Rights body, NBA, others oppose death penalty about 18 hours ago • EU decries torture in Nigeria AS the world marks “World Day Against Death Penalty”, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), ASF France (Lawyers Without Borders France), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Access to Justice and Hurilaws on Tuesday called on the Federal Government to review the death penalty regime in Nigeria. Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) has expressed concern over the alarming rate of torture in Nigeria in spite of concerted effort to address the trend. In a joint statement issued by the groups, they noted that “Nigeria is one of the countries where death penalty is still legally enforceable with over 800 inmates on death row across its prisons.” They also observed that “some of these inmates were sentenced to death for various offences by military tribunals during the military regime with no option or possibility of appeal.” According to them, “the denial of the right of appeal guaranteed by Section 241 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to this category of inmates on death row erodes their fundamental right to fair hearing and is also a violation of their right to life.” He lamented that “the mandatory nature of the death penalty in Nigeria for capital offences leaves no room for the exercise of judicial discretion on the part of the judges in favour of the accused person.” Consequently, they called “for an urgent review of this rigid provision in the Nigerian law to enable sentences to be handed down on a case-by-case basis.” They urged the Nigerian government to make an official declaration on a moratorium on death penalty as a first step and subsequently to ratify the second optional protocol to the ICCPR aimed at the abolition of death penalty. “We also decry the spate of awaiting trial inmates in Nigerian prisons who often spend as much as 15 years or even more awaiting trial for alleged offences. We are of the view that this amounts to a flagrant violation of the rights of these inmates who are entitled to fair and speedy trial by a court of competent jurisdiction. The practice of keeping Nigerian citizens incarcerated for years under the guise of the unwholesome practise called ‘holding charge’ negates the very principles of fair hearing, which forms the pillars of every justice system”, they stated. It will be noted that Nigeria abstained from the last vote of the UN General Assembly Resolution on a Moratorium on the Use of the death penalty in 2010; another voting session on death penalty will come up in December 2012. The National Human Rights Commission, ASF France, the Nigerian Bar Association, Access to Justice and Hurilaws urge Nigeria to vote in favour of the moratorium. They said “death sentence does not serve as a deterrent to crime but rather has a note of finality and absoluteness giving no room for reversal in the event of an error, we hereby urge the Federal Government of Nigeria to follow the current global trend and review the death penalty in her laws.”

Oshiomhole sacks 20 teachers for absenteeism about 20 hours ago TWENTY teachers of three schools who were absent from their duty posts on Tuesday when Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole paid unscheduled visits to the schools have been dismissed. Oshiomhole who disclosed this during an unscheduled visit to Asoro Primary School, Emokpae Model Primary School, Western Boys High School, George Idah Model School and Esonere Primary School in Benin City also ordered deductions from the salaries of some teachers who got to their schools after the 8 a.m. resumption time. The governor who decried the lackadaisical attitude of some teachers to work said: “The state government has provided suitable environment in the schools, the teachers are paid good wages and inducement allowances. These beautiful classrooms are useless if teachers don’t teach the students.” Oshiomhole was at the Asoro Primary School by 7:45 a.m. He went through the teachers’ attendance register and discovered that names of teachers who were not present in school were signed in. He then directed that adequate punishment be meted out to those who filled in the names of the absent teachers.

