By Damian Duruiheoma, Owerri

The much publicised Imo governorship debate organised by the British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC Igbo Service held in Owerri last weekend was boycotted by three of the four governorship candidates shortlisted for the event.

Of the four candidates, only Uche Nwosu, governorship candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) showed up.

The three others namely Senator Ifeanyi Araraume (APGA), Senator Hope Uzodinma (APC) and Hon. Emeka Ihedioha (PDP) did not participate.

While the debate was ongoing, the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) was having a flag off of his campaign at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, from where he joined other candidates at Maria Assumpta Cathedral, where the Archbishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, A. J. V. Obinna held special prayers for the governorship candidates ahead of the March 3, 2019 polls.

While fielding questions from the BBC anchorman and the audience at the debate, Nwosu, who is Governor Okorochas preferred candidate to succeed him, insisted that he was not in the race to advance Governor Rochas Okorocha’s political dynasty.

He added that his ambition to govern Imo goes beyond anybody’s personal political agenda and by far outweighs his personal interest. “I have been around government for quite some time now and if I have not learnt anything, I have learnt that the government that must work is the government that is built around the people, focused on the people and which prioritizes the people over every other issue in governance, so I can tell you without any iota of doubt that I am not coming to perpetuate Okorocha’s dynasty but to serve. I have come to work,” he said.

Nwosu stated that he was in he was in the race to improve and consolidate on the achievements recorded by the current administration.

The debate, which was specifically for the governorship candidates assumed to be the front-runners in the election, had a non-partisan audience drawn from the civil society, professional bodies and a cross-section of youths, artisans and civil servants.

By Damian Duruiheoma, Owerri

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state says he is still the senatorial candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) despite the suspension by the party last week.

In the list of senatorial candidates published by the INEC, the governor’s name is among the candidates of the APC in Imo state that will contest the February 16 2019 National Assembly election.

Okorocha, who is the chairman of Progressive Governors Forum, an assemblage of APC governors in Nigeria, was Thursday night suspended for anti-party activities by the state chapter of the APC.

The chairman of the state chapter of the party, Prince Marcellinus Nlemigbo, in a release, said the action was taken, after a report from the disciplinary committee set up to investigate allegations of anti-party activities against the governor.

The disciplinary committee, headed by former member of House of Representatives, Matthew Omegara, had earlier last week, summoned the governor and six others to appear before the committee for anti-party activities and for allegedly bringing the party to disrepute and ridicule.

The party, at the national level, following the activities of the governor and state executives, dissolved the state executives, noting that they could not be trusted to work for the good of the party. It thereafter, set up a caretaker committee, headed by Nlemigbo.

Nlemigbo listed the action of the governor that constituted anti-party activities to include; sponsorship of a rival political party, Action Alliance (AA), in Imo state and its governorship candidate, Uche Nwosu, as well as open denunciation of APC and its governorship candidate, Hope Uzodimma, in the state.

The caretaker committee said its action is in line with Article 21 (B) I-VI of the APC constitution as amended in 2014.

Reacting to the news of his suspension, Governor Okorocha through his chief press secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, said APC cannot suspend him because the party has no reason to do so. He said never at any time was he suspended or expelled from the party as the APC never contemplated doing that and would not have any reason to think about that.

Okorocha, who obviously does not recognise Nlemigbo’s caretaker committee leadership of the party in the state, insisted that there was no faction in Imo APC as only one APC exists and led by Hon. Daniel Nwafor as chairman and himself as leader of the party.

“Any other group claiming to be a faction of Imo APC must obviously be a gang of 419ers or league of fraudsters who are experts in issuance of dud cheques and collecting billions for jobs not done.

“The only contentious issue in Imo APC is that the national chairman of the party, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole imposed a known PDP member and a known character in the state on the party as its governorship candidate, and by so doing, pushing the party and its members to a very tight corner especially when it comes to the issue of marketing a candidate.

“If Mr. Oshiomhole didn’t want the preferred candidate of members of the party in the state, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu, for any reason, and if he actually meant well for Imo APC, he would have taken one of the guber aspirants that formed the coalition who are known members of the party, and who are also from Owerri zone since that was the reason some of them in the coalition claimed that made them to leave the government”, the statement reads in part.

The governor accused the APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomole of imposing a candidate on the party.

“Aside this problem, Oshiomhole also told his audience that he has dissolved the EXCOs of the party from the state to the wards in total disregard of a ruling by Hon. Justice O.A. Musa of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory Bwari Abuja, delivered on August 14, 2018 in Suit No: FCT/HC/BW/CV/103/2018.

“In the ruling, Justice Musa stated; ‘An order of perpetual injunction is hereby made restraining the 1st and 2nd Defendants either by themselves, the National Working Committee, or National Executive Committee from either removing, substituting, replacing, suspending or interfering with the tenure of the 3rd Defendant/Claimant, his executive and all elected officers of the 1st Defendant contained in exhibits A, B, C and D from their elected offices’.

“And to the best of our knowledge, Justice Musa’s ruling has neither been appealed against nor quashed. In other words, Mr. Oshiomhole decided to urinate on the High Court ruling when he said he has dissolved the Daniel Nwafor EXCO and has set up the M.O. Nlemigbo Caretaker Committee. One therefore does not need to be a SAN to know that the national chairman’s action was null, void and of no effect. It was effort in futility and that is why a contempt charge has been filed against him”.

By Uchenna Ezeadigwe

President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to inaugurate the Zik Mausoleum in Onitsha on Thursday as part of activities slated for his re-election campaign in Anambra.

Mrs Sharon Ikeazor, the SouthEast zonal coordinator of Buhari/Osinbajo campaign organisation who made the announcement at the All Progressive Congress (APC) stakeholders meeting in Awka over the weekend also disclosed that on arrival, Buhari would pay courtesy a visit on the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe and his Council, before proceeding to inaugurate the Mausoleum.

“You are aware that the Zik Mausoleum has been abandoned for so many years but at the inception of the Buhari administration in 2015, Mr President promised to complete the project and it has been completed,” she said.

She said that thousands of APC faithful and supporters were expected to attend the campaign rally at the Holy Trinity Basilica ground in Onitsha.

“The party has concluded plans to deploy strategies to win the election including door-to-door and community campaigns. The people of South East are extremely prepared to give Mr President better votes than in 2015,” she assured.

Also speaking, the state coordinator and Senator representing Anambra South, Sen. Andy Uba said the meeting was also arranged to reconcile aggrieved members of the party ahead of the election.

“For us to be able to win, help the president, candidates and the zone, we must be able to seek ways of working together. The president will win with more votes than he had before,” Uba said.

The state Acting APC Chairman, Mr Basil Ejidike said the party was committed to ensuring victory for the President and all its candidates in the state. He called on party faithful and supporters of Buhari to turn out massively for the mega rally.

By O’star Eze


Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, Chief Victor Umeh, All Progressives Grand Alliance Senatorial Candidate for Anambra Central were among the high profile APGA stakeholders who miraculously escaped severe injuries as the podium mounted by APGA stakeholders during a recent rally at Abagana, Njikoka Local Government Area collapsed.

According to an eye witness, the rally which was tagged, ‘APGA Thank You Tour’ saw a huge turn-out of APGA faithful at the field and sought to mobilize the party for the coming elections. With more and more APGA leadership mounting the stage to identify with the governor and other APGA stakeholders, the stage yielded to the weight of the people and caved in.

While Nnaemeka Obitube, an Abagana based social media activist alleged that Governor Willie Obiano left the scene of the event in anger after the event, Uche Nworah, Managing Director of Anambra Broadcasting Services, ABS, refuted the claim insisting that he was at the event and that no such thing happened.

“Nobody was injured and the event continued immediately. The speakers including the governor stood on the aluminium steps and addressed the crowd. The event ended on a happy and glorious note. I was there so I saw everything,” he wrote replying to Obitube on his facebook wall.

Corroborating Nworah, James Eze, Governor Obiano’s Chief Press Secretary said that what caused the collapse was a “sudden surge by the large crowd,” and that nobody was hurt.

“The ‘thank you tour’ mounted by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to mobilize party [faithful] for the coming general elections witnessed a mammoth crowd at Abagana, Njikoka Local Government today.

“A sudden surge by the large crowd eventually led to the collapse of the stage with many party leaders on it. However, no one was hurt from the crash,” he wrote.

By Uzoh Ugwueze, Enugu

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, South East Zonal office, has released the sum of N4,300,140.52 (Four Million, Three Hundred Thousand, One Hundred and Forty Naira, Fifty-Two Kobo) to an Onitsha-based victim of fraud, Mr. Ignatius Nwoke.

The commission handed over the money to him at its office in Enugu.

Presenting the cheque to Nwoke on behalf of the acting chairman of the Commission, Ibrahim Magu, the Zonal Head, Usman Imam stated that the occasion was instructive and reflective of what EFCC represents apart from the public persona of just an institution after the big looters.

“This is one of what the Commission does, to help the helpless. This is a story we want the world to know; that EFCC, apart from the mandate of sanitising the public institutions through our core mandates of investigation and prosecution, we are also in the business of using that to help victims who have nobody to help them in the event they are scammed,” he said.

Imam noted that the case was not normal but one in which, suspects have jumped bail and others were at large such that any other institution or officers which were not diligent could have swept by the side and continued with other cases.

He further stressed that the recovered fund should not be seen as being small considering the hardship in the country and the fact that the victim, over the years, might have felt it was impossible to ever get back his money.

Reacting, the elated Nwoke said he was grateful to the EFCC and all the staff who helped him recover part of his funds. “I am very happy to receive this money. I thank the EFCC and all its members for their efforts. I thank the chairman and the zonal head who recovered this money for me. I pray God to bless you,” he said.

On his advice to Nigerians regarding his experience, he said; “I tell people to be careful of fraud. Fraud is much in Nigeria now. How can one, after suffering for over twenty years, just have someone defraud one of it?” He questioned rather rhetorically.

Nwoke’s journey which, according to him, had cost him the life of his brother because he could not afford money needed for his treatment, started in 2010 when he was approached by a supposed friend. The friend brought three other fraudsters posing as Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) staff and offered him contracts purportedly running into millions of naira.

One of them, in fact, the arrow head of the scheme, Obumneme Ojimba, admitted to the commission of the crime, was arrested and granted bail but later took flight.

The Commission, after painstaking investigation through its counsel, Anasoh Henry Onyekachi, filed a motion ex parte at an Ikoyi High Court for Non-Conviction based forfeiture under Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Fraud Offences Act 2006 over the N4,300.140.52 domicilled in the account of the one of confessed fraudsters.

The court having ordered the publication of the interim forfeiture which was granted, went ahead to grant an order finally forfeiting the said fund to the nominal complainant.

By Olisemeka Obeche

A commercial truck transporting ballot papers and computer hard drives belonging to the independent national electoral commission (INEC) to an unknown destination has been impounded in Cross River.

Orient Weekend gathered that the truck with registration number Enugu UNN 148 XA was intercepted by members of an unnamed youth task force in Egbung, Ogoja LGA during routine check of vehicles along Ogoja – Abakaliki highway on Thursday. Although, the unidentified driver made spirited attempts to hoodwink Members of the task force during preliminary interrogation, his inability to present coherent answers on the destination of the sensitive electoral materials gave him away.

According to a witness, Elijah Ugani, the truck was found to be loaded with unused ballot papers belonging to Boki local government for 2015 state constituency election as well as computer hard drives and other secretariat documents of INEC.

