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Tag: Enugu State

  • Fire guts Enugu State-owned broadcasting house

    Fire guts Enugu State-owned broadcasting house

    The ground floor of the headquarters building of Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) was gutted by fire on Tuesday.

    The Chief Fire Officer in Enugu State, Chief Okwudili Ohaa confirmed in Enugu that the fire service deployed three fire engines to the scene instantly.

    He said the fire was completely extinguished within 30 minutes and the building salvaged from the raging inferno.

    “We were on hand to salvage the entire building and even before we arrived, the employees of ESBS were already battling the fire with the station’s fire extinguishers.

    “It was only one big office that was seriously affected at the ground floor.

    “The fire did not affect the station’s studios and other important offices or sections of the building,’’ he said.

    Meanwhile, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has visited and commiserated with the station and its staff over the incident.

    Ugwuanyi directed the management and technical crew of the station to ensure that the station was fully back on air soonest.

    The station is fully back on air as at the time of this report.

  • Native doctor with over 300 children dies in Enugu

    Native doctor with over 300 children dies in Enugu

    Mr Simon Odo, a native doctor popularly known as ‘King of Satan’ who married 59 wives with over 300 children and grandchildren is dead .

    The late Odo, who hailed from Aji in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State, died in the early hours of Tuesday after a brief illness.

    Mr Emeka Odo one of the sons who confirmed the death of his father in their family house said that the father died at the age of 74.

    Odo said burial arrangement for his father was already in progress in compliance with his father’s instruction to the wives and children that his remains should not be deposited in mortuary when confirmed dead, but should be buried as soon as possible.

    “Yes my father popularly known as King of Satan is dead; he died on Tuesday’s morning as he had been sick for the past three weeks.

    “We are having family meeting to perfect arrangement for his burial since he instructed us not to put his body in mortuary,” he said.

    He lamented that the death of his father was a big blow as he had a loving and caring father in spite of the large number of family members.

    “Since this morning my father died kinsmen, friends and well-wishers have been trooping in shock and surprise to come and sympathise with our family,” he said.

  • Bishop identifies solutions to kidnapping, banditry

    Bishop identifies solutions to kidnapping, banditry

    Rt. Rev. Christian Onyia, Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Nike in Enugu State, has identified five major solutions to kidnapping and banditry in the country.

    Onyia made this known on Saturday while reading his Bishop’s Charge at the Third Session of the Fifth Synod of the Diocese held at St. Peters Anglican Church, Thinkers Corner, Enugu.

    The synod was themed: “Church: Mission through Social Action”.

    According to him, we need to deal with the fundamental issues that lead people into violence and violent crimes such as kidnapping and banditry.

    “Inequity, injustice, poverty, lack of education and lack of opportunities for employment are major drivers of insecurity in the country.

    “If these problems are addressed, the recruitment of young people by groups of bandits will be limited,” he said.

    The bishop said that the continuous and unabated daily reports of banditry and kidnapping within communities and states had continued to portray the country as unsafe.

    The cleric noted that the recent kidnapping of school children in their tens and hundreds had become a threat to education and safety.

    Onyia said that with the current spate of kidnapping and banditry it “seems the Federal and state governments are not doing enough to tackle them”.

    The cleric, however, said that with the church social action, the church was expected to do more to reduce poverty and lack within the community.

    He said that preaching the word and seeing to the spiritual needs of people remains vital; but more important was the need for the Church to meet physical and social needs of the people.

    “This was exemplified by Jesus Christ Himself, where he not only preaches the gospel; but provided healing to discomforting situations and feeding to multitude that came from far and near to listen to Him.

    “Today, likewise the Church must toe the line of Jesus Christ and the early missionaries by providing basic necessities and social amenities to communities where it is domiciled.

    “The gospel will remain of little impact on the people, if it does not address the social and developmental needs of the community and people where it is situated,” he said.

    The bishop also encouraged Christians and good spirited people to vie for and take up elective leadership positions in order to correct the anomalies in the country.

