Category: News

At the mention of the case, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lawyer, Ehiogie West Idahosa (SAN) announced his appearance and told the court that the prosecution was not represented.

Justice Chizoba Oji said the court received a letter from the prosecution requesting an adjournment and later had the letter handed to Idahosa who said he was not served with it.

Idahosa said he observed that the letter was registered and filed on Monday morning.

He argued that the prosecution’s request for adjournment was not brought to the notice of the defence 48 hours before the court’s sitting, as required.

The defence lawyer urged the court to proceed with the business of the day, since the defendant was in court and the application for adjornment was incompetent.

He said court’s business for the day was the hearing of the defendant’s preliminary objection

Ruling, Justice Oji said she agreed that the application for adjournment did not meet the required threshold, but added that she would grant the adjornment in the interest of justice.

She rejected Idahosa’s prayer to proceed with the court’s business for the day. The judge subsequently adjourned till February 23 next year.

The Senator was accompanied to court on Monday by her husband.

Akpoti-Uduaghan is charged with criminal defamation in relation to her claim that the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio and ex-governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello planed to kill her.

In her preliminary objection, Akpoti-Uduaghan is querying the decision of the office of the AGF to file two similar charges against her at the same time.

But, in its counter affidavit filed against the preliminary objection, the prosecution has faulted claim by Akpoti-Uduaghan that the charges filed against her before the HIgh Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the Federal High Court in Abuja amounted to an abuse of court process.

The prosecution stated that contrary to her claim, the three-count charge before the High Court of the FCT was filed against her “after a thorough investigation of the case and a prima facie case was established.

“The three-count charge was preferred against the defendant pursuant to the Penal code Law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and in the bonafide exercise of the prosecutorial powers of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation guaranteed under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as amended) and in the best interest of justice.

“The actions and conducts of the defendant/applicant (Natasha) contravened the penal code law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The criminal charge against the defendant is borne out of the comprehensive and conclusive investigation of the case, including all petitions and parties related to the case by the Nigerian Police Force.

“All the petitions filed by the defendant were duly investigated and charges filed at the FCT High Court against her colleague senator.

“The Office of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation filed the criminal charge against the defendant after due regard to the public interest, the interest of justice and the need to prevent abuse of legal process.

“The charge against the defendant is consistent with the extant laws and does not constitute an abuse of the legal and prosecutorial powers of the Office of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation,” the prosecution said.

The proposed budget heavily focused on capital development, transparency, and community-driven projects.

He said that the proposed budget was designed to “renew, rebuild and reposition,” the state, adding that every urban and rural community was considered in the development plan.

According to him, the budget has a projected recurrent revenue of N734.29 billion and capital receipts of N251.62 billion, including grants and loans.

He said the administration had strengthened evidence-based governance through surveys on agriculture, health, poverty, GDP and malaria prevalence, which now guide the allocation of resources and programme planning.

The governor also stated that the state remained Nigeria’s leading sub-national performer in the Open Government Partnership, having fully implemented infrastructure transparency standards such as OC4IDS.

A breakdown of the expenditure framework shows that N286.23 billion, representing 29 per cent, was earmarked for recurrent spending, while N699.69 billion, representing 71 per cent, was designated for capital expenditure.

He said the capital-heavy allocation reflected the government’s commitment to long-term asset creation and sustainable growth.

Under sectoral allocation, Educational Infrastructure and Rural Transformation each received 25 per cent, while Health was allocated 50 per cent.

Other allocations included: Agriculture and Food Security, 11 per cent, Security six per cent, Social Development five per cent, Environment and Climate Action four per cent and Governance and Administration five per cent.

The governor said the administration had focused on prudent debt management, adding that the state had contracted “almost no new loans” since he assumed office.

He disclosed that N114 billion had been spent on servicing inherited debts, while the government continued to maintain essential public services.

On community development, he said, each of the state’s 285 wards received N100 million for community-selected projects under the World Development Priorities and Community Charter Programme, describing it as one of the country’s largest participatory budgeting initiatives.

He urged the lawmakers to give the 2026 Appropriation Bill accelerated consideration.

“The 2026 budget is a testament to our shared determination to rebuild, reform and reposition the state.

“It is a budget of renewal and resilience, built on fiscal discipline, social justice and inclusive growth,” he said.

