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Updated: South-South leaders meet FG delegation, insist on restructuring for peace, development

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… want NNPC subsidiaries’ head offices relocated to N’Delta

South-South governors and other leaders from the geopolitical zone met in Port Harcourt on Tueday with a presidential delegation led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.

To guarantee peace, security and stability in the region and by extension the country, the leaders demanded true federalism through restructuring.

They also requested the relocation of the headquarters of all subsidiaries of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to the region.

They also demanded the immediate privatisation of the nation’s refineries to make them functional and boost the economy of the region.

The leaders stated that the country was not at peace with itself and that things were not really working.

Chairman of the South-South Governors Forum and Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, presented the position of the zone during its stakeholders’ meeting with the presidential delegation.

The meeting, earlier slated to hold on November 17, was cancelled at the last minute on the excuse that the FG’s delegation had to attend an emergency meeting of the National Security Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, in Abuja on the same day.

Okowa told the presidential delegation that the region was committed to restructuring the country to guarantee “true federalism” and devolution of powers to the states to create and manage their own police and security architecture under a federal structure.

They requested the immediate implementation of the consent judgment entered in the Supreme Court Suit No: SC/964/2016 to enable the South-south gets its share of $55 billion shortfall of collection on deep offshore and inland basin production sharing contracts.

“True federalism’ guided by the principle of derivation, revenue sharing and control of resources by each state of the federation as it was the case in the first republic is what we want,” Okowa said.

According to him, the geopolitical zone desires a federation where its constituent units are constitutionally empowered to create their own structures like local government areas, manage their elections and control their judiciary.

He said, “We are all aware of the huge endowment of this country. As such, it is imperative to stress that with a little bit of efforts, imagination, hard work, sacrifice and leadership, every state of the federation as of today, has the ability and capability to contribute to the national purse. This should be encouraged rather than the whole country depending substantially on a region of the country.

“What is worse and even more painful in this ugly situation is the deliberate lack of understanding, empathy and the uncompromising attitudes of some Nigerians, who have refused to understand the challenges of the South-South region of the country, especially, the degradation of the environment and our waters. As a result, most of the demands of the region have remained unattended to while the resources of the region have been used continually to develop other parts of the country.”

The governors called for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the region’s major seaports in Port Harcourt, Calabar and Warri to enhance the economic development of the region.

They demanded that the two refineries in Port Harcourt and Warri should be privatised.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, urged the leaders of the region to avail themselves of the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly since most of the issues contained in their demands are constitutional matters.

Gambari said the meeting was in response to the President’s mandate that the presidential delegation comprising all the ministers from the region to visit and consult the representatives of the people regarding the recent #EndSARS protest.

He lauded the governors for their quick response and actions in addressing the #EndSARS crisis.

Those who attended the meeting were Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Ben Ayade (Cross River), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Douye Diri (Bayelsa) and Godwin Obaseki (Edo).

Others were Minister of Niger Delta, Senator Godswill Akpabio; Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva; Minister of State for Power, Mr. Goddy Jeddy- Agba; Minister of State for Niger Delta, Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN); Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, and Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

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Tragedy in Nsukka as Six UNN Graduates Reportedly Found Dead After Final Exams

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Tragedy in Nsukka as Six UNN Graduates Reportedly Found Dead After Final Exams
University of Nigeria Nsukka with Professor Kamoru Olayiwola Usman

Tragedy in Nsukka as Six UNN Graduates Reportedly Found Dead After Final Exams

NSUKKA, ENUGU STATE — Tragedy has struck the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), following reports that six fresh graduates of the institution have been found dead inside an apartment in the Hilltop area of Nsukka, Enugu State.

The victims, reportedly comprising five females and one male, were said to have been discovered lifeless on Thursday morning, barely a day after completing their final examinations.

The incident has thrown the university community into mourning, with students and residents struggling to come to terms with the shocking development.

According to reports, the deceased had recently concluded their academic activities and were said to have participated in sign-out celebrations marking the completion of their studies.

The gathering, which was expected to be a moment of excitement and celebration after years of academic pursuit, reportedly ended in tragedy.

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The circumstances surrounding the deaths remain unclear, as there are conflicting reports about the number of victims and what transpired inside the apartment.

Meanwhile, the Acting Public Relations Officer of the university, Inya Agha Egwu, has acknowledged receiving enquiries about the incident and assured journalists that the university management would issue an official statement.

Efforts to obtain an immediate response from the Enugu State Police Command were reportedly unsuccessful as calls to the Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, were unanswered.

As of the time of filing this report, the identities of the deceased and the actual cause of their deaths had yet to be officially established.

