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
Burial begins for Oyo school teacher killed by JAS terrorist group
The deceased teacher is expected to be buried at his residence in the Owolake area of Ogbomoso.
The burial arrangements for Adesiyan Adegboye, the teacher killed during last Friday’s coordinated attack on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, began on Friday at Ayegun Baptist Church, Ogbomoso.
Adegboye, 49, was shot dead during the invasion carried out by armed bandits at Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School, and L.A. Primary School, Esiele.
The deceased teacher is expected to be buried at his residence in the Owolake area of Ogbomoso.
The attackers reportedly stormed the schools around 9:30am, abducting several teachers and students during the operation that threw the communities into panic.
Following the incident, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, visited the affected area on Saturday and ordered the deployment of additional detectives from the Force Headquarters in Abuja to support ongoing rescue efforts.
News
FG launches GovGuideNigeria to boost citizens governance access
GovGuideNigeria platform is accessible through WhatsApp and the web, and is available in English, Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba to ensure wider accessibility for citizens across different linguistic backgrounds.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijan, has said that Nigerians can now access the government information and services through the newly launched GovGuideNigeria.
The artificial intelligence-powered platform was launched on May 21 by the government in collaboration with Meta, the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), and local developer partner Publica AI.
According to the Minister, the platform is accessible through WhatsApp and the web, and is available in English, Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba to ensure wider accessibility for citizens across different linguistic backgrounds.
Tijani stated that the platform provides users with easy access to information from more than 35 federal ministries and over 60 government agencies.
He described the initiative as part of the government’s efforts to improve public service delivery through technology and digital innovation.
Sade Dada, Head of Public Policy, Meta, said during the launch “Meta’s open-source AI is critical to economic growth and productivity — and GovGuide Nigeria, is a clear example of what this looks like in practice.
Ignatius Willie, CEO, Publica AI said, “Today is not just a product launch. It is a step towards democratising how Nigerians engage with their government. With GovGuide Nigeria, we are not simply digitising access to public services; we are making them conversational, multilingual, and available on the channels Nigerians already use every day.
News
DHQ says JAS terrorists carried out Oyo kidnap
The DHQ denied reports suggesting it referred to terrorists operating in the South-West as ordinary criminals, insisting that such interpretations were inaccurate and misleading.
Photo: Maj Gen Michael Onoja
The Defence Headquarters disclosed that the attackers behind the Oyo abduction were members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad terrorist group displaced by sustained military offensives across the country.
Latest week, schools in communities at Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, were attacked by terrorists ; they abducted pupils, teachers and other residents from Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle.
The incident also left several persons dead, while one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was later killed after a video linked to the attack surfaced online.
In a statement signed by the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen Michael Onoja, the DHQ confirmed said that the attack was perpetrated by terrorists of the JAS Group that have been dislodged from other parts of the country due to high-intensity operations being conducted all over the country.
The DHQ denied reports suggesting it referred to terrorists operating in the South-West as ordinary criminals, insisting that such interpretations were inaccurate and misleading.
“It is, therefore, inaccurate and misleading to suggest that the Defence Headquarters, at any point, referred to vicious and violent terrorists as criminals,” Onoja stated
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