In a move aimed at overhauling grassroots justice delivery, the Chief Judge of Taraba State, Justice Joel Agya, on Thursday signed into law the Taraba State Area Courts (Civil Procedure) Rules 2026 and the Taraba State District Courts Rules 2026.

The signing ceremony took place at the Taraba State High Court Complex in Jalingo, marking what the judiciary described as a decisive step in extending reform beyond the High Court to the lower courts that serve as the primary interface between citizens and the justice system.

Justice Agya said the new procedural instruments are designed to modernise operations, promote transparency and strengthen efficiency at the foundation of the state’s justice architecture.

“With the signing today… We have now extended this reform to the foundation of our justice delivery system—the courts that are closest to the people,” he said.

For many residents, he noted, Area Courts and District Courts represent the first—and sometimes only—point of contact with formal justice institutions.

“It is therefore imperative that their procedures be simple, efficient, accessible and responsive to contemporary realities,” he added.

Key Reforms: Digital Service, Case Management, Accountability

Among the most significant changes is the formal recognition of electronic and digital service of court processes—a reform aimed at reducing delays, cutting costs and accelerating case notifications.

By expressly providing for digital communication methods, the judiciary is aligning court procedures with modern communication realities in an effort to eliminate avoidable adjournments.

The new rules also strengthen oversight mechanisms by clarifying the role of Inspectors of Area Courts, reinforcing supervision standards and promoting accountability across lower courts.

In addition, filing fees in Area and District Courts have been reviewed. Justice Agya said the revision was carefully calibrated to balance operational sustainability with access to justice for ordinary citizens.

Perhaps most notably, the rules introduce structured case management procedures intended to discourage unnecessary adjournments and promote timely resolution of disputes.

“By introducing structured procedures for handling cases… we seek to foster a culture of efficiency and responsibility within our courts,” Agya said.

“Not Just Technical Adjustments”

The Chief Judge emphasized that the reforms represent more than procedural fine-tuning.

“This is about building a judiciary that is modern in outlook, disciplined in process, humane in application and accessible to all,” he said.

He commended members of the Rules Committee, judicial officers and stakeholders who contributed to drafting the reforms, describing their efforts as critical to the transformation agenda.

However, he cautioned that the success of the new framework will depend not merely on the written rules but on faithful implementation.

He urged District Court judges, Area Court judges, court staff and members of the Bar to study the new provisions carefully and apply them diligently.

“The administration of justice is a sacred trust,” Agya said. “Through these reforms, we reaffirm our resolve to deliver justice that is timely, fair, transparent and in tune with the needs of our people.”

The reforms position Taraba among a growing number of states seeking to modernise court procedures amid rising demands for faster, more accessible justice delivery in Nigeria.

The Metropolitan Police’s decision to compel officers and staff to disclose whether they are, or have ever been, Freemasons is being challenged in the High Court, with critics warning it could amount to the creation of a discriminatory “black list.”

The policy, introduced in December as part of the Met’s declarable associations rules, requires personnel to declare past or present membership of any organisation considered hierarchical, confidential in nature, and requiring members to support one another.

More than 300 Met officers and staff have already reported links to the Freemasons or similar groups.

Two serving officers who are Freemasons, alongside three major Masonic bodies representing members across England, Wales, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, are seeking to bring legal action against the force. They argue the measure infringes on members’ rights and is driven by perception rather than evidence.

At the hearing, counsel for the Freemasons said the Met’s approach risked stigmatising members and could be compared to compiling lists based on religion or belief. They also claimed the decision reflected long-standing prejudices and conspiracy theories surrounding Freemasonry.

The Metropolitan Police, however, has defended the policy, insisting declarations are held confidentially and that officers remain free to join or remain in such organisations. The force argues the measure is necessary for vetting purposes and to maintain public trust by identifying potential conflicts of interest.

Lawyers for the Met have asked the court to dismiss the challenge, calling it “not arguable,” while the claimants are also seeking a temporary suspension of the policy pending a full hearing.

Source: Justice Watch Magazine

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced four persons to death by hanging for the brutal murder of the former Divisional Police Officer of Ahoada East Police Division, SP Bako Amgbashim.

LIB reported that the gallant police officer was ambushed, captured and gruesomely murdered on September 8, 2023, by suspected cultists while returning from an operation in Odemude community, Ahoada East LGA.

The trial judge, Justice Sika Aprioku, also convicted the sixth defendant, Samuel Nwadinma, and sentenced him to three years’ imprisonment for conspiracy, while the third accused person was discharged and acquitted of all four counts of conspiracy, murder, membership of a secret cult group and robbery.

