Nation
THE STATES
FCT
The Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’i, has
called on ECOWAS to support efforts at improving education in Africa.
This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Aliyu Othman,
the Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister, in Abuja on Tuesday.
The statement said that Rufa’I made this known at the
opening of the conference of ECOWAS Ministers of Education.
She noted that it was the desire of the Conference of Ministers
of Education of the African Union that education should receive a boost in line
with the AU Second Decade of Education Action Plan 2006-2015.
The minister called on the ECOWAS Ministers of Education to
popularise the tertiary education subsector as a means of developing the skills
required for the improvement in technological, health and research.
Gombe
The Gombe State Government has distributed 60 tonns of
improved seeds free to farmers to boost agricultural production in the state.
The state Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Dahiru
Buba-Biri, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN) in Gombe on Tuesday.
“Apart from the support the Federal government gave to the
Growth Enhancement Scheme, the governor purchased 60 tonnes of improved seeds
which we distributed at highly subsidised rate,’’ he said.
Buba-Biri said the open pollinated maize was purchased from
Sebore Farms in Adamawa and distributed to farmers, adding that it collaborated
with the federal Government to provide improved seeds for cotton farmers.
“Collaboration is also being brokered by the State, Federal
Government and the private sector to give support to textiles as well as
exporters so that overall market for cotton will be open.
Jigawa
No fewer than seven persons were killed, while 12 others
were injured in floods that ravaged some communities in Kafin-Hausa Local
Government Area of Jigawa.
Alhaji Ahmad Zango, the Deputy Chairman of the local
government, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Kafin-Hausa
that 700 houses and many hectares of farmland were also destroyed by the flood.
Zango said that the casualties were recorded at various
collapsed buildings in the communities.
“Dozens of residential homes were destroyed by flood which
killed seven persons and injured 12 others.
“Farm produce, such as rice, maize, millet, sesame seeds and
beans, were also destroyed,” Zango added.
Jos
Governor Jonah Jang
of Plateau has charged political appointees in the state to deliver their wards
in the October 6 bye-election to the People Democratic Party (PDP) candidates
or resign.
The governor said this at a campaign rally for the Plateau
North senatorial as well as the house of assembly seats in Barkin Ladi on
Tuesday.
Our correspondent recalled that the seat became vacant
following the demise of Sen. Gyang Dantong and Mr Gyang Fulani, the majority
leader of the assembly.
“My commissioners, Special Advisers and Council Caretaker
Chairmen in the Plateau North senatorial district must ensure that they deliver
their wards in this bye-election or tender their resignation letters.
The governor said that the bye-election was so crucial to
PDP and would not tolerate any laxity on the part of the appointees.
Kano
The Federal Government has started the training of farmers
in Kano State to minimise the amount of dioxin emission into the atmosphere
from open burning sources.
Alhaji Mohamed Maleh, the project manager of Less Burnt for
Clean Earth, a project of the Federal Ministry of Environment, announced this
on Tuesday at a training workshop for farmers in the state.
Our correspondent reports that dioxins are by-products of
various industrial processes and are commonly regarded as highly toxic
compounds that are environmental pollutants.
Our source reports that the three-day training workshop on
alternative approach to open burning of agricultural residue/waste was
organised by the ministry in collaboration with UNDP and Global Environment
Facility.
Kebbi
The International Fund for Agricultural Development
(IFAD)-supported Community Based Agricultural and Rural Development programme
(CBARDP) has reached 1.3 million rural dwellers in Kebbi, Katsina and Zamfara
States, an official said.
Ms Atsuko Toda, the IFAD country representative, made the
statement on Tuesday in Birnin Kebbi while addressing the wrap-up programme of
the FGN/IFAD supervision mission to the states.
She said 550,580 women, representing 41.5 per cent,
benefitted from the programme in the states.
She said 1,815 rural community groups also benefitted from
the programme while 543 community infrastructure were provided.
Toda said there was 200 per cent increase in rice
production, sorghum, recorded 94 per cent, while millet rose by 279 per cent.
Kogi
Kogi Deputy Governor Yomi Awoniyi says the State Government
will acquire and distribute mobile toilets for the use of the 12,000 displaced
persons in the state.
This is contained in a statement by Mr Michael Abu, his
Press Secretary in Lokoja on Tuesday.
According to the statement, the state is worried about the
possibilities of an outbreak of epidemics in the flood victims’ camps.
The statement stated that the state Ministry of Health had
been empowered to prevent the outbreak of epidemics in the state, added that
the mobile toilets was part of measures to keep the camp clean from diseases.
