By Magnus Chukwudi, Port Harcourt

The Rivers State Police Command in a coordinated operation, has arrested one Goodnews Iberi, a 26-year-old native of Rumuakunde Community in Emohua LGA, in connection with the kidnapping and murder of Rita Special Eleonu, a 25-year-old female from Rumuekini Community in Obio Akpor LGA.

According to press statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer PPRO Chief Supretendent of Police CSP Grace Iringe-Koko, and made available to newsmen, the arrest was facilitated, following a distress report on December 29, 2025, by the victim’s brother (name withheld).

Recall that on December 13, 2025, the suspect and four accomplices, now at large, lured Rita to Rumuakunde axis in Emohua LGA, where she was kidnapped and later taken to an evil forest along the East/West Road in Emohua.

The suspects collected the sum of #210,000.00 (Two Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira) only, as ransom from the victim’s family before murdering her.

Acting on this distress, but credible piece of information, Operatives of the Command attached to the Anti-Cultism Unit (ACU) Emohua annex , utilizing intelligence-led policing, arrested Iberi on January 8, 2026, at about 0630hrs. in his hide out.

“During preliminary interrogation, the suspect voluntarily confessed to the crime, highlighting his role and further Incriminated four other accomplices.

The suspect led Police Operatives to where the victim’s decomposing remains was recovered from the forest and, it has been deposited at the University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Morgue for autopsy.

The suspect is currently in Police custody and an in-depth investigation has been launched, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of his syndicate.

The Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, CP Olugbenga A. Adepoju, commends the diligence and swift action of the Operatives in apprehending the suspect.

He encouraged the public to maintain trust in Police operations, and to support the Command with intelligence report that can enhance prompt response and strengthen collective fight against crime in all its manifestations.

He further urged citizens to remain calm, vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities, and provide credible information that could aid in the arrest of other members of the syndicate to come forward and assist the Police. ###.

By George Mgbeleke

Civil rights advocacy group HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has canvassed strong and unanimous civil society organizations’ solidarity and support for the aggressive anti-corruption campaign and prosecutions by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission just as HURIWA particularly applauded the legal steps adopted so far by the anti-graft agency in the case of alleged corruption by the immediate past Federal Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Alhaji Abubakar Malami (SAN).

HURIWA has also called on the Federal Government to demonstrate good faith by transparently putting to good uses for the benefit of the good people of Nigeria those proceeds of Crimes already reclaimed by the EFCC as a way of gaining the comprehensive trust of the masses of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “As it is, the people want the government to demonstrate accountability and openness in the deployment of the recovered looted funds and assets regained back from corrupt public office holders and politically exposed persons by both the ICPC and importantly the EFCC. Public good must be served because it would be a disaster if the recovered funds are re-looted from the government officials who should deploy the confiscated assets and funds towards attainment of public good.”

“We in the organised civil society community in Nigeria are so far pleased by the constitutionally permitted steps adopted so far by the EFCC in the matter involving former AGF/ justice minister Abubakar Malami a senior advocate of Nigeria even as the Rights group described the actions of EFCC as one of the most trustworthy methodologies guaranteed by the Nigerian law which in section 6 stated that the judicial powers of the Federation is conferred on the courts of competent jurisdiction. The EFCC invited Abubakar Malami in a humane fashion and has so far abided systematically by the precepts of the laws of Nigeria. The misplaced criticism of the anti-graft agency by some opposition political leaders on the specific prosecution of Abubakar Malami is hereby rejected by us and the over 65 registered CSOs affiliated to HURIWA. ”

Quoting the wise saying by the United States of America born prolific author of dozens of books, Mr. Les T. Csorba who said that ‘trust is the one thing that makes or breaks a leader’, HURIWA reminded those criticising the EFCC on the arrest and prosecution of Abubakar Malami that the EFCC has won the trust of Nigerians in this case by abiding and complying absolutely with the stated modus operandi for waging a law based anti-corruption fight by most importantly obtaining from a competent court of law, a binding order seizing temporarily about 57 properties linked to Abubakar Malami just as the EFCC has timeously dragged Abubakar Malami to the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, got him lawfully arraigned and the court has through the discretionary powers of the presiding judge, ordered his remand in Kuje prison alongside his wife and son pending the fulfilment of terms and conditions the court prescribed for him to be freed temporarily on bail.

