The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Southeast

  • Refugee commission: repentant insurgents, IDPs won’t be relocate to Southeast

    Refugee commission: repentant insurgents, IDPs won’t be relocate to Southeast

    The Federal Government has refuted claims that it plans to relocate repentant Boko Haram members and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the North to the Southeast.

    The Federal Commissioner in the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Tijani Ahmed, mad e the clarification yesterday in Abuja while reacting to the attack on the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) centre at Ezeoko-Nsu in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State.

    Suspected arsonists burnt the centre and the home of Senator Frank Ibezim.

    The attack followed a viral video that the Federal Government planned to renovate the NOUN facility as a training ground for repentant Boko Haram insurgents.

    Ahmed explained that his visit to Imo State last month was for the inspection of a property on the premises of the NOUN Centre at Ezeoke-Nsu in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area.

    The federal commissioner said the government was planning to establish a skills acquisition centre to train persons of concern and youths from the five southeastern states in the area.

    He added: “Our goal was to explore and ascertain if the centre could be utilised to train returnee migrants, refugees, and displaced persons, such as victims of floods and communal clashes, as well as youths and people of Imo State and the broader southeast region.

    “Displaced persons are found throughout Nigeria, including those affected by floods and other crises in places like Orlu, Njaba, and Orsu areas of Imo State.

    Read Also: FG sets up task forces to boost aviation sector through PPPs

    “Our primary aim was to train, certify, and empower the vulnerable populations of Imo State and the entire southeast with vital skills for self-reliance, with the potential to establish the centre as the regional headquarters for this initiative.”

    Ahmed announced that similar skills acquisition centres were proposed to be established throughout the six geopolitical zones of the country to serve the populations, in line with the commission’s “Skills to Wealth” initiative and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    On why the Southeast needs a skills acquisition centre, he said: “It is important to highlight that out of the over 6 million people facing displacement in Nigeria, a significant number reside in the Southeast, where entire communities have been displaced due to ecological challenges, such as erosion, landslides, and other forms of environmental degradation.

    “In 2024 alone, the commission facilitated the return of 4,550 stranded migrants, with no fewer than 30 per cent of them originating from the Southeast.

    “The region hosts approximately 500 non-Nigerian nationals currently seeking asylum as refugees in Nigeria. This group belongs to the subset of the population referred to as persons of concern to the commission.”

  • Southeast youth leaders call for boycott of planned October 1 protest

    Southeast youth leaders call for boycott of planned October 1 protest

    Southeast youth leaders, under the umbrella of the Coalition of Southeast Youth Leaders (COSEYL) on Sunday, September 29, urged Nigerians and Ndigbo to ignore the planned protest on October 1, describing it as an attempt to draw the nation backward.

    The group in a statement by its President General of COSEYL, Comrade Goodluck Ibem, said the planned protest should be ignored as it is unnecessary.

    “The planned protest on October 1 is not necessary…Nigerians and Ndigbo should ignore the protest and go about their normal businesses.”

    Ibem emphasized that protests often provide an opportunity for criminal elements to loot the goods and property of law-abiding citizens.

    He encouraged support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, which he believes is poised to take the nation to another level.

    Read Also: Flood: Fed Govt declares southern Nigeria safe

    “This call to boycott the protest is not isolated, as other groups, including Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide and the Coalition of Igbo Political and Social-Cultural Groups, have also distanced themselves from the planned protest.

    He urged residents to shun the protest and instead focus on issues that would promote peace and stability in the region.

  • Group launches campaign for good governance in Southeast, South-south

    Group launches campaign for good governance in Southeast, South-south

    A non-governmental organization, the South East South South Alliance for Good Governance (SESSAGG) has launched a campaign to foster a culture of integrity, transparency, and accountability in governance across the two geo-political zones.

    In a statement, its President, Alfred Ojinika said the initiative is coming against the background of the increasing demands for equitable policies and sustainable development. He added that the SESSAGG has outlined a comprehensive strategy to empower citizens and promote active civic engagement.

    Read Also; The Message in Retrospect

    This initiative, he said, will include a series of educational workshops, community forums, and advocacy campaigns aimed at strengthening the principles of good governance at all levels.

    He said: “We believe that good governance is the cornerstone of a just and prosperous society. Our mission is to ensure that every individual in the Southeast and South-south regions has the opportunity to thrive through fair and transparent governance practices.”

    Ojinika said the key components of the initiative would include educational workshops on the importance of transparency, ethics, and accountability for public officials and community leaders.

