
News
Supreme Court affirms FG’s sole control over Nigerian inland waterways
The apex court, in a judgment on Friday, January 5, held that it was wrong for states to seek to control the sector and impose levies on businesses operating in the nation’s inland waterways.
The Supreme Court held that existing laws give exclusive control of activities in the nation’s inland waterways to the FG through its agencies – the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and the Nigerian Maritime Standard and Safety Agency (NMSSA) – and no other tier of government.
The judgment, authored by Justice John Okoro, but read on Friday by Justice Emmanuel Agim, was on the appeal marked: SC/CV/17/2018, filed by the NIWA, NMSSA, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, and the Minister of Transport.
Respondents to the appeal were the Lagos State Waterways, the state’s Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, the state’s Attorney General, Governor of Lagos State, the Incorporated Trustees of Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transportation of Nigeria (ATBOWTN) and the Incorporated Trustees of Dredgers Association of Nigeria (DAN).
The appeal filed in 2018 was prosecuted for the appellants by a team of lawyers led by Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who was recently appointed as the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice.

The Supreme Court agreed with the appellants’ argument that NIWA is the only agency saddled with the responsibility to levy, impose and charge rates utilization along the declared waters of Nigerian Inland Waterways.
It added that NIWA is the rightful and legal agency of the Federal Government with the powers to exclusively manage, direct and control all activities on the navigable waters and its right of ways throughout the country for the purpose of inland navigation, pursuant to Sections 8 and 9 of NIWA Act.
The apex court equally agreed with the appellants that the activities of the Lagos government and its agencies constitute a flagrant usurpation and an illegal encroachment on the statutory functions of NIWA because the waterways of Lagos State, among others in Nigeria, fall under the Exclusive Legislative List set out in Part 1 of the Second Schedule to the 1999 Constitution.
It held that it is only the Federal Government, through the National Assembly that can validly legislate on Maritime Shipping and Navigation, adding that the power to legislate on any subject in the Exclusive Legislative List does not lie with the Lagos State Government.
The appellants had also argued that the activities of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) created by the Lagos Government, though the enactment of LASWA Law No. 14 of 2008 (LASWA 2008) by the state’s House of Assembly, to regulate, develop and manage all aspects of the waterways in Lagos State is unconstitutional.
The apex court noted that existing laws do not favour Lagos government’s arguments on resource control, but that political stakeholders, including the Legislature could work on ways to amend the law to address the concern raised by Lagos and others on the issue.
The Supreme Court restored the judgment delivered on March 28, 2014 by Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Lagos and reversed the July 18, 2017 judgment of the Court of Appeal (Lagos division), which set aside the Federal High Court judgment.
The Court of Appeal had, among others, held that the inland waterways within Lagos State, not captured by the National Inland Waterways Act, are within the legislative competence of the state’s Legislature and that the state could collect taxes/levies on businesses on waterways which start and terminate in the state.
Confronted with a regime of multiple charges by the agencies of both the FG and Lagos govt, ATBOWTN and DAN in 2012 filed a suit, marked FHC/L/CS/543/2012 at the Federal High Court, Lagos to determine which tier of government was empowered by extant laws to license and levy business operators on the nation’s inland waterways.
In his judgment on the case, Justice Tsoho held among others, that NIWA and NMSSA are the proper and lawful agencies with authority in matters relating to the commercial activities of ATBOWTN and DAN, who are involved in water tourism, water transportation and sand dredging within the national inland waterways.
Justice Tsoho restrained the Lagos State Waterways Authority and the state’s Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructural Development from further seeking to control the commercial activities of the plaintiffs – ATBOWTN and DAN.
It is the decision by Justice Tsoho that the Court of Appeal set aside in its July 18, 2017 judgment on the appeal, marked: CA/L/886/2014 filed by the Governor of Lagos State and three others.
NIWA and three others challenged the Appeal Court’s decision at the Supreme Court, which in the January 5 judgment reversed the decision of the lower court and affirmed the March 28, 2014 judgment by Justice Tsoho.
NATION
News
Nigerian woman commits suicide two years after relocating to UK on skilled worker visa
A United Kingdom UK-based Nigerian, Beatrice Solomon, 27, was found dead in her home on Wednesday.
A coroner in the United Kingdom ruled that a 27-year-old Nigerian woman, Beatrice Solomon, died by suicide after an inquest into her death.
Beatrice, a mother of one, was found unresponsive at her home on Norris Road in Stanfield by her husband, Damian Butler, on March 4.
According to evidence presented at the inquest, Butler, 40, had left for his delivery job at about 4:30 p.m. before returning home roughly two hours later to use the toilet, where he made the tragic discovery.
Police Constable Hinchliffe told the hearing that paramedics arrived shortly afterwards, but Beatrice was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:21 p.m. Officers also ruled out any third-party involvement.

