Blast Naija Media

The expanded meeting of the South-East Governors Forum commences at the Government House, Enugu, with Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, David Umahi of Ebonyi State/Chairman of the Forum, Willie Obiano of Anambra State, Emeka Ihedioha of Imo State and Deputy Governor of Abia State, Rt. Hon. Ude Oko Chukwu, in attendance.  The meeting which has issues of security and closure of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, high on the agenda, also has the following in attendance: The Minister of Aviation, Hon. Hadi Sirika; the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, represented by the GOC, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army,  Maj. Gen. Abubakar Maikobi; the Chief of Air Staff,  Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, represented by the Air Officer Commanding Ground Training Command, Enugu, Air Vice Marshal Idi Amin and the Inspector General of Police,  Mohammed Adamu, represented by AIG, Zone 9, Umuahia, Baba Tijani. Others include, CPs and SDs of DSS of five

Dr Samuel Uche The Prelate, Methodist Church, Nigeria, Dr Samuel Uche, on Monday, decried the slow pace of development in Abia, saying that the church is worried about the situation. Uche, who stated this in Enugu during a media briefing as part of activities marking the end of his Apostolic tour of the South-East, said that with what he had seen in the state, there was no doubt that Abia was the most backward in the zone. The cleric appealed to the state government to be alive to its responsibilities and work for the people. “I am impressed with what is happening in Ebonyi, Anambra and Enugu States, but I want to urge the government of Abia to sit up and stop sharing money to godfathers. “They should learn from what the governors of the aforementioned states are doing and use the resources at their disposal to work for the people,” he said. According to Uche, it is sad that most roads in the state are impassable, while residents of major cities, especially U

John Nnia Nwodo, President General, Ohaneze Ndigbo. MY DEAR NDIGBO My attention has been drawn to a recorded speech made by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of IPOB, now streaming in the social media.  The speech was ostensibly made in Germany ahead of a visit, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu and I were scheduled to make to Germany for a meeting of Ndigbo.  In that video, Nnamdi peddled unprintable lies about me and rebuked Igbos in Germany for inviting me and threatened that I will not leave Germany alive.  I would have ignored this speech as I have ignored many of his previous abuses and deliberate falsehood previously broadcast against me. I had ignored them in the past not only because the distortions and falsehood were indirectly countered by the robust publicity of my activities and utterances which negated his representations but also because I thought it was indecent for a father and his son to be engaged in public disputations, especially when such disputations in our present circums

                                                            The Headquarters 82 Division Nigerian Army says it has successfully concluded its 2019 Inter Brigade Combat Proficiency Competition.  The week-long exercise which kick started on Monday 19 August was declared closed by the General Officer Commanding 82 Division, Major General Abubakar Sadiq Maikobi, on Thursday at the 82 Division Physical and Training Ground with 34 Artillery Brigade emerging overall winner of the competition. According to the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Colonel Aliyu Yusuf, activities lined up for the exercise included 10 kilometers Combat Run, Map Reading, Combat Swimming, Weapon Handling and Combat Relay competitions which were keenly contested by the 3 participating Brigades which included 13 Brigade Calabar, 14 Brigade Ohafia,34 Artillery Brigade Owerri as well as 82 Division Garrison. However, 34 Artillery Brigade Emerged overall

Commander 14  brigadier general Solomon Kumapayi handover dismissed soldier Ajayi Johnson to Abia State Commissioner of Police CP Ene Okon at Abia State Police Headquarters, Umauhia The 82 Division of the Nigerian Army has dismissed Lance Cpl. Ajayi Johnson, who allegedly killed a commercial motorcyclist, Chimaobi Nwogu, at Umoukereke Ngwa in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia The Deputy Director, Public Relations of the division, Col. Aliyu Yusuf, announced this in a statement issued in Enugu on Wednesday. Yusuf stated that Johnson had been handed over to the police command in Abia for prosecution. It would be recalled that the suspect had on August 7, 2019 allegedly shot Nwaogu for reportedly failing to drop N100 at a military checkpoint, killing him on the spot. The army later arrested him and, according to Yusuf, he was tried in accordance with extant rules and regulations of the Nigerian Army. Yusuf said that Johnson had been dully charged, tried and re

