Tinubu Government Holds Fubara Responsible For Rivers Pipeline Explosion, Political Crisis

Tinubu government holds Fubara responsible for Rivers pipeline explosion, political crisis. President Bola Tinubu has blamed Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, for the ongoing political crisis and recent pipeline explosion in the state.

In a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, Tinubu criticized the lack of resolution among political actors in Rivers, expressing frustration over the prolonged instability.

He accused Fubara of demolishing the State Assembly complex and failing to reconstruct it for over 15 months, despite interventions from various stakeholders, including himself.

The President also alleged that Fubara had systematically weakened the state’s legislative arm, contributing to governance paralysis.

Citing recent security reports, Tinubu linked the governor’s inaction to a surge in pipeline vandalism by militants.

“The latest security reports show that in the past 24 hours, there have been alarming incidents of pipeline vandalism, yet the governor has taken no steps to address them,” Tinubu said.

He assured residents that security agencies had been directed to restore order and safeguard vital infrastructure.

Fubara

“With these challenges, no responsible president can stand by and allow the situation to deteriorate further without implementing constitutional measures to restore peace, governance, and security,” he added.

On Tuesday, Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing the collapse of the legislative arm as a key reason.

He appointed Retired Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas to oversee the state’s administration.

NIALS Commends Ola Olukoyede On Progress In Fight Against Corruption

NIALS commends Ola Olukoyede on progress in fight against corruption. The Director General of the Nigeria Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, NIALS, Professor Abdulqadir Ibrahim Abikan has applauded the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ola Olukoyede on his rising success in breaking the scourge of economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption.

He gave the plaudits in Abuja on Tuesday March 18, 2025 when he led the management team of NIALS on a courtesy visit to Olukoyede at the Commission’s corporate headquarters.

According to him, the EFCC under the watch of Olukoyede is making impressive progress, with greater prospects on the horizon for Nigeria regarding the fight against corruption.

“We are very happy with what the EFCC is doing. The whole world is applauding the good work that EFCC is doing. And I’m very confident that with the success of EFCC and other relevant agencies, we’ll soon get to our destination as a country”, he said.

While noting that the visit to the Commission was for the exploration of collaborative areas of research and training, Abikan added that “NIALS is the foremost legal research Institute in the country, dedicated to training of lawyers, judges, even non-lawyers in different areas of law.”

He further stated that NIALS works in partnership with a number of agencies in terms of training and desires to bring the EFCC on board. “So, this is what I brought to the EFCC, for us to identify areas that we can collaborate.

We do training and I want to acknowledge that quite a number of EFCC staff have participated in our training before now”, he said.

While acknowledging an existing relationship between the agencies of the government, he disclosed that “On many occasions we have invited staffers of EFCC when we are doing training that has to do with forensic analysis and evidence gathering. So, we want to acknowledge and appreciate EFCC for the expertise being provided to us in this area.”

EFCC

In his response, Olukoyede expressed joy at the visit and assured the NIALS team of the Commission’s willingness for partnership and collaboration. “On our part we are open to collaboration. We are open to partnership and rest assured that you will have a partner in us.

We’re willing to build on our existing relationship with you particularly in the areas of investigation and prosecution. And also in the area of the review of our laws, particularly the EFCC Act and other financial crimes laws in Nigeria.

We are not just confined to our own mandate. We are also a coordinating agency for all financial crime laws in Nigeria.

This would mark another era of a very cordial and beneficial relationship between the Institute and the EFCC,” he said.

EFCC Arraigns Chinese For Alleged Cyber Internet Fraud, Terrorism

EFCC arraigns Chinese for alleged cyber internet fraud, terrorism. The Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned one Shi Yang Xiong, a Chinese and a company, Genting International Co. Ltd., before Justice D.I.Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.

Xiong is a member of the syndicate of 792 alleged cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects arrested on December 19, 2024 in Lagos during a surprise operation tagged “Eagle Flush Operation” by operatives of the EFCC.

The suspect was arraigned on a one-count charge bordering on alleged cybercrimes and cyber-terrorism, contrary to Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015 (as Amended, 2024) and Section 2(3) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The charge reads: “That you, Shi Yang Xiong and Genting International Company Limited, sometime in December 2024 at Lagos, Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, willfully caused to be accessed, computer systems used for the purpose of destabilizing and destroying the economy and social structure of Nigeria and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015 (as Amended, 2024) and Section 2(3) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

EFCC Arraigns Chinese

He pleaded “not guilty” to the offence when it was read to him.

In view of his plea, prosecution M.K. Bashir, prayed the court for a trial date and the defendant’s remand in the correctional centre.

Justice Dipeolu has commenced trial in the matter.