• IGP Tunji Disu

The Nigeria Police Force has dismissed as false and misleading claims circulating on social media that a viral video from Katsina State showed a police officer interacting with armed bandits.

The Force clarified that the individuals seen in the footage are recognised members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) and registered hunters working alongside security agencies in ongoing operations across Musawa and Matazu Local Government Areas of the state.

In a statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, the Police explained that the video captured a routine interaction between a police officer and community security volunteers on their way to a designated operational area.

The Force stressed that any attempt to portray the individuals as bandits is entirely false and intended to mislead the public.

According to the statement, the volunteers featured in the video are actively supporting security operations aimed at combating criminality and improving public safety in the affected communities.

The Nigeria Police Force also condemned what it described as the deliberate distortion of facts and the spread of misinformation capable of creating public anxiety, undermining confidence in security institutions, and hampering ongoing security operations.

The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) has suspended human rights lawyer Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, from the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) pending the conclusion of ongoing disciplinary proceedings against him.

The suspension was announced in a statement issued on Thursday by Kabir Akanbi, Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and Secretary of the LPPC. According to the statement, the decision was reached at the committee’s 173rd general meeting held on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.

“The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee at its 173rd General Meeting held on 23rd June, 2026, considered the matter and resolved to suspend Mike Ozekhome, SAN, from the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria pending the determination of the disciplinary proceedings against him,” the statement read.

Ozekhome, a well-known constitutional lawyer and vocal advocate for human rights and democratic governance, has been a Senior Advocate of Nigeria for many years. The suspension is a significant development in Nigeria’s legal community, as the SAN rank is one of the highest professional honours for legal practitioners in the country.

The LPPC, chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, is the body responsible for conferring and regulating the SAN rank. No further details were provided in the statement regarding the specific allegations leading to the disciplinary action.

This is the latest in a series of high-profile cases involving senior members of the Bar facing regulatory scrutiny. Further updates are expected as the disciplinary proceedings progress.

Panic gripped residents on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, after a three-storey building under construction collapsed along Peter Odili Road, near Eterna Filling Station, opposite Chief Sam Ngbor Avenue in the highbrow area of the Rivers State capital.

Construction workers were on site when the structure suddenly caved in around 10 a.m., trapping several people beneath the rubble. Reports indicate one person is feared dead, while scores of others remain trapped. Eyewitnesses said about eight workers were inside the building at the time of the collapse, with at least three to four rescued alive so far and receiving treatment at Rivers State University Teaching Hospital.

Emergency responders, police, and local volunteers have mobilized to the scene, using excavators and manual efforts to search through the debris. Rescue operations are ongoing amid concerns that more victims may still be trapped.

This incident marks the second building collapse in Port Harcourt within 24 hours, raising fresh alarms about construction standards and safety regulations in the state. The Rivers State Government is expected to launch a full investigation into the cause, which may include structural defects, substandard materials, or regulatory violations.

Authorities have urged the public to stay away from the site to allow emergency teams unimpeded access. Further updates on casualties and the full extent of the damage are awaited as rescue efforts continue.