Gist Arena

Olukoya Ogungbeje, the lawyer representing billionaire kidnapper Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans was awarded a cost of N20,000 by Justice Abdulazeez Anka of a Lagos Division of the Federal High Court, Thursday 13th July 2017. Ogungbeje was fined for professional misconduct as he failed to show up for the fundamental rights suit filed on behalf of Evans by him, over alleged illegal detention and instead sent Stephen Abunike, a litigation officer from his law firm, who told the court that his principal was indisposed and had written a letter seeking an adjournment. Emmanuel Eze, who represented Lagos State Commissioner of Police, opposed Ogungbeje?s application for adjournment. According to him, he wasn't informed about their plans, adding that another lawyer from Ogunbeje's firm could have easily come to represent Evans.  According to him, it is an ?affront? to the court for Ogungbeje not to send another lawyer to stand in for hi...

A whistleblower identified as Abubakar Sani Chindo has been remanded in prison by the Kaduna State High Court for allegedly providing false information against former vice president Namadi Sambo. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) accused Chindo of providing false information that huge sums of money was stashed at the Kaduna residence of Sambo. Officers from the Department of State Services (DSS) together with the officials of the ICPC had raided Sambo’s house three times, without finding any incriminating document on all occasions on June 28. The accused who is standing trial for a two-count charge pleaded “not guilty”. Elijah Akaakohol, ICPC counsel, who read out the charge before the court, said Sani gave the false information on June 21, 2017. The charge reads: “That sometime in 2013 you conveyed a huge sums of money both in the Nigerian and other foreign currencies from Abuja Airport to a house in Un...

The Abia State Police Command have arrested the man who shot dead a lady he invited over to his place along Obohia road, Aba on July 9.  Parading the suspect, Ogbonnaya Igwe before newsmen on Friday, at the Command Headquarters in Umuahia, along with other suspects, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Adeleye Oyebade said that at about 11am on July 9, information was received that someone was shot dead along Obohia road Aba. Sequel to this, a patrol team attached to Ndiegoro Division on routine patrol rushed to the scene at No. 22 Obohia road Aba where the deceased was met in a pool of her own blood. The Divisional Police Officer, Ndiegoro mobilized other patrol teams and proceeded to the scene where Ogbonnaya Igwe, of 22 Obohia road was arrested in his hide-out at the ceiling of the house. One Pump-Action rifle and double barrel gun with 15 live cartridges and four expended cartridges were recovered from the suspect and at the scene respectivel...

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has claimed that Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, will become vice-president “when President Muhammadu Buhari is declared dead”. Fani-Kayode, took to his Twitter account Friday morning, to state this in reaction to the visit of former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to El-Rufai this week. He wrote: “When Buhari is declared dead the plan is for Osinbajo to appoint Nasir El Rufai as his VP. Tony Blair has come to Kaduna to convey British approval of that plan. El Rufai is slotted to take over from Osinbajo in 2019 but God will shock them. When will the Brits leave us alone? “When will they stop manipulating us and interfering in our affairs? The blood of the Christians and Shiite Muslims of S. Kaduna speaks against El Rufai and the Buhari admin. Their time is over and their power is broken. The Lord shocked Buhari. He will shock this lot too.” Dailypost

Former Abia state governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, was a guest on AIT recently where he reacted to the October 1st ultimatum issued to Igbos residing in the North by a coalition of Arewa Youths Organization last month. According to Daily Trust, Kalu said he would lead a war should any of the youths attempt to actualize the ultimatum. The former governor said the Arewa youths who issued the ultimatum were only seeking for relevance and that the Igbos would only leave Nigeria if asked to by serious minded individuals. “Anybody that touches any Igbo man in terms of saying that we should quit; the country will go into war, and I will lead the war if Igbos are touched. I do not believe that in 2017 we should be attacking each other. The quit notice means nothing. No reasonable northern elder will do that. Did Adamu Ciroma sign? Did Babangida sign? Did Abdulsalam sign? Aliko Dangote? When you say northern elders, I don’t know whether Sultan of Sokoto, Emir o...

Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, says President Buhari is in high spirit and would soon return home. Osinbajo paid President Buhari a visit in London yesterday evening. Speaking to state house correspondents just before the Federal Executive Council meeting, Osinbajo said; "First you know I went to see him to check up on him and find out how he was doing. I have been speaking to him on the phone and I thought it would be a good thing to go and  see him and check up on how he was doing and also to brief him on developments back at home. We had a very good time. We had a very good conversation on wide ranging issues. He is in very good spirit. He is recuperating very quickly and he is doing very well". Asked to speak on the state of President Buhari's health, Osinbajo said "As I have said, he is in very high spirit. He is recuperating very quickly. We had a very long conversation. We spoke for well over an hour. His humor is all there. He is doing ...

Former President Jonathan has congratulated his political party, the Peoples Democratic Party, on the successful resolution of its leadership crisis by the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Read his statement below... "I believe in our jurists. We may have issues with some individuals but the Nigerian judiciary deserves our respect and commendation. They have served this country well." he said. "Today's verdict is a judgment where there are no winners or losers. It is a verdict that will bring our party together. We should all thank the Supreme Court  of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.  As I congratulate the Ahmed Makarfi led Caretaker Committee, I want to strongly urge them not to see this as a victory of a section of the party, but as a moral victory of constitutionality over arbitrariness. Thus, they must take inspiration from General Yakubu Gowon and declare a 'no victor and no vanquished policy'. As a senior member of the party, ...