WAFFI TV | Feature

Ambassadorial Appointments Not Yet Finalised~ Foreign Affairs Ministry

The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged the public to ignore a circulating list of ambassadorial nominees on social media, labeling it false and misleading. In a recent statement, the Ministry's Acting Spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, emphasized that ambassadorial appointments are solely at the discretion of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and that no official nominations have been announced. “Kindly disregard the frenzy about the ambassadorial list,” the statement read. “Be rest assured that, when it is ready, Mr. President will transmit the list of nominees to the National Assembly for screening and confirmation.” The ministry assured Nigerians that a legitimate list will be officially communicated through proper channels once finalized. This clarification follows growing public interest in Nigeria’s diplomatic appointments, particularly after the recall of all ambassadors in September 2023.

4/11/2025, 1:10:25 PM

How Students Sit On Bare Floors For Exams In Delta School~ Report

At Enekorogha Grammar School in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, an oil-rich region awash with federal allocations, the state of public education tells a painful story of neglect and abandonment. According to Golden Nation Multimedia report, students were recently seen writing their second-term examinations seated directly on the bare floor. Some leaned on broken concrete blocks, surrounded by crumbling buildings. There were no desks, no chairs, and no functional classrooms in sight. Teachers, too, operate under harsh conditions without offices, teaching materials, or government support. Established in the early 1980s, the school has seen little to no attention from the state government. Its few usable structures were either community-built or donated by well-meaning individuals. With no perimeter fencing, both students and staff remain exposed to danger, including reptiles that roam the premises freely. Efforts to get a response from the Delta State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education were met with silence, even when journalists visited her office, raising serious questions about the government’s commitment to education. According to Mr. Peter Ganagana, Chairman of the Enekorogha Education Committee, not a single classroom has been built by the government. “The only six-classroom block came from a private donor,” he stated. “The rest were put up by the community. Still, over 80% of our students have no desks to sit on.” Despite having a student population of over 350, the school has only six government-assigned teachers and a principal. To fill the gap, local residents provide stipends for volunteer teachers, trying desperately to keep education alive amid abandonment. “The students are writing exams right now,” Mr. Ganagana said. “Most are seated on the floor. We only have 50 desks—all donated by a former student.” Though several appeals have been made to the Post-primary Education Board and the Ministry of Education, no tangible support has followed. Officials have visited for inspections, but nothing has changed. The buildings are in ruins—collapsed ceilings, blown-off roofs, missing doors and windows. Some classrooms are no longer usable at all. That this is happening in a state flush with oil wealth is nothing short of disgraceful. Repeated attempts to reach the school principal were unsuccessful, and teachers declined to speak publicly, citing restrictions. This situation is a damning reflection of the Delta State government’s priorities. In a land rich with resources, children eager to learn are being denied the barest essentials. This is not just educational neglect—it is a profound leadership failure. The silence from education authorities is deafening. Urgent action is not only needed—it is long overdue. These students deserve better. Golden Nation Multimedia

4/11/2025, 9:29:25 AM

Oborevwori Signs Power Sector, Six Other Bills Into Law

Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, on Thursday signed into law seven significant bills, including the transformative Delta State Electricity Power Sector Bill, 2024, which he hailed as a catalyst for the state’s industrialisation. The newly signed bills also include the Delta State Physical and Regional Planning Bill, 2024; Delta State Film and Video Censor’s Board Bill, 2024; Registration and Regulation of Private Veterinary Clinics (Amendment) Law, 2024; Child Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2024; Delta State Pet Control and Responsible Ownership Bill, 2024; and the Delta State College of Health Technology, Ovrode Bill, 2024. Commending the House of Assembly for their efforts, Governor Oborevwori described the bills as timely and crucial to improving the quality of life in Delta State. He noted that the newly signed laws aligned with the MORE Agenda and were carefully designed to address key challenges. Highlighting the Electricity Power Sector Bill, Oborevwori expressed particular satisfaction, stating, “This law brings me great joy. It establishes a legal framework to attract investments in power generation, transmission, and distribution—an essential step for industrial development.” He added that Delta State is now open for power sector investments, underlining the importance of reliable electricity in driving economic growth. Speaking on the Child Rights (Amendment) Law, the Governor stressed its protective measures, including a ban on employing children as domestic workers outside their family homes. The law also establishes an Adoption Services Department within the Ministry of Women Affairs to support prospective adoptive parents. “These laws will protect the vulnerable, drive sustainable development, enhance environmental protection, and improve our internally generated revenue,” he said. “Our task now is to ensure their effective implementation, and I call on all stakeholders to collaborate for successful execution.” Earlier, Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, while presenting the bills, praised the governor’s infrastructure strides and confirmed that public input was considered during legislative hearings, ensuring the bills reflect the aspirations of Deltans.

