Following the “sit-at-home” order issued by IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra) on Monday (May 31, 2021), private and missionary schools in Southeast have declared an emergency holiday.
According to some reports, some reisdents in Owerri and environs are also in panic over the order given by IPOB.
While some schools were shut down till Tuesday next week, others gave their pupils one week holiday at home.
A message from schools run by the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri asked parents to keep their children at home from Thursday, May 27, to Tuesday, June 1, 2021.
But Imo State Government have asked people to ignore the IPOB’s sit-at-home order.
The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba said that the state government have the capacity to enforce law and order during the period.
At least five soldiers are said to have been shot dead along Wetheral Road Owerri in Imo State as unknown gunmen attacked the area.
The incident happened in the late hours of Friday.
This is coming few days before the May 30th seat-at-home order given by the leader of Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, in commemoration of the Biafra Day.
According to an eyewitness, the bandits took the soldiers unaware and opened fire on them, killing five at a spot.
“Right now, five soldiers have been shot dead. Everyone is on the run. Wetheral Road, Nazi/Aba road, Government House Roundabout and all the link roads have been shut down.
“I personally saw the soldiers evacuating the corpses in a Hilux vehicle, there were five.
“The bandits have already taken off and shot sporadically in the air to scare people away.”
The Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana’s number was not reachable as at the time of filing this report.
GOVERNOR David Umahi of Ebonyi State, Friday sacked some of his cabinet members and retain others in the State.
The Secretary to the state government(SSG) Kenneth Ugbala announced this after the council’s meeting on Friday in Abakaliki.
He said the dissolution is in phases pointing out that out of the 106 members of the council, 23 key officers were not affected by the first phase of the dissolution while 83 were affected.
Some of those not affected include the SSG himself, Attorney General and Commis sioner for Justice, Cletus Ofoke, Commissioner for Finance, Orlando Nweze and Commissioner for , Information, Uchenna Orji.
Others are Commissioner for Border Peace, Stanley Okoro Emegha, SSA Investment, Chioma Nweze, Commissioner for Capital City, Onyekachi Nwebonyi.
Commissioner for Road Infrastructure Concession, Nweze Kings, and his counterpart in charge of Works, Ogbonnaya Obasi as well as the SSA on Welfare and Religious Matters, Rev Fr Abraham Nwali are also to remain.
The Special Assistants to the Governor office of the Deputy Governor, Capital City, Finance, Parks, Media and Medicals are also to remain in their position.
Also all Personal Assistants to the governor are also not affected by the dissolution.
Mr Ugbala said the dissolution is to enable the government to carry out an appraisal of their performances
He said the dissolution does not mean that it is the end of the road for the officers pointing out that they may still come back after the appraisals are concluded.
The SSG noted that the dissolution is to strengthen operations of government which clocks two years tomorrow (Saturday)
The Nigerian police have revealed that they are battle ready to stop the Sit-at-home order by the leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to celebrate Biafran Heroes.
SP Bala Elkana, ANIPR, Police Public Relations Officer, urged people to go about their lawful businesses on 29th, 30th, and 31st of May without fear because they are ready to stop the Sit-at-home order.
The police further said that parents and guardians are strongly advised to monitor the movement of their children and wards throughout this period and beyond.
The statement added that the members of the public with useful information can contact the Police through the following emergency number 08034773600.
The statement reads in parts,
The attention of Imo State Police Command has been drawn to some messages circulating on social media purported to have emanated from leaders of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOP), directing innocent and law abiding citizens of the State to sit at home on 29th, 30th and 31st May, 2021.
2. These inciting messages by disgruntled and misguided elements are targeted towards creating fear and panic on the minds of patriotic and law abiding citizens of the State. The hoodlums are looking for opportunities to loot and steal from unsuspecting members of the public.
3. The Command wishes to inform the good people of Imo State that adequate security arrangements are put in place to guarantee their safety. The Police in collaboration with other security agencies in the state have massively deployed its resources and Special Forces to provide watertight security across the State.
4. Members of the public are advised to go about their lawful businesses without fear. Do not succumb to cheap blackmail and threats from criminal elements who cannot defeat the collective will of the people.
5. Parents and guardians are strongly advised to monitor the movement of their children and wards throughout this period and beyond. To those who are bent on disturbing the peace of the state, we have this simple message for you, steer clear of the public space or write your will before you step out. The Command is battle ready to deal decisively with hoodlums and criminal elements in line with the law.
6. Members of the public with useful information can contact the Police through the following emergency number 08034773600
7. Together we will continue to keep Imo State safe.”
One of the most popular traditional drinks being consumed is most parts of Northern Nigeria is Kunu.
