General News
National Assembly to translate laws into Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, others
The National Assembly will soon deepen the digitisation of parliamentary records by translating Nigerian laws into Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba and other local languages to expand public access to legislative information.
Mr Henry Nwawuba, the Executive Secretary, National Assembly Library Trust Fund, disclosed this while declaring open the 2026 National Assembly Library Week on Monday in Abuja.
The event was under the theme, “Parliamentary Memory: Connecting Records, Legislation and the People.”
Nwawuba said the three-day programme was designed as an annual platform to promote legislative research, access to information and effective utilisation of the resources of the National Assembly Library.
He described the library as more than a collection of books, saying “it serves as the knowledge infrastructure of the legislature and a repository of parliamentary records.”
He said the library was working to ensure that lawmakers, legislative aides, researchers and other stakeholders have access to authoritative parliamentary records, including Order Papers, Votes and Proceedings, Committee reports and Acts passed by the National Assembly.
Nwawuba said the Trust Fund was investing in electronic repositories and upgrading of its E-Library, while developing a National Assembly Library mobile application to make legislative information more accessible to lawmakers, staff members, researchers and members of the public.
He also announced plans for a Bills Tracker, which would enable users to follow bills and monitor their progress through the legislative process.
According to him, the library is developing infographics, audiovisual materials and video explainers to simplify Bills, Acts and legislative procedures for Nigerians.
He said the planned translation of laws into local languages would broaden access to legislative information and enable more citizens to understand laws that affect their daily lives.
Nwawuba said the library would also organise public policy dialogues to deepen citizens’ participation in public hearings and create more opportunities for interaction among legislators, citizens, researchers and other stakeholders.
He added that the initiatives were aimed at addressing inconsistencies in official parliamentary documents and the circulation of fake or unauthorised copies of National Assembly records.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, urged lawmakers to make greater use of the library, particularly in an era of increasing misinformation, disinformation and the rapid development of artificial intelligence.
Akpabio, represented by Sen. Osita Ngwu, described the library as a critical link between evidence, knowledge and legislative decision-making and called for continued support for its development.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, represented by the House Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, said legislative records were essential to understanding Nigeria’s legislative history and strengthening democratic governance.
Tajudeen said the strength of a legislature should be measured not only by the laws it enacted, but also on how effectively it documented its activities, preserved institutional knowledge and made such information available to future generations.
He said technology and artificial intelligence could improve legislative research, records preservation and access to information, but cautioned that their adoption must be guided by accuracy, security, professional judgment.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, said the National Assembly could not be truly independent if it lacked the capacity to generate, preserve, retrieve and authenticate its institutional knowledge and records.
Ogunlana said the library had an important role as a bridge between parliamentary records, legislation and the people, stressing that Parliament could not be fully transparent if its records could not be found, understood and trusted.
He identified the Order Paper, Votes and Proceedings and Hansard as key components of Nigeria’s democratic memory, explaining that the Order Paper provides the agenda for legislative business.
The Clerk warned against the circulation of incomplete, outdated, altered or unauthorised Bills, Acts and other parliamentary documents, saying digital technology had made it possible for documents to be manipulated and circulated.
He stressed that the integrity of an Act depended not merely on the existence of a document, but on the ability to establish which version was authentic, which was authoritative and the legal process through which it emerged.
He noted that the continued widespread use of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, LFN 2004, highlighted the challenges of maintaining a current and authoritative consolidated body of federal legislation.
He explained that the LFN 2004 reflected the laws covered by that revision exercise and was not automatically updated whenever a new Act was enacted.
Ogunlana said the National Assembly must also strengthen cybersecurity, digital preservation, secure authentication, access controls, backup systems and staff members’ training as parliamentary records become increasingly digitised.
He warned that while digitisation would make parliamentary information easier to access, search and disseminate, it could also expose records to cyberattacks, manipulation and impersonation of official sources.
The Clerk said digital platforms must therefore be accessible and secure, while electronic records must be available, authentic and traceable.
He said the National Assembly Library should evolve beyond being a repository where documents are kept to becoming an institution where parliamentary knowledge is preserved, authenticated and made accessible to lawmakers, researchers, journalists, civil society organisations, students and the wider public.
The President of the Nigerian Library Association, Dr Lawal Umar, called for sustained investment in libraries and modern information technology to improve access to legislative information, while urging stronger collaboration between the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly.
