NEWS
I Have Video Evidence That Kwara Cp Despises Tani Olohun – Sowore
Omoyele Sowore, publisher of and well-known human rights advocate, claimed to have an audio clip of Kwara State Commissioner of Police Ebunoluwa Adelesi making derogatory remarks about Isese activist Adegbola Abdulazeez, alias Tani Olorun.
The former African Action Congress presidential candidate said in an online interview with journalists on Tuesday that the Kwara State police commissioner “expressed her hatred for Tani Olohu in a cell phone conversation that I now have.”
Adegbola is on trial in Kwara State for allegedly defaming traditional and religious leaders.
“I am a staunch believer of the freedom of expression, freedom of thoughts, and the freedom of worship.
“I have followed what was done to Tani Olohun, and I have concluded that he was kidnapped and taken across state lines to appear before a kangaroo court.
“The commissioner of police is in bed with those who didn’t want him (Tani Olohun) to fully express himself, and there are plans to prevent the Isese worshippers from carrying out their activities in Kwara State.
“I believe what they did is wrong, and they have no right to charge him for the crimes they claimed he committed.”
Sowore also alleged that Adelesi had a personal vendetta against Tani Olohun.
‘He (Tani Olohun) should not have been arrested and charged before a magistrate court who again adjourned the case for 50 days over a bailable offence, that’s if he even committed any offence, and he did not.
“Tani Olohun was just expressing himself, if what he was doing was deemed wrong, he would have been penalised by Facebook where he shared these contents.
“Facebook has community rules, if he broke them, he would have been penalised but he wasn’t.
“They (Muslim clerics) capitalised on their relationship with the Kwara state commissioner of police, who had expressed her hatred for this particular person (Tani Olohun) in a cell phone conversation that I now have.
“They ganged up against him and abducted him from across state line with what they claim was a warrant of arrest from an Upper Area Court.
“An Upper Area Court doesn’t have jurisdiction across state lines. I’m not a lawyer but I know these things because I get frequently arrested by the government.
“I have asked for the removal of Adelesi as the police commissioner of Kwara State, she is not worthy to be a police officer.
“The CP in the tape with me was very upset. She was part and parcel of the conspiracy to arrest Tani Olohun from Oyo State and bring him to Kwara.
“Another guy made a Facebook post admitting that he lured Tani Olohun to the spot where he was eventually picked up.
“There’s no chance in hell Tani Olohun would have got justice in a court that has no jurisdiction to try his case, in the first place.
“They could have gone to Oyo State, sue him in a superior court, defamation is a civil offence.
“The one they are using that they call ‘defamation of character,’ is what the white people used in suppressing people under colonial rule.
“This law was struck out by the Court of Appeal in 1983. Justice Babatunde Belgore, now retired, was part of the panel that struck out that law.
“So they are abusing their powers to oppress people who are simply practicing their religion and this is why I stand with Tani Olohun and the oppressed in the country.”
A suit challenging President Bola Tinubu’s controversial appointment of a Sole Administrator for Rivers State suffered a setback on Thursday as the President and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, failed to appear or send legal representation before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The matter, brought before Justice James Omotosho, was instituted by Abuja-based legal practitioner, Mr. Johnmary Jideobi, who is urging the court to declare the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd) as unconstitutional and to nullify the suspension of the state’s elected Governor and Deputy Governor.
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Although the Attorneys-General of Lagos, Bayelsa, Taraba, and Edo states were present and announced their appearances, the absence of legal representation for both the President (1st Defendant) and the AGF (2nd Defendant) drew attention during the proceedings.
Plaintiff’s counsel, Mr. Chimezie Enuka, confirmed to the court that all parties—except the Attorneys-General of Zamfara and Bauchi states—had been properly served with the originating processes and hearing notice.
Following a consensus among the present legal teams, Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter to June 11, 2025, and ordered that fresh hearing notices be issued to all defendants.
