IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

... As Fubara Calls for emergency Budget session. 

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has cautioned against dragging the judiciary into the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, warning that such actions could undermine public trust in the legal system.

The warning follows the Rivers State House of Assembly’s call for the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate the State Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Amadi, over alleged age falsification.

Port Harcourt NBA Chairman, Cordelia Eke, emphasized that such matters should be handled by the National Judicial Council (NJC), not the DSS.

“The appropriate channel for such an issue is the NJC, not the DSS,” Eke stated, expressing disappointment that tensions continued to rise despite the Supreme Court ruling, which was expected to bring closure to the dispute.

She urged political actors to respect the separation of powers and seek alternative dispute resolution mechanisms instead of escalating tensions through political maneuvering.

“The executive, legislature, and judiciary each have constitutional roles that must be respected. If any party is dissatisfied with a judgment, alternative dispute resolution mechanisms should be explored rather than resorting to political maneuvering,” Eke advised.

She further highlighted the potential economic impact of the crisis, warning that instability in Rivers State could deter investors and disrupt governance.

Meanwhile, the political standoff escalated as the Rivers State House of Assembly accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara of failing to comply with the Supreme Court ruling mandating him to present the 2025 budget afresh.

Lawmakers loyal to Fubara’s estranged political godfather, Nyesom Wike, disputed the governor’s claim that he had written to the Assembly regarding the budget presentation, insisting that no official correspondence had been received.

Assembly spokesman Enemi George challenged the governor to provide an acknowledged copy of the letter he purportedly sent, dismissing reports of a WhatsApp message as “awkward, unprofessional, and embarrassing.”

George also accused the governor of frustrating efforts to resolve the crisis, rejecting Assembly communication and directing state agencies not to engage with lawmakers.

In response, Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Joseph Johnson, insisted that Fubara had formally written to the Assembly and urged lawmakers to convene an emergency session to address the budget presentation.

“We have proposed Wednesday, March 19, for the budget presentation. If the House has received our communication, I expect them to create a pathway for this to happen,” Johnson said.

As the crisis intensifies, stakeholders continue to call for dialogue and a peaceful resolution to prevent further disruption to governance in the state.

A player's eligibility doubt will no longer exist in the Nationwide League One (NLO) as the nation's third-tier football body has enhanced its website with a Face ID application, first of its kind in Nigeria Football ecosystem.

ZKYTE TECHNOLOGY LTD, an Abuja-based IT firm that developed the NLO mobile app, upgraded the website with the Face ID features. 

According to Olushola Ogunnowo, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the NLO, the Face ID feature on the website - https://www.nigeriannationwideleague.com, has become essential for protecting players' data.

"The Face ID has been credited with revolutionizing authentication through facial recognition, providing intuitive and secure data using advanced camera technology that accurately maps the geometry of a player's face.

"Since the clubs are responsible for registering their players and uploading pictures on the NLO portal, it will be easy to track a player using the Face ID application. 

"Its interesting feature is to end 'Player Poaching'. If a club attempts to illegally register a player, the Face ID app will halt the process by notifying the original club via email. This email will inform the club that the player is already registered with a specific team and that the club must obtain clearance for the player.

"Additionally, the NLO Secretariat will be alerted until the previous club officially releases the player to the new club through an agreement approved by both parties.

"The Face ID software will effectively prevent poaching in Nigeria's football system and address the issue of teams attempting to register players under multiple names or aliases."

"Furthermore, this measure is part of the efforts to ensure that the NLO Secretariat aligns with international best practices.

"The Face ID application is a game-changer in authentication, as facial recognition technology has become a key feature in cybersecurity.

"The long-term objective is to strengthen the relationship between clubs in the NLO and reduce disputes regarding player eligibility among the 300 teams in the Division One and U19 Youth League." 

Nigeria's Under 18 Men Handball team finished second at the IHF Trophy's Intercontinental Phase following a 34-30 loss to Kosovo after overtime in the final of the competition on Sunday in Pristina, Kosovo 

A tough match indeed, the team led by Coach Emeka Nnamani went into this match with determination to avenge an earlier defeat against the host in the preliminary stage and prepared quite adequately thus but they were limited by a resolute defense of Kosovo and despite scoring vital goals, they settled for a pulsating 13-13 in the first half.

The Second part of the match, Nigeria went into the match outscoring their host and was even leading 26-24 less than three minutes to the end of the match as Christian Foloki and Mustapha Mohammed combined for 13 goals leading to the lead but they couldn't hold their own as the host scored two quick as the clock was winding down to force an overtime with the help of Amar Muqolli. And after the Overtime of 10 minutes (5 minutes for each halves), the host, encouraged by their fans won the match 34-30 to be crowned champion of the IHF Trophy's Intercontinental Phase.

USA finished third, with a 36:34 win in the bronze medal match against Uzbekistan

Nigeria’s Mustapha Mohammed was the top scorer of the competition, with 43 goals, followed by two Kosovo players, Amar Muqolli (30 goals) and Granit Kadiri (29 goals).

This is the second time that Nigeria will lose in the final; the first in 2019 against Chinese Taipei. They also finished third in the 2023 edition as well. If victory would have qualified Nigeria for the IHF Mens Youth World Championship later in the year.

5th IHF Emerging Nations Championship: Nigeria Lose To USA In Third Place Match.

Nigeria's Under 23 Men Handball team lost to the United States of America 31-28 in the third place match of the 5th IHF Emerging Nations Championship in Varna, Bulgaria.

