Tag: tinubu

Mrs Tochukwu Ezemma, wife of missing Anambra State billionaire, Ben, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in her husband’s case as all efforts to get justice have failed.

The husband, Ben Ezemma, an estate developer, was invited by a prominent person in Awka in November, 2024 and has not been seen since then.

According to the wife, “even if they killed my husband, at least his corpse should be made available to us. The silence of security agents is killing me and the children slowly.

“Since the disappearance of my 34-year-old young man, the world has been turning around for me while those involved in the crime are roaming free in the society.

“Some of them are involved in the coming elections in the state, while my husband is nowhere to be seen for close to a year now, and they want me to keep quiet.

“Since my husband went missing in a mysterious way in 2024, sleep has gone far from me.

“Our children are small; how am I going to take care of them alone?

“Please, our President, I am appealing to you and members of your cabinet to help this lonely woman in need.

“Those who invited my husband for a meeting on that fateful day are still around and throwing money around in Anambra State.”

She told The Nation yesterday that she had written petitions to the Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) in Anambra and Abuja, all to no avail, adding that only President Tinubu can rescue her from her present trauma.

Read Also: Over 140 elected politicians defect to APC under Tinubu’s leadership — Group

One of the prominent human rights activists in Anambra State, Comrade Osita Obi, blasted the police for not doing enough in the kidnap case of Ezemma, popularly known as BigBen in the state.

The missing Ezemma was one of the executive directors of Dubai Estate in the state.

Obi, speaking with The Nation, said it is the duty of the public to interrogate the happenings in the society, adding that the disappearance of Ezemma has become worrisome.

“That is the reason we are interrogating the government and the police.

“They have all the apparatus at their disposal.

“It might be this 34-year-old Ezemma today, but it could be any of us tomorrow.

“We want to know what happened to him.

“The cases of missing persons in this state are alarming.

“We registered our SIM cards in this country, why can’t anybody track the perpetrators of this heinous crime?

“Our profiles are with the government. They should go into Ezemma’s call log to track his abductors.

“Honestly, I am in pain,” Obi lamented.

Youths in Ebonyi under the auspices of Southeast Renewed Hope Agenda (SERHA) have pledged to support the re-election of President Bola Tinubu for a second tenure.

They made the pledge during the inauguration of Ebonyi State chapter of SERHA’s at Salt Lake Hotels, Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.

The event, which drew party faithful, supporters, and stakeholders from across the Southeast, marked a major step in grassroots mobilization for the continued support of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and his potential re-election bid in 2027.

Speaking during the event, the National Coordinator of SERHA, Belusochukwu Enwere, described the occasion as historic and significant for the Southeast geopolitical zone.

He noted that SERHA is a socio-political movement made up of progressive-minded Nigerians from the Southeast united in their support for President Tinubu’s leadership.

Read Also: Over 140 elected politicians defect to APC under Tinubu’s leadership — Group

Enwere stated that the mission of the group is to promote the values and policies of the Tinubu administration, particularly those that have positively impacted the Southeast.

“Our mission is to support, encourage, and promote the values of President Bola Tinubu, his leadership style, and the good governance he is bringing to Southeast Nigeria,” he said.

Enwere praised President Tinubu for the establishment of the Southeast Development Commission, which he described as a bold step toward addressing long-standing developmental challenges in the region.

“The inauguration of SERHA in Ebonyi State today is a bold and decisive step to alter our narratives and secure our future as a zone and a nation,” he added.

Ebonyi State Coordinator of SERHA, James Eze Alaka expressed delight at the turnout and enthusiasm shown by members across the 13 local government areas of the state.

He described the occasion as “epoch-making,” and thanked all members of SERHA for their dedication and commitment to the group’s vision.

Since then, he said, the group had worked tirelessly to improve the living standards of the people through various initiatives and engagements.

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is partnering with the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) to ensure the speedy completion of the 27.1km Bonny Ring Road and Bridges in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Speaking during the inspection of the project, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, reiterated the commission’s determination to deliver the road alongside several others, stressing that it was a mandate from President Bola Tinubu.

Ogbuku, who was accompanied by the Executive Director Projects, Sir Victor Antai, and other directors of the commission, also paid a courtesy visit to the Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Bonny Kingdom, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, in his palace.

