Activities at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli campus, have been temporarily suspended over the attacks by armed hoodlums operating within the Ihiala Local Government Area, Anambra State.
Uli community, where the state-owned institution is located, is within the Ihiala LGA, a border town in Anambra, where the high rate of unknown gunmen activities have been recorded.
It was gathered that these attackers, who allegedly came from neighbouring communities, carried out calculated “hit and run” operations in the localities, thereby throwing the staff of the institution into a panic.
A top academic staff of the institution, who spoke to journalists on the condition of anonymity, said, “Due to increased activities of these hoodlums, academic and non-academic staff of the university are always in a panic mood when coming to work.
“The gunmen shot sporadically at the popular Total Filling Station along the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway, on Tuesday, thereby scaring the people out of the road in the guise of enforcing sit-at-home, which they claimed would last from Monday to Thursday this week.
“As a result of this, all scheduled meetings and lectures at the Uli campus this week have been cancelled by the various heads of departments and units. The authorities at the institution’s administrative headquarters at Igbariam, Anambra East Local Government Area have been briefed on the development.”
It was also gathered that gunmen had earlier barricaded the famous Nkwo Ogbe Main Market, Ihiala, on Tuesday, thereby halting both commercial and economic activities while claiming to be enforcing a sit-at-home declared by a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra last week.
When contacted on the development, the state Police Command said normalcy had returned to the area following the improved operational and strategic positioning of both human and viable assets of the command by the joint security forces comprising the Police and Military.
Ikenga confirmed that hoodlums suspected to be members of IPOB, and the Eastern Security Network, on Tuesday, came out in their numbers on motorbikes and started shooting sporadically, in an attempt to disrupt commercial activities and vehicular movement in Ihiala.
He said, “The joint operatives responded swiftly, which made the armed men abandon their evil plan and took to their heels. Unfortunately, due to the indiscriminate shootings by the armed group, a stray bullet hit the chief security officer, CSO, of a bank on the leg and he was taken to the hospital where he is currently receiving treatment. No life was lost.
“Calm has returned to the area as the Police and other security forces have intensified patrols and improved security surveillance in the area.”
Nigerian celebrity chef Hilda Bassey has responded to the news of Irish chef Alan Fisher, who is based in Japan, breaking two Guinness World Records for the longest individual cooking marathon. Alan Fisher, an Irish restaurant owner and chef, set these records on Monday.
Fisher achieved a remarkable feat by cooking continuously for 119 hours and 57 minutes, surpassing the previous record held by Nigerian chef Hilda Baci, who had cooked for 93 hours and 11 minutes earlier this year. In addition to this, he also broke the record for the longest baking marathon, where he baked for 47 hours and 21 minutes, surpassing the previous record of 31 hours and 16 minutes.
In response to these accomplishments, Hilda Baci took to her social media page to extend her congratulations. She wrote, “Huge congratulations to Alan Fisher! Achieving 119 hours and 57 minutes is a remarkable accomplishment, and I wish him all the best as the new world record holder.”
The Canadian government has released a new plan for how many immigrants it will allow into the country over the next four years. The plan aims to welcome over 465,000 immigrants in 2023, 485,000 in 2024, and 500,000 in each of 2025 and 2026.
The plan also includes targets for different categories of immigrants. For example, the government plans to sponsor 82,000 spouses, partners, and children in 2024, and 84,000 in each of 2025 and 2026. It also plans to sponsor 32,000 parents and grandparents in 2024, and 34,000 in each of 2025 and 2026.
The government will also admit a certain number of immigrants under its federal high-skilled program and caregiver program. In 2024, the government plans to admit 110,770 immigrants under these programs, and 117,500 in each of 2025 and 2026.
To apply for immigration to Canada, potential immigrants must first find out if they are eligible for one of the Express Entry programs. They can do this by answering a few questions on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website.
If they are eligible, they can submit their profile to the Express Entry pool. Their profile will be ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The candidates with the highest CRS scores will receive invitations to apply for permanent residence.
If you are invited to apply for permanent residence, you will have 60 days to submit your application. You will need to provide documentation such as your passport, language test results, proof of education, proof of funds, police certificates, medical exams, and birth certificates.
Nigerian musician Naira Marley, whose real name is Abdulazeez Fashola, and his associate Samson Eletu, also known as Sam Larry, have taken legal action against Lagos State Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun and the police. They have initiated a fundamental rights lawsuit in the Federal High Court in Lagos in order to contest their prolonged detention regarding the death of singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, better known as Mohbad.
In this lawsuit, Sam Larry and Naira Marley are seeking damages of N20 million each from the defendants. Represented by their lawyer, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), they are asking the court to declare that their ongoing detention at the Homicide Section of the Lagos State Police Command, Panti, since October 4, 2023, constitutes a violation of their rights.
The affidavits submitted along with their legal actions state that their problems began between October 3 and 4, 2023, when they were apprehended by the police on suspicion of their involvement in the death of Ilerioluwa Aloba, also known as Mohbad. On October 4, 2023, the Commissioner of Police sought a court order from the Magistrates’ Court in Yaba to detain them for 30 days.
Chief Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun granted the police’s request, allowing them to be held for a period of 21 days in police custody. This 21-day detention order, granted by Chief Magistrate Olatunbosun, expired on October 26, 2023, and has not been extended.
