Category: The Nation – Nigeria

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on Nigerians to embrace the nation’s unity in diversity and resist external narratives that misrepresent the country.

‘Our unity is our strength. We must be strong enough to tell our own stories against others’ narratives about us,’ Obasanjo said on Wednesday in Sokoto at the commissioning of the St. Bakhita Catholic ICT facility, equipped with 250 computers and 50 tablets for children aged 5 to 10.

The former president stressed that Nigeria must leverage its diversity to drive inclusive governance and prepare for its rapidly growing population, projected to reach 400 million in the next 25 years.

He warned that failure to create opportunities for the youth could worsen current security challenges, noting that education remains the foundation for national service and progress.

Commending Bishop Hassan Matthew Kukah for spearheading the ICT project, Obasanjo described it as a facility for all Nigerians, irrespective of religion, ethnicity, or gender.

‘Education, knowledge, and learning are basic drivers to unite us, not divide us,’ he added, while recalling his past educational initiatives in Sokoto through the UPE and UBE programmes.

Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, represented by his Chief of Staff, Aminu Halliru, hailed Obasanjo’s contributions to national unity and reiterated the state government’s commitment to expanding ICT infrastructure across its three senatorial districts to boost digital literacy, cybersecurity, and software development.

Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar also praised the project, noting its potential to transform lives and foster peaceful coexistence. He emphasized that education is the best legacy for future generations.

Obasanjo lightened the mood with a playful exchange about Bishop Kukah, describing him as a tireless voice against societal ills.

‘He is a Bishop, I am not. I once teased him that I would enter the kingdom of heaven before him,’ he quipped, drawing laughter from the audience.

The event highlighted education and technology as unifying forces for Nigeria’s development, with leaders urging collective responsibility to build a peaceful and prosperous nation.

‘It is the only long term repayment benefit to the people of Sokoto state for they’re generosity’, The Bishop said noting that the world was moving as Nigeria is.

He pointed out that a large number of Nigeria’s and northern population were poverty stricken with 70% to 90%bof children hovering the streets.

‘Nigeria is not expanding but we can only expand if we help to grow together. Build bridges for the younger ones by teaching them the skills to do better in various trades irrespective of differences’, he pointed out noting that Nigerians were born in different environments not by accident nor by fault hence geography should not be defining factor for their future.

‘So is the world not bounded by where you come from ‘, the Bishop explained emphasising that Nigeria had all it took to full the stomach of citizens yet in hunger.

The Lagos State Government will from Thursday partially close some jetties and ferry terminals along the Five Cowries Creek to pave the way for the hosting of the world’s first all electric powerboat race.

The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) in a statement said the restriction will affect private and commercial ferry operations between Falomo bridge, Oriental Hotel and Mekwen bridge from October 2 to 5.

According to the release, there will be a partial closure from Falomo bridge to Oriental Hotel on Thursday October 2 between 10 am and 6 pm. On Friday October 3, there will be a total closure from Oriental Hotel to Mekwen bridge between 10 am and 6 pm. For Saturday October 4 and Sunday October 5, LASWA said there will be a total closure from Falomo bridge to Oriental Hotel between 8 am and 6 pm daily.

The statement noted that the measure is to facilitate the successful hosting of the E1 Championship, an international sporting event being held for the first time in Lagos.

‘This temporary closure is a vital safety and security measure to ensure seamless event operations, safeguard lives, and project Lagos as a world class destination for international sporting events,’ the agency explained.

Normal operations are expected to resume on Monday October 6.

LASWA appealed to passengers and ferry operators to use alternative routes and make travel arrangements ahead of time.

The E1 Championship is the world’s first all electric powerboat tournament. Lagos is one of the host cities in the global series, a development which state officials see as a boost to the aquatic economy and the tourism profile of Nigeria’s commercial capital.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will today present the book ‘A Decade of Impactful Progressive Governance In Nigeria’ written by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma in Owerri.

The President is on a one-day visit to the ‘Heartland of the Southeast’.

Governors, business leaders, senior figures of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and many influential Nigerians are expected in the Imo State capital for the event.

Other assignments of the President include inauguration of key developmental projects undertaken by Governor Uzodimma, who is the chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) and a major ally of the President.

Among the projects are roads, the iconic Assumpta Flyover, and the Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu International Conference Centre, venue of the book presentation.

