The Rivers State Police Command has dismissed three police officers linked to the killing of a University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) graduate, Anthony Obodo, in the Ada George area of Port Harcourt last Thursday.
The command also declared an Inspector of Police, who allegedly fled the scene after the shooting, a deserter, as investigations into the circumstances surrounding the killing continue.
The State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, disclosed this on Wednesday in Port Harcourt while parading the three dismissed officers before journalists.
Adepoju said the disciplinary action followed the conclusion of investigations and the establishment of the culpability of the officers in the incident.
“The Command has taken appropriate disciplinary action against the police personnel involved, and the officers being paraded today have been dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force and will be charged to court,” he said.
The commissioner did not disclose the identities of the officers or provide further details on the specific roles each of them played in the incident.
Obodo, a graduate of the University of Port Harcourt, was reportedly killed along the Ada George axis of Port Harcourt last Thursday, triggering public outrage and renewed concerns over alleged police excesses and accountability in the state.
The incident had heightened calls for a transparent investigation and appropriate sanctions against any security personnel found responsible for the shooting.
The latest action by the police command represents a significant development in the case, with the three officers now facing criminal prosecution following their dismissal from the force.
Adepoju said the Inspector who allegedly fled after the shooting had also been declared a deserter, signalling that the command was taking disciplinary measures against all personnel found to have breached professional standards in connection with the incident.
The commissioner assured the public that the command would continue to uphold discipline and accountability within its ranks, stressing the need for police personnel to operate within the law and respect the rights of citizens.
The case is expected to proceed to court following the dismissal of the three officers, where the circumstances surrounding Obodo’s death and the extent of the officers’ culpability will be subjected to judicial scrutiny.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned that the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) to produce and circulate disinformation poses a serious threat to the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
The commission also disclosed that it was conducting a comprehensive audit of its electoral technology infrastructure and considering a mock presidential election to test its preparedness ahead of the polls.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, who raised the concerns on Wednesday in Abuja, said electoral technology and communication could no longer be treated as separate aspects of election management.
Amupitan spoke in a keynote address delivered on his behalf by a National Commissioner, Sani Adam, SAN, at the 13th Annual International Conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN).
The conference, themed, “Media, Technology and Elections in Africa: Navigating Digital Disruption and the New Dynamics of Electoral Communication,” brought together media professionals, academics, technology experts and other stakeholders.
In a statement signed by INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, the chairman said the credibility of the electoral process increasingly depended not only on the integrity of the ballot, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and result sheets, but also on how electoral information was understood and trusted by citizens.
He explained that the deployment of BVAS and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) was designed to address longstanding concerns over electoral transparency by enabling citizens to view polling-unit results before their movement to collation centres.
However, he acknowledged that the 2023 general elections demonstrated how technological failures could themselves fuel public suspicion and undermine confidence in the electoral process.
“Legitimacy is earned only when systems perform reliably, are well understood, and are explained honestly when they fall short,” he said.
On preparations for the 2027 elections, Amupitan said the commission was auditing its electoral technology systems, with particular attention to system redundancy, penetration testing and disaster recovery mechanisms.
He added that INEC was considering a mock presidential election to test voter accreditation, result transmission and result viewing under conditions designed to replicate election-day realities.
The INEC chairman expressed particular concern over the emergence of generative AI, which, he said, had made it cheaper and increasingly easier to create synthetic audio, video and images capable of deceiving voters.
According to him, manipulated political content had already featured in recent electoral cycles in parts of West and East Africa, making the threat one that Nigeria could no longer afford to ignore.
He said the challenge extended beyond fabricated content to algorithmic microtargeting, through which political actors could deliver different, and even contradictory, messages to narrowly defined segments of the electorate.
“The danger lies not only in outright fabrication but also in algorithmic microtargeting, which allows conflicting messages to reach narrow segments of the electorate without a shared factual foundation,” he said.
Amupitan warned that AI-generated falsehoods could reach millions of social media users within minutes, potentially spreading faster than fact-checkers, journalists or electoral authorities could verify and debunk them.
He also disclosed that INEC had proposed a substantial budget for technology and election operations, including the procurement of new accreditation devices to replace those lost or damaged during the last electoral cycle.
The chairman said the commission was awaiting the full release of the funds, while its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) team had commenced engagements with manufacturers.
He added that preparations for the technology audit and proposed mock election were continuing alongside the budget finalisation process. Amupitan outlined a five-point strategy for strengthening INEC’s response to emerging electoral communication challenges.
The strategy includes integrating technology and communication planning; establishing a rapid-response mechanism capable of countering falsehoods within the same news cycle; proactively communicating known vulnerabilities and safeguards; deepening collaboration with media scholars, fact-checkers and technology platforms; and investing continuously in public media literacy.
