Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

The Imo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Austin Onyedebelu,has said that the Orlu Senatorial Zone is fully prepared to support the transfer of the governorship to Owerri Senatorial Zone at the appropriate time, provided that Owerri demonstrates its commitment by delivering victory for the party in future elections. Onyedebelu said this when the Imo State chapter of th APC on Thursday concluded its statewide interactive meetings with party stakeholders, ending the exercise with a meeting involving officials from Orlu Zone. The interactive session brought together members of the State Working Committee and State Executive Committee with…

A total of 20 Nigerian states including Imo, Enugu and Abia and 17 other states are set to receive a combined $27 million in performance-based grants from the world bank. The grant is given under the World Bank-supported Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE) Governance Programme after meeting key reform targets in education, healthcare and public financial management. DrumAfricanews reports that the disbursement was announced on Tuesday by the National Coordinator of the HOPE Governance Programme, Dr. Assad Hassan, during a retreat for Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries and Directors of Budget and Planning in Abuja. The HOPE Governance Programme…

Acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the Command, in synergy with operatives of Egbema Police Division, raided a suspected kidnappers’ hideout at Obokofia in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area on 30th June, 2026. After the raid, the command rescued three kidnapped victims unharmed and arresting seven suspected members of the gang. Other members of the syndicate fled the scene and are currently being trailed. DrumAfricanews reports that the move by police was necessitated by the abduction of five passengers from a commuter bus along Obokofia Road in Egbema and the subsequent kidnapping of a young man in New Owerri on 27th…

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, PhD, CFR has commiserated with the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, over the death of his mother, Alhaja Sidikat Basiru. Kalu, in a condolence message noted that the late Alhaja Basiru who died at 92 was a pillar of strength to her family and a model of piety in her community. He added that Senator Basiru’s commitment to the APC and national politics reflects the values and discipline instilled in him by his late mother. “Losing a mother is never…

The Anambra State Police Command has received 36 persons, including 29 rescued children and young persons as well as six suspects, from the Anambra State Ministry of Women Affairs for profiling and further investigation. As gathered by DrumAfricanews, this is as part of efforts to tackle child labour, street hawking, human trafficking, and other forms of child exploitation in the state. The individuals, aged between six and 44 years, were handed over to the Police Command on Monday, June 29, 2026. The suspects, identified as Anyingo Glory, Nwafor Godwin, Chukwudi Ofoke, Chinenye Anyingo, Okwudili Ifeoma, and Moses Anyingo, were arrested…

Former South-East spokesman to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Chairman of the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Denge Josef Onoh, has applauded the Federal Government’s decision to phase out the separation of Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) from Senior Secondary Schools (SSS). In a statement made available to journalists, Onoh described the policy, announced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, as a courageous and visionary move that corrects a reform which, he said, has contributed significantly to the high rate of student dropouts across the country. According to him, the artificial division between…

Following the inferno that destroyed market buildings and goods worth billions of Nigeria at the Eke Okigwe Market, Senator of the Okigwe Zone, Patrick Ndubueze, has extended his heartfelt condolences to traders and business owners. The senator decried the devastating effects of the fire outbreak at Eke Okigwe Market, assuring them that he shares in their grief during this difficult period. Represented during the condolence visit by the Okigwe Local Government Liaison Officer, Hon. Elder Ndubueze Nwokoro, who was accompanied by the APC Okigwe LGA Woman Leader, the Youth Mobilizer, and the Senator’s Senior Special Assistant on Media for Okigwe,…

Funny and controversial artiste, Habeeb ‘Portable’ Badmus, and his celebrity boxing rival, Charles Okocha, are set for a rematch on July 31. DrumAfricanews reports that their press conference for Chaos in the Ring 4 descended into chaos on Tuesday at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Sheraton, Ikeja, Lagos, leading many to expect a tough battle on the 31st of July. Ezekiel Adamu, Balmoral Group Promotions CEO,confirmed the rematch had been activated at Okocha’s request following their first encounter which Portable won by unanimous decision. According to Adamu, “They fought before. Charles wants a rematch. He activated a rematch clause. So, we…

Governor Peter Mbah has approved scholarships for over 760 beneficiaries under the 2025/2026 Local Scholarship Scheme, reinforcing his administration’s commitment to expanding access to quality education and developing the state’s human capital. The Executive Secretary of the Enugu State Scholarship and Education Loans Board, Chukwuemeka Mbah, disclosed this in Enugu. According to him, the beneficiaries, drawn from the 17 Local Government Areas and various academic disciplines, include over 500 undergraduate students, 100 postgraduate students, and 160 public sector teachers. He said successful candidates who passed the Computer-Based Test (CBT) are already being contacted via text messages and email on an…

The Orashi Electricity Company Limited, under Governor Hope Uzodimma’s Light Up Imo Project, is spearheading a major transformation of the state’s power sector. DrumAfricanews gathered that the latest initiative involves the construction of strategic infrastructure designed not only to illuminate homes but also to energize industries and bolster investor confidence. At the core of this transformation is the ongoing construction of a 50-kilometer Owerri–Orlu 132kV transmission corridor. As gathered, this high-capacity line, operating at 132,000 volts, functions as an energy superhighway, channeling bulk electricity directly from the national grid to the Orlu Zone. The company said that the high voltage…