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Ndigwe celebrates birthday, Onwa Asaa Festival, faults move to name Awka conference centre after ex-Gov Obiano

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• Governor Soludo and Ozo Ndigwe
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It was indeed a royal celebration in Awka, the Anambra State capital last weekend when dignitaries from within and outside the state converged to celebrate with Ozo Dr. Austin Ndigwe, the ‘Eze-Uzu III of Awka Kingdom’ as he marked his birthday and observed the traditional annual Onwa Asaa Festival.

The event which also witnessed the distribution of foodstuff and other items to the needy from different parts of the state capital, was an opportunity to pray for the progress of Awka people and the Anambra State Government as well as the success of Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, who graced the occasion with his wife and accompanied by some officials of his government.

Some Ozo title holders and business moguls from different communities in the state were also present to honor Ndigwe, who has made the celebration an annual event at his palace.

Speaking at the occasion, Chief Ndigwe commended Governor Soludo for his commitment towards the development of Awka capital city, saying he (governor) has demonstrated his love for the people and residents of the state capital by providing necessary infrastructure needed for their wellbeing.

• Amb. Bianca Ojukwu, Ozo Ndigwe and his wife

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He said having done well in his first tenure, the people of Awka would support him (Soludo) to continue the good works in the second term, praying that the land of Awka would bless him.

“Any leader that has done well in his first tenure deserves to have another term because it’s a general belief that one good turn deserves another,” Ndigwe said, assuring the governor that Awka people would stand solidly behind him to succeed and ensure his success in the next dissension.

He, however, informed the governor that the people of Awka were against the move by the government to name the International Conference centre after his predecessor, former Governor Willie Obiano, saying the past administration left no meaningful legacy in the state capital to warrant the conferment of such honour on him.

• Ozo Ndigwe (centre), Senator Andy Uba (right)

“The people of Awka have resolved that the International Conference Centre should not be named after former Governor Obiano because he does not deserve the honour.  It is when one does well in an office that he will have a rich report card; the past administration has no good report card and as such does not deserve any honour in Awka.  We don’t want to remember what Awka went through under that regime,” Uzu Awka said.

In his remarks, Governor Soludo said he was at the occasion to celebrate with his friend on his birthday and to appreciate his decision to distribute palliatives to the poor.

“I am here to celebrate with my friend who said he is doing two things today. First is his birthday and second, to distribute palliatives to the poor, a gesture has been carrying out regularly.  Wherever such thing is done I visit to show my support.  First, I have come to say happy birthday and to wish you long life. Second, I have come to appreciate and encourage you for remembering the poor especially at this time when people are passing through difficulties.

“My government has rolled out a long list of palliatives we are giving to the people. Civil servants are getting N59,000, workers and pensioners will start receiving same from this month (November). By early next month we shall begin to distribute bags of rice to over 300,000 households. We are doing a lot to alleviate poverty and help the people; remember we distributed palm and coconut seedling and we are determined to chase poverty away,” he said.

• Members of the traditional council and Tubers of yam for the traditional celebration of annual Onwa Assa festival

According to the governor, the state has made education from Primary to Junior Secondary School JSS 3 in government-owned schools free for children of the poor among several poverty alleviation programmes being packaged for the people of the state.

He noted that “Awka people have now realized that they have a governor who is from Awka, I am from Isuofia but from the stories we were told, one of the villages in Isuofia migrated from Awka. I am therefore a native of Awka.  We are changing the old system where governor lives outside and comes to work in the state capital,  by next year the governor will live in Awka and working in Awka.

Already, he said, a lot of inland roads within Awka were being constructed to open up the capital city and make it  habitable, adding that Awka will soon look like a true capital city.

He urged the people of Awka especially the youths to support the government’s efforts to transform Awka into a true capital city, advising them to shun thuggery and encroachment on landed property.

Soludo further reiterated his determination to ensure a lasting  peace in Awka community, explaining that the government would always respect the law guiding the traditional rulership institution of the state.

The governor urged Ndigwe to join hands with him to ensure that Awka residents enjoy a lasting peace.

• Members of the traditional council in a cultural dance during the festival

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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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