Category Nigeria News

The Cross River chapter of the Magistrates Association of Nigeria (MAN) has resumed its suspended industrial action over the state government’s failure to meet its demands.

The association noted that as of midnight on Sunday, February 8, the government had not engaged with MAN to avert the industrial action.

In a letter on Monday signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Godwin Onah and Solomon Abuo, respectively, the magistrates said the decision to resume the suspended strike was taken at their general meeting on January 30, 2026.

The association accused the government of reneging on earlier promises that had led to the suspension of the strike.

READ ALSO: JOHESU Suspends 84-Day Strike

“Your Excellency can recall that magistrates in Cross River State, under the auspices of MAN, Cross River State chapter, had resolved to embark on an indefinite strike action to press home our demands,” the union said in a statement.

“You recall that upon your personal intervention through a meeting held with the association in November 2024, where you promised to act on our demands, we decided to suspend the strike action to give you room to address our demands.

“While we thank you for implementing the first item on our list of demands, which is the immediate implementation of promotion and the regularization of magistrates in Cross River State with necessary financial benefits across all cadres, the lack of attention to the remaining items on the list is causing disaffection and hardship for our members, given how important they are to our security, welfare, and the smooth and efficient administration of justice in our dear state.

“In view of the foregoing, we have resolved to resume the suspended indefinite strike action at the expiration of seven days from today.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the said indefinite strike action shall be resumed on Monday, 9th of February 2026, without further notice.

“We hope and pray that Your Excellency will attend to our demands with dispatch to forestall the looming indefinite strike action.”

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has expressed concern over inadequate funding, warning that it could hamper the commission’s ability to effectively carry out its mandate.

Olukoyede made this known on Tuesday before plenary, when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and financial crimes chaired by Sen. Emmanuel Udende, to present the EFCC’s expenditure performance for the 2025 fiscal year and its budget proposals for 2026.

According to him, only 50 per cent of the commission’s capital allocation was released, a situation he said has affected critical operations.

He disclosed that contractors handling EFCC projects have not been paid, while licence providers essential to the commission’s investigative work are also yet to be serviced.

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“We are afraid contractors have not been serviced, even the licence providers and that will be a major problem for us this year because we need those licenses to continue our work seamlessly,” he said.

He explained that the EFCC received an approved appropriation of N92.22 billion for the 2025 fiscal year, out of which 74 per cent had been released as of December 31, 2025.

The EFCC chairman further noted that the Federal Government operates an envelope budgeting system, which restricts agencies to predetermined spending limits.

As a result, the commission’s proposed capital expenditure for the current year stands at 22.8 billion naira representing 70 per cent of the previous year’s capital allocation.

“We cannot go beyond that limit, adding that payments for capital projects already executed by contractors are still outstanding, leading to the abandonment of several projects.”

He disclosed that the matter has been formally reported to the Accountant-General of the Federation.

Olukoyede also appealed for an upward review of the EFCC’s overhead costs to enable the agency function more efficiently.

Human rights activist, Aisha Yesufu, has renewed calls for mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results, while questioning the deployment of soldiers to protests at the National Assembly in Abuja.

Yesufu spoke on Tuesday at the protest ground in Abuja, where demonstrators gathered under the “Occupy National Assembly” campaign to oppose the Senate’s rejection of a clause mandating real-time electronic transmission of election results.

“All we are asking for is real-time electronic transmission of the electoral results. We are here, and we are waiting for the lawmakers we sent to Abuja to pass the bill the way it should be passed. All citizens are asking for is electronic transmission, real-time. I do not see any reason why that is a problem,” Yesufu said.



The activist also criticised the presence of soldiers at the protest venue, arguing that their deployment against peaceful demonstrators was unconstitutional.

“To every soldier that you brought here, know that you are here unconstitutionally because your job description does not include being here against protesters. Before you pull that trigger or throw that canister, ask yourself: Is it constitutional or unconstitutional?” she said.

READ ALSO: Amaechi, Son Join Protest Over E-Transmission Of Election Results, Says APC Is Afraid

Yesufu referenced past security failures and questioned why troops were deployed to the protest instead of areas facing terrorist threats.

“There are soldiers that should be in Kwara defending the people, yet they are here. Terrorists threatened citizens yesterday. The last time they did, over 200 people were killed. They operated from sunset to sunrise,” she said.

Protest

Meanwhile, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force barricaded major roads leading to the National Assembly complex ahead of an emergency plenary session scheduled for Tuesday.

The protest, which began on Monday, is being led by Yesufu alongside several civil society organisations demanding a reversal of the Senate’s decision on the Electoral Act amendment.

