Rivers

RSMDC Aims To Bring Justice Administration Closer To People – Chief Judge

Published

3 months ago

August 3, 2026

The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Hon. Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, has said the Rivers State Multi-Door Courthouse (RSMDC) was primarily established to decongest the High Courts and bring justice administration closer to the people.

Speaking last recently while declaring open the 2026 RSMDC Second Statewide Settlement Week at the High Court Complex in Port Harcourt, Justice Amadi, who also chairs the RSMDC Governing Council, stressed that the fees must remain low, because low costs will encourage litigants to choose the Multi-Door Courthouse over the High Court.

“Whatever the RSMDC is doing is what the Rivers State Judiciary is doing”, he noted, adding that affordability is central to the court’s alternative dispute resolution mission.

The Chief Judge also announced a change for future exercises, saying that judges will be present at the next Settlement Week.

He advised that subsequent editions should not be scheduled during court vacation when judicial officers are away.

“As you all know, we have started our vacation and judges are on vacation. Settlement Week is not for a particular litigant, judge, lawyer, NBA branch, or magistrate”, he said, “the process, must involve all stakeholders.

“To achieve this, the next Settlement Week will be held during the legal year. That week will be declared a ‘free week’ so that lawyers will not be required to appear in any other court.”

Justice Amadi further disclosed that a new committee has been set up to review the current RSMDC fees, which he described as “very, very low”, and explained that the review aims to keep the fees accessible and further encourage litigants to use the Multi-Door Courthouse instead of the High Court and Magistrate Courts.

According to him, “The Multi-Door Courthouse was not established to make revenue for the Rivers State Government, but to help decongest the High Court and bring justice nearer to the people.”

The Chief Judge congratulated the RSMDC and the Alternative Dispute Resolution judges for successfully hosting the first RSMDC Settlement Week in September 2025.

He also commended them for the improved preparations ahead of the second edition, and thanked all volunteer mediators, conciliators, arbitrators, and neutral evaluators offering their services at no cost, and also acknowledged the support of the High Court, Customary Court, Appeal Court, and Magistrate Courts.

Amadi urged parties and their lawyers to cooperate and act responsibly before the neutrals, qhile also charging the volunteer neutrals to remain impartial and give every party and lawyer a fair hearing.

“Take the Settlement Week and your work seriously because people are watching”, he advised.

In his welcome address, the Director of RSMDC, Victor E. Nweke, explained that Section 32 of the RSMDC Law 2019 defines a Settlement Week as a period set aside by the Chief Judge for designated courts to clear case backlogs.

Cases are mandatorily referred to the RSMDC for possible resolution through mediation, arbitration, neutral evaluation, or other ADR procedures.

According to him, Section 3(h) lists Settlement Week as a periodic ADR activity. Section 18(1)(e) provides for mandatory referral, where a party applies for a matter to be referred to the RSMDC.

Although ADR is ordinarily consensual, the law empowers courts to manage their dockets with RSMDC’s assistance. The Chief Judge may also refer matters upon filing, and after resolution, assign them to an ADR judge or any other judge under Section 4(1) and (6).

Nweke said both civil and criminal matters suitable for ADR can be referred during Settlement Week.

He said, Civil matters typically include commercial and family disputes, and ADR can handle ancillary issues in divorce such as child custody, property settlement, and maintenance, while the final divorce order must come from a competent court.

For criminal matters, the RSMDC does not conduct trials but helps parties explore reconciliation where permitted, with reports sent back to court.

This year, 48 mediators and 14 arbitrators will participate, with 12 mediation panels and 3 arbitral tribunals — one more tribunal than last year.

He appealed to lawyers and litigants to cooperate with the RSMDC to strengthen the Dispute Systems Design of Rivers State through mediation, arbitration, early neutral evaluation, and hybrid processes.

In a goodwill message, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (Rtd.) also commended the Chief Judge and the RSMDC Director for their commitment to expanding access to justice.

Also speaking, the Director of the Bayelsa Multi-Door Courthouse, and the representative of the Association of Directors of the Multi-Door Courthouses in Nigeria, Nyingi Eke-Spiff, in her goodwill message, noted that the Rivers State Multi-Door Courthouse is developing rapidly, and expressed happinees over her associate with the developmental strides.

By: Kiadum Edookor

Niger Delta

IAUE Trains Lecturers On Scholarly Writing, Research Commercialisation

Published

3 days ago

October 30, 2026

The Tide

Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), through its Directorate of Research and Development, has trained lecturers and Postgraduate Students on scholarly writing and research commercialisation.

The three-day Training Workshop, themed, “Research Commercialisation and Digital Project Supervision”, which kicked-off on October 13, 2026, provided an opportunity to strengthen lecturers’ research capacity, in addition to embracing innovative approaches to academic practice, according to a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the University, Dr. Ngozi Okiridu, which quoted the Director of Research and Development, Professor Nduka Wonu.

The Director noted that the discussions focused on supporting students and lecturers to improve academic writing and publication through effective mentorship and the development of publication-ready research teams.

It also focused on supervising research projects smarter with digital systems by leveraging digital dashboards, cloud collaboration and project tracking tools to improve supervision and feedback.

According to the Director, the discussions further “focused on setting standards for the responsible and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence among academics to promote academic integrity and guide the appropriate use of emerging technologies.

“Finally, on writing concept notes and grant proposals, identifying funding opportunities and building partnerships to strengthen research funding, collaboration, commercialisation and societal impact.”

