The Imo State government has criticised the Agip oil company, accusing it of neglecting its host communities.
It described the firm’s alleged action as intentional and unbelievable.
The state Deputy Governor Eze Madumere who stated this during the 19th Farmers Day celebrations hosted by the oil company at the Green River Project Plant Propagation Centre in Ogba-Egbema, Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, noted that it was the first time the state would be invited for such an important event as an oil-producing state.
He recalled that the poor management of the pollution caused by the explosion of two crude oil storage facilities of the Firm polluted the source of water of about 13 communities in Egbema, one of the oil producing communities in the state, adding that it was the intervention of the State government that restored peace in the community.
Madumere who appeared angry, said that it will be difficult to vouch for AGIP when it comes to the issue of Corporate Social Responsibility, as a result of its dealings with the host communities in the state.
He described as surprising the fact that the firm has been teaching latest farming techniques, offering extension services and micro credit to farmers in over 120 rural communities without including any community in the state.
The Deputy Governor also condemned the nonchalant attitude of the company in keeping the agreements reached with the host communities, especially as it concerns employment.
He called on the company to review its modes of operation and relationship with Imo people, urging the company to open an operational office in the state.
Residents of Ohafia Local Government Council, in the northern part of Abia State, will never forget the day doctors, pharmacists and others in the medical team of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) launched a health service programme in their community.
The outreach was under the Corps’ Health Rural Dwellers (HIRD).
Before the event, the community leaders in Ebem Ohafia directed town criers to inform the community residents of the event.
That informed the huge turnout of rural dwellers at the event, which the residents said was the first of its kind in the community.
The programme which is targeted at improving the health profile of rural people through the services of volunteer corps members in the medical field.
The team diagnoses, treats and where appropriate, refers cases for further and extensive examination.
Speaking at the flagging of the health initiative of the NYSC at the Ohafia council headquarters, the NYSC Director General, Brigadier-General Johnson Olawumi, said that the one week health outreach took place simultaneously in selected rural communities across the country.
The NYSC Director-General, who spoke through Abia State Corps Coordinator, Mr Adewoya Omotayo, said that Ebem community was among the communities where the corps had designated to address the health challenges of the people in that part of the state.
Gen. Olawumi explained that the volunteer corps medical personnel who form the heart of the team will work as health intervention agents in driving the wheel of the health initiative of the corps, stressing that it is part of the way they are saying thank you to the communities in the states where they operate.
He said that the health programme will enhance the general well being of rural dwellers across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria and commended the various stakeholders and partners towards making the NYSC-HIRD health week a reality.
The national boss of the NYSC also thanked the government and people of Abia state as well as Ebem community for opening their doors to receive the program and for mobilizing their people, especially, the poorest of the poor among them to enable them benefit from the
initiative which he emphasised was free of charge.
Gen Olawumi appreciated the support the program has received from local and foreign donors in terms of materials like drugs and medical equipments and urged the people of Ebem community to take full advantage of the health initiative program to attend to all their health.
He praised the Brigadier Commander of 14 Brigade Nigeria Army, Ohafia for being part of the sponsorship of the program, saying, “NYSC shall be happy and motivated when we look back and watch the mustard seed being sown today blossom into an enduring and sustainable entity for the benefit of all in this community and its environs”.
Earlier the president Medical and health Community Development Service (CDS) group, Dr Agugua Anthony Jnr expressed delight that they have been able to carry out the health outreach program with the help of kind spirited individuals and organisations in Abia state.
Dr Anthony thanked the NYSC DG for the concept which has enabled them to reach the unreachable, stressing that they are very proud to exhibit their profession to the rural dwellers in that part of the state without any strings attached.
Abia State Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Health, represented by the Director, Pharmaceutical Services, Uzuegbu Mike Chimezie described the concept as a wonderful idea, which should not be allowed to die.
