Author: Eileen Peters

RECENT events have thrust the American International School in Abuja into a whirlwind of controversy, tarnishing its esteemed reputation for academic excellence. Allegations surrounding the school’s governance, tasked with safeguarding the interests of parents, teachers, and students, have ignited a firestorm of concern and demand for accountability. At the heart of this scandal is former governor Yahaya Bello, alleged to have made substantial payments covering years of tuition fees for his children and wards. Questions about the timing and method of these payments have sparked accusations of misconduct, prompting an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) due…

A FORMER Attorney General, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor (SAN), who was deployed to the Ministry of Special Duties by Gov. Siminalayi Fubara on Tuesday, has again resigned from the Rivers State Cabinet. In a letter to the Secretary of the Rivers State Government, Tammy Danagogo, sighted by our correspondent on Wednesday, Adangor rejected the deployment and resigned from the Rivers Executive Council, with effect from April 24, 2024. Prof. Adango said he chose to leave the government to preserve his reputation. He accused Governor Fubara of interfering with his duties as the Attorney General, alleging that the governor had directed him…

RIVERS State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has implemented a minor cabinet reshuffle in the state. Affected by the reshuffle are the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Zacchaeus Adangor; and the Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu. A statement on Tuesday signed by the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Tammy Danagogo, announced that Governor Fubara has redeployed Adangor to the Ministry of Special Duties (Governor’s Office) while Kamalu was transferred to the Ministry of Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment. The statement directed both officials to hand over official documents related to their previous offices to their respective Permanent Secretaries, with the…

THE Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has reserved judgement in a petition filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timipre Sylva, against the declaration of Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the Governor of the state. Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Adekunle Adeleye, announced that the judgement will be delivered within 180 days statutorily allowed by law. The chairman said all the parties in the petition will be communicated as soon as the date is fixed. At Monday’s proceedings, all the parties adopted their written addresses, either asking the court to uphold…

THE Edo Zonal Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has arrested a fake Reverend sister over the alleged trafficking of 38 children in Delta State. It was gathered that the suspect, Ikejimba Maryvianney (alias Oluchi) 40 years old, and one Chidera, now at large, handed over the children to two orphanage homes under the guise of giving them better care. The children, it was learnt, were handed over to the suspects by their parents at a farm community in Enugu-Awka camp by Monastery, Ilah, Delta State. Maryvianney was reportedly arrested by the NAPTIP following…

A TWO-TIME senator representing Edo South Matthew Uroghide has switched allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC). He formally defected to the APC from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at an event in Benin City on Saturday. His return to the APC is coming after what he described as a 13-year-three-month sojourn in the PDP. Senator Uroghide who described himself as a foundation member of the APC said he is glad to return to the fold of mature politicians, a party, in whose leaders he trusts and has confidence. The former lawmaker assured the party that he has returned to…

THE University of Calabar has confirmed that three students of the institution who were kidnapped about three weeks ago have been released. A statement released by the Public Relations Officer of the school, Effiong Eyo, said the students were released unharmed and have been reunited with their parents. Eyo said the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, who received the students in her office, thanked security agencies in the state for their collaboration and sustained efforts that led to the release of the students. The Vice-Chancellor, the statement added, also thanked the parents of the students for their efforts and collaboration…

GUNMEN kidnapped a journalist and reporter with Channels Television, Mr Joshua Rogers, at his residence in Rumuosi in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State on Thursday night. Rogers, who covers the Rivers State Government House for his organisation, was reportedly trailed after he closed from work to his residence. The miscreants accosted him before he alighted from his car, pointed a gun at him and whisked him along with his vehicle off to an unknown destination at about 9 pm. A source who said he doesn’t want his name mentioned said the reporter had earlier covered an event in…

OMOBAYO Godwins has been inaugurated as the Edo Deputy Governor, hours after Philip Shaibu was impeached by the state house of assembly. The 37-year-old who was beaming with a smile, was sworn in around 1:40 pm on Monday by the Chief Judge of Edo State Justice Daniel Okungbowa. In a day that began with the impeachment of Shaibu as the state’s deputy governor, Omobayo’s inauguration at the Edo State Government House in Benin City marks a major milestone in the political history of the state. After he took the oath of office, Omobayo who was dressed in a white kaftan…

THE political atmosphere in Edo State took a new shape on Monday when the state’s House of Assembly impeached embattled Philip Shaibu as deputy governor, ending a long-drawn drama between him and Governor Godwin Obaseki. He was impeached during the House’s plenary session in Benin City, the Edo State capital in a move that began months ago following the soured relationship between Obaseki and Shaibu. Shaibu’s impeachment followed the adoption of the report of a seven-man committee set up by the chief judge of Edo State Justice Daniel Okungbowa to investigate allegations of misconduct against the deputy governor. During plenary…

