Category: PM News

By Monday Ijeh

The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has debunked and clarified reports of an alleged kidnap incident said to have occured at Phase 1 Primary School, Gbagalape community, Abuja.

This clarification is contained in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, by the command’s Public Relations Officer in the FCT, SP Josephine Adeh.

Adeh explained that officers of the command attached to Nyanya Division, at about 10;30 am., received a distress call alleging an ongoing kidnapping incident at the school.

She said that on receipt of the report, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) immediately mobilised officers and surveillance teams to the scene.

She added that preliminary investigations revealed that the pupils suddenly started shouting “kidnappers” and running out of the school premises, creating panic among teachers and members of the community.

“Consequently, the school premises was cordoned off and thoroughly searched by responding officers.

“Following extensive search and questioning of persons within and around the school premises, no kidnapping incident was established, no suspect was sighted, and no victim was identified.

“Surrounding hills, boundaries, and adjoining areas were patrolled and searched, while nearby schools were also visited as part of precautionary security measures, yet no evidence of kidnappers,” she said.

The FCT command spokesperson therefore urged the public to remain calm and refrain from spreading unverified information, capable of creating unnecessary panic and tension within communities.

She enjoined the public to promptly report suspicious activities or emergencies to the nearest police station or through the command’s emergency lines on 08032003913, 07057337653.

(NAN)

By Benjamin Akanji

As the Customs and Excise Tariff (Amendment) Bill (CETA) 2025 advances to third reading in the Senate, Nigeria is approaching a critical economic decision. The bill is now on the verge of passage at a time when businesses are grappling with some of the most difficult operating conditions in decades.

This is not simply a debate about taxation or public health. It is a question of economic priorities. At a time when governments around the world are strengthening domestic industries, protecting jobs, and building economic resilience, Nigeria must decide whether it wants to support production or impose additional burdens on those already producing.

The timing could hardly be more consequential.

Across the world, countries are increasingly acting in their own economic interests. Governments are subsidising manufacturing, securing supply chains, and taking deliberate steps to protect strategic sectors. Economic resilience and domestic production have become central pillars of national competitiveness.

Nigeria should be moving in the same direction.

Instead, lawmakers are considering legislation that could increase costs for one of the country’s most structured and compliant manufacturing sectors at a time when producers are already under significant pressure.

Nigeria is not an economy with deep industrial buffers. High inflation, exchange-rate volatility, rising energy costs, and elevated interest rates continue to place enormous strain on businesses. Since mid-2023, the naira has lost substantial value, significantly increasing the cost of imported machinery, raw materials, packaging, and other production inputs. Consumers are spending less, while businesses are paying more to produce.

In such an environment, policy decisions that increase pressure on productive sectors can have lasting consequences. Once factories scale down, investments are postponed, or jobs are lost, rebuilding industrial capacity becomes far more difficult.

The manufacturing sector already faces unreliable power supply, logistics challenges, multiple taxation, regulatory uncertainty, and foreign exchange pressures. These are not industries operating under ideal conditions. They are businesses striving to remain competitive while sustaining millions of jobs directly and indirectly.

Any policy that further increases costs without addressing these structural challenges risks discouraging investment, slowing production, and accelerating the shift of economic activity into the informal sector.Few sectors demonstrate what is at stake more clearly than the beverage industry.

The sector supports an extensive value chain that includes agriculture, packaging, transportation, distribution, retail, and thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises. When policies affect the beverage industry, the effects extend far beyond manufacturers and reach countless businesses and families across the country.

It is also one of the most heavily taxed sectors in Nigeria. Government tax receipts from the industry increased from 123 billion in 2022 to 127 billion in 2023, accounting for a significant share of corporate income tax and value-added tax collections. Few sectors illustrate more clearly the extent to which compliant manufacturers already contribute to government revenue.Advancing additional excise taxes under current economic conditions risks imposing immediate economic costs while offering uncertain public health outcomes.

Supporters of CETA frequently cite alignment with international health recommendations and guidance from organisations such as the World Health Organization (WHO). While the WHO plays an important role in global public health, Nigeria must be careful not to confuse global recommendations with local realities.

There is no conclusive evidence establishing sugar-sweetened beverages as the primary driver of non-communicable diseases, particularly in developing economies such as Nigeria. Obesity and related health conditions are influenced by a range of factors, including overall diet, physical activity, healthcare access, urbanisation, and socioeconomic conditions.Treating a complex public health challenge as though it can be addressed primarily through higher taxes on a single product category risks oversimplifying the problem.

