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Federal High Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Rivers State Chief of Staff and Five Others

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The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, issued a warrant for the arrest of the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the Governor of Rivers State, Hon. Edison Ehie.

The court, in a ruling that was delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite, equally ordered the arrest of five other persons who were accused of complicity in the alleged invasion, vandalization and burning down of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex.

Aside from Ehie who was hitherto the factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and a loyalist of governor Siminalayi Fubara, those the court ordered their arrest, are; Jinjiri Bala, Happy Benedict, Progress Joseph, Adokiye Oyagiri and Chibuike Peter a.k.a Rambo.

The order followed an ex-parte application that was brought before the court by the Inspector General of Police, IGP.

The application was predicated on sections 37, 113, 114, 84 and 184 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 and section 35 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as well as section 32 of the Police Act 2020.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Mr. Simon Lough, SAN, who moved the application on Wednesday, told the court that the six defendant are currently at large.

He told the court that the defendants were involved in conspiracy, arson, terrorism, attempted murder and murder of a Superintendent of Police, SP Bako Agbashim and five other police informants in Rivers State.

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Police gave names of the deceased informants as; Charles Osu, Ogbonna Eja, Idaowuka Felix, Paul Victor Chibuogu and Saturday Edi.

The court held that it was persuaded by submissions of the police lawyer as well as an affidavit that was attached in support of the application marked: FHC/ABJ/ CS/12/2024.

Consequently, Justice Nwite, aside from declaring the defendants wanted, ordered that upon their arrest and investigation, they should be brough before the court for trial.

It will be recalled that the court had on January 25, remanded five men in prison custody over their alleged involvement in the burning down of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex.

The defendants; Chime Eguma Ezebalike, Prince Lukman Oladele, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga Donald and Ochueja Thankgod, who were docked before trial Justice Bolaji Olajuwon, pleaded not guilty to a seven-count terrorism charge that was preferred against them by the Nigeria Police Force, NPF.
The defendants, who were said to be loyal to Governor Fubara, had in the wake of the political crisis that rocked the state in October last year, allegedly invaded the House of Assembly complex in a bid to frustrate an attempt to impeach the governor.

They were in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/25/2024, equally accused of killing SP Agbashim and the five police informants at Ahoada community in Rivers State.

The prosecution accused the defendants of using various cult groups, namely; Supreme Vikings Confraternity, Degbam, Iceland and Greenland, to unleash mayhem on the people of the state and their commercial activities.

Even though the immediate past factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Ehie, was not listed in the charge, however, he briefed a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, Oluwole Aladedoye to appear before the court on his behalf, stressing that his name was mentioned in some counts in the charge.

He challenged police for declaring that he was at large with other suspects.

Nevertheless, trial Justice Olajuwon said he was not minded to entertain any argument from Hon. Ehie’s lawyer since he was not yet a defendant before the court.

The court ordered that the defendants should be remanded at the Kuje prison till February 2 when their bail applications would be heard.

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Dan Agundi’s Supreme Court Case Has Nothing to Do With Kano Emir – Says Lawyer

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14th Emir Of Kano Muhammad Sunusi II

 

 

A lawyer involved in the Kano Emirate titleholder’s dispute, Bashir Muhammad Tudun Wazirci, has clarified that the case before the Supreme Court of Nigeria does not concern the removal or reinstatement of any emir, including Muhammadu Sanusi II.

 

Speaking to journalists after the proceedings, Wizirci explained that the suit was filed by Aminu Babba Dan’agundi against the Kano State House of Assembly, the office of the Attorney-General and the security agencies.

 

According to him, the case does not include Aminu Ado Bayero as a party or any dispute on who is Emir, stressing, that: “In this case I am for the State Assembly, first, the case is between Aminu Babba Danagundi and the State Government and the office of the Attorney General and security agencies. In this case, there is no name of Emir Muhammad Sanusi II or former Emir Aminu Ado Bayero. It is between Aminu Babba Dan’agundi and the state government alongside security agencies”.

Dan Agundi’s lawyer Professor Yusufari SAN confirmed that “the case is between his client and the State Government” and no Emir is involved.