Hon. Nnolim Nnaji has commended the reappointment of Senator Hadi Sirika as Minister of Aviation by President Muhammadu Buhari saying it was good for continuity. Hon. Nnaji who is the Chairman House Committee on Aviation  noted that he would expect the Minister to hit the ground running because he was already familiar with the terrains. "There are so much to be done within a short time to prepare the industry for the challenges posed by the emerging African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA), so we don't need a new person that will require a lot of time to learn the  ropes". He said. The lawmaker representing Nkanu East and West Federal Constituency, Enugu State also stated that he is happy the minister is coming at the time the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN) is commencing the reconstruction of the Enugu Airport Runway.  He urged the minister whom he said understands the problems associated to Enugu Airport, to use his knowledge as a seasoned a

The Chairman of House Committee on Aviation Hon. Nnolim Nnaji has expressed concern over the planned closure of Enugu Airport noting that it would have adverse effect on the socio-economy of the South East. He regretted that the closure was coming at a time travelling by road in south East zone has become a nightmare due to the prevailing security challenges. He however, stressed that his committee would work assiduously with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies to ensure that the repair works are completed within the stipulated time.  Nnolim Nnaji consequently called on the Federal Government to come up with special grants to Enugu State Government to enable it cope with the increased demand for security and maintenance of roads that will serve the diverted Traffic from the Enugu Airport. Rep Nnaji equally appealed to the Ministry of Works to ensure that the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) is adequately mobilized to carry out some urgent repair wo

Ndi-Igbo Germany, NIG, an umbrella body of Igbo people living in Germany, has tendered unreserved apology to the former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, over the weekend attack on him by members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) in Nuremberg, Germany, at the weekend. The group said that any embarrassment to a leading light of Ndigbo like Ekweremadu was an embarrassment to the entire Igbo race and Nigeria, vowing to ensure that the law runs its full course. The body said the event was part of its efforts to encourage foreign investment and industrialisation of Igboland, noting that it “provided a forum for Igbo people in Diaspora to network and to engage German business community with interest in investments and development in Igboland in particular and Nigeria in general”. In a statement on Monday signed by their leader, Engr. Ogechukwu Nsofor, the group said:  “We, Ndi-Igbo Germany (N.I.G) the umbrella/apex union of all Igbo unions oper

IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu and Senator Abaribe Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe has described as reprehensible and utterly sacrilegious the attack on former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu by some persons claiming to be members of IPOB in Nuremberg, Germany. Abaribe not only condemned the despicable act, but said it smacks of utter ignorance of the prevailing situation at home with regards to what the leaders are doing in the circumstance. " It is a brazen show of ingratitude to a man who has been at the fore front in the struggle for all that is good for the Igbo race". In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the Minority leader said he and the entire minority caucus in the Senate are appalled on the very nauseating attack on the revered Deputy Senate President, Ekweremadu for no reason whatsoever. "We condemn it", Abaribe said. Senator Ekweremadu he said has given his all in standing for the Igbo rac

Some members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, in Nuremberg, Germany, today attacked the former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu. The Senator, who gave the account of the event on his social media handle, @iamekweremdu, however, assured Ndigbo and his supporters across the nation that he was safe. Narrating the incident, Ekweremadu said: “I attended the Second Annual Cultural Festival and Convention organised by Ndi-Igbo Germany in Nurnberg today where I was billed to give a keynote address along with the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, who, however could not make it eventually. “I was given a resounding welcome by Ndigbo in Germany and everything went smoothly until some men, who identified themselves as IPOB members stormed the venue and began to complain about the killings in the South East, stressing that there would be no Igbo event at the venue. “I tried to engage them, but when they became unruly, I ha

No fewer than 23,834 small-scale traders in Enugu State have benefitted from the Trader Moni scheme of the Federal Government, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said. Osinbajo disclosed this on Friday in Enugu during the disbursement of the Trader Moni to beneficiaries of the scheme in the state. The vice president said “Trader Moni is very important to us. This is because if small businesses prosper, the nation will prosper.” Osinbajo said FG was also providing shared facilities to business groups as a way of encouraging economic growth. “What this means is that if a group of people are in one business venture, the Federal Government can provide them with some facilities to share,” he said. He said that apart from the empowerment scheme, FG had also assisted about 4,577 traders under the Market Money Scheme. He said beneficiaries were drawn from market associations in the states. “Enugu State is one of the bests in terms of small businesses. We have received great

