₦airaland Forum

(CNN)Investigations into the series of terrorist attacks that killed more than 120 people in Paris are moving forward, with people taken into custody and two of the gun-wielding suicide bombers identified.

ISIS claimed responsibility for the massacres in a statement. In response, France has carried out air strikes on targets in the militant organization's stronghold in Raqqa, Syria.

Here is what we know so far from officials and local news reports:

The latest

-- State of Emergency remains -- 1,500 troops deployed to secure "particularly strategic" locations in France.

-- More than 150 police anti-terror raids conducted in cities across the country.

-- A fourth attacker has been identified from the Bataclan massacre as Samy Amimour, 28, the Paris prosecutors office announced.

-- A worldwide manhunt is underway for Belgian-born French national Salah Abdeslam, who is suspected of being involved in the attacks. French police warned that he is "dangerous."

-- Sources told CNN that Abdeslam was stopped and questioned by French police shortly after the attacks. At the time, he was not a suspect. He was let go.

The French Air Force carried out bombing missions over Raqqa early Monday, targeting a command center, recruitment center, ammunition storage base and a training camp.

-- Prior to Friday's attacks, Iraq shared intelligence that ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had ordered an attack on countries fighting against ISIS. There were no specifics about when or where the attack would take place.



http://edition.cnn.com/2015/11/16/europe/paris-attacks-at-a-glance/index.html

Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), noted that the two chambers of the National Assembly had passed the bill to modernise the nation’s criminal justice system.

“In particular, the law has abolished stay of proceedings and interlocutory appeals by merging all preliminary objections with the substantive case in any criminal case instituted in a federal court in the country.

The revolutionary intervention of the law was occasioned by the unending trial of politically-exposed persons in corruption cases,” Falana said in a statement on Sunday.

Falana, among other cases, cited the trial of Mohammed Abacha against the Federal Government, which was stalled for 12 years “on account of the preliminary objections raised and argued from the high court to the apex court by the defence counsel, Mr. J. B. Daudu SAN.”

The senior advocate added, “At the end of the ‘Israelite’s journey’, the Supreme Court ordered that the trial be commenced de novo at the federal capital territory high court. Having been completely frustrated in the circumstance, the Federal Government was compelled to discontinue Mr. Abacha’s corruption charge involving the theft of N664bn under the pretext that the case would be ‘amicably’ resolved!”

He equally cited the case of Major Hamza Mustapha, a former Chief Security Officer to the late military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, who was arraigned by the Lagos State Government for the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, the wife of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief Moshood Abiola.

He argued that lawyers for the accused also employed stay of proceedings to push the case for the lower court to the apex court, ensuring that the case was not concluded until after 13 years “on account of several preliminary objections and interlocutory appeals”.

Falana argued that granting the stay of proceedings in Saraki’s trial at the CCT by the Supreme Court on Thursday last week, had become illegal and had turned back the hand of the clock with the enactment of the AJCA by the Seventh Senate.

He said, “With the enactment of the AJCA, the suspension of criminal cases by all accused persons has been effectively stopped in Nigeria. Therefore, any judge, who orders a stay of proceedings in any criminal trial, does so illegally and is liable to be sanctioned by the National Judicial Council.

“It is unfathomable that the Supreme Court decided to return the country to the status quo ante in a rather brazen and bizarre manner. Given the ouster clause contained in section 306 of the AJCA, the Code of Conduct Tribunal ought not to have delivered its ruling in respect of the preliminary objections filed by Dr. Saraki.

The ruling should have been read together with the judgment after the conclusion of the trial. It was the premature ruling of the Tribunal which led to the filing of an interlocutory appeal in the matter.

“Instead of declining jurisdiction to entertain the interlocutory appeal that has been abolished by the AJCA, the Court of Appeal ordered a suspension of the trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal to await its decision. Although the Court of Appeal eventually dismissed the appeal, the trial of the substantive case at the CCT has been further halted by the Supreme Court, which has granted another stay of proceedings pending the hearing of the interlocutory appeal filed before it by the accused person.

