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Election: More troops to be deployed to Imo, Anambra, others
However, the Defence Headquarters said that more troops would be deployed in the affected states and communities, assuring that they would be safe enough for the elections to hold.
A member of the Sokoto State House of Assembly representing the Sabon-Birni Local Government, one of the local government areas facing security challenges, Aminu Boza, said until the security situation improved in the area, elections might not take place.
The lawmaker, who spoke to one of our correspondents on the telephone, said more than 40 villages in the council were affected by insecurity.
He said only the headquarters of the Sabon Birni, Isa and Goronyo local government areas were safe for elections.
He stated, “I can tell you that most of the people in the villages in those three local governments have run away from their homes; who is going to participate in the elections?
“In fact, in all the eight local government areas comprising the Eastern Senatorial District, I doubt if there is going to be any election unless the situation improves from what we have today.”
The local governments are Isa, Sabon Birni, Goronyo, Rabbah, Gwadabawa, Ilela, Gada and Wurno.
Boza, however, commended the state Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Gumel, for dispatching security personnel to the local governments to restore law and order.
Also speaking, Mallam Haruna Abbah, a resident of Isa LGA, corroborated the lawmaker, saying only the local government headquarters and a few villages were safe for elections in the state.
Abbah called on security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure that peace returned to the local government before the polls.
But the Head of Voters Education, INEC, in Sokoto State, Muhammad Takai, gave an assurance that security agencies would ensure the safety of all before, during and after the polls.
He said the commission had held a series of meetings with the heads of security agencies in the state with the assurance that things would improve before the elections.
The police spokesman in the state, Sanusi Abubakar, could not be reached for comments, but a senior police officer said everything was being done to restore peace in the affected areas.
Anambra
In Anambra State, the residents said the insecurity ravaging parts of the state must be curbed before the February 25 presidential election.
In recent times, arsonists have burnt down a number of buildings belonging to INEC in the Idemili North, Ogbaru and Ayamelum local government areas, among others.
The hoodlums have also threatened that elections will not hold, insisting on the creation of Biafra Republic.
The Ihiala, Ogbaru, Orumba North and South local government areas have remained some of the most volatile as the security situation continues to worsen in these areas.
A resident of Ihiala, Gabriel Eche, expressed doubts that elections would hold in the area.
According to him, hoodlums have continued to overrun Ihiala communities on a daily basis without security operatives providing any solution or protection for the people.
Eche stated, “Right now, our security is more paramount. Of what use will it be if one steps out on that day and gets killed by hoodlums. Although I have collected my PVC, if the security situation continues like this, I don’t think I will come out to vote.
“Hoodlums have continued to unleash terror on our communities, burning down INEC offices and forcing people to abandon their ancestral homes. Unless security is beefed up, most people may remain indoors. The Federal Government must address the security issues on the ground before the elections.”
It is also the same story for residents of Ogbaru as insecurity has remained a painful reality for the communities.
A resident, Mr Silas Ukachukwu, said the worsening security crisis in the area was causing serious apprehension as most of the people remained undecided about the forthcoming polls.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mrs Queen Agwu, could not be reached for comments as calls and a text message sent to her telephone did not elicit any response.
However, the police spokesman in the state, Tochukwu Ikenga, asked the residents not to panic, adding that security operatives would be on the ground to ensure smooth and hitch-free elections.
“Many security personnel will be deployed, especially in the volatile communities, to ensure protection for the people and that the elections go on smoothly,” he added.
Imo
In Imo State, men of the Eastern Security Network have continued to strike terror in the hearts of the people.
Despite the killing and arrest of many suspected ESN members, the militia has not relented in its violent attacks on individuals, government offices and assets.
On Saturday, gunmen reportedly killed the uncle of the spokesman for the Coalition of United Political Parties, Ikenga Ugochinyere.
Ugochinyere in a tweet said the attackers killed four persons and set ablaze his uncle’s residence.
“We need help in Akokwa Ideato North Local Government Area, Imo State. My uncle has been killed now. They are setting everything on fire. Please help,” he tweeted.
In a video obtained by one of our correspondents, a man who was narrating the incident said several vehicles were destroyed.
The police spokesperson in the state, Michael Abattam, confirmed the incident.
A resident, Mr Innocent Onyesiaba, said that he would not vote due to the high level of insecurity in Nempi, Oru West Local Government Area of the state.
Son of the late head of state and former Minister of Defence, Chief Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, in a letter of remembrance and solidarity written on behalf of the Aguiyi-Ironsi family to the Fajuyi family, marking the 60th anniversary of his death, said July 29, 2026, will be a solemn occasion to honour a soldier they described as “a war hero who offered himself as a sacrificial lamb for the unity and integrity of the nation.”
The family recalled that Lt Col Fajuyi, then Military Governor of the Western Region, made the ultimate sacrifice in 1966 when mutinous soldiers abducted him alongside Maj Gen Aguiyi-Ironsi in Ibadan during the military counter-coup.
They stated that Fajuyi, in a defining moment of conscience, chose honour over personal safety and refused to abandon his guest and superior, a decision the family said reflected the highest ideals of loyalty, integrity, and military brotherhood.
According to the statement, his action transformed him into a national martyr whose legacy continued to inspire unity, courage, and selfless service.
The Aguiyi-Ironsi family also expressed sympathy with the Fajuyi family, acknowledging the enduring pain of their loss, while praying for continued strength, comfort, and peace.
The statement further stated, “He did not run. He did not hide. He chose to stand. In that sacrificial decision lay the essence of his greatness.”
The family called on government institutions, military authorities, and custodians of national memory to ensure sustained recognition and support for the Fajuyi family, stressing that his sacrifice remained a national responsibility to remember and honour.
It urged Nigerians to draw inspiration from his life and death, noting that his legacy continues to challenge the nation to uphold unity, courage, honour, and selfless service.
Fajuyi was killed on July 29, 1966, during the military counter-coup in Ibadan alongside Aguiyi-Ironsi.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
The emergence of Chief Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere as the Minority Leader of the Federal House of Representatives has been described as a vindication of the fact that the Action People’s Party (APP ) represents the collective interests of the Nigerian masses.
Recall that recently, Ugochinyere was elected as the Minority Leader of the party in a keenly contested election of the Federal House of Representatives.
According to a statement by the Chairman Anambra state chapter of the APP Chief Chijioke Okeke, Ugochinyere had been consistent in offering himself as the voice of the people and that of the voiceless.
“It did not come to us as a surprise that our great leader High Chief Ugochinyere became the Minority leader of the Federal House of Representatives because he has always been consistent and focus towards providing himself as the only vent for the masses at the Green Chambers”
“We know his pedegre as a politician as well as a leader and he has remained focus in ensuring that the voiceless are heard and this is also a vindication of our party’s unflinching desire to provide a veritable platform in a democratic process”
Okeke further stated that the fifth columnists who had attempted to deregister the party have been put to shame adding that the party shall continue to champion the interests of the Nigerian people.
“They made failed attempt at deregistering our great party but they lost sight of the fact that the APP is firmely rooted on ground and has all that it takes to drive the wishes and aspirations of the Nigerian populace and with this recent development our traducers have been put to shame and our party is on the path of further greatness “. Okeke noted .
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.
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