The presiding judge of the Kano High Court, Haliru Abdullahi has
ordered a stay of proceedings on a libel suit instituted against the
multinational drug outfit, Pfizer.

Idris Mohammed, a professor of medicine had alleged that he had
been defamed by the content of Pfizer’s statement of defence in a suit brought
against the company. In the libel case filed against the company he is
demanding ₦120 million as damages against Pfizer.

Mr. Mohammed was mentioned severally in the statement of defence
filed by Pfizer as a result of the 1996 Trovan clinical trial in the outbreak
of meningitis epidemic in some northern states.

Prayer granted

Justice Abdullahi ruled in favour of Pfizer’s application for a
stay of proceedings on the matter pending when the Federal Court of Appeal in
Kaduna rule on an appeal filed by Pfizer’s lawyers on September 22 last year.

The decision came after Ado Balarabe Mahmoud who stood in for
Mr. Abdullahi prayed the court not to fall for Pfizer’s delay tactics in the
case at the Kaduna Court of Appeal.

Nelson Uzuegbu, who stood in for Pfizer, had in a 10 paragraph
affidavit applied for a stay of proceedings pending the determination of the
substantive suit at the court of appeal. He cited order 8, rule 47 and section
36 of the constitution to justify his demand.

Mr. Uzuegbu enjoined the judge to preserve the integrity of hierarchy of the
court since the appeal court is yet to determine the issue bordering the
substitution of the name of Pfizer in the libel case.

As the sale of the Nigerian Telecommunication Plc
(NITEL) to private investors is mired in controversy, scores of the
company’s staff in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Tuesday, staged a
peaceful protest against an alleged clandestine confirmation of
appointment and promotion of some top management staff.

The workers called on the federal government to intervene promptly and stop the purported promotions.

According to the protesters, the promotion will
further complicate the problem of the company when it is finally handed
over to the new owner.

While pleading with the federal government to effect
the payment of a backlog of salaries and allowances, the workers
accused it of contravening a court order which compelled it to
regularise the employment of staff who have remained casual employees
for the past 15 years and pay all their entitlements.

Ganiyu Shittu, the state chairman of the workers,
said since the order was given on 6 November, 2008 the government is
yet to implement it.

The workers said 25 March will mark the 21st month since the government last paid their monthly salaries.

Selective promotion

The staff alleged that senior officers confirmed
their own appointment and embarked on “promotion of some selected staff
to disorganise them”.

Insisting that the exercise was ill-timed, the
workers called for the intervention of the Federal Government, National
Assembly and Bureau of Public Enterprises and other Nigerians in the
matter.

“We wish to draw the attention of the Federal
Government, National Assembly, BPE and other Nigerians to the recent
unpleasant decisions of the top management wherein all the top
management staff had their appointments quietly and hurriedly confirmed
immediately after the last bidding process was concluded by the BPE.

“It is worrisome that at a time when NITEL staff are
appealing daily for the payment of the 20 months salary arrears owed
them by the government and BPE, the top management believes this is the
right time for them to confirm all their acting appointments and pacify
a selected few with promotions on the eve of handling over the company
to a new core investor,” the workers stated.

They also accused the government of not being fair to them by
delaying the payment of their salaries till it gets the proceeds from
the sale of NITEL, saying such was not the case with workers of other
privatised government companies like Ajaokuta Steel Company and the
Nigeria Airways.

As the sale of the Nigerian Telecommunication Plc
(NITEL) to private investors is mired in controversy, scores of the
company’s staff in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Tuesday, staged a
peaceful protest against an alleged clandestine confirmation of
appointment and promotion of some top management staff.

The workers called on the federal government to intervene promptly and stop the purported promotions.

According to the protesters, the promotion will
further complicate the problem of the company when it is finally handed
over to the new owner.

While pleading with the federal government to effect
the payment of a backlog of salaries and allowances, the workers
accused it of contravening a court order which compelled it to
regularise the employment of staff who have remained casual employees
for the past 15 years and pay all their entitlements.

Ganiyu Shittu, the state chairman of the workers,
said since the order was given on 6 November, 2008 the government is
yet to implement it.

The workers said 25 March will mark the 21st month since the government last paid their monthly salaries.

Selective promotion

The staff alleged that senior officers confirmed
their own appointment and embarked on “promotion of some selected staff
to disorganise them”.

