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Enugu: Villagers drag PEACE Mass Transit MD to Court over Maduka Onyishi University land

Published

2 years ago

March 29, 2024

Everydaynewsngr

The Amolu-Uwani Family of Ekwegbe Igboetiti Local Government Area of Enugu State has dragged Maduka Onyishi, the owner of Maduka Univerity and Peace Mass Transit to the Enugu State High Court over the family land matter.

Copies of the writ of summons and motion on notice for Injunction currently pending at the Ogbede Division of the state High Court in suit No OG/06/2024 filed on 26th March 2024, as obtained by our correspondent listed the following as the 3rd -5th Defendants respectively, SAMUEL MADUKA ONYISHI, REGISTEERED TRUSTEES OF SAMUEL MADUKA ONYISHI FOUNDATION, MADUKA UNIVERSITY MANAGEMENT BOARD among other Defendants.

Reliiefs sought by the Plaintiffs in the said writ among others prayers include :

“A DECLARATION that the Amolu-Uwani family in Amudu village, Ekwegbe, Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area, Enugu State, comprising of 9 sub-families: Umu Attama, Umu Mbeke, Umu Edeoga, Umu Ugwuidogwu, Umu Ugwu, Umu Ezugwu, Umu Ele, Umu Agbo and Umu Gugu who are the deem holders of right of occupancy/ owners of the large expanse of land contained in the Sketch No 60/2022; Plan no HOU/EN/17/2022 measuring an area 377513.464sqm situate at Ugwu Udelle Agu Ekwegbe in Igbo Etiti LGA of Enugu State, has not shared the said Large expanse of land amongst the members of the Amolu-Uwani family and thus no member of the family can validly claim any portion of the said land nor sale, alienate nor enter an agreement for the sale or alienation of any such portion of the said land which by further description is bordered in the North direction by Obara Stream, the natural boundary between Opi Agu and Agu Ekwegbe , bordered in the East by land originally owned by the Amaezi family, now belonging to Dr. Dan. Shere, bordered in the West by the land belonging to Egbogu family, bordered in the South-West by Umuagogwu kindred’s land and bordered in the South by lands originally belonging to the Umunwogodo kindred.(the said bordering land which originally belong respectively to the Umunwogodo, Umuagogwu, Egbogu (Amairagu), and Ezemararua families are now owned by the 3rd Defendant) .

“A DECLARATION that the Plaintiffs being the principal members of the Amolu-Uwani family, their consent are required for any valid alienation or transaction of the said land or any part of the said land.

” A DECLARATION that the agreement signed by the 1st and 2nd Defendant to sell or alienate any part of the said Amolu-Uwani family land to the 3rd Defendant without the consent of the Plaintiffs who are the principal members of the family is invalid, null and void.

“AN ORDER OF COURT restraining the 3rd to 5th Defendant, either by themselves or through their agents or privies from entering any part of the said Amolu-Uwani family land without the consent of the Plaintiffs for the purpose of carrying out any fencing, excavation, building, construction, development or tampering with the said land in any manner howsoever.

On 27th March 2024 when the suit came up before the presiding Judge Hon Justice C.A Ogbabor for mention, Counsel to the Plaintiffs Ikechukwu Maximus Ugwuoke Esq moved a motion for substituted service of the processes in the suit on the Defendants.

Motion was granted and the case was adjourned to 30th May 2024 for Motion on Notice.

Narrating the trajectory of facts leading to the suit in their Statement of Claim, the Plaintiffs stated among other things that ‘the said Amolu-Uwani family land holds deep historical and spiritual significance for the family. According to their traditions, the land which was occupied by their ancestors from time immemorial serves as “Ala Oluwa”, a sacred resting place for deceased members of the family. This belief is further reinforced by the custom that prohibits both male family heads (Onyishi Amolu-Uwani) and married female members of the family from visiting the land. Consequently, the land is being revered and protected for generations.

“In 2017, one Dr. Dan. Shere offered to purchase the land. However, his proposal was politely declined by the Plaintiffs due to the aforementioned cultural and spiritual attachment of the family to the said land.. Around the same time, the 3rd Defendant also expressed interest in acquiring the land as part of land for his Private University which he superintends under his 4th and 5th Defendant establishments but he received the same response from the Plaintiffs.

‘However, the 3rd Defendant did not want to take no for an answer from the Plaintiffs, Instead, driven by desperation, he devised various ploys to divide the family members and manipulate them into agreeing with him to sell the land to him.