Nigeria’s own consumption data raises further questions about proportionality. Per capita sugar consumption remains below the WHO’s recommended annual threshold and significantly lower than levels recorded in several other African countries. This raises an important question: is the proposed response proportionate to the problem it seeks to address?

International experience offers little certainty. In several countries where sugar-sweetened beverage taxes have been introduced, consumption patterns have often shifted rather than disappeared, while evidence of sustained reductions in obesity or non-communicable diseases remains mixed.

Public health outcomes are rarely achieved through isolated fiscal measures alone. They typically require coordinated action involving education, healthcare, nutrition awareness, preventive care, and lifestyle interventions.Health policy does not exist in isolation from economic policy.

Policies that are technically sound in theory can produce unintended economic consequences in practice. Increased production costs can lead to reduced investment, slower growth, and fewer employment opportunities. Ultimately, no international organisation bears responsibility for the Nigerian worker who loses a job or the local factory that scales back operations. That responsibility rests with Nigeria.

The Senate’s advancement of CETA also raises questions about policy alignment.The bill appears difficult to reconcile with the President’s Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Agenda, which seeks to broaden the tax base rather than place additional pressure on a relatively small group of compliant taxpayers. Nigeria’s challenge is not low taxation. It is a tax system in which a limited number of formal businesses carry a disproportionate share of the burden while large segments of the economy remain outside the tax net.

The contradiction becomes even more apparent when viewed alongside the Nigerian Industrialisation Policy 2025, which seeks to increase manufacturing’s contribution to GDP through competitive production, value-chain development, import substitution, and enterprise growth.

Policies that increase costs and uncertainty for manufacturers risk undermining these objectives before they have the opportunity to deliver results.As CETA reaches third reading, the window for reflection is rapidly narrowing. Yet this is precisely the moment when lawmakers must ask a fundamental question: what kind of economy does Nigeria want to build?

The issue is not whether public health matters or whether industries should be regulated. Both are important. The issue is whether Nigeria should impose additional burdens on productive sectors at a time when the country’s most urgent economic priorities are job creation, industrial growth, investment attraction, and economic recovery.

The Senate still has an opportunity to pause, reassess, and ensure that CETA aligns with Nigeria’s economic realities and long-term development goals.History rarely remembers legislation by its intentions. It remembers the consequences.

As lawmakers consider the final stages of this bill, they face a choice that extends beyond taxation. It is a choice about jobs, investment, industrial growth, and the future competitiveness of the Nigerian economy.At a time when countries around the world are fighting to strengthen domestic production, Nigeria cannot afford to weaken its own.

By Richard Elesho

Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Sunday Steve Karimi, has expressed optimism that Nigeria’s current security challenges will not derail the country, insisting that insurgency, banditry and kidnapping will ultimately be defeated.

Karimi’s legal aide, Toye Ibitiye who made this known in a statement said the senator spoke in his Abuja residence when he received constituents from the seven local government areas of Kogi West who visited to mark his third year in the Senate.

He described the recent wave of violent attacks across parts of the country as a coordinated attempt by criminal elements to destabilise national cohesion, spread fear, and distract the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from its governance agenda.

According to him, local miscreants and their foreign collaborators are intent on bringing the administration to its knees. This, he noted, has informed simultaneous, sporadic, and asymmetric assaults on the country from different parts, which is precipitating scare and fear.

Despite the prevailing concerns, the senator maintained that Nigeria’s security forces continue to show resilience, recording operational gains in the ongoing fight against criminal networks.

“What we are witnessing is a deliberate effort to create fear and instability. But Nigeria has gone through difficult moments before and emerged stronger. This phase will also pass,” he said.

Karimi cited recent rescue operations, including the release of Mrs. Olaide Busayo John-Paul, younger sister of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and her twin sons, as examples of ongoing successes by security agencies.

He also referenced sustained military operations against insurgent groups and armed criminals in different parts of the country, describing them as evidence of continued pressure on hostile elements.

The senator, who chairs the Senate Committee on Services, commended President Tinubu for what he described as consistent backing of security agencies and ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening national security architecture.

He noted that proposals around expanded security coverage and state policing reflect the government’s recognition of the need for deeper structural responses to insecurity.

“Our security personnel continue to make sacrifices in defence of the nation. They deserve national support and cooperation as they work under difficult conditions,” he said.

Karimi also expressed confidence that victims of recent abductions, including schoolchildren and teachers in various parts of the country, would be rescued through sustained security operations.