It expressed the commitment of the State Government toward
tackling the effects of devastation caused by the floods in the state.
Kwara
The Federal Government will engage 1,500 workers through the
Integrated Irrigation Dam Project in Eyekonrin-Araromi, Kwara, an official has
said.
Alhaji Abubakar Aduagba, the Managing Director of the Lower
Niger River Basin Authority, Ilorin, announced this in Eyekonrin, Asa Local
Government Area during the National Good Governance Tour to the project on
Tuesday.
Aduagba explained that the construction of the dam started
in 2009 as constituency project of Mr Ayo Adeseun, a member of House of
Representatives, which was funded by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.
According to him, the 1.3 cubic metre dam will also provide
5,000 gallons of water per day for the people living in the area.
He also said that the National Directorate of Employment
(NDE) took advantage of the project to build structure in the area to train
graduates in farming and fishing.
Lagos
The president of the National Association of Nigerian
Traders (NANTS), Mr Ken Ukaoha, on Tuesday commended the Federal Government for
banning the importation of poultry products.
Ukaoha told our correspondent in Lagos that the ban had encouraged
the production and consumption of local breeds.
He said that there was remarkable success in wealth creation
for poultry farmers and those of several other items on the prohibition list.
He said through that policy more farmers had been productively
engaged.
Ukaoha stressed that with the increasing population in the
country, government should popularise local products.
The president, however, noted that the ban was not the best
way to achieve sustainability.
Mina
The management of Niger Tornadoes FC of Minna says it will
recruit a new technical adviser following the suspension of its technical
adviser, Mr Justine Tenge.
This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Suleiman Isah,
the club’s Media Officer, in Minna on Tuesday.
According to the statement, the indefinite suspension of
Tenge is still effective while the club is following the due process in
recruiting a new adviser.
The statement stated that 12 applications had been received,
noting that a committee would scrutinise and shortlist the successful
applicants for interview.
He said the club took the step because the national league
would start on October 28 and the new adviser would be expected to recruit and
groom players.
Nassawa
The Living Faith Church of Nigeria has donated a modern police
station worth N50 million to the Police Command in Nasarawa State.
The station is at Auta-Baleifi community, Karu Local
Government Area, Nasarawa State.
During the inauguration of the station on Tuesday, the
President of the church, Bishop David Oyedepo, said the gesture would assist
the police in fighting crime.
Oyedepo said “considering the prevailing security situation
in the country, the church thought it wise to assist the police in providing an
enabling environment for them to tackle crime and criminality bedeviling our
society.”
Represented by the Vice President of the church, Bishop
David Abiyoye, Oyedepo said the church donated the facility as part of its
contribution to national development and enhancement of security.
Ondo
Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu said on Tuesday that an ACN
government would cater more for the people of Ondo State if the party wins the
October 20 governorship election.
Tinubu made the promise in Ikare Akoko at the Mega Rally of
Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) for the poll.
He told the crowd that the wind of change blowing across the
South- West zone would come to the state “if ACN wins the governorship”
election.
Tinubu said the regional integration of the zone would not
be complete without Ondo State and called on the people to vote for the ACN
candidate, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, to be part of that development.
He promised that the tomato factory in Ikare would be
sustained and made to produce at optimum capacity.
Sokoto
Most Rev. Hassan Kukah, the Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Sokoto
State, says the military administrations are responsible for the lack of
meaningful development in Nigeria.
Kukah told our correspondent in Sokoto on Tuesday that the
military only succeeded in destroying the solid foundation of the nation’s
democracy.
He said that other countries that had similar military
incursions in leadership had a different experience.
“But in our own case the greed of the military led to their
intervention which destroyed the foundation laid by the nation’s founding
fathers,’’ he said.
He explained that the Nigeria military had no capacity to
provide basic infrastructure to the governed for all the years they were in
power.
He said, “the greed of the military that led to the myriad
of military coups destroyed even the foundation of the military itself and this
truncated democracy in Nigeria.’’
Yola
Agricultural inputs worth more than N7 million were on
Tuesday in Yola distributed to 27 farmers’ groups from nine local government
areas of Adamawa.
Mr Chris Maxwell, the Project Manager of the Agricultural
Development Project ADP in Adamawa, gave the figure during the distribution of
the items.
Maxwell said that the inputs distributed were under the
community-based agriculture and rural development project.
He said, “Last year under the programme assorted
agricultural inputs worth N15 million were distributed, and similarly this
year, items worth more than N7 million will be distributed to farmers.
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.”