The book is to showcase the achievements of the APC led federal government in the last 10 years – spanning the eight-year tenure of the late President Muhammadu Buhari and two years of President Tinubu.

Commissioner for Information, Public Orientation and Strategy, Declan Emelumba told reporters that APC governors were expected to give solidarity to their chairman.

According to him, the APC national chairman, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, will lead the National Working Committee of the party as well as the state chairmen to the event.

The Sultan of Sokoto, the Ooni of Ife and the Obi of Onitsha will lead revered Nigerian traditional leaders to Owerri while the Chairman of Imo State Council of Ndi Eze ,Eze Godwin Okeke will be on hand to receive them.

He said captains of industry, academia, labour leaders, market women, and students will also attend the ceremony as a reflection of the broad acceptance of the author by a spectrum of the Nigerian society.

He explained that security agencies are fully prepared to guarantee the security of the lives of guests before, during, and after the ceremony.

Emelumba enjoined Imo citizens to troop out in their numbers to welcome President Tinubu and accord the guests the famed hospitality of the people of the state.

A Nigerian biochemist, Dr. Oluwafemi Adeleke Ojo, is putting familiar food on a serious scientific footing. In his peer-reviewed work titled ‘Exploring beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) for diabetes mellitus and Alzheimer’s disease dual therapy’. His team revealed how the use of modern laboratory assays and computer simulations to reveal the natural compounds of beetroot can affect multiple biological targets relevant to both type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.

The research does not claim a cure; however it lays out a rigorous, step-by-step route from garden plants to standardized, testable health products.

The kind that can be studied in clinical trials, priced affordably, and made locally to international standards.

Why this research and why now?

Nigeria faces a growing burden of diabetes, with complications that damage the kidneys, liver, eyes, and nerves. As Nigeria’s population ages, the prevalence of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, is expected to rise as well.

Many families struggle with limited access to specialist care and the high cost of long-term medicines.

At the same time, Nigeria has rich biodiversity and a population that already trusts medicinal plants.

Dr. Ojo’s motivation was simple and urgent: can we apply top-tier science to familiar plants so that, where appropriate, they become safe, standardized, affordable adjuncts to care rather than guesswork?

What the beetroot study actually did:

Dr. Ojo’s research team tested beetroot via a two-pronged approach –

In vitro pharmacology: Laboratory assays against key diabetes carbohydrate-metabolizing enzymes (such as a-amylase and a-glucosidase, which drive postmeal sugar spikes) and Alzheimer’s-relevant targets (such as cholinesterase and monoamine oxidases linked to memory and cognition) were performed.

Computational modeling: Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were then used to determine whether beetroot flavonoids can bind stably to those targets under realistic conditions.

The results revealed that certain beetroot compounds consistently engaged multiple targets across both diseases, providing a dual-therapy rationale.

This suggests that beetroot can be prioritized for further development not because it is ‘natural’ but because its chemistry maps to the biology we care about.

What does this mean for health care in Nigeria?

Affordable adjunctive therapy, not miracle cures. Standardized beetroot extracts, if proven safe and effective in human studies, could help smooth postmeal blood sugar spikes and support brain health pathways, complementing (not replacing) doctor-prescribed treatments.

Instead of buying random ‘herb mixes,’ people could access labeled, batch-consistent products with known doses and safety information.

Nigeria can cultivate beetroot and other validated plants under good agricultural and collection practices (GAC), process them in NAFDAC-inspected facilities, and create jobs from farm to laboratory to pharmacy.

What the Federal Government can do right now

What the government can do right now includes the following:

1) Create a translational botanical fund under TETFund/NRF to move promising candidates (compounds) through:

Standardization (marker compounds, batch specs),

Early safety (toxicology screens),

Pilot clinical trials (Phase I/II trials with clear metabolic and cognitive endpoints).

2) Regional laboratories with core equipment, bioassays, stability testing, and small-scale good manufacturing practices are suitable for pilot batches.

This cuts costs and delays for universities, start-ups, and SMEs.

3) Issue clear guidance on marker-based specifications, stability, cleaning validation, and documentation, so research teams know exactly how to prepare for human studies and, ultimately, product registration.

4) Fix procurement bottlenecks by providing FX windows and customs support for research reagents and equipment, with oversight to ensure transparency and performance.