Responding to the presentation,the Speaker, Dahiru Liman, commended the governor for reviving old development initiatives and launching new projects that directly benefit both rural and urban communities.

He said the administration’s focus on underserved areas was particularly noteworthy and reaffirmed the assembly’s confidence in the governor’s leadership, noting that the state was on a path of sustained progress.

He also pledged the full commitment of lawmakers to support the government’s development agenda and assured that the lawmakers would thoroughly review the 2026 budget to ensure it reflects the people’s interests.

He said the assembly would work closely with the executive to drive inclusive development, infrastructure expansion and improved service delivery.

The latest incident occurred on Sunday, sparking renewed fear in a community still reeling from the trauma of repeated attacks. The kidnapped church members had regained their freedom after five days in captivity, during which three persons were killed. They are currently receiving treatment from the Kwara State Government at a designated hotel in the GRA area of Ilorin.

Confirming the fresh abduction, spokesperson of the Kwara State Police Command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said operatives received a distress report around 2:00 p.m. that four armed men invaded a farmland along Koro Road in Eruku around 12:30 p.m. and whisked away the 40-year-old farmer.

“Upon receipt of the report, a joint team of police, military personnel and local vigilante members was immediately deployed to the area for an intensive search and rescue operation,” she stated.

Ejire-Adeyemi assured residents that efforts are ongoing to secure the victim’s safe return.

A community leader, who preferred anonymity, said the attackers — suspected to be Fulani/Bororo men — stormed the farm armed with cutlasses and AK-47 rifles before abducting Aasanru and fleeing into the bush.

Sunday’s attack marks the second major incident in Eruku within a month, heightening concerns over worsening insecurity in the area.

Suspected bandits invaded a newly established Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Ejiba, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, and abducted the pastor of the church, his wife, and other members.

The attack came unexpectedly during a church service on Sunday and left everyone running in different directions. The entire community was thrown into chaos after the attack.

Eyewitness accounts stated that the attack forced worshippers to run for safety as gunshots echoed through the area. The pastor of the church, popularly known as Orlando, was abducted along with his wife and several other members. Residents of the Ejiba community described the incident as terrifying.

Kogi State Government said it had intensified surveillance, patrols, and manhunt against the bandits that attacked the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Ejiba.

The state government, through the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, confirmed the abduction.

Fanwo stated, “Yes, I have information to that effect and I am also aware that the security network, comprising the conventional security agencies and the local security architecture, are currently doing what they should do.

“The authorities of Yagba West local government council are working hard with the security agencies to ensure those kidnapped are rescued alive. The perpetrators too already know that Kogi will do everything possible to secure every one of its citizens abducted.

“The governor of the state, His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, is coordinating activities and we will keep the press updated on the operations.” Vanguard/Arise News

The withdrawal, according to the IGP, followed the order by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The IGP, at a meeting with strategic police officers in Abuja, said the personnel would be redeployed to various states of the federation to beef up security.

Egbetokun, while noting that the withdrawal would be done in phases, said the recent presidential directive withdrawing police personnel from Very Important Persons is a strategic realignment aimed at strengthening frontline policing and protecting vulnerable communities across the country.

The IGP also said that the decision to recall officers from VIP security duties was not driven by sentiment but by the urgent need to channel manpower to areas where public safety demands are highest, saying the move aligns with the core mandate of the Nigeria Police Force, which is the protection of citizens, communities, and public order.

The IGP said: “In line with the President’s directive, we have withdrawn a total of 11,566 personnel from VIP protection. These officers are being redeployed to critical policing duties immediately.”

The IGP, while noting that the withdrawal would enable the police to expand manpower deployment for rural and township security, large-scale population protection, intensified patrols, intelligence-led operations, and rapid response to emerging threats, said that the implementation of the VIP withdrawal directive would be carefully managed to prevent misinformation, impersonation, or exploitation by criminal elements. Detailed guidelines, he said, would be released soon.

According to the IGP: “The recent Presidential directive on the withdrawal of police personnel deployed for VIP protection is a strategic and deliberate realignment of our national policing priorities. This policy decision is rooted not in sentiment, but in necessity reflecting the current security demands of our nation and reinforcing the fundamental purpose for which this Force exists: the protection of our people, the defence of our communities, and the safeguarding of public order.