The Rights group through the Executive Director, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, recalled that the Federal High Court in Abuja had ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 properties allegedly linked to a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and two of his sons, Abdulaziz Malami and Abiru-Rahman Malami, to the Federal Government.
Justice Emeka Nwite made the order on Tuesday, following an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission through its counsel, Ekele Iheanacho (SAN).

HURIWA affirmed that the development was confirmed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, who said the properties—valued at approximately N213.2bn—are suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

According to the EFCC, the assets are spread across the Federal Capital Territory, Kebbi, Kano and Kaduna states and include hotels, university buildings, plazas, filling stations, warehouses, residential estates, shops, factories and large parcels of land.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite ordered that all the properties listed in the schedule attached to the motion be temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government.
“It is hereby ordered that an interim order of this honourable court is hereby made forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria the properties described in Schedule 1 below which are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities,” the judge ruled.

The court further directed the EFCC to publish the interim forfeiture order in a national newspaper to enable any interested persons or entities to show cause within 14 days why the properties should not be permanently forfeited.
Justice Nwite adjourned the matter to January 27, 2026, for a report on compliance with the court’s directives.
The EFCC disclosed that the properties include several high-value real estate assets in prime locations within Abuja.

Among them is a luxury duplex located at Amazon Street, Plot No. 3011, within Cadastral Zone A06, Maitama, Abuja, File No. AN Enhancement 11352. The property was purchased in December 2022 for N500m and later enhanced to an estimated value of N5.95bn.
Another listed asset is a two-winged large storey building located at No. 3, Onitsha Crescent, Area 11, Garki, Abuja, formerly operating as Harmonia Hotels Limited. The property was acquired in December 2018 for N7bn.
Also included is Plot 683, Jabi District, Cadastral Zone B04, Abuja, comprising a five-storey building now operating as Meethaq Hotels Limited, Jabi, with 53 rooms and suites.
The property was reportedly purchased in September 2020 at carcass level for N850m, with an additional N300m paid to secure possession. Its current estimated value stands at N8.4bn.
Other Abuja properties include terraces in Asokoro District purchased in January 2021 for N360m; Meethaq Hotels Limited, Maitama, with 15 rooms purchased in February 2018 for N430m and now valued at N12.95bn; and Plot No. 1241B in Asokoro District (No. 11A Yakubu Gowon Crescent), acquired in July 2021 for N325m.
Commercial assets listed include Shop No. C82, Citiscape–Shariff Plaza, Plot 739, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, purchased in March 2024 for N120m; Shops A36 and B3 at Vegas Mall, Wuse II, acquired in July 2023 for N158m; and two warehouse shops, B40 and B46, at Wuse Market, Abuja, purchased in July 2020 for N50m.
Additional residential properties include No. 26, Babbi Drive, BUA Estate, Abuja, purchased in 2022 for N136m; No. 27, Efab Estates Avenue, 59th Crescent, Gwarimpa, acquired in January 2016 for N120m; twin houses at Zone E, Apo Legislative Quarters, Plot 14014, Gudu District, Abuja, purchased between February and May 2017 for N250m; and a bedroom duplex with boys’ quarters at No. 12 Yalinga Street, off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II, purchased in October 2018 for N150m.
Outside the FCT, the EFCC listed properties in Kano, Kaduna and Kebbi states.
These include No. 4, Ahmadu Bello Way, Nasarawa GRA, Kano, purchased in December 2022 for N300m; Plot 157, Lamido Crescent, Nasarawa GRA, Kano, acquired in July 2019; a four-bedroom bungalow at Gesse Phase, Birnin Kebbi, purchased in 2023 for N101m; and a four-bedroom bungalow with boys’ quarters at No. 10B, Doka Crescent, Abakpa GRA, Kaduna, purchased in January 2018 for N40m.

