Month: October 2023

The Lagos State Government has commenced demolition of buildings erected on drainage channels in Lekki Phase 2, to correct the perennial flooding that has become a threat to residents whenever heavy downpour occurs in the community.

The multi-million naira buildings were removed by the government by the enforcement unit of the Ministry of The Environment and Water Resources following expirations of notices served to owners.

The exercise which was expected to have commenced on Monday, was actually carried out on Wednesday, along Mobil Road, Lekki Phase 2 after the one-week notice.

In a video trending online, the state government heavy bulldozer was seen pulling down a marked highrise building found to have contravened the Lagos state environmental law.

Recall that, the State Commissioner for The Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab had last weekend, during an on the spot assessment, on company of other senior government officials, ordered the demolition of all structures marked and served notices found contravening the relevant law of the state.

An unspecified number of multi-millions naira buildings were already marked for removal for various environmental offences, ranging from building on drainage channels, lack of approvals, among others.

Similarly, the state Government has declared enforcement of a zero tolerance on all forms of street trading in Ikoyi, Lekki and Victoria Island.

Wahab, who made this declaration on Tuesday, added that henceforth no form of hawking, street trading and display of wares on walkways and setbacks would be allowed in the listed areas

Wahab stated that the state environmental sanitation laws would be fully applied with mobile courts ready to dispense justice to all those who run foul of the law.

He stressed that the action was in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S. PLUS Agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to promote a cleaner and greener Lagos, while ensuring total enforcement of the environmental sanitation laws and create a safer state for all.

The comissioner, while sounding a note of warning decried the prevalence of traders at bus-stops, roundabout as well as pedestrians bridges in the listed areas, defacing the aesthetics.

He mentioned that the actions of the traders and their customers not only obstruct free flow of traffic, aid crime but also contribute to indiscriminate littering which eventually end up blocking the drainage systems.

Wahab, noted that Lagos, a megacity that is developing into a smart city, had no place for street traders who not only constitute an eyesore to the aesthetics of the city and expose themselves to hazardous situations but also constituted a threat to the security of lives and property.

The latest enforcement drive against street traders in Ikoyi, Lekki and Victoria Island will be sustained to restore the original masterplan of the areas,” the commissioner vowed.

By Aminu Garko

Abuja:   France, Australia and Avocats Sans Frontieres (ASF) France, an international non governmental organisations (NGO), on Tuesday, reaffirmed their firm opposition to death penalty in Nigeria and anywhere in the world.

The call against capital punishment came at the event to mark World Day Against Death Penalty 2023 in Abuja.

Ambassador of France to Nigeria, Emmanuelle Blatmann, said since the day was established in 2002, France had always seized the opportunity in all international fora to advocate universal abolition of death penalty.

She said 53 countries around the world still authorised the death penalty, including Nigeria.

“Every year, we continue to try to raise awareness on this common cause and diversify our means of action and efforts so that one day, this major issue will no longer be in the world, in Nigeria and elsewhere.

“In 2022, Amnesty International recorded 2,016 death sentences in 52 countries.

“Also in 2022, at least 883 executions in 20 countries took place, and this is unfortunately an increase of 53% compared to 2021,” she said.

Charge D’ Affaires of Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ms Leann Johnston, also corroborated Blatmann’s statement.

Johnston said Australia opposed death penalty in all circumstances for all people and it also supported the universal! abolition of capital punishment.

According to her, on the latest figures, there are sorne 3,300 death row inmates in Nigeria who live daily with this sentence hanging over them — not just them, but their families also.
She said though the last death penalty in Nigeria took place in 2016, the envoy urged Nigerian government to go a step further and implement the official moratorium.

“l am pleased to see that Ghana abolished the death penalty in 2023, the Central African Republic in 2022 and Sierra Leone in 2021.
“I call on Nigeria to implement an official moratorium on executions and to move towards formal abolition of the death penalty,” she said.

