The 48th annual Presidential Night of Association of Friends kicked off on Saturday with a health walk.

The event was led by the President of the Club, Dr Afolabi Abiodun Tajudeen: Below are pictures from the event;

Workers at the former University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH) facility in Akure, Ondo State, have staged a peaceful protest to the Ondo State House of Assembly and the Governor’s Office over three months of unpaid salaries, alleged forced integration into the Federal University of Technology Akure Teaching Hospital (FUTATH), and the exclusion of some workers’ names from a published staff list.

The protesting workers said they embarked on the demonstration to draw the attention of the Ondo State Government to what they described as pressing issues affecting their members and demanding urgent intervention to protect their welfare, employment status and rights.

The workers marched from the UNIMEDTH/FUTATH facility to the Ondo State House of Assembly and the Governor’s Office, on Monday morning, calling on the government to address their grievances and ensure that the concerns of all affected employees were treated fairly and transparently.

One of the major issues raised by the workers was the attempt to force their members to integrate into FUTATH against their wishes.

They said they were opposed to any arrangement that would compel workers to join the new institution without their consent, insisting that the government must intervene to ensure that decisions affecting their employment were made through a fair and transparent process

“We do not want the management to force our members to join FUTATH against their wishes,” the workers said.

“We want the government to intervene and ensure that every decision concerning our members is handled fairly and transparently.”

The workers also expressed concern over the non-payment of three months’ salaries, describing the situation as a serious hardship for employees who depend on their earnings to provide for their families and meet their financial obligations.

They demanded immediate action by the state government to ensure that all outstanding salaries were paid, stressing that workers should not be expected to continue discharging their duties without receiving their entitlements.

“We are demanding urgent action regarding our three months of unpaid salaries,” the workers said.

“Our members have families and responsibilities, and we can no longer continue to suffer without being paid for our work.”

The protesting employees further raised concerns over the omission of some workers’ names from a list published by FUTATH, saying those affected were bona fide staff members whose employment status needed to be clarified.

According to the workers, the absence of their names from the published list has created uncertainty about their employment and future, leaving affected employees seeking answers from the relevant authorities.

They called on the government and the hospital management to explain why the names of some workers were missing from the list and clarify what would happen to those whose employment status remained uncertain.

“Some workers are bona fide staff members, yet their names are missing from the list published by FUTATH,” the workers said.

“We want the government to clarify their employment status and explain what will happen to these workers. They deserve justice, recognition, and a clear decision regarding their future.”

The workers insisted that the government must take their complaints seriously and ensure that no affected employee was left without a clear explanation of their status or the benefits and entitlements due to them.

They appealed to the Ondo State Government to urgently intervene in the dispute, address the outstanding salary payments, resolve the controversy surrounding the staff list and ensure that any decision concerning integration into FUTATH was handled transparently.

The workers concluded their demands with a call for justice for all affected employees, declaring that they would not accept a situation in which their members continued to work without being paid.

“No salary, no work! Justice for all affected workers!” they declared.

The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has dismissed an appeal by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and upheld a ₦12 million compensation award to human rights lawyer, Dr Monday Ubani, SAN, over his unlawful detention for 21 days in 2019.

The appellate court also awarded ₦300,000 in costs against the anti-graft agency.

Ubani’s detention followed his decision to secure administrative bail for a client who was accused of jumping bail.

Despite a court order directing the EFCC to either release Ubani conditionally or charge him with an alleged offence, the commission allegedly failed to comply, prompting his lawyer, Chief Professor Mike Ozekhome, SAN, to institute a fundamental rights enforcement suit on his behalf.

On January 5, 2022, the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Sylvanus Oriji, ruled in Ubani’s favour and awarded him ₦12 million in compensation.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, the EFCC approached the Court of Appeal, challenging the jurisdiction of the trial court and the amount awarded as compensation.

However, the appellate court dismissed the commission’s appeal, upholding the lower court’s decision and rejecting its arguments against the compensation award.

The court held, according to the account of the judgment, that the compensation was justified and that the EFCC’s investigative powers did not authorise arbitrary detention or disobedience of court orders.

The decision reinforces the principle that law enforcement agencies must operate within the limits imposed by the Constitution and remain subject to judicial authority.

It also underscores the protection of citizens’ fundamental rights and the legal consequences that may arise when security agencies unlawfully deprive individuals of their liberty.

Ubani’s case arose from his role as a surety for a client who was accused of jumping bail, raising questions about the responsibilities of legal practitioners who stand surety for defendants and the extent to which law enforcement agencies can hold them accountable.

The appellate court’s decision also highlights the distinction between legitimate investigations and unlawful restrictions on personal liberty.