“However, it is sad to note that in granting the order of stay of proceedings in the case, the apex court ignored the provisions of sections 306 and 396 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015. It was not a case of oversight or lack of knowledge of the existence of the AJCA on the part of the court, but a deliberate judicial decision to turn back the hand of the clock in the ongoing battle against corruption and impunity in the land.

Curiously, some senior lawyers have endorsed the blatant violation of the law in the matter.

“I am disturbed that a progressive lawyer like Emeka Ngige SAN was reported to have justified the illegality of the order of stay of proceedings. No doubt, the prosecution and the defence counsel who are Senior Advocates of Nigeria cannot be exonerated in the mockery of the criminal justice system.”

Falana called for the upturning of the pronouncement of the apex court, warning that if the order was allowed to stay, every other accused person would also apply for a stay of proceedings or interlocutory injunction to frustrate their trials.

Falana added, “Therefore, the controversial ruling of the Supreme Court should not be allowed to stand because of its far-reaching implications and negative impact on the administration of criminal justice in the country. Since the ruling is binding on all other courts in line with the hallowed principle of stare decisis, the Supreme Court should take advantage of the substantive appeal in the Saraki’s case to review its position with a view to confirming the abolition of stay of proceedings by section 306 of the AJCA.

“This clarification should be made as soon as possible in line with the letter and spirit of the AJCA. Otherwise, every accused person will continue to file interlocutory appeals and proceed to ask for a stay of proceedings pending the determination of such appeals.”

He warned the Supreme Court not to dance to the tune of those he called the agents of impunity.

“The apex court is advised to distance itself from the antics of the influential agents of impunity in the legal profession who have resolved to frustrate the trial of corruption cases by filing cumbrous motions and frivolous preliminary objections designed to shield members of the ruling class from prosecution,” he said.

Reacting to Falana’s argument on the Supreme Court ruling, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), said in “case law principles,” the Supreme Court decision would have been in order.

“But in the case of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and particularly with regards to the Practice Direction issued by Honourable Justice Aloma Mukthar, a retired Chief Justice of Nigeria 2014, it is obligatory that cases of corruption should not be suspended or stayed. That is the only difference; because it is a very dangerous precedence that the Supreme Court has laid down. I want to believe that they have other evidence or facts on record which would have justified their interference at this stage.

“But having regard to the various decisions on the amount of danger that stay of proceedings has brought to corruption cases in Nigeria and having regard to the mood of the nation regarding corruption, I believe it is a very dangerous precedence. And it would be latched on by so many corruption cases that will be coming forth.

“I would have preferred that the Supreme Court allowed the trial to go to conclusion because the law has provided that all preliminary objections shall be taken and decided together in the judgment of the court. For me, I would have preferred the provision of the Practice Direction which says criminal cases should be given prime importance.

“Yes the appellant has raised a lot of issues of impertinence by the lower court but the ACJA supports the tribunal, that all preliminary objections can be taken together with the judgment of the court. In other words, there ought not to be any interruption. We have seen how the judiciary has come under the hammer; how the whole world has said that the judiciary is the one protecting corrupt public officers, particularly the politically-exposed persons. This case is one of those cases that the tribunal has taken on and they ought to have allowed it to go on.”

In his own comment, Mr. Kunle Ogunba (SAN), said though he did not have the full facts of the case before the Supreme Court, he argued that the apex court should have allowed Saraki’s trial to proceed.

He was also of the view that others might want to take the advantage of the Supreme Court decision in upcoming criminal cases.

“Justice must not only be done but must be seen to have been done. When we look at it, we lawyers can understand the position of the Supreme Court but people outside might be crying foul. And I quite agree with Mr. Falana (SAN) in view of the antecedent of criminal trials in the country. You can appeal at the end of the whole case,|” Ogunba said.

The Supreme Court had on November 12 ordered a stay of proceedings of the trial of Saraki before the Code of Conduct Tribunal on 13 counts of false asset declaration.

The order of the Justice John Fabiyi-led five-man panel of the apex court followed a concession given by the Federal Government’s counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), for the proceedings of the tribunal to be halted if Saraki’s main appeal would be given an accelerated hearing.

