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BREAKING: HURIWA Urges Supreme Court To Dispense Justice Quick On Rivers’ Emergency Rule

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Court restrains NASS from fixing members salaries,orders RMAFC to determine lawmakers remuneration

 

It is the view of the pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) that the apex court has been presented with an opportunity to redeem the waning public image of the Nigerian judiciary by the emergency rule declared in Rivers State.

Biztellers reports that the matter challenging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s proclamation of a state of emergency and the suspension of a sitting Governor of Rivers State, Siminilayi Fubara was instituted by some Nigerian governors.

The HURIWA, in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, noted that the Nigerian judiciary has never witnessed the kind of downturn, loss of public confidence and trust in the integrity to such a terrible extent that over 98 percent of Nigerians believed that President Tinubu has effectively pocketed the judiciary given that he was instrumental to the phenomenal rise of the current chief justice of Nigeria who was the justice that pronounced the then APC governorship candidate Hope Uzodimma who came 4th in the Imo State election as the winner thereby displacing the governor Emeka Ihedioha.

Ihedioha was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

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According to Onwubiko, besides, the Supreme Court’s recent highly biased and openly partisan judgment read by Justice Emmanuel Agim lambasting Governor Fubara and stopping the Central Bank of Nigeria from remitting the rightful allocations from the Federation Account to the coffers of the Rivers State government – a politically motivated ruling that led to the destabilisation of democratic structures of Rivers State including the unconstitutional suspension of Governor Fubara by President Tinubu.

The Rights group added that the inability of the Supreme Court to sanction Justice Emmanuel Agim for openly fraternising with the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike at the recently held convocation ceremony of the University of Calabar shows the complicity and compromise with the executive arm of government by the Nigerian judiciary whose hierarchy is domiciled in the Supreme Court.

The HURIWA, therefore, affirmed that the time has now come for the world to see whether or not it is factually accurate the conspiracy theory that President Tinubu has the Nigerian judiciary in his pockets just as the Rights group said the decision by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in this matter brought by 11 governors of the PDP with a specific request for interpretation of the Constitution to ascertain if an elected president with same constitutional ways of impeachment just like the elected governor of the states, has the powers to unseat or unilaterally suspend a sitting governor like it was done to Gov Fubara.

Onwubiko maintained that the verdict on this case would be a verdict on the integrity of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and would be the last stroll that would break the camel’s back in terms of trusting the judiciary.

The HURIWA noted that the governors, in the suit marked: SC/CV/329/2025, predicated the summons on eight grounds.

The plaintiffs in the suit are Adamawa, Enugu, Osun, Oyo, Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Plateau, Delta, Taraba, Zamfara, and Bayelsa States.

The plaintiffs urged the Supreme Court to determine if the President had the power to suspend a democratically elected structure of a state.

They also asked the apex court to determine if the way and manner the President pronounced the state of emergency declaration in Rivers State was not in contravention of the 1999 Constitution.

Amongst others, all 11 governors in the suit, filed through the states’ Attorney Generals, prayed the court to determine the following, “Whether upon a proper construction and interpretation of the provisions of Sections 1(2), 5(2), 176, 180, 188 and 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria can lawfully suspend or in any manner whatsoever interfere with the offices of a Governor and the Deputy Governor of any of the component 36 States of the Federation of Nigeria and replace same with his own unelected nominee as a Sole Administrator, under the guise of, or pursuant to, a Proclamation of a State of Emergency in any of the State of the Federation, particularly in any of the Plaintiffs States?

The HURIWA expressed belief that there is no provision of the extant Grund Norm that authorises the sitting President to suspend a sitting governor, and therefore reminded the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kekere-Ekun that Nigerians will judge the Supreme Court and the judiciary by the kind of pronouncement the Supreme Court eventually makes in the aforesaid matter, especially with regards to the decision of the president to suspend a sitting governor.

“The judgment in this matter will determine whether Nigerians will support constitutional democracy or conclude that the judiciary has endorsed totalitarianism and dictatorship,” it added.

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Salvation for All Souls Global Outreach Provides Free Medicals at Osun

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The Salvation for All Souls Global Outreach, SAFAS, a leading evangelical ministry with a focus on delivering free humanitarian and robust healthcare for the less privileged in the society has concluded its one-day free medical outreach in Ifewara, Osun State, where hundreds of residents benefitted from various healthcare services.

The outreach, which was held on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at Akinyemi Memorial Grammar School, offered free medical consultations, health screenings, surgeries, dental care, medications, eye care services including free glasses, as well as health education.

The ministry also provided financial support to widows and widowers in the community.