Also listed is a plaza, commercial toilets, laundry facilities, warehouses, tanks and 100 hectares of land along Birnin Kebbi–Jega Road, purchased in 2020 for N100m.
The EFCC further identified properties acquired by Khadimiyya for Justice & Development Initiative at Academic Garden City, Birnin Kebbi, sold by the Federal Housing Authority Mortgage. These include nine units of three-bedroom bungalows, three units of two-bedroom bungalows and 5.4 hectares of land purchased between February and September 2023 for N187m, among other assets detailed in the schedule.
Malami, his wife, Bashir Asabe, and his son, Abdulaziz Malami, are already standing trial before Justice Nwite over alleged N8.7bn money laundering.
During proceedings on last Wednesday, HURIWA recalled that the judge issued a stern warning to counsel and litigants, cautioning against attempts to improperly influence the court.
“I want to admonish and warn counsels and litigants that they should know the type of court they are appearing before. All judges are not the same. Irrespective of my familiarity with you, when I am dealing with any case, do not approach me. The best you can do for your clients is to get the best lawyers in this country. The law cannot be bent as far as this court is concerned.

“So, I want to warn each and every litigant and lawyer appearing before this court that they should understand the way this court works. Please, to be forewarned is to be forearmed. Any attempt to tarnish my name will be resisted and dealt with. I warned, I warned, and I warned!” he said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Justice Nwite granted bail to Malami, his son Abdulaziz, and his wife in the sum of N500m each in respect of an alleged N9bn money laundering charge.
The judge admitted the defendants to bail following their arraignment on 16 counts filed by the EFCC and ordered that each defendant produce two sureties in like sum.
He ruled that the sureties must own landed properties within Maitama, Asokoro or Gwarimpa districts of Abuja, with valid title documents to be verified by the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court. The sureties are also required to depose to affidavits of means.
Justice Nwite further ordered Malami to deposit his passport and all other travel documents with the court and restrained him from travelling outside Nigeria without express permission of the court.
The defendants and their sureties were also directed to submit two recent passport photographs each to the court registry.
Pending the perfection of the bail conditions, the court ordered that Malami be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
The court fixed February 17, 2026, for the commencement of trial.

Reacting to the unprecedented criticisms of the EFCC’S prosecution of Abubakar Malami, HURIWA said aside the fundamental constitutional facts that the anti-graft commission followed the recommended lawful steps, the Rights group believed that Malami is not above the law just as HURIWA said the onus is on the immediate past Chief law officer of the Federation to offer credible proofs of legal ownership of the properties temporarily seized just as HURIWA said Malami has the opportunity guaranteed by the law to defend himself of the criminal charges slammed on him by the EFCC.

HURIWA said the position of the opposition politicians regarding the prosecution of Malami as a political vendetta does not hold water because it is shocking that we are now reading about allegations of unlawful acquisition of wealth by the former AGF/Justice minister whilst in office. We in HURIWA are not drawing any conclusions yet regarding the charges slammed on Abubakar Malami but we are asking that the EFCC and the court be allowed to bring the prosecution to a lawful conclusion given that Malami being a very senior lawyer has the capacity to engage some of the best criminal defense lawyers to argue his case and establish his innocence or otherwise before the court of competent jurisdiction.

By George Mgbeleke

No fewer than 52 students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, have been remanded in a correctional facility following a midnight crackdown by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force on hostels across Ekpoma in the Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.

Consequently, the state governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo has been urged to immediately free these prisoners of conscience.

Prominent pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) which made the demand in a media statement endorsed by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko said the decision of the Edo state Police command on the orders of the governor Monday Okpebholo to sneak into the hallowed hostels of the University students to abduct them forcefully under the wrongful pretence that they participated in the anti-kidnapping, anti-insecurity protest in Ekpoma Edo state does not have any justification under the Nigerian law.

HURIWA condemns the application of brute force and the adoption of the same terrorist methodology used by Islamic terrorists and kidnappers by the police and demanded their freedom without further waste of their time. “Any attempt to detain these students longer than prescribed by the constitution which is 24 hours is unconstitutional and is thus termed despicable and unjust.