It came after Saraki’s lead counsel, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN), had argued his client’s motion for stay of the CCT’s proceedings and while Jacobs was making his counter-submissions.

In a unanimous decision read by Justice Fabiyi, the apex court ordered the tribunal, which had fixed November 19 for the commencement of Saraki’s trial “to tarry awhile” pending the hearing and determination of the Senate President’s appeal.

The apex court ordered Jacobs to file his respondents’ brief in response to Saraki’s appellant’s brief served on him in court on November 12 within seven days.



www.punchng.com/saraki-sans-disagree-with-scourt-on-trial-stoppage/

Hmmmmmmmmmm

gradually, the truth is coming out

A former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, has said she did not use her position to steal Nigeria’s money.

Alison-Maduekwe, who looked frail told the Publisher of Ovation Magazine and TheBoss Newspaper, Dele Momodu, said she performed her duties to the best of her knowledge and abilities.

Alison-Madueke was recently arrested by officials of the National Crime Agency, United Kingdom over suspected money laundering activities.

The former minister had been alleged to have used her position as minister to steal billions of naira from the country’s coffers.

In June 2008, Alison-Madueke was subject to a Senate probe after it emerged that as Transport Minister she had paid N30.9bn ($263m) to contractors between December 26 and 31, 2007. She is said to be worth over N1bn.

However, she has never been officially charged or tried for these allegations and has strongly denied any wrongdoing. She was alleged to have spent billions of dollars inappropriately on private jets and responsible for some missing $20bn.

She is also widely accused of reckless spending of government funds.

In October 2009, the Senate indicted her and recommended prosecution for the alleged transfer of N1.2bn into the private account of a toll company without due process and in breach of concession agreement.

However, the allegations have never been taken to law, and the former minister had maintained innocence.



http://punchng.com/i-never-stole-nigerias-money-alison-madueke/

Good one for the country

iavdie.


PDP reporting smbody over right abuse.

nawa. for this same our country


op tell me, na joke u dey right

God bless Nigerian Army

God bless my country Nigeria.

All the enemies of this great country shall have no peace henceforth.


Thank you Nigerian Army for this great Job.

we Nigerians appreciate you guys.

you mean to tell me live bullet hit the guy wit strips roundneck for head in the second pic, and he is still standing.

u be unilag olodo.
narrate the story at once ne, guys wan knw wetin happen sharply jo.
no dulling

sauce


lolz, funny wike

he has been having a running battle with the militant since take over as thugnor of the state, he refuse to compensate them for their support before, during and after the election.

now simply becos of the rerun election insight, he is trying to do the needful.

nigeria politicians

Five people suspected to be having links with the Boko Haram sect have been arrested in Senegal, officials said on Monday.

Reuters quoted a top Senegalese judiciary officer as having said on Monday that the West African nation had arrested five people suspected of having links with the Boko Haram sect, a development, the official said could mark a significant expansion of the sect’s operations.

Boko Haram, which started in Borno State some years ago, had spread to Niger, Chad, Cameroon and lately to Senegal.

It was learnt that the five suspected allies of the Boko Haram sect were arrested in September in the suburbs of Dakar, the capital of Senegal and the central town of Kaolak, more than 2,500 kilometres from the Islamist militants’ heartland in north-eastern Nigeria, a senior justice ministry official said.
“We believe those arrested have ties with Boko Haram,” the official told
Reuters.

The official added that the five were arraigned before a Senegalese court on Friday where they were charged with alleged relations with Boko Haram, financing of terrorism and money laundering.

Boko Haram has sworn allegiance to Islamic State and killed thousands in Nigeria and its neighbours, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, in its bid to carve out an Islamist state.

Senegal, a majority-Muslim country, has traditionally been a bulwark of stability in the region.

A Muslim preacher was arrested last week in the southern town of Kolda on charges relating to inflammatory statements he had made during sermons.

French troops intervened in Senegal’s neighbour Mali in January 2013 to drive out Islamist militants who had taken over much of the north of the country during a separatist uprising.

Meanwhile, two female suicide bombers suspected to be members of the Boko Haram militant group blew themselves on Monday near a mosque in Cameroon’s Far North province, military officials said on Monday.

