TodayPrice

Category: Metro

  • Benue youth burn LG secretariat, monarch’s palace, senator’s hotel, others over killings

    Benue youth burn LG secretariat, monarch’s palace, senator’s hotel, others over killings

    There is pandemonium in Gwer West Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state as irate youths Tuesday morning burnt down the Local Government Council Secretariat in Naka and the Palace of the Chairman of Gwer West traditional council, HRH Daniel Abomtse, over the alleged murder of three members of the Civil Protection Guards by suspected armed herdsmen on Monday.

    The angry mob also allegedly razed other properties in the town including the hotel belonging to the lawmaker representing Benue North West District in the Senate, Senator Titus Zam.

    It was gathered that the angry youths took to the streets as early as 7am when the bodies of the three murdered local security personnel were brought to Naka for burial.

    According to the source who spoke on condition of anonymity, “The youths were not only angered by the murder of the  three local security personnel but by the fact that the government is not doing enough to check the unending incursions and killing in Gwer West LGA by armed herdsmen.

    “What you see happening today is a revolt and demonstration of bottled up anger over the activities of armed herdsmen in Gwer West communities and the failure of the authorities to check the menace.”

    Confirming the development, Chairman of Gwer West LGA, Victor Omirin, said the protest which was started by the youths in Naka was later hijacked by hoodlums, “and they burnt down the Local Government secretariat and the Ter Nagi’s palace.”

    He explained that the crisis was triggered by “the murder of three members of Civil Protection Guards who were killed in Gyaluwa community by armed herdsmen, so when their bodies were brought to Naka, it sparked protest from the youths which was taken over by hoodlums.”

    Special Adviser to the Governor on Internal Security, Joseph Har, who confirmed that the attacked community was the home of the Security Adiviser to the Governor (External) Col. Alex Ashungyu (retd) told our correspondent: “He called and told me that the secretariat was burnt. I was also told that after burning the secretariat, they proceeded towards Abomtse’s palace and Zam’s hotel but I have not heard the latest.”

    Har, who could not confirm that the murdered trio were members of the Civil Protection Guards, said: “If they were farmers, hunters or local fighters, I do not know.”

    Efforts to reach Col. Ashungyu were unsuccessful but the Chairman of the Gwer West Traditional Council and Ter Tyoshin, HRH Daniel Abomtse who said he travelled for medical check-up confirmed the razing of his palace and other valuable in his residence.

    “I travelled for medical check-up only to hear that the boys this morning razed the Local Secretariat and my palace and other valuables including three vehicles and motorcycles that were within the premises of the palace were all burnt. But I am driving back to Naka as we speak.”

    Confirming the development in a brief statement the Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent, CSP, Catherine Anene said: “Information has been received about an on going protest in Naka and the Commissioner of  Police moved this morning to the area with other tactical teams. Further development will be communicated to you please.”

  • Over 12 Air Force personnel invade IKEDC office, beat workers – Spokesperson

    Over 12 Air Force personnel invade IKEDC office, beat workers – Spokesperson

    The spokesperson for Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC), Kingsley Okotie, has confirmed that over 12 personnel from the Air Force base at Sam Ethnan Barracks, Ikeja, Lagos, invaded the company’s office early Thursday morning.

    Speaking to Vanguard on the phone, Okotie described how the uniformed personnel stormed the IKEDC premises in a truck and began assaulting staff members.

    “They came in with their truck, beating our staff. They even took my laptop, and now many employees can’t find their phones since they left. They arrived around 8 a.m. today, Thursday, March 6, 2025,” he said.

    Explaining the cause of the invasion, Okotie stated, “We disconnected their electricity 10 days ago because they owe us over N4 billion. This is the response we got.”

    He further alleged that the personnel molested and assaulted IKEDC employees, seized about 16 company vehicles—forcing their drivers to operate them—vandalized office property, and stole laptops and phones.

    “They destroyed all our offices, wiped out our IT infrastructure, and blinded all the CCTV cameras,” Okotie added.

  • Enforcement of Okada ban: Task force impounds 82 motorcycles

    Enforcement of Okada ban: Task force impounds 82 motorcycles

    LAGOS—The Lagos State Task Force, in a surprise operation yesterday, stormed Mile 2 on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway and impounded no fewer than 82 commercial motorcycles, popularly known as Okada.