He said INEC could no longer afford to regard technology and communication as separate components of election management.
The chairman therefore urged media professionals, technology experts, scholars, fact-checkers and other stakeholders to work closely with the commission to improve public understanding and strengthen trust in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 elections.
On Wednesday August, 26, 2026, the world watched Nepal as glacial collapse sent a wall of water tearing through the Nepal-China border mountain villages, swallowing homes, schools, roads, bridges and hydropower plants and causing significant loss of lives. All these were gone in minutes.
According to reports, the first indication that something was amiss came at 8.37 am local time,when the earth started shaking along the Nepal-China border, north of Kathmandu.
Scientists later established the fact that an enormous chunk of glacier sheared off from high on a mountain.This plunged into the river below. The section of the glacier that fell was approximately 2,000 feet wide.
A Professor of Hydrology at the Imperial College, London, Wouter Buytaert said, “this is the type of event that is triggered by climate change. Global warming strinks glaciers making it more likely for them to break apart.”
So far, more than 1000 people are found dead, 4,267 individuals rescued. As at Tuesday, 1st September, 2026, more than 4,400 people still reported missing and and more than 65,000 people affected in Nepal and Tibet. There are fears that the numbers of dead may still rise exponentially.
That disaster in the Himalayas feels far from the Niger Delta. But climate science tells us it is connected. The ice that melts in the Antarctica, Arctic, Andes, Himalayas,Alaska,Alps,Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Kenya does not stay there. It flows into our oceans, and our oceans decide what happens to the Niger Delta.
For a proper understanding, we need to put this in perspective. What are glaciers
Glaciers and ice sheets are large masses of ice that form when fallen snow is compressed and recrystallised over the course of thousands of years. The two types of glaciers are the continental glaciers and the alpine (mountain)glaciers. The glaciers exist on all the world’s continent except Australia.These glaciers hold about 68-70% of the world’s freshwater. Together, they cover approximately 10 percent of the Earth’s total land mass.
For 10,000 years they were relatively stable. That changed in the 1900s. Since 1990, glaciers have lost over 9 trillion tonnes of ice. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the World Glacier Monitoring Service confirms that global glacier mass loss has accelerated, and 2022-2024 were the 3 largest loss years on record.
All 19 of the world’s major glacier regions reported a net annual loss of ice mass, though, year 2023 set an individual annual record for single-year water loss with glaciers shedding approximately 600 gigatons of water.
In October of 2023, during a visit to the Everest region in Nepal, the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres called on the world to “stop the madness” of climate change, warning that the disappearance of glaciers altogether looms even larger.
However, researchers in recent projections show that mountain glaciers will lose one quarter to one half of their mass by 2100 for global temperature change scenarios. A third of glaciers in the World Heritage sites are set to disappear by 2050.
Also, many mountain regions have already witnessed radical glacier loss with many low elevation and small glaciers around the world, including all of Africa’s remaining glaciers at risk of disappearing within this century.
The ice is melting because global temperatures have risen to almost 1.4°C since pre-industrial times. The extra heat turns ice to water. As a result, the gradual disappearance of glaciers contributes to rising sea levels, increased risk of drought in densely populated plains and atmospheric pollution,where ancient greenhouse gases like methane trapped deep beneath the ice are released.
Glaciers in Greenland, Antarctica, Alaska and the Himalayas melt into rivers into the Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific Oceans. The meltwater adds volume to the ocean. Thermal expansion of warmer seawater adds more water. Global mean sea level has risen from 21-24cm since 1900, and the rate has doubled since 2006. All this add up to the pressure in Nigeria’s Niger Delta, which over the years has witnessed severe flooding.
The Niger Delta Coast of Nigeria has 853km of coastline facing the Atlantic Ocean along the Gulf of Guinea.It stretches to a total of nine states including Rivers,Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Lagos, Ogun and Ondo. The coastline comprises inshore waters, coastal lagoons, estuaries and mangroves especially in the Niger Delta. The Niger Delta is a low-lying, sediment-based delta. Bonny, Brass, Okrika, Warri and Lagos Island generally sit across low-lying coastal terrain. .
So the meltwater from thousands of kilometers away ends up pushing against the shorelines of the Niger Delta, raising tides, and pushing saltwater into our creeks and groundwater.
The impact of the melting glaciers are enormous on the Niger Delta.The glacier melt may not cause a Himalayan-style flood, but may cause slow, compounding damage.
This is mainly due to the fact that higher sea levels mean king tides which now reach further inland. Communities in Okrika, Nembe, and Lagos Bar Beach already lose land yearly. With 0.5m rise by 2050, 30-50% of the Delta could face annual inundation.
