NIGERIAN NOTCH

Rose Umeh, Anambra  A planned protest by electricity consumers in Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria, against persistent power outages and high electricity tariffs has been suspended following security concerns raised by authorities. The protest, scheduled for Saturday, March 14, was organised by the Electricity Consumers Rights Network and led by consumer rights advocate Osita Obi. Addressing journalists on Friday in Awka, the state capital, Obi said the action had been suspended rather than cancelled after consultations with security agencies and the state government. According to him, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services and the Anambra State Government advised that the protest could be hijacked by criminal elements, especially with the state preparing for the governor’s inauguration on March 17. “Having listened to these people, we decided to suspend the protest, not cancel it,” Obi said, stressing that the movement would continue to push for ...

The Nteje Unit Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Anambra State has arraigned 36 traffic offenders before a Mobile Court as part of ongoing efforts to enforce road safety regulations and reduce road traffic crashes within the Nteje axis and surrounding communities. The exercise, carried out on Thursday within the Nteje Unit Command’s operational jurisdiction, is in line with the Corps’ corporate strategic goal of achieving a 10 per cent reduction in road traffic crashes across the country. The Mobile Court session, which held within the Nteje area, was presided over by Magistrate Maria N. Anyanbolu. At the end of the proceedings, 30 offenders were convicted for various traffic violations, while six were discharged. None of the offenders received a custodial sentence. Officials of the Corps said a total of 77 traffic offences were recorded from the 36 motorists arraigned before the court during the enforcement operation around the Nteje corridor, ...

A delegation from the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has visited the Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Dr. Chioma Irene Awuzie, to advocate for the enrollment of the institution’s staff in the Employees’ Compensation Scheme. During the visit, the NSITF team sensitized the rector on the importance of the scheme, noting that it was established under the Employees’ Compensation Act, which makes it mandatory for both public and private sector employers to register their employees. According to the delegation, the scheme provides insurance protection for workers who may suffer accidents, sustain injuries, or die in the course of performing their official duties. They explained that in the event of workplace accidents or injuries, affected employees are entitled to compensation, while in cases of death, the benefits are paid to the deceased employee’s next of kin. Responding, Dr. Awuzie welcomed the NSITF officials and expressed the institution’s readiness to compl...

By Kenechukwu Onyekwuluje AWKA  A socio-political support group, Anambra Patriots, has reiterated its commitment to promoting good governance, accountability, and greater political inclusion for the South-East region in Nigeria. The group made the declaration during its maiden meeting held at its newly established secretariat in Awka, the capital of Anambra State. Speaking at the meeting, the Convener of Anambra Patriots, Arc. Okey Ezeobi, disclosed that the group currently has 326 ward coordinators and 22 zonal coordinators working across the state. According to him, members deliberated on strategies to make the South-East region more inclusive in the nation’s political structure. Ezeobi noted that the group is also focused on building a strong grassroots base that would contribute positively to governance in Anambra and beyond. He emphasized that the Patriots operate independently and are not influenced by the financial interests of politicians. ...

A Frontline House of Representatives hopeful for Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency, Amb. Ikebunwa Lotanna, yesterday joined party leaders and stakeholders at the Hollywood Event Center, Awka, for the official flag-off of the membership mobilization, registration and revalidation exercise of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).   The significant political gathering was hosted by the Anambra State chapter of the party, with its presidential hopeful Peter Obi, who also attended as the Special Guest of Honour.   The event attracted several prominent political figures and party stakeholders from across the state. Among those in attendance were distinguished senators including Victor Umeh and Tony Nwoye, members of the House of Representatives such as Prof. Oby Orogbu, as well as other federal lawmakers, members of the Anambra State House of Assembly, and numerous aspirants contesting under the ADC platform.   A major highlight of the eve...

The frontline House of Representatives aspirant for Nnewi North, Nnewi South, and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency, Amb. Ikebunwa Lotanna, has intensified grassroots consultations as part of his political engagement ahead of the 2027 general elections. In a strategic meeting held at his country home in Nnewichi, the aspirant hosted Ward and Local Government Executives of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) drawn from Nnewi North, Nnewi South, and Ekwusigo Local Government Areas. The meeting, which brought together party leaders from the three councils, came just days after Amb. Lotanna commissioned the Nnewichi Ward 1 party office, one of about ten ward offices in Nnewi North that he personally funded and fully furnished. The initiative is widely seen as part of his deliberate effort to strengthen the party’s grassroots structure across the federal constituency. Addressing the gathering, Amb. Lotanna explained that his continuous investments in party structures across the co...

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Anambra State Sector Command, has secured the conviction of 35 traffic offenders during a Mobile Court sitting held at its headquarters in Awka on Friday. The exercise, organised by the Corps as part of its ongoing enforcement drive, is aimed at strengthening compliance with traffic regulations and reducing road traffic crashes across the state. The Mobile Court session was presided over by Chief Magistrate Adaora N. Okoli, who heard cases involving offenders apprehended during special enforcement operations carried out by FRSC personnel within the command’s operational corridors. At the conclusion of the proceedings, 44 offenders were arraigned before the court. Out of the number, 35 were convicted, while nine were discharged and acquitted. A total of 72 traffic offences were recorded against the offenders. However, none of the convicted offenders was sentenced to imprisonment. The offences prosecuted included seatbelt viol...

By Mary Obi  More than 200 disengaged workers of the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service (AIRS) have appealed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo to review their dismissal following a restructuring exercise that included a competency assessment conducted in collaboration with consulting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). The affected workers were retrenched after failing a strategic tax administration examination organised as part of reforms aimed at strengthening the efficiency and professionalism of the state’s revenue collection system. An internal memo dated February 18, 2026, issued by the Administration Department of AIRS and signed by Nwalusi Ifeanyi on behalf of the Chairman and Chief Executive, directed the disengagement of Community Revenue Officers and other staff who did not meet the required pass mark in the computer-based test administered during the exercise. Part of the memo instructed the affected staff to hand over all official materials, including identit...

The Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission (EERC) has issued an electricity distribution licence to MainPower Electricity Distribution Limited (MEDL) after confirming that the company met all regulatory requirements to operate within Enugu State. The Chairman of EERC, Mr. Chijioke Okonkwo, formally presented the licence to the Managing Director of MEDL, Dr. Ernest Mupwaya, during a ceremony held at the commission’s corporate headquarters in Enugu on Friday. Speaking at the event, Okonkwo noted that the issuance of the licence followed the successful completion of all statutory and regulatory procedures required for electricity distribution within the state. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Board of Directors of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc (EEDC), including Dr. Steve Dike and Barr. Kester Enwereonu. They were accompanied by the Group Managing Director of EEDC, Engr. Praveen Chorghade. Members of the management team of ...

The Anambra State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), CN Onubogu Charles Orakwue, has called for the introduction of a mandatory Drug Integrity Test as a prerequisite for admission into tertiary institutions across Nigeria. The Commander made the appeal during an advocacy visit to the Rector of Federal Polytechnic Oko, Dr. Chioma Irene Awuzie, at the institution’s administrative headquarters. According to CN Orakwue, the proposal forms part of a nationwide campaign by the NDLEA aimed at curbing the growing menace of illicit drug use among young people. He explained that the initiative seeks to significantly reduce substance abuse among students and promote a healthy mental state conducive to academic excellence. Lamenting the prevalence of drug abuse among youths, the NDLEA State Commander disclosed that the agency has already visited six tertiary institutions in Anambra State to advocate the inclusion of drug integrity testing in their admission ...