UPDATED: Court dismisses Dokpesi’s N5b defamation suit against Lai Mohammed, AGF By Eric Ikhilae

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama, Abuja has dismissed a defamation suit by businessman/politician, Raymond Dokpesi against the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami. Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, in a judgment on Tuesday, held that Dokpesi failed to establish his claim that Mohammed defamed him by allegedly including his name in a supposed list of looters at a press conference addressed on March 30, 20018 by the Minister. Dokpesi had, in the suit, stated that the Minister’s alleged inclusion of his name among supposed looters of the nation’s treasury has defamed him and damaged his reputation. He demanded N5billion damages, public apology to the published in five national dailies, among other reliefs. Justice Adeniyi, in the judgment, faulted the evidence led by Dokpesi through the eight witnesses he called and held that the claimant failed to prove the publication of the alleged defamatory statement. He noted that the evidence of the eight witnesses were similar, giving the impression that they were tutored and that their statements were made before hand through the same mechanical means. Noting that the situation presented by the witnesses could be termed; “hear one, hear all,” the judge found that the evidences of the witnesses are materially the same. He also noted that while Dokpesi pleaded libel, his witnesses gave evidence of slander by all claiming to have heard of the alleged defamatory publication on Channels Television. Justice Adeniyi also found that the witnesses called by Dokpesi, who claimed to have watched the press conference on Channels TV, did not give evidence in respect of the exact statement made by Mohammed, which they claimed defamed the claimant. Upon examination, I do not fine the claimant’s witnesses’ evidence under cross-examination as helpful in establishing publication. At best, the totality of their testimony, stating that they heard the first defendant calling the claimant a looter, amounted to speculation as they failed to give evidence as to th exact words allegedly spoken by the first defendant. “I must hold that the evidence of CW1 to CW8 fell abysmally short of the acceptable evidence of publication of the alleged slander. “I must quickly add that whatever opinion the claimant’s witnesses have, with respect to the alleged defamatory statement, in terms of how they received it or what interpretation they gave to it, becomes irrelevant, they having failed to give a clear and credible evidence of the said statement,” he said. The judge further added that the claimant’s failure to prove that the alleged defamatory statement was published to the witnesses fatally paralysed his case. He held that having not proved publication which is the first ingredient necessary for the success of a defamation suit, it was needless, based on the evidence before the court to proceed to examine whether the claimant proved the other ingredients. The judge then proceeded to dismiss the case.

Six side effects of not drinking enough water By Samuel Oamen

Drinking water often helps to maintain a healthy balance. Mild dehydration can decrease one’s energy level and mental functioning and increase stress on the body while severe dehydration can have far more damaging effects. To avoid dehydration drink at least eight glasses of water every day as an adult. The importance of water to the mechanics of the human body cannot be overemphasized. It serves as a lubricant to the digestive system and all other body processes. Read Also: Uzodimma approves N300m counterpart fund for water project repair The water in our saliva helps facilitate swallowing, ensuring that food slides easily down the esophagus. It also lubricates and allows edibles to move more freely. The body cells and organs depend on water for their functioning. Without water, living things, including humans will die in a few days. So, when you don’t drink enough water, the underlisted side effects happen. · Low Energy When dehydrated, your energy levels drop, and you might feel too tired to continue on with work. · Higher Risk of Stroke According to study in BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, not drinking enough water and being dehydrated can raise the risk of strokes and prolong recovery time. · Slower Metabolism Your metabolism naturally slows down when you’re thirsty and dehydrated. · Headaches Since your brain needs water, when it’s lacking it can lead to headaches and fatigue. · Poor Skin Skin needs to stay hydrated from water to look dewy and young. Not drinking enough can increase the effects of aging and make the skin look dry. With insufficient water, collagen can crack, leading to fine lines and wrinkles. · Weight Gain Drinking water can even help you lose weight and lower water retention. So not drinking water can make you add a little weight.

