A woman identified as Fatima has reportedly dragged her father to a Shari’a Court sitting in Kaduna State for forcing her to marry a stranger.

The 20-year-old Fatima told the court that she had someone she loved but her father, Aliyu Muhammad had threatened to take her to the village and marry her off.

Fatima’s counsel, Malam Bulama also told the court that his client didn’t file a suit against her father out of disrespect for him.

Bulama said: “The father wants my client to marry a man in their village in Niger state. Right now, she’s living in her aunty’s house because he threatened to take her to the village and marry her off.”

Also on his part, Fatima’s father, Aliyu Muhammad said his late parents chose the man for his daughter before their death and he had to respect their wishes.

“I married my 6 daughters off in the village and they are doing well. Fatima’s mother is the brain behind her stubbornness. I need permission to consult with my people over this matter,” he said.

The judge, Isiyaku Abdulrahman, held that a father under the Shari’a law, has the right to choose a husband for his daughter.

He however noted that forced marriage is not encouraged.

“You are her father, therefore you should allow her to present the person she wants to marry and if you are pleased with his religion and character, you allow her to get married,” the court held.

The stage is now set for the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Bolnaan Dongban-Mensem to formally unveil members of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) that would adjudicate on all petitions filed against the declaration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winners of the disputed 2023 Presidential election.

The unveiling of the tribunal members slated for Monday, May 8, 2023, would be carried out at the Court of Appeal Headquarters in Abuja.

Justice Dongban-Mensem since the presidential election result was made public, kept the names of the tribunal members to her chest to avoid undue influence on them.

The unveiling of the tribunal is coming on the heels of the Action Alliance (AA) and its Presidential Candidate in the election, Solomon David Okanigbuan notifying the tribunal of their intentions to withdraw their petition against the declaration of Tinubu as Nigeria’s President-elect.

The notice of withdrawal of the petition would be tabled before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) on May 8th during the inaugural sitting at the Court of Appeal Headquarters in Abuja.

A motion on notice for the withdrawal of the petition marked CA/PEPC/01/2023 obtained by MAIDAWAAREWA showed that it has been slated as the first assignment of the tribunal.

Aside from Tinubu, others listed as respondents in AA’s petition are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), All Progressives Congress APC and Hamza Al Mustapha.

However, other petitions slated for the pre-hearing session are those of the Action People’s Party (APP) marked CA/PEPC/02/2023, which has Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as three respondents.

It would be followed by that of Peter Gregory Obi and the Labour Party (LP) marked CA/PEPC/03/2023 with INEC, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Kashim Shetima and APC as four respondents.

A Cause List of the tribunal for May 8th sighted by MAIDAWAAREWA showed that the Allied People’s Movement (APM) would proceed with its petition marked CA/PEPC/04/2023 against Tinubu.

Defendants in APM’s petition are INEC, APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Kashim Shetima and one Kabir Masari.

MAIDAWAAREWA learned that the petition by Abubakar Atiku and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) marked CA/ PEPC/05/2023, would be treated last and has INEC, Tinubu Bola Ahmed and the APC as three respondents.

Our correspondent observed that the Court of Appeal’s Main Court Hall to be used by the tribunal has been locked up as part of security measures while security operatives have been deployed to the premises to ward off possible security breaches during the proceedings.

It was also gathered that all parties in the five petitions have been served with hearing notices through the Chambers of their respective lawyers.

Three people have been confirmed dead with 271 households displaced following a heavy downpour in Labba Kuka community in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.

Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) revealed this on Sunday through its verified Facebook page.

The agency noted that its Flood Response Team along with Councilor representing Mutai Ward and community leaders jointly conducted an assessment of the area to ascertain level of damage caused.

“A total of 271 households with over 1,600 individuals were affected and have been profiled.

“Sadly, three persons died with nine others sustaining injuries as a result of the flood incident”, SEMA posted.

According to the state humanitarian agency, the deceased have since been buried, while the injured ones were referred to neighbouring hospital in Bajoga, Gombe State for medical attention.

“SEMA will follow up with Bagoja hospital and ensure victims received treatment with government support.

“SEMA will intensify resource mobilisation and provide immediate support to the affected victims. Humanitarian actors working in the affected communities would be mobilized to key in to complement Government effort”, it assured.

