The events of the last few weeks are a stark warning. They show what happens when our most private affairs – romantic betrayals and spiritual reckonings – are allowed to spill into the sprawling digital reality show, which social media has become blurring the line between private pain and public entertainment. I get the point about social media democratising communication, helping us to connect in a liberating way and, for many young Nigerians, a vital source of income within the attention economy. However, I find it difficult understanding what is entertaining when the commodity being traded is no longer just talent or comedy, but the raw, bleeding edges of human intimacy.

In what my generation will consider as a rude shock, the emerging pattern suggests that the courtroom for our relationships is no longer the in-laws residence but rather in the comment sections on social media, and the verdict now delivered in trending hashtags. In short, these two incidents offer us a distressing view into this new reality, driving a conversation that sits uncomfortably between gossip and a serious sociological crisis. On one hand, we have the chaotic implosion of the relationship between Gen Z TikTok stars, Peller and Jarvis. On the other, we have the scandalous fallout between a prominent social media cleric, Pastor Chris Okafor, and Nollywood actress, Doris Ogala.

The two cases differ in the demographics of the players – one pair represents the chaotic energy of the “Indomie generation,” while the other involves a mixture of religion and cinema. The immediate trigger for this cultural shift might seem like mere gossip, but the process bears a frightening resemblance to a public trial. Take the case of Peller and Jarvis. Their relationship was a classic study in what sociologists call dramaturgy – the meticulous performance of self on life’s stage. Their social media feeds were the ‘front stage’: a carefully curated stream of #CoupleGoals content, lavish gifts, and loved-up collaborations designed for an audience of millions. This was not just a romance; it was a joint venture; a brand built on performative intimacy. I bet they had no idea that this very archive of affection would one day be weaponised.

When the acrimonious breakup exploded online, it was a catastrophic backstage spill onto the front stage. Accusations of infidelity and financial exploitation were not whispered privately but broadcast on LIVE videos, their past content re-contextualised as evidence of deceit. Their followers, who had developed parasocial relationships with the couple – investing emotional energy in a one-sided connection – suddenly found themselves conscripted onto a jury. The conversation fractured into #TeamPeller and #TeamJarvis, with each side demanding “receipts” and delivering swift verdicts. The platform’s very design encouraged this tribalism; TikTok’s duet feature and Twitter’s quote-tweet function allowed the drama to be replicated, scaled, and sensationalised far beyond the original audience. The relationship, in its end, was treated as a corporate insolvency, with assets of reputation liquidated before a crowd.

Social media clout is seductive, working almost like a potent drug, and in the digital age, the courtroom is always open, and the audience is always hungry for the next case.

If the Peller-Jarvis saga was a messy corporate dissolution broadcast on TikTok, the case involving Pastor Chris Okafor and Doris Igala represents a more profound institutional challenge. Here, the clash was between two incompatible frames of reality. Pastor Okafor, like many spiritual figures, uses social media strategically – to majorly promote miracles, and solidify the ‘front stage’ image of the anointed ‘Man of God.’ His is a performance of anointing and authority. Doris Igala’s decision to ‘call him out’ on these same platforms was a seismic act. Her allegations of secret relationship and abandonment went beyond merely airing dirty laundry; to appropriating the power of social media to challenge what is supposed to be a traditionally unimpeachable source of spiritual authority.

Unsurprisingly, what followed typically confirms some things we know of the social media crowd. First, look at the cynicism. When Peller crashed his car, the immediate reaction from many was not concern, but doubt. “Is it a skit?” Is there just a hint here that we have become so used to scripted reality that we miss the real thing when we see it? Second, consider the transaction. In the Pastor Chris saga, comments often split along gender lines, but a recurring theme is the transactional nature of the relationship. Critics shame the woman for “dating a pastor,” implicitly suggesting that she should have known the rules of the game.

The discourse fragmented into a moral panic, where the personal became a societal parable about megachurch opacity and the vulnerability of women. The platform vernacular of Instagram—where a lengthy, emotional caption can be shared to a Stories archive—became her pulpit, while the pastor’s defence relied on the more formal, established authority of his church and legal statements. It mattered little where the truth ultimately lay; the act itself reconfigures the landscape of accountability, suggesting that when other channels feel blocked, the court of public opinion is permanently in session.

This impulse towards public tribunal is not limited to relationships. We see it in our political culture, where social media serves as the great leveller and amplifier of public sentiment as laid bare in the case involving Wike and the young soldier. The mob’s reaction was so terrifyingly swift, emotionally satisfying, and often devoid of nuance similar to the public shaming of Peller or Pastor Chris: a visceral, collective way to release pent-up tension through likes, shares, and savage memes.