He acknowledged the trauma faced by affected families, assuring that efforts were ongoing to secure the safe return of all abducted persons.

Earlier, leader of the visiting delegation, Abdulganiyu Salaudeen, commended Karimi’s performance in the Senate, describing his representation as responsive and impactful.

Salaudeen also praised the senator’s focus on security interventions and infrastructure development, particularly his push for the rehabilitation of the KabbaIsanluEgbeIlorin road, which he said remains critical to the economic life of Kogi West.

By Rukayat Moisemhe

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) have said the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage (SSB) Tax Bill being considered by the National Assembly could worsen challenges facing Nigeria’s manufacturing sector.

LCCI and CPPE said this in a separate statement issued in reaction to passage of the Customs, Excise Tariff, etc. (Consolidation) Act (Amendment) Bill 2025, to reform excise duties on sugar sweetened beverages by the Senate.

The bill also aims to strengthen public health financing and addressing the growing burden of non-communicable diseases in Nigeria.

In its own statement issued in Lagos on Monday signed by its Director-General, Dr Chinyere Almona, LCCI said that though it supported efforts to address public health concerns associated with excessive sugar consumption, such interventions should not impose undue burdens on businesses and consumers.

She noted that manufacturers were already grappling with high energy costs, exchange rate volatility, elevated interest rates, logistics bottlenecks, multiple taxation and weak consumer purchasing power.

According to her, the introduction of additional taxes on beverage manufacturers is likely to increase production costs, which can ultimately be passed on to consumers through higher prices.

“This may further worsen inflationary pressures and reduce demand for locally manufactured products.”

The LCCI boss also said that the tax could have unintended consequences across industrial value chains, affecting suppliers, distributors, transport operators, retailers, farmers and service providers linked to the beverage industry.

She added that any decline in production volumes resulting from increased taxation could lead to lower investments, reduced capacity utilisation and potential job losses.

Almona advocated a more balanced approach that combined public health education, voluntary product reformulation, improved product labeling, consumer awareness campaigns and broader stakeholder engagement.

She noted that experiences from more advanced economies showed that similar policies were designed primarily to encourage manufacturers to reduce sugar content in products.

According to her, Nigeria’s SSB tax framework should form part of a broader public health strategy and be carefully calibrated to minimise disruption to industry and employment.

“We want to see manufacturers reformulate their products over a transition period rather than simply raise prices due to SSB taxes.

“A reformulation-focused tax may be more effective than a revenue-focused tax as it can achieve health objectives while preserving industrial activity,”

Almona also stressed the need for policymakers to assess the likely impact of the tax on agriculture, manufacturing and supply chains before implementation, especially in sectors that supported large numbers of jobs.

She urged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to undertake a redesign of the policy through wider consultations with manufacturers, health experts, organised private sector groups, consumer associations and other stakeholders.

” Such engagement will help develop a tax framework that promotes product reformulation while preserving sales, jobs and industrial competitiveness,” she said.

She added that this would ensure that public health objectives were pursued in a manner that supports sustainable industrial development and economic growth.

“We urge the Federal Government and the National Assembly to undertake a redesign exercise through more technical engagement with manufacturers, health experts, organised private-sector groups, consumer associations, and other stakeholders to birth a tax policy that drives product reformulation and preserves sales and jobs.

“This will help ensure that public health objectives are pursued in a manner that preserves economic competitiveness, jobs, and supports sustainable industrial development,” she added

CPPE, an NGO, in its own statement, urged the House of Representatives to reject the sugar-sweetened beverage tax bill, describing it as ill-timed and insensitive to prevailing economic realities for manufacturers.

The Chief Executive Officer, CPPE, Dr Muda Yusuf signed the statement issued on Sunday in Lagos.

He also stressed that the move was inconsistent with the Federal Government’s commitment to reducing the tax burden on businesses and detrimental to Nigeria’s manufacturing sector.

He expressed deep concerns that the Senate had proceeded with the passage of the bill in spite of strong objections from private sector stakeholders, particularly the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN).

He noted that manufacturers were already contending with high energy costs, elevated interest rates, foreign exchange pressures, logistics challenges, weak consumer purchasing power, and multiple taxes and levies.

Yusuf described the food and beverage industry as one of the strongest pillars of Nigeria’s industrial economy, contributing significantly to manufacturing output and employment.

He said that the sector’s strong linkages with agriculture, packaging, logistics, retail trade, hospitality and distribution made it a key driver of inclusive economic growth.