In the judgment, the court further discharged Famous Okechukwu, Samuel Uchendu, Oyekachi Ikonwa, Godbless Nnamdi and Marshall Daniel, the ninth to 13th defendants, who were found guilty of membership of a secret cult group, having already served the maximum terms prescribed by law while in custody.

Justice Aprioku held that the prosecution proved beyond a reasonable doubt the charges of conspiracy, murder, membership of a secret cult group and robbery against the four convicted persons, including a native doctor who prepared the charm allegedly used in killing the late DPO

The judge ruled that the first defendant, Robinson Sonabari (the native doctor), the second defendant, Bright Okparawo, the fourth defendant, Precious Amaeze, popularly known as Selina, and the fifth defendant, Loveday Jack, also known as Rugged Excess, be hanged by the neck until they are confirmed dead.

Speaking to journalists after the judgment, lead prosecution counsel from the Rivers State Ministry of Justice, Chigozie Amadi, commended the judiciary for ensuring that justice was served.

“Justice is not only seen to have been done but has manifestly been done. This was a protracted case, and we thank the judge as well as both the prosecution and defence counsel,” he said. 

“It is a capital offence, and we worked hard to prove our case beyond a reasonable doubt. Today, justice has been served for the gruesome murder of SP Bako Amgbashim.”

Also reacting, counsel for the Principal Legal Assistant, Nigeria Police Force, Celestine Dickson, said police officers, whose duty is to protect lives and property, have increasingly become targets of criminal gangs, expressing hope that the judgment would serve as a deterrent.

Meanwhile, the elder brother of the late DPO, Akasco Amgbashim, who travelled from Nasarawa State to witness the judgment, said the family had endured immense pain since the officer’s murder. 

While commending the judiciary, the Rivers State Government and the Nigeria Police Force, he described the judgment as a reminder that no individual has the right to take another person’s life.

“I thank the Federal Government and the police for standing firm to ensure justice. I also appreciate the Rivers State Government for supporting the police and the judiciary to carry out their duties effectively,” Akasko said. 

“Our people in Nasarawa State, especially the Amgbashim family, are grateful and relieved. This judgment should serve as a warning to criminals. A police officer exists for the peace and protection of society, and it is tragic when such a life is taken.

“Now that justice has been done, the lesson for everyone is that we must not take the law into our hands.”

Punch reports that the four convicted persons were among 72 suspects initially arraigned before the Rivers State High Court by a joint prosecution team of the Department of Public Prosecutions and the Rivers State Police Command over the murder of SP Amgbashim.

As the trial progressed, 61 accused persons, including a traditional ruler, the Ekpeye Logbo, Eze Kelvin Anugwo, and a former chairman of Ahoada East Local Government Area, Cassidy Ikegbidi, were discharged and acquitted due to lack of evidence, leaving 13 defendants to face judgment.

Amgbashim, who was known for his strong stance against cultism, kidnapping and other violent crimes in flashpoint communities across Rivers State, had earlier served as DPO of Bori Police Division in Khana LGA, where he restored relative peace in several Ogoni communities, before his redeployment to Ahoada East.

His murder prompted a joint security operation led by the then Commissioner of Police, Tunji Disu, which later resulted in the killing of a suspected leader of the Iceland cult group, David Okparanwo, also known as 2-Baba, in February 2024. 

High drama unfolded at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday as Aso Savings and two other financial institutions pressed ahead with their legal challenge against the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) over the controversial revocation of their banking licences.

The suit, which commenced on January 14, 2026, questions the legality of the regulators’ decision to withdraw the banks’ operating licences — a move that effectively triggered liquidation proceedings.

At the resumed hearing on February 12, counsel to the plaintiffs, Joseph Onu Silas, informed the court that all parties had now been served. However, he disclosed that the CBN only filed and served its memorandum of appearance on February 11, barely 24 hours before the sitting, while the NDIC had already filed all its processes.

Silas further told the court that despite the pending litigation, the NDIC was continuing with the liquidation of the second and third plaintiffs, raising concerns that the substance of the case could be overtaken by events before judicial determination.

In a significant development, the presiding judge ordered all parties, including the NDIC, to maintain status quo pending the determination of the substantive suit, effectively halting further actions that could alter the position of the parties.

The case was adjourned to March 12, 2026, for the hearing of all pending applications.

The legal battle now sets the stage for a potentially far-reaching ruling that could test the scope of regulatory authority exercised by the CBN and NDIC in Nigeria’s banking sector.

