The Rivers State High Court has firmly denied issuing any ruling ordering a purported Sole Administrator to vacate Government House, distancing itself from an online report that falsely attributed such a decision to one of its judges.
The controversial report, which circulated widely online, claimed that Justice Boma Diepriye of the Federal High Court had declared the appointment of a sole administrator in the Rivers State Government House “illegal, null, and void.” However, the judiciary has dismissed the report as inaccurate and misleading.
In an official statement released on Thursday and signed by Chief Registrar David Ihua-Maduenyi, the court clarified that no such ruling was made. The statement further corrected the record, noting that the name “Boma Diepriye” likely referred to Hon. Justice Boma Diepiri, who is in fact a judge of the Rivers State High Court, not the Federal High Court, as erroneously reported.
“Hon. Justice Boma Diepiri is currently on Easter vacation, which began on April 14, 2025. He is not the designated vacation judge and, as such, has not presided over any matters since the vacation commenced,” the Chief Registrar said.
The court categorically stated that no judge of the State High Court has issued any order on the subject matter reported online.
Describing the publication as a product of sensationalism and poor journalistic ethics, Ihua-Maduenyi expressed concern over the rising trend of unverified information being circulated by bloggers and online news platforms.
“It is regrettable that some bloggers and online news reporters have traded professionalism on the altar of pecuniary gains derived from web traffic,” he noted.
The judiciary urged members of the public and media practitioners to seek proper clarification from official sources before publishing reports that involve court proceedings or judicial officers.
“This institution remains committed to transparency, but we call on the public and the media to exercise due diligence and avoid misinformation,” the statement concluded.
© Ripples Nigeria