Author: Editor

…Warns Tinubu against pushing Nigerians to the wall Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Igbo Women Assembly (IWA) has condemned the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu; his lawyer, Chief Aloy Ejimakor; and other peaceful protesters detained by the police during the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in Abuja on Monday. In a statement signed by its National President, Lolo Chimezie, the group demanded their immediate release, warning that the situation could escalate “into something too big for the government to handle.” Describing the clampdown on peaceful protesters as “impunity taken too far,” IWA said Nigeria under the All Progressives Congress (APC)…

Our Reporter, Abuja Human rights activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, on Monday made good his threat by leading protesters in Abuja to demand the immediate release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu. The protest, which began as early as 7 a.m., was part of a nationwide call tagged “Free Nnamdi Kanu Now” — an action Sowore described as a fight for justice and not a tribal or religious agitation. In his address during the march, Sowore accused Nigerian security agencies of unleashing violence on peaceful protesters…

Ben Ezechime, Enugu  Police Operatives have arrested a 25 years old suspected armed robber, Chinecherem Ugwuagu in Enugu wearing an NYSC uniform. The spokesperson for the Police Command in the state, SP Daniel Ndukwe, said that the suspected armed robber was dressed in the National Youths Service Corps, NYSC, uniform as at the time of his arrest. The suspect was arrested by operatives attached to the Safer Highway Patrol, along the Enugu/Onitsha Expressway.  “A gun-like object, made from a body lotion container wrapped with cloth, a robbed Carter motorcycle, clothes, bank ATM card, and other exhibits were recovered from him.”…

Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki The Ebonyi State Government has employed 1,936 new teachers for both primary and secondary schools across the state. Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media, Leo Oketa, disclosed this in a statement on Monday. He said the recruitment exercise is part of Governor Francis Nwifuru’s comprehensive strategy to improve the quality of education and address the long-standing shortage of teachers in public schools. According to him, the new employment includes 1,000 teachers for senior secondary schools and 936 teachers under the Ebonyi State Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) to serve in primary and junior secondary schools.…

By Owei Lakemfa The 1990s were the deadliest for change agents in Nigeria. We lost hundreds. In 1994, some political elites decided to join us. This led to the establishment of the National Democratic Coalition, NADECO. One day, one of these elites brought a parcel to the leader of the Campaign for Democracy, CD, Dr Beko Ransome-Kuti, to be kept. Beko, who led the movement that eventually ousted the military, mentioned the package to Abiodun Aremu and I. The former, who was quite security conscious, asked Beko what was inside the package. He didn’t know. But since he had been…

Our Reporter, Abuja The Executive Director of the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Mr. Okechukwu Nwanguma, has said that five years after the #EndSARS protests, Nigeria has failed to achieve meaningful police reform due to entrenched political interference, corruption, and lack of accountability. In a piece titled “#EndSARS at Five: Why Police Reform Has Failed Nigeria – And What Must Change,” Nwanguma reflected on the 2020 protests that shook the nation, describing them as a defining moment in Nigeria’s democratic journey and a “cry from a generation that had grown weary of impunity.” According to him, although…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Abia State, including the commercial hub of Aba and the capital city, Umuahia, was completely shut down on Monday as residents fully complied with the #FreeNnamdiKanu solidarity march championed by rights activist, Omoyele Sowore. Economic and commercial activities were totally paralyzed as shops, markets, banks, petrol stations, and motor parks remained closed. The usually busy roads were deserted, with only a few tricycles and private vehicles seen moving around. Similarly, both public and private schools across the state did not open for academic activities. Some schools had, over the weekend, notified parents not to bring their children…

Ben Ezechime, Enugu The Enugu State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) to immediately declare vacant the seats of the 260 councillors who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). This was contained in a statement jointly signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the PDP Caucus in the state, Dr. Godwin Udibe and Chief John Nwobodo (Esq.), and made available to newsmen on Sunday in Enugu. The party threatened to institute legal action to stop further payment of salaries to the affected councillors, describing their continued stay…

Our Reporter, Abuja A civil society organisation, the Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development (FENRAD) Nigeria, has expressed deep concern over the alleged overseas travel of members of the Abia State House of Assembly under unclear circumstances. In a statement issued in Umuahia on Saturday and signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, FENRAD described the action as “unprecedented and troubling,” accusing the lawmakers of abandoning their legislative duties without due process or public notice. The group recalled that the lawmakers had earlier declared their intention to travel to Abuja in solidarity with calls for the release…

By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu In September 1887, Harry Johnston, Acting Consul of the Oil Rivers Protectorate (Niger Delta) procured the arrest in the wharfs of the Niger Delta of King Jaja of Opobo on the rather dubious charge of “obstruction of trade.” It accused King Jaja of violating a trade treaty with the British, which did not, however, have any penal provisions. The previous year, a Royal Charter granted in the name of Queen Victoria had placed the territory under the rule of the Royal Niger Company (RNC) which empowered it to “undertake and carry on the government or administration of…