It was not immediately clear if the explosions caused other fatalities.
Boko Haram has led a six-year campaign for an Islamist state in north-eastern Nigeria.

Neighbouring countries including Cameroon joined forces against the group last year, driving its offensive beyond Nigeria and displacing thousands of people.


www.punchng.com/senegal-arrests-five-boko-haram-allies/

And they say money no dey this country.
#Ihafdie

God bless the Nigerian Army.

more grease to their elbow.

we know, They can do it, keep it up guys.

in #Lagbaja voice, e no go beta for all the enemies of this great country call nigeria.

Trash

Early grave attraction,

Goodluck in advance.

is it not better to pay higher and get the exact product you order for, than you pay less and all you get is a fake phone, and well package with correct seal, opening it and you discover it a china phone with no brand name, together with Aba made charger, earphone and battery.
if you dough me, go and buy from kaymu.

yes ooooo,

i will keep telling my grand children, wetin the ogogoro man turn our country into, everything well documented

Cnt just imagine that, cut grass for two hour, simply because the driver dey beef am

Men, na like this we go dey look.

wake up every morning, all we hear and watch on news is how money is been share by privilege few, under GEJ.

we learn he was with BABA yesterday at Aso rock.
Baba try give am house arrest jo.

We are tired of all this bullshit



Lalasticlala breakfast ready.

APC and buhari will not want to do praise and worship for express.

Saraki must dance to the raggaeblues,

A must is always push by something,

and to me, what I think shld push a man must be his future,

Woman have nothing that they are thinking about, my brother pls dnt let the babe and her mother push you into what you are not ready for.

are your own parent disturbing you.

for her father to be ok with your propose date, while the mother is not, I think there is something fishing btw the mother and daughter.

if you allow yourself to be pushed into the marriage, mind you, you will bear the family burden alone, the mother inlaw, will not feed your family for you.

and getting married this year I dnt see it coming at all, this is nov. even the man ready to pay her bride price in the nx 4mnth, so it not even this year, why cant she jst wait for you.

alot of our ladies this day are push by their family jst to get married, at d end they marry whom they know few or ntin abt, dying in silent, nobody to tell, and in return the man they are suppose to wait n get married to, they will now start looking for him again, in the process cheating on their husband which they dnt even love in the first place.

MTN must pay that fine, with all this nonsense,

i no even pity them before,

5. Abdurrahman Dambazau
As Nigeria's Chief of Army Staff between 2008 and 2010, he led a successful campaign against militant Islamist group Boko Haram.

After he was sacked, the militants regrouped in 2011. Since then, thousands of people have been killed and the insurgency has spread to neighbouring countries.

Tackling the group is one of Mr Buhari's top priorities, so it will be interesting to see how Mr Dambazzau will tackle the conflict now, assuming he is asked to head the ministry of defence as expected.


6. Kemi Adeosun
She is an economist and financial expert who was educated and worked in the UK before going back to Nigeria to serve as a commissioner of finance in the south-western state of Ogun.

Many expect her to be posted to the finance ministry.

During her presentation to the Senate, she said funds allocated for various projects are being diverted and identified ways to stop this happening.

She also said the country cannot afford to continue spending 78% of its budget on paying civil servants' salaries and other ongoing costs.

It will be interesting to see how the financial markets, investors and ordinary Nigerians will react to her appointment and whether she will be able to transform the country's struggling economy.


7. Audu Ogbe
As a veteran politician with four decades of experience, Mr Ogbe, 68, is known to be independent-minded and self-willed and has served in several previous governments.

Many remember him for his public row with ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005, when he was chairman of the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

He was forced to resign from the position after accusing Mr Obasanjo of interfering in party affairs.

Mr Ogbe is an experienced farmer who is expected to be appointed to lead the vital agriculture ministry.

Nigeria has a vast tracts of land that analysts say, if used properly, could create jobs for the country's army of unemployed youths and reduce Nigeria's dependence on oil.

Nigerians will be hoping that he is able to bring this theory to reality.



Cc Lalasticlala Obinoscopy Seun

Nigerians finally know the names of those who will form President Muhammadu Buhari's cabinet, after the senate approved the list of 36 nominees, five months after the president took office.


