Star Potter

  An Ikeja High Court on Monday ordered the release of a man, Kazeen Adeshina, after spending 15 years in a correctional facility without charge or trial. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Oyindamola Ogala, while ruling in a fundamental rights enforcement suit marked No: D/16997MFHR/24 filed by Adeshina’s counsel, Mr Ben Okeke, held that detaining of Adeshina in prison without charge or trial was unjustifiable. Ogala, in her ruling, said the arrest and continued detention of Adeshina in the custody of the Medium Correctional Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos without a trial was wrong, illegal and unjustifiable. She added that it was a gross violation of the applicant’s fundamental human rights as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights. (Ratification Enforcement Act, Cap.10. “As afore-stated, there is unchallenged fact that this applicant has remained in custody for about 15 years and is yet to

  Ghana Football Awards: Lookman named Africa’s Best Player Super Eagles forward, Ademola Lookman has been named ‘Best African International Footballer’ at the Ghana Football Awards. Lookman was recognised for his remarkable performance for Nigeria at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire and his Serie A club, Atalanta. The 27-year-old scored three goals in seven games to help the Super Eagles finish in second position at the competition. The talented winger also contributed immensely to Atalanta’s UEFA Europa League success. Lookman scored a hat-trick in La Dea’s 3-0 final victory over Bayer Leverkusen. He registered 17 goals and 10 assists across all competitions for Gian Piero Gasperini’s side last season. The former Leicester City player beat his international teammate Victor Osimhen and Burkinabe star, Edmund Tapsoba, to the award.

 

  A 65-year-old pastor, Francis Ogwu, has been handed over to policemen in Anambra State for defiling his seven-year-old domestic help in Awka, the state capital. Ogwu was arrested on Thursday by police operatives, following an alarm raised by concerned residents of the community, which drew the attention of the state Ministry of Women and Social Welfare. The suspect, who hails from Imo State, is said to be the pastor and General Overseer of Jesus House of Joy Church, Awka, but has lived with his wife and children in Anambra for over 30 years. Ọgwụ, during interrogations, confessed to the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, that he “just fingered the girl once” but denied other allegations of penetration as against what the seven-year-old victim said. On why he defiled the child, the suspect explained, “I was tempted because my wife usually gives excuses that she’s fasting whenever I want to have quality time with her.” Meanwhile, the seven-year-old victim who narra

  A 50-year-old bricklayer who spent 24 years in prison for a crime he did not commit has shared his ordeal after he was released. Lukman Adeyemi was just 26 years old when he accompanied a friend who had been invited by police to the police station. His act of loyalty towards his friend led to him being detained. He ended up spending 24 years in jail and was only freed on June 14, 2024. He spent nine years in pre-trial detention, followed by an unbearable 15 years on death row. Narrating how he was detained, he explained that when he got to the station with his friend, during interrogations by SARS Police officers, he endured severe physical and psychological torment, leading to coerced confessions for crimes he knew nothing about. Sharing his story with Vanguard, he said: "I am Lukman Adeyemi, a native of Iwerele, Iwajowa Local Government, Oyo State. I am a Bricklayer by profession. I was 26 years old when I had this problem. "In August 2000, after returning home from work

  Members of the organised labour comprising both the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, have convened an emergency meeting over the decision of the Federal Executive Council to step down the memo on the minimum wage. The meeting, according to a top official at the NLC headquarters, will be held at Labour House at 10:00am on Wednesday. The official said it is meant for discussion on the decision of FEC to step down the memo on minimum wage. Daily Trust had earlier reported that the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said all 39 items on the agenda of the meeting were all taken except the memo on the minimum wage. Idris had disclosed that there was a report by the Tripartite committee which comprises of local government, States , NLC/ TUC and the federal government, adding that the committee submitted its report, and there was a memo to that effect. The minister, however, said Council could not take a decision on it because it involves L