NEWS
Don canvasses judicial activism for access to justice

Prof. Ademola Popoola of the Department of Jurisprudence and International Law, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, has called for adequate and unencumbered access to justice for all through judicial activism.
Popoola made the call on Thursday while delivering a keynote address at the opening ceremony of an international conference organised by the Faculty of Law, University of Ilorin, in conjunction with Global South Network.
The conference was themed: “Law, Society and Academia in the Global South: Challenges and Prospects for Nigeria”.
The don described judicial activism as the surest way of perpetuating the prevalence of peace, progress and stability in a given society.
Popoola added that it is only when access to justice can be taken for granted by all and sundry that the justice sector would be seen to be truly people-centred.
He submitted that promotion of access to justice would ultimately bring about a just, peaceful and inclusive society.
“Justice is the ligament, which joins different segments of a given society together and that nothing must be done in a way that access to justice would be hindered for such a society to remain stable.
“Every litigant, notwithstanding his socio-economic background and wherewithal, must be assured of equal access to justice,” he said.
He asserted that equal access to justice can be achieved by ensuring that the cost of pursuing justice is affordable to all.
The expert on Law also urged stakeholders in the justice sector to ensure unhindered access to information.
He added that when every individual is granted access to required information, the cause of justice would be adequately protected.
He also encouraged stakeholders to promote what he called horizontal accountability where everyone would ensure accountability and not just accountability from those holding one position or the other.
He urged the nation’s judiciary to remain impartial in order to ensure that justice is done at all times and on all issues.
Popoola said that everything worth doing must be done to ensure that the people do not lose respect for the judiciary.
He added that the loss of confidence in the judiciary is an indirect invitation to anarchy and instability, stressing that it is only an independent, well staffed and adequately funded judiciary that can check the abuse of power.
Earlier, Prof. Nimah AbdulRaheem, the Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Ilorin, explained that the realisation of the fact that the law of any society is not static informed the organisation of the conference.
She underscored the need for constant interaction among stakeholders, and urged participants to take advantage of the conference to unveil their perspectives on the subject-matter.
Earlier, the Chairman of the event and Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, said that the conference would no doubt help the country in several ways.
Ariwoola, who was represented by the Presiding Judge of the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, explained that all hands must be on deck to promote greater access to justice for all manners of people.
He added that Nigeria must remain a model in democracy and that an efficient judiciary is the hallmark of good governance, which democracy is all about.
NEWS
Alausa Condemns Incident in Viral Asaba Exam Video

The Federal Ministry of Education has condemned the incident involving candidates sitting the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) at night using torchlights.The Minister of State for Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, expressed his displeasure in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo.
Boriowo quoted the minister as outlining the situation captured in the widely circulated video as “completely unacceptable”, adding that all necessary measures would be taken to prevent a recurrence. He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to ensuring a conducive environment for learning and assessment.Alausa criticised the poor conditions under which the examination was conducted at Unity Secondary School in Asaba, Delta, under the supervision of the State Ministry of Education.“The ministry’s attention has been drawn to the conduct of an examination in an unsuitable environment, as seen in footage circulating on social media.“This reveals an inappropriate setting for such a critical academic exercise, and it occurred under the oversight of the Delta State Ministry of Education”.The minister stated that the ministry is working in collaboration with the Delta government and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to investigate the matter and ensure appropriate corrective measures are taken.“The outcome of the investigation will be made public as necessary,” he added.Alausa reiterated his commitment to improving educational infrastructure and ensuring that students across the country have access to safe and enabling environments for teaching, learning, and assessment. (NAN)NEWS
Zulum Announces Scholarship for Female Indigenous with 250, Above in UTME

Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno has announced a full scholarship for all female indigenes of the state who scored 250 and above in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).The UTME is conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for candidates seeking admission into tertiary institution after their secondary school education.
Zulum made the scholarship announcement on Saturday in Maiduguri. He spoke during the inauguration of new executive members of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), Maiduguri Chapter, and a scholarship programme facilitated by his wife, Dr. Habiba Babagana Zulum.The governor said the initiative was aimed at promoting girl-child education and encouraging female students.He said it was to encourage them to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) as well as technical and vocational education.“In order to encourage girl-child education in the state, I want to announce that all female indigenes who scored 250 and above in JAMB would be sponsored by the Borno State Government to study STEM or technical/vocational education,” Zulum said.The governor directed the acting Chief of Staff, the State Scholarship Board, Ministry of Education and APWEN to identify and screen eligible candidates for the scholarship scheme.He commended his wife for her efforts in supporting education and acknowledged APWEN’s role in promoting the engineering profession among women and girls in Borno.The governor’s wife delivered a paper titled, “The Role of Mentorship in Encouraging Girls to Pursue Engineering Careers in Nigeria”.She emphasised the importance of mentorship in enhancing both personal and professional development among young girls.Dr. Zulum noted that women made up only 14 per cent of Nigeria’s STEM workforce, which should be improved upon.“Mentorship is critical to shaping the minds and future of upcoming generations,” she said.She highlighted its role in building confidence, breaking stereotypes, fostering critical thinking and creating access to opportunities.In her remarks, the outgoing APWEN Chairperson, Kori Shettima, expressed pride in the association’s achievements, particularly in advocacy and mentorship for girls in STEM fields.“I am proud of the progress we have made, the lives we have touched and the young minds we have inspired,” Shettima said.Highlights of the event include the inauguration of the 4th Chairperson of APWEN, Maiduguri Chapter, Engr. Hajju Tijjani Gazali.It also featured the presentation scholarships – N200,000 each to six top-performing female pupils of Wulari Primary School and N300,000 each to six best science students of Federal Government Girls College, Monguno. (NAN)NEWS
PCRC Gets New Leadership in Imo

The Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in Owerri has elected and inaugurated a new set of executive officers led by Mr Bathram Uzodinma.The National Chairman of the PCRC, Alhaji Mogaji Olaniyi, inaugurated the 15-man executive committee, as part of activities marking the PCRC’s 41st anniversary celebrations held in Imo on Saturday.
Olaniyi charged the Uzodinma-led executives to eschew arrogance, power confrontation and vindictiveness in the discharge of their duties. He also urged the PCRC family in the state to extend their support and cooperation to the new executives. He urged them to keep the flag flying through commitment and dedication to duty, to strengthen the relationship between the police and the public.He, however, hailed the immediate past excos led by Mr Chima Chukwunyere for their exemplary performance which he noted has raised the credibility of the organisation.The Commissioner of Police in the state, Aboki Danjuma, represented by the command’s spokesman, ASP Henry Okoye, commended Mogaji for enhancing the relationship between the police and the public.He said that sustained partnership, trust and collaborations were of crucial importance for the police and the PCRC to move on.He congratulated the new Excos on their emergence and wished them a successful tenure.Also speaking, Uzodinma pledged to justify the confidence reposed in him, promising a robust relationship between the police and the public.Earlier, Chukwunyere said he established a weekly radio programme in Owerri to smoothen the relationship of the police with the public.He added that he also created a stronger public awareness on the dangers of cultism, drug addiction and other vices among students. According to him, police still remain friends with members of the public. Chukwunyere, who is the MD/CEO of Domino Paramount Hotel Owerri, said that between 2008 till date, he had so far offered free hotel accommodation to police officers on transit to the tune of N7.6 million. “ In addition to the radio programmes, the Imo PCRC under my watch regularly visited secondary schools across the state to sensitise students on the dangers of drug abuse and cultism, with our 68th visit last Thursday, to City School, Owerri”, he said. Report says that erstwhile Chairman Chukwunyere joined the association in 1996.NAN also noted that he had served in various leadership positions since 2008, including Southeast Zonal Chairman, culminating in being the Imo chairman in 2025.Chukwunyere has now been elevated to the position of National Consultant, Community Policing of the PCRC, for his role in reviving and revitalising the committee in Imo and the Southeast. (NAN)