So, here is the deep concern I have. These episodes are not isolated scandals but symptoms of living life on a public stage. We are encouraged, by the very architecture of these platforms, to perform our lives. For the influencer, intimacy is a metric. For the pastor, faith is a broadcast. And when these performances crack, the audience, now invested as both fan and judge, demands a spectacle. The lines between a private sorrow and public content have been obliterated, giving us a ring-side view of the commodification of conflict where personal strife has engagement value, and the incentive structure rewards escalation over resolution.

The psychology behind this is worth examining. Why would anyone choose this path? For influencers like Peller and Jarvis, the motivation is tied to the economy of attention; their livelihood depends on relevance, even if it’s fuelled by conflict. For someone like Doris Igala, it may be a desperate lever for a voice, a way to be heard when all other channels seem stacked against her. But scratch beneath the surface, and you might find signs of deeper issues that social media exacerbates – a need for validation so profound that even negative attention is preferable to silence, or an anxious attachment that mistakes public performance for genuine connection. In a culture where we ‘play too much,’ the line between serious testimony and sensationalist content can blur, with tragic consequences.

The danger, as with any mob justice, is that these digital tribunals are easily hijacked. They can be weaponised for personal vendettas, manipulated by bad actors, or simply become entertainment that consumes human dignity. One of the downsides to social media is the potential to digitally destroy people on the strength of allegations alone; and the unique persistence and searchability of digital content means the evidence never disappears means the trial can be re-opened at any time. The result: No chance of private forgiveness or reconciliation.

Trust rugged Nigerians, we will adapt. Content creators will mine the drama for skits and hot takes, growing their own followers from the rubble of another’s relationship. The cycle will continue because the platforms profit from our engagement, whether it’s inspired by love, faith, or hate.

So, what do I think about this new era of public relationships and digital reckoning? One, we are seeing the inevitable consequence of converting our private lives into scrollable feeds. Two, those foolish enough to be sucked into that undefined space are both perpetrators and victims of a system they did not create but now must survive. Third, some parts of the human experience – love, faith, betrayal, and redemption – require shadows, nuance, and a sacred privacy to ever truly heal, they should be kept away from social media.

Will they listen? I doubt. Social media clout is seductive, working almost like a potent drug, and in the digital age, the courtroom is always open, and the audience is always hungry for the next case.

*Dr. Olaniyan, the Convener, Centre for Social Media Research, Nigeria writes about digital culture

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Primaries were, however, not conducted in two Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, –  Yaba and Mainland –  as a result of issues bordering on litigations.

The candidates emerged at the primaries of the party held on Saturday in Ikeja.

While some candidates were voted for, some emerged through consensus.

The winners were announced by the chairman of the electoral committee, Mr. Babatunde Ogala.

He said four chairmanship candidates emerged through consensus while 51 emerged through election.

The candidates that emerged via consensus and were affirmed by their delegates, he said, were Mr Isa Jubril of Iba LCDA; Mrs Motunrayo Gbadebo of Ijede LCDA; Mr Rasaq Kasali of Lekki LCDA, and Mr Azeez Kareem of Otto Awori LCDA.

Declaring other winners, Ogala said Mr Usman Hamzat was the elected candidate for Ifako-Ijaiye LG and Mr Hameed Aroyehun for Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Oluyemisi Rosiji (Ojokoro LCDA); Moyosore Ogunlewe (Kosofe LG); Olufemi Okeowo (Ifelodun LCDA); Olamilekan Akindipe (Ajeromi Ifelodun LG) and Suleiman Yusuf (Surulere LG).

He added that other candidates are Azeez Ogidan (Coker Aguda LCDA); Tola Oyedele (Agboyi-Ketu LCDA); Taoreed Taiwo (Ejigbo LCDA); Muibi Alade (Lagos Island East), Sanusi Ismail (Amuwo-Odofin LG); Muibat Rufia (Ojo LG) and Taiwo Oyekan (Lagos Island LG).

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Other winners, according to him, are Wale Hameed (Ikorodu North LG); Samsudeen Agunbiade (Eti-Osa East LG); Humpey Babatunde (Badagry); Sura Animashaun (Epe LG); Adebayo Olasoju (Isolo LCDA); and Sesan Olowa (Ibeju-Lekki LCDA).

Wale Alomo (Ikosi-Ejinrin LCDA); Rauf Ibrahim (Badagry West LCDA); Adedayo Ladega (Ikorodu LG); Rasak Oloyede (Oriade LCDA); Abiodun Akinola (Orile Agege LCDA) and Lateef Ashimin (Somolu), Bolanle Bada (Ikosi-Isheri LCDA); Kehinde Oloyede (Oshodi-Isolo LG); Sunday Benson (Imota LCDA); and Kazeem Sulaiman (Ikorodu West LCDA) were also announced as winners.

