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Senator Natasha denied access to late Ohinoyi’s palace, pays condolence from outside

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Senator Natasha denied access to late Ohinoyi's palace, pays condolence from outside
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at the place of late Ohinohi of Ebiraland
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“The denial of access to the palace is not just a personal affront, but a symbol of the larger challenges we face… freedom from intimidation and respect for humanity. It is a reflection of a system that seeks to silence those who dare to speak up, who dare to challenge the status quo,” Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan representing Kogi Central at the Senate stated this after she was denied access to the palace of the late Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, His Royal Majesty, Dr. Ado Ibrahim on Saturday.

The senator and hundreds of her supporters were seen outside the palace of the demised royal father at Okene in what looked like a carnival but the palace guards acting on orders from above refused to open the gate for Natasha to pay her last respect.

Amidst cheers from her supporters and natives of Okene who converged at the gate of the place, undeterred Natasha mounted the top of her SUV from where she addressed the large crowd and sent her condolences to the family of the late royal father and sympathisers from her constituency.

“I stand before you today, not within the walls of the palace, but outside its gates. I have been denied access, but that will not deter me from joining you all to pay last respect to our late king,” the senator said, describing the late Ohinoyi as a greater lover of Ebiraland.

“I have always come into this palace as a little girl but today it’s with an heavy heart that have to be remanded outside the palace, God knows why. Thus, as the walls of this palace are held together by pillars, our father, His Royal Majesty, the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Alh Ado Ibrahim was a great pillar to me and for that we are here to pay our last respect and appreciate him for being a great support to our electioneering struggle and it’s success today. May soul rest in peace,” the senator added.

She also extended her deepest gratitude to the people of Ebiraland for their massive support during the electioneering period that saw her emergence as Kogi Central Senator.

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Highlight of the visit was the warm reception accorded Sen. Natasha with a great show of street credibility by the people.

Born on February 7, 1929, Abdulrahmanhman Ado Ibrahim was the fourth traditional ruler and Ohinoyi of Ebiraland.

With a strong foundation in Islamic knowledge, Dr Ado Ibrahim was an economist with international education, holding a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the London School of Economics and a Master’s degree from Harvard Business School in 1954 and 1959, respectively.

His Royal Majesty (Dr) Ado Ibrahim passed on at the age of 94 on October 29, 2023.

See full speech by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan below;

Good evening, esteemed indigenes of Kogi central. I stand before you today, not within the walls of the palace, but outside its gates. I have been denied access, but that will not deter me from joining you all to pay last respect to our late king.

The denial of access to the palace is not just a personal affront, but a symbol of the larger challenges we face… freedom from intimidation and respect for humanity. It is a reflection of a system that seeks to silence those who dare to speak up, who dare to challenge the status quo.

The sight of you all before me is awe-inspiring. The sheer number of people gathered here is a testament to the power of unity and the strength of our voices. It is overwhelming, and it is intimidating, but it is also a reminder that I wasn’t alone in our fight for justice and progress.

I am Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan, and I have dedicated my life to serving the people of Kogi central and the entire Kogi state, I have fought tirelessly for the rights and well-being of our community as an ordinary citizen and I will continue to do so, regardless of the obstacles placed in my path now as your senator.

Furthermore, we as Ebira people will strive to uphold the visionary principles and community developmental goals our late father HRM envisioned for Ebiraland.

However, while we call for and promote peace, we shall not shy away from demanding accountability from our government . The fight for economic development and social justice is a far cry from being achieved….but it’s possible.

So, let us march forward, united in our purpose, and unwavering in our determination. Let us show the world that the power of the people cannot be denied. Together, we will create a brighter tomorrow for Kogi Central, Kogi state and Nigeria at large.

Thank you for your unwavering support.

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Enugu Air Launches New Website

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…moves online services to www.enuguairlines.ng

Enugu Air has announced the launch of its new official website, enuguairlines.ng, as part of efforts to provide passengers and customers with a better, safer and more convenient digital experience.

The airline said the migration to the new website is designed to improve how passengers connect with Enugu Air and access its services online, including flight bookings, schedules and the latest updates.

Announcing the development, the airline said: “We’ve moved! We’re innovating! We’ve migrated to a better, safer and convenient website to connect you to the world.”

Passengers can now access Enugu Air’s online services through its new web address, enuguairlines.ng, which the airline described as its new digital home.

The airline urged passengers and prospective travellers to save the new web address and use it for flight bookings, checking schedules and obtaining the latest information about its operations.

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“Same Enugu Air. New web address,” the airline stated, emphasising that the change represents an improvement in its digital platform while retaining the Enugu Air brand and services.

The airline further encouraged customers to visit, www.enuguairlines.ng for all flight-related information and online services.

It further stated that the old website, enuguairlines•com has been discarded and no longer in use.

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Kidnapped female Police officer found dead in Ebonyi

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A kidnapped female police officer has been found dead in Ebonyi State after a suspected member of a kidnapping syndicate was arrested and led police operatives to the scene where her remains were recovered.

