# Dunukofia Local Government Council has announced plans for the third edition of the Dunukofia Games Festival 2026, Volume 3, promising a bigger and more exciting celebration of sports, youth engagement, indigenous games, and cultural heritage.
The 2026 edition builds on the success of the Dunukofia Championship 2024, Volume 1, and the Dunukofia Games Festival 2025, Volume 2, as the council continues its efforts to promote grassroots sports development, discover emerging talents, and strengthen unity among the people of the 6 communities including non indegens that make up the local government area.
According to the announcement, this year’s festival will feature male and female football, volleyball, and lawn tennis, alongside a wide range of traditional and indigenous games.
The indigenous games category will include table tennis, snooker, Whot, Ncho, Ugah, Ludo, Swegh, draughts, rope-skipping, and other recreational activities designed to encourage participation across different age groups and interests.
The festival is expected to provide a platform for athletes and enthusiasts to showcase their abilities, engage in healthy competition, and celebrate the rich sporting and cultural heritage of Dunukofia.
# A woman, identified as Adaobi Agbonta, has been arrested in Ogidi in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, by the police after allegedly subjecting her 10-year-old female house help, Chizoba Ifeanyi, to hours of brutal beating, leaving the little girl with severe injuries on different parts of her body.
The victim, who reportedly hails from Enugu State, was rescued following the intervention of some residents and passersby who heard her cries and rushed to the scene after she had allegedly been crying for about some hours from the woman’s apartment.
The incident was brought to public attention after a social media user, Iyke Orji, raised the alarm in a post accompanied by a video from the scene showing the woman allegedly beating the little girl and attempting to forcefully bundle her back into the house as people intervened to rescue her.
# The Vice-Chancellor of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha, has described renowned Nigerian entrepreneur, Chief Chidi Anyaegbu, as an exemplary businessman whose success demonstrates that entrepreneurship should be driven by service, generosity and a commitment to humanity.
Prof. Omenugha stated this while delivering her address at the maiden Chidi Anyaegbu Annual Public Lecture Series, where she celebrated the businessman’s contributions to education, mentorship and community development.
Reflecting on Anyaegbu’s entrepreneurial journey, the Vice-Chancellor highlighted his humble beginnings as an apprentice in the 1990s and his eventual emergence as the founder of a business conglomerate with interests in transportation, logistics, oil and gas, real estate and other sectors.
She noted that his journey exemplifies determination, vision and consistency, demonstrating the possibilities that can be achieved when individuals remain focused on their aspirations.
According to her, what makes Anyaegbu’s achievements particularly remarkable is his commitment to using his success to uplift others, especially through investments in education and the creation of opportunities for young people.
# The Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze, has described the traditional ruler of Nnewi, Igwe Kenneth Orizu III, as a monarch blessed with God’s special grace, whose reign has brought honour, development, peace and prosperity to Nnewi, Anambra State, the Igbo nation and Nigeria at large.
In a goodwill message issued to celebrate the monarch’s 101st birthday, the Speaker, on behalf of the State Legislature, noted that Igwe Orizu remains a highly revered traditional ruler whose remarkable longevity and sound memory at over 100 years reflect exceptional divine grace.
In a press release signed by Emma Madu, Press Secretary to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Udeze recalled the monarch’s remarkable feat during a Christian pilgrimage to Israel in 2009, when he climbed Mount Sinai at the age of 84, to the amazement of fellow pilgrims from different parts of the world.
He described the Nnewi monarch as a source of pride to Anambra State and a worthy custodian of the people’s culture, customs and traditions.
The Speaker also called on the Federal Government to immortalise Igwe Kenneth Orizu III by naming a prominent public institution after him in recognition of his contributions and enduring place in Nigeria’s traditional institution.
# The Anambra State Government has reiterated its commitment to an inclusive policy that welcomes Nigerians irrespective of their state of origin, while maintaining a zero-tolerance stance towards crime and criminality.
The Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr. Law Mefor, stated this in Awka while speaking as a panelist at the seventh anniversary celebration of Zaram Life Foundation, themed, “From Grassroots Action to Lasting Impact: Building Communities Where Everyone Thrives.”
Responding to a question on migration and its impact on the state, Mefor described migration, whether voluntary or driven by war, famine or natural disasters, as a reality for Ndi Anambra. He noted that available records indicate that up to 50 per cent of Anambra people live outside the state.
He described Anambra as the “New York” of the South-East, explaining that the state attracts people from neighbouring states in search of economic and other opportunities. According to him, the government has no objection to welcoming them, as Anambra people equally expect acceptance and opportunities in other parts of the country.
Mefor cited Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo’s inclusive governance approach, noting that more than 40 per cent of the state’s law enforcement personnel and many civil servants are non-indigenes.