Shobanjo Idowu (Apapa); Peter Ajose (Olorunda LCDA); Monsuru Ismail (Eredo LCDA); Opeyemi Akindele (Mosan Okunola LCDA), Abiodun Agbaje (Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA); Ibrahim Akinpelu (Alimosho LG); and Jimoh Olawale (Apapa Iganmu), Bukola Omofe (Bariga LCDA); Tunbosun Aruwe (Mushin LG); Olusegun Odunmbaku (Ojodu); Idris Balogun (Egbe- Idimu); Lasisi Akinsanya (Ikotun-Igando LCDA); Akeem Dauda (Ikeja LG) and Lawal Jakande (Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye LCDA) also emerged.

Other elected candidates are Bola Oladunjoye (Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA); Moyo Adebanjo (Onigbongbo LCDA); Adeola Sheriff (Eti-Osa LCDA), Babatunde Azeez (Agege LG), Aminat Alabi (Iru/Victoria Island LCDA) Daniel Olufemi (Itire Ikate LCDA) and Jimoh Ishola for Agbado Oke-Odo LCDA.

Meanwhile, there protests by some aspirants and their agents over the results.

Reacting, however, the chairman of the electoral committee, Ogala, said aggrieved persons could exercise their rights by going to court to challenge the outcome.

He described the exercise as transparent and carried out in the interest of the party.

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Justice Oyindamola Ogala in her judgement convicted Olukunle of the charge of conspiracy and abduction.

Ogala, however, discharged the convict of the charge of defilement.

The court held that the prosecution was unable to prove beyond reasonable doubt the charge of defilement because the key witnesses were not in court to testify.

She said the court relied on the confessional statement of the convict to find him guilty of conspiracy and abduction.

The judge said: “The alleged victim did not testify or identify the defendant.

“It is instructive that neither the persons who arrested the defendant, the alleged friend nor the chairman of the estate testified in respect of the charge of defilement linking the defendant with the direct act.

“These witnesses are vital witnesses in establishing the guilt of the defendant.

“This honourable court, therefore, finds that the prosecution failed to satisfy that the defendant indeed defiled the said victim.”

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The court further held that the evidence of prosecution witness two and three sufficiently corroborated the fact of the confession of the convict.

The court said the attempt to dissociate him from the entirety of the events of the incident was an afterthought which did not hold waters.

The judge ordered that the convict term should commence from September 30, 2022.

The prosecution called three witnesses through whom several documents were tendered and the convict solely defended himself.

The prosecution submitted that the convict with others still at large committed the offences on September 30, 2022 on  Ralitu Daramola Street, Abogunleko, Ikotun in Lagos.

Source: NAN

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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 be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction.

“The presumption of innocence enshrined in our constitution remains sacrosanct and it is indeed a travesty of justice for this to occur without administration of criminal justice, no matter where the delay emanates from.

“Counsel to the first respondent has exhibited correspondence to the police to transfer the suspect for arraignment since 2003 which has remained unattended to and it appears that this applicant has fallen through the cracks and thus remained in custody for such years without trial.

“The presumption of innocence in our constitution remains sacrosanct and it is clear to this court that no good cause has been exhibited necessitating the continued remand of the applicant and therefore this court finds that the applicant is entitled to the declaratory order sought,” she said.

The judge, thereafter, ordered the immediate and unconditional release of the applicant from the custody of the Kirikiri Medium Correctional Centre.

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The applicant’s counsel, Okeke, had filed the suit against the Lagos State Attorney-General, the Commissioner of Police and the Controller, Nigerian Correctional Service, Lagos State as first to third respondent respectively.

The applicant had prayed the court for a declaration that the arrest and continued detention of Adeshina in custody without a formal charge or trial was wrongful, illegal, unjustifiable and a gross violation of the applicant’s fundamental human rights.

The applicant’s counsel said: “An order directing the immediate and unconditional release of the applicant from the custody of the third respondent, Medium Correctional Centre, Kirikiri Lagos.

“An injunction restraining the respondents, their agents or privies from further breach of the applicants’ fundamental human rights as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended.

“An order admitting the applicant to bail pending his arraignment in court and for such further or other orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.

“The applicant filed in support of the application, the affidavit of urgency of six paragraphs as well as a supporting affidavit of 15 paragraphs deposed to by Joe Ameh, the Executive Coordinator in the office of Zarephath Aid dated the March 8.”

The applicant’s counsel referred the court to the provisions of Section 35 (1) of the Constitution and submitted that it was inferable that whenever a deprivation of right to personal liberty is sought pursuant thereto, such deprivation must satisfy two conditions to satisfy the approval of the constitution.

Source: NAN

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Adeniran said this on Friday before Justice Oyindamola Ogala of the Ikeja High Court during the continuation of the cross-examination by Chrisland counsel, Mr Ajibola Ariba, who held the brief for Mr Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN).

