Category Nigeria News

Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, the governor of Rivers State, has approved the appointment of 11 new Permanent Secretaries.

The Acting Head of Service, Mrs. Inyingi Brown, releases a statement about the appointment.

The official swearing-in ceremony date will be announced in due course, according to the statement.

The appointees were listed as follows in the statement:

1. Imaonyani Roselin Ephraim-George
2. Dr. Mina T. Ikuru
3. Dabite Sokari George
4. sbitein Harry Duke
5. Lauretta Davies Dimkpa
6. Uche R. Ideozu
7. Chimenum Mpi
8. Jeremiah Egwu
9. Nicholas Iminabo Wokoma
10. Vera Sam Dike
11. Aleruchi Akani

The Gwandu Emirate’s long-standing dispute has been resolved by the Supreme Court, which confirms Alhaji Muhammad Bashir as the substantive Emir of Gwandu.

The apex court decided in a three-to-two split decision that Al- Mustapha Jokolo, the deposed Emir of Gwandu, did not file the lawsuit following the law’s strictest procedures.

The deposed emir’s failure to issue a pre-action notice to the Kebbi State governor was a crucial step in the prosecution’s case.

The trial court was denied the suit’s legal authority by the court, which the court also ruled was due to this procedural lapse.

READ ALSO:  Appeals Court Upholds Reinstatement Of Gwandu’s Deposed Emir.

In consequence, both the trial court’s and the Court of Appeal’s entire decisions were overturned.

The Supreme Court ruled that Al-Mustafa Haruna Jokolo, the deposed emir of Gwandu, did not file the lawsuit without a court order. The apex court held that the governor of Kebbi State must receive pre-action notice, and that the deposed emir did not file a petition with the governor prior to beginning the action.

Sylvester Imanobe represented the governor of Kebbi State while Hussaini Zakariya, SAN, represented the Emir of Gwandu. Y. C. Maikyau (SAN) and Sylvester Imanobe represented the governor of Gwandu.

With this ruling, Bashir is affirmed as Gwandu’s Emir. The Supreme Court has also reinstated the status quo.

Two suspected illegal miners were detained on Wednesday by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court in Lagos, according to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The defendants face a five-count charge of unlawful possession and exportation of mineral resources after being detained by the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 1.

According to one of the counts, “You, Zhang Hong Lin, Gao Pei Hai, and Gao Pei Yu (at large), conspired between yourselves and with the intention to defraud the Federal Government of Nigeria of the proceeds therefrom, and you engaged in an export of “Mica products, copper bearing and lithium bearing mineral resources” out of Nigeria, and you did so without the consent of the appropriate authority. You also committed an offence against Section 8 (a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act,

The offense was pleaded “not guilty” by the defendants.

The defendants were remanded in a correctional facility and the prosecution’s attorney, Bilkisu Buhari, requested a trial date in light of their plea.

However, the defense attorney, Jeremiah Okoro, requested that the court place his clients in the EFCC’s custody while the bail application was being heard.

The judge turned down the defense attorney’s request to place his clients in an EFCC custody instead of a correctional facility.

The trial’s start date was further adjourned until July 4, 2025.

The two Chinese nationals were detained by EFCC operations on May 9, 2025, along with six Nigerians, for an alleged crime committed in Ogun State’s Ogere region.

Read more about the EFCC’s arrests of two Chinese nationals and six Nigerians for illegal mining.

Following credible information obtained by the Commission and thorough investigation into their activities, the suspects, including Zach Hang Lin, Gao Pei Hai, Matthew Mathias, Oluwaseun Amoo, Wasiu Ademola Alao, Ajibola Nurudeen, Ibrahim Yinusa, and Saidu Shuaibu, were apprehended during a sting operation.

Three trucks full of sacks of substances thought to be ground lithium powder and other still-unidentified solid minerals were discovered by operatives at the time of the arrest.

From July 1, 2025, the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources will impose a 250, 000 fine or a month in prison on environmental offenders.

The ministry said those who litter the streets, dump waste illegally, or otherwise harm the environment will be punished.

