₦airaland Forum

Women believed to be supporters of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB on Wednesday stormed the premises of Federal High Court Abuja, chanting 'free our son, free our son'.

They came in their hundreds, adorning ishi agu traditional wears, chanting 'freedom, freedom', ABN TV reports.

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They later went into prayer sessions, soliciting for divine intervention as they rolled on the floor.

They said they are not afraid, expressing optimism that Biafra must come.

They called on the federal government to release Nnamdi Kanu whom they said committed no offence.

IPOB, a separatist group has over the years agitated for the creation of Biafra Republic over perceived marginalisation in the Nigerian state.

Nnamdi Kanu is standing trial over allegations of treasonable felony and terrorism which he allegedly committed in the course of his agitation for an independent state.

Motorists along the popular Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene road will soon heave a sigh of relief as the contractor, Heartland Construction Company Ltd concludes an arrangement to commence total reconstruction of the federal road linking South East and Akwa Ibom State, ABN TV reports.

The road has for a long time been a source of worry to road users along that axis with its attendant incessant carnages.

The federal government had in 2017, awarded the contract for the total rehabilitation of the road but the project was stalled due to paucity of funds until December 2021 when the federal government approved its total reconstruction under the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Road Tax Credit Scheme.

Addressing newsmen Thursday at Oboro Ikwuano Yard of the firm after inspection of some portions of the 50km road, the Managing Director, Mr. Fayez Kuacaf, said they had been paid mobilisation fee by the federal government.

He said that the company had already started mobilising their equipment to the site for immediate commencement of the project which he added, was expected to be delivered in two years' time other things being equal.

Mr. Kuacaf said that after tackling a 10 kilometer stretch from Umuahia to Oboro Ikwuano to make for the easy passage from the state capital, then attention would be given to other failed portions of the road.

His words: "We are not here for palliative work; we have come to begin the total reconstruction work.
"We have already started mobilising equipment to site. Now that government has secured the much-needed funds for the project, we will expedite the work.

"We don't plan sitting and letting the money fester in the bank account. We want to work to get paid."

Asked when exactly work would begin on the project, the MD said "immediately", but added that certain arrangements "like security arrangement" has to be put in place.

"We have received payment and we have to start work almost immediately. More equipment is on the way. As we speak, Lowbirds from our Center workshop are on the way. We have made huge investments to increase the number of equipment to bring to site. Now that something has been released we need to begin work".

Asked what percentage of the N13.4 billion contract sum had been released to the company, Mr. Kuacaf, said " five percent", but expressed optimism that government would not renege in its promises to release more funds as work progressed.

"As long as something continues to come as we have been promised. We have faith in the Government that we will be fully paid as we deliver."

On the issue of the right of way, the firm said the Ministry of Work was handling the matter and would deal accordingly.

Speaking with newsmen, member representing Ikwuano-Umuahia federal constituency, Hon. Sam Onuigbo, expressed joy over the development, saying the intervention meant that the pressures he had been mounting on the Ministry of Works and the contractor had yielded fruits.

The lawmaker who said he felt very hopeful and expectant, expressed optimism that very soon the road would be delivered to alleviate the plights of his constituents and other road users.

"During my meeting with the Minister of Works and the Contractor last week I told them the urgency of the road and to take advantage of the dry season", he said.

Interpol Systems Consultant, Sir Chikwe Udensi has said excess consumption of alcohol is a form of drug abuse which adequate attention is not usually paid to.

According to him, alcohol utters the mind, gives a false sense of security to the abuser and increases urge to do the wrong thing.

Featuring on radio programme, Open Parliament on Love FM Umuahia on Wednesday which was also streamed live by ABN TV, Sir Udensi noted that drug abuse is not limited to hard drugs alone.

He expressed worry that over 70 percent of young people in rural areas are also involved in the use of drugs including marijuana, cocaine, 'mkpuru miri', pain killers, and others.

These he said have been catastrophic to the society, adding that they have been instrumental to the ills facing the society, particularly ritual killings, abduction, cultism, terrorism, and other social vices.

The APGA chieftain remarked that a recent security report revealed that in secondary schools today, the use of drugs has become very prevalent, as well as in homes and workplaces.

"What most countries of the world have done now is, if you are in public transportation, you cannot use any form of drug, not even alcohol.

"I hope you can see what is happening in the motor parks today, when the driver is waiting for his vehicle to be loaded, he is busy consuming alcohol.

"Alcohol we know is a mind utterer, it gives a false sense of safety. It will make one drive 50 miles an hour thinking you're making 40 miles.

"These are the effects of alcohol. Unfortunately, we are not doing much in this area" he expressed.

Sir Udensi, therefore, called on the NDLEA to expand its tentacles to the local government areas and rural communities.

The governorship aspirant also said agencies responsible to regulate alcohol, tobacco, and firearms use are not in Nigeria unlike other parts of the world where such bodies are available.

He insisted that the consumption of drugs must be seriously regulated to save society from further ills.

A filling station belonging to a petroleum product marketing company, Master Energy located along Aba-Owerri road in Umuahia, Abia State has been gutted by fire, ABN TV reports.

