To ensure quality health care for his people, the Councilor representing Nnokwa Ward in Idemili South Legislative Council, Honourable Valentine Ifeanyi Mbadugha, has enrolled over 250 members of the community into the Anambra State Health Insurance Scheme.
The event held at Nnokwa Civic Center was attended by the Mayor of Idemili South LGA, Honourable Amaka Obi, her Deputy, Honourable Ifeanyi Anakuba, among others, and featured health outreach programme in which PDS Chest X-ray machine was used to examine people’s hearts and lungs.
Addressing the gathering, the Idemili South Mayor, Honourable Obi, commended the lawmaker, Honourable Mbadugha, for the kind gesture and effective representation of his people, saying that the Councilor does well in the local government, and deserves continued support of his people for higher positions.
Speaking to newsmen, a Marketing Officer with the Anambra State Health Insurance Agency, ASHIA, Mr Chibuike Chukwu, explained that establishing the agency in 2016 was to improve the well-being of people regardless of social status, and encouraged the beneficiaries to make good use of the opportunity, just as he called on more people who are privileged to help enroll more people.
Some of the beneficiaries, including Mr Samuel Udemba, Mrs Benedeth Okoye, and Mrs Chinenyenwa Ude, thanked their son, Honourable Mbadugha, for the kind gesture, and wished him success in his political career.
Thanking Nnokwa stakeholders who contributed to the enrollment, Honourable Mbadugha, who is the Deputy Leader, Idemili South Legislative Council, said he remains committed to his promise of quality and people-oriented representation, adding that from June 1st, 2025, the enrollees will begin to enjoy quality and affordable health care services.
Mbadugha, a journalist by profession, thanked Governor Chukwuma Soludo for the democracy projects Nnokwa has benefited from, and the Mayor of Idemili South LGA, Honourable Obi, for having the interest of the community at heart.
Alex Otti, Governor of Abia State has said that poverty and unemployment have no business in the state and cannot be tolerated.
Speaking at the 2025 Abia Fashion Games said the people of the state are well-known for their entrepreneurial spirits…
The Governor said, “Fashion is life and you can see, all what I’m wearing today was made in Abia State.
“I am sure you know about our Akwaete – what I am wearing – we need to now commercialize it; we need to export it. I want to thank all the beautiful people who have done one display or the other here today,”
“At some point, when the protocol people wanted to cut it short, I overruled them. I overruled them because you are doing very well. And you know, our people love good things and that is why I said I want to see all the displays. They should postpone every other meeting.
“And I can tell you that I am so happy with the outcome of this entire process. I’ve also been told that 100 per cent of the 2,000 graduates today, already have jobs.
“I hear that about a hundred of you wanted to be employers of labour, you also wanted to employ yourselves, that is very very good and I congratulate you.
“That is the spirit of the Abia man and woman; we are born entrepreneurs. Poverty and unemployment have no business in Abia state,”
The South-East Governors’ Forum has Commended and extended their warm wishes to Nigerian civil workers on the occasion of the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration.
In a goodwill message, the director general of SEGOF, Uche Ekwunife, applauded workers for their unwavering dedication to national growth and productivity across all sectors.
“This year’s celebration, with the theme ‘Ensuring Safety and Health at Work in a Changing Climate,’ aligns closely with the forum’s development vision, which includes creating a safe and enabling environment for workers across the South-East,” the statement said on Thursday.
“We, the SEGOF, commend the resilience, diligence, and patriotism of the Nigerian workforce; they are the backbone of the country’s development and progress,” it added.
The statement explained that under the leadership of Governor Hope Uzodimma, SEGOF is pursuing a bold and transformative agenda focused on regional integration, enhanced security, and inclusive economic growth.
“The forum’s mission is clear—to transform the South-East into a hub of opportunity, innovation, and prosperity. We are making strategic investments in infrastructure, security, and economic empowerment to create a region where hard work is recognized and rewarded,” the forum stated.
