Nation

Court Stops FG From Taking Further Actions On e-Customs

Published

4 years ago

June 20, 2022

A Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the Federal Government from enforcing or giving effect to the Customs Modernisation Project otherwise known as e-Customs allegedly executed by its agents on May 30, 2022.
The agents who allegedly executed the disputed concession project are the Nigerian Customs Service, Trade Modernisation Project Limited, Huawei Technologies Company Nigeria Limited, and African Finance Corporation.
The court also issued an order of interim injunction against the Federal Government or its agents acting through the Federal Executive Council from retrospectively ratifying the decisions to concession the e-Customs project to Trade Modernisation Project Limited, Huawei Technologies Company Limited, and African Finance Corporation.
The restraining order issued last Friday by Justice Inyang Ekwo shall last till the hearing and the determination of a suit brought against the Federal Government by two aggrieved companies.
The two aggrieved companies are E-Customs HC Project Limited and Bionica Technologies (West Africa) Limited which jointly challenged the alleged unlawful and fraudulent concession of the e-customs project to African Finance Corporation.
Counsel to the two aggrieved companies, Anone Usman had, on behalf of the two plaintiffs, argued an ex-parte application in which he prayed the Federal High Court for interim orders against the defendants to protect the interest of his clients.
Justice Inyang Ekwo while ruling on the ex-parte application granted the prayers of the plaintiffs having placed sufficient evidence of interest in the concession project.
The Judge also granted permission to the aggrieved companies to serve a Writ of Summons and all other processes on the African Finance Corporation at its head office, located in Ikoyi, Lagos through DHL courier services.
Defendants in the suit are the Federal Government of Nigeria, Attorney-General of the Federation, Finance Minister, Infrastructure Regulatory Concession Commission, Nigeria Customs Service, Trade Modernisation Project Limited, Huawei Technologies Limited, African Finance Corporation, and Bergman Security Consultant and Supply as 1st to 9th defendants respectively.
Justice Ekwo subsequently fixed June 28 for hearing in the matter.
The two plaintiffs had in their statement of claims narrated how they proposed to carry out the Customs Modernisation Project through several government officials for the benefit of the Nigerian Customs Service.
They claimed that after a series of meetings and negotiations with some of the defendants, President Muhammudu Buhari granted anticipatory approval for the e- customs Project
According to them, on September 2, 2020, the Minister of Finance presented a memo with the number EC2020/153 to the Federal Executive Council, the highest decision-making body of the Federal Government, and secured approval for the two plaintiffs to be granted the award of the concession.
The plaintiffs said that trouble started when the Nigeria Customs Service unilaterally reviewed the Federal Executive Council approval and imposed other conditions among which are shareholding formulae and governance structure on them.
They said further that the power of the Nigeria Customs Service to unilaterally review FEC approval was protested and that the Comptroller General of the agency stood his ground.
They said they were surprised to read in the news that the Nigeria Customs Service had executed a concession agreement with the Trade Modernisation Project on May 30, 2022, with Huawei Technologies Company and African Finance Corporation in total breach of the Concession Agreement vetted by the AGF in conjunction with the Minister of Finance.
They said that the Trade Modernisation Project Limited was incorporated in April 2022 at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) with one Alhaji Saleh Ahmadu a close friend of the Comptroller General as the chairman.
The plaintiff stated that the new company, having been just incorporated in April 2022 could not have obtained and did not obtain the full business case compliance certificate from the Infrastructure Regulatory Concession Commission (IRCC) and the approval of the Federal Executive Council to carry out the e- custom project.
They, therefore, asked the court to make a declaration that the decisions of the Federal Government and its agent to enter into a concession agreement with Trade Modernisation Project Limited, Huawei Technologies Company and African Finance Corporation in respect of the e-customs project is illegal, null and void, having been made in gross violation of Section 2 of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission Act 2005.
They also asked the court to declare that e-Customs HC Project Limited is the approved and rightful concessionaire for the e-customs project as approved by the Federal Executive Council at its meeting of September 2, 2020, and in line with Section 2 of the Infrastructure Regulatory Concession Commission Act.
They applied for an order of the court directing the Federal Government through AGF, Finance Minister, IRCC, and Customs to consulate the e- custom project with the 1st plaintiff, (E-Customs Project Limited) as approved by FEC in its September 2020 meeting.