The tragic development has raised concerns across the university community, with students and residents awaiting further information from the police and university authorities.

Further details will be provided as official statements emerge.

Tragedy in Nsukka as Six UNN Graduates Reportedly Found Dead After Final Exams

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BREAKING: Manchester United Sack Michael Carrick After Disastrous Start to Season

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BREAKING: Manchester United Sack Michael Carrick After Disastrous Start to Season
Michael Carrick

BREAKING: Manchester United Sack Michael Carrick After Disastrous Start to Season

MANCHESTER, England — Manchester United have sacked head coach Michael Carrick with immediate effect following the club’s disastrous start to the 2026/27 season.

The 45-year-old Englishman was reportedly informed of the decision on Thursday morning after the club’s hierarchy concluded that a managerial change was necessary to address the team’s poor performances.

Carrick’s dismissal follows a disappointing run of results that has left Manchester United languishing in 18th position on the Premier League table, with just one victory from their opening 10 league matches.

The decision was reached following discussions involving chief executive Omar Berrada, director of football Jason Wilcox and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Carrick had come under mounting pressure in recent weeks, particularly after Manchester United suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth.

Although he was initially given another opportunity to turn the situation around, Sunday’s dramatic 4-4 draw against Aston Villa reportedly proved decisive.

United fought back from a two-goal deficit to rescue a point through two late stoppage-time goals. However, the result extended the club’s disappointing run and left them trapped in the relegation zone.

Meanwhile, former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino is expected to take over as Manchester United’s next head coach.

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The Argentine, who currently manages the United States men’s national team, has reportedly reached a verbal agreement in principle with the Old Trafford club.

Manchester United are expected to activate a release clause believed to be worth approximately £7 million to secure his departure from the US national team, where his contract runs until 2030.

The overall compensation could rise if Pochettino brings members of his preferred coaching staff to Old Trafford.

Pochettino previously managed Southampton, Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, and is now being linked with a return to the Premier League.

Carrick’s dismissal represents a dramatic turnaround after his impressive performance during the second half of last season.

Appointed in January following the departure of Ruben Amorim, the former Manchester United midfielder guided the club to a third-place Premier League finish and secured qualification for the UEFA Champions League.

However, his success last season could not shield him from the consequences of United’s poor performances this campaign.

Pochettino’s potential first major assignment could be a high-profile Premier League encounter against Liverpool at Anfield on November 22, as Manchester United seek to revive their struggling season.

BREAKING: Manchester United Sack Michael Carrick After Disastrous Start to Season

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Notorious Bandit Kingpin, Kachalla Bello, Killed in Rival Gang Clash in Katsina Forest

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Notorious Bandit Kingpin, Kachalla Bello, Killed in Rival Gang Clash in Katsina Forest

Notorious Bandit Kingpin, Kachalla Bello, Killed in Rival Gang Clash in Katsina Forest

KATSINA STATE – A notorious bandit leader identified as Kachalla Bello has reportedly been killed during a fierce gun battle between rival armed groups in a forest in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Bello was reportedly among those killed when rival bandit factions engaged in a deadly confrontation on Tuesday evening, November 10, 2026, amid an apparent struggle for territorial control.

According to local sources and counter-insurgency reports, the clash involved heavy exchanges of gunfire, leaving several fighters dead.

The late bandit leader was reportedly notorious for terrorising farming communities across parts of Katsina State through attacks, abductions and other criminal activities.

Beyond kidnapping for ransom, Bello was accused of subjecting some of his victims to forced labour on farmlands allegedly belonging to him.

Local accounts indicated that he frequently abducted farmers while they were working on their farms and compelled them to work on his farmland before considering their release.

His alleged activities reportedly contributed to insecurity, economic hardship and displacement among residents of affected communities, particularly farmers who depended on agriculture for their livelihoods.

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However, the Katsina State Police Command had yet to officially confirm Bello’s reported death as of the time of filing this report.

The Command’s spokesperson, Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, reportedly said he was making efforts to verify the incident and establish the exact location of the alleged confrontation.

He explained that security personnel were working to identify the location of the clash and liaise with the relevant Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) for further investigation.

Meanwhile, security observers have repeatedly identified rivalries and internal disputes among armed criminal groups as factors contributing to violent confrontations within bandit networks operating across Nigeria’s North-West region.

The circumstances surrounding Bello’s reported death, including the number of casualties recorded during the encounter, remain unclear.

Further details are expected as security agencies work to establish what happened.

Notorious Bandit Kingpin, Kachalla Bello, Killed in Rival Gang Clash in Katsina Forest

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