“That despite the family’s resistance to a meeting with the 3rd Defendant, the 3rd Defendant persisted and eventually secured a meeting sometime between 2017 and 2019 with the Plaintiffs. There at the meeting, the Plaintiffs’ family stood their ground that they would not sell the land. In an attempt to placate the family, the 3rd Defendant wheedled them with a promise: either to buy a cow for appeasement of the family land, or to purchase another piece of land somewhere else as a replacement. Still in an attempt to persuade the family, he told them that a man can sell anything he owns, even emphasizing that he (the 3rd Defendant) could sell everything he owns except his wife and children.

However, the Plaintiffs’ family who would not give into his logic, responded to him that their attachment to the said land is akin to his devotion to his love for his wife and children. Exiting the meeting hall in a dramatic huff, the 3rd Defendant issued a final threat: “Mark my words, in less than a decade, this family will be crawling back to me, begging me to buy the land!”

“That just months after the contentious meeting, the Ekwegbe Youth intervened and prevented the 3rd Defendant from fencing off a large portion of the land. Undeterred, he attempted to acquire the land through the official channels by reporting the Plaintiffs’ family to the Ekwegbe General Assembly, claiming the family obstructed development of the Community.

“At a subsequent meeting convened by the General Assembly at the late Igwe N.B.T Ezeani’s Palace, both parties presented their cases. Finally, the General Assembly advised the 3rd Defendant to respect the Plaintiffs’ family’s clear decision and cease attempt to acquire the land.

“In spite of the advice, the 3rd Defendant continued pressing the Plaintiffs’ family for the land “that notwithstanding the above resolution, the 3rd Defendant successfully persuaded 1st Defendant to collaborate with 2nd Defendant to execute a temporary sale agreement of part of the said land to him. Both 1st and 2nd Defendants signed a document outlining the terms and acknowledging a partial payment of 5 million naira, serving as evidence of their arrangement.

“The family considers this deal dishonest. The Plaintiff pleads and shall found on a copy of the said agreement and hereby give the said Defendants to produce the original copy.

“The Plaintiffs state that from the beginning, the 3RD Defendant was informed that the land was not for sale. Furthermore, as a native of Nsukka familiar with its customs, the 3rd Defendant should be aware that, even if the land were available, the 1st and 2nd Defendants who are the young men the 3rd Defendant dealt with lacked the authority to sell the land or any part of it without the elders consent.

“Moreover, the agreed price of 400 thousand naira per plot significantly under values the land, which would be worth at least 3.5 million naira per plot if it were in the market.”

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The Great Recalibration: How President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Is Restructuring Nigeria for a Stronger Tomorrow

Published

4 hours ago

August 2, 2026

Everydaynewsngr

By RT HON
CHINEDUM ENYINNAYA ORJI

“You cannot build a house for tomorrow on the weak foundation of yesterday. We must lay new blocks, even when the rain is falling.”— Adapted from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Three years into his presidency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has embarked on what may be the most deliberate economic and governance recalibration Nigeria has seen in a generation.

He came into office on May 29, 2023 with a clear declaration: “Fuel subsidy is gone.” In that single sentence, he signaled that the era of deferring hard choices had ended.

Restructuring, at its core, is about rearranging the house so it can stand longer and serve more people. For Nigeria, that meant confronting distortions that had weakened public finances, scared investors, and made planning impossible.

The first pillar of this restructuring is fiscal discipline. By removing the costly petrol subsidy and cutting electricity subsidies, the administration stopped the bleeding of trillions of naira that once vanished into opaque payments.

The results are already visible in the numbers. The fiscal deficit narrowed from 5.4 percent of GDP in 2023 to approximately 3 percent in 2024, while federation revenue rose from ₦16.8 trillion to ₦31.9 trillion.

That new revenue is not sitting idle. It is being channeled into roads, rails, power, and social programs that touch ordinary citizens directly. More than 2,700 kilometers of roads are under construction or rehabilitation nationwide.

The second pillar is monetary credibility. The unification of exchange rates and clearing of a $4 billion FX backlog restored confidence in the naira and in Nigeria’s commitment to market-based policies.

That credibility has produced tangible dividends. The stock market surged nearly fivefold to a record 250,000 points, market capitalization grew, and international rating agency Fitch upgraded Nigeria from B- to B in April 2025.

Foreign investors, who had stayed on the sidelines, are returning. New oil and gas investments are being announced, domestic refining capacity is rising, and fuel imports are falling, easing pressure on our foreign exchange.

The third pillar is sectoral transformation. Recognizing that oil alone cannot carry Nigeria’s future, President Tinubu approved a Presidential Petroleum Reform and Value Optimisation Taskforce to design the next phase of structural reforms in that sector.