It reaffirmed its commitment to building a safer and more united South-East by leveraging both the region’s human capital and natural resources to unlock its full potential.
It encouraged Nigerian workers to continue supporting President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing that national progress required shared responsibility, patriotism, and unity of purpose.
Welcome to the month of May 2025 filled with endless possibilities, opportunities, and adventures! As we embark on this fresh month, we’re reminded that every day is a chance to start anew, pursue our passions, and make unforgettable memories.
To our amazing YouTube community and website visitors, we’re grateful for your loyalty, support, and engagement. Your enthusiasm fuels our creativity, and we’re honored to share our stories, experiences, and perspectives with you.
As we step into this new month, let’s embrace the promise of a brighter future, foster positivity, and spread love and kindness wherever we go. May this month bring you joy, success, and fulfillment in all aspects of your life.
Thank you for being part of the BVI Channel One family! We’re excited to share more content, updates, and surprises with you throughout the month. Stay tuned, stay blessed, and let’s make this month unforgettable!
Dear Distinguished Senate President Godswill Akpabio,
It is with the deepest sarcasm and utmost theatrical regret that I tender this apology for the grievous crime of possessing dignity and self-respect in your most exalted presence. I have reflected extensively on my unforgivable failure to recognize that legislative success in certain quarters is apparently not earned through merit, but through the ancient art of compliance — of the very personal kind.
How remiss of me not to understand that my refusal to indulge your… “requests” was not merely a personal choice, but a constitutional violation of the unwritten laws of certain men’s entitlement. Truly, I must apologize for prioritizing competence over capitulation, vision over vanity, and the people’s mandate over private dinners behind closed doors.
I now realize the catastrophic consequences of my actions: legislation delayed, tempers flared, and the tragic bruising of egos so large they require their own postcodes. For this disruption to the natural order of “quid pro quo,” I bow my head in fictional shame.
Please find it in your magnanimous heart – somewhere buried deep beneath layers of entitlement — to forgive this stubborn woman who mistakenly believed that her seat in the Senate was earned through elections, not erections.
I remain,
Yours in eternal resistance,
Senator Natasha H Akpoti Uduaghan Unafraid, Unbought, and Unbroken
Osi nacho passed away in April 2022 after allegedly being be@ten by her husband, Peter Nwachukwu.
The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, has sentenced Peter Nwachukwu, the husband of late gospel singer Osinachi, to de*th by hanging after finding him guilty of culpable homicide in connection with her death on April 8, 2022.
The court pronounced the sentence on Monday during a ruling delivered by Justice Nwosu-lheme after the court had held that the prosecution had proven the burden of proof placed on it by the law and subsequently found the defendant guilty.
Osinachi passed away in April 2022 after allegedly being be*ten by her husband, Peter Nwachukwu.
While initial reports claimed she died from cancer, testimonies from family, church members, and neighbours revealed that she was a victim of domestic violence.
Witnesses stated that Nwachukwu kicked her in the chest prior to her de*th.
This led to Nwachukwu’s arrest, and he was arraigned on June 3, 2022, by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF), representing the Federal Government.
He faced a 23-count charge, including culpable homicide (punishable by de*th), cr!minal intimidation, cruelty to children, spousal b@ttery, and other offences.
During the trial, the prosecution presented 17 witnesses, including Osinachi’s two children, who testified as prosecution witnesses. Additionally, 25 documents were submitted as evidence.
Nwachukwu testified in his defence, calling four witnesses and presenting four exhibits.
Before sentencing, Nwachukwu’s counsel, Reginald Nwali, pleaded for leniency, while the prosecuting counsel, Mrs.
Aderonke Imala, urged the court to enforce the law.
In a case that raises serious questions about abuse of office, disregard for due process, and human rights violations, Hon. Chinedu Ogah, member of the House of Representatives for Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State, has used the Cybercrime Act as a tool of repression against a 66-year-old activist, Mr. Kindness Jonah.
