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10 Million New Voters Registered – INEC

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says over ten million names have been added to Nigeria’s voters register in the course of the continuous voter registration exercise being undertaken by the commission.

The exercise is scheduled to end next month.

This was revealed Saturday by the INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, at a bi-annual retreat of State House journalists with the theme ‘covering electioneering campaign’ which held at EPE Resort, Lagos State.

Represented by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC in Lagos, Samuel Olumekun, Mr Yakubu said “as at 13th July, 2018, a total number of 10,292,647 (5,620,401 males, 4,672,246 females) prospective voters had registered.”

Mr Yakubu, however, said the commission still has a large number of uncollected Permanent Voters Cards in their various offices.

He called on members of the press corps “to use your networks and platforms to publicise this information and encourage the owners to come and pick them.”

Mr Yakubu said political activities are already gathering momentum in the country and very soon the electioneering campaigns will commence.

He said he already came up with the timetable of activities for the 2019 general elections.

He said the timetable indicates that the commencement of campaigns by political parties for presidential and National Assembly, and for governorship and State House Assembly elections are slated for November 18, and December 1 respectively.

He called on the media to ensure an accurate coverage of political activities.

Mr Yakubu said all over the world, the media are known as the “cornerstone of democracy” because they play critical roles in proper functioning of democracy.

He said in facilitating the full participation of the citizenry in democratic elections, the media are specifically saddled with the responsibility of educating voters on how to exercise their democratic rights.

He also said it is the duty of the media to provide platforms for political parties and candidates to communicate their messages to the electorate; as well as “providing a platform for public feedback, concerns, opinions and needs to the political parties and candidates, the Election Management Body (EMBs), government, and others.”

The INEC chairman advised the media that as they carry out their duties they should provide information in a manner devoid of inflammatory language, and help to prevent election-related violence.

“Elections are not just about the right to vote. Knowledge of the voting process, information about political parties, candidates and their programmes are also crucial.

“Also required is the acquisition of the knowledge of how to vote.

“It is the sacred responsibility of the media to provide avenues and opportunities for citizens’ participation, political inclusion, and empowerment.

“The media should avail voters with adequate information about the electoral process and informed analysis on policies, political parties, and their candidates, to enable the citizens make informed choices,” he said.

Mr Yakubu also said INEC has improved with every election it has conducted so far. He said INEC under him is determined to make the 2019 general elections “our best election ever but we cannot do it alone.”

He said the commission needs the support of all concerned.

“I wish to remind you that the role of the media in the forthcoming elections is challenging.

“Our expectation is that the media will set agenda for the political class and also play the role of peace building, to heal the cleavages that may have been raised from intense campaigns,” he said.

Also, a University lecturer, Abubakar Kari of the department of Sociology, University of Abuja, who made a presentation on ‘Hate Speech, the Media and Nigeria’s Unity’ said the upsurge on hate speech in Nigeria presents a clear and present danger to the peace and unity of Nigeria.

“Everywhere and in all circumstances, hate speech pitches persons and groups often as “us” versus “them.”

“For a fragile polity such as Nigeria`s, which complex diversity seems forever a source of friction and which fate almost always hangs on the edge of a precipice, every dose and every moment of hate speech takes a huge toll on the social fabric of society,” Mr Kari said.

The don said the Nigerian media, just like their counterparts elsewhere, “have been complicit in the matter of hate speech in a number of ways.”

He said the media often serve as “veritable sources of offensive and toxic hate speech materials; as platforms and peddlers of same; and for encouraging, tolerating or being indifferent to something so atrocious.”

He said these things happen in spite of clear moral, social and legal issues associated with hate speech, and grave consequences the phenomenon easily elicits and instigates.

Mr Kari described hate speech as “any expression or picture or symbol that vilifies an identifiable group”.

“If that is the case, then, Nigerian media, both print and broadcast, are full of them,” he said.

Mr Kari said the media in Nigeria sometimes publish and broadcast stuff that borders on hate speech such as “news items and headlines that stereotype groups; feature stories that drip with prejudice and scapegoating; radio shows and audience-participatory programmes on topics and issues that easily provoke or precipitate exchange of insults and hatred.”

