Liberian President Joseph Boakai is facing a $10m lawsuit filed before the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja, Nigeria.

The suit alleges his involvement in the unlawful suspension and character assassination of Liberia’s Director General of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority, Ms. Emma Glassco.

The lawsuit claims that in February, President Boakai arbitrarily suspended Glassco over alleged “financial inefficiency.”

The Republic of Liberia is named as the sole respondent in the suit.

Filed on Monday, March 14, 2025, and marked ECW/CCJ/APP/19/25, the lawsuit was submitted by Glassco’s legal team, led by former Chief Justice of Liberia Kabineh Ja’nneh, and attorney Sayma Cephus.

The suit argues that Glassco’s suspension violated due process.

Glassco further asserts that she was never investigated or found guilty by any anti-corruption agency in Liberia.

However, she alleges that her reputation was tarnished by the suspension, which she contends was carried out without legal procedures.

She claims that the decision portrayed her as a person lacking integrity.

“The applicant states that the respondent has subjected her to public humiliation, harassment, and intimidation, far beyond any treasonable offense. The respondent instructed nearly all state institutions to conduct criminal investigations, attempting to incriminate her and justify the illegal suspension,” the suit reads.

Among her demands, Glassco is seeking $10m in compensation for the emotional and psychological trauma, public humiliation, false stigmatisation, and ongoing harassment she claims to have endured.

She also requests special damages totaling at least $175,000 to cover the unexpired portion of her four-year contract, which she argues has caused unnecessary financial hardship for her and her family.

Glassco also seeks a declaration from the court that the respondent’s actions were illegal and in violation of Liberia’s tenure laws, which resulted in significant harm to her professional standing and psychological well-being. She is requesting at least $5m in compensation for these damages.

Additionally, Glassco demands a public apology from President Boakai, which should be published in all major newspapers, aired on radio and television, and displayed on Liberia’s official government website.

She asserts that this is necessary to repair the damage done to her reputation, which was unjustly tarnished by false allegations of corruption and the baseless investigations that followed.

Glassco further seeks $250,000 in litigation costs to be paid by the respondent.

The applicant also notes that she has twelve months remaining on her contract, which was prematurely terminated, and that her salary and allowances have been suspended.

As of now, no date has been set for the hearing of the case.

A truck loaded with food items, including oil and sugar, intended for the Muslim community’s Iftar distribution in northern Nigeria, was hijacked in Gombe State.

According to the Public Relations Officer of the Gombe Police Command, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, the hijacking took place after the initial offloading of the items, leading to public panic about the whereabouts of the remaining supplies.

In an interview with Punch on Monday, Abdullahi explained that the truck, which was carrying foodstuffs donated by Seyi Tinubu for distribution during the Ramadan fasting period, had already delivered around 90% of the goods at the All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat. The remaining items were being transported to another location when the hijacking occurred.

“The truck was carrying Seyi Tinubu’s foodstuffs meant for Iftar. “Unfortunately, there wasn’t any security involvement until the situation escalated, and we realized something was wrong,” Abdullahi said.

The police responded to the situation promptly and invited the truck driver for questioning. The driver confirmed that the supplies were meant for Gombe State and explained that he had already delivered the bulk of the items before the hijacking.

Abdullahi emphasized the need for proper security measures when distributing such items, noting that crowd management should involve police personnel to prevent incidents like this from occurring.

“The ideal situation is that whenever you want to distribute items, security personnel should be engaged for crowd control.

“Unfortunately, we were not informed about the distribution until the truck was hijacked, and by then, people had begun to panic, leading to the situation,” Abdullahi said.

The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), has made his first appointments, top among them being Prof. Ibibia Worika, a legal expert and administrator, who is the new Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

In a statement, the Sole Administrator said the appointment, which takes immediate effect, followed a rigorous selection process in which Worika’s extensive experience, academic credentials, and policy expertise stood out.

In a related development, the ex-naval chief appointed Iyingi Brown as the Permanent Secretary for Welfare in the Office of the Head of Service to act as the Head of Service pending a substantive appointment.

The appointment followed the resignation of the substantive Head of Service, George Nwaeke.

In a statement, the government expressed gratitude for Nwaeke’s contributions during his tenure and wished him success in his future endeavors.

While congratulating Brown on her new role, the administrator reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining peace and stability in Rivers State.

The statement further said Worika’s distinguished career spanned academia, international legal practice, and high-level policy advisory roles, making him well-suited to support the administrator in achieving the mandate set by President Bola Tinubu for the state.

“Professor Worika’s wealth of experience in legal scholarship, public policy, and governance will be instrumental in driving the administration’s agenda. His appointment underscores our dedication to excellence in public service,” the statement read.

The Sole Administrator emphasized his commitment to utiliing the rich human capital of Rivers State to foster peace, stability, and security.

Profile of Prof Worika

Hailing from Okrika in Rivers State, Professor Worika is a globally recognized scholar, legal expert, and administrator with a strong background in environmental and petroleum law.

He holds a Ph.D. in International Environmental and Comparative Petroleum Law & Policy from the University of Dundee, United Kingdom.

Currently serving as the Director of the Centre for Advanced Law Research at Rivers State University, he previously held the position of Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Port Harcourt.

His tenure in academia has been marked by significant contributions to legal education, curriculum development, and institutional collaborations.

Beyond academia, Professor Worika has played key roles in shaping global and national policy frameworks.

As a Senior Legal Adviser at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, he provided strategic counsel on energy policy, regulatory frameworks, and governance.

His tenure as General Legal Counsel for the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Vienna further cemented his reputation as a leading authority in international law, energy diplomacy, and resource management.

He has also served as a consultant for various governments, including Namibia, Malawi, and Guyana, helping to draft legislation and design legal frameworks for sustainable development.

His contributions to public administration have earned him several recognitions, including the OPEC Secretariat Award for Distinguished Service and an honorary title from the Ogu Council of Chiefs in Rivers State.