According to evidence gathered by SaharaReporters, Mr. Jonah has been held in unlawful detention since February 27, 2025, without trial or formal notification to his family—a gross violation of constitutional rights and international human rights standards.
SaharaReporters’ investigation reveals that a team of armed officers from the notorious SARS Abattoir unit in Abuja, led by CSP Ejike Emmanuel, was dispatched to Enugu on February 23, 2025, to apprehend Mr. Jonah. Despite being a federal unit, they failed to report to the Enugu State CID or any local police formation—standard procedure for interstate police operations.
The officers lodged at a hotel and spent four days covertly tracking Mr. Jonah, who was arrested on February 27. Eyewitnesses describe the operation more as an abduction than an arrest. Mr. Jonah was immediately transported to Abuja, bypassing all official channels.
Detention and Secret Charges
Upon arrival in Abuja, Mr. Jonah was detained indefinitely at the SARS Abattoir facility, under the supervision of ACP Victor. During this period, his whereabouts were unknown to his family, who searched tirelessly through police facilities in Enugu with no success.
Meanwhile, police quietly filed charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja, securing May 21, 2025, as an arraignment date—without notifying the accused or his family.
But in a rare twist, the newly appointed FCT Police Commissioner, CP Ajao Saka Adewale, made an unannounced inspection visit to SARS Abattoir on April 11, 2025. Upon discovering the frail and visibly ill Mr. Jonah, CP Adewale ordered his immediate release.
A source told SaharaReporters that after hearing about Mr. Kindness Jonah’s ordeal, the FCT Police Commissioner was visibly upset and ordered the SARS commander, ACP Victor, to release Mr. Jonah. However, according to the source, as soon as the commissioner left, the SARS officials contacted Chinedu Ogah.
It was learnt that within 24 hours of the visit, officers allegedly colluded with Rep. Ogah to defy that order.
Instead of releasing Mr. Jonah, on April 12, 2025, SARS officials took Mr. Jonah to an unknown location, then transferred him to Keffi Maximum Security Prison in Nasarawa State without a court appearance or due process.
SaharaReporters learnt that this was done on the basis of what appears to be a forged detention order from a Wuse Zone 6 Magistrate Court—dated for a Saturday, an unusual and suspicious detail.
Mr. Jonah is now being held pending a fabricated hearing date—April 26, 2025, another Saturday—while awaiting his real court date on May 21.
Visit to Keffi Prison
On April 23, 2025, journalist and whistleblower, Isaac Bristol, also known as ‘PidomNigeria’, visited Mr. Jonah at the Keffi Maximum Security Prison. Though in poor health and visibly weak, the detained activist remains mentally alert and hopeful for justice.
The use of the Cybercrime Act in this instance appears to be a façade for political retribution.
In a two-count charge filed on March 13, 2025, at the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division, E. A. Inegbenoise Esq., representing the Legal/Prosecution Section of the Criminal Investigation Section, FCT Police Command, accused Comrade Kindness Jonah of intentionally referring to Hon. Chinedu N. Ogah as an ex-convict.
This act is alleged to violate Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024, and is punishable under Section 24(2)(a)(ii) of the same Act.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/97/2025, lists the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, as the complainant and Comrade Kindness Jonah as the defendant.
The counts read: “That you, Comrade Kindness Jonah ‘m’ 66 years old of 22/24, Edinburgh Road, Enugu, Enugu State on diverse dates through the use of computer network in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an illegal act to wit. Cyberstalking, when you knowingly and intentionally accused Hon. Chinedu N. Ogah, OON of being the killer of one Ukamaka Immaculate Ogboji, which you know the content of the various internet posts to be false. You thereby committed an offence contrary to section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024 and punishable under section 24(2)(a)(i) of the same Act.