The UK government continued to update its consolidated list of financial sanctions targets, naming several individuals linked to terrorism financing and extremist activity. The measures included asset freezes, travel bans and direct disqualification sanctions.

Find the list of individuals below:

Nazem Ahmad
Nazem Ahmad, born January 5, 1965, in Sierra Leone, was listed on April 18, 2023. Authorities stated that he had ties to Hizballah and was suspected of financing terrorism. His sanctions included an asset freeze, a travel ban imposed on August 29, 2024, and a director disqualification sanction on April 9, 2025.

Officials reported that Ahmad controlled entities such as White Star DMCC, Bexley Way General Trading LLC, Best Diamond House DMCC, Sierra Gem Diamonds Company NV, Park Ventures SAL and The Artual Gallery.
Mustafa Ayash

Mustafa Ayash, born September 18, 1992, in Gaza, Palestine, was designated on March 27, 2024. The UK government said he had promoted Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad through the organisation Gaza Now.

His sanctions included an asset freeze, a travel ban imposed on August 29, 2024, and a director disqualification sanction on April 9, 2025. Officials noted that Ayash controlled crypto wallets and the Gaza Now organisation.
Kieran Gallagher

Kieran James Gallagher, born April 26, 1977, in Londonderry, United Kingdom, was listed on November 6, 2025.

The UK Treasury stated that Gallagher had been involved in providing financial services for terrorism and facilitating extremist activity. He was subjected to an asset freeze and a director disqualification sanction on November 6, 2025.
Mohammed Fawaz Khaled

Mohammed Fawaz Khaled, born either June 6, 1969 or June 6, 1967, in Homs, Syria, was first listed on May 9, 2013. His designation was updated on December 31, 2020 and again on April 9, 2025.

Officials assessed that Khaled had travelled to Syria to engage in extremist activities on behalf of ISIL. He was subjected to an asset freeze and a director disqualification sanction.
Gurpreet Singh Rehal

Gurpreet Singh Rehal, born November 12, 1991, in the United Kingdom, was listed on December 4, 2025. Authorities reported that he had been involved with Babbar Khalsa and Babbar Akali Lehar, organisations linked to terrorism.

His sanctions included an asset freeze and a director disqualification sanction. Officials stated that Rehal controlled Saving Punjab CIC, WhiteHawk Consultations Ltd and Loha Designs.

The UK government maintained that these sanctions were necessary to disrupt financial support for terrorism and prevent individuals from using economic resources to promote extremist activity.

Barely three years after its high-profile commissioning by former President Muhammadu Buhari, the N38 billion Nasarawa–Oweto–Otukpo Federal Road has suffered extensive structural failure, morphing from a strategic transport corridor into what many motorists now describe as a death trap.

The highway—linking communities across Nasarawa State and Benue State while serving as a gateway to eastern Nigeria—was envisioned as a catalyst for trade, faster travel and rural economic growth. Today, large portions have collapsed, leaving the once-promising artery largely abandoned.

A visit by reporters revealed multiple failed sections where asphalt has peeled away, road shoulders have sunk, and aggressive erosion has gouged deep channels across the carriageway. In several areas, motorists are forced off the road and into surrounding bushes to bypass destroyed segments; elsewhere, passage is impossible.

Damaged and exposed culverts have further heightened fears about flawed drainage design—an issue infrastructure experts often cite as a recurring weakness in Nigerian road construction.

A Familiar Pattern on Nigeria’s Highways

The rapid deterioration underscores a broader national problem: highways across Africa’s largest economy have increasingly become hazardous corridors marked by potholes, collapses, criminal attacks and chronic neglect.

For millions of Nigerians who rely almost exclusively on road transport, such failures are more than an inconvenience—they carry economic and human costs, from fatal crashes to delayed emergency care.

Despite its strategic importance, the Nasarawa–Oweto–Otukpo corridor now sits eerily quiet, particularly along the Agatu–Otukpo stretch. Investigations suggest that worsening insecurity has compounded the road’s structural problems, accelerating its abandonment.

Most commuters have rerouted to longer alternatives, choosing safety over efficiency.

Heavy Trucks, Weak Enforcement

Findings indicate that an early surge of articulated trucks significantly hastened the highway’s decline.

After completion, long-haul trailers heading east reportedly deserted older routes in favor of the shorter corridor, concentrating immense axle pressure on infrastructure residents believe was never engineered for such sustained loads.

“After the road was opened, trailers and tankers took over the place. It didn’t take long before the surface started breaking,” said commercial driver Enoch Adagboyi.

