NIGERIAN NOTCH

By Chigozie Igbo Jr I have long waited for a time like this, to pour out my mind, on the sham which ended today in our dear state Imo, which many people saw as a government. The happenings in the last 8 years have shown Ndi Imo, that its proper we become actors in the political endeavors of the state, rather than being passive, which contributed 100% to Rochas Okorocha pocketing the common wealth of Ndi Imo, while we looked the other way. Imo state in the last eight years was ruled by a tyrant who never followed the right channels of government protocol, a government that jettisoned the constitution of the Federal Republic and resorted to lawlessness and outright disobedience of the rule of Law. We pray we never witness in our life time a government that dismembered all the structures of government and civil service in Imo state. A government that destroyed the hegemony that bonded us as Ndi Imo, while we all kept quite. Today, H.E Emeka Ihedioha will be taking up the up hill ...

Governor Willie Obiano has been called upon to  as a matter of urgency review the security and traffic situations at Upper Iweka and Bridgehead, Onitsha in Anambra State. The Human Right, Liberty Access and Peace Defenders Foundation (HURIJE),which made the call in a press conference at Onitsha raised fresh alarm of another impending danger at Upper Iweka near Toronto hospital and Tracas bus Terminals. The chairman,BOT of  HURIJE, Dede Uzor A.Uzor,  who addressed the press conference with its legal secretary, Bar Ada Obinna  Edozie, said that Upper Iweka and Bridgehead and their environs remained the major flash points in crime and traffic accidents in the State. HURIJE said their investigation showed that most accidents and criminal activities in the State took place in these areas due to lack of political will and corruption on part of security agencies . They lamented that a lady recently lost her life at Upper Iweka when she resisted some criminals who s...

As the controversy over the coming Bridgehead Market  election rages, the Leaders of Thought in the Market has endorsed the candidature of  the former Caretaker Committee chairman of the market, Chief Ikechukwu Orizu,  for the position of President-General. In a statement after their emergency expanded meeting on the election, called on the electorates to massively support Orizu during the election tentatively fixed for May 28, 2019. In the statement signed by Chief Festus Obodozie and Kenechukwu Ikpeazu, the chairman and the secretary respectively, they recalled Orizu's numerous achievements when he held sway as the President-general in a Caretaker capacity for about one and half years. The Leaders of Thought said within this period Orizu embarked on the completion and beautification of the market's hall, making it one of the best secretariat in the State, said the Leaders of Thought, stopped the collection of N1,000  illegal levy from lorry drivers at the Bri...

The heaps of dirt lettering the streets of Anambra state is not only worrisome but embarrassing, going by the fact that the state is a gate way to the south east. The neglect of these waste bins by the state government is giving the people of the state sleepless nights because of the envisaged epidemic that can result from such neglect. The state government should know that the essence of governance is to be responsive to the yearnings of Ndi Anambra. Anambra has not being Lucky in the past when epidemics occurred. Several instances of death recorded last year at Atani, though a natural disaster should not be allowed to repeat itself in Anambra. The ministry of environment should wake up from its slumber and face the situation at hand. No excuse is required for the neglect, but rather a proactive measure should be put in place by the ministry to forestall the stench in Anambra. The Governor also should call the ministry of environment or agency in charge of evacuating refuse in Anam...

A relentless police crackdown on students residing in hostels at Umuoma, Umuerim and Umuokomochi communities, near Owerri, is forcing students to flee their hostels. The three communities are in the Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo, which is home to several tertiary institutions. The police are said to have turned the hostels into goldmines, allegedly extorting money from `captured’ students and owners of students’ hostels after each raid. The development is said to have been affecting businesses adversely in these communities with many students seeking abode elsewhere to avoid being arrested by the rampaging police operatives, “who always come in mufti attires’’. NAN learnt that students of the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede are planning to embark on a peaceful demonstration to get government to rein in on the police authorities in Nekede communities. Speaking in an interview with NAN at Nekede on Sunday, a cross-section of the students said that policemen had made life unbe...

Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State has congratulated the newly elected Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Professor Charles Esimone, a development he described as pleasing. Professor Esimone beat 37 other contestants, as stated by the Pro chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council Nnamdi University, Alhaji Azeez Oladotun Bello, who announced that Professor Esimone will be piloting the affairs of the university for the next five years with effect from June 4. In a statement made available to newsmen in Awka, the Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr C. Don Adinuba, stated that Governor Obiano in the congratulatory message described Professor as “easily the best man for the job. “Having served the university as Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) and founding Dean of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, it is difficult to think of a more prepared person for the job”. A graduate of the University of Nigeria at Nsukka, Pr...

