A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has convicted and sentenced seven persons to death by hanging over the kidnap and murder of a Christian cleric, Reverend Edwin Isaiah Dokubo-Harry.

The murder allegedly occurred in 2013 at Abalama Community in Asari-Toru Local Government Area of the State.

Those sentenced to death are Precious Jack Opara, Answer Dick, Osaki Fubara, Prince Mikado Philip, Tienabeso George, Seleipri Fubara and Alaboeriya Fubara.

The court, however, discharged and acquitted two defendants, Emmanuel Isreal and Nephew Philemon, of the 25-count charge bordering on conspiracy, kidnapping, murder, unlawful possession of firearms and other related offences.

According to the prosecution, the convicts and some other suspects still at large had, on December 6, 2013, allegedly lured the late Reverend Dokubo-Harry into a forest at Abalama Community under suspicious circumstances before abducting him.

The prosecution further told the court that the deceased was blindfolded and tied by his captors during the operation, an act which eventually led to his death while in captivity.

Investigations later revealed that the body of the deceased cleric was allegedly dumped in a creek within the area after the assailants carried out the crime.

The trial judge, Justice Boma Diepiri, while delivering judgment, held that the prosecution had successfully established the offences of conspiracy, kidnapping, murder and unlawful possession of firearms against the seven convicts beyond reasonable doubt.

He consequently ordered that the convicts be hanged by the neck until they are confirmed dead in accordance with the provisions of the law.

Justice Diepiri also directed that the firearm allegedly recovered during investigation, alongside other exhibits tendered before the court, be handed over to the Nigerian Police for proper custody and further action.

The judgment, delivered recently after years of legal proceedings, has so far brought to a close one of the high-profile criminal cases that attracted widespread public attention across the state and beyond.

The atmosphere within the courtroom turned emotional shortly after the pronouncement of the judgment, as some of the convicts and their relatives reportedly broke down in tears while security operatives maintained order within the court premises.

The judgment is expected to rekindle discourse on the need for sustained efforts by security agencies and stakeholders towards tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes across Rivers State and the Niger Delta region.

By; King Onunwor

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja to set aside the judgment that voided the timelines it issued for the 2027 general elections.

The Commission also applied for the stay of execution of the judgment, pending the determination of its appeal.

In the notice of appeal dated May 25, which INEC filed through its team of lawyers led by Dr. Alex Izinyon, SAN, the Commission urged the appellate court to consider and vacate the judgment the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered on May 20.

Aside from its contention that the high court erred in law when it failed to determine a jurisdictional issue it raised, INEC maintained that the legal action the Youth Party (YP) initiated against it was not only hypothetical but academic.

It argued that failure of the trial court to make pronouncements on the issues, resulted in the denial of fair hearing to the Appellant.

More so, INEC insisted that the high court erred in law when it held that: “It is clear from the wordings of Sections 29(1), 82 and 84 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the following can be understood. Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026 mandates Political Parties to submit the names of candidates in prescribed forms of the candidates who emerged from its valid primaries which such a political party intends to sponsor at the elections, not later than 120 days before the date of the General Election.

“What is required of Political Parties to do under the Electoral Act, 2026 is to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 21 days before the holding of its primaries, congresses or conventions, days before the holding of its primaries, congresses or conventions, or any conference or meeting convened for the election of its executive committees, other governing bodies for nominating candidates.

“The Defendant is not mandated to impose a timeframe for political parties to conduct their primaries provided that it will be done and submitted not later than the 120 days provided by the Electoral Act, 2026. See Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.”

INEC argued that the verdict of the trial court was against the weight of evidence that was placed before it by the parties.

Consequently, it prayed the appellate court for an order allowing the appeal and setting aside the judgment.

The electoral body further urged the Court of Appeal to strike out YP’s case on the ground that it lacked the locus standi (legal right) to institute and maintain the action it said was merely academic.

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has reassured the people of Rivers State of  his administration’s  commitment to the completion of the  various ongoing  infrastructure projects located in different parts of the state.

The governor, who gave the assurance last Friday while inspecting the level of work on the new  Airport Road Bypass in Port Harcourt, said the project had reached 65 per cent completion stage.

According to him, in spite of recent developments on the political scene, he remains in “high spirits,” and is ready  to continue with the task of  governance, especially the delivery of projects that will impact positively on the lives of the people.

“I want to assure our people that notwithstanding the situation of things, one thing that I can promise everyone, is that every good work that we have started, by the special grace of God, will continue and we will complete them. We’re in high spirits. Like, we always say, Rivers First,” he said.

Fubara said that his administration conceived the idea of constructing a bypass to the Airport Road to create an alternative route for the communities around the airport and avoid a situation where some of their activities could cause obstruction along the main highway leading to the Port Harcourt International Airport.

“We’ve always had these issues where the community may want to express their anger or dissatisfaction over some activities of the airport authorities, in the process they always block the airport road.

” We thought that in this modern society, such actions are not necessary anymore because whenever it happens, it affects the economic activities of the state. So we liaised with the community and created this bypass,” he said.

The governor, who  was conducted round the project site by the contractors, expressed delight at the pace of work on the road, disclosing that the total project will be delivered before October 2026.