He disclosed that: “The driver said he had authority of INEC to move them from Calabar where he claimed he was coming from. But he wasn’t sure where he was going. He first said he was going to INEC headquarters in Abuja. He later said he was going from Local government area to local government areas in the state to mop them up.

“Not long after, he said he was going to Abakaliki then lastly claimed that he was only moving them to Onitsha for one Emmanuel Kalu, who is the buyer. So it was obvious that something is fishy and the truck has been arrested by the youths. Reacting to the development, the resident electoral commissioner (REC) in Cross River, Frankland Briyai, denied knowledge of the truck’s movement or authorized it.

Mr. Briyai, however admitted that the state electoral commission had received directive to destroy all unused ballots papers and that he has further directed that such remaining papers should be transferred from other parts of the state to the capital, Calabar for destruction. The REC then wondered why a truck with such sensitive materials earmarked for destruction was traveling out of the state.

He vowed to carry out investigation with a view of finding out what transpired. This paper learnt that police operatives from Ogoja area command later arrived the scene where the youths were holding the truck and the drive hostage; before transporting the suspicious package to the station.

By Damian Duruiheoma, Owerri

Former Governor of Imo state, Ikedi Ohakim has told the leaders and people of Owerri senatorial zone to support him to complete his second term if they ever want to produce governor for the state in the nearest future.
Ohakim said unless he was allowed to complete his second as the state governor, Owerri zone would continue to find it difficult to get support for the governorship position in the state.

Speaking during the flag off campaign for Accord Party’s senatorial candiate for Owerri Zone, Chief Charles Ugomuo at Nguru Mbaise, the former governor, who is the gubernatorial candidate of Accord Party maintained that trying to present and support any candidate from Owerri zone would amount to trying to win the position through a short cut which he insisted would be very impossible.

His words: “There’s no short cut to Owerri Zone becoming governor other than supporting me to complete my tenure. This game is like draft whereby before you become a king, you must concede some things to your opponent. So, the easiest way for Owerri zone to govern Imo state is to support me to finish my tenure”.
The former governor informed the audience that ahead of 2019 elections, Igbo leaders have decided to go to the polls with their first eleven in all positions.
The reason, he said is because the outgoing government has left the state poorer and in deeper mess than he left it in 2011.

In another development, the former governor has expressed concerns that funeral services are now the most thriving enterprise in the state.
Speaking at a town hall meeting in Owerri, “Imo state now has, as at December 2018, 180 morgues, from the 18 we had when I left office in 2011. It is now clear that funeral services are now the most thriving enterprise in the state”, Ohakim said.

After showing the audience “the sordid pictorial decay in all the general hospitals and water projects” he left behind, Ohakim said: “I have the moral burden, political, economic, social and spiritual responsibilities to the people of Imo people and humanity at large, to challenge and address the wasteful, treacherous, deceitful, capricious, autocratic, totalitarian and perceivably draconian malady that has entangled Imo state, between 2011 and 2019.”

While debunking the allegation that he embezzled N8 billion, through Nworie River dredging contract, Chief Ohakim also said that the dredging with three bridges was a Niger Delta development commission, NDDC, federal government project.
“Two bridges in the contract, at Egbeada and Nekede roads, had been completed before I left office. However, for reasons best known to Rochas Okorocha, he neglected or was unable to follow up on this environmentally impactful contract”, Ohakim said.

The Accord governorship candidate accused Okorocha of “ignorantly or deliberately destroying the flow of Rivers Nworie and Otamiri, with poorly constructed culverts, instead of bridges in utter contravention of engineering design”.
Ohakim was also irked that “the traditional institution has been debased, frustrated and caged by Okorocha”, even as he viewed same as “a desecration of our cultural norms by the present administration”.

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

No fewer than 5,000 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ika South local government area of Delta State in the early hours of Tuesday dumped the party for the state ruling party, People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Expectedly, the chairman of APC in Ika South, Edwin Okoh, who led the 5,000 other members to PDP, told newsmen that their decision to dump the party for PDP was informed by many crises that had bedeviled the party in the recent times, adding that the good works of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, the state governor, was sufficient reason for their imperative move to PDP apart from the crisis in APC.

The ceremony held at the Ika South open field and witnessed supporters singing praises of Governor Okowa as well as insisting that “no vacancy in Government House”.

Receiving the decampees, the Ika South local government chairman for PDP, Mr. Collins Bello, said APC remained dead in the state and attributed the collapsed of the party to intimidating performance of the state governor across the state, adding that even the blind could see and feel the wonderful works of the governor in the past three years.

By Damian Duruiheoma, Owerri

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodinma has said that people of the state were mocked in several quarters across the country before he emerged to stop the son-in-law of the governor from becoming the governorship candidate of the party in the state.

Speaking during the official unveiling of his manifesto in Owerri, Senator Uzodinma stated that it was regrettable that the fortunes of the state were controlled only by one man who pocketed everything and went further to attempt producing the husband of the first daughter as successor.

According to Uzodinma “Imo people were mocked. We were a laughing stock in Abuja where those who knew Okorocha’s plans laughed at us that there are no men in the state to stop the father to son-in-law transition.

Speaking on his programme for the state, Uzodinma, who tagged the manifesto as “A 5-Point blue print for Imo Economic Survival” assured Imo citizens of a better livelihood based on human and capital oriented programmes.

Sympathising with the people the state on the level of hardship and alleged dehumanization which he said the Okorocha government bequeathed to the people, Uzodinma recalled that the state was far better before 2011 but became difficult when the present government introduced stringent administrative policies.

He promised to put in place a civil service structure that will be workers-friendly, adding that there will be prompt payment of salaries, pensions and other statutory obligations.

Emphasising adherence to rule of law, procedures and constitutional guidelines, the APC candidate averred that the role of government was to cater for the welfare of her citizens, and not to send them to their early graves, according to him, as witnessed in the past eight years.

Senator Uzodinma also revealed his plans of establishing an Imo State Education Opportunity Programme (ISEOP), where the state will be transformed into an academic driven economy, as well as accelerating development through manpower development.

“We shall restore Imo state as the nation’s leading center of knowledge and enterprise. For a highly functional and qualitative educational system, our new educational architecture shall focus on science and technology in line with modern digital learning ecosystem of the 21st century”, Uzodinma.

He further promised to produce a new generation of creative enterprising graduates equipped for immediate past school employment and self-reliance.

Commenting on health sector, the guber hopeful promised to enhance primary and secondary health care, pointing out that within the first two years of his administration, they would here attained a 75% Health For All (HEFA), covering the 27 LGAs.

Uzodinma promised to recruit over 850 community health workers to strengthen existing primary health care work force in the state. “In collaboration with a duly elected local government council, we shall rehabilitate, renovate and equip all the dilapidated community health centers in the 305 wards of the state, within the first year in office”, he said.

He opined that the Imo economy, which he described as ‘degraded’, would bounce back within six months of his assumption of office.

By Christopher Okafor

A middle aged man simply identified as Ifeanyi escaped being lynched by whiskers on Wednesday after allegedly being caught stealing ladies pants at a student residential quarters at Mgbakwu, Awka north Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Orient Weekend gathered that the suspect who hails from Umuneke in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State confessed that he had already stolen over 58 women pants before luck ran out on him as he was caught red-handed by a woman in the early hours of that Wednesday.

A witness to the melodrama told our reporter that Ifeanyi had broken into the house around 2am and headed straight to the rope where some pants where hung and was harvesting the under wears when the unidentified woman who came out to urinate saw him and raised alarm.

“The woman raised an alarm and he was caught; his cloth tore as he was beating mercilessly by angry mob,” the source told our reporter at the popular Nkwo Mgbakwu market, where the suspect lay gasping for breath after intense beating from angry mob.

This paper learnt that the suspect was once caught in the act at one white colour painted storey building where both students and non-students live at Amaezike village in Mgbakwu.

Ifeanyi had earlier confessed that he had been in the business of stealing ladies pants, washed and spread by the owners at their respective homes and that he usually sold them to a man known as Emeka Ofor at the rate of N500. “I steal them (pants) from women hostels. I used to sell them to Emeka Ofor, who also hails from Umuneke Udi LGA at the rate of N500 (five hundred naira) per piece,” he confessed.

The suspect claimed he dropped out of school at the Senior Secondary school (SSII) because of mental health challenges, but however blamed his travails on devil and promised never to steal women pants anymore.

He equally urged youths still in the business of stealing ladies pants or other criminal activities to repent and give their lives to Christ. It was gathered that after making passionate appeal for clemency, the suspect was later forgiven by the mob and allowed to walk away. A source later confided in Orient Weekend that he later fled the area at night after being handed a shirt and shot.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Anambra State command, SP Haruna Muhammed, said the police had not been briefed on the development, and promised to make it public when they receive the information. Stealing of ladies pants for money-making rituals, a development that has sent shockwaves in parts of Delta state have become a rampant criminal activity in recent times, forcing many ladies to adopt various mechanisms including going pantless to safeguard their future. Reports indicate that pants won by ladies between 14 and 30 years of age are sold as high as N400,000 in some parts of Warri in Delta State.

Melaye melee

Controversial Senator Dino Melaye, a serving senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, was charged to court in Abuja with attempted suicide to prevent others from repeating the politician’s reckless adventure.

Dino Melaye allegedly jumped out of a moving police van while being conveyed to Lokoja to face criminal allegations.

The senator, who was wheeled into the dock in the court in a stretcher, pleaded not guilty to the charges and was promptly granted bail to the tune of N90 million.

HIV/AIDS saga


In May, health minister, Professor Isaac Adewole, accused people living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria of blackmailing President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for cheap publicity. Adewole, who made the remark in response to a letter endorsed by at least 13 civil society organisations (CSOs), regarding the inaction of the government to end the strike by the Joint Health Workers Union (JOHESU) despite the effect the industrial action was having on the public, said the letter amounted to “sheer blackmail of government.”

In the same month, the Programme Director, Development Communications Network, Mr. Akin Jimoh, has said that about 500,000 Nigerian women lived with obstetric fistula annually without reporting such illness for adequate treatment.

The programme director urged women to avail themselves with regular medical check-ups to prevent treatable health complications, including fistula that could lead to death of pregnant and nursing mothers.

Police salary delay

In June also, some personnel of the Nigeria Police who were experiencing daunting challenges from the migration of the NPF payroll into the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) protested late payment of salaries and the Inspector General of Police [IGP} Ibrahim K. Idris, was compelled to direct the AIG Accounts and Budget to immediately liaise with the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the IPPIS Unit to rectify the persistent salary shortage and non-payment of salaries of Police personnel across the country.

Jailbreak

There was jailbreak at the Minna Medium Security Prison in Tunga area of Niger state on June 3, 2018 and the Nigeria Prisons Service complained vehemently by early July that 149 inmates out of a total number of 210 prisoners who escaped from the prison were still missing.

Spokesman of the Nigeria Prison Service (NPS), Francis Enobore, told newsmen in Abuja that efforts to track the runaway detainees had not yielded the desired result but that further search operations were being extended to larger areas beyond Niger state to arrest the remaining 149 escapees.

Bwari town riot

Mid-June, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the FCT Police Command imposed a 6pm to 6am indefinite curfew on Bwari Area Council, one of the six area councils in the territory, after riots broke out in Bwari town over the recognition of a traditional ruler.

Special assistant to the FCT minister on media, Mallam Abubakar Sani, said the Police Command was notified of the development and directed to take every measure necessary to restore peace in the area.

