MALAMI PROPOSES DECENTRALISATION OF PRISONS – PUNCH PG.7, THISDAY PG.9

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), said on Thursday that he had proposed the decentralisation of the Nigerian prisons.

Under the current Nigerian Constitution, only the Federal Government has the powers to control and manage the Nigerian prisons, recently renamed Correctional Centres. Malami, who spoke in Abuja at the National Summit on Correctional Centres Reforms in Nigeria, said he had suggested the proposal for the decentralisation of the management of the prisons at a recent meeting with state Chief Judges and Attorneys-General.

SERAP’S TRUCKLOAD OF CASES AGAINST THE FG – DAILY TRUST PG.3

SERAP, a non-governmental organisation, has mastered the art of dragging the federal government to court on every issue. Daily Trust looks into some of these cases and how the judgements have been ignored by the government. The Nigerian government is facing several court cases from different individuals and organisations. A good number of them are by a human rights and transparency organisation, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

N6.3BN CASE: COURT RELEASES JANG’S TRAVEL DOCUMENTS – PUNCH PG.9

A Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos on Thursday granted the request of a former governor of the state, Jonah Jang, to release his travel documents to enable him travel for checkup in the United Arab Emirate. The documents were seized by the court in  2018 when the former governor, who is standing trial alongside Yusuf Pam, a former cashier in the office of the Secretary to the State Government, were first arraigned on 17 counts.

ALLEGED $9.8M FRAUD: COURT DISMISSES EFCC’S APPLICATION TO CROSS-EXAMINE EX-NNPC GMD – NATION PG.7

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday dismissed an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to cross-examine former Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Andrew Yakubu. Justice Ahmed Mohammed, in a ruling, sustained the objection raised by Ahmed Raji (SAN), counsel to Yakubu. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Raji had, on July 22, disagreed with the EFCC’s lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar, on his plan to cross-examine his client, who is the first defence witness (DW1), based on Exhibit “J”.

LEKKI SHOOTINGS: ARMY MAKES A U-TURN, APPEARS BEFORE LAGOS PANEL SATURDAY – PUNCH PG.2

The Nigerian Army, contrary to its decision last week, will appear on Saturday before the Lagos State Panel of Inquiry probing the alleged shooting of #EndSARS peaceful protesters by soldiers on October 20 at the Lekki tollgate. Sources close to the retired Justice Doris Okuwobi-led panel confirmed to The PUNCH on Thursday that the army had acknowledged the panel’s invitation and the panel had fixed Saturday (November 7) for its appearance at the hearing taking place at the Lagos Court of Arbitration, Lekki.

TWO ABDUCTED ZAMFARA JUDGES REGAIN FREEDOM – PUNCH PG.4

The two Zamfara State Sharia Court judges abducted about two months ago by bandits have been released after their families paid N1m each as ransom. The two judges, Salihu Abdullahi and Shafi’u Jangebe, were abducted on their way back to Zamfara from Maradi in Niger Republic, and were asked to pay N10m each, but the money could not be raised.

BUHARI RALLIES TRADITIONAL RULERS TO PACIFY YOUTHS – THISDAY PG.1&8, SUN PG.6, NATION PG.1&5

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday enlisted the support of traditional rulers to forge a national approach towards tackling the grievances the youths presented to the federal government during the #EndSARS protests. He also mandated his Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, to lead senior government officials to various parts of the country to engage stakeholders as part of the efforts to address the concerns raised by #EndSARS protesters.

NBA RAISES TEAM TO PROBE ALLEGED KILLINGS IN RIVERS COMMUNITY – THISDAY PG.6

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) yesterday set up a fact-finding team for Oyigbo in Rivers State following reports of alleged reprisal killing of suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) by the military. The four-man team comprises NBA First Vice-President, Mr. John Aikpokpo-Martins; two former Port-Harcourt branch chairmen, Mr. Victor Frank-Briggs and Mr. Anthonia Osademe, and a former Ukwa branch Chairman, Mr. Chimaroke Elie.

FERMA ALLEGES N11BN BUDGET INFLATION BY FINANCE, WORK MINISTRIES – THISDAY PG.10

The Managing Director of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Mr. Nurudeen Rafindadi, yesterday alleged that the Ministries of Finance and Works and Housing were responsible for the inflation in their 2021 budget by over N11 billion. Rafindadi gave the indication when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on FERMA, chaired by Hon. Richard Femi Bamise, to defend the agency’s 2021 budget proposal.

ALLEGED BLASPHEMY: AGAIN, KANO POPULAR SINGER REMANDED – THISDAY PG.11

The popular Kano singer, Naziru Ahmad, also known as ‘Sarkin Waka,’ has again been remanded at a correctional centre following his inability to meet the bail condition granted him by a Magistrate Court in Kano State. Counsel to the singer, Tajudeen Abdullahi, who confirmed the development yesterday in Kano, said they are currently trying to secure his bail.

EX-HIGH COURT REGISTRAR JAILED FOUR YEARS FOR N80M FRAUD – NATION PG.7

A Federal High Court in Kaduna has jailed its former Registrar, Mr. Joseph Etefia Udoh, for four years for embezzling N80 million deposited in the court by a litigant. The court also ordered the forfeiture of all assets seized from the convict and be sold by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to recover the looted cash. It placed a lien on the convict’s retirement benefits and/or pension savings for any balance still outstanding against him.