The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Confusion over dancer’s death in Imo

    Confusion over dancer’s death in Imo

    There is confusion over the death of a 20-year-old dancer in the Umudibia Autonomous community of Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State.

    While some believe he committed suicide following a misunderstanding with his girlfriend, his relatives and some other residents of the area suspect that he was killed by cultists.

    The Nation learnt on Saturday that the deceased identified as Samson Chukwuocha died in his late father’s uncompleted storey building on Wednesday.

    But some of his relatives in the community suggested that he may have been killed by cultists, arguing that he could not have killed himself by hanging for three days without anybody being aware of it.

    “We were shocked to see the lifeless body dangling on a rope for three days and no member of the family knew that the boy died by suicide,” a relative who identified himself as Daniel told our correspondent.

    Another source close to the scene of the incident said: “A 20-year-old boy named Samson Chukwuocha, an indigene of Umuokomocha in Umudibia Autonomous community in Owerri West Local Government today committed suicide by hanging himself in his family compound.”

    Another resident of the area said when the family became aware, the corpse had started decomposing before the Nekede Police Division was called in.

    Read Also : Sacked Imo PDP House of Reps candidate returns

    “There is tension in the area as it was alleged that the boy was killed by suspected hoodlums that engaged in cult activities,” the resident said.

    However, yet another source disagreed, saying the deceased was a dancer in nightclubs in the state and had a misunderstanding with his girlfriend before he decided to take his life.

    “We saw the girlfriend in our compound but we did not see when she left. We were later told that he quarrelled with her the day she came to see him and shortly after she left, he committed suicide.”

    A police officer from the Nekede Police Division who preferred anonymity confirmed the incident saying an investigation had begun.

  • Ebonyi begins distribution of 2.83m mosquito nets

    Ebonyi begins distribution of 2.83m mosquito nets

    The Ebonyi State government has flagged off the distribution of over 2.83million insecticide treated nets to residents across its 13 Local Government Areas (LGA).

    The flag off ceremony took place at Ezza North Local Government headquarters, Ebiaji at the weekend.

    The State Malaria Elimination Program Manager, Ministry of Health, Ebonyi State, Mr. Lawrence Nwankwo said the choice of Ezza North LGA for the flag off was to increase awareness and acceptance of the net.

    “This is a three to four-year campaign program, the last one was done in 2019; before that, we had one in 2015, all in this administration. Each time the net expires after three years, we need to replace it. So, that is what we are doing today.

    “Distribution of the nets started today here in Ezza North being the state flag-off, it will go through from the 3rd to the 4th of February this year and every household in Ebonyi must have received their nets,” Mr. Nwankwo said.

    On the quantity of nets to be distributed, he said: “We are looking at one million seven hundred and eighty-six thousand nets but what we received this year was two million and eighty-three thousand. In 2019, we distributed 1.7m but in 2023 we are distributing two million, eighty-three, and some fractions thousand nets to households in Ebonyi.

    “The net is a donation from USAID PMI. They support the state each period with these long-lasting insecticide nets. The state at intervals also procures nets to support the provisions of the partner.”

    This year’s mass campaign, according to Nwankwo, is targeted at every household, adding that ” the other routine distribution which will come after this campaign will target children under 5 years and pregnant women.”

    “We will support ownership in the household through routine distribution which will be given to children that have completed immunization and also given to pregnant women that have gone for ANC at the facilities,” he added.

    Read Also : PDP Suspends Ebonyi State chapter Chairman

    The Executive Chairman of Ezza North LGA, Ogodo Ali Moses Nomeh, in his address noted that Malaria, which is caused by the bite of female anopheline mosquitoes, remained one of the deadliest diseases in Africa and Nigeria in particular.

    “Government at all levels exist for the welfare of the people and society including the protection of life through disease prevention and control, because we have established the fact that malaria is a deadly disease, and we cannot just sit down and fold our arms, hence the fight against malaria through multi-pronged approaches like distribution of the nets, malaria testing, and treatment, etc,” he said.

    Mr Ogodo-Ali admonished those involved in the Mosquito Net Distribution not to see the exercise as a political campaign.

    He said they must ensure that the nets are distributed equitably to all inhabitants of Ezza North and the State in general.

