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The Federal High Court Abuja, on Wednesday, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) for “flagrant” disobedience of court orders.

Justice Stephen Pam gave the order following Yakubu’s absence in court for the third time.

On July 5 and 10, Justice Pam ordered Mahmoud to appear in court and show cause why he should not be sent to prison for contempt of court.

At the resumed hearing, Mr Adegboyega Awomolo, (SAN), counsel to Mahmoud told the court that his client was absent in court because he was attending an urgent national assignment in Mali.

Justice Pam in a short ruling held that the reason given by Mahmoud was not tenable because he had refused three times to honour the court summons to defend the contempt charge against him.

The charges were brought against the INEC chairman by Mr Ejike Oguebego, for his refusal to recognise him as Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, (PDP) in Anambra in compliance with a Supreme Court judgment of Dec. 2014.

Justice Pam maintained that the court would not fold its hands and allow a party who was a professor of law to turn it into a toothless dog.

“It is sad that the contemnor and his counsel, a senior lawyer, have chosen not to obey the orders of this court in respect of this contempt charge.

“The contempt of the contemnor to this court can no longer be tolerated and it should not be allowed to fester,” the judge said.

The judge faulted the letter by Awomolo dated July 27 making an excuse for the INEC chairman’s absence in court on the grounds that the letter of Awomolo contradicted that of the INEC chairman dated July 29.

Justice Pam thereby ordered that Mahmoud should be arrested for his flagrant disobedience of court orders by refusing to appear in court and adjourned the matter until Aug. 8

“A bench warrant is hereby issued against Prof. Yakubu Mahmoud, INEC Chaiman, this repeated act of disobedience to court order to show cause can no longer be accepted by this court.”

Earlier, the court struck out the fresh motion filed by Awomolo on July 31 for stay of proceedings pending the outcome of an appeal on the matter.

The judge struck out the motion on the grounds that it was in contravention of Section 360 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, (ACJA) which did not allow a stay of proceedings in a criminal matter.

It will be recalled that Oguebego had initiated contempt proceedings against the INEC Chairman for refusing to comply with a Supreme Court judgment of Dec. 2014 to recognise him as PDP chairman.

Counsel to Oguebego, Mr James Odiba had prayed the court to commit Mahmoud to prison for not obeying the order.

He had told that court that on the contrary, INEC and its chairman were relating with another faction of the PDP in Anambra.

In an interview with newsmen, Awomolo said that the judgment on which the contempt proceeding was initiated was delivered in 2014 when Mahmoud was not yet INEC chairman.

Odiba, however, also told newsmen that government was a continuum and it behoved on whoever was in office to obey the judgment adding that “no one was above the law”

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Ikorodu Teacher Arrested For Physically Abusing 3-Yr-Old Boy In Viral Video [SEE VIDEO]

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The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency has confirmed the arrest of a teacher following a viral video showing the suspect allegedly physically abusing a three-year-old boy at a school in Ikorodu.

The announcement was made in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.

The video, shared by Oyindamola, who identifies as #dammiedammie35, captured a female teacher slapping the child’s face.

The video was captioned, “Footage from Christ-Mitots School in Ikorodu, a teacher named Stella Nwadigo was witnessed mistreating and physically abusing a three-year-old boy, Abayomi Micheal.”

The footage has raised serious concerns about the safety and well-being of our little ones in school.”

Reacting to the incident, the Lagos DSVA issued a statement expressing gratitude to those who brought the video to their attention

The statement reads, “We appreciate everyone who brought the disturbing incident of a teacher who was recorded physically abusing a 3-year-old boy to our attention.

We are pleased to inform the public that the teacher in question has been arrested by Owutu FSU, and an investigation has commenced in earnest.

The agency reiterated the state government’s commitment to protecting children, emphasizing that schools must be safe and nurturing spaces.

The statement added, “Indeed, institutions of learning should be safe, warm, and protective environments for all children in their care.

The State Government remains committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of every child by enforcing strict regulations, holding offenders accountable, and working with stakeholders to promote a zero-tolerance policy for abuse in any form.”

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China Development Bank Approves $254m Loan For Kano-Kaduna Railway Project

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The China Development Bank (CDB) has provided a loan of $254.76 million for the construction of the Kano-Kaduna railway project in Nigeria.

In a statement on Tuesday, the bank stated that the funding aims to support the smooth advancement of the infrastructure project.

The CDB highlighted that the construction is being undertaken by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), with financial support from the bank.

“The Kano-Kaduna railway, with a total length of 203 kilometers, is a standard-gauge railway,” the statement reads.

“Once completed, it will provide direct rail connectivity between Kano, an important northern city in Nigeria, and the country’s capital Abuja, offering local residents a safe, efficient, and convenient mode of transportation.”

In addition to enhancing mobility, the bank mentioned that the project is expected to stimulate economic growth along the railway corridor, generating job opportunities and promoting related industries.

“The Kano-Kaduna railway project has been included in the list of practical cooperation projects for the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation,” the CDB added.

The bank stated that the construction is progressing smoothly and reiterated its commitment to collaborating closely with the Nigerian government to ensure the disbursement of funds and effective management of the next phases of the project.

On July 15, 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari launched the construction of the Kano-Kaduna railway project.

The rail project is the third phase of the Lagos-Kano standard gauge railway modernization project.

The first phase (Abuja-Kaduna) and the second phase (Lagos-Ibadan) were inaugurated for commercial operations in July 2016 and June 2021, respectively.

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ICPC Files Money Laundering Charge Against El-Rufai’s Former Commissioner

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has charged Muhammad Sa’idu, a former commissioner during the administration of Nasir el-Rufai, ex-governor of Kaduna, to court over alleged “money laundering.”

The Kaduna police command arrested Sa’idu over a petition for alleged diversion of public funds.

Osuobeni Akponimisingha, the ICPC’s assistant legal officer, filed the case against the former commissioner on Tuesday at the federal high court in Kaduna.

Sa’idu served as the commissioner of local government affairs, chief of staff, and commissioner of finance during the administration of el-Rufai.

The ICPC dismissed an earlier claim that Sa’idu had been exonerated of all charges after 10 months of investigation.

The former commissioner is charged alongside Ibrahim Muktar, a staff in the ministry of finance.

According to the suit No. FHC/KD/IC/2025, the defendants are charged on a two-count charge of “money laundering.”

“Sometime in March 2022 or thereabouts, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Sa’idu, who at that time commissioner of finance, did accept cash payment of the sum of N155m from one Ibrahim Muktar exceeding the amount authorised by law, which sum you received in cash through proxy to wit: Muazu Abdu, your Special Assistant and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section2(a) and punishable under the Section 19(d) of the “Money Laundering(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022,” the charge sheet reads.

The ICPC also alleged that within the same period, Sa’idu “indirectly took control of the sum of N155m received in cash for and on behalf of you by one Muazu Abdul from Ibrahim Muktar, which he reasonably ought to have known, formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity to wit: corruption and you hereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the “Money Laundering(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

The anti-graft agency noted that section 18(3) of the “Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022” states that “any person who contravenes the provisions of subsection(2) is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than four years but not more than fourteen years or a fine not less than five times the value of the proceeds of the crime or both.”

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