IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

...as Sports Commissioners Of Niger Delta States Brainstorm In Port Harcourt

The Maiden Edition Of The Niger Delta Sports Festival; A Sports Development Initiative Of The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Has Been Scheduled For Uyo, Akwa Ibom State Between April 1st And 8th, 2025.

The Sports Festival Is Coming As Part Of Events Mapped Out For The 25 Years Anniversary Of The Existence Of The NDDC.

Addressing The Press And Other Participants Friday, 31st Of January, 2025 At The NDDC Headquarters In Port Harcourt, The Chairman Of The Festival Planning Committee; A Former Commissioner For Sports, Who Is Equally The Executive Director, Finance And Administration At The NDDC, Alabo Boma Iyaye hinted that the project was conceived in recognition of the fact that, while the Niger Delta produces a huge percentage of Nigeria’s elite sports men and women, there is urgent need to sustain their output in order to elevate the fortunes of both the region and the nation’s sports, in line with the objectives and drive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He Added that the NDDC had been working with the Project Consultants, Dunamis Icon Limited, for several months, and having achieved several milestones in the preparations, the meeting was called to properly brief the state sports commissioners so that all the stakeholders will be on the same page.

“We considered it imperative to partner with and support the states for the discovery and grooming of talents into national and international stars and enable the region effectively tap into the global sports economy,” he declared.

"So as the NDDC marks its 25th year anniversary, we thought it wise to start with the introduction of the Niger Delta Sports Festival to provide a platform for our teeming youngsters to showcase their talents, and with plans to continue to groom them through support for training and participation in competitions.

"In doing this, one of our major objectives is to drive sports bottom-up from the grassroots, to provide opportunities for our rural folks. In this regard, we have decided that the preliminary trials and selection process shall commence from the local government and federal constituencies."

Iyaye Also Thanked The Managing Director Of The NDDC For The Budgetary Consideration Of Sports Development In The Region, Adding That The Commission Would Continue To Dedicate Attention Towards Sports In The Region As Its Additional Efforts Towards Empowering Youths Of The Region.

He disclosed that the NDDC would be Taking Up A 95% Sponsorship Of The Festival For All The Participating states, While Their States Take Care Of The Remaining 5%. 

The Commission Directed Commissioners To Set Up Their State Organizing Committees To Help Work In Synch With The Consultant For The Success Of The Festival.

The Commission also Charged Them To Commence Immediate Actions At The State Levels, Using The Next Two Months For The Preparations Of Athletes For The Festival.

Earlier, the Festival Consultant had hinted that The Event Is Aimed At Re-awakening And Reviving The Region's Sporting Potentials And Dominance In The Country. 

Also, Fred Edoreh, Director Of Organization And Partner To the consultant Revealed The 'Dolphin' As The Mascot For The Festival, Which He Said can also be Addressed As "Bros".

"The Niger Delta Is Largely Influenced By The Sea, And One Of The Biggest Characters In The Sea Is The Dolphin, Which Itself, Has Human Semblances. 

"Dolphin Is A Friend To Human Beings, And Are Always Available To Defend Man When Under Attack By Sharks As Well As Entertain Us. So, We As Niger Deltans, We Are The Defenders Of This Country. We Are The Oil That Runs The Engine Of Nigeria", The Consultants Explained.

This Is Even As Commissioners Of Sports From The Nine (9) States Of The Niger Delta Comprising Of Imo, Rivers, Cross River, Edo, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Ondo And Delta - all endorsed the project on behalf o their various states governments. 

The draw for the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-offs was conducted on Friday, setting the stage for the next round of the competition.

Eight teams have automatically advanced to the Round of 16 after the league phase: Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Lille, and Aston Villa. These teams will resume their Champions League campaign in March.

Meanwhile, clubs that finished between 9th and 24th in the standings will compete in a two-legged play-off in February to secure a spot in the next round.

