Fiery Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr Ejike Mbaka has predicted glorious level for Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo (AE-FUNAI), Ebonyi State under the new Vice Chancellor, Professor Daniel Nwachukwu.

Mbaka stated this at the university chambers shortly after blessing the Vice Chancellor, during the handover ceremony from his predecessor, Prof Sunday Elom.

He described Nwachukwu as an achiever reputed for his humility, amiability, amicability, transparent ingenuity and authentic relationship with people.

Rev. Fr Ejike Mbaka praying for Professor Daniel Nwachukwu new Vice Chancellor of Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo (AE-FUNAI), Ebonyi State

He expressed confidence in the university administrator’s leadership capacity which he said will take the school to a very high level.

“This is one of the wonders that have happened in the university because Professor Daniel Nwachukwu is noted for his humility, for his amiability, for his amicability, for his transparent ingenuity, for his manifest spirit of leadership, for his ingenuous acumen of authentic relationship with people.

“He is a lover of the youths. So, him being the Vice Chancellor, I am thanking God that he will take this noble university to another glorious level and be a blessing for the whole Nigeria. And because he is here, he is a God-fearing man and he will equally attract the presence of God for the favour of men.

“By the special grace of God, I am praying this noble institution to be in another higher level whereby the school will be so higher than eagles and navigate through every storm.

“Professor Daniel Nwachukwu is an achiever and I can say an iconic achiever, a super achiever on the seat, not just one who can suggest but an executor.

“I pray that God will use him in the next five years and bring more noble glorious achievements here and the students will be happy and the staff will be happy,” Mbaka said.

Nwachukwu, a Professor of Cardiovascular Physiology in the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC) was appointed the 4th Vice Chancellor of AE-FUNAI by the institution’s governing council on December 20, 2025.

Elected the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of UNEC in 2023, Nwachukwu had his first degree at the University of Lagos in Human Physiology in 1995 and later moved to the University of Benin for his master’s degree in 1997 and PhD in 2012.

He has had an illustrious career in the academia spanning over 26 years having joined the services of UNN as a lecturer in July 1999 and rose to the highest academic rank of a professor in 2016.

The distinguished scholar who hails from Okposi in Ohaozara LGA of Ebonyi State was the 201st inaugural lecturer of UNN where he expounded on the potency of zobo drink for the management of high blood pressure. He delivered the lecture at the Enugu Campus of the university on March 7, 2024.

His research interests include Physiology, Flavonoids, Hypertension, Saponins, Hepatotoxicity, Antihypertensive, and Alkaloids. Prof. Nwachukwu has published numerous papers in reputable journals and has supervised several postgraduate students.

Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, says he expects to be arrested “any moment now” by federal authorities.

Speaking in a recent interview with BBC Hausa, el-Rufai said four individuals who worked closely with him during his tenure as governor have already been arrested, adding that he believes he may be the next.

He alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is aggressively pressuring politicians, either to defect to the party or to remain inside it, the battle for 2027 begins to take shape.

“Four people who worked with me in Kaduna have been arrested. So, for me, it’s only a matter of time—they will come for me too,” he said.

The former governor, who governed Kaduna for eight years on the platform of the APC before defecting to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has in recent months sharply increased his criticism of President Bola Tinubu and the ruling party.

His warning comes against the backdrop of intensified political horse-trading and defections across the country as various camps position themselves for the 2027 presidential election.

Five US lawmakers have introduced a bill to the US Congress, seeking to impose sanctions on former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore for alleged violations of religious freedom.

The bill, “Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026,” was introduced by Chris Smith, Riley Moore, Brian Mast, Mario Diaz-Balart, and Bill Huizenga.

Details of the bill, which was posted on the US Congress website, claimed that Kwankwaso was one of the individuals contributing to systemic religious “persecution of Christians that has persisted” in Nigeria.

If the proposed legislation, introduced to Congress on Tuesday, becomes law, the Departments of State and Treasury are expected to impose sanctions, including a visa ban and asset freeze, on “individuals or entities responsible for severe religious freedom violations” in Nigeria.

“The Department of State and the Department of the Treasury should impose targeted sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, on individuals or entities responsible for severe religious freedom violations, or report to Congress the reasons such sanctions have not been imposed, including— Fulani-ethnic nomad militias in Nigeria; Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former Kano State Governor; Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN); and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore,” part of the bill reads.

Others targeted included those the bill described as “Fulani-ethnic nomad militias in Nigeria”.

Some of the provisions of the proposed legislation mandate the Secretary of State to determine whether certain Fulani-ethnic militias in Nigeria qualify as a foreign terrorist organisation.

As of the time of this report, neither Kwankwaso nor the groups have commented on the allegations contained in the proposed legislation.

The move came months after US President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over what he described as the persecution of Christians in the West African nation, a development the sponsors of the bill said was justified.

But the Nigerian authorities have denied claims of persecution, saying they respect all religions.

Trump had, late last year, threatened military action in Nigeria if the Federal Government did not address the situation.

On Christmas Day, the US launched strikes in Nigeria targeted at terrorists.

The Nigerian government and Trump later disclosed that the military action was a joint effort between both nations.

“On Christmas Day, in close coordination with the government of Nigeria, we worked with them, but they’ve got to get tougher,” Trump said last week while addressing guests at the National Breakfast in Washington.

“I ordered powerful air strikes to decimate the ISIS terrorists who have been slaughtering Christians in that country by the thousands. It’s not even believable,” he said.

“We hit them so hard they still don’t know what the hell happened. And we were going to do it on a different day. I said no, do it on Christmas. So they understand it.”

Following the US president’s threat, Nigeria intensified diplomatic efforts with US authorities, sending a high-powered delegation to the North American powerhouse.

Some US lawmakers also visited Nigeria for a first-hand assessment of the situation. (Channels)