5) Back Export-Ready Grants that help projects meeting international standards (GMP, validated analytics, ethical sourcing) scale for regional and global markets and health and nonoil revenue in one policy move.

The bigger picture

Dr. Ojo’s beetroot work is not about replacing doctors with vegetables. It is about meeting Nigerians where we are with science strong enough to turn what’s familiar into something safe, standardized, and genuinely helpful. With targeted government support and smart industry partnerships, Nigeria can move from talking about natural products to making world-class products that are good for patients, good for researchers, and good for the economy.

Indeed, Dr. Ojo is a Nigerian scholar whose career spans almost two decades. His academic journey began with a strong foundation in biochemistry. He earned his Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in first-class honors from Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Nigeria, in 2010. This early achievement set the stage for a distinguished career marked by continuous learning and specialization. He furthered in his education by obtaining a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Biochemistry from Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria, in 2015. His doctoral studies culminated in a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria, in 2019. This comprehensive educational background equipped him with a deep understanding of biochemical principles and research methodologies, forming the bedrock of his future contributions.

Dr. Ojo’s career trajectory reflects a steady ascent through academic ranks, marked by increasing responsibilities and influence. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Turku, Finland. He served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at Bowen University, Nigeria, before his postdoctoral appointment.

Additionally, he lectured at the Department of Biochemistry, College of Pure and Applied Sciences, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Ogun State and Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, where he began his academic career in 2011. His dedication to academia extends beyond teaching, as evidenced by his role as Head of Department, Project and Seminar Coordinator for both undergraduates and postgraduates, Academic Adviser, a member of the research committee and a member of the accreditation committee, among others, who dovetails with his editorial roles for journals such as PLOS ONE, Biomed Research International and Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

His commitment to education is further highlighted by his successful supervision of both undergraduate and postgraduate students to date, underscoring his role in nurturing young talent and guiding it through their initial scientific endeavors. Dr. Ojo’s teaching portfolio includes a range of specialized courses, such as Introduction to Molecular Biology, Tissue Biochemistry and Immunochemistry, Introduction to Biotechnology, Hormonal Biochemistry, and Advanced Plant Biochemistry, among others, demonstrating his broad expertise and ability to impart complex scientific knowledge.

Dr. Ojo’s impactful work has garnered significant recognition throughout his career. He was elected as an AAS Affiliate by The African Academy of Sciences for his substantial contributions to the study of metabolism and diabetes through harnessing the potential of African medicinal plants and natural product sources. He is also a member of several professional bodies, including the Biochemical Society, UK, and Royal Society of Chemistry, UK, Nigerian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (NSBMB), The Finnish Society for Bioinformatics, Finland, and a member of the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA), Finland Chapter fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange within his field. He has been appointed as an external examiner for both doctoral and master’s thesis examinations at the University of Western Cape, South Africa, North-West University, South Africa, and Murdoch University, Western Australia. He has won several research grants and awards both nationally and internationally, including a Seeding Labs Instrumental Access award, multiple Bowen University Research Grants, and researcher development/travel support from the Royal Society of Chemistry, UK, and the Biochemical Society, UK. In 2023, he won the Global Excellence Stature Fellowship 4.0 in support of your postdoctoral research in the Department of Biochemistry, University of Johannesburg, South Africa.

Trained in Nigeria for much of his work and currently engaged in international collaborations, he has published widely on metabolic disease and neuroprotection and has served on editorial boards. His work is best known for turning ‘herbal claims’ into chemistry-linked, mechanism-anchored pharmacological evidence that clinicians and regulators can actually use.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has restated Nigeria’s readiness to partner with credible global investors, particularly Nigerians in the diaspora and ‘sons of the soil.’

He described such partnership as part of efforts to secure energy independence and deliver modern infrastructure to power prosperity across Africa.

The President made the declaration in Lagos yesterday after separate meetings with two of the country’s foremost global investment figures – Hakeem Belo-Osagie of Metis Capital and Bayo Ogunlesi of Global Infrastructure Partners and BlackRock.

The tips of the engagements were shared on the President’s verified X handle – @officialABAT.

The tweet reads: ‘We agreed on the urgency of unlocking large-scale investments in upstream oil and gas and critical infrastructure to drive Nigeria’s long-term growth.’

Stressing that such partnerships were essential to transform the nation’s economic trajectory, the President noted that his administration’s reforms are already reshaping the investment climate.

