NEWS
DSS Refutes Access Denial For Emefiele, Slams Media
According to the Department of State Services (DSS), they have clarified that they never restricted the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, from contacting his family and legal representatives.
The spokesman of the agency, Dr. Peter Afunanya, revealed this information In an article titled “The DSS operates within its mandate,” released on Tuesday.
Dr. Peter Afunanya, stated that he considered the celebration of the court order granting access to Godwin Emefiele’s lawyers and family unnecessary.
He said, “He was never denied access. Ever since he was taken into custody, his family has continually accessed him. Same with medical officials. The impression that the Service is going to act on the prompting of the Court is not correct.”
Afunanya, who accused the media of ambushing the Service, criticized certain newspaper houses for their recent editorials regarding the Service, describing them as “hatchet jobs”.
The DSS spokesperson stated, “It did not seem that the editorials which sought the reforms of the DSS or to criticise it for its public statements or actions on various subject matters of national security concern were, by any means, an accident or a coincidence.
“It looked every inch planted or organised. It is a hatchet job or so it seemed. The judgement that the Service is excessively public or ubiquitous missed the point. The papers manifested predictable bias and patterns,” he said
Afunanya suggested that due to the biased mindset that fueled negative write-ups about the Service in the media, it would not be surprising to see a rise in malicious articles, criticisms, and baseless attacks in the public domain, particularly regarding the investigations of individuals such as Godwin Emefiele and Abdulrasheed Bawa, along with other trivial matters.
He expressed the belief that certain groups and individuals would make unfounded allegations against the Service and its leadership.
He said “These entities may also exploit unpatriotic members of the Service to spread falsehoods, propaganda and hate in order to project the Organisation in a bad light.
“Given their reach and war chest to mobilise forces against Government and its key officials, the adversaries may intend to cause distractions to the on-going investigations as directed by the C-in-C. However, the Service will not depose its professionalism for cheap backlash nor discharge its duty with prejudice or fear,”
He said the DSS will remain unshaken and professional in carrying out its duties.
“It recommits to diligently operate, as always, within the confines of the law and to uphold the fundamental rights of all Nigerians. The media must, as the fifth estate of the realm, remain balanced, accurate, impartial and accountable.
“To sustain a deliberate misguidance of the public with any form of misconceptions is detrimental to nationhood. Therefore, to deepen the expected contributions, seeking veracity is not only ethical but obligatory. That should not be asking for too much,” Afunanya said.
The Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Hon Justice Oyewole Adeyeye has passed on.
The news of his passing was leaked by a reliable source under the condition of anonymity.
The sad incident, according to the source, happened in Ado Ekiti in the early hours of Tuesday.
His death is being traced to a sickness which came upon him following the injury he sustained when a section of the Ekiti State High Court Complex, Ado Ekiti wall collapsed in July 12, 2023.
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The late Justice Adeyeye was at the office when the building collapse happened and sustained injuries.
While the state and his family were yet to issue statements on his demise, the Ekiti State Chapter of the Association of International Female Lawyers (FIDA) has sent condolences to the family.
The condolences message read: “With deep sorrow in our hearts and in total submission to the will of God, FIDA Ekiti consoles with the family of the Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Hon Justice Oyewole Adeyeye on his call to glory.
“May He find rest with his maker.
“I pray that God grants the family, the Judiciary and the people of Ekiti State, the grace to bear this irreparable loss.
Adieu great one.”
Justice Adeyeye was born 1960 in Araromi Ugbesi in Ekiti East Local Government of Ekiti State and was called to bar in 1986.
He started his career as a State Counsel in the civil service of the then Ondo State before joining the Ekiti State Judiciary Service Commission shortly after the state was created in 1996.
He was promoted to the position of a judge in the state’s high court in 2002 and has served at different occasions in the election petition tribunal.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed all charges against 76 individuals accused of participating in the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests.
The ruling came after the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, moved to discontinue the case under orders from President Bola Tinubu.
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Justice Obiora Egwuatu, presiding over the matter, struck out the charges after hearing a motion from the AGF’s representative, Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) Mohammed Abubakar.
Citing Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution, the AGF formally took over the case from the Inspector General of Police, then requested to drop all charges against the defendants, many of whom are minors.
The judge granted the AGF’s application without objection from defense counsel, ordering the immediate release of the accused, who were not present in court.
This decision follows a directive issued on Monday by President Tinubu, instructing the AGF to withdraw charges against the protesters.
More to follow……….
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has raised concerns over alleged monopolistic practices by Dangote Refinery, following a public dispute about fuel pricing in the downstream petroleum sector.
Recall that the refinery, Africa’s largest, recently disclosed its petrol pricing at N990 per litre in trucks and N960 per litre into ships, a move it justifies as being in line with international rates.
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PETROAN, however, sees this as an attempt to suppress competitors and dominate the Nigerian market.
The rift began when Dangote Refinery claimed that complaints from marketers regarding its pricing were fueled by intentions to import cheaper, potentially substandard products.
In response, PETROAN strongly rejected these allegations, suggesting that Dangote’s claims are tactics designed to maintain a monopoly in the sector.
Joseph Obele, PETROAN’s spokesperson, stated that the association remains committed to importing high-quality products at more competitive rates to ensure affordability for Nigerian consumers.
According to PETROAN, competition in the market is essential for achieving fair pricing, and any attempt to stifle it would be detrimental to consumers.
They argue that Dangote Refinery’s pricing should reflect production costs and fair margins rather than international benchmarks, especially given concessions granted by the government for the refinery’s establishment.
PETROAN also announced its plans to partner with foreign refineries and financial backers to import premium-quality petroleum products at prices below current rates.
The association aims to enter the market by December 2024, pending necessary regulatory approvals.
“The allegations that PETROAN will import substandard products are unfounded and aimed at creating an unfair playing field,” the statement read.
PETROAN warned that similar claims in the past had led to significant price hikes when competitors were pushed out, emphasizing that the entry of new players into the market would lead to more competitive pricing and ultimately benefit Nigerian consumers.
PETROAN expressed appreciation for President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to revitalizing Nigeria’s state-owned refineries and urged the government to consider privatizing the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries once rehabilitation is complete.
The association believes a transparent privatization process will help strengthen Nigeria’s downstream sector and counter monopolistic tendencies.
To address the ongoing pricing challenges in the sector, PETROAN called on the government to convene a comprehensive meeting of industry stakeholders, including major associations like IPMAN, DAPPMAN, MEMAN, NUPENG, and PENGASSAN.
PETROAN believes that collaboration among these groups will be instrumental in establishing a sustainable and competitive pricing framework for petroleum products in Nigeria.
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