The FCT administration expressed deep concern over attempts by “some miscreants to reincarnate the December 25th 2017 crisis in Bwari Area Council,” and recalled that “Reports reaching the administration indicated that some of the miscreants took advantage of the Eid-eil-Fitr celebrations to launch attacks on innocent residents of the town on Saturday, June 16.

“Fortunately, the security agencies immediately swung into action and brought the situation under control. For the avoidance of doubt, the FCT Administration shall not condone any attempts by any group of persons to precipitate the breakdown of law and order in Bwari Area Council or indeed any part of the Federal Territory.”

The Nigeria Police, after repeated pressure, released, through its Twitter handle @PoliceNG, a few phone numbers for complaints bordering on the excesses of SARS operatives after many people used the [#EndSARS hashtag] to expose attacks and brutality in the hands of SARS, a police unit created several years ago specifically to fight armed robbery. The vice president, as acting president, later in the year, directed the Inspector General of Police [IGP] Ibrahim K. Idris, to reform the SARS.

APC National Convention

In June, more than 3500 delegates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the 36 states of the federation and the FCT converged in Abuja for a grand national convention, the first large-scale political gathering by the partly in more than three years, which was however marred by dashed expectations and bitter memories.

Supporters of the party had trooped to the Federal Capital Territory [FCT] with high hopes and lofty expectations that the convention would, among other things, improve the lot of the party as well as its chances of remaining in office as the ruling political party after the 2019 general elections. Former Edo state governor, Adams Oshiomhole, emerged as national chairman of the party from the convention but the gathering could not resolve the deep divisions in the APC and the party later split with the emergence of R-APC (Reformed-All Progressives Congress) led by Alhaji Buba Galadima. Another convention was held later in the year also in Abuja to ratify the candidature of President Muhammadu Buhari as the sole presidential aspirant of the party.

Executive Order

In early July, Muhammadu Buhari signed into law an executive order that targets the seizure of assets belonging to people considered as corrupt in the society and this prompted the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to assemble a team of senior advocates to prepare grounds to challenge the order in the court.

National publicity secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan said: “the PDP has briefed our lawyers and we are considering legal action against the federal government on the illegality of Mr. President’s action in the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.”

Crackdown on criminals

Also in July, the Federal Capital Territory [FCT] police command launched a massive crackdown on areas considered as flashpoints in the territory to flush out dangerous elements and search for criminals who killed seven policemen on duty at Galadimawa Roundabout, a satellite town outside the city.

The operation coincided with the directive from the Inspector General of Police [IGP] Ibrahim K. Idris, to state commissioners of police and their supervising Assistant Inspectors General of Police to beef up security in their areas of responsibilities through extensive raids of criminal hideouts and flashpoints across the country.

As a follow-up to the suspension of the traditional ruler, Chief Nwosu Ibeh, [Igbo 1], the Igbo community on July 16, 2018 elected a new ruler to replace, the first monarch, who was suspended in March 25, 2018 after a protracted leadership tussle which started in 2013.

An enlarged meeting of the Igbo Community Assembly [ICA] elected Dr. Uche Egenti, a businessman and publisher of Paragon International Magazine to replace Chief Nwosu Ibeh as the new ruler. The election, which took the form of a unanimous voice vote, followed a motion moved by Mazi Obed Umezurike, Chairman ICA, Garki Ward for the adoption of recommendations made by the committee set-up to investigate allegations leveled against Chief Nwosu Ibeh.

Cop killer manhunt

Inspector General of Police, [IGP] Ibrahim K. Idris, offered a reward of N5 million for information leading to the arrest of killers of eleven policemen within one week in Galadimawa, Abuja and Sabon Gida, Ora in Edo state where four policemen were also killed on July 14th, 2018  in an ambush. Automatic rifles belonging to the cops were carted away by the assailants in the two incidents.

The IGP also detailed a team of specialized crack investigation detectives, Police scene of crime experts and technical intelligence units of the Force to expedite action in tracking down the bandits.

Saraki quizzed over Offa robbery

Toward the end of July, the police formally invited senate president, Bukola Saraki to Police Headquarters for questioning in connection with the Offa robbery in Kwara state in which he was allegedly implicated by some suspects.

A letter which the IGP personally signed and forwarded to Senator Saraki, requested that he should appear at the investigation section of the Intelligence Response Team at Guzape Junction, Asokoro Extension, Abuja, July 24 to clarify certain issues relating to the investigation going on regarding the armed robbery. Bukola did not honour the invitation but went to court and obtained an order restraining the police from restricting his freedom of movement.

The same day, despite the early morning siege on his residence and that of his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, by armed operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad [SARS] and the DSS who blocked the road near the residence of the senate president, Saraki reportedly sneaked out and drove himself into the National Assembly in a rickety private car and stalled plans by some senators to replace the leadership of the upper legislature.

At plenary on that day, Saraki announced the defection of 15 senators whose names were given as Senator Lanre Tejuoso, Sen. Shaaba Lafiagi, Sen. Barnabas Gemade, Sen. Dino Melaye, Sen. Adesoji Akanbi, Sen. Rafiu Ibrahim, Sen. Shitu Ubali, Sen. Isa Misau, Sen. Sulaimon Hunkuyi, Sen. Monsurat Sunmonu,Sen. Mohammed Danbaba, Sen. Bayern Nafada, Sen. Suleiman Nazif, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso and Sen. Abdulazeez Murtala-Nyako to PDP.

Ghost workers

A credentials verification exercise of federal civil servants commissioned by the federal government started sitting in July and unearthed a startling number of retired and dead former employees who had continued to reflect on payrolls of various ministries and parastatals.

It was gathered that the ghost workers continued to draw salaries for upward of two or more years with the connivance of powerful relations who are heads of accounts departments and other top departmental sections in the affected government agencies.

NASS Seige

Uncertainty gripped the nation and the National Assembly as more than 20 lawmakers of the People’s Democratic Party [PDP] kept vigil at the legislature to prevent alleged attempts by All Progressives Congress [APC] members from reconvening to impeach the leadership of the senate with the active connivance of the former DSS Director General, Lawal Musa Daura, who was promptly fired by acting president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo after the DSS was accused of blocking the National Assembly without permission.

Senators Adamu Abdullahi [Nasarawa], Alli Ndume and Ovie Omo-Agege were accused of spear-heading the impeachment process even though the National Assembly was on recess and billed to resume in September.

Mass Dismissal

The Police was alleged to have dismissed 121 officers for absconding from deployment against Boko Haram but two days after the report was published in major national dailies and online media platforms, the police high command denied the allegation declaring that, “No Police officer was dismissed by the Force among the 2000 police personnel deployed to the North East.”

While describing the reports as “purely fake news,” it stated that “Police personnel found wanting in any way in the discharge of their statutory duties go through internal disciplinary procedures and if found guilty are either dismissed from the Force or given commensurate punishment(s).” 

Just before Christmas, a team of police men surrounded the residence of Senator Dino Melaye and in a statement signed by Force Public Relations Officer Force Headquarters, Abuja, Ag. DCP Jimoh Moshood, the police said:

“The police operatives currently in the residence of Senator Dino Melaye are there to effect his arrest to answer to the case of attempted culpable homicide on the shooting of a Police Officer,  Sgt Danjuma Saliu, attached to 37 Police Mobile Force (PMF) while on duty at a stop and search point along Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State.

“The police investigators have written the Clerk of the National Assembly for Senator Dino Melaye to report at Kogi state police command, CIID, Lokoja for him to answer to these offences against him under investigation in Kogi state police command but he has bluntly refused to report himself to the police.

“The police operatives will continue to be in wait at the residence of Senator Dino Melaye until he surrenders himself for arrest. The offence for which Senator Dino Melaye is being investigated is capital in nature and not compoundable.”

By Cyril Mbah, Abuja

Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of government and power, played host to several activities that made bold headlines and caught national attention during the year 2018.

Insurgency

In summary, the renewed attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents on soldiers and civilian population in the northeast created tension within the Presidency just as the increasing wave of banditry in the form of kidnapping and highway robbery on the Kaduna-Abuja express road and environs, coupled with conflicts occasioned by the activities of well-armed, so-called "foreign" herdsmen, jolted officials within government circles in Abuja. This is especially because the attacks came with the death of many soldiers and civilians.

The Boko Haram insurgents continued to wreak havoc despite the purported delivery of sophisticated weapons from the United States of America, said to be valued at US $593 million. The weapon sale was initially delayed by President Obama’s administration due to human rights concerns. The new weapons included 12 A-29 Super Tucano light attack air-crafts, laser guided rockets, unguided rockets and other equipment.

Clashes

There were also cases of communal violence that were not related to the pastoralist/farmers clashes in Nasarawa and Niger states, resolute protests by the Shiite Muslim sect, the blockade of the National Assembly and the homes of some of its principal officers, an action that led to the sack of the powerful former Director General of the Department of State Services, [DSS], Lawal Musa Daura. These formed the high points of events that headlined the activities in Abuja and environs in 2018.

In the course of all those events, the human rights record of the nation’s security agencies took a serious battering within the year under review as all of the police, the army and the DSS were accused of using too much force in riot control situations and not doing enough in the far northeast states where determined force was required to curb insurgency and the death of military and civilian population.

Peace Corps saga:

Early in the year, specifically January, the Nigeria Police took a resolute stand to permanently seal off the National Headquarters of the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN) located at Jabi District of Abuja in the Federal Capital Territory, and refused to vacate the building despite series of court actions urging the security agency to leave the premises. The standoff between the police and the Peace Corps of Nigeria had actually started in February 28, 2017 but deteriorated in 2018 when the police occupied the PCN headquarters located at number 57, Iya Abubakar Crescent, off Alex Ekwueme Way, Opposite Jabi Lake, arrested the National Commandant of the Corps, Mr. Dickson Akoh, and some 49 of his officers who were later charged to court on the grounds of allegedly operating an illegal security outfit.

Infuriated by the police occupation, several peace corps officials engaged the occupying cops in verbal war with each group throwing unprintable invectives and accusing each other of being overzealousness. The confrontation ended when the president rejected the Peace Corps bill sent to him for assent by the National Assembly. The Assembly threatened, thereafter, in February, to invoke the relevant sections of the 1999 constitution and override the executive powers of President Muhammadu Buhari on the bill.

PMB medical vacation:

The absence of President Muhammadu Buhari, who travelled overseas on two extended medical leaves for an undisclosed illness, also continued in 2018. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo acted as interim president on each occasion.

Before flying out, President Muhammadu Buhari ratified the compulsory retirement of Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja and the dismissal of Justice O. O. Tokode of the Benin Division of the Federal High Court on allegations of corruption.

The president’s Senior Special Assistant, Garba Shehu, confirmed the presidential directive in a statement which followed a recommendation by the National Judicial Council [NJC].  

Shehu said: “The disciplinary actions on the two justices are in pursuance of section 292 (1) (b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

“Justice O. O. Tokode was also directed to refund all salaries and allowances earned illegally from December 2, 2015, when he was sworn in as a judge of the Federal High Court up till the date of his dismissal. The president urges judicial officers to be alive to their responsibilities and to eschew corruption in the discharge of their duties.”

By February, it was discovered that the University of Abuja and some youths desperate for admission into the institution had lost millions of Naira, meant as school fees and other sundry payments, thought to have been made to the school by innocent applicants but which turned out to be an illegal bank account operated by a syndicate in connivance with unpatriotic officials.

