Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Farmers in Adamawa State have urged government and
military authorities in the state to lift the total ban on the use of motor-cycle across the state.
Our correspondent reports that military authorities placed a ban on the use of motorcycles in the state two years ago due to security reasons.
A cross section of farmers, who spoke with our correspondent in Yola on Tuesday, said that there had been tremendous improvement in security situation in the state.
They said that the ban should be lifted to enable farmers in the rural areas who depended heavily on motor-cycles for farming to get some relief.
The farmers said that the ban on motor-cycles had seriously affected farming activities in the state and that something needed to be done by relevant authorities to end their suffering.
Abuja
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, has
directed Assistant-Inspectors General of Police and the Commissioners of Police in the South-South and South-East zones to disarm members of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) operating with firearms immediately.
Arase gave the directive in a statement issued by an acting Commissioner of Police, Olabisi Kolawole,who is the Force Public Relations Officer in Abuja.
The statement indicated that the directive followed the manifestation of the disposition of the armed IPOB activists to undertake premeditated attacks
on police officers engaged in operations aimed at restoring public order in the states.
Kolawole quoted the inspector-general as saying “the targeted attacks on police personnel showed that the activists have crossed the threshold in their misguided attempt to test the common will of the nation.”
Jigawa
Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria
(MACBAN), has urged nomads to desist from grazing their livestock at night in order to avoid farm land encroachment as farmers begin planting.
The MACBAN’s Secretary in the state, Alhaji Adamu Birniwa, gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Dutse.
Birniwa said that the warning has become necessary in view of the current security challenges facing the country.
The scribe also urged parents to desist from sending their under-aged children out to graze at night.
Kaduna
UNICEF said it would support states in the north to develop
plan against flood and other disasters in the country.
The UNICEF Chief of field office, Kaduna, Mr Utpal Moitra, disclosed this at a workshop on Emergency Preparedness Response Training and Flood Preparedness in Kaduna.
He said the workshop, which is an annual event, was designed to help focal persons from the north to prepare plans against disasters for their respective states.
“Whenever there is a disaster, there must be an immediate action to remedy it.
“Our Preparedness plan is to provide relief. The Fund was able to support SEMA and other agencies. So, emergency is everybody’s business.”
Katsina
The Federal Government has earmarked about N600 million
in 2016 budget to boost water supply and irrigation farming at Zobe Dam in Katsina State.
Kurfi, a member of the House of Representatives from Dutsin-ma/Kurfi Federal Consistency, stated this during an interview with newsmen to mark the All Progressives Congress (APC) one year in office in Katsina.
Kurfi said contract for the supply of water from the Zobe Dam to communities of Dutsin – ma and Kurfi would soon be awarded.
The lawmaker said about N300 million out of the amount had been set aside for irrigation at the dam to boost food production.
Kurfi said that the dam would be used for irrigation farming to generate income for unemployed youths from his constituency.
Lagos
The Lagos State Commissioner for Works and
Infrastructure, Mr Ganiyu Johnson, said the government would soon start rehabilitation of the damaged pedestrian bridge at Fadeyi Bus Stop on Ikorodu Road.
Our correspondent recalls that the state government had, in November 2015, shut the steel bridge in the area due to public outcry over its dilapidated state.
Mini-gates were thereafter used to block the entry and exit points of the foot bridge to prevent its use.
Johnson said that the state government planned to rehabilitate the bridge alongside the ongoing construction of four new ones.
Nasarawa
Vice Chancellor of Nasarawa State University, Prof.
Mohammed Akaro-Mainoma, said that the institution had lost over N627 million to the ongoing strike by its lecturers.
Our correspondent reports that the local branch of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been on strike since March 7, over unpaid allowances, promotion, tax deductions and funding.
The vice chancellor told newsmen in Keffi that the strike had seriously affected financial and academic activities of the institution.
Akaro-Mainoma, however, said that the state government had released money to the institution to pay the striking lecturers.
Niger
The Niger Basin Authority has pledged to implement an
operational plan that would preserve the region and enable it meet its full potentials.
This was the thrust of the presentation by the Executive Secretary of the authority, Mrs Toupta Boguena, at the ongoing extraordinary session of the Council of Ministers in Abuja recently.
She listed drought and population increase, as part of the causes of depletion in the river basin, saying efforts are on to preserve the region to enable it meet its full potential.
According to her, the authority is implementing an Operational Plan from the just concluded 11th Summit of the Heads of States and Governments with active participation of the nine member countries.
Ogun
A former President of the Association of National
Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), Dr Samuel Nzekwe, has advised the Federal Government to formulate policies that would reduce inflation and boost the economy.
Nzekwe gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Ota, Ogun, recently.
He said that the Federal Government needed to make policies that would lead to the growth of the economy.
Nzekwe said there were still some areas of the economy that the Federal Government needed to re-double its efforts in order to achieve meaningful result.
He also said Nigerians were waiting for the dividends of democracy through the provision of job opportunities and infrastructural development.
Ondo
Civil servants in Ondo State are to begin an indefinite
strike action this week to protest non payment of over five months salary.
The strike notice is contained in a communiqué issued in Akure by the state Chairmen and Secretaries of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).
It said that the decision followed an emergency meeting of the labour unions which reviewed the failure of the state government to pay the workers since January 2016.
“It has become unbearable that workers have not received salaries for the past five months at a stretch.
“That non-payment of salaries to workers have affected the wellbeing of workers/pensioners economically, socially, psychologically and health wise.
“That workers of Ondo State can no longer bear this situation, in view of the untold hardship suffered by these workers,” it added.
Oyo
Wife of the Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Dr
Eyiwumi Olayinka, has inaugurated an agriculture project titled, ‘Ag Impact’ to create jobs for women and youths.
Olayinka, who is also the President, University of Ibadan Women’s Society, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Ibadan.
She said the project’s vision was to eradicate poverty by empowering women and youths through sustainable agricultural projects.
Olayinka emphasised that women would be introduced to simple cutting edge technologies by working with experts with relevant skills nationally and internationally.
“We hope to explore value addition chain by keying into best practices that have been proven to have the capacity to eradicate crop glut in the production and processing of agricultural crops”.
Plateau
Vice Chancellor, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa,
Prof. Adam Habib, has advised African Governments to properly fund universities to boost their quality and ensure competitiveness.
Habib gave the advice in a key note address at the Annual Conference of Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU), which took place at the University of Jos.
“For the African continent to fully develop, its education sector must first develop.
“We cannot be economically free if we cannot produce our knowledge and tailor it towards our goals.
“To produce our knowledge, government must properly fund universities or make legislation for organisations or individual to pay for university education,” he said.
He described education as the precursor for development, stressing that no meaningful growth could be attained without adequate attention to the sector.
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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