Author: Editor

 By Owei Lakemfa The bright stars of Nigeria shown again when two famous African-Americans and two illustrious Africans last Saturday received the Medal of Glory Award, MOGA, in Miami, United States. It is a prestigious award by the Foundation for Democracy in Africa. Past recipients include former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, Bingu Wa Mutharika of Malawi, Abdou Diouf of Senegal and Alpha Omar Konare of Mali. The new recipients included Reverend Jesse Jackson, the protégé of Martin Luther King, who in 1984 came third in the Democratic Party Presidential nomination and second, four years later, behind Michael Dukakis. The…

Ben Ezechime, Enugu A civil rights group, Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN) says Imo is the most dangerous state to live in the entire South-East region. This was contained in its monthly human rights update entitled, “Increase in rights violations in South-East: Imo State Continues to be the most dangerous state to live in South-East Nigeria,” released to newsmen in Enugu the zonal headquarters of CRRAN. In the report, the group’s President, Olu Omotayo Esq, stated that the happenings in Imo State in recent times were not only worrisome but dangerous in a democracy. He said: “There have been…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development, FENRAD, a leading human and environmental rights advocacy group, has called for proper investigation of anyone opposed to the move by the Abia State Government to fence the Regional Cattle Market at Lokpanta, Umunneochi Local Government Area. Gov. Alex Otti had vowed to fence the market and convert it to a day market as part of efforts to improve security in the area after he had revealed that over 50 decomposing and 20 headless bodies were recovered around the market. FENRAD knocked those challenging the credibility of the Governor’s revelation,…

Ugo Nosiri, Owerri The Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbekokun, has assured Imo residents of their safety during and after the forthcoming governorship election. This is as he reiterated the Force’s commitment to remain neutral in the discharge of their duties during the exercise scheduled for November 11. IGP Egbekokun in an interactive meeting with stakeholders and various political parties in Owerri said the Police would remain impartial in providing security for voters and other officers deployed to conduct the election. IGP while assuring the stakeholders that the police would discipline any officer found wanting, urged the general public…

Ugo Nosiri, Owerri A Civil Society Organisation, YIAGA Africa, wants security agencies involved in the conduct of the November 11 off-cycle election in Imo State, to ensure the protection of voters’ rights during and after the poll. The group’s Director of Programmes, Miss Cynthia Mbamalu, gave the charge during a Media-Civil Society parley held in Owerri, the Imo State capital. She identified six local government areas with worrisome security concerns in the state, noting that the meeting was to discuss the pre-election environment and explore opportunities to promote a transparent process. Miss Mbamalu said YIAGA Africa would deploy over three…

Lawrence Nwaimo, Awka Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo has sworn-in Dr. Ebuka Nwankwo as his Special Adviser on Special Projects. Swearing in the new Adviser at the Executive Chambers, Government House, Awka, the Governor charged him to deploy his experience in the service of the state. The Governor stated that the oath of office and oath of allegiance are two vital constitutional requirements that help public office holders, calling on him to uphold them. He further remarked that his administration is deeply committed to delivering good governance to the people which explains his reason of continuous improvements…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia An Abia resident, Mrs Chigozie Francis, 35, has sent a Save Our Soul, SOS, message to Governor Alex Otti of Abia State for his urgent intervention as their family house has come under a serious threat of gully erosion. The house, a three-bedroom bungalow located at Umuagu Ibeku, adjacent to the State Criminal Investigative Department, CID, Uzuakoli Road, is about to be swallowed up by a dangerous gully erosion that developed in the area about two years ago. The mother of three who sobbed uncontrollably as she narrated her ordeals , said the house remained the only…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has refuted rumours of naira scarcity in the country, amid reports that there is no sufficient cash circulation in some commercial banks nationwide. The apex bank while reacting to reports of alleged scarcity of cash at the banks, automated teller machines (ATMs), Points of Sale (PoS) and Bureaux de Change (BDC) in some major cities across the country, said the seeming cash scarcity in some locations was largely due to high volume withdrawals from the CBN branches by Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and panic withdrawals by customers from the ATMs. There…

  By Azu Ishiekwene  Former vice president and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, said on Monday that Nigeria was the bigger loser in last week’s decision by the Supreme Court to uphold the election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. That was a convenient exaggeration to hide his misery. But it was unnecessary. After unsuccessfully contesting to be president six times, it would have been human for him to admit that this loss, on what might well be his last attempt, was difficult to bear. He didn’t need to frame it as a national tragedy, because quite frankly,…

Ben Ezechime, Enugu The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), has said that the current blackout in Imo State was a result of the Industrial action embarked by the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC. Mr Emeka Eze, Head of Corporate Communications of the company disclosed this in a press statement in Enugu on Thursday. The statement read: “The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) wishes to inform her esteemed customers in Imo State that the loss of supply currently being experienced is as a result of the industrial action by the organised labour union in Imo State.…