Former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, also joined the protest on Tuesday, attending with his son.



Amaechi accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of opposing electronic transmission of results out of fear of losing elections and urged opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), to join the demonstration.

He said opposition groups and civil society organisations would continue pressing for a reversal of the Senate’s position, regardless of resistance from political leadership.

Electoral Act Amendment

The protests followed the Senate’s decision to retain Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act 2022 Amendment Bill, which allows the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit election results “as it prescribes,” rather than mandating real-time transmission to the IREV portal.

Lawmakers also rejected proposals for a 10-year ban on vote-buying, opting to retain existing penalties.

The decision sparked widespread criticism, with opposition groups and former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, calling for compulsory real-time electronic transmission to curb election irregularities.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio later clarified that the Senate did not reject electronic transmission entirely, but removed the phrase “real-time” to avoid potential legal complications arising from network failures and to allow INEC operational flexibility.

A fire outbreak has razed no fewer than 10 shops at Ogunpa Market in Ibadan, Oyo State, destroying goods estimated to be worth millions of naira.

The incident occurred at about 6 a.m. on Monday, at the Iya Maryam Adebara complex, Rounda area of the bustling Ogunpa Market.

Household items and other merchandise were consumed by the blaze, which affected 10 shops before firefighters brought it under control.

Confirming the incident, the Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Service, Maroof Akinwande, said in a statement that the fire was successfully extinguished with the support of officers from the Federal Fire Service.

“Upon arrival, we met ten (10) shops out of several shops in the market engulfed by flames. Our officers swiftly got into action and prevented the fire from spreading to other shops and nearby properties,” Akinwande said.

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He added that no casualties were recorded during the incident.

“The Federal Fire Service also joined hands with us to extinguish the fire. The fire was caused by the fuelling of a running generator by one of the occupants,” he stated.

According to him, properties worth billions of naira were salvaged due to the timely intervention of the firefighters.

Former Rivers State Governor of Rivers State and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has joined other protesters as demonstrations against the Senate’s rejection of mandatory electronic transmission of election results continued in Abuja on Tuesday.

The protest, which began on Monday, is opposed to the Senate’s decision to reject real-time electronic transmission of election results.

Amaechi, who attended the protest with his son—a medical doctor—said he brought him along in case the demonstration turns violent and injuries are sustained.

He explained that he came with his son to demonstrate his belief that during major protests, leaders should be at the forefront with their families.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) called on Nigerians to rise up, adding that all opposition parties ought to be on the streets to protest the Senate’s decision.

READ ALSO: Peter Obi Joins Occupy National Assembly Protest Over E-Transmission Of Election Results

Amaechi alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is opposed to electronic transmission of election results because it fears losing elections.

He questioned why the party would be afraid, despite having several opposition governors and prominent politicians defecting to its ranks.

He further stated that while Senate President Godswill Akpabio and President Bola Tinubu may ignore the demands of Nigerians, opposition parties and civil society organisations would persist until the decision is reversed.

Meanwhile, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force barricaded major roads leading to the National Assembly, where the Senate is scheduled to hold an emergency plenary session on Tuesday.

The President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Festus Osifo, says the old Port Harcourt refinery has been rehabilitated to about 90 per cent and can be brought back into operation within one week, if the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) so decides.

Osifo disclosed this on Tuesday while speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief programme.

According to him, the refinery is technically ready for operation, but profitability considerations remain a major factor influencing NNPCL’s decision on when to restart the facility.

“As of today, you can start the old Port Harcourt refinery, and it will function. You can put it on today, and it will function. However, NNPCL as a company is there to make a profit. So, if they want to start it today, within the next one week, they can bring it back to life,” Osifo said.

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He explained that although extensive rehabilitation work has been carried out, operational losses could arise due to the cost of crude oil relative to the value of refined products.

“It has been rehabilitated up to about 90 per cent. But the challenge is that if you feed crude oil worth, say, five million dollars into the old Port Harcourt refinery, what you are likely to get at the other end when you sell the petroleum products may be about 4.5 million dollars. So, you put in five million dollars as input and get 4.5 million dollars as output.”

Osifo, however, noted that the investment in the refinery was not wasted, stressing that major components of the facility had been replaced during the rehabilitation exercise.

“The money that was thrown into the Port Harcourt refinery is not a loss. If you look at the old Port Harcourt refinery, almost all the compressors were changed, the control rooms were changed, and the panels were all changed. The contractors did not take them away,” he said.

He added that the value of the refinery has significantly improved compared to its condition before rehabilitation.

“In fact, if you value the refinery today, it will be much more valuable than the state it was in before the rehabilitation,” Osifo said.