EU decries torture in Nigeria AS the world marks “World Day Against Death Penalty”, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), ASF France (Lawyers Without Borders France), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Access to Justice and Hurilaws on Tuesday called on the Federal Government to review the death penalty regime in Nigeria. Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) has expressed concern over the alarming rate of torture in Nigeria in spite of concerted effort to address the trend. In a joint statement issued by the groups, they noted that “Nigeria is one of the countries where death penalty is still legally enforceable with over 800 inmates on death row across its prisons.” They also observed that “some of these inmates were sentenced to death for various offences by military tribunals during the military regime with no option or possibility of appeal.” According to them, “the denial of the right of appeal guaranteed by Section 241 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to this category of inmates on death row erodes their fundamental right to fair hearing and is also a violation of their right to life.” He lamented that “the mandatory nature of the death penalty in Nigeria for capital offences leaves no room for the exercise of judicial discretion on the part of the judges in favour of the accused person.” Consequently, they called “for an urgent review of this rigid provision in the Nigerian law to enable sentences to be handed down on a case-by-case basis.” They urged the Nigerian government to make an official declaration on a moratorium on death penalty as a first step and subsequently to ratify the second optional protocol to the ICCPR aimed at the abolition of death penalty. “We also decry the spate of awaiting trial inmates in Nigerian prisons who often spend as much as 15 years or even more awaiting trial for alleged offences. We are of the view that this amounts to a flagrant violation of the rights of these inmates who are entitled to fair and speedy trial by a court of competent jurisdiction. The practice of keeping Nigerian citizens incarcerated for years under the guise of the unwholesome practise called ‘holding charge’ negates the very principles of fair hearing, which forms the pillars of every justice system”, they stated. It will be noted that Nigeria abstained from the last vote of the UN General Assembly Resolution on a Moratorium on the Use of the death penalty in 2010; another voting session on death penalty will come up in December 2012. The National Human Rights Commission, ASF France, the Nigerian Bar Association, Access to Justice and Hurilaws urge Nigeria to vote in favour of the moratorium. They said “death sentence does not serve as a deterrent to crime but rather has a note of finality and absoluteness giving no room for reversal in the event of an error, we hereby urge the Federal Government of Nigeria to follow the current global trend and review the death penalty in her laws.”

Female students protest sexual harassment Posted by: Sam Ibok Posted date: October 04, 2012 In: Campus Life | comment : 26 Students of Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH), have protested the alleged sexual harassment of female students, molestation and extortion by some staff of the institution. The students, numbering about 2,000, blocke the traffic at Eleven-Eleven bus stop on their way to the government house, Calabar to register their grievances. Some of the placards carried by the students had inscriptions such as “sexual harassment of female students must stop”, “female molestation must be checked in CRUTECH”, “no more extortion of money from students”, and “no better CRUTECH, no better lecture hall” among others The CRUTECH Students’ Union president, Ekong Eka, accused the state government of neglecting students of the university, adding that two months ago, some group of people came to the school to tell them that government wanted to pay them bursary. Advertisment Read This And Money Will Never Be Your Problem again! Discover Secrets of Generating N175,000/Month Online working For Just 2Hours/Day and You Will Never Broke Again. 0 inShare digg ‹ Previous Next › Related posts Strengthening our varsity system (2) Building young leaders Nigeria @ 52: Students angry with govt on state of education OAU students decry ‘brown water’ Comments (26) mr abdul October 4, 2012 at 8:21 am When u r told 2 dress decently u refuse,u say its fashion…this is d result of ur so called fashion Reply Mike Jimm October 4, 2012 at 3:19 pm Mr. Abdul, may God bless u for this comment, it was like u heard our discussion before reading your comment. Reply jagudax October 5, 2012 at 4:53 pm I understand your point but is sexual harassment now the appropriate response? There are still tribes to date that move around with little body cover… Are you telling me that the natural thing to do is to start raping and harassing their females? Reply Adamu Ahmed October 7, 2012 at 6:50 pm Jagudax the truth is that if you keep your food open to the public, interested dogs and cats will definitely put their mouth inside. Is it not better you cover it and keep it inside your cupboard ? A lady who scored “F” would like to get