The Secretary-General, Conference of Speakers of African Legislatures, Amb. Debo Oyewale, said African legislatures had much to learn from one another in building institutions capable of preserving legislative memory.
–Court Orders Jordan To Produce American Passport
By Nick Ibe, Abuja
Jordan Ezenwo Nyesom-Wike, son of the FCT Minister, has been dragged to court over alleged fraud case involving $2.1m.
The suit, marked CV/008/2026, was filed by Safwan Garba GY and GY Global Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited.
Jordan is to produce his American passport in court as ordered by Justice Silvanus of High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.
The court made the order following an application by Counsel to the claimants, Hamza Dantani, during the defendant’s defence, in an alleged $2.1 million fraud case.
The claimants said they met Jordan in London, where they developed a friendship and after about three months, they met again in Abuja, where they approached him for assistance to facilitate the acquisition of land in the Federal Capital Territory.
The claimants claim that Jordan agreed to facilitate the acquisition of 30 hectares of land at Katampe and 30 hectares at Guzape. They alleged that Jordan told them the facilitation fee was $2.1 million, adding that $2 million was for his father, the FCT Minister, while $100,000 was his personal fee.
They further alleged that the cash was delivered on September 26, 2025 in the presence of Adamu Sani, Aliyu Sarki, and Sai Wani, while Jordan was accompanied by one Onor Sandy.
The claimants said after receiving the money, Jordan neither delivered the land nor returned the money, and instead went incommunicado.
At the resumed sitting, Jordan adopted his statement on oath and denied all the claims of the claimants.
He was represented by Mr. Ogwu Onoja, SAN, and some documents were tendered through the defendant.
During cross-examination by the claimants’ counsel, Hamza Dantani, Jordan denied any knowledge of what the counsel was talking about.
Dantani applied to the court for Jordan to write his full name on a plain paper five times and his signature the same number of times. The court granted the application, which was not opposed by the defence.
When asked where he was on September 26, 2025, he said he was not in the country.
Asked which passport he travelled with, he said his American passport, but that he could produce it if asked.
Dantani then applied to the court to have the passport produced in court. Justice Oriji then ordered that the passport be produced.
The court adjourned until Wednesday for continuation.
By Michael Lim
21 companies have been convicted and sentenced for operating without licenses from Security and Exchange Commission, SEC, by Justice Anyalewa Onoja-Alapa of the Federal High Court , Lafia Division, Nasarawa State.
The companies are: Ngwuoke Daniels Technologies, Credio Banco Ltd; Digital Company Ltd; Co Request Capital Nigeria Ltd; Mega Drop Quality Stores Ltd; Norland Global Ltd; Oxford International; Creative Agriculture Cooperative; Qnet Nigeria Ltd; Qnet ProfessionAl Skill Academy Ltd and Mastermind Energy &Agro Nigeria Ltd.
Others are: Atus West Africa Investment Company; Eatrich360 Farms; Matag Agro General Services; Viables X Agribusiness Ltd; Kwakol Markets Ltd; Light Shade International Ltd; Value Growth Ltd; B12 Synergy Nigeria Ltd; Phresh Farm Ltd and Omega Pro Global Resources.
The companies were arraigned by the Abuja Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on September 15, and 16, 2026, on a one-count charge each that bordered on illegal operation, contrary to Section 57 (1) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act of 2020.
The charge against Megadrop Quality Stores Limited reads: “That you, Megadrop Quality Stores Limited, a body corporate, registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, sometime in 2025, at Abuja within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, did engage in specialized business of other financial institution without valid licence to wit: advertising and operating a financial investment management without valid licence from the Securities and Exchange Commission; and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 57(1) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, 2020 and punishable under Section 57(5)(a) of the same Act.”
The charge against Ngwuoke Daniels Technologies reads: “That you, Ngwuoke Daniels Technologies, a body corporate, registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, sometime in 2025, at Abuja within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, did engage in specialized business of other financial institution without valid licence to wit: advertising and operating a financial investment management without valid licence by the Securities and Exchange Commission; and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 57(1) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, 2020 and punishable under Section 57(5)(a) of the same Act.”
The representatives of all the companies were absent when the charges were read, and upon application by the prosecution counsel, Nasir Umar, the court entered a “not guilty” plea on behalf of the companies and commenced trial.
