The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from conducting by-elections for the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The lawmakers, whose seats had been declared vacant by the state’s party chapter, include the factional Speaker …

The political crisis in Rivers State appears unabating as three commissioners resigned from Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s cabinet on Thursday. First to quit the administration was the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor. Then came the Commissioner for Works, George-Kelly Alabo; his Social Welfare and Rehabilitation counterpart, Inime Aguma; and that of Finance, Isaac Kamalu. Adangor’s resignation, dated …

Gunmen suspected to be pirates have killed four operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Bakana, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State. Though the circumstances leading to their death are still sketchy, it was gathered that the gunmen ambushed the operatives on the waterway. In a viral video that surfaced, the remains of the dead …

A woman identified as Mrs. Hope Nwala has allegedly bathed her husband, Ekelediri Nwankwo, with hot groundnut oil in the Okehi community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State. It was learnt that the couple had been having a running battle over the attitude of the wife’s younger sister who lived with them. It was gathered that though the …

Men of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested three persons suspected to be engaged in National Identity Number (NIN) racketeering in Port Harcourt. The suspects were nabbed by a team of policemen at the entrance of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) along Aba Road in the state capital on Wednesday afternoon. The operatives numbering about four arrived in …

The Nigerian Navy has set ablaze an arrested vessel, ‘MV Cecilia’ with about 350,000 litres of stolen automated gas oil, also known as diesel, in Woji, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. The vessel was seized by personnel of the Nigerian Navy ship Pathfinder in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, 16th August 2023, while three suspects were arrested. The Commander …

A jet belonging to the air component of Operation Delta Safe has bombed three boats while allegedly stealing crude oil from a pipeline in Rivers State. The jet struck the boat during one of its operations conducted around a riverine area between Bonny Island and South of Port Harcourt on Saturday. The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air …

Niger State Governor, Mallam Mohammed Bago, has directed the immediate expansion of the ministries in the state from 25 to 40. The governor also reshuffled permanent secretaries, while he appointed new ones to man the newly-established ministries. These were contained in a memo dated 17th July from the office of the Niger State Head of Service, obtained by The PUNCH …

The Nigerian Navy has excavated and dismantled the oil equipment of a suspected oil syndicate on Oil Mining Lease-18 in Elem Krakama Creek in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State. The Navy said it dismantled the equipment used in siphoning crude precisely on Oil Well 17 operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited. The Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship …

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara has launched 17 brand new luxury buses for free transportation of residents as part of his administration’s plans to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal. The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, unveiled the buses Tuesday in Port Harcourt, the state capital. The vehicles were procured to convey commuters …