minimum of “E” thereby exposing herself as a short cut to pass. As we condemn sexual harassment so shall we condemn indecent dressing and encourage hard work. Reply charlimann Uzon October 8, 2012 at 3:24 pm Female students have to dress in buba and sokoto, cover their head to sholder before you will call them decently dressed, this is 2012, get yourself some life, we need responsible teachers or lecturers in our universities as we need responsible leadership in Nigeria Reply Simpleman October 4, 2012 at 8:43 am They are in vouge Reply Meshach October 4, 2012 at 10:44 am Thank God u now realise the implications in dressing indecently,of course the way dress is how u’ll be addressed. keep men in suspence in wat u have under the cloths. Reply kk October 4, 2012 at 1:11 pm is everywia …go n odas in odas institutions Reply Mike Jimm October 4, 2012 at 3:27 pm Even look at the dressing of some of those protesting, half-naked dresses and they are complaining of being harassed. Why won’t they when they put on dresses that are suggestive in nature! In the name of being socialise, they expose their nakedness for people to see. They expose chest, laps and other sensitive parts which ordinarily should be covered. This is one of the great evil the Western world has caused us. Reply Humanitarian October 6, 2012 at 4:44 am Whether they decently/indecently dress isn’t the issue to be address but urgent concern should be geared toward utter eradication of this rampant&incessant sexual harassment Nigerian not only on campus but also withing the community.GOD BLESS NIGERIA Reply Abdullahi Remi October 6, 2012 at 6:26 am Gals of compus in Nigeria institutions try keep decently dress pls Reply ayo October 6, 2012 at 7:13 am i know of decent girls being sexually harassed.while indecent dressing should be discouraged it is not an excuse for harassing female sexually.not only in school it is a common practice in place of work where married women with kids are being harassed. Reply Lanre Akinwumi October 6, 2012 at 9:08 am Female students should learn to dress decently. There is no way we will look at it that we wont see that indecent dressind is a factor! Let all Nigerian Universities’ authorities come out with dress code for our female students on campus, violation of which should attract very stiff penalties. Nevertheless , Cross River State Goverment must investigate this and bring whosoever involved to face proper sanction(s). God bless all Nigerian students. Reply Ogene uno October 6, 2012 at 2:27 pm Our universities is now a dead trap. Female students dress so indecently and seductively.When checked,they will complain of being harassed sexually. They all want to get their husbands before they leave. Who is fooling who? This is not an excused for men to harass them sexually anyway. Reply Basilo October 7, 2012 at 9:51 am govt should encourage decent female student by stop sex before pass, a female student was asked to fix attachment on her hair before obtained extra mark by those evil lecture Reply Basilo October 7, 2012 at 9:56 am govt should encourage decent female student by stop sex before pass examination, a female student was asked to fix attachment on her hair before obtained extra mark by those evil lecture Reply Afamefuna October 7, 2012 at 8:22 pm Brother, thank you very much. Though we know that some lecturers are he-goats yet many girls on campuses are instruments of destruction. They are the ‘harassers’. They are ready to go to any length to get what they want if not resort to blackmail and mischief. Reply eskor October 8, 2012 at 8:21 am right from d begining satan has been using d females to draw d males into pit. look at what is hapening now, d satanic fashion industry have realy take time to produce sexy dresses for d ladies, and they sample them through their music and movie artists on TV whom our young ladies ignorantly take them to be their models whereby desire their style and want to dress and do everything they do. The rationale behind these is to plot the fall of man. Men striev to resist d plan of d devil. Reply JP October 8, 2012 at 12:15 pm It served some of dem right, when they used 2 go half naked on the street in the name of western fashion. Unless Fed. govt address the mode of women dressing in Nigeria b/4 thyings can go well. Reply Long Mangs October 8, 2012 at 12:26 pm When a woman married/unmarried attract men in a conducive manner publicly, what is she expecting ? Unless parents check and advice their daughters on their mode of dressing indoor/outdoor, they will continue to experience harassment from men always, whether in or outside school. Women generally should adhere to Godly moral mode of dressing to avoid dis. Reply Johnson P. Datal October 8, 2012 at 12:36 pm I do strongly believe that a decently dressed woman will never be harassed by a any decent man. That is why I praised Deeper Life church members (women) and other church member on dressing. Most Muslim women do dress well that some so-called Christian women who claimed to be Christ example. Some parents even advice their daughters to dress indecently and go out. If their’s God fearing, a woman can’t dress indecently. Reply Domshak October 8, 2012 at 12:48 pm Pls the truth should be told. Most of