Author: Editor

Ben Ezechime, Enugu Enugu State Government has restated its commitment to providing Electricity services to the citizens of the state. Governor Peter Mbah gave this indication in Enugu during a Customer Complaints Resolution Meeting organised by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC. Mbah said that the government was currently studying underserved and unserved communities and will soon constitute the management of the newly established Enugu State Electrification Agency. The governor further stated that Enugu State is poised to catalyse the economic growth of the South-East. The governor represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Chidiebere Onyia, said the…

Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki The palace of the late traditional ruler of Umuezeokaoha community in Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State has been burnt by arsonists three days to his burial. The monarch, Igboke Ewa, was shot dead by gunmen in the place during the 2023 electioneering period. His assailants shot him repeatedly in his house in the night when they invaded the compound. Some persons were arrested by security agents over the incident while the body of the monarch was deposited in the morgue. His family members had announced his burial which comes up this weekend. But his…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has denied an application by former Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, challenging the authority of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to prosecute him. Recall that Obiano is currently facing nine charges after he was arraigned on January 24, for an alleged N4bn theft. However, he had filed a preliminary objection through his lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), claiming that the EFCC lacked the power to prosecute him. He also had requested that the charges against him be quashed, stating that they were an abuse of the court process. He…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka Three influential stakeholders and sons of Awka Kingdom in Anambra State have initiated moves to bring lasting solutions and an end to the incessant cult-related killings and other gun violence in the state capital. The stakeholders are Hon. Ossy Onuko, Managing Director, Awka Capital Territory Development Agency (ACTDA); Hon Nigeria Mbachu, Member representing Awka South 1 at the State House of Assembly; and Hon. ThankGod Anagor, Transition Committee Chairman, Awka South Local Government Area, Anambra State. They made their intentions known after a crucial meeting believed to have bordered on the security situation of the town. Recent…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Thursday, declared the immediate-past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, wanted for alleged financial fraud. This was contained in a post on the anti-graft’s official Facebook page. Bello failed to appear in Abuja court where the anti-graft agency filed a suit against him for allegedly embezzling N80.2 billion. The post read in part: “Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, is wanted by the EFCC for offences relating to economic and financial crimes to the tune of N80.2 bn. “Anybody with information as to his whereabouts should report immediately to the…

Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki Four suspected electricity installations vandals have been arrested in Afikpo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. The suspects were arrested by Neigborhood Watch Operatives in the council on Thursday morning. They were alleged to specialise in stealing transformers and electricity wires in different parts of the country. The suspects who came from the South-South Zone of Nigeria, targeted to steal a particular Transformer at Akpoha in Afikpo Local Government Area.  It was learned that they were at the verge of carrying the transformer at Akpoha when they were intercepted by the members of the Neighborhood Watch. They…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka The Transition Committee Chairman (TCC), Njikoka Local Government Area, Amb. Clems Aguiyi, has called on the state government to see to the full implementation of the Child’s Rights Act (CRA) and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP) to curb any form of gender-based violence in the state. Aguiyi made the call at the council secretariat during the inauguration of stakeholders to fight menace of child right violations in  Njikoka, Anambra State. He said there is need to eliminate violence in private and public life, prohibit all forms of violence against children, and provide maximum protection and effective…

By Azu Ishiekwene This was the question a friend of mine in his late 20s asked me when we woke up on April 14 to the news that Iran had launched over 300 drones and missiles towards Israel. Apart from video war games, the young man has not seen any wars. Nigeria’s civil war ended nearly two and a half decades before he was born. Of course, you don’t have to experience war to feel it. There’s a sense, for example, in which the more recent wars in the West African subregion or the more distant ones in Northeastern Africa or Europe…

Prof Nwala no longer ADF president – Abia Onyeike Ben Ezechime, Enugu The Congress of Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF), a pan-Igbo development and civilisation group, said it has suspended eleven of its former officers for engaging in subversive conducts aimed at undermining and destroying the foundation. But in a swift reaction, the newly elected secretary of the group, Mr Abia Onyeike countered that Professor Uzodinma Nwala was no longer the president as ADF had elected a new president. Addressing a press conference in Enugu on Wednesday, the Chairman of ADF Congress, Prof Uzodinma Nwala, said the suspended members are given…

Ben Ezechime, Enugu A university lecturer, Prof. Okey Ikeanyibe, has said that failure of many social policy programmes of various administrations was due to lack of expertise by people handling it. Ikeanyibe, who is a Professor of Administration and Policy at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), said this at the unveiling of a new Institute of Social Policy Studies, UNN. “Though everybody thought it to be an all comers affair but there is expertise and that is why you see many government social policies fail. “For example, a lot of poverty alleviation policies in the country are being implemented…