Category: South East

By Elo Edremoda, Warri

An irate mob, on Thursday night, set a suspected armed robber ablaze along Jakpa Road, Uvwie council area of Delta state.

The incident occurred around 10 pm by the Small Market off the very busy route.

It was gathered that the deceased suspect was part of a four-man gang that had earlier snatched a tricycle otherwise known as Keke Napep from an unidentified individual at gunpoint.

The suspect was said to have alighted from the tricycle around the spot, but on sighting some vigilante members, took to his heels.

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However, he was caught by another set of vigilantes who had been alerted, and angry residents who got wind of the situation reportedly mobilized to the scene, got hold of the suspect, and set him on fire.

Recall that a similar incident that saw a member of a suspected armed robbery gang operating in a Keke Napep lynched, occurred within the area in June.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Bright Edafe, confirmed the incident, adding that a member of the gang who fell out of the moving tricycle, is currently in police custody.

He explained that men of the Warri ‘A’ Division received information that a Keke was snatched at Hausa Quarters in Warri South LGA and went after the gang.

“The other three escaped with the Keke. Messages were sent to all the local vigilantes who intercepted them somewhere in Ekpan. Two jumped down and escaped, while one was caught by the vigilante.

“But unfortunately before the police got there a mob had already overpowered the vigilante and set him ablaze. But while they were about burning the Keke our policemen got there.

“Though it was damaged, we were able to recover the Keke. It is the locally made gun they were using to rob with two cartridges and some jewelry that they had stolen that were recovered,” Edafe stated.

By Emma Elekwa, Onitsha

A group, Igbos for a Progressive Nigeria (IPAN) has described the recent visit by President Muhammadu Buhari to Imo State as a wasted opportunity towards the progress of the people of the Southeast.

It expressed disappointment that Igbo leaders who received the President in their numbers could not voice out their problems as the mouthpiece of Igbos.

National President, Comrade Lawrence Onuzulike who stated this in a statement yesterday, said the leaders would have utilized the opportunity to x-ray major developmental challenges in the zone.

He said, “It was unfortunate that majority of our leaders were nowhere to be found, and even those that were there could not represent us when there was need to do so.”

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“Our leaders scream marginalisation every minute of the day and yet could not come out and confront the president on the matter on Igbo soil. They could not convey the much-discussed grievances of our people to the president.

“We are having challenges in all federal roads in Southeast, yet they could not present it to the President. Amansea road which had been the only major road to Enugu is now a death trap. Commuters get stranded and sometimes pass the night there.

“Equally, Amansea side of the Enugu-Onitsha expressway had been abandoned. To get to Enugu, you have to drive through Ufuma, or Ayamelum, otherwise, you risk the Amansea death trap.

“Our leaders were afraid of being exposed by the President should they ask the question.”

While calling on Buhari to come to the aid of the people of the zone over infrastructural dilapidation in the area, Onuzulike charged Ohaneze Ndigbo, Southeast governors and other Igbo leaders to speak up and churn egocentric politics.

By Damian Duruiheoma, Enugu

Enugu State government has refuted the insinuation by a former Aviation Minister, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is among some governors of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) expected to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) anytime soon.

Reacting to the insinuation while addressing journalists on Saturday in Enugu, the chairman of Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, (ECTDA), Dr Josef Onoh, described Fani-Kayode’s comments as a “figment of his imagination”, insisting that Governor Ugwuanyi had no plans to leave PDP.

Onoh said that if anybody was in doubt of Governor Ugwuanyi’s stable and courageous character, such a person should refer to last Thursday’s Southern Governors’ meeting in Enugu where Ugwuanyi was the only governor from the Southeast region that was present.

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According to Onoh, “What Femi Fani-Kayode said was his personal opinion, it did not reflect the opinion of the government, the state or the present state of affairs of the PDP and our governor in Enugu State. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is the leader of the PDP in the Southeast, he has just been made the National Chairman of PDP zoning committee and that shows the level of confidence the PDP as a party has in him.