Though the cause of the fire incident is yet to be fully ascertained, the Ag. Director Abia State Fire Service, Mr. Arua said it started while a tanker was offloading the product.

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He told ABN TV that an explosion occurred which he said may be due to the unprofessional conduct of those discharging the product.
As at the time of filing this report, the fire was still raging even as men of the state Fire Service battled to contain the inferno.

The petroleum marketing company is owned by the Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Uchechukwu Samson Ogah.

Shuaib Labaran, the lead counsel to the Federal Government on the trial of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has said he (Kanu) denied membership of IPOB.

The Federal Government has laid charges of treason against Nnamdi Kanu, including 15 fresh charges which were filed on Monday.

Kanu has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him.

Speaking with journalists outside the court, Labaran said, Kanu “vehemently” denied being an IPOB member.

He said, “One of the charges suggesting that the defendant, Nnamdi Kanu is a member of IPOB and he vehemently denied being a member of IPOB. That is very curious and we urge Nigerians to see us through how we are going to prove all those charges against the defendant in no time to come.”

Member representing Bende Federal Constituency and Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Rep. Benjamin Kalu has called on members and leaders of All Progressive Congress in Abia State to reunite for a common purpose as 2023 elections beckons.

The lawmaker stated this when he featured on his weekly radio programme, The Ben Kalu’s Mandate, streamed live on ABN TV and Radio simultaneously.

Speaking on the current issues within the party in the state, the Reps Spokesperson highlighted that the strength of the party is in its unity, noting that there will be no victory in an atmosphere of disunity.

He said, "As of today, If Abia APC wants to win the government House in Abia State, it’s not in the shape and form that we are going about it, and this is the truth. The national body has seen it and this is why they have set up the reconciliation committee to look into the issues concerning it. However, this committee met in Abuja a few days ago, unfortunately, I could not join them but I heard they met and it was not attended by parties who should attend instead letters were sent in place of physical presence.

"The tone of the letters I have been reading online, I’m not sure if they are actually from the right source but if they are then we are truly deceiving ourselves. In the sense that we need people to win elections.

"When we came on board in 2015, there was a new energy in the party. Nobody is taking any glory but people worked very hard to reposition the party, If politics is about the people, we should not be anti-reconciliation because no one man can do it alone. If you think you’re powerful, and you can do it alone, you will fail. It is only wise to have people come together, sit and deliberate on the way to move the party forward.

"I do not believe in or belong to factions. We are one family but I will only respect and recognize my efforts towards building a stronger party in my federal constituency and the state in general".

Former Abia state governor and Senate Chief Whip, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu has raised alarm that some people are pursuing him and want to destroy him over his ambition to be President in 2023.

Senator Kalu, in a  recent interview with Arise TV monitored by ABN TV, disclosed that he the same ‘people’ put him in prison for 6 months for doing nothing.

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Orji said; “They are Nigerians who want to be President, they are Nigerians who want to set me aside, they are Nigerians who just want to destroy me”.

“There is a lot of Jealousy in the system. A lot of people who think I became very successful at an early age, Why must I have money and have power? is life like that?”

“These People carelessly put me in prison for 6 months for doing nothing. I’m not bitter about it because it’s God’s will and it’s our court system that put me in prison.”

When asked about the N7 billion Fraud case for which he was incarcerated for, Orji stated that he was not guilty adding that he would not like to speak on the matter so as not to be in contempt of court.

“There were 19 witnesses in court of competent Jurisdiction, nobody called my name, nobody mentioned my name, no money traced to me, nothing. I don’t want to talk about this matter, don’t drag me into it, i don’t want any court to come tomorrow and say I have gone in contempt of court.”

"I don't want to talk about this matter here, please", He said.

Interpol Systems Consultant, Sir Chikwe Udensi has backed President Muhammadu Buhari in rejecting state police, insisting that it is prone to abuse by the governors whom he said are not tolerant to slight criticisms.

According to Udensi, governors will use state police to pursue political agenda, noting that it is dangerous to trust them with the command and control of arms.

Recall that President Buhari was recently quoted to have said that state police is not an option.

Speaking on a radio programme Open Parliament, streamed on ABN Radio on Wednesday, Sir Udensi said instead, regional police in the likes of EbubeAgu and Amotekun should be adopted.

He noted that the actions of the state governors whom he said are not receptive of diverse opinions do not portray them as people who can handle state police.

"When someone holds a different opinion from what they have, it's always a serious problem, you see how they react. That gives you an idea of what they will do when you give them arms.

"If you take a look at what is happening in the nation, when the national body the INEC conducts election, almost all the political parties, even small ones will win positions.

"But you give state governors opportunity to conduct election through the state Independent Electoral Commissions, look at the results. No other party will win anything, including councillorship position, even assistant councillor, if there is anything like that, apart from their own party.

"It gives you idea of whom they are, giving them the authority of arms is not the right thing to do now" he said.

While backing regional police, Sir Udensi applauded Amotekun, the South West security outfit, saying they have helped in tackling crime in the region.

He called on South East Governors to arm EbubeAgu, commending Ebonyi and Anambra states for their efforts in bringing the security outfit to the fore in crime-fighting.