women going half naked to seduce men on the street called themselves Christians & they claimed to shining light for Christ. Why deceiving ourselves ? Our clergies should continue to preach the true gospel and stop false teaching like some of them even preaching that smoking & drinking alcoholic is not Reply Tunde Awe October 8, 2012 at 3:13 pm Who is harassing who? I think some Lecturers who are decent and upright that are being harassed by most of their female students should stage their own protest too. It is common knowledge that most of these ladies are not ready to study hard again and they want to graduate with 2-1 at least, so they rsort to all gimmicks to take the Lecturers to bed. As it takes two to tango, some Lecturers oblige, while some go for the fun. Ironically, the decent ones that refuse to go the whole log with them are backmailed as being wicked. Most times,the ladies set their male friends who are mostl cultists after such lecturers for his “stuborness” You can now see that head or tail, the lecturers are the loosers. With due respect, some serious minded brilliant ladies are all over the campuses and they will never be part of such disgraceful manners. This protest is just a window dress, any affected lady/ies should be bold enough to lodge complaints against erring Lecturers with genuine proofs, then if nothing is done, they should cry out loud for masses to hear them out. Reply Cee October 9, 2012 at 7:07 am IF YOU STUDENTS ARE REAL IN YOUR PROTEST, YOU WOULD HAVE MENTIONED AT LEAST TWO NAMES IN YOUR PLACARDS. I DO NOT THINK THIS IS A REAL PROTEST. Reply Let us desist from corruption October 9, 2012 at 8:10 am Educatnl system has fallen, & we urgently need 2 declare a state of emmergency, addressn the menace holistically. An HND holder that has being mobilised for NYSC can not write a simple applicatn letter, yet they want 2 pass, govt underfund the institutn, meagre salary 4 the lecturer, & absolutely no welfare package, like opportunist ordinary political office holder who get bumper package of salary, allowances, & fridge benefit, & they institute lots of grammer & policies wanting them 2 discharge their responsibilities in an emty stomach @ d faces of opresn & cheatn. Hwever lecturers are doin their best. The same is replicatn itself in the ministry where directors & wker has 2 resultd 2 the selling, hiring & steelling of govt property 2 urgment their deficiency. Govt in it rightful sense shd address this by bridging the gap btw the lecturer, political ofice holder,& wker at large by doing this who so ever violated human right shall be sensibly & collectively brought 2 punishmt. & for the student what is religiously bad can never be morally or societally right, shun antisocial behaviors, machineries etc. Reply Paprich October 9, 2012 at 8:34 am Dress or no dress, teachers and lectures should be professional. Most of these girls they lay in bed before passing are younger than their first child. Teachers reward they you to say is in heaven, nowadays, they want it on earth – both cash and kind. I think the whole thing has to do with the present high level of poverty, corruption and indecency ravaging the country. The state government need to investigate this and put a stop. As for our young girls, yes, a la mode, but you lot need to move closer to God. Dress properly in public. When going to disco, you can me in your nightgowns. 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UNIPORT 4: Students burn houses •Reps summon IG •Parent petitions Senate •Police charge 11 to court •School closed indefinitely | Print | E-mail Written by Bolaji Ogundele, Ayodele Adesanmi, Jacob Segun Olatunji, Kolawole Daniel, Chris Agbambu and Olayinka Olukoya Wednesday, 10 October 2012 Student Protesters Hijacking Police Van THE situation surrounding the killing of the four students of the University of Port Harcourt worsened on Tuesday evening, as students of the institution, led by the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), stormed Omuokiri-Aluu, burned houses and forced the closure of the school. Matters went out of hands when members of NANS from institutions in the South-South and South-East organised a protest, demanding justice for the murdered students. Speaking during the protest, South-East and South-South coordinator of NANS, Iyere Prosper Onono, said they would not leave until either the vice chancellor, Professor Joseph Ajienka, or Governor Rotimi Amaechi addressed them. However, when the vice chancellor attempted to address the protesting students, he was booed and sachets of water were thrown at him. Situations got worse when the students marched over to the community where the students were killed and set a few houses on fire. In response to the escalating crisis, the university, speaking through its public relations officer, Dr William Wodi, announced the indefinite closure of its campuses, adding that the school would remain closed until normalcy returned. The number of houses torched could not be immediately ascertained at the time of filing this report. Police charge 11 to court Meanwhile 11 persons suspected to be part of the mob that killed the four students have been charged to a High Court in Port Harcourt. The state Police