-over service to 2018.

According to a reliable source close to the family, Akogu who had vowed not to sleep before the cross-over to 2018, was neither sick nor show any symptoms of ill health.

Sen. Dino Melaye

His wife, Mrs Vicky Akogu, who confirmed the death, said the late judge and one-time Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the state, was hale and hearty before his sudden death.

She said that she watched her husband’s death like a movie and could hardly believe herself.

Commenting on the incident from Akogu family house in Idah, Chief Registrar of the State High Court, Yahaya Ademu, said the body had been deposited at the Grimmard Hospital Mortuary, Anyigba.

The late judge, in his late 50s, was until his death, handling the case of attempted assassination of Sen. Dino Melaye.

According to report, the Ijumu Local Government Administrator, Taofiq Isah and four others are also being tried in the matter.

-NAN.

BREAKING: SCORES REPORTEDLY KILLED AS GUNMEN ATTACK OMOKU COMMUNITY IN RIVERS STATE (PHOTOS)

Reports have it that no fewer than 15 persons have been reportedly shot dead and scores injured/hospitalized in Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State by a group of gunmen on Monday.

This was posted by a Facebook user, who is also from the area, Osiah Chinedu in his facebook handle and later verified from the Rivers state police command.

The State Police Command told correspondents that they are already aware of the development but however, couldn't give details as at press time.

Eyewitnesses further revealed that the  gunmen that raided the town in the early hours of New Year Day, 1st January, 2018, were suspected to be working for a wanted kidnap kingpin/ militant leader, Don Nwanee.

Below are pictorial evidences of the Omoku incidence....(viewer discretion advised).

 We shall give you updates as they unfold...

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NIGERIAN HOSPITALS NOW TO TREAT GUNSHOT WOUNDS WITHOUT POLICE REPORT - SEN. ITA ENANG

 
Physicians and medical workers in Nigerian Hospitals across the country can now treat gun shot wounds without first requesting for a police report before commencing treatment on any victim.

This was made known by Senator Ita Enang, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate). He made this known to State House correspondents in Abuja on Friday while stating that President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act, 2017 into law alongside other five bills.

The five other bills are

The Niger Delta Development Commission (Establishment) Amendment Act, 2017;

The Anti-Torture Act 2017;

The Federal Capital Appropriation Act;

The Federal Capital Territory Water Board (Establishment) Act 2017;

and the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (Establishment) Act 2017.

Senator Enang stated that the Gunshot Act specifically stipulates that a person with gunshot shall be received for immediate and adequate treatment by any hospital in Nigeria with or without initial monetary deposit. A person with gunshot wound shall not be subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment or torture by any person or authority, including the police and other security agencies,” he explained.

On Niger Delta Development Commission (Establishment) Amendment Act, 2017, Enang said the NDDC Act also included the gas producing and gas processing companies in the list of agencies that were contributing to the Niger Delta Development Commission, in addition to oil companies to increase funding of the commission for effective discharge of its duties.
He added that “previously, the NDDC Act excluded gas companies. The Act makes it explicit that gas companies have to be included. “This is to diversify sources of funding for the NDDC for the economic wellbeing of the region.’’

On the Anti-Torture Act, he said it makes comprehensive provisions for penalising acts of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, and prescribes penalties for the commission of such acts.

On the Federal Capital Appropriation Act, the president’s aide explained that the Act authourised the Federal Capital Territory Administration to legally and legitimately provide funds out of its Statutory Revenue Fund for recurrent and capital expenditure.

On the Federal Capital Territory Water Board Establishment Act, he noted that the act was charged with the responsibility of providing safe, adequate and affordable water to FCT residents.

The National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (Establishment) Act, 2017, he said is to provide national direction in cancer research, control and treatment; guide scientific improvements to cancer prevention, treatment and care, coordinate and liaise between the wide range of groups and health care providers with an interest in cancer.

“The six Acts have come into effect as laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’’

Source: http://headline.com.ng/doctors-now-treat-gunshot-wounds-without-police-report/amp/

WHATSAPP TO STOP WORKING ON BlackBerry OS AND SOME OTHER SMART PHONES FROM 2018

WhatsApp, the leading chat app/ messenger in the world is about to stop working on a range of old smartphones from the 1st of January 2018. This is because these range of mobile devices don’t offer the kind of capabilities needed to expand and accommodate latest technologies that would be the major features in the future of upgrades in WhatsApp.