The agency further noted that, it has tasked Gujba Local Government authority to prioritize provision of water as well as basic primary health care in response to the plights of the displaced persons.

SEMA assured to continue with its local government level stakeholders’ engagement for seasonal flood mitigation and prevention inline with NIMET and NEMA early warning signs.

The Nigeria Police Force has granted Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the suspended Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), bail.

Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi confirmed the bail in a statement to MAIDAWAAREWA on Friday.

Yunusa-Ari has been in custody for interrogation over allegations of impropriety during the supplementary governorship election in Adamawa State.

“He is expected to report at the Police Headquarters every weekday while investigations are ongoing on the matter,” Adejobi added.

Yunusa-Ari announced Aisha Binani of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the April 15 rerun under controversial circumstances.

A strong Vigilante group supported by the Taraba State Government has killed three suspected bandits in Sansani Chiefdom of Gassol Local Government.

The Vigilante in an operation to flush out bandits in Gassol and Bali Local Governments which Commence the operation since early last year arrested and executed two ‘Bokolo’ Fulani, identified as Shehu Alhaji Umaru and his brother Debbu Alhaji Umaru at their settlement at Kauyen Sa’idu Village area on the midnight of Saturday as well as Alhaji Mustafa Adamu popularly known as Sarkin Shanu in Sansani town on Sunday morning for their alleged involvement in banditry, Kidnapping and Armed robbery.

The Vigilante who arrived Sansani at about 11pm on Saturday night camped at Sansani Primary School for two days without informing the Jankada of Sansani Chiefdom Abdulmutallib Nuhu Muhammed Bello and not talked to any of the Village or Ward heads in the Chiefdom.

Speaking to maidawaarewa reporter in Jalingo Abdulmutallib, the Jankada of Sansani Chiefdom said “During their two days stay at Sansani Primary School non of them came to me so I am not in anyway in the picture of their operations what I only know is that Last year traditional rulers in Gassol and Bali Local Governments were summoned for a meeting with His Excellency the Executive Governor of Taraba State Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku where we were mandated to form a strong Vigilante group to fight the menace of all types of criminalities in the two Local Governments to flush out bandits in the communities the operation started since last year”.

Abdulmutallib also said “in August last year, the same Vigilante who has the mandate of the State Government entered Gwiwan Kogi, one of the Village areas in Sansani Chiefdom and killed two Bokolo Fulani suspected bandits without coming to me or sending anyone to inform me, but when I learned of the operation I sent the leader of the Vigilante group in Sansani Chiefdom, Bala Inusa who was later killed by bandits to go and tell the Vigilante to leave my Chiefdom but before he arrived the Bokolo settlement and the Vigilante had already left but he met them on the way at kufayi and told them my message.”

The Jankada said to his astonishment “when the Stakeholders Peace Committee in Gassol one Constituency headed by Senator Dahiru Bako heard of my message to the Vigilante they called me for a meeting in the house of the Senator in Jalingo and accused me of hiding bandits in my domain by showing my anger that the Vigilante entered my domain and carried out operation without my knowledge” “That’s why when the second group of the Vigilante visited this time around and camped at Sansani Primary school without informing me I decided to keep mute so that I Will not be accused again for any wrong doing as they carried out their operation for two days and left Sansani on monday”.

He said, however, the leaders of the Vigilante headed by one Riga and Julde came to his palace on Monday morning after completing their operation and were about to depart and asked him to gather his subjects because they learned that the people were grumbling about their operation and the killing of the the three suspected bandits for them to explain to them and I called my Village and Ward heads, the relations of the executed suspects and his subjects who came in their numbers.

“The Commander of the Vigilante explained to the gathering why they arrested and executed the trio that they carried out similar operations in seven locations in Gassol and Bali Local Governments and the three persons were mentioned as part of the gang of bandits operating in the two Local Governments and they investigated them thoroughly and confirmed their involvement in most of the bandits operation in that axis that’s why they arrested and killed them As they are required to do when they investigated and confirmed the involvement of any person in any act of banditry in the two Local Governments which have been going on since last year”.

“I am wholeheartedly saying that I don’t know anything about this operation as far as I am concerned the Vigilante is being supported by the State Government and I cannot dabble on anything that is supported by the Government that I am serving for the peaceful coexistence of the people of my Chiefdom and Taraba State and to avoid further accusations from any quarter”. the Jankada reiterated.