He also disclosed that the state’s free education policy benefits children from neighbouring communities outside Anambra who cross the borders daily to attend schools in the state. He said Governor Soludo had insisted that the arrangement should continue in the spirit of mutual acceptance and peaceful coexistence.
# The Anambra State Government has intensified efforts to contain Lassa fever and strengthen disease surveillance following the confirmation of a case in Ayamelum Local Government Area.
As part of the response, the State Ministry of Health has trained healthcare workers and conducted facility readiness assessments at Anaku General Hospital in Ayamelum and Umueri General Hospital in Anambra East Local Government Area.
The intervention is designed to enhance early detection, prompt reporting, clinical management, infection prevention and control, and appropriate referral of suspected Lassa fever cases across the state.
During the training sessions, healthcare workers acquired practical knowledge and skills in identifying suspected cases, conducting active case searches, safe sample collection, disease notification, clinical management, documentation, referral procedures, and infection prevention and control measures.
At Anaku General Hospital, approximately 30 healthcare workers participated in the exercise. The response team also assessed a building within the facility for possible conversion into a Lassa fever holding centre to facilitate the initial assessment and referral of suspected cases from Ayamelum and neighbouring communities.
# The Anambra State Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Mrs. Chinyere Esther Onyekesi, has condemned the alleged severe flogging of a minor, Miss Chizoba Ifeanyi, by her aunt, Mrs. Agbonta Adaobi, in Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area of the state.
The victim, who hails from Enugu State, was reportedly subjected to physical abuse for refusing to sweep the house, an incident the Commissioner described as unacceptable and a violation of the rights and dignity of a child.
Mrs. Onyekesi emphasised that discipline should never be used as an excuse to inflict severe physical injuries on a child, stressing that no household chore could justify such treatment.
She disclosed that the suspect, Mrs. Agbonta Adaobi, had been arrested and was currently in police custody. She assured the public that the matter would be handled in accordance with the law and warned that anyone found culpable would face the full consequences of their actions.
The Commissioner reaffirmed the commitment of the Anambra State Government, to protecting children and combating all forms of abuse, exploitation and maltreatment.
# The Anambra State Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Mrs. Chinyere Esther Onyekesi, has called for concerted efforts by government, community leaders, parents and civil society organisations to tackle the growing cases of human trafficking in the state.
Onyekesi made the call during the seventh anniversary celebration of Zaram Life Foundation at Golden Tulip Hotel, Awka, held under the theme, “From Grassroots Action to Lasting Impact: Building Communities Where Everyone Thrives.”
The Commissioner described the theme as consistent with her Ministry’s mandate, emphasising that sustainable social development begins at the grassroots through deliberate efforts to protect families, empower women and young people, and provide support for vulnerable members of society.
She commended the leadership and members of Zaram Life Foundation for seven years of dedicated service, noting that effective partnerships between government and civil society organisations were essential to expanding social interventions and achieving lasting community impact.
# The five-day capacity-building workshop for the eight Area Commanders, Tactical Commanders and 54 Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) of the Anambra State Police Command has endend with calls for more service.
The Day 2 sessions focus on critical issues affecting police-community relations and effective service delivery, including public expectations of the Police, identifying and addressing the trust deficit, rebuilding community confidence, promoting human rights and accountability, and preparing police commanders for the security demands of the 2027 general elections.
The workshop also seeks to strengthen the professional capacity of police commanders, deepen public trust, enhance community engagement, and promote accountable, intelligence-led and people-oriented policing across Anambra State.
The training underscores the importance of responsive leadership, professionalism, respect for citizens’ rights and constructive partnerships between the Police and the communities they serve. It is designed to equip commanders with the knowledge and practical approaches required to address emerging security challenges while maintaining public confidence in policing.
# The Anambra State Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Clem Aguiyi, has urged women across the state to become frontline advocates for responsible environmental practices, beginning with their homes and extending to markets and communities.
Aguiyi made the call while engaging representatives of the Anambra State Town Union Council (ASTUC) Women Wing from communities across the state at the ASTUC Hall, Old Government House, Awka.
The commissioner described women, particularly mothers and community leaders, as strategic partners in tackling environmental degradation and promoting sustainable practices at the grassroots.
He reaffirmed the existing Memorandum of Understanding between the ASTUC Women Wing and the Ministry of Environment, noting that the partnership informed the environmental focus of this year’s ASTUC Annual August Meeting and the women’s commitment to planting more than 500,000 trees across Anambra State.
Aguiyi said the initiative was particularly important in addressing environmental challenges such as erosion, flooding and other forms of degradation, which he attributed partly to harmful human activities and poor environmental practices.
He urged the women to translate environmental awareness into daily action by promoting proper waste disposal, keeping drainage channels clear, planting trees and discouraging indiscriminate