Experts point to the absence of functional weighbridges and poor axle-load enforcement, systemic regulatory gaps that have historically undermined road durability nationwide.

Ironically, as the road worsened and insecurity escalated, those same heavy vehicles abandoned the route.

Kidnappings Turn Corridor Into No-Go Zone

Structural failure is only part of the story.

Frequent kidnappings and armed attacks along adjoining roads have transformed the corridor into a high-risk zone. In November 2025, gunmen reportedly abducted six passengers along the Ogobia–Adoka axis, while security sources have repeatedly flagged criminal hideouts in nearby forests.

The climate of fear now deters not just motorists but also transport unions and even maintenance crews—making routine repairs increasingly unlikely.

“It’s a Death Trap”

Commercial drivers voiced anger over what many see as a costly waste of public funds.

“The road started failing too early. Even before the collapse became serious, people stopped using it because of kidnappers. Today, it’s not safe and not motorable,” said driver Joseph Onche.

Another motorist was more blunt: “We were happy when it was commissioned. Now it looks like the money was wasted.”

For traders and farmers in Agatu, the consequences have been immediate. Once-busy roadside markets have emptied, choking off income streams and isolating rural producers from urban buyers.

“Before, vehicles passed here every day. We sold food, fish and farm produce. Now the road is empty,” said resident Margaret Ichalefu.

Residents also report growing difficulty accessing hospitals, schools and emergency services, an often overlooked ripple effect of infrastructure collapse.

Quality, Oversight—and the Corruption Question

Infrastructure specialists say the early failure raises troubling questions.

“A road of that cost should last far beyond three years, even without major maintenance,” civil engineer Simon Adakole noted, pointing to possible design flaws, substandard materials, inadequate drainage or weak supervision.

Such concerns echo long-standing allegations that corruption, contract irregularities and poor oversight frequently erode the value of Nigeria’s public works—leaving taxpayers to shoulder the burden of repeated reconstruction.

The Loko-Oweto Bridge and the associated road network were primarily constructed by Reynolds Construction Company Nigeria Limited after the project was awarded in 2011. Efforts to obtain comments from the contractor were unsuccessful.

Similarly, attempts to reach leadership at the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency yielded no response, fueling perceptions of institutional silence around a rapidly deteriorating national asset.

Maintenance Failures and Security Constraints

Analysts argue that delayed intervention may have allowed minor defects to spiral into catastrophic damage. Security threats, they say, often discourage inspection teams from conducting routine assessments, creating a cycle in which abandonment accelerates decay.

“Once a highway is neglected, erosion, vandalism and structural fatigue set in quickly,” one security expert warned.

A Costly Symbol of Broken Infrastructure

For residents of Benue South and surrounding communities, the ruined highway has become more than a failed project—it is a stark emblem of fragile infrastructure planning and limited accountability.

As Nigeria confronts mounting transport challenges amid economic strain, the collapse of a multibillion-naira road so soon after commissioning is likely to intensify scrutiny over how public funds are spent—and whether the country can build roads that last longer than political cycles.

The controversy revives unresolved tensions from the 2023 presidential election won by Bola Tinubu, whose victory was challenged up to the Supreme Court by rivals Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi.

A resurfaced video featuring former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu, is reigniting a fierce national debate over the reliability of election technology—just as lawmakers push controversial changes to Nigeria’s electoral framework.

In the widely circulated clip, Yakubu explains that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), introduced to strengthen credibility at the polls, operates without internet connectivity during voting.

“The machine on election day does not require internet for upload; it works offline,” he said.

According to him, network access only becomes necessary when scanned polling unit results are transmitted.

“When it comes to transmission of results, that’s where it needs network. But if there is no connectivity in the immediate vicinity, the image will be transmitted once officials move to an area with coverage,” Yakubu added, noting that the commission has worked with telecommunications providers to address coverage blind spots.

Timing That Raises Questions

The video’s renewed circulation comes at a politically sensitive moment, with the Nigerian Senate recently amending the Electoral Act to mandate electronic transmission of results—while simultaneously allowing manual result sheets to prevail whenever technology fails.

The revision was adopted during a plenary presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, triggering backlash from civic groups and opposition figures who argue that the clause risks reopening pathways for manipulation.

Under the amended provision, presiding officers must transmit results electronically to the INEC Result Viewing Portal. However, if transmission proves impossible due to technical or communication failures, the manual Form EC8A becomes the primary basis for collation and declaration.

Critics say that a single caveat could determine the credibility of future elections.

