National Grammar School, Enugu, Others To Get 800 CAF Balls

There has been clarification from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) that the 800 match balls to be sent to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in the framework of the CAF African Schools Football Championship project, will be for all the schools that took part in the male and female National Finals held in the Federal Capital, Abuja within the period 2nd – 9th November 2023. National Grammar School, Nike, Enugu won the male tournament that had in attendance 11 schools from Yobe, Enugu, Plateau, Borno, Oyo, Ogun, Taraba and Kwara States as well as the FCT. In the female category, FOSLA Academy emerged champions of a three-team competition. Representatives from Nigeria, Benin Republic, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and host Togo have converged in Lome since Thursday for the four-day WAFU B zonal finals that will end on Sunday, with matches at the Stade Municipal de Kegue. The winner in Lome will fly WAFU B’s flag at the continental finals slated for April 2024. Nigeria/s flagbearers won two matches, drew one and lost two, and will contest for the third place on (today) Sunday against the representative team of Ghana.

Police Bust Child-Stealing Syndicate In Enugu, Nab Suspect

The Police Command in Enugu State has smashed a child-stealing syndicate and arrested a suspect at Igogoro village in Enugu-Ezike community of Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of the state. This is contained in a statement, issued by the Command’s Spokesman, DSP Daniel Ndukwe at the weekend in Enugu. Ndukwe said that the syndicate was smashed on Oct. 27 at about 1.30 p.m. According to him, police operatives serving in the Igbo-Eze North Police Division, working with the Neighbourhood Watch Group, smashed a child stealing syndicate and arrested one Ifeanyi Omeke, 21, at Igogoro village in Enugu-Ezike community. “The suspect was nabbed after he sneaked into the complainant’s house in the community and attempted to steal a 15-month-old girl child. “The suspect confessed to the crime, as well as revealed that he was contracted by his cohorts at large to steal children for ritual and other criminal purposes,” the police spokesman said. He said that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Kanayo Uzuegbu, had ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the state’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for a thorough investigation. “A thorough investigation would eventual lead to the arrest of other members of the criminal syndicate at large and their prosecution,” he added.

Troops rescue kidnapped victim in Enugu

The troops of 103 Battalion (Rear) of 82 Division, Nigerian Army, presently on Operation UDOKA II had rescued Dr Maxwell Ayim from suspected kidnappers between Four Corner and Amokwe Junction in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State. This is contained in a statement issued in Enugu on Saturday by Lt.-Col. Jonah Unuakhalu, acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations, 82 Division, Nigerian Army. Unuakhalu said that Ayim was rescued unhurt on Thursday. According to him, the rescue operation was conducted when troops deployed at Udi checkpoint received a distress call from the police on the incident. Unuakhalu said that on arrival, the troops came in contact with the kidnappers, adding that due to the troops’ superior fire, members of the criminal gang fled in disarray with gunshot wounds into the nearby bushes. The army spokesman said that the gallant troops during further exploitation of the gang withdrawal route found the victim abandoned by the gang. “Troops proceeded to rescue the victim. He had since been reunited with his family after preliminary medical checks. “Joint Task Force Operation UDOKA II therefore, calls on the law abiding and good citizens of Enugu and the South-East region in general not to relent in providing timely, credible and reliable Information. “This will help in putting an end to the spiral of kidnapping activities and sundry criminality within the region. “Operation UDOKA II will continue combating crime and criminality in accordance with the extant rules and regulations guiding its operations,” he said.

UK Opens Temporary Visa Submission Centre In Enugu

The British High Commission in Nigeria has announced the opening of a new temporary submission centre for UK visas in Enugu State from Wednesday, September 13. According to a statement by the UK Mission, the facility will operate out of the Omedel Luxury Hotel, 4/6 Link Road off Pascal and Jerk Bustop, Independence Layout, Enugu and will shortly offer a twice-a-week service. UK Launches Temporary Visa Application Centre in Enugu In a bid to enhance accessibility to UK visa services, the British High Commission in Nigeria has unveiled a new temporary submission centre in Enugu State, starting from September 13. Situated at the Omedel Luxury Hotel, 4/6 Link Road, Independence Layout, Enugu, this facility will offer services twice a week, as per the UK Mission’s announcement. Applicants can now choose Enugu as their preferred application location when applying for a UK Visa, in addition to existing centers in Abuja, Lagos, and Port Harcourt. This temporary submission center in Enugu has been designated as a Premium Location, with a fee of NGN 246,250. This fee includes access to a Premium Lounge appointment, courier return service, SMS notifications, general customer support, and guidance throughout the application process. According to a statement by the British High Commission, it will closely monitor the demand for visa services and review and expand the service if there is sufficient demand. The location will be trialed for a minimum of three months to assess the service’s uptake and determine its continuation. “The appointment system allows an applicant to select Enugu as their application location when applying for a UK Visa. This is in addition to current locations in Abuja. Lagos and Port Harcourt,” the statement read. “The temporary submission centre in Enugu opens as a Premium Location meaning it will cost NGN246,250.00, which includes a Premium Lounge appointment, courier return, SMS notifications, general customer support and guidance.” “TLS will trial this location for at least 3 months to assess uptake of the service and enable decisions on continuation,” the statement concluded.