According to her, the family doctor told her that her daughter could be having anxiety due to the upcoming examination.

She said anxiety means panic and it is not a medical condition as anybody could be anxious.

Ariba further presented the court with a video footage showing the witness speaking with visitors, including actresses Yvonne Jegede and Bimbo Thomas, who paid her condolence visits.

He told the court that in the video, Adeniran was captured narrating to her guests who paid her a condolence visit an incident when her husband held her daughter and tried to pet her to sleep after she had woken up and prepared for school at 1.00 a.m.

The witness confirmed to the court that she was the one captured in the video which had earlier been uploaded to the Internet after it was played back to her.

The counsel, thereafter, tendered it and it was admitted into evidence following no objections from the Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Babajide Martins and other defence counsel.

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The witness told the court that the inter-house sports competition took place in Agege because the school asked parents to come to the stadium as the venue for the sport activities.

Ariba, thereafter, informed the court that he was done with his cross-examination of the witness.

The prosecution also informed the court of bringing four other witnesses to testify.

Lagos State Government, on March 31, 2023, charged Chrisland Schools, its principal and vice principal and two others with the killing of the student.

The 12-year-old student was allegedly electrocuted on February 9, 2023, during the school’s inter-house sports competition at the Agege Stadium, Lagos State.

Those charged alongside the school are Ademoye Adewale (a cotton candy vendor), Kuku Fatai, Belinda Amao (Principal) and Victoria Nwatu.

Ogala adjourned the matter to March 11 for continuation of trial.

Source: NAN

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I had met Aketi very early in my legal career. I didn’t have the privilege of meeting him before I was called to bar and as a lawyer. I first encountered him as young lawyer when he contested and was elected Publicity Secretary of the bar. From thence I admired him from a distance. He was boisterous and damn down to earth. Within a few months thereafter, I was to get close to Aketi and from there we began the journey as friends as well as egbon and aburo.

Our relationship further blossomed in 2006 when we were both involved in the campaign to elect Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, as President of the NBA in Port Harcourt. Like Aketi, I stood on the conviction that we needed a fire brand and activist like Agbakoba to lead the bar at the time. This was against the sentiments of our southwest forum that believed we should support one of us. Aketi stood on the conviction that it should be what was best for the bar at that time and period of our very nascent democracy after several years and decades of military rule and on the background of our pro democracy struggles for the actualisation of June 12 mandate. Both Olisa and Aketi were deeply involved in that struggle as I was.

He was playful, a dancer and a singer. He probably would have been in showbiz, if he wasn’t a lawyer.

I recall at one of our meetings, when reminded that supporting Olisa Agbakoba against a Southwest candidate may work against him in his own future aspiration, Aketi had retorted by saying his own aspiration can be subjugated and sacrificed in the interest of what he considers the best for the bar at the time.

At the election, Aketi not only supported Olisa, he did so openly and courageously and stood with him all through the voting process. Olisa won the election and was elected as President of Nigerian Bar Association. Aketi was to succeed him in 2008, having been elected unopposed.

I was elected a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly in 2007 and Aketi was there for me as NBA President. He was not just supportive but appointed me as a member of the National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association perhaps as the first serving legislator to ever be so appointed. I served Aketi diligently as a NEC member.

I take the liberty here to tell one of the two stories in peacemaking that Aketi made.

In 2010, in the build-up to the 2011 elections, there was tension in Lagos as to whether the then incumbent governor was going to be nominated for a 2nd term in office. It was indeed tense in Lagos then. I took the initiative to call Aketi to intervene. He told me that he was not a politician and wouldn’t get involved in politics. At this time, he didn’t know that he too was close to joining us in the clean waters of politics. Aketi was in Yola, and I took a flight to meet him there, appealed to him to come to Lagos and mediate. Reluctantly he agreed and promised that he will do so. Aketi flew from Yola to Lagos, checked into Eko Hotel and invited two other colleagues who are also SANs to visit our leader. As I was told, on getting to his presence, Aketi went flat and dobale pleading that the governor be returned. That is Aketi the peacemaker.

Aketi was down to earth and said it as it is. He was pragmatic, yet humorous and result-oriented. An example of Aketi’s pragmatism was displayed in the quest to have a benefiting National Secretariat of the  Nigerian Bar Association. A committee was set up for that purpose. At one of our NEC meetings, whilst discussing the issue, one of our colleagues had gotten up to speak and suggested that we set up a “Special Purpose Vehicle” to build the Secretariat. In response Aketi said and I quote as much as I can remember,  “I don’t know about any vehicle,  whether Peugeot, Toyota or Volkswagen, all I want is to build a befitting Secretariat for NBA, so use any vehicle you like, just get the building going”.