Impeccable sources at the university disclosed that some unscrupulous employees at the accounts section connived with outsiders and opened bogus payment platforms into which school fees, carryover charges, examination card fees, on-line transcript fees, post-JAMB examination form fees, online collection of results and Remita payments were made without the knowledge of the university. The affected officials and the account operators simply vanished when the fraud was discovered.

Crackdown on illegal structures:

The same month, the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) embarked on massive pull-down of illegal structures,  billboards and posters after warning FCT residents to desist from defacing the city or risk prosecution apart from being forced to pay charges for the demolition of such structures and  removal of posters.

Director of AEPB, Alhaji Baba Lawan, who gave the warning while speaking with newsmen in Abuja during the “clean-up operation,” said that the FCT was designed as a model city and that the original development plan could not be distorted but, rather, must be preserved at all costs.

The director said the erection of illegal structures in Abuja negated the master plan for the nation’s capital thereby defacing the city and distorting its development patterns. He expressed concern over the growing number of illegal carwash centres, recreational parks, building block industries, roadside mechanic workshops, churches and campaign billboards/posters across the city.

In March, a civil rights group known as the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) raised alarm and produced a damning report revealing how several malpractices perpetrated by unscrupulous staff members in federal government-owned universities had neither been thoroughly investigated nor punished.

The SERAP report came within the period when notable environmentalists and experts on clean cities gathered in Abuja to discuss Niger Delta cleanup challenges at a summit especially the challenges militating against the proper cleanup of the Niger Delta region. The theme of the conference titled “Achieving a Healthy and Sustainable Environment in the Niger Delta” was thoroughly canvassed at the National Summit by environmentalists and stakeholders in the oil industry.

El Zakzaky incarceration:

Federal government authorities continued in 2018 to ignore a December 2016 court order for the release of Ibrahim El Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, [IMN], a Shiite sect.

El-Zakzaky, his wife Zeenat as well as hundreds of IMN members, have been in detention without trial since December 2015, when soldiers allegedly killed 347 IMN members in Zaria, Kaduna state.

Controversial arms seizure:

In March, 2018, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris directed the 36 state commissioners of police and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and their supervising Assistant Inspectors General of Police [AIGP] in the 12 zonal commands nationwide to immediately commence simultaneous disarmament of the civilian population and the recovery of prohibited firearms, ammunition and weapons from vigilante groups and rampaging herdsmen.

According to Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, CSP Jimoh Moshood, the recovery also affected weapons in the hands of suspected militias, bandits, neighbourhood watch members and other armed groups, individuals or bodies bearing prohibited firearms and ammunitions. Others, he said, included people in possession of licensed lethal weapons like improvised explosive devices, IEDs, and other banned devices, whether locally fabricated, modified or otherwise fashioned to kill, cause harm or injury, panic, fear and apprehension to persons, cause breach of peace and security anywhere in the country.

The categories of the prohibited/illegal firearms and ammunition specified under Chapter F.28 LFN 2004 Fire Arms Act as prohibited firearms to be mopped up included artillery, apparatus for the discharge of any explosives of gas diffusing projectiles, rocket weapons. It also included bombs and grenades, machines guns, and machines pistols, military rifles, namely; those of calibers 7.62mm, 9mm, .300 inches, revolvers and pistols whether rifled or unrifled (including flint-lock pistols and cap pistols), firearms such as pump action guns of all categories and any other firearms/lethal weapons fabricated to kill.  

Minimum wage

Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, came under intense criticism from members of the National Union of Local Government Employees [NULGE], Kuje branch for not quickening the process of implementing new minimum wage for workers and for suggesting September timeline, or the third quarter of the 2018 year, as the effective date to commence discussion on the matter.

Rising from its monthly meeting, the local government workers said the alleged review of the minimum wage toward the end of the year had serious political undertones since it would come barely one year to the 2019 general elections.

The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) initiated a partnership agreement with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCRIP) to train and equip returning Nigerian migrants from Libya and other parts of the world with life skills for sustainable livelihood.

The director general of the ITF, Sir Joseph Ari, said the training would commence as soon as ongoing profiling and needs assessments of the returnees were concluded to ensure their smooth readmission and reintegration into the society.

Abduction of Dapchi girls

In March, a coalition of civil society groups, in company of some parents of the abducted Government Science and Technical College Dapchi, Yobe state school girls, resolved to continue picketing the National Assembly until the school girls abducted by Boko Haram terrorists were released. The civil society groups organised successful protest match to the National Assembly to lend their voice to the call for the release of the abducted students. The girls were later released although one Christian girl, Leah Sharibu, said to have refused to renounce her religion, still remains in captivity.

Ohanaeze leadership crisis

The prolonged leadership crisis among the Igbo community in the Federal Capital Territory [FCT], which started in 2013, worsened with the eventual expulsion of Chief Ibeh Nwosu, the Eze Igbo of Abuja. The Igbo Community Assembly [ICA] and Ohanaeze Ndigbo, [Abuja chapters] both ratified the suspension which was announced in Abuja by members of the ethnic group in four area councils, operating under a faction of the Igbo Community Assembly.

Before the Nwosu suspension was announced, however, the group had obtained judgement in suit No.FCT/HC/CV/1960/17 on November 3, 2017 from an Abuja High Court restraining Eze Ibeh Nwosu and Chief Leonard Ebo, president of a faction of the Igbo Community Assembly [ICA] from parading themselves as Igbo leaders in the Federal Capital Territory.

Hate speech controversy

In April 2018, a group of northern clergymen, under the aegis of Arewa Pastors Peace Initiative of Nigeria (APPIN), vocally alleged that churches were being used to promote hate speech and violence in Nigeria. The pastors, who visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, sought to be included in the nation’s security architecture to serve as “watchdogs of society” to enable them tackle their colleagues who, they alleged, were being used to promote hate speech and violence in churches.

National chairman of the group, Bishop John Abu Richard, in a prepared speech, requested the permission and support of the president for five thousand members of the group to hold prayer conference at the Eagle Square on 26th April 2018 to cleanse Nigeria. The pastors, who defended President Muhammadu Buhari against allegations of promoting the Islamisation of Nigeria, accused the opposition of being behind the propaganda to tarnish the APC administration’s image.

NASS invasion

On Wednesday, April 18, 2018, a plenary session of the Senate, presided over by the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, was invaded by thugs allegedly led by suspended Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (APC, Delta Central). In a Rambo-like operation, the intruders went away with the mace, the legislative symbol of authority, an act that drew condemnation from various quarters. The mace was recovered by the police four days after the incident under a bridge somewhere in the Federal Capital Territory.

Also in April, five members of a notorious gang, which included a sacked corporal and Air Force men, were arrested and paraded by the police. They had raided the farm of the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu killing a police sergeant on guard duty before robbing the farm.

The suspects were named as Inalegwu Omikpa, 36, gang leader, Francis Ochife, 38, dismissed NAF L/CPL Vincent Michael with number 12/26972 and two other Air Force personnel already facing disciplinary action with the Nigeria Air Force.

Herdsmen rampage

That same month of April, Abuja residents panicked when 92 armed herdsmen were apprehended at two army check-points manned near Abuja and this caused apprehension, suspicion and shock among residents who feared that the territory could become the next target of attacks by marauding hostile cattle merchants and herdsmen.

The soldiers arrested the first batch of 36 armed herdsmen at Auta village along the Abuja-Keffi highway as the group headed towards Abuja in a convoy of trucks.

Another group of 56 herdsmen were arrested at the Dantata military check-point between Kuje Area Council and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport after sneaking through police checkpoints.

During a thorough check of the vehicles used by the first group, the troops said they discovered some pump-action guns, 19 Dane guns with cartridges, 118 ammunition cartridges, 28 cutlasses, three military jack-knives, 14 sticks decorated with six-inch nails, seven torches, assorted charms and hard drugs.  Items recovered from the second group, included 26 Dane guns, several cartridges, 49 cutlasses and knives. The first suspects claimed they were looking for cattle rustlers who stole their cows while the second group told soldiers they were going for a hunting competition. 

By Sunday Agbo, Abakaliki

The leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo youth council worldwide and a coalition of Igbo groups namely southeast women professionals,world Igbo youth congress and Igbo students movement yesterday said that southeast politicians lacked the clout to deliver both president Muhammadu Buhari and Akitu Abubakar.

A statement by the group in Abakaliki signed by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro,President General Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide,Comrade Obinna Achionye Deputy President
Ohanaeze Youth and two others, said they would resist all forms of vote buying in the region.

According to the statement, Ohanaeze youths pulled out from the Igbo day held yesterday at Owerri in Imo State, describing it as a bad precedent for holding Igbo day apart from September 29th as December 18th is not a day set aside for Igbo day.

He said what played out during the award ceremony to past and present leaders of the country in Imo state was a charade, especially the award to Kano state governor Abdullahi Ganduje was a charade.

“But the award to governor Ganduje is the height of immoralities in Igbo land as the spirit of the beheaded Mrs Bridget from Imo state killed in 2016 in Kano for alleged blasphemy will continue to haunt governor Ganduje and the organizers of the award to him.

“Irrespective of the bribery allegation trending online against Kano state governor Ganduje, we disassociate our groups from this mockery and insult to Igbo nation,as those who are behind the so called award to governor Ganduje will adequately be sanctioned accordingly. Those who misled Ohanaeze leadership into this charade will be punished.

“According to Ohanaeze constitution,Igbo day celebration holds September 29th annually.So what is going on in Owerri is not Igbo day,but Imo state day with the intention of deceiving Ndigbo and Nigerians, the apex decision making organ in Ohaneze which is the ‘imeobi’ never approved the congregation of people meeting in Owerri

“On this note,Ohanaeze youths had pull out from the Owerri event today and warn against setting a bad precedent for holding Igbo day apart from September 29th as December 18th is not a day set aside for Igbo day and Ohanaeze was deceived,and any decision taken is not binding on Ndigbo.

“We call on Igbo youths and agitators to rise up and defend the traditions,values and culture of our people,as we will fight against those whose interests are to sell Igbo votes to the highest bidder especially in presidential election.

“Southeast Politicians are deceiving both PDP presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and President Buhari on Igbo support. All these politicians had lost grip of southeast since they failed in 2015 to deliver Jonathan. Southeast is the hands of Igbo youth leadership and Biafra agitators who had been raped of dividends of Democracy .We will resist vote buying in the southeast”, he reiterated.

By Praise Necherem
Anambra State government has dismissed media reports alleging that governor Willie Obiano donated N3billion to President Muhammadu Buhari’s reelection campaign.
The government also refuted alleged donation of N500m plus nine brand new very expensive vehicles to the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Gen. John Gbor, at the official launch of the party’s 2019 general election campaign.

The commissioner Information & Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, in a statement, titled “Anambra’s Resources Are Managed Most Prudently”, described the reports as totally untrue and unfounded.
He said it was regrettable that despite the loud statement of Anambra voters on at last year’s governorship election, those who were against the prevailing social harmony in the state have returned to their discredited trajectory.

He said the citizens of the state cannot watch akimbo as a tiny group of self-serving politicians and their agents set out to wreck the state through the destruction of social harmony which has become the hallmark of the state in the last few years.
“Ndi Anambra cast protest votes against the social harmony wreckers by ensuring that they got well defeated in their respective constituencies, in some places in their wards and even polling booths.

“How one person can be working so assiduously for two presidential candidates in the same election is known to only these incompetent blackmailers.
“The section of the social media which published these fantastic allegations knew full well that the accusations are fourth rate fake news and still went ahead to turn itself into a vessel of disinformation, falsehood and hate should bear in mind that it has done tremendous violence to both its individual and professional reputations.

