By David Owei,Bayelsa
The Chief Executive and Accounting Officer of the Provisionary Committee for the proposed Nigerian Coast Guard (PC-NCG), Captain Noah Ichaba, has commended the  Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for his tireless efforts in driving the establishment of the Nigerian Coast Guard through the ongoing legislative processes in the 10th National Assembly.

In a statement issued to journalists in Abuja by the Director of Public Affairs and Information, Dr. Piriye Kiyaramo, Capt. Ichaba emphasized the urgent need for collaboration among relevant maritime agencies in the fight against incessant boat mishaps on Nigeria’s waterways.

He declared that when eventually established, the Nigerian Coast Guard would be in a better position to enforce marine safety standards to save lives and property on waterways.

According to the PC-NCG leader, the facilitating team for the establishment of the proposed Nigerian Coast Guard would continue to work in synergy with the Federal Ministry of Marine & Blue Economy and other critical stakeholders to actualise the passage of the Nigerian Coast Guard Bill before the 10th National Assembly.

Capt. Ichaba therefore called on members of the public to be weary of illegal and criminal activities by some unscrupulous groups parading as Nigerian Coast Guard.

According to him, all security agencies have been alerted about such fraudulent individuals.

He further appealed to the public to report any person or group of persons who claim to be officers of either Provisional Nigerian Coast Guard or proposed Nigerian Coast Guard to the nearest police station or the Chief Executive and Accounting Officer of PC-NCG.

Capt. Ichaba, also applauded the chairman of the Special Committee on the Prevention of Boat Mishaps in Nigeria and Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Bola Oyebamiji for recommending the establishment of a Coast Guard in the Special Committee’s report.

He reiterated that the inclusion of the establishment of a Nigerian Coast Guard agency to enforce waterways regulations in the Committee’s report resonates with the ministers drive for the speedy passage of the bill before the10th NationalAssembly, pointing out that subsequent recruitment and deployment of officers and men of the proposed Nigerian Coast Guard when established would go a long way in curbing the incessant boat mishaps and criminal activities on our waterways.

The Chief Executive and Accounting Officer further noted that formulation of a National Boat Design Policy to standardise permitted vessel types and the implementation of mandatory certification and training for boat operators would minimise incidents of boat mishaps, pointing out that an increased funding for NIWA would enable it to improve hydrographic and engineering capacity and deployment of search and rescue stations across critical inland waterways, given the frequent marine related incidents along the nation’s waterways.

The PC-NCG Chief acknowledged notable strides made by the Minister of Marine & Blue Economy within the short period in office, describing the recent nationwide distribution of life jackets to riverine and coastal communities as a step in the right direction.

It will be recalled that the Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola while receiving the report of the Special Committee on the Prevention of Boat Mishaps in Nigeria maintained that: “The Nigerian Navy can’t safeguard waterways alone”, adding that the time was ripe for Nigeria to conclude action on Coast Guard establishment for deployment of its personnel to complement Nigeria Navy’s efforts along the waterways.

“This report will serve as a foundation for immediate and long-term reforms. We will study the recommendations closely and act where policy adjustments or institutional coordination are required,” the minister maintained.

By Our Correspondent,Abuja

Alarmed at the current wave of intimidation and detention of opposition leaders by Anti-graft Agencies,the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has once again doubled down on its stance that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is being used by the government to harass and intimidate opposition party leaders.

Following Monday’s overnight detention of one of the leaders of the coalition and former Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, and the invitation to Imo State Government officials to “urgently” provide information on the seven-month tenure of former Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, it has become crystal clear that the EFCC is out on a hatchet job — a choreographed media trial targeted at bringing coalition leaders to disrepute.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC questioned why the EFCC had suddenly found “urgent” reason to investigate David Mark 10 years after leaving the Senate Presidency, Ihedioha more than 5 years after his brief tenure as governor, and Tambuwal 2 years after leaving office as Sokoto governor.

The party said the pattern of ignoring APC stalwarts with fresher and well-documented cases, while targeting opposition figures with stale allegations, is proof of selective justice and an assault on political freedom.

The full statement read:
“Following our earlier release on Monday, in which we alerted Nigerians about the plan to deploy the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as a political weapon by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), we wish to bring to the public’s attention fresh details that expose the extent of this coordinated assault on the opposition.

“The detention of one of our leaders, former Sokoto State Governor, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, has marked the start of the crackdown intended to intimidate key leaders of the opposition and discredit them through media trials.

