Opobo Kingdom has announced a period of national mourning following the passing of its monarch, King Dr. Dandeson Douglas Jaja, CFR, DSSRS, Jeki V, JP, the Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Opobo Kingdom.

The announcement was made by the Amanyanabo-in-Council and the King Jaja Executive Authority after extended meetings and consultations. The revered traditional ruler, who ascended the throne in 1980, passed on in 2025 after a distinguished reign spanning over four decades.

In a statement signed by Alabo Princewill N. Wogo Dappa, Vice Chairman, Opobo Council of Alapu, stated that King Jaja V was a direct descendant of the kingdom’s royal lineage and sat on the throne of his forebears, some of whom were members of the Eastern House of Chiefs in Nigeria. In later years, he was recognised as one of the foremost traditional rulers in Rivers State.

Beyond his traditional responsibilities, the late monarch also served the nation in the academic sector as Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University, Katsina-Alu, Katsina State.

In line with Opobo Kingdom’s customs and traditions, the
council disclosed that a national mourning period would be formally declared across the kingdom in the coming days. During the period, all forms of festivities will be suspended.

The council further noted that traditional regulations concerning dressing would be strictly observed, with certain classes of attire and uniforms—by both men and women—prohibited, as required by custom.

The people of Opobo Kingdom have been called upon to unite in mourning, while individuals, corporate organisations and friends of the kingdom are invited to pay tributes and identify with the Amanyanabo-in-Council and the entire Opobo people at this time of grief.
The statement was approved by the Opobo Council of Alapu and dated December 31, 2025.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has insisted that the implementation of Nigeria’s newly enacted tax reform laws will commence on January 1 as scheduled, dismissing growing calls for a suspension amid mounting public opposition.

The reforms have sparked widespread criticism from sections of the public and opposition figures, who have urged the president to delay the start date. The House of Representatives has also set up a committee to investigate allegations that some provisions of the tax laws were altered before enactment.

In a statement issued on Tuesday and personally signed by the president, Tinubu said the executive remained open to working with the National Assembly where necessary, but stressed that the reform process would not be halted.

“The new tax laws, including those that took effect on June 26, 2025, and the remaining Acts scheduled to commence on January 1, 2026, will continue as planned,” he said.

Describing the reforms as “a once-in-a-generation opportunity”, Tinubu said the new framework was aimed at building a fair, competitive and resilient fiscal system for the country.

“The tax laws are not designed to raise taxes,” he said, “but to support a structural reset, drive harmonisation and protect dignity, while strengthening the social contract.”

The president urged stakeholders to rally behind the implementation phase, which he said had now entered the “delivery stage”, even as public debate continues over alleged amendments to some sections of the laws.

“No substantial issue has been established that warrants a disruption of the reform process,” Tinubu said, adding that trust in governance is built through consistent and well-considered decisions rather than “premature, reactive measures”.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to due process and the integrity of enacted legislation, pledging continued engagement with the National Assembly to resolve any concerns raised.

“I assure all Nigerians that the federal government will continue to act in the overriding public interest to ensure a tax system that supports prosperity and shared responsibility,” Tinubu said.

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has approved a minor reshuffle of his cabinet, redeploying the Commissioner for Sports, Barrister Christopher Green, to the Ministry of Justice as the new Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

The development, which takes immediate effect, was approved at the last meeting of the State Executive Council for the year 2025, signalling what government sources describe as a fine-tuning of the cabinet rather than a wholesale overhaul.

In an official statement issued on Monday by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr Honour Sirawoo, the government explained that the redeployment forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen governance, ensure continuity, and optimise performance across key ministries.

Under the new arrangement, Green will, in addition to his role as Attorney-General, continue to coordinate the activities of the Ministry of Sports pending the appointment of a substantive commissioner to oversee the ministry.

The statement noted that the minor cabinet rejig underscores Governor Fubara’s commitment to stability in governance, while strategically repositioning experienced hands to meet evolving administrative and legal demands of the state.
Observers say the move reflects the governor’s preference for measured adjustments aimed at improving service delivery, rather than disruptive changes, as his administration consolidates its policy and governance agenda in Rivers State.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Rivers State Council, has commended Governor Siminalayi Fubara for approving and paying the 2025 Christmas bonus to civil servants and pensioners in the state.

The commendation followed the payment, on Monday, of a ₦100,000 Christmas bonus to civil servants, public sector workers and pensioners, a gesture the union said would ease the financial pressure of the Yuletide and enable beneficiaries to celebrate the festive season with dignity.

In a letter of appreciation signed by its state chairman, Comrade Alex Agwanwor, the NLC described the governor’s action as another demonstration of his commitment to workers’ welfare and social responsibility.

“On behalf of the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Rivers State Council, we express our gratitude to Your Excellency for the kind approval and prompt payment of the 2025 Christmas Bonus to all civil and public servants, including pensioners in the state,” the letter stated.
The union noted that since the inception of the Fubara administration, workers have continued to benefit from policies aimed at improving their welfare and conditions of service.

“It is worthy to note that from the beginning of your administration, you have consistently endeared yourself to workers through your progressive and people-centred approach to welfare and employment conditions,” Agwanwor said.

According to the NLC, the bonus will significantly enhance workers’ purchasing power and ensure a memorable festive celebration with their families.

The union described Governor Fubara as the “most workers-friendly governor in Rivers State,” attributing the recognition to what it called his consistency and intentional focus on the wellbeing of workers and pensioners.