Furthermore, as sea level rises, salt pushes into coastal aquifers and surface water. This is critical for the Niger Delta where people depend on shallow hand-dug wells and boreholes 10-20m deep for drinking water. Salinity ruins drinking water and kills agricultural crops.
Also, it will lead to worsened flooding and extreme rainfall. Climate change makes rains heavier. When high tides meet heavy rain with poor drainage in most Niger Delta communities and urban cities, floodwater has nowhere to go.
The critical impact will be the loss of livelihoods in the area. Fishing and farming in the Niger Delta area depend on brackish water balance. More salt from floods results to fish migration, and also crop failure.
The massive inflow of water may lead to Infrastructural damage: roads, refineries, industries and businesses at the coastal line are affected, while repeated flooding corrodes and disrupts production.
With the continuous melting of the glaciers, the next five years and beyond for people of the Niger Delta region is ominous.
By 2031, scientists evisage more “nuisance flooding” during high tide with 10-15cm additional sea level rise globally. And by 2050, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projects 0.28-0.55m sea level rise even if countries cut down on emissions. This will translate to more flooding and moderate coastal flooding will happen 10 times more often than it does today.
High tide will routinely flood coastal streets, damaging local infrastructure and threatens fresh water supplies. For the Niger Delta, that means displacement of communities and billions in damage.
What is worse? By 2100, if emissions continue, 1-2m sea rise is possible and this will make parts of the Niger Delta to become uninhabitable, if there are no massive defenses put in place.
While the rest of the world are preparing to abate disasters, the Niger Delta and Nigeria as a whole seem to be asleep to the reality that is beckoning.
The rest of the world are developing early warning systems for disasters, community evacuation drills and placements.
The UN 2025 report shows that 119 countries are now covered by a multi- Hazard Early Warning System. Launched in 2022 by United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, Early Warning for All is a ground breaking initiative to ensure that every one on Earth is protected from hazardous weather, water or climate events through life saving early warning systems by the end of 2027.
In the Netherlands the government used a technique known as Delta Works. They have built a country below sea level. The Delta Works is a massive network of dams, slluices, locks and storm surge barriers built to protect the Southern part of the Netherlands from catastrophic flooding after the 1953 floods.
The Dutch also use a system to strategically open and close dams that redirect massive volumes of river water to flush salt water back into the North Sea.
The United Nations (UN) and IPCC have begun the Global Stocktake-monitoring and inventory of climate issues of countries.
There is the Loss and Damage Fund under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change agreed at the 28th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai 2023 to help vulnerable developing countries facing climate-induced impacts.
It is important to commend the African Union for the Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy which it is delivering on African goal for inclusive and sustainable development. Aslo, the Great Green Wall project to combat land degradation, desertification and climate change across the Sahel region. They must find a way to bridge the funding gap for the projects, which is huge.
Nigeria has to wake up from its deep slumber on these issues. What Is The solution? If we cannot build Dutch sea walls tomorrow, we can do “smart adaptation”.
Research is key in this direction. Research institutes and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) must monitor sea levels, salinity in boreholes, and map vulnerable communities.You cannot adapt what you do not measure.
We must return to nature-based solutions, such as restoration of mangroves in the Niger Delta. Thick mangrove forests act as natural wall against storms, hurricanes and rising sea levels One hectare of mangrove absorbs waves better than concrete and costs less. It also stores carbon.
Another solution is Water Safety,thereby investing in rainwater harvesting, deeper boreholes >40m above saltwater intrusion, and household water treatment for communities. This tackles Sustainable Development Goal 6.
We must adopt early warning. SMS flood alerts for communities like what Nepal is doing. Recently, the Federal Government of Nigeria issued alerts that over 2000 communities would face flood risk across 30 states. Seven states were identified as critical hot-spots.
In a statement, the Director of the Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department, Mr. Usman Bokani said Akwa Ibom, Delta, Kogi, Benue, Rivers, Bayelsa and Ebonyi states could be critical areas during the forecast period. Also, Adamawa, Kwara,Taraba and Kebbi states had been categorised as high risk locations. Some communities in Borno, the FCT, Plateau, Nasarawa and Yobe states are expected to experience moderate flooding during this period. This is a good start.
Nigerian government must do all it takes to access funds in the area of foreign policy and finance and use it appropriately.
Government should access the United Nations Loss and Damage Fund. Also, integrate climate into the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) Masterplan and push for “polluter pays” from oil companies to fund adaptation.
Communities ought to be involved in this through information and education. Let them be enlightened about the consequences of their actions that lead to climate change. Government must mobilze communities in this regard. Climate adaptation works when people own it.
In conclusion, it is important to stress that the ice in Greenland and the water in the Niger Delta are linked by one ocean. Nepal’s glacier burst was a warning. Our warning may be slower, salt in our wells, water in our streets, people moving from their ancestral homes, and more.
