IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

A Magistrate Court in Apapa has freed 17-year-old Alabi Quadri, months after his controversial arrest for standing in front of Peter Obi’s convoy during the 2023 election campaign.

Magistrate Adetola Olorunfemi discharged Quadri based on legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), stating he had no case to answer.

Quadri’s lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, described the arrest as a “diabolical frame-up” by local thugs who allegedly abducted him and falsely accused him of armed robbery.

Effiong said Quadri had been under pressure since 2023 due to donations he received from Obi supporters, with his family even asked to buy a cow to appease the community.

The court ruled there was no basis for his detention, clearing the way for his release on April 17. 

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has called on the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to fast-track the completion of the Eastern railway corridor, particularly the stalled Umuahia–Enugu section.

Otti made the appeal while hosting NRC’s new Managing Director, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, in Umuahia. He expressed concern over the delay in the project, initially scheduled for completion in early 2024, and emphasized the importance of transportation to economic growth.

The governor also pledged full state support for securing NRC assets in Aba and highlighted ongoing efforts to modernize the state’s transport system, including the Umuahia Railway and Bus Terminal project.

Dr. Opeifa reaffirmed NRC’s commitment to connecting major South-East cities to the national rail network, aiming to boost the economy and reduce transportation costs. 

The Trump administration is reportedly considering shutting down nearly 30 U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, including several in Africa, as part of a broader plan to scale back America’s diplomatic footprint.

According to a CNN report citing an internal State Department document, proposed closures include embassies in the Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Lesotho, and South Sudan, as well as a U.S. consulate in South Africa. Other affected posts span Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean.

The plan, reportedly influenced by the Elon Musk-backed Department of Government Efficiency, aims to significantly reduce federal spending and the size of the State Department.

The document also proposes scaling back operations in countries like Somalia and Iraq, key to U.S. counterterrorism efforts.

There has been no official response from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and the State Department declined to comment on the leaked proposal. 

A coalition of 35 civil society organizations in Rivers State has jointly petitioned the House of Representatives, decrying what they termed “severe and brazen acts of lawlessness and impunity” being perpetrated by the state’s administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd.).

In a strongly worded letter titled “Severe and Brazen Acts of Lawlessness and Impunity Being Carried Out by the Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas, and the Need to Nip Them in the Bud in the Interest of Mutual Peace and Constitutionalism,” the groups urged the Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on Rivers State Oversight to take immediate action to halt what they describe as a “drift towards authoritarianism.”

It accused Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, who is referred to in the letter as the “Administrator of Rivers State,” of undermining constitutional governance. It alleges that he has been using federal power and security operatives to intimidate public officers, suppress democratic institutions, and interfere with the proper functioning of government in the state. “The conduct of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas is not only reckless and unconstitutional but also a slap in the face of democratic values. His actions have continued to aggravate political instability and institutional breakdown in Rivers State,” the coalition said in the letter.

The groups demanded that the National Assembly immediately:

• Call Vice Admiral Ibas to order and investigate the legality of his actions;

• Ensure that democratic institutions in Rivers State, particularly the legislature, are allowed to function;

• Direct security agencies to cease illegal occupation of the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex.

They warned that if left unchecked, the continued disruption of civil authority could incite public unrest and erode trust in Nigeria’s democratic framework.

Those who signed are key Civil society leaders including:

• Comrade Enefaa Georgewill – Rivers State Civil Society Organizations (RIVCSO)

• Amb. Marvin Yobana – Citizens’ Quest for Truth Initiative

• Comrade Loveday Enyinda – MOSOP, Rivers State Chapter

• Pastor Mike Daka – Foundation for Leadership and Youth Initiative

• Comrade Nwilene John – Niger Delta Youth for Peace and Development

• And representatives of 30 other organizations.

They emphasized that Rivers State is not a military cantonment and that “no one man, however connected, should be allowed to operate outside the constitution.” “This is a democracy. Rivers people deserve peace, order, and functional institutions — not autocracy dressed in federal camouflage,” the letter stated.

The coalition vowed to continue its advocacy through constitutional means and warned of further legal and civic actions if no response is taken. 

A federal lawmaker from Rivers State, Solomon Bob, has slammed the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) over its criticism of the state of emergency declared in the state, accusing the body of hypocrisy and political bias.

Bob defended President Bola Tinubu’s March 18 emergency declaration, saying the NBA lacks the authority to challenge presidential powers under Section 305 of the Constitution. He also accused the NBA of striking a secret deal with Governor Siminalayi Fubara, claiming it received N300 million from the state government to support its upcoming Port Harcourt conference.

Describing the payment as a bribe, Bob demanded the immediate return of the funds, warning that state authorities must act to recover the money if the NBA fails to comply. 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have vowed to dismantle Ponzi schemes nationwide following the collapse of CBEX, a digital assets platform that allegedly defrauded investors of N1.3 trillion.

Speaking on Arise TV, SEC Director-General Emomotimi Agama pledged to track down the platform’s operators, while urging Nigerians to verify investment schemes through official channels. He revealed that no formal complaints had been received about CBEX but assured investigations would begin.

The EFCC also confirmed it had been monitoring CBEX before the outcry and assured investors that efforts were underway—with Interpol’s support—to recover funds.

Both agencies emphasized increased public education, with the SEC receiving N10 billion for investor awareness campaigns.