    However, no operator was arrested. TaskForce Public Relations Officer, Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, who confirmed the raid, said detail would be given today.

    The operation, which began around noon, aimed at enforcing the state government’s ban on commercial motorcycle operators in the area. However, it turned chaotic as some commercial motorcyclists attempted to flee.

    Eyewitnesses described the scene as pandemonium, with some riders struggling to take their motorbikes from the armed task force operatives. Many of them reportedly abandoned their motorcycles in the process and fled to avoid arrest.

    “It was like a war zone,” said an eyewitness, who identified himself as Tunde Omoyemi. “I saw Okada riders from one end throwing stones and sticks at the task force operatives who were trying to arrest them. It was a very scary scene.

    “Despite the chaos, the task force operatives managed to seize dozens of motorbikes and arrest many riders. Some of them sustained injuries in the ensuing stampede,” he added.

    Other areas along the busy expressway, such as Second Rainbow and Toyota bus stop, also saw similar operations, with over 15 task force vehicles stationed for onward operations in other parts of the state.

    In a surprising turn of events, some of the commercial motorcyclists who managed to escape during the operation returned to work shortly after the operatives left. The riders, seemingly unfazed by the earlier crackdown, resumed their operations at Mile 2 and Second Rainbow as if nothing had happened.

    A commuter at the Cele bus stop, who saw a commercial motorcyclist dropping off a passenger, expressed surprise at the boldness of the rider.

    The commuter, who gave his name as Jude, said: “The brazen return of the Okada riders has raised questions about the effectiveness of the task force operation and the government’s ban on commercial motorcycling in the area.“While the operation may have resulted in the arrest of some riders and the seizure of their bikes, it appears to have had little lasting impact on the activities of the motorcyclists. It is a cat-and-mouse game between the Task Force and the Okada riders. Until the government finds a more permanent solution, this cycle of arrest and return will continue.”

  • Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler hits #1 with “Ballad of the Green Berets”

    Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler hits #1 with “Ballad of the Green Berets”

    Thanks to Hollywood, America’s collective memory of the Vietnam War is now inextricably linked with the popular music of that era. More specifically, it is linked with the music of the late-’60s counterculture and antiwar movement. But opposition to the war was far from widespread back in 1966—a fact that was reflected not just in popular opinion polls, but in the pop charts, too. Near the very height of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, on March 5, 1966, American popular-music fans made a #1 hit out of a song called “The Ballad Of The Green Berets” by Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler.

    Sadler was exactly what his name and uniform implied he was: a real-life, active-duty member of the United States Army Special Forces—the elite unit popularly known as the Green Berets. In early 1965, Sadler suffered a severe punji stick injury that brought a premature end to his tour of duty as a combat medic in Vietnam. During his long hospitalization back in the United States, Sadler, an aspiring musician prior to the war, wrote and submitted to music publishers an epic ballad that eventually made its way in printed form to Robin Moore, author of the then-current nonfiction book called The Green Berets. Moore worked with Sadler to whittle his 12-verse original down to a pop-radio-friendly length, and Sadler recorded the song himself in late 1965, first for distribution only within the military, and later for RCA when the original took off as an underground hit. Within two weeks of its major-label release, The Ballad of the Green Berets had sold more than a million copies, going on to become Billboard magazine’s #1 single for all of 1966.

    While it would not be accurate to call “The Ballad Of The Green Berets” a pro-war song, it was certainly a song that enjoyed popularity among those who opposed the growing anti-war movement. A year after “Green Berets” came out, Buffalo Springfield would release “For What It’s Worth,” inspired by the Sunset Strip curfew riots in Los Angeles in November 1966. The song continues to be Hollywood’s go-to choice for many films and television programs depicting American involvement in the Vietnam War. On this day in 1966, however, the American airwaves belonged to a clean-cut, uniformed member of the U.S. Army and his anti-antiwar epic.

  • Omatseye narrates how Buhari plotted against Tinubu after securing 2nd term

    Omatseye narrates how Buhari plotted against Tinubu after securing 2nd term

    Veteran journalist and columnist Sam Omatseye has narrated how President Bola Tinubu’s relationship with his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, went sour before the former ascended power.

