The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has taken its Sustainable Empowerment Programme NSEP(Naseni Sustainable Empowerment program)to Ohafia, Abia State, as part of efforts to equip Nigerians with relevant skills, tools and technologies to improve their livelihoods and enhance productivity.

NASENI, a Federal Government agency established in 1992 under the Presidency, is saddled with the mandate of promoting research, development and reverse engineering of capital goods to drive indigenous industrialization.

Speaking at the programme held on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at Uma Ukpai Memorial Primary School, Asaga, Ohafia, the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, said the initiative was designed to translate science, technology and engineering into practical solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities.

Halilu said NASENI was taking its mandate directly to Nigerians through the NSEP by creating opportunities that would enable beneficiaries to become more productive, build sustainable livelihoods and participate in Nigeria’s growing innovation-driven economy.

He noted that Abia State was particularly significant to the agency because of its reputation for enterprise, creativity, manufacturing and the determination of its people to create value.

According to him, NASENI was focused on moving beyond research to developing solutions that could be used by individuals, adopted by businesses and scaled by industries.

The NASENI boss urged beneficiaries to see the intervention not as a handout but as an investment in their productive capacity, charging them to put the tools and skills acquired to productive use, create value and, where possible, provide opportunities for others.

He added that the agency would measure the impact of its interventions by the number of lives improved, businesses strengthened, jobs supported and communities made more productive.

Halilu commended Governor Alex Otti for his support and warm reception, while acknowledging the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) and other partners for their collaboration in making the programme possible.

He said NASENI would continue to take the NSEP to communities across Nigeria to ensure that the benefits of science, engineering and innovation translate into tangible opportunities for Nigerians.

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), Dr. Armstrong Ume Takang, an illustrious son of the Ohafia community, commended NASENI CEO Khalil Suleiman Halilu and his team for bringing the empowerment initiative to the community.

Takang said the programme would go a long way in improving the livelihoods of the people, describing the intervention as a demonstration of the impact that strategic partnerships could have on communities.

He also expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing him to his current position as CEO of MOFI, promising to make the best use of the opportunity to attract meaningful development to his people.
According to him, President Tinubu believes that anyone fortunate to occupy a top position should remember where he came from and use his position to attract meaningful development to his community.

Takang said, “If you are the only rich man in your village or community, you are indeed a poor man.”
He therefore urged those who had the privilege of occupying positions of influence to use their positions to improve the lives of their people and contribute to the development of their communities.

He particularly commended Governor Alex Otti for what he described as the good works being done across Abia State, especially in the area of infrastructure.

Recalling his experience during the burial of his late father in 2012, Takang said the deplorable condition of roads in the community at the time made movement difficult.

He, however, noted that the situation had changed significantly under the Otti administration, saying many roads in his community had been reconstructed by the present administration.

Takang also revealed that the new standard primary school he attracted to his Asaga Ohafia community through his relationship with NASENI would soon be commissioned, adding that Governor Otti would be present at the commissioning.

Also speaking, the Director-General of the Greater Ohafia Development Authority (GODA), Elder Engr. Obinna Odum, commended NASENI for bringing its digital empowerment initiative to the people of Ohafia.

Odum described the initiative as a significant intervention capable of equipping young people and other members of the community with relevant digital skills needed to thrive in today’s technology-driven economy.

He noted that initiatives of this nature would not only expose beneficiaries to new opportunities but also enable them to acquire practical skills that could make them self-reliant, create jobs and contribute meaningfully to the economic development of the community.

The GODA Director-General expressed appreciation to the management of NASENI for considering Ohafia as one of the communities to benefit from the programme, stressing that empowering people with knowledge and skills was more sustainable than providing temporary relief.

As part of the programme, beneficiaries received NASENI energy-efficient cooking stoves and solar-powered fans.

Takang urged the beneficiaries to make the best use of the items, while also encouraging them to acquire relevant skills and knowledge that would improve their individual capacities and livelihoods.

The highlight of the event was the conferment of a traditional title on NASENI CEO, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, by the Ezeogo of Ohafia, to the admiration of guests and other dignitaries present.