Insisting that the exercise was ill-timed, the
workers called for the intervention of the Federal Government, National
Assembly and Bureau of Public Enterprises and other Nigerians in the
matter.

“We wish to draw the attention of the Federal
Government, National Assembly, BPE and other Nigerians to the recent
unpleasant decisions of the top management wherein all the top
management staff had their appointments quietly and hurriedly confirmed
immediately after the last bidding process was concluded by the BPE.

“It is worrisome that at a time when NITEL staff are
appealing daily for the payment of the 20 months salary arrears owed
them by the government and BPE, the top management believes this is the
right time for them to confirm all their acting appointments and pacify
a selected few with promotions on the eve of handling over the company
to a new core investor,” the workers stated.

They also accused the government of not being fair to them by
delaying the payment of their salaries till it gets the proceeds from
the sale of NITEL, saying such was not the case with workers of other
privatised government companies like Ajaokuta Steel Company and the
Nigeria Airways.

Despite a court
order on Monday, asking the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) to release Francis Okakuro, the Acting Accountant General of
Bayelsa State, the commission yesterday filed a case against the trio
arrested and will charge them to court this week.

A Federal High
Court sitting in Yenagoa had on Monday ordered the release of Mr.
Okakuro and two other directors of the state Ministry of Finance and
Budget. However, the spokesperson of the agency, Femi Babafemi, said
the commission still relies on a court order allowing them to be held
for two weeks before charging them to court.

“We have filed
charges against them in court already. They are to be arraigned any
moment from now, either tomorrow or the day after. We have a court
order to keep them in custody; we got the order to keep them in custody
last week.

“When we arrested
them last week, because we know that it may not be possible for us to
arraign them immediately, we approached the court to get an order to
keep them for two weeks, an order which was granted and even still
ahead of the two weeks. I know that as at today, charges were filed in
court,” he said.

Order to release

A Justice of the
Federal High Court, Faji, had directed the commission to release Mr.
Okakuro; the Director of Treasury, Abott Clinton; and his predecessor,
Anthony Ikhoboh on liberal bail conditions, pending the determination
of the motion on notice.

The three
applicants had filed a suit against the EFCC for the enforcement of
their fundamental human rights, in line with the provisions of the 1999
Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples
Rights, which do not condone the detention of anyone beyond 48 hours
without charge or trial.

The three senior
officers of the Bayelsa State government have been in the EFCC custody
since March 15, without charge or trial, and claimed that they were
also denied access to their doctors and relations.

In a statement by Doifie Ola, the chief press secretary to the
Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva deplored the arrest of the three,
describing the EFCC action as “crude, wondering why his men would be
taken away by the EFCC when no crime has been established.”

Despite a court
order on Monday, asking the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) to release Francis Okakuro, the Acting Accountant General of
Bayelsa State, the commission yesterday filed a case against the trio
arrested and will charge them to court this week.

A Federal High
Court sitting in Yenagoa had on Monday ordered the release of Mr.
Okakuro and two other directors of the state Ministry of Finance and
Budget. However, the spokesperson of the agency, Femi Babafemi, said
the commission still relies on a court order allowing them to be held
for two weeks before charging them to court.

“We have filed
charges against them in court already. They are to be arraigned any
moment from now, either tomorrow or the day after. We have a court
order to keep them in custody; we got the order to keep them in custody
last week.

“When we arrested
them last week, because we know that it may not be possible for us to
arraign them immediately, we approached the court to get an order to
keep them for two weeks, an order which was granted and even still
ahead of the two weeks. I know that as at today, charges were filed in
court,” he said.

Order to release

A Justice of the
Federal High Court, Faji, had directed the commission to release Mr.
Okakuro; the Director of Treasury, Abott Clinton; and his predecessor,
Anthony Ikhoboh on liberal bail conditions, pending the determination
of the motion on notice.

The three
applicants had filed a suit against the EFCC for the enforcement of
their fundamental human rights, in line with the provisions of the 1999
Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples
Rights, which do not condone the detention of anyone beyond 48 hours
without charge or trial.

The three senior
officers of the Bayelsa State government have been in the EFCC custody
since March 15, without charge or trial, and claimed that they were
also denied access to their doctors and relations.

In a statement by Doifie Ola, the chief press secretary to the
Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva deplored the arrest of the three,
describing the EFCC action as “crude, wondering why his men would be
taken away by the EFCC when no crime has been established.”