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• October 3, 2025
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‘Anioma Statehood is a right, not privilege’ – Ned Nwoko

Senator Ned Munir Nwoko has reignited the agitation for the creation of Anioma State, insisting that the demand is not a plea for favour but a rightful claim rooted in history, identity, and justice. In a statement shared on his social media pages, the lawmaker representing Delta North in the 10th Senate traced Anioma’s long
‘Anioma Statehood is a right, not privilege’ – Ned Nwoko

Senator Ned Munir Nwoko has reignited the agitation for the creation of Anioma State, insisting that the demand is not a plea for favour but a rightful claim rooted in history, identity, and justice.

In a statement shared on his social media pages, the lawmaker representing Delta North in the 10th Senate traced Anioma’s long struggle through colonial distortions, the Nigerian Civil War, and decades of post-war marginalisation.

He affirmed that the people of Delta North are “Igbos in every sense: by language, tradition, blood, and identity.”

According to Nwoko, arbitrary colonial boundaries and manipulative post-war politics imposed on Anioma a “double burden: the pain of denial and the weight of marginalisation.” He underscored Anioma’s deep-rooted Igbo heritage, citing common market days, cultural festivals, names, and dialects as undeniable proof.

Revisiting Anioma’s history of resilience, the senator recalled the 31-year Ekwumeku resistance against colonial rule (1883–1914) and the tragic experiences of the Nigerian Civil War, including the infamous Asaba Massacre of October 7, 1967, when hundreds of Anioma men and boys were executed by federal troops despite their pleas for peace.

“The attempt to erase the Igbo identity of Anioma is a silent form of ethnic cleansing — not just of people, but of history and memory,” Nwoko declared.

He stressed that the creation of Anioma State goes beyond politics or personal ambition, describing it as an overdue correction of historical injustice. “Anioma people are not to be erased or silenced; rather they are to be recognised, celebrated, and established. Anioma State is the future and the time is now,” he said.

Calling on Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to support the cause, the senator reaffirmed that Anioma’s demand for statehood is “a right long denied and justice long delayed.”

‘Anioma Statehood is a right, not privilege’ – Ned Nwoko

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• October 3, 2025
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AAUA SSANU vows indefinite strike over unpaid salaries

Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, have vowed to embark on an indefinite strike. The association cited unpaid salaries, arrears, and neglected welfare issues as reasons for the planned action, disclosing that the last time members received their salaries was in July 2025.
AAUA SSANU vows indefinite strike over unpaid salaries

Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, have vowed to embark on an indefinite strike.

The association cited unpaid salaries, arrears, and neglected welfare issues as reasons for the planned action, disclosing that the last time members received their salaries was in July 2025.

According to the Chairman of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) at the state-owned institution, Comrade Olutayo Ogungbeni, the Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa-led administration has repeatedly failed to fulfill its promises to address the situation.

Ogungbeni stated that the state government had pledged in June 2025 to settle arrears and increase subventions to tertiary institutions but expressed concern that the current subvention for the university is insufficient.

The JAC chairman added that the government’s inaction has made it difficult to implement the 2024 National Minimum Wage for university workers, stressing that SSANU is reluctant to follow the example of its counterpart, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which has already withdrawn services since August over similar grievances.

ASUU had warned that the planned resumption of students and the forthcoming convocation ceremony could be disrupted if the government continues to ignore their demands.

Ogungbeni said: “The last salary collected was in July, and now we are in October. We demand payment of 54 months’ arrears from 2019, 18 months’ arrears of the 25%/35% salary increment, two months’ arrears of the 2024 minimum wage, promotion arrears for 2022, 2023, and 2024, and immediate payment of August and September 2025 salaries.”

While stressing that staff members have exercised patience for too long, the association maintained that they are now poised for a showdown, warning that the looming SSANU strike would paralyse all administrative and support services at the institution if the government fails to intervene.

AAUA SSANU vows indefinite strike over unpaid salaries

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• October 3, 2025
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Traditional rulers issue 21-day ultimatum to Oluwo over alleged assassination claim against Ooni

Traditional rulers in Ife-North Local Government Area of Osun State have given the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, a 21-day deadline to provide evidence supporting his recent allegations that the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, is plotting to assassinate him. In a viral video shared on social media, the Oluwo alleged that the
Traditional rulers issue 21-day ultimatum to Oluwo over alleged assassination claim against Ooni

Traditional rulers in Ife-North Local Government Area of Osun State have given the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, a 21-day deadline to provide evidence supporting his recent allegations that the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, is plotting to assassinate him.

In a viral video shared on social media, the Oluwo alleged that the Ooni conspired with his former wife, Queen Chanel, to eliminate him, vowing that the conflict between them would not end.