    Omatseye said Buhari and his cabals plotted against Tinubu because they did not want him to become president.

    Speaking on Edmund Obilo’s podcast State Affairs, the columnist said the ex-president didn’t want Tinubu to succeed him because he was afraid of the former Governor of Lagos State.

    “Buhari didn’t want him because he was afraid of him. The people around him didn’t want him. Remember that after Buhari became president, within a year, there was an estrangement between Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Muhammadu Buhari, and the story even went so far as to state that they wanted to remove his pass to the State House. That probably happened or didn’t happen. I’m not sure of that, but that was the level of the estrangement,” he said.

    According to Omatseye, when Buhari realized his second-term ambition may not be realized without Tinubu on his side, he became his friend again to secure his re-election.

    “He knew that if Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not come to his side, his desire for a second term would be difficult because the structure and the genius of Bola Tinubu might immobilize his capacity to get a second term. So he befriended him again for the second term. It was after the second term was guaranteed in an election that he decided to plot against him,” he narrated.

    Omatseye explained that the removal of Adams Oshiomhole as the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was part of the plots against Tinubu.

    According to him, the removal of Oshiomhole, who was perceived to be Tinubu’s ally, was a ploy to take over the party structure and reduce Tinubu’s influence and power in the party.

    “One of the first things they did was to take over the party structure, that is, the party’s top brands, from him because he found that Adam Oshiomhole was his man. And if Adam Oshiomhole is the head of the party, it will be difficult.

    “It was not him alone. Some governors didn’t want that to happen; they didn’t want Asiwaju to still ride high in the party. Of course, the cabal around him and the men around Buhari didn’t want him. So they removed Oshiomhole,” he said.

  • Free Kanu in honour of Clerk, Adebanjo, others — SAN begs Tinubu

    Free Kanu in honour of Clerk, Adebanjo, others — SAN begs Tinubu

    President Bola Tinubu has been urged to free the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, in honor of deceased elder statesmen like Chief Edwin Clerk and Pa Ayo Adebanjo.

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Mr. Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume, made the plea in a letter he forwarded to President Tinubu. He argued that Kanu is a product of a collective misunderstanding of some inevitable truths and political axioms.

    He further noted that Chief Clerk and Pa Adebanjo, as well as other late sages like Chief Mbazurike Amaechi, Prof. George Achulike Obiozo, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, and Chief Engr. Emmanuel Iwuanyawu, who spent their final years advocating for peace, unity, and national healing, requested Kanu’s release.

    “Their voices, though now silent, remain an enduring call for statesmanship and fairness,” the learned silk stated, adding that “Kanu is fast becoming a prisoner of conscience.”

    According to him, a sincere reflection on the antecedents and peculiar circumstances surrounding the emergence of the IPOB leader and his ordeals in the last seven years clearly shows that the Federal Government of Nigeria needs to reassess its strategy over what he termed a “national quagmire.”

    “Kanu is a product of our collective misunderstanding of some inevitable truths and political axioms, including That our Federalism (considering the inherent and different characters of the Peoples of Nigeria) is meant to comprehensively foster the growth and prosperity of Nigeria’s diverse Peoples within a harmonious framework of constituent communities.

    “It is not intended to serve as a mechanism for entrenching primordial hegemony by any particular group.

    “That it is an irony and hypocritical to be deceptively preaching ‘the indivisibility of Nigeria’ from a mindset that has a total disdain for anything healthy to the true federalism and nationhood of Nigeria where every sub-group ought to have a safe and founded sense of belonging.

    “To put it graphically, the indivisibility of Nigeria is not framed thought for an ethnic hegemony.

    “That the manifest selective preference for force and persecution over diplomacy and constructive dialogue in addressing critical national issues such as the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu-calls for urgent reconsideration.

    “Sustainable nation-building is best achieved through engagement, consensus, and adherence to the Rule of Law. Patriotism is never founded on brutal force.

    “That it is a fundamental principle of the Rule of Law that a nation must uphold and enforce the pronouncements of its Courts and adhere to the rules and treaty obligations it has ratified. Any deviation from this standard undermines the integrity of the Courts and jeopardizes the nation’s credibility in the comity of nations.”