What Would Life Be Like As a Minority in Kanu’s Biafra? by Reno Omokri

Recently, my perspective on Nigeria changed. I have never supported any separatist or secessionist agenda. However, I have supported and defended the right of any Nigerian to express himself and associate freely. It does not matter to me where such a person comes from. When the Buhari administration moved against Ibrahim Zakzaky and the Shiites, I was the first person (not one of the first) to defend them. After defending them publicly myself, I called the then President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, and begged him to issue a statement calling for an end to the killings of Shiites. He told me that though it was an Islamic affair, nevertheless, because of his fondness for me, he would speak in support, and he did. I have similarly championed the causes of oppressed persons or people from every part of Nigeria. As much as is humanly possible, I have refused to be partial in my advocacy. In the last three years, I have visited 40 nations on my own dime and time, for the cause of #FreeLeahSharibu, seeking freedom for a Christian girl from Borno. I have not collected a dime from anyone and if anyone knows anyone who has given me a penny, then they should publicly expose me. Before Nnamdi Kanu was arrested, I did not know who he was. I just defended his right to freedom of expression and association. Various Igbo leaders called me privately to thank me. It would be wrong to mention their names, because of the challenges of the moment. When Kanu was rearrested, I called a British government official and got the facts. I was the first (not one of the first. The first) to reveal that he was arrested in Kenya, and not in The UK. After I released this information, the media ran with it. Yesterday, a former Presidential candidate sent me a tape of Nnamdi Kanu dissolving the UK branch of IPOB and tongue lashing the members of IPOB UK. He told them to hand over IPOB money in their possession. He then said that he suspected that the British Secret service was running IPOB UK. I was shocked and refused to believe what I heard, until this ex Presidential candidate from the South pointed me to an IPOB channel where this same audio was broadcast. So I published it on my page. I did not add or edit or alter the voice. I released it as is. Given that that broadcast was released earlier this year (I was told it was first broadcast in March of 2021, though I am not 100% sure) and Nnamdi Kanu was arrested so soon after (in June), I asked if that altercation could have led to Kanu being betrayed by his members in the UK. The result was that various persons, who claimed to be members of Indigenous Peoples of Biafra descended on my page and insulted me, attacked me and accused me of collecting money from Buhari. (Would Buhari even give me money? If Buhari will give me anything, it is more likely to be a letter bomb). They said Nnamdi Kanu can insult anyone he liked and I should leave him alone. A certain Northerner, who has been on my page attacking me for what he had previously called my “love for the Igbo”, now asked a question. He said ‘so you people have forgotten when this man was fighting for you so soon’? And so I went into deep thought. If Nnamdi Kanu eventually gets Biafra and I am a minority in that Biafra, what would be my fate? Would I be able to express myself? Would I have the freedoms for which I myself have been fighting for Nnamdi Kanu to get for the last five years? Would I be able to hold sensitive positions? I am not Yoruba, but because of me, these members of IPOB insulted the Yoruba (why do people always think I am Yoruba?). I was called ‘ewu Yoruba’. Somebody even threatened to kill me if I ever stepped into Onitsha (the same Onitsha where I donated money and raised millions for victims of the 2019 Onitsha Market Fire?). These people in their hundreds descended on me with a consistent refrain, that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is the supreme leader of the Igbos and he could insult his members if he chose and no one could question him. And that prompted a paradigm shift in my consciousness. If you have been following the dailies, you would have read one or two stories planted by the Buhari administration in the papers of how they have been tracing Kanu and monitoring his movements for two years. The stories claimed that they were able to get to him through members of the Eastern Security Network that they had captured. Then a few days ago, they released a video testimony of one captured ESN member, by name Emeoyiri Uzorma Benjamin, that has now gone viral, in which the young man claimed that Kanu had given them instructions to kill policemen and soldiers, as well as their fellow Igbos. He sensationally claimed that Kanu instructed them to bury one of his lieutenants, Nwaokike Kayinayo Andy, AKA Ikonso with 2000 human heads. Even more sensationally, he alleged that Mr. Kanu gave directives to them to kill young girls, who they used for fetish charms. Now, it is not possible to say if this fellow is telling the truth, or half truths or lies. However, from his testimony, or account of the inside workings of IPOB/ESN, and the broadcasts which I listened to, and which is also available on some IPOB social media accounts, we see that Nnamdi Kanu had almost total authority over IPOB. All this time, I was thinking that, though Nnamdi Kanu showed extreme indiscretion by going to a country like Kenya, which is notorious for extrajudicially extraditing people to regimes seeking them (the Turkish government did exactly the same thing the Nigerian government did with Kanu to Selahaddin Gulen, a Turkish dissident that was captured by Turkey’s intelligence from Nairobi. In that instance, Kenya first