Besides, the two plaintiffs asked the court to compel the defendants to pay them a sum of N200m as the cost of litigation.

Nation

Rivers Commissioner Commends WAEC Conduct, Vows Sanctions for Malpractice

Published

1 week ago

June 2, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, has commended the orderly conduct of the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination in the state and urged schools to sustain the standard.

Dr. Nwagor gave the commendation on Tuesday during a monitoring tour of selected secondary schools in Port Harcourt and environs where the WAEC exam is ongoing.

The commissioner, who was accompanied by directors and monitors from the Ministry of Education, said he was impressed with the peaceful atmosphere at the centres visited.

“The students conducted themselves properly and wrote their papers under conducive conditions. Invigilators and supervisors also performed their duties professionally,” he stated.

Nwagor noted that the Rivers State Government had invested heavily to ensure the smooth and credible conduct of the examination across the state

He urged candidates to reciprocate government’s effort by shunning all forms of examination malpractice and focusing on their studies.

“Government has done so much to ensure successful examinations in our schools. Students should take advantage of it by remaining focused,” the commissioner said.

While no case of malpractice was recorded in the centres inspected, Dr. Nwagor warned that any principal, teacher, invigilator, or official caught aiding malpractice would face strict sanctions in line with regulations.

He also commended school administrators, teachers, WAEC officials, and security personnel for upholding the integrity of the process.

Centres visited included County Grammar School, Ikwerre/Etche; Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Borokiri; Government Secondary School, Borokiri; and Pabod Model Secondary School.

Nation

THE LAPSES OF THE MEDIA IN ELECTIONS

Published

2 weeks ago

May 29, 2026

The Tide

The media is supposed to be a platform through which people express their thoughts, beliefs, and opinions on issues of public interest. Unfortunately, it has often failed to live up to its role as the fourth estate of the realm.During the 2023 elections, the media recorded several lapses that deserve critical examination in academic and professional spaces. Before discussing these failures in detail, it is important to briefly explain the meaning, role, and duties of the media. In simple terms, the media refers to the main channels of mass communication, including broadcasting, print publishing, and the internet.

It is a collective term for all means through which information reaches the public. The media is often called the fourth tier of government because of the popular saying, “No media, no society.” This is not an exaggeration. Scholars have shown that the media plays an integral role in society, since political, economic, religious, and academic activities all depend on information flow through the media.

The word MEDIA can be broken down to reflect its core functions: M – Meeting the People E – Educating the People D – Discussing with the People I – Involving the People A – Accessing the PeopleSpecifically during elections, the media is expected to provide accurate and timely information to the public by reporting and updating citizens on government and electoral activities. This responsibility is central to keeping the electorate informed.The media also strengthens democracy by engaging citizens on critical issues affecting the electoral process. When the media effectively disseminates relevant information, the public can see through the failures of government, hold leaders accountable, and propose solutions that serve the common good.

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram play a vital role in democratic societies because they allow mass participation. Unlike radio and television, social media is accessible to anyone with a smartphone and data bundle, making it the most inclusive platform for political discourse. Despite these roles, the media must not abandon its ethics or promote partisan agendas that mislead the public. In many schools of thought, the media is described as closely related to the judiciary.

People often see the media as a place to voice grievances and seek justice.However, it is fair to say that the media has lost ground by failing to fulfill its duties during elections. Below are ten key lapses observed in the February 2023 elections.Lack of coordination among journalists. Many press personnel who covered different polling units were poorly equipped and unprepared. Some lacked functional cameras and modern technology needed to carry out professional reporting.

