Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
Only two small scale enterprises in Bauchi have met the Centre Bank of Nigeria guidelines for its intervention loans to operators in the sector, an official has said.
The Chairman of the National Association of Small Scale Industries, Alhaji Tijjani Jallaba, told newsmen in Bauchi yesterday that one other enterprise was on the verge of meeting the requirements.
He named the two enterprises as Gambo Marafa and Baba Buba, adding that Fatima Idris Enterprises was in the final stage to qualify for the loan.
“The reasons for the low patronage of the loan is the tight condition set by the CBN.
‘’ If you see what is encompassed in the scheme, you will realise that the CBN has introduced a good programme that will help to transform small scale businesses into profitable ventures.
Borno
The 21 Army Brigade, Maiduguri, has placed its men on red alert following the spate of killing of soldiers by unknown gunmen in Borno.
Lt. Abubakar Abdullahi, the Brigade’s Spokesman, told newsmen in Maiduguri that the army lost four of its officers in separate attacks last week in Maiduguri metropolis.
He said that “most of the victims were killed because of some lapses.
“The officer who was shot on Sunday at Jajeri was killed because he left the company of his colleagues, contrary to military discipline, while the officer shot on Tuesday at the State Low Cost Estate was sick.
“His assailants trailed him in the evening and took advantage of his condition by shooting him near a mosque.”
Abdullahi said that the officer was not part of the current military operations in the state, which made him unprepared.
He added that the army had always placed its men on red alert for eventualities, especially with the recent attacks.
Ekiti
An Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrate’s Court has ordered that a 27-year-old man, Akindele Ebunjobi, be remanded in prison for allegedly stabbing his brother to death.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr R.A. Adegboye, gave the order on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti, after Ebunjobi appeared before him and pleaded not guilty to one-count charge of murder.
The police prosecutor, Mr Ajiboye Bayo, told the court that the accused person on January 11, at about 10.30 p.m., at 29 Oke Odo Street, Osan-Ekiti, stabbed his younger brother Olaniyi Ebunjobi, to death.
Bayo said that the accused stabbed Olaniyi on his back and neck during an argument, and that the incident was said to have taken place in Osan-Ekiti in Moba Local Government Area Ekiti State.
FCT
The Freedom Party of Nigeria (FPN) on Wednesday called on INEC to adhere strictly to its timetable in order not to cause problem for the entire electoral process.
Chief Frank Ohwofa, the National Chairman, who made the call in Abuja during an interview with newsmen said there was no need to allow political parties to go against the existing timetable.
According to him, any favour to a political party will dash all hopes of Nigerians on credible polls.
“There should not be any favouritism to any political party because it will cause lacuna for the entire electoral process.
“Any alteration will otherwise dash all aspirations of Nigerians for credible elections as our hopes on the credibility of Prof. Attahiru Jega will also decline.
“If a waiver can be granted to any party, INEC must grant same to other parties too,’’ he added.
Gombe
The Gombe State Police Commissioner, Mr Orubebe Ebikeme, has warned that parents in the state will henceforth be held responsible for the misbehaviour of their children.
Ebikeme gave the warning in Gombe yesterday at a news conference following the continued breach of the peace in the past one week by some notorious youths known as “Kalare”.
He said, “Parents owed it a duty to the society to monitor and control the behaviour of their children.
Jigawa
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Jigawa says no fewer than 692,335 eligible voters in the state have so far been registered in the ongoing voter registration.
The Head, Department of Public Affairs and Monitoring, Alhaji Surajo Kore, told newsmen in Dutse that the figure was collated since the commencement of the exercise on January 15 up till January 18.
“Though, there were some hiccups in the first three days, things have improved tremendously in terms of the speed of the machines,” he said.
Surajo explained that the Commission projected more than 1.7 million eligible voters to be registered in the state, based on the previous exercise, especially in 2006.
Katsina
A 28 year-old man, Sama’ila Garba of Sabuwar Kofa quarters in Katsina, on Thursday bagged one year jail term and 100 strokes of the cane for fornication.
The police docked Garba before Sharia Court I, Katsina, for the alleged offence.
The arraignment of the accused followed a complaint lodged by one Hussaina Isa, also of Sabuwar Kofa quarters, on November 12, 2010, alleging that Garba impregnated her.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Abubakar Mamman, said the complainant also alleged that the accused lured her to have sex with him, which resulted to a pregnancy and subsequent delivery of a baby.
However, the accused pleaded guilty to the charge, accepting that he had an affair with the girl.
Kebbi
All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Kebbi chapter, will screen farmers that will benefit from the newly introduced CBN N1billion commercial agricultural credit scheme.
The Chairman of the chapter, Alhaji Bello Kalgo, who stated this on Wednesday in Birnin Kebbi while addressing the farmers.
He said the screening was also to ensure prompt repayment of the loan, for other farmers to benefit and for the expansion of the scheme.
Kalgo said that besides boosting farmers’ productivity, the scheme would also provide more employment opportunities for them as well as increase the revenue accruing from their farming activities.
The chairman said that the state government had guaranteed the loan with no interests attached.
He promised the farmers of the readiness of the association to attract more supports for them such as timely release of fertiliser, modern farming implements, seedlings and pesticides, especially in areas devastated by flood last year.
Ogun
The yesterday Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), Ijebu-Ode Catholic Diocese, has cleared 40 plots of land for fish farmers in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun state.
Mr. Felix Adesiyan, the Diocesan Agricultural Development Programme Coordinator, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Ijebu-Ode yesterday.
Adesiyan explained that the move was aimed at encouraging more people, especially youths, to embrace fish farming and also to solve the problem of inadequate land for fish farming in the community.
He said that each of the farmers registered with the commission would be given a piece of land for a period of five years, adding that the land would attract a token rent of N5,000.
Plateau
Brig.-Gen. Hassan Umaru, the Commander of the Special Task Force (STF) in Jos, on Wednesday appealed to the people of Plateau to be patient with the soldiers maintaining the peace in the state.
Briefing newsmen on the series of protests launched against the STF in recent times, Umaru said the force was trying to restore peace to the state.
The Tide’s source reports that one of such protests was launched on Monday at Farin Lamba, Vom, while another was recorded at Abattoir within Jos metropolis on Wednesday.
“We are trying to restore peace, but the way and manner people are talking against us is not encouraging.
“The women protest is not encouraging at all and we want to suggest that people should not allow themselves to be used because the peace of the state should be paramount to all,” he said.
Yobe
Two officials of INEC participating in the ongoing registration of voters in Nguru Local Government Area of Yobe have suffocated.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Malam Sadiq Musa, who confirmed the story, told newsmen in Damaturu yesterday that the men died on Monday and Wednesday.
Musa said that the officials failed to switch off the power generator while sleeping in their room close to the Registration Centre after working for hours.
He named the deceased as Abdulhamid Mustafa, an Inspector with Immigration Department and Aliyu Abubakar, Principal Officer with INEC’s head office in Damaturu.
The fumes filled the room in the night and they suffocated; one person died immediately while the other died the next day in a hospital, ‘’ he said.
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.”