NEWS
Court Sets Date For Shaibu’s Suit Against Edo Assembly
A Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled a hearing date for a lawsuit initiated by Philip Shaibu, the impeached Deputy Governor of Edo State, against the state’s house of assembly and others.
Filed on March 27, the suit listed the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police and State Security Service (SSS) as the first and second respondents.
Additionally, it included Hon. Justice S.A. Omonua (rtd.), the Chairman, and members of the Panel of Seven Appointed by the 4th Defendant, the Chief Judge of Edo, and Prof. Theresa Akpoghome as the third to fifth respondents.
Shaibu, represented by O.A. Gbadamosi, SAN, also named President Aigbokhian, Oghogho Ayodele Oviasu, and the Edo State House of Assembly as the sixth to eighth respondents, respectively.
In the originating motion on notice, Shaibu sought a declaration asserting that the failure of the 3rd to 8th respondents to afford him a fair hearing during the impeachment proceedings instigated by the 8th respondent was unlawful, unconstitutional, and a blatant breach of his fundamental right to fair hearing, as enshrined in Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
Additionally, he is pursuing a declaration highlighting that the assembly’s neglect to personally serve the purported impeachment notice on him and each member of the House of Assembly, as mandated by Section 188(2) of the 1999 Constitution, constitutes a violation of his right to fair hearing.
He additionally requested a declaration stating that the appointment of the 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 7th respondents as chairman and members of the seven-member investigation panel tasked with probing allegations outlined in a purported impeachment notice against him is marred by a reasonable suspicion of bias and will lead to a breach of his fundamental right to fair hearing, as guaranteed under Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.
In additionhe sought an order instructing the respondents to refrain from taking any further actions that would infringe upon his fundamental right to fair hearing, as guaranteed under Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution.
In the same vein, he requested an order directing the 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 7th respondents to disqualify themselves from serving as Chairman and members of the 7-Man Investigating Panel appointed by the 3rd respondent, due to the potential bias against him, among other reliefs.
Shaibu provided seven grounds of argument, asserting that until now, he had never been presented with any such notice or allegations of misconduct, abuse of office, or any allegations whatsoever, whether during his tenure as deputy governor or acting governor.
He stated that he had not received any letter or notice as mandated by Section 188(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. Furthermore, he emphasized that the assembly had not granted him any opportunity to respond to any purported allegations, thus lacking any justification for initiating a process aimed at his removal from office as deputy governor.
He said, “The 3rd respondent via a letter dated 25th March, 2024 was appointed by the 4th respondent as the chairman of a panel of seven persons to investigate the allegations contained in a purported impeachment notice, which is yet to be personally served on the applicant.
“The 3rd respondent is a retired judicial officer and community leader from Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo Central Senatorial District, where there is strong clamour against the gubernatorial ambition of the applicant.
“The 3rd respondent appears to have been given the hatchet job of recommending the removal from office of the applicant, in order to weaken his political ambition of becoming governor of Edo State.
“The 4th respondent being a protégé of the 3rd respondent, appointed him as chairman of the Investigating Panel, when other persons he offered the same appointment rejected it, because it was a politically motivated job.”
The case, presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo, was scheduled for hearing on Friday, following the appearance of a team of lawyers, including Alex Ejesieme, SAN, who attended to request a date for the case.
Despite the suit, identified as FHC/ABJ/CS/405/24, not being listed on the cause list, the defense lawyers attended the court session.
Just before adjourning the session, one of the lawyers informed Justice Ekwo that the matter was initially slated for Thursday but was postponed due to a public holiday, resulting in the court’s non-sitting.
However, Justice Ekwo clarified that he could not preside over a matter not present in the file, instructing them to coordinate with the court registrar for the next adjourned date.
The hearing was subsequently rescheduled for April 19.
Recall that on Monday, Shaibu faced impeachment by the state’s house of assembly following the panel’s finding of guilt on charges of perjury and divulging government secrets.
The retired Justice Omonuwa-led panel commenced its sessions on April 3 in Benin and concluded on April 5, with neither Shaibu nor his counsel in attendance.
