Okolobi Gist Specials

 Rivers police arrest married man who stabbed his side chic multiple times after rejecting his marriage proposal The police in Rivers state have arrested a 46-year-old man identified as Abi Baragon, who allegedly st@bbed his side chic multiple times, leaving her with life-threatening injuries. In a video that went viral in June 2025, the side chic cried for help after the man left her in a pool of her own blood. In a statement released today October 17, the spokesperson of the command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, said following the receipt of the viral video, operatives attached to the Human Rights Department, State Headquarters, Moscow Road, Port-Harcourt, swiftly swung into action, leveraging intelligence-led Policing and technical support and apprehended the suspect on October 13, 2025 in connection with the crime. ‘’It was alleged that the suspect’s motive for the assault stems from the victim’s rejection of his marriage overtures, prompted by her discovery that the suspe...

  BAYELSA GOV DIRI RESIGNS FROM PDP ALONGSIDE 23 LAWMAKERS Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has reportedly resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) along with 23 members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly. This action signals one of the most significant political shake-ups in the state’s recent history. The development was announced by the Governor during the State Executive Council meeting where he addressed some stakeholders at Government House in Yanagoa on Wednesday.  While speaking, the governor said his decision followed “wide consultations and deep reflection on the political direction of the state and the need to align with the national leadership at the center.” The mass resignation represents a major blow to the PDP, which has maintained a stronghold in Bayelsa since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999. It also comes amid growing political realignments across the South-South and South-East regions. Earlier this week, Enugu Stat...

 ‎ President Tinubu under pressure to sack Wike as FCT minister. According to multiple insiders, President Bola Tinubu is facing mounting pressure from some of his closest political allies and long-time associates to review his relationship with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike According to insiders , members of the Lagos APC elders’ council, also known as the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), have urged Tinubu to realign politically with Governor Siminalayi Fubara , ahead of 2027. ‎ ‎The elders reportedly told the president that Wike had become “a political baggage” and that continuing to associate with him could harm the administration’s reputation and electoral standing in the south-south region. ‎ ‎One of the elders , an 88-year-old long-time political ally of Tinubu, whom the president often consults for advice was said to have personally told him during a private meeting in Lagos that “it is time to do away with Wike.” ‎ ‎The elder, acco...

 COMPLETE THE PROJECT IN ONE MONTH OR GET OUT OF SITE, FUBARA WARNS RAFFOUL  Rivers State Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara on Friday ordered Raffoul Nigeria Limited to complete the 6.5-kilometre Woji–Aleto–Alesa–Refinery Road within one month or face termination. The warning signaled mounting impatience caused by the protracted delay of the road project that also includes a roughly 200-metre bridge. Governor Fubara made the demand during an unscheduled inspection of the site, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Projects, Hebron Wisdom.  “This project was awarded about June 2020 by my predecessor,” Governor Fubara said. “I even went as far as giving them two variations to enable them achieve a good proportion of this job. But to my greatest surprise, there is no progress to show for it.” Governor Fubara noted that the project was evaluated and cancelled under an earlier emergency administration, but said he had given Raffoul “another ...

 ‎OCJ okocha warns Rivers Assembly against probing Ibas Ete; describes such move as unnecessary witch-hunt. ‎ ‎Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Onueze Okocha, has advised the Rivers State House of Assembly to refrain from probing ex-Sole Administrator, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas. ‎ ‎Okocha made the call on Monday while speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt, urging lawmakers to channel their efforts toward rebuilding the state through robust legislative action rather than engaging in retrospective investigations. ‎ ‎Okocha described such a probe as unnecessary, warning that it could be misconstrued as a witch-hunt, given that Ibas was deployed by the President to perform specific duties and was not accountable to the state legislature. ‎ ‎“I think Ibas deserved some honour and respect; it will be unkind if our lawmakers begin to talk about probing him since they did not appoint him, nor was he reporting to them,” Okocha said. ‎ ‎Th...

  WORIKA CLARIFIES, NO APPOINTMENT APPROVED FOR NWANOSIKE DISCLAIMER ON RIWAMA APPOINTMENT The Office of the Administrator of Rivers State wishes to disclaim a purported Special Government Announcement spreading round on social media and other platforms stating that His Excellency, Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas CFR, Administrator of Rivers State, has approved the appointment of ENGR. SAMUEL NWANOSIKE PhD as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA), with effect from April 11th, 2025. The statement is allegedly signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Ibibia Lucky Worika. We wish to categorically inform the good people of Rivers State and the general public to ignore the fake announcement. Please be informed that all official communications from the Office of the Administrator of Rivers State have appropriate channels through which they are circulated.  Signed  Prof. Ibibia Lucky Worika Secretary to the State Governme...

