THE Nigerian Senator who was arrested and docked before an Abuja Magistrate Court recently, Mohammed Ali Ndume, on Monday got what was to be a reprieve that all but lasted a few minutes, before a new charge was filed against him by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN.
An Abuja Chief Magistrate Court presided over by Chief Magistrate Oyewumi Oyebola on Monday struck out the charge filed by the State Security Service against Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume over his alleged sponsorship of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram.
The action was in response to the application by the SSS’ withdrawal of the First Information Report upon which Ndume’s trial was based.
Ndume was arraigned with the spokesman of the group, Alisanda Umar Konduga, over a two-count charge of criminal breach of trust, criminal intimidation and anonymous calls.
Owing to this development, ruling on Ndume’s bail application scheduled for yesterday was postponed.
The court will today pronounce sentence on the Boko Haram spokesman, Konduga, who pleaded guilty to the charge against him and has since been convicted.
The court had at the last sitting sentenced him to nine years imprisonment but the sentence was deferred after an oral application by the prosecutor, Cliff Osagie who said investigation was ongoing.
Specifically, Konduga is accused of disclosing classified information to unauthorised persons between September 15 and November 3 in Maiduguri, Borno State and Abuja.
The alleged offence is contrary to Section 398 of the Penal Code.
Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Health plans to establish National Trauma Centres in designated states throughout the country.
The ministry will also hold a stakeholders’ meeting on medical emergency and early response on Thursday. The meeting, according to the ministry, will discuss the need to have a National Policy and Strategy for Medical Emergency and early response.
Health Minister, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, disclosed this yesterday in Jos during the sixth edition of the yearly Trauma Management Course organised by West African College of Surgeons in collaboration with Surgery Department of Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH). He spoke on the topic, “Global terrorism and a beleaguered nation: Nigeria at a crossroad.”
Chukwu was represented by the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of JUTH, Dr. Ishaya Pam.