News
Motion to immortalize ex-INEC boss, Humphrey Nwosu shut down amid fireworks in Senate
The Nigerian Senate Wednesday shut down a motion to immortalize the late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu.
Nwosu, as Chairman of the National Electoral Commission, presided over the June 12 1993 election that was annulled by former military dictator, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.
The motion which was raised by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe representing Abia South, was declined during a plenary presided by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau.
Abaribe rose under Order 41 and 51 which border on personal explanation to draw the attention of the chamber to the need to immortalize the late INEC boss.
The development was contrary to the provision in the Senate Standing Order as the Senate leader, Michael Bamidele Opeyemi contended that the order raised by Abaribe was inappropriate and the plenary had gone beyond the privilege Abaribe would have enjoyed to make senators consider it.
Earlier, the Deputy Senate President declared the point of order as controversial and expressed skepticism of its approval before allowing Abaribe to speak to the order.
Reacting to the Senate Leader’s submission, Senator representing Kebbi North, Yahaya Abubakar Abdullahi insisted that Abaribe should be allowed to speak on the matter despite not getting the order correct.
Abaribe at this point insisted on consideration of his order, while he read a relevant provision of the Standing Order, saying: “In all cases not provided for in the standing order or by the sectional or other orders of practice of the Senate, the Senate shall by resolution, regulate its procedure so even if the Senate leader says that it doesn’t follow by the fact that a Senator wants to make a personal explanation you must give that Senator a chance to make that personal explanation.
“We are not under a dictatorship, Mr President. That is why I’m using Order 1(b) though this is at your discretion.”
Reacting, Barau said: “We are all experienced legislators here. Those who are grounded in our rules and I refer you to Order 42 once again. Order 42, by the indulgence of the Senate and the leave of the President of the Senate, the senator will make a personal explanation as though there is no question before the Senate, but no controversial matter may be brought forward nor may debate arise from the explanation.
“When we came this morning let me be frank, I’m a frank person. When we came this morning you approached me in respect of your desire to bring forward this motion under Order 41 and 51.
You never told me you were bringing it under Order 42 and when it came under Order 41 and 51, it was defeated.
“Now you change your mind to bring it under Order 42. We know we respect you very well. That wasn’t discussed. When the Senate Leader came in, I called him and I said Senator Abaribe is bringing a motion under Order 41 and 51.
And we agreed, normally I have to consult with the leadership, and we agreed that it was going to go forward.
“But, leader, did I tell you that he’s going to bring a motion under Order 42? So you didn’t approach me, you didn’t tell me, and I just want to be transparent and plain.
You didn’t tell me. If you had told me, there’s no way I would have stopped you. If you have told us that you are going to bring this motion under Order 42, we will”
Abaribe insisted that the motion to immortalize late Nwosu wasn’t a controversial one as posited by the Deputy Senate President.
He said: “Mr President, I don’t know what is controversial in immortalizing Humphrey Nwosu on June 12th. What is controversial there? What is our problem? What is controversial? It’s not controversial. Mr. President, just one more time, I will refer to our rules.
”Abaribe’s motion was overruled and he was told to bring it up through a motion on another legislative day.
News
Alleged Coup Plotters Plead Not Guilty
Consequently, they are remanded in the DSS custody following Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjournment of the matter till April 27 for commencement of trial and for bail hearing.
Six persons linked to an alleged plot to topple the government of President Bola Tinubu have pleaded not guilty to the charges in the case holding at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Consequently, they are remanded in the DSS custody following Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjournment of the matter till April 27 for commencement of trial and for bail hearing.
Retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (brought to the courtroom in a wheelchair), retired Naval Captain Erasmus Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani are accused of having conspired in 2025 to “levy war against the state” and overthrow the President.
The Attorney General, Lateef who instituted the lawsuit attended as the lead prosecutor in the matter.
The defendants face a 13-count charge which includes the allegation that they shared over N71 million for terrorism financing, failed to report prior knowledge of a treasonable plot by one Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others, and neglected to prevent it.
Former Minister of State for Petroleum Timipre Sylva is named but remains at large.
Subsequent counts allege that the accused knew of an impending act of treason and terrorism by Colonel Ma’aji and others but failed to disclose it to the relevant authorities, in violation of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Abdulkadir Sani, a Zaria-based cleric, is accused of indirectly retaining N2,000,000 in a Jaiz Bank account, while Bukar Kashim Goni allegedly retained N50 million in his First Bank account. Zekeri Umoru faces charges of accepting N10 million in cash from Colonel Ma’aji and retaining nearly N8.8 million in a Zenith Bank account — all sums reasonably suspected to be proceeds of terrorism financing.
After the defendants took their plea, the Attorney General, Lateef Fagbemi prayed the court to remand the defendants in DSS custody.
He urged counsel to all six defendants to follow protocols, assuring that none of them would be barred from accessing their clients if they do so.
Fagbemi noted this after a number of the defendants’ clients said they had not been allowed access while they were on remand in custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency DIA.
News
LASG Fixes Last Saturdays Monthly Environmental Sanitation 6:30 am – 8:30 am
In a statement on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, confirmed that the exercise is set to resume on Saturday, April 25, 2026, with movement restrictions and enforcement measures in place.
• Tokunbo Wahab
The Lagos State government declared that environmental sanitation exercise will hold every last Saturday of the month between the hours of 6:30 am and 8:30 am.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, confirmed that the exercise is set to resume on Saturday, April 25, 2026, with movement restrictions and enforcement measures in place.
“During this period, there will be controlled movement across the state to allow residents to carry out thorough cleaning of their homes, surroundings and drainage frontages,” he’s said.
He stated that enforcement teams comprising officials of the ministry, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, Kick Against Indiscipline, Lagos Waste Management Authority, and local government sanitation inspectors would “conduct physical inspections during and after the sanitation window to ensure compliance.
“Defaulters will be sanctioned in accordance with the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law of 2017,” he warned.
Wahab added that LAWMA intervention trucks will go around to cart away bagged wastes generated during the exercise,” noting that “there will be rewards for the cleanest Local Government Area, Local Council Development Area, and the cleanest street as part of efforts to encourage healthy competition and community participation.”
The alleged coup plotters in Nigeria’s foiled treason scheme will be arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik at the Federal High Court at noon This Wednesday.
The Attorney-General’s office confirmed the development moments ago.
On Monday, the federal government filed charges under FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026, signed by the Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, accusing retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Naval Captain Erasmus Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani of conspiring in 2025 to “levy war against the state” and overthrow the President—punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.
The charges also allege they shared over N71 million for terrorism financing, failed to report prior knowledge of a treasonable plot by one Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others, and neglected to prevent it. Former Minister of State for Petroleum Timipre Sylva is named but remains at large.
In Count One, the defendants are accused of conspiring with others sometime in 2025 in Abuja to levy war against the state in order to overthrow Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu — an offence punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.
Subsequent counts allege that the accused knew of an impending act of treason and terrorism by Colonel Ma’aji and others but failed to disclose it to the relevant authorities, in violation of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Particularly damning are the money laundering and terrorism financing counts.
Abdulkadir Sani, a Zaria-based cleric, is accused of indirectly retaining N2,000,000 in a Jaiz Bank account, while Bukar Kashim Goni allegedly retained N50 million in his First Bank account.
Zekeri Umoru faces charges of accepting N10 million in cash from Colonel Ma’aji and retaining nearly N8.8 million in a Zenith Bank account — all sums reasonably suspected to be proceeds of terrorism financing.
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