The Coach Solomon Yola's tutored team had played a pulsating 31-31 draw against USA in the opening match of the competition and at the time the USA, arguably the most experienced team in the competition, had an 18:12 lead at the break, only to falter and save a draw late in the match, 31:31.

In this third place match, it was pretty much same in the first half with USA taking an early lead and Nigeria somehow managing to hover around, despite their scoring efficiency plummeting throughout the start of the match. USA Goalkeeper Pal Merkovszky also helped the USA build this lead as he made some vital saves.

As in their previous matches, the African side – which secured the best finish for any African side at the IHF Men’s Emerging Nations Championship – had their teething issues in the first half, being easily outplayed by their opponents but slowly they got back into their elements as right back Faruk Yusuf, right wing Kareem Ajibike and John Shagari especially helped the team. Shagari in the last 13 minutes of the first half scored four times and dished three assists to help a struggling Nigeria have a respectable 19-14 loss in the first half.

The USA had a better shooting efficiency and converted 83% of their shots, while Nigeria had a 61% shooting efficiency after 30 minutes.

In the second half, Lukas Hansen and Jonas Stromberg combine to score 10 goals while Amar Amitovic and Andrew Donlin – USA’s top scorers in the first four matches – had five goals between them, as USA opened the second half with two consecutive goals to extend their lead.

Nigeria's Faruk Yusuf did his best to counter the USA, scoring 13 goals and taking his overall tally in the competition to 40 goals, the second best in the competition, but it was too little, too late and nothing that could really impact the outcome of the match as they lost 31-28.

Nigeria finish fourth in this competition as against the previous two 7th place finishes they had in 

Meanwhile, Great Britain defeated host Bulgaria 29-25 to be crowned champion of the 5th IHF Emerging Nations Championship.

The Nigerian Senate has rejected allegations by suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan regarding a supposed plan to arrest her upon returning from the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) event in New York.

Senate Spokesman Adeyemi Adaramodu, in a statement on Monday, dismissed her claims, stating that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the Senate had no reason to engage with her on the matter. He described her allegations as an attempt to gain attention.

Akpoti-Uduaghan had alleged that Akpabio sent officials to remove her from the UN premises and that she faced arrest upon arrival in Abuja. In response, Adaramodu suggested that any concerns she had stemmed from her own remarks at the IPU.

Despite her suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan maintained that her participation in the event was legitimate, explaining that she had registered online. 

World number two, Eniola Bolaji, has solidified her dominance in para-badminton SL3 by winning her second medal in two weeks. The Paralympic bronze medalist triumphed over Turkey’s Halime Yildiz 2-0 (21-7, 21-10) in the women’s final at the Spanish Para-Badminton International 2025 in Toledo, Spain on Sunday.

Bolaji began her campaign by defeating India’s Sanjana Kumari 2-0 (21-15, 21-8) in the second round, followed by a 2-0 (21-9, 21-12) win over Turkey’s Halime Yildiz in the third round. The multiple African champion then dispatched Ukraine’s Oksana Kozyba 2-0 (21-16, 21-4) in the semifinal. An elated President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Francis Orbih, praised Eniola Bolaji’s resilience and continued record-breaking achievements in para-badminton.

He highlighted her status as the only African player to win 12 gold medals in all internationals played. “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Eniola Bolaji on her incredible achievement of winning her 12th gold medal in as many international tournaments. This remarkable feat is a testament to her consistency, resilience, and unwavering dedication to excellence,” Orbih said.

“Bolaji has not only made Nigeria proud but has also firmly stamped her authority in the world of para-badminton. Her journey continues to inspire many, and we at the Badminton Federation of Nigeria remain committed to supporting her as she reaches even greater heights.” 

The Nigeria badminton supremo also expressed excitement about the upcoming All African Para-Badminton/Abia International Para-Badminton Championships this year, which will provide an opportunity to showcase the country’s rich badminton culture. We thank the Abia state government for accepting to host these two historic events. 

Security operatives have foiled an attack by suspected bandits in the Danmusa Local Government Area of Katsina State. Spokesman of the Katsina State Police Command, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

He said the operation done on Saturday was in collaboration with the Department of State Services, and members of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps. According to him, the bandits had tried attacking Dan Takuri village via the Danmusa Local Government Area of the state.

“On the 15th of March, 2025, at about 1230 hrs, based on credible intelligence received from the operative of the Department of State Services in Danmusa, bandits in their numbers are assembling in Maijele Mountain of Danmusa LGA in a bid to launch an attack on Dan Takuri village of Danmusa LGA, Katsina,” he stated.

“Upon receipt of the information, promptly, a joint team of police operatives and members of the KSCWC led by the DPO Danmusa stormed the mountain where the suspected bandits were assembling. “A fierce gun duel ensued, resulting in the neutralisation of one of the armed bandits due to the superior tactics and firepower of the operatives, as several others escaped with various degrees of injuries.”

The Command’s spokesman stated that while scanning the scene, items were recovered including one AK47 rifle with three rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, one unregistered red Boxer motorcycle, 50 wraps of suspected Indian hemp, 32 bottles of soft drinks, one cutlass, and dangerous drugs. 

“The Commissioner of Police, Katsina State Command, CP Aliyu Abubakar Musa, while commending the operatives for their professionalism and exceptional act of valour, reiterates the command’s commitment in collaboration with sister security agencies, ensuring the protection of lives and properties of the good people of Katsina,” the statement added.