“Radio and television shows hosts sometimes actually encourage or even lead the way through their handling (or mishandling) of proceedings, nature of questions asked, how the questions are asked, choice of words, etc.

“In certain instances, the very choice of guests to discuss an issue is guaranteed to generate hate speech,” he said.

The University lecturer said controversial figures are often given platforms to spew hate speech in the country.

Mr Kari also lamented what he described as “herdsmedia.”

“These are media men and women that have made Fulani herders their bogeyman. Every act of violence and crime is blamed on the Fulani herdsmen regardless of evidence to the contrary.

“Gradually, the frontier of the scapegoating in the mischievous lens of the herdsmedia is being stretched to profile every Fulani man as a mindless killer and destroyer,” he said.

As a way out, Mr Kari said media practitioners should be educated and re-educated on media ethics on matters of balance, fairness and objectivity.

He said they must also be trained on matters of public good, public safety and national security.

“Our reporters, writers and editors must appreciate the fact that freedom of speech is not absolute, and that no individual, group or medium has any right to publish or print materials that incite, precipitate disquiet or lead to break down of law and order.

“Journalists should be schooled in conflict-sensitive reporting and multi-cultural awareness. In particular, they must learn to avoid “us” against “them” reporting. They should exercise professional standards in articles they write, programmes aired and learn to speak to people without taking sides,” he said.

Mr Kari said the full weight of the law should always be brought to bear on perpetrators of hate speech and their collaborators.

He expressed his support to a bill in the Senate, sponsored by Aliyu Abdullahi, which provides for death by hanging for any person found guilty of any hate speech that results in the death of another person.

“I support the speedy passage of the bill and its immediate assent,” he said.

Mr Kari said he has also observed that there is no provision against hate speech in the Code of Ethics of the Nigeria Union of Journalists.

“That is a serious anomaly that must be corrected forthwith,” he said.

Words Of Caution

The chairman of editorial board of Thisday newspaper, Olusegun Adeniyi, who drew from his experience both as a State House correspondent and a presidential adviser advised members of the corps to be careful of information they receive from sources especially in the build up to the 2019 elections.

He said anyone that comes up with a scoop but declines to be quoted is either lying or out to cause a problem.

He advised the correspondents to “always verify every information received” before writing their stories.

Mr Adeniyi said the Nigerian media is often seen as anti-government, saying, reporters should always be professional despite their personal opinions on any matter.

He also disagreed with the position taken by Mr Kari on the efforts by the National Assembly to pass a bill against hate speech.

He said the goal is not really to curb hate speech but “to muzzle the press and it won’t happen.”

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Okuama Massacre: Military Declares Eight Persons Wanted

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The Defence Headquarters has declared eight persons wanted over their roles in the recent killing of 17 military personnel in Delta State.

The military released the list on Thursday at a briefing in Abuja.

Those declared wanted are Prof. Ekpekpo Arthur, Andaowei Dennis Bakriri, Akevwru Daniel Omotegbo (Aka Amagben), Akata Malawa David, Sinclear Oliki, Clement Ikolo Oghenerukeywe, Reuben Baru, and Igoli Ebi.

During the briefing, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, called on Nigerians especially residents of Delta and adjoining states to assist the military with credible information that would lead to the arrest of eight persons allegedly responsible for the killing of seventeen soldiers in Okuama community in Delta State.

General Buba says the military remains determined to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous act in Delta State, reaffirming its commitment to rescue all kidnapped and abducted victims in Nigeria.

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How CJMR Has Championed Restoration of Justice to Unjustly Incarcerated, Condemned – Founder, Olujobi

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By Eric Elezuo

“At CJMR, we stand firm on our scriptural foundation: ‘Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice…,” Pastor Olujobi 

Most citizens of the world are endowed with milk of human kindness, and are ever ready to lend a helping hand to folks in need, either for cash or kind. One of these citizens is a Nigerian of special breed, filled with compassion and zeal to assist wrongfully detained persons to regain their freedom. He is Mr. Hezekiah Olujobi, who is leading the fight against wrongful detention and elongated detention without trial with his Non-Governmental Organization, the Centre for Justice, Mercy and Reconciliation (CJMR).

