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Ahead 2023: APC-Led FG Browbeating Judiciary, Wike Alerts …Pending Cases In Rivers Stand At 28,941, CJ Confirms …As Courts Net N441m In 12 Months
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike said the invasion of the residence of Justice of the Supreme Court, Hon. Justice Mary Odili, was a precursor to Federal Government’s infamous tactic of browbeating the Judiciary to a state of fear and conformity as the country enters next political season that would climax in the general elections in 2023.
This is even as the Rivers State Judiciary has confirmed that a total of 28,941 cases are pending at various courts in the state; while it has generated over N441million in the last 12 months preceding the new legal year in the state.
The governor said the Federal Government wants to continue to ride roughshod unchecked over the rule of law and the sanctity of the country’s electoral system, hence, the renewed attack on judicial officers.
The Rivers State governor made this assertion at a special court session to mark the opening of the 2021/2022 Legal Year of the Rivers State Judiciary held at the Chief Judge’s Ceremonial Court, Port Harcourt, yesterday.
“Although it is still early morning in our democratic match towards 2023, the attack on Justice Mary Odili is a prelude to many more and even worse political manoeuvrings we should be prepared to experience from the APC-led Federal Government, which having lost relevance and popular support is becoming more and more desperate over its dwindling political fortunes by the day.
“While cases with political undertones, including the constitutional validity of certain sections of the recent amendments to the 2010 Electoral Act, if assented to by Mr President, would necessarily come before our courts; what is important is the duty and capacity of our Judiciary to save our democracy and the country.”
He noted that it is the responsibility of the government at all levels to protect the Judiciary and accord the courts with such assistance as they may require to enable them to safeguard their independence, advance the rule of law and dispense justice equally and fairly to all citizens.
According to him, unfortunately, while the present Federal Government has been very weak in resourcing and strengthening the Judiciary; it has been very strong and readily predisposed to ridiculing the entire institution and subjecting individual judges to both physical and psychological trauma for its own self-interest.
“We all witnessed the infamous midnight raids on judicial residences and the subjection of some judges, to illegal raids, arrests and detentions by agents of the Federal Government purportedly carrying out a baseless sting operation back in 2016.
“Since then the intimidation of judges whose judgments, intellectual or moral disposition they are not comfortable with has continued unrelenting with the latest attack on a peaceful mother, wife of a former governor and Justice of the Supreme Court, our own highly revered Hon. Justice Mary Odili.
“It is important to emphasise that we allow these intimidations to become acceptable standards of behaviour and even become complicit in their unholy design to undermine the administration of justice when we all opt to keep quite in the face of these assaults.”
Wike, who commended the leaders of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Body of Senior Advocates, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and members of the public for promptly condemning the idiotic siege on Judiciary, said they must quickly move beyond the verbal protestations to unveil those behind the raid on Justice Odili’s residence and ensure that they all are held to account for their actions, otherwise this impunity would never cease to rear its ugly head in the country.
He challenged the Federal Government to come clean on this infamy with the names, identities and affiliations of those allegedly arrested for their roles or found to have been involved in the attack on the residence of Justice Odili, if it is not to be perceived as the primary mastermind.
Speaking on the proposed proliferation of law school campuses, the governor urged the management of the Nigerian Law School, the Council of Legal Education and the Federal Government to see the folly in the plan, and nib the idea in the bud before it causes more damage to a foremost institution that is already severely challenged for lack of adequate funding.
He explained that the Port Harcourt Campus of the Nigerian Law School being built by the state government was consciously demanded for and approval secured from the Council of Legal Education and ultimately from President Muhammadu Buhari, through the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and named after late Nabo Graham-Douglas, SAN.
“Here again, some lazy and uninformed characters have criticised our law school development project with the unfounded and lousy allegation that it lacks budgetary provisions in our 2021 budget, even when they conceded to the propriety of the project and the optimal benefits it would attract to the state and the business community.”
Wike said in the last six years, his administration has continued to improve the welfare and wellbeing of state judicial officers, especially, the provision of new cars, comfortable and well-resourced offices, as well as the provision of life-long residences for all judicial officers, including those serving in federal courts and other jurisdictions external to the state.
In his remarks, Chief Judge of Rivers State, Hon. Justice Simeon Amadi said since assumption of office in May, 2021, he has administered the Judiciary with commitment in order to raise the bar of performance of judicial officers and staff that should reflect in speedy dispensation of justice.
According to him, training sessions have been organised for manpower capacity development in mediation practices, infrastructure improved, and the magistracy practice laws and rules revisited for purposes of review.
Justice Amadi stated that of the 30,227 cases, 11,719 cases were disposed of, and warned that no application from any lawyer for a transfer of cases would be tolerated if such case has already entertained at least two witnesses in court.
He also said that a total of 28,941 cases were pending at various courts in the state, just as he added that the Judiciary has generated over N441million in the last 12 months preceding the new legal year in the state.
