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Strike Stalls Chidinma’s Trial Over Alleged Murder Of Ataga Super TV Boss

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The trial of an undergraduate of the University of Lagos, Chidinma Ojukwu, the alleged murder suspect of Super TV Chief Executive Officer Usifo Ataga, could not proceed on Tuesday due to the defendant’s absence.

Ojukwu, a 300-level student in the Department of Mass Communication, is facing nine counts of murder, theft, and forgery in a Lagos State High Court at Tafawa Balewa Square.

She appeared in court with her sister, Chioma Egbuchu, and one Adedapo Quadri.

Only the third defendant, Egbuchu, was present for the resumed trial on Tuesday. Ojukwu and Quadri were not transported from the detention prison to court.
Inmates were not brought to court due to the industrial action by the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.

Justice Yetunde Adesanya said correctional facility officials had informed the court that the inmates would not be brought to court for security purposes until the strike was called off.

Counsel for the first defendant, Mr. Onwuka Egwu, said, “Due to the NLC strike, I suggest that tomorrow’s date be vacated and a fresh clear date is given.”

Also the second defendant’s counsel, Mr Babatunde Busari, however, said “Despite the effort given to this case by this court, the trial is still taking too long.

“There is no trial day that I come to this court without the trial going on. I also suggest that a clear date be given to ensure that substantive justice is done to this matter.”

He also asked the prosecution counsel, Mrs Adenike Oluwafemi, Director of Public Prosecutions to mention how many prosecution witnesses are yet to give evidence.

The DPP told the court that apart from the ninth prosecution witness, DSP Olusegun Bamidele, who was still giving evidence under cross-examination, “there are two more witnesses”.

Consequently, Justice Adesanya, vacated Wednesday’s date to ensure that the NLC strike would not disrupt proceedings.

She adjourned the case till December 5 and December 7, 2023, for the continuation of trial.

The ninth prosecution witness, DSP Bamidele, had at the last proceeding in June, narrated how he examined the body of late Ataga at the mortuary.

The witness was cross-examined by the first defendant’s counsel, Egwu.

The witness had told the court that he visited the mortuary two days after the deceased died to carry out his investigation.

Bamidele narrated that the body bag was opened in his presence for observation.

He told the court that he saw injury on the body and neck region of the deceased.

According to him, he instructed the mortuary attendant to turn the body over and he saw marks on the side of the left ribs.

The witness also told the court that there was an injury at the lower centre of the head, adding that It was an open injury that showed signs of stabbing.

Ojukwu and the two others were arraigned on October 12, 2021, by the Lagos State Government.

BIG STORY

Lagos-Calabar Highway: Property Owners To Sue Federal Government Over N18bn Compensation

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The Coalition for Land Rights Advocacy in Nigeria is preparing to sue the Federal Government over what it describes as unfair compensation payments.

In an exclusive interview with the Coalition Head, Sola Enitan, he stated that if the Minister of Works, David Umahi, does not address the group’s demands, the coalition will take legal action.

He said, “If the Minister of Works does not yield to our demands, it goes without saying that we would be going to court. The coalition would be going to court on behalf of the Project-affected persons as they have already briefed us to represent their interests.

“It should be noted that the reason why we have not gone to court is because we want to exhaust the three summonses and then we would see what the house of assembly would do. Upon the third summon, if the minister does not respond, a resolution would be done showing what the parliament wants to do.

“After the resolution phase is exhausted and the minister does not still comply, we would head to court. Unless the President compels the minister and he does the right thing, there would be no need to go to court, but if he does not do the right thing, then there would need to go to court.”

Enitan pointed out that the road project, which was purportedly presented as being in the public interest, has forcibly displaced many Nigerians, stripping them of their land, homes, and livelihoods without the provision of just, fair, and adequate compensation, as required by law.

He added, “Despite exhaustive attempts to address these issues of injustices, the government, through its agents, has shown a pattern of coercion and disregard for constitutional and legal rights.

“In the last eight months, over 65 correspondences have been sent by professional representatives of the project-affected persons to the Minister of Works, each highlighting the inadequacies and injustices within the current compensation framework. Despite these numerous communications, the minister has refused to provide a single response, not even from the legal directorate of the ministry.

“Instead, he continued to organise politically tainted stakeholder meetings where project-affected persons are subjected to bullying, shaming, and harassment by the minister, his agents, and security personnel. Many of these events have been recorded and are widely accessible on social media, underscoring the extent of hostility faced by these affected individuals under the ministerial oversight of Senator David Umahi.”

The Coalition head also noted that, under Sections 29 and 30 of the Land Use Act of 1978, the Land Use and Allocations Committee is mandated to intervene in compensation disputes, offering a platform for arbitration.