denied complicity, then promised to investigate the event. It happened in 2016. Kenya is still ‘investigating’ that event), that he nevertheless must have been betrayed by someone in his organisation, who tipped the Nigerian intelligence agencies that Kanu was headed to Kenya. But my experience with Mr. Kanu’s supporters made me have a rethink. With the way they treat him as though he is infallible, could it not be more likely that there was nobody within the organisation bold enough to advise Mr. Kanu not to travel to Kenya, because to do so, or to counter him in any way, would have brought upon such a person weighty consequences. And then I began thinking about the ‘dot in a circle’ statement by General Buhari. I had criticised Buhari for making that comment. It is most irresponsible of him to have described the Igbo as such. It showed his malevolent mindset towards some citizens of his own country, and he should apologise. However, on further introspection, I began to cast my mind to statements Nnamdi Kanu had made in his many broadcasts which I only watched just yesterday. He unacceptably insults Black people as being less intelligent than other races (how can a Black person say such things? Is that not self hatred?). He attacks Yoruba churches, pastors and media (what is a Yoruba church? Honestly, I had never heard of a Yoruba church until I heard that word from Kanu. I thought all churches belonged to God through Christ). You can imagine if you are Yoruba and sympathetic to the plight of the Igbo, and you listen to all the bile from Kanu about your ethnic nationality, how would you look if you continue to defend him to your kinsmen? Then you listen to some of the even more outrageous things he has said about Northerners (Igbos, your enemy is Buhari. Your enemies are not the Hausa or Fulani. Don’t mix up the two). I cannot even repeat them here. Looking back to those broadcasts, it looks to me that it is Nnamdi Kanu himself who made IPOB (not the Igbos as Buhari claims) a dot in a circle. He made no attempts to be persuasive. He did not even try to win hearts. He made no pretence of anything but contempt to anyone who was not part of his Biafra. Even though I had always thought that Odili, Amaechi and Wike and their people in Rivers state are Igbos, I now understand, but do not agree with Wike’s claims that they are not Igbos. Who would want to be a minority in a country ruled by Kanu? Tufiakwa! You speak your mind and you may be shot on the spot! To be honest, I had never listened to these broadcasts by Nnamdi Kanu until they were brought to my attention by this Southern Presidential candidate. I was clueless about their existence. In fact, I felt a bit naive. I felt like a fool! Anyone who has been following me for the last six years would have known how much of my time and money I have devoted to defending, advocating for and promoting the cause of the Igbos. However, having watched for the first time these videos where Nnamdi Kanu called Black people wicked (I am Black, but I don’t think I am wicked), and where he described Igbos who refuse to support IPOB as evil, I am flummoxed! However, the one that shocked me the most was his statement that (and this is an exact quote), “If you are attending a Yoruba church, you should be ashamed of yourself. Anyone who attends a church headed by a Yoruba pastor is an idiot. A complete fool. An imbecile. I have no time for them. They are worse than Boko Haram. They are very, very foolish. If your pastor is Yoruba, you are not fit to be a human being.” And the funniest thing is that the pastor who provoked him into making that statement is from Auchi. He is not even Yoruba. No wonder they think I am Yoruba. To these lot, any Southerner West of the Niger is Yoruba. They have a majority mindset that is not minority friendly AT ALL. Even more disturbing is that this Auchi pastor, who Nnamdi Kanu calls Yoruba, and used to generalise all Yoruba pastors, was summoned by DSS in December of 2016, and asked to explain why he did a video calling for Kanu’s release. Who fights those who fight for them? How did I miss these broadcasts? Have I been too focused on Buhari to the extent that I was blindsided? Is this the fellow I have been defending? I am a minority. My late father was a minority. He went to Sokoto as a Youth Corp Member in 1975, and became Nigeria’s youngest Director of Public Prosecution and Nigeria’s youngest judge (at the time), and was elevated to the Court of Appeal, all from old Sokoto. Would that be possible in Kanu’s Biafra? And when he was interviewed in 2020 by Dr. Damages (I did not even know until the same Southern former Presidential candidate sent me the video), and given an opportunity to denounce his previous statements against the Yoruba, Nnamdi Kanu doubled down on it and said as follows: “Most of the difficulties we have been having have always come from these Yoruba pastors.” Then he went on to say in that same 2020 interview as follows: “Yoruba Pentecostalism is the reason why Fulanis are invading us today.” Where is the connection between Pentecostal churches and killer herdsmen? I was stunned. This video was recorded last year. How come I never saw it. I checked on YouTube and only 27,000 people had seen it. How can I be against Isa Pantami for saying “We are all happy whenever unbelievers are being killed” and then tolerate these statements from Nnamdi Kanu? If I do, it will make me a hypocrite. And while I mistakenly may sometimes be hypocritical, I will not be deliberately hypocritical. Everything I have said here is the truth. It is on video and audio. If you do not like what I have written, then jejely unfollow me. We are obviously not on the same wavelength and I am not about to change in order to make you like me.

