Deadly attack on police, Simon Ekpa’s hiring of American lobbyist, other top stories from South-east

Commendations over South-east’s shunning of #EndBadGovernanceProtest

The week began last Sunday with Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State and the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, praising residents of the South-east for shunning the just concluded nationwide protests against economic hardship in Nigeria.

The protest, which began on 1 August and ended on 10 August, did not hold in the South-east.

Speaking to reporters during an inspection of some projects in Enugu, Mr Mbah said the people of the South-east had prevented needless loss of lives, businesses, and property by shunning the protests.

On his part, the Minister of Works, Mr Umahi, said the people of the South-east and the Igbo community across Nigeria had made a “loud statement” by not joining the protest.

Also, PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported why the South-east shunned the protest.

From the Igbo socio-political organisation Ohanaeze Ndigbo to the South-east Traditional Rulers Council, the Igbo leaders cited the frequent targeting of Igbos by security agencies during such civic exercises as one of the reasons for ditching the protests.

New coach for Heartland FC

On Monday, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State unveiled former Super Eagles star Emmanuel Amuneke as the new head coach of Heartland Football Club.

Heartland, formerly known as Iwuanyanwu Nationale FC, is owned by the Imo State Government.

Mr Uzodinma said Mr Amuneke’s appointment was intended to address the club’s poor run of form, which saw it being relegated from the country’s top division, the Nigeria Professional Football League, in June this year after finishing 19th on the table.

Sit-at-home: Enugu moves against federal workers staying away from work

The efforts by the Enugu State Government to stop the observance of the illegal sit-at-home in Enugu State continued last Monday with a plea to the federal government to prevail on its staff members in the state to desist from obeying the unlawful order.

The illegal order is often being enforced by a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) across the South-east.

On assumption of office in May 2023, Governor Peter Mbah banned the illegal order in Enugu, although the illegal action has not completely ended in the state.

Ken Chukwuegbo, the principal secretary to the governor, during a visit to the Federal Secretariat in Enugu on Monday, appealed to the federal government to stop its workers from continuously staying away from work in obedience to the illegal order.

Mr Chukwuegbo, who visited the secretariat alongside the Enugu State Head of Service, Kenneth Ugwu, said that the state was losing a lot because of the absence of federal workers from work on Mondays.

The principal secretary assured the workers that the state government would guarantee their security at their place of work on Mondays.

Simon Ekpa’s hiring of American lobbyist to advance Biafra’s cause in the US

On Friday, PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported that Simon Ekpa, a controversial Biafra agitator, hired an American lobbying firm, Moran Global Strategies (MGS), to advance agitation for the independent state of Biafra.

Mr Ekpa, based in Finland, heads Autopilot, a faction of the IPOB, a separatist group agitating for creating an independent state of Biafra from south-east and some parts of south-south Nigeria.

The agitator, a Nigerian-Finnish citizen, often addresses himself as the Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government In-Exile (BRGIE).

Owned by a former US lawmaker, James Moran, the MGS, according to a contract agreement obtained by this newspaper, will help Mr Ekpa, addressed as prime minister of the BRGIE, to convince the US government to support the secession of Biafra from Nigeria, among other responsibilities.

Bomb attack on police operatives in Anambra

It was a sad day on Friday when gunmen killed a police operative in a bomb attack in Anambra State, Nigeria’s South-east.

The attack occurred at a police checkpoint in Uruagu Community in Nnewi North Local Government Area of the state.

Confirming the attack, police in Anambra State said the gunmen initially opened fire on the operatives but were repelled before the hoodlums threw an explosive device at the police operatives.

The police said the device exploded, killed one of the operatives and injured another.

The commissioner of police in the state ordered a search for the killers.

iwuanyanwu’s Death: Ohanaeze Ndigbo Speaks on Leadership Controversy

On Friday, the Igbo socio-political organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, refuted the reported leadership tussle in the organisation following the recent death of its President-General, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.

Alex Ogbonnia, the group’s spokesperson, said in a statement that Ohanaeze was unaware of claims that another individual had assumed the position of acting president-general of the Igbo organisation.

Abia governor gives reasons for deductions on salaries of state civil servants

On Friday, Governor Alex Otti of Abia clarified the nagging issues surrounding deductions in the salaries of some civil servants in the state.

During his monthly media interaction with journalists at the Government House, Umuahia, on Friday night, Mr Otti also spoke on his plan to extend the retirement age of nurses to 65 years from 60 years.