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IJAP Welcomes NJC Disciplinary Action, Demands Structural Reform in Electoral Justice

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IJAP Welcomes NJC Disciplinary Action, Demands Structural Reform in Electoral Justice

By: Michael Mike

Independent Judicial Accountability Panel (IJAP) has welcomed the recent action taken by the National Judicial Council (NJC) in suspending three judges and nullifying the appointment of an Acting Chief Judge in Imo State, asking the body to adopt a proactive framework which rewards consistently ethical judicial officers while identifying and disqualifying those who act in breach of public trust

IJAP, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Honourable Justice Mojeed Adekunle Owoade JCA (rtd.), noted that: ‘‘The decisions, taken in response to judicial misconduct and procedural irregularities, reflect growing public demand for transparency, integrity, and accountability within the judiciary,” adding that: “However, this must not remain a reactive gesture. As a body entrusted with safeguarding the independence and ethics of the judiciary, the NJC must rise beyond disciplinary enforcement driven only by public petitions. We reiterate the urgent need for the NJC to adopt a proactive framework which rewards consistently ethical judicial officers while identifying and disqualifying those who act in breach of public trust.”

IJAP’s recommendations, outlined in its Technical Working Group’s policy submissions, call on the NJC to: Implement a “Punishment and Reward” System. Judges who uphold integrity and demonstrate consistent professionalism should be elevated. Conversely, those who compromise due processincluding misusing ex parte orders should not only face sanctions but also be disqualified from elevation to the Higher Bench and from being given sensitive roles like election tribunals.

IJAP commended the NJC for its resolution to henceforth publish the names of candidates being considered for appointment as judicial officers to Superior Courts of Record for information and comments by the public, noting that this will Introduce Citizens’ Scrutiny in Judicial Appointments, to enhance transparency, build public confidence, and ensure that only fit and proper candidates ascend to the bench

IJAP also recommended that Disciplinary Reports should be made public to deter judicial misconduct and align the Council’s actions with public interest; Strengthening of Judicial Oversight by investing in the collection and analysis of judicial performance data, addressing inconsistent judgments, and collaborating with the National Judicial Institute to train judiciary staff on global best practices.

It also advocated for the Passage of the Whistleblowing Bill on Judicial Misconduct, which would provide a formal mechanism for reporting unethical behaviour in the judiciary while protecting whistle-blowers from retaliation.

IJAP also called for urgent reform in post-electoral justice delivery, to ensure that tribunal decisions are not only timely but also uphold the democratic mandate of the people—free from political interference or inducement. “We further emphasise that justice in electoral matters must be both swift and credible. The current constitutional timelines for pre-election and post-election petitions—though important—must be revisited to ensure that all election disputes are resolved before the swearing-in of declared winners. Nigeria must learn from regional peers like Kenya, where judicial processes prioritise electoral integrity and prompt adjudication.” It further stated.

IJAP said that: ‘‘In this defining moment, we call on all judicial stakeholders including the NJC, legal practitioners, civil society, and the general public—to collectively restore faith in Nigeria’s judiciary by demanding proactive reform, fostering ethical leadership, and holding all actors accountable.’’
Independent Accountability Judicial Panel (IJAP) consists of a team of renowned retired court of appeal judges, academia, legal practitioners and development experts with a track record of transparent leadership in judicial matters, to review Judicial pronouncements/actions and provide informed analysis that will enable Citizens to hold the Judiciary accountable.

IJAP Welcomes NJC Disciplinary Action, Demands Structural Reform in Electoral Justice

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NHRC, stakeholders meet to promote human rights in Gombe

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NHRC, stakeholders meet to promote human rights in Gombe

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Gombe State Office, on Tuesday, organised a state consultative meeting on the National Action Plan (NAP) for the promotion and protection of human rights in the state.

The meeting which was held in Gombe brought together stakeholders from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), security agencies, community representatives, youth groups and other relevant stakeholders.

The engagement was to deliberate on the implementation of the NAP and to identify prevailing human rights concerns affecting citizens within Gombe State.

In his opening remarks, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said that the engagement served as a platform for interaction, exchange of ideas and collective commitment towards strengthening human rights protection mechanisms in Gombe State and Nigeria at large.

Represented by the State Coordinator, NHRC, Gombe State office Dr Joseph Wanshe, Ojukwu emphasised the importance of the NAP as a strategic framework designed to improve the human rights situation in the state and Nigeria through collaboration among government institutions, civil society organisations and citizens.

Wanshe, while presenting an overview of the NAP, explained that the NAP is a comprehensive policy framework aimed at ensuring the promotion, protection and fulfilment of human rights in accordance with constitutional provisions and international human rights obligations ratified by Nigeria.

Mr Lemuel Akeweta while making his presentation said that the objectives of the meeting amongst others was to create awareness on the NAP for the promotion and protection of human rights in Nigeria.

Others he said was to encourage stakeholders’ participation in the implementation of the NAP; identifying prevailing human rights challenges within the state and strengthening collaboration among MDAs, CSOs and other stakeholders.

