₦airaland Forum

The Court of Appeal has created four new divisions to bring the administration of justice closer to the people

Following this, the court’s  President, Justice Z.A. Bulkachuwa,  has  approved new posting for Justices of the Court of Appeal.

The new divisions  of the Court are: Asaba, Kano, Gombe, and Awka.  Justice Bulkachuwa approved the posting of Justices of the Court as follows:

Abuja Headquarters  Justice Z. A. Bulkachuwa – President

Lagos Division:   Justice M.L. Garba- Presiding, others are Justice J.S. Ikyegh,  Justice O. F Ogbuiya,  Justice T. Abubakar, Justice U.A. Ogakwu, Justice J.Y. Tukur, Hon Justice G.O. Kolawole, Hon Justice E. Tobi

Kaduna Division: Justice A. H. Mukhtar- Presiding, Justice 0.0. Daniel-Kalio, Justice O.A. Adefope-Okojie, Ibadan Division: Justice J.0. Bada -Presiding, Justice H.S. Tsammani, Justice N. Okoronkwo, Justice F.A. Ojo



Enugu Division: Justice M.B. Dongban-Mensem – Presiding, Justice M.N. Bolaji-Yusuf, Justice J.O.K. Oyewole, Justice A.S. Umar

Benin Division: Justice H.M. Ogunwumiju-  Presiding,  Justice S.C. Oseji, Justice T.O. Awotoye, Justice M.A.A. Adumein, Justice T. Akomolafe-Wilson, Justice B. A. Georgewill

Jos Division: Justice A.G. Mshelia- Presiding,  Justice T.Y. Hassan, Justice M.N. Oniyangi, Justice B.M. Ugo

Port Harcourt Division:  Justice A.A.B. Gumel – Presiding, Justice I.0. Akeju,  Justice I. Jombo-Ofo, Justice B. B. Aliyu, Justice A.M. Lamido


Abuja Division: Justice A. Aboki – Presiding, Justice A. Jauro, Justice S.J. Adah, Justice P.O. Ige,  Justice E. Agim,  Justice Y. Nimpar, Justice M. B Idris

Calabar Division: Justice M.A. Owoade –Presiding,  Justice P. M. Ekpe, Justice U. Onyemenam

Justice M.L. Shuiabu

Ilorin Division:  Justice I. I Agube -Presiding, Justice I.S. Bdiliya, Justice H.A. Barka

Owerri Division: Justice R.C. Agbo- Presiding,  Justice A.O. Lokulo-Sodipe, Justice I.G. Mbaba

Justice I.A. Andenyangtso

Sokoto Division: Justice I. M. M. Saulawa –Presiding, Justice A. M. Talba, Justice F.O. Oho

Yola Division- Justice C.N. Uwa –Presiding, Justice S.J. Abiriyi, Justice A.M. Bayero

Eket Division: Justice T.N. Orji-Abadua – Presiding,  Justice F.O. Akinbami,  Justice P.O. Elechi

Akure Division: Justice O. F. Omoleye –Presiding, Justice R.M. Abdullahi, Justice P.A. Mahmoud

Makurdi Division: Justice A.O. Belgore- Presiding, Justice O.A. Otisi, Justice J.E. Ekanem

Gombe Division:  Justice J.H. Sankey –Presiding, Justice O.W. Williams-Daudu, Justice M. Mustapha, Justice J. G. Abundaga

Kano Division:  Justice A. D. Yahaya –Presiding,  Justice H. A. Abiru,  Justice A. A. Wambai

Asaba Division:  Justice U.I. Ndukwe-Anyanwu –Presiding, Justice M. A. Danjuma, Justice A. O. Obaseki-Adwjumo

Awka Division: Justice C. E. Nwosu-Iheme-Presiding, Justice R. N. Pemu and Justice B. G. Sanga.

The Executive Secretary of the Muslim Ummah of Southwest Nigeria (MUSWEN), Prof Muslih Yahya and Director of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) Prof Is-haq Lakin Akintola have berated the organisers of the Christians rally, saying it has political undertone.

Prof Yahya warned the leadership of Christians in the country to stop acting as opposition to the Federal government.

“They are politicising the insecurity issue on one part and also diving the nation along religious line. This is unhealthy for our nation. That rally is more political than religious. Christian leaders behave more like opposition than religious people. It looks like they have an agenda that is different from protesting over the security issues. There is no sincerity in the rally,” he said.

According to him, religious leaders have ways of reaching out to the government instead of doing it through a rally.

The rally, he said, was not the way to go about the issue.

“I believe there is a hidden agenda underneath. It has a political undertone. This is calling a dog a bad name in order to hang it. The rally organisers are not sincere. We need to be careful,” Prof Yahya said.