That was Aketi the pragmatic humorist.  The building was eventually built and the skyscraper stands tall and named after him in Abuja. I also don’t know which vehicle they eventually used. It may have been a Mercedes or Rolls Royce because the structure is opulent.

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When I met Aketi in Yola to intervene in Lagos, little did he know that he too was going to be on the ballot as a gubernatorial candidate in his home state within two years of telling me he was not a politician. And hence I recall a late night in Lagos when I sauntered into Lagos House in 2011 to see the governor and I met him with Aketi. We played and gisted only for him to call me later to ask if I knew why he was in Lagos House. Of course I didn’t. He said to me that they had sent emissaries to him to come and contest the governorship of Ondo State. You could guess what my response was. He joined the fray and didn’t make it at the first attempt. He moved on in his practice and kept an eye on politics. He was to play a leading role in the formation of APC. And then came 2015 elections after President Buhari had been nominated as the candidate of APC and a Campaign Council formed and inaugurated. Aketi was Director, Field Operations and he immediately nominated me as Secretary and we set to work. He asked me to identify good heads to join us, which I did. Before then I had co- formed a support group called “Buhari for Nigeria” where Aketi and his wife, Betty were members and he proudly identified and worked hard for the electoral victory of PMB. As the most senior lawyer in our midst then, we had prayed and hoped that he would be made the Attorney General of the Federation, but little did we know that God had other plans for him. Not long thereafter, he was nominated as the gubernatorial candidate of APC. His 2012 quest was under the platform of ACN.

In the build up to the gubernatorial elections, a dinner was organised at the Civic Centre Lagos and people were listed to speak. After those who were listed had spoken and commended his candidature, he took the microphone and said there was somebody that must speak that was not listed and he called me out. I spoke and recommended his candidature with all the fibre in my being. People in the audience were to later tell me that I indeed knew Aketi because even he in his speech repeatedly said “ask Tunde Ogala, he knows me”. Like him I hold no prisoners and say it as it is. We both could sometimes even be said to be brash.

In the formative days of Amotekun, we all still recall the controversy and near confrontation between him and Aso Rock, the police and then AGF.  Aketi stood his ground on behalf of his colleagues and the South West, but there was a deadlock. One afternoon, I had been to see Asiwaju Tinubu and we discussed the issue consequent upon which I encouraged him to find a solution. He sought my advice and I gave same. He immediately picked up his phone and sent for Aketi, the IGP and AGF separately whilst he also spoke with the then Vice President. A truce was found and as usual Aketi stood his ground and Amotekun survived the still birth that was intended and was born healthy and growing till date. I recall Aketi saying to me ” Tunde, eyin ni lawyer, oya e lo ko law wa fun Amotekun.”

When I was to contest to be National Legal Adviser of APC at the 2018 convention of APC, Aketi was my champion. He called me on phone and said “BKJ, mo gbo pe o fe se legal adviser” and I answered in the affirmative. He then went further that at the South West APC leaders meeting that my name had come up and suggested by Asiwaju Tinubu. I was later told that at the mention of my name by Jagaban, Aketi immediately took up my campaign before even speaking with me. He stood by me all through and ensured I was elected unopposed. He was also my supporter as National Legal Adviser.

Before I became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Aketi was on my case. He would call and say jokingly to me “iwo boy yi, se o ni apply fun SAN mo ni ki won to pin tan?” Aketi encouraged me, kicked my ass and gave me the push till I was conferred with the rank. And on my nomination and conferment, I received a beautifully written congratulatory letter from the Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN.

I am sure we all recall Aketi’s outspokenness on southern presidency against the wishes of some very powerful interests within and outside the presidency at the time, even when some of his colleagues were being evasive.

He boldly stood up for the South to produce the presidency in 2023 and especially for his leader Asiwaju Tinubu, who is now president.

I recall that when asked about his position on the Presidency and who to support, even before President Tinubu declared his interest, Aketi said and I quote to the best of my recollection: “We are waiting for our leader Asiwaju to return from his trip to tell us where to go. He is our capone.” That was Aketi already declaring his loyalty based on his conviction.

His support for President Tinubu at the Presidential Primaries and subsequent election was undiluted and absolute. He stood firm for a southern presidency and President Tinubu even where some of his colleagues vacilitated.

Like he will say to me, Asiwaju has his own fault and shortcomings, but I cannot forget and betray his benevolence towards me. That was Aketi. He was not an ingrate.

He was playful, a dancer and a singer. He probably would have been in showbiz, if he wasn’t a lawyer.

A good man has gone to be with the Lord. Aketi was a good man.