“It’s like saying that the President of Nigeria could turn around and accept to become a ward councilor. The responsibilities saddled on him, not only as a governor, but to pilot the affairs of over 100 million active registered members of the party is a huge task. We respect Fani-Kayode’s conviction in joining the APC, but in this game there are men of integrity and honour. I can tell you authoritatively, not just as an ally of the governor, that the long rumour of Ugwuanyi joining the APC is false.  Ifeanyi Ugwuany in Obasanjo’s words, we still dey kamkpe in PDP.”

Appreciating the role of opposition political parties in democracies, Onoh said that there cannot be vibrant democracy without opposition political parties which role is to keep a tab on fair play and participation in politics.

“Here in Enugu state, we in the PDP are in opposition but we respect and accommodate the APC and other political parties, but the problem is that Femi Fani-Kayode mistakes Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s approach to politics to the general accepted barbaric norm played by some Nigerian politicians.

“Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is the Governor of Enugu State, and so he is the chief security officer of the state and the father of all political parties in Enugu State. He even has the right to revoke the land that any political party office is located, but he provides security for all. If there is a problem in APC secretariat, he will ensure there is security to protect there, same as in APGA or any other party and so he is the governor of all political parties in the state but he is a registered member and an active participant of the PDP because he rules with conscience.

“So whatever Femi Fani-Kayode said is a figment of his imagination and I want members of the general public to disregard that,” Onoh stated.

By Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

A youth was killed after a failed attempt to disarm a security detail in the entourage of the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku Community, Aniocha South LGA, Delta State, Obi Ifechukwude Okonjo II during a visit to Otulu, a satellite community.

It was learnt that several vehicles were allegedly destroyed in the mayhem that ensued following the killing.

The Nation gathered that the royal father and some of his chiefs narrowly escaped death.

It was gathered that the traditional ruler had led members of his Obi-In-Council and community leaders to the satellite community to perform certain traditional rites meant to usher in peace and tranquility to the town.

The Nation further learnt that some Utulu youths who recently embarked on protest for autonomy made bonfire to block the monarch’s convoy, shortly after he had performed the rites.

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Entreaties by security agents to the youths to allow safe passage for the Obi were rebuffed, The Nation learnt.

A source said “one of the youths was hit by a stray bullet from the gun of a security agent as he attempted to disarm him.”

Delta Police Public Relations Officer, DSP. Bright Edafe, who confirmed the killing, said that the traditional ruler went to perform some rites and in the process a fence collapsed leading to a rampage by the irate youths.

He added that two vehicles were burnt, while a youth hit by stray bullet died.

A statement from the palace signed by Prince Greg Okwumbu, spokesman of the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku , reads in part, “At the end of the visit and when the Obi was departing, cultists and thugs imported into Otulu who was aware of the visit attacked members of the entourage who were at the rear of the convoy. The thugs also attempted to forcefully seize a gun belonging to a law enforcement member who escorted the Obi on the visit.

“It is important to note that members of the press accompanied the Obi on the visit. Also law enforcement agents from the Office of the Area Commander and the Brigade Command in Asaba were also there at the visit and witnessed everything that happened. The people who sponsored the thugs are known to us and will be brought to justice.”

By Simon Utebor, Yenagoa

• Two policemen, youth stabbed as suspects resist arrest

Two suspected kidnappers have met their waterloo in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State as they were apprehended by police team in collaboration with vigilante members and community youths.

It was learnt that some community members alerted the police when the suspected kidnappers invaded Adagbabiri community in Sagbama yesterday.

It was gathered that when the community members got to the house where the suspected kidnappers were gathered, one of the suspects, after they were rounded up by the vigilantes and police, forcibly grabbed a dagger from a policeman which he used to stab the youth president and two policemen.

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The Bayelsa State Police Command confirmed the incident, saying that its operatives had apprehended two of the suspected kidnappers.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, Mr Asinim Butswat, said that the arrest was carried out by operatives of Sagbama Divisional Police Station in collaboration with community youths and vigilante members of Adagbabiri community of Sagbama. Butswat, a Superintendent of Police, said the suspects including: Odulima Igbogiri, of Okogbie community and Moses Joshua, of Ahoada town both in Ahoada West LGA of Rivers State, were arrested at Adagbabiri while planning to kidnap someone in the community.