Mostly sold together with bread or egg rolls, chilled Kunu is very pleasing more especially when one is very hungry and feeling thirsty at the same time, perhaps that’s why people fancy it very much.
Reports coming from an online news, worldgisting has it that, a woman in Kaduna whose name is unknown normally sells Kunu to the public and was caught using her old underwear in the process of making the Kunu.
It was gathered by the worldgisting newspaper that, the woman was caught by the agents of the consumer protection council with the aid of some people close to her.
The woman was said to have been making the Kunu drink in a very huge quantity and hundreds of people patronizes her product on daily basis without knowing how the process of making the drink is taking place.
It therefore very important for people to be making sure that traditionally made drinks they buy are of good quality and are made in a hygienic way.
The woman is currently in the police custody and will be presented before court after investigation.
There was a protest in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State after a trailer crushed four persons in the First Gate-Lagos State Polytechnic axis of the Ikorodu road.
It was learnt that one person was also injured in the trailer accident.
The protesters, which included transporters on the road, set up a born fire and blocked the road.
They also blocked all routes leading to the road, leaving passengers to trek long distances.
An eyewitness described the road as a “death trap”, urging the government to pay urgent attention to it.
He said, “Five people were involved yesterday. Four of them died and one was badly injured. The contractor has abandoned the project and claimed that the Federal Government has not paid.
“The Federal Government should look into this and do something about it urgently. This road has been abandoned. This is a hill and trailers fall easily. It is less than 200 metres. The contractors must return to the site. We cannot be allowing people to die here.”
However, policemen have been deployed to restore order in the area.
It was gathered that some residents earlier staged a protest when the accident happened on Thursday.
It was learnt that the trailer rammed into an oncoming tricycle popularly called ‘Keke’ after losing control.
President of the Police Officers Wives Association and wife of the Inspector-General of Police, Hajia Haraja Usman Baba, has decried the proliferation of beer parlours in Police barracks, describing it as a bad influence on children and the future of Nigeria.
To address this, she disclosed that she would immediately send a signal to the Force headquarters for the outright relocation of beer parlours from Police barracks, threatening that whoever flouted the directive thereafter, would be ejected from the barracks.
The POWA President who was on a three-day working visit to familiarise herself with POWA members in the state and also to access the Police children school, with a view to improving the general standards, said such beer parlours should be cited at a given metre from the barracks as stipulated by law.
Addressing POWA members at the POWA hall, Ikeja, she said, “During my inspection yesterday (Wednesday) I saw a lot of beer parlours in barracks. I know it is you people that encouraged such. You should try and speak to your husbands to follow the rules and regulations of the barracks.
“I grew up in the barracks because my father was a Policeman. Then, there was no beer parlour. And with the future of our children in the barracks, we should be careful because these children are more intelligent than us.
“We are going to send signals immediately, for the relocation of the beer parlours . If you don’t keep to it, you will be ejected out of the barracks”.
She also lamented the dirty state of barracks in Lagos and announced the commencement of environmental sanitation, every Saturday. She informed that she would personally take part in tomorrow’s own, after a 30 minutes walk with POWA members, as part of activities to mark her visit.
She said, “What I saw at the barracks was devastating. The barracks was unkempt.
Andrea Pirlo, the Juventus coach has been sacked by the club after a few months in charge as manager, winning the Italian Supercup and the Coppa Italia.
Pirlo had taken over from Maurizio Sarri in August on a deal that was to last till June 2022. Before then, he was the club’s Under-23 manager.
Reports say he will be replaced by the club’s former manager, Massimiliano Allegri.
Confirming Pirlo’s exit, Juventus issued a statement on their official website to bid him farewell.
“Thank you, Andrea. These are the first words that all of us need to say at the end of this special experience together,” the statement read.
“A few months ago, Andrea Pirlo, an icon of world football, began his new adventure, his first as a coach.
“To do this, first of all, it takes courage, as well as awareness of one’s own means, especially in a period marked by thousands of difficulties, with the world forced by the pandemic to reinvent its own rules day after day.
“Pirlo has just begun the first steps of what will no doubt become a brilliant career as a coach. An adventure of transformation, seeking, and often managing, to bring his ideas and his experience as a champion on the pitch from the “other side” of the fence.
“And since in football, what counts are the victories, let’s remember them: in the space of a few short months, Pirlo’s Juve has raised two trophies: The Italian Supercup and the Coppa Italia. And he, as coach, brought home brilliant victories on the most prestigious of fields, from San Siro to Camp Nou.
“For all this, for the courage, the dedication, the passion with which he demonstrated every day, our thanks go to the Maestro, the Coach and to Andrea, that really comes from the heart. As well as our good luck for the future that will surely be a wonderful one.”