Aketi was selfless. I still recall his selflessness almost fanatical dedication and unparalleled hard work in the tough and tedious legal journey to retrieve the mandate of ACN in Osun and Ekiti states. Not forgetting Ondo State where he stood up for Governor Mimiko of Labour Party. Aketi perhaps did most of these matters pro bono. I don’t recall him ever taking a brief against a progressive. Aketi will not do it. He was not mercantile. He practised law with conviction and not just for material gains. There were briefs that he wouldn’t touch, no matter the proposed remuneration.

A good man has gone to be with the Lord. Aketi was a good man.

Aketi the songito will sing for the angels in heaven.

Aketi the dancer will dance for them in heaven.

Aketi the advocate and defender of rights will defend the rights of the heavenly beings.

Aketi the loyalist has been loyal to his God and will continue to be loyal in heaven.

Good night, Good man.

Good night, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, CON; SAN.

O daaro.

*Ogala, OFR; SAN is former Legal Adviser of All Progressives Congress

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Adeniran told the court that he was informed by the school’s nurse that his daughter, aged 12, was already dead in the stadium before she was taken to a hospital.

He said that the nurse told him that the daughter’s eyes were already dilated but she could not pronounce her dead because she was not a doctor.

Lagos State government had on March 31, 2023, charged Chrisland School Ltd., Opebi, and its principal, vice principal and two others for the death of Whitney Adeniran.

The 12-year-old student was allegedly electrocuted on February 9, 2023, during the school’s inter-house sports at Agege Stadium, Lagos State.

The defendants were arraigned before Justice Oyindamola Ogala.

Those charged alongside the school are Ademoye Adewale (a cotton candy vendor), Kuku Fatai, Belinda Amao (Principal), and Victoria Nwatu.

The defendants are standing trial for involuntary manslaughter and reckless and negligent acts.

While being cross-examined on Monday, Adeniran who is the first prosecution witness, said that he could not remember anybody informing him that oxygen was administered on his daughter at the hospital she was taken to.

He was led in evidence by  counsel to Chrisland Schools, Mr Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN).

When asked if the student was absent from school on February 2, 2023, due to illness, Adeniran replied, “She was absent from school, but she was not ill.”

The witness said that, on January 20, 2023, the school called his wife (the deceased’s mother) and informed her that Whitney was ill.

He said that his daughter was then taken to Inland Specialist Hospital where a doctor prescribed drugs for her.

He testified that he got to know the name of the drugs from the doctor’s report obtained from the hospital and dated February 16, 2023.

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Adeniran listed the drugs as Nitrazepam and Amitriptyline.

When asked if he was informed by the Agege Central Hospital and Diagnostic Ltd. that his daughter died of cardiac arrest, the witness said that he was informed that she died of cardiac arrest.

The witness, however, told the court that he could not remember if the school’s nurse mentioned anything about administering oxygen or cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the deceased.

“The nurse said she tried all she could but my daughter  had already died before being taken out of the stadium.

“She said her eyes had already dilated, but she could not pronounce her dead because she was not a doctor,” he said.

Adeniran had testified before the court on May 25, 2023.

Justice Oyindamola Ogala adjourned the case until January 24 for continuation of cross-examination of Adeniran.

Source: NAN

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Some of the consignments intercepted by NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, at courier houses in Lagos include: tramadol 225mg concealed in hems of new jeans trousers heading to Cyprus; shipment of cannabis sativa hidden in heads of dolls going to Dubai, UAE; sachets of tramadol 225mg buried in tins of milo beverage going to UAE and another set of same drug hidden in local soap also going to UAE, as well as a consignment of methamphetamine concealed in buttons heading to Hong Kong.

A shipment of another illicit substance coming from Florida, USA was equally intercepted at a courier firm while the recipient, Daniel Ogi, was tracked by NDLEA officers and arrested at 5 Akeem Shittu Street, Ajao Estate, Lagos on Friday, November 24, 2023.

Operatives in Lagos on Friday, December 1, also arrested a drug kingpin, Okechukwu Ogala, 56, who specialises in exploiting and recruiting young citizens to export meth to Asian countries.

He was arrested at Blue Moon Hotel in Okota area of Lagos with 60 wraps of methamphetamine weighing 1.009 kilograms.

In another operation in Lagos, operatives on Friday, December 1, recovered 393kgs of cannabis in a shop at Akala, Mushin while a suspect, Justin Enuonye, who deals in Canadian Loud was arrested by the police at Victoria Island and transferred to Lagos Command of NDLEA on Friday 1st December with 154 parcels weighing 92kgs.

A team of NDLEA operatives also intercepted a vehicle at Oyingbo area of Lagos and recovered 108kgs of cannabis from it, while 675 kilograms of the same substance were recovered from the store of a wanted dealer, Wahab Olota, at Adedoja area of Mushin, Lagos.