Ogbuku in a statement signed by the commission’s Director, Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thomson-Wakama  informed the Bonny monarch that, beyond visiting to inspect the ring road project, the commission was in the Kingdom to seek his blessings for the 25th anniversary celebration of the Commission

He said the anniversary would commence with a Thanksgiving Service on Sunday, July 6, in Ondo State.

He said that as part of the ceremonies, the name of the late Harold Dappa-Biriye would be mounted at the new NDDC headquarters at the Marine Base, Port Harcourt.

He underlined the critical role played by the late Bonny nationalist in the Niger Delta struggle.

Read Also: Over 140 elected politicians defect to APC under Tinubu’s leadership — Group

Ogbuku, assured that the commission would continue to positively impact the lives of the people of the region, adding that most of the projects embarked upon by the commission were based on needs assessment.

He said:  “We are committed to implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government in the Niger Delta region. We remain dedicated to the mandate given to the NDDC by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to transform Nigeria’s oil-producing region.”

Ogbuku said; “the project is one of the legacy projects which was captured in the  2024 budget of the commission as part of the fund approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to facilitate completion of legacy projects across the region. The president’s approval also includes the Kaa-Ataba Bridge, the Bonny Ring Road and the Okrika-Borokiri Bridge in Rivers State, among others.”

The Managing Director of the construction firm handling the project,  Dennis Ododah, assured that the Bonny Ring Road project would be completed by the first quarter of 2027.

Speaking earlier during a courtesy visit by the NDDC team, the Natural Ruler of Bonny Kingdom, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, appreciated NDDC’s efforts and called for the speedy completion of the Bonny Ring Road.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pledged to eliminate bureaucratic and structural impediments stalling Nigeria’s agricultural and food production growth, declaring his administration’s full commitment to achieving food security and export capacity through strategic global partnerships.

Speaking during a high-level bilateral meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at Copacabana Forte in Rio de Janeiro yesterday, President Tinubu said Nigeria is undergoing sweeping reforms to reposition its economy with agriculture, including livestock production at the forefront of the government’s agenda.

According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga President Tinubu said “we are ready for a strong partnership and immediate action to stimulate food production.

“All bottlenecks, including bureaucratic technicalities in our bilateral agreements, will be removed to accelerate collaboration in trade, aviation, energy transition, mining, and particularly agriculture, where Nigeria has a clear comparative advantage.”

The meeting was attended by ministers and senior officials from both countries, as well as five Nigerian state governors.

President Tinubu praised Brazil’s global leadership in agricultural research and development, describing its experience as “exemplary” and worth emulating.

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He said Nigeria would leverage Brazilian expertise to deepen investments in poultry, cattle rearing, and fisheries, while also exploring potential cooperation in the emerging blue economy sector.

“Sub-national governments in Nigeria have a pivotal role to play. Their efforts will complement the federal drive to make agriculture a primary driver of employment and revenue generation,” Tinubu added.

President Lula da Silva reciprocated Tinubu’s sentiments, assuring that Brazil would act swiftly to regularise and update all outstanding memoranda of understanding with Nigeria.

He emphasized the need to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks between the two countries to produce “quick and tangible results.”

“We are committed to working with Nigeria to remove every obstacle. Brazil’s research institutions will collaborate with Nigerian counterparts to develop livestock production and enhance productivity,” President Lula said.

The bilateral engagement was part of President Tinubu’s ongoing state visit to Brazil, where he is also participating in the 17th BRICS Summit.

The meeting underscored growing ties between Nigeria and Brazil as both seek to deepen cooperation in critical economic sectors.

Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari, noted that the Tinubu administration had consistently prioritized food security and was committed to using both domestic policies and international partnerships to realise that goal.

“President Tinubu’s mandate on food security is clear and firm. With partnerships like this, especially in research and technical collaboration, we are confident of achieving food sovereignty,” Kyari said.

Also speaking, the Minister of Livestock Development, Dr. Idi Mukhtar Maiha, outlined three core areas of focus in the Nigeria-Brazil livestock partnership: disease and health management, sanitary services, and the development of improved breeds through advanced genetic research.

 From the subnational perspective, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State reiterated the commitment of state governments to the federal government’s agricultural transformation framework.

“We are prepared to align fully with President Tinubu’s agenda. The inclusion of a business forum in this state visit will inject new thinking, resources, and private sector energy into agriculture,” Abiodun said.

Other governors present at the meeting included Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Mohammed Umar Bago (Niger), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), and Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos).

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed, also participated in the closed-door meeting.