    He argued that, given the trajectory of Kanu’s trial, including his discharge by the Court of Appeal, “all that is left is for the political State actors to exercise the needed political will.”

    “Your Excellency, great leaders are not defined by their ability to suppress opposition but by their ability to unify, heal, and reconcile. The release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will not be a sign of weakness but a demonstration of political wisdom and statesmanship.

    “It presents an opportunity to turn a new page in Nigeria’s history that prioritizes peace, justice, and the collective well-being of all citizens,” Ume, SAN, who is a former Attorney-General of Imo State, added.

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  • Deprioritising Maradi railway project

    Deprioritising Maradi railway project

    During his campaigns, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, promised to continue the programmes of his immediate predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari.

    That promise was understandable because he needed Buhari’s cooperation to enable him win. Continuation is often beneficial. Good governance is when a leader knows where to draw the line for the benefit of the greatest majority. Buhari’s Kano-Maradi railway project, which was originally costed at $1.9bn, had no business being started in the first place, for several reasons.

    Maradi, the hometown of Buhari’s father, is in Niger Republic which is outside our constitutional jurisdiction. There was no prudent reason to donate a railway of that budgetary magnitude when Nigerians, who will pay for the project, are yearning for railways. It was strictly a selfish decision that totally ignored business viability.

    Despite the best of his efforts, Buhari who started it in 2018 could only finish 30 per cent of the 387km project. Under President Tinubu’s watch, a $1.3bn facility was secured in March 2024 to pursue this project which runs through one of the most sparsely populated parts of Nigeria into a foreign country, Niger Republic.

    We advise President Tinubu that it is not yet too late to deprioritise this project because it was not properly conceived. There are heavily populated and commercially more boisterous parts of Nigeria that need railway connections to boost commerce and integration as only railways are able to do.

    For instance, the Eastern railway network, which connects Port Harcourt through Aba, Enugu, Makurdi, Jos to the Nguru Terminus in Yobe State in the North-East, remains abandoned. The Western line, which was also built by the British colonialists, is almost fully rehabilitated and in use. We have a situation where only people in the Western flanks of Nigeria up to the North are enjoying standard gauge railway services while the Eastern flank is overgrown with weeds. This is barefaced discrimination.

    What about the proposed Lagos-Benin-Warri-Port Harcourt, Aba-Calabar East/West rail network? These are some of the most populated commercial towns and the primary sources of the nation’s revenues, especially oil, maritime and industries.

    Buhari’s Kano-Maradi personal pet railway project was clearly an error of judgement. We expect President Tinubu to correct this by redirecting railway funds to areas of higher commercial viability for quicker returns. The ongoing project from Kano should terminate at Jibia, Nigeria’s boundary town in Katsina State. The Niger Republic government can link up from there if they want. This is more so now that Niger Republic has pulled out of ECOWAS and the Multinational Joint Task Force, MNJTF.

    In the unfolding new world order, everybody is putting their country first. We must also put Nigeria first. Nigerians are hungry for railway services.

    Drop the Maradi railway project now!

  • Army eliminates 10 Boko Haram terrorists, recovers cache of arms in Bama

    Army eliminates 10 Boko Haram terrorists, recovers cache of arms in Bama

    Troops of the Nigerian Army have dealt a significant blow to terrorist elements, neutralizing 10 Boko Haram fighters and recovering a cache of automatic firearms during a daring raid on their stronghold in Borno State.

    The operation also led to the arrest of a key terrorist collaborator notorious for extorting ransom payments on behalf of terrorists and bandits.

    In a statement, the Army said, “On 17 February 2025, troops operating in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State executed a high-impact raid deep inside Iza forest, a known terrorist enclave.

    “Overwhelmed by the superior firepower of the troops, 10 Boko Haram fighters were neutralized, while others fled in disarray.

    “A thorough mop-up operation in the area led to the recovery of two AK-47 rifles and two magazines loaded with ammunition.”

    In another decisive strike, troops deployed in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, acting on credible intelligence, staged a lethal ambush at a known bandits’ crossing in Tunfa village.

    The ambush resulted in the neutralization of one terrorist and the capture of a high-value suspect who facilitates ransom payments for the notorious Sani Black terrorist faction.