This means owners of these once famous/old mobile phones will have to buy newer gadgets if they want to continue using WhatsApp.

Last year, WhatsApp dropped its support for Nokia Symbian S60 phones. It will do the same for Nokia S40 handsets on December 31 2018 and then devices running Android 2.3.7 and older after 1 February, 2020.

On New Year’s Day, WhatsApp will ‘remove support’ for a number of devices – which updated versions of the software can no longer be installed on them.

From January 1, 2018, anyone still using phones which run BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry 10 or Windows Phone 8.0 will no longer be able to update their WhatsApp software.

In a blog post, WhatsApp wrote: “While these mobile devices have been an important part of our story, they don’t offer the kind of capabilities we need to expand our app’s features in the future.

“This was a tough decision for us to make, but the right one in order to give people better ways to keep in touch with friends, family, and loved ones using WhatsApp.

“If you use one of these affected mobile devices, we recommend upgrading to a newer Android, iPhone, or Windows Phone.”

OKOROCHA & NEW LIBERIAN PRESIDENT PICTURED TOGETHER (PHOTO)

 

This pic says a lot....

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TSTV: SALE OF DECODERS COMMENCES IN NIGERIA

Nigeria’s new satellite TV, TStv, has concluded arrangement to roll out its commercial decoders after the successful test run of its promo decoders distributed before November, reports CommunicationsWeek. Ernest Essien, the TStv’s Public Relations Officer said that the service provider was committed to making sure that all the intending customers should have their decoders before 25 December. Essien said the company was almost done with test transmission and was just putting some finishing touches. 

Essien reiterated that the price of TStv decoder would remain at the initial NGN 5,000 with all the packages promised, adding that there would be additional surprise packages for its customers. He said that the management had decided to keep the packages secret until the decoders were rolled out. 

The new satellite pay TV actually commenced distribution and installation of promo decoders nationwide on 31 October. Some of the beneficiaries of the promo decoder had commended the improvement in the 

improvement in the number of channels and quality of the programmes. TStv is actually a dream come true for Nigerians.

Basically, there are 3 unique features you get from TStv; pay-as-you-watch, Wi-Fi, and video conferencing.

Some Pay TVs, which had dominated the Nigerian payTV market since 1994, offers premium services that are charged at monthly rates that appears too expensive and burdensome for Nigerians. This has been a nightmare to most subscribers as they’ll rather pay for what they use than being compelled to subscribe monthly – even though they may not exhaust their subscription.

But it seems things will take a new turn with the advent of TStv, a new direct-to-home TV in Nigeria, which is set to offer a pay-as-you-consume plan to customers at a much more affordable price.

TStv plans to offer various unique services that will make life easy for average Nigerians. This is a unique service in Nigeria; It’s good news to Nigerians but of course a bad market to other existing pay TV providers in Nigeria who must now situp or be shaped out out of the market.

RIVERS GOVT DROPS CHARGES AGAINST CHIDI LLOYD

Recent unfolding events reaching us reveals that the administration of Governor Nyesom Wike has dropped all charges against the former leader of the State House of Assembly, Chidi Lloyd.

The Rivers State Government had attempted to withdraw from the nolle prosequi granted Chidi Lloyd by the administration of former Governor, Rotimi Amaechi over the July 2013 fracas at the Rivers State House of Assembly.

State Commissioner for Justice, Emma Aguma had through the Director of Public Prosecution argued that the State has the power to continue with a case that had ended.

But Counsel to Chidi Lloyd who is a member of the All Progressives Congress, Emenike Ebete told the court that the constitution does not allow the State Government to ‘re-arraign someone who has been discharged and acquitted by a court.

Emenike said the State Government cannot exercise its power twice.

Meanwhile, after months of hearing on the matter the DPP notified the court about its decision to discontinue the case.

Chief Judge of the State, Justice Adama Iyaye-Lamikanra granted the request of discontinuance by the State Government.

Speaking with newsmen outside the courtroom, Emenike Ebete said he does not understand the rationale behind the decision of the Rivers state government to stop chasing his client.

“We as surprised as you are. We don’t know why they decided to pull out of the matter they argued strongly that they could prosecute.

