Author: Editor
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, Senator Ireti Kingibe, has said that non-payment of ground rents does not constitute grounds for arbitrary takeover of property by government agencies. The Senator who spoke against the background of sealing of several properties including the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja, by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Thursday via a statement, contended that sealing of structures for default in payment of relevant fees should have human face especially in view of the choking economic realities in the country. The statement made available to Ikengaonline read: “I am…
Ben Ezechime, Enugu Police operatives from the Enugu State Command says it had rescued a 13-year-old girl from suspected ritual killers in Umuojor village, in Ishiagu community, Umumba Nduagu community, Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State. According to a Police statement, the operation was carried out in collaboration with Neighbourhood Watch personnel and vigilant group in the area. SP Daniel Ndukwe, the spokesperson for the command said that the operation, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday May 27, 2025, at approximately 3:15 a.m., also resulted in the arrest of three male suspects including Uche Kingsley Agumba (33),…
Ben Ezechime, Enugu The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs Zubaida Umar, has disclosed that 25 lives were lost, 166 persons injured and 9,352 households directly affected by 2024 flooding in Enugu State. She said this at a stakeholders’ engagement on National Disaster Preparedness and Response Campaign (NPRC) 2025 held in Enugu. The engagement had the theme, “Strengthening Resilience, Enhancing Preparedness and Response: Taking Disaster Risk Management to the Grassroots to Save Lives, Restore Normalcy and Build Communal Resilience Across Nigeria.” Represented by a Director in NEMA, Dr Evans Ugoh, the director general noted that 55,094…
Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki A 40-year-old man, Mr Emmanuel Nwedu, has been remanded at a correctional centre over the alleged murder of his uncle. This followed his arraignment before an Abakaliki Magistrates’ Court II on Tuesday. After killing his uncle, it was learned that the suspect drank his blood. The suspect’s plea, who has been facing a count charge of murder, was not taken as he had no legal representation in court. The Senior State Counsel, Mr Emmanuel Alo, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on May 24 at Ugboenyim, in Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.…
By Stephen Ukandu & Agency Report Serious indications have emerged Billionaire Tech Entrepreneur, and President Donald Trump’s ally, Elon Musk, is set to quit Trump’s cabinet. Ikengaonline reports that Musk was among the highest financiers of Trump’s second term project. White House source confirmed that “Musk is leaving his role in the Trump administration.” Similarly, Musk revealed on his X handle that his scheduled time as a “special government employee is coming to an end.” Musk had led the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, with the ambition of sacking federal workers and cutting red tape. “I would like…
Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has dismissed reports that he is being controlled by his predecessor, David Umahi. Nwifuru who dismissed the reports on Wednesday in Abakaliki, capital of the state, noted that the current Minister of Works did not even impose any conditions on him in exchange for his support during the election. Mr Nwifuru gave the clarification during a lecture to mark his second anniversary in office. He maintained that any actions, inactions or mistakes of his administration should be blamed on him and not on any other person. He said: “I am logically…
By Nnamdi Ikechi In the wake of the criminal defamation charges filed against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, offered a spirited defence rooted in constitutional liberty. Citing the Court of Appeal’s decision in Arthur Nwankwo v. The State (1985) 6 NCLR 228, Falana urged the Attorney-General of the Federation to withdraw the charges, suggesting that they amount to a violation of the right to freedom of expression. While the intentions behind his intervention may be noble, the legal reasoning is flawed, outdated, and ultimately unconvincing in the context of the current case. Falana’s Misapplication of Nwankwo…
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Contrary to initial reports, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, has said that the Monday explosion that occurred opposite a military cantonment in Abuja, was not an act of suicide bombing. According to the FCT Minister, the victim of the explosion mistaken to be a suicide bomber was rather ignorantly conveying explosive material from a quarry site before it exploded. Wike made the clarification during a project inspection on Wednesday in Abuja. Recall that the explosion involving only one casualty had sparked panic in the nation’s seat of power.
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Abia State Government said it had paid a counterpart fund of N3.5 billion as requirement for the upgrade of roads and setting up of agro logistics hubs in 10 Local Government Areas of the state under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Program (RAMP). Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, who disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the outcome of this week’s expanded State Executive Council meeting, said the payment demonstrated Gov. Alex Otti’s commitment to the development of rural communities. He said the projects are expected to commence across the benefitting LGAs as soon as the…
Lawrence Nwimo, Awka The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), to prioritize relief and recovery over punishment for traders in the Onitsha Head Bridge Market. The market was closed due to the alleged presence of fake drugs and counterfeit goods, but Obi believes that the current approach to reopening the market is unfair to small business owners. According to reports, traders are being asked to pay ₦700,000 each to reopen their stores, with additional charges for individual violations. Consequently, Obi, in a…