News

Aba Crusade: Group Tackles IPOB, Urges Kumuyi To Ignore Warning

Published

4 years ago

May 21, 2022

File: Pastor W.F Kumuyi

The Coalition of South-East Youth Leaders has called on the General Overseer of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Kumuyi, to go ahead and hold his crusade in Aba, Abia State.

In a press release signed by its President-General, Goodluck Ibem, the group urged Pastor Kumuyi to “ignore the warning of the spokesman of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Emma Powerful, urging him to cancel his crusade in the South-East based on security concerns.”

The group observed that “In the South-East, politicians, political parties are organising their campaigns, people are doing burial ceremonies to bury their loved ones, white wedding and traditional weddings are going on and Emma Powerful did not tell them not to do their programmes, and the same person is warning the General Overseer of Deeper Life Bible Church not to go ahead with his crusade.

“We are really surprised how Emma Powerful became so concerned about Pastor Kumuyi’s security. Kumuyi is a Man of God protected by the Most High God. It is not the business of anyone to worry about how Almighty God protects his servants. For Emma Powerful to suddenly ask the Man of God to call off his scheduled crusade leaves much to be desired.

“Emma may not understand the impact of his statement by asking Kumuyi not to come to South-East. Asking the highly revered Man of God not to come to the South-East will cause serious fruition between the South-East and the South-West.

“We call on Emma Powerful not to make such statement next time concerning a Man Of God serving the Almighty God. Such a statement is not deserving at all.

“We call on Pastor Kumuyi to disregard the statement by Emma Powerful and come to the South-East to preach the gospel of the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ to our people,” the youths said.

According to them, “South-East is very safe. Businessmen and women have been coming to do their business without any molestation whatsoever.

“We call on Emma Powerful to leave Christianity alone and concentrate on his agitation for Biafra.”

IPOB had reportedly advised the General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Kumuyi, to cancel the planned crusade in Abia State, because of security concerns in the South-East.

In a statement yesterday, the group’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, cautioned Kumuyi to take note of the security situation in the South-East as he would to Aba for his gospel crusade.

Powerful said, “Let him and the organisers of the crusade make sure that nothing happens. The security of this region is not good, because of political and criminal activities; therefore, we advise him to stop this crusade for security reasons.

“IPOB will not allow anyone to die because of this crusade scheduled to hold in Aba. The operation of criminals operating as unknown gunmen infiltrating the events is high and they will blame it on IPOB.

“We ask him to pray for an end to the insecurity on Biafra land if he can. We charge Christians and men of God in Biafra land to engage God in fervent prayers to expose all those behind the insecurity in our land, and urge Kumuyi to pray against bad leaders and saboteurs in the South-East and Nigeria.”

PUNCH.

News

Edo NLC Crisis: Caretaker Committee Drags Rival Exco, Govt To Court

Published

5 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The division in the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), took a new dimension on Wednesday as Prof. Monday Monday Lewis Igbafen-led caretaker committee approached the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Benin Judicial Division, seeking to affirm its authority and restrain a rival executive from parading itself as the council’s leadership.

Joined in the suit are the Edo State Government, the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

In a suit marked: NICN/BEN/12/2026, and filed before the court in Benin, the claimant, Igbafen, acting for himself and on behalf of the NLC Caretaker Committee in Edo State, is challenging the continued occupation of the union’s secretariat and control of its assets by members of the Bernard Egwakhide-led factional State Executive Council.

The claimants are asking the court to declare that the caretaker committee (Igbafen-led faction), constituted on August 11, 2025, by the NLC national leadership, remains the only lawful authority to administer the affairs of the Edo State Council pending fresh elections.

They further seek a declaration that the continued occupation of the NLC secretariat located at No. 1 Teboga Road, Benin City, as well as the retention of union assets, financial records, and official instruments by the defendants, is illegal and void.

The suit also prays for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from parading themselves as officials of the NLC Edo Council or interfering with the functions of the caretaker committee.

In addition, the claimants are seeking a mandatory order compelling the defendants to immediately hand over the secretariat, vehicles, financial documents, cheque books, and all other properties belonging to the union.

The caretaker committee further urged the court to restrain the state government and its officials from interfering in the internal affairs of the union, alleging undue support for the dissolved executive.

The claimants further demand N50 million as general and exemplary damages against the defendants for alleged unlawful usurpation of office and acts prejudicial to the administration of the council.

According to court documents made available to our correspondent, the crisis followed the dissolution of the Edo State Council by the NLC National Executive Council on February 27, 2025, over allegations of misconduct, anti-union activities, and constitutional violations.

However, the matter has yet to be assigned a hearing date.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

10 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

11 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.