In a significant step against entrenched social discrimination, traditional leaders in Oguta, Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State, have formally abolished the age-long Osu (also referred to as Ohu) outcast system, a cultural practice that has marginalised generations of people through stigma and exclusion.

The abolition was proclaimed on November 3, 2025 (with some reports noting the public declaration on November 2), at the Oguta Civic Centre. Chief Nduka Oduenyi, the Ogana (spokesman/assistant) to the traditional ruler of Oguta, Eze Nnani Eze-Eyiche, made the announcement on behalf of the community’s leaders, elders, youths, and women who gathered for the event.

“This is a historic moment of renewal and unity for the Oguta community,” Oduenyi stated. “The long-standing Ohu caste system — a practice widely regarded as discriminatory and inconsistent with human dignity — no longer exists in Oguta going forward.

”The Osu/Ohu system, deeply rooted in parts of Igbo culture, has historically designated certain individuals and their descendants as outcasts, limiting their social interactions, marriages, and opportunities despite previous legislative efforts at state and regional levels to end it.

The development comes nearly four years after investigative journalist and author Ejiro Umukoro drew fresh national attention to the issue through her novel *Distortion*.

The book, which weaves together themes of mental health, infertility, grief, and systemic discrimination including the Osu caste system, sparked widespread conversations across Nigeria.

Umukoro’s advocacy went beyond the pages of the novel. Through a seven-month nationwide book tour featuring television appearances, radio interviews, and community outreach, she consistently highlighted the lived experiences of those affected by the system, helping to revive dormant discussions on the topic.

This community-led abolition in Oguta is seen by many as a concrete outcome of renewed advocacy efforts, including those by Umukoro and other human rights voices, building on earlier calls for reform. It marks one of the more visible public renunciations of the practice in recent years.

The move has been welcomed by observers as a positive step toward greater social inclusion and equality in the region, though broader eradication across Igbo land would require continued efforts by traditional institutions, government, and civil society.

No fewer than 56 people, mostly traders, are feared dead, while 14 others have been hospitalized following an airstrike on a weekly market along the Borno–Yobe border.

The incident occurred at Jilli Market, located between Gubio and Geidam Local Government Areas of Borno and Yobe states, on Saturday.

The airstrike was carried out during a military operation targeting suspected Boko Haram insurgents.

The weekly market usually attracts traders and buyers from surrounding communities, including Gubio, Chiweram, and Benisheikh in Borno State, as well as Gurokayeya and Geidam in Yobe State.

Multiple sources said that the fighter jet that carried out the operation was tracking a group of suspected insurgents believed to have visited the market to collect levies from traders and obtain supplies. However, the strike reportedly missed its intended target

.An eyewitness said at least 56 people have been confirmed dead, while 14 others are receiving treatment at the Specialist Hospital in Geidam, Yobe State.

“The incident happened around 2:46 p.m. while business activities were ongoing. Four fighter jets carried out the attack, though the fourth jet was not clearly visible. We only heard the sound of explosions.

“I counted 56 corpses myself and helped rescue two injured people, taking them to the hospital. I believe the number of casualties may be higher, as more bodies are still being recovered,” the source said.

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) will, on April 24, elect a new president.

Incumbent President, Williams Akporeha, announced his exit date at the weekend during the Quarterly National Executive Council meeting of Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch, PTD-NUPENG in Warri, Delta State.

Former National Chair of PTD-NUPENG and National Trustees of the union, Salimon Oladiti will be elected as president of NUPENG in Lagos.

The election of Oladiti will mark the first time in NUPENG a member of the PTD branch will be president.

During the meeting, Zonal Chair of PTD-NUPENG in Port Harcourt, Joseph Okafor, moved the motion for unanimous ratification of Oladiti for president, seconded by Adekunle Akinlaja of Lagos zone.