Reacting to the claims, the monarchs, under the umbrella of the “Origbo Meje Obas,” strongly condemned Oluwo’s remarks, describing them as unbecoming of a traditional ruler, let alone a king of his status.

Speaking on behalf of the group at his palace in Edunabon on Thursday, the Salu of Edunabon, Oba Adesoji Kehinde, accused the Oluwo of persistent misconduct, insults, and blatant disrespect toward the revered throne of Oduduwa.

The monarchs noted that the Oluwo’s repeated outbursts were designed to undermine and ridicule the traditional institution in Yorubaland, warning that such behaviour would no longer be condoned.

“There is no disputing the supremacy of the Ooni of Ife’s throne as the head of all Obas in Yorubaland. Records are available in the archives to verify Oluwo’s numerous public attacks on the Ooni of Ife,” Oba Kehinde said.

He criticised the Oluwo’s alleged penchant for frequently changing his titles in an attempt to gain undue media attention.

“It is surprising that Oluwo is the only Oba in Yorubaland who changes his title every six months, from Emir of Iwo to Alaafin of Iwo, just to court publicity. His actions continue to bring disrepute and ridicule to the thrones of Yoruba monarchs,” he added.

The traditional rulers therefore issued a 21-day ultimatum to Oluwo to back up his allegations against the Ooni with credible evidence. Failure to do so, they warned, would compel them to institute legal action at the expiration of the deadline.

Traditional rulers issue 21-day ultimatum to Oluwo over alleged assassination claim against Ooni

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• October 3, 2025
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Group alleges ethnic cleansing in Taraba, knocks state govt

The Ayatutu Cultural and Social Development Initiative, AYACASODI, has accused the Taraba State government of orchestrating a fresh wave of ethnic cleansing under the guise of establishing a Military Forward Operating Base, FOB, in Wukari local government council. The group raised the alarm on Friday, in a statement, condemning what it described as a renewed
Group alleges ethnic cleansing in Taraba, knocks state govt

The Ayatutu Cultural and Social Development Initiative, AYACASODI, has accused the Taraba State government of orchestrating a fresh wave of ethnic cleansing under the guise of establishing a Military Forward Operating Base, FOB, in Wukari local government council.

The group raised the alarm on Friday, in a statement, condemning what it described as a renewed attempt to displace Tiv communities from their ancestral lands.

In the statement, the national President of the group, Chief Timothy Baaki said the recent decision by a high level government delegation to allocate 150 hectares each in the Tiv-dominated communities of Ikyaior and Jandekyula for the proposed military base amounts to a deliberate strategy to dispossess the people.

“The Tiv people of Taraba are not opposed to military infrastructure aimed at enhancing security.

“However, the allocation of 300 hectares of fertile land in our ancestral communities is excessive, suspicious, and points to a calculated attempt to evict us under the cover of national security,” Baaki stated.

The move follows an earlier widely opposed effort in 2024 and early 2025.

AYACASODI claimed the new push, led by state officials during a visit on September 27, 2025, marks a dangerous escalation.

Citing past experiences, the group accused the military of siding one of the ethnic groups during the protracted crisis.

It also alleged that military deployments during the conflict were used to prevent displaced Tiv residents from returning to their homes, particularly in communities like Tor-Iorshagher, Tor-Musa, Kyernum, Zegeate, and Tse-Daa in Wukari, as well as Ibua, Danwanzan, Gidinwaya, and Gidan-Gboko in Ibi LGA.

“With only Ikyaior and Jandekyula remaining intact among Tiv communities in Wukari, this new move appears aimed at completing the ethnic cleansing agenda,” the group warned.

AYACASODI further claimed that since the escalation of violence in April 2019, over 320 Tiv villages in Taraba have been destroyed, with more than 280 villages still deserted and over 280,000 Tiv people living as internally displaced persons (IDPs) across the state.

Instead of prioritizing the return and rehabilitation of the displaced, the group says the government is bent on seizing more land, deepening the crisis.

The organization called on the Defence Headquarters and other military authorities to immediately suspend the proposed land acquisition and ensure the military is not used as a tool for ethnic and political agendas.

They also urged the federal government and relevant agencies to intervene and caution governor Agbu Kefas against “weaponizing state power for ethnic domination.”

AYACASODI demanded that Tiv leaders be fully involved in any land discussions related to military operations in their communities and called for urgent humanitarian support for displaced Tiv populations.

“The survival, identity, and dignity of the Tiv people are under direct threat. This must stop,” the group concluded.

Group alleges ethnic cleansing in Taraba, knocks state govt