According to him, imposing additional taxes on the non-alcoholic beverage subsector would increase production costs, raise consumer prices, weaken demand, reduce capacity utilisation and threaten jobs across the value chain.

“The food and beverage industry is one of the strongest pillars of Nigeria’s industrial economy, accounting for a significant proportion of manufacturing output and jobs.

“The non-alcoholic beverages subsector is a major contributor to this ecosystem and should be supported, not burdened with additional taxation.

“Any additional tax burden on the industry would inevitably increase production costs, raise consumer prices, weaken demand, reduce capacity utilisation and threaten jobs across the value chain,” he said.

The CPPE boss also expressed concern over what he described as policy inconsistency, noting that the 2026 fiscal policy framework already provides for an excise duty of N10 per litre on non-alcoholic beverages.

He warned that introducing further taxes through additional legislation would heighten regulatory uncertainty and undermine investor confidence.

“Investors thrive on predictability. Frequent additions to the tax burden send the wrong signal to both existing and prospective investors,” he said.

On the public health justification for the tax, Yusuf acknowledged the need to address the rising incidence of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases.

He, however, argued that sugar taxes alone had limited effectiveness in improving health outcomes.

He said major drivers of diabetes and related illnesses in Nigeria included poor dietary habits, excessive consumption of carbohydrate-rich foods, physical inactivity, sedentary lifestyles, inadequate health awareness and genetic factors.

According to him, lawmakers should instead prioritise nutrition education, public health awareness campaigns, promotion of exercise and physical activity, healthier food choices, preventive healthcare and urban infrastructure that supports active living.

Yusuf maintained that such measures would deliver more sustainable public health benefits without harming production, investment and employment.

He urged House of Representatives to decline concurrence to the bill in the interest of manufacturing sustainability, job preservation, investment confidence and policy coherence.

“The house has historically demonstrated sensitivity to the welfare of citizens and the concerns of productive enterprises.

“We urge members to uphold that tradition by rejecting this legislation in the interest of manufacturing sustainability, employment preservation, investment confidence and policy coherence,” he said. (NAN)

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has called for the exposure and defeat of those sponsoring terrorism, kidnappings and violent attacks in Nigeria, saying the country must not lose hope despite the worsening insecurity troubling many communities.

Akpabio spoke on Sunday at an Inter-Denominational Church Service held at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, as part of activities marking this year’s Democracy Day celebration.

The service, themed “God of Hope, Actualise our Dreams,” brought together top government officials and worshippers to reflect on Nigeria’s 27 years of uninterrupted democratic rule.

In a statement issued by his media office in Abuja, Akpabio said Nigerians must continue to pray for the sponsors of violence to be exposed, whether they are within government circles or outside them.

He said, “We must continue praying so that the evil doers and their sponsors shall be exposed in Jesus Name.

“If they are in government, they shall be exposed. If they are outside government, they shall be exposed in Jesus Name. Those sponsoring it, whether it is politically motivated or not, may they never have peace until they are defeated.”

The Senate President recalled that when he served as governor of Akwa Ibom State, he introduced monthly prayer sessions as part of efforts to confront kidnapping, militancy and killings in the state.

According to him, the prayer initiative was born out of the troubling security situation at the time.

“When I had the opportunity to serve as governor about 19 years ago, I started monthly prayer. I used to ask myself a question whenever there was militancy, kidnapping and killing. I would say, what if we were not praying?

“Today I want you to ask the same question, the things happening around us, what if we were not praying,” he said.

Akpabio acknowledged the pain and trauma caused by insecurity across the country, especially attacks on communities, abductions of children, and the fear now confronting farmers, travellers and families.

“There is no denying that insecurity continues to trouble our land. Communities have been attacked. Farmers fear returning to their fields. Travellers journey with uncertainty. Families mourn loved ones lost to violence and criminality,” he said.

The former Akwa Ibom governor said President Bola Tinubu had directed that this year’s Democracy Day be marked in a low-key manner because of the current situation in the country.

He, however, urged Nigerians not to give up, saying the country had survived political crises, economic hardship, insurgencies, pandemics and years of democratic uncertainty.

“We have survived political upheavals, economic turbulence. We will survive insurgencies. We have survived pandemics like Ebola and COVID-19 and seasons of despotism. Yet here we stand. Twenty-seven years of democratic governance. Twenty-seven years of constitutional order and hope renewed.

“But gratitude must never blind us to reality,” Akpabio said.

Speaking emotionally on the plight of abducted children and their families, Akpabio said the trauma of insecurity was deeply personal to him, recalling his experience as a child during the Nigerian Civil War.