He said the suspects stabbed two police officers and one community youth, while resisting arrest.

Butswat said: “The injured police officers are responding to treatment at the Sagbama General Hospital, Sagbama LGA. The suspects are undergoing interrogation. Investigation is ongoing.”

By Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

A group in the Niger Delta region has claimed that some people are desperately working to truncate the inauguration of the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The 21st century youths of Niger Delta and Agitators with Conscience (21st CYNDAC) raised the alarm yesterday in a statement made available to The Nation.

It would be recalled that the upper legislative chamber on 5th November 2019 screened and cleared 14 of the 15 nominees to the board of the NDDC by President Muhammadu Buhari.

But their inauguration was put on hold to allow for the completion of the comprehensive forensic audit of the Commission.

The report of the audit has since been submitted to the President on 2 September 2021.

Two weeks after submission and no talks of inauguration of members of the boards of the Commission, tongues have started wagging over plans by some powerful persons working to maintain the status quo.

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The Commission has been under the control of a Sole Administrator, Effiong Akwa since December 2020.

Reacting to the rumour, the group stressed that the continuous running of the activities of the Commission by a Sole Administrator is inimical to the representation of the various stakeholders in the region and thus is totally rejected.

The group alleged that those behind the scheme are doing it for their own personal interest and not for the good of the region.

Consequently, the group urges President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency inaugurate members of the board already cleared by the senate to deescalate the agitation already going on over the issue.

The statement which was signed by Mr. Izon Ebi leader of 21st CYNDAC reads: “The 21st century youths of Niger Delta and Agitators with Conscience (21st CYNDAC) have been made aware of the various underhand tactics been employed by political jobbers to truncate the inauguration of the substantive board of the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC.

“As critical stakeholders, we reiterate our stance that any attempt to truncate the inauguration will bid the region and the Commission no good.

“The attempt by these political jobbers to truncate the inauguration is for their political and pecuniary gains and nothing else, of what benefit will it be for the people and the region? Nobody is talking about the prosecution of people found culpable of the decades-long malfeasance, these rogues masquerading as stakeholders are only interested in planting people in the commission as a means of getting their hands on the cookie jar to fund their lifestyle.

“We use these medium to urge Mr. President to keep to his promise of cleaning the NDDC Augean stable by making the NDDC to benefit the people and the region, any attempt to allow fifth columnists to truncate the work of the forensic audit and further delay in inaugurating the substantive board will be of no benefit to the people and the region.

“The palpable restiveness and tension of the youths in the region is already being felt.  We urge Mr. President to do the needful and deescalate the tension and agitations. The 21st CYNDAC therefore use this medium to urge the Honourable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio to take his redemption mission of the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC to its logical conclusion by making sure that the substantive board of the commission is sworn in.

“Words on the street is that the minister is more amenable to running a one man show through the sole administrator vehicle which gives him unilateral power over the running of the Commission,  though the 21st CYNDAC are not in tandem with this submission taking cognisance of the forensic audit of the Commission which is more or less the brainchild of the Honourable Minister,  it behooves on the minister to come clean on his plans for the inauguration so as not to give charlatans an avenue to rubbish his noble objectives about the Commission to downsize the board of the Commission is inimical to the representation of the various stakeholders in the region and thus is totally rejected by the 21st century youths of Niger Delta and Agitators with Conscience  ( 21st CYNDAC  ) and other stakeholders in the region.”

By Nsa Gill, Calabar

A socio-political group from the South-south region of the country has warned that the region should not be counted out in the consideration of possible areas where the next Nigeria president would emerge by 2023.

The group simply identified as “South-South Presidency 2023 (SSP23)”, in a communiqué issued in Calabar on Thursday after their meeting in Asaba, Delta State held between September 19 to 12th and attended by delegates from the six states in the region, released a five point communiqué.

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They insisted that they stand by the decision taken by governors of the Southern region in Nigeria in Lagos wherein the declared that Presidency should rotate to the South by 2023. That being the case, they urged that no one should count the South-south region out of reckoning as it concerns 2023 presidency.