The suit, filed under number FHC/ABJ/CS/572/2025, has Tinubu, the AGF, and the 36 state Attorneys-General listed as defendants. Jideobi is asking the court to set aside all decisions and actions taken by Ibas in the name of a Sole Administrator, arguing they lack any constitutional basis.
In his affidavit in support of the suit, the plaintiff asserted that President Tinubu does not possess the constitutional powers to suspend elected state officials or to appoint unelected figures to govern in their place.
“As a Nigerian lawyer and all through my years of practice, I have never seen the word ‘Sole Administrator’ in the amended 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Jideobi stated.
“I know that neither the 1st Defendant nor the 2nd Defendant appointed the Governor and Deputy-Governor of Rivers State of Nigeria and that no Governor or Deputy Governor in Nigeria is an appointee of the 1st and 2nd Defendants,” he added.
The plaintiff contends that the only constitutionally recognized grounds for removing or interrupting the tenure of elected Governors and their deputies are outlined in Sections 180, 188, 189, 305, and 306 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
He is therefore seeking a declaration from the court that the President has “NO constitutional authority to either remove, suspend or otherwise tamper with the tenure of a duly elected Governor and Deputy Governor of a State and appoint a sole Administrator [or any other substitute howsoever called or described].”
Jideobi warned that unless the court intervenes, “removal of duly elected Governors and Deputy-Governors may become the pastime of the President, thereby opening the floodgate of anarchy capable of consuming this nation.”
He added: “I have instituted this suit in the public interest, in the defence of the Rule of Law and accentuation of the supremacy of the Constitution… It will be in the interest of justice for this Honourable Court to grant the prayers contained on the face of this Originating Summons.”
Among the specific reliefs sought are an order setting aside the suspension of the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State, a nullification of Ibas’ appointment, and a directive ordering him to vacate the Government House immediately.
In a dramatic show of solidarity, members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) staged a picket outside the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development’s headquarters in Abuja.
The protest was sparked by the ministry’s refusal to comply with a court order for the reinstatement of Comrade Victor Ekpaha, who was dismissed from his position more than 20 years ago.
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The workers’ action resulted in the shutdown of the ministry’s operations, as they called for Ekpaha’s immediate reinstatement and the payment of his full salary, allowances, and other benefits for the over two decades that the case has been unresolved.
The NLC has expressed its determination to continue pressuring the ministry until the court ruling is respected and Ekpaha is fully compensated for the years of unpaid entitlements.
The union has also emphasized the broader issue of labor rights and justice, urging the government to address such longstanding grievances.
More to follow………………
The Dangote Refinery has announced a N15 reduction in its ex-gantry loading cost, bringing it down to N865 per litre from the previous price of N880.
The new price, confirmed by a pro forma invoice and verified by petroleumprice.ng, was communicated to customers in a notice on Thursday morning.
This price adjustment follows earlier reports that the 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery was expected to lower its petrol loading costs by the end of this week.
The reduction is expected to further drive down fuel prices in the country, providing some relief to consumers.
READ MORE: ECCIMA Applauds Dangote’s Impact On Nigeria’s Economy
Chinedu Ukadike, National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), assured the public that the price drop aligns with the Federal Executive Council’s recent directive on the Naira-for-Crude agreement.
“We are confident that this price reduction will be beneficial for the Nigerian people,” Ukadike said.
In a related development, the Federal Executive Council has authorized the full implementation of the long-suspended Naira-for-Crude agreement with local refiners.
This policy aims to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on foreign exchange for petroleum imports and boost local refining capacity.
The Ministry of Finance released a statement following a meeting between Finance Minister Wale Edun and Dangote Refinery officials.
The statement emphasized that the Naira-for-Crude initiative is a long-term policy, not a temporary measure.
“The initiative is designed to support sustainable local refining, enhance energy security, and reduce the country’s dependency on foreign currency for petroleum products,” the Ministry’s statement read.
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