I wasn’t forced to join APC, says Matawalle

The Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, yesterday said he defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to strengthen political unity in his state. The governor’s media aide, Yusuf Idris, who stated this in a statement, also debunked media reports that the governor was forced to join the APC to stop killings in the state. “It is a known fact that Governor Matawalle is one of the leaders in the country that speaks wisdom on all matters and he joined the APC in order to strengthen political unity in the state for the purpose of bringing more development to his people,” Mr Idris said. The governor’s spokesperson added that the defection was also due to “the upper hands he (the governor) had been enjoying from President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC high command on all matters concerning the state.” Mr Idris said President Buhari and the APC governors had been sympathetic to the people of the state in trying times, adding that these encouraged the governor to reciprocate the concern and respect given. “The governor’s mission for joining the ruling party was nothing more than that. Any other report is mischievous and the handiwork of those diversionary characters that have remained vehemently opposed to the defection to APC by Governor Matawalle.” Mr Matawalle joined APC last week. He joined the ruling party with all the federal and state lawmakers in Zamfara but his Deputy, Mahdi Aliyu, and a state lawmaker, Kabiru Yahaya, opted to remain in the PDP.

Just In: State Police Bill scales 2nd reading at House of Reps

ABUJA—A Bill for an Act to provide for state police in Nigeria, on Tuesday, scaled second reading at the House of Representatives. Onofiok Luke (PDP, Akwa Ibom) who sponsored the bill, said it was aimed at removing the police from exclusive list to concurrent list, towards enhancing the security of lives and property in the country. He said it would also help to reduce crimes at the grassroots, by complementing the role of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies in crime control. “We have had some security challenges and some states have had to set up state security apparatus to fill in the gap,” Luke said. This, he said, was due to an upsurge in crime following the current security challenges in the country, which appeared to have overwhelmed the police. In his contribution, Tobi Ukechukwu (PDP, Enugu) said the creation of state police was germane to the survival of the country. “About an hour ago, we observed a minute silence in honour of those killed in Kaduna. “Children have been taken captive and we have had a situation in this country that ordinarily this issue of state police should have addressed,” he said. READ ALSO: INSECURITY: 36 Assembly Speakers demand State Police, Community Policing He said the bill was a patriotic move by the sponsor, stressing that the exclusive list needed to shed weight and this would ensure a well-secured country. “There is no state that does not run its own vigilance group as at now, but they are lacking the power to bear arms, arrest and prosecute. “We cannot be pretending that everything is okay, it is not a joke that schools are closed in Kaduna,” he said. Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, put the bill to a voice vote and it unanimously adopted and referred to the House Ad Hoc Committee on the review of 1999 Constitution. Vanguard

