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TACKLING INSECURITY IN ENUGU: Stakeholders Accuses Mbah Of Illegitimacy

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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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Nigerian Press Urges FG, NASS to Act Swiftly Against ‘Big Tech Threat’

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Major Nigerian media and journalism organizations have issued a strong call to the Federal Government (FG) and the National Assembly (NASS) to take immediate legislative and regulatory action against what they describe as an existential threat posed by Big Tech companies to the country’s information sovereignty and media industry.

In a joint statement released recently, leading press bodies—including key associations representing publishers, editors, and journalists—warned that unchecked dominance by global technology giants such as Google, Meta, and others is eroding Nigeria’s control over its digital information ecosystem.

They highlighted how these platforms dominate digital advertising revenue, divert traffic from traditional news sources, and increasingly use Nigerian-generated content to train artificial intelligence models without fair compensation or permission.

The groups emphasized that the situation risks surrendering Nigeria’s information sovereignty to foreign entities, potentially undermining national security, cultural values, and the economic viability of local media houses.

They pointed to declining revenues for publishers, with some facing up to 90% drops in traffic due to AI-generated summaries and algorithmic changes on search and social platforms.

The press bodies urged lawmakers to enact robust regulations, including frameworks for content remuneration, data usage restrictions, algorithmic transparency, and mechanisms to ensure fair competition in the digital space.

They called for urgent collaboration between the executive and legislature to address these challenges before irreversible damage occurs to Nigeria’s media landscape and democratic discourse.

This appeal comes amid broader global debates on Big Tech accountability and follows Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its digital economy governance, including recent pushes toward comprehensive AI and data regulations.

Stakeholders view the statement as a pivotal moment for protecting indigenous media in an era of rapid technological disruption.

The Federal Government and National Assembly have yet to issue an official response, but the call aligns with growing concerns over digital monopolies and their impact on developing economies.

Media experts anticipate intensified discussions in the coming weeks as Nigeria navigates its position in the global tech landscape.

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US sends troops to Nigeria

The top commander made the confirmation during a press briefing, yesterday, but did not provide further details about the size and scope of their mission.

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The general in charge of the U.S. command for Africa (AFRICOM), General Dagvin Anderson, confirmed that United States has sent troops to Nigeria.

The top commander made the confirmation during a press briefing, yesterday, but did not provide further details about the size and scope of their mission.

He emphasised that the decision to send troops to Nigeria was after both countries agreed that more needed to be done to combat the terrorist threat in West Africa.

“That has led to increased collaboration between our nations to include a small US team that brings some unique capabilities from the United States,” General Anderson said.

According to Reuters, Nigeria’s Defense Minister, Christopher Musa, confirmed that a team was working in Nigeria but did not provide further details.

The development is the first acknowledgment of U.S. forces on the ground since US airstrikes targeting terrorists in Nigeria’s North-West on Christmas Day, 2025.

President Donald Trump, who announced that he ordered the airstrikes on what he described as Islamic State targets, had said there could be more U.S. military action in Nigeria.

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How To Treat Snake Bites

Snake bite is not a home -treatable condition; only hospital treatment can saves life.

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Snake bite is not a home -treatable condition; only hospital treatment can saves life.

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