FocalPoint Reports

The Niger State House of Assembly on Tuesday suspended plenary indefinitely over what lawmakers described as “unresolved issues” with the executive arm of the state government. The decision followed a motion moved by the member representing Chanchaga Constituency, Mohammed Abubakar-Kabir, popularly known as Ustaz, who urged the House to halt legislative proceedings until the pending issues with the executive were addressed. Moving the motion during plenary, Abubakar-Kabir said the House could no longer continue with normal proceedings while unresolved matters between the legislature and the executive remained unattended to. Although he did not disclose the specific issues, the lawmaker warned that history would not be kind to the lawmakers if they allowed matters affecting the independence of the House to be ignored. He said the current Assembly had a responsibility to defend the autonomy and integrity of the legislative arm. According to him, posterity would judge members ...

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has denied any form of complicity in the delay in establishing State Police in Nigeria. The clarification was made by the Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu, at a stakeholders’ security meeting in Awka, Anambra State. He explained that the process is entirely dependent on constitutional amendments, and the creation of state police remains a legislative matter that falls within the powers of the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly. IGP Disu, who was represented at the event by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the South-East, Kenechukwu Onwuemelie, appealed to stakeholders to remain patient, noting that lawmakers were already working toward establishing state police through the required constitutional procedures. “The power to create the state police is a constitutional issue that resides with the national and state assemblies. “When the National Assembly makes provision to amend the law establishing the NPF an...

By David Zipamone  The Ijaw Publishers' Forum (IPF) has called on the governors of the six South-South states to urgently reactivate and adequately fund the BRACED Commission as part of efforts to address the growing security threats confronting the region and the country. In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its Secretary, Tare Magbei, the Forum urged the governors of Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta states to treat the worsening security situation across Nigeria as a warning signal and move swiftly to strengthen regional cooperation on security matters. The group expressed concern over the increasing spread of kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes beyond their traditional hotspots, noting that criminal activities are gradually extending into new parts of the country. According to IPF, recent reports indicate that kidnapping-for-ransom and related criminal activities have expanded southward, prompting growing national concerns a...

The Kwara State Government has filed a criminal defamation case against former Senate President Bukola Saraki over remarks linked to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. The case is being heard at the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin. The government said the former Senate President made and shared statements on social media and in newspapers, claiming that Governor AbdulRazaq did not attend or complete secondary school education. In the charge filed by the State Ministry of Justice, the government said the claims were false and insulting. It also said the comments could disturb public peace and fall under Section 399 of the Kwara State Penal Code. When the matter came up in court on Wednesday, the prosecution lawyer, Rafiu Balogun, said the case was fixed for arraignment. He asked the court to issue a bench warrant since Saraki was not in court even after being served court papers. The prosecution also urged the court to turn down a request for adjournment from the defence side...

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed those criticising him over lands within the capital city. Wike spoke during the commissioning of Judges Quarters, Court of Appeal, and the flag-off of construction of Quarters for Industrial Court and Code of Conduct Tribunal Judges in Abuja to mark President Bola Tinubu’s third-year anniversary. He explained that he took over lands within the capital city for the sake of development. Wike revealed that some of the plots used for the construction were allocated 15 years ago and left undeveloped but were revoked by the FCT Administration under his leadership and developed for the Judges Quarters. According to him, “This land was allocated to Julius Berger 15 years ago and I revoked it. If you don’t want to be accused don’t be a politician, in fact, the day you become a politician is the day the will write your history, even those who don’t know you. I thank God that today they can see that I trul...

The Senate has cut short its ongoing recess and scheduled an emergency sitting for June 23 to address pressing national issues, with security expected to take centre stage during deliberations. The lawmakers were directed to return to the Senate chamber by 11 a.m. The notice calling for the special session was issued on June 15 by the Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo. According to the notice, the emergency meeting was convened on the instruction of Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to allow senators consider urgent matters affecting the country. The Senate explained that the special sitting became necessary because of issues requiring immediate legislative attention, especially concerns surrounding national security and other important national matters. The development means senators will return to work earlier than planned. The upper chamber had adjourned plenary on June 11 and was expected to resume regular legislative activities on July 7. The emergency session comes ...

Former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has denied reports suggesting that a court ordered his arrest, insisting that he is neither in hiding nor evading law enforcement authorities. Nnaji’s denial followed a recent publication by Premium Times on an alleged court order linked to an investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). In a statement issued on Monday by his spokesperson, Dr Robert Ngwu, Nnaji’s camp described the report as inaccurate. The statement said the former minister remained accessible to public authorities and had never avoided any law enforcement agency. “Chief Nnaji is not in hiding and has never evaded any law enforcement agency,” the statement said. According to the statement, Nnaji has lived at his Asokoro residence in Abuja for nearly two decades, while his Independence Layout residence in Enugu has been publicly known since 1990. “As a former Minister of the Federal Republi...