Commissioner, Mohammed Ndabawa, who made this known on Tuesday when the Executive Secretary of the National Human rights Commission, Professor Ben Angwe and his team visited him at the police headquarters in Port Harcourt, said a total of 13 persons had, so far, been arrested in connection with the incident. Represented by deputy commissioner of police, Thomas Etomi, the Rivers police boss said two persons out of the 13 were kept behind to aid police investigation. Senate tasks security agencies Worried by the murder of four students of the university on Friday, the Senate, on Tuesday, directed security agencies to apprehend the killers. This followed a resolution arrived at during a motion sponsored by Senator Ayogu Eze, condemning the manner the three male students of the University of Port-Harcourt and their friend were brutally murdered in the full glare of a cheering crowd. The Senate, therefore, ordered the police and other security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of the crime, including the spectators captured on video and try them for murder. Eze, in the motion, informed that the lynching and burning of the three students was dehumanising and unacceptable. Senate President, David Mark, condemned the act, adding that the attacks showed how incapable the police were in securing lives, having failed in their duty of apprehending the perpetrators. Meanwhile, the bereaved mother of Chiadika Biringa, in a petition addressed to the Senator Mark, said “we do not want this thing to be swept under the carpet like most investigations. We seek the help and intervention of the Senate to ensure that justice is done. Justice is the only thing that can assuage the pains and emotional traumas consuming us and clear the name of our son, so that he can rest in peace.” Reps summon IGP over killings The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, summoned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Muhammed Abubakar, over the recent attack on students of Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, Adamawa State and last Friday’'s murder of four students of the University of Port Harcourt, over allegation of theft and rape. The police chief is expected to face the House Committee on Police Affairs, “to explain the perceived late or outright absence of response of the police and other security agencies while the attacks lasted.” The resolution to summon the IGP was sequel to a motion moved by Honourable Abubakar Wamba, who condemned the killings. The House observed a minute silence in honour of the deceased students and resolved to set up a visitation panel to visit Mubi, Port Harcourt, and, by extension, Maiduguri, where over 30 people, including soldiers were killed on Monday. NANS gives FG, Rivers ultimatum NANS has given the federal and the Rivers State government 48-hour ultimatum to apprehend the perpetrators of the killing of undergraduates of the University of Port Harcourt. The students’ body described the killings as “inhumane, barbaric and uncalled for.” The body, in a statement signed by its national public relations officer, Clement Olusegun, threatened a showdown with the Federal Government if it failed to meet its demand by the expiration of ultimatum. Mubi killings: Police arrest 30 suspects No fewer than 30 suspects have been arrested by the police in connection with the killing of over 40 students of the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi. Informed police sources disclosed to the Nigerian Tribune that out of the 30 arrested suspects, three of them were students, 12 confirmed Boko Haram suspects; while others were involved in the killing. The source revealed that two of the students were from the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, while the other one was a student of Federal University of Technology, Yola. How To Last Longer In Bed. 7 Effective Secrets That Work. Guaranteed Fast Re

N1bn subsidy scam: Accused claims to be deaf •Stalls arraignment | Print | E-mail Written by Lanre Adewole, Abuja Wednesday, 10 October 2012 A drama enacted by one of the accused in the alleged N1 billion fuel subsidy scam led to the stalling of the planned arraignment of four new accused in the on-going multiple trial being conducted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the controversial issue. The commission had charged the quartet of Alhaji Saminu Rabiu, Jubril Rowaye, Alminuur Resources Limited and Brila Energy Limited for alleged fraudulent claim of N1,051,030,434,63 as payment for the purported importation of 10,000 metric tonnes of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS). After being docked on Tuesday before an Abuja High Court, Gudu, counsel for Rabiu who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Alminuur, Blessing Omoaghe, told the trial judge, Justice Adebukola Banjoko, that his client had medical challenge in his hearing ability which required information being shouted into his ear-drum. At this point, the trial judge had to stop the accused from taking their plea, though she granted the leave sought by the prosecution to prefer the criminal charge against the accused. She subsequently fixed 17 October, 2012 for the reading of the charge and taking of the accused plea.