    Others are community forums for citizens to voice their concerns, share ideas, and collaborate on solutions to local governance challenges, as well as advocacy campaigns that support equitable development and hold public officials accountable for their actions.

  • NASRDA takes space tech promotion to secondary schools in Southeast

    NASRDA takes space tech promotion to secondary schools in Southeast

    The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), through its Southeast – Zonal Advanced Space Technology Applications Laboratory (SE-ZASTAL), has begun space technology applications promotion in secondary schools in the region.

    The coordinator of SE-ZASTAL located at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, EbonyiMr. Andrew Onwusulu, made this known at the workshop for over 442 students and teachers recently at the main hall of Federal Government College, Okposi, Ohaozara, Ebonyi State.

    He said the significance of the training was knowledge expansion to the grassroots.

    Onwusulu said: “The space applications promotion outreach is part of activities designed for secondary school students to motivate interest in space science and technology innovations.”

    Tagged, “Capacity Building for Young Minds: Benefits of Space Science and Technology Applications,” he said the training would linger in the minds of the students that participated in the hands-on demonstrations and lectures.

    Read Also: Kwara Gov inspects 42.5km new Ilorin-Offa road

    The principal of the school, Mr. Frank O.A. Omale, in his opening address, thanked the agency’s new DG, Dr. Mathew Adepoju, and the SE-ZASTAL coordinator for the privilege of hosting the event.

    Omale urged the students to be serious about the lecture, describing it as a great opportunity for FGC, Okposi, to be the first school selected for such training in the Southeas.

    The principal observed that no nation can survive the present technology world without adequate involvement in space technology and its innovations.

    He, therefore, urged the science pupils to rededicate their time to deep reading and align with current trends in technology, which remain pivotal to national growth.

    Other instructors included Chinedu Akarugwo, an engineer, who spoke on the topic: “Basic Space Science and Technology,” and a scientific officer, Precious Ugwu, who discussed “Space Careers” and Agu John-Paul Okechukwu presented “Understanding Our Environment through Earth Observation.”

    During the training sessions, the pupils had opportunities to access SE-ZASTAL’s facilities. They were exposed to NASRDA activities in other states, such as the National Centre for Remote Sensing in Jos, the Centre for Basic Space Science in Nsukka, Enugu State, the Centre for Atmospheric Research in Anyigba, Kogi State, and facilities at Ile-Ife and Lagos, among others.

  • Ex-INEC REC urges CSOs to save democracy in Southeast

    Ex-INEC REC urges CSOs to save democracy in Southeast

    A former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Enugu State, Dr. Emeka Ononamadu, has urged Civil Society Organizations in the Southeast geopolitical zone to help change the course of democracy in the region.

    Ononamadu gave the charge in Enugu at a roundtable organized by the Citizens Centre For Integrated Development And Social Rights (CCIDESOR) in partnership with the Southeast Social Accountability Network on the judiciary, INEC, and CSOs in deepening democracy in Southeast Nigeria.

    Read Also: INEC registers 269,992 new voters in Edo, Ondo

    He also urged the CSOs not to allow the political space to shrink like the civic space, saying if Nigerians are not allowed to freely and fairly elect those who will represent them, democracy would suffer a real setback.

    According to him, democracy in the Southeast has suffered the worst setback among all the zones in Nigeria and said there were lots of reasons CSOs in the region should pay closer attention to what the judiciary is doing with the mandate of the people via their votes.

  • Take another look at killings, insecurity in southeast, Igbo women beg FG

    Take another look at killings, insecurity in southeast, Igbo women beg FG

    Igbo women under the auspices of the Igbo Women Assembly (IWA) have cried out over the continued killings and attacks in Igbo communities by armed hoodlums under the cover of herdsmen and other criminal elements.

    The women, who lamented that many women have been rendered windows by the attacks in the region, appealed to the federal government to take another look at the killings and insecurity in the Southeast.

    The president of IWA, Lolo Nneka Chimezie, who spoke to journalists, in Enugu, said it beats their imagination that with the numerous checkpoints across the Southeast region manned by various security agencies, insecurity and killings persist.

    While urging the security operatives to step up their game or allow the people to protect themselves, she said the women were worried at the rate at which Igbo youths are killed by state actors, who tag them IPOB/ESN members to justify the killings.

    She said a situation where security operatives invade and attack innocent Igbo communities over attacks on them by unknown hoodlums should be stopped.

    Read Also: How Sule is tackling insecurity in Nasarawa

    “The same way you don’t invade communities when Boko Haram terrorists strike should be the ideal thing because these villagers are equally victims of the hoodlums”, she said.

