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Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Governor Alex Otti has reacted to the life imprisonment handed down to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja. In a statement personally signed by him, Otti said he had already activated a political solution aimed at securing Kanu’s release. “While Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is free to appeal his conviction, I’m happy to inform you that I have activated, and will continue to work on, the already agreed strategy until his freedom is secured,” he said. The Governor disclosed that he had…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia  Former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has said that the conviction and sentencing of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, did not come to him as a surprise. Abaribe, in a statement issued Thursday in Abuja by his Media Adviser, Uchenna Awom, described the life sentence handed down to Kanu as “a preconceived plot” long anticipated by the Igbo nation and other well-meaning Nigerians. He recalled that the refusal of the Federal Government to extend amnesty to Kanu—an appeal made at the time in line with similar concessions granted to…

By Vitus Ozoke Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to life imprisonment, and the country is reeling with outrage. Many Nigerians – east of the Niger and beyond – believe this was a gross miscarriage of justice, pointing to procedural flaws, substantive issues, and political motives. They are correct, but perhaps not in the way they think. The problem with Omotosho’s judgment is not just that it was unjust; it is that it was predictably unjust. So, although these critiques have some validity, a purely doctrinal or procedural view of justice might…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia A civic group, Abia Patriots, has cautioned chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State against what it described as a “destructive approach to opposition politics.” The group, led by the Special Adviser to the Senate President on Legal Matters, Monday Ubani, SAN, expressed displeasure over the combative posture of some APC leaders — particularly the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, and former Commissioner for Finance, Obinna Oriaku — toward the state government. Abia Patriots, a non-partisan body committed to promoting good governance and accountability, warned that opposition politics…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The family of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has raised the alarm over his alleged secret transfer to a correctional facility in Sokoto. Prince Emmanuel Kanu, who spoke on Friday, said members of Kanu’s legal team were shocked when they visited the Department of State Services (DSS) headquarters in Abuja—where he had been held—only to be informed that he had been moved to Sokoto. Describing the development as unacceptable, the family expressed deep concerns about Kanu’s safety in Sokoto. Prince Emmanuel alleged that the transfer was part of a…

…Seek presidential pardon Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Traditional rulers from Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State, the ancestral home of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, insisted that their son is a freedom fighter and not a terrorist contrary to his conviction on terrorism charge by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court Abuja. The monarchs in a statement issued on Friday vehemently disagreed with Justice Omotosho. Kanu hails from Isiama Afaraukwu Ibeku community, while his late father, HRM Israel Kanu, was a traditional ruler of his community. The statement was signed…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia About 1,000 athletes are expected to compete in 26 sporting events as Abia State hosts its first-ever Tertiary Education Sports Fiesta. The four-day event, scheduled for November 26–29, will hold simultaneously at the Umuahia Township Stadium and Ibeku High School. Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Prof. Uche Eme Uche, and the Commissioner for Sports, Nwaobilor Ananaba, announced this during a joint press conference in Umuahia. Prof. Uche said the fiesta aims to identify and nurture sporting talents among undergraduates of both public and private tertiary institutions in the state. She disclosed that Governor Alex Otti has approved ₦500,000…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) have rejected the life imprisonment handed down on Thursday to IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja. In separate statements, both groups described the judgment as unjust, politically motivated, and driven by hatred against the Igbo people. IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, faulted the ruling, arguing that it was illegal to convict anyone based on a repealed law. He insisted that no evidence linking Kanu to terrorism was…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Terrorists struck again in Niger State early Friday, abducting students of St. Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in Papiri community, Agwara Local Government Area. Local sources said the attack occurred around 2am. Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abubakar Usman, confirmed the incident but said the number of abducted students had yet to be determined. “The exact number of abducted pupils is still unclear as security agencies continue to assess the situation,” he said. The State Commissioner of Police, Adamu Abdullahi Ellema, also confirmed the attack, adding that police tactical units, military personnel, and other security agencies…

Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) has secured the conviction of four persons involved in vandalising its facilities in Ebonyi State. EEDC’s Group Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday. He said one of the convicts, Chukwuma Onwe, was on November 12, 2025, sentenced to four years’ imprisonment by Justice John Igboji of the Ebonyi State High Court, Ohaukwu Judicial Division, sitting in Ezzangbo. Onwe was found guilty on a three-count charge of conspiracy, damage and unlawful disconnection of transformer armoured cables, and stealing—offences contrary to the Ebonyi State…