News
I had no prior knowledge of army invasion of Kanu’s home in 2017- Ikpeazu
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, has opened up on the September 17, 2017 military invasion of Afaraukwu Ibeku country home of the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, denying any pre-information of the infamous raid.
He rather explained that the Army Commander at that time, came to his office to inform him that he had orders to arrest Nnamdi Kanu .
“I was not told that anything like that (invasion) was going to happen. I only saw the GOC who was at Enugu that time, he showed up in my office and told me that he will arrest Nnamdi Kanu.
” I asked him why? He said he had orders to arrest him. I told him to give me few hours and he obliged. I called the traditional rulers and asked them to talk to Nnamdi’s father who was a traditional ruler to persuade Nnamdi to come and have a word with the GOC, but Nnamdi Kanu refused, saying he was under seige already in his house. I didn’t know that the soldiers were already everywhere”.
The Governor who featured in an exclusive interview : “Nigeria now with Dickson Iroegbu” in Abuja, noted that the agitation for self determination being championed by Kanu, was as a result of glaring injustice being perpetrated against the South East by the Nigerian Government.
His words: “What is happening in the South East now is as a result of total disregard of the interest of the South East people by the Government at the centre.”
“What has happened in the South East is a combination of all manner of things. One is the total disregard of the interest of the South East by the center and flagrant and provocative comments from both Government and various elements and characters”.
Ikpeazu said peace would remain elusive in the country until injustice was addressed.
His words: “It is difficult to find peace wherever injustice pesters. Nnamdi Kanu is saying that if we are not wanted, could we go?
“There are three options available to every man: integrate me, let me be part of it and the other one, endure untill you die or exit but the system is saying: endure untill you are annihilated. The Leadership of the nation is not engaging”.
He said he was among those who first supported the clamour for the Nigeria President of Igbo extraction, but he decided to support Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers State after observing a high conspiracy against the Igbo.
“My argument and my support was for a President of Igbo extraction. First of all , the conversation of how a person can become a President in a country like Nigeria that is multi- dimensional, multi-lingual, multi-cultural requires that you engage and you talk about it.
“You would want to convince people, and in doing that, you must be strategic on how to play the politics of emergence. I said the first thing to do as a Governor is to first of all begin to say that the Presidency must come to the South and we met in Lagos.
“For us, my strategy was for us to get it in the South so that we can begin to micro zone. I discovered that the conspiracy against the Igbo man is palpable. You can feel it, you can touch it.
“My support for a South Easterner is not necessarily that we haven’t taken a shot at the presidency, but because the Igbo man believes in Nigeria than any other tribe.
“The Igbo man is not even prepared to abandone Sambisa for any terrorist or any bandit. We can trade in Sambisa. For that, we have demonstrated our Nigerianess. If there is a people who believes in one Nigeria, it is an Igbo man.
” For instance, Presidency is important, but of greater important to an Igbo man is whatever that can facilitate Trade and Commerce”.
Ikpeazu explained that he opted for Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State because he was a man that had the courage and has the capacity to call a spade a spade.
The Governor, however said that South East despite the way the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, treated South East, the zone would stick to PDP than dump the party.
“The people of the South East can only treat people bad if they have a better option: fire is not better than frying pan, there is no point comparing an elephant with an ant, PDP understands and manages our mechanisms better”.
Gov. Ikpeazu disagreed with the opinion by many that the senate is a retirement place for ex-Governors, arguing that the red chamber is rather a place for higher responsibility.
Ikpeazu who is the PDP senatorial flag bearer for Abia South said that if given the mandate, he would use it to connect the state to the national Government.
“My people in Abia South needs somebody that can plunge them to the center and see how we can leverage on policies at the Federal level and complement policies at the State level.”
Gov. Ikpeazu said his decision to go to the senate was not borne out of selfishness but desire to serve his people better.
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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