The Enugu State Police Command has intensified its offensive against criminal elements in the state, with recent operations leading to the arrest of three suspects and the recovery of firearms, a stolen motorcycle, and various other exhibits linked to armed robbery cases.

In a statement made available to DAILY GAZETTE on Tuesday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, the Police confirmed that the latest breakthrough came through a series of intelligence-driven operations executed across different parts of the state.

According to the statement, police operatives from the Agbani Area Command, acting on credible intelligence, arrested Okafor Chukwuka, a 28-year-old male, in the early hours of August 20, 2025.

A locally made double-barrel firearm was recovered from the suspect, who has been linked to a violent robbery incident in Nara Unataeze, Nkanu East LGA, where a motorcycle was stolen at gunpoint roughly two weeks prior.

In a separate but related development, officers from the Udenu Police Division apprehended two male suspects; Emeka Odo (45) and Ugochukwu Eze (35), at Obollo-Afor in Udenu LGA on August 18, 2025.

During preliminary interrogation, Emeka Odo confessed to participating in the armed robbery of a motorcyclist on August 7, alongside an accomplice who remains at large.

He further revealed that Ugochukwu Eze had agreed to purchase the stolen motorcycle.

The operation also led to the recovery one locally fabricated cut-to-size gun, one live cartridge, one battle axe, a cutlass and three solar panels.

Others were; one solar battery, one solar-powered light as well as a suspected charm.

The suspects are currently in custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.

Reacting to the arrests, the Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa reiterated the Command’s steadfast commitment to flushing out criminals from all corners of the state.

He commended the operatives for their professionalism and urged members of the public to remain vigilant and continue providing the Police with actionable information.

“Our message is clear: Enugu is not a safe haven for criminals. We will continue to go after them until every law-abiding citizen feels safe in their homes and communities,” CP Giwa stated.

Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) staged protests across the country on Tuesday, voicing their rejection of the Federal Government’s recent loan scheme and demanding the payment of long-overdue salaries and allowances.

At the University of Jos, lecturers demonstrated before addressing the press, firmly dismissing the Tertiary Institution Staff Support Fund loan initiative introduced by the government.

Joseph Molwus, chairperson of the ASUU branch there, described the loan offer as a “poison chalice” that would push university staff further into financial distress instead of providing relief.

Molwus emphasized that what lecturers truly need is not loans but the release of unpaid entitlements.

“How can the government expect us to borrow money to cover basic needs like healthcare and school fees when it still owes us salaries, allowances, and arrears?” he questioned.

Similar protests were held at the University of Lagos, where lecturers demanded better welfare, the payment of arrears, and a renegotiation of the 2009 Federal Government-ASUU agreement.

At the University of Benin and the Federal University Gusau, lecturers sent a stern warning to the government to honour the agreement or face the possibility of another strike.

Abdulrahman Adamu, chairman of the ASUU chapter at Gusau, lamented the chronic neglect of Nigerian universities and pointed out that funding has largely been left to TETFUND while academic staff endure various hardships.

Adamu disclosed that the government still owes ASUU over three months’ salary arrears from the 2020 strike, in addition to unpaid promotion and wage award arrears ranging from 25 to 35 months.

Academic staff at the Federal University Dutse in Jigawa State also joined the protest, highlighting their grievances over unpaid salaries and calling on the government to address their financial struggles.

Isma’il Ahmad, the union chairman there, stated that the current salaries are insufficient to meet lecturers’ basic living expenses.

Across all protest venues, ASUU reiterated that the government should prioritize settling outstanding obligations including unpaid salaries, earned allowances, promotion arrears, revitalization funds, wage awards, and third-party deductions, rather than offering loan schemes.

The union further expressed frustration over the government’s failure to conclude the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU agreement despite years of dialogue and reports submitted by various committees.

ASUU warned that the delay is pushing lecturers into despair and putting at risk the industrial peace that has lasted over two years.

The lecturers recalled President Bola Tinubu’s 2022 campaign promise to prevent university strikes during his tenure, lamenting that two years on, critical issues remain unresolved.

They appealed for the president’s direct intervention to renew hope and prevent a looming crisis in the education sector.

While affirming their commitment to dialogue, ASUU cautioned that patience is wearing thin and urged the Federal Government to urgently address these matters to avoid another prolonged shutdown of academic activities.

A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered the final forfeiture of shares worth over ₦246 million linked to a former Managing Director of Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL), Major-General U.M. Mohammed (rtd), to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Presiding judge, Justice Dehinde Dipeolu, gave the ruling on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, following a motion filed by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The motion was argued by the Commission’s counsel, H.U. Kofarnaisa.

This order follows an earlier interim forfeiture granted by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, which included a directive to publish the order in a national newspaper, giving any interested party an opportunity to contest the forfeiture.

Presenting the application for final forfeiture, Kofarnaisa relied on an affidavit sworn by EFCC investigating officer Nwike Fortune.

According to the affidavit, the EFCC had investigated a petition from NAPL alleging large-scale fraud involving General Mohammed and two others;  Mr. Yusuf Abdullahi Abubakar and Mr. Kayode Oladipupo Filani.

