Connect with us

News

Harassment of COSON Officials: Court Summons Police IG, DSS, EFCC

Published

on

An Abuja Federal High Court Judge, Justice A.R. Mohammed, has ordered the Inspector-General of Police, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to report to the court on April 7, 2021 and show cause over the alleged continued harassment and disturbance of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Nigeria’s biggest copyright collective management organization, its officers, staff and associates.

The three security agencies together with one Pretty Okafor and Biodun Eguakhide were ordered to show cause over the alleged continued disturbance and harassment of the COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji; the General Manager, Ms. Bernice Eriemeghe and two other officers of COSON, Mr. Vincent Adawaisi and Ms. Anne Okomi.

The order of Justice Mohammed is based on a motion ex-parte filed on behalf of COSON, Chief Tony Okoroji, Ms. Bernice Eriemeghe, Mr. Vincent Adawaisi and Ms. Anne Okomi by their lawyer, Mr. James Ononiwu of the Lagos law firm of WhiteDove Solicitors. The motion was argued before Justice Mohammed by Abuja based COSON lawyer, Mr. Bamiyi Adejo.

In the substantive suit, COSON, its Chairman and Management staff are asking the court for a declaration that the Inspector-General of Police, Pretty Okafor, Biodun Eguakide, DSS and EFCC have been engaged in an unlawful, unconstitutional and coordinated brutal, horrendous, wicked, harassment and torture of the plaintiffs who are innocent citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The plaintiffs have asked the court for general damages in the sum of N5,000,000,000.00 (Five billion Naira) jointly and severally against the 1st to 5th Defendants in the suit and a perpetual injunction.

The COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji, is also asking for General Damages in the sum of N1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira only) against the Inspector-General of Police for defamation of character and the sum of N5,000,000,000.00 (Five Billion Naira only) for the unlawful, unconstitutional and coordinated brutal, horrendous, wicked, harassment and torture of his person.Chief Okoroji furthermore is demanding General Damages in the sum of N2,000,000,000.00 (2 Billion Naira only) against Stanbic IBTC Bank for the unlawful freezing of his two accounts domiciled in the bank.

It will be recalled that there was a major protest to the Inspector General of Police by significant creative industry personalities over the controversial attempt to abduct Chief Tony Okoroji last December by 5 policemen from Zone 5 Police Command, Benin -City and their plan to drive the celebrated former President of PMAN, syndicated columnist and the continent’s master of copyright, to Benin-City in the middle of the night at a time it was well known that Chief Okoroji has been ill.Speaking on the development, renowned COSON lawyer, Mr. James Ononiwu said, “this is a big warning to those who believe that at a time when the nation is facing terrible security challenges, they would rather divert the attention of the agencies of state and use them to terrorize innocent citizens and drive a great Nigerian like Chief Tony Okoroji out of town so as to take over the institution he has built. This is pure madness! The harder they come, the harder they will fall. One by one, they will end up in the hole they have dug.”

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

Court Sacks Pro-Wike Rivers PDP Chairman

Published

on

By

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, on Monday, sacked Chukwuemeka Aaron, as Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State.

Chukwuemeka is a loyalist of the former Governor Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Justice Stephen Jumbo, in his ruling, nullified the PDP ward, local government and State congresses held in July 2024.

The development is coming barely one month after another High Court nullified the ward, local government and State congresses of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

The ruling sacked another Wike’s loyalist, Chief Tony Okocha, as the Rivers State chairman of the APC.

The court’s decision to sack the PDP chairman followed a dispute over the legitimacy of the PDP congresses.

The congresses were conducted by a faction of the party loyal to Wike.

A State High Court presided over by Justice Charles Wali had on July 20, 2024, stopped the PDP from going ahead with the ward, local government and State congresses.

Continue Reading

News

Lawmakers Impeach Lagos Assembly Speaker, Obasa

Published

on

By

Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly have impeached Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.

The lawmakers are accusing Obasa of multiple statutory and financial infractions.

Peoples Gazette reports that the lawmakers replaced Obasa by his Deputy Lasbat Meranda.