4/10/2025, 6:50:48 PM

JUST IN: Nigerian Railway Corporation Suspends Warri~Itakpe Train Service

The Nigerian Railway Corporation has announced a temporary suspension of the Warri-Itakpe train service. This was revealed in a statement posted on Thursday by the corporation’s Managing Director, Kayode Opeifa, via his X account. The suspension, which will last for 72 hours, is due to a technical engine failure that occurred on Tuesday, April 9, 2025. “In view of the situation, the NRC has suspended operations on the Warri-Itakpe route for 72 hours. This pause will allow our technical team to conduct a full audit, resolve all identified issues, and restore safe and reliable service,” the statement signed by Henrietta Eregare, NRC’s public relations, reads in part.

4/10/2025, 6:38:44 PM

Lawyer Reveals How Boy Who Stood Before Obi’s Convoy Has Been Wrongfully Detained Since January

Alabi Quadri, the young boy who went viral during the lead-up to the 2023 general elections for standing in front of former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi's convoy, has appeared in Magistrate Court on at least three occasions. This has resulted in his remand at the Minimum Security Custodial Centre in Kirikiri, Apapa, Lagos, as confirmed by his lawyer, Inibehe Effiong. In a statement titled “Nigeria has happened to Alabi Quadri,” made available to journalists today, Effiong revealed that attempts to gather details about the arrest and detention from the Magistrate Court in Apapa were unsuccessful. Consequently, the lawyer, along with some of Alabi's family members, visited the custodial centre on Wednesday. It was discovered during the visit that Alabi's legal troubles began when a group of self-styled area boys from his community, feeling entitled to a portion of the newfound attention and fortune resulting from his viral video, began threatening him for not sharing. This led to Alabi being dragged to the police and later charged with armed robbery. Read the full statement from the lawyer below: NIGERIA HAS HAPPENED TO ALABI QUADRI We were at the Magistrate Court of Lagos, Apapa Magisterial District, today the 9th day of April, 2025 to ascertain the facts and circumstances that led to the arrest, detention and subsequent remand of Alabi Quadri at the Minimum Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, Apapa, Lagos. After spending several hours at the court, I was accompanied by a colleague from our law firm, Alabi’s mother and other family members and relatives to visit Alabi at the custodial centre. Also in attendance was the social activist who brought the case to public attention. Given the interest expressed by members of the public, it is necessary to make this preliminary statement. We can confirm that Alabi has been in detention since January. He was abducted by ‘Area Boys’ close to his home while returning from work. According to Alabi and his mother, his painful walk to prison can be attributed to the prolonged malice nursed by some self-acclaimed area boys of his locality who felt entitled to a share of the unexpected fortune that came Alabi’s way when he halted and stood in front of the convoy of the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi during the last electioneering campaign. Since he failed to properly “settle” some people, it has been one attack to another. After abducting Alabi, the same area boys who have been threatening to deal with him for not sharing the money he was gifted dragged him to the Amukoko Police Station (Pako Police Station) where he was detained. The area boys initially claimed that Alabi was one of the young men who has been involved in street fights. However, it came as a rude shock when the Police took him before a Magistrate along with four other individuals who are complete strangers to him, alleging that he conspired with them to commit “Armed Robbery” with cutlasses. The Police in the charge sheet alleged that the alleged two victims were robed of money and four mobile phones. The value of both the physical cash and four phones is N579,000 only. I spent about two hours interviewing Alabi about the veracity of the charges brought by the police. Speaking objectively, we all left Kirikiri with a strong conviction that this gentleman is just another victim of Nigeria’s criminal justice system. The last point that we want to state on the record is that Alabi is a Minor. He is less than 18 years. Currently, Alabi has appeared before the Magistrate on three occasions. The court remanded him along with the four strange individuals who are all adults at the custodial centre pending Legal Advice by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). We shall provide additional information and the available legal options subsequently. Suffice it to say that we will do all that is legally permissible to secure Alabi’s freedom. Thank you for your kind attention.

