By Chinwe Imo-Eze Onwosi

Police in Ebonyi have arrested a suspected member of Black Axe Confraternity, a cultists group.

Police spokesman in the state, DSP Joshua Ukandu, stated on Sunday in Abakaliki, that the arrest took place on Saturday.

Ukandu said “On Saturday, police operatives on patrol arrested a suspected member of the Black Axe Confraternity at Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi.

“Police recovered three locally-made pistols, six live cartridges, one live 7.62mm and three live 9mm ammunition from the suspect.

“The suspect confessed to being a member of the Black Axe Confraternity.

“It is suspected that he is also a member of the proscribed Eastern Security Network, an affiliate of the equally-proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra.

“He will be arraigned upon the conclusion of investigation,’’ Ukandu stated

By Chinwe Imo-Eze Onwosi

The First lady of Ebonyi state, Mrs Mary-Maudline Nwifuru has organised a free cervical cancer screening for 1000 women in the state

Mrs Nwifuru, while flagging-off the exercise held at Enunwovu General Hospital, Abakaliki Local Government Area of the state said the outreach was geared at creating awareness and curb the spread of cancer related ailments among Women.

She said the free medical outreach was organised by the her office in collaboration with her foundation, Better Health for Rural Women, children and Internally Displaced, (BERWO), the Medical Women Association and Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.

The governor’s wife said the exercise with the theme “Ending Cervical Cancer Within a Few Generations, With The Goal of Raising Cervical Cancer and HPV Vaccination Awareness” will provide opportunity for women to to screen, detect the early stage of cervical cancer.

According to her, “it will provide timely care that will reduce morbidity and mortality from cervical cancer.”

The First Lady called on all medical practitioners, stakeholders and traditional rulers to show more commitment to educating, advocating, and supporting women’s health to prevent health condition.

On her part, Mrs Lilian Nwobashi, the President, Medical Women Association said that the programme was aimed to sensitise women on the dangers of cervical cancer, as this is one of the leading cause of deaths in women.

“We are starting with the first 200 to 300 women. All the partners are here to conduct free cervical cancer screening for all Ebonyi women.

“We want to catch them early, teach women when to go to hospital and signs of the illments,” Nwobashi said.

Mr Moses Ekuma, Commissioner for Health and Mr Sunday Nwogba, Chairman Abakaliki LGA whil staying that cervical cancer is most common in the world, urged women to aveil themselves the opportunity to be screened.

The Team Led of BERWO, Mrs Nkechi Echiegu stated that January is the cervical cancer awareness month, decrying the increasing cases that needs to be handled

Echiegu said ” We had to partner with her office collaborated with BERWO and medical women association, Ebonyi chapter to screen women of cervical cancer and give health talks on general cancer issues with other health related issues.

She stated that at Elinwau general hospital Abakaliki, women were drawn from the 13LGAs of the state within the reproduction age range of 25 to 65 years.

By Chinwe Imo-Eze Onwosi

Ebonyi State government, has described as false  ill-intended and myopic, media report alleging that Governor Nwifuru vowed not to accommodate opponents during the 2023 election, Ifeanyichukwuma Odii of PDP and Prof Bernard Odoh of APGA for dragging him to court

The state government refuted the report in a statement signed by the Commissioner for information and State orientation Mr. Jude Okpor on Saturday and made available to Journalists.

According to Okpor, Governor Nwifuru was misquoted by the media report.

Recall that Governor Francis Nwifuru on Friday penultimate week defeated the PDP and APGA governorship candidates, Ifeanyichukwuma Odii and Prof. Bernard Odoh was declared winner of the 2023 general election by the supreme Court.

Okpor said; “The Government of Ebonyi State has noted with utter dismay reactions in some quarters emanating from some distorted reports from some sections of the media over His Excellency, Rt Hon Bldr Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru’s statement while addressing stakeholders on 14th January, 2024 concerning his ultimate electoral victory at the supreme Court of Nigeria.

“It is quite unfortunate that the well-intended and articulate address of the Governor was mischievously lifted in part and quoted out of context by such media representatives in the state for some clandestine reasons, best known to them.