    According to him, for every position one holds it is a privilege and one is expected to transform the community, state and nation for the better.

  • BREAKING: INEC office set ablaze in Enugu State

    BREAKING: INEC office set ablaze in Enugu State

    Arsonists have set office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State ablaze on Sunday.

    The Chief Fire Officer in Enugu State, Chief Okwudili Ohaa, confirmed the incident in Enugu.

    Ohaa said that a distress call was received by the Enugu State Fire Service at about 1.30 a.m.

    “As usual, when we received the distress call our trucks and men at Ozalla Station quickly moved to the scene.

    “We equally mobilised fire engines and fire fighters from Enugu metropolis.

    “Our prompt intervention saved the entire complex as only one office room was affected in the raging fire before it was extinguished,’’ he said.

    Ohaa said that the quick response of fire fighters gave credence to the establishment of fire stations in local government areas by Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

    “With the development, it is important to note that the state’s residents and infrastructure are now benefiting from massive investment of Gov. Ugwuanyi in building and equipping new fire stations throughout the state,’’ he said.

    There are feelers that the arsonists climbed through the perimeter fence to gain access to the INEC complex.

    Efforts to get the police and INEC officials to speak on the incident proved unsuccessful as they did not pick their calls.

    Arsonists had earlier in the year attacked the INEC Headquarters in Enugu State and the INEC office in Udenu Local Government Area of the state as well.

  • Southern Nigeria Governors back States to collect VAT, insist 2023 presidency be zoned to region

    Southern Nigeria Governors back States to collect VAT, insist 2023 presidency be zoned to region

    Governors from the Southern region of Nigeria have expressed their support for the collection of Value Added Tax (VAT) by State Governments.

    Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo disclosed this while reading a communique issued at the end of a meeting of the Governors on Thursday in Enugu State.

    Akeredolu said that the Governors resolved and affirmed the position that the collection of VAT fell within the powers of State Governments.

    “We resolved to support the position that the collection of VAT falls within the powers of the state.

    “The meeting reaffirmed its earlier commitments to fiscal federalism and emphasised the need to pursue its inclusion in the Nigerian Constitution through the on-going constitutional amendment,’’ he said.

    Akeredolu urged States in the South to leverage on the competence of their Houses of Assembly and representation at the National Assembly to pursue the goal.

    He said that the meeting reviewed the state of the nation and the progress made in the implementation of the ban on open grazing of cattle in the south of Nigeria.

    “The meeting expressed satisfaction with the rate at which states in the south of Nigeria are amending or enacting the anti-open grazing law.

    “This aligns with the uniform template and aspiration of governors in the south and we encourage the states that have yet to enact the law to do so expeditiously.

    “The meeting agreed to encourage the full operationalisation of the already agreed regional security which will share intelligence and collaborate toward the safety and security of the region,’’ he said.

    Akeredolu said the governors were satisfied with the handling of issues surrounding the Petroleum Industry Act and ownership of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation by the larger Nigerian Governors Forum.

    “The meeting reiterated its earlier position that the next president of Nigeria will come from the south of Nigeria in line with the politics of equity, justice and fairness,’’ Akeredolu said.

    Nine governors and seven deputy governors out of the 17 States in the Southern Nigeria attended the meeting.

    Governors present were Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta.

    Others were Govs. Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo State), Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun State), Douye Diri (Bayelsa) and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun State).

    The deputy governors in attendance were Mr Bisi Egbeyemi (Ekiti State), Mr Rauf Olaniyan (Oyo State), Dr Kelechi Igwe (Ebonyi), Chief Ude Oko-Chukwu (Abia), Mr Philip Shuaibu (Edo), Prof. Ivara Esu (Cross River) and Prof. Placid Njoku (Imo).

    Anambra was not represented at the meeting.

    The next meeting of the governors will hold in Rivers in November.

  • APC bid to takeover power in Enugu is work-in-progress – LG Chair

    APC bid to takeover power in Enugu is work-in-progress – LG Chair

    Chief Kevin Ezeoha, outgoing Caretaker Committee Chair of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu South Local Government Area, has said that the party’s bid to takeover power in the state is work-in-progress.

