Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to sustain its policy of subsidising fertiliser and other farm inputs
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Prof. Sheikh Abdallah, gave the assurance recently in Yola at the opening of the 1st General Assembly of Nigerian farmers organised by the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN).
Abdallah said government was aware of the challenges facing agriculture and would do its best to address them.
He said that Federal Government had procured about 900,000 tonnes of fertiliser for the 2010 farming season.
Bauchi
Minority tribes in Dass, Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Local Government Areas of Bauchi State, have appealed to the people of Bauchi-South Senatorial District to allow them produce the next senator from the zone in the interest of political balancing.
The minority tribes made the call through their spokesman, Alhaji Ali Wakili, in an interview with newsmen in Bauchi.
The Bauchi-South Senatorial District comprises seven local government areas out of the 20 council areas of the state. They are Bauchi, Alkaleri, Dass, Kirfi, Tafawa Balewa, Bogoro and Toro Local Government Areas.
Benue
The Rt. Rev. William Avenya, the Auxiliary Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, on Saturday urged 13 newly ordained priests of the Church to be committed to their calling.
Avenya was delivering a sermon at the ordination of the priests at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral, Makurdi, saying the call to the priesthood was a call to humility.
“Jesus addressed his disciples and told them that those who want to be first must be last, and those who want to be great must be servants.
“The spirit of God is given to the ordained for the benefit of the people of God, for the salvation of the people of God.
FCT
A review of the Land Use Act will enhance the productivity of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), according to its Managing Director, Mr. Terver Gemade.
Gemade, speaking at the Forum of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja, said it had become imperative to remove the bottlenecks associated with land acquisition.
The Tide’s source reports that the Land Use Act, enacted in March, 1978, transferred the title and ownership of land from individuals and communities to the government.
The managing director said the authority would not urge the abrogation of the Act.
Kaduna
Mr Jonathan Kish, a Member representing Kaura Constituency at the Kaduna State House of Assembly, said he had supplied hospital equipment worth more than N150 million to some hospitals.
The Tide’s source reports that the equipment were supplied in collaboration with an International NGO, “Project Cure”.
Kish said this while speaking at a constituency briefing held at the local government secretariat, Kaura, in Kaduna State, on Saturday.
He said the equipment were supplied to Kaura General Hospital and Turaki Buga Memorial Hospital, Kagoro.
Kano
Kano State Government has inaugurated its N945 million liaison office in Abuja.
Speaking on the occasion, the Governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, said the building would be fully commercialised to generate revenue for the state.
“ When we came in 2003, this was one of the few projects that we put on the drawing board and although we started it we were unable to complete it during our first term in office.
“But with God on our side, we were able to complete the project in this second tenure to the joy of every indigene of the state,’’ he said.
Katsina
The PDP in Katsina State on Saturday raked in N324 million at its fund raising and foundation laying for its permanent secretariat in the state.
The highest donation of N50 million came from the Chief Launcher, Alhaji Dahiru Mangal, whose company, Afdin Construction Coy, won the contract for the secretariat.
Other donors included members of the House of Representatives from Katsina, N30 million; Alhaji Manir Abukur, N20 million; Alhaji Abdulaziz Maigoro, N20 million; and Senators from Katsina, N15 million.
The state political appointees, the state and local government civil servants donated five per cent of their salaries each which amounted to N120 million.
Speaking at the launch, President Goodluck Jonathan, represented by his Special Adviser (Political), Dr Akilu Indabawa, commended PDP for taking a bold step to construct its secretariat in Katsina.
Kebbi
Arewa Local Government in Kebbi has been meeting with health officials from Niger Republic on ways to avoid outbreak of diseases, the sole administrator, Alhaji Nurudeen Usman, says.
He told newsmen in Kagiwa that regular meetings were held to ensure effective conduct of Polio immunisation, adding that the cooperation “has assisted in preventing the spread of the disease”.
“We share ideas on eradication of Polio and diseases as people from both sides engaged in similar socio-economic activities with common market, same cultural background and inter-marriages,” he said.
He said people from both sides often travelled for business and social activities as they “relate well in line with ECOWAS treaty”.
Lagos
Engineering and Construction workers have urged the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission not to exclude them from benefiting from the minimum wage being worked out by the Federal Government.
The Justice Alpha Belgore-led committee set up by the government on new minimum wage for Nigerian workers recently recommended N18,000 as the minimum wage.
The proposal, if approved by the executive and legislative arms of the Federal Government, must be implemented by all employers in private and public sectors with up to 50 workers.
Ondo
The Ondo State House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture has advised the state Ministry of Agriculture to ensure proper disbursement of the N1 billion World Bank loan to farmers.
The chairman of the Committee, Mr Idowu Adebusuyi, who gave the advice on Friday in Akure at a news conference, said the Assembly had given approval to the ministry to disburse the loan.
Adebusuyi said the Committee had also advised the ministry to ensure that only farmers benefited from the loans, warning that the money should not be disbursed outside the farming season to avoid diversion of the fund to other uses.
