Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Adamawa government has spent N10 million on flood and other related disasters’ sensitisation campaign, the Deputy governor, Mr Bala Ngillari, has said.
Ngillari, who received the Director General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Muhammad Sani-Sidi, in Yola last Thursday, said the campaign was initiated following the early forecast and warning by NEMA on the possibility of flooding in some parts of the state.
Sani-Sidi was in Yola for the consultative meeting of Heads of States Emergency Management Agencies.
“Adamawa state received the warning early this year and acted immediately through continuous sensitisation of the various communities,’’ he said.
Through this campaign, disaster prone areas took actions that reduced effects and losses in some parts of the state, especially in Guyuk, Numan, Demsa, Lamurde and Yola which were flooded.
Bauchi
Some rural farmers in Bauchi state want a review of the fertiliser distribution system in the state, our correspondent learnt that most of the farmers in some rural settlements on the outskirts of Bauchi metropolis were not satisfied with the distribution method being adopted by the state government.
In separate interviews with farmers in those settlements, they told our correspondent that they see the channels through which the commodity was being distributed as unreliable.
They pointed out that the year 2011 has been the worst, in comparison with the problems experienced in previous years.
Malam Babaji Yakubu, a 56-year-old maize farmer in Inkil village, blamed lack of fertiliser for the poor harvest on his farms this year.
Mohammed Muktar of Sabon-Layivillage, noted that the situation should have been better in spite of the problems of rainfall.
Borno
A Borno High Court will on Sept. 30 deliver its judgement in a case involving a house wife who allegedly killed her daughter by setting her ablaze after poisoning her.
The woman, Rebecca Emmanuel, allegedly burnt her seven-year old daughter in Biu Local Government Area of Borno.
Emmanuel was standing trial for alleged culpable homicide punishable with death under section 221 of the Penal Code Law.
The accused was said to have taken her daughter to a bush in Biu where she gave her a bottle of maltina beverage adulterated with poison to drink.
According to the report, the seven-year girl, thereafter, became unconscious after crying of stomach pain.
The girl who later died in the bush was covered up with dry leaves and grasses by her mother who reportedly set her ablaze. However, the judgement of the case which was earlier slated for Sept. 20 was adjourned, due to the absence of the presiding judge, Justice Purtum Ngadda.
FCT
The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) says there is the the need for the country to simplify its judicial processes to ensure prompt adjudication of cases.
This was one of the recommendations of the 16th summit of the Group which ended last Thursday in Abuja.
The Group advised “all tiers of governments to simplify judicial processes on election petitions, commercial disputes and other cases in the nation’s judicial system,’’
“There is the need to reverse the culture of impunity by ensuring compliance with existing laws, procedures and regulations,” it said.
NESG urged the government to promote value-based ideologies and to intensify the war on corruption in both private and public sectors.
“Public and private sectors should have the will to allow the system to run effectively through good administration and corporate governance.
“Governments should create a rallying point for citizens to buy-into Nigeria’s Vision 20:2020 in order to deliver power, deregulation of downstream petroleum sector and education reform in the next 12 months,” it said.
Kaduna
TheFederal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has decried the spate of indiscriminate parking on the nation’s highways by drivers of articulated vehicles.
FERMA’s North West 1 Zonal Director, Mr Kaboshiyo Avongs, told newsmen last Thursday in Kaduna that many lives had been lost due to indiscriminate parking by mostly tanker drivers.
Avongs recalled that several measures had been taken to tackle the menace of indiscriminate parking to no avail.
He, however, said new measures, including outright impounding of such vehicles, were being contemplated.
Avongs expressed regrets that several discussions held with the tanker drivers union aimed at changing their attitude to indiscriminate parking were not yielding results.
He commended the Kaduna State Government for providing land to build parks for trailers at Tafa in Kagarko Local Government Area and Mararaban Jos in Igabi Local Government Area.
Avongs said the two areas were noted for the high frequency of accidents involving articulated vehicles, adding that the facilities would reduce the rate of such incidents when completed.
Kebbi
The Kebbi House of Assembly Committee on Women Affairs is to collaborate with state ministry of women affairs in tackling issues affecting women and children for sustainable development.
