Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

By Moses Ayodele ORJI My painful experience yesterday evening wading through the murky sludge at Ariaria International Market, ABA,took me down memory. I reflected on Abia and our loud claims to having transformed. And I remembered Governor Otti’s campaign promise to the traders at this market that he would commence his “transformational journey” from Ariaria. And I remembered that we are on the threshold of yet another campaign period. One of the great tragedies of our lives is that we seldom bridge the gap between practice and profession. This persistent moral gulf leaves so many of us tragically dividend against…

Paul University, Awka, an Anglican Church owned higher institution has suspended a member of its academic staff, Venerable Cornelius Eze, over allegation of sexual molestation in the institution. DrumAfricanews gathered that Eze, who is a Practical Biology Technologist in the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, has been placed on indefinite suspension pending the outcome of both the university’s internal disciplinary process and investigations by relevant law enforcement agencies. A video circulating on social media showed the alleged suspended staff dressed only in his boxer shorts and allegedly fleeing from his office after the incident, where he allegedly jumped out…

Minister of Works,Engr. David Umahi, has spoken publicly for the first time on the death of a female staff member linked to him, insisting that an autopsy must be conducted to establish the cause of death while rejecting allegations that he or his family had any involvement. Speaking on Thursday, Umahi said his lawyers had already responded to the allegations but that he felt compelled to address what he described as misinformation surrounding the incident. Recall that reports had it that two young women from Kaduna state – Mary Habila and Mary Baski – left home and visited the country…

The Office of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has faulted a recent “field tracking” report on Federal Government projects in Bende Federal Constituency by Tracka, describing it as politically motivated, misleading and deliberately done. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Office said the report which has now been deleted from Tracka’s Facebook page barely 24 hours after it was published on July 15, 2026 for reasons yet to be ascertained is a deliberate attempt to mislead the public. The Office added that the report reflected a misunderstanding of how federal projects are…

Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kigali Independent University (ULK), Rwanda, to strengthen academic collaboration, research, innovation and staff/student development. The agreement, signed virtually on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, establishes a framework for cooperation in STEM, Education, Humanities, Management and the Social Sciences, while promoting academic, scientific and cultural exchanges between the two institutions. The partnership will support joint research, conferences, seminars, workshops, curriculum development, scholarly publications, staff development, and undergraduate and postgraduate student exchange programmes. It also includes the joint supervision of Master’s and PhD research. To ensure effective implementation, both universities…

More than 106 surveillance and security personnel have been deployed by the Ebonyi State Government to enforce its ban on unauthorised graduation, valedictory and prize-giving ceremonies in public and private schools across the state. The deployment forms part of the government’s efforts to ensure full compliance with its education policy, which prohibits schools from organising graduation-related events without approval from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. The Commissioner for Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Donatus C. Ilang, announced the deployment during a briefing for members of the ministry’s surveillance team and security personnel. The officers have been assigned to…

…court fixes Sept 30 for arraignment The Nigeria Police Force on Monday said it has arrested the Director-General of the allegely non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC, Adeniyi Adeyemi. in Osun State. His arrest came barely hours after Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja issued a warrant for his arrest. It was gathered that men of the Federal Investigation Department/IRT of the Force Headquarters stormed his hideout in Osun to effect his arrest. Security sources according to reports said that a team, led by Moses Lohor, arrested him in a village in Ijesaland. Adeyemi was…

The Imo State Police Command has commenced investigations surrounding the death of a wife and mother of three children allegedly murdered by her fleeing husband in a church in Owaelu, in the Owerri North local government area. Police Public Relations Officer for Imo State Command, DSP Henry Okoye gave the confirmation on Monday in Owerri. The corpse was discovered by neighbours on Monday morning probably due to the incessant cries of the baby. The fleeing husband and father of three had allegedly killed his wife and disappeared with two of the children but left the toddler beside his wife’s corpse.…

By Ekene Amakonze, Owerri The status of Imo State is gradually changing from a normal oil and gas producing state to the major gas producing state in the country following a recent business deal. According to available information, landmark 16-year Gas Sale Agreement has been signed and sealed between Renaissance Africa Energy, owners of Asa North Ohaji (ANOH) Gas Plant and Indorama Fertilizer FZE, Rivers State. This is a significant step toward unlocking the economic potential of the South East and strengthening regional industrial cooperation. Under the agreement, the ANOH Gas Processing Facility in Ohaji Imo State, will supply up…

According to information made available by the Abia State Police command, 30 male suspects aged between 22 and 46 years and 1 female suspect were apprehended, while various substances suspected to be illicit hard drugs were recovered during an operation at the dreaded criminal enclave, “Down Below”, and others.  DrumAfricanews reports that following the instruction of CP Danladi Isa, Abia police recently intensified raids on crime-prone zones, and the Mission Hill/New Road axis, Umuahia, in an area popularly known as “Down Below”, notoriously known for various crimes, was not left out.  The Abia police PPRO Maureen Chinaka, in her statement,…