“The fact that it could publish such fabulous stories without bothering to speak to any official of the Anambra State government to get its side of the story—an elementary canon of both journalism and natural justice—betrays a profound commitment to filthy lucre, if not blood money because the purveyors of these falsehoods are purportedly from Anambra State.

“Beyond the issues of ethics and morals, there is the question of whether the purveyors of the infantile lies and their collaborators in the social media sometimes wonder how the public would regard them for debasing themselves to an unimaginable level.
“Is it rational to believe that N4bn would leave the coffers of the Anambra State government within one week for a presidential election that is two months away and the people couldn’t feel it?

“How much does Anambra receive monthly from both the federation account and internally generated revenue? Is it not well known that the state receives monthly one of the lowest allocations from the federation account throughout Nigeria?
“We are proud that despite our limited financial resources, Anambra has become exemplary in rapid development.
According to the commissioner, Obiano’s inspiring leadership, demonstrated at every point had earned him qualifications, including professional auditor, banker and a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).

He said, “Anambra never went to the Federal Government for a bailout even when leading oil-producing states went twice. It did not receive because it had no need to do so.
“Anambra is the least indebted state in Nigeria, according to the Debt Management Office of the Federal Government. Anambra has the lowest poverty index of all states in Nigeria, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

“At a time when a number of state governments are owing their workers for almost one year, neither workers nor pensioners are owed in Anambra State even for a day.
“In fact, they received their November salaries on November 24 and 25, that is, a week before the month ended. All workers received their 2018 leave allowances the same month, the only state with this record throughout the federation.

“Every worker in the state, however lowly his or her designation may be, has since received a bag of the famous Anambra Rice free of charge as a Christmas gift. All this has been possible because the state’s resources are managed most prudently.

“There is no way Anambra State could have become a model in governance if its governor were a spendthrift. States like Kogi could not have been sending its delegations to Anambra to understudy its financial management.
“Nor could states like Ebonyi and Enugu have borrowed from it the highly innovative community development strategy of providing N20m infrastructure to each of the 179 communities in the state, though Ebonyi and Enugu are giving their communities only N10m each.”

By O’star Eze
Leader of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has predicted more terror attacks and deaths in Nigeria, warn­ing that the dreaded Islamist State for Iraq and Syria (ISIS) would soon take their bloodlet­ting campaign to the country’s territory.
The pro-Biafran agitator further warned that the tar­get of the impending terror attacks would be the Southern Nigerian which has the largest concentration of natural re­sources, a development he said requires citizens to be ready to defend themselves.

“You think I am joking. They are coming. Your mothers will be raped. Your sisters will be married off as slaves. Biafra land will be decimated unless we equip this army,” he said.

Kanu who is currently on ex­ile in Israel gave the damning warning in his latest contro­versial broadcast aired on Ra­dio Biafra over the weekend. According to him, more Nigeri­ans will be killed if leaders fail to carry out their responsibili­ties. “The worst is yet to come and more innocent people will lose their lives if community leaders fail to do the needful.”

He therefore called for sup­ply of arms and ammunitions for defence of Biafra land. Hear him: “I have the men. I need guns and I need bullets. That is all we need, and then we will win. I have been sounding this warning, and I have been tell­ing you, ‘osi na ofu nti banye, osi na ko ozo puo’.

He alleged that the Boko Haram has an alliance with ISIS and that the group has lost confidence in President Muhammadu Buhari, who he alleged is the ‘godfather’ of the group.

“Buhari was their god-fa­ther, they no longer trust him. I mean Boko-Haram, in this instance. Buhari they thought will give them sharia imme­diately. When Buhari said, “I don’t belong to anybody’’, from that day they intensified their bombing.”

Kanu disclosed that ISIS will enter through Chad Re­public and that it would not attack Nigeria as Boko Haram but through other franchise they have. “They will enter the zoo from Chad, very very shortly, not as Boko Haram. They are coming in as their franchise and as their name dictates. ISIS is coming.”

He bemoaned the “hard-heartedness” of the peo­ple to his call for guns and bul­lets, blaming it on the devil. He also referred to an alleged allusion of PDP’s presidential candidate to his claims to a confession of his postulation and said he would not com­mand the people if he is called upon when the ISIS besieges Nigeria, and if he does not get prompt response to his call.

By O’star Eze
Leader of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has predicted more terror attacks and deaths in Nigeria, warn­ing that the dreaded Islamist State for Iraq and Syria (ISIS) would soon take their bloodlet­ting campaign to the country’s territory.
The pro-Biafran agitator further warned that the tar­get of the impending terror attacks would be the Southern Nigerian which has the largest concentration of natural re­sources, a development he said requires citizens to be ready to defend themselves.

“You think I am joking. They are coming. Your mothers will be raped. Your sisters will be married off as slaves. Biafra land will be decimated unless we equip this army,” he said.

Kanu who is currently on ex­ile in Israel gave the damning warning in his latest contro­versial broadcast aired on Ra­dio Biafra over the weekend. According to him, more Nigeri­ans will be killed if leaders fail to carry out their responsibili­ties. “The worst is yet to come and more innocent people will lose their lives if community leaders fail to do the needful.”

He therefore called for sup­ply of arms and ammunitions for defence of Biafra land. Hear him: “I have the men. I need guns and I need bullets. That is all we need, and then we will win. I have been sounding this warning, and I have been tell­ing you, ‘osi na ofu nti banye, osi na ko ozo puo’.

He alleged that the Boko Haram has an alliance with ISIS and that the group has lost confidence in President Muhammadu Buhari, who he alleged is the ‘godfather’ of the group.

“Buhari was their god-fa­ther, they no longer trust him. I mean Boko-Haram, in this instance. Buhari they thought will give them sharia imme­diately. When Buhari said, “I don’t belong to anybody’’, from that day they intensified their bombing.”

Kanu disclosed that ISIS will enter through Chad Re­public and that it would not attack Nigeria as Boko Haram but through other franchise they have. “They will enter the zoo from Chad, very very shortly, not as Boko Haram. They are coming in as their franchise and as their name dictates. ISIS is coming.”

He bemoaned the “hard-heartedness” of the peo­ple to his call for guns and bul­lets, blaming it on the devil. He also referred to an alleged allusion of PDP’s presidential candidate to his claims to a confession of his postulation and said he would not com­mand the people if he is called upon when the ISIS besieges Nigeria, and if he does not get prompt response to his call.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai says fake news not only poses threat to national security but makes the ongoing counter terrorism operation in the North East more difficult.
Buratai urged Nigerians to be patriotic and wary of false in­formation, as well as condemn those behind it. “It is inimical to national security; it is inim­ical to the morale of the troops and by and large, it is one of the demoralising factors making the counter insurgency operation more difficult.’’

Buratai, therefore, urged those spreading fake news on the ongoing operations, includ­ing a section of the media to de­sist from such. He stated that terrorists survive on propagan­da to get attention and spread their ideology as well as to cre­ate fear and the impression that they were “untouchable, invinci­ble or have capacity that they do not possess.’’

“Nigerians must be very care­ful not to fall to their antics by condemning their actions and propaganda, and support the efforts of the military, especially the Nigerian army.

According to Buratai, the army, who is on the ground fighting the terrorists, bears the consequences of the fake news. He recalled that after the recent attack on troops of 157 Task Force Battalion at Metele, many casualty figures on the part of the army was bandied.

“So many figures were bandied around that we are the victim of the unfortunate incident but this is far, far from the figure. The figure so far has been 23, even it is one it is unfortunate, but to go out of the reality, to continue to spread false information is really unfortunate,’’ he said.

After the incident, various me­dia reports at different times put the casualty figures at 44, 70, 100 and above until a few days ago when the army confirmed 23 dead and 31 others wounded. Buratai, however, said that the army was working to counter fake news being spread about it and its operations and exercise through its newly established Cyber Warfare Command.’’

He said that was being done through quick responses to en­quiry and timely dissemination of information, noting that in­formation through social media platforms “spreads like wild fire.’’

“So far, we have been respond­ing timely and timely response has been the major function of the Nigerian army cyber warfare command and we will continue to ensure that they respond ap­propriately,’’ he added.
On the one billion dollars ap­proved by the federal govern­ment to buy arms for the mili­tary, Buratai said that the army has yet to access its share of the fund. “You know the process of funding is another major issue. The bureaucracy and so on is an­other issue. Approvals are given but before you really get the money out is another challenge.

“So, the people are talking or the media have been talking of one billion dollars that has been approved but I tell you up till today the fund that is supposed to come from that amount to the army in particular, is still in the Central Bank of Nigeria – CBN.

“The Ministry of Defence is yet to access the fund, while people say the funds are with the mili­tary; no, it is still with the CBN. When the ministry of defence gets the fund, the process is on right now, they will get the right equipment for us as proposed,’’ the army chief said.
(NAN)“So, the people are talking or the media have been talking of one billion dollars that has been approved but I tell you up till today the fund that is supposed to come from that amount to the army in particular, is still in the Central Bank of Nigeria – CBN.

“The Ministry of Defence is yet to access the fund, while people say the funds are with the mili­tary; no, it is still with the CBN. When the ministry of defence gets the fund, the process is on right now, they will get the right equipment for us as proposed,’’ the army chief said.
(NAN)

By O’star Eze
The 33 traders recently arrested during Novem­ber 23 clashes between members of the Indig­enous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and police officers in Nnewi, Anambra state have regained their freedom.
The release follows intense public outcry and pressure over the arrest of mostly traders by security operatives who were eventually paraded and accused of inciting the public, destroy­ing police vehicles, killing one policeman and injuring others. They were also charged with terrorism.

Although details of their re­lease were unclear as at press time as the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Haru­na Mohammed could not be reached for official statement, Orient Daily learnt that the suspects paraded on November 25 at the state police command, Awka as IPOB members were released on Saturday night.
A police source who spoke with our correspondent on conditions of anonymity because he was not
authorised to speak to the press, disclosed that the traders were secretly released secretly to avoid public attention.
“They were secretly released last night to avoid public atten­tion”, the officer stated.

However, the chairman of the Fairly-used and New Motorcycle Dealers Association, FUNMDA, Mr. Chukwueloka Ubajekwe, disclosed that the 33 traders were released at the office of the Nnewi Area Commander, ACP Nnanna Ama.

Ama, who also confirmed the development, said the 33 trad­ers, mistaken for IPOB mem­bers were released in his pres­ence as at 11:30 pm on Saturday, December 1, 2018. He adds that they were instructed to report to the police headquarters in Awka on Monday to collect their personal belongings, including monies, motorcycles and items of clothing.

According to him, the IGP’s Special Team, who released the suspects, tendered unreserved apology on behalf of the Nigeri­an Police to the affected persons, their families, the Nnewi com­munity and Anambra people over the mistaken identity.

When our correspondent got the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operations, Mike Okoli on the telephone, he declined to speak on the matter. “Call Haruna (Mohammed); he is our spokesman,” was his last response. Several calls placed on the PPRO’s contact number were not answered while sub­sequent calls indicated that his phone was switched off.

However, a foremost civil rights organisation in the state, the International Society for Civ­il Liberties and Rule of Laws con­firmed the release of the traders.

According to the chairman, board of trustees of Intersociety, Barrister Emeka Umeagbalasia, the traders “regained their free­dom last night (Saturday) on or­ders of the Force Headquarters, Abuja following public outcry trailing their unlawful arrest and detention by the police.”

