News
4,253 Enugu residents benefit from FG’s Grant for Vulnerable Groups
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has disbursed N20,000 cash grant to 4,253 residents in the Federal Government’s Grant for Vulnerable Groups (GVG) programme in Enugu State.
The ministry also rolled-out the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP 2.0) for poor enterprising Nigerians in Enugu State under the Market Moni, Trader Moni and Farmer Moni among other social intervention schemes.
Sadiya Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, made this known on Friday while unveiling National Social Investment Programmes (NSIP) meant to pull out millions of Nigerians living in Enugu State out of poverty.
Farouq, who was represented by Mrs Nkechi Onwukwe, Director of Special Needs in the ministry, called for a proper synergy and every stakeholder playing their part in the implementation of the NSIP in the state.
According to her, with everybody playing their part it is our belief that the target beneficiaries and many more citizens of the state will be on their way out of poverty to prosperity.
“We will, by the grace of God, as a nation, remain on track of lifting N100 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030 as designed by President Muhammadu Buhari,” she said.
The minister noted that the “NSIP is a programme of the Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari” designed to specifically give a lifting hand to the poorest and vulnerable citizens in the country.
She said that the NSIP programme was being implemented in close partnerships with state governments.
She said: “Our target in Enugu State is to disburse the GVG grant to 4,253 beneficiaries across the 17 Local Government Areas in the state. It is worthy to note that 70 per cent of these beneficiaries must be women, while the remaining 30 per cent is for youths.
“Mr President has further directed that, at least 15 per cent of the total number of beneficiaries must specifically be allocated to citizens with special needs, including Persons With Disability (PWD) and senior citizens (the elderly) in the state.
“Your Excellency, distinguished guests, in line with President Buhari’s commitment to fight poverty from all angles, wish to inform you that l am here with my team to also flag-off the following programmes: Roll-Out the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP 2.0).”
The minister explained that the GEEP was a programme designed by President Buhari administration for vulnerable and low-income Nigerians who are involved in some sort of commercial activity/capacity but had never had the opportunity to access loans.
She noted that it was meant to give priority to the most vulnerable in our society e.g. widows, youth, disabled and the displaced amongst others.
“GEEP is captured in three signature schemes namely the Trader-Moni loan of N50,000, targeted towards uplifting under-privileged and marginalized youths between the ages of 18-40 years in Nigeria; Market-Moni an empowerment programme designed for under privileged.and marginalised women in our society specifically targeted towards.
“Female headed households e.g. widows, divorcees amongst other vulnerable groups, then the Farmer-Moni loan scheme which is equally designed to provide agricultural inputs worth up to a maximum of N300,000 to rural farmers.
“The GEEP has been restructured to have a top-bottom representation from the Federal, State and Local Government levels respectively.
“In the first phase of GEEP programme about 1,142,783 potential beneficiaries where registered by the COMO’s across the 774 LGAs in Nigeria out of which 23,699 potential beneficiaries were registered in Enugu State across the 17 LGAs after which verification was done about 1,256 beneficiaries were selected.
“These selected beneficiaries are currently undergoing enumeration and today I have gracefully come to roll-out the programme in Enugu State. Hence, successful beneficiaries of the GEEP programme will start receiving credit alerts from Access Bank today by God’s grace.”
She said that the ministry also flagged-off the National Sensitization Exercise for the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), which seeks to educate communities and stakeholders on the proper and more effective implementation of the NHGSFP.
“Under the NHGSPP, 9.9 million children are currently being fed nationwide, and President Buhari has approved that the programme be expended by another 5 million children,” he said.
Speaking, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi pledged the commitment of the state government in complementing the Federal Government and the ministry’s efforts in fighting poverty in the state and country in general.
Ugwuanyi, who was represented by the state’s focal person on NSIP programme, Dr Innocent Ogbonnaya, appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for enlisting the residents of the state as beneficiary of the NSIP since 2016.
Mr Onyebuchi Mbah, a beneficiary of the GVG programme, thanked the Federal Government for the N20,000 cash given to him and his family, adding that it would go a long to ameliorate the hardship in his family.
Mbah, who is physically challenged, said: “I appreciate the Federal Government and thank God for this grant coming at a very challenging time for me and my family”.
Another beneficiary and a petty trader, Mrs Joy Nwalibe, thanked the ministry and state government for the money that would assist in her petty business expansion.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Six members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra IPOB have been declared wanted by the Nigerian Police .
The six persons led by Mr Chukwuebuka Ohaechesi, include Emma Okonkwo, Jude Uwa, Gentle Okoro, Uchenna Dike, and Emmanuel Nwankwo who are said to be at large.
The were said to have fled to neighboring states in the South East hence signaling the other four Police Commands in the geopolitical zone to assist in the manhunt for them
The Police accused them of executing protests against the detaintion of the leader of IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is currently serving jail terms in Sokoto Correction Center.
According to a statement issued by the Abia Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, ASP Eguavon Omokaro, the individuals are suspected members of IPOB who have allegedly participated in protests at various times and locations within the state.