The Taskforce is not another talking shop. It is a time-bound technical body charged with delivering execution-ready blueprints to unlock capital, improve transparency, and position Nigeria as a leading global energy investment destination.

Beyond oil, the February 2026 launch of the Nigeria Industrial Policy marks a decisive shift toward manufacturing, value addition, and job creation. The goal is a $1 trillion economy in five years, driven by inclusive and decentralized growth.

This is restructuring with a human face. Through NELFUND, millions of Nigerian students now have access to loans to stay in school. The CNG program is reducing transport costs and easing the burden of subsidy removal on households.

Governance itself is being rewired. The Renewed Hope Ward Development Plan is mapping economic potential across all 8,809 wards, ensuring that planning starts from the grassroots and moves upward to the state and federal levels.

Such decentralization matters. When wards have data, they have a voice. When local governments have more resources, service delivery improves. That is how accountability becomes real, not theoretical.

On security, the administration has intensified operations against banditry, insurgency, and criminal gangs. The link is clear: no investor builds factories where there is no peace, and no farmer feeds the nation where there is no safety.

A good example is the renewed engagement with Ogoni communities. By addressing historical grievances, the government is creating the conditions to restart oil exploration in a way that benefits both the people and the treasury.

Critics are right to point out the hardship. The cost-of-living squeeze has been severe, and inflation remains a challenge. But restructuring is not magic. It is medicine, and medicine often tastes bitter before it heals.

What distinguishes this moment is political will. Previous administrations discussed these reforms for decades. President Tinubu chose to act in the first week, knowing the political cost, because the economic cost of delay was higher.

The international community has noticed. The World Bank’s April 2026 Nigeria Development Update and the IMF’s 2025 Article IV Consultation both acknowledge significant progress in restoring macroeconomic stability.

More importantly, Nigerians are beginning to see the logic. A stable currency means businesses can plan. More revenue to states means more projects in communities. More transparency means fewer excuses.

The central test ahead is jobs. With 3.5 million Nigerians entering the labor force each year, the restructuring must now translate into employment-intensive growth. The industrial policy and infrastructure push are designed for exactly that.

This is not about one man or one party. It is about laying a foundation that no future government can afford to ignore. Institutions, rules, and incentives are being reset.

History will judge this period not by the pain of the transition, but by whether we used the pain to build something durable. The early signs suggest we are.

President Tinubu’s restructuring is far from complete, but it has already changed the trajectory. Nigeria is no longer drifting. It is recalibrating, with purpose, toward a future where our resources work for our people, and where governance finally matches our potential.
RT HON
Chinedum Enyinnaya orji
APC House of Representatives Candidate for Ikwuano Umuahia Fed. Constituency writes from Amaokwe Ugba Ibeku, Abia State.

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Enugu FRSC Sector Commander Franklin Agbakoba Is Dead

Published

2 days ago

July 31, 2026

Everydaynewsngr

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has announced the demise of its Enugu State Sector Commander, Corps Commander Franklin O Agbakoba.

This is contained in a statement issued by FRSC Deputy Corps Commander in-charge of Enugu State Operations, DCC Kyrian C Okolo, on Friday in Enugu.

“FRSC Enugu State Sector Command received the sad news of the demise of CC Franklin Agbakoba on Thursday, July 30,2026.

“The late Sector Commander died at Niger Foundation Hospital, Enugu where he was receiving treatment.

“His corpse have been deposited at the Eastern Medical Center, Enugu,” he said.

Until his death,CC Franklin Agbakoba made inter-agency collaboration and partnership his legacy and promoted safer roads within Enugu State.

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Aguiyi-Ironsi’s family demands compensation, apology 58 years after counter-coup

Published

2 days ago

July 31, 2026

Everydaynewsngr

The family of Nigeria’s first military Head of State, Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, has demanded an apology from the Federal Government over his killing in 1966. The family also called for compensation and reconciliation.

The family’s head, Imo Aguiyi-Ironsi, made the demand during an interview with Arise News on Thursday.

“I think the family needs apology. The family needs to be compensated. We need sincere apology. We need sincere reconciliation,” he said.

He described his uncle as a visionary leader who was wrongly punished for a coup he had no role in.

“He was a man of vision. He was a detribalized Nigerian. He was a good leader,” he said.

Imo Aguiyi-Ironsi noted that his uncle’s tenure as Head of State was brief and ended violently.

“He occupied the seat of head of state for only six months, and he was taken away from us.

“Not because of a sin he committed, because he wasn’t part of the January 1966 coup.”

He insisted this fact was widely established. “Everybody knows that,” he said.

