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Enugu residents urge Mbah to remove illegal structures, as work begins at int’l conference centr
Residents across Enugu state have called on the state government to give the people a world class centre at the International Conference Centre (ICC) urging the removal of all illegal structures in the area as the land housing the ICC had been encroached upon by land grabbers, even as they commended the governor for commencing work on the site.
Governor Peter Mbah had during the electioneering period and the economic summit held in 2023, vowed to complete all abandoned projects and resuscitate dormant assets in the state to boost revenue.
Prof. Orji Aninwede who came to shop at the Enugu SPA Mall told our correspondent that the governor had started his administration on a good note, adding that the ICC would serve both as a revenue generating project as well as a tourist centre.
He said he had written to the previous administrations to complete the legacy project that would put the state on the map of states that are keen for investment.
“This is what I have been craving for over the past years. These edifices are wasting instead of generating revenue for the state. I had queried if land grabbers also wanted to convert the buildings because of all these illegal structures and encroachment on the site.
“It is only someone who is out of reason that would put those buildings almost inside the conference centre in the name of residence. Is that place meant to be a private residence? The government should remove all of them. Our people are lawless”, the lecturer said.
A medical practitioner, Dr. David Onyedikachi, who had patronized Root Restaurant, said although, he did not vote during the last elections as he had never bothered to register for voter’s card, said that the actions taken by Governor Mbah since the inception of his administration has won him over.
He lauded the governor for the master plan which he described as “a perfect blueprint” for the state. “Honestly, this governor has come to work for the people. It even appears to me that he is in a hurry to deliver with all these multiple projects initiated by him. I’m now a convert and I will keep supporting his programmes and policies if he continues this way”.
At the Crunches, customers who had come to eat were seen discussing the ongoing projects, maintaining they were overdue for completion and operation. They insisted that the government must remove all the ongoing structures close to the ICC for the project to regain its original design and aesthetics.
Mr. Sam Ugwuoke, who was throwing banters with his friends, said land grabbers and speculators had almost taken over the conference centre for private residence, urging the government to intervene and punish all those involved in the shoddy transactions.
“I think this governor is getting it right this time around. Look at what he is doing with some of the abandoned projects. Maybe all those lawless people building inside the centre even planned to convert all the structures there. The government should demolish all of them and restore the sanity of that environment if those in power are not complicit in the dirty job,” he added.
At Trans-Ekulu, an investment banker, Chief Johnson Arukwe, said the restoration of the original status of the conference centre will make the state the premier destination of the region.
He accused people building on the land of lawlessness, explaining that the previous administration had stopped them from encroaching on the property, expressing surprise over the continuation of the structures immediately the past government left power.
“This is a brazen disregard for the authority. How could people in their right senses be building on a facility that does not belong to them? I could remember that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi stopped all those land grabbers and even demolished some of the structures over encroachment. Now, they have gone back to the same criminal acts. Perhaps, they might have one relationship or the other with the present government that gave them the effrontery,” he argued.
A pentecostal pastor at Agbani Road, Senior Apostle Oluchukwu Felix Ugwu, who spoke to our correspondent, accused the state government and some cabal in the present government for colluding with their cronies to continue building on the ICC land years after they were stopped by the past government.
“This is politics that these people are playing with us. If they are innocent of what is happening there, why will they allow people to hush to the site and start building immediately Governor Ugwuanyi left power? The government must assure us they are representing us all irrespective of class or status,” Pastor Ugwu asserted.
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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