Author: bibncollar

The Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Aondona Dajoh, has ordered the immediate release of youths arrested during recent protests across the state. The directive was issued on Tuesday during an emergency plenary session convened in response to widespread public outrage over the detention of demonstrators protesting the state’s worsening insecurity. Addressing lawmakers during the session, Speaker Dajoh emphasized the legislature’s commitment to upholding democratic values and the constitutional rights of all citizens. “Peaceful protest is a constitutional right,” Dajoh stated. “No citizen should be punished for raising their voice in a democratic society.” His declaration was met…

Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has dismissed claims that the party has collapsed in Lagos State. Speaking to journalists on Monday after a stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos, George likened the PDP’s presence in Lagos and across Nigeria to the deep-rooted strength of an Iroko or Lebanon oak tree, declaring that the party remains firmly grounded despite recent defections. His remarks come in response to the defection of key PDP figures in Lagos, including the party’s 2023 governorship candidate, Dr. Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran (Jandor), and the party’s spokesperson, Alhaji Hakeem Amode, who recently…

The American Military Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID) has appealed to the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU), and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to urgently demand the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who has remained in detention for four years. AVID also called on the United Kingdom to intervene on behalf of Kanu, a British citizen, citing violations of his fundamental human rights and the illegality of his extradition from Kenya to Nigeria in 2021 — a move the group says contravenes international law. In a statement issued…

Nigeria’s naira appreciated against the US dollar in both the official and parallel markets on Monday, buoyed by a continued decline in the nation’s inflation rate. According to data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the naira rose to ₦1,544.63 per dollar on Monday, up from ₦1,549.35 recorded last Friday—reflecting a gain of ₦4.72. In the parallel market, the naira also showed improvement, trading between ₦1,595 and ₦1,600 per dollar, compared to around ₦1,606 the previous week. The currency’s recovery coincides with a drop in Nigeria’s headline inflation, which declined for the second consecutive month in May to 22.97…

Mr. Kenny Okolugbo, a former Delta State Commissioner and current Special Adviser on Communications and Strategy to the Senate President, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), calling for a thorough investigation into what he describes as a “coordinated cyberattack and defamation campaign” aimed at damaging his reputation. In the petition, Okolugbo claimed that his verified X (formerly Twitter) account was hacked and used to publish false and damaging statements attributed to him. He alleged that the fabricated content was then amplified by three prominent social media influencers — Tunde Ednut (@mazitundeednut), Rufai Oseni (@ruffydfire), and Adeola Fayehun (@adeolafayehun).…

The Labour Party has condemned the recent massacre in Benue State, describing the killings of over 100 people as a national disgrace and a sign of deep leadership failure. In a statement released Monday, the party’s National Caretaker Committee Chair, Senator Nenadi Usman, decried the violence that claimed the lives of women, children, displaced persons, and security operatives, with entire communities left in ruins. “These were not just statistics. They were human beings—children who should have been safe, mothers laid in mass graves, and fathers cut down while defending their homes,” Usman said. Calling the attacks “a fresh wave of…

The National Vice Chairman (North-East) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mustapha Salihu, has dismissed claims of a rift between President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, describing the rumours as distractions engineered by “conflict entrepreneurs.” Speculation has swirled in recent weeks over an alleged fallout between the two leaders, with reports suggesting that Vice President Shettima is being sidelined—particularly due to the President’s reluctance to transfer power during extended trips abroad. The Vice President’s consistent absence from key political endorsements for Tinubu’s second term has further fueled talk that Tinubu may be considering a new running mate for…

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has revealed that the gunmen who recently attacked Yelewata community in Guma Local Government Area entered the area through a nearby river and launched their assault by targeting military and police checkpoints. Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Monday evening, Alia disclosed that the attack, which claimed over 200 lives, lasted for about two hours. He said the assailants were armed herders who had been repelled from Apa and were moving towards Nasarawa State, with Yelewata — which shares a border with Nasarawa — lying in their path. “They came in large numbers…

By Sylvester Udemezue Memory Verse: It is one thing to quote the law; it is another to understand the policy and jurisprudence underpinning its application. 1. *Clarifying the Misapprehensions:* I have read with utmost respect and interest a recent piece by my respected learned friend, Amb. Hameed Ajibola Jimoh, titled *“Only The Chief Registrar Of The S’Court Is Legally Empowered To Collect Annual Practising Fees And Issue Practice Licences To Lawyers – Not The NBA”.* While I commend his devotion to interrogating legal practices with a critical eye, I respectfully submit that the conclusion drawn in that article is based…

A new legal action has been filed at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt by a civil society group, Initiative for Freedom, Conflict Preservation and Social Integration, challenging the role of the National Assembly in the administration of Rivers State under an alleged emergency rule. The suit contests the legality of the National Assembly’s ratification of the appointment of retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as Sole Administrator of Rivers State. The group also questions the Assembly’s authority to constitute a committee overseeing the state’s affairs, including the handling of the 2025 budget. Joined as defendants in the suit are…