He lamented, “Yet, the Minister of Works has continuously evaded this statutory requirement, disregarding opportunities for fair dialogue and preferring to coerce, intimidate, and harass Project-Affected Persons into accepting unconscionable, unfair, and inadequate compensation.

“In their quest for justice, the PAPs have formally petitioned the Speaker of the House of Representatives through their lawful attorney. The Speaker of the House of Representatives assigned this case to the House Committee on Public Petitions, which has since issued two summonses and held two hearings.

“However, despite repeated invitations, the Minister of Works has refused to appear before the committee, resulting in a third summons being issued by the Chairman of the Committee on Public Petitions, Michael Etaba. This continued disregard for the legislative process exemplifies the Ministry’s disposition to justice and continued dismissal of the Project-Affected Persons’ plight.”

The coalition further called for the intervention of President Bola Tinubu.

Umahi had previously stated that the compensation budget for Section 1 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway had increased from N8 billion to N18 billion. He also claimed that everyone on the compensation list for Section 1 of the coastal road should have been paid within 10 days.

However, Project-Affected Persons along the Lagos-Calabar Highway rejected the Federal Government’s N18 billion compensation offer, describing it as insufficient compared to the actual value of their properties.

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BIG STORY

Opposition Parties Unpopular, Stand No Chance In Ogun LG Polls — Governor Dapo Abiodun

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One week ahead of the November 16 local government elections in Ogun State, Governor Dapo Abiodun declared on Sunday that, based on his administration’s performance over the past five years, opposition parties are “clearly unpopular and invisible” and, therefore, stand no chance in the upcoming council elections.

The Governor added that the quality of candidates the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is fielding in the election would make it the party to beat, predicting a landslide victory across all 20 Local Government Areas in the State.

Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Kayode Akinmade, Abiodun explained that his administration has transformed Ogun’s previously volatile political landscape, creating an environment conducive for opposition parties to operate without hindrance or intimidation.

According to him, rather than using intimidation tactics, his administration has marginalised opposition parties through sterling performance and innovative development ideas.

Governor Abiodun urged APC members in the state to show increased commitment and work together to build on the achievements of the past years, ensuring a resounding victory in the November 16 local government elections.

“With the quality of candidates our party is presenting in the forthcoming local government election, APC remains the party to beat. We have consistently and diligently made significant impacts in the lives of our people, and this is indeed our selling point.

“Without resorting to intimidation tactics against opposition parties, our administration has overshadowed them with our impactful projects, innovative ideas, and prudent governance, earning us a leading position among other states.

“It is now incumbent upon every APC member across the 20 Local Government Areas to sustain the enviable achievements our party has recorded over the past five years by showing greater commitment and working in unity for a victory come November 16,” Abiodun said.

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BIG STORY

Speeding Vehicle Knocks Down Fleeing Suspected Thief In Lagos

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A yet-to-be-identified male adult, suspected to be a thief, was found unconscious on Sunday after being knocked down by a hit-and-run driver in the Abule Egba area of Lagos State.

The incident occurred on Friday morning.

Reports indicate that the suspect had broken into an apartment in the community during the early hours of Friday when some residents spotted him.

To avoid capture, he reportedly fled, and some residents pursued him.

While attempting to escape the area, he ran into the expressway and was struck by a speeding vehicle.

According to The PUNCH, a visit to the community on Sunday found the suspect still lying unconscious by the roadside near the Abule Egba bridge, with swollen eyes and bruises on his body.

A trader, Ganiyat Enitan, who owns a shop near the bridge said that the accident victim had remained at the spot since the incident occurred.

She said, “We met him there on Friday morning and he has been there since then. We were told that he was caught scaling a fence at midnight and those who saw him decided to chase him. He was trying to run across to the other side when he ran into a vehicle that knocked him down.”

Upon closer inspection, our correspondent found that the suspect was still breathing, with his legs moving at intervals.

Another local business owner, who identified himself only as Sesan, said the man was initially lying on the bridge walkway before he rolled into the main road.

“We saw him this morning on the main road. It was later that some LASTMA officials came to put a tyre behind him as a caution to prevent vehicles from climbing him.”

Meanwhile, a transport worker, Saheed Adekunle, urged the state government to remove the man from the spot to prevent further accidents.

He said, “We want the state government to come and remove him from here. If he spends more time on the road where he is now, I’m sure he will be crushed by a vehicle. The tyre LASTMA put there is not enough to stop that. Those trucks you see drive roughly and often climb the walkway. So, how much more on the road where he’s lying.”

All calls made on Sunday to the spokesperson for the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, Nosa Okunbor, went unanswered, and a text message sent to him had not been replied to at the time of this report.

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