    Ezeoha said this while speaking on Sunday in Enugu on the resolve of APC faithful to win all elective positions in the council area henceforth.

    According to him, we have all worked tirelessly to see that the party is repositioned at the council and by extension in the state to win elections and improve tremendously from where we are at present.

    He said: “I want to assure all party faithful that they will definitely reap the fruits of their hard work to reposition the party and get more members in the local government.

    “I can confidently say that the party has you all to work with anytime in any capacity to actualise our dreams of taking over the seat of power in Enugu come 2023 and in other elective polls”.

    The outgoing chairman described the party faithful in the council area as “trust worthy’’, adding: “you do not allow greed to take over your commitment to the party structure”.

    “I urge the party faithful to remain on right track in their political careers as there will be light and reward at the end of the tunnel,’’ he noted.

    Ezeoha expressed profound gratitude to the leaders of the party in the council area, Chief Hyacinth Ngwu, Chief Chime Edeh, Chief Silas Ogbodo and others for their support.

    “As I bow out as the Local Government Party Chairman, I am not bowing out of politics, instead it is about more tasks ahead.

  • Police seal off Enugu APC office

    Police seal off Enugu APC office

    Enugu State Police Command has sealed off the All Progressives Congress (APC) office in Enugu to maintain peace and other in the party and the state.

    The party leaders and other loyalists were denied access to the office following the crack in the leadership.

    This followed a vote of no confidence passed in the party’s chairman, Dr Ben Nwoye, by 42 members of State Executive Committee of the APC in Enugu on Wednesday.

    The committee had accused Nwoye of insubordination to statutory authorities and wanting to balkanise the party at the state level.

    The committee members had told newsmen at a news conference that their decision was taken on grounds of gross misconduct and disregard to Party’s Constitution by the chairman.

    The Deputy State Chairman, Mr Gilbert Chukwunta, on behalf of others said that Nwonye had violated the congress guidelines as spelt out by the Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the party.

    Chukwunta was accompanied to the conference by a number of other Executive members notably the State Secretary, Chief Robert Eze, and the State Women Leader, Mrs Oby Nwofor.

    Other were State Youth Leader, Mr Joshua Mamah, the State Financial Secretary, Dr Mrs Amaka Adonu, as well as a number of other notable party functionaries.

    They stated that the EXCO members had come together to rescue the party from its looming dismemberment should Nwoye remain as Chairman.

    The committee presented the communique the 42 members of the State Executive pushing for Nwoye’s removal issued after their meeting.

    The communique detailed a number of his actions ranging from his decision to unilaterally inaugurate ward executives who he hand picked, ignoring those elected by the ward delegates.

    He said that the inauguration took place even when the results of ward congresses of the party had yet to be ratified by the CECPC.

    Chukwwunta said that the ward Congresses held nationwide and were done within set guidelines issued by the national body following the party’s constitution.

    He described the exercise in the state as one of the best congresses held nationwide, where all their leaders came together and peacefully elected their ward executives.

    “Surprisingly, we saw our Chairman, Ben Nwoye, wake up and swear in people who never contested in the congresses.

    ‘This was happening even when the results were yet to be ratified by the CECPC, even as the appeals committee is yet to commence its hearing.

    ‘This you will agree with me is a flagrant disregard of the guidelines and capable of causing rancour within the party.

    ‘This act can reduce our chances of winning the 2023 governorship elections and winning the state in the Presidential elections,’’ he said.

    They also accused Nwoye of attempting to cause disaffection within the party by encouraging party members to take the party to Court.

    The state EXCO unanimously moved for his removal and appointed Chukwwunta, the Deputy State Chairman, as Acting Chairman.

  • Stop breastfeeding your husbands – Enugu Commissioner tells wives

    Stop breastfeeding your husbands – Enugu Commissioner tells wives

    Commissioner for Gender Affairs of Enugu State, Hon. Peace Nnaji want women to stop breastfeeding their husbands and reserve the breastmilk for their babies instead.