Mr Buhari, who was elected in March partly on a promise to tackle corruption and insecurity, vowed to select competent and clean individuals.

But when the much-anticipated list was released, many were disappointed, asking whether the wait had been worth it, and whether those selected were the best in the country.

Some say the list is full of old and recycled politicians who have been part of Nigeria's problems.

The youths who worked tirelessly during his campaign have also been disappointed because the average age in the cabinet is 52. Some women's groups have also voiced their anger that there are just six females on the list.

The 36 names approved by MPs - but yet to be given portfolios - include five former governors, nine lawyers, four former senators, three academics, two medical doctors, two retired soldiers and a clergyman.

The combination of experienced politicians and technocrats shows that the president was trying to balance his choice - rewarding party loyalists, while also selecting some professionals.

His hands were also tied by the constitutional requirement to choose at least one person from each of Nigeria's 36 states.

His supporters say the list shows he is committed to fulfilling his election promises, adding that age and gender do not matter at this stage because the country needs to be rescued urgently.

Here are seven interesting characters to watch in the cabinet:



1. Babatunde Fashola
It is not surprising that Mr Fashola made the list.

His achievements during his tenure as governor of Lagos state - Nigeria's commercial capital - makes him a good asset.

He is credited with bringing an element of order to the chaotic city through massive infrastructure development that included demolishing illegal structures to pave the way for new road projects.

As a senior lawyer and experienced administrator, it won't be surprising if he is asked to head the justice ministry.

The president has promised to root out corruption and bribery allegations that tainted the image of Nigeria's judicial system.


2. Ibe Kachikwu
The former ExxonMobil executive vice-chairman was appointed by President Buhari in August to head the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), an organisation vital to Africa's largest economy but notorious for corruption and mismanagement.

Many analysts believe his appointment has started to yield results.

It is surprising that he has now been asked to join the cabinet and is very likely to be appointed a minister in the oil ministry.

This means a new NNPC head may have to be appointed.

Even though the president has said he will oversee the ministry himself, most of the work and reforms he plans to carry out will be handled by Mr Kachikwu.

It will be interesting to see how he will help Mr Buhari clean up the oil sector and recover the mind-boggling sums he said had been stolen.


3. Amina Mohammed
She is a well-known technocrat within and outside Nigeria. She has more than 30 years of experience in the field of development, including as Nigeria's presidential adviser on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

She was credited with designing and developing several government projects aimed at reducing poverty.

Before joining the cabinet, Ms Mohammed was the Special Adviser to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on post-2015 development planning.

Her eloquence and globally-exposed experience in development and management could be an asset to the government if correctly exploited.



4. Rotimi Amaechi
He is the most controversial of all the appointees even though his inclusion did not come as surprise.

As President Buhari's campaign director, many Nigerians see Mr Amaechi's appointment as pay-back for the role he played in the president's victory during the election.

However, his choice has been heavily criticised after he was indicted by Rivers state's panel of inquiry for allegedly enriching himself during his eight-year tenure as the state's governor.

He denied all the allegations and said they were politically motivated. He also took the commission to court.

Opposition MPs tried to block his appointment but the ruling party used its majority to get him through.


http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-34538718

AbuEzeFemi:
The flat is located close to Liberty Estate after FHA Newsite The price is negotiable 08136984504 07036296145

giv me the price range bfor I will decide to call you or not.
better still if you av a two bedroom.

where in FHA is this flat located and at what price

Fabrication or not,
Tell that to the CCB and CCT when you are duck,
but definately not us.
yeye people

Not yet use and dump,

Saraki still have big political war to fight, and they PDP senators are his solace.

after then, you can now tell me, they are use and dump.

but definitely not now.

Heaven is falling, it not a matter of just one person.
if una like, mak una devalue am or not.

Check that vicinity very well for more, that area is too cool, that why you found it there

That my guy,

#KingBaddo

BabaMilliano

from fry pan to fire direct.


OCTOBER; Amaechi and October,

i think the month of october should be change to Amaechi's name .

the month is really a blessing for him.