Giving a breakdown, he said, “The grand total of fees and fines generated or realised by the project registry, deputy sheriff office, appeal registry, archives and records, the high court, magistrate court, mobile courts, and sanitation courts, within the period under review is N376,159, 369.74kobo.
“This is a positive difference of an increase in revenue of N28, 476,200.08kobo. The total fees and fine generated by Customary Court of Appeal is N55, 130, 750, over and above their last years IGR of N35, 444, 470.”
Justice Amadi, while giving the breakdown said that a total of 12,727 cases were disposed of, while 15,271 cases were filed in various courts, including customary courts from October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021, and added that 32,927 cases were brought forward from the previous legal year as at October 1, 2020.
He further disclosed that the magistrate courts have the highest pending cases as at the period under review, with a total of 14,308 cases; followed by the high courts, with 9,898 pending cases; EPP court with 6,292 cases; customary courts with 3,617 cases, while the juvenile, revenue and sanitation courts have 116, 841 and 101 cases, respectively.
The state chief judge said that the high courts disposed of a total of 3,983 cases, the Customary Court of Appeal 148 cases, magistrate courts 7,142 cases, while the 23 customary courts in the state disposed of 446 cases during the period under review.
According to him, the remarkable performance shown by judges, magistrates and customary courts’ chairmen and members in the last legal year was attributable to the policies put in place by the management of the state Judiciary to allow judges and magistrates who are on transfer to conclude their matters that had gone far despite petitions from lawyers and litigants.
He appealed to lawyers and litigants to cooperate with the Judiciary to ensure it achieved its mandate to ensure quick dispensation of justice by shunning every act capable of delaying quick justice administration.
On the revenue, Justice Amadi said the high courts and the magistrate courts generated over N376million, while the customary courts generated over N65million within the 12 months under review.
According to him, the High Court has an increase of N28million against last legal year’s revenue generation, while the Customary Court has an increase of N35million over last legal year’s, adding that the positive increase in revenue generation was largely due to some stringent measures put in place to stop diversion of funds as well as stopping of affidavit racketeering.
Justice Amadi said that the special court session provided an opportunity for stock-taking, self-examination, exposition of problems, progress and achievements with a view to plan for the future in carrying out its constitutional duties in the administration of justice in the state.
In his speech, the Rivers State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, SAN, said it was imperative for members of the Bench and Bar to reaffirm their unwavering commitment to the effective, efficient and speedy administration of justice in order to continue to enjoy the confidence of Nigerians.
Adangor said that it was difficult to imagine Nigeria without the court system because the whole concept of the rule of law, and cherished constitutional democracy would have no meaning, if the needless attacks on the Judiciary that undermine civilisation were left unchallenged.
The former President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Onueze C.J. Okocha, SAN, and the NBA Port Harcourt branch, Prince Nyekwere, respectively, condemned the attack on the residence of Justice Mary Odili, and demanded that the perpetrators be prosecuted.
Earlier, a rededication church service was held at the St. Paul’s Anglican Cathedral in Port Harcourt, where Governor Nyesom Wike took the first lesson, while the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, took the second lesson.
In his sermon, Archbishop of the Province of Niger Delta, Most Rev. Blessing Enyindah, charged the Judiciary to remain committed to upholding the law and do justice to everyone equally despite their status.
He pointed out that Nigeria cannot be a great country if its laws that are reasonable and designed for the well-being of the people were skewed and violated by the Judiciary because it was unable to administer unbiased justice.
The Tide reports that there were goodwill messages from the NBA, SANs, and state attorney general and commissioner for justice as well as rededication service held at St. Paul’s Anglican Cathedral, Rebisi (Garrison) in Port Harcourt.
By: Beemene Taneh & Akujobi Amadi
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has unveiled plans to permanently relocate the dumpsite along the busy Port Harcourt Airport–Obiri-Ikwerre Road, describing the current location as both a public health threat and a damaging first impression for visitors arriving in Port Harcourt, the State capital.
The Governor made this known on Tuesday during an inspection of a proposed replacement site, which is a disused burrow pit near Bambo Estate, off Eneka Road in Igwuruta, Ikwerre Local Government Area.
The location is being assessed as a potential permanent dumpsite for the State.
Governor Fubara, who was conducted by the Board Chairman, Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA), Dr Samuel Nwanosike, and its Managing Director, Dr Ibimina Wokoma, expressed concern about the environmental and health challenges posed by the existing site, which sits along a major entry point into the State.
“The kind of environmental hazards that we are facing there along the Airport–Obiri- Ikwerre Road; the smell on that road being the entrance into the State, we felt it’s not proper,” he said. “So, we are making alternative arrangements so we can have a permanent refuse dumpsite that meets acceptable standards.
“He added that the government would move swiftly to formalise ownership of the land and complete construction work on the access road to make the new site functional.“We have not concluded the issue of the burrow pit, but the access road, I think the government is doing something about it.
So, I will make sure that everything that needs to be done to ensure government owns this burrow pit is done,” he stated.
