The Edo Government has directed all public and private schools in the state to resume the 2024/25 academic session on September 30.

This directive comes after an earlier postponement of the resumption date, initially set for September 9, 2024.

In a statement on Sunday in Benin, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Ojo Akin-Longe, warned that a fake notification had been circulating that schools would reopen on Monday.

He urged parents and guardians to disregard this false information.

The permanent secretary said, “We refer to the earlier announcement postponing the resumption of all public and private schools in Edo State, which was originally scheduled to reopen on Monday, 9th September 2024.

“We are aware of a subsequent false notification stating that schools should resume on Monday, 23rd September 2024.

“We wish to clarify that this announcement did not originate from the Edo State Government and is the work of mischief makers. The information is false and should be disregarded.

“The Edo State Government hereby directs that all public and private schools in the state will now resume for the 2024/25 academic session on Monday, 30th September 2024. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.”

At least 17 members of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) drowned while attempting to cross a river along the Nigeria-Niger Republic border.

According to a counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, the incident occurred between the Kafetoa and Bulabulin Gaidam communities in Yobe State, Nigeria.

The insurgents were reportedly en route to Tam village in Niger Republic, near the Kannamma settlement in Yobe, when they were caught by strong water currents and swept away.

Boko Haram kills many, burn shops, houses in attack on Yobe village
Makama stated that the fighters had been displaced from key bases, including Bulabulin Geidam, Chettimari, and Diffan, all along the Nigeria-Niger border regions.

ISWAP has been involved in insurgency activities across Nigeria’s northeastern region and has come under increasing pressure from Nigerian military operations in recent months.

A coalition of civil society organisations under the platform of coalition of Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness, CCLCA, Public Interest Lawyers League, PILL others on Sunday threw their weight behind the verdict that dismissed a suit seeking to compel INEC to conduct fresh elections in Rivers for the 27 lawmakers.

Recall the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja on Friday, dismissed a defection suit instituted against the 27 former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.

The suit seeking to replace the 27 lawmakers on account of their purported defection from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was dismissed.

Justice Peter Lifu who delivered the judgment held that the suit instituted by the Action People’s Party APP was statute barred having not been filed within 14 days allowed by law.

The ruling is a watershed in the country’s jurisprudence and a vindication of the erstwhile Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike who had been vilified by some uninformed Nigerians since the defection saga began last year. It is also a huge plus for the 27 lawmakers who were duly elected into the Rivers State House of Assembly to represent their various constituencies.

In a statement on Sunday, by Director General of CCLCA, Dr Gabriel Nwambu on behalf of other NGOs, they noted that:

“We, members of the Coalition, Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness, Public Interest Lawyers League, PIL and others are fully aware that the judgement may not have gone down well with the enemies of Rivers State, particularly those who want to destroy the legacies of Wike, but we must commend the learned judge for upholding the tenets of the law and justice instead of relying on sentiments and half truth.

“By this judgement, the Nigerian Judiciary has once again discharged and acquitted itself from the charge of bias and miscarriage of justice. In this light, we urge Governor Siminalayi Fubara to heed the advice of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to allow the 27 lawmakers to return to their seats at the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“In the spirit of love, peace and justice, ,Governor Fubara should set the process in motion for a reconciliation of the feuding parties in the state legislature. Of course that will pave way for the full implementation of the peace agreement he signed when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu mediated in the conflict in Aso Rock, Abuja.

“The Coalition is hopeful that Fubara will take this judgement as an opportunity to pull Rivers State back from the brinks. We urge him to shun all sentiments, and accept the reality that the Rivers State are one indivisible unit whose collective will cannot be broken by the ambition of one man.

“It is high time, Governor Fubara realises those stoking the embers of disunity and those who want him to bite the finger that fed him are the real enemies of Rivers State.