The CJMR as stated, is NGO dedicated to promoting human rights and advocacy within the Nigeria Correctional Service and strengthening the rule of law in Nigeria Criminal Justice System, according to the Founder, Mr. Olujobi.

“Our area of focus are Advocacy, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Investigation, Cases review, Rehabilitation of individual upon freedom and Restorative Justice in Criminal Matter,” he added.

The CJMR as an organization, was established in 1999, and was officially registered in 2009. It has since then accumulated an enviable and proven track record of facilitating the release of individuals from death row, some of whom had been unjustly incarcerated for 18 to 28 years.

“Additionally, over 600 inmates have been freed from illegal detention after 4 to 12 years without trial. The organization has also established a Halfway Home that has benefited over 300 individuals.

“Our activities cut across the Correctional service in South West: Oyo, Odun , Ogun and Lagos States. We still have over 100 cases for intervention including 10 people on death row whom we strongly believed they are victims of wrongful conviction,” Olujobi stressed.

Hezekiah Olujobi, also known as a Pastor, for his vocation as a preacher of the gospel, who is the founder of CJMR, is currently working on two books to project the work of the organization so far.

The first, “Their Stories Behind Bars,” is a collection of narratives from individuals wrongfully sentenced to death and how the organization helped secure their rrlease, while the second book, “Their Hurts and Unforgettable Memories,” delves into the stories of victims and offenders, exploring their deep hurts and the healing process through restorative justice.

The following stories below as told by Pastor Olujobi, carefully epitomizes how far the NGO has gone to put smiles on the faces of individuals, who have otherwise lost hope of ever living their lives among free people again

Olaniyi Emiola’s Wrongful Conviction: My Belief in His Innocence

Olaniyi Emiola was sentenced to death based on witness testimony that was a case of mistaken identity. The armed robber apprehended at the crime scene insisted he was not the person being referred to and claimed he did not know Emiola at all. However, one of the victims, who recognized Emiola by the name “Abija,” insisted that he was the culprit. Emiola was known in the streets as “Abija,” not “Niyi,” yet the robber mentioned a “Femi Niyi,” not “Abija.” The man in question is Olaniyi Emiola, not Femi Niyi. During the trial, it was claimed that the robber identified the house of their leader to them, who is known as Abija,

In this controversial case, the conclusion of judgment of my noble lord, Hon Justice Jimoh of the Tribunal Court, was as follows:

“It is our considered judgment that the discovery of the second accused in the house pointed out by the first accused to the prosecution, and the discovery of the stolen items in the house shown to the police by the first accused, are admissible and well taken. Referencing R. v. Garbett (1847) 2 C & K 474 and R. v. Treacy (1945) 30 CAR 93, with these authorities in view, the second accused has been properly identified and linked with the commission of the crime charged.

Since the prosecution has adduced sufficient evidence to place the second accused at the scene at the material time, his alibi defense is logically and physically demolished.

This was established by the Supreme Court in the cases of Patrick Njovens vs. The State (1973) 5 SC 17 at 65 and Christian Nwosisi v. The State (1976) 6 SC 109 at 112.

It is my considered judgment that since the defense of the second accused has failed and, by the acceptable evidence of the prosecution witnesses, the accused has fallen into the warm embrace of the law, and I so hold.

SENTENCE: OLANIYI EMIOLA – The sentence of the Tribunal upon you is that you be hanged by the neck until you are dead or suffer death by firing squad, as the Administrator of this State may direct. May the Lord have mercy on your soul.”

This was the judgment that sent a man to darkness and anguish, leaving him to await execution in a solitary cell for 11 years without the right to appeal, luckily for him, the abolition of execution was announced in Nigeria.

Reprieve came when we visited Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison in 2007. We investigated the matter by analyzing the entire judgment and all the contents of the case file. We took up his case, amplified his voice of innocence, and refuted all the arguments in light of the existing facts recorded in the judgement.

Olaniyi Emiola was finally set free in January 2011, after 17 years had been wrongfully taken from his life.

One can only imagine what would have happened if execution had not been abolished in Nigeria.