 Rivers CP removes DPO, apologises over assault on journalists The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Adewale Adepoju, says the Divisional Police Officers in charge of the Abali Park jurisdiction where journalists were assaulted by officers of the command while covering the #TakeItBackProtest in Port Harcourt has been removed from office. Adepoju disclosed this to members of the state chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, during a courtesy visit to the union on Friday, where he tendered an unreserved apology to the union and the journalists who were assaulted by some police officers on Monday, April 7, 2025. Describing the media as core partners of the police, the CP explained that the visit became necessary in order to maintain the working relationship, as he cautioned his men against further attack on journalists, warning that erring officers will be sanctioned accordingly. "I leaned there was an issue in which some journalists were smoked and embarrassed, and I wa...

RIVERS SOLE ADMINISTRATOR DEBUNKS RECRUITMENT EXERCISE INTO RIVERS CIVIL SERVICE  RE: GOVERNMENT SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT  The Office of the Administrator of Rivers State wishes to disclaim a purported Special Government Announcement spreading round on social media and other platforms stating that His Excellency, The Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas CFR, has approved the recruitment of 10,000 qualified graduates and non graduates into the Rivers State civil service and that the recruitment portal shall be opened for application midnight of Sunday 13/04/2025. The statement is claimed to have been signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Ibibia Lucky Worika. We wish to categorically inform the people of Rivers State and the general public to ignore the fake announcement. An appropriate information will be released by the Rivers State Civil Service Commission when it falls due. Signed  Dr.(Mrs.) Inyingi S. I. Brown A...

 NBC bans media from broadcasting Eedris Abdulkareem's new song, Seyi Tell Your Papa.  The National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, has banned media houses from playing Eedris Abdulkareem's latest song. The song, titled Tell Your Papa, is a criticism of this current administration. In it, Eedris directed Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, to speak to his father about the worsening state of the country. In Tell Your Papa, Abdulkareem sings, "Seyi, tell your papa country hard. Tell your papa people dey die. Tell your papa this one don pass jagajaga." "Seyi, how far? I swear your papa no try. Too much empty promises. On behalf of Nigerians, take our message to him; kidnappers dey kill Nigerians. "Seyi, try travel by road without your security make you feel the pains of fellow Nigerians. You dey fly private jets, insecurity no be your problem," he continues singing. The National Broadcasting Commission has now released a circular to media ...

 DOES INEC TRULY HAVE A NEW CHAIRMAN? On Monday, 7the April 2025, it was widely circulated on social media that President Bola  Tinubu had appointed a new chairman for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It was then canvassed that while Professor Mahmood Yakubu was sacked, an Ogun Born Media Guru, Professor Bashiru Olamilekan was named as the substantive new INEC Chairman. But the presidency, swiftly responded and denied such appointment, dismissing it entirely. But on Wednesday 9th April 2025, amid the unsettling remour of the alleged sacking of Prof Yakubu, there seemed to be a new acting chairman in sight.. This time, he is not Prof Olamilekan but Mr Sam Olumekun, who until recently, was INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee. This is because, during the meeting that INEC had with the Labour Party leadership, Mr Olumekun was actually referred to as acting INEC Chairman. So it is pertinent to ask again...

 RIVERS YOUTHS SHOULD BE MORE ENTHUSIASTIC JOINING MILITARY - WORIKA  Secretary to the Rivers State Government(SSG), Prof. lbibia Lucky Worika, has urged youths of the State to admire serving in the military and take advantage of the ongoing recruitment to be enrolled. Prof Worika expressed concerns over the low enrolment of Rivers youths into the military and assured of reviewing the enlistment processes adopted by the State to close any existing gaps This was contained in a statement by  Juliana Masi, the Head of Press Unit in the Office of the SSG on Tuesday saying that Prof Worika gave the assurance when he hosted the recruitment team from the Nigerian Army Headquarters in his office in Port Harcourt on Tuesday. Brig. Gen. Wito Nzidee led the team and they were in the State to increase awareness among the youths to enrol in the ongoing 89" Regular Recruitment Intake for Trades/Non- Tradesmen and Women. Prof. Worika said the Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Ad...

 I will not go into the gutter with because that's where you belong ~ Atiku fires back at Nyesom Wike    Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has criticized the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, accusing him of prioritizing personal interests over the welfare of Nigerians.  This was in response to Wike’s recent remarks in Port Harcourt, where he referred to Atiku as a “rejected politician.” Wike’s comments followed Atiku’s reaction to the recent local government elections in Rivers State, where Atiku stated that the elections had revealed that “the citizens of Rivers are astute and resolute, unwavering in their rejection of any form of political oppression, harassment, or the machinations of self-serving godfathers.” Wike, seemingly dismissing Atiku’s statement, said, “If you say for an election we did not contest, never participated in, that it shows Nigerians have rejected us, fine. You that contested and failed woefully, Nigerians h...

  NATIONWIDE PROTEST: LIFE'LL BE BETTER AFTER THIS PHASE OF HARDSHIP - GOV FUBARA  •Urges Protesters To Be Peaceful •Warns Against Hijack By Hired Thugs Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has reassured of sustaining the implementation of policies and programmes that will continue to make living better by the day for all residents in the State. The Governor acknowledged the realities of the current harsh economic conditions that have necessitated the nationwide protest, but insisted that it will be for a short time, given the commitment of President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to secure a better future for all Nigerians. Governor Fubara gave the assurance at the gates of Government House in Port Harcourt on Thursday when he addressed a group of youths on #EndBadGovernance protest, who came to register their complaints over the growing economic hardship in the country.  The Rivers State governor thanked the youths for being peaceful with their pro...

