Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has presented a proposed ₦1.854 trillion Appropriation Bill for the 2026 fiscal year to the Rivers State House of Assembly, marking his first appearance before the Assembly led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule since the political crisis that divided the legislature in 2023. The budget presentation, which signals a major shift in the state’s political landscape following the reconciliation between the governor and lawmakers after nearly three years of parallel legislative sittings, was conducted during plenary at the Assembly complex. Proceedings began with Speaker Amaewhule entering the chamber in full ceremonial regalia ahead of the governor’s…
Author: Ini Sam
The Allied People’s Movement (APM) has called on the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to immediately publish a detailed and independently verifiable account of the more than ₦20 trillion it says has been realised from the removal of fuel subsidy since May 2023. In a statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Yusuf, the opposition party said the demand became necessary in light of the worsening economic hardship, rising poverty, soaring cost of living, deteriorating public infrastructure and the absence of visible evidence showing how the subsidy proceeds have been utilised. According to the APM, since President…
Troops Arrest Suspected Chadian Drug Courier, Seize Illicit Consignment Allegedly Bound for Terrorists Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have intercepted a suspected foreign drug courier and recovered a large cache of illicit substances and other prohibited items believed to be intended for terrorist groups operating within the Lake Chad Islands. According to the Acting Military Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Goni, the recovered items include seven compressed bundles of suspected cannabis weighing about 30 kilogrammes, two 10-litre containers of hydromercuric chloride, commonly known as “Suck and Die”, one carton containing 48 bottles of dry gin, and…
The Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, July 9, 2026 arraigned a former staff of a new generation bank, Chinonso Akujobi, for an alleged N294,595,992 theft before Justice I.O. Ijelu of the State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos. Chinonso is being prosecuted on a five-count charge bordering on stealing to the tune of N294.5m. One of the charges reads:”That you, Chinonso Akujobi, sometime between January and December, 2025, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with a dishonest intent, and while under the employment of Access Bank Plc, stole…
The federal government has set up plans to deepen engagement with governors and emergency responders on the adoption of 112 as the national emergency number across the country. This was the outcome of a meeting between a delegation from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), led by the Chairman of its Governing Board, Chief Ibikunle Olorunnimbe, and Vice President Kashim Shettima, at the State House on Tuesday. The development came days after the National Economic Council (NEC), chaired by the Vice President, approved the adoption of 112 as the national emergency number across all levels of government and relevant agencies. The…
The Citizens Platform for Political Inclusion (CPPI) has commenced legal and legislative action against what it described as exorbitant expression of interest and nomination fees charged by political parties, warning that the practice is denying ordinary Nigerians the opportunity to contest elective offices. The group said it had issued separate pre-action notices to the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It also petitioned the National Assembly to amend the Electoral Act to regulate nomination fees. CPPI, in collaboration with the Athena Centre for Policy and…
The Senate on Thursday passed a bill seeking to establish an independent agency to recover, preserve, manage and dispose of assets linked to unlawful activities, in a move lawmakers said would strengthen Nigeria’s anti-corruption framework and improve accountability in the management of recovered properties. The upper chamber also passed the Legal Practitioners Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2026, after considering and adopting the reports of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters. The two bills—the Legal Practitioners Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2026 (SB. 965) and the Proceeds of Crime Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (SB. 343)—scaled third…
The Senate has approved a total of ₦403.1 billion for the Nigerian Police Trust Fund for the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years to strengthen policing and enhance the country’s response to terrorism, kidnapping and other security threats. The upper chamber approved ₦170.1 billion for the Fund’s 2025 budget and ₦233 billion for the 2026 fiscal year. The 2026 appropriation provides for personnel costs, capital projects and overhead expenditures aimed at improving the operational capacity of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). Lawmakers expressed confidence that the funding would boost the provision of critical equipment, infrastructure, training and other resources needed to…
May Yul-Edochie, the estranged wife of Nollywood actor Yul Edochie, has filed a ₦1.5 billion lawsuit before the Lagos State High Court against her former lawyer, Emeka Ugwuonye, Linc Edochie’s former girlfriend, Yinka Omolola Theisen, and several unidentified social media users over alleged cyberbullying, defamation and the unlawful disclosure of private information. In the suit, May is asking the court to order the removal of social media accounts and posts she claims were used to harass her and damage her reputation. She is also seeking an order directing social media platforms to release information that would help identify anonymous account…
Vice President Kashim Shettima, will tomorrow, Friday, July 10, formally declare open the Permanent Secretaries’ Procurement Retreat, in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital. The four-day retreat is a high-level, focused, and results-oriented forum for leadership at the apex of the Federal Public Service. It is themed: “Enabling National Development Priorities through Effective Public Procurement.” The retreat is being organised by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) in collaboration with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. According to the organisers, the retreat is designed to strengthen procurement capacity and governance at the highest level…