But we still have time. If Nigeria invests now in monitoring, growing mangroves, and community resilience, we can reduce the damage. Climate change is global. The response must be local.
By: Ibinabo Ogolo
Dr. Ibinabo Ogolo is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Geosciences and Environmental Management, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
The Rivers International Film Festival (RIFF) 2026 has unveiled its official award categories, with filmmakers from Africa and across the world competing for honours in documentary, feature film, animation, acting, technical craftsmanship, international cinema and film tourism.
The festival, scheduled to hold from October 29 to November 1, 2026, on Bonny Island, Rivers State, said the awards were designed to recognise excellence in filmmaking while promoting cultural storytelling and the use of cinema as a tool for tourism and economic development.
According to the festival organisers, RIFF 2026 received 3,021 film submissions, from which 356 films were selected, while 136 films earned nominations. The submissions represented filmmakers from 182 countries, underscoring what the organisers described as the festival’s growing international reach. The theme of this year’s festival is “Film Tourism: A Pathway to Economic Development.”
Among the major awards are Best African Film, Best International Film, Best Film for Tourism Promotion, Overall Best Film – Feature Length, Overall Best Documentary and Overall Best Animation.
The festival will also honour outstanding performances with awards for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress.
In the technical and creative categories, awards will be presented for Best Props, Best Make-up/Special Effects, Best Film Location, Best Costume, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Sound Design, among others.
The documentary section features awards for Best Documentary Title, Best Documentary Story, Best Sound Design – Documentary, Best Cinematography – Documentary, Best Editing – Documentary, Best Director – Documentary and Overall Best Documentary.
For feature films, the categories include Best Story – Feature Length, Best Sound Design – Feature Length, Best Cinematography – Feature Length, Best Editing – Feature Length, Best Director – Feature Film, Best Short Film and Overall Best Film – Feature Length.
Animation filmmakers will compete in categories including Best Animator Director, Best Animated Short Film, Best Animated Feature Length Film, Best Animated Story/Screenplay, Best Voice Performance in Animation, Best Character Design and Overall Best Animation. The international cinema section includes Best International Film and Best Narrative Film.
The organisers said the wide range of categories reflects RIFF’s determination to recognise not only filmmakers and performers but also the creative, technical and cultural elements that contribute to successful cinema.
“From powerful documentaries and compelling feature films to innovative animation, exceptional performances, technical craftsmanship and films that inspire people to discover new destinations, RIFF 2026 celebrates the many dimensions of filmmaking,” the festival said.
The organisers added that the awards were intended to recognise filmmakers “not only for the stories they tell, but also for the creativity, technical excellence, cultural identity and vision behind those stories.”
They described film tourism as an important component of the festival’s vision, stressing the potential of cinema to showcase destinations, stimulate tourism, create economic opportunities and connect cultures.
“From Africa to the world. From stories to destinations. From film to economic opportunity,” the festival declared.
RIFF urged members of the public and film enthusiasts to visit its RIFF Festivals Facebook page and TikTok handle @riffestivals for details of nominated films and the various award categories.
The festival director, Osunwa Kenneth Chigozie, congratulated the selected filmmakers and nominees and commended the jury for its work throughout the selection process.
Rivers International Film Festival (RIFF) 2026 Theme: Film Tourism: A Pathway to Economic Development Date: October 29 – November 1, 2026 Venue: Bonny Island, Rivers State, Nigeria RIFF 2026 — Celebrating Cinema. Connecting Cultures. Promoting Destinations.
The North Peace and Stability Forum (NPSF) has commended the Nigerian Armed Forces for what it described as significant gains in the ongoing battle against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities across the country.
The forum said the recent successes had strengthened national security and renewed public confidence in the capacity of the military to confront criminal groups, particularly in the North-West.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its Chairman, Aminu Daura, the NPSF specifically praised the military for eliminating a notorious bandit kingpin in Katsina State and rescuing hundreds of kidnapped victims during coordinated operations conducted in August.
The group described the neutralisation of the bandit leader as a major blow to criminal networks operating across the North-West, where communities have suffered years of attacks, abductions and destruction of livelihoods.
According to the forum, the operation underscores the growing effectiveness of intelligence-led military offensives targeted at dismantling criminal enclaves and restoring stability to affected communities.
The NPSF also hailed the rescue of 610 kidnapped victims, describing the operation as a significant humanitarian achievement that had reunited hundreds of families with their loved ones.
It singled out the rescue of 15 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) abducted by criminal elements, saying their safe return had brought considerable relief to their families, colleagues and the wider public.
Daura said the successful operations demonstrated the commitment, courage and professionalism of Nigerian troops who continue to risk their lives in defence of the country despite challenging operational conditions. The forum also commended the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, and the service chiefs for sustaining military pressure on criminal groups and strengthening joint operations across various theatres.