“The 33 paraded traders were released relatively uncondition­ally, while four out of the re­maining reportedly lost N1.2m (N300, 000 each) to a police extortion racketeer operating within the state police command using an unnamed legal practi­tioner as a front.


“It is possible that the 10 per­sons were excluded from the list of those paraded because of their acceptance under duress to pay huge sums as criminal bail fees.

“The affected traders were said to have been threatened by the police extortion racketeer to deny offering such criminal bail fees, said to have been handed over to a police lawyer.”

According to him, Intersoci­ety, earlier on Sunday, spoke to the chairman of the Motor Spare Parts Dealers Association in the market who confirmed their release and criminal loss of N1.2m. According to him, the af­fected traders were either afraid to speak out or under pressure to deny same to avoid possible police reprisal.

“We welcome the release of the 43 traders but demand for thorough investigation into the allegation of loss of N1.2m and recovery of same if proven to have been extorted. The extor­tionist lawyer and his or her paymasters, if truly exist in the instant case, and found culpa­ble, must be sanctioned.

Orient Daily reported that the fracas, which erupted when pro-Biafra agitators marching towards the Agbaedo market and shouting: “no elections without referendum”, according to police authorities, led to the death of a police inspector, sev­eral other officers injured and destruction of police vehicles.

Parading the suspects at Anambra State Police Com­mand Headquarters, Awka, the Force Public Relations Of­ficer, DCP Jimoh Moshood, had said that those arrested were “members of the proscribed and unlawful indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) responsible for the killing of a police inspector, inflicting serious injury on a di­visional police officer (DPO) and some other police personnel, and setting ablaze of a police pa­trol vehicle in Nnewi, Anambra state on 23rd November, 2018.”

He adds: “All the thirty-three (33) suspects arrested will be ar­raigned in court on completion of investigation under terrorism prevention amendment act 2013 and other capital offences such as murder, attempted murder, riot­ing and malicious damage of gov­ernment property and police vehi­cle including looting and stealing.”

Exhibits paraded alongside the suspects included eight mo­torcycles, five IPOB flags and other IPOB paraphernalia.

Shortly after the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) dis­missed police claims on the fra­cas, insisting that those arrested by police were not its members
IPOB’s Media and Publicity secretary, Comrade Emma Pow­erful, claimed in a press state­ment, that the purported attack on police officials and death of the officer were stage-managed and the pro-Biafra group remained a peaceful organisation and never carried out such an act.

Describing the allegations lev­eled against IPOB by police as “shocking and baffling,” Power­ful urged for release of those ar­rested in relation to the incident as they have nothing to do with the incident.

Similarly, one of the suspects, Evangelist Sunday Ilonze, de­nied allegations that he was a member of IPOB, even as he claimed that he was attending to customers in his shop at Mo­tor Spare Parts line when he was ambushed by policemen and arrested. Another suspect, Vincent Okoroafor, said he was the vice chairman of his line in Nnewi market, Prince of Peace Line, and the chairman of the choir in St Michael’s Catholic Church, Nnewi. He also said he just returned from the burial of a Reverend Father’s father at Nnewi and was packing some goods that were delivered to him with one of his apprentices when the policemen and the army came and arrested him along­side his boy.


In protest of the detention of its members, tagged terrorists, traders shut down eight major markets in Nnewi last Tuesday in Nnewi.

Traders at the Agboedo motor spare parts Nkwo Nnewi mar­ket, where the clash took place, had, on the day of the incident, closed shops before other mar­kets in the city joined in solidar­ity. Over 10,000 traders whose shops were under lock and key had demanded for an uncon­ditional release of their mem­bers, insisting that they were not members of the pro-Biafra group as taged.

Chairman of Agboedo Motor Spare Parts Dealers Associa­tion (AMSPDA), Chief Gabriel Chibueze, who took journalists round the market to show them the shops of the arrested mem­bers, maintained that the de­tained persons were traders.

He explained that the arrest­ed traders could not have been involved in the fracas, saying the location of the protest was not close to the market.

“The place the protest took place is far from the market. In order to ensure the fracas didn’t escalate to the market, we the executive closed down all en­trances leading to the market while our members continued their business.

“Suddenly, we saw a combined team of police and army who broke the gate of the bank in the market and started beating our members. They arrested both masters and their apprentices.
While demanding for the imme­diate and unconditional release of the members, Chibueze insisted that the market would continue to be under lock and key until they were set free. “We appeal to Nnewi Police Area Commander, the Anambra State Commission­er of Police, the Inspector General of Police and Governor Obiano to order the immediate release of the Nnewi traders.
“If they are not released, shutting down of the market would be extended to the state and the entire South East,” he threatened.

By Sunday Agbo, Abakaliki

The dramatic intervention of a commercial tricycle transport operator, Mr. James Okorie, has foiled the planned sale of two-month-old triplets at the popular Abacha Roundabout in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state on Thursday.

Okoye, a ‘Peace Corps’ officer told Orient Weekend that he was attracted to the scene when someone, identified as Ezinwanne Chukwu, raised alarm that she recognised one of the women try­ing to take the triplets as Gloria Ekan who was previously arrested over baby theft in Enugu state.

According to him, the suspect, who hails from Cross River state, was with the mother of the trip­lets, simply identified as Ifeoma, as they were concluding plans to escape with the triplets when he (Okoye) arrived the scene.

“I was at the roundabout loading my Keke (Tricycle) when I saw a group of people behind me arguing. When I inquired what was happening, they told me one woman was carrying someone’s baby.

“Initially, I ignored it but when I later saw another crowd of people also arguing over the matter, I de­cided to discharge my passengers. I heard people saying that Gloria was sometime arrested in Enugu state over buying and selling of babies.

“When I asked, the lady (Ezinwanne Chukwu) said she knew the woman Gloria Ekan from Enugu state where she was arrested trying to sell somebody’s child. She said that ‘Gloria was said to be beaten and sent away from that street. ‘Now, she was seen here at meat market with two babies’.

“The lady said when she tried to know what was going on, Gloria tried to run away. It was at this point that I stopped the woman and asked her if the baby belonged to her and she said ‘no’, that the child belonged to the other woman.

“I brought out my identity card as a ‘Peace Corps’ officer and told them that I will take them in my tricycle to police station. When we got to the police station, in the process of interrogation, the owner of the triplets claimed that she met Gloria in Anambra state. But when Gloria was asked where she met the woman, she claimed it was at Ezzangbo in Ebonyi state.

“Gloria claimed she met the woman at Ezzangbo when she was two months pregnant and that she had been helping her un­til she gave birth. From the way she was talking, we suspected she was lying. And upon further interrogation, she admitted she was into the business of buying and selling children.

However, a new twist emerged when the mother of the triplets claimed that she paid the suspect­ed child trafficker, Gloria, the sum of N1000 on daily basis and about N30,000 monthly. When the police asked about her occupation, she said she was a beggar and that after begging, she used to pay Gloria the said amount.

When the Ebonyi state police command was contacted on the matter, public relations officer, Loveth Ogah, told Orient Week­end that she was yet to be briefed on the incident. As at press time, the command was yet to issue a statement on the matter.

By Phil Okose, Onitsha

Angry commercial sex work­ers reputed to operate from make-shift structures at Umumpama Aboji village, Oba, Idemili South local government area, Anambra state, were seen, last Monday raining curses on the Anambra state government and its task force on demolition of illegal structures for allegedly demolishing their structures.

The taskforce, which reportedly stormed the area with bulldozers for the demolition of the shanties located from Oba/Nnewi new road junction up to Oba International Market along the Onitsha/Owerri Expressway in Oba, faced a back­lash from the sex workers and their customers, mostly commer­cial drivers.

One of the sex workers who claimed to have come from Imo state and simply identified as 'smallie' hinted that she had been in her demolished structure for seven years and cursed the task­force team saying, "your house will also be demolished like mine and your children rendered homeless.

She claimed to have personally built the hut she occupied and won­dered what she and her customers would do after the demolition.

Also reacting, another sex worker who did not want her name in print urged the government to repair the demolished structures so as to help reduce unemployment and crime.

According to her, "we are not unemployed but government wants to send us to the labour market. They will lose because there will be increase in crime. Again rape cases will increase; married women are not safe even if some of them are with us here."

A driver who said he plied the road on daily basis accused the taskforce of worsening the prob­lem of the people instead of assist­ing adding, "I relax here after the day's work but now I have to look for an alternative place".

Contacted, the President General of Aboji Akanano village, Chief Dozie Nweke, stated that, "the demolition is one of the good things that have happened to this community. Since the ban on mo­torcycles the crime and criminali­ty increased in our place and this is their hideout. The sex workers that include married women from nearby states come here and hide as sex workers.

“I thank the state governor, Wil­lie Obiano and the taskforce; but let the governor build a permanent structure for butter business. Crim­inals used this place as safe haven after committing atrocities in Onit­sha. They use the sex workers as shield and pay them a lot of money.

By Olisemeka Obeche &  Okechukwu Onuegbu

The crisis rocking the Akwa Ibom State House of As­sembly may have taken a spiritual, dimension with combat­ants resorting to diabolical means to settle scores. This follows the discovery of a dead owl on the seat of Speaker on Thursday.

Nse Ntuen, whose seat was declared vacant alongside four other house members all of who defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC alongside imme­diate past Governor Senator God­swill Akpabio, was chased away from the seat on Tuesday while presiding as Speaker of the five member-APC faction. The ill-fated session was allegedly convened to kick-start an impeachment proceeding against state governor, Udom Emmanuel. Before then, Ntuen, who had announced the suspension of Speaker Onofiok Luke, who has 21 members (out of the 26-member House), is currently taking treatment for the injuries he was said to have sustained after he was roughed up by the larger group.

It is not known how the strange bird found its way into the speak­er’s seat or whom, between the two, it was directed at, but the Luke camp is accusing Ntuen and his group of trying to eliminate the speaker by diabolic means.

Reports, quoting a source, said the bird, an owl (referred to as Nkirikid) was found early Thurs­day inside the House of Assembly Chamber on Luke’s seat and pos­sibedly procured from the Ikrok’s shrine at Urua Akpan in Essien Udim, through one of the camps in the dispute. The APC gover­norship candidate in next year’s governorship election, Nsima Ekere, belongs to the same camp as Akpabio.

Luke, according to the report, is seen as the major backbone of the state governor, Udom Emmanuel and those after him believe that eliminating him would make the governor an easy prey.

The source was reported to have claimed that the grand design was to “either diabolically or brutally eliminate influential key person­alities in the PDP who are the back bone of Governor Emmanuel before the end of December.”



It added: “This charm, according to the source, was done in antici­pation of the house sitting today for the commemoration sitting in honour of the late member who represented Ikono State Constit­uency in the 4th Assembly, Dr. Clement Bassey.”

Meanwhile, in the Anambra state House of Assembly, the lead­ership crisis took a dramatic twist on Thursday as both the embat­tled speaker, Hon. Rita Madu­agwu and her challenger, Ikem Uzoezie laid claims to the seat of power. Orient Weekend correspon­dent reported that, hours after the Anambra State Police Command unsealed the legislative complex, Maduagwu stormed the chamber and headed for the speaker’s seat and addressed the few members of her faction who were already seated. Barely five minutes later, however, Maduagwu vacated the seat and away from the chamber when she sighted Uzoezie and members of his faction as they made their way through the main entrance into the chamber.