“It is important to emphasise that this action is a patriotic, forward-looking, and operationally prudent measure designed to strengthen our manpower capacity for critical frontline policing functions.

“With the security environment placing increasing pressure on unprotected populations and vulnerable communities, and in this regard, we wish to assure members of the public that this withdrawal will enable the Force to expand deployment into areas where policing input has the most meaningful public safety outcomes. These include, but are not limited to, large-scale population protection operations, rural and township security fortification, intensified police visibility and patrol spread, investigative response expansion, and tactical containment of emerging violent threats.

“Simply put, this policy ensures that more officers are repositioned from personalised security duties to collective public protection responsibilities, where their presence and operational impact are most urgently required.

“However, while we move decisively to implement this directive, we must also act responsibly to manage its execution. We are mindful of the risk of misinterpretation, misinformation, and exploitation by undesirable elements who may seek to capitalise on the situation for personal or political advantage, or attempt to create narratives that undermine public confidence. To guard against this, the Force will release detailed implementation modalities in due course, outlining clear processes, timelines, safeguards, and accountability measures.

“These modalities will be communicated internally first, and subsequently to the public through the appropriate professional channels, in a structured and controlled manner. This phased approach is necessary to prevent opportunistic actors from weaponising ambiguity, spreading disinformation, or impersonating authority in ways that could distort or compromise the intent of this initiative. We are committed to ensuring that this process strengthens policing, preserves institutional integrity, and eliminates any window for actors who operate outside legitimate security frameworks to mislead or cash in on the transition.

“However, following this announcement a total of 11,566 personnel have been recalled and will be deployed to active policing duties.

“Let me assure you, senior officers, that this is not a retreat from responsibility, but a reclamation of it. It is a statement of who we are, what Nigeria requires of us, and the urgency of our mandate at this time. It is a call to reinforce policing where it truly matters, and to demonstrate clearly, confidently, and publicly that the Nigeria Police Force is not only active in response to threats, but intentional in restructuring for victory against them.”

The IGP, who said recent security incidents — including abductions in Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger states — have reinforced the need to reposition the force and strengthen visibility and deterrence across the country, noted that although security agencies responded swiftly to the recent attacks, the incidents created the impression in some quarters that the police were not doing enough.

“We may not be doing enough, but it is not that we are not working. We are actually doing something. But as leaders, we must hold ourselves to a higher standard.”

Speaking on some of the successes recorded by the police in recent weeks, the IGP announced the arrest of 8,202 suspects for various offences and the rescue of 232 kidnapped victims across the country.

He said: “The Nigeria Police Force has achieved multiple operational outcomes across strategic formations and tactical response structures, including a total of 8,202 suspects who were arrested for various offences. Out of these are 451 armed robbery suspects, 356 kidnapping suspects, 534 murder suspects, 129 murder with culpable homicide suspects, 173 persons for unlawful possession of firearms, 312 suspected rapists, 282 suspected cultists who were also arrested, and 6,095 suspected persons who were arrested for other serious offences.”

He, who said the police recovered a total of 249 firearms, nearly 21,000 rounds of ammunition, and 238 vehicles, said the police were adopting stronger intelligence frameworks, deeper community engagement, and enhanced inter-agency collaboration to outmanoeuvre criminals.

With the Yuletide season approaching, the IGP directed all state police commands to activate enhanced patrols, highway visibility operations, and community-focused policing strategies, including the deployment of drones and AI-driven surveillance tools.

“As we approach the festive season, the nation will witness its highest annual travel status. Citizens returning home to celebrate with family and communities. Criminals will seek to exploit the road. Therefore, the roads must be decisively dominated by visibility policing and preparedness. I hereby charge each state command to activate festive deployment and visibility plans.

“This will include expanded highway patrol teams, reinforced foot patrol units at motor parks, anti-robbery dragnet patrols on high traffic roads, intelligence-backed vehicular patrol fleets for rural corridors, and inter-service collaboration patrols to guarantee route safety across all national highways. This will include further access routes, township entry-exit routes, market transit beds, and community travel corridors.

“Employ the use of artificial intelligence in your policing strategies, including the use of drones and other technical assets. Every command must mark visibility hours and grant presence stretches as performance metrics for December deployment in terms.”