I regret sharing birthday with a failing nation, says labour leader born October 1, 1960
For Comrade Anthony Emmanuel Nted, former Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and ex–ex-President-General of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria, MWUN, October 1 is a date he can never forget. Not only is it Nigeria’s Independence Day, it is also his birthday.
But at 65, he says the contrast between his own progress and the country’s retrogression leaves him with mixed feelings.
“I am happy I was born on October 1, but I am not happy I share the birthday with Nigeria. While I am moving forward, the country is going backward”, he said.
From riversides to Union leadership
Nted’s story is one of grit, faith, and determination.
Born to the family of Thomas and Felicia Nted in the riverine village of Autoboot in the present Rivers State, Nigeria, he recalls a childhood marked by hardship.
With no stable home and barely enough to eat, he and his elder brother did odd jobs — carrying loads and doing menial work — just to survive. Education was a struggle, but he pushed through Government Primary School, Agwut-Obolo, for his First School Leaving Certificate, before moving to Warri, Delta State, where he later attended the Institute of Continuing Education, Warri, Delta State, where he obtained his GCE. He later obtained his OND and HND in Public Administration, all thanks to the sacrifices of family and the kindness of strangers.
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By sheer providence, he found himself in union activities, where his passion for justice and fairness propelled him to prominence.
Despite tough elections filled with resistance, he emerged President-General of the Maritime Workers’ Union. He would go on to serve for over two decades in several leadership positions in the maritime sector, where he became known for his philosophy of correcting people with kindness and showing leadership rooted in love and humility.
“I never insulted anyone, no matter their age or mistake. If you do something wrong, I correct you politely. Leadership is about love, kindness, and humility,” he explained.
Sokoto Officials Deny Mosque Attack as Bandits Kill Five in Gatawa Raid
Chairman of Sabon Birni Local Government Area in Sokoto State, Ayuba Hashimu, has dismissed viral reports alleging that bandits attacked a mosque in the council area, killing an Imam and several worshippers.
Some online platforms had circulated claims that armed bandits stormed a mosque in Sabon Birni, murdered the Imam and congregants, and abducted others.
However, Hashimu, speaking by telephone, described the reports as entirely false.
“I don’t know any mosque that was attacked, not to talk of killing of an Imam and worshippers. The story is false,” he stated.
A member of the state legislature representing the area, Hon. Aminu Boza, also debunked the claims, insisting that no mosque attack occurred on Saturday.
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“I don’t know how they got their story, but it is not true. No mosque was attacked by bandits,” he said.
While officials denied the alleged mosque incident, a separate early morning assault on Gatawa town within the same LGA resulted in five deaths and left one person critically injured.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Daily Trust that six people — including two married women, two teenage girls and two young boys — were abducted by attackers suspected to be bandits.
“The bandits invaded our community around 1:30 a.m. and started shooting sporadically. Our vigilantes engaged them, but four of them paid the supreme price on the spot. Two others sustained gunshot injuries and were taken to the hospital, but one later died,” the resident said.
He added that the attackers also stole livestock as they fled.
“We heard them exchanging fire with security agents, but none of the abducted persons was rescued,” he recounted.
FG Begins Recovery of 157 Almajiri Schools
The Federal Government has commenced the official recovery of 157 model Almajiri schools built during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, in a renewed push to overhaul Almajiri education across the country.
The move was confirmed by Nura Muhammad, spokesperson for the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education (NCAOOSCE), during an interview in Abuja on Sunday. He described the recovery process as a crucial step toward fully revamping and institutionalising Almajiri education.
Muhammad explained that the effort follows the establishment of a legally backed national body now responsible for all Almajiri-related programmes — a structure he said was missing during earlier reform attempts.
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While commending former President Jonathan for constructing the schools, which he described as “a noble and well-intentioned stride toward modernising the system,” Muhammad noted that the previous initiative struggled due to weak policy implementation, including inadequate engagement with Alarammas, the traditional Qur’anic teachers who play a central role in the Almajiri system.
He added that the lack of a strong institutional framework — with the project operating only as an initiative under the Federal Ministry of Education — contributed to its challenges.
According to him, the Commission is now strengthened by law and guided by the newly adopted National Policy on Almajiri Education, positioning it to deliver sustainable reforms.
Muhammad expressed confidence that harmful practices linked to the Almajiri system would be addressed, emphasising that all recovered schools would soon be fully under the Commission’s control and rehabilitated to serve their original purpose.
Delta State Police Arrest Suspects in Killing of Retired Justice Ifeoma Okogwu
The Delta State Police Command has made a significant breakthrough in the investigation into the murder of retired Justice Ifeoma Okogwu in Anambra State, arresting key suspects linked to the case.
Spokesperson SP Bright Edafe disclosed on Sunday that operatives of the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), acting on credible intelligence, apprehended 25-year-old security guard Godwin Mngumi on 6 December 2025. Mngumi allegedly murdered the retired judge, and authorities also recovered the deceased’s mobile phone from him.
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According to Edafe, Mngumi confessed to inviting a friend, Nnaji Obalum, and another accomplice — who remains at large — to the residence where the crime was committed. Obalum has since been arrested, while a manhunt continues for the third suspect.
The arrests mark a major step forward in the effort to bring all perpetrators of the high-profile murder to justice.
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