Nigerians are currently angry at the Benue State Government and its governor, His Excellency, Ortom, over the death of 36 persons yesterday and 150 in the last seven (7) days. (Read More Here).
It was reported that over 36 people, including college students were killed by Armed Fulani herdsmen at Shikaan Mbagena Kpav, a TIV community in Benue State, in the early hours of Thursday.
Currently the hash tag #BenueUnderAttack is trending on social media. The genocide in Benue is currently making Nigerians react in anger. They (Nigerians) are dragging Governor Ortom over the failure to protect his people.
Their reactions below:
KATOR TARKAA
@KatorTarkaa
It is impossible that all of the reports coming out of Benue and other middle-belt states are false. And it doesn’t matter who the perpetrators are. Whether foreigners, unknown gunmen, or indigenous arm-wielding gangs, this tidal wave of killings must be stopped.
timi Eagle
@timiPR
Has the government given immunity to Fulani herdsmen in this country ? They are killing the indigenous occupants of Benue state and nothing is still being done.
This is pure Genocide.
KOLA• Pushpin
@Ngr_KOLA
#BenueUnderattack
Out of the 23 local government areas in Benue state, the Killer herdsmen have invaded
and occupied 14 and may invade the remaining 9 if urgent measures are taken to curb this Genocide.
BenueFirst_
@BenueFirst_
It is not a crime to Live!
It is not a crime to come from Benue!
Stop the Genocide in Benue!
Nigerians, stand up for Benue!
Don’t let our basket get empty.
William
@_SirWilliam_
Tired of saying #BenueUnderAttack, it’s exhausting.
Killings been going on for years by one group of people, and nobody has been arrested, nobody has been prosecuted.
The solution right now is State Police and arming the citizens, nothing else.
FS Yusuf
@FS_Yusuf_
I will not call them citizens, never! I will not! I will call them their tribes, I will call them their religion because there is a coordinated elimination happenings. They are killing #Christians in Benue State. They killing #TivPeople in Benue State.
FS Yusuf
@FS_Yusuf_
Ortom needs to know that terrorists have opened a war on his people and he has to prepare his people to fight and protect themselves. Make we forget all the English wey we dey speak here. All of us dey mad! They are killing innocent Christians in Benue State.
Aproko Doctor
@aproko_doctor
We can’t fold our hands and watch anymore. #BenueUnderAttack
People are being killed in their homes and lands and the government is watching. This is a ticking time bomb.
Protect all Nigerian citizens.
KATOR TARKAA
@KatorTarkaa
As the killings keep rising and nothing substantial is being done, we all in Benue State and the entire Middle Belt may end up losing our lives, our identity and our land if we fail to rise up now! This is a genocide and must be referred to as such!! #BenueUnderAttack.
The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) on Friday said 37 of its inmates were admitted and matriculated into the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).
A statement by the Public Relations Officer of NCoS, Mr Francis Enobore on Friday in Abuja, said this was the second matriculation ceremony at the Custodial Centre, under the auspices of NOUN.
It stated that the inmates were admitted to study various courses as Business Administration, Political Science, Criminology and Security Studies, Journalism, Peace and Conflict Resolution, Accounting, Economics, Christian Religious Studies and Economics Education.
“The Vice Chancellor of NOUN, Prof. Olufemi Peters, represented by Dr Segun Adenuga, the Director of Ogun Study centre, took the enrollee through the orientation programme.
“The programme exposed their minds to what is expected of them as students of National Open University of Nigeria,” he said.
The statement quoted the Controller of Corrections, Ogun Command, Mojeed Olaniran, as congratulating the inmates and implored them to make good use of the opportunity.
He urged them to bear in mind that aside from security, the cardinal objectives of correction were reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration.
The controller re-emphasised that NCoS encouraged the inmates to upgrade themselves in various aspects of skill acquisition that would benefit their lives and society at large.
He admonished them to make good use of this second chance to remediate their wrong past and appreciated the good gesture of NOUN’s authority for providing free education to the inmates.
Responding, Peters affirmed that the University was poised to bring education to the door step of all and sundry, which included those in the correctional centres.
Peters further reassured the matriculating students that the authority was prepared to give them scholarship up to PhD level.
He advised them to make maximum use of their study materials and not to be derailed by their present conditions, urging them to rather use the opportunity to gain academic laurels.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the second matriculation of inmates of the custodial centre into NOUN was also witnessed by the Director of Mass Literary, Ogun State, Alhaji Mikail Lawal.
The ceremony has brought the number of inmates of Ibara custodial centre undertaking various degree programmes at the NOUN to 87, including two Masters Degree Students.