Meranda, who represents Apapa Constituency 1, was also a former chief whip of the House.

Source: Daily Post

Continue Reading

News

Chief of Army Staff Approves Redeployment of Senior Officers in Fresh Shakeup

Published

on

By

The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has approved the posting and appointment of some senior officers of the Nigerian Army (NA) to various command, staff and instructional positions.

According to the army spokesman, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, the redeployment is a strategic move to enhance operational effectiveness and administrative efficiency.

The redeployment cuts across Principal Staff Officers (PSOs) at the Army Headquarters (AHQ), General Officers Commanding (GOCs), Corps Commanders, Commandants of Army training institutions, Brigade Commanders and other key positions. The reshufflement underscores Nigerian Army’s commitment to ensuring robust and dynamic leadership structure capable of addressing emerging security challenges.

Some of the senior officers appointed as PSOs at the Army Headquarters include Maj Gen LA Fejokwu, from National Defence College to Department of Army Administration and appointed Chief of Administration (Army), Maj Gen GU Chibuisi, from Nigerian Army Resource Centre to Department of Civil Military Affairs and appointed Chief of Civil Military Affairs and Maj Gen AS Ndalolo, also from the Nigerian Army Resource Centre to Department of Army Training and appointed Chief of Training (Army). Others include Maj Gen OS Abai, from Department of Army Training to Department of Army Transformation and Innovation, appointed Chief of Transformation and Innovation and Maj Gen JH Abdussalam from Headquarters 6 Division to the Department of Special Services and Programmes and appointed Chief of Special Services and Programmes. Maj Gen EI Okoro has been redeployed from the Department of Army Logistics to the Department of Military Secretary and appointed Military Secretary (Army).

Senior officers appointed as General Officers Commanding (GOCs) include Maj Gen OT Olatoye from Nigerian Army School of Infantry to Headquarters 82 Division/Joint Task Force (JTF) South East Operation UDO KA (OPUK) as GOC 82 Division/Commander JTF OPUK and Maj Gen EF Oyinlola from Department of Military Secretary to Headquarters 3 Division as GOC 3 Division/ Commander Operation SAFE HAVEN (OPSH). The acting appointments of Maj Gen AGL Haruna as GOC 7 Division/Commander Sector 1 JTF North East Operation HADIN KAI and Maj Gen IA Ajose as GOC 8 Division/Commander Sector 2 JTF North West Operation FANSAN YANMA among others have been confirmed substantive in the recent redeployment.

Other senior officers redeployed are Maj Gen GO Adeshina from Headquarters Nigerian Army Signals to Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre and appointed Director General while Maj Gen GM Mutkut is posted from Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre to Headquarters Multi National Joint Task Force Njamena as the Force Commander. The redeployment also featured Maj Gen MC Kangye from Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery to Defence Headquarters as the Director Media Operations.

Senior officers appointed as Corps Commanders include Maj Gen OC Ajunwa from Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre to Headquarters Nigerian Army Armour Corps and appointed Commander, Maj Gen HT Wesley from the Department of Special Services and Programmes to Headquarters Nigerian Army Ordinance Corps, appointed Commander and Maj Gen TT Numbere from Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre to Headquarters Nigerian Army Engineers and appointed Commander. Others include Maj Gen NC Ugbo from Department of Civil Military Affairs to Headquarters Nigerian Army Signals and appointed Commander, Maj Gen ZL Abubakar from Department of Army Transformation and Innovation to Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery and appointed Commander and Maj Gen AP Oguntola from Nigerian Army College of Education Science and Technology to Headquarters Nigerian Army Education Corps and appointed Corps Commander.

Other senior officers also affected in the redeployment are Maj Gen JO Sokoya, appointed Commandant Nigerian Army Training Centre, Maj Gen UM Alkali appointed Commandant Army War College Nigeria, while Maj Gen FS Etim from Department of Army Transformation and Innovation is redeployed to Nigerian Army School of Infantry, appointed Commandant. Maj Gen AB Mohammed has been redeployed from the Department of Army Operations to Depot Nigerian Army and appointed commandant.

Continue Reading

Trending