In Edo, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday, November 29, stormed the Ujiogba forest, Esan West local government area, where they recovered 5,988 kilograms of cannabis already processed and ready for distribution while a 22-year-old, Mson Bunde (a.k.a Tete Peter Joseph), found in a hut on the cannabis farm was arrested.

READ ALSO: Remains of Maj.-Gen. Yohanna Kure laid to rest in Kaduna

No less than 120,000 capsules of tramadol concealed in new sound systems packed in a Jos, Plateau state-bound bus were seized by NDLEA officers acting on intelligence along Onitsha-Awka road, Anambra State on Monday, November 27.

While 123 blocks of cannabis weighing 73kgs were recovered from a suspect, Abdullahi Muhammad Bello along Gombe-Bauchi road, Gombe State on Wednesday, November 29, operatives in Abuja seized 168 blocks of same psychoactive substance with a total weight of 101kgs from the store of a fleeing drug dealer in Kabusa area of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

No fewer than 8,000 bottles of codeine syrup were recovered by NDLEA operatives on Friday, December 1, when they intercepted a vehicle transporting the opioid along Abuja- Kaduna road, with the driver, Shamsu Isiyaku and his conductor, Muhammad Maina arrested.

Same day, operatives also arrested Ernest Esechie, 30, with 44.4 kilograms of compressed cannabis sativa along Gwantu- Sanga road, Kaduna.

In Kogi, NDLEA officers arrested Ahmad Umar, 18, with 46.4kgs cannabis at a check point in Kabba, while Jamilu Zakari, 32, was nabbed at Kofar Idi, Kandahar, Bauchi town, Bauchi State with 125 blocks of same substance that weighed 146kgs.

At least, 542.3kgs of cannabis were recovered from a suspect, Festus Egeogoli, 32, when his base at Jakpa road, Warri, Delta State was raided by NDLEA operatives on Wednesday, November 29, while 125.9kgs of same substance were also seized from a store in the same area.

With the same vigour, the various commands of the agency across the country continued with the War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, advocacy campaign in the past week.

Some of them include: WADA sensitisation lecture for students of Phrankstars School, Awka, Anambra; students of Taskar Alkairi Primary and Secondary Schools, Goburawa, Dala local government area,  as well as Natsugune  Primary and Secondary Schools, Ungogo local government area, Kano;  students of Kevqueen College, Itanla, Ondo West local government area, Ondo; students of Unibek Group of Schools, Port Harcourt, Rivers; students of The Apostolic High School, Ilesa, Osun, and students of Usman Jidda Shuwa Memorial Secondary School, Gamboru, Borno state.

While commending the officers and men of the Lagos, Edo, Anambra, Gombe, FCT, Kaduna, Kogi, Bauchi and Delta commands of the agency as well as DOGI for their outstanding feats in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) equally applauded their counterparts in all the commands across the country for intensifying their WADA advocacy lectures thus creating parity between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction activities.

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Justice Oyindamola Ogala gave the ruling on Friday in Lagos.

Ogala in her ruling, held that the defendant’s health was stable after spending seven weeks in the Intensive Care Unit, ICU, and discharged to face trial.

Ogala ruled that the defendant could continue to receive the care in custody.

According to her, the medical director of the custodial centre was the only authorised person to issue a medical report that indicated the need for the defendant to get external medical care.

She said: “The law is well settled to the effect that when in detention or custody the responsibility of affording the applicant access to proper medical facilities rests with those in whose custody he is, invariably the prison authorities.

“It is pertinent to state that though the applicant has placed before the court an exhibit (medical report) showing his state of health, same indicates that the defendant had stayed in the hospital for a total of seven weeks and has been discharged from the ICU and fit for trial.

READ ALSO: Train accident: BRT driver to face 16-count charge of manslaughter

“The defendant has also not shown that the correctional centre does not have the required facilities to take adequate care of him.

“The court in its considered view finds that at this time, the instant case does not warrant the exercise of its discretion in favour of granting the defendant bail.

“The defendant’s application for bail is hereby refused.”

Earlier, the defence counsel, Mr Lekan Egberongbe, prayed the court to grant Osibanjo bail to receive medical care.

Egberongbe said the defendant was an outstanding staff of Lagos State.

“My lord, the defendant has promised the court that he will not jump bail, escape upon release or interfere with the investigation.

“We pray the court to grant bail to the defendant,” he said.

The Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Dr Babajide Martins, however, urged the court to refuse Osibanjo bail.

Martins argued that the defendant was a flight risk.

“My lord, the witness may be scared of the weight of sentences the charges against him carry.

“Moreover, there are number of witnesses against him and he may likely interfere with the investigation, if granted bail.

“We hereby urge this honourable court to refuse the bail of the defendant,” he said.

