Nelson Ugwuagbo

The Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, has nullified the July 2024 local government and councillorship elections that produced the state’s 13 council chairmen and their councillors.

Delivering judgment on Tuesday, Justice H.I.O. Oshomah ruled that the polls conducted by the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) failed to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act, rendering the exercise invalid.

The court consequently voided the elections and restrained EBSIEC and the state government from conducting further local government polls unless they strictly adhere to the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act.

The ruling followed a suit filed by Mr. Samuel Udeogu and Mr. Isu Amaechi, represented by counsels Hamilton Ogbodo and Chief Mudi Erhenede, respectively.

Reacting to the judgment, Ogbodo said the decision effectively removed all serving local government chairmen and councillors in the state.

“So, in effect, the local government election conducted in July 2024 in Ebonyi State is no more; it has been cancelled by this Federal High Court today,” he said.

He urged the state government to comply with the court’s directive or risk contempt proceedings once the window for appeal closes.

The Nigerian Senate has approved a bill seeking to establish the Nigeria Mines Rangers Service, a specialized agency designed to combat illegal mining and enhance security in mining communities across the country.

The approval followed the adoption of a report presented by the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development, chaired by Senator Ekong Samson, during Tuesday’s plenary session.

Presenting the committee’s findings, Senator Samson said the proposed agency would provide “a structured framework to monitor mining activities, enforce environmental and safety laws, and ensure sustainable mining practices.”

Sponsored by Senator Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo, the bill aims to safeguard mining sites, regulate operations, and protect host communities affected by illegal mining.

Lawmakers who spoke in support of the bill described the creation of the Mines Rangers Service as a timely intervention to address the rising cases of illegal mining and insecurity in mineral-rich areas.

Presiding over the session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended the initiative, noting that the new agency would strengthen existing mining laws and bring order to the sector.

“This bill, when signed into law, will help protect our natural resources, create jobs, and improve government revenue,” Akpabio said.

The proposed legislation now awaits further legislative processes before transmission to the President for assent.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has launched a new digital platform designed to streamline its drug integrity test and visa clearance processes, making them more efficient, accessible, and effective in combating substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking across Nigeria.

The initiative, known as the Drug Integrity Test and Visa E-Administration System (DITViCAS), was officially unveiled during a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), described the launch as “a paradigm shift in our fight against the scourge of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking — a moment where enforcement meets efficiency, and commitment merges with cutting-edge technology.”

Marwa, represented by the Agency’s Secretary, Shadrach Haruna, emphasized that the project aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. He noted that the NDLEA remains committed to an aggressive, balanced, and uncompromising approach in addressing drug-related issues, focusing on two critical areas: Drug Supply Reduction and Drug Demand Reduction.

A Magistrate Court in Kuje, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has remanded Prince Emmanuel Kanu, the brother of detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, and his lawyer, Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, at the Kuje Correctional Centre.

Their remand follows their participation in the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest held on Monday in Abuja.

Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother, Kanuta Kanu, revealed the development in a post on X (formerly Twitter) shortly after the court session on Tuesday.

He wrote: “The magistrate sitting in Kuje remanded Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, the lead counsel in Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case, and Prince Emmanuel Kanu, his youngest brother. This is a conspiracy from the executive, legislature, and judiciary to frustrate Kanu’s trial on Thursday.”

A court document confirming the ruling was also shared on X by Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

According to the police charge sheet, the duo were accused of inciting disturbance and breach of public peace in disobedience to a court order.

President Bola Tinubu has nominated Dr. Bernard Mohammed Doro for appointment as a new minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The nomination follows the recent appointment of the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Prof. Yilwatda, who hails from Plateau State, vacated his ministerial position after assuming his new role within the ruling party.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga announced Dr. Doro’s nomination, noting that the appointment is subject to confirmation by the Senate.

Traditional rulers from across Northern Nigeria, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, have converged on Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, for a two-day meeting aimed at addressing critical issues affecting the region, particularly the worsening insecurity in the North-West.

The conference, organised under the auspices of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council (NTRC), begins today and will end tomorrow. Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State is expected to declare the meeting open, while the Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Muhammadu Iliyasu Bashar, will serve as host.

Several first-class traditional rulers arrived in Birnin Kebbi on Monday ahead of the opening session. Among those in attendance are the Emir of Kagara, Malam Ahmed Garba Gunna; the Etsu Nupe, Dr. Yahaya Abubakar; the Shehu of Bama, Alhaji (Dr.) Umar Kyari Umar El-Kanemi; and the Emir of Biu.

On arrival, the Shehu of Bama and the Emir of Biu paid a courtesy visit to the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji (Dr.) Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin El-Kanemi, at his guest house in Birnin Kebbi.

The meeting is expected to focus on strategies to address the escalating insecurity, as well as other pressing socio-economic challenges confronting the northern region.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a four-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to conclude ongoing negotiations with unions in the nation’s tertiary institutions.

NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made this known on Monday during an interactive session with labour correspondents in Abuja. The session followed a meeting between the NLC leadership and representatives of tertiary institution-based unions held at the Congress headquarters.

Ajaero criticized the government’s no-work-no-pay policy, describing it as an unfair sanction against members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for embarking on a nationwide strike.

“We have decided to give the Federal Government four weeks to conclude all negotiations in this sector. They have started talks with ASUU, but the problem goes beyond ASUU,” Ajaero said.

He warned that failure to meet the deadline would prompt the NLC’s National Executive Council (NEC) to convene and decide on nationwide industrial action involving all affiliated unions.

“The era of signing agreements, holding negotiations, and then threatening the unions involved has come to an end,” he stated. “The so-called policy of no work, no pay, will henceforth be no pay, no work. You can’t benefit from an action you instigated.”

Ajaero further accused the government of being responsible for most industrial actions in the country, noting that “90 percent of strikes in Nigeria are caused by the government’s failure to honour agreements.”