Author: Editor

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Federal Government has remained silent as reactions trail last weekend’s opinion by the United Nations, UN Human Rights Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, requesting Nigeria to “immediately release” the detained Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and also pay him compensations for the violation of his fundamental human rights. Accordingly, Methodist Church Prelate, Bishop Samuel Uche, has urged the Federal Government to initiate negotiations with the IPOB leader, Kanu. Former Chairman of Human Rights Commission, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, however, has reservations whether Nigeria would comply with the UN opinion but said…

By Uzor Maxim Uzoatu Some stories are impossible to wipe from the mind, especially if one had a ringside seat in the unfolding of the macabre act. An old friend ran into me recently at a sporting event, and all he wanted me to recall was the night one of Nigeria’s most flamboyant boxers nearly died under my watch. The shocking near-tragedy happened before my very eyes when I was a young reporter of THISWEEK magazine that was about to hit the newsstands. The editor of the magazine, Sonala Olumhense, had told me not to bother to come to the…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Two persons including a Cash Officer, and a robber were killed in Abia when a robbery gang attacked a bullion van conveying money from Aba to Umuahia. About three police personnel were also wounded during a gun duel with the gang in the incident which occurred around Ntigha junction of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway. Eyewitnesses said the robbers carted away undisclosed sum of cash being conveyed by the bullion van. The rapid response team of police drafted to the scene following a distress call, was said to have neutralised one of the robbers before others escaped the…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia, with Our Reporter, Abuja Intelligence report has revealed that terrorists including Boko Haram and ISWAP are amassing weapons to launch  coordinated attacks in three states of the country. The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), which raised the alarm in a leaked memo, identified the states as Katsina, Kogi, Lagos, as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. NSCDC revealed that Boko Haram and Islamic State for West Africa Province terrorists, from the intelligence it gathered, had mobilised their fighters and had equipped themselves with dangerous weapons like Anti-aircraft guns, general purpose machine guns, among others,…

Nonsochukwu Uwa, Owerri Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, on Tuesday blocked the Imo Government House to protest  the Federal Government’s inability to meet the demands of the Academic Staff Union of the Universities, ASUU, and other university-based unions which have been on strike for six months. The protesters marched through the streets of Owerri and blocked the entrance to the Government House to register their grievances. The different leaders who led the protest took time to give their version of why they were not happy over the strike. Imo State Chairman of NLC, Philips Nwansi, said, “We have done our…

Stephen Ukandu, News/Features Editor Ikengaonline learned that before the invasion of Kuje prison by terrorists who freed over 1000 inmates including their members held in the facility, the Department of State Services, DSS, had shared 44 intelligence reports warning of such attacks. Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Idris Wase, revealed this on the floor of the House on Tuesday. Wase who made the revelation while speaking on a motion sponsored by Abubakar Yallemen from Jigawa State, on the need to halt the Federal Government’s proposed nationwide ban on commercial motorcycles, favoured any measure that could help stem…

Michael Onwuka, Enugu No fewer than 1, 144 corps members were on Tuesday in Enugu sworn-in for the 2022 Batch ‘B’ Stream II orientation course of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Ikengaonline reports. The Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice A. R. Ozoemena, who administered the oath of allegiance on the corps members, charged them to take the orientation course seriously in order to surmount the challenges ahead. Ozoemena was represented at the event by the Administrative Chief Magistrate, Awgu Magisterial District, Mr Emmanuel Ikechukwu. The chief judge charged the corps members to be focused all through the orientation course and…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence Dr Samuel Uche, has challenged those in power to fix back Nigeria before exiting in 2023. Bishop Uche gave the challenge while addressing a press conference in Umuahia on the sidelines of his pastoral visit to Umuahia Methodist Diocese ahead of his retirement by the end of the year. The cleric said that he had not given up on the country unlike many, maintaining that Nigeria’s situation is not yet irredeemable. He said that Nigeria could be actually fixed within six months if the leadership were willing and…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Anambra State, Tuesday, staged a peaceful protest in solidarity with striking unions in public tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), and National Association of Technologists (NAT), had embarked on industrial action over Federal Government’s neglect and failure to meet agreements it reached with the several unions. The protest took place in Awka, the Anambra State capital and attracted hundreds of members from the university-based unions, other unions under the umbrella of NLC such as…

Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ebonyi State Chapter on Tuesday joined their counterparts across the country to observe the protest called by its national leadership. The protesters, who marched round the state capital Abakaliki in their hundreds, were led by the state Chairman, Ikechukwu Nwafor. The protest march started from Pastoral Centre and terminated at the Pa Ngele Ọruta Township Stadium Abakaliki. The members bore various placards and banners expressing their displeasure at the Federal Government’s inability to resolve the lingering Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike. Speaking during the protest, Mr Nwafor said the Federal Government…