    Based on the suspect’s confession, troops stormed the bandits’ hideout in Tunga village, a criminal hub for selling rustled cattle. Multiple suspects were apprehended, and all bandit infrastructure in the area was destroyed.

    Further intensifying counterterrorism efforts, troops, acting on precise human intelligence, apprehended a suspected terrorist at Illela Market in Illela Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

    Commending the troops for their dedication and operational efficiency, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant Ge

    neral Olufemi Oluyede, reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to eradicating terrorism, banditry, and other criminal activities from troubled parts of the country.

    He urged patriotic citizens to continue supporting the troops by providing credible information in the collective fight to rid Nigeria of all terrorist elements.

  • LP TICKET: The battle of old hands: Moghalu, Nwoye, Ozigbo, Nwosu, Nwibe lock horns

    LP TICKET: The battle of old hands: Moghalu, Nwoye, Ozigbo, Nwosu, Nwibe lock horns

    WITH the primaries of the Labour Party, LP, for the nomination of its candidate set for April 5, 2025, the battle for the soul of Anambra delegates has begun. In the race are notable politicians, who had passed through that road before.

    At the last count, five persons have shown interest in stopping Governor Chukwuma Soludo from being re-elected. They are Mr. John Nwosu from Nnewi, Dr. George Moghalu also from Nnewi, Engineer Barth Nwibe from Igboukwu in Aguata Local Government Area, Mr. Val Ozigbo from Amesi, also in Aguata and Senator Tony Nwoye from Nsugbe in Anambra East Local Government Area.

    Most aspirants from Anambra South

    Incidentally, four of the aspirants are from Anambra South Senatorial zone where the incumbent Governor Soludo comes from, while only Senator Nwoye is from Anambra North.

    In the November 2022 governorship election that produced Professor Soludo, LP was not particularly on ground, as the new face of the party, Mr. Peter Obi, a former governor of the state, was still in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. However, everything changed when Obi joined LP, such that the party won over 90 per cent of the votes in the state in 2023 during the presidential election with Obi as the candidate. And for the first time in Anambra State, LP won two senatorial seats, five House of Representatives seats and many House of Assembly slots.

    Crisis in LP

    However, the leadership crisis that crept into the party at the national level also affected the party in Anambra, such that many people are wondering whether LP can still achieve the level it got to in 2023. Although its National Chairman, Julius Abure, had since stabilised in his position after fighting a legal battle of wits, LP’s popularity appears to have waned across the country. The main oxygen of the party, the Obedient Movement, does not seem to be leaning so much on the party now.

    LP’s optimism

    But the governorship aspirants for the November 8 election in Anambra are very optimistic that LP is the most popular, and the party to beat in the election. Their optimism is hinged on what they call the shortcomings of the present administration in the state. They list insecurity, brutality by government revenue agents against the people and over taxation as issues they would use as campaign tools. Below are the aspirants.

    I’ll do one term if elected – Nwosu

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    Nwosu has picked the LP nomination and expression of interest forms from the national headquarters of the party. Describing the exercise as his first step towards the journey to the Agu Awka Government House, Nwosu is not new in the governorship race in Anambra State as he had aspired to govern the state on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and was indeed a member of the Board of Trustees, BoT, of the party.

    An ICT expert, he has been very outspoken on the insecurity in Anambra State and has often argued that Governor Soludo has not done much to solve the problem.

    Although Soludo’s latest approach to tackle insecurity through the recently established  Agunechemba  outfit has started yielding positive results, Nwosu said the action came too late and he was quick to add that it was the criticism that made the governor act.

    “It was perhaps the concerted criticisms from the opposition that prodded him to act. His initiatives came too late for those who lost their lives. We are still not certain if his security initiatives are sustainable or just a response geared at winning electoral votes. We are already witnessing some lapses”, Nwosu said in a recent interview.

    Coming from Anambra South as Soludo, the question arises about the possibility of another governor from the South doing only one tenure to complete the two terms of eight years for the zone, Nwosu said he was even the first person to announce that he would do only four years.

    “I’m the first to acknowledge the trust deficit that exists in our body politics. Yet, I can only speak for myself in terms of my four years commitment. That is a promise, a commitment and an undertaking cast in stone,” he assured.