While welcoming the latest successes, the NPSF urged the security agencies to sustain the momentum and intensify efforts to track down fleeing terrorists, bandits and kidnappers until they no longer constitute a threat to communities.
It further called on citizens to support security agencies by providing credible and timely information capable of assisting ongoing operations, stressing that the fight against insecurity requires sustained cooperation between security forces and local communities.
The forum expressed optimism that the recent military gains would encourage displaced residents to return to their communities, revive economic activities and deepen public confidence in government’s efforts to protect lives and property.
“On behalf of the North Peace and Stability Forum, we congratulate the Nigerian Armed Forces on these outstanding accomplishments. The elimination of dangerous criminal elements and the rescue of hundreds of innocent citizens, including NYSC members, are clear indications that the fight against insecurity is yielding positive results.
“We encourage our gallant troops to remain steadfast as Nigerians continue to support and appreciate their sacrifices,” Daura said.
The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has pledged to ensure the direct payment of funds allocated to Nigeria’s 774 local government councils if elected president in 2027. Atiku, a former vice president, made the pledge in a statement issued by his official spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, and posted on X on Tuesday. He said an ADC-led administration would uphold the rule of law, respect court judgments and guarantee the constitutional independence of the three tiers of government, including local councils. Atiku also accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of failing to implement the Supreme Court’s July 2024 judgment affirming the financial autonomy of local governments. The former vice president alleged that the Federal Government’s failure to enforce the judgment was politically motivated, arguing that the administration was reluctant to confront state governors who had historically exercised control over local government funds. “My administration will respect court judgments, protect local government autonomy, ensure that public funds reach the people for whom they are meant, and restore true federalism,” Atiku said. He argued that direct access to their statutory allocations would strengthen local councils and accelerate development at the grassroots. According to him, financial independence would enable local governments to address poverty, improve basic services and strengthen their capacity to tackle insecurity, including crime and terrorism, within their jurisdictions. “This move will ensure that development is brought to the grassroots, reduce poverty at the level of government nearest to the people, and guarantee financial independence to the local governments which will increase their capacity to fight crimes and terrorism at that level,” he said. Atiku further alleged that the Tinubu administration’s position on local government autonomy was being shaped by political calculations ahead of the 2027 presidential election. He claimed that state governors were being allowed to retain control over local government funds as an incentive to secure their support for President Tinubu’s re-election. “This is not the Nigeria we should accept,” the ADC presidential candidate declared. The Supreme Court had, in July 2024, ordered the Federal Government to pay allocations meant for local governments directly to democratically elected local government councils, in a landmark ruling aimed at strengthening the financial independence of the third tier of government. However, implementation of the judgment has remained contentious. PUNCHONLINE reported in July that, two years after the Supreme Court ruling, implementation of the financial autonomy judgment remained stalled, despite N10.48 trillion reportedly having been allocated to local governments within the period.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned Nigerians against a fraudulent online recruitment notice claiming that the commission has commenced the recruitment and training of ad-hoc staff for the 2027 general elections.
INEC, in a statement, said its attention had been drawn to a message circulating online inviting members of the public to apply for ad-hoc positions through a website being promoted on social media.
The commission described the information as false, stressing that the recruitment portal being circulated is not owned or authorised by INEC.
It urged members of the public not to click on the link, provide personal information, upload documents or make payments through the platform, warning that doing so could expose unsuspecting applicants to fraud and identity theft.
According to the commission, all legitimate recruitment exercises and election-related announcements will be communicated through its verified channels and official website.
INEC therefore advised Nigerians seeking information about its activities to rely only on official communication channels and to verify recruitment notices before responding to them.
The commission also recalled that it had previously warned the public about fraudulent websites and fake recruitment advertisements purporting to originate from INEC.
It urged members of the public to disregard the latest notice and refrain from further circulating it. “Stay informed. Stay safe. Always verify before you click,” the commission advised.
The University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) has dissociated itself from alleged partisan political activities linked to the institution and rejected claims made against its Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Princewill Chike.
The university, in a statement signed by its Head of Information, Publications and Public Relations (IPPR), Dr Sam Kpenu, said it remained a federal and non-partisan institution that belonged to all Nigerians.
The statement followed the circulation of a video in which Chizy Enyi, identified as the State Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), allegedly made claims concerning the Vice-Chancellor and political activities within the university.
Management described the allegations as unfounded and warned political actors against dragging the name, offices or leadership of the university into partisan narratives.
“The University does not belong to any political party, coalition or political interest group, and its name, offices and structures should not be used in partisan political narratives,” the statement said.
UNIPORT specifically denied the claim that Prof. Chike was the leader of a political coalition, including an alleged “Rainbow Coalition”, describing the assertion as false and without basis.