These focus areas, he said, are essential for improving research productivity, strengthening institutional capacity and enhancing the University’s research profile.

Professor Wonu encouraged all to participate actively, share experiences and apply the knowledge gained in teaching, supervision and research activities.

While declaring the workshop open, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of IAUE, Professor Okechuku Onuchuku, praised the Directorate for the training programme, which he emphasised is very important for research ethics and the growth of academic staff.

He encouraged staff to take advantage of research grants, to partner and collaborate with others, and to go into consultancy as a way of earning additional income and improving society.

He also encouraged those in Environmental Science and Oil and Gas related fields to involve industries in their research or work in conjunction with industries for exposure to modern research techniques.

Also speaking, the Local Organising Committee Chairperson, Dr. Anne Chidinma Williams, said the workshop explored practical ways to improve academic writing, develop grant concept notes and proposals, increase the visibility of publications, use Artificial Intelligence responsibly and strengthen digital research supervision.

She encouraged participants to turn knowledge into solutions that benefit the University and society.

Sogbeba Dokubo

Niger Delta

Police Rescue Woman, 24, From Online Dating Kidnappers … Arrest Five Suspects

Published

3 days ago

October 30, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Police Command has rescued a 24-year-old woman who was abducted on her arrival in Port Harcourt to meet a friend she met online.

The police also arrested five suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate accused of luring victims through online dating platforms.

Confirming the arrests, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Blessing Agabe, said the suspects had allegedly confessed to their involvement in the crime during interrogation.

The victim, identified as Chinyere, reportedly travelled from Delta State to Port Harcourt on October 3, 2026, to visit the acquaintance, but was allegedly kidnapped along Igwuruta-Etche Road in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The incident was reported to the police on October 4, 2026, at about 9 a.m., prompting the Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, to direct operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit, Diobu, to investigate the case and secure the victim’s release.

The police operatives subsequently rescued the woman and arrested five suspects allegedly linked to the kidnapping syndicate.

The suspects were identified as Gift Okeregwu, 23, from Okehi Community in Etche Local Government Area; Okeregwu Onyekachi, 27, also from Okehi; Bright Augustine, 27, from Akukabu Community in Etche; Chijoke Nwalozie, 35, from Akukabu; and Obinachi Rita, 26, the only female suspect.

The suspects were reportedly arrested at different locations following intelligence gathering and investigations into the circumstances surrounding the victim’s abduction.

She said information obtained from the suspects had also provided investigators with leads regarding other kidnapping incidents reported around the Igwuruta and Etche axis.

According to the police spokesperson, the suspects allegedly admitted using online dating platforms to establish contact with prospective victims from within and outside Port Harcourt before luring them into physical meetings and abducting them.

The development has raised concerns over the potential misuse of online dating platforms by criminal elements to identify, deceive and target unsuspecting individuals.

The Command advised members of the public to exercise caution when engaging with strangers online, particularly those who request physical meetings without sufficient verification of their identities.

It further urged residents to inform trusted persons of their movements when meeting people encountered online and to choose public locations for initial meetings as a precaution against possible criminal attacks.

The police reiterated their commitment to combating kidnapping and other violent crimes in Rivers State, urging members of the public to provide credible information that could assist security agencies in identifying and apprehending criminal suspects.

King Onunwor

Rivers

Deaf Community Seeks Disability Laws Enforcement, Better Education

Published

3 days ago

October 30, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Association of The Deaf has called on the State Government to strengthen the implementation of disability rights laws, and construct more schools for deaf children in the state.

It also called for the expansion of employment and empowerment opportunities for persons with hearing impairments in the state.

The association made the call recently at the 2026 Deaf Awareness Week held at the Women Development and Skills Acquisition Centre, Eastern Bypass, Port Harcourt,

The week has as its theme, “Declaring Deaf People’s Human Rights: Advancing Deaf People’s Human Rights in Rivers State.”

The programme, organised by the Rivers State Association of the Deaf (RSAD), was aimed at raising awareness about the rights, welfare and challenges of deaf persons and promoting theirinclusion in governance, education, healthcare, employment and other aspects of society.

The South-South Zonal Coordinator of the Nigerian Association of the Deaf, Henry Obotu, said one of the major challenges confronting deaf persons in Rivers State was their exclusion from government activities and inadequate access to public information because of communication barriers.

Obotu called for the effective implementation of disability rights legislation, stressing that deaf persons should enjoy equal opportunities and participate fully in public life.in public life.

He noted that government announcements and other important information were often disseminated without sign language interpretations, thereby making it difficult for deaf persons to understand issues affecting them.

Obotu urged media organisations to incorporate captions and subtitles into their broadcasts and public information materials to ensure that members of the deaf community were not left behind.

According to him, the establishment of specialized schools and learning centres for deaf persons, their educational and communication needs required appropriate attention and support.

Similarly, the Chairman of the Rivers State Association of theDeaf, Comrade So-oriari T. Beneth, called for greater government support for the deaf community, including skills acquisition programmes, employment opportunities and improved educational facilities.

Beneth expressed appreciation to the state government for its support for the association, but stressed the need for sustained commitment to the welfare and empowerment of deaf persons.

He identified education, economic empowerment and accessibility as key areas requiring government intervention, and urged authorities to provide adequate resources for schools serving deaf students and expand vocational training and employment opportunities.

According to him, investing in the deaf community would enable its members to become self-reliant and contribute meaningfully to the development of Rivers State.

Godslove Justice, Sunday Naomi &Christopher Kelechi