The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has officially declined the request from the Rivers State House of Assembly to set up a seven-member panel to investigate Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu over allegations of gross misconduct.

In a letter dated 20th January 2026, addressed to the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, Justice Amadi cited two court orders barring him from receiving, forwarding, or considering any requests to form such a panel.

The orders were served on his office on 16th January 2026 and remain in force.

The Chief Judge emphasized that constitutionalism and the rule of law require all authorities to obey subsisting court orders, irrespective of their perception of the orders’ validity.

He referenced legal precedents, noting that in a similar case in 2007, the Chief Judge of Kwara State was condemned for ignoring a restraining court order when setting up an investigative panel, a decision later voided by the Court of Appeal.

Justice Amadi further observed that the Speaker has already filed an appeal against the court orders at the Court of Appeal, adding another layer to the ongoing legal proceedings surrounding the allegations.

The Awujale Kingmakers’ Council officially declared their determination to resist any form of candidate imposition for the vacant throne of the Awujale of Ijebuland.

This stance follows the vacancy left by the death of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona in July 2025 after a 65-year reign.

The Regent of the Awujale of Ijebuland and Ogbeni Oja, Chief Sunny Kuku, made this known while responding to questions from reporters in the presence of other kingmakers at his private residence in Igbeba GRA, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

Kuku, who is the head of the kingmakers and chairman of the Awujale interregnum, said members of the council had endured sleepless nights carefully scrutinising documents submitted by the nominees before receiving notification from the Ogun State Government halting the process.

He said consultations with relevant authorities had commenced to ensure the resumption of the exercise, stressing that not only the Ijebu people but the general public were eagerly awaiting the emergence of a new Awujale.

Describing the responsibility before the kingmakers as delicate and demanding, Kuku said the process was being handled with utmost caution, noting that their decision would have far-reaching implications for the people of Ijebuland for generations to come.

He said, “As you know, the process has already started, and the families have submitted names—between 86 and 95 in total. However, not all the applications are complete, so only about 86 are valid. The kingmakers have begun their work, and once they do, everything happens within that enclave. We are careful not to say anything that could bias the situation.

“Today, we received a message from the government indicating that the process has been temporarily halted. At the moment, we do not know the reason for this, but we are in contact with them to understand the situation. We will do our best to ensure that the process resumes because the general public is waiting.

“The kingmakers cannot say much at this time because we have a very onerous task. We are confident that the government is also interested in ensuring a peaceful outcome. We are consulting with them, and we believe that something will happen soon.

“Regarding reports from the grapevine suggesting government interference, we are unable to comment on that. The government does not sit with the kingmakers during deliberations. We do not work with them directly, and as you know, in situations like this, there are always many rumours. We try to separate fact from speculation. If any form of imposition occurs, we will certainly let the public know, because we will not tolerate that. However, that has not happened.”

The Ogbeni Oja who is a co-founder of the EKO Hospital Ikeja, one of the nation’s early generation elite private health facility, allayed public’s concerns over the barricade to the palace by dozens of armed security operatives on Wednesday, saying it was not an attempt to influence the selection process but to let the people know that the state government had suspended the process again.

He noted that the reasons – such as written petitions and security concerns – given by the state government for halting the Awujale selection process were only known to the government, not the kingmakers, advising that if such petitions existed, they should be forwarded to the kingmakers.

Chief Kuku said, “The barricade at the Palace is not an attempt to influence the process. The process has been halted, which is why we are meeting with the government to understand why and how the issue can be resolved quickly. The palace is a symbol of the people, and by barricading it, the authorities are making it clear that the process is temporarily in abeyance. There is no physical or emotional conflict taking place. We hope the palace will be reopened very soon because we want to avoid any anxiety among the people. Our goal is peace.

“If petitions exist, they should be forwarded to us, but we have not received any. That is why we are consulting with them. Once discussions are concluded, we will make a statement as quickly as possible. There is nothing to worry about.

“As kingmakers, we are handling a very delicate responsibility. Our decisions can affect the lives of people for centuries to come, so we are being extremely careful about what we do and say. We assure you that we will ensure peace and that the best person emerges as the Awujale.

“When situations like this arise, there are allegations that the kingmakers have been compromised or are favouring a particular candidate. Let me be clear: we have not slept for five days. We are dealing with about 95 applications and over 1,200 documents, scrutinizing them meticulously. We are working diligently to ensure we select the best possible candidate. If we were biased, we would not be spending sleepless nights reviewing documents so thoroughly.

“We had planned to continue this process for several more days, and we are prepared for more sleepless nights. The criteria we have developed are meant to produce a leader who truly represents the people and will bring progress to the community.

“We still expect a few more sleepless nights, but for now, we may be able to rest briefly before the process resumes.”

A violent clash between the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and a Boko Haram faction loyal to Abu Umaima has resulted in the deaths of more than 10 terrorists in Borno State.

The incident occurred along the Lake Chad Basin axis of Abadam Local Government Area, according to a post on X by counter-insurgency security expert Zagazola Makama.

Security sources told Makama that the fighting broke out around Dogon Chiku Buhari village, a border community in Abadam LGA, less than one kilometre from the Nigeria–Niger border.

The sources said fighters of the Bukura faction, believed to be operating from settlements on the Niger Republic side of the Lake Chad Basin, attacked ISWAP elements based on the Nigerian side of the border.

“The fighting took place around Dogon Chiku Buhari, east of Tubum Mota and along the Bosso–Diffa axis in Niger Republic. It lasted several hours and resulted in heavy casualties on both sides,” one of the sources said.

Tubum Mota village is located east of Malam Fatori, about 19 kilometres away, an area that has remained a frequent flashpoint for rival extremist groups operating around the Lake Chad Basin.

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