Oyo
Two Action Congress chairmanship candidates in Oyo, Akinyemi Akinlabi and Femi Adelakun, have called for the doctrine of necessity to enable the appeal tribunal in the state to hear their case.
In a petition to the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Bolajoko Adeniji, the candidates said the call followed the strike by the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) which affected their case.
A statement by the party’s Director of Publicity, Mr Wasiu Olatunbosun, in Ibadan on Friday, said the doctrine would enable the election appeal tribunal to dispense with their cases against the candidates of the People Democratic Party (PDP).
Plateau
PDP pioneer National Chairman, Solomon Lar has cautioned individuals claiming to be speaking for the north against portraying the region as “sectional and parochial”.
Lar told newsmen in Jos that such “self-acclaimed” leaders were “anti-democratic elements and enemies of the north”.
“I am constrained to restate that some undemocratic characters are trying to make the north look sectional and parochial.
“I find it necessary to state here that such an impression is not true of the north; national interest, fairness and unity are our guiding principles in the north,’’ he said.
Osun
The Osun State Commissioner for Land, Mr Ayo Akinsomi, says the scarcity of land for young farmers is due to lack of coordination among the three tiers of government.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen in Osogbo, the commissioner said ideally, land should not be a barrier to young farmers.
Akinsomi said the country had enough land for the purposes of agriculture and other economic activities in accordance with the Land Use Act.
Akinsomi observed that scarcity of land usually arose because of coordination problems, stressing that ‘‘coordination among government authorities is the solution”.
Using Malaysia as an example, Akinsomi explained that the country achieved its present feat with the establishment of the Federal Land Development Agency (FELDA).
Zamfara
The wife of the deputy governor of Zamfara, Hajiya Aisha Moukhtar, is dead.
Alhaji Habib Alhassan, the press secretary, to the deputy governor, who announced the demise on Friday in Gusau, said Aisha died at Daula hospital in Gusau on Friday after a brief illness.
The late wife of the deputy governor, who died at the age of 28, left behind one child and her husband, the statement stated.
Gov. Mahmud Shinkafi, traditional rulers, politicians and top government officials were among the hundreds of people who attended the funeral prayer.
Nation
Zabbey Emerges Social Impact Man Of The Year 2025 …Reaffirms Commitment To Ogoni Transformation
The Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, has been named Social Impact Man of the Year 2025 by Daily Independent Newspapers.
The award was presented at the Independent Awards 2025 Silver Jubilee Edition held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos, as part of activities marking the organisation’s 25th anniversary of editorial excellence.
Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of Independent Newspapers, Steve Omanufeme, said the award recognises individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and transformative impact in their respective fields. He explained that recipients emerged through a rigorous process involving public voting, editorial board scrutiny, and assessment by a panel of judges.
Omanufeme noted that Zabbey’s selection reflects his outstanding contributions to environmental restoration and community development in Ogoniland through the Ogoni cleanup project.
With over two decades of experience spanning research, advocacy, capacity development, and administration, Zabbey has, within three years of leading HYPREP, implemented people-focused initiatives aimed at improving livelihoods and restoring degraded ecosystems.
Under his leadership, the project has reportedly created more than 7,000 direct jobs and facilitated the training of thousands of youths and women in high-demand skills, including mechatronics, cybersecurity, commercial diving, underwater welding, and data analytics.
HYPREP has also trained over 5,000 beneficiaries across 21 vocational skill areas, providing start-up kits to support entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.
In the area of environmental sustainability, the agency has established 31 environmental clubs in secondary schools and trained 2,500 youths with International Maritime Organization (IMO) certification to support shoreline cleanup and mangrove restoration efforts.
The project has recorded significant ecological milestones, including the cleanup of over 1,000 hectares of shoreline and restoration of 560 hectares of mangroves. This progress contributed to the designation of Ogoni mangrove wetlands as a Ramsar Site of international importance.
Beyond environmental remediation, HYPREP has expanded its social intervention programmes to include educational grants and scholarships for over 1,000 students, support for small and medium-scale enterprises, and skills training for persons living with special needs.
Infrastructure and healthcare development have also featured prominently, with ongoing projects such as the Ogoni Specialist Hospital, a Cottage Hospital, the Ogoni Power Project, and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration. The agency has further strengthened emergency healthcare delivery by donating five ambulances to medical facilities in the region.
Additionally, potable water has been provided to more than 40 communities, alongside the construction of wind-powered water systems in underserved areas.
Speaking on the award, Zabbey described it as a validation of HYPREP’s integrated approach to environmental restoration, healthcare improvement, and economic empowerment.
“We remain committed to delivering a cleanup that not only restores the environment but also improves livelihoods in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
HYPREP, in a statement, expressed appreciation to the management of Independent Newspapers for the recognition, the Federal Ministry of Environment for its oversight role, and the Ogoni communities for their continued support and collaboration.
The agency was established by the Federal Government of Nigeria to implement the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report on Ogoniland and restore areas impacted by oil pollution.
