Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has called on residents of the state to embrace peace, tolerance and unity as the surest pathway to collective progress and sustainable development.

In his Christmas message to the people of Rivers State on December 25, 2025, the governor described the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ as a powerful reminder of love, humility, sacrifice and compassion, values he said must guide interpersonal and communal relations, particularly in challenging times.

Fubara urged citizens, irrespective of religious affiliation, to uphold religious tolerance and renew their commitment to being one another’s keepers, stressing that harmony remains the foundation for growth and prosperity.

“Christmas stands as a profound expression of God’s boundless love and His gift of peace to humanity. I urge us all to reflect deeply on these enduring values and allow them to guide our conduct towards one another,” the governor said.
Reaffirming his administration’s development blueprint, the governor said his Rivers First agenda is firmly anchored on peace, inclusiveness and unity, noting that meaningful development can only thrive in a stable and harmonious environment.

“Our collective progress is anchored on unity and harmony. I remain steadfast in my commitment to the Rivers First agenda, driven by peace and dedicated to inclusive development,” he stated, adding that unity is critical to infrastructure development, economic growth and securing a prosperous future for all residents.

Fubara also appealed for calm, dialogue and understanding, urging residents to reject discord and division.

He emphasised that security is a shared responsibility and called on citizens to remain vigilant, cooperative and supportive of one another in safeguarding the state.

“Let us replace discord with dialogue and choose understanding over division. Safeguarding our state is a shared responsibility that begins with vigilance, cooperation, mutual respect and support,” he said.

The governor wished Rivers people a peaceful Christmas celebration and expressed optimism for the coming year, praying that 2026 would usher in renewed purpose, progress and breakthroughs across the state.

“As you celebrate this season, may your homes be filled with joy and your hearts overflow with love that transcends ethnic and religious boundaries,” Fubara said.

After years of acrimony and stalled negotiations, the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have finally concluded the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN–ASUU Agreement, raising hopes for lasting stability in Nigeria’s public university system.

ASUU disclosed the breakthrough in a statement posted on its official Facebook page on Wednesday, confirming that the new agreement was reached on December 23, 2025, after prolonged and intensive engagements between both parties.

According to the union, the agreement, which takes effect from January 1, 2026, will be reviewed after three years.

“After years of delays, negotiations and struggles, ASUU has officially reached a new agreement with the Federal Government on December 23, 2025, concluding the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN–ASUU Agreement,” the statement said.

Key highlights of the deal include a 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff in public universities, alongside significant improvements in pension benefits. Under the new arrangement, professors will earn pensions equivalent to their annual salaries upon retirement at the age of 70.

The agreement also introduces a new funding framework for universities, with dedicated allocations for research, libraries, laboratories, equipment and staff development. As part of efforts to boost research and innovation, both parties agreed on the establishment of a National Research Council to fund research activities, with a minimum allocation of one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Other provisions include enhanced university autonomy and academic freedom, as well as the election of academic leaders such as Deans and Provosts, with eligibility restricted to professors.

The agreement further guarantees that no academic staff member will be victimised for participating in previous industrial actions.

The deal marks a significant turning point in government–university relations and is expected to ease tensions that have often resulted in prolonged strikes, disrupting academic calendars and undermining the quality of higher education in the country.

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has celebrated its newly retired Directors and other staff by presenting service awards to them for their contributions to the Commission’s progress and success in the discharge of its mandate to develop the Niger Delta region.

Speaking during the ceremony at the NDDC Club House in Port Harcourt, the Commission’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, stressed the need to recognise and honour retired staff for their various roles in driving the development process.

Ogbuku commended the retirees for the meritorious service they had given to the Niger Delta region, in particular, and to Nigeria as a whole, noting that it was a great honour to be recognised by one’s organisation.

He urged the retired Directors and staff to see themselves as ambassadors of the NDDC in whatever post-retirement activities they undertake.

Ogbuku said that the NDDC management would continue to reward those who served the Commission well, noting that it was essential to recognise and reward the efforts of staff and retirees who served without blemish.

The Managing Director told the retirees, “You have an institutional memory of the NDDC that is invaluable to those still in service. We will, therefore, continue to tap into your wealth of experience by engaging some of you as consultants.”

In his remarks, the NDDC Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Alabo Boma Iyaye, commended the retiring Directors for serving the Commission well. Stating: “You’re leaving the NDDC is not because the Commission does not want you again, it is just the nature of public service.”

“Without you, the Executive Management would not have been able to perform optimally. Your loyalty and dedication have helped us to succeed. We will still need your services as consultants and contractors because you are a rich repository of invaluable institutional memories for the NDDC.”

Earlier in his opening remarks, the retiring Director of Administration and Human Resources, Mr Patrick Ekade, described the ceremony as a celebration of the retirees’ service.

He said that the current NDDC management thought it wise to make the retirement process less stressful: “The honour the NDDC bestows on the retirees is to give hope to those still in service. It is a celebration of hope for the retirees.”

Responding on behalf of the retirees, the former Director, Project Monitoring and Supervision, Engr. Nelson Onwo, thanked the NDDC Board and Management for recognising their contributions and celebrating them even in retirement.