    He thanked the State Governor, David Umahi, for providing the needed support and enabling environment for the conduct of the Net Distribution Campaign for the third time in his administration and importantly the choice of Ezza North as a centre for the State flag-Off ceremony.

  • Fact Check: Climate Change occurs from CO2 Emissions

    Fact Check: Climate Change occurs from CO2 Emissions

    Justina Asishana

    Claim

    A Twitter User @JunkScience on the 7th of January wrote that there is no
    climate change occurring from CO2 emissions. The tweet had 115
    retweets, 2 quote tweets and 402 likes.

    Verification

    What is CO2?

    CO2 is the chemical formula for carbon dioxide which is a colourless and
    odourless gas that is one part carbon and two parts oxygen. It is a natural
    component of the air and makes up part of the carbon cycle.

    CO2 is produced both naturally when “organisms respire or decompose
    (decay), carbonate rocks are weathered, forest fires occur, and volcanoes
    erupt”, and through “human activities, such as burning gasoline, coal, oil,
    and wood”. In the environment, people exhale CO2 which contributes to
    CO2 levels in the air.

    Source: US Environmental Protection Agency

    Eurostat defines Carbon dioxide emissions or CO 2 emissions as “emissions
    stemming from the burning of fossil fuels and the manufacture of cement;
    they include carbon dioxide produced during consumption of solid, liquid,
    and gas fuels as well as gas flaring”.

    What are the Causes of Climate Change?

    According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
    Human activities have released large amounts of carbon dioxide and other
    greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and this has changed the earth’s

    climate. It further states that natural processes, such as changes in the
    sun’s energy and volcanic eruptions, also affect the earth’s climate.

    Climate change is caused mainly by greenhouse gases which come from a
    variety of human activities, including burning fossil fuels for heat and
    energy, clearing forests, fertilizing crops, storing waste in landfills, raising
    livestock, and producing some kinds of industrial products. Climate change
    also occurs from a buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the
    warming of the planet due to the greenhouse effect.

    Carbon dioxide is the primary greenhouse gas contributing to recent
    climate change.

    Does Climate Change Occur from Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions?
    According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, greenhouse gases
    produced by human activities have caused an overall warming influence on
    the Earth’s climate and the largest contributor to warming has been carbon
    dioxide (CO2,) which is the primary greenhouse gas emitted by human
    activities.

    Rating

    False – It is not true that there is no climate change occurring from CO2
    emissions. This is because Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are the
    primary driver of global climate change.

    This fact-check was produced by Justina Asishana, a Journalist with The Nation
    Newspaper with support from Code for Africa’s PesaCheck and African Fact-
    Checking Alliance network.

  • Southeast governors shun Soludo as Anambra hosts regional conference

    Southeast governors shun Soludo as Anambra hosts regional conference

    Southeast governors have shunned the zone’s regional conference on human capital development, hosted by Anambra State Governor Prof Chukwuma Soludo.

    The region’s other four governors of Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo sent representatives to the two-day conference held in Awka, the Anambra State capital.

    Soludo lamented the lack of unity among the region’s leaders, saying it was detrimental to the Southeast’s growth

    He advocated for a regional education board to fashion out a curriculum for the region.

    The governor also said that the Southeast could come together and set up a teacher certification institute to certify teachers for schools in the region.

    It was his reaction to recommendations and policy documents unveiled by technocrats during the conference.

    In the area of education, labour and health, he said they could be adopted by the governors of the region to grow human capital.

    He maintained that the Southeast could not afford to lag in the area of human capital development, adding that Anambra had the least land mass in the country, and also the least natural resources.

    Soludo said: “Your recommendations are excellent. I will read them with keen interest and see which of them we can take.

    “We have little land mass in the Southeast. We are actually the smallest with Lagos State, but while Lagos is reclaiming land from the sea, we are losing our land to gully erosion.

    “Anambra is the world’s gully erosion capital. In the Southeast, we are landlocked, and we have the least mineral resources. Our only boost is human capital.

    “Human capital naturally is our only dependable resource. It has been so yesterday and today and will remain so tomorrow.

    He described the conference as “pivotal to who we are.

    “And if we do not mind about human resources, then we are going nowhere. We must work on that.

    “I listened to your recommendations on education, but who said the Southeast cannot set up a regional education board to fashion out a curriculum for students in the region?