    Chimezie also frowned at tagging all Igbo youths IPOB members just to arrest or kill them, alleging that such action seems like a plot to wipe out the youths and destroy the Southeast region.

    “We want the world to hear our voice over the killings in Igbo land. We are pained over the rate at which our children are being killed. The rate at which our youths are being killed is alarming, tagging them as IPOB members. Youths have deserted many Igbo communities.

    “I am from Orlu in Imo State, more than 500 youths have been killed there, many communities in Orlu have been deserted, and you cannot see youths in some communities.

    “Any little thing, security agencies drafted to protect the people would turn their guns against the people they are asked to protect. We ask if they came to protect us or to kill us. Are we under siege? There are so many checkpoints, yet insecurity persists. How do we explain it?

    “Do we take late General Sani Abacha’s theory that in any insurgency that lasts more than a day, the government is involved?

    “From Orlu to Ihiala, the once bubbling communities, the people have deserted many of these communities. The Federal Government should genuinely look into the insecurity in the region and check the security operatives posted to the southeast.

    “Herdsmen will attack people or community, the security agencies will not go after them. They are not hiding, why are they not being arrested? Soldiers or police don’t invade the forest and arrest them.

    “We are no longer comfortable with the killings of Igbo youths. Ohanaeze and other Igbo leaders should rise to defend Igbo land. The killings should stop immediately, if not, we will be wiped out. Igbo are diminishing every day.”

  • SEECA plans warning strike over power outages in southeast

    SEECA plans warning strike over power outages in southeast

    The Southeast Electricity Consumers Association (SEECA) has announced plans to embark on a one-month warning strike in protest of frequent power outages in the southeast region. 

    It was gathered that the strike, scheduled to begin on June 15, is a last resort.

    According to SEECA chairman in Imo State, Canny Amaechi Onwuliri, who spoke to The Nation on Sunday,  the association has been mobilizing support from its members across the five eastern states and local government areas. 

    During the strike, consumers will be directed to refrain from paying their electricity bills.

    SEECA claims that the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has failed to address the issue of frequent power outages despite numerous complaints from consumers in the region. 

    He said that the association seeks to provide a collective voice for consumers and advocate for their rights to access electricity without hindrance.

    “We will act in good faith to strengthen the operations of EEDC to deliver their contractual responsibility,” said Onwuliri. 

    Read Also: Power outages contributing to growing insecurity in Osun, Adeleke tells IBEDC

    “We will assist NERC to monitor and implement their regulations and avowed responsibility to Disco EEDC and to consumers.”

    Onwuliri also emphasised that “Prepaid meter/s consumers should seize from recharging unless you are sure of adequate electricity supply as stated by NERC and their Banding.” 

    He further stated that “EEDC and APL(Geometrics) must provide prepaid meters and transformers as required by law.”

  • Southeast Development Commission: Fostering national cohesion post-civil war

    Southeast Development Commission: Fostering national cohesion post-civil war

    • By Dr Cosmos Ndukwe

    The Southeast Development Commission (SEDC) Bill, sponsored by Benjamin Kalu, will be a gift from the president to Ndi Igbo when signed into law.

    The Deputy Speaker, having watched the body language of the president, proposed the Bill.

    With the efforts of the Southeastern parliamentarians, he pushed it through both chambers. It is now awaiting the assent of Mr. President.

    While pleading for a quick assent, we have the belief that this bill stands as a testament to the nation’s commitment towards healing the wounds inflicted by the Civil War and fostering cohesion among its diverse populace.

    Emerging from the shadows of a tumultuous past, this commission embodies the resilience of the Nigerian spirit and offers a beacon of hope for a brighter, more united future.

    This bill failed in the eighth and ninth National Assembly sessions.

    Now, many thanks to the President, the JAGABAN of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, who has a special love for Igbos and who has shown visible body language towards healing the scars of the civil war in Igbo land, the bill will soon become law.

    Now that the scars of the Civil War, also known as the Biafran War, are healing fast, this Commission will surely help to strengthen reconciliation.

    Decades of conflict, economic disparity, and political marginalisation that left the Southeast region grappling with underdevelopment and disillusionment will be permanently healed.

    The establishment of SEDC marks a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s journey towards genuine reconciliation and progress.

    One of the most significant aspects of SEDC is its mandate to address the socio-economic challenges facing the Southeast region.

    Through strategic investments in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and entrepreneurship, the commission aims to uplift communities, empower individuals, and bridge the gap between the Southeast and other regions of Nigeria.

    By prioritising inclusive development, SEDC is laying the groundwork for a more equitable and prosperous future for all Nigerians.