“The report published in some media outlets which had it that the Governor avowed his determination not to forgive, accommodate or work with his election challengers in court: Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii of the PDP and Bernard Ifeanyichukwu Odoh of APGA, and their supporters, is to say the least, false, myopic and ill-intended.

“For the purpose of straightening the records, the Governor on that day, in his usual forthrightness and plainness of heart, simply narrated the tortuous and unpleasant experiences he had in the course of following the avoidable litigations from the tribunal, through the Appeal to the Supreme Court where it was finally nailed in his favour.

“The Governor being a man of integrity whose words are bankable simply expected his opponents to respect their words as well by ceasing further litigations as promised after meetings with them.

“That not being the case, the Governor at the meeting merely expressed his dissatisfaction with the fact that one of them reneged on his words by serving him a suit notice a day after their meeting, an action the Governor considers contradictory to his eternalised values of integrity and reliability. He regretted the unwarranted prolonged litigations brought to the government and people of the state, and wished it never happened so.

“Governor Nwifuru in his statement, did not in anyway condemn his opponents for seeking redress according to their conscience in courts of competent jurisdiction. Recall that the Governor, being a professing and practical democrat, after winning at the polls, immediately reached out to his opponents with the olive branch which was unfortunately rebuffed.

“The Governor, not relenting, for the good and unity of the state, still approached them individually to sheath their swords but they were still recalcitrant. Their going to court, though a huge miscalculation on their part, was considered by the Governor as the best approach which has eventually brought to rest all the divergent interests, paving the way for a possible corporate action by all and sundry towards the development and continued oneness of the state.

“Governor Nwifuru, in his statement during the meeting, merely expressed ordinary human sentiment that going by the level of deceit and seemingly irreconcilable stance of the PDP and the APGA candidates prior to the supreme court ruling, it would ordinarily have become very difficult to freely work with them. However, since the interest of the state is paramount to any individual’s interest, such a feeling could not be allowed to fertilise.

“The Governor’s camaraderie spirit and positive disposition in embracing all Ebonyians, including his opponents in the election was summarily emphasized by his last statement at the meeting: “So, sincerely, I tender an apology on their behalf, for us as a state to forgive them. We should forgive them for they knew not what they were doing, and I am sure we are going to forgive them in Jesus’ name,” Okpor stated

By Chinwe Imo-Eze Onwosi

The fire expert disclosed that estimated property worth ₦54, 255 million were lost to the incidents while belongings saved were valued over ₦1 billion.

The Ebonyi Fire Service says it recorded two deaths and 69 fire incidents between January and December 2023.

Raphael Ibiam, Director of Fire Service, gave the figure in an interview with newsmen in Abakaliki.

The fire expert disclosed that estimated property worth ₦54, 255 million were lost to the incidents while belongings saved were valued over ₦1 billion.

Ibiam mentioned electrical surge as a major cause of the fire incidents experienced during the period under review.

According to him, property worth millions of naira were destroyed during the period. The fire expert disclosed that estimated property worth ₦54, 255 million were lost to the incidents while belongings saved were valued over ₦1 billion.

He gave the statistics of the inferno to include casualties, false alarms and non-fire incidents attended by the fire and rescue services in the state. The director stated that two victims were burnt to death during the occurrences.

“Fire calls received during this period is 66, two persons were rescued, got 2 false calls among others,” Ibiam said.

He charged the general public to also take precautionary measures to avert fire and always remember to put off electrical appliances at home, offices when not in use.

By Chinwe Imo-Eze Onwosi

The National Population Commission (NPC) says
it has commenced the 2023/24 Nigeria demographic and health survey (NDHS) in Ebonyi State.

The commission appealed to local government councils, traditional institutions and communities in the state to support the commission in carrying out the survey by allowing the field workers access to the selected clusters.

Juliana Manyike, state director of the commission, stated this during a press briefing on Thursday, in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi state capital.

Manyike said the data of the survey would be collected across 13 clusters in 12 out of the 13. Local government areas of the state.

She said the survey would be useful in providing invaluable insights that will inform evidence-based policies that’ll contribute to enhancing public health intervention and broader development agenda of the country.

The state director noted that NPC has spearheaded the implementation of the NDHS in close collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and key partners.

The Director listed the objectives of NDHS to include: collection of hight data for policy formulation, Programme planning, monitoring and evaluation.

