News

Gunmen Abduct Kebbi Deputy Speaker Bagudu, Security Agencies Launch Manhunt

Published

2 months ago

November 1, 2025

Eric

Gunmen have abducted the Deputy Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Samaila Bagudu, in his hometown, Bagudu Local Government Area.

Sources said the gunmen stormed Bagudu town on Friday, shooting indiscriminately. According to the sources, the deputy speaker was abducted shortly after finishing his prayers and leaving the mosque for his home.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Kebbi State Government Ahmed Idris confirmed the abduction to Channels Television.

Efforts to obtain further details from the Kebbi State Police Command on the incident proved abortive.

Also confirming the abduction, the Kebbi State Police Command described the attack as “regrettable and unacceptable.” In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Nafiu Abubakar, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, CP Bello M. Sani, the Command vowed to rescue the Deputy Speaker unhurt.

According to the statement, a coordinated security response involving Police tactical units, military forces, and local vigilantes was immediately activated to track the kidnappers.

The joint team has since been combing suspected routes and forested areas around Bagudo in search of the abducted lawmaker.

The Command noted that the operation is being executed with precision and urgency, leveraging intelligence networks to narrow down possible hideouts of the armed group believed to be behind the abduction.

“The Police Command remains committed to ensuring the safe return of the Honourable member and the arrest of the perpetrators of this dastardly act,” the statement read in part.

Commissioner of Police Bello Sani, while addressing the press, reiterated the Command’s dedication to safeguarding lives and property across the state.

He described the incident as a test of the Command’s resilience and promised that no effort would be spared in bringing the culprits to justice.

He also assured the people of Kebbi State that peace and security remain top priorities for the Command, urging residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information that could aid investigations.
CP Sani expressed appreciation for the swift support of the Nigerian Army and local vigilante groups, noting that their synergy demonstrates a unified front against banditry and criminal violence in the state.

News

Two Rivers Lawmakers Step Down from Impeachment Proceedings Against Fubara, Sue for Peace

Published

10 hours ago

January 12, 2026

Eric

Two members of the Rivers House of Assembly, who are loyalists of former Governor Nyesom Wike, have withdrawn from the impeachment move against Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers.

The Minority Leader of the assembly, Sylvanus Enyinna Nwankwo, and Peter Abbey, who represents Degema State Constituency, urged their colleagues to exercise restraint and allow for dialogue to maintain stability in the state

In a video widely circulated on Facebook and an excerpt published by Rivers State Television, the lawmakers urged their colleagues to prioritise the overall interest and stability of Rivers above partisan disagreements.

Call for ‘cooling-off period’

The legislators stressed that the prevailing political climate demands calm, dialogue and a “cooling-off period” within the assembly to allow, in their words, “wisdom and truth to prevail” in the legislative chambers.

Although they did not expressly mention the impeachment process during the briefing, their intervention is being interpreted by political observers as a withdrawal from the impeachment push against Mr Fubara, which has heightened tensions in the state.

Background to impeachment moves

The Rivers assembly parted ways with Mr Fubara because of the feud between the governor and Mr Wike, who is the FCT minister.

The current impeachment notice on Mr Fubara is the third attempt in less than three years to remove the governor. The previous efforts had split the legislature into two factions, causing President Bola Tinubu to declare a six-month state of emergency in the oil-rich state and suspend the governor, the deputy governor, and the lawmakers.

The lawmakers accused the governor of constitutional breaches and administrative misconduct, allegations his supporters have dismissed as politically motivated.

Source: Premium Times

News

I Won’t Surrender Rivers N700bn IGR to Anyone, Fubara Vows

Published

5 days ago

January 8, 2026

Eric

Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has resisted alleged pressure to hand over N700 billion, representing 35% of the State’s internally generated revenue (IGR), to anyone, sparking a heated power struggle with former Governor Nyesom Wike, now Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister.

The dispute has raised concerns about the welfare of Rivers State residents, with 4.4 million people living in multidimensional poverty.

The feud between Fubara and Wike, who unilaterally chose Fubara as his successor, has escalated into violent confrontations, defections, and legal battles.

Wike has threatened to make Rivers State “ungovernable” if Fubara fails comply, while his supporters have vowed to “deal with” Fubara.

In response, Fubara has warned that he cannot be intimidated, saying: “Rivers State is not a playground” and that he’s prepared to defend the state’s interest.

His supporters have also threatened to mobilise protests against Wike and his allies.

The crisis had paralysed governance, prompting President Bola Tinubu to declare a six-month emergency rule in the State last year.

The situation remains tense, with both sides maintaining their respective stance.

The outcome will have significant implications for Rivers State and Nigerian politics.

The dispute highlights concerns about godfatherism in Nigerian politics and its impact on governance.

Wike has accused Fubara of ingratitude, while Fubara sees the former’s demands as an attempt to undermine his authority.

News

Rivers Assembly Begins Impeachment Proceedings Against Fubara

Published

5 days ago

January 8, 2026

Eric

The Rivers State House of Assembly has commenced impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

The legislature kicked off the process at plenary on Thursday.

The lawmakers are accusing Fubara and his deputy of gross misconduct.

Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, is presiding over the session.

The day’s proceedings bear the imprimatur of renewed hostilities between Fubara and his predecessor Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

On December 5, 2025, a horde of the Rivers assembly lawmakers led by the speaker, announced their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Days later, Fubara formalised his own switch from the PDP to the APC.

However, the sabre-rattling and thinly veiled remarks between Wike and Fubara, which culminated in the declaration of emergency rule in the state in March 2025, have persisted.

Most of the Rivers lawmakers have stayed loyal to Wike.

TheCable