The initiative, carried out in collaboration with the Christian Medical and Dental Association, Osun State chapter, forms part of SAFAS’ established model of combining medical intervention with a follow-up crusade, a structure the organisation has previously implemented in Lagos, Abeokuta and Ibadan before extending to Ifewara.

Speaking on the development, the President of SAFAS, Apostle BOT Adeyemi, said the outreach reflects the organisation’s commitment to meeting the holistic needs of communities, noting that the model has consistently delivered impact across different locations as it addresses both physical and spiritual concerns.

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Also, the Media Director of SAFAS, Ayomikun Bamgboye, explained that the approach goes beyond immediate relief, adding that the integration of medical outreach with a crusade ensures sustained engagement and deeper transformation within host communities, as seen in previous outreaches across the country.

One of the participating medical practitioners, who spoke on the exercise, described the outreach as timely and impactful, noting that many beneficiaries accessed quality healthcare services they would otherwise not have been able to afford.

Following the medical outreach, the organisation is set to commence a crusade in Ifewara from April 27 to May 1, 2026, aimed at providing spiritual support and reinforcing the gains recorded during the medical intervention.

SAFAS has continued to expand its outreach footprint across Nigeria through integrated programmes that combine healthcare delivery with social and spiritual support for underserved communities.

Photo Caption
Health officials offering free medicals at the event

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Horror in Kogi: Gunmen Abduct 24 Pupils in Orphanage Raid, 15 Rescued

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Tragedy struck in Kogi State as armed men invaded an orphanage facility and abducted 24 persons, including 23 pupils and the wife of the school proprietor, in a violent night attack that has thrown the community into panic.

The Kogi State Government confirmed the incident on Monday, revealing that security operatives have so far rescued 15 of the victims, while efforts are ongoing to free the remaining abductees.

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According to the State Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, the attack occurred on Sunday, April 26, 2026, when gunmen stormed the premises of the Dahallukitab Group of Schools, a facility located in a remote and bushy area of the state.

Fanwo explained that the orphanage was not registered with the state government, describing its operation as illegal and noting that it had no formal approval or security clearance from relevant authorities.

He said the attackers whisked away 23 pupils alongside the wife of the proprietor before security agencies swiftly responded to the distress call.

“The swift intervention of security agencies led to the rescue of 15 of the abductees, while efforts are ongoing to secure the release of the remaining victims,” the commissioner stated.

Security operatives, led by the Nigeria Police Force in Kogi State and supported by other agencies, have intensified search-and-rescue operations in surrounding forests and suspected escape routes.

Fanwo commended the professionalism of the security forces, noting that their rapid response helped prevent a worse outcome.

He also raised concerns over the operation of unregistered schools and orphanages in isolated locations, warning that such establishments expose children and staff to serious security risks.

According to him, the government has reiterated its warning to operators of educational and care facilities to ensure proper registration and compliance with safety regulations.

He added that investigations are ongoing, while assuring residents that the government remains committed to rescuing the remaining victims and bringing the perpetrators to justice.

Security has since been reinforced in the affected area as search operations continue.

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Midnight Massacre: Gunmen Wipe Out Pastor, Entire Family in Plateau

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Plateau set to clear backlog of N18bn gratuities of retired civil servants

Residents of Gako Village in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State were thrown into mourning following a deadly midnight attack that claimed the lives of a pastor and his entire family.

The victims, identified as Rev. Ayuba Choji, his wife Chundung Ayuba, and their two children, Cyril and Endurance Ayuba, were reportedly killed when suspected gunmen stormed the community at about 11 p.m. on Sunday.

Eyewitnesses said the assailants opened fire indiscriminately, forcing residents to flee for safety.

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A community member, Martha Dalyop, described the attack as terrifying, noting that the gunmen invaded the village under the cover of darkness and shot sporadically.

She lamented that repeated attacks in the area have left villagers living in constant fear, with many unable to sleep in their homes or access their farms.

Confirming the incident, the publicity secretary of the Berom Youths Moulder Association, Rwang Tengwong, said the latest assault reflects a troubling pattern in the operations of the attackers.

According to him, the gunmen often split into groups during attacks, with some targeting residents, others destroying farmlands, and another group blocking roads to prevent escape or intervention.

Tengwong further revealed that within the past 48 hours, large portions of farmland in Kassa, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, were destroyed by gunmen.

Crops such as cabbage, hot pepper, and maize were affected, compounding the hardship faced by farmers in the region.

The latest killings have heightened tension across Riyom and neighbouring Barkin Ladi communities, with residents calling on security agencies and government authorities to urgently step up efforts to curb the persistent violence and protect lives and livelihoods.

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