“Foster and reinforce country ownership of data collection, analysis, presentation and use; increase the capacity of the country to collect and use data for policy and purposes.

“NDHS is a National survey conduced every five years with the last exercise done in 2018.

“A total of 34 clusters will be visited in 12 out of 13 local government areas of Ebonyi with the exception of Afikpo south.

“Each selected households within a cluster will be visited and information obtained using the household questionnaire from women, aged 15 to 49 years and men, aged 15 to 59 respectively.

“Ebonyi state team has completed two local government areas, Ezza North and Ezza South and currently in Ikwo council,’ she added

Dr Jeremiah Nwankwagu, NPC’s Commissioner Nominee for Ebonyi Commission commended the team and urged the to keep the flag flying.

“We are happy the programme has been going on smoothly and people are responding without any hitch,” Nwankwagu added.

Dr Moses Ekuma, Commissioner for Health in Ebonyi, represented by Dr Hyacinth Ebenyi, Director of Public Health in the state, said the survey was a welcome development.

Ekuma pledged the state government support the programme at successful data collection across the local government areas in the state.

He noted that without survey health activities would be wasted

By Chinwe Imo-Eze Onwosi

The wife of the Ebonyi state Governor, Mrs Mary-Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru, has congratulated her husband, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, and the Deputy Governor, Princess Patricia Obila, on their victory at the Supreme Court on Friday.

The Supreme Court sitting in Abuja, Friday affirmed the election of Governor Ogbonna Nwifuru of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the Governor of Ebonyi State.

The Press Secretary to the wife of the governor, Nnenna Oshibe, in a statement signed and made available to newsmen in Abakaliki stated that  the victory affirms the support and trust of the good people of the state towards the Governor and credibility of the 2023 Ebonyi Governorship election.

According to the statement, “I extend my warmest congratulations to you my dear husband, His Excellency, Rt Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, on your recent victory. This is a significant milestone, and I am delighted to join the countless others in celebrating your success.

‘Your victory not only reaffirms the trust and confidence that the people of our state have in your leadership but also serves as a testament to the integrity and resilience of our democratic processes”.

Brenda Chidinma Imo-Eze

The Ebonyi State Commissioner on Aviation and Transport Technology, Mrs. Ngozi Obichukwu, has disclosed that the Chuba Okadigbo International Airport’s runway rehabilitation is set to be concluded in three months, with flight operations commencing in May.

The commissioner made this known to journalists shortly after an inspection at the Chuba Okadigbo airport runway in Onueke, Ezza South LGA of Ebonyi State, while expressing satisfaction with the swift progress of the work.

Obichukwu explained the decision to change the runway pattern from concrete to asphalt based on the recommendation of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and praised Governor Francis Nwifuru for facilitating the project’s advancement. She expressed the ministry’s readiness to start operations by May, few months earlier than the initially anticipated August timeframe.

According to Obichukwu, “We are ensuring the safety of airways and the transporters using flights. Chuba Okadigbo International Airport started with private, international, domestic, and commercial flights. We discovered a need to asphalt the runway based on FAAN’s recommendation, as flights do not require the concrete initially used.”

She acknowledged the governor’s commitment, stating, “Governor Francis Nwifuru is desirous to put the airport in perfect use, making sure that Ebonyi is on the world map of travelers. We’ve completed the scarification necessary for asphalt, and technically, we are handling it. We anticipated completion by August, but now we are ready to start operations by May.”

“We appreciate Governor Francis Nwifuru, who ensured the project’s commencement. They’ve received thirty percent of the payment based on the advance payment guarantee from a reputable bank, enabling them to kick off the project. When completed, the airport will be an economic hub for Ebonyi and the entire southeast region, connecting Nigerians in diaspora.”

The engineer in charge of construction, Engr. Zubby Atta, corroborated, stating, “Now we are doing the first layer of asphalt, and we will finish the second layer in three months.” Special Assistant to the Governor on Security Nnanna Nwangele affirmed adequate security at the airport, emphasizing the governor’s commitment to protection of lives and properties.

Recall that Governor Francis Nwifuru had approved ₦13.7 billion for the repair of the Chuba Okadigbo International Airport’s runway, with completion targeted within an eight-month period.