Street Protests and Elite Pushback

Public anger has already spilled into the streets. Activists under the #OccupyNASS banner gathered at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, joined by former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore.

Sowore accused the political establishment of engineering electoral rules that favour manipulation.

“These people cannot win in free and fair elections,” he warned. “But the people have a duty to demand processes that guarantee transparent polls.”

Civil Society Warns of “Dangerous Ambiguity”

A coalition including the Centre for Media and Society, International Press Centre and Yiaga Africa welcomed the Senate’s partial reversal on e-transmission but cautioned that vague language could weaken reforms first introduced in the 2022 Electoral Act.

The groups described the phrase “provided if it fails and it becomes impossible to transmit” as dangerously undefined.

“In the absence of clear safeguards, this clause risks creating a loophole that could undermine the very purpose of electronic transmission,” the coalition said.

They further warned that granting greater legal weight to manual results could dilute the audit trail meant to deter fraud.

“Electronic transmission is not symbolic reform—it is a structural safeguard,” the statement stressed.

Echoes of the 2023 Election Battle

The controversy revives unresolved tensions from the 2023 presidential election won by Bola Tinubu, whose victory was challenged up to the Supreme Court by rivals Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi.

In a unanimous ruling led by Justice Inyang Okoro, the court held that electronic transmission was not mandatory under the Electoral Act and dismissed the appeals.

Yet the justices acknowledged that failure to upload results in real time could erode voter confidence.

“The truth must be told that the non-transmission of results… may reduce the confidence of the voting population,” the court observed.

More than two years later, that warning appears increasingly prescient.

Kukah’s Stark Warning: “Africa Will Not Wait”

Adding moral weight to the debate, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, issued a blunt appeal for credible elections.

“By God, by whatever means, give us clean and credible elections,” he declared at a major policy conference in Abuja.

Kukah cautioned that Nigeria risks geopolitical irrelevance if democratic credibility continues to wobble while other African nations advance.

“A roadmap to make Africa great again cannot proceed without Nigeria—but the rest of Africa will not wait for us,” he said.

In a thinly veiled reference to past controversies, he warned against allowing technical debates over transmission methods to overshadow the core obligation of transparency.

“We must not surrender to confusion. We must get it right.”

Reform or Regression?

The Senate’s refusal to make electronic transmission fully mandatory has once again placed a spotlight on INEC’s discretionary powers—long a fault line in Nigeria’s electoral politics.

For reform advocates, real-time transmission represents more than technological progress; it is seen as a psychological contract with voters increasingly sceptical of official results.

Expectations had been high that the latest reform cycle would hardwire transparency into law. Instead, critics fear the compromise risks preserving the very uncertainties the reforms sought to eliminate.

Still, civil society leaders say the Senate’s partial reversal demonstrates that sustained public pressure can shape legislation—while warning that vigilance remains essential.

“The details matter,” the coalition said. “The credibility of future elections depends on getting this right.”

As Nigeria edges toward another electoral cycle, the collision between technology, law and political trust suggests one reality: in a democracy where perception can be as powerful as outcome, even the mechanics of result transmission may ultimately decide whether voters believe the system works at all.

The Trump administration has directed U.S. immigration authorities to begin identifying between 100 and 200 potential denaturalisation cases each month,

As reported by the Economic Times on Friday, according to an NBC News report, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has reassigned staff and sent experts to field offices across the country to review past naturalisation approvals. The aim is to supply the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation with a steady flow of cases.

USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser said the agency acts when there is evidence of fraud or misrepresentation in the naturalisation process.

“We maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards fraud in the naturalisation process and will pursue denaturalisation proceedings for any individual who lied or misrepresented themselves,” NBC quoted him as saying.

“We will continue to relentlessly pursue those undermining the integrity of America’s immigration system and work alongside the Department of Justice to ensure that only those who meet citizenship standards retain the privilege of US citizenship,” he said.

The Justice Department has instructed attorneys to prioritize denaturalisation. It has cited cases involving individuals who pose national security risks, committed war crimes, or engaged in Medicaid or Medicare fraud.

A broader clause allows action in “any other cases … that the division determines to be sufficiently important to pursue,” the Justice Department added.

Trump has repeatedly focused on citizenship policy. He is also seeking authority to end birthright citizenship for children born in the US to foreign nationals, an issue currently before the Supreme Court.

In a Thanksgiving message last year, Trump wrote that he would remove anyone who was not a “net asset” to the US and would “denaturalise migrants who undermine domestic tranquillity.”