Nation
Rivers State Judiciary Counters NBA National Position over Contempt Ruling, Says Judge Acted Within the Law
The Rivers State Judiciary has faulted the Nigerian Bar Association National over its March 26, 2026 press release condemning the jailing of a lawyer for contempt, insisting the trial judge acted lawfully to protect the court’s integrity.
In a rejoinder issued by Chief Registrar High Court,David D. Ihua-Maduenyi, Esq., the judiciary said it was necessary to “set the records straight” following reactions to the NBA’s statement on the contempt conviction of Mrs. Lovinah Ugbana Benjamin.
Titled: “JUDGES MUST NOT BULLY LAWYERS OR
ABUSE POWER TO PUNISH FOR CONTEMPT AS A TOOL
FOR INTIMIDATION OF LAWYERS”
RE: IN THE MATTER OF CONTEMPT OF COURT BY MRS.
LOVINAH UGBANA BENJAMIN
IN SUIT NO.
PHC/301/2016 CORAM C. NWOGU J., OF THE HIGH
COURT OF RIVERS STATE.
The state judiciary explained that case in question is Suit No. PHC/301/2016 before Justice Chinwendu Nwogu of the Rivers State High Court, where Mrs. Benjamin served as defence counsel.
The statement read thus
“We are compelled to make this rejoinder regarding the
incident of the conviction for contempt and subsequent
unconditional discharge of Mrs. Lovinah Ugbana Benjamin,
Learned Counsel for the Defendants in the above suit by Hon.
Justice Chinwendu Nwogu of the High Court of Rivers State in
order to set the records straight, and not allow the
misinformation, misconception and reactions arising from the
NBA National Press Release in the matter to fester as reality or
truth.”
In the suit under reference wherein the said Learned
Counsel appeared for the Defendants, the Learned Counsel
attempted to mislead the Court by her signed and filed final
written address, by knowingly and falsely presenting non-
existent facts and evidence of a witness. When confronted by the
Court, she admitted that what she stated in her final written
the address was not true and she was unapologetic.”
“The to uphold the dignity and integrity of the Court, which the
said Learned Counsel treated with clear and brazen contempt, the
Court after following due process, convicted her for contempt and
sentenced her to prison for 3 days only, instead of the 3 months
statutory term due to passionate plea from the Bar.”
“According to the statement the suggestion of the NBA National in paragraph 10 of the
Press Release under reference that “where a court considers
counsel’s conduct improper, the proper course is to invoke
recognised disciplinary mechanisms, including referring
counsel to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee
(LPDC), rather than resorting to summary punitive measures”,
is not an invariable rule because the act of the Defence Counsel
constitutes contempt in facie curiae which the Court can punish
instantly, hence the action of the Judge is not an abuse of power
or an act of intimidation.”
“Nevertheless, due to the numerous calls from respected
members of the Bar to the offices of the Chief Registrar and the
Honourable Chief Judge for the release of the said Learned
Counsel, and the intervention of the NBA Port Harcourt Branch
delegation led by its Chairman, Mrs. Cordelia U. Eke to the Judge.
in his Chambers in the morning of 26/03/2026 where the
delegation upon learning the true facts of the incident, apologised
and pleaded for the release of the said Learned Counsel.
“The Judge
having accepted the apology signed a production warrant and
upon her production in court and oral application by Mrs. Cordelia
U. Eke, discharged her unconditionally that same morning.”
The statement further stated that It is therefore shocking to read later that day the NBA
National Press Release signed by its President and Secretary, Mazi
Afam Joseph Osigwe (SAN) and Dr. Mobolaji Ojibara respectively,
fiercely threatening and hastily advocated the following ultimata and
the immediate release of the affected
Counsel.
:That the Hon. Chief Judge of Rivers State
immediately investigate the circumstances
surrounding this incident and take
appropriate administrative action.
That appropriate disciplinary steps be taken
by the National Judicial Council, where
necessary.
That the remand of Mrs. Lovinah Ugbana
Benjamin under the circumstances be
condemned and set aside”
“That all NBA branches in Port Harcourt and
its environs and all legal practitioners
boycott the proceedings before the Court of
Hon. Justice Nwogu for a period of 7 days if
Mrs. Lovinah Ugbana Benjamin is not
released within 24 hours.
“It seems to us that it is either the NBA Port Harcourt Branch
leadership did not relate the true position to the NBA National or
if they did, the NBA National decided to speak daggers, not peace
to impugn the Judge as a villain.
“We find the position of the NBA National on this subject very
offensive and embarrassingly raising a feeling of acrimony against
the Judge in particular, and the High Court bench of Rivers State
in general. We categorically state that the Hon. Justice Chinwendu
Nwogu is one of our respected and respectful Judges with
unblemished integrity.
We view this Press Release as an isolated departure from the
enterprising and amiable leadership of the NBA National,
especially its President, whom we hold in high esteem and
admiration.”
“Whilst we appreciate the concern of the NBA National in
bringing attention to the event of 25th March 2026, we assure that
the Bench and the Bar in Rivers State remain veritable partners
in the administration of justice.
“We firmly restate that the Bench in Rivers State holds the Bar
in high esteem and this event would not disrupt the cordial
relationship between the Bench and the Bar.”
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