Tokunbo Wahab, the commissioner for environment and water resources, said Lagos would no longer tolerate deliberate environmental abuse after it was made public on the government’s official X handle on Wednesday.

We made it clear that Lagos will no longer tolerate deliberate environmental abuse during yesterday’s media briefing with the state’s minister of the environment and water resources.

Beginning on July 1, the single-use plastics ban will be fully enforced. Offenders who litter the streets, dump waste, or otherwise defame our environment will face severe fines, up to $250,000 in fines, and three months in prison.

He claimed that “we’ve arrested over 3, 000 offenders and counting, and we’re expanding our surveillance and advocacy.”

He reiterated that illegal street trading will not be tolerated, that public defecation will continue to be prohibited, and that the law governing cart pushers will continue to apply.

“This is about protecting our environment for both ourselves and the generations to come,” he said. Let’s celebrate the coming of Sallah with responsibility and cleanliness.

READ MORE: Presidency To Pay $2.25 From $4.25 in Electricity Debts

He advised people in Lagos to dispose of their trash and not dispose of it in medians or drains.

In the controversies surrounding the emirate’s throne, the Supreme Court has upheld Alhaji Muhammad Ilyasu-Bashir’s appointment as Gwandu’s substantive emir. &nbsp,

The apex court decided in a split decision that Al-Mustapha Jokolo, the deposed Emir of Gwandu, did not file the lawsuit through the lawful process.

The deposed Emir’s failure to issue a pre-action notice to the Kebbi State governor was a crucial step in the prosecution’s case.

Additionally, it determined that the trial court lost its authority to hear the case because of the procedural lapse.

The Supreme Court’s decision effectively affirms the Supreme Court’s decision, which effectively sets aside the entire proceedings and judgment of both the trial court and the Court of Appeal.

According to the Supreme Court’s decision, “The Supreme Court determined that Al-Mustafahi Jokolo, the deposed Emir of Gwandu, did not initiate the lawsuit through a fair process of law.” The court determined that the governor of Kebbi State needs to receive pre-action notice, and the deposed Emir did not file a petition with the governor before starting the action.

The case was represented by prominent attorneys, including Sylvester Imanobe, Esq., Hussaini Zakariya, Esq., for Al-Mustapha Haruna Jokolo, and Y. C. Maikyau, SAN, for the Governor of Kebbi State.

The Nasarawa State Police Command announced that it had obstructed a significant illegal arms trafficking attempt and had made two arrests for the crime.

The State’s Commissioner of Police, SP Ramhan Nansel, said the incident, which took place on June 4, 2025, when the Command intercepted two suspected gunrunners passing through Lafia and carrying a large number of premium firearms and ammunition on their way to Ilorin, Kwara state, on Wednesday.

The Command said it quickly deployed its Anti-Kidnapping Unit in response to reliable intelligence, leading to the arrest of the suspects.

Also read: killings: Army Chief Visits Benue and Meets Governor Alia

Lawal Sani, a 40-year-old business bus driver from the Makwalla region, Funtua LGA, Katsina State, and Dahiru Abdullahi, a 75-year-old cattle trader from Angwan Dosa, Kaduna North LGA, Kaduna State, who are known to be based in Keffi Cattle Market, Nasarawa State, are the two suspects who were detained.

One General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), three AK-47s, one TAB 06 rifle, 1, 096 rounds of ammunition of the calibre 7,0, 20 rounds of ammunition, four empty magazines, and a Toyota Hiace bus, all of which have the registration number AAA 926 XL.

The suspects admitted to receiving $500,000 for the weapons’ transportation from Benue to Kwara State, a move that could have armed multiple criminal networks, according to the Command.

A full-scale investigation is currently being conducted to find the motivation behind this operation, according to the statement.

The operation sends a clear message to all state-based criminal organizations, according to the police commissioner.

“Nasarawa State is not a safe haven for crime.” We are unwaveringly committed to ending illegal arms trade and safeguarding innocent Nigerians’ lives.