Emma Elekwa, Onitsha

POLICE in Anambra state have arrested two suspects for allegedly defrauding one Mr Emmanuel Anamene, the sum of N1.4million at Odakpu, Onitsha, the commercial city of the state.

The spokesperson, Haruna Mohammed in a statement, said the suspects, Dr Madu Ifeanyi (50) and Mr Linus Onyekwere (60) both of Ugonakpanpa, Onitsha, claimed to have a commonwealth loaning programme, where the sum of N500,000 was paid with N1million interest after a month.

He said, “The suspects also claimed to have a contract they executed with “former President Goodluck Jonathan” and the CBN requested them to pay N20million before the contract money will be paid to them.

“They told the suspect to bring another sum of N500,000 as others have done to enable them raise the N20million needed by CBN to enable them get the money from the apex bank.”

According to Mohammed, the complainant claimed to have so far given the sum of N1.4million to the suspects since September 2020 and had neither received any interest nor the principal money he invested.

He added, “The complainant said he has been making several calls to the two suspects till the time of their arrests but they have not been picking his calls.

“The complainant further alleged that he is aware of many unsuspecting persons have been to the house of the suspects in Onistha to do similar “investment” oblivious of their fraudulent motives.”

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The spokesperson urged victims of such syndicates to immediately report at the Police Area Command headquarters, Onitsha, to enable the Police carry out discreet investigation in order to bring the perpetrators to justice.

“The Command also urged the public to refrain from availing their personal information particularly National Identification Numbers( NIN), date of birth or biometric identification numbers (BVN) in order not to fall victims of these fraudulent practices,” he stressed.

Sunny Nwankwo, Aba

ABIA State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has presented two new four bedroom bungalows, each with boy’s quarters to the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force as official residence of the Heads of the Army and Police formations in the ObingwaLocal Government Area of the state.

Performing the handover ceremony at Umuobiakwa, Obingwa LGA, Governor Ikpeazu stated that his administration places top premium on the provision of security as a key enabler for development in our state.

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According to the governor, the huge investments made by his administration in supporting security agencies in the state are deliberate steps aimed at raising the morale of the officers and optimising their operational efficiency.

The two houses, according to the governor, shall serve as official residences of the Commander of the Army Squad at Ohanze and the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Eastern Ngwa Police Division at Umuobiakwa.

The governor noted in particular that the Eastern Ngwa Police Divisional headquarters has been at Umuobiakwa for close to three and a half decades with no official residence for the DPO who most times comes to work from outside the area.

 Sunny Nwankwo, Umuahia

THE cleric in-charge of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Isieke Ibeku, Very Reverend John U. Obiah has charged Christians to live a life that will earn them eternal life after death.

Very Reverend Obiah who was speaking at the burial of Ma Lovinna .A. Nkume held at Umuajiji-Isieke in Umuahia North Local Government Area of the state said it was important that Christians should try to live a life that they can be able to properly give account of when they face judgment.

Ma Nkume who died December 2020 is the mother of Kastina State Correspondent of The Nation, Mr. Augustine Okezie.

Speaking further, Nkume who was assisted by Reverend Anthony Akwarandu, taking his sermon from the Gospel of John 11:1-27 warned that we shall all give account of our lives here on earth.

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The St. Mary’s priest who described the 92-year-old matriarch as a devout Christian, caring and full of charity which endeared her to many.

He said ‘’God is reminding us to live a godly life here on earth, and remain prepared for the judgment day.’’

Speaking about their mother, Mr. Patrick Onumaegbu described the death of their mother as a shock and huge loss to their family.

According to them, their mother who lived a godly life would be missed and pray that God will give them and those affected by the loss the fortitude to bear her absence.

The usual dust to dust rites were performed by her children at the well-attended burial.

Madam Lovinna is survived by Mr. Patrick Onumaegbu, Augustine Okezie, Innocent Rufus and Fidelia Nwankwu, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Nwanosike Onu, Awka

SENATOR Andy Uba has begged members of the All Progressives Congress APC in Anambra State to unite for the party to win the November governorship election in the state.

Uba, who represented Anambra South Senatorial zone for two terms, is gunning for the governorship ticket of APC for the election.

He visited the APC party secretariat in Awka, the state capital, on Saturday, where he told the executive members that he was not a new member of the party, but rather, an old member.

Uba said the only way for APC to chase away opposition from the Government House during the election was for everyone to close ranks.

