The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abia State Council, has raised serious concerns over worsening insecurity in communities and the growing infiltration of criminal elements disguising themselves as tricycle operators, calling for immediate and decisive intervention to safeguard lives and property across the state.
The concerns formed part of a communiqué issued at the end of the Union’s Monthly Congress held on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at the NUJ Press Centre, Plot 66 Aba Road, Umuahia, presided over by the Chairman of the Council, Comrade Chidi Asonye.

In a strongly worded resolution, Congress condemned the alarming activities of suspected criminals operating under the guise of commercial tricycle (“Keke”) riders, describing the development as a dangerous trend threatening public safety, especially for passengers who commute at night.
The Union noted with deep concern that the unchecked activities of these criminal elements have continued to endanger innocent residents and undermine the security architecture of Abia State.
To tackle the growing menace, the Congress called on the Abia State Ministry of Transport to urgently partner with Keke and Okada unions to regulate, identify and profile operators across the state, insisting that proper documentation and monitoring of members would help flush out criminal infiltrators hiding within the transport system.
On the broader issue of insecurity across Nigeria, the journalists stressed the need for grassroots vigilance, urging traditional rulers, Presidents-General and town union leaders of autonomous communities to take proactive measures in safeguarding their domains.

Congress specifically called on community leaders to intensify local surveillance mechanisms and regularly monitor forests, farmlands and vulnerable areas to guarantee the safety of farmers and rural dwellers increasingly exposed to criminal attacks.
The NUJ also appealed to the Abia State Government to go beyond conventional security responses by organizing periodic security summits for traditional rulers and key community stakeholders, aimed at strengthening local intelligence gathering, sensitization and coordinated community-based security efforts.
Furthermore, Congress advocated the recruitment of forest guards to patrol forests and remote communities across the state, with a mandate to identify and flush out criminal hideouts while restoring confidence among residents.
The communiqué, signed by the Communiqué Drafting Committee Chairman, Imeremba Michael Imeremba; Secretary, Ifeanyi Ogbonna; and member, Christy Emezue, alongside the NUJ Abia Council Secretary, Comrade Iyke Onuegbu, mnipr, and Chairman, Comrade Chidi Asonye, emphasized the urgent need for collective action to preserve peace and security in Abia State.
The Union maintained that ensuring security must remain a shared responsibility among government, traditional institutions and citizens, warning that failure to act swiftly could further expose communities to criminal threats.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to building a stronger, investment-driven economy . The President said this is possible through sustained collaboration with state governments, as the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) and the Abia State Government intensified calls for deeper reforms to accelerate economic growth, job creation, and ease of doing business.

Conveying the President’s goodwill at the PEBEC Nationwide Subnational Engagement and Technical Reform Workshop held at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia, the Director-General of PEBEC, Princess Zahrah Mustapha Audu, stressed that Nigeria’s economic prosperity would only be achieved through coordinated reforms across all levels of government.

She said President Tinubu’s administration was implementing one of the most ambitious economic reform programmes in recent history, aimed at unlocking investments, improving competitiveness, and creating opportunities for citizens.

According to Princess Audu, the future of Nigeria’s economy would not be shaped in Abuja alone but in the states, cities, industrial clusters, innovation hubs, farms, and local government areas where businesses operate and investments thrive.

“The future of Nigeria’s economy will not be determined in Abuja alone. It will be shaped in our states, cities, industrial clusters, farms, innovation hubs, and local government areas,” she stated.

She noted that investors make decisions based largely on the competitiveness of individual states, emphasizing that regulatory efficiency, policy consistency, infrastructure, and ease of doing business remain critical factors in attracting local and foreign investments.

The DG explained that the nationwide subnational engagement tour was designed to strengthen partnerships between the Federal Government and state governments while promoting reforms capable of unlocking Nigeria’s vast investment potential and improving business competitiveness.

Earlier in his remarks, the Deputy Governor of Abia State, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, who represented Governor Dr. Alex Otti, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to building a business-friendly environment that inspires investor confidence and economic prosperity.

Welcoming the PEBEC delegation, development partners, organised private sector operators, and government officials to the workshop, Emetu commended PEBEC for fostering synergy between the Federal Government and subnational governments in efforts to improve the business climate across Nigeria.

He disclosed that since assuming office in May 2023, the Otti administration had embarked on bold and deliberate reforms aimed at strengthening institutions, rebuilding public trust, modernising infrastructure, enhancing security, and digitising government operations to make Abia more attractive to investors.

According to him, massive investments in road infrastructure connecting markets, industrial clusters, commercial hubs, and communities have significantly improved connectivity, reduced transportation barriers, and enhanced investor confidence.

The Deputy Governor further highlighted the administration’s security reforms, describing Abia as increasingly safer for businesses due to technology-driven security initiatives, enhanced intelligence gathering, and stronger inter-agency collaboration.

On land administration, Emetu described the “Certificate of Occupancy in 30 Days” initiative as one of the most transformative reforms of the present administration.

He revealed that the state had issued over 4,407 Certificates of Occupancy since May 2023, surpassing the cumulative number issued by previous administrations over the last 24 years.

According to him, the initiative has strengthened property rights, improved access to finance, boosted investor confidence, and entrenched transparency and efficiency in land administration.

The Deputy Governor further disclosed that the government had established One-Stop Investment Centres in Aba and Umuahia, expanded digital government platforms, and launched an Export Growth Lab in Aba to empower local businesses and expand export opportunities.