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Wazirci emphasized “Emir of Kano Muhammad Sanusi is not a party, neither is the former, Emir Aminu Ado Bayero. Dan Agundi approached the Federal High Court that has no Jurisdiction. The Court of appeal ruled that the lower Federal High Court has no jurisdiction to hear the case. Dan Agundi lost the appeal. They were not satisfied and that’s why they appealed to the Supreme Court”. He said.

 

Wazirci said the case was scheduled for hearing but was stalled following a fresh application by Dan Agundi’s lawyer who cited that they received late response from one of the security agencies as reason for delay.

 

“They claimed they received information from the DSS on the 15th of the month and needed time to respond. I objected because this is a matter that requires accelerated hearing if they are serious,” Wizirci said.

 

He, however, stated that the court upheld the appealant’s right to fair hearing and granted them time to file their processes. The matter was subsequently adjourned to April 19, 2027.

 

Meanwhile, Counsel to Aminu DanAgundi, Professor Mamman Lawal Yusufari clarified that “The suit was slated for hearing today, not for judgment as many believed. Counsel to one of the respondents filed a motion on April 14 and served us the following day”.

 

“We are entitled to respond within 14 days from the date of service. Hence, the adjournment, as the matter could not proceed,” he said.

 

Recall that Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, in May 2024, signed a law that dethroned all Emirs of Kano, Rano, Gaya and Karaye and reappointed Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano. Dissatisfied with the new law, Dan Agundi challenged it at the Federal High Court, that his removal by the law is an infringement, the Court ruled that it has jurisdiction. The State Government appealed to the Court of Appeal, which ruled that the Federal High Court has no jurisdiction. Dan Agundi then filed an appeal in the Supreme Court as confirmed by his lawyer Professor Maman Yusufari SAN.

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Governor Yusuf Nominates Murtala Garo to the Kano Assembly as Deputy Governor

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Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has transmitted the name of Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo to the State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation as Deputy Governor.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mustapha Muhammad.

The nomination is in line with Section 191(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers the Governor to nominate a Deputy Governor where a vacancy exists.

The position became vacant following the voluntary resignation of the former Deputy Governor, Comrade Abdussalam Gwarzo, on March 27, 2026.

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Following a wide consultations with key stakeholders, the Governor has requested the Assembly to grant the necessary approval for Garo’s nomination.

48 year old Murtala Sule Garo is a season political administrator with over two decades of service in both elective and appointed positions.

He has served as State Organising Secretary of his party, Special Adviser to Kano State Governor and elected Kabo Local Government Chairman.

He also served as Chairman of ALGON Kano, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and Deputy Governorship Candidate of the APC in the 2023 general elections.

His nomination is part of efforts to strengthen governance and sustain effective service delivery in Kano State.

Signed
Mustapha Muhammad
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
Kano State Government

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Insecurity: US lawmaker accuses Matawalle of bribe attempt to silence recommendation calling for his sack

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Governor Matawalle

 

Kimberly Daniels, a United States Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives for District 14, has alleged that Nigeria’s minister of state for defense, Bello Matawalle, attempted to bribe a US official to deflect the narrative of the United World Congress of Diplomats, UN-WCD, report.

The lawmaker made the claim in a viral video released on her official Facebook account on Monday.

She said Matawalle’s alleged move was to cover up the UN-WCD report on Christian genocide in Nigeria, which indicted him.

Daniels insisted that no amount of pressure can silence her stand against the killings of Christians in Nigeria.

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“A US elected official was offered money by Nigeria’s minister of state defense, Bello Matawalle, to change the narrative of the UN-WCD Christian genocide in Nigeria report,” she said in the viral video.

Recall that Daniels, who doubled as the chairperson of UN-WCD, had called for President Bola Tinubu to remove Matawalle over alleged complicity in the killings in Plateau, Benue, Kaduna, and other parts of Nigeria.

Matawalle is yet to officially reply the US lawmaker.

Daniels alleged that following her recent press statement on what she described as targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria, she came under pressure from individuals she linked to the minister, including what she characterised as attempts to discredit her report and “buy support” from US-based elected officials.

According to her, an unnamed American lawmaker allegedly received an offer of financial inducement to publicly counter her position and defend the Nigerian defence leadership.

She claimed to have received evidence of a communication, including a prepared statement and promotional material, purportedly linked to the minister.

She also claimed that the bribery attempt is meant to divide America elected officials not knowing that they are united.

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