“That you, Comrade Kindness Jonah ‘m’ 66 years old of 22/24, Edinburgh Road, Enugu, Enugu Stateon diverse dates through the use of computer network in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an illegal act to wit: Cyberstalking, when you knowingly and intentionally referred to Hon. Chinedu N. Ogah, OON as an ex-convict, which you know the content of the various internet posts to be false. You thereby committed an offence contrary to section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024 and punishable under section 24(2)(a)(ii) of the same Act.”
When SaharaReporters reached out to ACP Victor for a reaction, he declined to comment and directed that the police public relations officer be contacted instead.
“You can contact the police public relations officer. So no comment,” he said.
However, the spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, Josephine Adeh, initially requested time to make inquiries before commenting on the matter, but subsequent attempts to reach her were unsuccessful.
Background
On April 16, SaharaReporters highlighted the unrest in Ihe community, Awgu Local Government Area, over Mr Jonah’s detention. His arrest followed his efforts to challenge the wrongful conviction and death sentence of their son, Ifeanyi Ekoh, for alleged murder.
The case revolves around the brutal killing of seven-year-old Ukamaka Immaculata Ogboji, whose body was dismembered in August 2012. Ogah, a feared and influential politician in Ebonyi State, was reportedly implicated in the ritual murder by suspects arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Despite being in Lagos at the time of the crime and having no ties to Ebonyi State, Ifeanyi Ekoh was convicted of the murder and sentenced to death by the Ebonyi State High Court in 2022. The community asserted that Ekoh had remained in detention despite a strong alibi proving his innocence.
Mr. Jonah, Convener of Voice From The East (VEast), exposed alleged cover-ups in Ekoh’s trial and petitioned Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun to conduct a thorough investigation to identify the actual perpetrators and their sponsors.
Meanwhile, the lawmaker is one of those linked to the killing.
Following his petition, Jonah was grabbed by the police in Enugu on February 27, 2025 and taken to Abuja.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), has been urged to clarify his recent appointments of Local Government Sole Administrators and other officials.
Atedo Peterside, President of the ANAP Foundation and Founder of IBTC Bank, stated that the Rivers sole administrator has no authority to come from Cross River State and exacerbate the already tense situation in Rivers State.
He accused Ibas of appointing individuals he described as “riff raffs” to positions of honour in Rivers, challenging him to explain the rationale behind his appointments.
Peterside warned that the people of Rivers will not passively observe as someone from another state undermines their resources and inflames tensions.
In an interview with Arise, he remarked that the Sole Administrator either misunderstood his responsibilities or lacks comprehension of his role. He added that instead of working towards stability and healing in a volatile situation, Ibas may be unintentionally aggravating the conflict.
You see, in every situation, I always believe in giving people time to tell us who they are, what they’re about in effect, before you rush to judgment.
When this Sole Administrator was appointed, please check everywhere. I never made any comment about him, his competence, his integrity or anything. So what has changed?
“What has changed is that I think the Sole Administrator either misread his brief or he has no understanding of what his role is.
“And instead of coming to an inflamed situation with a view to helping to achieve stability and healing, he might be inadvertently adding fuel to the fire.
On a given basis, he’s made some appointments. First of all, he emerged in an irregular manner. I would say the executive were misguided. So he’s a product of the executive being misguided legally, and then the legislator will be introducing rascality to use a voice vote to confirm his appointment.
“That, we all know, a voice vote does not make any sense. It can never prove two thirds, because even in the House of Representatives, we don’t even know how many people were in the room. I saw the TV pictures.
“So here is the man who came in, knows he’s on shifty ground, and what has he done? You know, they say, make some appointments, and I’ll tell you who you are. He’s made some appointments, even at the Rivers State Electoral Commission. He went in there, removed people, made appointments. He then also went to all the Local Governments and appointed Sole Administrators.