A 23-year-old Turkish OnlyFans model, Ezra Vandan, also known as Azranur AV, has been detained in Istanbul for publicly announcing her plan to engage in sexual activity with 100 men within 24 hours.
The announcement, made on social media, sparked outrage and led to her arrest by the Istanbul Security Branch Directorate’s Morality Bureau.
Vandan had shared her intentions on January 14, 2025, posting a photo of herself in red lingerie with the caption: “My goal is to break a Turkish record first, then a world record! I’m starting with 100 men in 24 hours.”
She reportedly planned to live-stream the event, which was widely criticised as “obscene” and “damaging to societal morals.”
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According to reports, the post drew the attention of authorities, who initiated an investigation and apprehended her while she awaited a cosmetic surgery operation in Atasehir. Footage captured her being escorted down the stairs of a hospital by female officers, her wrists bound behind her.
In a controversial twist, Vandan allegedly uploaded a revealing image taken during her arrest by a police officer, captioning it, “I had the photo taken by one of the officers, he didn’t object much.”
Her husband, Pedram Behdar Vandan, 25, was also briefly detained but later released.
The Istanbul 6th Criminal Judgeship of Peace has charged Vandan with obscenity, resisting an officer on duty, and slander, stating that her actions and posts were “damaging to moral values” and “provocative to society.”
Defending herself in court, Vandan argued that her posts were personal and did not harm anyone. “I do not deserve to be judged,” she said.
The case has reignited debates in Turkey about personal freedom and societal values.
Eleven passengers tragically lost their lives on Wednesday in Maharashtra, India, after jumping off a moving train amid fears of a fire, only to be struck by an oncoming train.
The incident occurred in Jalgaon district, approximately 400 kilometres from Mumbai, and has once again highlighted safety issues in India’s extensive railway network, which serves millions of passengers daily.
Ayush Prasad, a senior district official, confirmed the fatalities and stated that five other passengers are receiving medical treatment. “People were run over by a train,” he said, without clarifying if the fire alarm was genuine or false.
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According to a spokesperson for Indian Railways, the chaos began when someone activated the “alarm chain” on the Mumbai-bound train, prompting several passengers to disembark. Tragically, they were struck by a train traveling in the opposite direction.
India’s interior minister, Amit Shah, expressed his grief over the incident, saying, “Deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this accident.” Maharashtra’s chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis, described the tragedy as “deeply disturbing” and said he was “deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives” in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Despite efforts to modernise the railway infrastructure with a $30 billion investment aimed at improving safety and connectivity, accidents remain a significant concern. Official records indicate that an average of 20,000 people died annually in rail-related accidents between 2017 and 2021.
In 2023, one of the country’s deadliest rail disasters claimed nearly 300 lives when a passenger train collided with a stationary goods train, leading to further collisions.
India continues to grapple with balancing its rapid economic growth with ensuring the safety of its ageing railway network.
Mrs Beatrice Ekweremadu, wife of Nigeria’s former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has been released from a United Kingdom prison after serving her sentence.
Sources confirmed that she returned to Nigeria on Tuesday and is currently in Abuja.
The news of her release has sparked widespread celebration in her hometown of Mpu, located in the Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Mrs Ekweremadu was jailed in 2023 alongside her husband and one Obinna Obeta for an organ-trafficking plot. While Beatrice has returned home, her husband remains in custody, prompting prayers from the community for his release.
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Mr Benjamin Chijioke, President of the Mpu Town Union Federated, expressed immense relief and joy over her return. “Our joy as Mpu people knows no bounds. It is a great day for us. Since morning, it has been jubilation and celebration in all the villages. People are shedding tears of joy, especially those who depended on the philanthropic disposition of the family to survive,” Chijioke said. He also prayed for Senator Ekweremadu’s safe return, noting the significant setback their absence had caused the community.
Ogbuka Edwin, the councillor of Mpu Ward, described the day as a “public holiday” in the community. “The absence of Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife created a big gap in the community. We are not going to relent in our prayers until our hero and leader joins his family, and we are trusting what God can do. It is celebration galore,” Edwin stated.
The entire Mpu community came alive on the Orie market day, with jubilations marking the family’s partial reunion. Meanwhile, supporters continue to hope and pray for the Senator’s eventual release.
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