    Read Also : Declare work-free day for PVC collection, CLO urges Soludo

    “Must we always use what others are using? Who knows, you may fashion out a curriculum that will attract the interest of other people, and the world at large.

    “The various governments of the Southeast can come together and set up a teacher certification institute to certify teachers for schools in the region too.”

    Soludo lamented that in the past some governments of the Southeast sent home some workers, on the ground that they were not from their state. He added that Anambra had reversed that policy.

    “We just recruited 5,000 teachers in Anambra State, but I told the ministry not to accept if I recommend anybody to them. We employed people from every state.

    “All I need is for the best teachers to be employed. Our children deserve the best teachers, and all they hope to get is the very best, no matter where the teachers come from.

    “In my own eyes, I don’t see those boundaries and for the greatness of Nigeria, we must not see those boundaries,” he said.

    The conference had the theme: changing the narrative – towards entrenching human capital development in the Southeast Nigeria.

  • IG orders arrest, prosecution of holders of cancelled PCRC ID cards

    IG orders arrest, prosecution of holders of cancelled PCRC ID cards

    The Inspectors General of Police, (IGP) Usman Alkali Baba has invalidated the existing Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) Identity Card with effect from December 2022.

    The IGP directed that anyone found parading himself with the invalidated PCRC ID card should be arrested and prosecuted.

    Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi in a statement issued on Saturday said this is in line with the IGP’s zeal to sanitize and standardize all sectors including the Police Community Relations Committee.

    Read Also : UPDATED: Senate okays ex-IGP Arase as PSC Chair

    He said the IGP has also ordered the redesign and re-issuance of new PCRC ID cards from the Force Headquarters, Abuja, and through judicious screening of membership across board.

    “The Inspector-General of Police hereby directs all eligible members of PCRC nationwide to contact the offices of the various Zonal, Command and Formations PCRC Chairmen as well as the Police Public Relations Officers (PPROs) of their Zones, Commands and Formations respectively to obtain new forms for processing the newly approved ID Card”, Adejobi stated.

  • BBTitans: Yemi Cregx engages Miracle OP in war of words

    BBTitans: Yemi Cregx engages Miracle OP in war of words

    BBTitans house witnessed another fight between two housemates. And again, the two housemates involved in the fight are of Nigerian origin.

    Yemi Cregx and Miracle finally set it off in a heated argument after the two seem to have been fighting for Khosi’s attention.

    Earlier in the week, Khosi had returned to Yemi Cregx and even slept in his bed even after kicking off another ship with Miracle.

    On Thursday at the second pool party, Yemi Cregx was visibly seen exchanging public displays of affection with Blue Aiva and Khosi, despite being with Miracle OP, wasn’t going to allow it to fly.

    After the pool party was winding down, she met with Blue Aiva to express her dissatisfaction with her kissing and romancing her man.

    Read Also : BBTitans: Yemi Cregx, Blue Aiva get cozy

    Following the moment, Khosi met with Yemi Cregx to explain her disappointment and inquired why Yemi Cregx was embarrassing and slighting her with Blue Aiva. The two had a long discussion until after dinner. During their discussion, Miracle OP interrupted saying he needed to have time with his partner and much later, Yemi Cregx walked to him to express his disappointment saying he felt insulted by Miracle, whom he had no issues with.

    However, on Friday night, the two who maintained a distance from one another all day went all into it in the wee hours of Saturday morning when they had a shouting match and heated argument.

  • BBTitans: Marvin talks ship with Jaypee

    BBTitans: Marvin talks ship with Jaypee

    BBTitans housemate Marvin seems to be proposing a relationship with fellow Nigerian housemate Jaypee.

    The fitness star was spotted talking to Jaypee in the garden about his attraction to her and the reasons for his feelings for her.

    Marvin admitted to Jaypee that he liked her but was attracted to other girls and was attempting to navigate his feelings for them. Jaypee, who was intrigued, inquired about which of the housemates he was also interested in, and then mentioned a few names. 

    Marvin avoids answering the question, but Jaypee does not appear satisfied with being told she is the object of Marvin’s attraction.

    Marvin seemed unphased when Jaypee asked how he would react if the tables were turned. In fact, he admitted to being drawn to Jaypee because they hold similar views on the issue of relationships in the house.

