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2009: Legal Council Handles 309 Cases In Rivers

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15 years ago

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The Legal Aid Council, Rivers State chapter, says a total of 171 criminal applications were received last year. Out of this number, 100 applications were disposed off, while about 71 are still pending in the courts.

Also, about 138 applications were received for civil cases last year, while 36 criminal cases were received between January and April this year. A total of 76 civil applications have so far been received and are receiving attention.

The state co-ordinator, Mrs Ijeoma P. Alinnor disclosed this while speaking with The Tide, Wednesday, in Port Harcourt.

She explained that the Legal Aid Council is charged with the responsibility of indigent citizens whose income cannot afford the services of private legal practitioners.

“Legal Aid Council is established to give voice to the voiceless. We go to the communities and educate them on their rights while creating awareness on the council’s activities”, she said.

Mrs Alinnor noted that the council under its civil jurisdiction also functions as a mediation centre where alternative dispute resolution measures is used to settle parties or complaints made to the council.

Alinnor, who is a senior legal aid officer in the state, said the council is also charged with the responsibility of  reviewing the cases of awaiting trial inmates who have stayed in custody and assist them in securing their release.

According to her, the major militating factor in achieving the vision of the council has been lack of mobility, inadequate funding, lack of basic equipment and lack of adequate manpower to move around in the discharge of their functions in the 23 local government areas of Rivers State.

She thus appealed to the state government through the office of the attorney-general and the judiciary to assist the council by providing the necessary facilities to enhance effective discharge of their functions.

Mrs Alinnor commended the efforts of the state judiciary in providing accommodation and furniture for the council since the inception of legal aid in the state in 1979.

She encouraged private legal practitioners to appreciate its service and donate or generate fund to boost its services.

The state coordinator also noted that the provision of access to justice is a collective responsibility, adding that “the Legal Aid Council is the only statutory body with the mandate to do justice”.

She enjoined every well meaning person and agencies in the justice delivery system to support the legal aid council to render services to humanity.

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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11 hours ago

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September 22, 2025

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Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

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NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

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11 hours ago

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September 22, 2025

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
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FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

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11 hours ago

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September 22, 2025

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
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