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Presidential Election: Legal Practitioner and Social Critic, Inibehe Effiong Urges LP, PDP not to panic over INEC’s objections

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A legal practitioner and social critic, Inibehe Effiong has urged people not to panic over objections to admissibility of documents by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, at the ongoing hearings at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, saying
it is a distraction, while claiming that the objected documents by the INEC were duly certified, adding that the Court will act on them.

In a post via his verified Twitter handle on Thursday, the legal expert claimed that “the Electoral Commission’s neutrality is a mirage, especially in electoral litigations”.

He alleged that the INEC had basically aligned its defence strategy with the other Respondents, including the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Effiong said, “People should not panic over objections to admissibility of documents by INEC at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal. I’m not surprised by INEC’s roguish and embarrassing attitude. These are public documents duly certified. The Court will act on them. It is a distraction.

“Ordinarily, INEC being the maker of the documents which they’ve certified, that is Form EC8 series (polling unit & collation results), they’re not supposed to object to their admissibility.

“I’ve always said that INEC’s neutrality is a mirage, especially in electoral litigations.

“The documents have been admitted, though the Respondents will state the grounds for their objections in their final addresses.

“Typically, the tribunal will look into the documents and act on them.

“As long as the documents have been duly certified, there’s no cause for alarm.

“INEC has basically aligned their defence strategy with the other Respondents (Tinubu, APC and Shettima). They’re working in sync as they always do.”

At the resumed hearing of the petition filed by Atiku and the PDP challenging the election of President Tinubu at the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja, counsel to the petitioners, Mr Chris Uche, SAN, said that the team had prepared a second schedule of documents to be tendered.

Some documents the petitioners tendered in evidence through Mr Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, were certified true copies of Form EC8A downloaded by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from its Result Viewing Portal (IREV).

The Form EC8A was for eight local government areas of Bayelsa, 23 local government areas of Kaduna State, 20 local government areas of Ogun and of 23 local government areas of Kogi.

Form EC8As are sheets used for collection of results at the polling units level.

But counsel to INEC, Mr Kemi Pinhero, SAN, objected to the admissibility of all documents relating to Kogi except for those of five Local Government Areas, namely, Olamaboro, Ofu, Omala, Okehi and Ajaokuta.

He said this was because the five local governments whose documents he did not oppose were specifically pleaded in the petitioners’ pleadings.

Pinhero also objected to the admissibility of the documents relating to the BVAS except for Kogi, Rivers and Sokoto states.

Crime

Kebbi Govt Confirms Abduction of Female Students in Maga School Attack

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The Kebbi State Government has confirmed that terrorists attacked the Maga Comprehensive Girls Secondary School in Sakaba Local Government Area, abducting an unspecified number of female students.

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ahmed Idris, said on Sunday that the assault occurred in the early hours of the day, adding that details remain sketchy as security agencies continue their operations.

Idris noted that Deputy Governor Umar Tafida has led a delegation of senior government officials and security personnel to the scene to assess the situation and coordinate response efforts.

According to local sources, the attackers stormed the school premises, shooting sporadically. A staff member was reportedly killed, while others sustained varying degrees of injuries during the invasion.

Security operatives have since intensified search and rescue operations as the government assured parents and residents that all efforts are being made to ensure the safe return of the abducted students.

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NDLEA Arrests Wanted Drug Baron, Seizes Tons of Skunk in Raids

NDLEA further confirmed that it seized $11,600; ⁠2,000 British Pounds; 2,200 Euros and 50 Canadian dollars all in cash from the suspect at the point of his arrest.

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a wanted drug baron, Frank Ibemesi, alias Chisco Bee.

NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed that Chisco Bee who operates under the cover of being a businessman and hotelier, is the MD/CEO of Franc CJ Ibemesi Nig Ltd.

Babafemi disclosed that Chisco Bee was arrested at his Daisy Garden Hotel, in Ago palace way, Isolo Lagos.

He was then taken to his warehouse where 42 jumbo bags and four cartoons of Loud were recovered.

NDLEA further confirmed that it seized $11,600; ⁠2,000 British Pounds; 2,200 Euros and 50 Canadian dollars all in cash from the suspect at the point of his arrest.

NDLEA also confirmed that operatives foiled attempt by a drug syndicate in Osun state to load and distribute large quantities of processed skunk, across the country.

Two trucks used to transport the illicit consignment were seized and seven suspects arrested.

The peddlers are Lucky Abiodun; Julius Amos; Victor Ngbikili; Sunday Oduegwu; Ibrahim Akanni; Eze Godstime; and Fred Ifeanyichukwu.In Edo State, NDLEA said it recovered a total of 1,902.1 kilograms of skunk.

While 184.1kg was recovered along a bush path in Igbanke, in Orhionmwon LGA , 672kg was evacuated from Utese forest, Ovia North East LGA with 494kg recovered along Benin-Akure road where a suspect, 45 year old Felix Edah was arrested.

The NDLEA also confirmed the arrest of four suspects: Micheal Okoh; Offor Agada; Raphael Nkemjika and Nwabueze Franklin for being in possession of 68kg skunk and 3.150kg methamphetamine.

They were arrested along Ijebu-Ode expressway in Ogun state just as Danjuma Tukura, was nabbed with 172kg skunk at Sunkani area of Ardo Kola LGA, of Taraba state and Wisdom Titus was nabbed with 84kg of same substance at Takum area of the state.

NDLEA made several other similar arrests in Adamawa, Kwara States even as it intensified its fight against drug crime in Nigeria.

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Crime

DSS Cracks Down on Plateau Violence, Arms Recovery

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The Department of State Services has recorded another breakthrough, arresting a man believed to be a major supplier of weapons to armed groups.

This comes Three months after arraigning suspects in the Yelwata and Plateau massacres.

In a significant breakthrough, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested Musa Abubakar, a suspected arms manufacturer, in a targeted raid on November 12th.

The operation took place at his workshop in Mista Ali, Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The arrest followed weeks of meticulous surveillance and the gathering of credible intelligence.

According to investigators, Abubakar confessed to manufacturing and distributing high-caliber weapons and ammunition.

These weapons were allegedly supplied to groups responsible for the recent violent attacks in Plateau State and other northern states.

Authorities seized a cache of evidence during the raid, including components of improvised explosive devices, various chemicals, and equipment used in the manufacturing process.

The DSS is continuing its investigation, aiming to identify and apprehend other individuals involved in the arms supply chain and bring them to justice.

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