    On the possibility of an understanding between him and another Nnewi – born aspirant, George Moghalu for one to step down for the other before the primaries, Nwosu said: ‘Democracy is about pluralism and equal opportunity for all. Anyone, who is prima facie qualified to run should run. The primaries remain a vetting process. It would be ideal to have a gentleman agreement. But where that is not possible, the only option is to go to the field and allow the people to decide. After all, it is the people who will give the ultimate electoral mandate.

    “There will only be one LP candidate after the April 5, 2025 Labour Party primaries. If it’s me, I will expect my fellow aspirants to rally round and support me. If it is someone else, I will also do the same. Committing to that support is in the best and long term interest of the party.”

    Coalition against Soludo

    However, Nwosu does not rule out a possible coalition among the opposition.

    According to him, “talks about such a coalition are ongoing. The common denominator is the collective will to bring the present administration to an end. Anambra’s interest supersedes any personal interests or ambitions. If it will take a coalition of Like Minds to get rid of Soludo and his cabal, so be it. I’m ready to be part of that coalition. We must all get involved in rescuing Anambra.”

    Why LP’s party to beat – Moghalu

    Moghalu is the immediate past Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA and the first national auditor of All Progressives Congress, APC. He has also picked the LP’s nomination and expression of interest forms for the November 8, 2025, governorship election.

    He was a founding member of the APC, having been a member of the defunct All Nigeria People’s Party, ANPP that joined the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and others to form APC.

    Speaking after receiving the forms, Moghalu expressed high optimism about his chances of winning the party’s primary and the November 8, 2025, main election. Moghalu said that he has all it takes to unseat Soludo in the election.

    Moghalu was on the governorship ballot in 2003. He has remained an active politician since 1999 but the turn of events was in 2021 when he participated in the APC primaries, which was won by Senator Andy Uba. He went to court to challenge the outcome of the primaries and won, as the court declared that APC never had a candidate in the election because of faulty primaries.

    On why he left the APC, a party he was among the key founding members, Moghalu said: “As a politician, I have not decided to quit politics. And in the light of that basic fact, it’s me who will decide what I intend to do. If you remember, by the time I resigned from the APC, I said that I was open for consultation across the country, talking with my colleagues, my people, my friends, and my political associates. Thereafter I returned to Anambra State to continue the consultation with a lot of people, my supporters and followers. I also called my campaign council to a meeting, saying, now that I have resigned from the APC what do we do? After all these consultations it became clear to me that for me to realise the ambition that I have, the viable platform is the Labour Party. On October 1, 2024, I then declared for LP. It’s not about the party failing or not. It’s about my decision and the decision of my collective team.”

    Why Nwoye’s right choice for Anambra – Aide

    Nwoye, a medical practitioner and a grassroots politician, was the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2013 governorship election and was also APC candidate in 2017. On both occasions, he almost won, but infighting within his party denied him victory.

    He was also a one time state chairman of PDP and had a massive following in Anambra. He was also a member of the House of Representatives for Anambra East and West and is currently the Senator representing Anambra North on the platform of the Labour Party. With the massive empowerment he had embarked on over the years, both as House of Representatives member and senator in the entire state, Nwoye may strongly challenge for the ticket of LP.

    For now, the senator is still consulting and doing background work. As an experienced politician, he sure knows when to strike. But one drawback Nwoye might have is the fact that he comes from Anambra North, which produced Governor Willie Obiano that handed over to Soludo from Anambra South.

    Those in Nwoye’s camp are arguing that the current situation in Anambra State, which is facing serious security challenges, requires a vibrant politician and a performer to put things right in the state, adding that Senator Nwoye will be the right choice for Anambra people. “I can confirm to you that Senator Tony Nwoye will contest the 2025 governorship primaries of the Labour Party and eventually the governorship election in November”, one of his trusted aides said.

    Will Ozigbo make it this time?

    Ozigbo was the PDP candidate for the November 6, 2021 Anambra State governorship election. He moved to the LP in August 2022 and was received by Mr. Peter Obi. Since joining the Labour Party, Ozigbo has been very visible at functions across the state. Sometime last year, some groups under the Obidient Movement said they would support him to clinch the LP ticket because, according to them, he has the necessary qualities needed to transform the state for the better.