Partisanship and breach of ethics. Media personnel, who are supposed to remain non-partisan, openly violated professional ethics by taking political sides and favoring certain candidates in their reporting.Commercialization of coverage. Some journalists prioritized money over news. It was disappointing to see professionals from reputable stations engaging in what I call “Oga, find me something syndrome” begging politicians for money in exchange for favorable coverage or interviews.Loss of independence and self-censorship. On election day, some journalists took instructions from politicians on what to report and what to suppress. This compromised the independence of the media and reduced public trust.

Poor post-election reporting. Few media outlets reported what actually happened at the polling units. Incidents of violence, voter intimidation, and irregularities were either underreported or ignored entirely, while praise was lavished on politicians instead of amplifying the voices of the people.Spread of misinformation and unverified claims. In the rush to be first, some media houses published unverified results and rumors from social media without fact-checking. This fueled confusion and tension among the electorate.Inadequate coverage of rural and marginalized areas. Media attention was concentrated in urban centers, leaving rural polling units underreported. The experiences and challenges of rural voters were largely absent from mainstream coverage.

Sensationalism over substance. Some outlets prioritized sensational headlines and conflict-driven stories over factual analysis of policies and candidate manifestos, leaving voters uninformed about real issues. Failure to hold INEC accountable in real time. While INEC faced logistical failures and delays, many media houses were slow to question officials or demand explanations on air, missing opportunities for live accountability.

Neglect of voter education. Beyond reporting results, the media did little to educate voters on procedures, rights, and what to do in case of irregularities. This left many citizens uninformed and vulnerable on election day.These lapses weaken public trust and undermine the credibility of the electoral process. For the media to regain its role as a watchdog of democracy, it must return to the principles of accuracy, impartiality, and public service.

The media must be informed to follow its ethics as the 2027 elections approaches. This is encourage electorates rely on the authenticity and objectivity of media practice.Failure to uphold media standards will further make the country plunge into political apathy, electoral violence and disgust for those in the media practice.

By KRUKRUBO, NYE TAMUNODIKI.

Nation

RSU, Otonti Nduka Foundation Holds Centenary Conference, Unveil Book on Values in Nigeria

Published

3 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State University and the Otonti Nduka Foundation for Values Education jointly hosted a two-day National Conference on 8 and 9 May 2026 to examine the state of values in Nigeria.

The two days conference held at Rivers State University convocation arena brought together academics, policymakers, legal experts and education leaders under the theme _“Trends and Challenges in Upholding Values in Nigeria.”_

The gathering focused on policy gaps, curriculum reform, and the role of ethics in public service and education.

The event opened on Friday with remarks from Vice Chancellor Prof. Chief Isaac Zeb-Obipi, who stressed the need to address declining moral and civic values across Nigeria’s education and public sectors. A book of abstracts for the plenary sessions was also presented to participants.

Key speakers included former Attorney General Chief Dr Kanu Agabi, SAN; NERDC Executive Secretary Prof. Shehu Salisu; Prof. Hauwa Imam, FNAE, of the University of Abuja; former Rivers SUBEB Chairman Ven Dr Fyneface Akah, ; former NIMASA DG Dr Hon. Dakuku Adol-Peterside; and RSU Director of ICT Prof. Sunny Orike.

Discussions centered on integrating values education into schools, tertiary institutions and public institutions, alongside the impact of technology on moral development among young Nigerians. Panel and plenary sessions produced practical recommendations for curriculum and policy reform.

On Saturday, the foundation marked its centenary with the unveiling of the book _Otonti Nduka in History_, launched by Chief Engr. Grant Offor, FNSE. The Nigerian Academy of Education held a ceremonial procession led by its President Prof. Olu Jegede and the Ikwerre Professors Forum.

In a communiqué, participants called for stronger collaboration between government, civil society and academia to mainstream values education nationwide. They recommended reviewing teacher training curricula and expanding digital platforms to promote ethical civic engagement, with the foundation pledging to share the outcomes with education authorities for implementation.

Dignitaries present included Ogbakor Ikwerre Worldwide as Chief Host, Prof. Emeritus Chief T. Uzodimma Nwala, the Ikenga 1 of Mbaise and first philosophy student of Prof. Otonti Nduka, alongside scholars and community leaders.

Amadi Akujobi