He promised they would continue to support the NDDC whenever called upon to assist.

He remarked: “I am excited to be leaving because it allows me to explore other areas of my life. But again, I am going to miss the warmth of the NDDC family and friends of many years.”

Also responding, the former Director of Education, Health and Social Services, Dr George Uzonwanne, observed that the NDDC, apart from being a “wonderful family,” had provided the retirees with the best training throughout their service to the Commission.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), with multiple counts of money laundering, marking what observers have described as one of the most high-profile corruption trials in recent times.

Malami is to face a 16-count charge bordering on alleged laundering of billions of naira, contrary to the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

He was charged alongside his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and an employee of Rahamaniyya Properties Limited, Hajia Bashir Asabe.

According to the charge sheet, dated December 23, 2025, Malami allegedly laundered about ₦9 billion to acquire prime properties in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano and other locations across the country.

The EFCC further alleged that the former Attorney-General is to account for about 30 houses, valued at approximately ₦212.8 billion, most of which were reportedly acquired during his eight-year tenure under the administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari.

The anti-graft agency indicated that it may invoke the Non-Conviction Based Asset Forfeiture provisions of its Establishment Act to seize some of the properties. Under the law, the commission has a 14-day window to invite interested parties to show cause why the assets should not be forfeited to the Federal Government.

The EFCC is currently awaiting a date from the Federal High Court, Abuja, for the commencement of trial.

In what is shaping up as a major legal battle, the prosecution team is led by senior advocates Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) and Ekene Iheanacho (SAN), alongside 14 other lawyers. No fewer than 10 witnesses have been frontloaded in compliance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).

The charge sheet details how Malami allegedly used Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal and disguise the origin of illicit funds running into billions of naira through Sterling Bank accounts.

One of the counts alleged that between July 2022 and June 2025, Malami and his son procured Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of ₦1.014 billion, which the EFCC said the defendants reasonably ought to have known were proceeds of unlawful activities.

Other counts accused Malami, while serving as Attorney-General, of laundering ₦600 million between September 2020 and February 2021, retaining ₦600 million as cash collateral for a ₦500 million loan to Rayhaan Hotels Ltd, and disguising ₦500 million used to purchase a luxury duplex in Maitama, Abuja, through Rahamaniyya Properties Limited.

The EFCC maintained that the transactions violated various provisions of Nigeria’s money laundering laws and are punishable under the relevant sections of the Acts.

The case is expected to draw significant public attention as proceedings begin.

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has called for a decisive shift from symbolic remembrance ceremonies to concrete, year-round support for Nigeria’s veterans and the families of fallen heroes, announcing a ₦100 million donation to the Nigerian Legion to underscore his administration’s commitment.

The Governor made the pledge on Tuesday at the 2026 Emblem Appeal Launch held at Government House, Port Harcourt, where he doubled the state’s 2025 contribution to the Legion.

He stressed that honouring those who fought to preserve Nigeria’s unity must go beyond annual emblem launches to deliberate policies and sustained welfare interventions.
Fubara said remembrance should translate into tangible improvements in the lives of surviving veterans and dependants of the fallen.

“It should go beyond coming here annually to do the emblem launching. It should go beyond that to support those who are still alive and appreciate the dead ones through any other means we can,” he stated.

Addressing concerns over an earlier pledge to employ 50 children of veterans, the Governor clarified that the delay was due to procedural requirements, not a policy reversal.

He urged the Nigerian Legion to submit the necessary list, assuring that action would follow immediately upon receipt.

The Governor also expressed satisfaction with the ongoing construction of the permanent Nigerian Legion State Secretariat in Rivers State, pledging that the project would be completed before the end of 2026.

He further appealed to individuals and organisations to redeem their pledges promptly to ensure uninterrupted welfare support for veterans.

In a welcome address, Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Benibo Anabraba, described Fubara—son of a soldier—as a steadfast ally of the military community, noting that his support reflected a deep understanding of the sacrifices made by service personnel.

He quoted the familiar refrain: “We don’t know them all, but we owe them all.”

Earlier, Chairman of the Nigerian Legion, Rivers State Command, ACG Kuu Aminikpo Promise, commended the Governor for his consistent support, particularly the construction of the State Secretariat, which he described as a landmark intervention for the organisation.

The emblem launch signals the commencement of activities ahead of the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day on January 15, reaffirming Rivers State’s resolve to move veterans’ welfare from ceremonial acknowledgement to sustained, all-year care.

A dispatch rider attached to the convoy of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has been killed after a petrol tanker rammed into the motorcade in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Akpabio disclosed the incident on Tuesday during plenary, announcing the death and extending condolences to the family of the deceased officer.

The dispatch rider, a police officer assigned to escort the Senate President, was part of the convoy that picked Akpabio up from the Ibadan Airport en route to Oyo State for the installation of a colleague.

Recounting the incident, Akpabio said the officer was run over by a tanker shortly after the convoy departed the airport.

“We went to Oyo State for the installation of our colleague, but the vehicles that came to pick me up at the Ibadan airport, unfortunately, my dispatch rider was run over by a tanker driver, and his head was shattered,” the Senate President told lawmakers.

