NEWS
House Committee Calls NAPTIP To Account For Alliance Hospital CEO’s Detention
The House of Representatives has summoned the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to address allegations of the unjust detention of Dr. Christopher Otabor, the Chief Executive Officer of Alliance Hospital Abuja.
Chairman of the House Committee on Public Petition, Rep. Mike Etaba, has mandated NAPTIP’s Director-General, Mrs. Fatima Waziri-Azi, to present herself before the committee on April 18, amplifying concerns surrounding this matter.
The chairman emphasized that a failure to appear would force the committee to issue a warrant of arrest.
Expressing disappointment in NAPTIP’s absence during the investigative hearing, he noted the four-day detention of Otabor.
The committee additionally called on the police officer involved in the alleged organ harvesting case against Otabor to appear and provide insights into the situation.
He said, “We will handle this matter the way it should, we will be thorough in our investigation and whoever is found guilty will be punished.
“This country is not a lawless country; whoever violated the Nigerian constitution will be dealt with severely.
“Everybody that is supposed to respond to the petition must be here, or we will issue an arrest warrant.”
The committee expressed dismay that NAPTIP relied on social media for information leading to Otabor’s detention, deeming it an unfortunate and unacceptable practice that has the potential to tarnish an individual’s reputation.
They emphasized the gravity of the matter, asserting that it surpassed the acceptable standards for their hearing.
He said “We must get the date of the arrest and those involved in the arrest, including the statement from the IPO.
“Why we are discouraging the Japa syndrome, some who are preventing and helping this country to grow are hounded down, this investigative hearing will be a fact finding mission.”
Rep. Victor Ogene (LP-Abia), a committee member, praised the CEO of Alliance Hospital for bringing the issue before the lawmakers, acknowledging the transparency of involving the “people’s house.”
He highlighted the absence of relevant law enforcement agencies that were expected to present their cases, expressing a need for their presence in the proceedings.
He said, “The D-G of NAPTIP should be summoned before this committee; she knows why she did the illegal detention. The law has prescribed a term of detention.”
“We have an organisation paying a bill of over N70 million and if the staff were driven away, you know how that will affect them and their family.”
Otabor revealed that the police had previously questioned him regarding organ harvesting allegations, later confirming the falsehood of the claims and releasing some of his detained staff.
He explained that, without conducting an investigation, NAPTIP ordered his arrest and subjected him to a four-day detention based on a video circulating on social media alleging his involvement in organ harvesting.
Otabor asserted that the organ harvesting allegation was an attempt to tarnish his long-standing goodwill and reputation.
He accused NAPTIP’s Director-General of orchestrating a deliberate effort to embarrass and diminish his image, citing a display of excessive power and intimidation.
Otabor, a respected multi-specialty healthcare service provider, highlighted that during his four-day detention at NAPTIP, no inquiries related to investigations were made, and his phone was not subjected to search.
Otabor contended that the organ harvesting allegations were rooted in hatred, emphasizing that he had taken legal action against the newspaper that implicated his hospital in such a heinous act.
In a worrying incident, a XEJET Airlines aircraft carrying 52 passengers veered off the runway at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos on Saturday, just 16 days after Dana Air was shut down by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authorities.
The Airbus, with registration number 5N-BZZ, departed from Abuja and landed in Lagos at 11:29 am.
However, it skidded off the runway of the domestic wing of the airport, prompting the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to shut down the 18/Left runway.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) confirmed the incident and is investigating the cause of the skid.
No injuries or fatalities were reported, and an investigation is ongoing.
Details later……..
Senator David Umahi, the Minister of Works, has announced his firm commitment to face the House of Representatives’ scrutiny regarding the contentious N15 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway road project.
Umahi also revealed plans to broadcast the proceedings live on television, ensuring transparency and accessibility for all Nigerians.
Emphasizing the project’s integrity, Umahi affirmed that he and the Ministry of Works meticulously adhered to proper procedures, securing all requisite approvals and documentation prior to project initiation.
He said, “I am ready to face the National Assembly to defend the project. I will not want to say anything now till I meet with the Senators and House of Reps members. It will be live so you will also hear it. It will be live so that Nigerians will see it.
“When people say the project is on personal interest, there is a contradiction there. This is because Atiku Abubakar said the Jonathan administration wanted to do that project which would have cost about $12bn or so. So, whose interest was that administration promoting in trying to do that project?
“I have a design from the NDDC (Niger Delta Development Commission) on that project. The NDDC designs are quite bulky. When I was implementing this current project, I had to call for the design.
“There is no personal interest in this project. The idea of that project came from the ingenuity of Mr President (Bola Tinubu) when he was governor; he was the one who procured the right of way within the Lagos corridor and gazetted it.
“The reason for the project taking off now is all about how we can inject some activities into the economy. If we want to come out of inflation, we have to look at investments in infrastructure and that is what this project is addressing. It is addressing a lot of elements of return on investments. There is no personal interest associated with that.
“It is quite petty to ask why it is starting from Lagos and not Calabar. The name of the project is ‘Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road’ and not the other way around. This means there is a zero point, which happens to be at Ahmadu Bello Way, which coincides with the Eko Atlantic.”
On status of the project he opined “That is pure coincidence. We have started the project already and it is progressing. As of today, I can tell you that about 80 per cent of the first 1.3km is completed.”
The standoff between Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, intensified on Friday as police presence swelled at the House of Assembly quarters along Aba Road, Port Harcourt.
With approximately 30 officers securing both the primary and secondary entrances and an additional 25 patrol vans blocking other access points, the situation grew increasingly tense.
This development followed accusations by House Speaker Martins Amaewhule, who alleged Governor Fubara’s involvement in plans to demolish the legislative quarters.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara had made a surprise visit to the facility on Thursday afternoon, stating that he wanted to assess the premises following the appointment of a new Speaker.
He said, “Is the Assembly quarters not part of my property? Is there anything wrong in going to check how things are going on there?
“You are aware of the developments. We have a new Speaker, and I went there to see for myself how things are. There might be a few things I might want to do there for the good of our people.”
According to reports, after Amaewhule’s alarm, anti-Fubara lawmakers and certain All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains maintained a vigil around the estate until Friday.
Earlier, a Rivers court had restrained the Pro-Wike lawmakers from identifying themselves as legislators, declaring their seats vacant. Meanwhile, the ‘Sim Media Volunteers’ group, during a news briefing in Port Harcourt on Friday, urged the Inspector-General of Police to oversee police activities in the state and ensure adherence to rules of engagement.
Frank Kilsi, the Convener, expressed concern over the arrest and intimidation of the governor’s supporters by the police, warning that such actions could lead to anarchy.
Kilsi stated, “We call on the Inspector-General of Police to rein in his men and exercise restraint by stopping the unnecessary attack or wanton arrest on any of the governor’s supporters, as further harassment could lead to anarchy and breakdown of law and order that may not do our state any good.
“We, the youths of the state, under the aegis of SIM Media Volunteers do hereby emphasize the need for peace, justice and development in Rivers State.
“We implore all relevant stakeholders such as the citizens, political leaders, traditional institutions and law enforcement agencies, to ensure that the rights and freedom of the people are upheld and protected at all times.
“To this end, we would like to acknowledge and applaud the great youths of Rivers State for being peaceful and law-abiding even in the face of provocation”.
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