So, a man who himself probably has had no proper mandate in a serious country with a serious legal system now decides to add insult to injury. Instead of simply leaving local governments in the hands of the most senior, full-time staff and even reading them the riot act to do the correct thing, he now goes to superimpose people.
“I challenge him to tell the nation through what process he chose those he appointed. Through what process did he make the appointments? Did he advertise the positions? Did he call for nominations? Did he search Rivers State for the most competent, skilled persons of high integrity?
“Like I’ve already said, we know ourselves in Rivers State; you make many appointments from the people you’ve chosen. I can tell you who you are; with due respect for the people he appointed, in my personal opinion, they are riff raffs.
“So a man leaves Cross River State and comes to Rivers State in an inflamed situation. I challenge him to tell the nation what process he used in making the appointments.
“Did he choose people that he knew personally when he was in the Navy? Who did he ask for nominations? When did he produce some of these riff raffs from?
“You’ve got an electoral commission, and you bring in some people that you chose through a method that you can’t explain?
“Please, I challenge him to explain how he chose those persons. Do you want us to accept the elections conducted by some of those people that he chose when we don’t even know how they are mixed?
“And I think that is disrespectful to the people of Rivers State. He should be called to order immediately.
“There should be no mistake whatsoever that we will sit down forever and accept persons being appointed to lord over our state and our resources,” he stated.
When it comes to seeking validation and kneading his ego, Governor Alex Otti is no different from his predecessors.
The Aesopian saying, “Onye ji igu ka ewu n’eso” (Goats obey the man in possession of the palm fronds), coupled with a flurry of sycophantic articles praising him or comparing him to the late Eastern region Premier Michael Okpara and former Imo State Governor Sam Mbakwe, lend credence to this assertion.
Governor Otti seems to relish these anachronistic political tactics, particularly given the substantial resources he allocates to media propaganda and his pursuit of validation from former presidents and their representatives.
Some ludicrous articles by Otti’s supporters on social media read: “Are Ndi Igbo witnessing a reincarnation of Dr Michael Okpara and Dee Sam Mbakwe in Gov. Alex Otti?” “M.I. Okpara + Sam Mbakwe = Alex Otti. This is my answer; you can verify.”
While these fawning write-ups may delude Governor Otti into believing he is on a pedestal, they obscure the realities around him and turn him into a public spectacle.
M.I. Okpara was a colossus whom none of the past and current South-East governors could untie his shoelace. There is no appropriate scale on which to compare Okpara and Otti.
Okpara was the second premier of the defunct Eastern region, which encompassed nine states: Anambra, Imo, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom.
During his less-than-six-year administration, Okpara built high-quality roads across the eastern region and established many companies, including Golden Guinea Breweries, a ceramics factory, and a brick factory in Umuahia.
He also set up facilities for producing corrugated iron sheets in Port Harcourt, asbestos roofing sheets, ceiling boards, and pipes in Enugu, as well as metal doors and window frames in Port Harcourt. He developed rice farms in Abakaliki and Adani.
Using agriculture as the foundation for both micro and macroeconomic growth, Okpara leveraged the platform of the Eastern Nigeria Development Corporation (ENDC) to create farm settlements for oil palm, rubber, cocoa, cashew, and rice, incorporating intercropping with pineapples, bananas, plantains, and cassava.
He built and equipped the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and developed infrastructures, companies, and institutions across the region, using proceeds from agriculture.
Okpara’s agricultural, educational, industrial, and infrastructure revolutions led Michigan State University to rank the Eastern Region as the fastest industrialising economy in the world by 1964, ahead of the Asian Tigers – Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, and Taiwan.
This is the man whom Otti’s supporters dare to compare with a governor who, aside from patching, retrofitting, and expanding the roads built by Okpara and Mbakwe, has not achieved anything, despite receiving ₦21 billion in monthly federal allocations.