According to the university, Chike is the duly appointed Vice-Chancellor and “has not assumed, claimed or acted in any capacity as the leader of any political coalition.”
It also denied allegations that the Vice-Chancellor had directed, compelled, induced or encouraged members of the university community to join any political party, coalition or political organisation.
On claims concerning the recruitment of ad hoc personnel for the 2027 general elections, Management said there was no directive, policy or arrangement by the Vice-Chancellor to restrict the selection of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ad hoc staff to members of any political coalition.
“The allegation should therefore be disregarded, as it does not represent the position or practice of the University,” it said.
The university also rejected claims that Prof. Chike was “imposed” as Vice-Chancellor, explaining that he applied for the position and participated in the prescribed screening and interview processes before emerging as the successful candidate.
His appointment, Management said, was the outcome of a formal and competitive process conducted in accordance with the university’s laws and regulations.
UNIPORT further clarified that a billboard allegedly cited as evidence of political activity involving the university was privately owned and had no institutional connection with the university or the office of the current Vice-Chancellor.
Management said the billboard predated Chike’s tenure and was installed during the administration of the immediate past Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Owunari A. Georgewill.
It consequently described attempts to link the billboard to the current Vice-Chancellor or the university as “inaccurate and misleading.”
The university said Prof. Chike, a Professor of Medicine, had remained focused on his statutory responsibilities, including advancing teaching, learning, research, innovation and community service.
“The University must remain non-partisan,” Management declared, stressing that the institution was committed to maintaining its independence, integrity and institutional neutrality.
While acknowledging the constitutional rights of individuals to freedom of expression, association and political participation, the university urged such rights to be exercised responsibly.
It warned that individual political activities should not be used to attribute unverified political affiliations, directives or activities to the university or its officers.
48-hour ultimatum UNIPORT has demanded that Enyi and any other persons responsible for publishing or disseminating the allegations retract the statements and issue a public apology within 48 hours.
The university further demanded that the retraction and apology receive publicity comparable to that given to the original allegations.
Management warned that failure to comply would leave it with “no option” but to pursue all appropriate legal and lawful remedies to protect the reputation and integrity of the university and its officers.
It also expressed concern over the possibility that the allegations could expose the Vice-Chancellor, his family, university officials, staff or students to threats, harassment or intimidation.
The university said any credible threat or unlawful conduct arising from the circulation of the allegations would be documented and referred to the appropriate security and law-enforcement authorities.
“Management will not permit the institution or its leadership to be unnecessarily drawn into partisan political disputes,” the statement said.
It urged political actors, members of the public and media practitioners to verify information before making or circulating allegations concerning the university and its officers.
“The University of Port Harcourt remains above partisan politics,” Management said.
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Friday inaugurated the reconstructed Bonny National Grammar School, declaring that the project marked the first state government-commissioned project in the Bonny Local Government Area in more than two decades.
Fubara, who spoke at the inauguration ceremony in Bonny, said the project represented a deliberate shift from the culture of election promises to the delivery of tangible development projects.
“I need to say this, maybe I stand to be corrected, but this is the first time in over 20 years that government is coming to Bonny to commission a project. We’ve been coming here to campaign. We’ve come here to make promises. But now we have gone a step further to ensure that we break that jinx,” he said.
The governor said the reconstruction of the school was not merely an infrastructure project but an investment in the future of Bonny and Rivers State, stressing that education remained the most critical investment his administration could make in the people.
He said the decision to undertake the project was also intended to reaffirm the place of Bonny in the state, assuring residents that the government had not forgotten the island community.
“So, what we have come here to do today is to demonstrate the significance of this wonderful institution and to tell the good people of Bonny that government still remembers you and that you’re part of Rivers State,” Fubara said.
The governor traced the history of the school to 1965, when it was established as a community initiative under the name Government Secondary School, Ogwugwumaka, Bonny. It was subsequently renamed Bonny Grammar School.
He said the institution had produced many prominent sons and daughters of Bonny Kingdom, adding that its restoration was therefore a renewal of an important part of the kingdom’s educational heritage.
Fubara said his administration deliberately chose to invest in Bonny to demonstrate that government could deliver on its promises.
“So, the success we are sharing today is to water the ground so that when we are coming here to campaign, we don’t need to make promises again because you have already seen action. When I’m coming with our party to campaign, you’ll be confident that your brother did something,” he said.
The governor also linked the investment in education to Bonny’s strategic position in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, noting that the presence of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) and other multinational companies in the area had created opportunities for educated indigenes.
“Today, we have the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) and other multinationals that are operating in Bonny. Some of our people are working with them and they are working with them because of education. We intend to better the lot of Bonny through education, knowing the importance of Bonny in the hydrocarbon and energy development of Nigeria,” he said.