The Country Director, ASF France, also known as Lawyers Without Birders, France, Angela Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, said death penalty does not deter crime; it does not offer the prospect of rehabilitation and it is irreversible where there is a miscarriage of justice.

Uzoma-Iwuchukwu noted that a Nigerian police officer, Darambi Vandi, who was said to have shot dead a Lagos-based lawyer, Mrs Bolanle Raheem, on Christmas Day in 2022, was just sentenced to death by hanging on Monday.
She said the event was organised by the NGO, in conjunction with France Embassy and Australian High Commission, to step up campaign against death penalty in Nigeria.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, said death penalty is “one of the most critical human rights issues of our time.”

Fagbemi, represented by Mr Felix Ota-Okojie, Secretary, Federal Justice Reform Coordinating Committee, Federal Ministry 6if Justice, said the death penalty and the debate surrounding its use as a form of punishment had continued to stoke feelings all around the world, especially in Nigeria.

He said the country still retains the death penalty as a legal form of punishment for certain grievous crimes, including murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, treason, conspiracy to treason, sedition, treachery, among others.
“Furthermore, the list of capital offences for which the death penalty may be applied is increased as a result of the adoption of Sharia-based criminal law in some states in the Northern part of Nigeria.

“While it is true that the death penalty is still a legal punishment in Nigeria, it is important to highlight that in recent history, executions have been comparatively low and their frequency has fluctuated over time, changing how the death penalty is actually applied,’ he said.

NAN reports that while this year’s World Day Against the Death Penalty, was titled: “Death Penalty: An Irreversible Torture,” some of the sideline activities at the event included panel discussion, movie screening, etc.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng) / Flowerbudnews

By Nathan Nwakamma

The Elders Forum, All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa has faulted the judgment of the Federal High Court disqualifying the party’s governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, ahead of the Nov. 11 election.

In a statement issued on Wednesday in Yenagoa, the elders posited that Justice Donatus Okorowo erred in law in his pronouncement that Sylva had taken the oaths of office as a governor twice and was no longer qualified to vie for the governorship ticket of his party.

In the statement signed by Chief Michael Adomokeme, Chairman of the forum, he contended that Sylva had only taken one oath of office known to law, as the first one referred to by the judge had been nullified by a court of competent jurisdiction.

“In 2007, Sylva’s first term election was annulled by the court, which also nullified the oath he took when he was sworn-in as the governor.

“The annulment of the first poll and nullification of that oath by the court had rendered both the election and the oath of office non-existent.

“The first oath never existed because in the eyes of the law you cannot build something on nothing.

“Only the oath taken in 2008 is recognised by the law and stands as the only oath so far taken by our candidate,’’ he said

Adomekeme noted that judges remained imperfect humans, capable of making mistakes in their pronouncements adding that such recognition is the reason why the hierarchy of courts existed in the judicial system.

He expressed the optimism that the appellate court would do justice to this matter.

“We commend the legal team of our party which swiftly appealed the judgment and applied for a stay of execution of the verdict, which we know is a miscarriage of justice.

“We believe that the court would not allow the 2019 scenario to repeat itself where, against the will of the people, an unpopular candidate was foisted on our people.

“Sylva is qualified to contest this election in the spirit and letters of the law because when a court invalidates a situation it remains invalidated, viewed as dead and will no longer have any effect or application in the future.

“The people of Bayelsa must be allowed to vote for their preferred candidates without mischievously narrowing their chances,’’ he said.

While describing the development as a temporary setback, Adomekeme advised the Peoples’ Democratic Party and its candidate, Gov. Douye Diri to stop “their wishful thinking of relying on the courts to remain in power and prepare for the election’’.

“We know they are fretting and that is why they are mischievously shopping for help in courts.

“This one has failed because it will not stand. Governor Douye Diri must go and face his defeat at the poll because the peoples will must stand,’’ he said.

The chairman urged the APC members, residents of Bayelsa and other stakeholders not to be discouraged by the judgment stressing that it would be upturned by the court of appeal.

NAN