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CSOs commend LGSG for pressing fresh charge against Ikechukwu Ogbonna

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Two Abuja based frontline Civil Society Organisations committed to fighting Sexual and Gender Based Violence – Men Against Rape Foundation (MARF) and Make A Difference Initiative have commended the Lagos State Government for acceding to its demand for review of the charges brought against Mr. Ikechukwu Ogbonna over his role in events leading to the demise of his wife, Mrs. Bimbo Ogbonna.

It would be recalled that the Lagos State Police had charged Mr. Ogbonna for negligence in failing to offer prompt care to his wife who suffered 95% fire burn.
Men Against Rape Foundation and Amnesty International immediately however raised alarm over his suspected complicity in the death of his wife after video evidence produced by Mr. Ogbonna, which suggested that while Bimbo was trapped inside their residence by fire, her husband, rather than call for rescue, was seen video recording the burning house from outside the premises,

Bimbo had documented series of complaints of domestic violence against her husband at the Police and Lagos State Domestic Violence Response Agency during a torrid relationship that was described by many observers as toxic.

While the Executive Director of MARF, Lemmy Ughegbe, speaking at a press conference in December, 2022 exhibited persuasive and compelling evidence sufficient for Lagos State to re-arrest and file fresh charges against Mr. Ogbonna, Amnesty International and Bimbo’s family through their counsel, Barr. Odiana Eriata wrote the Lagos State command, demanding a review of the charge of negligence as it fell short of expectation of law.

In response, the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution, Dr. Babajide Martins called for the case file from the Police, reviewed the evidence against Ogbonna and upgraded the charge from negligence to manslaughter punishable under Section 229 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State with life imprisonment.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Lemmy Ughegbe commended the Lagos State Government for being responsive and responsible in looking into their concern and taking the right action to ensure that Mr. Ogbonna is properly charged.

“The Police had almost bungled this case with a-slap-on- the-wrist charge of negligence against Mr. Ikechukwu Ogbonna even when evidence pointed to a need for a more sever charge. We cried out, drawing the attention of Lagos State Government to this infraction”, Ughegbe noted.

“We are glad that upon our organisation’s intervention and efforts of our partners at Amnesty International, the Lagos State Government through the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), called for the file, reviewed the evidence and slammed a charge of involuntary manslaughter against Mr. Ogbonna”, he added.

Last week when the matter came up today before Magistrate Court 7 presided over by
Mrs. Adebayo Kafayat Tella in the yaba magistrial district, Holden at court 7, ebute-metta, she refused Mr. Ogbonna’s bail plea and ordered that he be remanded in prison until March 7, 2023 to enable the Director of Public Prosecution to file the charge at the right court.

However, eager to breathe the air of freedom, Mr. Ogbonna on Thursday, 9th of February 2023 approached the Lagos State High Court, praying it to grant him bail, pending his formal arraignment by the Lagos State Government.

In the bail application argued by his counsel, Victor Ogude (SAN), he prayed the court to grant his client bail to enable him support his children financially.

Ogude (SAN) claimed that the charge of manslaughter was bailable and therefore entitled his client to bail.

In an affidavit in support of the bail request deposed to by Ogbonna’s brother, Ifeanyi Elvis Ogbonna, he said the applicant was emotionally and psychological drained in custody without being arraigned.

Opposing the bail application, the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Dr. Babajide Martins said Mr. Ogbonna was a flight risk and could flee from justice if granted bail based on the severity of the punishment for the offence.

It is trite that offences that attract capital punishment are ordinarily not bailable except on special and compelling circumstances of a life threatening ailment.

Dr. Martins also argued that applicant’s counsel has not shown any compelling reason why his client should be admitted to bail.

After listening to the arguments by both counsel, Justice Nicole Clay adjourned to 23rd of February 2023 to deliver a ruling.

Ogbonna is facing a fresh charge of involuntary manslaughter contrary to section 224(b)/and punishable under section 229 of Criminal Law of Lagos state.

If found guilty, Ogbonna would be facing life imprisonment as prescribed by Section 229 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.

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NationalUpdate Woman

Clark tells Tinubu to set up special Military Task Force to rescue Chibok Girls, others

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***Blames him for failure to rescue tgen after 10years

Elderstatesman and Leader of the Ijaw Nation, Chief Edwin Clark, has urged President Bola Tinubu to set up a special military task force to rescur the remaining Chibok School Girls and others still in the captivity of the Boko Haram insurgents.

The Ijaw national leader gave the indication at a news conference in Abuja to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Chibok Girls abduction by the dreaded Islamic sect.

He said the special military task force should be coordinated by a courageous military

While expressing displeasure over the failure of past administrations to rescue the girls, Clark urged President Bola Tinubu to leave no stone unturned to secure the release of the girls.