The inquest heard that Beatrice moved from Nigeria to Stoke-on-Trent in November 2023 on a skilled worker visa, where she worked as a carer. She is survived by her young son and siblings.
Giving evidence, Butler said Beatrice had struggled with her mental health over the previous 12 months due to ongoing issues involving Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
He also revealed that he later discovered she had made two previous attempts to take her own life.
Pathologist Dr Jones told the inquest that Beatrice died from oxygen deprivation.
Delivering her conclusion, Coroner Li Hammond-Naylor ruled that Beatrice died by suicide.
She said: “It is clear to me that Beatrice had researched and planned how to take her own life. I can only extend my sincere condolences to Beatrice’s family and friends.”
News
Police arrest ‘PFIPC Director-General’, Adeyemi
• My life is in danger – ‘Fake’ PFIPC DG’ Adeyemi claims
The “Director-General” of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi, has been arrested by security operatives following a warrant issued by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Adeyemi was picked up on Tuesday at his hideout in Osun State, shortly after Justice Mohammed Umar ordered his arrest over his failure to appear in court for his arraignment.
The Police PRO confirmed that he was arrested by a team of FID/IRT in Osun.
Details of the arrest remain sketchy as of press time, but sources said the suspect would be taken to the Police Headquarters in Abuja for further action.
The arrest followed a brief ruling by Justice Umar, who issued a bench warrant after Adeyemi failed to appear before the court despite several adjournments.

Earlier in the proceedings, Adeyemi’s counsel, Genesis Francis, told the court that he could not convince his client to attend the hearing, citing concerns raised by the defendant.
The lawyer informed the court that Adeyemi had expressed fears for his safety in an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, noting that the matter had generated significant public attention.
However, prosecuting counsel, Wisdom Madaki, argued that the case had suffered repeated delays due to the defendant’s absence.
Madaki urged the court to issue a warrant for Adeyemi’s arrest in line with Section 394 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
Granting the request, Justice Umar held that the charges were filed on November 27, 2025, while proceedings commenced on December 4, 2025.
The judge noted that Adeyemi had appeared in court only once and had failed to attend subsequent proceedings.
He consequently ordered his arrest and adjourned the matter until September 30.
Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the man accused of forging government appointment letters and parading himself as the PFIPC DG, had earlier expressed fears for his life saying he was not in any way hiding from law enforcement agents.
While speaking on Channels TV on Monday night July 13, Adeyemi said
“I’m ready to show my face. I’m not hiding. I’m only fearing for my life because I have it on good authority that my life is in danger,” he said on the current affairs programme, alleging threats to his life. There have been several attempts on my life,” Adeyemi said.
Adeyemi also alleged that there had been multiple attempts on his life but did not disclose further details or identity of those allegedly behind the attacks.
“And I’m ready for that. There are several attempts to… my life,” he added.
Adeyemi’s remarks come as controversy continues to trail the purported PFIPC, which the Presidency has repeatedly described as a non-existent government agency.
News
Adeniyi Adeyemi: I borrowed N100m to secure PFIPC DG appointment — lenders have reported me to EFCC
Adeniyi Adeyemi, director-general (DG) of the “controversial” presidential foreign intervention promotion council (PFIPC), says those who lent him N100 million to secure the appointment have petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over repayment.
Adeyemi, who is facing allegations of forgery and impersonation over the existence of the PFIPC, spoke on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
The presidency has said the council does not exist and that Adeyemi was never appointed by the office of the chief of staff to the president.
On July 7, President Bola Tinubu directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to conduct a “thorough investigation” into the PFIPC controversy.
Responding to questions about the source of the funds he used to operate and resources at his disposal, Adeyemi said the money was borrowed.

“Mr. Seun, I borrowed this money. In fact, those that I borrowed this N100 million have reported to EFCC,” he said.
“I borrowed this money to pay for this appointment. In fact, I can tell you, they have reported to the EFCC, asking me to refund their money. I borrowed this money.”
Adeyemi also dismissed allegations that he falsely claimed to have received an appointment from the United Nations (UN).
“It’s all sponsored. It’s a campaign of calumny. They should let us face the facts and documents. It is unfortunate that some actors in the government are taking up this matter. It’s unfortunate, and it’s embarrassing,” he said.
“Honestly, imagine the government claiming that one man, and called me a con artist, manoeuvred the whole system; it is unfortunate.”
Reacting to reports that a US-based lobbying firm is helping him seek asylum abroad, Adeyemi denied planning to leave Nigeria.
“I just ignored it because they sponsor a lot of people to bring my social media handle down,” he said.
“I don’t really know much about what is going on again. They said I was about to run away out of Nigeria. I’m still in Nigeria. I’m not going anywhere.”
Source: TheCable
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