Bakassi: C-River challenges Adoke, Says ‘we presented new facts’ On October 10, 2012 · In Headlines 12:00 am.. By Our Reporters LAGOS — THE Cross River State Government, yesterday challenged the Federal Government over claims that there were no fresh evidence to challenge the International Court of Justice, ICJ, judgment of 2002 ceding Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon. In a statement, it said it was not true that no fresh facts were presented to the presidential committee. Political stakeholders in Cross River State and some of the committee members were also peeved by the declaration by the AGF that the government would not be appealing the decision. Emotion overflowed in the Cross River State House of Assembly, yesterday, as members called for the impeachment of President Goodluck Jonathan should he not countermand the AGF at the end of today. In Abuja, however, emotion was more subdued as stakeholders from within and around the region expressed mixed feelings on the declaration of the AGF that Nigeria would not be appealing the judgment. Adoke, it was learnt, successfully pushed his case that there was no material evidence to retrieve Bakassi from Cameroon despite a presidential directive for the country to appeal the judgment of the International Court of Justice, ICJ, which awarded the disputed territory to Cameroon 10 years ago, today. A man petting his daughter who was crying for attention as Bakassi Peninsula indigenes awaited solution of their problems at the Ikang Resettlement Camp, Akpabuyo Local Government Area, Cross River State, yesterday. Following consultations with the National Assembly leadership and other stakeholders last Wednesday, President Goodluck Jonathan had directed a committee comprising stakeholders from the National Assembly, the National Boundary Commission, among others, to prepare the grounds for an urgent appeal to the ICJ. Resolving the problem At the meeting in the Presidential Villa, the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, had reportedly summarised what emerged were three options by the National Assembly on how to resolve the problem. The options were to go to war, do nothing or seek a review of the judgment. Senator Mark, it also emerged, inclined himself towards the third option with nearly all present at the meeting agreeing that it was best for Nigeria to uphold its interests primarily ahead of whatever is the opinion of the international community. At the end of the meeting that Wednesday, an eight-man committee comprising select legislators from Cross River State including Senators Victor Ndoma Egba, SAN, Senator Bassey Otu who represented what was until today Bakassi in the Senate, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rep. Nnena Ukeje,among others was mandated by the president to prepare the grounds for an immediate appeal. However, when the committee members gathered at the residence of Senator Ndoma-Egba for a meeting, animosity immediately developed as members of the committee were angered by what they claimed was a dilution of the assignment given the committee by the president. Adoke, it was learnt, told the committee members that the mandate of the committee was to pursue a review of the human rights contents of the judgment and not to appeal the territorial handover of Bakassi to Cameroon. Faced with a deadlock, it was suggested that the committee members revert to their principals, that is Senator Mark for the legislators and President Jonathan for Adoke for a confirmation of the mandate of the committee. It was learnt that both President Jonathan and Senator Mark agreed that the mandate of the committee was for a review of the judgment but the body language of the presidency officers according to committee members was that a review would not go ahead. FG lied, says CRS govt Countering assertions by the AGF that there was no evidence to demand a review and assertions of lack of time, the Cross River State Government in a statement issued by its Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Attah Ochinke said: 1. Last night the Federal Government through the Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke announced its decision not to seek a review of the ICJ judgment on Bakassi despite a preponderance of oppinions to the contrary. 2. The Federal Government adduced severally reasons for its decision, including the claim that the Committee set up by President Goodluck Jonathan could not get new information from the proponents for a review to warrant seeking a review of the judgment. 3. While Cross River should not be seen as joining issues with the Federation Government, it is however, pertinent to state our own side of the story for the sake of posterity. 4. First, it must be emphasised that for us in Cross River Bakassi is not about oil; it is about the people. 5. Having said that, I regret to say that it is not true that new facts were not made available to the committee that would have compelled Nigeria to seek a review of the ICJ judgment. If anything, the Federal Government decision is coming after several days of frenzied activity towards applying for a review of the judgment. While we concede that the Federal Government has the prerogative not to apply for a review, we find the reasons given for that decision most unfortunate in the least. 6. A lot of work was done on this and about seven grounds were raised upon which the government could have based a review. And these were well documented, copies of which we have for any further scrutiny. 