He added that the officer had been buried about 15 minutes before the plenary session, describing the loss as painful and tragic.

“We just buried him 15 minutes ago in Kogi State. He left behind two wives and four children,” Akpabio said.

The Senate President appealed to heads of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to consider offering automatic employment to the children of the deceased officer, assuring that he would personally intervene if vacancies were unavailable.

“By the grace of God, I’m recommending two of his senior children for employment immediately in any parastatals that may wish to. Otherwise, I will employ them personally in any of my private concerns,” he said.

Following the disclosure, Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West) rose on a motion of personal explanation to formally brief the Senate on the tragedy.

While sympathising with Akpabio, Karimi revealed that the deceased dispatch rider, identified as Hussaini, was a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) who was due to retire next year. He said the officer, an indigene of Kogi State, had served in the Senate President’s convoy since 2023, when Akpabio assumed office.

In the same motion, Karimi also informed the chamber of the death of another officer, Ibrahim Tukur, a driver attached to Senator Isah Jibrin (Kogi East), who reportedly died on Saturday after 25 years of service.

The senator conveyed condolences to the families of both deceased officers and to the Kogi State Government.

Thereafter, the Senate President directed senators to observe a one-minute silence in honour of the late dispatch rider and the deceased driver.

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, on Tuesday justified his administration’s decision to take over the management of primary healthcare from local government councils, saying the move was necessary to reverse years of poor service delivery and has begun to yield positive results.

Fubara spoke during the inauguration of the Ahoada Zonal Hospital, a newly completed secondary healthcare facility designed to serve communities across the Rivers West Senatorial District.

The governor recalled that residents suffered greatly when primary healthcare was left solely in the hands of local councils, stressing that the state government had to intervene to achieve meaningful outcomes.

“What we are doing here is to support the local government, as some of these responsibilities are primarily theirs. Primary healthcare was left with the LGAs and we suffered a lot. We realised that if we truly wanted results, some of these responsibilities had to be taken away, and I am happy that this decision is already yielding positive results,” he said.

Fubara said his administration made the right call by embarking on major hospital projects across the state, noting that the Ahoada and Bori Zonal Hospitals had already been inaugurated, while similar facilities in Degema, Omoku and Etche would be completed and commissioned before the end of March 2026.

According to him, the focus of his government goes beyond road construction and housing to include heavy investments in education and quality healthcare as core pillars of effective governance.

“All ongoing projects in Ahoada will be completed, and we will also initiate new ones as requested by the people,” he assured.

The governor described the Ahoada Zonal Hospital as a strategic healthcare hub that would reduce pressure on tertiary hospitals, particularly the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital and the Braithwaite Memorial Hospital in Port Harcourt.

“This project is not just one we inherited; it is a pre-decorated inheritance. It is meant to serve Ahoada and, by extension, Abua, Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni and even Emohua as the closest neighbour. Instead of everyone running to BMH, this facility can provide services close to what you get in a teaching hospital,” he said.

Fubara stressed that the government did not make a mistake in undertaking what he described as a “complicated but necessary” project, adding that similar zonal hospitals were being developed in Bori, Degema, Omoku and Etche.

“What we are telling our people is simple: your health is important to us. No matter how much wealth you have, you need good health to enjoy it. The well-being of our people remains the top priority of this government,” he said, while commending the Ministry of Health for its commitment.

The governor also thanked the people of Ahoada and the Ekpeye Kingdom for their steadfast support, acknowledging the sacrifices made by many in standing with his administration.

In a political appeal, Fubara called on stakeholders in the Orashi region to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and work towards ensuring his re-election in 2027.

“We have taken on the responsibility of making 2027 easier for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Rivers State. The projects we are executing are so that our people will see a responsible government and have every reason to listen to us and support us,” he said.

He urged political leaders and supporters to begin early mobilisation, saying, “You already have the machinery. Start the work now so that 2027 will be an easy ride for Mr President in this Orashi region.”

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has raised concerns over controversies trailing the recently enacted Tax Reform Acts, warning that the issues cast doubt on the integrity and transparency of Nigeria’s lawmaking process.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, said the developments pose a serious threat to constitutional governance and could erode public confidence in legislative procedures.

Osigwe called for a comprehensive, open and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the passage of the laws, stressing that such a process is necessary to restore trust in the National Assembly.

The association also urged relevant authorities to suspend the implementation of the Tax Reform Acts pending the outcome of the proposed investigation.

“The Nigerian Bar Association considers it imperative that a comprehensive, open and transparent investigation be conducted to clarify the circumstances surrounding the enactment of the laws and to restore public confidence in the legislative process,” the statement said.

“Until these issues are fully examined and resolved, all plans for the implementation of the Tax Reform Acts should be immediately suspended.”

According to the NBA, the legal and policy uncertainty generated by the controversy could have far-reaching implications, including disruption of the business environment, erosion of investor confidence and unpredictability for individuals and corporate entities required to comply with the laws.

The association warned that such uncertainty undermines economic stability and is inconsistent with the principles of the rule of law.