People&Politics

By Okwudiri Okafor, Umuahia After over 70 years of existence, a new lease of life beckons for the rickety, colonial era Igwu River bridge in Abia State, South-East Nigeria. The iconic bridge was constructed by Nigeria's British colonial masters long before October 1,1960, the historic date the West African country extricated herself from foreign rule and gained political independence. Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, officially flagged off reconstruction of the long-abandoned bridge, popularly called Omenuko bridge. The government's move seeks to break the jinx of not having a firm bridge at the location, after decades of managing the fragile…

By Sylvia Kodilichukwu, Enugu Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, South-East Nigeria, has signed into law a bill to create a one-stop shop for tax collection and administration in the state. The action thus ends multiple taxation. Entitled the 'Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (Establishment and Consolidation of Revenue Administration) Law, 2025:, the new legislation also makes the revenue collection agency autonomous and free of bureaucratic encumbrances. Speaking at the brief bill-signing ceremony at Government House, Enugu, on Tuesday, February 4, Mbah described the law as a milestone in his administration’s quest to enable the Ease of Doing Business policy…

By Sylvia Kodilichukwu, Enugu Death toll from the petrol tanker explosion on the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway has risen from 21 to 23, according to Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC). Sector Commander of FRSC, Enugu State Command, Mr Franklin Agbakoba, told newsmen in Enugu on Tuesday, February 4, that an additional two female victims died recently while on hospital admission. It would be recalled that the incident, which happened on Saturday, January 25, about 11:30 a.m. when a fuel-laden tanker had a brake failure, fell and exploded, left 11 road users dead before emergency responders came to the scene. The deceased were…

By our reporter Angry Igbo youths have berated Ebonyi State governor, Francis Nwifuru, over the murder of several citizens of the state by suspected Fulani killer herdsmen. Indicting the governor, they alleged that they alerted him of the attack four days before the bloodshed,which occurred on Sunday, February 2 this year. While official and police reports put the death toll at below 20, independent sources said up to 100 persons were killed by the herdsmen during the attack at Amegu Nkalaha community, Ishielu Local Government Area (LGA) of the South-Eastern Nigeria state. The sources claimed that worshippers, including the pastor,…

By our reporter Hensard University, a fast growing private institution in Bayelsa State, on Tuesday, February 4, named Professor Femi Okiremuette Shaka Dean of its Faculty of Communication and Media Studies. The appointment provides a significant boost to the faculty by bringing in a prominent figure in Nigerian film studies and scholarship. Vice Chancellor (VC), Professor Dileep Kumar, along with faculty members, Dr. Thomas Terna and Dr. Cookey Ogechi, formally welcomed Professor Shaka, who previously worked in the Department of Film & Multimedia at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT). The ceremony, while understated, emphasised the university's dedication to academic…

By Okwudiri Okafor, Umuahia Abia State Government has explained its own side to the lingering dispute with the leadership of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) in the state, which accused it of deceit and indebtedness, washing its hands of liability in the claims. Lauding the pensioners as nice, the government, however, thumbed down their union leadership. The government said,in the wake of intense heat over non-payment of the N30billion pension arrears, which fiscal liability was a carry-over burden from the past People's Democratic Party (PDP) government in the state, that the NUP leadership freely entered into an agreement with the…

By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna Tragedy hit Kano State, North-West Nigeria, asfour persons were reportedly shot dead by uniformed gunmen, believed to be security operatives. The incident, which occurred at Rimin Auzinawa, Ungogo Local Government Area (LGA) of the state,followed a violent confrontation between some residents and the security operatives deployed to oversee a demolition exercise allegedly ordered by the state government. The operatives were said to have opened fire when the residents resisted destruction of their property. The stage for the developments came recently when the Kano Urban Planning and Development Authority (KNUPDA) marked about 40 of the affected residential…

By Felix Durumbah Health authorities of Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) have shut down an unregistered clinic, Dada’s Clinic & Maternity, in Kapwa, Gaube community, Kuje Area Council of the Nigerian capital. The Private Health Establishments Registration and Monitoring Committee (PHERMC) of FCTA took the action to save lives and maintain health standards in FCT. This is as FCTA is set to begin a total clampdown on other illegal health facilities in the Territory. Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to FCT Minister, Lere Olayinka, said a certain Mr. Sabiu, who identified himself as the health worker…