Author: Editor

By Owei Lakemfa Professor Akinlawon ‘Akin’  Ladipo Mabogunje was an African institution established for all-round development. He is also widely accepted as the Father of African Geography. By 2000, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, was fed up with the National Housing Fund, NHF, which in the eleven years of its establishment had failed to deliver on mass housing for workers. Under the scheme, all those earning the National Minimum Wage and above, contributed 2.5 per cent of their monthly income. Although workers had contributed about N6 billion to the fund, the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, FMBN, which administered the fund…

Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki The former gubernatorial aspirant of Peoples Democratic Party PDP,  Engr Sunday Opoke, has emerged the Governorship Candidate of Young Peoples Party YPP for 2023 general election. The election was conducted for the purpose of substitution in accordance with the new electoral act. The YPP National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ogbeola Olawale  Martins Stated this while announcing Mr Opoke the winner of the substitution election at the party Secretariat in Abakaliki the state capital. Ogbeola said the election was hitch free “in accordance with the guidelines of the new Electoral Law, it stipulates that every political party must organise Primary Elections…

Our Reporter, Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the alleged killing of six Nigerien citizens and some security operatives in their duty posts in the South-East, describing it as “sad and unwelcome.” The President expressed his displeasure over the incidents in a series of tweets made by his Senior Special Assistant, Garba Shehu, via his verified Twitter handle  on Sunday. While sending his condolences to the families of the deceased security officers and the Government of Niger, President Buhari promised a  speedy investigation into the matter. He also restated his administration’s unwavering commitment to peace and stability in the South-East region and…

By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu “Democracy is a journey and the quality of the ride depends on what we collectively put into it. If we shut our ears and our eyes, the ship of state could derail….” – Dennis Odife, Without Money and Without Price: A Brief Autobiography, p.196 (2016) In court around 1 July, 2022, the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State in South-South Nigeria, Ekaette Obot, repeatedly threatened to jail my good friend, Inibehe Effiong, for his diligence in representing an unknown client against two powerful men – the governor who appointed her into office and a Senator without whose influence she…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Senator Mao Ohuabunwa has lampooned the All Progressives Congress, APC-controlled Federal Government over  the menacing activities of bandits in Abia North. Ohuabunwa who was angry over the sad development, tasked Government to rise to its responsibility of protecting lives and property to avoid the people resorting to self defense. The former lawmaker was reacting to the recent blocking of Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway between Leru and Okigwe; and repeated attacks on Thursday around the same axis, as well as another isolated attack at Lomara in Umunneochi, accused Government of docility. “The rate of terrorist attacks on innocent people of…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has denied any responsibility for the gruesome murder of eight Northerners living in Orogwe, a suburb community in Owerri, Imo State. In a statement on Saturday, the group’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, alleged that security agencies are conniving with the Ebubeagu militia group to kill innocent people in order to blackmail the group. The group described the Nigeria Police and Ebubeagu as “partners in crime.”   IPOB dismissed as “laughable and fabricated,” claims that its members were responsible for the heinous act. The pro-Biafra movement said its members would never…

Nonsochukwu Uwa, Owerri The Imo State Police Command on Saturday said hoodlums suspected to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, armed group, the Eastern Security Network, ESN, attacked the Agwa Police Division, in Oguta Local Government Area, and allegedly killed four police officers and forced two suspects in custody to escape from detention. The command’s State Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Michael Abattam, disclosed this to newsmen in Owerri. He said the hoodlums used a tipper truck to break the gate of the police station in order to gain entrance into the station before they threw  Improvised Explosives Devices (IEDS) and…

Nonsochukwu Uwa, Owerri Gunmen on Friday night invaded Agwa community in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State allegedly killing four police officers and setting ablaze the Agwa police station. A source who spoke to Ikengaonline from the community said the attack happened in the night when residents were still asleep. At the time of filing this report the reason for the attack was not known but some community leaders who did not want their names mentioned said the attackers were having their camps in the area and had issued threats to attack the Agwa police division for being a threat…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka Archbishop Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim, the Archbishop Province of the Niger and Bishop of Awka Diocese, has advised Anambra State Governor, Prof Charles Soludo, to consider the plights of the masses in setting his policies to run a successful Government. The Bishop’s appeal came at a time the people are expressing displeasure over the recent changes in payment of taxes instituted by the new administration in the state. Addressing newsmen at Emmaus House, Awka, the Anambra State capital, the Anglican Prelate urged the Governor to consider the plights of the people especially those at the grassroots who may suffer to…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Chief Justice of Abia State, Justice Onuoha Kalu Ogwe, has tasked the leadership of the Nigeria Bar Association on  transparency and accountability. The CJ who gave the charge  during the inauguration of the newly-elected officers of NBA,  Umuahia branch. Justice Ogwe described transparency and accountability as essential legacies any responsible leadership must strive to leave behind. He congratulated members of the new executive led by Barrister Jasper Ejimofor, and charged them to serve with integrity and to move the association to greater heights. The CJ  promised to give the new executive the necessary support that would need for a successful tenure.…