“As shown in an EFCC correspondence currently circulating online, the Commission has now embarked on the investigation of another coalition chieftain, former Imo Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, with an “urgent” request to the officials to provide information related specifically to his brief seven months in office.

“Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, served as Governor of Imo State for just 7 months, from May 29, 2019, until the Supreme Court removed him on January 14, 2020 — a full 5 years and 7 months ago. We therefore wonder what makes investigating him suddenly “urgent” now.”

Consequently the party said, “notably, the EFCC has now surreptitiously started excavating all the files from the ADC Chairman, Senator David Mark’s tenure as President of the Nigerian Senate. Let us remind Nigerians that our Party Chairman, Senator Mark, served as the Senate President for 8 years, from June 6, 2007, to June 6, 2015 — making him the longest-serving Senate President in our history. He left office 10 years and 2 months ago. Three Senate Presidents after, the EFCC suddenly remembered that he was a Senate President.”

Continuing the party warned,”While the ADC, as a party, stands for adherence to the rule of law and due process, like all Nigerians, we question the curious timing, selective targets, and political motivations that now seem to define the EFCC’s actions.

” A fight against corruption that begins and ends with the opposition is not justice — it is persecution. We have no doubts that this is witch-hunting; it is the APC government weaponising anti-corruption to do its political battle.

“Having failed to stop the coalition, the jittery ruling party’s next move is to discredit its leaders by getting the EFCC to accuse them of looting the entire treasuries. These are calculated media trials, which start and end with the accusation, the scandal, and the consequent lowering of public estimation. It matters little whether there is a basis for these accusations — the game is the circus show.

“The questions write themselves: why now? Why these men? Why these timelines? If corruption truly has no statute of limitation, why are the EFCC’s files on APC’s own “big men,” many with fresher, documented cases, gathering dust in forgotten drawers? Why does the EFCC only discover “urgent” anti-corruption zeal when an opposition leader becomes a political threat?”

Adding,”The truth is simple. These are not fresh investigations — they are political manoeuvres, cynical attempts to intimidate and weaken credible opposition voices ahead of the 2027 elections. The APC’s EFCC does not touch its own while they are in office or when they defect to the ruling party. Once a former governor crosses over, their files vanish like morning dew. Since Ifeanyi Okowa joined the APC, have Nigerians heard a single whisper from the EFCC about his cases? Yet opposition leaders are hounded with allegations from decades past without a shred of new evidence.

“Let this be on record: what the EFCC is doing on behalf of the APC government is anti-democracy. Every time the EFCC is deployed as a political bulldog, it tramples on public trust and shreds the credibility of our justice system. We remind the APC that state institutions do not belong to the ruling party — they belong to Nigerians.

“We call on citizens to speak up, to resist, and to demand that the EFCC stop this witch-hunting in the interest of our democracy. Today, it is David Mark, Ihedioha, and Tambuwal. Tomorrow, it could be anyone who dares to hold this government accountable.”

BY Uthman-Baba Naseer,Minna

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NcoS), has announced the escape of sixteen inmates from the Keffi, Medium Security Custodial Centre Nasarawa State.

This was contained in a press release issued by the head of Media and Public Relation of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NcoS) Umar Danlami Abubakar DCC and obtained by our reporter in Minna, stated that some inmates at the facility, breached the security and attacked the personnel on duty.

The attacked, according to the head of the Media of the Service, was to make the personnel on duty to compromise the situation enabling sixteen inmates to escape custody.

The Nigerian Correctional Service wishes to inform the general public of an incident that occurred in the early hours of today 12th August, 2025 at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Keffi (New), Nasarawa State.

He disclosed as a result of curtailing the ugly situation,five Personnel of the facility sustained various degrees of injury, while two others are currently receiving urgent medical attention at a government medical facility.

Out of the fleeing inmates he disclosed that seven of them have been recaptured back and are now in custody.

The Controller General of Corrections, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, he said has visited the facility and has ordered a thorough investigation into the escape

He said no staff will be spared if found culpable. Furthermore, he has directed an immediate search to recapture the fleeing inmates in collaboration with sister security agencies.

He called on members of the Public to remain calm, vigilant and to promptly report any strange movements or sightings of fleeing inmates to the nearest security agencies for prompt action.

“Members of the public are hereby urged to remain calm, vigilant, and to promptly report any suspicious movements or sightings of fleeing inmates to the nearest security formation”

While preliminary investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the escape, the Service reassures the public of its unwavering commitment to public safety and the security of all custodial facilities nationwide

He reiterated the controller General stand of dealing with Personnel found in complicity in the incident will be sanctioned accordingly