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Akwa Ibom Court Upholds Female Inheritance Rights
The Akwa Ibom State High Court in Uyo has upheld the rights of females to inherit their father’s property.
The court ruled in favor of the nieces of Mr Sampson Silas Udoh, who had previously denied his late brother’s daughters their rightful inheritance.
In a verdict delivered by Justice Ntong Ntong, Udoh, a resident of Itiam Etoi in Uyo Local Government Area, was ordered to pay N20 million to his two nieces for violating their fundamental rights and obstructing their inheritance of their father’s property.
The lawsuit was initiated on August 16, 2022, and it involved respondents Mrs Bakabasi Victor James and Miss Ndantiabasi Isaac Silas.
Mr Williams Ubetem, the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) attached to the State Police Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, and the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, were also part of the proceedings.
Justice Ntong strongly criticized the actions of the applicant, describing them as “obnoxious and repugnant to natural justice, equity, and good conscience.” He further emphasized that the maltreatment faced by the nieces was “opprobrium, offensive, and unconstitutional.”
The court ruled “The main contention of the applicant is that his nieces, being female children of his late elder brother, Mr Isaac Silas Udoh, should not inherit their father’s property because they are women.
“The respondents said their father built his own house on his own land between 1976 and 1980, which they lived in from birth till date without any problem until they attempted to appropriate the inheritance and their uncle unleashed mayhem on them.
The judge emphasized that it was crucial for paramount rulers, clan heads, village heads, and community leaders in Akwa Ibom State to recognize and accept that “female children have an equal stake with their male counterparts to inherit their parents’ properties.
“The applicant cannot be allowed to take advantage of the vulnerability of his nieces just because they were born girls and women into their family.
From the totality of credible evidence before the Court, the Police and other respondents did not and are not likely to encroach on or infringe upon the rights of the applicant.
“Instead, it was the applicant that infringed upon the fundamental rights of his nieces with impunity, which cannot be allowed to stand.
“The application for the enforcement of the applicant’s fundamental rights has failed woefully in its entirety and is dismissed with a cost of a total sum of twenty million, one hundred thousand naira payable to the 1st and 2nd respondents at ten million, fifty thousand naira each,” the court ruled
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has revealed that he spent the night inside the Dangote Cement factory in Obajana, Kogi State, on the day of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s wedding due to poor lighting at the Kogi airport.
“I slept in Dangote Cement factory in Obajana, Kogi State, on the night of Senator Natasha’s wedding because the Kogi airport lights were in a poor state,” Akpabio stated during plenary at the National Assembly on Thursday.
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Akpabio, a former Minister of the Niger Delta, described Natasha’s husband as his “good friend” and emphasized that his presence at the wedding was a testament to his close relationship with the family.
Meanwhile, the Senate has suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months following the recommendations of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.
The committee found her guilty of “disrespecting the Senate” and directed that she must issue an apology.
As part of the suspension, the committee stated that her salary and security details would be withdrawn.
Additionally, the Kogi Central lawmaker has been barred from the National Assembly premises for the duration of the suspension.
Following the committee’s recommendations, the Senate adopted the resolution, and Senate President Akpabio officially announced her suspension.
A Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Sylvester Okechukwu, who was abducted from his residence on Tuesday night, has been killed by his captors in Kaduna State.
The Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan confirmed his death in a statement signed by its Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Jacob Shanet.
According to the statement, Fr. Okechukwu, who served as the pastor of St. Mary Catholic Church in Tachira, Kaura Local Government Area, was murdered in the early hours of Wednesday.
“After being taken by his abductors, we regret to inform you that Fr. Sylvester was cruelly killed in the early hours of Wednesday, March 5. It is yet to be determined why he was killed,” Shanet said.
READ ALSO: Gunmen Abduct Catholic Priest Along Enugu Road Despite Security Checkpoints
The Diocese described the late priest as a selfless and dedicated servant of God, whose sudden death has left the church and community in deep sorrow.
“This untimely and brutal loss has left us broken and devastated. He was always available and accessible to his parishioners. His untimely death has left an indelible void within our diocesan family, and we share in the pain of his passing with his family, friends, and all those who loved him,” the statement read.
Shanet urged the Takad community to remain calm and prayerful, warning against any form of retaliation.
He assured that funeral arrangements for the late priest would be communicated in due course.
Kenyan athlete Edwin Koech has emerged as the champion of the 2025 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, claiming victory in the men’s category with a record time of 2 hours and 14 minutes.
The win, secured on Saturday, marks his second title in the prestigious race after his triumph in 2023.
Koech takes home the $50,000 first-place prize, further cementing his dominance in the competition.
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The 10th edition of the marathon saw an impressive turnout, with 37,000 runners competing in both the 10km and 42km races.
Race General Manager and retired Nigerian long jumper Yusuf Ali confirmed the figure, explaining that it was based on the number of race kits distributed, out of more than 60,000 registered participants.
The 42km race commenced at 6:30 am from the National Stadium in Surulere, while the 10km race began at 9:30 am from Grace Garden Event Centre in Lekki. Both events concluded at Eko Atlantic City, the official finish line.
As the Lagos City Marathon celebrated its 10th anniversary, organisers reiterated their goal of securing a World Athletics platinum label, which would make it the first marathon in Africa to achieve the prestigious status.
Currently classified as a gold label race, the event has continued to attract elite athletes from across the globe.
In preparation for the race, the Lagos State Government announced an eight-hour road closure and traffic diversion, restricting movement along key routes from 5:00 am to 1:00 pm on Friday.
Since its inception in 2016, the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon has grown into one of Africa’s premier road races, drawing international attention and fostering a strong culture of long-distance running in Nigeria.
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