4/10/2025, 3:48:25 PM

FG Warns 30 States, FCT Of Heavy Rains, Floods

The Federal Government has forecasted heavy rains and flooding in 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. States at high risk of flooding include Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara, and the FCT. On Thursday, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, highlighted the potential for coastal and riverine flooding in parts of the South-South due to rising sea levels, particularly affecting Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, and Rivers. Akwa Ibom and Edo are also considered high-flood risk states. Utsev made these statements during the public presentation of the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) in Abuja. The AFO is divided into three sections, addressing flood challenges and offering mitigation strategies, particularly for the most vulnerable communities. The minister emphasized that flooding remains one of Nigeria’s most destructive natural disasters, worsened by climate change. He noted that 1,249 communities in 176 LGAs across 30 states and the FCT are in high-risk flood zones this year, while another 2,187 communities in 293 LGAs face moderate risks. Key at-risk areas include Abia, Benue, Lagos, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Jigawa. To strengthen early warning and response systems, this year’s AFO introduces a community-based flood forecasting approach, offering forecasts tailored to specific communities for better preparedness and communication at the grassroots level. Richard Pheelangwah, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, emphasized the importance of prioritizing early responses, stating, “This outlook isn’t just about numbers; it’s about protecting lives and livelihoods.” Umar Mohammed, Director General of NIHSA, also pointed out that this year’s flood forecast goes beyond mapping LGAs, now identifying specific communities at risk.

4/10/2025, 3:40:56 PM

Era Of Police Detaining Suspects For Weeks Gone~ Falana

Renowned Human Rights Lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana SAN, has emphasized that it is now unlawful for the police to detain a suspect for extended periods without informing their family of their whereabouts. Speaking at a three-day capacity-building workshop for prosecutors in Kano State on the effective administration of criminal justice, Falana declared that such outdated practices are no longer acceptable. He stressed that the police must promptly notify a suspect’s family once the individual is in custody to avoid unnecessary panic or assumptions of abduction. Falana also asserted that Nigerians have the right to legal representation from the moment they arrive at a police station, even before any form of interrogation begins. According to him, “Our people, because of ignorance, are made to suffer daily in all police stations in Nigeria. For instance, if a Nigerian gets to the police station, a Nigerian is arrested, wherever, and you are taken to the police station, under the law, it is the duty of the police to contact the family that Mr so-so-so-and-so of this suspect is here so that the family won’t be looking for him, thinking that maybe he’s been kidnapped. “You could be locked up for one week or more and there’s no contact with your family. That is no longer permissible under the law. If you have no lawyer and you are going to be interrogated by the police, you have the right as a Nigerian to demand legal representation and the police must contact the legal aid council to give you a lawyer. “So from the police station, legal representation begins. It’s allowed. So by the time you are taken to court, that same body must also provide a lawyer for you if you don’t have the means to access justice. “The rich can take care of themselves. The rich can have lawyers. They will have lawyers and if you find a big man or a big rich woman, you say, you meet me in court. “I will instruct my lawyers to sue you. But for the poor, they say, God will judge. But God is saying, take advantage of the provisions made by the government to ask for justice,” he said. He pointed out the need for more public defenders and lawyers across the 44 LGAs to stand for the rights and justice of the people. “Of course, the poor continue to be denied access to justice. It’s not only the fault of the government, it has to do with the economic conditions in our country. “To complain to a police station is problematic for the majority of our people because they may be asked to drop money to carry out investigations by the police officers. So the government will have to intervene by empowering the office of the public defender to assist the poor. You have the office of the public defender in Kano state. “From the information at my disposal, it has just a few lawyers. I expect that office to operate in every local government in Kano state. That is the practice in legal. “The office of the public defender is located in every local government in legal. And I’m saying the entire 44 local governments in Kano must have the office of the public defender so that the poor can have access to justice. And they must employ lawyers in the office of the public defender to take on the cases of the poor, just like you have the legal aid council at the federal level. “The Legal Aid Council has offices in all the 36 states of the federation. In that manner, the office of the public defender must operate in every local government so that the poor who are denied justice, and access to justice, and the poor who want to fight cases in court but lack economic well-being, can complain to the office of the public defender. And that office will assign lawyers to take on the case,” the human rights lawyer however noted.

