The Federal High Court in Abuja has declined to restrain the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) or any prosecutorial agency from charging Mohammed Garba-Gololo with alleged certificate forgery. Garba-Gololo is the legislator representing Gamawa Federal Constituency of Bauchi State in the House of Representatives. Justice Taiwo Taiwo in a judgment delivered on July 25, 2022, held that the lawmaker failed to prove that he had already been tried for the offence of forgery or falsification of certificates. The judge dismissed Garba-Gololo's double jeopardy argument as canvassed by his counsel Nureini Jimoh (SAN), noting that he failed to produce evidence showing that he had gone through any trial and was convicted or acquitted or pardoned of the alleged allegation. The defendants in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/294/2022 are the AGF and the ICPC.The 2nd Defendant had on October 5, 2020, sent a letter of invitation to Garba-Gololo in connection with the forgery allegation. But the plaintiff, by an originating summons, sought an order restraining the defendants and other prosecutorial agencies from inviting, arresting or charging him on similar facts with the case of the Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal in suit nos: EPT/NAHR/BA/2019 and CA/J/EPT/NAHR/BA/374/2019 respectively.He contended that any judgment charging him again before any court by the defendants or any prosecutorial agency would amount to double jeopardy. He sought, among others, an order quashing the letter of invitation and any other subsequent investigation flowing thereof, "as same amounts to a nullity having regards to the judgments of the Election Petition Tribunal, Bauchi in EPT/NAHR/BA/6/2019 between Isa Mohammed Wabu & Anor. V. Hon. Mohammed Garba Gololo dated 10th August, 2019 and the Court of Appeal dated the 1st of November, 2019 in Appeal No. CA/J/EPT/NAHR/BA/374/2019 between Isa Mohammed Wabu & Anor. V. Hon. Mohammed Garba Gololo & 2 Ors." He further sought a "mandatory prohibitive order of this Honourable Court, barring the Defendants or any other prosecutory agency in Nigeria from inviting, arresting, detaining and prosecuting the Plaintiff in connection with or arising from any transaction forming part of the judgments." On June 15, 2022, when the matter came up for hearing, Jimoh for the plaintiff and Ebenezer Shogunle for the 2nd defendant adopted their processes, adumbrated on same and urged the court to grant the reliefs in favour of their respective parties, following which the court adjourned for judgment. In rejecting Garba-Gololo's prayers, Justice Taiwo noted the Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal decisions he relied on to seek protection from prosecution, were both civil matters and could not fall under the doctrine of estoppel per rem judicatam. He held: "There is no doubt that the decisions relate to election petition and are civil in nature. The decisions are not criminal notwithstanding that the issue of forgery was examined and the plaintiff was disqualified upon the finding of the court of appeal. The disqualification is pursuant to the provisions of the 1999 constitution and the electoral act. "The suit was not a charge as expected in criminal proceedings and the plaintiff was not prosecuted by any prosecutorial agency. The parties that the decisions of the courts relate to are the plaintiff and the petitioners vide the election petition. The decisions cannot, therefore, operate as estoppel per rem judicatam. "The plaintiff herein has failed from the processes filed by him to prove that he stood trial and was convicted or acquitted or pardoned.  "There is nothing to show that the plaintiff has been tried for offence of forgery or falsification of certificates. "In concluding this judgment, it is my humble and well-considered view that the plaintiff has failed woefully to convince the court to answer all the questions for determination in his favour thus entitling him to the reliefs sought. I so hold. "The suit fails in its entirety and the same is accordingly dismissed. This is the judgment of the court." Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements : 

The Nigerian Body of Benchers has changed the venue of the Call to Bar Ceremony for successful aspirants scheduled for Wednesday, July 27, 2022, over the state of insecurity in the nation’s capital, Abuja. The Body of Benchers is a professional body concerned with the admission of prospective students into the Nigerian Law School. The body also regulates the legal profession in the country. The event was earlier scheduled to hold on the premises of the Nigerian Law School in Bwari, but it has been shifted over security concerns. Some officers of the Presidential Guard were killed by terrorists close to the Law School on Monday. During a telephone conversation with TheNigeriaLawyer, the Secretary of the Bench of Benchers, Daniel Tela said after a meeting on Tuesday afternoon, the body decided to relocate the venue of the ceremony to the Body of Benchers' permanent site in Jabi, FCT. Tela also noted that the event is exclusively for aspirants, stressing that family members and well-wishers would not be allowed to be part of the programme. Some Nigerian Army personnel attached to the Guards Brigade lost their lives in an ambush by terrorists in Abuja on Monday. SaharaReporters had reported that a Captain of the Nigerian Army and two soldiers were killed by terrorists in the Bwari area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. The deceased officers, who were attached to the Presidential Guards Brigade, were reportedly ambushed after they visited the Nigeria Law School in Bwari following a distress call from the authorities of the school. There have been hints that terrorists are planning to attack the Nigerian Law School in Abuja, the Central Mosque, other worship centres and security formations in the FCT. This comes barely a month after terrorists who later identified themselves as members of the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) attacked the Kuje Correctional Centre in the nation’s capital, releasing hundreds of inmates including Boko Haram fighters. On Monday, the Federal Ministry of Education ordered the immediate closure of the Federal Government College, Kwali, in the Kwali Area Council of the FCT. It was gathered that the closure of the school came after a security breach on Sheda and Lambata villages and suburbs of Kwali Area Council which also threatened FGC Kwali. SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the Nigerian Government, through the Federal Ministry of Education, had ordered the closure of all Federal Government Colleges (FGCs) in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja due to rising insecurity. The government directed the immediate evacuation of the students because of the threat to their lives, security and well-being, SaharaReporters learnt on Monday. It was learnt that on Sunday night, a yet-to-be-verified report trended on social media indicating that there were heavy shootings in Federal Government College (FGC), Kwali, Abuja, and that parents rushed to the school to ascertain the safety of their children and possibly return home with them until calm was restored. When contacted by SaharaReporters for comments and clarification on Monday, the Federal Ministry of Education said it would release a statement on the issue later in the day. However, in a letter signed on Monday by the Ministry Director Press and Public Relations, Ben. Bem Goong, the Minister noted that the closure became necessary because of the insecurity in the area  He added that the timely intervention of security agencies saved the situation. In the letter, the Education Minister, Adamu Adamu also directed that arrangements should be made for final-year students to conclude their NECO (National Examination Council). "The Minister also directed Principals of Unity Colleges across the country to liaise with security Agencies within their jurisdictions in order to forestall any security breach in our schools," the statement said. Insecurity Breaking News News AddThis :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements : 