‘Our administration’s reforms are creating a better enabling environment whilst opening new frontiers for sustainable financing, global capital, and transformative projects. We are determined to make Nigeria Africa’s premier investment destination,’ the President said.

The engagements with Belo-Osagie and Ogunlesi form part of Tinubu’s ongoing drive to attract investments into Nigeria’s energy and infrastructure sectors, considered critical pillars of his Renewed Hope Agenda (RHA).

The Chairman of the Governing Council of Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba, has hailed the inclusion of scientists from the university in the body of two per cent scientists in the world.

Ndoma-Egba, who was responding to the recent recognition of lecturers of FUOYE by the globally-reputable Stanford appraisal, said the development was a pointer to the great potential of the university.

He said: ‘FOUYE has put Nigeria in a pride of place in scientific researches and recognition and it is a reflection of the sound academic community in the university.

‘I am very proud and I’m elated that FUOYE is certainly on the path to national and, indeed, global distinction and recognition.

‘We will keep our hands on the plough, looking forward to greater glory and ignoring the contrived distractions of the university by merchants of fake news.

‘There are many lofty achievements happening at FUOYE. They are giant strides the faculties and departments, as well as the management, and indeed, the whole university community are proud of.

‘We will advise the media to report these positive developments and be more critical to false stories that only mire the university in needless controversy.’

Sir: Nigeria’s waterways tell a sobering story. Reports of mass drowning, sometimes over a hundred lives lost in a single accident, sit uneasily beside official figures that suggest far fewer. The gap between record and reality is not just a matter of data; it is a measure of whose lives are visible in policy and whose are left to sink in silence.

This dissonance between official counts and lived losses is more than a statistical hiccup. It exposes the politics of visibility in Nigeria, highlighting whose deaths matter enough to be counted, whose disappear into watery margins, and what it says about a state struggling to bridge its reform narratives with the harsh texture of life along its neglected waterways.

Boat mishaps are not random acts of fate. They are predictable collisions of poverty, poor infrastructure, and policy neglect. From January to September, at least 10 major accidents were reported across states like Sokoto, Kwara, Niger, Rivers, Anambra, and Adamawa. Communities described boats packed with traders rushing to market, schoolchildren ferried across swollen rivers, and seasonal workers desperate to reach farmland.

In Niger State in June, villagers spoke of 70 lost; the state’s official report acknowledged fewer than 30. In Adamawa, fishermen counted 40 bodies pulled from the Benue, while federal records insisted on a mere dozen. Numbers shrink, and with them, lives vanish from public memory.

If one traces the trend over the past five years, the pattern is unsettling. In 2021, media tallies suggested at least 500 deaths from boat mishaps, compared to an official 250. In 2022, official counts dropped to 180 while newspapers carried reports of more than 400.

By 2023, the gap widened again, with Sokoto and Kebbi alone producing accidents that eclipsed national totals. In 2024, watchdogs estimated more than 600 waterway deaths; government figures recorded less than half that number.

Now in 2025, even before October, local reporting already suggests upward of 300 fatalities, but consolidated national statements hover below 100. The arithmetic does not add up, unless the goal is to make tragedy less visible.

The gap between official counts and lived losses is not inevitable. Other Global South countries with similar geographies have taken decisive steps. In Bangladesh, once infamous for ferry disasters, strict enforcement of passenger limits, mandatory life jackets, and designated ferry routes cut accidents significantly in a decade.

In the Philippines, public pressure after a string of tragedies forced government to establish a searchable, real-time maritime incident database. Both countries show that visibility is the first step to accountability.

For Nigeria, three reforms are urgent. First, harmonise reporting: independent verification teams including local leaders, civil society, and journalists should cross-check casualty numbers before they are published.

Second, invest in community-based safety infrastructure including subsidised life jackets, regulated boat construction, and trained riverine rescue units.

Third, make water transport part of national economic planning, not an afterthought. If rivers are arteries of commerce for millions, then safety on those waters is a matter of economic justice, not charity.

When policymakers speak of reforms and rising national revenues, they must also account for the ordinary citizens who never see those gains because they drowned on the way to market. The disconnect between Abuja’s statistical optimism and Sokoto’s funerals is not abstract; it is the very definition of a broken social contract.

