Author: Drum Africa Correspondent
In a dramatic twist of event, Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, Tuesday afternoon, unsealed the Renewed Hope Partners (RHP) Office in Umuahia, which was earlier barricaded. It was reported Tuesday morning on social media that, the RHP Office, located at No. 12, Ojike lane, Umuahia was sealed off by the Abia State Government. Officials of the State Government from the Ministry of Land and Housing, were said to have stormed the office Tuesday morning, with heavy security, drove out all the members of APC and Coordinators who were said to be in a meeting planning polling unit inauguration of…
By Fidelis Soriwei Dr. Dennis Otuaro, the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, cuts the image of a man who came prepared to make a deliberate and targeted impact in the oil-rich Niger Delta. Although, he had a lot of options open to him to ensure that the fragile peace in the region was strengthened to make way for increased economic activities and development in the nation’s oil-producing communities, Otuaro holds the view that human resource development remains a critical component of the peace process. As a grassroots player abreast of the Niger Delta story and the endemic challenges in…
Thirty-eight worshippers abducted during an attack on Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Eruku, in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, have regained their freedom. The Kwara State government announced the development on Sunday. The State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, revealed that the abductees were freed on Sunday, November 23. The Governor noted that the freedom came as a result of “many days of hard work” by security agencies and government officials. He also revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu thepersonally led efforts to secure the victims’ release. He appreciated the…
The founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, has condemned the rising wave of killings and insecurity across Nigeria, calling for a seven-day nationwide prayer for divine intervention. Speaking during the 4th Pre-Shiloh Encounter Service on November 23, 2025, Oyedepo expressed deep concern over persistent attacks on worshippers and communities, he described the growing violence as “unacceptable” and “a direct assault on innocent lives.” Addressing the congregation, he said, “The Church of Christ in Nigeria is indestructible. The gates of hell cannot prevail against it. Nigeria will never become an Islamic state. Never, never, never. The battle is…
Fifty pupils abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, have escaped from captivity, according to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state. In a statement on Sunday, Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, chairman of the Niger state chapter of CAN and Catholic bishop of Kontagora diocese, said the pupils regained freedom between Friday and Saturday and “quietly reunited with their families”. The development comes days after armed men invaded the school and abducted 303 pupils, students, and staff, triggering widespread outrage and renewed calls for improved security in the…
Afrobeats legend, Innocent Idibia, popular known as 2Face, and his wife, Natasha Osawuru-Idibia, have welcomed their first child together. Natasha, a lawmaker in the Edo State House of Assembly, disclosed this in a brief statement on Instagram. She captioned: It’s a Girl” followed by prayer emojis. This development comes a few months after 2Face and his ex-wife, Annie, parted ways following prolonged marital issues. The new arrival brings the number of 2Baba’s children to eight, shared among four different women, with Natasha now becoming the fourth woman to have a child for the African Queen crooner.
Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has condemned US President Donald Trump’s threat of military action in Nigeria over alleged Christian genocide. Speaking to newsmen in Makurdi after a meeting with the Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, on Friday, the award-winning writer described Trump’s threat as “madness.” He explained that Nigeria’s internal conflicts could not be approached with careless or impulsive statements from foreign leaders. He criticised Trump’s rhetoric, noting that the American president had suggested that he would “come to help” Nigeria with little understanding of the country’s realities. “You do not just open your mouth and say, ‘I…
Popular socialite, Pascal Okechukwu, aka Cubana Chief Priest, has appealed to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, to use his office to rally South-East leaders and push for the release of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who was recently sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of terrorism. Expressing concern over rising tensions and insecurity on the South-East, Cubana Chief Priest insisted that peace must return to the region. He argued that Kanu was not a terrorist but an activist. He urged the Deputy Speaker to employ diplomacy to secure Nnamdi Kanu’s release, describing the IPOB leader…
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, PhD, CFR has expressed optimism that the leader of the Indigenous People’s of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will be freed through a political approach. He said that all hope for his freedom is not lost. Kalu’s submission came after a federal high court in Abuja sentenced him to life imprisonment on Thursday. The Deputy Speaker said that a political solution is being pursued to ultimately secure Kanu’s release. Kalu also expressed confidence in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR to listen to the pleas of well-meaning Igbo leaders…
The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, convicted the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, on seven-count charges of terrorism and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The IPOB leader was handed the life imprisonment sentence for Counts 4, 5 and 6 of the seven-count charges, while he was handed a 20-year jail term for Count 3. Delivering judgment, James Omotosho, the presiding judge, held that the prosecution had successfully established every allegation. He said Kanu offered no credible defence and “deliberately refused” to challenge the evidence presented in court. The judge said the IPOB leader was…