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Rivers on Edge: Court to Rule on Controversial Budget, Appointments Under Ibas
The Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled July 18, 2025, to deliver its ruling on a motion seeking to halt the National Assembly from approving budgets and appointments for Rivers State under the leadership of the current Sole Administrator, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Justice James Omotosho fixed the date on Wednesday following arguments presented by legal representatives of both the plaintiffs and the defendants during the hearing on the interlocutory injunction.
It will be recalled that President Bola Tinubu appointed Ibas as Sole Administrator after suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara for six months.
The motion, filed under suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1190/2025, was brought before the court by a group of concerned Rivers State indigenes and the Registered Trustees of Hope Africa Foundation. The individual plaintiffs include King Oziwe Amba, Chief Julius Bulous, Chief George Ikeme, Chief Amachelu Orlu, and Prince Odioha Wembe.
The plaintiffs are seeking an order restraining the National Assembly and its Clerk—listed as the 1st and 2nd defendants—from “approving, supporting, or engaging in any legislative activities” related to appointments or budgetary matters originating from the Ibas-led Rivers State administration.
They argued that the 2025 budget presented by Ibas and passed by the National Assembly was a product of an “unconstitutional ‘voice vote’,” which they claim is not recognized under the 1999 Constitution.
Their lead counsel, Ambrose Owuru, urged the court to suspend any legislative backing for Ibas pending the resolution of the main case. He further contended that the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State lacked constitutional validity, as the National Assembly did not meet the required two-thirds majority for such action.
In their affidavit, the plaintiffs claimed the emergency administration had continued to form committees and authorize expenditures despite ongoing public protests and growing unrest in the state. They insisted that only an elected governor has the constitutional mandate to govern and that their right to democratic governance had been violated.
In response, counsel for the National Assembly and its Clerk, Mohammed Galadima, opposed the motion, describing it as baseless. In a counter affidavit, he characterized the plaintiffs’ claims as a “fabricated falsehood” and asserted that all legislative actions were carried out in full compliance with constitutional provisions.
Galadima warned that granting the injunction could lead to chaos and confusion in the state, adding that it would not serve the interest of justice.
Nonetheless, on June 25, the Senate passed the ₦1.485 trillion 2025 Rivers State budget after the appropriation bill scaled third reading.
Bamidele Kehinde, Director of Dynamic Ambassadors for Social Orientation Initiatives and the City Transformation Project, has expressed appreciation to the Federal Government of Nigeria for its efforts in securing the release of Pastor Benjamin Egbaji, who was reportedly held in detention in the Republic of Benin for over two years under difficult conditions.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Pastor Egbaji, a Nigerian cleric, was said to have endured harsh treatment during his detention, including prolonged confinement. His release followed a presidential pardon granted by the authorities in Benin Republic under President Patrice Talon.
Speaking on News Central TV, Dr. Kehinde praised the diplomatic efforts that led to the cleric’s freedom, describing the process as lengthy and challenging. He noted that significant progress was achieved after Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu was appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
He stated that although there was no personal connection or financial influence involved, the minister actively engaged Benin Republic authorities through diplomatic channels. According to him, her visit and negotiations played a key role in securing Pastor Egbaji’s release.
Dr. Kehinde also commended all individuals and institutions that contributed to the advocacy efforts, including Moses Eyo, Dickson Umu Unung, the Cross River State Government, CP Alobi Lawrence (rtd), Joseph Bisong Ayi, Blessing Harrison, Eze Sampson, and Rt. Hon. Legor Idagbo.
He said their combined efforts were instrumental in achieving the cleric’s freedom.
He added that while Egbaji’s release is a major relief, the cleric now faces the task of recovering and rebuilding his life after years of hardship. He called for continued support to help him reintegrate into society.
Dr. Kehinde also urged stronger government commitment to protecting Nigerian citizens abroad and enhancing diplomatic engagement across West Africa to prevent similar cases in the future.
The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) has provided an update on its ongoing nationwide recruitment exercise.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The board stated that 1,120,491 applications were successfully completed and processed, allowing candidates to proceed to the computer-based test (CBT) stage.
It also disclosed that 432,935 applications were left incomplete, while 360,923 applicants were disqualified during screening and shortlisting for failing to meet the required criteria.
In total, the recruitment exercise recorded over 1.8 million applications across the country.
The exercise covers agencies under the board, including the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Fire Service, and the Nigeria Correctional Service.
CDCFIB also released a breakdown of CBT performance, showing that 221,996 candidates scored between 0–40, 229,155 scored between 41–60, 278,543 scored between 61–80, while 142,697 scored between 81–100.
The recruitment process is now expected to move to the next stage, which includes physical screening and document verification. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted with details of their screening venues, dates, and required documents.
The board reiterated that the entire process is free of charge and advised applicants to rely only on official communication channels for updates, warning against misinformation and unauthorized messages circulating online.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has confirmed that its Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI conducted precise airstrikes in the Yuwe axis of the Sambisa Forest, resulting in the elimination of several terrorist elements on Monday.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, who noted that military operations in the North-East continue to maintain strong pressure on insurgent groups.
He explained that the operation was based on credible intelligence, supported by Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) activities, which identified active terrorist presence within fortified positions and underground hideouts.
According to him, NAF air platforms successfully engaged the targets using precision-guided munitions, destroying the structures, neutralising multiple terrorists, and dismantling key logistics facilities. This was later confirmed through battle damage assessments.
The statement added that sustained air operations have continued to weaken terrorist networks, disrupting their activities and forcing them into more defensive and unstable responses.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, also reiterated the Air Force’s commitment to maintaining continuous, intelligence-driven operations aimed at completely neutralising terrorist threats.
He further assured that the NAF remains focused on protecting its personnel, safeguarding national security, and ensuring the safety of citizens, while continuing precision operations in line with strict rules of engagement to minimise civilian impact.
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