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Francis Arthur Nzeribe: The Shadow Diplomat, Arms Dealer, and Political Enigma of Post-Colonial Africa
Francis Arthur Nzeribe remains one of the most complex and controversial figures in modern African history. A man of immense wealth, influence, and political agility, Nzeribe traversed the murky corridors of international arms trade, African power politics, and national intrigue with remarkable survival instincts.
During the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970), Nzeribe reportedly supplied arms to both the Nigerian government and the secessionist Biafran forces—profiting from a conflict that devastated his homeland. His arms dealings were not confined to Nigeria alone; by several accounts, Nzeribe had commercial footprints in nearly every major conflict zone across Africa during the post-independence era.
In the 1960s, he served briefly as a speechwriter to Ghanaian President Kwame Nkrumah. Following the 1966 military coup that deposed Nkrumah, Nzeribe skillfully aligned himself with the new regime—a move emblematic of his political adaptability. However, his proximity to power in Ghana came at a cost. In April 1969, he was implicated in a bribery scandal involving then Head-of-State Joseph Arthur Ankrah, which contributed to Ankrah’s resignation.
After another political fallout in Ghana under J.J. Rawlings, Nzeribe was deported in 1979. He relocated to the United Kingdom, where he continued his private business ventures, including arms trade and international lobbying.
Back in Nigeria, Nzeribe established FANZ Organisation in 1970, shortly after the civil war. The firm became a major holding for his investments in oil, construction, and communications.
Perhaps one of his most controversial political actions came in 1993. Through his organization, the Association for Better Nigeria (ABN), Nzeribe filed a controversial court injunction to halt the announcement of the June 12 presidential election results. Widely believed to be Nigeria’s fairest and freest election, the annulment that followed plunged the nation into political crisis, with Nzeribe cast as a central antagonist.
In Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, as Senator for Imo West, Nzeribe continued to stir national debate. In May 2000, he urged the National Assembly to impeach President Olusegun Obasanjo over the unresolved Sharia law crisis, citing the danger posed to national unity. The religious violence that erupted in Kaduna during that period left hundreds dead—many of them Eastern Nigerians—at the hands of Islamist extremists.
Arthur Nzeribe, equal parts tycoon, tactician, and survivor, passed away in 2022. His legacy remains contentious: hailed by some as a master strategist, condemned by others as a self-serving opportunist—but never ignored.
– Kingpin Eshiet
The Enugu State Government has suspended His Royal Majesty, Igwe Eze William Ezugwu, the traditional ruler of Ibagwa Ogbozalla Opi Autonomous Community, in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu state.
The state government accused Igwe Ezugwu of violating provisions of the state’s Traditional Rulers Law.
In a letter of suspension dated September 24, the Enugu State Government cited his alleged failure to constitute his cabinet, failure to establish a Town Union governing body, and persistent conduct deemed inconsistent with the laws governing traditional rulers in the state.
The suspension comes barely three weeks after Igwe William Ezugwu received NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi at his palace in Opi, Nsukka LGA, where he reportedly blessed Obi’s presidential ambition.
The Deputy Commander of Operation Rainbow, CSP (Chief Superintendent of Police) Dennis David Babale, has been killed after gunmen suspected to be Fulani Bandits ambushed personnel of the security outfit along the Bokkos-Barkin Ladi road in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Operation Rainbow is a State-backed community security and intelligence-gathering outfit in Plateau State, Nigeria, originally established in 2010 under former Governor Jonah Jang and recently revamped by Governor Caleb Mutfwang to combat rural violence and beef up grassroots security.
The incident reportedly occurred at about 4:06 p.m. on Tuesday, September 22, 2026 when the personnel, travelling in a Toyota Hilux vehicle, came under attack by unidentified gunmen.
Troops of Sector 4, Operation ENDURING PEACE (OPEP), responded to a distress report and moved to the location of the attack.
Sources told reporters that Babale sustained gunshot wounds during the ambush and was evacuated to the General Hospital, Barkin Ladi, for medical attention.
Following the attack, troops, working alongside personnel of other security agencies, launched offensive operations and a manhunt for the assailants within the general area.
Security forces have intensified efforts to track the attackers and prevent further attacks along the route.
Director General/CEO of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative at the World Meteorological Organization, Prof. Charles Anosike and other Chief Executive Officers of similar agencies across the world, have concluded a one week high level dialogue on Climate Science Information for Climate Finance and the 53rd Senior Official Field Exchange (SOFE) in Beijing, China.
The event which was hosted by World Meteorological Organization (WMO), took place from September 14 to 18, 2026 and featured discussions on: strengthening the role and leadership development of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in mobilizing climate finance; aligning scientific and technical capabilities with risk-informed, people-centred early warning systems; shifting from technical assistance to sustainable investments by expanding practical cooperation between meteorological frameworks and multilateral financing entities; and support to NMHSs leadership on strengthening strategic thinking and fostering productive partnerships.
Held back-to-back with the High-level dialogue was the 53rd Senior Official Field Exchange to Fujian Province for first-hand exposure to the implementation of Multi-hazard, Alert, Zero-gap and Universal (MAZU) platform – China’s AI-driven meteorological early warning solution in support of the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative and disaster risk reduction practices through technical exchanges, field visits and peer learning.
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