·       Seven (7) other kidnappers arrested in the last 24 Hours ·       Four (4) AK 47 Rifles, 26 Live Ammunition recovered A kidnapping kingpin and notorious armed robber, who recently masterminded the kidnap of the UBEC Chairman along Abuja- Kaduna road is dead. The suspect, one Sumaila Sule, alias SHAHO, male (estimated be in his mid thirties), a native of Rijana village in Kachia LGA of Kaduna state is one of the most vicious and most wanted kidnappers that has been terrorizing citizens in Kaduna and its environs. He died in the early hours of 18th May, 2019 following multiple bullet wounds he sustained during a deadly shootout with police operatives attached to Operation Puff Adder. The shootout took place in the evening of 17th May 2019, at the outskirts of Rijana village. The police operatives, in line with the mandate of Operation Puff Adder, were carrying out routine surveillance and raid of suspected criminal hide-outs, when they suddenly c...

The United States Consul General in Lagos, Mr. John Bray on yesterday disclosed that the US government had acquired about 50,000 square metres of land at the upcoming Eko Atlantic City in Lagos for the Consulate’s new head office. John Bray Bray who made the disclosure at his residence in Ikoyi, Lagos during the signing of the engagement between the U.S. government officials and developers and promoters of Eko Atlantic City led by Mr. Ronald Chagoury, the Executive Chairman of South EnergyX Nigeria, said the decision to build a new consulate in the new City was to afford Nigerians better and more access to its services. According to the Consul General, “This is another demonstration that the United States is committed to Nigeria and her citizens. What we currently have as a Consulate General was constructed in the ‘70s. So, we have acquired a land in Eko Atlantic City to build a new consulate better and more accessible to Nigerians and others coming to visit for visas and other serv...

The Human Rights Liberty Access and Peace Defenders Foundation (HURIJE) has asked the Anambra State Police  Command to implement its decision to  impound political party and unmarked vehicles in the State as from 1st June, 2019. The chairman, Board of Trustees   (BoT) of the Human Rights body, Dede Uzor A. Uzor, who said this in a statement in Awka, the Anambra State Capital, lauded the State Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Dandaura for this populous decision. The chairman said some dubious and unscrupulous politicians and agents have used  these customised political party and unmarked vehicles to perpetrate heinous crime in the State and sometimes use the vehicles to constitute traffic nuisance on the roads with their recklessness and other glaring traffic violations He said some of them use it to carry prohibited and regulated and hard drugs as well as other harmful products that constitute dangers to the society and human families Commending the State...

In defiance of the Friday order of a High Court restraining him from installing four new emirs, Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, yesterday said the new emirates have come to stay. In essence, Ganduje said the creation of the new emirates was irreversible. The development effectively reduces the jurisdiction of Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II, who hitherto was in charge of the Kano Emirate Council comprising 44 local amid-rumoured-plan-to-depose-emir-of-kano-gan. The development effectively reduces the jurisdiction of Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II, who hitherto was in charge of the Kano Emirate Council comprising 44 local government areas (LGAs) but will now be in charge of only 10 LGAs. The development effectively reduces the jurisdiction of Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II, who hitherto was in charge of the Kano Emirate Council comprising 44 local government areas (LGAs) but will now be in charge of only 10 LGAs. It also  fuelled the speculation that the Ganduje administration...

The police in Anambra state has nabbed over 19 Cult members of Aiye confraternity, during their initiation at ukulu forest in Dunukofia LGA of Anambra State. They were caught ,following credible intelligence that some suspected cultists were initiating new members into their cult group. The  Anambra State,Police operatives comprising of Special Anti Cult unit (SPACS) and "operation Puff Adder" stormed the bush and arrested 15 male suspects while undergoing initiation into Aiye confraternity. Exhibits recovered at the scene included regalia of Ayes secret cult, Drum and Charms of different categories,four knives and empty shell of expended cartridge. In the same vein a similar exercise also took place at mbaukwu in Awka South LGA where four (4 )male suspects were equally arrested and exhibits recovered include One dagger, one axe, charms and substance suspected to be cannabis sativa(Indian Hemp) All suspects confessed to be members of secret cult known as Ayes con...