News
Children of 86-Year-old Blind Udi Monarch Begs Gov Mbah over Detention of Father
Children of the traditional ruler of Akpakume, at Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, Igwe Ekwueme Odenigbo, have appealed to Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State to release their 86-year-old blind father and brother, Solomon, from prison custody in Enugu.
The Vanguard reports that they also made a “Save-Our-Soul” call on the Senator Representing Enugu West Senatorial Zone, Osita Ngwu and the Chairman of Udi local government council, Engr. Hyginus Agu, over the continued incarceration of their 86-year-old blind monarch, Igwe Odenigbo by the Enugu State Police Command.
Igwe Odenigbo, 86 and one of his sons, Solomon Ekwueme, were detained in Enugu Correctional Service Centre, Enugu since January 9, 2025 following a petition written against them by a prominent citizen of the community, Mr. Livinus Okolo, aka Zion.
They said: “It is truly heartbreaking for us to be called back to Enugu with the news that our aged and blind father, a retired elder in the Redeemed Christian Church of God and the King of an entire community has been locked up by the Nigerian Police and charged to a Magistrate court and subsequently sent to the Prison at the behest of a man that has been nothing short of a terror to the entire people of Akpakwume community, Mr Livinus Okolom, Alias Zion”.
Odenigbo’s children posited that trouble began on December 23, 2024 when Mr. Livinus Okolo, allegedly invaded their father’s palace with about 20 boys, armed with guns, axe and matchets and beat their parents mercilessly and took away his staff of office and other valuables claiming that Igwe Odenigbo had been dethroned and he, Okolo is now the acting Igwe because Igwe was involved in illegal mining and government decided to unseat him.
They pointed out that following Okolo’s attack on their father, irate youths in the community went and destroyed some part of Okolo’s house.
Igwe Odenigbo had on December 24, petitioned the police over the attack on his palace but no arrest was made because Okolo was said to be highly connected and has the backing of Gov. Mbah and the Commissioner for Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Okey Ogbodo.
They went further to explain that when the youths destroyed Okolo’s house over his alleged attack on their Igwe, Okolo petitioned the police and got the traditional prime minister elect, Onowu-elect, Chief Marius Ezeanyanwu, arrested claiming that it was he that instigated the destruction of his house.
They went further to explain that when the youths destroyed Okolo’s house over his alleged attack on their Igwe, Okolo petitioned the police and got the traditional prime minister elect, Onowu-elect, Chief Marius Ezeanyanwu, arrested claiming that it was he that instigated the destruction of his house.
As a result of the arrest of Chief Ezeanyanwu, the youths were said to have been angered the more and went and burnt down his house completely, the Igwe’s children pointed out.
Based on the arson on Okolo’s house, he was said to have petitioned the police who on January 9, 2025 who invited their brother, Solomon and their father for questioning but detained them afterwards.
Having detained them, on January 13, 2025, a magistrate court at Enugu North tried them and sent them to prison custody and ever since, they have been languishing in the Correctional Service Centre, Enugu.
Therefore, touched by the plight of their aged father, Igwe Odenigbo and brother Solomon, they begged the governor to intervene forthwith.
News
Military Troops Battle ISWAP Attack in Maiduguri
The affected areas include Dala, Bulamari and Ajilari Cross, where residents reported intense gunfire coming from the outskirts of the Borno State capital.
Residents in parts of Maiduguri were thrown into panic late Monday night after heavy gunfire was heard across sections of the city.
Witnesses say the sound of gunshots triggered fear and confusion, forcing many residents to flee their homes in search of safety.
The affected areas include Dala, Bulamari and Ajilari Cross, where residents reported intense gunfire coming from the outskirts of the Borno State capital.
Security sources say suspected fighters linked to Boko Haram or ISWAP launched an attack on the outskirts of Maiduguri, prompting a swift response from Nigerian troops.
Nigerian Air Force fighter jets were also deployed and are currently engaging the assailants as efforts continue to repel the attack.
Authorities are yet to release an official statement on the incident, while residents remain on edge as security forces work to contain the situation
News
Insecurity: Nigeria’s Internally Displaced Persons Hit 3.726m
According to the report, Zamfara is hosting 276,887 IDPs in 9 camps as of March 2026, while , Benue State hosts over 500,000 internally displaced persons, making it one of the worst-hit states.
Data compiled by the International Organisation for Migration Displacement Tracking Matrix, showed that there are 3,725,593 internally displaced persons, IDPs, now scattered across about 3,900 camps and settlements nationwide.
According to the report, Zamfara is hosting 276,887 IDPs in 9 camps as of March 2026, while , Benue State hosts over 500,000 internally displaced persons, making it one of the worst-hit states.
In Taraba State, about 90,000 displaced persons are currently sheltered in eight camps located in Peva and Kufai Ahmadu in Chanchanji Ward of Takum LGA.
The report said that the crisis has largely been driven by insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West, farmer–herder conflicts in the North-Central, and communal clashes in parts of the South.
It further said that Nigeria’s 3.726 million displaced population is larger than the population of at least 63 countries whose populations are under 3.7 million, according to United Nations population estimates.
Among countries with fewer than 3.7 million people are Uruguay (3.4m), Jamaica (2.8m), Qatar (2.7m), Namibia (2.6m) and Botswana (2.6m).
News
Atiku’s Media Aide, Ifeanyi Izeze is Dead
The media office said that further details about Izeze’s burial would be made public by his family.
Atiku Media Office has announced the death of Ifeanyi Izeze, a member of the media team of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
In the statement , Izeze a prominent and pioneer member of the ex-VP’s media team died on Sunday.
“Ifeanyi Izeze joined the media team of the then Vice President Atiku Abubakar in 2006, from Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON), Ikot-Abasi as the Office Manager.
He brought to bear on the work of the media team at that critical stage of Atiku’s political career, his wealth of experience in the media, Niger Delta and Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
Izeze trained as a geologist at the University of Port Harcourt up to postgraduate level, but carved a niche in journalism where he reported and wrote extensively on oil and gas industry in Nigeria for many years in the defunct Sunray, Anchor, and NewAge newspapers among others, before he joined ALSCON.
In the Atiku Media Office, Ifeanyi was a senior member of the team and its pioneer Office Manager who helped shape the campaign policies of the Atiku Presidential Campaigns in the Niger Delta, particularly in the oil and gas sectors,” the statement further reads.
Atiku Media Office described the deceased as a man with a prodigious sense of humour and a born-again Christian of the Christ Embassy.
The media office said that further details about Izeze’s burial would be made public by his family.
He left behind children, grandchildren and an elder and only surviving brother, Pastor Emeka Izeze of the Guardian Newspapers fame
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