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TB Joshua, Synagogue trustees, engineers for trial
From Femi Akinola, Lagos
Pastor T.B. Joshua and other members of trustees of ýthe Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) including the engineers that handled the collapsed church building which led to the death of 116 persons will today be arraigned before a Lagos State High Court in Ikeja over the collapse.
A statement from the Lagos State Ministry of Justice yesterday confirmed the scheduled arraignment before Justice Lawal Akapo.
It would be recalled that Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court in Lagos had dismissed the fundamental human rights enforcement suits filed by the engineers to stop their planned trial.
The engineers-Mr. Oladele Ogundeji and Mr. Akinbela Fatiregun, had filed two suits before Justice Buba seeking an order restraining the police from inviting, arresting or prosecuting them over the deaths.
The Lagos State government had set up a coroner’s inquest to unravel what went wrong, and via a verdict delivered on August 7 by Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe, the coroner indicted the engineers and recommended them for investigation and prosecution for criminal negligence.
The engineers had filed the suits following the verdict which attributed the collapse to structural defect.
But Justice Buba, in his ruling on the defendants’ preliminary objection, held that the engineers had not made out a case of infringement on their fundamental rights even on the merit of the application, and dismissed their applications.
The judge, who noted that the coroner’s law was an enactment of the state House of Assembly, said the Federal High Court could not dabble into the affairs of the state and start dishing out injunctive orders.
On the prayer by the engineers asking for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the state Attorney General or any officer under his authority from initiating or commencing criminal proceedings against them based on the verdict of the Coroner, Justice Buba held that such request was not grantable in the circumstance of the case under review.
Tambuwal chides UDUS alumni
From Abdulfatai Abdulsalami, Sokoto
Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal yesterday berated the Usmanu Danfodio University Sokoto Alumni Association for not doing enough to develop their alma mater.
Speaking at the 6th national convention of the Association at the main campus of the University in Sokoto, Tambuwal noted that the institution had produced prominent Nigerians in various fields of human endeavour but lamented that the alumni association had failed to harness that in developing the institution.
Tambuwal, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Basic Education, Dr. Jabbi Kilgori, described the association as moribund and ineffective.
“I feel disappointed that the Alumni Association has not done much to develop the institution. This university has produced justices, ministers, governors, generals among others who can contribute to the institution to improve learning but the association is more or less moribund”, he said.
He challenged the management of the university to work out modalities to refocus the alumni association to be functional and effective to meet the needs of the institution.
In a remark, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, said he was glad that it currently has a large number of its alumni in government including Governor Tambuwal and Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, three ministers and other top government officials.
He said the university which was established 40 years ago, was facing challenges of inadequate classrooms, hostel, staff offices and roads.
Zuru challenged the alumni to develop their alma mater, saying it could not achieve its goals by relying solely on allocations from the federal government.
The former Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof, Riskuwa Shehu, urged the alumni to give back to their alma mater, saying the association had not done much to improve infrastructure in the university.
“The contributions of the alumni of this university have remained insignificant and we cannot continue this way. We have our ex-students occupying top positions in government and we should harness that to improve infrastructure in the institution”, he said.
Clerics hold 7th day prayers for Audu
The Chairman, Kogi State Council of Ulamas, Sheikh Salman Adam, has advised Muslims to live a life of piety and cultivate the spirit of generosity.
Adam gave the advice yesterday at Ogbonicha in Ofu LGA during the seventh -day Fidau prayers for Prince Abubakar Audu.
He said this was necessary to prepare a place for themselves in paradise. Adam, who was assisted by over 100 other clerics, called on Nigerians to shun acquisition of wealth and corruption, stressing that what Allah had provided in paradise were far better than earthly riches.
He urged Muslims to emulate the life of service to God and humanity that the late Audu lived, saying death could come at anytime.
Adam, who was in sober mood throughout the prayer session, urged wealthy Muslims to invest in worthy ventures and shun ostentatious lifestyle.
He described the death of Audu, the APC candidate in the Nov. 21 governorship election in Kogi, as a big loss to the Igala nation and the whole country. Adam said it is only Allah that could compensate for the huge loss.
The sheikh advised the family members, relatives, friends and political associates of Audu to accept his death in good faith and put their thrust in Allah. Adam also advised them to see his death as a great challenge, stressing that they must continue with the good deeds of the late politician.
The Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Mr Yomi Awoniyi, in his brief remarks, said it was difficult to quantify the death of Audu, describing it as a big blow to the government and people of the state.
He said the people would continue to remember the late Audu for the giant strides and landmark projects he established during his two tenures as the first civilian governor of the state.
The first son of the deceased, Mr Mohammed Abubakar Audu, thanked the people for standing by the family during this moment of grief. He said his late father left a big vacuum that would be difficult to fill, asking for prayers of all and sundry for him and other siblings. Audu thanked the state government, the leadership of APC and the federal government for the support given to them since the sudden death of their father.
The well attended prayer was, however, nearly marred by violence as some irate youths chased away a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr Ahmadu Ali, and Sen. Nicholas Ugbane from the event.
While Ali was asked to go back at the main entrance of the house, Ugbane who managed to gain entrance was chased out by the youths. He escaped death by whiskers as stone throwing and stick wielding youths pursued him into a ditch, but his driver was able to manoeuvre and sped away. (NAN)