Category Nigeria News

The Cross River State House of Assembly has removed the Chairman of Bekwarra Local Government Council, Honourable Theresa Ushie, after adopting the report of its Committee on Judiciary and Public Petitions.

Her removal was upheld during Tuesday’s plenary, where 19 of the 25 lawmakers voted in favour.

The process began on June 10, 2025, following a petition submitted by eight councillors of the Bekwarra Legislative Council, which led to her 90-day suspension and the appointment of Vice Chairman Hon. Egbung Odama as Acting Chairman pending investigation.

Presenting the committee’s findings, Chairman of the Committee, Honourable Davies Eta (Abi State Constituency), said the petition dated May 19, 2025, raised serious concerns about council administration.

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The councillors had accused the chairman of corruption, abuse of office, unlawful stoppage of their salaries, and running the council without due process.

After engaging the petitioners, the suspended chairman, and other stakeholders in Abuochiche, the committee concluded that the allegations were weighty and substantiated.

“The conduct of the chairman fell below the expectations of her office, and the evidence before us supports her removal,” Eta stated.

Following the adoption of the committee’s recommendations, the House resolved to remove Honourable Ushie for gross misconduct and directed that a bye-election be conducted to fill the vacancy.

In commemoration of the 2025 UN Human Rights Day, the Lagos State Government has approved the release and computation of sentences of 91 convicts.

This is in exercise of its power of clemency.

The beneficiaries are inmates who have served more than 70 per cent of their punishment in correctional facilities.

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However, 80 of those convicts are for immediate release.

The State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro (SAN), disclosed this at a press conference organised by the Ministry of Justice and the Directorate of Citizens’ Rights on Wednesday.

The AG said the directorate, which handles a diverse range of matters, has, in the last year, successfully resolved 1,200 cases.

“In 1999, when Nigeria returned to constitutional democracy, Lagos state recognised the urgent need to rebuild public trust and to restore the people’s confidence in institutions meant to protect their human rights. It was against this backdrop that the Directorate of Citizens Rights was created,” he said.

“It was a deliberate democratic intervention by the then governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Senator Bola Tinubu, now the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, designed to empower citizens with the knowledge of their rights, provide an accessible mechanism for redress, and ensure that abuses associated with military rule never again become part of our civil reality.

“The Directorate of Citizens’ Rights served as a bridge between a past defined by suppression and a future grounded in legal protection, accountability and justice for all.

“Over the years, the Directorate has evolved into one of the most important pillars of Lagos State Justice architecture. Though it began with five foundational units-the Citizens Mediation Unit, the Public Defender Unit, the Human Rights Unit, the Consumer Rights Protection Unit, and the Justice Now Information Unit- many of these units have since matured into full-fledged agencies,” the SAN added.

Speaking further, the commissioner said, “In the last year, the directorate received approximately 1,950 petitions, successfully resolved 1,200 cases through mediation, while the others remain under investigation or active litigation.

“The directory currently handles about 50 fundamental rights suit before the Federal High Court and the State High Court covering such issues as alleged police misconduct, unlawful detention, property rights violation, and denial of parental access.”

While noting that the directorate of citizens right had expanded its human rights profile significantly, to uphold the dignity and liberty of every resident, the AG urged residents of Lagos to respect the right of others and remain law abiding pledging that the directorate of citizens right and the entire justice sector in the state will on its part continue to pursue fairness, equality, accountability and equal access to justice.

The Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, has vowed to continue dancing, saying it does not in any way interfere with his duties as governor.

Adeleke is well known for his energetic dancing moves, which have earned him the nickname “the dancing governor.” His love for dancing has often attracted criticism from political opponents who question his seriousness in office.

But Adeleke, who is seeking re-election in 2026 on the platform of the Accord Party, insists that his dancing will have no impact on his political fortunes.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, the governor said, “I will keep dancing because I love to dance, I love to praise my God, and that doesn’t change anything. So, I will still dance, praise my God, and do my work.”

Watch the video below:

The 8 Division of the Nigerian Army/Sector 2 Joint Task Force North-West (Operation Fansa Yanma) has confirmed that its Strike Team deployed to counter banditry and terrorism in Sokoto has neutralised 11 bandits and recovered a substantial cache of arms.

A statement on the official social media handle of the Nigerian Army Headquarters said the troops acted on precise, credible intelligence.

According to the statement, the Strike Team executed a well-coordinated ambush and engaged the bandits in an intense firefight.

The Army revealed that the operation led to the neutralisation of 11 bandits, while several others escaped with gunshot wounds. Troops recovered eight AK-47 rifles, five extra magazines, and 26 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.

READ ALSO: Army Eliminates Notorious Bandit Leader Kallamu In Sokoto

It added that the bold and tactical operation, conducted near Kurawa Village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area, also disrupted a planned attack on Tara Village—an area considered critical for cross-movement by terrorist and bandit groups.

The Army stated that the operation not only prevented a potential terrorist attack but also delivered a significant blow to the bandit and terrorist network operating in the Sabon Birni corridor, which has remained a flashpoint in recent times.

The Minister of Defence, Retired General Christopher Musa, has applauded the Armed Forces of Nigeria for their rapid intervention during last Sunday’s attempted coup in the Republic of Benin.

Speaking in Abuja at the investiture of twenty-eight newly promoted senior Army officers, General Musa said the professional response of the Nigerian Armed Forces played a key role in thwarting the plot.

He explained that the incident serves as a reminder that the military must remain vigilant at all times, prepared to protect Nigeria and its allies from emerging threats.

General Musa, however, stressed that no arm of the military can operate successfully in isolation, emphasizing that national security requires seamless joint operations across the Army, Navy, Air Force, and other security agencies.

Acting on two separate requests from the Government of Benin, President Tinubu first ordered Nigerian Air Force fighter jets to enter the country and take over the airspace to help dislodge the coup plotters from the National TV and a military camp where they had regrouped.

READ ALSO: Tinubu Hails Nigerian Military For Swift Response In Foiling Benin Coup

The decoration ceremony took place at the Army Headquarters Command Officers’ Mess 1, Asokoro, Abuja, where 28 Brigadier Generals were elevated to the rank of Major General, including a posthumous promotion.

General Musa, who was the Special Guest of Honour, praised the officers for their courage, professionalism and years of selfless sacrifice.

He noted that their elevation underscores their consistent commitment to national security and the collective effort to strengthen the Nigerian Army.

He urged them to confront emerging security threats with fresh resolve, stating that their new roles place them in pivotal positions to shape the strategic trajectory of the Army.

“These officers are among the finest leaders in our Armed Forces,” he said, expressing personal pride in their achievements.

The Minister further emphasized the need for deeper inter-service cooperation, enhanced intelligence sharing and unity of effort across all security agencies.

The Screening Committee of the Accord Party has cleared Governor Ademola Adeleke to participate in the party’s governorship primary, ongoing on Wednesday in Osogbo.

This was confirmed in a statement by the Chairman of the Screening Committee and National Organising Secretary of the party, Ibe Thankgod.

Thankgod said Adeleke, met all the requirements for nomination and was subsequently cleared as the sole aspirant for the party’s governorship ticket.

He also described the governor as a “worthy gubernatorial aspirant” of the party.

The certificate of clearance was presented to Adeleke by the committee chairman.

Responding, Adeleke thanked the screening committee and the party leadership, saying he was ready to lead the Accord Party to victory in 2026.

“I am ready for the primary, and I am ready for the general elections.

‘We are winning by God’s grace”, the governor was quoted as saying.

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