The ceremony also witnessed a major education intervention as Fubara announced full scholarships for members of Team Rivers who emerged winners of the Presidential Inter-Schools Debate Championship.
The governor said the students had demonstrated exceptional intellectual ability by emerging champions despite difficult conditions.
“Today is not just about the hardware development because we just celebrated a software – our children who participated in the Presidential Debate and performed excellently even in the most difficult conditions. They came out first in the championship,” he said.
Fubara directed the Commissioner for Education and the Permanent Secretary in the ministry to immediately work out the modalities for the scholarship.
“For every one of them that participated, we must make sure that we take full responsibility for their education starting from this minute,” he declared.
He said the scholarship initiative underscored his administration’s commitment to supporting not only educational infrastructure but also the development of young talents across the state.
The state Commissioner for Education, Dr Peter Nwagor in his speech at the occasion, said the reconstruction had transformed the school into a modern educational institution equipped to meet contemporary learning needs.
According to him, the project includes renovated classrooms, fully equipped Chemistry, Biology and Physics laboratories, a technical workshop and a new information and communication technology (ICT) centre.
The school also has modern hostel facilities, staff quarters, an assembly hall, a dedicated sick bay and a fully furnished library equipped with books, digital tools and research materials.
The project further includes a sports arena with volleyball and basketball courts, internal roads and drainage systems, solar-powered street lighting, an upgraded low-voltage electricity distribution network, perimeter fencing and a security gatehouse.
Other facilities include interlocking stone pavements and a car park.
In his speech, the Amanyanabo of Grand Bonny Kingdom, King Edward William Asimini Dappa Pepple III, Perekule XI, who was the special guest of honour, described the project as more than the renovation of a school.
The monarch said the intervention represented the restoration of a legacy and an investment in the future of Bonny.
“Today, we are witnessing the renewal of an institution that has formed an important part of the educational history of our dear Kingdom. For generations, Bonny National Grammar School has served as a centre of learning, discipline, and character formation,” he said.
According to him, the institution had contributed significantly to the intellectual development of Bonny youths who had distinguished themselves in various professions and areas of public service.
The monarch expressed appreciation to Fubara and his administration for rehabilitating and furnishing the school, describing the intervention as evidence of the government’s recognition of the importance of education to the development of Bonny and Rivers State.
Fubara also commended the Bonny monarch for his leadership and efforts to attract development to the kingdom.
He acknowledged the Federal Government’s contribution to the Bonny-Bodo Road project, saying the road had significantly eased movement to Bonny Island.
“What the Amanyanabo has done today has placed Bonny on the map of Africa and the world,” the governor said.
Fubara, who thanked the people of Bonny for their support, pledged that his administration would continue to execute and commission more development projects in the area.
“I’m really happy because it’s happening in our own time. I’m a happy person today because we have done something that looked impossible. I believe that going forward, it will be progress, development, improvement and commissioning of more projects for the Bonny people,” he said.
L-R: Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr Vincent Wachukwu; Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara; outgoing President, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe and Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Prof Ngozi Odu, during the commissioning of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital and General Hospital Complex in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
Neuropsychiatric Hospital and 100-bed rehabilitation centre unveiled in Rumuigbo
For years, residents of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State had to look beyond their immediate communities for more advanced medical care.
Primary healthcare centres provided basic services, but when the need arose for more specialised treatment, patients and their relatives were often compelled to make the journey to facilities such as the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) or Braithwaite Memorial Hospital (BMH).
That reality changed on Tuesday when Governor Siminalayi Fubara commissioned two major health facilities in Rumuigbo, a new General Hospital and a substantially upgraded Neuropsychiatric Hospital.
The twin projects represent perhaps more than an addition to the state’s healthcare infrastructure. They reflect an attempt by the administration to confront two different but increasingly intertwined challenges: access to conventional healthcare and the growing burden of mental health problems and substance abuse.
At the heart of the intervention is a 100-bed rehabilitation centre designed to provide treatment and rehabilitation for people dealing with substance abuse and mental health challenges.
New General Hospital, Rumuigbo, Obio/Akpor LGA, Rivers State.
For Fubara, the project was born out of an encounter with a problem that could no longer be ignored.
He recalled that his administration’s intervention began after the Hospital Management Board invited him to inspect an old rehabilitation facility that was being constructed with limited funds.
What he saw, he said, convinced him that piecemeal intervention would not be enough.
“It was there and then that I said: Look, we have this very big compound, we need to rebuild, modernise and upgrade the standard of this Neuropsychiatric Hospital and that day, we started this journey,” the governor said.