    The Commissioner made the remark at a United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) media dialogue with selected journalists from South East, South-South, and parts of North Central.

    She explained that it is wrong for men to be sharing their wives’ breastmilk with the babies while insisting that breastmilk is naturally meant for “the baby and not the man”.

    In her words: “Breastmilk is meant for babies and not their fathers. Mothers should stop feeding their husbands with their breastmilk, it’s for their babies.

    ”It’s wrong for mothers not to breastfeed their babies for fear of having flat or saggy breast.”

    The Commissioner also urged mothers to practice exclusive breastfeeding of their babies for at least the first six months after birth because of it has numerous benefits.

  • Masked hungry men attack supermarket in Enugu, cart away bags of rice, cartons of noodles

    Masked hungry men attack supermarket in Enugu, cart away bags of rice, cartons of noodles

    Some hungry-angry gun wielding men on Tuesday attacked a popular supermarket in Enugu State, carting away goods worth over N1 million.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the gun wielding men robbed the supermarket known as Uzorbest Super-market Limited, located at Onu Asata Junction of Enugu metropolis.

    It was gathered that the gunmen carted away 18 bags of 50kg foreign and local rice, 10 bags of 10kg rice; 30 cartons of noodles and five bags of 20kg semolina.

    It was also gathered that the unknown gunmen, armed to the teeth, also took away four giant cooking gas cylinders from a neighbouring shop to the supermarket.

    A correspondent of NAN, who visited the Uzorbest Super-market Limited, gathered that the men arrived at the supermarket in three Hilux jeeps in commando style at about 6 p.m. on Monday.

    The supermarket attendant, Mr Sunday Ngwoke, told NAN that the gunmen numbering about 15 were wearing black face masks and one of them kept shouting “load these bags quickly’’.

    “At first I thought they were government officials that came to check the standard of the products.

    “I struggled to restrict one of them not taking the first bag of rice but when I saw the big gun one of them was holding I restricted myself.

    “They parked the whole items I mentioned to you earlier and loaded it into the three Hilux jeeps as commanded by one of them.

    “Before they left, they started shooting sporadically into the air and scared everybody away.

    “We thank God no one was hurt throughout the incident and they did not take a kobo from the supermarket, just the food stuffs and the four giant cooking gas cylinders of our neighbor,’’ he said.

    When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, said the Command was yet to get a brief of the incident from the Divisional Police Officer at Ogui Division.

    “The Command will establish contact with the DPO in the area and get full details of the incident.

    “I am assuring you and the members of the public that the Command will issue an official statement on the incident after being briefed,’’ he said.

  • Police refute alleged arrest of 57 pro-Biafra members in Enugu

    Police refute alleged arrest of 57 pro-Biafra members in Enugu

    The Police Command in Enugu State has refuted alleged arrest of 57 pro-Biafra members, which is being circulated by a social media platform.

    The Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, debunked the social media falsehood in a statement on Sunday in Enugu.

    “The attention of the Command has been drawn to a publication alleging that “Police reportedly arrest 57 Biafra Zionists members in Enugu”.

    “There was no such arrest.

    “Rather, 54 persons were seen to be unlawfully gathered at Owerri Road within the Ogui axis of Enugu metropolis and were brought to state Police Headquarters, Enugu for questioning, Sunday morning.

    “After nothing incriminating was found on them, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammed Aliyu, addressed and cautioned them to go home and maintain peace.

    “They all left happily, please,’’ the police spokesman said.

    Recall that earlier, the Command had urged residents to “remain law-abiding and vigilant as they go about their legitimate businesses while ignoring the sit-at-home order issued by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

    It appealed to the people to report criminal elements and persons found fomenting trouble to the nearest police station.

    It implored the people to alternatively call the following emergency command’s hotlines: 08032003702, 08075390883, 08086671202 or 08098880172.

    IPOB had issued a sit-at-home order in the southeast on May 31 to commemorate the death of many people during the civil war that ended about 51 years ago.