CJMR’s Advocacy visit to the Oyo State Attorney General

The organisation has also taken its advocacy to the Attorney General’s office in Oyo State, and achieved certain parameters as represented in the narrative below:

“On Wednesday, March 20, 2024, the Committee for Centre for Justice Mercy and Reconciliation (CJMR) conducted an advocacy visit to the office of the Oyo State Attorney General. The purpose of the visit was to highlight the plight of numerous inmates who have been denied justice and are enduring the prolonged anguish of indefinite trials for capital offenses.

The primary goal of the visit was to bring to the Attorney General’s attention specific cases of individuals who appear to have been wrongfully accused of capital offenses and have been languishing in detention since 2015 without legal advice. Additionally, there are those who have been repeatedly taken to the High Court since 2017 without the prosecution presenting a single witness.

In a recent development on March 18 and 19, 2024, the Oyo State Chief Judge, Honorable Justice Iyabo Yerima, visited the custodial centers in Ibadan and Oyo. She firmly resolved not to address any capital offense cases, maintaining her stance throughout the jail delivery exercise. Consequently, 32 inmates were released from Agodi and 38 from Oyo, totaling 70 releases from facilities that house 1,250 and 827 inmates, respectively. The data clearly indicates that a significant proportion of detainees charged with capital offenses remain unaddressed.

Pastor Olujobi further noted that “During the CJMR’s visit, seven recommendations were proposed to enhance the efficiency of justice delivery by the Attorney General’s office, and a list of 32 individuals awaiting legal advice was submitted.”

The Attorney General, known for his humility and activism, pledged to collaborate with the CJMR.

He further acknowledged that “It is a profound injustice for individuals, even those apprehended with substantial evidence, to be detained indefinitely, risking the degradation of evidence and waning interest or resolve of witnesses. The slow turn of the justice system’s wheels can erode its very foundation.

“Similarly, it is an injustice for an innocent person to endure punishment due to procedural delays or inefficiencies.

The presumption of innocence until proven guilty is a fundamental principle of democratic societies, yet it is undermined when the process to establish innocence is plagued by excessive delays. The time for change is now.

Olujobi is also of the view that “The judiciary must move beyond a confessionary-based approach to prison decongestion and focus on those unjustly detained for capital offenses.”

From Darkness to Light: The Unraveling of Injustice and the Triumph of Freedom for Olusola Adepetu after 26 years behind bar

In this scenario, the police conducted a comprehensive investigation, and the defense attorney performed admirably. However, despite these efforts, the judge appeared to succumb to public pressure, reminiscent of Pontius Pilate’s historical decision, resulting in Olusola Adepetu being wrongfully sentenced to death.

Tragically, this miscarriage of justice led to the loss of 26 years of Adepetu’s life.

The appellant, a native of Ondo state was 34 years old at the time of his arrest, a father of 4 children with a broken home.

He was the owner of Olusola Naturalist Hospital. He was a Guru in herbal traditional-medicine, very popular with radio and television advertisements.

He cures all manner of ailment, he was a highlife socialite, he was a member of special marshal of Federal Road Safety Commission, due to the nature of his work as herbal traditional medicine healer he was highly connected with people in high places who always patronized him and in the world ravaged with deceases people always throng his office to seek healing for their ailments.

He is not a medical doctor but always referred to as Doctor Olusola.

All of a sudden, the light of his fame and popularity went off, he was enveloped with thick darkness. For a good 26 years he never walks under the moon nor is beaten by rain.

What happened?

His girlfriend was murdered in a mysterious way, three days later, her dead body was recovered by the police at the Express way, Sanyo, Ibadan and deposited at mortuary in Adeoyo state Hospital. Who must have done this?

Nobody knows till today. The relations who were in the shop of the father of his girlfriend who saw him when he came to pick the deceased and the bar man who saw him the previous day with the deceased pointed touch light on him.

Upon his arrest, rumors went round the whole city like wildfire and consumed the heart of men, same Radio and Television stations where his advertisements were being jingled, announced his arrest, all kinds of rumors went round the city, his case became a celebrated case.

He was consumed by the public adverse opinion.

With all kinds of rumors, the death of the lady was attributed to ritual killing, some said he cut the breast of the lady, some said he cut her private part for the ritual purpose.