4/10/2025, 3:29:15 PM

Shut Down Oil Facility In Warri Not Under Tantita Surveillance, Says Tompolo

High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo and chairman of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, has disassociated his outfit from the recent shutdown of an oil facility in Ugborodo, Warri South-West LGA. Speaking through his media aide, Dr. Paul Bebenimibo, Tompolo clarified that the Ogidigben oil field, targeted by protesting Itsekiri youths, falls outside Tantita’s surveillance coverage. The protest, driven by allegations of marginalisation in INEC's ward delineation, led to the shutdown of a facility producing 28,000 barrels per day. The field, now operated by Renaissance Africa Energy Holdings following its acquisition from Shell, is under the jurisdiction of Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), a security firm linked to the Olu of Itsekiri. "Nobody dares Tantita. The issue has nothing to do with Tantita and Tompolo. It is not only Tantita that is doing the security job. The Olu of Itsekiri’s company, Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, is also covering that area,” Bebenimibo noted. “The Ogidigben oil field is not under our watch but under Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), a firm linked to the Olu of Itsekiri,” Bebenimibo added. The facility, now operated by Renaissance Africa Energy Holdings following its takeover from Shell, experienced a total shutdown during the peaceful protest, where placard-bearing Itsekiri locals voiced their grievances.

4/10/2025, 3:12:44 PM

Presidency Apologises Over Errors In Federal Appointments List

The Presidency has issued an apology for the inaccuracies in the list of appointments released in response to allegations of ethnic bias in President Bola Tinubu’s administration. President Tinubu’s appointments have come under scrutiny, with opposition figures accusing him of favouring individuals from his ethnic group over those from other regions. Speaking recently on Arise Television, Senator Ali Ndume, an APC lawmaker representing Borno South, criticized the President for allegedly breaching the federal character principle in his appointments. Ndume stated that, despite being a member of the ruling party, he felt compelled to speak out against what he termed a “lopsided” distribution of appointments. In a bid to counter these accusations, the Presidency published a list detailing President Tinubu’s appointees by geo-political zone. According to the list, 29 were appointed from the South West (the President’s region), 35 from the North West, 22 from the South-South, 16 from the South East, 25 from the North Central, and 24 from the North East. However, critics were quick to point out that the list was incomplete, notably omitting Femi Gbajabiamila, the President’s Chief of Staff, who is also from the South West. This omission further fueled concerns about regional imbalance, particularly the underrepresentation of the South East. As public debate intensified on social media, Sunday Dare, Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication and spokesperson to the President, publicly apologised for the errors in the document. “We have noticed a number of errors in the list of appointments tweeted. We are sorry. We will provide an updated list later. Thank you,” Dare appealed to Nigerians on X.

4/10/2025, 12:05:52 PM

Court Summons Rivers Administrator Over LGA Appointments

The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has ordered the Rivers State Administrator to appear before it and explain why an interim injunction should not be granted to stop the appointment of Sole Administrators across the state’s 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs). The directive, issued on Monday, April 7, 2025, by Justice Adamu Turaki Mohammed, follows an ex-parte motion filed by the Pilex Centre for Civic Education Initiative and its Coordinator, Courage Nsirimovu. The applicants are seeking to restrain the Administrator and his agents from proceeding with the appointments, citing concerns over potential threats to democratic processes. Justice Mohammed emphasized the importance of fairness, directing that the respondent be served notice and ordered to “show cause” why the court should not grant the injunction. A hearing notice was also issued, with proceedings adjourned to April 14, 2025. During the session, the applicants’ counsel, A.O. Imiete, urged the court to approve the reliefs sought, relying on a written address. The respondent was not present in court. This legal challenge unfolds amid growing political tension in Rivers State, as the proposed appointments continue to stir debate over governance and constitutional legality. The case, registered as FHC/PH/CS/46/2025, has captured public interest, with stakeholders watching closely for its impact on democratic norms and the rule of law.

4/10/2025, 11:17:19 AM

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