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TACKLING INSECURITY IN ENUGU: Stakeholders Accuses Mbah Of Illegitimacy

Published

3 years ago

June 17, 2023

324 Views

The Enugu State Stakeholders Forum (ESSF) has ascribed the failure of the state government’s cancellation of the Monday sit-at-home order to the lack of legitimacy by the new Peter Mbah government that came into being last May 29.

In a statement in Enugu today signed by the ESSF’s leader, Professor Joseph Aneke, and the secretary, Dr Ifeanyi Agbo, the stakeholders said that what would have been a good government initiative failed spectacularly because Mbah did not think through it before announcing it.

“Mbah has been desperate to do something popular to get accepted by the Enugu people because he and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government did not win the March 18 gubernatorial and State House of Assembly elections”, declared the stakeholders.

“He merely hit upon the idea of ending the illegal sit-at-home declared by nonstate actors; it is a brainwave rather than a sound government policy”.

The ESSF observed that if the government had thought through it, the administration would have first called a meeting of stakeholders to discuss the government’s new step to end insecurity and provide honest suggestions on the way forward which all groups would accept to implement from an agreed day.

The ESSG regretted that with “the government order failing as most Enugu people last Monday observed sit-at-home as usual, out of fear of vicious attacks by nonstate actors, the state government took a panic measure by calling for a meeting of all kinds of stakeholders yesterday (Saturday) at the Old Governor’s Lodge in GRA, Enugu.

“The meeting should have been called before announcing the cancellation as no right-thinking person puts the cart before the horse.

“The central issue in ending the destructive sit-at-home order is deploying security forces everywhere, from markets to government offices to motor parks to major and minor roads, and all other public places.

“The people will defy IPOB and its agents once there is a fair assurance of security”.

The group also faulted the government for implementing the cancellation before the appointment of key government officials.

“It is top government officials like the Commissioner for Security and the Special Adviser on Security who will drive the implementation of this security step and take responsibility for it, not just the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Chidiebere Onyia, a fellow Nkanu person who is the only person appointed by Mbah since assumption of office”.

The ESSF criticised the meeting at the Old Governor’s Lodge “for having only one item on the agenda: endorsement of the anti-sit-at-home order, which looks pretty sycophantic.

“It should have discussed in a serious manner modalities for the success of the government’s cancellation of the order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) that has been taking a tremendous toll on the entire people of the Southeast.

“The government’s resounding failure or inability to think correctly before taking action is what normally obtains when the people did not choose a government, and so does all manner of things to gain acceptance.

“Security is not provided through populism and all such acts of playing to the gallery”.

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Groups protest over deputy speaker’s professional integrity

The controversy centres on petition BB/LPDC/1948/2026, filed on January 20, 2026, by John Aikpokpo Martins, Esq., where he alleged significant inconsistencies regarding Kalu’s National Youth Service Corps NYSC service year and his period of enrollment at the Nigerian Law School’s Enugu Campus.

Published

2 hours ago

March 11, 2026

OCHEFA

8 Views

The Civil Society Groups for Good Governance (CSGGG) protested today over what it described as a “continued failure, refusal and neglect” by the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee LPDC committee to act on a petition involving the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu.

Members of the coalition who stormed the premises of the Body of Benchers in Abuja, wielded placards with various inscriptions such as “Integrity First; Verify Before You Lead”, “Show Your Certificate, Benjamin Kalu”; “No More Foolery, Submit Your Certificate”; “Transparency Now, Show Your Certificate”; and, “The Law Applies to Everyone Including You”, among others.

CSGGG maintained that these allegations strike at the very root of the Deputy Speaker’s professional standing and the integrity of his admission to the Nigerian Bar.

In a strongly worded letter addressed to the LPDC Chairman, convener of the CSOs, Chief Dominic Ogakwu argued that the committee’s silence suggests that certain individuals may be considered “beyond scrutiny.”

“The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee exists precisely to safeguard the integrity and credibility of the legal profession.

Its responsibilities are not discretionary exercises to be undertaken only when convenient; they are statutory duties imposed by law”, he stated.

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JUST IN: IGP Disu Assigns Portfolios to New DIGs

DIG Zachariah Fera Achinyan has been deployed to Legal Services, DIG Zango Ibrahim Baba to Research and Planning, and DIG Isyaku Mohammed to Training and Development departments.

Published

19 hours ago

March 10, 2026

OCHEFA

29 Views

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Olatunji Disu has assigned the new Deputy Inspectors -General of Police (DIGs) their duties responsibilities.

Sources said that the DIGs were assigned departments based on their areas of competence.

DIG Zachariah Fera Achinyan has been deployed to Legal Services,

DIG Zango Ibrahim Baba to Research and Planning, and DIG Isyaku Mohammed to Training and Development departments.

Similarly, DIG Margaret Agebe Ochalla has been posted to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID);

DIG Mohammed Abdul Sulaiman to Finance and Accounts; DIG Kenechukwu Onwuemelie will oversee the Force Intelligence Department (FID); DIG Fayoade Adegoke will head Information and Communication Technology, while DIG Umar Shehu Nadada has been posted to Operations departments.

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Airport Access Gates: FG Approves Cash and FAAN Go Cashless Cards for Payment

The statement also noted that motorists who already possess FAAN Go Cashless Cards can continue using them until further notice.

In addition, other electronic payment channels, including Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals and approved digital platforms, will remain available

Published

21 hours ago

March 10, 2026

OCHEFA

36 Views

The Federal Government has directed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to accept both cash and electronic payments at airport access gates nationwide, as part of efforts to ease traffic congestion.

The directive followed a meeting between the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development and officials of the FAAN, alongside senior officials of the ministry, on Tuesday.

The move comes after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered the suspension of the full cashless payment system at airport access gates following complaints that it had caused traffic gridlocks.

In a statement issued in Abuja by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, the government has resolved to gradually transition to a fully automated payment system at airport access points.

As part of the interim measures, the ministry announced that a hybrid payment system allowing both cash and card payments will take effect at all airport access gates from March 13, 2026.

The statement also noted that motorists who already possess FAAN Go Cashless Cards can continue using them until further notice.In addition, other electronic payment channels, including Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals and approved digital platforms, will remain available