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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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Al-Manan Academy Marks Prize-Giving Day, Encourages Entrepreneurship and Academic Excellence

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The Proprietor of Al-Manan Academy, Hotoro North, Malam Usman Bello, has reaffirmed the school’s commitment to providing quality education and equipping pupils with the knowledge and entrepreneur skills needed to excel in life.
He gave the assurance on Saturday during the Academy’s Annual Speech and Prize-Giving Day held at the school’s premises in Hotoro North, Kano.
According to him, the Academy is committed to introducing innovative learning methods that combine academic excellence with vocational and entrepreneurial skills to prepare students for self-reliance rather than depending solely on government employment.
Malam Bello urged parents to complement the school’s efforts by closely monitoring their children’s academic progress and moral upbringing, stressing that effective collaboration between parents and teachers is essential to producing responsible and successful future leaders.
He also commended the dedication of the Academy’s Director, teachers, and other staff members for their unwavering commitment to delivering quality education.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kano State Council, Comrade Sulaiman Abdullahi Dederi, described the Speech and Prize-Giving Day organised by Al-Manan Academy as timely and highly significant. He said the event recognises outstanding students, motivates learners to strive for greater achievements, boosts their morale, and promotes academic excellence.

He commended the Proprietor for establishing the academy, noting that the institution is making a meaningful contribution to human capital development through quality education.

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In his remarks, the Director of the Academy, Malam Aminu Bello Aminu, welcomed parents, community leaders, and other guests to the historic occasion. He disclosed that the school was established eleven years ago and has continued to record steady growth, reflecting its remarkable progress and the increasing confidence of parents and the wider community.

Also speaking, the Councillor representing Hotoro North Ward in Nassarawa Local Government Area, Hon. Ibrahim Muhammad Gannama, praised the Proprietor for investing in education and community development. He noted that the establishment of the Academy has significantly improved access to quality education for children in the area.
The councillor pledged the support of the local government toward the growth of the institution whenever the need arises and encouraged parents to continue playing their vital role in supporting their children’s education.
The Chairman of the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA), Alhaji Auwalu Alhasan Kirikassama, appealed to parents to ensure the prompt payment of school fees to enable the school maintain its high educational standards.
The colourful event featured academic debates among pupils, cultural displays, and the presentation of prizes to outstanding students in various categories, including academic excellence, punctuality, neatness, and discipline.
An Award of Appreciation was also presented to the Village Head of Hotoro North, Alhaji Yahaya Yakubu Hotoro, in recognition of his support and contributions to the development of education in the community.

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Gov. Yusuf Inaugurates Centre for Disease Control

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Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has commissioned the Kano Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC), located within the premises of the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) in Kano Municipality, as part of his administration’s commitment to strengthening public health and disease prevention across the state.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Governor’s Spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, on Monday.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Governor Yusuf said he was delighted to witness the completion of a project whose foundation he personally laid, describing the Centre as a landmark achievement in the administration’s drive to build a resilient and responsive healthcare system.

The Governor expressed confidence that the facility would significantly improve disease surveillance, prevention, diagnosis, and emergency response, while enhancing the state’s capacity to protect residents from emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.

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He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustained investment in the health sector through the provision of modern infrastructure, advanced medical equipment, and skilled healthcare professionals to ensure better health outcomes for the people of Kano State.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, described the Centre as a major boost to the state’s public health system, noting that it would play a critical role in the prevention, detection, monitoring, and control of communicable diseases, including tuberculosis, cholera, HIV/AIDS, and other infectious diseases.

He explained that the Centre is equipped with modern facilities, advanced technology, and trained personnel to improve early outbreak detection, coordinate emergency responses, and strengthen collaboration with relevant health institutions and development partners.

Dr. Labaran Yusuf commended Governor Yusuf for his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to transforming the healthcare sector. He also appreciated development partners whose technical and financial support contributed to the successful completion and equipping of the facility to meet global public health standards.

The Kano Centre for Disease Control is a state-of-the-art public health institution established to strengthen disease surveillance, laboratory diagnosis, emergency preparedness, epidemiological research, and rapid response to disease outbreaks.

The Centre will also serve as the state’s coordinating hub for public health interventions, enhance epidemiological intelligence, and deepen collaboration with national and international partners in preventing and containing infectious diseases across Kano State.

 

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ADC Accuses APC of Avoiding Performance Record, Shifting Focus to Personalities Ahead of 2027

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to divert public attention from its economic and security record by obsessively focusing on opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar and former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s personal opinions.

In a statement issued Monday, ADC National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi said the APC’s response to recent criticism from Catholic Bishops reveals a party unable to defend its governance record.

“The APC wants the 2027 election to be about personalities because it cannot defend its performance,” Abdullahi said. “They want this election to be about Obasanjo’s personal opinion of Atiku based on a distant past because they cannot defend Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s record based on current performance.”

The statement comes after Catholic Bishops reportedly raised concerns about worsening poverty, insecurity, and the rising cost of living during a recent meeting with President Tinubu. The ADC accused the ruling party of attacking the Bishops rather than addressing their substantive concerns.

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“Whenever respected Nigerians point to the deepening poverty, worsening insecurity, rising cost of living, or the collapse of public confidence under this administration, the APC never answers for its record,” Abdullahi said. “Instead, it looks for someone to attack. Yesterday, it was the Catholic Bishops. Today, it is Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Tomorrow, it will be someone else.”

The ADC challenged the APC government to answer specific questions about its economic management, including why food prices continue to soar despite proclaimed economic growth, why poverty has deepened, and why the government is spending 69% of revenue on debt servicing—a figure the World Bank has described as dangerously high.

The party also defended Atiku Abubakar’s record as Vice President under Obasanjo, noting that Nigeria experienced stronger economic growth and greater macroeconomic stability during that period.

“While President Obasanjo was in office, with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar serving as Vice President and Chairman of the National Economic Council, Nigeria experienced stronger economic growth, greater macroeconomic stability, stronger investor confidence, and a far more affordable cost of living than Nigerians endure today,” the statement read.

“Whatever political differences may now exist between the two men, that record remains a matter of public history and cannot be erased.”

The APC had not issued an official response to the ADC’s allegations at the time of this report. However, party officials have previously dismissed opposition criticism as politically motivated.

Political analysts note that the exchange reflects an intensifying campaign season, with both parties already positioning themselves for the 2027 presidential election. The ADC, while a smaller opposition party, has sought to align itself with the broader critique of the APC’s economic policies under President Tinubu.

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