From Sylvia Udegbunam, Enugu

The Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Uche Ugwu said that the state Assembly passed 23 executive bills and 14 motions during the second 8th Assembly session.The Speaker disclosed this during a plenary on Wednesday that ended the second session of the eight assembly and to usher in the Third legislative session that would commence on Thursday June 12, 2025.

He also disclosed that among the impactful bills passed into law include the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Bill; New Enugu City Management Bill and the Enugu State Geographic Information System, EGIS Bill, among others legislation. According to him a total of 14 problem solving motions were received, and 12 restored in the affirmative, due to the house labored legislations which includes the dismounting and removal of road blocks mounted by the military along Ugwuonyeama/Ninth Mile Road and the stoppage of the Road Safety officials from operating on state roads instead of the Federal Roads.Earlier during the plenary, the bill seeking to provide internal security titled: “A bill for a law to provide for the maintenance of Internal Security, Vigilance and Order in the State and for Other Connected Purposes, House Bill No.b7, 2025,” passed a second reading.Hon. Iloabuchi Aniagu, member representing Nkanu West State Constituency, in his contribution concerning the bill emphasized that when passed, it would reduce insecurity in the state by 60%.He noted that the Bill would end the crisis between the traditional rulers and President Generals of Town Unions as to who would oversee security in their communities.His words: “if the bill is passed, it will reduce insecurity up to sixty percent and it will also stop the PG and the Igwe dragging who should be in charge of security in their community.”He posited that the bill when passed will make the landlords and hotel owners to put surveillance cameras in their areas to check and track criminals, adding that it would also check the white garment church leaders and native doctors from taking undue advantage of the citizens.The member representing Igbo-Eze South, Hon Harrison Ogara, while appreciating the bill said that it came late, that it was something that should have been done years ago to check evils men commit in the name of religion or traditional medical practice.He lamented that had such a law been in place, incidents such as the killing of four children of the same parents in his constituency by a so-called man of God and that of the native doctor that buried people alive at Ezeagu would not have taken place.“I rise to support the bill. It is timely but left to me, it came late but no time is late. It is a waiting time bomb that would consume everybody,” he said but pointed out that, “with the bill, there should be a circumspection of how people should practice their religion.”The member representing Ezeagu constituency Hon Chima Obieze supporting the bill lamented that it should have been enacted before now to check crimes. He pointed out that the bill needed to checkmate the activities of fake native doctors and also churches that commit crimes in the name of God.Hon Okechukwu Aneke representing Udi South constituency lamented that the rate young men are getting into traditional worship and kidnapping in order to make quick money are very alarming.He suggested that anybody found with human parts should be arrested no matter where he obtained the human body parts. “He is a killer. There is no Okeite without human parts,” he said.

From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa

The current Vice-Chairman, Bayelsa State Athletics Association, Dr. Samuel Kolawole Oredipe has been appointed into the new board of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) as the Auditor of the Federation.

The newly elected President of the AFN, Chief Tonobok Okowa announced the appointment of Dr.

Oredipe in Abuja, shortly after taking oath of office for his 2nd term in office.

Dr. Oredipe is the founder of Samkay Athletics Club and candidate for the South-South Zonal Rep in the last election in Benin City, Edo State.

Dr. Oredipe, a former middle distance athlete, is Assistant Director, News with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria and currently Director-General, New Media to the Bayelsa State Governor.

Also appointed into the board are ace sports commentator, Dr. Nneka Nkem Anibieze, as AFN Chief Operating Officer, Bamidele Edokpaye, as Legal Adviser and Babajide Odedeji as Safeguarding Officer.

By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

The Federal Government on Thursday said it has recorded 142 deaths in 18 states, 96 Local Government Area, for week 22.This was revealed in Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), report for week 22.The report stated that the number of new confirmed cases increased from 6 in week 21, of 2025 to 8.

According to the report, “These were reported in Ondo, Bauchi, Edo and Nasarawa States. ”Cumulatively as at week 22, 2025, 142 deaths have been reported with a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 19.0% which is higher than the CFR for the same period in 2024 (18.1%).”In total for 2025, 18 States have recorded at least one confirmed case across 96 Local Government Areas (Figures 2 and 3).”Ninety-one (91%) of all confirmed Lassa fever cases were reported from five states (Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, and Ebonyi) while 9% were reported from 13 states with confirmed Lassa fever cases.”Of the 91% confirmed cases, Ondo reported 31%, Bauchi 25%, Edo 16%, Taraba 16%, and Ebonyi 3%.”The predominant age group affected is 21-30 years (Range: 1 to 96 years, Median Age: 30 years). The male-to-female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:0.8 (Figure 4).”The number of suspected and confirmed cases decreased compared to that reported for the same period in 2024.”No new healthcare worker was affected in the reporting week 22.”National Lassa fever multi-partner, multi-sectoral Incident Management System (IMS) activated to coordinate the response activities at all levels”.