    “Valentine Ozigbo stands out as a beacon of hope for Anambra. A consummate politician, business leader, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, Valentine Ozigbo brings over 30 years of experience in corporate transformation, power, hospitality, energy, banking, and philanthropy.

    “His remarkable achievements, including his tenure as the President and Group CEO of Transcorp Plc, where he led transformative projects and garnered international recognition, demonstrate his capacity for visionary leadership.

    “Val Ozigbo’s commitment to youth development, community building, and good governance aligns perfectly with the values of the Obidient Movement”, the group said.

    LP’s a new reality in our polity – Nwibe

    Barth Nwibe, an Engineer, is also from Anambra South senatorial zone as Soludo. He aspired to be governor in 2017 on the platform of APC, but did not get the ticket. He didn’t aspire in 2021, but he is showing interest in the LP ticket for 2025.

    Expressing optimism about getting the party’s nomination, Nwibe said: “I have journeyed through Nigeria’s political space and a new reality has come into the country and that is the Labour Party. The party with the presence of Mr. Peter Obi in it is a new vista of hope for those of us who play the politics of development and not the politics of finding jobs. Some of us are successful in what we are doing. We are professionals at various levels and sectors in life and it is my belief that we should come in to help better our society.”

    As it stands, all eyes are on LP in Anambra State, being the state of Peter Obi. As the aspirants have all said, LP is the party with the largest following in the state and they are all prepared to make sacrifices to ensure that the party forms the next government.

  • Customs hands over 1,599 seized arms, ammunition in Lagos to NSA Office

    Customs hands over 1,599 seized arms, ammunition in Lagos to NSA Office

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has officially handed over 1,599 assorted arms and 2,298 live cartridges, seized during operations in 2024, to the National Centre for Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW). The handover ceremony, held yesterday, marks a significant step in the country’s ongoing efforts to curb the proliferation of illicit arms.

    Speaking at the handing over ceremony, Comptroller General of Customs, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, emphasized the critical role of intelligence-driven interventions in safeguarding national security, particularly in light of rising insecurity from armed banditry in the Northwest and the spread of illegal arms in the Southeast.

    Adeniyi revealed that 11 suspects connected to the arms trafficking network were also handed over for further investigation and possible prosecution.

    “The Nigeria Customs Service has reinforced its core mandate of protecting our national borders through targeted anti-smuggling operations and precise intelligence-driven interventions,” Adeniyi said. “Our track record in intercepting illegal arms and ammunition underscores our frontline role in maintaining national security.”

    Recalled that major breakthrough came in May 2018, when Customs intercepted 440 pump-action rifles concealed in 516 bags of Plaster of Paris (POP) cement. The rifles were hidden in a 20-foot container at the Tin Can Island Port. Subsequent investigations led to the discovery of two additional containers (CMAU 189817/8 and GESU 255208/1) similarly packed with arms hidden among sanitary wares.

    “Today’s handover encompasses these seizures, culminating in the recovery of 1,599 arms and 2,298 live cartridges,” Adeniyi stated.

    The Customs boss highlighted the sophisticated investigative techniques employed, including forensic analysis of shipping records and collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to trace the illicit shipments to a Turkish company. Legal action was subsequently pursued through the Office of the Attorney General, resulting in prosecutions at the Federal High Court in Lagos.

    He said:”Through strategic inter-agency cooperation, we have successfully disrupted these smuggling operations. Our resolve remains firm: the Service will spare no effort in dismantling such networks.”
    Adeniyi also disclosed ongoing investigations into recent arms seizures at the Onne Port, where similar concealment methods were detected.

    Strengthening Inter-Agency Collaboration

    The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, who was represented by Mr. Johnson Kokumo, commended the collaborative efforts between Customs and other arms-bearing agencies.

    Kokumo, who is as the Director General of the NCCSALW, reiterated the government’s commitment to preventing the circulation of illicit arms.

    “This synergy between Customs and the National Centre underscores the importance of collective action in the fight against illegal arms trafficking. We will continue to work with international and domestic partners to ensure these weapons are permanently removed from circulation,” Kokumo said.

    The handover underscores Nigeria’s intensified efforts to combat arms smuggling, as security agencies strengthen their operations to address rising security challenges across the country.