Some terrorists who planned to attack the Nigerian Law School in Abuja and later ambushed some Nigerian Army personnel in Bwari, the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, were led by two kingpins.According to Daily Nigerian, the terrorists were led by two banditry kingpins, Kachalla Ali Kawaje and Kachalla Dansadi. Kawaje, who controls hundreds of fighters in Kuyambana Forest, which stretches across Zamfara, Kebbi, Kaduna and Niger states, was responsible for shooting down a Nigerian Air Force jet on July 18, 2021.Security reports say the terrorists planned to attack the Central Mosque and worship centres and security formations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).This is coming few weeks after terrorists who later identitfied themselves as members of the Islamic State - West African Province (ISWAP) attacked the Kuje Correctional Centre in the Nigeria’s capital, releasing over 800 inmates including 64 Boko Haram suspects and killed 10 inmates and one security officer. Intelligence sources also confirmed that the terrorists were planning to plant improvised explosive devices in open manholes around security formations, mosques, churches and public places.“Central Mosque, Abuja, was particularly targeted for attack,” the source said.The source further revealed that credible intelligence had revealed that the kidnappers and bandits terrorising Bwari general area are camping on the mountains and caves behind Usman Dam, linking Ushafa to Mpape satellite communities.“The terrorists have been mingling with the locals recently. They came on motorcycles from their camps to buy food and drugs in Ushafa and Mpape,” the security source added.The source said unless serious security measures are taken to frustrate their plans, the terrorists may strike any moment.Parts of the security measures advised during a recent security meeting are immediate replacement of the stolen manhole covers, ban on commercial motorcycles in the FCT and stepping up surveillance on the outskirts of the city.   News AddThis :  Original Author :  saharareporters, new york Disable advertisements : 

The protest organised by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in solidarity with the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has commenced in Lagos State.There is heavy presence of security operatives including the police and others are at the venue to prevent breach or attack on the protesters by thugs. It was learnt that labour members, other unions, civil society groups gathered at under bridge axis in Ikeja.The vehicular movements towards the protest venue have also been disrupted.The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) had on Monday called on members and civil society groups in Lagos State to come out massively on Tuesday morning to begin the two-day protest in solidarity with striking universities’ lecturers.Mrs Funmi Sessi, state chairman of NLC, gave the directive at a stakeholders’ meeting at the union’s secretariat in Yaba, Lagos state.She added that the exercise was ready to be held on Tuesday and Wednesday as part of the nationwide action.The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been at loggerheads with the Federal Government since February 14 over the latter’s failure to honour some past agreements, among others.The disagreement has kept students of public universities at home for the past five months.Some other unions in the university system are also on strike due to disagreements with the Federal Government for different reasons.The NLC therefore directed all sectors including the health, electricity and aviation to shut down operations and join the solidarity protest in support of the striking workers. Breaking News News AddThis :  Original Author :  saharareporters, new york Disable advertisements : 

Eight persons were on Monday killed after an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by the Boko Haram terrorists exploded in the North-East of the Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.The men, said to be repentant Boko Haram members, reportedly sneaked out of Bama to deal in scrap metals with some terrorists in a market known as ‘Daula’ on the outskirts of Goniri village before the incident happened. The former terrorists, who were among the 1,000 reintegrated into the community and resettled at Government Girls Secondary School in Bama, received the scraps from some Boko Haram fighters hiding in Sambisa forest without knowing that an IED abandoned during a military offensive was among the items they were carrying.Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert, reportedly got the information about the incident from an intelligence officer.He added that the former terrorists constantly dealt in exchanging scrap metal for food items like salt, seasoning, maize, and some non-food items like petrol, medicine, and clothing.“After receiving the items, they will stay in the outskirt of Bama town to dismantle them into pieces known as Ajakuta, before bringing them into the town to sell to their agents.“They were in the process of dismantling the iron when the bomb exploded, killing eight of them instantly while only one of them survived with injuries.“Some of them lost two of their legs, some were decapitated beyond recognition while some of them were shattered into pieces by the explosive,” he said. Insecurity News AddThis :  Original Author :  Sahara Reporters, New york. Disable advertisements :