“That is why my heart breaks for every child in captivity and every parent who lies awake through the long hours of the night, not knowing whether a son or daughter is safe, hungry, frightened or even alive.

“I know something of that anguish. Yet what I experienced as a child cannot be compared with the horror, humiliation, cruelty and unspeakable ordeal these innocent children have endured since their abduction.

“It is a tragedy that wounds the conscience of our nation. But I assure you, there is a brighter tomorrow. The evil you see today, you shall soon see no more,” he said.

Akpabio assured Nigerians that the Tinubu administration remained committed to restoring peace, ending insecurity and securing the release of all persons still being held in captivity.

“We shall continue to act together, pray together, and continue to persevere until our children are safely returned and our nation is secure,” he added.

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerians to play a more active role in the fight against terrorism and other forms of violent crime, declaring that securing the country is a collective responsibility that extends beyond the battlefield.

In a message of appreciation to members of the Armed Forces and other security agencies on Monday on X, the President said the battle against terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and violent extremists cannot be won by security personnel alone, stressing that citizens must support security efforts through timely intelligence and information sharing.

“The fight against terror is not only a military operation. It is a national duty,” Tinubu said.

“Citizens must support our security forces by providing timely, useful information. When you see something, say something. When you know something, report it.”

The President’s remarks come amid ongoing military operations across several parts of the country, particularly in regions grappling with terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.

Tinubu paid glowing tribute to frontline troops and security operatives, describing them as the nation’s protective shield against forces seeking to undermine peace, security and national unity.

According to him, soldiers and security personnel continue to make immense sacrifices in difficult and often dangerous environments to ensure that Nigerians can go about their daily activities without fear.

“You stand as a shield between innocent citizens and those who seek to destroy the peace, safety and dignity of our communities,” the President said.

“In the forests, on the roads, at forward operating bases, in the air, creeks and across difficult terrains, you carry the burden of national protection so that millions of Nigerians can sleep, work, worship, farm, trade and raise their children in hope.”

The President acknowledged that the fight against insecurity has come at a heavy cost, noting that many personnel have endured enormous pressure, hardship and personal sacrifice in the line of duty.

“This fight has not been easy. It has come with pain, pressure and sacrifice. But your courage has remained firm. Your service is acknowledged. Your sacrifice is honoured. Your country does not take you for granted,” he stated.

Tinubu also extended appreciation to officers and personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, intelligence agencies and local security formations for their contributions to safeguarding the country.

Beyond the men and women in uniform, the President recognised the sacrifices made by their families, many of whom endure prolonged separations and emotional strain while their loved ones serve on the frontlines.

“I also acknowledge the families behind the uniform. Many of you have endured long absences, anxious nights and the emotional cost of duty. Nigeria remembers that sacrifice too,” he said.

The President paid special tribute to fallen security personnel who lost their lives defending the country, saying their bravery continues to inspire hope and resilience in communities rescued from criminal elements.

“We honour those who have paid the supreme price in defence of our country. Their names may not always trend, but their courage lives on in rescued communities, protected families and the survival of the nation they served,” he added.

Reaffirming his administration’s determination to defeat criminal groups threatening national stability, Tinubu vowed that Nigeria would not bow to fear or allow violent actors to define the country’s identity.

“Nigeria will not surrender to fear. We will not allow terrorists, bandits, kidnappers or violent extremists to define who we are as a people. Their violence is not our identity. Their hatred does not represent Nigerians of any faith, creed or community,” he said.

By Ayorinde Oluokun

Four members of alleged gun running syndicate linked to a berretta pistol recovered from one Oghenemine Ogidiman who was later shot dead by a police officer at park in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State on 1st May 2026 are now in police net.

The Delta State Police Command announced the arrest of the suspects in a statement on Monday.

In the statement signed by its spokesperson, Bright Edafe, the Command identified the suspects as Emmanuel Chukwuemeka, Clifford Boleyelefa, Amadi Princewill and Amadi Felix Chibuike.

The Command said the suspects who were arrested in Bayelsa and Imo states respectively after a pain staking investigation and intelligence led operations carried out by operatives of the command are members of Black Axe confraternity cult gang.

According to Edafe, the first suspect, Emmanuel Chukwuemeka, was arrested in Bayelsa on the 4th of May 2026 alongside his friend and roommate whose phone he used as a means of communication to purchase the gun.