    Read Also ; BBTitans: Theo Traw shoots his shot at Jaypee

    Jaypee had told Marvin that she had decided not to dwell on finding a love interest in the house, but that she was not completely against the idea. She also revealed that she was not an enthusiast of ships moving beyond the four walls of the house and had made up her mind that it could be a possibility if she gets into a ship. 

    Marvin responded to all of this by saying that he understands how being in the house causes people to seek relationships and that he has decided to focus solely on “vibes” because he wants a relationship that will last beyond the house.

  • BBTitans: Olivia and Lukay form unlikely pair

    BBTitans: Olivia and Lukay form unlikely pair

    BBtitans housemates, Olivia and Lukay have formed an unlikely pair and one common factor has been a large dose of gossip.

    Just after Yemi Cregx had lamented over Olivia, Jenni O, and Nana’s insistent gossip, Olivia seemed to have found a gist and gossip partner in Lukay.

    The most unlikely pair today had a gist session in the garden that had viewers glued to their TV screens.

    Olivia and Lukay had a long chat in the garden about the fight between Miracle OP and Yemi Cregx. They both agreed that Khosi was playing a game with Miracle OP and Yemi Cregx because they found her movements between the two male housemates suspicious.

    Read Also : Olivia and Lukay

    Olivia, who looked really concerned, came to the conclusion that if Khosi is not careful, her game plan will blow up in her face. The two then moved on to discussing other ships in the house.

    The gossip pair believe Yvonne is settling for Juicy Jay because she can’t have who she really wants. Lukay mentioned that Yvonne tried to escape Juicy Jay’s clutches, but his insistence got her in a chokehold. Speaking of Juicy Jay, Lukay told Olivia that Juicy Jay was also after Ipeleng at some point, but she just did not pay him any attention.

    Lukay also touched base on his ship, making it clear that no other guy would step up to Ipeleng in the house. His ego is too big for him to question Ipeleng, and he knows that if any man steps up to her, she is definitely going to spill the tea to him when they have their private moments.

    The pair rounded up their session with the claim that Khosi was leading Miracle OP, Thabang, and Yemi Cregx on. They said Khosi was playing a game, and it was definitely working for her because viewers must have been entertained by the fight between Miracle OP and Yemi Cregx.

  • BBTitans: Yemi Cregx slams Jenni O, Nana, others

    BBTitans: Yemi Cregx slams Jenni O, Nana, others

    One of the 12 Nigerian housemates in the BBTitans house Yemi Cregx has called out his female compatriots in the house, Jenni O, Olivia, Yvonne and Nana for their continual gossip.

    Yemi was particularly critical of Jenni O, maintaining that, unlike Nigerian housemates, South African housemates virtually never discuss or complain about one another.

    Read Also : BBTitans: Yemi Cregx, Blue Aiva get cozy

    ”It’s wrong to be gossiping about South African housemates. It is not nice, and it does not reflect well on Nigeria as a whole”, he said.

    One of the female housemates also admitted that the only work they do in the house is to gossip and do relationships.

  • BBTitans: Juicy Jay in a love triangle with Yvonne and Jenni O

    BBTitans: Juicy Jay in a love triangle with Yvonne and Jenni O

    As the ships are on the increase in the BBTitans’ house, some housemates are smitten and basking in love, while others are stuck in situationships.

    Joining the list of love triangles in the Big Brother house are Jenni O, Juicy Jay and Yvonne.

    Juicy Jay has clearly worked his charm on the women in the house, and Yvonne and Jenni O have fallen head-over-heels.

    What was supposed to be a game between the two ladies has turned into mild heartbreak for Jenni O. Juicy Jay knows how to play the game – after flirting with Yvonne and showing her off as his official girl, as soon as she steps away, his next girl is Jenni O.

    Read Also :BBTitans: Nana opens up on dark days before show

    Earlier in the week, he had his hands all over Jenni O’s breasts, and on Thursday evening, she revealed to Nelisa that she is in a love triangle with Juicy Jay and Yvonne. Juicy cleared the air with Yvonne and – shortly after – he jumped back into Yvonne’s bed.

    It was hard not to notice the tension between the two on Friday afternoon. While some housemates enjoyed the Friday night games, Yvonne and Jenni O side-eyed each other and made sure that they kept out of each other’s way; no spoken words were exchanged.