While Okpara utilised an agricultural and industrial revolution to build the eastern region’s economy, Governor Otti is relying on nonexistent agricultural and infrastructure projects – ₦6.5 billion for recreational facilities, ₦68 billion for school projects, ₦1.6 billion for agricultural facilities, ₦10 billion for research facilities, ₦3 billion for an ICT centre, and ₦7 billion for women’s development – to withdraw billions from Abia’s funds.
Okpara did not use proxies or relatives to acquire filling stations and hotels, nor did he own any property except one built for him in his Umuegwu village by friends after his retirement.
I won’t even delve into Dr Sam Mbakwe, who developed the old Imo region – covering Imo, Abia, and part of Ebonyi – constructing many roads and infrastructures that Governor Otti is still patching, expanding, and re-asphalting today.
Before Dr Otti assumed office in 2023, many regarded him as a classy and stylish leader who would not engage in the empty praise-singing that characterised his predecessors. However, here he is, basking in accolades, even those that invite public criticism.
A report by Thisday Newspaper on May 17, 2008, under the headline “Nigeria’s Harvest of Failed Industries,” summed up Okpara’s unparalleled achievements:
“In the Eastern region, Dr Michael Okpara was another great nation-builder with equally great ideas transformed into action from his palm produce earnings. The agrarian revolution led to the establishment of farm settlements across towns and villages. The Ulomna farm settlement, the Obudu cattle Ranch and industrial villages in Port Harcourt, Aba, Enugu and Umuahia made Eastern Nigeria a region with great promise. His idea was to route development from Port Harcourt to Enugu as one huge urban area back to back..”
This is the man that Governor Otti’s supporters and sycophants compare him to, despite Otti not constructing a single kilometre of road in two years, even after receiving ₦21 billion in monthly Federal Allocations and ₦630.4 billion over 19 months (from June 2023 to December 2024).
Unless Governor Otti wants to be remembered as the governor who only retrofitted and rehabilitated roads in Abia State, he should pay less attention to praise singers, as they will ruin him just as they did his predecessors.
Don Norman Obinna is the Abia State chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
*Ohanaeze expresses displeasure at the Sudden Closure of Enugu Airport during Easter period by FAAN.*
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has expressed displeasure with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), over the sudden closure of the runway of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA), Enugu. This closure is coming at the height of the Easter festive period when Ndigbo and other air transport users travel in high numbers. The leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has described it as unpatriotic and unfair to regular users of the airport, especially Ndigbo. While safety of lives and aircraft that ply the route may be the reason, the timing of the closure could have been better managed.
We are quite disturbed that this is the third time the runway has failed in less than 15 years. Consequently, the apex Igbo organization appeals for President Bola Tinubu’s intervention, for the release of funds to reconstruct the entire runway, rather than the makeshift efforts that have not worked over the years and ensure the timely completion of the project.
Recall that FAAN on Friday night, released a statement announcing a two-week emergency closure of the Enugu airport for runway rehabilitation.
The statement signed by FAAN’s Director of Affairs and Consumer Protection, states in part, “There is a sudden and significant rupture in the asphalt surface at a critical section of the runway. Hence, emergency repairs will be conducted on the portion of the runway from April 22nd to May 6th, 2025
“In compliance with Nigerian civil aviation regulations, FAAN has, therefore, closed the runway during this period.”
However, reacting to the development on Saturday morning, Ohanaeze, called on FAAN to monitor all airport runways nationwide to ensure that they are in perfect condition to avoid accidents which could endanger the lives of people.
We use this opportunity to draw the attention of Chief Festus Keyamo SAN, the Honourable Minister of Aviation to the fact that Akanu Ibiam International Airport, AIIA, is yet to be completed with minimal work done by successive federal administrations. It is in this regard that we commend the complementary effort effort by the Enugu State Government and implore the President Bola Tinubu Administration to fully complete and operationalize the entire airport, in line with international best practices
We look forward to the completion of the project within the said duration.
Ezechi Chukwu, Ph.D is the Spokesperson of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