The event was attended by traditional rulers, top personalities from the Federal Government, community leaders and other stakeholders.

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The member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Obi Aguocha, has said the case involving detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, goes beyond one individual, urging the Federal Government to address the underlying grievances fuelling separatist agitations in the South-East.

Aguocha made the remarks while speaking during a radio programme on Rapid FM, Umuahia, where he discussed his advocacy for justice and his involvement in Kanu’s case.
The lawmaker said his intervention was not solely about Kanu but was driven by the need to promote fairness and justice within Nigeria’s criminal justice system.

According to him, the issues surrounding Kanu’s case are connected to broader concerns about the treatment of people from the South-East and the circumstances that have contributed to the persistence of separatist sentiments in the region.

Aguocha argued that the Federal Government must engage honestly with the grievances underlying the agitation for Biafra, stressing that the issues would continue to resurface if their root causes were not properly addressed.

He maintained that addressing the concerns would require more than focusing on individual cases, but also a deliberate effort to understand the frustrations and grievances that have contributed to the agitation.

The lawmaker said his advocacy was therefore aimed at ensuring that justice was served while also drawing attention to the wider issues affecting the South-East.
Aguocha expressed appreciation for the recognition he had received from Kanu’s family and others over his role in the matter, describing it as a validation of his commitment to justice.

He maintained that the Federal Government should pursue a fair and constructive approach to the issues surrounding the South-East, arguing that lasting peace and national unity would depend on addressing legitimate grievances.
Aguocha said his position was rooted in the belief that justice should be applied fairly to all Nigerians, irrespective of their region or circumstances.

He urged the government to look beyond the immediate legal issues surrounding Kanu’s case and consider the broader implications for peace, unity and development in the South-East.

Amnesty International has called on governments, security agencies and other stakeholders to take urgent steps to end alleged unlawful abductions, arbitrary detention, torture and killings by security operatives in the South-East.

The call was made in Umuahia, Abia State, during the re-launch of Amnesty International Nigeria’s human rights reports, including “A Decade of Impunity: Attacks and Unlawful Killings in South-East Nigeria” and “Tiger Base of Atrocities: Human Rights Violations by Nigeria Police Anti-Kidnapping Unit in Owerri.”

In her opening remarks, Benedicta Ofili, Finance and Office Manager at Amnesty International Nigeria, welcomed government representatives, civil society organisations, lawyers, activists, security officials and community leaders to the event.

Ofili said Amnesty International, as an independent global human rights movement, is committed to research, advocacy and mobilisation aimed at documenting human rights abuses, protecting human dignity and ensuring accountability.

She said the organisation’s report documented at least 1,844 deaths between 2021 and mid-2023 amid violence involving non-state armed groups, state-backed outfits and security operations across the South-East.

She also highlighted allegations of arbitrary detention, torture, enforced disappearances, extortion and deaths in custody, particularly involving the Anti-Kidnapping Unit popularly known as Tiger Base.

According to her, insecurity has also had significant socio-economic consequences, including displacement, disruption of education, loss of livelihoods and restrictions on freedom of movement arising from sit-at-home orders.

Ofili called for independent investigations into alleged human rights violations, prosecution of suspected perpetrators, reparations for victims and their families, and stronger accountability by state and federal authorities.

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Abia State, Barr. Ikechukwu Uwanna, represented by Barr. Chinenye Onyemanonu, said the Abia State Government has zero tolerance for human rights violations and abuses.

One of the victims abducted by security personnel

He explained that although the Ministry of Justice cannot direct the police on how to carry out their duties, the government has established mechanisms to monitor and address cases of alleged human rights violations.

According to him, complaints referred to the Office of the Attorney General are forwarded to the Citizens’ Rights Department for investigation and appropriate action.

He cited a recent case involving a family whose members were allegedly detained for more than six months, resulting in one of the daughters losing an academic year. He said the Ministry intervened by engaging the affected persons and making recommendations for appropriate action.

Barr. Uwanna urged stakeholders to sustain collaboration in the protection of human rights and commended the administration of Governor Alex Otti for what he described as significant reforms in the justice sector.