At every court adjournment the whole court room and the premises will always be filled up with people. The case attracted the public interest. Like Pontius Pilate, the judge has no choice than to deliver the innocent man as a sacrificial lamb not for the world but for his likely hidden sin.

Light shines on his path again, when we unravel the case file documents with the dissenting judgement and the man regains his freedom after 26 years.

The critical question is: Who will advocate for the poor and helpless? It is us;
The Chief Judge, Attorney General, Commissioner of Police, and all stakeholders must be involved. And this where CJMR comes in, and the organization are doing it.

“We therefore call for wholesome assistance from all and sundry to sustain the tempo, and help our people, who graciously need the assistance,” Olujobi concluded.

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Binance Executive Detained in Nigeria Escapes from Custody

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One of the two Binance executives detained in Nigeria for alleged tax evasion and other offences, Nadeem Anjarwalla, has escaped from lawful custody, according to PREMIUM TIMES report.

Our sources said Mr Anjarwalla, 38, escaped on Friday, 22 March, from the Abuja guest house where he and his colleague were detained after guards on duty led him to a nearby mosque for prayers in the spirit of the ongoing Ramadan fast.

The Briton, who also has Kenyan citizenship, is believed to have flown out of Abuja using a Middle East airliner.

It remains unclear how Mr Anjarwalla got on an international flight despite his British passport, with which he entered Nigeria, remaining in the custody of the Nigerian authorities.

Authorities are also said to be working to unravel his intended destination in a bid to get him back into custody.

An Immigration official said the Binance executive fled Nigeria on a Kenyan passport. He, however, said authorities were trying to determine how he obtained the passport, given that he had no other travel document (apart from the British passport) on him when he was taken into custody.

Another source said the two officials were held at a “comfortable guest house” and allowed many rights, including the use of telephones, a privilege Mr Anjarwalla is believed to have exploited to plot an escape.

When contacted Sunday night on the escape of the Binance executive from detention, the Head of Strategic Communication at the Office of the National Security Adviser, Zakari Mijinyawa, said he would enquire and revert. He has yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.

Mr Anjarwalla, Binance’s Africa regional manager, and Tigran Gambaryan, a US citizen overseeing financial crime compliance at the crypto exchange platform, were detained upon their arrival in Nigeria on 26 February 2024.

A criminal charge was filed against the two executives before a Magistrate Court in Abuja. On 28 February 2024, the court granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) an order to remand the duo for 14 days. The court also ordered Binance to provide the Nigerian government with the data/information of Nigerians trading on its platform.

Following Binance’s refusal to comply with the order, the court extended the remand of the officials for an additional 14 days to prevent them from tampering with evidence. The court then adjourned the case till 4 April 2024.

Also on 22 March, the Nigerian government approached the Federal High Court in Abuja and slammed another four-count charge on Binance Holdings Limited, Mr Anjarwalla and Mr Gambaryan, accusing them of offering services to subscribers on their platform while failing to register with the Federal Inland Revenue Service to pay all relevant taxes administered by the Service and in so doing, committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 8 of the Value Added Tax Act of 1993 (as Amended).

The defendants were also accused of offering taxable services to subscribers on their trading platform while failing to issue invoices to those subscribers to determine and pay their value-added taxes and, in so doing, committed an offence contrary to and punishable under S.29 of the Value Added Tax Act of 1993 (as amended).

Count Three of the charges accused the three defendants of offering services to subscribers on their Binance trading platform for the buying and selling of cryptocurrencies and the remittance and transfer of those assets while failing to deduct the necessary Value Added Taxes arising from their operations and thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 40 of the Federal Inland Revenue Service Establishment Act 2007 (as amended).

The last count of the charges wants the defendants punished for allegedly aiding and abetting subscribers on their Binance trading platform to unlawfully refuse to pay taxes or neglect to pay those taxes and, in so doing, committing an offence contrary to and punishable under the provisions of S.94 of the Companies Income Tax Act (as amended).

The Nigerian government had, in the past three months, been cracking down on suspected money launderers and terrorism financiers, some of whom it alleged are using the Binance platform for criminal activities

The Nigerian government said over $21.6 billion was traded by Nigerians whose identities were concealed by Binance.

Source: Premium Times

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