The history of the facility makes the intervention significant. Conceived in 1970 and commissioned in 1977 with a 50-bed capacity, the Neuropsychiatric Hospital had, over the decades, become a reminder of the difficulties confronting mental healthcare infrastructure in the state.
Fubara said the condition of the premises had also created an unlikely and dangerous environment in which drug trafficking allegedly flourished.
“This premises was a drug trafficking centre,” he said, explaining that people could gain access to the compound under the guise of visiting or playing football while others allegedly used the opportunity to supply drugs to inmates.
Inside view of part of the new General Hospital, Rumuigbo, Port Harcourt.
The reconstructed facility, he said, has now been secured with fencing and controlled access.
But the governor’s broader concern extends beyond the physical infrastructure.
He described mental health and substance abuse as challenges of contemporary society, pointing to unemployment, depression and other psychological pressures as factors that can contribute to mental health problems.
The new rehabilitation centre, therefore, is intended not merely as a place where people with addiction problems can be confined, but as part of a structured effort to help patients regain stability and return to society.
“Even in developed countries, they send people to Rehabilitation Centres and they help bring you back to normalcy. So, what we have done here is to prepare for the current challenges of our time,” Fubara said. The intervention also carries an important message about stigma.
The immediate past President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mazi Afam Osigwe, who was Special Guest of Honour at the commissioning, urged Nigerians to change the way they perceive people seeking mental healthcare.
Osigwe argued that mental healthcare should not be associated exclusively with severe psychiatric disorders, noting that stress, depression and personal crises can also require professional attention.
His appeal goes to the heart of one of the most persistent barriers to mental healthcare in Nigeria: stigma.
A modern facility can provide beds, laboratories, consulting rooms and treatment equipment, but its effectiveness ultimately depends on whether people are willing to seek help without fear of discrimination or social rejection.
The Rivers State Government’s intervention in Rumuigbo, however, goes beyond mental healthcare.
The new General Hospital is designed to bring secondary healthcare closer to the people of Obio/Akpor, one of the state’s largest local government areas.
According to Fubara, the absence of a general hospital meant that residents who needed care beyond what primary healthcare centres could provide had to travel to UPTH or BMH.
“We felt that Obio/Akpor deserves a General Hospital,” he said.
The facility is equipped with Accident and Emergency services, consulting rooms, pharmacy, laboratory and X-ray units, as well as delivery, maternity, antenatal and postnatal facilities.
It also has an operating theatre, surgical recovery room, Central Sterilising Services Department, Intensive Care Unit, Newborn Intensive Care Unit, paediatric wards and male and female general wards with 50 beds each.
Private wards and administrative offices complete the medical infrastructure.
The Neuropsychiatric Hospital, meanwhile, includes consulting rooms, pharmacy, laboratory, male and female 50-bed wards, a substance and drug-abuse rehabilitation centre and private wards.
The facility also has an electroconvulsive therapy centre, ICT centre, recreational spaces, meeting hall, canteen and mortuary.
Beyond the clinical facilities are supporting infrastructure including internal roads, landscaping, a 216-bed students’ hostel and staff quarters comprising 12 two-bedroom apartments.
Both hospitals have been equipped with modern diagnostic and treatment equipment and supplied with new ambulances.
A 500KVA transformer, 350KVA generating set and solar panels supported by inverter batteries capable of providing 120KVA are also part of the infrastructure.
For Governor Fubara, the projects fit into a broader philosophy of governance built around three essentials — education, healthcare and housing.
“By the special grace of God, we are trying our best in these three most important areas,” he said. But the sustainability of the facilities may prove just as important as their commissioning.
Fubara appealed to the Obio/Akpor Local Government Council and the host community to regard the hospitals as their own and protect them against vandalism and theft.
“You’re the direct beneficiaries of it. Don’t say it is a government thing. It is in your place,” he charged.
The appeal is significant in a country where public infrastructure often deteriorates rapidly when communities feel little ownership of government projects.
The Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Gift Worlu, welcomed the projects, commending the governor for prioritising healthcare and acknowledging the need for a modern neuropsychiatric facility in the locality.
Yet, beyond the ceremonies, speeches and newly installed equipment, the real test of the Rumuigbo projects will be measured in lives.
It will be measured in the mother who no longer has to travel across the city for maternity care; the accident victim who receives emergency attention closer to home; the child requiring specialised treatment; and, perhaps most importantly, the young person struggling with substance abuse who finds a pathway to recovery rather than a lifetime of stigma and neglect.
In that sense, Fubara’s “double” in Rumuigbo is not simply about commissioning two hospitals.
It is an investment in bringing healthcare closer to the people, while acknowledging that a functioning health system must also respond to the less visible wounds of depression, addiction, psychological distress and mental illness.
The buildings are new. The greater challenge now is ensuring that the promise they represent remains alive long after the commissioning ceremonies have ended.