Full Knockout Phase Play-Off Draw:

🔹 Brest vs Paris Saint-Germain

🔹 Feyenoord vs AC Milan

🔹 Juventus vs PSV

🔹 Monaco vs Benfica

🔹 Manchester City vs Real Madrid

🔹 Celtic vs Bayern Munich

🔹 Sporting vs Borussia Dortmund

🔹 Club Brugge vs Atalanta 

The parents of four-year-old Zina Ugwu, who was allegedly murdered in her sleep by a suspected drug addict, Chukwuemeka Nweke, in Nsukka, Enugu State, have appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure justice is served.

According to the grieving parents, the tragic incident occurred on August 18, 2024, when Nweke, allegedly under the influence of illicit drugs, stormed their residence along Orba Road, Nsukka, around 11:30 p.m.. He reportedly broke into their apartment, grabbed the sleeping child, and slit her throat in the presence of her mother, Lovet, and her siblings.

The victim’s father, Dr. Ndubuisi Ugwu, who was away at Federal University Oye-Ekiti, where he lectures, lamented that the police have been demanding excessive amounts of money from him while failing to properly prosecute all those involved.

He expressed frustration over how the police granted bail to their landlord, Emeka Onyeishi, and his wife, whom he accused of directing the suspect to their apartment. Ugwu further claimed that after committing the crime, Nweke publicly stated that the landlord had paid him ₦1 million to carry out the murder.

“The landlord knew about Nweke’s criminal activities and even provided him with accommodation in his house. He later attempted to bribe me with ₦500,000 to drop his name from the case,” Ugwu alleged.

He called on the Inspector General of Police to re-arrest the landlord, his wife, and other alleged accomplices for a thorough investigation, stressing that justice must be served without further delays.

“We are pleading for swift and fair justice for our innocent daughter,” Dr. Ugwu and his wife urged. 

The Anambra State Government is enforcing the Anambra Homeland Security Law, which mandates hotel operators to collect and submit identification details of all guests, including government-issued IDs, to the President-General of the community. These documents will be forwarded to local and state authorities. Hotel owners who fail to comply face penalties, including forfeiture of their facilities.

However, many locals are concerned the law will harm the hospitality industry, as guests may be discouraged from checking into hotels due to privacy concerns. A hotel owner expressed fears that it would drive business away, with Anambra residents already seeking accommodation in neighboring Asaba. 

Lawyers in Owerri, Imo State, have called for a one-week suspension of activities at the Justice Oputa High Court due to safety concerns. 

The Owerri branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), led by Barrister Chris Ihentuge, raised alarms about vibrations in the court building, which has faced structural problems since its construction under former Governor Rochas Okorocha. Judges, including Justice Onyeukwu, have reported vibrations during court sessions, with one judge also expressing concerns about the building’s safety.

Ihentuge called for a temporary halt to court activities until experts can assess the building’s safety, emphasizing that the risk to life is unacceptable. He also criticized the ongoing absence of a Chief Judge in the state for nearly three months, attributing it to the growing challenges within the judiciary. 

The court’s poor infrastructure, including inadequate lighting and ventilation, further exacerbates the situation. Allegedly, the building was originally intended as a hotel before being converted into a court, contributing to its structural defects. 

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, announced the distribution of over 2.1 million bags of fertilizers to farmers and food aid to flood-affected communities as part of efforts to boost food production. Kyari emphasized the need to shift Nigeria’s agriculture from feeding the population to generating wealth, focusing on research, climate-resilient seeds, soil health, and smart agriculture.

He also introduced a biometric-based farmer registration system in partnership with the National Identity Management Commission to ensure targeted interventions. Kyari is addressing challenges in onion production caused by substandard seeds, with a 40% shortfall being investigated. His proactive efforts are expected to enhance Nigeria’s role as a major global player in onion production, where it ranks 7th worldwide and 3rd in Africa. Experts support his initiatives to promote sustainable growth in the agricultural sector.