There is need for a new lens that treats each casualty not as a number to be trimmed but as a life that bore dignity and deserved protection. Critical literacy demands we do not just consume headlines but interrogate them, asking why certain deaths count and others are erased.

Sociological instinct insists we see that statistics are never neutral but reflect power. Policy relevance means creating pathways where communities feel seen, governments are not shamed but invited to reform, and justice is measured not just by GDP but by whose lives the state is willing to keep afloat.

The question is not whether the rivers will rise, but whether Nigeria will rise with them, counting every life, protecting every community, and refusing to let tragedy sink into silence.

All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Kayode Ojo, has got provisional clearance to participate at the primary.

The provisional clearance followed his failure to secure the mandatory five nominators per local government.

The Screening Committee chaired by Tola Olawuyi has forwarded his case to the National Working Committee (NWC) for final ‘judgment.

Party members at the grassroots have urged the national leadership to disqualify him from further participating in the exercise.

The shadow poll scheduled for October 27 is likely to be conducted, based on the direct option. The election is next year.

Four contenders – Governor Biodun Oyebanji, Ojo, an engineer, Olajumoke Abimbola and Omolayo Oluremi – were initially competing for the ticket.

However, a contender, Olajumoke dropped after failing the screening, leaving three in the race.

Oyebanji was ‘cleared, having satisfied all constitutional and party requirements.’

While Oyebanji and Oluremi were given the nod to prepare for the intra-party contest, Ojo only got provisional clearance. His case is yet to be decided by the NWC.

Abimbola, who is active on the social media, is considered as a starter who cannot pass any popularity test in the chapter.

Two chieftains – Sunday Oladipupo (Igbemo Ward, Irepodun/ Ifelodun Local Government) and Amos Oladipo (Imesi Ward 5, Gbonyi Local Government) – forwarded a petition against her.

Unlike the governor who has been endorsed by the majority of party stalwarts during the statewide endorsement rally in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, and all the 16 local governments, many Ekiti APC leaders have also disputed Ojo’s eligibility for the exercise, alleging that he is not loyal to the platform.

Ojo’s battle cry has not attracted a mass following in the far-flung rural state, where only aspirants who know the language of the communities, and not those who uncritically flaunt wealth, have prospects.

Instructively in Ekiti, unity, identity, group conformity, and trust are built around that cultural aspect of life by the generality of unique people that relishes the virtue of ‘omoluabi.’

A lawyer, Yuletude Oghenekao Ako, stated in the petition to the chairman of the Screening Committee, Tunji Olawuyi, in Abuja on behalf of Oladipupo and Oladipo, that Olajumoke should prove that he is a ‘registered and financially up-to-date’ party member who has the right to vote and be voted for at the primary.

Copies of the petition were sent to the APC national chairman, national secretary and secretary of the screening committee.

The petitioners alleged that while five members from each of the 16 councils should sign her nomination form, only 19 valid members signed, thereby failing to meet the threshold of 80 as expected.

According to them, ‘except in Ado Local Government with seven nominators,;she also did not satisfy the requirements of five nominators per local government in the remaining 14 local governments as contained in the guidelines.’

In their view, the aspirant should also prove that she has not misled the committtee with the information he furnished and that she fully complied with the rules, requirements and guidelines.

They said to safeguard the credibility of the screening process, the committee should disqualify Olajumoke from further participation in the exercise on three grounds.

The grounds, as alleged, are that she is not a bona fide party member; she was not duly nominated by the required number of nominators, and for the deficiency in her nomination form.

Olajumoke denied the allegations. But the committee reported that her name is not in the register of financial members.

Also, in a petition on behalf of Tayo Egunlusi (Iworoko, Irepodun/ Ifelodun Local Government) and Gbenga Osungbekun (Aramoko Ward 1, Ekiti West Local Government) by their lawyer, Sylvester Evbuomwan, the two party members urged the committee to disqualify Ojo from further participation in the screening and nomination process.

They alleged that Ojo failed to participate in the last membership revalidation exercise conducted in Ekiti between August 5 and 15, adding that consequently, his name does not appear in the verified Register of Members of the APC in the state.

To them, this has violated Article 9(1) of the APC Constitution which provides that only registered and financially up-to-date members have the right to vote and be voted for.