Governor Fubara also commended the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) for what he described as a more assertive and improved approach to managing refuse across the State.In addition to the dumpsite inspection, the Governor also visited the Permanent Secretaries’ Quarters located in Elimgbu Town, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, to assess the extent of ongoing construction work on the facility.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has charged the newly appointed Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Barrister Benibo Anabraba, to uphold the dignity of his office, protect the interest of the State, and discharge his duties with honour, respect, and responsibility.
Governor Fubara gave the charge during the swearing-in ceremony of the new SSG, held on Monday at the Executive Council Chambers of Government House, Port Harcourt.
Describing Anabraba’s appointment as an act of divine favour, the Governor said positions of leadership are not attained by our own human effort but by God’s grace in our lives.
“Let me first congratulate you. I’m using the word ‘congratulations’ because a few of us, not by our power but by the special favour of God, find ourselves in exalted positions. It’s not because we are the best, but only by His grace.”
Governor Fubara noted that the Office of the Secretary to the State Government is one of great honour, occupied by only a few since the creation of Rivers State, and urged the new appointee to serve with humility and dedication.
He, however, expressed confidence in Anabraba’s capacity to deliver, citing his past record as a principal officer of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“This position is a rare privilege. Guard that office with honour. Discharge your duties with respect. Protect the interest of Rivers State. When you leave office, let it be with honour, and that only comes through responsible service.
“I know you’re a dedicated person. This opportunity is not for show or display of power. It’s a call to duty,” he cautioned.
The Governor emphasised that the current administration is focused on restoring confidence of the people because peace has been achieved in the State.
He enjoined the new SSG to align with the vision of the administration and contribute meaningfully to the collective progress of Rivers people.
“We are emerging from a very difficult period and must reassure our people that we mean well for them, especially now that peace has returned to Rivers State. By the grace of God, do your work well. Help us succeed in this assignment that God has given to us,” the Governor added.
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Nigeria’s First Lady Flags Off Renewed Hope Health Initiative In Rivers …Targets Measles, Rubella, HPV Vaccination For Children, Women
The First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has reiterated her commitment to expanding vaccine coverage nationwide, declaring that the ongoing Measles and Rubella vaccination campaign in Rivers State will surpass all previous records in scope and success.
Speaking through the wife of the Rivers State Governor, Lady Valerie Siminalayi Fubara, Senator Tinubu made this statement during the flag-off ceremony of the Measles, Rubella, and HPV Vaccine Sensitisation Campaign, organised under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday.
The campaign, implemented by the RHI in collaboration with the Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board, C-WINS, and international partners including WHO, UNICEF, Gavi, and Vaccine Alliance, aims to protect millions of children and women from preventable diseases.
“We will leave no stone unturned to ensure that the measles vaccine coverage achieved through this campaign exceeds that of the past,” Senator Tinubu affirmed. “Through technical and financial support, this partnership will ensure that by February, 2026, well-trained staff are deployed across communities to vaccinate all eligible children.”
Rivers State is among the Fourth Stream of Phase One states participating in Africa’s largest-ever health initiative, targeting over 106 million Nigerian children for vaccination against Measles, Rubella, Polio, and HPV. The local rollout is expected to commence in February, 2026, reaching children aged 9 months to 14 years across all 23 local government areas.
Senator Tinubu highlighted the risks of the targeted diseases, describing Measles and Rubella as “highly contagious and potentially deadly,” noting that Rubella can cause severe complications for unborn babies, if contracted by pregnant women.
“The best way to prevent both diseases remains vaccination,” she emphasised.
Narrowing down to efforts by the Rivers State Ministry of Health, the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, and the State Task Force on Primary Healthcare, led by Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, she noted how instrumental it has been in ensuring comprehensive outreach through an inter-sectoral approach involving education, women affairs, information ministries, traditional and religious leaders, and the security sector.
Senator Tinubu urged parents and caregivers to cooperate fully with health workers.
“The Measles-Rubella vaccine is safe, effective, and free in all our health centres. Please, ensure your children are vaccinated at the right time to protect them from these deadly infections.
“Let us all play our part in spreading awareness. Together, we can safeguard the health and future of our children,” she said, before formally declaring the sensitisation programme open.
In her goodwill message, Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, commended the Renewed Hope Initiative for its sustained impact in Rivers State, noting that the Measles, Rubella, and HPV Sensitisation Programme marks “a significant step in promoting public health awareness, particularly among women and children.”
She highlighted the particular benefit to the girl-child through HPV vaccination, calling it “an investment in their future health and empowerment.”
The Rivers State Coordinator of WHO, Prof. Giwa Abdulganiyu, praised the collaboration between RHI and the State Government, describing the campaign as “a worthy step in the right direction,” and reaffirmed WHO’s continued partnership in achieving health for all.
Earlier, the RHI Rivers State Coordinator, Mrs. Tonye Briggs-Oniyide, welcomed guests, and reaffirmed the initiative’s goal of reducing the incidence of Measles and Rubella in the state.
“These diseases have the potential to cause emergencies and great distress in families. Today’s flag-off represents our collective determination to raise awareness and prevent such tragedies,” she added.