This is a review of top events which occurred in Nigeria's south-east within the past week.
From the sealing of the ShopRite in Enugu to the discovery of a suspected "baby factory" in Abia and the killing of four police operatives by gunmen in Imo State, the past week was eventful in Nigeria's south-east.
Killing of suspected IPOB members by Nigerian troops
The week began with an announcement by the Nigerian army on Sunday that its troops killed a suspected member of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the militant wing of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The army said the suspected IPOB member was killed during a clearance operation by the troops at Ihiteukwa Community in Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State.
It said, in a separate operation, the troops engaged other suspected IPOB members in a shootout at their crossing point in Akawa Nneato in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State.
In another operation on Tuesday, it said its troops killed five suspected members of the ESN in Ejemekuru in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.
The army, on Friday, also said its troops and personnel of other security agencies killed many suspected IPOB members and destroyed their hideouts in Orsu, Eke-Ututu, and Ihiteukwa, Ihittenansa - all communities in Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State.
It also announced that some of the hideouts were also destroyed by the security agencies in Orsumoghu and Lilu - all communities in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State between 11 February and 7 March.
The developments indicate that the fight by the Nigerian military against the separatist group is yet to be over.
For years, the Nigerian army and other security agencies have been carrying out operations against the group, with casualties being recorded from both sides in some of the operations.
Abia government's equity stake in Geometric Power Plant
The controversy over Abia State Government's equity stake in Geometric Power Plant was finally laid to rest after we published a report on Monday where the management of the power plant confirmed the percentage of equity stake purchased by the state government in the company.
Before then, speculation was rife that the government contributed a five per cent equity stake in the power plant during the administration of Okezie Ikpeazu who served as the governor of the state from 2015 to 2023.
Aside from an old letter showing there was an agreement of a five per cent equity stake to be purchased by the state government, data from the Abia State Accountant General's 2022 financial report indicated that the state government invested N1.41 billion for the five per cent equity in the Geometric Power Plant.
However, the spokesperson of the Geometrics Power Plant, C Don Adinuba, told PREMIUM TIMES that although the agreement was for a five per cent equity stake, the Abia State Government was only able to pay for a 3.5 per cent equity stake.
Also, a former commissioner for information under Mr Ikpeazu's administration, John Kalu, in an earlier statement confirmed that the past administration only paid for 3.5 per cent "because of paucity of funds or competing needs".
Sealing of Enugu's ShopRite, SPAR malls over alleged tax evasion
There was drama on Tuesday in Enugu State when the state government sealed a popular retail mall, ShopRite in the state over its alleged failure to remit purchase tax to the government.
The SPAR Nigeria and other retail malls in Enugu State were also sealed by the state government for the same alleged offence.
Officials of the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service who sealed the facilities on Tuesday said they had issued several warnings to the management of the facilities, but they were ignored.
The state government would later reopen the malls for businesses, saying they had given the malls one week to remit all purchase taxes collected from their customers on behalf of the government.
Sit-at-home: Police commissioner assures residents of safety on Mondays
The efforts to stop the infamous sit-at-home often enforced by a faction of the IPOB in the South-east continued last Monday when the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Aderemi Adeoye, promised to ensure the safety of residents of the state doing business on Mondays.
IPOB, a group seeking the independence of Biafra from Nigeria, had introduced a sit-at-home order every Monday across the South-east to pressure the Nigerian government to release its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
The separatist group later suspended the order, in preference for it to be implemented only on days Mr Kanu appears in court.
But despite its suspension, residents of the five South-east states have been obeying the illegal order, mostly out of fear.
A leader of Autopilot, a faction of the IPOB, Simon Ekpa, has continued to declare the sit-at-home in the region, despite being suspended by the IPOB faction led by Mr Kanu.
There are indications that the illegal order might continue in the region despite efforts by some leaders in the region as well as security agencies to stop it.
Cattle dealers sue Abia govt over planned demolition of their houses
We also brought to you a report about a suit filed by Cattle dealers in Abia State against the state government over the government's decision to demolish residential quarters which the cattle dealers erected at the Garki Cattle Market in Lokpanta, Umuchieze, a community in Umunneochi Local Government Area of the state.
The government had announced its intention to demolish the market and eject occupants at the residential quarters in the market following the discovery of over 50 decomposing bodies and over 20 headless bodies around the market in October 2023.
The cattle dealers' court action followed receipt of a warning notice from the Town Planning Authority of Umunneochi Local Government Area of the state which indicated the plan to carry out the demolition of the residential houses inside the market.
The court hearing is on 13 March.
Truck kills graduate awaiting NYSC call-up
It was a black Tuesday in Aba in Abia State when a truck killed a graduate of accountancy at Abia State Polytechnic, Aba.
The victim, Ogechi Ezekiel, was knocked down by the truck while she was coming out of the polytechnic along Aba-Owerri Road in the state.
Ms Ezekiel was said to have graduated with a distinction and had gone to the institution to complete her clearance ahead of her mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme.
The police said the truck driver had been arrested.
Biafra Agitation: Soludo receives report from peace committee
It was an eventful day in Anambra on Wednesday when Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State received the final report from the 15-member Truth, Justice and Peace Committee.
Mr Soludo set up the committee in April 2022 to help address rising cases of agitation, insecurity and other challenges in the state and South-east.
The governor, shortly after receiving the report, assured residents of the South-east that he would "read every sentence" in the report and ensure its recommendations are implemented for a safer future.
Among the findings made by the committee was that the political economy of land, not IPOB, was found to be the biggest structural factor in the violence in the region.
Another finding made by the committee was that insecurity and killings may trigger a scarcity of husbands in the South-east.
Hardship: Woman commits suicide after dropping three kids in police facility
We also reported a shocking story of a woman who committed suicide in Enugu State after dropping her three kids in a police facility.
But help later came when Nkechinyere Mbah, wife of the Enugu State governor, Peter Mbah, visited the police facility and announced the award of scholarship to the abandoned children and indicated interest in caring for them.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Although the reason for the woman's action was unclear, many suggested that the worsening hardship in Nigeria must have pushed her to commit suicide.
New minimum wage demand by South-east NLC, TUC
Like in other regions of the country, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the South-east, Thursday, made their proposals for the new minimum wage for workers in the country.
While the NLC proposed N540,000 per month as the new minimum wage, the TUC came up with N447,000.
Although the labour unions in the region cited rising economic hardship and inflation as the reasons for their demand, they failed to agree on the amount to serve as the new minimum wage for workers.
The possible resolution of the minimum wage issue is expected to help end the lingering dispute between the workers and the federal government.
Discovery of 'baby factory'
The police in Abia State, on Friday, announced that they had uncovered a suspected "baby factory" where they rescued 16 pregnant girls and eight children, comprising five males and three females.
Two suspects - a woman and a man - allegedly harbouring the girls at the "baby factory" have been arrested by the police.
The latest development shows that the incidence of "Baby factory" and child trafficking is still thriving in the South-east despite efforts against it.
Killing of four in Imo by gunmen
Tragedy struck in Imo State on Friday evening when some gunmen attacked Abacheke Community in Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of the state, killing four people.
Although no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, the growing insecurity in the state and South-east has been linked to IPOB. However, the group has repeatedly denied any involvement in the insecurity across the region.
