In a significant move against child trafficking, Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has handed over three abducted children to their relieved parents.

The children, who were stolen from Bauchi and sold in Anambra by unscrupulous individuals, were safely returned through collaborative efforts.

During the formal handover at the Bauchi Government House, Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Auwal Musa, briefed the Governor on the successful rescue operation.

CP Musa narrated the joint efforts of the Bauchi and Anambra State Police commands, working in close coordination with the Office of the State First Lady under the Gender-Based Violence Committee.

First Lady Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed commended Governor Bala Mohammed for his unwavering support in combating child abuse, abduction, and trafficking.

Aisha Bala Mohamme emphasized that Governor Bala’s commitment has been instrumental in the success of various initiatives led by the committee.

Governor Bala Mohammed condemned the heinous activities of those exploiting innocent children.

Governor Bala praised the security agencies, as well as the First Ladies of Bauchi and Anambra States, for their crucial roles in tackling such criminal acts.

Addressing parents, Governor Mohammed urged them to remain vigilant and ensure the proper upbringing and monitoring of their children.

He, however, called on community leaders to supervise and monitor residents in their localities to prevent future occurrences.

In a statement by Governor Balas media aid Lawal Muazu Bauchi Reiterating the importance of justice, Governor Mohammed stressed that justice delayed is justice denied, directing that perpetrators be dealt with decisively according to the law.

A State High Court sitting in Enugu has issued an interim injunction restraining apex Igbo socio-political group Ohanaeze Ndigbo from entertaining the candidacy of former Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, as an aspirant or contestant in the January 10 election to the office of the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

This followed a motion filed by Chimenu Amadi for himself and on behalf of the Indigenous Igbos of Rivers State asking the court to restrain Okiro from contesting the Presidency of Ohanaeze Ndigbo for the fact that he’s an indigene of Imo State and only indigenes of Rivers State are eligible to aspire for the said position.

The court gave an interim injunction restraining Okiro on the grounds of ineligibility with particular reference to his state of origin pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

The court also issued an interim injunction giving a go-ahead to the Nze Ozichukwu-Chukwu constituted committee to conduct the election into the office of the president general of the apex Igbo socio-cultural group slated for January 10, 2025, and also restraining some chieftains of the group from interfering or disrupting the election.

According to a motion filed by Aloy Ejimakor against some chieftains of Ohanaeze Ndigbo; Chidi Ibe, Okechukwu Isiguzoro and Richard Ozubu known as 5th to 7th respondents, there is a calculated bid to sow a seed of discord, disharmony, lawlessness and unrest by some elements who constituted a parallel body without lawful authority as they intend to go against the constitution of the group by throwing the contest into the president general’s office as an open and free-for-all affairs.

Also, according to Article 11 of the mode of election to the office of the president general, it ought to be rotational amongst the Igbo states and Igbo-speaking people of Delta and Rivers states.

However, the court issued an interim injunction for status quo to be maintained in the matter pending the hearing of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

On January 10, Ohanaeze Ndigbo would elect its next president-general following the expiration of the tenure of the late Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.

Iwuanyanwu, who died a few months ago was replaced with Fidelis Ozichukwu who would preside over the affairs of the group till January 10, 2025.

Channels TV

The Armed Forces of Nigeria have dropped three places in the 2024 Global Firepower (GFP) ranking, moving from 36th position in 2023 to 39th among 145 nations assessed worldwide.

This marks a second consecutive year of decline for Nigeria, which was ranked 35th in 2022.

Punch reports that the drop comes despite the acquisition of fighter jets and other military assets, alongside reported successes in the fight against terrorism within the country.

Nigeria also slid from third to fourth place among African countries, with Egypt maintaining its top spot on the continent, followed by Algeria and South Africa.

Globally, the United States retained its first-place ranking for the 18th consecutive year, showcasing superior strength across material, financial, and resource categories. Russia, China, India, and South Korea rounded out the top five.

Other notable African nations in the rankings include Ethiopia, Angola, Morocco, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The GFP report assessed countries based on over 60 factors, including military resources, financial stability, logistical capabilities, and geography. Nigeria’s Power Index (PwrIndx) score for 2024 stood at 0.5619, with a score of 0.0000 being considered “perfect.”