Appeal Court dismisses Evans’ three appeals seeking to stop his trial

The Court of Appeal in Lagos on Monday dismissed three appeals
by suspected billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike
alias Evans, seeking to stop his trial at two high courts in Lagos
State.

A three-man panel led by Justice Jummai Sankey held that Evans’
appeals against three rulings of the Ikeja High Court were without
merit.

Other Justices on the panel were Justice Philomena Ekpe and
Justice Muhammed Mustapha.

In the three appeals, Evans challenged the lower courts’
jurisdiction and sought to strike out and quash the kidnap,
attempted murder and murder charges filed by the government against
him.

In the first appeal against the ruling of Justice Oluwatoyin
Taiwo of an Ikeja High Court, the first to fourth respondents were
the Lagos State Government and Evans’ co-defendants; Joseph Emeka,
Chiemeka Arinze and Udeme Upong

Justice Taiwo, on November 10, 2017, dismissed Evans’
application seeking to quash an amended seven-count charge against
him, dated October 26, 2017.

The applicant also challenged the Ikeja High Court’s
jurisdiction in the second appeal, where the respondents were the
same.

The appellate court consolidated both appeals and Justice Sankey
held: “The appeals are hereby dismissed. The ruling of the lower
court is affirmed.

“I hold that the lower court has jurisdiction to continue with
the trial and to entertain all the counts of the charge.”

In the third appeal, the first to fifth respondents were The
State of Lagos and Evans’ co-defendants: Uche Amadi, Ogechi
Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba.

Evans claimed that Justice Hakeem Oshodi erred in law when he
held that the amended information/ charge dated October 19, 2017,
filed by the first respondent, was incompetent without an
accompanying or attached proof of evidence as required by law.

But Justice Philomena Ekpe, who read the lead judgment,
dismissed the appeal as being unmeritorious.

Justice Ekpe held: “Accordingly, this appeal is adjudged
unmeritorious. It fails and is therefore dismissed in its entirety.
The ruling delivered by the lower court by Justice Oshodi on
November 3, 2017, in suit NO ID/5970C/2017, is upheld. I make no
order as to cost, appeal dismissed.”

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Ruga Settlement Will Provide Basic Amenities for Willing
Host Communities

The Presidency wishes to draw attention to recent unhelpful
comments regarding the plan to stop roaming of cattle herders with
the attendant clashes with farmers.

“Ruga Settlement” that seeks to settle migrant pastoral families
simply means rural settlement in which animal farmers, not just
cattle herders, will be settled in an organized place with
provision of necessary and adequate basic amenities such as
schools, hospitals, road networks, vet clinics, markets and
manufacturing entities that will process and add value to meats and
animal products.

Beneficiaries will include all persons in animal husbandry, not
only Fulani herders.

The Federal Government is planning this in order to curb open
grazing of animals that continue to pose security threats to
farmers and herders.

The overall benefit to the nation includes a drastic reduction
in conflicts between herders and farmers, a boost in animal
protection complete with a value chain that will increase the
quality and hygiene of livestock in terms of beef and milk
production, increased quality of feeding and access to animal care
and private sector participation in commercial pasture production
by way of investments.

Other gains are job creation, access to credit facilities,
security for pastoral families and curtailment of cattle
rustling.

Stripped of the politics and howling that has attended the
recent comments, there is no government plan to seize state land,
colonize territory or impose Ruga on any part of the federation.
Government has made it clear time and again that the programme is
voluntary.

So far, twelve states have applied to the Federal Ministry of
Agriculture, making lands available for the take-off of the scheme
in their states. This number is sufficient for the pilot
scheme.
Unfortunately, some state governments that have not signified
interest in the scheme and, therefore, are not on the invitation
list have been misleading people that the Federal Government is
embarking on a scheme to take away their lands.

Mostly, these are state leaders that have no explanation to
offer their people for continued non-payment of workers’ salaries.
It is true that government at the centre has gazetted lands in all
states of the federation but because the idea is not to force this
programme on anyone, the government has limited the take-off to the
dozen states with valid requests.

We urge states to join the Federal Government at the centre in
encouraging all sides to these conflicts to make efforts towards
finding a peaceful resolution. As we seek a permanent solution to
these unwanted conflicts, efforts must be made to ensure that no
innocent person faces any kind of deprivation or loss of right and
freedom under our laws.

Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)