 REACTIVATE ALL BLOCKED LINES, NCC ORDERS TELECOS Telecommunications operators in Nigeria are now ordered to restore all blocked phone lines, immediately. The Nigerian Communications Commission,NCC, gave the directive in a statement made public on Monday. It was signed by the Director of Media and Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka. In the statement, NCC noted that those lines were reported blocked due to non-linkage of National Identification Numbers to SIM cards. NCC said the directive was in response to the widespread disruption caused by the blockages. It insisted that there is need to always prioritise the conveniences of the consumers. “The consumer is our priority; therefore, considering the challenges the blockages have caused, the Commission has directed all operators to reactivate all lines that were disconnected over the weekend, in view of the short time available for consumers to undertake the verification of their NINs with their SIMs." Many telecommunicat...

  President Bola Tinubu says he does not owe any cabal compensation as he spent his fortune pursuing his presidential ambition during the last election. The President, who received a delegation of Islamic leaders led by Sheikh Bala Lau, at the State House on Thursday, July 15, said his victory at the polls was purely by divine intervention. The President dismissed claims that he is being controlled by some ‘’cabal’’ to make some of the economic reforms his administration embarks on. “I have no cabal. I have no sponsors. The money I spent on the elections was my personal fortune. At some point, the odds were against me; banks were locked. But Allah, the Almighty God, said I will be the President. Mine is to now follow the leading and teaching of the Almighty God. One of the most potent elements of defence is a good conscience. It is also a defence against corruption. What should be uppermost in our minds is the future of our children. We have a lot to teach them on what ...

  Understanding the Difference Between National Assembly, House of Representatives, and Senate in Nigeria  In Nigeria, the political landscape is governed by a multi-layered legislative framework comprising the National Assembly, the House of Representatives, and the Senate. Each plays a crucial role in the governance and legislative processes of the country, but they serve distinct functions that are essential to Nigeria's democratic structure. What is the National Assembly? The National Assembly stands as the highest legislative body in Nigeria, vested with the authority to make laws for the Federation. It consists of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. This bicameral structure ensures representation from both federal and state levels, allowing for comprehensive legislative oversight and decision-making. The Senate: Core Functions and Responsibilities The Senate represents the upper chamber of the National Assembly, embodying a pivotal role in Nigeria'...

  NIGERIAN N70,000 MINIMUM WAGE PASSED BY SENATE, HOUSE OF REPS IN RECORD TIME  On Tuesday, the Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives passed the new minimum wage bill. The bill is raising the country’s minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000. It was passed Within an hour by both chambers. The bill was forwarded by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to them. It was presented and passed first reading, and  second reading where it was debated based on general principles before the third reading. The debate was led by Opeyemi Bamidele who is the majority leader of the senate. He said the N70,000 was agreed upon by all the parties after negotiations. He said: “This is part of the federal government’s short term measure to mitigate the situation in the country." The Chip Whip, Tahir Monguno said there is a need to review the minimum wage to align with economic realities. “The review of the minimum wage used to be after every five years. It is now every three ...

 AMEAEHULE LED FACTION OF RIVERS ASSEMBLY WARNS RIVERS RESIDENTS NOT TO HAVE DEALINGS WITH THOSE MASQUERADING AS LG CARETAKER COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN AND MEMBERS  The Rivers State House of Assembly at its 7th Legislative Sitting of the Second Session of the Tenth Assembly, Monday,  deliberated on a statement by the House Leader, Hon. Major Jack, wherein he drew the attention of the House to the illegal activities of some persons in the State, masquerading as Chairmen and members of Caretaker Committees. These individuals the Leader said go about imposing and collecting fees, levies and rates  from unsuspecting members of the public, in breach of the recent Supreme Court judgement, and the provisions of the Rivers State Local Government (Amendment)Law, 2023 that prohibit Caretaker Committees in whatever guise or nomenclature. Debating on the statement by the House Leader, Members condemned and berated those they described as impostors, and warned all banks, tradit...

  HELP GOVT FIGHT CRUDE OIL THEFT, GOV FUBARA TASKS MONARCHS •Says Economic Sabotage Inimical To Development  Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that it is the duty of everybody, especially traditional rulers, to join efforts together to ensure that there is stability and unfettered progress of Nigeria. He has also advised traditional rulers to take charge of their domains and ensure that they make life difficult for ill-guided youths involved in acts of economic sabotage in their various communities. Governor Fubara gave the charge while declaring open the 117th/118th Combined Quarterly General Meeting of Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers at their Secretariat in Port Harcourt on Monday. The Governor maintained that it should be the concern of everybody to support and see Nigeria progress as a stable country while advancing economically, adding that this is possible only when there is high production of crude oil, as the mainstay of t...