He added that Emmanuel revealed that he bought the gun from one Amadi Princewill for the sum of N290,000) and sold the gun to one Desmond (at large) for the sum of N380,000 who in turn way- billed it to Effurun and contacted Oghenemine Ogidi (now deceased) to collect it and send to Sapele.

The Police spokesperson said following the confession of Emmanuel Chukwuemeka, the second suspect Amadi Princewill was trailed and arrested in Imo State on 15th of May 2026.

“Upon the arrest of Amadi Princewill, and on interrogation, he stated that he bought the gun from one Amadi Felix for the sum of Two Hundred Thousand Naira (#200,000). Consequently, Amadi Felix was trailed and arrested in Owerri Imo State on 16th May 2026,” Edafe said.

He added that the suspects will be charged to court upon completion of investigation while manhunt for other suspects including Desmond is still ongoing.

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has condemned the attack on its enforcement officers by suspected illegal waste operators during an environmental monitoring operation along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

The Managing Director of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, condemned the incident in a statement issued by the agency’s Director of Public Affairs, Mr Mukaila Sanusi, on Monday in Lagos.

Gbadegesin described the attack as unacceptable and warned against attempts to obstruct the agency’s lawful activities.

According to him, the incident occurred on Sunday at Mazamaza Bus Stop, shortly after FESTAC First Gate, during a routine environmental monitoring and compliance exercise.

He said LAWMA operatives encountered individuals engaged in illegal waste disposal activities while carrying out their statutory duties.

“The enforcement team was attacked by suspected illegal waste operators and cart pushers who attempted to obstruct the exercise.

“Our enforcement officers were carrying out their statutory responsibilities when they were attacked by individuals seeking to frustrate government efforts,” he said.

Gbadegesin described the attack as a direct affront to government efforts aimed at safeguarding public health and maintaining environmental sanitation.

He said such actions would not deter the agency from discharging its mandate of maintaining a clean and healthy environment.

The managing director noted that assaults on enforcement personnel constituted a serious offence under the law.

He warned that anyone found to have participated in the attack or obstructed lawful government operations would face prosecution.

Gbadegesin added that efforts were ongoing to identify and apprehend all those connected with the incident.

He said that in spite of the attack, the enforcement team continued its monitoring operation along the corridor, covering Iyana Iba, Okokomaiko and Agbara.

According to him, the exercise is part of ongoing efforts to curb indiscriminate waste disposal and promote compliance with environmental regulations.

Gbadegesin said the activities of illegal cart pushers and operators of unauthorised dumpsites remained a major challenge to effective waste management in the state.

He added that such activities also posed significant risks to environmental sanitation and public health.

The LAWMA boss urged residents and businesses to patronise only approved waste service providers and dispose of waste through authorised channels.

He stressed that maintaining a clean and sustainable environment required collective responsibility.

Gbadegesin called on residents to support government efforts by complying with environmental laws and reporting illegal waste disposal activities.

He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to sustaining enforcement operations across the state and warned that offenders would continue to face sanctions. (NAN)

By Desmond Ejibas

Port Harcourt, June 8, 2026 (NAN) The Police Command in Rivers has commenced an investigation into allegations of unlawful detention and related misconduct contained in an online publication.

Reports circulating on social media alleged that an unnamed individual was arrested and detained at the Octopus Unit, C4i, Mile 2, Diobu, Port Harcourt.

According to the reports, the individual was arrested over a petition unrelated to him, physically assaulted and compelled to pay N180,000 before regaining his freedom several days later.

The command’s spokesperson, ASP Blessing Agabe, told journalists in Port Harcourt on Monday that the Commissioner of Police in Rivers, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, had ordered a full investigation into the allegations.

Agabe said an investigative panel had been constituted to examine the claims and establish the facts surrounding the incident.

According to her, the action is in line with the command’s commitment to professionalism, accountability and the protection of fundamental human rights.

“The investigative panel has been directed to thoroughly examine the incident and ascertain the facts surrounding the allegations,” she said.

Agabe said that Adepoju had urged individuals and members of the public with credible information to come forward and assist the investigation.

He advised affected persons to report to the Office of the Police Public Relations Officer or contact the Complaint Response Unit through the designated channels.

The commissioner reiterated that detention beyond the constitutionally approved period without due process remained unlawful.

“Detention beyond the legally stipulated period without due process is unlawful, unacceptable and will not be tolerated under any guise,” he said.

Adepoju warned that any officer found culpable of unethical or unlawful conduct would face disciplinary action in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.

“The Rivers State Police Command remains committed to accountability, transparency and respect for human dignity,” he assured.