FIFA on Friday banned former Nigeria Football Federation official Samson Siasia for life after the body’s ethics panel found him guilty of taking bribes in connection with match fixing. In a statement, the adjudicatory chamber of FIFA’s independent ethics committee said the probe targeting Siasia stemmed from a wider investigation involving Wilson Raj Perumal, who has confessed to international match-fixing. The probe that began in February found Siasia “guilty of having accepted that he would receive bribes in relation to the manipulation of matches in violation of the FIFA Code of Ethics,” the statement said. In addition to being banned from all football related activity for life, Siasia was also handed a fine of 50,000 Swiss francs ($50,000, 46,000 euros). Siasia, a former striker, also briefly coached Nigeria’s men’s national football team. FIFA did not detail the nature of ties to Perumal, a Singaporean national who was arrested and jailed in Finland in

Nexford University has announced its  ' Entrepreneurship Scholarship '   and $200,000 startup funding, with a mission to empower next-generation leaders across the world.  “The world needs more entrepreneurs. But millions of people struggle to get the education and skills they need.   Nexford University plans to change that,” the university said in a statement on Thursday.  "The world needs more doers,"   said Fadl Al Tarzi, Nexford's Chief Executive Officer. "We thought about what we can do to help them. If you're a doer, you won't let anything stop you, be it your physical location, lack of experience or even lack of funding.” Tarzi said, “Having said that, we want everyone to succeed – we want to empower people with the tools they need to increase their chances of success. “Through this initiative, we are providing entrepreneurs with the skills they need to move forward in life, and we're not stopping there. While we beli

The law maker representing Nkanu East/West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Honourable Nnolim Nnaji has praised the efforts of the Enugu State Governor, Right Honourable Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to checkmate the spate of banditry and kidnapping in the various parts of the state. He noted that the Governor has in the last two weeks held strategic meetings with various interest groups and stakeholders with a view to finding lasting solutions to the security challenges confronting the state. “He started first with all the leaderships of the security agencies in the state immediately after the brutal murder of Reverend Father Paul Offu, the Parish Priest of St James the Greater Parish, Ugbawka, Nkanu West Local Government Area. “Our peace loving Governor equally held other series of meetings with community leaders and those of the Hausa community in Enugu State during which he sought their cooperation with the security agencies in their quest to arrest the risin

Following the sudden overflow of the Adada River bank in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area on Wednesday, which led to the destruction of the road/bridge connecting Igbo-Etiti and Uzo-Uwani LGAs, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has dispatched a team of engineers from the state’s Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, to assess the extent of damage and report back for necessary action.  The governor, who thanked God that no casualty was recorded, assured the people of the affected communities and the road users that his administration will do its possible best to address the challenges.

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi inspecting the Awgu forests and caves. Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, today, visited the Umuogbua Ihe tunnel along Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway by Awgu Local Government Area, which serves as a hide-out and escape route for kidnappers operating in the area. Gov. Ugwuanyi also visited the Ihe-Agbogugu-Ogbaku-Amurri and Isu-Awaa-Agbudu forests in the same local government area, ordering the immediate demolition of Agbogugu and Isu-Awaa-Agbudu caves to enhance the security of the areas. The governor equally inspected the ongoing construction of a military base along Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway by Umuogbua Ihe, Awgu LGA and further directed that the bushes around the tunnel/kidnappers' den should be cleared immediately. Gov. Ugwuanyi who was taken round the locations by the Chairman of Awgu LGA, Hon. Stanley Okeke, members representing Awgu North and South state constituencies, Hon. Mrs. Jane Eneh and Hon. Johnson Chukwuobas

On the occasion of this year’s Eid-el-Kabir, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State enjoins all Nigerians to take advantage of the celebration to supplicate for enhanced peace, security and progress of the country. Gov. Ugwuanyi, who emphasized the significance of Eid-el-Kabir in strengthening the bond that binds the nation together, also urged Nigerians to embrace the virtues of love, charity and sacrifice as exemplified by the Holy Prophet Mohammed. The governor, in his Sallah Message, felicitated with President Muhammadu Buhari and other Muslim faithful, and wished them the guidance and blessings of Allah. He reiterated that “the ultimate goal remains our collective ability to live in peace and harmony in a secure environment, to cherish one another irrespective of religious, ethnic and political differences, for sustainable development of the nation”. Gov. Ugwuanyi, therefore, wished all Nigerians a peaceful and pleasant celebration.