Police neutralise 2 suspected kidnappers, rescue victim in Enugu

The Police Command in Enugu State has neutralised two suspected kidnappers and rescued one male kidnap victim at the outskirt of Enugu metropolis. The Command also recovered the victim’s black-coloured Lexus 350 SUV alongside one locally made revolver gun loaded with four cartridges and another locally fabricated pistol belonging to the criminal elements. This is contained in a statement issued by the Command’s Spokesman, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, on Tuesday in Enugu. Ndukwe said that police operatives, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Mr Olasoji Akinbayo, carried out the successful operation on Aug. 20 at about 8:00 p.m. at Centenary Layout along Enugu/Port-Harcourt Expressway. He said that the police operatives were drawn from the NPF Special Forces, Awkunanaw Police Division and tactical teams of the command. “Following the policing thrust and renewed crime fighting impetus of the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Kanayo Uzuegbu, a combined team of police operatives rescued a male kidnap victim after a gun fight with the hoodlums. “One of the miscreants, simply identified as “Baron”, was neutralised on the spot in the ensuing shootout, while others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot wounds. “However, further manhunt for the fleeing members of the gang led to the discovery and recovery of the lifeless body of the second neutralised hoodlum. “The second neutralised hoodlum was simply identified as Chukwunonso a.k.a. “Nolly”, in the morning hours of Aug. 21 in a forest at the location of the gun duel,” he said. Ndukwe said that the two neutralised criminals had been on the watch-list of the command. According to him, the operational success was due to the swift response to a distress call on the kidnap of the victim along Agbani Road, Enugu, in the night. The police spokesman commended the operatives for quickly adapting to his newly introduced crime-fighting strategies. He said that the commissioner had previously tasked police officers and other personnel of the command to sustain the tempo. “There will be no breathing space for unrepentant criminals in the state, under his (Uzuegbu) watch as the Commissioner of Police,” he added.

Mbah appoints Ladi Akeredolu-Ale as MD ESBS

Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah has appointed Mr Ladi Akeredolu-Ale of Channels Television as Managing Director of Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS). Akeredolu-Ale was before his appointment, the Controller, Current Affairs at Channels Television headquarters in Lagos State. His appointment was contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia on Tuesday in Enugu. Onyia said the veteran journalist is expected to bring to bear his over 30 years of experience in journalism in the state broadcasting service. This, he said, would drive a media revolution, inspire drastic reforms in media innovation, and creativity and turn the state-owned media service into one of the best revenue-generating organisations in the state. “He is a multiple award winner, being the Nigeria Media Merit Award winner of Television Presenter and Reporter of the Year in 2001, Diamond Award for Media Excellence as Reporter of the Year in 2004, as well as Nigeria Media Merit Award Programme Presenter of the Year 2019. “He is also a veteran of almost 30 years standing in television broadcasting, he was also Director-General and Chief Executive of Ondo State Radio and Television Corporation between March 2009 and February 2017,” Onyia said. He added that Akeredolu-Ale holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Sociology from the Universities of Ilorin and Lagos in 1992 and 1998, respectively. Akeredolu-Ale is an alumnus of the Lagos Business School Chief Executive’s Programme of 2011.

Sit-at-Home: Any school, market that fails to open’ll be shut down- Gov Mba

Enugu State Government has threatened to shut down schools and markets of those observing the illegal one week sit-at- home order by the self- acclaimed factional leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Simon Ekpa. This is contained in a statement on Tuesday by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia in Enugu. IPOB factional leader, Simon Ekpa had on June 14 in a letter to all Igbos, declared total lockdown from July 3 to 10, excluding July 6. According to Onyia, Enugu State Government is alarmed and dismayed by this development and hereby warns that any school that fails to open and function normally on Tuesday will have its licence revoked immediately. He added that the State Government also extended the same warning to market unions and shop owners in the state. He said, “The attention of the Enugu State Government has been drawn to reports on social media this Tuesday morning that proprietors of private schools in the state are sending messages to their pupils and students to stay at home. “This is on account of the illegal one week sit-at-home order allegedly declared by faceless non-state actors in the state. “All markets and shops in the various markets must be open to customers from today or be shut down indefinitely.” Onyia said the state government reiterated its ban on any form of illegal sit-at-home in all parts of the state, as it was evil and antithetical to all values they hold dear as a people, such as the Igbo spirit of industry, hardwork, creativity and productivity. He urged the general public to go about their normal daily activities as adequate security measures had been put in place to protect lives and property. “Government will no longer sit by and watch faceless groups and misguided individuals issue illegal orders, dictating to us how to lead our lives, when to go to work or market and when our children go to school. “This is no longer acceptable and must be confronted and defeated with every power and resources at our disposal,” Onyia said. He further stated that the state government also warned that it would deploy the full instrumentality of the law such as the Cybercrime Act 2015 to go after and prosecute anybody, individuals, groups and organisations intentionally encouraging the illegal sit-at-home order. This, he said, include those instilling fear on residents, raising false alarm to disturb public peace and others through fake news sharing and propagation of falsehood connected with the illegal sit-at-home order on social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter. “This, however, is by no means, depriving citizens freedom of speech and information as enshrined in the constitution,” Onyia explained.