“We were actually informed about their descision last month but we had to wait until today when they came and officially informed the court.

“There’s a name for this kind of gift but what I can tell my client is that he has to be watchful because you never can tell what these guys are planning to come up with,” Emenike said.

Daily Post Nigeria

LEGAL OPINION: HON. CHIDI LLOYD, HIS NOLLE PROSEQUI AND HIS BODY LANGUAGE.

Ordinarily, Chidi Lloyd’s recent and consistent vituperations against the Governor , Government and people of Rivers State would have been overlooked by reason that he is a lawyer by training and my senior for that matter and to more because of the doctrine of lis pendens, however, as stated in S.82 of the Evidence Act, 2011, one’s bad character would be questioned and brought to limelight as soon as he voluntarily gives evidence of him being a good man.

Hon. Chidi Lloyd twice on my count has put himself on national TV to be a good man and even justified the attempted murder of his then colleague Hon. M . O. Chinda basking in the euphoria of a nolle proseque granted him by the former Aattorney General of Rivers State. Hon. Llyod sought to literary crucify Hon. Glory Emeh for sharing his thoughts about the Nolle and the state of affairs in Rivers state, which Lloyd himself had earlier been granted unfettered access to do so.
The fact pre Lloyd’s Nolle is as follows. Hon Chidi Lloyd from Emohua LGA is the former majority leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly. He is reportedly a murder suspect according to Simeon Nwakaudu, he has the death of two persons hanging on his neck, he also attempted to murder his Ikwere brother and then colleague Hon. M. O. Chinda with the mace of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

It is amazing and disgusting that despite the video evidence available even on the internet, Lloyd would go ahead on national TV to defend the heinous crime against his then colleague as a mere collusion, whereas in the video we saw Lloyd voraciously unleash severely with malice the House mace on the head of his colleague. It is sad that instead of hiding his face in shame and remorse , Lloyd would appear on national TV to cite cases where law makers engaged in a free for all to justify his viscous crime.

Now to his Nolle prosequi, on national TV , our esteemed Doctor of Laws severally cited the case of STATE V. ILLORI to back the Nolle prosequi granted him . He happily emphasized to his viewers that in line with the afore mentioned case, his Nolle is not subject to review and any form of questioning . While I aggre with him on the position that a Nolle is not subject to review, I emphatically state in contrast that his other positions are misconceived and lacking legal backing.

Now what is a Nolle prosequi? A Nolle prosequi is a Latin expression which means” we shall no longer prosecute” . It is constitutionally provided in S. 211(1) (c) of CFRN 1999 as regards the State Attorney General. It is also provided in S. 107(4) of the Rivers State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2015. A Nolle by its nature is without more a mere suspension of proceedings against the accused. It is not an Acquittal. It is just a mere discharge and hence the beneficiary can be re arrested just immediately a Nolle has been effected for his benefit. According to J. A. Agaba in page 324 of Practical Approach in Criminal Litigation in Nigeria ;

“a Nolle does not serve as a bar to future prosecution meaning that the person discharged on the basis of a Nolle can be re arraigned for the same offence or a similar or an entirely different offence ”

For elucidation of the above, See S. 107(4) of the River’s ACJL 2015. In the case of CLARKE V.A.G LAGOS STATE(1986)1 QLRN, the Court validated the arrest and re arraignment of the accused who were hitherto granted Nolle. While, the decision of the former AG for granting Hon. Chidi Lloyd a Nolle from prosecution can not be legally contested, the present decision of the present Attorney General to continue the prosecution of the attempted murder suspect can not also be legally contested and questioned. The AG is an office . It is an institution and it is less insignificant of the occupier of the office. Before S. 211(1)(c) , there was S. 211(1) (a) to (b). Therefore, it is accordingly within the power of the AG Rivers State to prosecute Hon. Chidi Lloyd afor murder and attempted murder of Hon. M. O. Chinda and until acquitted by a competent Court of jurisdiction, Chidi Lloyd remains a murder and attempted murder suspect and should be arrested and prosecuted for his alleged crimes.
The I G of Police is expected to arrest and bring the murder and attempted murder suspect to Court for arraignment and full prosecution. Justice must not only be done but must be manifestly seen to be done.

Joshua Obinna Samuel is a Port Harcourt based Legal Practioner.