7. To say that there were no fresh facts to apply for review is to insist that the Nigerian Bar Association, the Institute of International Affairs, the several professional bodies and the National Assembly that called for the review acted in total ignorance. 8. It must be stated that since Bakassi was a Nigerian territory, the Federal Government also had the responsibility of looking for new information that would warrant a review. It is therefore, baffling when it said proponents of a review failed to furnish it with new information. 9. To convince the Federal Government that facts exist upon which the application could have been made, an international law firm based in London was briefed to examine the case and advice. The firm did this and advised that there are sufficient facts upon which a review may be based; more importantly the firm prepared the papers for Nigeria to file at the ICJ. All the Federal Government needed to do was to simply dispatch the papers for filing. 10. The claim that seeking a review will tarnish Nigeria’s image in the committee of nations is also very unfortunate. 11. Several countries applied for a review of similar judgments delivered against them without losing credibility. El Salvador against Honduras in 2002 applied for a review of a judgment given almost ten years earlier on September 11, 1992. The application for review of the judgment in Yugoslavia and Bosnia and Herzegovina case was presented in 2001 for a judgment delivered in July, 1996. The ICJ statute provides that an application for a review cannot be entertained unless the party applying first complies with the judgment prior to submitting the application for a review. So the fact that Nigeria had complied with the judgment is the ground that should qualify us to apply for a review and should not be the reason why we should be ashamed to do what is necessary to protect Nigerians.” Another member of the committee also rebuffed suggestions of shortness of time given by the presidency team, saying that the superiority of the fresh facts would have expressly reverted the peninsula to Nigeria. “We had facts Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw showed to us including that although the British signed the 1913 Anglo-German treaty, the German ambassador to Britain, Prince Lichnowsky stated that his country did not sign the treaty before the first world war broke out which rendered it inchoate, meaning that Cameroon and Nigeria were citing an illegal document. “It was unknown to both Nigeria and Cameroon that the treaty was inchoate and was not recongised in the 1919 treaty. There were also revelations by Prof. Walter Ofanogoro that the April 1893 boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon was valid and they were internationally recognised.” C-River House members protest Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Chief Larry Odey, at the end of the session of the House led members on a protest march to Governor Liyel Imoke at the Government House. He said that the reports in the newspapers, yesterday, were contrary to the directive of Mr. President that the eight-man committee should pursue the review of the judgment. Receiving the lawmakers, Imoke said he had no confirmation as at the time of the protest that any appeal had been sent to the ICJ from the Federal Government for a review of the judgment and that the only thing he knew was that the window of opportunity to appeal would expire by mid night today which should be the last chance. He, however, appealed that the issue should be carefully managed and should not be politicized even as he told them that the state lacked the locus to file any action at the ICJ, adding that the consequence of the judgment on the people was significant and that to the best of his knowledge, not much had been done over the matter. The governor advised them to be calm and also understand that there were processes and procedures to follow such a matter, adding that though one end of the matter may have been reached, there were still other opportunities that could be followed. Call for impeachment Some Hopuse of Representatives members before the protest march, had called for the impeachment of President Jonathan over alleged breach of the oath of office which he swore to uphold and protect. One of the initiators of the call, Joseph Bassey, representing Calabar South Local Government Area, said there was no need to allow the president to remain in office for his alleged treason to the country and that Nigerians should, by the action of the president, not allow him to hold any other position in the country. He said: “We have lost confidence in the presidency. The president himself has failed. We have also proposed to the National Assembly that by tomorrow (today) if he does not file any appeal to the ICJ, the National Assembly should commence an impeachment against him, because he has betrayed his people he swore to protect. Bassey who said he was an Efik son, but has Bakassi as his ancestral home, further said: “I feel so sad and I always make this known to the people. The issue of Bakassi I knew will not be resolved because of the interest involved. Bakassi was sold out by the stakeholders of Nigeria especially former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Donald Duke and a former senator. “They sold out Bakassi for their personal interest and the president of Nigeria today, Goodluck Jonathan, does not want to have a loggerhead with all these big wigs. They are still playing politics with Cross Riverians, playing politics with our inheritance, playing politics with our own origin; it is something that was very sad. “Now that we have lost Bakassi, what is the way forward? I