According to him, Aguiyi-Ironsi’s death resulted from his position rather than any wrongdoing on his part.

“Only because of his position as the most senior military officer, he was told to take charge. And then that cost him his life,” he said.

He expressed hope that his appeal would reach those with the power to act on it.

“Well, I hope there are people who are in positions to make this happen that are listening to you tonight,” he said.

Aguiyi-Ironsi served as Nigeria’s Head of State from January 16 to July 29, 1966, taking charge in the aftermath of the January 15, 1966 coup that had claimed the lives of the country’s political leadership.

He survived that coup and helped crush the mutiny, but his later decision to centralise power under Decree 34, along with his failure to prosecute the plotters, fuelled resentment among northern officers.

He was killed on July 29, 1966, alongside his host, Lieutenant Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi, in a mutiny by northern soldiers that became known as the July counter-coup

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CJN bans use of ‘Barrister’ title as name prefix at Supreme Court

Published

2 days ago

July 31, 2026

Everydaynewsngr

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has directed lawyers and court officials to stop using the title “Barrister” as a prefix to their names in all official engagements at the Supreme Court.

The directive was contained in a memorandum dated July 13, 2026, and signed by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Kabir Akanbi.

Addressed to litigation staff, legal practitioners, court registrars and lawyers, the circular said the order took immediate effect and formed part of efforts to uphold professional standards within the apex court.

The memorandum read, “I am directed by the Honourable the Chief Justice of Nigeria to notify all Litigation Staff, Legal Practitioners, Court Registrars, and Lawyers that the use of the title ‘Barrister’ as a prefix to names is inappropriate and inconsistent with the standards of professionalism expected within the Supreme Court of Nigeria.”

It further directed all affected officers to immediately stop using the title in official correspondence and other official materials.

The memo stated, “Consequently, all officers concerned are hereby directed to discontinue the use of the title ‘Barrister’ before their names in all official correspondence, records, documents, identity materials, and any other official engagements with immediate effect.”

To ensure full implementation of the directive, the Chief Justice also directed supervisory officers to enforce compliance.

The memorandum added, “Heads of Departments and Unit Heads are requested to ensure strict compliance with this directive by all officers under their supervision. Please be guided accordingly.”

The directive comes weeks after the Council of Legal Education cautioned prospective lawyers against wearing wigs and gowns or presenting themselves as qualified legal practitioners before they are formally called to the Nigerian Bar.

The council said such conduct undermined the dignity of the legal profession and warned that violators could face disciplinary measures.

It also reminded candidates that the use of legal regalia is governed by the Rules of Professional Conduct and is reserved for duly qualified legal practitioners

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Enugu intensifies fight against quackery in laboratory practice – Commissioner

Published

2 days ago

July 31, 2026

Everydaynewsngr

The Enugu State Government says it has intensified fight against quackery across all health professions, particularly in the laboratory practice within the state.

The Commissioner for Health, Prof. George Ugwu, revealed this on Friday while receiving the National President of Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Dr. Casimir Ifeanyi, on a courtesy visit to his office in Enugu.

Ugwu decried the growing trend of unprofessional practices and establishments where laboratory services are combined with pharmacies, patient treatment areas, provision stores, and other unauthorised activities.

According to him, such practices are unacceptable and dangerous to public health.

He reaffirmed the government’s resolve to eliminate quackery especially in laboratory practices and operations through sustained monitoring, regulation and enforcement.

The commissioner also commended the association for its dedication to promoting excellence in medical laboratory science and public health advocacy.

He assured the team of the ministry’s willingness to collaborate with professional bodies whose activities align with the government’s vision of delivering accessible, quality, and people-centred healthcare services across the state.

Ugwu stressed the remarkable strides recorded under the administration of Gov. Peter Mbah in transforming the health sector, including investments in healthcare infrastructure, workforce development, primary healthcare revitalisation and improved service delivery.

He urged the association to remain steadfast in upholding professionalism and ethical standards, emphasising that stronger partnerships between government and healthcare professionals remained essential in building a healthier Enugu State.

Earlier, Ifeanyi, who made the visit with some members of his national executive and Enugu State Chapter of AMLSN, briefed the commissioner on the association’s forthcoming AMLSN Annual Public Health Lecture.

He solicited the state government’s goodwill, support and participation in the event, which would be held in Enugu.

“The annual lecture is aimed at advancing quality healthcare delivery, promoting public health awareness, and fostering stronger collaboration among healthcare professionals and government institutions,” he said.

He noted that the association remained committed to improving professional standards and supporting initiatives that would enhance healthcare outcomes for residents of Enugu State and Nigeria at large.