During the presentation of “A Decade of Impunity: Attacks and Unlawful Killings in South-East Nigeria,” Amnesty International examined alleged human rights abuses involving the military, Department of State Services (DSS), police and Ebubeagu security personnel between 2016 and 2024, with particular focus on incidents recorded from 2021 to 2024.

The organisation said it had documented more than 1,800 deaths across the region, as well as cases of people allegedly abducted or forcibly disappeared after being accused of links to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The report also highlighted the impact of insecurity on livelihoods, education and freedom of movement, particularly in Abia and other parts of the South-East.

Amnesty International further raised concerns over alleged abuses at the Tiger Base/Tiger Gate detention facility in Imo State, where some persons arrested in Abia were reportedly transferred.

The organisation said it interviewed 23 former detainees, including 14 women, and documented allegations of torture, poor detention conditions and deaths in custody. It said three of those interviewed reportedly died following their detention.

Amnesty International called for investigations into the alleged abuses, improved detention conditions and accountability for anyone found responsible.

Some relatives of persons allegedly abducted by security operatives also shared emotional accounts of their loved ones’ arrests and prolonged disappearance.

Miriam Onyema, in tears, recalled how her husband, Kingsley Chinedu, was allegedly arrested on April 25, 2021, at Hospital Junction in Imo State. She said repeated efforts to locate him or secure his release proved unsuccessful after he was allegedly labelled an IPOB member.

Esther Chinedu said her husband, Pastor Godspower Chinedu, was arrested in 2022 and that the family had not seen him since. She said several attempts to locate him at police detention facilities had been unsuccessful.

Caroline Chukwuma also narrated how her husband, Chukwuma Nwokike, was allegedly abducted in 2021 at St. Paul Junction, Aba, and detained at the CPS Aba. She said she and her lawyers were denied access to him and were later informed that he had been transferred to a detention facility in Abuja.

Chinwendu Chidiebere said her husband, Chidiebere Ekwe, was arrested at his workshop in Aba on June 22, 2021, and taken to CPS Aba, where the family was allegedly denied access to him.

An elderly man, Nicolas Ejekwu, tearfully recounted the arrest of his two sons, Obinna and Onyebuchi, by soldiers at his home. He said he later received information that they had allegedly been tortured and killed and that their bodies were taken to the Federal Medical Centre mortuary, Umuahia.

He also revealed that more than 50 bodies of youths allegedly killed by security agencies on suspicion of being members of IPOB were found at the mortuary.

Cecilia Nmaoche also said her son, Christian Ifeanyi, was allegedly abducted by security operatives in 2022 and had not been seen or heard from since.

The relatives appealed to Amnesty International and the government to help locate their loved ones and ensure that anyone arrested is either released or brought before a competent court rather than being held for years without trial.

A human rights activist, Samuel Agwu, who spoke on behalf of more than 30 persons allegedly subjected to unlawful detention, called on Amnesty International Nigeria and other human rights organisations to intensify efforts to address alleged human rights violations in the South-East.

Agwu said he had facilitated the release of several persons allegedly detained on suspicion of being members of IPOB.

He alleged that many people arrested by security agencies in the region had been labelled IPOB members without sufficient evidence, with some reportedly held in police and military detention facilities for prolonged periods.

He expressed concern over allegations of torture and other forms of inhumane treatment, as well as cases of people who allegedly disappeared after being taken into custody.

Agwu urged human rights organisations to go beyond documenting cases and ensure that victims and their families have access to justice, legal representation and appropriate remedies.

He also called on South-East governors, security agencies, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to work together to address what he described as a culture of impunity allegedly perpetrated by some security personnel in the region.

“We cannot continue to remain silent when people are arrested, detained and allegedly tortured simply because they are suspected of having links with a particular group. Every person has the right to due process, fair hearing and humane treatment, regardless of the allegations against them,” Agwu said.

Amnesty International therefore urged relevant stakeholders and government authorities to take concrete steps to end unlawful abductions, arbitrary detention and killings allegedly carried out by security operatives in the South-East.