Uzoezie proceeded to the speak­er’s seat and began to preside over the session. Maduagwu, later, resurfaced with her faction mem­bers, and tried in vain to order Uzoezie out of the seat.

As both factions could not settle for legislative business, Maduag­wu, her faction, and some staff of the parliament vacated their sitting positions in the chamber to return to their various seats.

Some of the lawmakers equally left the chamber to Maduagwu’s office, leaving Uzoezie, rooted on the speaker’s seat with a few of his factional members around.

Meanwhile, a mild drama played out when the member rep­resenting Anambra East constit­uency, Hon. Chris Emenaka en­gaged Hon. Romanus Ugochukwu of Orumba North Constituency in a fight for allegedly addressing him as a “fool”.

Emenaka, who entered the chambers in clutches during the dramatic session, had told his colleagues that they were too mature for the sort of behavior they were displaying considering they have only six months left for them to serve as lawmakers. This statement irked Ugochukwu, who allegedly hauled insults at him.

Emenaka angrily responded: “You must withdraw that insult. I can’t leave you if you don’t withdraw the insult. You failed a party primary, and couldn’t fight there and you’re here flexing muscle. Why not go to court over the party primary. Leave me let me use these things puncture his stomach,” he yelled at Ugochukwu as he tried hitting him with the clutches.

Hon. Onyebuchi Offor and others, however, held him back, while Ugochukwu kept quiet and withdrew as he was ordered by his colleagues. Shortly after, Umeano Timothy, the sergeant-at-arms drove away journalists from the press gallery.

The factional Speaker of Anam­bra State House of Assembly, Ikem Uzoezie later disclosed that the legislative chamber failed to sit on Thursday due to a court action he initiated against his predecessor, Rita Maduagwu.

Addressing the media after Maduagwu and her faction had left the Assembly complex, Uzoezie explained that he had obtained court action seeking to stop Maduagwu from parading herself as the Speaker of the 6th assembly following the purported impeachment his group staged against her on 13th November. He said that normal sittings would resume next Tuesday.

Residents of Douglas Street in Calabar municipality of Cross River state capital are still in shock and anguish over the devastating fire that ravaged ten apartments in the area.

Orient Weekend gathered that the inferno razed the houses, consumed everything occupants toiled for, including certificates, household wares, equipment and appliances like television sets, chairs, beddings, clothing, kitchen utensils and many other materials.

It was gathered that the fire broke out at around 8 am on Wednesday and within minutes, had razed down everything on its path. The cause of the disaster could not be immediately ascer­tained but unconfirmed reports attributed it to electrical malfunc­tioning. Speaking, a victim of the disaster, Ekpenyong who emoted uncontrollably said, “How do I be­gin life now? I have lost everything I laboured for. After almost sixty years of my life and struggling hard to buy those things during very difficult moments, everything just went down the drain within few minutes.”

Ekpenyong, flanked by his wife, Arit, and three other children, called on the Cross River state government to come to their aid. According to him, “we do not even have where to put our heads, clothing or anything to fall back on. I cannot now imagine myself pack­ing to village or going to neighbours to beg for survival.”

Speaking on the cause of the inferno, an eyewitness, who did not want his name in print, said “some­one went to change the light, and mistakenly fixed it into the wrong cutout and when they brought power, it sparked and everywhere started burning.”

Ntui, another resident of the area, told reporters, “the incident started very fast and many apart­ments were gutted as occupants of other ones attempted to get their belongings out. Some couldn’t finish before the wildfire invaded and engulfed theirs too. It was a sad incident at this time of the year. I don’t know how they’ll cope as many have lost most of their valuable things.

The Enugu State Police Command, has begun a statewide sensitisation on its ‘Bail is Free Campaign’ to residents of Enugu.

The command’s Public Rela­tions Officer, SP Ebere Amaraizu, while speaking at the town hall meeting of Enugu West senato­rial zone in Awgu, near Enugu on Thursday, said that collecting money for bail was unprofession­al.

Amaraizu, who spoke on the topic; “Know Your Right; Bail is Free’’, explained that the meet­ing was to inform and educate the public (stakeholders) on the professional standards expected of any police personnel.

“It is meant to let everybody know the professional conduct expected of any police personnel, as well as the expectations of policemen and officers from the public. What the public need to do and how they are to partici­pate in community policing as well as relate well with their police,’’ he said.

According to him, the series of town hall meetings and other engagements are meant to carry the people along as the command implements full community po­licing strategies in the state.

Amaraizu said that similar town hall meetings had already been organised for people of Enu­gu East senatorial zone as well as Enugu North senatorial zone earlier this week. Stakehold­ers at the meeting were given relevant contact phone numbers of the police accountability units (PAU)so as to report any unpro­fessional conduct of any police personnel within the zone to the appropriate authorities.

The meeting was organised by the command in partnership with the Nigeria Policing Pro­gramme(NPP).

Olisemeka Obeche (With Agency Reports)

Mr. Samuel Nwafor, a native doctor has been apprehended by opera­tives of the Ebonyi Po­lice Command alongside Mr. Ejike Nkwegu, for allegedly murdering his wife, Mrs. Juliet Nkwegu.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, Mrs. Loveth Odah, who confirmed the arrest in Abakaliki, said the prime suspect, a native doctor con­spired with Mr. Nkwegu to kill his 32-year-old wife under a question­able circumstance on November 8, 2018.

Odah disclosed that the incident took place at Nkalaha, Onuebonyi Echera, in Ikwo local government area of Ebonyi. According to her, police preliminary investigation revealed that Nkwegwu took his wife to Nwafor, when he suspected the late wife over the theft of his motorcycle. She further disclosed that the native doctor who was con­tracted to unravel the truth behind the theft of the motorcycle through magical means which eventually led to the death of the suspect.

“When they got to the native doctor’s house, the Voodoo priest didn’t use the magic mirror but rather prepared a concoction for the woman to drink. He explained to them that after drinking the said concoction, she would confess.

“Sadly, after taking the mixture, she could not confess but rather started having stomach upset, vom­iting and subsequently died at the native doctor’s shrine.

According to Odah, the sudden death of Mrs. Nkwegu drew the attention of members of the com­munity who alerted the police who quickly mobilised to the scene and nabbed the husband and the native doctor for alleged conspiracy and murder. “The police investigation concludes that both suspects will be charged to court to face murder charges,” said Odah.

Members of the Anambra State House of Assembly said they impeached their speaker, Rita Mmaduagwu on grounds of incompetence, misappropriation of fund, inefficiency, financial complicity and gross abuse of office.

Addressing newsmen after 22 out of 30 members conducted the impeachment through voice vote, the newly elected speaker, Ikem Uzoezie berated Mmaduagwu, alleging that she led the house in “parallel mode”.

Uzoezie promised to make necessary amendment in the bid to have a virile legislative house in Anambra state .

The house also suspended three of its members on allegation of insubordination and ploy to thwart the wheel of progress in the state house of Assembly, TVC News reported.

The legislative duties at the House will resume tomorrow.

The Assembly which has hitherto enjoyed relative peace since inception of the present administration, has since degenerated into another fierce battle field where members insisted that the leadership of the house must be changed for progress to be sustained in the assembly

The Abia House of Assembly, on Wednesday, confirmed the appointment of Justice Onuoha Ogwe, as the Chief Judge of Abia.



The Assembly confirmed the appointment of Justice Ogwe’s appointment after the Speaker, Mr Chikwendu Kalu, conducted a voice vote, to which the lawmakers unanimously approved.

The confirmation followed the letter by submitted by Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, dated Oct. 22, asking the lawmakers to confirm Ogwe’s appointment.



The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor had inaugurated Justice Ogwe, as the Acting Chief Judge of Abia, in compliance with the recommendation by the National Judicial Council (CJN).

His appointment followed the compulsory retirement of the former Chief Judge, Justice Theresa Uzokwe on March 14. (NAN)

By Uzoh Ugwueze Enugu

Nurses on special training at the Federal Neuropsy­chiatric Hospital Enugu have slammed a N5 suit on the hospital management.

Orient Daily had reported that the nurses, penultimate Tuesday, carried a mock coffin against the management, a situation that crippled activities in the hospital for several hours.

Trouble started after they could not write their nursing council examinations owing to the management’s alleged in­ability to forward their payment for the requisite accreditation to the nursing council and refusal to refund the alleged 600 thou­sand naira they paid.

As a follow-up to the protest, they have now filed a suit filed before the National Industri­al Court, Enugu Division, with number NICN/E/36/201. It has Obi Chibuike Otito and Amadi Chizoma as claimants, on behalf of other students.

Joined as defendants are the medical director of the hospital, Dr. Jojo Onwukwe and Dr. An­drew Orovwigho. The students are, among other reliefs, praying the court for “general/aggravat­ed damages of five million naira (N5,000,000.00) for loss of time, academic years, strictures and discomfitures.

“An order of this honourable court directing the 1st defen­dant to stay all actions aimed at imposing the 2nd defendant as the Head of Training and Re­search by ousting Dr. Bakare out of office as the current Head of Training and Research, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enu­gu without due process thereby subverting and destabilising the administration and manage­ment of School of Mental Health Nursing, Federal Neuropsychi­atric Hospital Enugu, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

“An order of this honourable court directing the defendants, their cohorts, surrogates and other principal/administrative officers of the Federal Neuro­psychiatric Hospital Enugu not to foment any industrial strife, frictions or dissensions capable of causing industrial disharmo­ny or a total collapse of academic and routine labour activities at the School of Nursing, Feder­al Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, pending the hearing and determination of the substan­tive suit. “An order restraining the defendants acting by them­selves, agents, cohorts or surro­gates from further harassment, intimidation or any sort or vic­timization of any of the plaintiffs, staff and students of the School of Mental Health Nursing, Fed­eral Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu, consequent upon this present suit pending the hearing and determination of the sub­stantive suit.”

The claimants told the court that the board of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enu­gu or the first defendant “has no right whatsoever under any law or the institution’s organogram to alter, change, or unilaterally modify the system of administra­tion in the school.” No date has been fixed for hearing the matter.

By Phil Okose Onitsha

The new managing di­rector of the National Inland Waterways Au­thority (NIWA), Sena­tor Olorunimbe Mamorah has lamented the degree of rot to machineries and equipments at the Onitsha River Port.

Making the lamentation during his official working vis­it to the port on Monday, Ma­morah recalled that the port, which was built in the admin­istration of former president, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, had since then been left uncared for which caused most of the in­stallations, especially the ma­chinery and equipment to rot away.

His words, “Onitsha is a com­mercial city and highest in the whole of Africa. It shows the level of industry. I am here at the Onitsha River Port to have on the spot assessment of the situation at NIWA Onitsha. From Alhaji Shehu Shagari till now it is a long time. I was made to understand that it was refurbished in 2012 but from 2012 till now, nothing has hap­pened much till now as par full utilisation of the port. It is not a good thing for us and the coun­try”.

The good thing there is that President Muhammadu Bu­hari’s regime is rectifying the problem within the confined of the law. He is trying to revamp the place and it is reaching the final stage of concession. It is a pity that a lot has been done there, the equipments have been lying waste, ware houses unused. We have a lot of things that are to be put to use but are not being used. Even the ma­chineries have been lying fal­low for a long time.

This is why we want to en­sure this place takes off again. There are lots of expectations. I doubt if we have this kind of port in Nigeria. A port that has three levels, lower, middle and top levels. I am aware that of the cargo that comes into La­gos, about 30 per cent of them stay in Lagos while the rest comes to Onitsha. On the al­leged encroachment on NIWA’s property, the MD reiterated that “we will not close our eyes and allow anybody to take over NIWA land.

