News

Court Order Stopping Rivers’ Allocation, Invitation To Anarchy – Wabara

Published

12 months ago

October 31, 2024

Former Senate President and the Chairman Board of Trustees (BoT), of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Adolphus Wabara, has expressed disappointment over Wednesday’s judgment of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja which ordered the seizure of statutory allocations to Rivers State Government.

The former Senate President who described the judgment as judicial insensitivity and an invitation to anarchy, said that “the judiciary has failed Nigeria.”

Senator Wabara who spoke exclusively with Vanguard, warned that the “ill-conceived court order is capable of cutting off Nigeria’s oil revenue” as youths in the state might be tempted to return to the creeks in response.

He further argued that if the judiciary had handled Rivers’s crisis “professionally abinitio, instead of dishing out conflicting intentional orders and judgements, Rivers State wouldn’t have been in this judicial mess.”

“But for these intentional orders and judgments, INEC would have conducted an election to replace the 27 lawmakers who have constitutionally lost their seats”, Senator Wabara fumed.

He further thundered:”These judges have gone haywire. Nigeria is gone! The judiciary has failed Nigeria. As far as I’m concerned, Nigeria is gone!

“Can they (judges) also give an order that the allocation meant for the judiciary be stopped?”

The former Senate President who recalled that he had earlier warned that the smouldering political crisis in Rivers, was capable of consuming Nigeria if unchecked, urged President Bola Tinubu to act fast.

“I had earlier advised President Tinubu to wade in and stop the mess in Rivers because this crisis in Rivers State , if not stopped, is capable of consuming Nigeria.

“Do they know that Rivers’ allocation is not for Gov. Siminalayi Fubara but for the development of the entire state? And what it means in essence, is that workers will not be paid and Government activities halted. Did the judge think of the multiplier effect on the peace and security of the state?

“I’m not a lawyer but I believe that certain judgments should follow logic, and not just somebody sitting down to issue a corrupt judgement. This judgment will just grind Rivers State to a halt, and by so doing, they are inviting anarchy and restiveness because the people might be tempted to go back to the creeks.

“By the time they stop the source of that money that Nigeria gathers to share every month, there will be no more revenue for the entire country to share again. Why must we take that risk?

“I’m in pain. I weep for this country. This is not the democracy we all anticipated. The CJN should intensify efforts in calling the judges to order. If she invited them just a few days ago to admonish them and this thing is happening, then it means there’s no hope for the country “.

The court presided by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, in a suit by the 27 lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, found that Governor Fubara’s presentation of the 2024 budget to a four-member House of Assembly breached constitutional protocol.

Justice Abdulmalik highlighted that since January, Rivers State has received and spent allocations based on an “illegitimate” budget, describing this as a “constitutional aberration.”

The court order further restricts the CBN, the Accountant General of the Federation, and the state’s accounts at Zenith Bank and Access Bank from releasing any funds to Gov. Fubara.

There has been nationwide condemnation against the judgment with the opposition lawmakers at the national Assembly describing it as the height of judicial rascality, and calling for a mass protest by Rivers people.

VANGUARD

News

Police Arrests Principal Supplier Of Weapons To Bandits In Delta

Published

10 minutes ago

October 25, 2025

Editor

The Special Assignment Team of the Delta state Police Command has arrested a key supplier of weapons to bandit groups in the northern part of Nigeria

The suspect, one Ahmed Ibrahim (31) male, resident of Ekpan in Uvwie local government area, has long been on the command’s watch list for his alleged role in several high-profile kidnapping and armed-robbery operations.

The Commands Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Bright Edafe, in a statement disclosed that acting on credible intelligence from the Force Technical Intelligence Unit (TIU), Abuja, operatives of the CP Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT), led by ASP Julius Robinson, arrested a female suspects, one Jamila Abubakar, at Conoil Filling Station, Warri–Patani Road, Effurun.

The statement revealed that upon her arrest, officers discovered the cash sum of ₦550,000 neatly concealed beneath her bag and suspected to be proceeds from illicit transactions.

According to DAILY POST her apprehension provided a crucial lead that set off a well-coordinated follow-up operation.

“Buildin on that intelligence, the operatives stormed Niger-Cat area of Warri, where they successfully arrested a notorious arms peddler, one Ahmed Ibrahim (31) male, resident of Ekpan in Uvwie Local Government Area, at about 0725 hrs on 22nd October 2025.