Prof Akintola said the Christian leaders are exaggerating the issue and trying to discredit the government.

He said: “There is an orchestrated attempt to de-market the government. Our Christian neighbours, particularly their leaders are giving the impression that the government is not doing anything. That is not fair. Insecurity was worst six years ago before Muhammadu Buhari’s administration came on board. The Christians are exaggerating the issue. There is another agenda to it.

“The organisers of the rally are not objective and it is ungodly. When a government performs, you need to credit it. When the government does not perform, you can speak up but in my own opinion, this government is addressing the issue of insecurity squarely unlike previous administrations. We are not saying the situation is perfect but we should not exaggerate and overblown the situation. We are scaring the citizenry and the Christian leadership should act responsibly.

“There is no cause for alarm; the kind of alarm they are raising does not call for it…I don’t know where that (rally) leads to. Rallying against insecurity does not stop criminals. Let the Christian leaders and their Muslim counterparts go back to their churches and mosques to speak to their congregation. Those who kidnap, rob are either from the church or the mosque but if their messages sink to their congregation, the rate of crime will reduce.

“Even when they rally and they ask their people to join them, the robbers among them will also join the rally. Rallies don’t stop crime… It is enough to tell the government to step up the fight against security, to step up the funding of security agencies but to hold rallies against insecurity means holding a rally against the government.”

The Anambra State Government has asked teachers in the state to reinvigorate the teaching of the Igbo Language in schools.

The state government warned that teachers fining or flogging pupils for speaking Igbo would be dealt with.

The state Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, Culture & Tourism, Ms Sally Mbanefo, gave the warning at a workshop for the revival of Igbo in Awka on Friday.

She reminded the teachers of the law making it compulsory for pupils in the state to dress in traditional attire and speak Igbo in school every Wednesday.

Mbanefo  said Governor Willie Obiano was out to save Igbo language from extinction.

1. Security issues are sad concerns around the world including Nigeria

Buffoon Enyinnaya Abaribe, telling Nigerians to "pick stones to stone THEM”, is out of order! It's a call for anarchy!

To those who listen to him, Nigeria is not Sen Ike Ekweremadu. Dont even try it. Don't!

2. Abaribe has tried with Nnamdi Kanu, to rip this nation apart and failed When @atiku said there will be more herdsmen killing if @MBuhari was reelected, who said anything? How many stones did Abaribe throw?
Please throw the first stone.
We are waiting

Ibadan – Sarkin Fulani of Oyo State, Alhaji Salihu Kadiri, has declared that the Fulani people in the South West are not in support of the composition of the South West joint security outfit, ‘Operation Amotekun’.

Kadiri, who stated this during a chat with journalists at the inauguration of the newly elected Oyo State NUJ Exco held at the Jogor Centre, Ibadan, said with its present composition, Amotekun looked sectional and against Fulani herders.

The Seriki Fulani declared that as it was presently constituted, Amotekun was one-sided and set up against the Fulani herders, adding that the security outfit needed to be put in place properly.

Kadiri stressed that there was the need for the South West governors to, without wasting time, ensure the inclusion of the Fulani and other ethnic militia in the region among those to be recruited for Amotekun.

He maintained that if truly ‘Operation Amotekun’ was for the security of people in the South West, the composition must be for all and not for only Yoruba militia groups like the OPC, Agbekoya, and others.

“For now, we, the Fulani in the South West, are not in support of ‘Operation Amotekun’. With its present composition, Amotekun looks more sectional, it looks as if it was meant to fight the Fulani herders who the farmers are accusing of using their cows to destroy their farms. That is the truth,” he said.

The Seriki Fulani pointed out that there were Fulani vigilante groups across the South West that had all it would take to be among the groups that could be co-opted into the joint South West security outfit.

Accusing the South West governors of being too hasty with the establishment of ‘Operation Amotekun’, the Seriki Fulani of Oyo State said if Fulani vigilante groups were recruited into Amotekun, they would be in the best position to monitor the herders and their activities, as well as assist in curbing crimes in their various localities.

We'll defeat Boko Haram with civil war experience, Buhari tells EU

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) on Friday in Abuja said security forces in the country are capable and competent in winning the fight against Boko Haram insurgents in the country.

He said with the 30-month civil war experience of Nigeria's military, it is capable of handling the crisis rocking the North-East.

Buhari said this while receiving Janez Lenarcic, the European Union Commissioner for Crisis Management in the State House, Abuja.

The President said, “If we were capable to fight a 30-month civil war and reorganised our country, I wonder why people are thinking that Nigeria cannot do it.