The Rights group described as illegal and an act of state funded kidnappings, the storming of the hostels whereby the students were arrested in the late hours of the night and subsequently charged to court for participating in a protest held last Saturday against rising cases of kidnapping and worsening insecurity in the state.

Students who spoke to the media said the arrests were carried out in a coordinated operation, with police officers storming different hostels around Ekpoma in the middle of the night and picking up students indiscriminately.

According to accounts by some of the affected students, those arrested were not apprehended at the protest venue but were picked up from where they resided.

They described the operation as a midnight raid that caused panic among students and residents of the university town. HURIWA condemns this outrageous and atrocious conduct of the police. Besides, the refusal by the police to let journalists cover the kangaroo arraignment of the detained students in the court, is a grievous violation of section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution which recognises the media as the lawful vanguards of government activities.

“They came to our hostels at night and started arresting students,” one of the students informed the media from the court premises.

“Many of those arrested were sleeping in their rooms and were not even on the streets when the protest took place.”

On Monday, the arrested students were arraigned before a court in Edo State, where the police filed an application seeking their remand in custody.

The students who were present in court stated that the police are seeking an order to remand the 52 students for a period of 14 days.

Speaking against what they called the flagrant violations of the constitutionally guaranteed rights to privacy and the dignity of their persons by the police, the Rights group said the charges of robbery and willful damage of public property are nebulous and mere trumped up charges that can’t be lawfully sustained before the competent court of law.

The Rights group condemned the decision to remand the students for two weeks which is absolutely unconstitutional and illegal. “Why is the police detaining the students when the same police operatives have no substantial or indeed any credible evidence to pin the detained students to the charges. “HURIWA condemns the police for attempting to frame up these students for robbery. Assuming without conceding that the detained students participated in the protest, when has protest under the constitution or any known laws be criminalised?

HURIWA stressed that the Right to peaceful assembly is constitutionally guaranteed under chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and since these students were picked up in their sleep and according to their claims never participated in the protest, why is the police and the court by extension detaining these students unconstitutionally? These students are simply PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE and must be immediately released by the Chief executive of Edo state Mr. Monday Okpebholo.

Protests Are An integral Part Of Democracy*

HURIWA argued persuasively that in every functioning democracy, the right to protest is sacrosanct just as it is an essential component of civic life that allows citizens to express grievances, demand accountability, and influence change. This universal right is enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution in chapter 4.

HURIWA therefore lamented that yet the experiences of Nigerian protesters just like the unlawfully detained students, paint a bleak picture. When citizens lawfully engage in peaceful demonstrations, Nigerian security agencies—particularly the police—too often respond with brute force, intimidation, and unlawful arrests. This troubling trend, says law scholars quoted by HURIWA, stands in stark contrast to how similar protests have been handled in other democracies like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Israel, among others.

Specifically, section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) guarantees the right of every citizen to “assemble freely and associate with other persons”. Additionally, Article 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which Nigeria has ratified, reinforces the right to peaceful assembly. Despite these clear protections, Nigerian authorities repeatedly violate these provisions under the guise of “maintaining public order.”

HURIWA recalled that the EndSARS movement of 2020 is a typical example. Thousands of Nigerian youths and citizens of all strata, took to the streets to demand an end to police brutality, particularly by the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), and better remuneration for the police, among other public interest demands. The response was not dialogue or reform, but tear gas, baton charges, and, tragically, live ammunition—culminating in the Lekki

Besides, toll Gate shooting on October 20, 2020, where security forces reportedly fired upon peaceful protesters. To this day, no high-ranking official has been held accountable. Although the government denied that any protesters died, the controversy surrounding that incident remains fresh in the minds of the public. HURIWA is therefore demanding the unconditional release of the scores of University undergraduates unlawfully abducted by Nigeria police Force (NPF) in Ekpoma Edo state and arraigned in a kangaroo court. The Edo state governor should do the needful or else we call on president Bola Tinubu to order the IGP to free the unlawfully captured students in Edo state and apologise profusely for this illegal and arbitrary arrests and detention.