The former governor, who made his intentions known to the party during the meeting, said the APC must present someone who would be capable of winning the election for the party and not a neophyte.

Uba said, “I didn’t join APC recently, I had been a member of the party for a long time. I have internal and external contacts to move the party forward. God’s time is the best and he knew why I was removed as governor in 2007 and I bear no grudges against anyone over it.

“Let us sit and plan how to win this election. Let us not fight each other. If I see any one better than me, I will support the person. APC needs to present a strong candidate to win PDP and APGA. Those parties have more trouble than us, “he said.

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The Caretaker Chairman of the party in the State, Chief Basil Ejidike, insisted that the APC must conduct a credible, free and fair primaries.

The State Secretary, Hon Chukwuma Agufugo, equally, spoke in the same direction, adding that APC had all it takes to win the November governorship election in the state.

 Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki

COMMUNITIES in Ivo Council of Ebonyi State have lamented the non-completion of the Ivo Dam project over six years after the federal government awarded it to the contractors.

They lamented the failure of the contractor, Anbeez Services Nigeria Limited, to complete the project allegedly awarded in 2014, adding that it was now a major threat to their lives, farmlands and outputs.

The dam project, which was attracted by former Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, to Ivo and some communities in Enugu State, was aimed at improving agricultural production, especially rice.

Residents, however, said the project was now a shadow of its former self and a death trap for the Amokwe, Ngwongwo, Okwe and Ameke communities in Ivo council.

They said that no fewer than four persons drowned last year alone adding that the flood from the abandoned dam has claimed many lives since it was abandoned.

A resident of one of the communities, Innocent Igwe said during the visit of representative of Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency, Livinus Makwe, to the project site, the parlous state of the job had brought several deaths to the communities due to flooding.

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Igwe pointed out that the flooding caused by the dam had devastated the surrounding farmlands and listed Rolland Aja Orji, Ivoke Aja, Mrs. Udu Ajali and Cletus Ajah as victims who had drowned in the project.

Igwe alleged that relief materials brought from National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to cushion the effects of flooding in the area were diverted to communities in Enugu State that did not experience any damages.

But the contractor, Anbeez Limited said the project was not abandoned.

The company’s Managing Director, Anayo Onwuegbu, said: “I have nothing to worry about negative comments or reports on Anbeez Services, especially with regards to the Ivo Dam projects.

“I am yet to recover all my debts in the projects and I will soon get Federal Executive Council’s approval of over N1b for the project,” he said.

 Emma Elekwa, Onitsha

PEOPLE of Abacha community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State have urged their new traditional ruler, Chief Godwin Odiegwu to seek for peace and other virtues capable of uniting the town to enable him render quality service to them.

Traditional Prime Minister (Onowu) of the town, Chief Paul Omofia gave the advice during the presentation of the monarch at Ukwuora Iro Olisa Square, the ancestral selection place for all monarchs of the town.

Odiegwu, an Onitsha based business mogul replaced the former monarch, GBC Mbakwe who was among the three royal fathers their certificates of recognition were recently withdrawn by the state government following their trip to Abuja.

The community, through Abacha Development Union (ADU) had during its annual end of the year meeting, passed a resolution declaring vacant the monarch’s seat after the former monarch was rejected by majority of indigenes over nonperformance, violation of custom and tradition, unpopularity, among other reasons.

Omofia expressed gratitude to God and Governor Willie Obiano for restoring peace and harmony in the town and the state in general, appealing for the people’s support to ensure the monarch excelled.

Also speaking, President General of the community, Mr. Ifeanyi Obata enjoined the people to cooperate with the town union executives and the state government to attract developmental dividends to the community.

“The community cannot continue to witness vacuum in the traditional ruler’s institution. We solicit for your support and cooperation for the new traditional ruler,” he said.

On their part, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, Chief Ikemefuna Okoye, an indigene of the town, and woman activist, Amb. Uche Okeke urged the monarch not to disappoint the people by carrying everybody along, just as they called on government to give the monarch maximum support for him to succeed.

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Meanwhile, some group of persons from the community had berated the development, appealing to the state government to reinstate the dethroned traditional ruler, Igwe Godwin Mbakwe.

One of the spokespersons, Mr. Emeka Onwuka, explained that some people who had been skimming to remove the monarch saw the suspension as an opportunity to install someone else against the interest of the entire community.

Another resident, Dr. Chukwujekwu Odiegwu, said government had the right to suspend whoever it wished, but insisted that due process must be followed in the selection of a new traditional ruler where necessary.