The investigation revealed that while serving as NAPL’s MD from 2015 to 2020, General Mohammed allegedly sold off company assets and diverted the proceeds for personal enrichment.

“To conceal the proceeds of these unlawful activities,” the affidavit states, “he used the funds to acquire shares in several companies under the name of Awhua Resources Limited.”

The seized shares include;

National Aviation Handling Company – ₦115,567,906

Vitafoam Nigeria Plc – ₦81,901,651

University Press Plc – ₦40,155,291

Oando Plc – ₦2,000,000

Dangote Sugar Refinery – ₦1,000,000

Kofarnaisa argued that the shares, listed in Schedules A, B, and C of the EFCC’s application, were purchased with misappropriated funds and should be forfeited in the interest of justice.

In his ruling, Justice Dipeolu agreed with the EFCC’s submissions and ordered the final forfeiture of the shares to the Federal Government.

The Delta State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of four of its personnel captured in a viral video counting bundles of cash while inside a patrol vehicle.

The incident, which sparked widespread public outrage on social media, prompted a swift response from the Command.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Bright Edafe, said the officers had been identified, arrested, and brought before the Commissioner of Police.

“The policemen in the embarrassing video have been identified and arrested. They appeared before the Commissioner of Police today,” Edafe stated.

According to him, disciplinary measures are already underway.

“The four personnel, two of them senior officers, have been queried, while the two inspectors have been detained and are awaiting an orderly room trial.”

The short video clip, which circulated widely online, showed the officers casually seated in a patrol van, visibly handling and counting large sums of cash, a scene that drew criticism and questions about potential misconduct.

Earlier, Edafe had assured the public that the Command was taking the matter seriously and would ensure appropriate disciplinary action.

Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has once again called for the release of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu, emphasizing that “freeing Kanu is the right thing to do.”

The governor made this appeal during a question-and-answer session following his presentation on “Leadership and Transformation” at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference held in Enugu.

Speaking about his advocacy efforts, Governor Mbah revealed that his first official visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu focused on pressing for Kanu’s release. In response to a participant’s encouragement to persist, he affirmed:

“My first visit to the President was about Nnamdi Kanu. I believe that the right thing to do is to release him. Hopefully, that will be done soon.”

On the impact of Kanu’s detention on Enugu, Governor Mbah shared that the state has moved past the disruptions caused by the sit-at-home order, which mandated residents to remain indoors every Monday across the Southeast.

“We met a situation where people were compelled to stay at home every Monday. Now, people trade in Ogbete and other markets in peace on Mondays. Monday sit-at-home has ended in Enugu, as you (lawyers) can see. You can also move around and investigate,” he stated.

Currently, Kanu is on trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja, facing terrorism charges, which he has denied.

Shifting focus to leadership and governance, Governor Mbah stressed that transformational leadership requires boldness and innovation.

“Our vision was to grow Enugu’s economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion, to reduce the poverty headcount to zero, and to make Enugu the preferred destination in Nigeria for business, for tourism, and for living. We imagined a state that, within eight years, would be completely unrecognisable from the one we inherited,” he explained.

He highlighted the critical role of security in achieving these ambitious goals, outlining the state’s investments in a technology-driven, intelligence-led security framework.

“None of our visions and targets would have been possible without security. So, from the outset, we built a tech-driven, intelligence-led security architecture anchored in our Command and Control Centre.”

“With round-the-clock AI surveillance across our neighbourhoods, integrated response units (DRS), and community partnership, Enugu has recorded an over 80 per cent reduction in violent crime. This stability is the bedrock upon which investment, jobs, and society can grow,” the governor elaborated.

Governor Mbah also highlighted his administration’s extensive development agenda, noting that over 2,000 projects are either ongoing or completed in sectors including health, roads, transport, agriculture, and education.

He defended allocating more than a third of the state’s budget to education, describing it as a crucial investment in human capital.

“We committed over 33 per cent of our budget to education, a decision some thought was reckless. But we knew it was essential. The real wealth of Enugu, now and in the future, rests on the quality of its human capital,” he concluded.

A train travelling from Abuja to Kaduna derailed on Tuesday morning, causing panic among passengers and raising concerns over railway safety along the popular corridor.

The derailment happened around 11:09 am at kilometre 49, between Kubwa and Asham stations, shortly after the train departed Abuja.

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) confirmed the incident in an official statement signed by its Managing Director, Kayode Opeifa.

One of the passengers onboard described the aftermath as chaotic, with terrified passengers scrambling to safety amid fear and confusion.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or fatalities, but the cause of the derailment remains unknown as of the time of filing this report.

In response to the emergency, military personnel and security operatives were deployed to the scene to support evacuation efforts. Emergency medical teams and nearby hospitals have also been put on standby.

“Full complement of security is already on ground, and efforts are ongoing to return all passengers safely to Abuja,” Opeifa stated.

The NRC has yet to announce when normal service will resume or provide additional details on possible disruptions along the Abuja-Kaduna rail line, which has become a vital route for many travelers despite past security challenges.