Court stops Niger govt from demolishing Ashrab Energy facility

By Stanley Onyekwere

AFederal High Court, sitting in Minna, has restrained the Niger state government from demolishing Ashrab Energy International Limited, located in the state.

Recall that the Niger state government had on May 30th, 2023 marked Ashrab located at Keteren-Gwari in Minna, with occupancy Nos. NGS/913 and NGS/8821 for demolition, just barely 24 hours after the Governor of Niger state was sworn-in on May 29th, 2023.

However, in the court order dated 14th June, 2023 and marked NSHC/MN/147/2023, the defendants were listed as the Governor of Niger state, the Attorney general of the state,

Niger state ministry of land and housing, and Niger state urban development board have been asked to steer clear of any action regarding the parcel of Ashrab Iand.

It noted that the permit issued to the company on 28th October, 2021 by the Niger state Urban Development Board should not be withdrawn.

Also, the court presided over by Justice Mariyam Ismaila, issued an interim injunction restraining Governor Mohammed Bago (1st defendant) or any of his agents from interfering with or stopping Ashrab energy International limited from carrying out its legitimate business.

According to the court, the Governor of Niger state and his agents have no constitutional rights to demolish or revoke the C or O of Ashrab without establishing the proof for the action.

The order stopped the governor with his agents from carrying out any action that will be against the constitutional rights of the plaintiff.

The suit read: “An order of interim injunction restraining the 1st defendant or any of his agents, assigns and or privies from interfering with the plaintiff’s constitutional rights to own the parcel of land and all the improvements there on, situate at Keteren -Gwari, Minna, Niger state.

“The certificate of occupancy covered by certificate of occupancy Nos. NGS/913 and NGS/8821 pending the determination of the motion on notice.

“An order of interim restraining the 4th defendant from withdrawing the development permit issue to the plaintiff (Ashrab energy International limited) on 28th October, 2021 pending the determination of the motion”. However, it was learnt that the name of the owner of the filling station is Alh Dantani Abubakar Hassan l, a strong supporter of Alh Idris Mohammed Malagi Who contested for the primary of APC Governorship prior to the 2023 general election.

It was also gathered that the state government had also revoked all land allocation in the state by the previous administration.

40 Community observers to monitor SGBV trend in Kaduna

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Worried by the increasing rate of Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) issues due to the lingering insecurity in Kaduna state, forty community members have been initiated into the Mixed Observers’ Team (MOT), so as to help monitor and mitigate the menace.

The immediate past commissioner, Kaduna State Ministry of Human Services and Social Development and Executive Director, Global Initiative for Women and Children (GIWAC), Hajiya Hafsat Babe disclosed this in Kaduna.

According to her the project is a pivotal step towards giving the voiceless in the society a voice.

She explained that marginalized populations within the society often face disproportionate hardships as they are more vulnerable to most of these challenges that we are facing, saying: “Take the example of multidimensional poverty measure, which was defined by the World Bank as an index that measures the percentage of households in a country deprived along three dimensions –monetary poverty, education, and basic infrastructure services – to capture a more complete picture of poverty”.

She expressed hope that the MOT, which consists of selected women, formal and informal security personnel, community leaders, and women’s groups, all united by a shared purpose; to engage with the wider community, collaborate on security referrals for access to justice, and address protection issues for women, especially SGBV victims, will in no measure, begin to address the numerous challenges brought about by the scourge.

Earlier, in her welcome address, the Program Officer, Partners West Africa, Nigeria (PWAN), Nkem Okereke the project aims to advance engagement mechanisms and support structures which are inclusive and gender-sensitive, expanding outreach of access to justice services in Northwest Nigeria to provide better safety and protection for women and other marginalized populations; and improve community policing relations.

She added that the project is being implemented in Kaduna and Niger states to create a strong Woman, Peace, and Security agenda in Nigeria that promotes women’s engagement in peacebuilding.

She stressed that the 3-day training is aimed at strengthening the capacity of the MOT members to recognize, prevent, and respond to situations of sexual and gender-based violence, as well as to advocate for and raise awareness of the security issues facing their local community and other marginalized groups.

On his part, the District Head of Kawo, Alhaji Jibrin Magaji stressed that the community has an important role to play in providing victims and survivors of GBV access to justice.

He also noted the need for more awareness, support, education and community engagement to address the problem.

With Samuel Alimi