Two witnesses had on May 26 testified against Osinbajo.

The defendant is standing trial on a 16-count bordering on involuntary manslaughter and previous harm, preferred against him by the state government.

The offences contravened sections 224 and 245 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State Criminal, 2015.

The case was adjourned until October 20 for continuation of trial.

Source: NAN

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Ademoye Adewale, Kuku Fatai, Belinda Amao and Victoria Nwatu are standing trial on a two-count charge  of involuntary manslaughter and reckless negligent acts.

They are charged before an Ikeja High Court but pleaded not guilty.

Whitney allegedly slumped and died during the school’s inter-house sports at Agege Stadium on February 9.

The state Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, Dr. Babajide Martins, tendered the documents while leading Whitney’s father, Mr Adeyemi Adeniran, in evidence.

Justice Oyindamola Ogala admitted the documents in evidence as there was no objection from  defence counsel.

The documents are a medical report from Agege Central Hospital, a medical report from Inland Hospital, Lagos, and a printout  of a screenshot of conversations from a snapchat group page  entitled “Lagos Housewives”.

The father of the deceased, a businessman, told the court that his daughter left his house on February 9 hale and hearty for the school’s inter-house sports.

He said that his wife was at the inter-house sports but  was not informed that her daughter had been taken to hospital when the alleged incident occurred.

He said: “My wife called me and said she was told that Whitney slumped and had been rushed to a hospital.

“She said that the principal of the school told her that Whitney was already coming up before she left to the hospital.

“I told my wife to go and check up on her at the hospital and, if need be, she should let me know so that I could be there.

“After 10 minutes, she called back and said, ‘Start coming to Agege Central Hospital.’”

Adeyemi testified that he left everything he was doing and proceeded to  Agege.

“It took me about 45 minutes to locate the place because it could not be found on Google Map.

“Eventually, when I arrived, I saw my wife by the roadside, she waved at me to stop.

“I got out of the car and told my personal assistant  to leave the car on so as to quickly pick her (Whitney) up and take her to our family hospital at Ogudu.

“My wife told me to go inside and pray for my daughter, maybe she would wake up. I got inside, I saw her lifeless body on a table in a small room,” he said.

The witness said  that he thought that his daughter  was given an injection and was  sleeping.

“In that room, I saw some teachers; so I went close to my daughter. I raised her up to my body, shouted and  tapped her to wake up.

“I prayed but nothing happened. I shouted, I tapped her severally, nothing happened.

“I asked for the doctor of the facility. I knelt down before the doctor to do whatever she could to wake my daughter up but she responded that there is nothing she could do,” he told the court.

Adeyemi quoted the doctor as saying that Whitney was brought in dead.

“I stood up and went back to the room where she was laid, while the school nurse was still standing close to her.

“I asked the nurse what happened to Whitney, and she told me she slumped.

“She said my daughter died at the stadium before she was brought to the hospital but she could not pronounce her dead because she was not a medical doctor,” he added.

He also testified that the doctor later came and told him that she would like to see him privately.

“The doctor told me that she would advise me not to waste time in burying my daughter.

“She really persuaded me. The principal and the school nurse were present.

“She said I should make sure I bury her in time and not put her in morgue and that I should not think of conducting any autopsy on her.

“I nearly agreed at a point because I did not know morgue and I had never bought a coffin.”

He told the court that the day before Whitney’s death,  he played with her and she was hale and hearty.

“So I started asking myself why I should  bury my daughter in a hurry without knowing what happen to her.

“The doctor told me to think of the money and the pain I would go through in the process of autopsy but I asked her, ‘What  pain is worse than death of a child?’”

He said that he decided to find out the cause of his daughter’s death.

Adeyemi said that later, his wife heard some noise from Whitney phone but she did not know the phone’s password.

“My sister-in-law, Amaka, knows the password; so she opened the phone and messages started dropping from her snapchat group called ‘Lagos Housewives’.

“Some students sent messages there, saying that they knew the school would not tell the parents the truth.

“One of the students said, ‘We were there and we saw what happened. She was electrocuted.

“Another one said, ‘I saw Whitney on the iron rail close to the candy machine. The wire of the machine shocked like mad, she fell on the ground, started foaming in her mouth, and one stupid man came and started putting water on her.’

“At that time, I remembered  her black lips and black tongue I saw when I saw her lifeless body at the clinic,” the witness said.

The witness further told the court that members of the school’s management came on a condolence visit and told the family not to go on social media.

“I spoke with the principal and she told me that the cause of her death might have been heart attack but I do not believe her because the autopsy result says otherwise and my suspicion was that it might have been electrocution.

“This is because I have seen people electrocuted,” he said.

The judge adjourned the case until June 1 for continuation of cross-examination of the witness.

Source: NAN

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