“About 90 of them are still missing after 10 years. This should be a source of worry and concern to any government of a nation.

“Tinubu should appoint a special taskforce with brave soldiers, competent, transparent and not nepotic.

According to the elderstatesman “It appears to some of us that the President Tinubu’s Government is not serious in the effort to rescue the remaining Chibok girls.
“About ninety (90) of them are still missing after ten (10) years. This should be a source of worry and concern to any government of a serious nation.

“I recall that in October, 2020, when a United States of America (USA) citizen, Mr. Philip Walton was held hostage between Niger Republic and Nigeria, the government of the United States deployed one of its machineries, the Naval Special Warfare group, popularly known as SEAL Team Six, who rescued Mr. Walton in Nigeria.
” The then President of the US, Mr. Donald Trump, followed the matter to up to conclusion. When the Mr. Philip was rescued,
“President Trump was so excited that a citizen of his country held hostage had been rescued and described the action as “big win for our very elite U. S. Special Forces.” Also, speaking on the incident, the then US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, said “The United States is committed to the safe return of all U. S. citizens taken captive.
“We delivered on that commitment late last night in Nigeria, where some of our bravest and most skilled warriors rescued a U. S. citizen after a group of armed men took him hostage across the border in Niger”.
Clark wandered why the case of Nigeria is different.
According to him,In the case of the U. S., it was just one person, yet the government of the country went all out to ensure his rescue.
“In Nigeria, we are still talking about 90 girls still missing, ten years after.
Explaining further he said the Nigerian government bungled fresh negotiation to free Chibok girls
He said he led a high-level negotiations between the Nigerian government team and Boko Haram insurgents, to secure the release of 220 Chibok girls saying that it crumbled

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NationalUpdate Woman

Kogi Central: Again, Natasha distributes six trucks of grains to constituents

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The lawmaker representing Kogi Central senatorial district, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has distributed another six trucks of grains to her constituents to cushion the effects of the economic hardship ravaging the country.

At the Yuletide, the senator had distributed six trailers of rice, 20,000 notebooks, and 10,000 wrappers to her constituents for Christmas and New Year celebrations Additionally, she provided 5,000 branded bags to school children in the senatorial district’s five local government areas.
In that round of empowerment programme she targeted widows and the underprivileged, with the senator stating that the items were not exclusive to PDP members but for every deserving constituent, irrespective of party affiliation

This time, the six trucks of grains contain 7,200 bags of rice, beans, and millet distributed to the 57 Wards of the five local government areas of the senatorial district.

The beneficiaries included Muslim community, Christian community, Drivers’ union, Okada/Keke union, Mechanics’ union, pensioners, Hausa/Fulani community, Yoruba community, amongst others.

She reiterated the position that the distribution must reach all her constituents irrespective of party affiliations, adding that she will continue to do her best to bring the very best dividends of democracy to them.

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NationalUpdate Woman

Easter: Woman leader tells women traders to involve God in all their businesses

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By Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka

The woman leader, National Association of Nigeria Traders (NANTs) in Abuja the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief (Mrs) Rachael Adewumi has advised women traders in the nation’s capital to always involve God in their businesses.

Adewumi gave the admonition to the women traders in her Easter message on Thursday.

Adewumi was last year reelected as the woman leader and inaugurated along with others in ither positions with her in March.

Reiterating the essence of involving God in one’s business and other dealings, the woman leader said with the fear of God and His involvement in their business, sky would be their limit.
She urged them to have faith in God, adding that everyone who put his faith in God will never be disappointed.

The woman leader wished them well in the Easter celebration, as she reminded them that Easter is celebrated to observe the sacrifice of Jesus for mankind, adding that Easter is usually celebrated to promote peace, love and worship God, among other good gestures.

Enjoining them to remain law abiding and be supportive to the government, Amb Adewumi noted that, that will do a lot of good, as no government would plan evil for its citizens.

She further urged the women traders to neither hoard food items and other goods, nor sell at exorbitant profit as it would deny their customers and other Nigerians, the right to enjoy the Easter.

The woman leader also advised the women traders to neither spend above their income, nor make their husbands to do likewise, even as she urged husbands to accept Christ as their boss, for the wife to know that the husband is the head of the family.

She however appealed to the government at all levels to always intervene in the high rates commercial banks charge for loans, saying that the women traders, if encouraged or empowered would contribute immensely to the economy. Adewumi indicated that the markets, plazas, streets, among other areas where buying and selling are done, more than 80% of the traders are women.

“These women, if encouraged in the area of empowerment, among other similar gestures would go a long way to boosting the economy. Most of these women started with little or nothing, but today, they are doing wonderfully well, beyond imagination.
“So let the government find a way of encouraging and empowering the women traders, which if done will go a long way for this country,” she stated.

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