Connect with us

Uncategorized

Enugu set to host 23rd National Sports Festival, as Mbah presents 2025 budget Tuesday

Published

on

Governor Peter Mbah to receive Vanguard's Good Governance Award
Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah
Spread the love

Enugu State will host the 23rd edition of the National Sports Festival after clinching the hosting rights following competitive bids by many states of the federation.

This is even as the state governor, Dr Peter Mbah, has been scheduled to present the much anticipated 2025 budget at the floor of the State House of Assembly on Tuesday.

The developments were disclosed to the Government House correspondents at the weekend by the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Barr Lloyd Ekweremadu, and the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Hon Chris Ozongwu, shortly after the State Executive Council meeting which was presided over by the governor.

This is the first time any state in the South East Nigeria will be hosting the prestigious festival since inception in 1973, making Enugu the premier state to set the stage open.

With Enugu winning the hosting rights, the commissioner reiterated the government’s commitment to deliver a world-class event that will enhance the festival’s legacy of excellence, inclusivity, international outlook, and discovery of potential sports stars.

Maduka College Advert

Barr Ekweremadu attributed the emergence of Enugu state as the hosting state to Governor Mbah’s leadership strides and huge investment in the sports’ industry, adding that plans were on ground to upgrade and develop sports infrastructure in the state.

“The development strides that Enugu State is recording under the leadership of Governor Peter Mbah are a determining factor in winning the hosting rights. Council noted that in order to deliver a world-class sports festival, government must invest in upgrading and developing our sports infrastructure, particularly the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, and the Awgu Games Village,” he further stressed.

The sports festival is expected to attract over 15000 athletes that will be participating in the events to Enugu where talents will be showcased and new ones discovered.

Meanwhile, Hon Ozongwu said the draft of the 2025 Appropriation Bill was presented to the Executive Council where it was approved for presentation after rigorous evaluation and interrogation.

“Both the medium term expenditure framework (MTEF) and the budget proposal were unanimously approved by the council after much deliberation, evaluation and interrogation.

“This, therefore, sets the stage for His Excellency to submit the Appropriation Bill to the House of Assembly early next week. As is usual, this bill is subject to House approval,” the commissioner added.

Uncategorized

Police arrest three Anambra women over alleged sale of child for ₦2 million

Published

on

Spread the love

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested three women for their alleged involvement in child trafficking and the sale of a four-year-old boy for N2m.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the suspects, Florence Nnakuzie, 45; Hannah Ugah, 52; and Chinasa Daniel, 27, were arrested by operatives attached to the Awada Divisional Headquarters at a motor park in Onitsha.

Ikenga alleged that the suspects belonged to a child trafficking syndicate that specialised in trafficking children and selling them to buyers for various sums of money.

According to him, the suspects were arrested during a raid on their hideouts on Saturday evening, while other members of the syndicate escaped. He added that some children were rescued during the operation.

The statement read, “The Anambra State Police Command, on the evening of July 11, recorded another breakthrough in its sustained fight against child trafficking with the arrest of three female suspects, Florence Nnakuzie, 45; Hannah Ugah, 52; and Chinasa Daniel, 27, at a motor park in Onitsha by police operatives attached to Awada Divisional Headquarters.

Maduka College Advert

“Preliminary information revealed how Chinasa Daniel allegedly brought two children, a two-week-old baby and a four-year-old child, on two separate occasions between June and December 2025 and handed them over to Hannah Ugah.

“Chinasa further disclosed that the four-year-old child was subsequently handed over to Florence Nnakuzie and allegedly sold for the sum of N2 million, while the two-week-old baby was allegedly sold to another woman, who is currently at large.”

According to him, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ikioye Orutugu, described child trafficking as a grave violation of human rights and a crime against humanity and directed the immediate transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Awka, for a comprehensive and discreet investigation.

“The CP has also ordered operatives to intensify efforts to identify and apprehend every member of the trafficking syndicate and to commence coordinated operations aimed at locating, rescuing, and reuniting the trafficked children with their biological families.

“The Command appreciates members of the public whose timely and credible information led to the successful operation and urges residents to continue supporting the police with useful intelligence,” the statement added.

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Soldiers intercept illicit drugs on Lagos-Calabar road, arrest driver

Published

on

The intercepted drugs
Spread the love

Troops of the 65 Battalion of the Nigerian Army have intercepted a truck conveying a large consignment of illicit drugs along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road and arrested its driver.

The interception followed an intelligence-led operation conducted on July 9, 2026, after troops received actionable intelligence from a credible source.

This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 81 Division, Lt. Col. Musa Yahaya.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the illicit consignment was being transported to the Berger general area of Lagos State.

“However, the suspect could not provide satisfactory information regarding the ownership or intended recipient of the drugs,” the statement read.

Maduka College Advert

It added, “In line with established procedures, the suspect and the recovered illicit drugs were subsequently handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Lagos State Command, for further investigation and prosecution.”

The handover was carried out by the Commanding Officer of the 65 Battalion, Lt. Col. S. Adeojo.

Commending the troops, the General Officer Commanding 81 Division, Maj. Gen. Adebayo Babalola, praised their vigilance, professionalism and operational effectiveness.

He urged them to sustain the momentum of ongoing operations and intensify efforts to deny drug traffickers and other criminal elements freedom of action within the division’s area of responsibility.

The Army said the operation underscored its continued collaboration with relevant security agencies in tackling drug trafficking and other criminal activities.

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Three brothers charged with murder after beating mother’s boyfriend to death

Published

on

The suspects
Spread the love

Three brothers have been charged with murder in Eswatini after allegedly beating their mother’s boyfriend to death over claims that he was involved in a romantic relationship with her.

The accused — Mlondi Mbuli, 25, Sakhelwe Mbuli, 18, and Lindani Mdziniso, 23 — appeared before the Mbabane Magistrates Court in connection with the killing, which reportedly occurred on June 28, 2026, in Hholoshini, located in the country’s Hhohho Region.

During the hearing, Principal Magistrate Sfiso Vilakati ordered that the three men remain in custody until July 10, 2026, while prosecutors prepare to transfer the case to the High Court, where murder cases are typically tried.

According to investigators, the suspects allegedly attacked the victim, identified as Njabulo Ngwenya, using bricks, stones, sticks, punches and repeated kicks, inflicting injuries that proved fatal.

Police believe the alleged assault stemmed from accusations that Ngwenya was having an affair with the
brothers’ biological mother.

Maduka College Advert

The incident came to the attention of authorities after Sibongile Motsa reported finding her son dead inside her sister’s home in the early hours of June 28.

Court documents state that Motsa discovered Ngwenya’s body at about 1 a.m. before notifying the Royal Eswatini Police Service, which subsequently launched an investigation and arrested the three suspects.

Following their first court appearance, the accused were remanded in custody pending the next hearing and the formal transfer of the matter to the High Court.

Authorities have not disclosed additional information beyond the facts presented during the initial court proceedings.

The case has drawn widespread public interest across Eswatini as investigations continue.

Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland before Mswati III officially renamed the country in 2018, is a landlocked nation in southern Africa bordered by South Africa and Mozambique. Under the country’s judicial system, serious criminal offences such as murder are generally transferred from the Magistrates Court to the High Court after the initial hearing.

Continue Reading

Trending

Maduka College Advert