Also, the petitioners alleged that Ojo has persistently engaged in anti-party activities, pointing out that he has openly collaborated with opposition elements in Ekiti to ‘with a clear intent to weaken and destabilse the APC.’

They added, ‘This conduct is evidenced by his repeated public disparagement and unguarded outbursts against the leadership of the party.

‘Furthermore, in flagrant violation of the APC Constitution, which expressly prohibits members from instituting legal proceedings against the partywithout first exhausting internal mechanisms for dispute resolution, Ojoinstituted court actions against the APC, following his lossain the party primary.

‘Article 21 (2) (xi) of the APC Constitution stipulates that any member who files an action in court against the party or any of its officers without first exhausting the internal remedies shall be deemed to have committed an offence.

‘Since the conclusion of the 2022 APC primary, he has willifully distanced himself from the party by refusing to attend, participate in or support APC activities at the ward, local government or state levels, including the membership revalidation exercise conducted in Ekiti State.’

The petitioners urged the screening committee and the party leadership to thoroughly investigate these allegations, particularly Ojo’s non-mwmbership status and record of anti-party activities.

They also said the panel should uphold the provisions of the party constitution , which eshrine loyalty, discipline and good standing as pre-requisites for party membership and participation in party affairs.

The chieftains said the committee should ‘disqualify Ojo from further participation in the screening process as he lacks the locus standi as s memmber and loyalty required as an aspirant on the platform of the APC.’

In his response to the petitions, Ojo denied non-participation in the membership validation and anti-party activities.

He insisted that that his nominators are financial members, although he could not provide a certified party register to substantiate their membership.

In its report, the committee is satisfied that Ojo’s name is in the validated membership register. However, the panel is not satisfied with his failure to provide credible evidence confirming the financial status of his nominators, a requirement fundamental to the validity of his nomination.

Ojo was therefore, granted ‘provisional clearance, with the final decision referred to the National Working Committee (NWC) for further consideration.

The committee said, ‘This referral is necessitated by the weight of the petitions against him, particularly his failure to satisfy the mandatory threshold of five valid nominators per local government, and is intended to forestall potential litigation(s) that may arise from this deficiency which is inconsistent with Article 9(1) of the Constitution, which provides that only registered and financially up-to-date members of the party have the right to vote and be voted for, and Section 177 )c) of 1999 Constitution (as amended), which requires membership of a political party as a pre-requisite for eligibility to contest the Office of Governor. ‘

Edo Assembly has refused to clear a former lawmaker Christopher Okaeben, as a Commissioner.

Okaeben was among seven Commissioner-nominees that appeared before the Assembly.

Others cleared and confirmed were Mr. John Akhigbe, Festus Ebea, Dr Elizabeth Ebosele, Dr Jerry Uwangue, Dr Kenneth Okoruwa Ihensekhien and Barr. Usenbo Paul Ehigie.

Okaeben was told to attend to a petition before the Department of State Services (DSS) and appear for screening.

Edo Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, who spoke while addressing the emergency plenary, said Okaeben, who represented Oredo West Constituency, had issues to settle with the DSS.

The Speaker said the report was submitted by the screening committee.

According to him: ‘Six out of the seven commissioner-nominees before us today have been cleared and confirmed, except one, who is our former colleague, Hon Chris Okaeben, who has a question to answer with DSS. So I think he has to report to the DSS office for clearance.

‘That is the report before me. The report is from the screening committee and I am not a member of the committee. The committee submitted a report.

‘After his appearance with the DSS. They can take him and clear him. That is not a problem at all.’

The Police in Ebonyi State have arrested three suspects in connection with a gunshot incident that disrupted the Students’ Union Government (SUG) election at Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki.

The incident occurred on Monday at the College of Agricultural Science campus during the announcement of election results, when gunshots were reportedly fired to disperse students.

According to the report, a student was hit by a stray bullet and rushed to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, for urgent treatment.

Police spokesperson Joshua Ukandu confirmed the arrests on Tuesday, naming the suspects as Lawrence Azubuike, Ibe Kenneth, and Njoku Joshua. He added that a locally made pistol was recovered.

Ukandu said the suspects remain in custody and will be arraigned after investigations.

He further noted that the Commissioner of Police, Adaku Uche-Anya, has assured the public of the command’s commitment to peace and security, urging officers to remain professional and accountable while intensifying efforts to curb crime, especially as the festive season approaches.