The NLC further assured the governor of its continued support for his administration’s programmes and policies geared towards improving workers’ welfare and driving development across the state.

“We remain grateful to God for the gift of your leadership and pray for continued wisdom, grace and divine protection as you lead Rivers State to greater heights,” the union added.

The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has faulted the Federal Government’s approval of a massive debt waiver for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), warning that the move undermines fiscal discipline, transparency and constitutional governance.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had on Monday approved the cancellation of debts amounting to $1.42 billion and ₦5.57 trillion owed by NNPC Ltd to the Federation Account.

Reacting in a statement on Tuesday, CHRICED’s Executive Director, Comrade Dr Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, described the decision as unprecedented and dangerous, particularly at a time of acute revenue shortfalls.

According to him, the write-off—carried out without public scrutiny, legislative approval or accountability for those responsible—constitutes a grave assault on transparency and public finance management.
Zikirullahi said the cancellation of 96 per cent of NNPC’s dollar-denominated debts and 88 per cent of its naira obligations effectively deprives the Federation Account of revenues meant to be shared by the federal, state and local governments.

He noted that the waiver comes amid alarming revenue deficits, with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) reportedly underperforming its 2025 revenue target by over ₦5.65 trillion. In November 2025 alone, he said, the commission recorded a ₦544.76 billion shortfall, including a ₦538.92 billion gap in royalty collections.

“Writing off trillions of naira in receivables in the midst of such deficits is not only irresponsible, it directly contradicts government claims of plugging leakages and strengthening fiscal governance,” Zikirullahi said.

He further argued that the oil and gas sector remains plagued by unresolved scandals, citing the recent declaration of a former petroleum minister, Timipre Sylva, as wanted over the alleged diversion of $14.8 million meant for refinery construction, as well as unresolved allegations of regulatory abuse and subsidy fraud running into trillions of naira.

According to CHRICED, the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) requires NNPC Ltd to operate as a commercially driven entity under strict corporate governance standards. Forgiving trillions of naira owed to its sole shareholder—the Nigerian people—he said, undermines that mandate and reinforces perceptions of political insulation.

“This decision sends a troubling signal to investors, development partners and credit rating agencies that Nigeria’s fiscal governance remains discretionary and vulnerable to political interference,” the organisation warned.

CHRICED called for the immediate public disclosure of the reconciliation report and justification for the debt waiver, a comprehensive forensic audit of NNPC’s past and present financial obligations, and urgent intervention by the National Assembly to ensure accountability.

Rivers State Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, has congratulated Governor Siminalayi Fubara and members of the Rivers State Task Force on Primary Health Care for winning the Primary Health Care Leadership Challenge in the South-South zone and placing second nationally.

Prof. Odu spoke on Monday during the 2025 fourth-quarter meeting of the State Task Force on Primary Health Care, held at Government House, Port Harcourt.

Describing the feat as remarkable, the Deputy Governor noted that securing the award for the third time, despite prevailing challenges, underscored the dedication, resilience and teamwork of the task force.
She urged members to protect the hard-earned achievement and remain focused on sustaining excellence, not only within the South-South region but across the country.
“Frankly, I had almost lost hope. I felt that if we didn’t get it, so be it. Even the Commissioner was somewhat sceptical. But God enabled you to bridge the gaps, outperform other states and keep Rivers on top. This means we must now guard the achievement jealously and aspire to be number one nationally by God’s grace,” she said.

Prof. Odu encouraged the team to take pride in the state’s health sector and to sustain its strong performance in both primary and secondary healthcare delivery.

She also commended the effective demonstration of the telemedicine component during the Ahoada commissioning, describing it as a milestone in service delivery.

According to her, the Rivers State Government, under Governor Fubara, alongside the people of the state, deeply appreciates the task force for its consistent and outstanding contributions to strengthening the healthcare system.

Electricity supply has been restored across the country following Monday’s partial collapse of the national grid, with the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) earning commendation for its prompt and coordinated response to the incident.

The system disturbance, which occurred at exactly 2:01 p.m. on Monday, December 29, 2025, led to a temporary disruption of power supply in several parts of the country. Data indicated that national power generation, which had peaked at about 4,800 megawatts earlier in the day, dropped sharply to 139 megawatts by about 3:00 p.m.

In a statement issued Monday night, NISO said the disturbance triggered the tripping of multiple power generation units and critical 330kV transmission lines, compounding the fragility of the national grid.

Despite the scale of the setback, the operator said it swiftly activated emergency response measures in line with established operational procedures.

A key highlight of the recovery effort was the successful isolation of the Delta generation complex, which continued operations in island mode at the 132kV sub-transmission level. This ensured uninterrupted electricity supply to Oghara, Amukpe, Benin and Efunrun substations, with a total of 114 megawatts delivered from four units at the Delta Thermal Power Station.

NISO attributed the grid’s vulnerability in part to lingering gas supply challenges arising from the vandalisation of the Escravos–Lagos gas pipeline earlier in December, which constrained thermal generation nationwide.

However, the operator said hours of coordinated system recovery efforts restored supply fully and normalised grid stability across the country.
Investigations into the precise cause of the disturbance are ongoing, NISO said, assuring that corrective measures would be implemented to prevent a recurrence.

Reaffirming its commitment to proactive grid management, NISO pledged continued application of best operational practices to ensure a stable and reliable national electricity supply, underscoring its growing role in strengthening confidence in Nigeria’s power system.