He further assured residents that the rights, freedom and dignity of every citizen would be protected at all times.

Meanwhile, Mr Wisdom Chude, a lawyer and rights advocate who published the allegations, claimed that police officers initially refused to release the victim’s personal belongings after his release from detention.

Chude alleged that the victim’s belongings, including clothing and footwear, were only returned after additional payments were made.

He further claimed that some detainees had remained in police custody for between two and three months without being granted bail or charged to court.

According to him, one detainee allegedly paid N200,000 for bail but was returned to the cell after making the payment.

He described the unlawful detention as a violation of fundamental human rights.

“In Rivers State, we have the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee, while judges and chief magistrates are required to inspect detention facilities regularly,” he said.

Chude expressed concern that the alleged abuses suggested that existing oversight mechanisms might not be functioning effectively.

“The Octopus Unit deserves urgent scrutiny. The scale of the alleged human rights violations should be a matter of serious public concern,” he added.

The lawyer questioned how individuals could allegedly remain in detention for weeks or months without bail, court arraignment or effective oversight.

He called for a thorough investigation into the allegations and urged the relevant authorities to ensure compliance with the law.

Chude also appealed to the Commissioner of Police in Rivers to conduct regular inspections of tactical police units across the state.

“Direct inspections would enable the police leadership to independently assess conditions in detention facilities rather than relying solely on reports from unit commanders,” he said.

He urged authorities to strengthen accountability measures and safeguard the rights of persons in custody.

(NAN)

By Taiye Agbaje

The Sen. Adolphus Wabara-led Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has initiated a court battle to compel Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to recognise the interim National Working Committee (NWC) of its faction.

INEC currently recognizes a faction of the PDP backed by FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike with Abdurahman Mohammed and Samuel Anyanwu as the chairman and secretary respectively.

However, the BoT and the faction of PDP, in a fresh suit, sought an order compelling INEC to, forthwith, update its records and publish on its official website the NWC of the party as forwarded to it by the plaintiffs and its National Executive Committee (NEC).

They said the names of members of the Tanimu Turaki-led NWC was forwarded to the electoral umpire via their letters dated May 4.

The originating summons, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1159/2026, was filed on June 4 by a team of lawyers led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN.

Listed as plaintiffs are former Senate President Wabara; BoT Secretary, former Gov. Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger; ex-Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana and PDP chieftain, Olabode George as 1st to 4th plaintiffs.

Others include former Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Maryam Ciroma; also an ex-Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina; member of BoT and NEC, Dame Esther Uduehi and PDP as 5th to 8th plaintiffs respectively.

The plaintiffs sued INEC as sole defendant in the suit.

Court of Appeal in Abuja had, on June 3, set aside key aspects of an Ibadan Federal High Court judgment that recognised a factional caretaker committee in the PDP.

The appellate court held that the trial court granted reliefs that were never sought by any of the parties to the suit.

Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, in a unanimous judgment, faulted Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, for going beyond the issues placed before the court in a dispute arising from the PDP leadership crisis.

Justice Agomoh had, in a judgment delivered on Jan. 30, recognised the caretaker committee led by Abdurahman Mohammed and Samuel Anyanwu of Nyesom Wike’s camp, as the legitimate leadership faction of the party.

However, the Court of Appeal held that none of the parties before the lower court had sought such a declaration.

Meanwhile, the Wabara-led BoT of the PDP, in the suit filed on June 4, sought a declaration that INEC is constitutionally bound to enforce and give full effect to the decision of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja in a suit number: CV/1050/2025 between Sen. Sameul Anyanwu vs. Amb. Umar Damagun and eight others delivered on Jan. 12.

They sought a declaration that the commission is also bound by decisions in appeal number: CA/ABI/1613/2025, between PDP and two others Vs. Hon. Austine Nwachukwu and eight others delivered on March 9 and appeal numbers: SC/CV/164/2026 between PDP Vs. Alhaji Sule Lamido and four others and SC/CV/166/2026 between PDP and two others Vs. Hon Austine Nwachukwu and eight others both delivered on April 30.

They, therefore, prayed the court for an order directing INEC to accept and give effect to all official correspondences, communications, notices and engagements concerning the party from the interim NWC and for the commission to direct the same emanating from it to the NWC as forwarded to it by the plaintiffs and the NEC via their letters dated May 4.