The statement alleged that the protests were organised in connection with the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and demands for justice through the judicial process.
The Police Command further stated that these protests have allegedly resulted in breaches of peace and disruptions to law and order in Abia State. Consequently, the Police Intelligence Department reportedly concluded that the named individuals were among the principal organisers and coordinators of the demonstrations.
The statement further alleged that; ;
“It should be noted that on every 30th day of May, these men and their cohorts convene for the so-called remembrance of Biafra, holding clandestine meetings at various locations in the name of the emancipation of the Biafran Republic and the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
According to the police, the six individuals were invited on several occasions for questioning in relation to the allegations against them.
The statement indicated that the first invitation was issued on 18 December 2025, followed by a second invitation on 7 February 2026, and a third invitation on 3 March 2026.
The police alleged that the individuals failed to honour all three invitations.
The statement further asserted:
“These individuals were invited by the police on several occasions. Firstly, on 18 December 2025, they failed to honour the invitation. Again, they were invited on 7th February 2026 and failed to appear. Finally, they were invited on 3 March 2026, and they also failed to present themselves before the police.” It stated.
As a result, the Abia State Police Command announced that all six individuals had been formally declared wanted.
The police appealed to members of the public to provide any reliable information that could lead to their arrest and prosecution, stating that informants would be suitably rewarded.
The declaration of the six individuals as wanted persons is linked to allegations of their participation in pro-Biafra activities, demonstrations concerning the detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and their alleged association with IPOB, an organisation that has been the subject of extensive scrutiny and security operations by Nigerian authorities.
In a statement shared on social media, VeryDarkMan argued that Wike may not fully understand the pain and trauma experienced by parents of abducted children and affected teachers. He claimed that the minister’s children were educated abroad, away from the security challenges facing many Nigerian families.Nigerian entertainment news
The activist stated that insecurity, kidnapping, and attacks on schools remain serious national concerns and should not be dismissed or reduced to political issues. He stressed that the fears and frustrations of parents whose children face security threats deserve greater attention from public officials.
VeryDarkMan further warned that political power is temporary, urging leaders to remain accountable to the people and sensitive to the challenges confronting ordinary Nigerians.
DSS Detains Novelist Okey Ndibe at Lagos Airport, Awaits Clearance from Abuja
Renowned Nigerian novelist, journalist, and academic, Okey Ndibe, was reportedly detained by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) upon his arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Monday morning.
Ndibe disclosed his situation in a message sent while in custody, stating: “I’ve been with the SSS now for more than an hour. They’re waiting for clearance from some oga before they let me go.”
According to sources close to the writer, his detention follows a pattern that dates back to previous administrations, including that of former President Goodluck Jonathan, during which he was frequently stopped and questioned over his critical commentaries on Nigerian governance and public affairs.
However, associates noted that Ndibe has largely stepped away from active commentary in Nigerian media over the past two years, focusing instead on writing books and his academic responsibilities at University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he teaches.
A close friend of the author and former Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, said similar incidents had occurred several times in the past. He explained that airport DSS officials typically contacted their superiors in Abuja before eventually releasing Ndibe.
“It is a pity that this agency doesn’t update its database to enable officers on duty at the airport to know that the agency no longer regards Prof. Ndibe as a security threat to the administration,” Adinuba said.
He added that on previous occasions, the DSS had apologized to the respected author after determining that his detention was unwarranted.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the DSS regarding the circumstances surrounding Ndibe’s latest detention. The development has raised renewed concerns about the treatment of government critics and the continued use of security watchlists affecting returning Nigerians.
Hegseth made the disclosure during a press conference at the White House on Wednesday, where he said the directive was issued about a year ago after Trump became aware of attacks against Christians in Nigeria.
He explained that the operation involved behind-the-scenes coordination and deployment of military assets, adding that intelligence gathered during the mission contributed to the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as ISIS’s second-in-command, during a joint operation involving U.S. and Nigerian forces in the Lake Chad Basin.
“Maybe a year ago, he heard the call of Nigerian Christians who were being targeted and killed by ISIS in Nigeria, and he said, ‘Pete, I want the War Department to focus on ensuring that we do everything we can to protect those Christians,’” Hegseth said.
According to him, the operation yielded significant results in the fight against terrorism in the region.
“And we got the assets there, and over the last month, and there hasn’t been much coverage of this, we killed ISIS number two in Nigeria, who’s most responsible for killing Christians and trying to target the U.S. homeland,” he stated.
Hegseth added that working on the Intel gathered, they have killed hundreds of ISIS members who were targeting and killing Christians in Nigeria.
The U.S. defence chief described the operation as part of the Trump administration’s broader commitment to counterterrorism efforts and the protection of vulnerable communities.
“So there are a lot of things we do that the media pays attention to, and a lot of things that the President empowers the Department to do on behalf of the American people that he deserves great credit for,” Hegseth stated.
ISIS second in command, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki was killed in a coordinated U.S.-Nigeria military operation in northeast Nigeria earlier this month.
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