    Read Also: Southeast Development Commission: Fostering national cohesion post-civil war

    Moreover, SEDC will play a crucial role in promoting national unity and cohesion.

    By acknowledging the unique needs and aspirations of the Southeast region, the Commission sends a powerful message of inclusivity and solidarity.

    It recognises that true unity cannot be achieved through neglect or marginalisation but requires proactive efforts to address historical grievances and build trust among all segments of society.

    Furthermore, SEDC serves as a platform for dialogue and reconciliation. Through its programmes and initiatives, the Commission fosters constructive engagement between the government, local communities, and stakeholders.

    By creating avenues for participation and collaboration, SEDC promotes understanding, respect, and mutual recognition among Nigerians from different backgrounds.

    However, the success of SEDC hinges on effective governance, transparency, and accountability.

    The Commission must operate with integrity and efficiency, ensuring that resources are allocated judiciously and projects are implemented effectively.

    By upholding principles of good governance, SEDC can earn the trust and confidence of the people it serves, thereby maximising its impact and relevance.

    In conclusion, the President’s body language in showing respect and love for Igbos, and the National Assembly passage of the Southeast Development Commission represents a significant step towards national cohesion and reconciliation after the Civil War.

    By addressing the socio-economic needs of the Southeast region and fostering inclusive development, the Commission is laying the groundwork for a more united and prosperous Nigeria.

    However, its success ultimately depends on the commitment of all stakeholders to work together in the spirit of unity, understanding, and mutual respect.

    Igbos acknowledge the love of Mr. President, the collective effort of the National Assembly members, the push by Rt. Hon. Kalu and his perseverance to push SEDC through both houses.

    This bill, once signed into law, will fulfil its mandate and contribute to a brighter future for all Nigerians.

    • Rt. Hon Ndukwe, Ph.D (ManofGod), is the Abajiulo Item and 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant.
  • Southeast Development Commission and national unity

    Southeast Development Commission and national unity

    • By Don Uban

    Following the end of Nigerian Civil War, otherwise known as Nigeria/Biafra War, 1967-70, on 15th January, 1970, the Federal Government of Nigeria, under General Yakubu Gowon as Military Head of State, declared there was ‘No Victor, No Vanquished’.

    Sequel to the said Declaration, General Yakubu Gowon announced what became known as the three Rs, Reconciliation, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation. As the three Rs implied, they were aimed at a seamless reintegration of the war-battered Igbo into the Nigerian State.

    However, as time went on, it became obvious that apart from the only £20 each adult Igbo was given by the Federal Government of Nigeria, not minding how much such a person had in his or her bank account before the outbreak of the Civil War, and the emergence of late Dr Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to late President Shehu Shagari in 1979, no other facility or opportunity was created for the Igbo for meaningful reintegration into the new Nigerian State.

    Though, through exceptional entrepreneurial Ingenuity, the Igbo in Nigeria live almost like a People who have never heard, much more witnessed a war, the feeling of marginalisation has been very high in them. This feeling got to its climax during the eight-year tenure of Major-General Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, 2015-2023. He did not, at any time, hide his hatred for the Igbo whom he publicly derogatorily described as ‘a dot in a circle’.

    Due to very destructive ravages of the North-East Region by Islamist Boko Haram insurgents, the Federal Government of Nigeria under General Buhari established the North-East Development Commission in 2017 to rehabilitate the Boko Haram infested Region.

    But an attempt by the South-East Caucus in the National Assembly to have what had been established for the People of North-East replicated in the South-East was frustrated and thrown out in the same 2017. The same effort was repeated in 2018 but was, again, thrown out.

    Read Also: Southeast Development Commission: Fostering national cohesion post-civil war

    It is, therefore, a very big delight and assurance that in 2024, following his strategic relentless pursuit for the overall welfare and collective interest of the People of South-East of Nigeria, the unassuming assiduously team-playing Deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives, His Excellency, The Rt Honourable Benjamin Kalu, has, without any iota of effrontery or orchestrated publicity, systematically galvanized concerted efforts of both the House of Representatives and the Senate to pass the Bill for the establishment of the much-needed and long canvassed but earlier abandoned South-East Development Commission, SEDC.

    While commending the Deputy Speaker, Honourable Members of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Most Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, and his Colleagues in the Red Chambers, and believing that a Conference Committee will soon be set up to harmonize likely differences in their respective passages, special thanks must be given to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for depicting clear attributes of a Statesman and Nationalist. If he had behaved like General Buhari, the Bill would not have seen the light of the day. It would have ‘died premature and thrown out like it was done both in 2017 and 2018.

