News
TACKLING INSECURITY IN ENUGU: Stakeholders Accuses Mbah Of Illegitimacy
The Enugu State Stakeholders Forum (ESSF) has ascribed the failure of the state government’s cancellation of the Monday sit-at-home order to the lack of legitimacy by the new Peter Mbah government that came into being last May 29.
In a statement in Enugu today signed by the ESSF’s leader, Professor Joseph Aneke, and the secretary, Dr Ifeanyi Agbo, the stakeholders said that what would have been a good government initiative failed spectacularly because Mbah did not think through it before announcing it.
“Mbah has been desperate to do something popular to get accepted by the Enugu people because he and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government did not win the March 18 gubernatorial and State House of Assembly elections”, declared the stakeholders.
“He merely hit upon the idea of ending the illegal sit-at-home declared by nonstate actors; it is a brainwave rather than a sound government policy”.
The ESSF observed that if the government had thought through it, the administration would have first called a meeting of stakeholders to discuss the government’s new step to end insecurity and provide honest suggestions on the way forward which all groups would accept to implement from an agreed day.
The ESSG regretted that with “the government order failing as most Enugu people last Monday observed sit-at-home as usual, out of fear of vicious attacks by nonstate actors, the state government took a panic measure by calling for a meeting of all kinds of stakeholders yesterday (Saturday) at the Old Governor’s Lodge in GRA, Enugu.
“The meeting should have been called before announcing the cancellation as no right-thinking person puts the cart before the horse.
“The central issue in ending the destructive sit-at-home order is deploying security forces everywhere, from markets to government offices to motor parks to major and minor roads, and all other public places.
“The people will defy IPOB and its agents once there is a fair assurance of security”.
The group also faulted the government for implementing the cancellation before the appointment of key government officials.
“It is top government officials like the Commissioner for Security and the Special Adviser on Security who will drive the implementation of this security step and take responsibility for it, not just the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Chidiebere Onyia, a fellow Nkanu person who is the only person appointed by Mbah since assumption of office”.
The ESSF criticised the meeting at the Old Governor’s Lodge “for having only one item on the agenda: endorsement of the anti-sit-at-home order, which looks pretty sycophantic.
“It should have discussed in a serious manner modalities for the success of the government’s cancellation of the order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) that has been taking a tremendous toll on the entire people of the Southeast.
“The government’s resounding failure or inability to think correctly before taking action is what normally obtains when the people did not choose a government, and so does all manner of things to gain acceptance.
“Security is not provided through populism and all such acts of playing to the gallery”.
News
Miscreants Attack Lekki Palm Estate
Residents have called on relevant authorities to swiftly address the matter and ensure the continued safety of lives and property within the estate.
Tension gripped Lekki Palm Estate on Thursday morning following an attack by a group of suspected miscreants who claimed they were acting on the directives of the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, and Oba Olumegbo.
Eyewitnesses said that the individuals stormed the estate and invoked the monarchs name while carrying out their actions, a development that immediately caused panic and concern among residents.
As at the time of filing this report, the claim that the group was sent by the Oba’s could not be independently verified.
Efforts to obtain clarification from official palace sources were still ongoing.
The situation attracted the prompt response of security operatives, with officers of the Lagos State Police Command arrested some of the suspects.
Police authorities have since launched investigations to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and the authenticity of the claims made by those involved.
Residents have called on relevant authorities to swiftly address the matter and ensure the continued safety of lives and property within the estate.
News
Rivers Chief Judge : “Why I Can’t set up Fubara ‘s probe panel”
The Rivers State House of Assembly had requested that Amadi set up a seven-member panel to probe Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, over allegations of gross misconduct.
The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, has declined to set up a judicial panel to investigate Governor Siminalayi Fubara, citing a court order.
The Rivers State House of Assembly had requested that Amadi set up a seven-member panel to probe Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, over allegations of gross misconduct.
However, in a letter dated January 20, and addressed to the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, the chief judge cited two court orders barring him from receiving, forwarding, or considering any requests to form such a panel.
The judge stated that the orders were served on his office on January 16, 2026 and remain in force.
The chief judge emphasised that constitutionalism and the rule of law require all authorities to obey subsisting court orders, irrespective of their perception of the orders’ validity.
He referenced legal precedents, noting that in a similar case in 2007, the Chief Judge of Kwara State was condemned for ignoring a restraining court order when setting up an investigative panel, a decision later voided by the Court of Appeal
News
Kudirat Abiola’s Murder: Supreme Court Dismisses Lagos State Appeal for Retrial of Al-Mustapha
Justice Aba-Aji, delivering the ruling, emphasized that nine years was more than sufficient for Lagos to act.
• Kudirat Abiola in 1994.
The Supreme Court has dismissed the long-standing attempt by the Lagos State Government to reopen the trial of Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (rtd), former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, over the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.
Kudirat Abiola, wife of Chief MKO Abiola—the presumed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election—was assassinated in Lagos on June 4, 1996, during the nationwide unrest that followed the annulment.
On Thursday, 22 January 2026, a five-member panel of Justices led by Justice Uwani Aba-Aji ruled that Lagos had abandoned its appeal.
The Court noted that since 2014, when permission was granted to reopen the case, the state had failed to file any process or provide legal representation despite repeated hearing notices.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria Paul Daudu, representing Al-Mustapha, informed the Court that Lagos had ignored the 30-day ultimatum issued in 2014 to file its notice of appeal.
He urged the Court to dismiss the matter entirely, a position the Justices unanimously upheld.
Justice Aba-Aji, delivering the ruling, emphasized that nine years was more than sufficient for Lagos to act.
The Court expressed dismay that no steps were taken, describing the state’s conduct as a clear abandonment of the case.
Accordingly, the matter marked SC/CR/45/2014 was dismissed, along with another related appeal, SC/CR/6/2014, filed by the Lagos State Government.
In 2014, the Supreme Court had granted Lagos permission to challenge the Court of Appeal’s July 12, 2013 judgment, which discharged and acquitted Al-Mustapha.
The then Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, extended the time for Lagos to file its appeal, but the state failed to comply.
The Lagos Government had sought to overturn the appellate court’s decision and reinstate the January 30, 2012 death sentence handed down by Justice Moji Dada of the Lagos High Court, which convicted Al-Mustapha, Mohammed Abacha, and Lateef Shofolahan of conspiracy and murder.
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