The prosecution counsel relied on the witnesses and documents contained in the proof of evidence, in proving his case against the companies. He further tendered intelligence reports, statements of the investigating officers, letters of investigation activities, response from CAC, and response from SEC in evidence against the companies.
Following the presentations of the prosecution counsel, Justice Onoja-Alapa convicted and sentenced the companies to N30 million fine each. In addition, she ordered them to pay N200, 000, 00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira), for each of the day, they had committed the offence.
The companies were prosecuted following actionable intelligence available to the Commission that linked them to investment fraud and operating without license.
In the course of the investigations, the Commission invited the promoters of the companies for interrogation on December 22, 2022 and further interrogation on Thursday 12, January, 2023, which they all ignored. Over a period of five years, they evaded interrogation by the Commission, prompting the prosecution of the companies.
By Felix Umande
The Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, has appointed Dr. Augustine Laha Dzever as Director General of the Aondoakaa/Ogbenjuwa Campaign Organization.
Dr. Dzever, who hails from Buruku Local Government Area, is Chairman of the PDP G-14 and a former Chairman of the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), where he earned recognition for administrative competence and commitment to public service.
Announcing the appointment on Sunday, Chief Aondoakaa described Dzever as a renowned administrator, grassroots mobilizer and party stalwart, as well as a tested leader, bridge-builder and strategist with the capacity to coordinate a statewide campaign capable of uniting party members and mobilizing supporters.
He said Dzever has the capacity to drive the PDP’s “BENUE FIRST” message to every corner of the state and to liaise with the Strategic Alliance and the Rainbow Coalition to achieve success.
According to the PDP candidate, the choice of Dzever reflects the campaign’s commitment to assembling competent, experienced and credible individuals who share the vision of building a secure, prosperous and inclusive Benue.
He expressed confidence that the Campaign DG would bring his vast political experience, organizational skills and deep understanding of grassroots politics to bear in steering the campaign to victory.
Chief Aondoakaa added that other members of the campaign organization would be announced after due consultation with the leader of the party in the state, Chief Samuel Ortom; the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro; the State Executive Committee and other critical stakeholders.
He appreciated the leadership and members of the PDP for their support and appealed for sustained unity to strengthen the movement for a New Benue founded on security, economic prosperity, efficient health services, quality education and opportunities for all.
The appointment takes immediate effect, according to a statement signed by James Ian, Media Assistant to Chief Aondoakaa.
Nyesom Wike’s Son, Jordan, Dragged to Court for $2.1m Alleged Land Fraud
Spread the love–Court Orders Jordan To Produce American Passport By Nick Ibe, Abuja Jordan Ezenwo Nyesom-Wike, son of the FCT...
Nigerian Economy at Risk: 22 Firms Threatened by N3.9trn Debt
Spread the love–Job losses loom A wide disparity in the ability of companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited, NGX,...
National Assembly to translate laws into Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, others
Spread the loveThe National Assembly will soon deepen the digitisation of parliamentary records by translating Nigerian laws into Igbo, Hausa,...
Court Convicts 21 Companies in Absentia for Operating Illegal Investment Schemes
Spread the loveBy Michael Lim 21 companies have been convicted and sentenced for operating without licenses from Security and Exchange...
Aondoakaa Appoints Dzever As DG Of Campaign Organization
Spread the loveBy Felix Umande The Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State, Chief Michael Kaase...
Tennessee Governor Declines to Halt Execution of Woman on Death Row
Spread the loveIf the execution proceeds, Christa Pike would be the first woman to be executed in Tennessee in more...
Tinubu Again Movement 2027 sets for massive solidarity March, rally in AbujaBy Aliyu Musa
Spread the loveArrangements have been concluded by Tinubu Again Movement 2027 (TAM) for a massive solidarity March and support rally...
Kaduna State Nigeria’s Highest-ranked in the 2026 Transparency and Integrity Index
Spread the love–Niger State, Cross River and 31 others ranked low By Son Tertsea, Abuja Kaduna state has been judged...
NDLEA, UAE’s NDEA sign MoU to deepen Anti-narcotics Cooperation
Spread the loveBy Nick Ibe, Abuja The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)...
Rainbow Coalition Rejected As APC Chairmen Call for Wike’s Defection
Spread the loveThe Rainbow Coalition, FCT minister Nyesom Wike’s, political movement for the reelection of President BolaTinubu is facing rejection...