will like to say that Bakassi is not gone, the ICJ appeal might go, Bakassi is not gone, this is peoples inheritance, we will always go back to Bakassi. By tomorrow we in the Cross River State House of Assembly have already proposed, we do not have much to say, most of us are ready to sacrifice to go on hunger strike and pray. it shows that the neck of the woman is bent. I think the mistake was done ten years ago by the then government, so I absolve the present government.” Reacting to the development yesterday, Senator Ewa-Henshaw described the situation as regrettable noting that it appeared that some persons had made up their minds to cede Bakassi believing that nobody will challenge their action. Henshaw said: “I think it is very regrettable the position our government has taken. It looks like there are people that have determined that Bakassi must be sold out by all means and there is nothing they believe anybody can do about it. Nigerians have not heard the last “The president set up a committee on Wednesday night last week in which we understand that the mandate was for them to obtain the necessary papers and prepare documents to file, then suddenly we heard that there was not going to be any filing. We as a people, we are determined that this will not be the end. Nigerians have not heard the last on the issue concerning Bakassi “We also in the Bakassi Support Group have consulted solicitors and the solicitors had produced papers for us that we could have filed if government officials were not able to do that. All they needed to do was to ask for the papers so that they could go and file. The papers had been prepared and we are going to publish it to the world and Nigerians in particular to see and let Nigerians ask the government why they have refused to file the appeal, what the problem is, what kind of promise did we make to the Cameroons, to the international community, to the International Court of Justice. “If by the wisdom of those that drew this statute that sometimes it will be necessary for litigant to come and produce evidence of fundamental nature, what is wrong with Nigeria taking advantage of it. Let them ask Nigerians what commitment was made and to whom. Was it so strong that the fate and well-being of Nigerians must be sacrificed to honour commitment?” Rep Nkoyo Toyo in her reaction told Vanguard yesterday that her people would not give up the fight for justice. She said: “Much as we are not happy that the Federal Government did not use the option of engaging the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as a basis for further addressing the problems of the Bakassi people, our belief is that the proposal which was mentioned in the statement of the Attorney-General yesterday morning has opened up a new vista for engaging even the ICJ and many other United Nations bodies including the Secretary General. “This, therefore, means that we have to go back and organize ourselves and take many other things into account. This is because it is obvious to us from what has happened so far that the Federal Government would not go out on its own to protect the interest of the Bakassi people. We have to protect our people’s interest and then come to present it to the Federal Government. “You would have expected that it is the Federal Government that should seek to find out if there is a problem and then consider what to do about it. But this is not the case now since the Federal Government is too busy to address problems concerning its citizens. As a result of this, the ordinary citizens of Bakassi have to go and find out new facts which they can present to the ICJ. This is how the Nigerian Government operates now. “So we have to go and search for those affected who would then come and tell us their stories and present the fresh facts that are needed. “My only worry is that the Attorney-General spoke about not wanting to create diplomatic problems for the nation. I do not know what those diplomatic problems are. He has also said that what we have talked about so far do not constitute fresh facts; I do not know what kind of facts we shall present before he would become convinced that we have fresh facts to warrant asking for a review of our case before ICJ. “At this stage we are appealing that the failures of the Green Tree Agreement which would expire by August 2013, should be addressed. “We are hereby giving them a one year notice and they should not say that the people of Bakassi came late”. FG has failed Cross River people — Monarch The Paramount Ruler of Efut nation, Muri Munene Effiong Mbukpa, said it was unfortunate that the Federal Government had failed the people of Bakassi and indeed the people of Cross River State over the decision to cede their ancestral land to Cameroon. Mbukpa said everybody had hoped and relied on the Federal Government to start the process of filing documents for the review of the ICJ ruling which did not consider human beings and the right to self determination before giving its judgment. The monarch said even if the Nigerian government would abandon the people, there was the belief that God will not abandon them and commended the Cross River State government for taking the pains all the time with the meager resources to take care of the displaced people. Call for the resignation and trial of Adoke Meanwhile some members of the Cross River State House of Assembly yesterday called for the resignation of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Bello Adoke, for allegedly misinforming the nation that there were no fresh facts that would warrant appealing against the ICJ judgment. Read more here