In the area of human capital development, he said the government had recruited over 5,300 teachers and more than 600 healthcare workers, while also expanding opportunities for youth empowerment and skills acquisition.

While acknowledging the progress made, Emetu maintained that reform is a continuous process and assured stakeholders that the Abia State Government would continue to deepen policies capable of stimulating innovation, attracting investments, creating jobs, and improving living standards.

Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Ease of Doing Business, Hon. Barr. Jennifer Agbonma Okorafor Ukaobasi, said Abia had recorded significant progress in improving its business climate through strategic reforms.

She disclosed that the state rose from 32nd position to 11th place nationally in the Ease of Doing Business ranking through deliberate and consistent reforms.

According to her, Governor Alex Otti has given a clear mandate for Abia to attain the number one position nationally, assuring that deliberate efforts were underway to achieve that target.

Barr. Ukaobasi further revealed that the state recently qualified for the disbursement of a World Bank-supported loan after successfully meeting key reform indicators — an achievement she described as strong evidence of Abia’s commitment to creating a conducive business environment.

She explained that the Ease of Doing Business Office was established to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks, bridge the gap between government institutions and the private sector, and encourage investments capable of stimulating economic activities, increasing internally generated revenue, and creating employment opportunities.

“The objective is to make Abia attractive to investors. When businesses come and thrive, they create jobs, increase economic activities, expand the tax net, and contribute significantly to economic growth,” she said.

The SSA noted that engagements with PEBEC, the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER), and the World Bank occur regularly through the development of reform action plans, stakeholder consultations, and periodic performance reviews aimed at strengthening the state’s business environment.

She added that beyond formal engagements, her office conducts sensitisation campaigns, workshops for civil servants, and consultations with organised private sector groups to ensure alignment with the state’s ease of doing business agenda.

The Town hall meeting had several sessions on overview of PEBEC and the National wide Subnational Engagement Tour; Strengthening Regulatory Governance through Regulatory Impa Analysis (RIA);
Understanding the Investment Lifecycle and Improving Investor Experience.

There were other sessions on One government approach- One Stop Shops and Integrated Service Delivery; Harmonisation of Levies,Fees, and Re Charges; Access to Justice and Commercial Dispute Resolution,Small Claims Court and Multidoor Court House Systems,etc by the PEBEC Team.

The workshop ended with an interactive session/ Questions and answers . It attracted government officials, development partners, business leaders, policy experts, and members of the organised private sector, who deliberated extensively on strategies for improving investment competitiveness and strengthening business-enabling reforms across Nigeria.

Participants expressed optimism that sustained collaboration between PEBEC and state governments would accelerate reforms, boost investor confidence, and position Nigeria as a preferred destination for enterprise, industrial growth, and sustainable economic development.

Governor Alex Otti has emerged as the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate for the 2027 general election in Abia State after securing an overwhelming 368,230 votes in the party’s direct primary election conducted across the state’s 184 political wards.

Declaring the results at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia, the National Organising Secretary of the Labour Party and Returning Officer for the exercise in Abia State, Mrs Oluchi Opara, announced that Governor Otti, who contested unopposed, swept the polls in a process monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies.

The primaries also produced Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe for Abia South Senatorial Zone, Senator Darlington Nwokocha for Abia Central, and Chief David Ogba Onuoha for Abia North Senatorial Zone. Serving members of the House of Representatives like Hon. Ginger  Onwusibe and State House of Assembly members also secured return tickets to seek re-election under the party’s platform.
The exercise, largely driven by consensus arrangements in several constituencies, was widely applauded for its orderly conduct and absence of rancour.

Presenting the Governor with his Certificate of Return, the National Secretary of the Labour Party, Hon. Acho Obioma, commended party members and electoral officials for conducting what he described as a peaceful, transparent, and violence-free exercise, noting that the primaries reflected the party’s internal democracy and organisational discipline ahead of the 2027 polls.

In his acceptance speech, Governor Otti thanked party leaders, the primaries committee, INEC officials, observers, and party faithful for ensuring a smooth and credible process across the state. He said the emergence of candidates marked the beginning of the next phase of political engagement ahead of the general elections.
“The job has just started. Now that you are candidates, the task of working hard to secure victory for the Labour Party begins,” Otti stated, urging all candidates to intensify grassroots mobilisation and consolidate the party’s growing support base across Abia.

The Governor expressed confidence in the party’s chances in 2027, citing the large turnout recorded during the primaries and stressing the need to reach beyond party lines to win broader public support.

The primaries also produced Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe for Abia South Senatorial Zone, Senator Darlington Nwokocha for Abia Central, and Chief David Ogba Onuoha for Abia North Senatorial Zone. Serving members of the House of Representatives and State House of Assembly also secured return tickets to seek re-election under the party’s platform.
The exercise, largely driven by consensus arrangements in several constituencies, was widely applauded for its orderly conduct and absence of rancour.
Earlier in the day, Governor Otti, accompanied by his wife, Her Excellency Mrs Priscilla Chidinma Otti, participated in the Labour Party primary election at his ward in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area before proceeding to the state collation centre in Umuahia.

In an emotional moment during the event, Governor Otti announced the passing of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 9, AIG Kanayo Uzuegbu, describing him as “a very good man” and revealing that efforts had been made to save his life before news of his death was confirmed. A minute of silence was thereafter observed in his honour.