“I have mental fortitude, I am physically stronger, but I cannot undo what was done to me. Why do they do things like this and get away with it?” Aria John’s* voice cracked from the weight of her grief, the realisation that justice was not attainable, and the knowledge that her struggles were seen as …
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An invitation to a wedding ceremony in Lokoja set one traveller on a perilous road. He had been asked to represent the father of the bride, his maternal uncle, who was too ill to travel. The traditional rites had already been concluded in Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria, but the church ceremony in Lokoja in the …
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Most communities in southeastern Nigeria fall silent every Monday. Markets that once buzzed with commerce stand empty, schools that nurtured dreams remain locked, and roads that carried aspirations lie barren. This weekly ritual of protest, born from the continuous detention of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has become both a …
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When Nigerian Army troops of the 34 Artillery Brigade stormed the hideout of Ifeanyi Eze Okorienta, popularly known as ‘Gentle De Yahoo’ in Aku-Ihube, South East Nigeria, they did more than capture a notorious commander of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN). They triggered a complex …
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The hum of a generator was the sound of success for Uzor Igwe. In his small but bustling workshop in Lilu town, Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria, the 38-year-old master technician could detect a faulty coil or a clogged carburettor just by listening. His grease-stained hands were tools of precision, restoring electricity to homes and businesses. …
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The spate of insecurity in Nigeria is turning many local communities into ungovernable spaces. As the secular government withdraws from these communities, terrorist groups expand their influence, consolidate authority, and accumulate illicit wealth. Traditional leaders—once the primary link between the people and governance—now operate under the coercive control of armed factions, which have established parallel …
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A widely shared post on social media claims that an 18-seater bus carrying passengers from the South-east was ambushed and set ablaze in Kano, northwestern Nigeria, by a violent mob, leaving no survivors. According to the post, the attack was carried out in retaliation for the recent killing of Northern travellers by youths in Edo …
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On a sunny morning in mid-October 2024, Chikamso Ogbu* stood by the front wall of Okpara Hall, one of the female hostels at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in Enugu State, southeastern Nigeria. Save for her frequent gropes and occasional calls for help from passers-by, it was not immediately apparent that the 300-level undergraduate …
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Before Nigeria’s presidential elections last year, legislator Alhassan Doguwa told raucous supporters what would happen to those who did not vote for his dominant All Progressives Congress party. “To God who made me, on election day, you must vote for APC or we will deal with you,” he warned to cheers captured on video. “I’m …
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Foreign ministers from the Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden have stressed their governments’ commitment to strengthening partnerships with Nigeria in peacekeeping, trade, education, sustainable development, and addressing disinformation. The ministers declared this at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Aug. 13, during a first-of-its-kind joint visit outside Europe. “The Nordic …
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Isaac Amechi*, 29, from Enugu State, southeastern Nigeria, grew up believing his father was dead. This lie, coupled with severe emotional and physical abuse from his uncle, led to a childhood marred by trauma and attempted suicide. “In 2012, when I was about to write my West African Examination Council (WAEC) exams, I ran to …
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If she was not billed to invigilate the Common Entrance Examination billed for Wednesday, June 6, Chinwe Nduka* would have stayed back home to respect the sit-at-home curfew imposed by a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra, in Enugu southeast Nigeria. Two hours after arriving at the school where she works, a group of …
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