The Nigeria Police Force disclosed this in its state-by-state operational update issued by Force Public Relations Officer
Force Headquarters, Ani Iniedu on Monday, detailing several arrests, rescues and recoveries recorded across the country between September 19 and 20, 2026.

According to the police, the suspect was arrested following a sustained intelligence-led and technology-based investigation into the kidnapping of the female officer.

The suspect reportedly led combined police teams to the crime scene, where the remains of the officer were recovered.

The police said the case is being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Abakaliki.

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In a separate operation in Adamawa State, police operatives rescued two kidnapped victims from a suspected kidnappers’ hideout in Shako Forest, Toungo Local Government Area.

The operation, carried out on September 20 following actionable intelligence, also led to the recovery of two magazines containing 10 rounds of 7.62×39mm live ammunition.

A National Identification Number (NIN) card, mobile phone, passport and chain were also recovered from the suspected hideout.

In the Federal Capital Territory, police arrested 334 suspects during coordinated raids on criminal hotspots, black spots and uncompleted buildings across several locations.

The operation, conducted on September 19, also resulted in the recovery of various quantities of substances suspected to be illicit drugs.

Meanwhile, police in Anambra State arrested a suspected child trafficker who was allegedly intercepted while travelling with a six-month-old baby boy.

The baby was recovered and handed over to the appropriate authorities for necessary action, according to the police.

In Kaduna State, four suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate were arrested following intelligence-led operations.

Police said the suspects confessed to their alleged involvement in kidnapping and provided information about fleeing accomplices. A locally made Dane gun was recovered.

Another suspected kidnapping syndicate member was arrested at Soba Market in the state. Police said the suspect also confessed and gave information implicating five fleeing accomplices.

In Ogun State, police arrested a suspect linked to a fatal shooting incident in Isara, Remo North Local Government Area.

One single-barrel gun, one live cartridge and one expended shell were recovered during the operation.

In Imo State, a suspect was arrested during a raid on a suspected criminal gathering at Nekede, Owerri West Local Government Area, with police recovering a locally made cut-to-size single-barrel gun.

Police in Ekiti State also arrested two suspects linked to multiple shop-breaking and stealing incidents in Ado-Ekiti and recovered suspected stolen iron rods.

In another operation in Ado-Ekiti, police recovered an abandoned white sack containing a pump-action gun loaded with two live cartridges and a locally made single-barrel gun from a farmland.

In Benue State, police tactical teams, supported by personnel of the Police Mobile Force and military, intervened in a renewed communal conflict at Akpa-Mbakor Community in Tarka Local Government Area.

The security teams dispersed the rampaging youths and restored normalcy in the area, according to the police.

In Oyo State, police arrested a truck driver allegedly involved in a fatal road traffic incident along the Ijebu-Ode/Idi Ayunre Road.

The truck was impounded for further inspection and investigation.

The police said all the cases remain under investigation by the respective State Criminal Investigation Departments.

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UK excludes Nigerian, Ghanaian-trained teachers from teaching qualification list

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Teachers trained in Nigeria and Ghana are no longer eligible to apply for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in England under the United Kingdom’s overseas-trained teacher application route.

The change took effect on September 9 and means teachers trained in the two West African countries can no longer use the route to obtain QTS, a status recognised by many schools in England.

The UK Department for Education said countries included in the scheme must meet specific requirements to ensure that applicants’ qualifications, professional standing and teaching experience can be properly verified. One of the requirements is that a country must have a national regulator capable of confirming a teacher’s professional status and providing authenticated references.

According to the department, Nigeria and Ghana did not meet the reference-verification requirement.

“Our data shows that more than 70% of applications from teachers in Ghana and Nigeria include work history references that use public email addresses, such as Gmail or Hotmail, rather than a school’s official email domain. This means assessors spend additional time and resources trying to verify information provided in applications,” the department said.

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The UK department said about 90 percent of applications are assessed within 12 months.

India was also removed from the eligible list because it does not have a national regulator capable of confirming teachers’ professional standing.

South Africa is now the only African country remaining on the list of countries whose teachers can use the QTS application route.

The department said the verification process was necessary to ensure that information provided by applicants was genuine and that teachers awarded QTS possessed the required skills and experience to teach in England.

To apply for QTS, overseas-trained teachers must have a valid passport, an undergraduate degree equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree and professional recognition as a teacher in the country where they trained.

Applicants must also have completed any mandatory induction requirements needed for full teacher registration in their country of qualification.

They are required to demonstrate that they are qualified to teach children aged between five and 16 and have at least nine months of teaching experience gained after qualifying as a teacher.

Applicants must also provide employment references that verify their work history and use an email address linked to the school’s official domain.

Depending on the country where a teacher trained, additional requirements may include qualifications to teach pupils aged between 11 and 16 and a specialism in subjects such as mathematics, science, biology, chemistry, physics, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Mandarin, Russian or Spanish.

However, because teachers in England are employed by individual schools rather than the Department for Education, schools may consider alternative routes into teaching.

The department said teachers who are no longer eligible to use the QTS application service can explore other routes into teaching in England.

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