He also said that practical recommendations and way forward for effective implementation of the NAP at state and grassroots levels would be developed.

Our Correspondent reports that a total of 45 attendees cutting across 28 MDAs and 17 CSOs and a team of five NHRC staff were also present at the meeting.

NHRC, stakeholders meet to promote human rights in Gombe

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Troops Arrest Three Suspected Terrorist Collaborators in Taraba State Raid

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Troops Arrest Three Suspected Terrorist Collaborators in Taraba State Raid

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have arrested three suspected terrorist collaborators during a coordinated raid on identified enclaves in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State.

Security sources said that the operation was carried out at about 0610 hours on May 10, 2026, by troops of Sector 3 OPWS deployed at Jimilari.

The sources said the troops conducted simultaneous raids on suspected terrorist hideouts at Binari, Chibi and Andamin communities following credible intelligence on the activities of criminal networks in the area.

According to the sources, three suspects believed to be providing support to terrorist elements were arrested during the operation.

Military authorities said the suspects are currently in custody and undergoing preliminary interrogation to determine the extent of their involvement and possible links to wider criminal networks.

They added that troops will sustain clearance operations and intelligence-led raids across vulnerable communities in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area to dismantle support structures for criminal elements and restore security in the area.

Troops Arrest Three Suspected Terrorist Collaborators in Taraba State Raid

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Execution Discipline Will Define Tegbe’s Agenda for Nigeria’s Power Sector-

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Execution Discipline Will Define Tegbe’s Agenda for Nigeria’s Power Sector-

By: Adeola Labzy

When the Minister-Designate for Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, told the Nigerian Senate that there was “no quick fix” to Nigeria’s electricity crisis, the statement stood out for departing from the familiar rhetoric that has long shaped public conversations about the sector. In a country where ambitious declarations on power reform have often generated headlines faster than measurable outcomes, Tegbe’s remarks offered an early signal of a different leadership posture, one anchored less on spectacle and more on execution.

This matters because Nigeria’s power sector has spent decades trapped in cycles of overpromising and institutional under-delivery. Successive reform efforts have come with bold projections, aggressive timelines, and repeated assurances. Yet the sector continues to struggle with liquidity constraints, weak market confidence, transmission vulnerabilities, collection inefficiencies, infrastructure deficits, and operational instability. Over time, the deeper casualty has not only been electricity supply, but institutional credibility.

Against that background, Tegbe’s emphasis on transparency, execution discipline, and operational realism should be read as a useful starting point, not a completed achievement. Nigeria’s electricity market does not suffer from a shortage of reform language. The problems are already well known to policymakers, operators, investors, regulators, and consumers. What has consistently undermined progress is fragmented implementation, weak accountability, poor coordination across the value chain, and the absence of sustained commercial discipline.

In that sense, Tegbe’s early posture appears calibrated toward restoring confidence in the system’s ability to execute before pursuing grand transformation narratives. This is particularly important in a sector where investor confidence, market liquidity, and operational stability are deeply interconnected. Markets respond not merely to ambition, but to predictability, governance credibility, and measurable execution. Each part of the value chain affects the other. Generation without evacuation capacity creates waste. Tariff reform without metering creates distrust. Investment without payment discipline weakens confidence. Policy statements without visible milestones deepen cynicism.

Financial sustainability will be one of the defining pillars of any credible reform effort. For years, the electricity market has operated within a fragile commercial structure marked by accumulated debts, subsidy pressures, payment shortfalls, collection gaps, and uncertainty over cost recovery. The long-term viability of the sector depends not only on expanding infrastructure, but on restoring commercial discipline and rebuilding confidence in the market itself.

This is where transparency becomes strategically important. Transparent reforms reduce uncertainty, strengthen accountability, and give investors, operators, consumers, and policymakers a clearer basis for judging progress. In practical terms, transparency is not merely a governance principle; it is an economic stabilisation tool. It can help rebuild trust in tariff decisions, improve confidence in sector data, and create a more disciplined environment for investment and performance monitoring.

Equally important is execution discipline. Infrastructure projects rarely fail only because funding is unavailable. Many fail because coordination weakens, procurement becomes opaque, implementation drifts, and accountability is diluted. In the power sector, credibility will not be rebuilt by rhetoric alone. It will require visible, measurable, and sustained improvements in the operating system of reform.

Nigeria’s power sector does not require another cycle of exaggerated optimism followed by institutional disappointment. It requires leadership capable of confronting difficult realities honestly while building a credible pathway toward operational stability, financial sustainability, and long-term reform credibility.

That is why Tegbe’s insistence on transparent reforms and execution discipline is important. Its significance will not lie in the statement itself, but in whether it becomes a governing method. In a sector where credibility has become almost as scarce as stable electricity, restoring confidence in governance may be the first and most important reform of all.

Adeola Labzy writes from Abuja, Nigeria.

Execution Discipline Will Define Tegbe’s Agenda for Nigeria’s Power Sector-

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