    The South-East, I honestly believe, is grateful to Mr President who is most likely disposed to give assent to the Bill once it gets to his table.

    Hopefully, as soon as it becomes an Act, with a high expectation of effective implementation, the South-East Development Commission, SEDC, which would usher in employment, infrastructural development, growth in agriculture, rapid educational advancement, guarantee health insurance, and improvement in technologically-driven security, would signal an end to the Nigerian Civil War that should really have ended Fifty-five years ago but was allowed to linger due to lack of patriotic touch by previous Leaders.

    Through the Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, His Excellency, The Rt Honourable Ben kalu, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu stands unwaveringly distinguished, deserving and qualified to receive unmitigated applause from the entire People of South-East, even as there is high expectation that the President would, in like manner, consider the plight of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from its political angle. Once these two anticipations are accomplished, the South-East Region would be next to no other Region both in terms of peace and development.

    • Ubani is a former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Abia State
  • Southeast Development Commission: Fostering national cohesion post-civil war

    Southeast Development Commission: Fostering national cohesion post-civil war

    By Cosmos Ndukwe

    The Southeast Development Commission (SEDC) Bill, sponsored by Benjamin Kalu, will be a gift from the president to Ndi Igbo when signed into law.

    The Deputy Speaker, having watched the body language of the president, proposed the Bill.

    With the efforts of the Southeastern parliamentarians, he pushed it through both chambers. It is now awaiting the assent of Mr. President.

    While pleading for a quick assent, we have the belief that this bill stands as a testament to the nation’s commitment to healing the wounds inflicted by the Civil War and fostering cohesion among its diverse populace.

    Emerging from the shadows of a tumultuous past, this commission embodies the resilience of the Nigerian spirit and offers a beacon of hope for a brighter, more united future.

    This bill failed in the eighth and ninth National Assembly sessions.

    Now, many thanks to the President, the JAGABAN of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, who has a special love for Igbos and who has shown visible body language towards healing the scars of the civil war in Igbo land, the bill will soon become law.

    Now that the scars of the Civil War, also known as the Biafran War, are healing fast, this Commission will surely help to strengthen reconciliation.

    Decades of conflict, economic disparity, and political marginalisation that left the Southeast region grappling with underdevelopment and disillusionment will be permanently healed.

    The establishment of SEDC marks a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s journey towards genuine reconciliation and progress.

    One of the most significant aspects of SEDC is its mandate to address the socio-economic challenges facing the Southeast region.

    Through strategic investments in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and entrepreneurship, the commission aims to uplift communities, empower individuals, and bridge the gap between the Southeast and other regions of Nigeria.

    By prioritising inclusive development, SEDC is laying the groundwork for a more equitable and prosperous future for all Nigerians.

    Moreover, SEDC will play a crucial role in promoting national unity and cohesion.

    By acknowledging the unique needs and aspirations of the Southeast region, the Commission sends a powerful message of inclusivity and solidarity.

    It recognises that true unity cannot be achieved through neglect or marginalisation but requires proactive efforts to address historical grievances and build trust among all segments of society.

    Furthermore, SEDC serves as a platform for dialogue and reconciliation. Through its programmes and initiatives, the Commission fosters constructive engagement between the government, local communities, and stakeholders.

    By creating avenues for participation and collaboration, SEDC promotes understanding, respect, and mutual recognition among Nigerians from different backgrounds.

    However, the success of SEDC hinges on effective governance, transparency, and accountability.

    The Commission must operate with integrity and efficiency, ensuring that resources are allocated judiciously and projects are implemented effectively.

    By upholding principles of good governance, SEDC can earn the trust and confidence of the people it serves, thereby maximising its impact and relevance.

    In conclusion, the President’s body language in showing respect and love for Igbos, and the National Assembly passage of the Southeast Development Commission represents a significant step towards national cohesion and reconciliation after the Civil War.

    By addressing the socio-economic needs of the Southeast region and fostering inclusive development, the Commission is laying the groundwork for a more united and prosperous Nigeria.

    However, its success ultimately depends on the commitment of all stakeholders to work together in the spirit of unity, understanding, and mutual respect.

    Igbos acknowledge the love of Mr. President, the collective effort of the National Assembly members, the push by Rt. Hon. Kalu and his perseverance to push SEDC through both houses.

    This bill, once signed into law, will fulfill its mandate and contribute to a brighter future for all Nigerians.

    *Rt. Hon Ndukwe, Ph.D (ManofGod), is the Abajiulo Item and 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant.