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Our Reporter, Abuja Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has resigned from office with immediate effect, citing health reasons. His resignation was conveyed in a letter dated December 1 and addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. According to a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, President Tinubu has accepted the resignation and expressed gratitude to Abubakar for his service to the nation. The President is expected to communicate a replacement to the Senate later this week. Abubakar, 63, served as Governor of Jigawa State between 2015 and 2023 before being…
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) are pushing for improved offers as the Federal Government has reportedly proposed a 40% salary increase for university lecturers. Although the proposal is yet to be officially confirmed, members of ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC), who met in Abuja on Sunday night with the Federal Government delegation, declined to comment, insisting they must first consult with their various branches. ASUU leadership is expected to return to the negotiation table with the Federal Government team headed by Yayale Ahmed. The union’s position follows a consensus reached at the NEC…
By Vitus Ozoke There are many ways a nation can announce its decline. Some do it with coups, some with hyperinflation. Nigeria, ever inventive, does it with ambassadorial lists. Bola Tinubu’s latest nominations, which include former Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, both rejected at the senatorial ballot box by their own people, are not merely appointments. They are indictments. Indictments of judgment, of values, and of a political culture that has perfected the art of punishing excellence and rewarding failure. An ambassador, in any functioning state, is not a souvenir. He is not…
Our Reporter, Abuja The Kukah Centre has issued a clarification following widespread public backlash over comments attributed to the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, His Grace, Most Revd. Matthew Hassan Kukah, on alleged genocide against Christians in Nigeria. The fiery Catholic priest was recently reported to have denied the existence of any genocide against Christians in Nigeria, a position many argue was inconsistent with some of his past statements. But in a press release on Monday, the Kukah Centre accused some media outlets of “selectively quoting and distorting” the Bishop’s speeches delivered at two high-profile events — the launch of…
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Governor Alex Otti has organised a state birthday celebration in honour of music icon and elder statesman, Sir Paulson Kalu, in recognition of his remarkable contributions to the music industry. Sir Paulson Kalu’s highlife music gained popularity across Nigeria shortly after the Nigeria/Biafra civil war. Speaking at the colourful ceremony held over the weekend at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia, and attended by leading figures in the music industry, Governor Otti said Kalu had paid his dues in the musical arts. Describing the music legend as a man of strong values, the Governor explained that his administration’s…
…Restates commitment to governance Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, has disclosed that he has issued over 10, 562 Certificates of Occupancy (C of O), since he came to power in May 2023. Otti who made the disclosure during a media parley in Umuahia, said he would continue to give attention to governance and not be distracted by attention- seeking individuals camouflaging as opposition. He explained that the number of C of Os he issued within two and half years of superintending over the affairs of the state, had surpassed the total number released in over 10…
By Owei Lakemfa I have worried that President Bola Tinubu did not appreciate the fact that our country is at war against vicious, unfeeling bandits and terrorists who massacre babies, children, the young and the old. But on November 26, 2025, he proclaimed a state of emergency declaring war on these criminals some of who are foreign invaders. Tinubu had also announced the decision and determination of the government to fight and defeat these criminals and, free the country from their grip. This is a welcome departure from his previous position that what is going on is some ‘herder-farmer’ clash…
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Methodist Archbishop of Umuahia Diocese, Archbishop Raphael Opoko, has said that Nigeria lacks the capacity to tackle the rising wave of insecurity, especially banditry and terrorism ravaging different states in the country. Archbishop Opoko, who spoke while featuring as a resource person at the Ikengaonline monthly town hall meeting, urged the Federal Government to seek external help and deal decisively with the monster. He said: “Nigeria has not got the capacity to be able to deal with this situation and protect the lives of the citizens for which all these people were elected, both the President and…
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, on Sunday morning, visited the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, at the Sokoto Correctional Centre, Sokoto State. This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma. According to the statement, Governor Otti encouraged Kanu to remain strong, assuring him that the engagements initiated over two years ago—of which Kanu was aware—had been intensified despite recent developments. “The Governor enjoined Kanu to remain calm but strong, assuring that the issue will be resolved administratively and that he,…
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Bandits struck again on Sunday, invading a newly established Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Ejiba, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, and abducting the pastor, his wife, and several members of the congregation. The attack occurred on November 30, 2025, while the church service was ongoing. The pastor, popularly known as Orlando, was reportedly taken away along with his wife and an unspecified number of church members. Residents described the incident as terrifying, noting that the bandits stormed the community unexpectedly, leaving many in shock. The exact number of abductees had not been confirmed at…