In the affidavit in support of the originating summons deposed to by ex-Gov. Aliyu, he said on Nov. 1, 2025, “key officers of PDP (8th plaintiff) like Sen. Anyanwu, Hon Umar M. Bature, Adeyemi Kamaldeen Ajibade and Barr. Okechukwu Osuoha were suspended by a resolution of the NWC for gross misconduct, anti-party activities and insubordination against the 8th plaintiff.”

Aliyu said that at the 608 meeting of the NWC held on Nov. 1, 2025, their suspension was approved and they were referred to National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) for further action.

He said the affected four members deliberately refused, failed and neglected to submit themselves to the party’s NDC and continue to act as officers of the party even when there was no any resolution lifting their suspension.

He said that Anyanwu was earlier recommended for expulsion as a member of the PDP by a report dated March 10, 2025 submitted by the NDC.

Aliyu said, subsequently, the NDC’s recommendation for the expulsion of Anyanwu was upheld at the 608 meeting of the NWC held on Nov. 1, 2025.

He said upon his expulsion, Anyanwu filed suit number: CV/1050/2025 against Damagun and others at the FCT High Court, challenging his expulsion as a member of the party.

He averred that on Jan. 12, the FCT High Court delivered its judgment, dismissing Anyanwu’s claim in the said suit on the merit.

The ex-governor said the BoT, at its emergency meeting held on Nov. 5, 2025, constituted the board reconciliation committee, preparatory to its national elective convention.

He said the party held its elective national convention on Nov. 15 and Nov. 16, 2025, and elected its national officers.

According to him, the convention was subject of several litigations that went through the Federal High Court to the Supreme Court.

Aliyu said the convention was nullified by the Court of Appeal in appeal number: CA/A8)/1613/2025, between PDP and two others Vs. Hon Austine Nwachukwu and eight others delivered on March 9.

He said the judgment of the appellate court referred to also affirmed the suspension of the key officers of the PDP referred to in paragraph 11 by virtue of the resolution of the party’s NWC.

He said on further appeal to the Supreme Court, the apex court, in its judgment in appeal numbers: SC/CV/164/2026, between PDP Vs. Alhaji Sule Lamido and four others and SC/CV/166/2026, between PDP and two others Vs. Hon Austine Nwachukwu and eight others, both delivered on April 30 also affirmed the Appeal Court judgment, nullifying the convention of the PDP held on Nov. 15 and Nov. 16, 2025.

In addition, he said the apex court judgment further dismissed the cross appeal, challenging the suspension of the key officers of the party mentioned in paragraph 11 supra.

Aliyu said the resolution of the NWC dated Nov. 1, 2025, upon which the suspension of A. K. Ajibade, SAN, was affirmed by the Court of Appeal and cross appeal against the same to the Supreme Court was dismissed, suspended A. K. Ajibade, SAN, alongside Anyanwu, Bature and Osuoha.

“Consequent, upon the vacuum created in the leadership structure of the PDP following the judgment nullifying the Nov. 15 and Nov.16, 2025 elective national convention of the 8th plaintiff and which also upheld the suspension of the affected key officers of the 8th plaintiff, the BoT, comprising the 1st to 7th plaintiffs constituted an interim NWC mandated to oversee the affairs of the 8th plaintiff pending the conduct of a valid national convention.”

He said the constitution of the interim NWC was communicated to INEC by the party’s BOT and NEC through their letters dated Monday, May 4 respectively.

The former governor said, consequently, the NWC, at its meeting heid on May 12, assigned portfolios to members of the interim NWC as constituted by its BoT and NEC, as was forwarded to the commission vide Exhibits “9” and “10” respectively.

He said the electoral umpire was subsequently notified of the assignment of the portfolios by the interim NWC’s letter dated May 15.

Aliyu, however, said that in spite of the receipt of Exhibits “9” and “10” dated May 4 and Exhibit “11” dated May 15, written to INEC by the BoT, NEC and NWC, the defendant failed, refused and neglected to effect the necessary corrections in its records or accord recognition to the interim National Working Committee.”

He said upon the non-compliance with the letters, further letters were written through the party’s lawyer, Chief Uche, on May 8 and May 13, urging INEC to give effect to subsisting judgment of the courts.

The ex-governor said he knew for a fact that INEC is under a constitutional and legal obligation to comply with valid and subsisting judgments of the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

He described INEC’s actions as “a grave affront to the rule of law and the supremacy of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).”

According to him, that unless this honourable court intervenes, the defendant will continue to disregard the valid and subsisting judgments of the courts.

Aliyu said it was in the interest of justice for the court to grant the reliefs sought in the originating summons.

The suit is yet to be assigned as at the time of filing the report. (NAN)