RIVERS State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has warned that he will surprise those who consider his honest decision to implement the presidential peace pact as a sign of weakness. Fubara said he had been inundated with several comments in the media about the implementation of the peace initiative and had chosen to be silent out of maturity and wisdom. The governor, however, said it was important to put the records straight for clarity, saying accepting President Bola Tinubu’s intervention and accompanying agreement was a political solution. This was contained in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday by his Chief…

THE Delta State Police Command has rescued nine students who were abducted along the East-West Road in Ughelli, Delta State. News Point Nigeria had reported how the students were abducted on Monday. Confirming the rescue, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Edafe Bright, wrote on his X handle late Monday while quoting Channels Television’s report, “All nine of the victims have regained their freedom pls.” The students were said to be travelling in a minibus before the abduction. The PPRO had told this newspaper that the abductees “may have been students who were returning from their school in Calabar, Cross…

GUNMEN have ambushed and abducted an unspecified number of students travelling along the East-West road in Ughelli, Delta State. A source told News Point Nigeria that the incident happened on Monday but details are sketchy as of the time of this report. But the spokesman of the Delta State Police Command Bright Edafe said the security agency is aware of the incident. “The Command is aware of this ugly incident, and we are doing all it takes to ensure that they are rescued unhurt,” he tweeted on his X handle. The Command is aware of this ugly incident, and we…

THE Police Command in Cross River, on Sunday, confirmed the abduction of three students of the University of Calabar (Unical). The spokesperson of the command, SP Irene Ugbo, who gave the confirmation, said the students were abducted on Thursday night at one of the university hostels inside the campus. Ugbo, who didn’t give details of the abduction, however, said the police were working in collaboration with other agencies to rescue the students. A source who pleaded anonymity gave the names of the students as Ojang Precious Ebejin, a 200-level student of the Department of Medicine and Surgery; Ugwu Chukwuemeka, a…

THE Rivers State House of Assembly has accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara of dishonesty, threatening to resume impeachment proceedings against him if he continues to breach the constitution. Martin Amaewhule, the Speaker of the House, made this known on Saturday during a press briefing in Port Harcourt, Rivers state. Amaewhule, who was accompanied by 26 members of the Assembly, read out a communique issued after the briefing. The lawmakers accused the governor of refusing to hold up to his end of the Presidential Peace Accord which he wilfully signed without coercion. Furthermore, they explained that they withdrew their impeachment notice against…

EIGHT suspects have been arrested over the gruesome murder of six policemen in the Ohoro Forest in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State. The slain officers – Inspector Abe Olubunmi (IRT), Inspector Friday Irorere, Sergeant Kuden Elisha, Sergeant Akpan Aniette, Sergeant Ayere Paul, and Sergeant Ejemito Friday – were ambushed on February 23 while on a rescue mission. Announcing the arrest in a statement on Saturday, Force spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the suspects are currently in custody and are assisting with the ongoing investigation. He said the arrest of the suspects followed intensive investigative efforts, adding that five…

THE National Commission for Persons with disabilities(NCPWD), the  Government body tasked with the responsibility of protecting the welfare and wellbeing of all Nigerians with Disabilities stands firmly against any form of discrimination against Persons with Disabilities and urges all Individuals and public Organizations to uphold all values of equality and inclusion enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), which guarantees equal civil rights for all Nigerians regardless of disability, ethnicity, or any other factor. In light of the unfortunate and terrible acts of discrimination meted on a member of  the disability community on 27th…

THE embattled Ovie of Ewu-Urhobo in Ughelli South local government area of Delta State, His Royal Majesty, Clement Oghenerukevwe Ikolo, Urhukpe 1, allegedly involved in the gruesome killing of 17 military officers in Okuama community under his kingdom, has been moved to the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) in Abuja for further interrogation. The traditional ruler, who is one of the eight suspects declared wanted by the DHQ on Thursday over alleged connection with the Okuama killings, had surrendered himself to the Delta State Police Command in Asaba on Thursday and was received by the Police Commissioner, CP Abaniwonda Olufemi. The military…

THE King of Ewu Kingdom in the Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, Clement Ikolo, who is one of the eight persons declared wanted by the Defence Headquarters in connection with the killing of 17 military personnel in Okuama community has surrendered himself to the Delta State Police Command. The monarch was said to have arrived the state police command headquarters at exactly 6:41pm on Thursday to report himself to Police Commissioner, Olufemi Abaniwonda. Before he turned himself in to the police, the monarch spoke to journalists, insisting on his innocence in the matter. The Delta State Police…

A FORMER National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus; and members of the Presidential Campaign Council of the party for the 2023 general elections in Rivers State have declared loyalty and support for President Bola Tinubu and the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara. A former Minister of Transportation and the Director-General, PDP-PCC Rivers State, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, made the declaration during a news briefing in Port Harcourt on Thursday.. Present at the briefing were Secondus; former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Austin Opara; Celestine Omehia, former deputy governor of the state, Tele Ikuru; Senator Lee Maeba; and former Secretary…