Killing of soldiers, Nnamdi Kanu-SSS ‘compromise’, other top stories from South-east

This is a review of top events which occurred in Nigeria’s south-east within the past week

Court nullifies PDP congresses in Ebonyi

Last Monday, the Federal High Court in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, nullified the recent ward, council and state congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi.

The court restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising any of the officers elected from the nullified congresses.

The judgment was given in a suit filed by Nnenna Udeh and 12 others against the PDP in 2024.

Two killed in intercommunal boundary dispute

We brought you a sad story last Monday about the killing of two persons during a protracted and ongoing clash between Ogwo in Ishiagu Community and their neighbours in Akaeze, both in the Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

The Chairperson of the Ivo Council Area, Emmanuel Aja, condemned the killing and vowed to unmask the perpetrators.

Nnamdi Kanu’s legal team allowed access to him after ‘political compromise’

The squabble between Nnamdi Kanu’s legal team and the State Security Service (SSS) appeared to have ended last Monday after the secret police allowed the lawyers access to Mr Kanu.

Mr Kanu, who is facing terrorism charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja, is the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The IPOB leader has been in detention since he was repatriated to Nigeria from Kenya in June 2021 under controversial circumstances.

His legal team has repeatedly accused the SSS of denying them access to Mr Kanu.

The IPOB leader’s legal team was allowed access to Mr Kanu after the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and a member of the House of Representatives from Abia State, Obi Aguocha, visited Mr Kanu at the SSS facility over the matter on 24 October.

Mr Kanu’s special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor had, during a TV programme days after the visit, said Messrs Abbas and Aguocha had resolved the issue of access denial through a “political compromise.”

Abia government battles civil servants over alleged N50 million pension fraud

Last Wednesday, we brought you another report that the Abia State Government had filed charges against three civil servants over alleged N50 million pension fraud in Abia State.

In a charge sheet seen by PREMIUM TIMES, the government said the offences were punishable under various sections of Nigerian laws as applicable in Abia State.

The Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, had previously vowed to prosecute all civil servants involved in the pension fraud in the state.

Killing of Nigerian soldiers by gunmen

It was a sad day in Abia State on Wednesday when gunmen killed two Nigerian soldiers at a checkpoint on the Umuahia-Owerri Road in Ekeneobizi Community in Umuahia South Local Government of the state.

The slain soldiers were part of a joint task force, codenamed Operation UDO KA, which is battling to contend with deadly Biafra agitation in the country’s South-east.

The attack indicates that insecurity in the region is yet to slow.

College students bullying their colleague

There was outrage last week after a viral video clip, which surfaced online recently, showed a group of male students bullying and assaulting an unidentified student in a school hostel.

The students, numbering about eight, forced their colleague to lie on the ground while they took turns to assault him.

The Enugu State Government, on 11 November, ordered the arrest and prosecution of the students who bullied and assaulted their fellow students in the viral video.

The Nigerian government subsequently confirmed that it had suspended 13 students involved in the assault.

Strategies used by detained Anambra council chairperson to allegedly defraud American women

Last Friday, we reported the strategies allegedly used by Franklin Nwadialo, the newly elected chairperson of Ogbaru Local Government Area, in defrauding US women of more than $3.3 million in a romance scam.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Mr Nwadialo, 40, was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on his arrival at an airport in Texas on 2 November.

The strategies used by the Nigerian politician were narrated by the US authorities and also indicated in a court document.

Some of the strategies included seeking financial assistance through dating sites, social media and emails.

Arrest of killers of Enugu market leader

Last Friday, the police in Enugu State announced the arrest of the suspected killers of the chairperson of the Ogbete Market Traders’ Association in the state.

We earlier reported how the victim, Stephen Aniagu, was shot dead at about 7 p.m. on 14 September.

The police said the suspected killers were arrested earlier this month in Akwuke, Awkunanaw, in Enugu South Council Area of the state.

They identified the arrested suspects as Chukwudi Aboshi, 28, an indigene of Anike in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, and Innocent Ebuka Ani, otherwise known as “Excellent,” who hails from Isigwe-Ugbawka in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.

UNIZIK’s new VC speaks on his controversial academic profile

Bernard Odoh, last Friday, spoke on his controversial academic profile and appointment as the vice-chancellor of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka in Anambra State.

Mr Odoh, a professor, emerged as the seventh substantive vice-chancellor of the university on 29 October.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Mr Odoh’s academic profile and his appointment as vice-chancellor were riddled with controversies.

EFCC arraigns Chinese brothers for illegal dealing in solid minerals

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission announced last Friday that it had arraigned two Chinese brothers for allegedly attempting to export some solid minerals to China without the requisite permit.

The Chinese brothers, Jiang Wang and Richard Wang were arraigned alongside a Nigerian, Michael Agu, before Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Enugu.

The defendants were arraigned on three-count charges of conspiracy, illegal possession of and exporting of mineral ore.

Nigerian university secures N90 million grant from Germany

It was a remarkable moment on Saturday when Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu, announced that it had secured a N90 million grant from the German Academic Exchange Service to implement sustainable entrepreneurship in the university.

The university said the three-year project, which commences in 2024, offers new sustainable entrepreneurship courses that are rooted in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

It explained that the grant was given to the university through its Directorate of Entrepreneurship and would be implemented with Leuphana University, Mount Kenya University, and the University of Venda, South Africa.