Author: Emmanuel Obe

Nigeria’s HIV/AIDS burden has remained largely stable, but the epidemic continues to vary significantly across states, with Akwa Ibom recording the highest prevalence rate while Rivers State has the largest number of people living with the virus, according to the latest analysis of the country’s 2025 HIV data. The report, compiled from verified data by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), UNAIDS, the Federal Ministry of Health and peer-reviewed research, estimates that between 1.9 million and 2.0 million Nigerians are currently living with HIV, making the country one of those with the highest HIV-positive populations in the…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions and the recruitment of an additional 28,000 personnel in a major move aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture and enhancing the military’s operational effectiveness. The approval, announced on Thursday in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, is part of the Federal Government’s efforts to improve the Armed Forces’ capacity to respond to the country’s evolving security challenges. According to the statement, the expansion builds on the Tinubu administration’s sustained investments in the military, including the…

..appeals to company to fund critical road projects Bonny Local Government in Rivers State has offered to forgo its 2027 tenement revenue from the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited if the company accedes to fund some strategic road projects in the area. The Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area, Hon. Abinye Blessing Pepple, disclosed when the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NLNG, Engr. Adeleye Falade, paid him a courtesy visit at his residence in Bonny. Pepple said his administration has prioritised the construction of the Semidia Road linking Water Well 5 and the Akiama Road, alongside an…

…alleges attempts to impose sectional domination The Kalabari Dialogue Group (KDG) has condemned the forced denial of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of his right to seek reelection in 2027, alleging attempts by political interests to impose sectional political domination in Rivers State. In a statement issued after an extraordinary meeting on Thursday and signed by its Director of Communication and Strategy, Mr. Sotonye Ijuye-Dagogo, the group expressed concern over what it described as the growing politics of domination and the erosion of equity and rotational principles in Rivers State. The group alleged that Governor Fubara was prevented from securing the APC…

…to set up Clean Akwa Ibom Brigade Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has announced sweeping measures to tackle perennial flooding in the state, including the demolition of buildings erected on designated drainage channels and the establishment of a specialised environmental task force known as the Clean Akwa Ibom Brigade. The governor unveiled the new flood control strategy while speaking with journalists after an unscheduled inspection of the Judiciary Staff Quarters project in Uyo, stressing that effective flood management requires the collective efforts of both government and residents. Governor Eno said the state would immediately develop a new flood…

The Eleme PhD Forum and the Eleme Graduates Forum have appealed to Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, to urgently initiate the permanent demarcation of the boundary between Eleme and neighbouring Okrika communities in accordance with existing government directives and judicial pronouncements. The appeal formed part of resolutions reached at a Joint Congress of both groups held on Sunday and contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting. The organisations argued that implementing the Rivers State Government White Paper on the Report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Eleme–Okrika Crisis would provide a lasting solution…

…prioritises infrastructure, education… allocates N40 billion to Assembly projects Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, on Friday presented a proposed budget of N1.854 trillion for the 2026 fiscal year to the Rivers State House of Assembly, with a strong emphasis on infrastructure, education, healthcare and economic growth. Presenting the Appropriation Bill, titled “Budget of Resilience for Growth and Development,” before lawmakers, Fubara said the proposal was designed to build an economically resilient, thriving and prosperous Rivers State through prudent management of public resources. The governor stated that despite recent challenges, his administration had sustained governance and recorded significant progress in…

The Citizens Platform for Political Inclusion (CPPI) has threatened to institute legal proceedings against major political parties over what it described as exorbitant nomination and expression of interest fees, warning that the practice undermines democratic participation. The group also petitioned the National Assembly, urging lawmakers to amend the Electoral Act to regulate nomination fees charged by political parties. According to CPPI, the legal and legislative actions are being undertaken in partnership with the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership and the Embassara Foundation. Pre-action notices have been served on the All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nigeria Democratic…

The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a middle-aged man for allegedly stabbing his father, retired Captain David Nwoke, to death at Oro Ekpo Estate, Ada George, in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. The Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Blessing Agabe, confirmed the incident to our correspondent, saying the suspect is in police custody while investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the killing. A resident of the estate, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the tragedy occurred on Saturday after security personnel at the estate gate raised an alarm that a landlord…

Eleme Local Government has unveiled a comprehensive three-point strategy to tackle the persistent electricity crisis in the area, with work set to begin this week on the repair and replacement of damaged power infrastructure that has left several communities in prolonged darkness. The Executive Chairman of the Council, Chief Obarilomate Ollor, announced the plan following an Executive Council meeting where electricity supply was given top priority as part of the administration’s efforts to improve residents’ welfare and stimulate economic development. The strategy, which consists of short, medium and long-term interventions, is expected to address the total blackout affecting communities including…