Author: Editor

Ben Ezechime, Enugu The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has strongly condemned the suspension of three University of Ibadan (UI) students—Ayodele Aduwo, Mide Gbadegesin, and Nice Linus—for protesting against tuition hikes. In a statement issued by its Media and Communications Officer, Mr. Robert Egbe, CAPPA said Aduwo and Gbadegesin were suspended for four semesters after appearing before the university’s disciplinary panel on July 14, 2025. The NGO described the action as the culmination of a year-long pattern of intimidation by the university. It said the affected students, known for their academic excellence and activism, had been repeatedly harassed…

Ben Ezechime, Enugu The Chairman of Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area, Enugu State, Dr. Eric Odo, has debunked claims that the recent relocation of yam sellers at the Ogbede Market was an act of victimisation. Dr. Odo said the relocation exercise was carried out in agreement with the traders and not a unilateral decision by the council. He made the clarification while reacting to a protest by some of the traders, who alleged that the relocation was forced and led to losses of goods and money. Describing the allegations as false and malicious, Odo said the protest was a calculated attempt…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka The Ebonyi State High Court has discharged and acquitted 24 Biafran detainees—out of 36 arrested and held since May 24, 2020—of all lingering charges. Delivering the ruling, Hon. Justice I.P. Chima declared the accused persons innocent of all allegations brought against them. Reacting to the judgment, lead counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Esq. (KSC), described the verdict as bold, fearless, and intellectually sound. He commended Justice Chima for affirming their legal arguments in totality and for reinforcing the judiciary’s position as the last hope of the common man. “Justice was delayed,…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Anambra State chapter, has expressed deep disappointment over what it described as the “shameful and inexcusable failures” plaguing the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise across the state. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Publicity Secretary of the group, Barr. Uzo Ekemezie, raised serious concerns that what should have been a seamless civic process has instead turned into a deliberate scheme to disenfranchise thousands of eligible voters in many communities. The group cited reports of widespread operational glitches, including grossly inadequate deployment of personnel and registration equipment by the Independent National Electoral Commission…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia About 200 widows from the Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency were on Thursday empowered by the member representing the constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ibe Okwara Osonwa. The beneficiaries, who had earlier undergone vocational training in skills such as soap-making, hairdressing, and make-up artistry, also received start-up kits to help them launch their businesses. Speaking during the empowerment event, Rep. Osonwa said the initiative was part of his unwavering commitment to improving the welfare of widows and other vulnerable groups in his constituency by providing them with sustainable means of livelihood. The Labour Party lawmaker said he…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Agricultural and Industrial Entrepreneurs of Nigeria (AIEN) has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing Mr. Bonaventure Okhaimo as Managing Director/CEO of the National Credit Guarantee Company Limited (NCGC). In a statement issued Thursday by its National President and former Director General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Chief Chuku Wachuku, AIEN described Okhaimo’s appointment as a major boost to entrepreneurship in the agriculture and small and medium enterprises (SME) sector. The Board of Directors of NCGC, chaired by former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, with Okhaimo as Managing Director, was inaugurated…

…Identifies causes as strategic workshop holds in Umuahia Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia A recent survey conducted by the Federal Ministry of Health has identified Bende, Ugwunagbo, and Ukwa East Local Government areas as the top three LGAs in Abia State with the highest maternal mortality rates. Dr. Onuka Okorie, the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAP) Desk Officer in the state, made the disclosure during a presentation at a four-day workshop for health leaders and managers in Abia. The workshop, organised under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), was attended by key stakeholders including representatives of the World Health Organisation (WHO), the…

Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki In a major political development in Ebonyi State, former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Joseph Onu Silas, has resigned from the party, citing irreconcilable differences and undue interference by some sitting governors. Mr. Onu announced his resignation in a letter dated July 16, 2025, addressed to the PDP Chairman in Obiozara Ward, Ohaozara Local Government Area. Describing his decision as one taken “with a heavy heart but for a more patriotic reason,” Onu said internal crises and the influence of powerful individuals within the PDP had compelled him to seek a new political direction. He…

…Demand new constitution Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Former President Olusegun Obasanjo; ex-Secretary General of the Common Wealth of Nations, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Victor Attah, among other patriots and elder statesmen, on Wednesday convened a national constitutional summit in Abuja. In attendance at the summit were leaders of regional bodies and socio-cultural organisations including Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Pan Niger Delta Development Forum, PANDEF, who made presentations at the gathering. Other patriots at the summit included General Ike Nwachukwu, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, Prof. Pat Utomi, and Prof. Mike Ozekhome (SAN). Human Rights Activist, Femi Falana (SAN), Dr Kayode…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Amid the soaring cost of chemical fertilisers, farmers have been urged to adopt biochar—a charcoal-like substance derived from agricultural waste through pyrolysis—as a cheaper, more effective, and environmentally friendly alternative. According to experts, biochar not only improves soil fertility and increases crop yields but also helps in mitigating soil acidity, a common challenge in South-East Nigeria. It is considered a more sustainable option compared to synthetic fertilisers, which are increasingly unaffordable for many rural farmers. With a 50kg bag of chemical fertiliser now selling for between ₦40,000 and ₦50,000 depending on the type, biochar has become a…