“If anybody has right of own­ership of the property let him come and show the documents in support of the claim. I will not be bordered about the amount of black mail and intimidation they may use as long as what we are doing is on our own in­terest” he further stated.

By Okechukwu Onuegbu

Proliferation of fetish and diabolic Igbo mov­ies in the market has been identified as like­ly factors scaring the Igbo in Diaspora and others from re­turning home.

The President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Anambra state chap­ter, Chief Damian Afam Okeke, raised the alarm at the 3rd an­nual event of the Association of Music and Film Producers and Marketers of Nigeria (AMUF­PMAN) tagged A Day to Re­member in November 2018.

Okeke, who chaired the occa­sion, observed that movies on land disputes, fetish and diab­olism were portraying the Igbo nation in bad light in the inter­national community and urged producers and marketers to rather showcase giving, hospi­tality, charity, doggedness and other cultural values Igbo is known for.

He bemoaned that the colo­nial masters during their mis­sionary activities were the first to paint the African culture as fetish and diabolic, not mind­ing that those cultural and tra­ditional practices were ways of lives, protection, decoration, love, affection and merriment.

On music, the Anambra state chapter President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo urged producers and marketers to emulate the likes of Mike Ejeagha, Osita Osade­be, Celestine Ukwu, Oliver De Coque and other notable Af­rican legends by singing, pro­ducing and marketing music imbued with moral lessons.

In a brief remark, Stella Okunna, the first female pro­fessor of mass communication and dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, advised pro­ducers and marketers to cham­pion modifications of African cultures that are anti-women rather than glorifying them.

On his part, the AMUFP­MAN’s National Patron, Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo, ad­vised the association to remain steadfast and professional as he would always support them.

Earlier, the National Pres­ident, Association of Music and Film Producers and Mar­keters of Nigeria (AMUFP­MAN), Evang. Mascon Justice Nwasike, disclosed that pira­cy was the greatest challenge confronting the industry.

Nwasike said although the association had successfully brought some pirates to book through assistance of the Ni­geria Copyright Council (NCC) and the police, it still needed the public, the media and the government supports to phase them out completely in order to boost the country’s economy.

The association used the op­portunity to present awards to some deserving citizens of the country including Damain Okeke, Umuobiligbo music group, Abuchi Umenwobi, Engr. Charles Nwegwu, Igwe Joel Egwuonwu of Umuawulu and others.

Speaking in separate inter­views, some of the awardees, Engr. Charles Nwegwu, Chief Abuchi Umenwobi, and Chuk­wuebuka and Ifeanyi Obilig­bo said it would spur them to impact more lives in various ways.

By Okechukwu Onuegbu

Fresh crisis erupted at the Anambra state House of Assembly on Tuesday as an attempt by ag­grieved lawmakers to impeach the Speaker, Hon. Rita Madu­agwu, appears all but thwarted by the Clerk of the parliament as he reportedly refused to swear in Hon. Ikemefune Uzoezie as new speaker.

Maduagwu who rallied about 10 lawmakers out of 30 members of the assembly to hold a brief session after the controversial impeachment, however, insisted that she remained the speaker.

She described her purported impeachment as “a bundle of il­legality” and those behind it as “rascals.” According to her, “No­body can impeach me because I have not committed any offence. They didn’t have any power known to any law to impeach me. They need two-thirds of our members to impeach the speak­er or the governor. So, I’m still the speaker,” she declared in a defiant tone.

Orient Daily was at, and wit­nessed, the dramatic session during which the controversial impeachment plot was initiat­ed following a motion moved by Uzoezie, a two-term member representing Aguata II constit­uency, and supported by Hon. Onyebuchi Offor of Ekwusigo constituency.

Shortly after the motion was raised, Hon. Benson Nwawulu swiftly nominated Uzoezie as new speaker and supported by Hon. Kingsley Iruba of Nnewi South I.

The 30-member 6th Assem­bly, it was learnt, was presided over by the deputy speaker, Hon. Harford Ikechukwu Oseke and had 23 members in attendance.

This resulted in a rowdy ses­sion as Hon. Uche Okafor of Ayamelum constituency, argued, without being formally rec­ognised to address the session by the new speaker, that the impeachment was not properly conducted.

Okafor argued that Hon. Pas­chal Agbodike and Hon Godwin Okafor, who were reportedly in­cluded in the lists of those that impeached Maduagwu, were not present in the house.

The impeachment plot was, however, to suffer a major tech­nical hitch when the Clerk of the House, Pius Udoh, refused to swear in Uzoezie who, in pre­emption, had already occupied the speaker’s seat. Udoh insisted that the impeachment process did not follow due process.

According to Udoh, the law­makers ought to have presented the necessary document contain­ing names and signatories of those that impeached the speak­er and, as well, itemised her of­fence(s) and not just impeach her by mere, indeterminate voice votes.

As the heated argument con­tinued, Uzoezie called on the majority leader, Hon. Victor Jideofor Okoye, to call a motion for adjournment, a call Okoye hastily heeded and got support­ed by Hon. Offor whereupon the house rose.

Addressing the press after the session, the Uzoezie accused Maduagwu of docility and finan­cial misappropriation, adding that he would be addressing the press in subsequent sittings starting from Thursday when the next plenary would hold.

Shortly after the impeachment drama, however, some members of the Anambra state executive, such as Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Professor Solo Chukwulobelu, Commis­sioner for Information, C Don Adinuba, Senior Special Assis­tant to the governor on House of Assembly matters, Hon. Chidoz­ie Ezeugwa and some others, as well as a combined team of secu­rity personnel, stormed the legis­lative complex in what observers view as show of solidarity with the embattled speaker.

Addressing a press confer­ence afterwards, the embattled Speaker, Rita Maduagwu, insist­ed that she was not impeached. According to her, the house re­quired 20 members (2/3 major­ity) to carry out impeachment but 15 members were already on her side out of 30 members of the house and she was never served with any impeachment notice.

She recalled that there was not served any impeachment notice noting that she was in the complex and preparing to come down for normal plenary having just finished an executive ses­sion with them.

Maduagwu also insisted that no house member was suspend­ed, adding that no executive member intervened to forestall the impeachment as those mem­bers had no legal backing to car­ry out the act.

The eleven members further sat at 3.38 pm in a session pre­sided by Speaker Maduagwu.

Addressing the media on why he refused to swear in Hon. Uzoezie as speaker when the impeachment faction demanded so, the Clerk of the House, Pius Udoh, said the impeachment was not properly conducted but rather null and void.

Udoh claimed that it was only the Speaker that can preside over the house and she was in the premises waiting to come down for the sitting when her deputy presided. He said it was only when the speaker so direct­ed the deputy speaker that he could preside over plenary and not the other way around.

He added that Uzoezie and the lot made a blanket statement for impeachment and followed this up with a mere voice vote. “There are matters you can use a voice cote. The matters involv­ing impeachment cannot be con­ducted using a voice vote. Sec­tion 93 (c) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is explicit on how the Speaker or deputy speaker can be removed,” he added.

He explained that he should have presented a roll call of those signing the impeachment, and other procedures.

He said there was no sitting or impeachment as it was null and void; and only an attempted im­peachment.

On which faction will sit on Thursday, the Clerk said it was only the Maduagwu faction that will sit on Thursday because there was no change in leader­ship of the house.

On his part, the senior special assistant to the Anambra state governor on Assembly matters, Hon. Chidozie Ezeugwa, in an­other interview, assured that both factions would soon resolve their differences insisting there was no change in leadership of the house.

Meanwhile, the publicity sec­retary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Anambra state, Mr. Okelo Madukaife, has dis­missed the dramatic impeach­ment plot at the state house of assembly as mere comic show. According to the APC spokes­man, Anambra state has never had a state assembly. “They are just rubber stamp; they don’t carry out oversight function. What we have in Anambra state is a committee in governor Obia­no’s pocket.”

By Praise Necherem
The Muhammadu Bu­hari-led administration has recorded another giant landmark following the com­pletion of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Mausoleum. The project initi­ated by the federal government twenty-two years ago, was awarded by the late Sani Abacha regime shortly after the death of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Owelle of Onitsha and the first president of Nigeria.

The project, as it were, was targeted at honouring the first Premier of Eastern Nigeria and founder of the University of Nige­ria, Nsukka (UNN), in recogni­tion of his immense contributions to national development and the country’s independence.

Located at the heart of Onitsha, commercial city of Anambra state, the mausoleum, regrettably, had suffered series of neglect and abandonment by previous administrations. It also underwent various reviews of the contract sum until it was taken over by the Buhari‘s administra­tion to see to its completion.

Minister of power, works and housing, Babatunde Fashola, had during his visit to the state in May, told the contractor to en­sure the completion of the project before the end of October.
Fashola had expressed dissat­isfaction over the slow pace of work and threatened to revoke the contract, if the contractor failed to deliver on schedule.

The chairman, Anambra State Traditional Rulers’ Council and Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnae­meka Achebe, had, during the minister’s visit, described as an embarrassment, the delay in the completion of the project after decades. He called for the speedy completion of the mausoleum.
The project, however, finally came to completion, 22 years after its initial commencement and is ready for commissioning soonest.

Bouygues Construction Nige­ria Limited (BNL) the firm han­dling the project, assured that work has been completed on the project and ready for handover.

Speaking to Orient Daily, the project manager of the firm, John Ameh, said the project was actually completed towards the end of September. “We met the minister’s deadline of October ending, but because the client has not taken over, we cannot just lock up the place and leave for security reasons. We wrote on October 11, notifying them to come and take over the proj­ect.
They are likely to visit this week,” he said.

Ameh described the mauso­leum as a “land mark project’’ for the people of South-East and the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. According to him, “it is a project that has spanned so many administra­tions before it was awarded to BNL in 2014 while work started in 2015.

“This administration was courageous enough to take it to completion and should be com­mended.”
Also speaking, the site engi­neer Mr. Paul Odigie, said the mausoleum is made up of the main building, administrative block and a residential house.

“We took over this project in 2013 as the last contractor. We were neither the first or the second. I believe the work started twenty years ago.
“Actually, we’re through with the project. We’re just waiting for the commissioning which will take place any moment from now,” he said.

The building is uniquely posi­tioned to serve as a tourist site as the structure has a central tower. There is jubilation and excitement among residents and visitors alike to the commercial city of the state as the mausole­um is now wearing a new look with assorted paintings and art works waiting its formal commis­sioning.

Residents, particularly indi­genes of the town have continued to express appreciation to the federal government for complet­ing the mausoleum.

They commended President Muhammadu Buhari for hon­ouring late Azikiwe who champi­oned Nigeria‘s independence and ensured the unity of the country throughout his hay days before his demise in 1996.
A prominent indigene of Onit­sha, Chinyelugo Osita Anionwu captures the aesthetic outlook and general environment of the project. He said, “The man Zik was a legend. That’s why he wanted a monument that will outlive him. We are happy we have a place where the remains of the first premier of Nigeria rests. It is a hallowed place and mark of nobility.”

Another resident, Mr. Sylves­ter Anyigbo expressed happiness with the completion of the mon­ument after several delays. “The idea of the place is to serve as a place where the younger gener­ation will learn about personali­ties who worked for this country.
“I’m happy this job is finally completed but I’ll be happier if the government is making full use of it,” he said.