PRESIDENTIAL PANEL RECOMMENDS DISMISSAL OF 35 SARS OFFICIALS, PROSECUTION OF 33 – NATION PG.4, THISDAY PG.9, PUNCH PG.7

The Presidential Investigative Panel on Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) investigating rights abuses and other inhuman treatment by men of the now-disbanded police unit has recommended the dismissal of 35 of police personnel, who served in the unit for engaging various forms of misconduct, including extra-judicial killings.

It also recommended 33 for prosecution, 23 for reduction in ranks and two to be arrested and prosecuted.

COURT GIVES NDUME 21-DAY ULTIMATUM TO PRODUCE MAINA – NATION PG.7, DAILY TRUST PG.8, THISDAY PG.12, PUNCH PG.11, SUN PG.5

A federal High Court in Abuja has given Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume 21 days to produce former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, to continue his (Maina’s) trial for money laundering. Ndume, who spoke on Monday before the court, expressed frustration over his inability to produce Maina.

ILLEGALITY OF LAWS AUTHORISING AGF, GOVERNORS TO DETAIN CITIZENS – NATION PG.

Even though the legal validity of court orders for the detention of citizens at the pleasure of governors has not been challenged in Nigeria the indefinite detention of citizens for any reason whatsoever has been consistently rejected by Nigerian courts. Thus, in Attorney-General of Ondo State v Attorney-General of the Federation (2002). 27 WRN 1, the constitutional validity of section 35 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 which had empowered the ICPC to arrest and detain persons indefinitely until the person complied with its summons came up for interpretation.

MAGU DISAGREES WITH SALAMI PANEL ON VERIFICATION OF ASSETS – THISDAY PG.10

The suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, has faulted the Judicial Commission of Enquiry probing the activities of the agency for verifying seized assets without the presence of his lawyers or himself. He also said it was unfortunate that he closed his defence about two weeks ago without being granted opportunity by the panel to call any witness to strengthen his innocence.

N2.2BN FRAUD: BANKER NARRATES MONEY FLOW IN FAYOSE’S TRIAL – PUNCH PG.7

The N2.2bn fraud trial of a former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, and a firm, Spotless Investment Limited, continued on Monday before the Federal High Court in Lagos with an official of First Bank testifying as the 9th prosecution. Led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), the witness, Taiwo Ogundein, pointed out to the judge from bank documents, inflows and outflows of huge sums of money from the First Bank account of a firm, Still Earth Limited.

PROTESTING SHI’ITES DEMAND EL-ZAKZAKY’S RELEASE – NATION PG.7, PUNCH PG.8

Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, otherwise known as Shiites, on Monday in Kaduna protest the five years remembrance of their clash with soldiers in Zaria, which they called ‘massacre’ and continued detention of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, and his wife Malama Zeenatuddin Ibrahim. The members including Children, between the ages of 10 and above with adults, marched through Kano road in the Kaduna metropolis.

HOODLUMS ATTACK 3 EDO POLICE STATIONS, BURN VEHICLES, FREE INMATES OF OKO CORRECTIONAL FACILITY – THISDAY PG.1&8, DAILY TRUST PG.5

Hoodlums on Monday attacked three police stations in Edo state. The hoodlums, in addition to the earlier attack on the Correctional Facility along Sapele road, Benin City, vandalised the second Correctional Facility at Oko, also in Benin City, capital of Edo state. The three police posts attacked were Ugbekun Police Station, Oba Market Police Station and Idogbo Police Station.