“We have the experience of the civil war. I could recall the role of the military, the army, each commander had in his pocket how to behave himself and how to allow international bodies like yourself to go round and see for themselves that people are treated in the most humane way.

"We have this experience and I assure you that we also have this confidence in your organisation. That is why I feel that Nigeria is capable of handling this crisis, it may take long but we are capable of handling it.”

Buhari also blamed the inability of the Nigerian military to subdue the insurgents on the increasing proliferation of arms in the G5 Sahel region.

He said, “The important thing really is weapons reaching the Sahel; the instability it is causing. Look at the casualties in Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali; Libya has a direct impact on the stability of the Sahel.

"As for Boko Haram, we try to disabuse the minds of the people and I think our people now understand the basic dishonesty in it. With my experience personally in the civil war, I am sure we will get over it.”

The retired general also told the EU that one of the next priorities of his regime is to rehabilitate Internally Displaced Persons in the North East, adding that it informed his decision to create an exclusive ministry, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

I assure you of Nigeria’s commitment to enhance and deepen cooperation with the EU in all areas. Our priority in the next level is to ensure that Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, are rehabilitated so that livelihood should be established and the children should not lose the opportunity to go back to school, which is very important for the future of that area and Nigeria generally.

“I assure you that we are aware of these problems and we will continue to do our best. The newly created Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs is coordinating NEMA and others, to make sure that whatever resources we get are well utilised. The ministry will be accountable to the government instead of having too many bodies doing the same thing. We are also reaching out to foreign countries explaining to them our position, and we are confident we will get over it.”

The EU Commissioner on his part acknowledged Nigeria's big role in the African continent and requested a development plan between the EU and Nigeria concerning the issues in the North East.

He expressed the EU's readiness to support Nigeria in ending the insurgency in the Northeast.

“We would like to support your efforts. We believe all relevant actors; military, civilian as well as humanitarian should come together. The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs is suggesting such high-level dialogue.

“In situations such as what we have in the northeast, international law and international humanitarian law should apply. We believe in your efforts to end the conflict; military effort alone probably will not be sufficient without identifying and addressing the socio-economic factors causing it," he stated.

Malami asks Makinde to dissolve LG caretaker chairmen

…We’ve not seen the letter ―Makinde

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) has directed the Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde to reverse himself over the dissolution of local government administration in the State.

The directive was contained in a letter to the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Oyo State, Prof. Oyewo Oyelowo dated 14 January 2020.

The letter marked HAGF/OYO/2020/Vol.I/I. was entitled, “Unconstitutionality of dissolution of elected local government councils and appointment of caretaker committee: the urgent need for compliance with extant judicial decisions”

The AGF said, in view of the decision of the Supreme Court on the matter that is binding on all 36 States of the Federation, “the common practice by some State Governors in dissolving elected local government councils is unconstitutional, null and void.”

“So, also any system of local government run by caretaker committee are outrightly illegal and unconstitutional”.

When Vanguard called the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr Taiwo Adisa, he said he had not seen the letter and when he saw it, he would know the appropriate response.

The letter reads further; “to this end, I hereby request all their Excellencies, State Governors and Speakers of State House of Assembly, who are currently acting in breach of the provisions of Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and also acting in disobedience of the Supreme Court judgement highlighted above to immediately retrace their step by ensuring compliance with the above in the overall interest of the rule of law and our democracy.”

“The need to immediately disband all caretaker committee and restore democratically elected representatives to man the local governments has, therefore, become obligatory”.

Second Republic lawmaker, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, has lambasted the protagonists of the security outfit Amotekun, describing it as nothing but a tribal militia to prosecute the region’s agenda of transforming into a separate nation through the backdoor.

Mohammed, who spoke exclusively to Vanguard, pointed out that those behind the formation of the armed group were against the interest of Nigeria and should be made to face the full weight of the law.

According to him no section of the Nigerian constitution makes provision for either state or regional police, adding that the governors have no authority whatsoever to raise such an illegal army.

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo said on Wednesday that a greater number of states in Igboland would be won by the All Progressives Congress before the 2023 general election.

The Secretary-General of the apex body of Ndigbo, Uche Okwukwu, made this remark in a congratulatory message to the new Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, on his victory at the Supreme Court, describing the verdict as well considered.

Okwukwu explained that with Uzodinma’s victory, Ndigbo were happy that the APC had enlarged its political space in Igboland.

 Ohanaeze’s message came barely 24 hours after the Supreme Court declared the Oru East-born politician the winner of the 2019 governorship election.

Okwukwu said, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo heartily congratulates Senator Hope Uzodinma on his victory at the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

“The judgment is a well-considered and sound one.  Ndigbo are happy that Uzodinma’s mandate freely given by Imo people had been restored by God.”