The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice  Simeon Amadi, has launched the Rivers State Plea Bargain Guidelines, aimed at strengthening the administration of criminal justice and ensuring fair, timely and efficient dispensation of justice in the State.

Justice Amadi, represented by Justice Augusta Kingsley-Chuku, spoke at the launch organised by the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Council, Rivers State, at the Rivers State High Court Complex, Port Harcourt, recently.

He said the guidelines would help reduce unnecessary delays in criminal proceedings and promote better utilisation of judicial and prosecutorial resources, stressing that efficiency must not be pursued at the expense of fairness.

According to him, the plea bargain process must be guided by transparency, accountability, due process and respect for the rights of all parties, adding that properly applied plea bargaining was not a compromise of justice.

The Chief Judge said plea bargaining remained a recognised mechanism for facilitating the timely and efficient resolution of appropriate criminal matters, while ensuring that the interests of justice were adequately protected.

Also speaking, the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Justice, Ibisoye Lolomari-Nwankwo, said the guidelines were designed to promote consistency in the exercise of prosecutorial discretion and provide clear direction to stakeholders involved in plea bargaining.

Lolomari-Nwankwo called for effective cooperation among the Judiciary, Ministry of Justice, law enforcement agencies, Correctional Service, the Bar and other stakeholders, stressing that such collaboration was necessary for successful implementation of the guidelines.

She commended the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Council for its commitment to criminal justice reform, noting that the guidelines were the product of extensive research and efforts aimed at improving justice administration in Rivers State.

The Executive Secretary of the Rivers State Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Council, Chief Magistrate Ilanye Brown, said the guidelines would provide a structured framework for prosecutors and defendants to negotiate the resolution of appropriate criminal cases.

Brown explained that plea bargaining could prevent appropriate criminal cases from remaining in court for several years, where the conditions prescribed by law for the process were satisfied.

She, however, stressed that plea bargaining is subject to legal conditions, particularly in cases involving serious offences, adding that the court must be carried along whether the process was initiated before a charge was filed or while a matter was already before the court.

The Executive Secretary urged criminal justice stakeholders to study and comply with the new guidelines, stressing that their provisions must be translated into practice to achieve speedy resolution of criminal cases and improve the overall efficiency of the criminal justice system.

King Onunwor

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated winners of the legislative by-elections held yesterday across Gombe, Kano, Bauchi and Delta states.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) won four of the five seats, while the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) secured the remaining seat in Bauchi State.

The President’s congratulatory message is contained in a statement issued by Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, in Abuja, yesterday.

The successful APC candidates include Kallamu MaiJama’a, Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency, Gombe; and Husseini Datti, Dawakin Kudu State Constituency, Kano.

Others are Okolosi Ator, Udu State Constituency, Delta; and Yakubu Ali, Disina State Constituency, Bauchi.

Adamu Yakubu of the APM won the Sakwa State Constituency seat in Bauchi State.

Tinubu said the victories recorded by APC candidates demonstrated the confidence Nigerians reposed in the party’s capacity to govern effectively and deliver shared prosperity.

“I am encouraged by the support Nigerians at the grassroots continue to show for our party and for the difficult but necessary reforms our administration has implemented over the past three years,” Tinubu said.

He urged Nigerians to remain steadfast in their support for the APC and resist being swayed by political opportunism.

“I urge Nigerians to remain steadfast and not be swayed by political opportunism. The benefits of these reforms will become increasingly evident as we enter the next phase of our programme,” he added.

The President urged the winners to justify the confidence their constituents had placed in them through diligent and effective representation.

He also encouraged other candidates to accept the outcomes in good faith and continue contributing to the democratic process.

Tinubu commended voters and security agencies for maintaining peace and order during the elections.

He also applauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for successfully conducting the polls.

The President urged INEC to build on the progress recorded in the by-elections and address identified shortcomings ahead of future polls.

He particularly urged the commission to strengthen preparations for the general elections scheduled for January and February 2027.

The Management of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Port Harcourt, has prohibited all forms of signing-out ceremonies, vehicle parades and graduating parties by final-year students.

The directive was contained in a notice dated September 14, 2026, signed by Precious Eke on behalf of the Registrar and addressed to all final-year and graduating students of the institution.

The notice, issued as final-year students sit for their examinations, said the decision was taken in view of the current security situation on the university campus.

The university management specifically prohibited the act of signing-out, vehicle parades, graduating parties and other related activities usually organised by graduating students.

According to the notice, the directive was issued by the Registrar and communicated to the students to ensure compliance with the university’s position on the activities.

The management warned that any student who violates the directive would be rusticated from the university.

It further warned that defaulters would face the full weight of the law, stressing the seriousness with which the institution viewed the prohibition.

The university appealed to all final-year students to comply with the directive and maintain peace on campus after completing their final examinations.

The notice urged the students to leave the campus peacefully as soon as they were through with their final examinations.

The management also advised the graduating students to avoid activities capable of undermining security or creating disorder within the university environment.

The directive was copied to the Vice Chancellor, Registrar, Deans of Faculties, Heads of Departments, Chief Security Officer and Public Relations Officer of the university.

It was also circulated to the university’s notice boards, with the management wishing the graduating students well and expressing anticipation of their cooperation with the directive.

King Onunwor