The Deputy Speaker of the House, Alhaji Garba Bena, told journalists in Birnin Kebbi last Thursday that an enabling environment that included logistics,useful advice and any other relevant observation, would be created for effective performance.
He said the House would address gender issues, especially the intensification and enforcement of the state law which prohibits child labour,stressing that the Law has reduced the menace of child hawking reducing children to domestic servants.
According to him, the law that prohibits stigmatisation against people living with HIV and AIDS is still enforced, stressing that from the available records released by the State Action Committee on AIDS (SACA) the prevalence of HIV and AIDS has reduced.
Kogi
The newly established Federal University, Lokoja, will formally commence academic activities in January 2012 with 200 students, its Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdulmumin Rafindadi, has said.
Rafindadi told newsmen in Lokoja that the university will take off at its temporary site with only two faculties – Arts and Social Science with few departments.
He said the faculties of engineering and education would be added over the next two or three years and said that the student population of the university may not be more than 600 at its peak.
He explained that the pioneer students of the university would be selected from the 961 applicants, who made the school their first choice in the last UTME conducted by JAMB,
More than 2,000 other applicants who made the university their second choice would not be consider for admission at all, he explained.
The vice chancellor stated that the university would hold its first post-UTME screening on Sept. 27
.
Lagos
The EFCC in Lagos has arraigned two men before an Ikeja High Court for allegedly defrauding a local government council boss of the sum of three million Naira.
Augustine Nwokolo, 46, and Kalu Emole, 48, were arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money with false pretence.
EFCC prosecutor, Mr Kayode Oni, alleged that the duo had conspired to defraud Mr Ezekiel Chukwukwere, Chairman of Nwangele Local Government Council of Imo State.
He said they committed the offence on March 15 in the Egbeda area of Lagos by collecting the sum of N3 million from the council boss.
“The duo claimed that there was a petition against Chukwukwere and that the money was to help him sweep the petition under the carpet at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja,’’ the prosecutor said.
He said Chukwukwere had lodged a complaint with the anti-graft body about a phone call which was made by one Mr Linus, demanding the money from him.
Ogun
A gender specialist, Mrs Funmi Hassan, has decried the high level of discrimination and violence against Nigerian women.
Hassan made the observation last Thursday in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun, at a two-day leadership skill training for women farmers.
The theme of the training is“Team building and Women Right”.
Speaking on the occasion, Hassan said women’s rights were those human right issues that related to women as the subordinate group in a male-dominated society.
She noted that violence against women was one of the cruel social mechanisms by which women were forced into a subordinate position.
Oyo
The principal of a public school in Oyo State and his deputy (both names withheld) were among those apprehended on Wednesday in Ibadan over illegal collection of fees.
The Commissioner for Education, Mrs Tokunbo Fayokun, announced the arrests at a news conference in Ibadan, saying the task force set up by the education ministry to check the collection of unapproved fees from parents and students took the measure.
She explained that the task force was constituted to make life bearable for parents and guardians, and ensure that the cost of education was affordable.
“The task force proceeded in its task and succeeded in apprehending some principals who engaged in the act.”
Plateau
The Court of Appeal sitting in Jos has dismissed Plateau’s Governor Jonah Jang’s appeal seeking to quash the case of his challenger and Labour Party candidate, Mrs Pauline Tallen.
The Plateau Electoral Petition Tribunal had in its pre-hearing ruling of July 25, 2011, decided in favour of Tallen, while ruling in a case filed by Jang, who had alleged that the LP’s petition against him was not filed on time and should be dismissed.
Dissatisfied with that ruling, Jang appealed against the ruling on the grounds that during the pre-hearing, Tallen willingly withdrew an application, which was the life wire of her petition.
Jang’s counsel, Mr Olu Dundare, had told the appellate court that even though the withdrawal of the application was done with the advice of the tribunal, it was a blunder made by the petitioner, pointing out that it was sufficient ground to invalidate the case.
Sokoto
Sheik Yusuf Alibawa, a Sokoto-based Islamic scholar, has enjoined prospective pilgrims to this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia to pray for peace, progress and political stability of Nigeria.
Alibawa newsmen in Sokoto last Thursday that the nation was dire need of God’s intervention.
He said that prayers by pilgrims as well as other Nigerians would enable the country to overcome the challenges facing the country, especially on security matters.
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.”