No alteration done to Electoral Act Amendment Bill -Gbajabiamila

Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, says there is no alteration in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill as being speculated in some quarters. Gbajabiamila said this when he reacted to a point on matters of privilege by Rep Ugouna Ozurigbo (APC-Imo) at Tuesday’s plenary in Abuja. Ozurigbo had claimed that he received information that the House Committee on Electoral Matters, chaired by Rep Aisha Duku (APC-Gombe) had altered the bill. “A number of Nigerians, particularly in my constituency, have been calling me to express their concerns about possible alteration to the electoral bill. “I am a member of the committee, I don’t know the information going around where they said that we carefully amended Section 50 sub-section 2 of the Electoral Bill. “That the agreed electronically transmitted election results have been changed to become manually transmitted,” he said The Speaker, however, said that the speculation was unfounded. “I really don’t want to speak on a report that has not yet been submitted to the House,” he said. He said that the committee had been given an assignment that would be submitted to the House once the job is finished. “I have asked the chairman of the committee and she said that nothing of such has been done,” he said. Gnajabiamila said that the report would be laid before the House proceeds on its recess on July 14. Meanwhile, four lawmakers from Zamafara have defected to the All Progressives Congress from the Peoples Democratic Party. They included Bello Hassan, Ahmed Bakura, Suleiman Gumi and Ahmed Shehu. This is coming barely a week after two lawmakers from the state also defected from the PDP to the APC. Their detection has increased the number of APC lawmakers from the state to six, leaving only one lawmaker who vowed not to leave the PDP. (NAN)

Southern Governors Forum: Again, Cross River, Anambra states governors absent By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Governors of the Southern States of Nigeria on Monday met in Lagos to deliberate on matters affecting the region just as the governors of Cross River and Anambra states were again from the crucial gathering. The Governors, in the meeting, reiterated the call for true federalism and devolution of powers to states. Governor, Ondo State and Chairman, Southern Governors’ Forum, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, stated these among others while reading communique issues at end of the meeting of the Southern Governors of Nigeria, held at the State House, Alausa, Ikeja. Governors present include: Delta-Ifeayin Okowa, Rivers-Nyensom Wike, Ogun-Dapo Abiodun, Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Osun-Gboyega Oyetola, Akwa Ibom- Emmanuel Udom, Ekiti Kayode Fayemi, Bayelsa-Douye Diri, Oyo- Seyi Makinde, Enugu – Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi Represented, include: Edo, deputy Governor, Philip Shuaibu, Imo Deputy Governor, Placid Njokwu, Abia State, Oko Chukwu, Eboyin, Kelechi Igwe While those absent are: Anambra and the Anambra States. The Governors, in a communique at the end of the meeting read by Akeredolu, at about 4 pm, resolved: “The Southern Governors Forum at the end of the meeting held on Monday, 5th July 2021 reviewed the situation in the Country and focused on the current security situation, constitutional amendment, Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). “Rising from the meeting, the Forum agreed on the following: Re-affirmed their commitment to the unity of Nigeria on the pillars of equity, fairness, justice, progress and peaceful co-existence between and amongst its people. “The Forum reiterates its commitment to the politics of equity, fairness and unanimously agrees that the presidency of Nigeria be rotated between Southern and Northern Nigeria and resolved that the next president of Nigeria should emerge from the Southern Region. “On security, the forum reviewed the security situation in the country and commends security operatives for their relentless efforts in restoring security and safety and commiserates with families and loved ones of those who have fallen in the line of duty; “Re-emphasised the need for State Police; “Resolved that if for any reason security institutions need to undertake an operation in any state, the Chief Security Officer of the State must be duly informed. “The forum frowns at selective criminal administration of Justice and resolved that arrests should be made within the ambit of the Law and fundamental human rights; Set a timeline of Wednesday, 1st September 2021 for the promulgation of the anti-open grazing law in all Member States; and “Resolved that Funds deducted from the Federation Account for the Nigeria Police Security Trust Fund should be distributed among the States and Federal Government to combat security challenges. Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) Law: The Forum commends the National Assembly for the progress made in the passage of the PIB. The Forum rejects the proposed 3% and supports the 5% share of the oil revenue to the host community as recommended by the House of Representatives. “The forum also rejects the proposed 30 per cent share of profit for the exploration of oil and gas in the basins. “However, the forum rejects the ownership structure of the proposed Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC). The Forum disagrees that the company be vested in the Federal Ministry of Finance but should be held in trust by Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) since all tiers of Government have stakes in that vehicle. “In order to consolidate our democracy and strengthen the Electoral process, the Southern Governors’ Forum rejects the removal of the Electronic transmission of the election result from the electoral act; and also rejects the confirmation of exclusive jurisdiction in pre-election matters on the Federal High Court. “The Forum unanimously chose Lagos State as its permanent secretariat and appreciated the Governor of Lagos State for the wonderful hosting of this meeting while commending him for his good work in the State.” Vanguard