“A search led to the recovery of a bag containing one hundred and fifteen rounds 115 rounds of 7.63mm AK-47 live ammunition, 220 rounds of SMG rifle ammunition, and 32 live cartridges”.

Edafe further noted, that preliminary investigations revealed that, the suspect is a key supplier of weapons to bandit groups in the north and has long been on the Command’s watch list for his alleged role in several high-profile kidnapping and armed-robbery operations.

According to the statement, Ahmed Ibrahim, is also linked to the kidnap and murder of one Ogheneovo Onemu (female), who was abducted on May 27, 2024 at Edjekota community in Ughelli North LGA, and later murdered after a ransom payment of ₦4,000,000.

Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, described the breakthrough as another testament to the Command’s unwavering commitment to stemming the flow of illegal arms, dismantling criminal syndicates, and bringing offenders to justice.

The CP urged residents to remain vigilant and continue supporting the Police with timely and credible information to aid the fight against crime, assuring the public that the Command will sustain its momentum against criminal elements and remain resolute in protecting the lives and property of all law-abiding citizens.

News

ABU Makes Clarifications On Alleged Production Of Nuclear Weapons

Published

17 minutes ago

October 25, 2025

Editor

Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has dismissed a viral social media video alleging that the institution was involved in developing nuclear weapons for Nigeria.

The university’s Director of Public Affairs, Auwalu Umar, made this clarifications in a statement issued to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Zaria.

Umar revealed the video is AI-generated and a deliberate attempt to misinform the public about Nigeria’s peaceful nuclear energy programme.

According to him, the video falsely claimed that Nigerian scientists in the 1980s secretly enriched weapons-grade uranium in Kaduna and that ABU researchers obtained centrifuge equipment from the AQ Khan network in Pakistan.

“The claim is baseless, unfounded, and unsubstantiated,” he said.

He explained that during the 1980s, most scientists at ABU’s Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT) were still undergoing training abroad and therefore could not have been involved in any uranium enrichment activity.

Umar clarified that the university had no connection with the AQ Khan network and had never received any equipment for constructing a centrifuge or nuclear device.

He noted that by 1987, the only nuclear-related facility at the institution was a 14 MeV Neutron Generator, which became operational in 1988.

“Nigeria’s first nuclear reactor, NIRR-1, was established much later in 1996 under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Technical Cooperation Programme and commissioned in 2004,” he explained.

Umar stressed that Nigeria’s nuclear activities had always been open, transparent, and strictly for peaceful purposes in line with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Pelindaba Treaty, which both prohibit the development of nuclear weapons.

He reaffirmed that the Centre for Energy Research and Training, established in 1976, operates in collaboration with the IAEA and international partners from the United States, Russia, and China.

“The centre has never engaged in any secret weapons programme,” Umar emphasised, adding that ABU’s research focus remains on peaceful applications of nuclear science for national development.

News

Obasanjo Holds Memorial Service For Late Wife, Stella, Says She Lived Serving Others

Published

24 minutes ago

October 25, 2025

Editor

Twenty years after her passing, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, his family, aides, and acquaintances honoured his late wife and former First Lady, Mrs Stella Obasanjo, at a memorial service.

The memorial service was held on Saturday, at the Chapel of Christ King of Glory, located within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta Ogun State Capital.

Recall that Mrs Obasanjo passed away on October 23, 2005, at the age of 59, after an unsuccessful elective liposuction treatment and stomach tuck in Spain. The procedure was planned to coincide with her 60th birthday.

During a brief interview following the service, Obasanjo stated, “We are here to celebrate a life of service.”

DAILY POST reports that the event had in attendance Stella’s son Muyiwa, former Ogun State Governors, Gbenga Daniel and Ibikunle Amosun, among other notable dignitaries.

In his testimony during the church service, John Abebe, Stella’s younger brother, testified that the former first lady would be remembered for her contagious smile, which he claimed always warmed people’s hearts.

He said “Sister Stella was somebody you just couldn’t get angry with because she would always smile through everything, every difficulty.”

Similarly her only child, Muyiwa, described her as one who was strict and would never tolerate any nonsense.

“She was caring and protective. As an only child. most people understand that, but also strict and would not tolerate any deviation from you. So, I have kept that in mind, and I have continued to try to live my life that way.”

Speaking with newsmen, Daniel and Amosun praised Stella’s candour, saying she lived an exemplary life .