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Imo communities battle govt, church over communal land

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The controversy surrounding the ownership of the former premises of Imo State Polytechnic, Orlu campus has taken a different dimension, as the people of Umuire, Eluama, Ndiowerre and Ndikabia in Orlu Autonomous Community, have dragged the Imo State Government and the Orlu Catholic Diocese to court, seeking to repossess their land.

In the case, with Suit No: HOR/48/2025, between, Chijioke Odogwu, Venatius Nnuyi and Hon Elijah P.N. Uzomba as representatives of the Communities against the State Government and the incorporated Trustees of the Catholic Diocese of Orlu, the communities, are praying that the court should determine the original owners of the land.

The plaintiffs, in the statement of claim signed by their lawyer, N.O. Chukwuezi, stated that sometime between 1945 and 1946, some Irish missionaries arrived Orlu and were looking for a place to establish a secondary school.

They stated that their fathers welcomed the Irish missionaries and their desire to establish a school and jointly donated a part of their land known as Uhu Agu to them where they built Bishop Shanahan College (BSC), Orlu.

The communities recalled that the school was then managed for the Irish missionaries by the Marist Brothers.

The Plaintiffs averred that after some time, the same Irish missionaries approached the community again, to give them the remaining Uhu Agu land opposite Bishop Shanahan College for them to use as a temporary place for training teachers.

They stated that at that period, their fathers refused to make an outright donation of the land to the missionaries but merely granted them the right to stay on the land pending when they will conclude their assignment and leave.

Based on that premise, the Plaintiffs showed the missionaries a little portion of their jointly owned Uhu Agu land opposite Bishop Shanahan College, where the missionaries raised few temporary structure for Teacher-Training College.

The lawyer further revealed that another portion was given to the church for Pastoral Centre.

The Plaintiffs further averred that one of the conditions for showing the Irish missionaries the land was that the missionaries would be paying rent to them on a yearly basis through their Traditional Rulers, an agreement the plaintiffs claimed had been carried out religiously by the missionaries until the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War in 1967 which disrupted the school’s academic calendar.

“When the War ended in 1970, the College’s premises were taken over by the 24 Battalion of the Nigerian Army.

“The Army continued to occupy the land until 1973 when the then Government of East Central State took over all schools owned by the Government ,including BSTC,” the plaintiffs stated.

They recalled that the government continued to run and manage the school before the then Government of Imo State converted the site to a campus of Alvan Ikoku College of Education, following the exit of the former occupants.

The communities’ representatives further stated that In the process, the government expanded the school and took over other adjoining parcels of the land belonging to them and built a block wall right round it.

“In 1982, the then Government of Imo State returned the campus of Alvan Ikoku College of Education to Owerri and established Technical Skills Acquisition Centre (TESAC) thereon which was renamed Technical Skills Acquisition Institute (TESAI) under the regime of Governor Ikedi Ohakim.

“During the regime of Governor Rochas Okorocha, he made the place a campus of Imo State Polytechnic which the present Government has moved to Omuma in Oru East Local Government Area.

“Following this move, the land became vacant for us the original owners to take back, but surprisingly, the State Government handed the land to the church without our knowledge,” they claimed.

They argued that since the State Government and the former occupant of the land were no longer in need of the land in question, that they lacked the powers to hand the land to a third party.

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NIGERIA POLICE FORCE ANNOUNCES RESUMPTION OF ENFORCEMENT OF TINTED GLASS PERMIT

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The Nigeria Police Force wishes to inform the general public of the planned resumption of the enforcement of Tinted Glass Permit policy pending the final determination of the matter currently before the court. This decision follows a careful review of emerging security concerns and the need to ensure the safety of all citizens.

It is important to clarify that at no point did the court restrain the Nigeria Police Force from enforcing the provisions of the law regarding the use of tinted glass on vehicles. Nonetheless, in the spirit of responsibility, transparency, and public convenience, the Force suspended enforcement to allow motorists ample opportunity to regularise their documentation and complete the registration process without pressure.

Recent trends, however, reveal a disturbing rise in criminal activities perpetrated with the aid of vehicles fitted with unauthorised tinted glass. Some individuals and organised criminal groups have exploited this gap to conceal their identities and facilitate crimes ranging from armed robbery to kidnapping and other violent crimes. In view of this, the Nigeria Police Force has found it both necessary and urgent to resume full enforcement as a proactive measure to safeguard our communities. Consequently, enforcement of Tinted Glass Permit will resume on 2nd January, 2026.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, NPM, assures the public that the renewed enforcement will be carried out with utmost professionalism, respect for the rights of citizens, and in accordance with extant laws. He adds that the Force remains committed to promoting public safety and upholding the rule of law while working collaboratively with all stakeholders to keep Nigeria secure.

Meanwhile, motorists who require the Tinted Glass Permit are encouraged to apply through the approved channels and ensure that their vehicles comply with legal procedures.

CSP FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
ABUJA.

15th December, 2025

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Bianca Ojukwu’s Daughter Joins Her Mother at the ECOWAS Council of Ministers Session in South Africa

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Following a recent post by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, on her official Instagram account on Monday, 15th December, 2025, the minister shared a noteworthy moment from the ECOWAS 95th Session of the Council of Ministers held in South Africa.

In the post, Ambassador Ojukwu revealed that her daughter, Chi, who works with UN Tourism, accompanied her to the high-level regional meeting to gain firsthand insight into the demands of diplomatic service. According to the minister, the experience offered her daughter a clearer understanding of the intensity and dedication required in her role as Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.

She explained that the council’s deliberations often stretched late into the night, sometimes well past midnight, with long hours spent in the conference hall and sustained by endless cups of tea. The demanding schedule, she noted, was far more intense than her daughter had anticipated

The post has since drawn reactions from followers, many of whom praised Ambassador Ojukwu for mentoring the next generation through exposure to international diplomacy and commended her commitment to regional cooperation and public service within ECOWAS.

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Late Ambassador Demola Seriki’s last wife accuses family of denying her and their children access to his graveside

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All appears not to be well with the family former Nigerian Ambassador to Spain, Late Demola Seriki, left behind. The Lagos politician and former minister passed away on Thursday, December 15, 2022, in Madrid, Spain at the age of 63 leaving behind three wives and his children.

Today marked three years since he passed away.

His last wife, Princess Sholape and her children had visited his graveside to pray for the repose of his soul. Sholape in a video she shared online this evening, said she and her kids were denied access into the vault to offer their prayers for the repose of his soul. According to her, a certain Biola has refused to grant herself and her kids access to the graveside and has instructed that visitation to his grave must be done only by her approval.

Sholape shared a video of herself and her two children at the grave.

‘’The keys for the vault has been seized and we have been refused access to it. Today we speak up and we will get on with things. It’s okay. It doesn’t stop up. We have done our prayers’’

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSS3dopDVBM/?igsh=ZDQ1ZTJsYXlobTU3

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