NIGERIAN NOTCH

The Anambra State Police Command has arraigned four suspects for alleged involvement in separate cases of defilement. The suspects were brought before the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court in Awka on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, and were remanded at the Correctional Centre pending further proceedings. Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, reaffirmed the Command’s resolve to protect children and other vulnerable groups in the state. He also warned that anyone found guilty of such crimes would face the full weight of the law. “This Command will not tolerate any form of abuse against children and other vulnerable members of society. Offenders must know that their actions carry consequences, and we are determined to ensure that justice is served,” Orutugu said. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, stressed that the Command is intensifying its campaign against sexual and gender-based violence. He urged par...

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has come under scrutiny following allegations of intimidation and overreach in an ongoing investigation involving an international funds transfer. The matter arose after Mr. Chidozie of Chido Power Oil and Logistics Services reportedly transferred funds to a client outside the country. According to him, the client later alleged—citing Chinese police—that the funds, despite being backed by receipts and confirmations, were “fake.” Mr. Chidozie maintains that his business dealings are legitimate and has accused the EFCC of harassment and interferencein the matter. He alleged that he has been issued multiple summons via WhatsApp and threatened with arrest, without being provided with official correspondence or clear evidence of wrongdoing. Documents made available to reporters indicate that Mr. Chidozie had earlier engaged the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) on the matter, raising questions about why the ...

From Uchenna Ezeadigwe  Awka In Nigeria's complex political landscape, traditional rulers, Presidents-General, and community leaders occupy positions of profound responsibility that extend far beyond ceremonial duties. These leaders who serve as custodians of their communities' values, arbiters of disputes, and bridges between the people and various levels of government. However, nowhere is their role more critical—and more delicate—than during electoral periods, when the democratic process demands absolute neutrality and unwavering commitment to fair play. The position of a community leader, whether a traditional ruler or an elected President-General, comes with an implicit social contract. This contract demands that personal political preferences must never supersede the broader interests of the entire community. When leaders allow partisan politics to influence their actions, they not only betray this trust but also undermine the very democratic principles that ...

Former Minister of State for Education, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, PhD, has called on Nigerians to unite in the struggle to rescue the country from what he described as the grip of corruption and misrule In a statement issued on wednesday by himself to mark his birthday, which he shares with his wife, Dr. Mrs. Adaku Nwajiuba, the former minister expressed gratitude for the outpouring of prayers and goodwill messages, noting that many of the wishes were coupled with calls for a better Nigeria. Reflecting on the nation’s current challenges, Nwajiuba lamented the deepening hardship across social classes, which he attributed to the actions of a few individuals in positions of power. He described the situation as “unbridled corruption, unconstitutional governance, and reckless pillaging of the nation’s commonwealth,” stressing that Nigeria has never before witnessed such levels of mismanagement He urged citizens of goodwill to rise above despair and mobilize against the entrench...

The Agbaja Leaders of Thought (ALT) has announced that the Agbaja Summit 2025 will hold on November 26–27, 2025, in Enugu, with a strong focus on education, skills development, and cultural heritage. Themed “Education and Skills Development: Building a Future Anchored on Heritage”, the two-day summit will bring together Agbaja sons and daughters at home and abroad, alongside partners, policymakers, and cultural custodians, for a blend of dialogue, innovation, and cultural celebration. Speaking at a press briefing in Enugu, Professor Chike Anibeze, Chairman of the Planning Committee, described the summit as “a clarion call reminding us that we have a shared responsibility as a people — to remember who we are, affirm our values, and chart a collective path forward.” The 2025 edition, he noted, builds on the success of the maiden Agbaja Summit in 2022, which produced a development blueprint centered on economic advancement, cultural revival, and unity. That inaugural summit al...

President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON, Monday morning returned to the country from a brief vacation in London. This has put an end to the speculation that the Senate President was critically ill and admitted in a London hospital. Recall that Akpabio had attended the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva between July 29 and 31st after which he headed to London for a short vacation. The Senate President, who touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at 4.00am Monday was received at the Presidential Wing by senators, aides and Nigerians from different walks of life. Fielding questions from journalists on arrival, the Senate President promised Nigerians robust legislative engagements on resumption. He further justified the presence of a strong Nigerian delegation at the International Parliamentary Union in Geneva, assuring the people of more derivatives of democratic governance and effective collaboration with the other arm...

The Anambra South Senatorial District bye-election held on Saturday was once unfortunately again marred by widespread reports of vote buying and violent disruptions, raising fresh concerns over the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process. From polling units across the district, allegations poured in that virtually all the major political parties openly induced voters with cash. What was meant to be a contest of ideas and capacity quickly degenerated into a bazaar of financial transactions, where ballot papers were traded for naira notes. Even more disturbing was the treatment meted out to the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, who was reportedly blocked against his wish after he apprehend a vote buyer in Osumenyi, Nnewi South LGA of Anambra state. A community leader in Osumenyi, Chief Mike Okafor, who spoke to newsmen after the incident described the incident as not only shameful and infantile but also a dangerous signal that criminal elements now ...

•Calls for construction of gates to checkmate entrance of criminals The Onitsha South Landlords Forum (OSLAF) has called on the chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Area, Chief Emeka Orji to work in concert with the stakeholders to urgently nip in the bud the current wave of kidnappings in the local government, especially in Fegge. The forum in a statement signed by Chief Nzeako Obidigbo, chairman and Chief Kingsley Chukwuemeka, called on the State Commissioner of Police, the Area Commander, Onitsha Area Command, the chairman of the Local Government, the Divisional Police Officer fegge (DPO), the DSS operatives in charge of Onitsha South to rise up to the ocassion and stem the tide of violent crime in the area. The call, the group said, has become necessary following the recent kidnappings in Fegge in the last one week. According to information gathered from eye-witness accounts, at least three kidnappings took place in Fegge in the last one week. On August 11 this year, at abo...

Security has been tightened across Anambra South Senatorial District, as police have deployed massively ahead of today's bye-election in the district to replace the vacant position left by the death of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah. Armed personnel and tactical assets have taken positions at identified flashpoints and sensitive areas to forestall violence and guarantee voters’ safety. Assistant Inspector General of Police, Godwin Eze, in a statement made available to newsmen in Awka by the Anambra state police Command’s PPRO, S.P Tochukwu Ikenga , assured residents that the polls will be peaceful. He urged Ndi Anambra to come out without fear, stressing that officers will remain neutral, professional, and focused on protecting lives and property. Police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the Command is leaving nothing to chance. “We are fully prepared to secure this election from start to finish,” he declared.

RAYMOND OZOJI  With few hours left for the August 16th Anambra-South senatorial bye-election, Ogboro ward, one of the 20 wards in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State is set to deliver candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Chief Emmanuel Chibuzor Nwachukwu (Onodugo).  This was the crux of the matter at a prolonged strategic meeting held on Thursday 14th August in Ubahuekwem area of Ihiala where they unanimously resolved to jettison candidates of other political parties but vote massively for the APGA senatorial candidate on Saturday 16th August.  Apart from the bye-election, Ogboro ward also agreed to return Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo and his Deputy Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim on November 8th this year because they are pleased with his administration's achievements.  Addressing the gathering, the political leader in Ihiala, who is also the Chairman of the Anambra State Local Government Service Commission Chief Barr. Vin Ezeaka...