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Abia State Holds State Burial for Renowned Evangelist Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai

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The Abia State Government on Thursday, March 26, 2026, organised a grand state burial service in honour of the late Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, one of Nigeria’s most influential Christian evangelists and founder of the Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association.

The solemn ceremony took place at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Ogurube Layout, Umuahia, beginning at 10:00 a.m. It drew top government officials, religious leaders, and mourners from across Nigeria and beyond to celebrate the life and legacy of the cleric, who died on October 6, 2025, at the age of 80.

The remains of Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, a native of Asaga in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State, were earlier received with full honours at the Akwa Ibom-Abia state boundary before being conveyed to Umuahia for the state funeral service.

The body had previously lain in state in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, where he resided for many years.

Governor Alex Otti’s administration described the late evangelist as a “towering figure” whose life of faith, leadership, and humanitarian impact left an indelible mark on Abia State, Nigeria, and the global Christian community.

The state burial was part of a week-long programme of funeral rites that culminated in the final interment on Friday, March 27, 2026, at his hometown of Asaga, Ohafia.

Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, born on January 7, 1945, was celebrated as an international preacher who ministered for nearly six decades. He was widely respected for his powerful crusades, teachings on faith and prosperity, and establishment of numerous charitable initiatives, including educational and medical outreach programmes.

Dignitaries in attendance included senior government functionaries, clergy from various denominations, and notable figures who paid glowing tributes to his spiritual legacy and contributions to nation-building through the gospel.

The state burial reflects Abia’s recognition of Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai’s immense role in promoting moral values and spiritual development. Family members, while expressing gratitude for the honour bestowed on their patriarch, described his passing as a “glorious home-going.

”As the final interment proceeds today in Asaga, Ohafia, many have described the occasion as not just a farewell but a celebration of a life well-lived in service to God and humanity.

The Abia State Government has urged residents and visitors to observe the period with dignity and solemnity.

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Katsina Flood Sweeps Away Siblings Returning From Islamiyya School

Fighting back tears, the children’s father, Malam Salisu Arabi, described the loss as the most painful moment of his life.

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Two brothers, Muhammad Salisu, 12, and Abdurrahman Salisu, 7, lost their lives after they were carried away by flood in Janbago, a community in Katsina State.

The victims, were said to be returning home from a nearby Islamiyya school when downpour, accompanied by strong winds, turned the streets into raging torrents.

The Daily Trust reported that their bodies were later recovered from different locations after frantic search efforts by residents.

The incident plunged the entire community into mourning as sympathisers thronged the family residence to console the bereaved parents.

Fighting back tears, the children’s father, Malam Salisu Arabi, described the loss as the most painful moment of his life.

“They left home that day like every other child going to Islamiyya school. I never imagined that the same rain we all witnessed would take away my two children,” he lamented.

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An alleged fake university discover in Lagos

The university was operating from a three-bedroom apartment at Ilado, Olorunda Local Council Development Area of Lagos State.

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Photo:Students of the university during the raid by NSCDC. Credit: NSCDC

The proprietor of an alleged fake university in Lagos , has been arrested by operatives of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NCDC).

The NSCDC Badagry Area Command, who enforced the arrest, said that the university was operating from a three-bedroom apartment at Ilado, Olorunda Local Council Development Area of Lagos State.

The command also rescued 106 students of the institution from across Nigeria and neighbouring West African countries with promises of admission into a foreign university.

According to the corps, the operation was carried out in the early hours of Monday following days of intelligence gathering and covert surveillance by NSCDC operatives

” The suspected institution was operating without an official name, registration, signboard or recognised campus, while allegedly presenting itself online as a distance-learning centre affiliated with a foreign university,”said NSCDC.

Investigations revealed that the rescued youths, mostly between the ages of 19 and 24, came from several Nigerian states, including Kogi, Oyo and some northern states. Others reportedly travelled from neighbouring countries such as Niger, Cameroon and Togo after being recruited online.

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Ayo Fayose Gets Presidential Portfolio As REA Board Chairman

Fayose will head the board of REA, with Alhaji Ahmadu Abubakar and Engineer Ilyasu Ibrahim Makinta appointed as members and non-executive directors,” said Onanuga.

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President Bola Tinubu has appointed the former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, as chairman of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) Board.

The President also appointed Major General Junaid Bindawa as chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.

24 others were also appointed to 10 federal government agencies and commissions.

The appointments were contained in a statement issued by the presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, in Abuja.

According to the statement, “All the appointments take immediate effect.”

“Fayose will head the board of REA, with Alhaji Ahmadu Abubakar and Engineer Ilyasu Ibrahim Makinta appointed as members and non-executive directors,” said Onanuga.

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