Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Coordinator, Dass Local Government Area, Bauchi State, Mr Abubakar Ibrahim, said 351 communities will soon introduce group monetary contribution to construct modern laterines.
Ibrahim disclosed this on Wednesday in an interview with newsmen in Dass.
According to him, 90 people have been trained so far by UNICEF on the monetary contribution for the project.
The measure would go a long way to allow each household to have access to modern laterine within a short time frame, Ibrahim said.
He said that the programme, which was aimed at improving on hygiene and sanitation, would reduce diseases and bad odours emanating from toilets and drains, especially during rainy season.
Borno
The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has donated fortified foods and baby kits to 600 nursing mothers in Borno.
Mrs Buhari, who was represented by the Director of Borno Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Yabawa Kolo, said the gesture was in line with the International Women’s Day celebration.
She said “I am happy to join other global leaders to call attention and recognize the importance of this very wonderful day.
“International Women’s Day events are held worldwide on March 8, to recognize the great roles and contributions of women in economic development.
“Here in Borno, we want to use the special day to identify with our nursing mothers who are victims of violence”.
FCT
The Nigerian Army has warned that it is a grievous criminal offence for any individual or community to continue to shield or harbour any known Boko Haram terrorist in their midsts.
The army spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, gave the warning in a statement last Thursday, in Abuja, after troops thwarted attempt by the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists to invade and attack Magumeri town.
Usman said the terrorists made the attempt on Wednesday evening to attack the town in Magumeri local government area of Borno, but that the timely invention of troops thwarted the attempt.
Operation Lafiya Dole on clearance operations in the North-East has been raiding suspected hideouts of terrorists, destroying their camps and neutralising them.
“Consequently, we are constrained to state that it is high time for the people to take up the fight and help the Nigerian military and other security agencies to protect them.
Kaduna
Save the Children, an International NGO, has advised mothers to adopt exclusive breast feeding to improve the nutritional needs of under-five children.
The Nutrition Advocacy Coordinator of the organization, Mr Ekene Ifedilichukwu, gave the advice at media training on nutrition reporting and budgeting on Wednesday in Kaduna.
He attributed the rejection of breastfeeding by children at birth on lack of proper positioning of the child by some mothers to the nipples of the breast.
Ifedilichukwu explained that some children immediately after birth are very eager to suck breast, adding that some mothers out of ignorance do not know how exactly to position such children to gain access to the nipple of the breast.
According to him, when the child realised that in spite of all his struggles he could not access the breast on several occasions he had tried, the brain signals him that the breast was not meant for him, hence the rejection.
Katsina
The National Association of Cassava Growers has appointed the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Farouk, as its grand patron.
The President of the association, Pastor Segun Adewunmi, who presented the letter of appointment to the Emir in Daura last Thursday, said the appointment took immediate effect.
He said the association appointed the emir to such office because of his contributions to agriculture and wise counsel to the association.
According to Adewunmi, cassava production is one of the lucrative ventures capable of generating revenue for the nation, especially if the crop is promoted the same way as other cash crops.
Kogi State House of Assembly was again forced to adjourn sitting last Wednesday due to the excessive heat and faulty generating set to power the air conditioners at the chamber.
Our correspondent who covered that the proceedings at the Assembly reports that the problem was compounded by lack of regular powered supply in the area.
The Assembly could not sit on Tuesday due to the same challenges.
The Majority Leader of the House, Matthew Kolawole (PDP-Kabba-Bunu), moved a motion for the adjournment of sitting.
He urged that the three items on the Order Paper for the day be stepped down for deliberation another day.
Lagos
The 81 Division of the Nigerian Army last Wednesday, said it had set up a Board of Inquiry (BOI), and detained six soldiers over the brutality of a woman in Lagos state.
The incident on 12 March, according to the Division’s spokesperson, Lt.-Col. Olaolu Daudu, happened in Odoguyan, Ikorodu area of Lagos.
It involved soldiers of 174 Battalion and the woman attacked has been identified in various reports as Ruth Orji.
According to reports, the Joint Legal Action Aids, which is representing her has already sued the military authorities, asking for N250million in damages.
In their reaction to the incident, the military authorities failed to disclose the names of the victim and her attackers.
Nasarawa
The Education Secretary, Lafia Local Government Area (LGA) of Nasarawa, Mr Mohammed Haliru, has threatened to sanction teachers abandoning their duty posts without official permissions.
Haliru, who gave the warning on Thursday in Lafia at a meeting with head teachers of public primary schools, said that such an action amounted to dereliction of duty.
He said that the decision was to enhance the performance of teachers in the area and be fully committed to what they were employed and being paid to do.
Haliru said that truancy, lack of punctuality, among other negative attitudes demonstrated by some teachers, were factors responsible for the fallen standard of education in the area.
Niger
The Niger State Government said it has made provisions in the 2017 budget to provide free learning materials to pupils in public schools to encourage more enrolments.
The State Commissioner for Education, Hajiya Fatima Madugu, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Minna, recently.
Madugu said children in public schools would be provided free school uniforms and other instructional materials to attract more enrolments.
She noted that the state free education programme had increased girl-child enrolment in schools drastically unlike in the past.
She noted that the provision of free learning materials would totally take children off the streets and reduce child labour.
Osun
To improve the quality of education in the country, government at all levels must invest in teachers’ education.
The Permanent Secretary, Osun Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Alhaji Kolawole Fatai, said this in an interview with newsmen in Osogbo last Wednesday.
Fatai said it was imperative for government to ensure that teachers were trained to become better qualified in their profession.
“There is urgent need for government to invest more in teachers’ education, because it is not possible to teach what you don’t know.
“Our teachers need to be exposed to training from time to time for them to meet international standards”, he said.
The SUBEB boss also called on government to adequately motivate teachers, saying lack of motivation would surely kill teachers’ morale.
Oyo
The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has urged journalists to place children’s well-being at the centre of child right abuses’ reportage in accordance with best global practices.
The UNICEF Communication Officer, Lagos Office, Mrs Blessing Ejiofor, made the call last Wednesday in Ibadan at the opening of a two-day media workshop on ethical reporting on children.
Ejiofor revealed that reportage given to incidents of child rights abuses in the country, if not in accordance with ethical journalism, often end up doing more harm than good.
“We all know that reporting on children and young people has its special challenges. In some instances, the act of reporting on children places them or other children at risk of retribution or stigmatisation.
“Hence, the aim of this workshop is to share with journalists some developed guidelines and principles that would assist them cover children in an age appropriate and sensitive manner,’’ she said.
Plateau
The Plateau Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it is poised to curb drug addiction among youths in the state through sensitisation.
The Commandant of the corps in the state, Mrs Ngozi Madubuike, said this in an interview with newsmen last Thursday in Jos.
Madubuike said that the command had embarked on intensive drug abuse awareness and sensitisation campaign targeted at different groups with emphasis on the youth population.
She said the command would achieve the goal by ensuring that the demand and supply of both psychotropic substances, cocaine and cannabis sativa were reduced to the barest minimum.
According to her, once people, especially the youths, are well informed about the dangers of drug abuse the demand will drastically reduce and this will affect the supply.
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.”