Chimezie said that all hands should be put on deck to make the program to outlive the initiators, stressing that the health for all is one of the pillars of the present government in Abia state and thanked them for keying into one of the cardinal developmental plans of the state
government.
In his reaction to the health program of the state NYSC, the transition Committee Chairman (TC) of Ohafia Local Government Area, Hon Ekea Udensi pledged his council’s readiness to compliment the efforts of the corps members in ensuring that the program is not abandoned midway.
Udensi assured that the council would continue to assist them in serving their father land and provide services to rural dwellers in any way the council can and urged them not to hesitate to come to the council for help when the need arises.
Before the event started the state coordinator paid a courtesy call on the T.C Chairman, and enumerated the benefits of the program, just as the Chairman pledged total support to the idea and NYSC as a body.
Highlight of the program include health talk on breast cancer and diabetes delivered by corps doctors and supported by Health department of Ohafia Local Government Council.
Thereafter, people with diverse ailments and diseases were attended to, as some of the tests carried out include eye tests, sugar level tests, high blood pressure tests and others, while severe cases were referred to the necessary specialists’ hospitals for further
attention.
Dignitaries that attended the ceremony include the Commander, 14Brigade Nigerian army, represented by Col. O. O. Diya, Mrs Nellly Onwuka, the Deputy Chairman of Ohafia LGA Council, Hon Dike Ndukwe, the Leader of the Legislative Council, among others.
The leadership of Anambra State community unions has accused its president Dr. J. A. P. Okolo of highhan-dedness and ineptitude.
The group accused Okolo of running the Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU) like a fief.
Some of the Presidents General of the town unions accused him of not carrying them along and taking decisions unilaterally.
Furthermore, they alleged that he has not achieved any tangible thing since he took over from former president, Dr. Innocent Onwubuya.
Some of them said, “We are not comfortable with our president, nobody knows what he does and he does not want anybody to make any input in anything, he sees himself as all knowing”
But Okolo, who spoke with TheNation on the phone, described his accusers as cowards.
He said, “I don’t have any answer to such a frivolous allegation, if anybody is aggrieved, the person should contact me for discussion, instead of going into hiding to talk about unfounded allegations.”
“I’m a busy person to start relying on rumours; all I can say now is that I will not discuss such a thing”
However, some of the presidents general who spoke with The Nation, said ASATU had not been able to achieve anything since the tenure of Okolo because of his high handedness.
“Everything achieved today by ASATU was done during the tenure of Onwubuya, what we are running now as ASATU is a dictatorship administration under Okolo”
The Nation gathered that during the administration of former Governor Peter Obi, the Association was Vibrant, but since Governor Willie Obiano took over, the place became dead.
Obi, it was gathered, was giving each community in Anambra state two million naira for security and other developmental projects each year, which had been reduced to one million, five hundred thousand naira by the present administration.
The tenure of Okolo, TheNation learnt, would expire in 2016 and was not likely to return as president general of Akwu-Ukwu in Idemili south local government area of the state.
A non-governmental organisation, Civil Society for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (CiSHAN), Enugu State Chapter has alerted the people and government of the state on the apparent increase of HIV infection in the state.
According to the organisation, more funds ought to be budgeted for HIV/AIDS related cases in the state to rid it of the scourge.
The Enugu State coordinator of CiSHAN, Mrs. B.C Nwibechukwu who disclosed this in an address when the organisation paid a working visit to the Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Edward Ubosi lamented that infection occur among the low risk heterosexual group which includes people who are in marital or cohabiting relationship.
“The state HIV prevalence shows that the rate of infection is on the increase (rise) and presently far above the national and zonal average,” Nwibechukwu laments.
Nwibechukwu pointed out that 1986 survey report showed that Enugu State had high prevalence of above 6.5% which was the highiest then in the country but with time, the rate came down but is now surprised that it has begun to rise again.
She explained the source of her fears. “Recent studies and surveys carried out reveals new infection trends coming from the hitherto low risk segment of the population that were not targeted for preventive services.”
Mother-to-child transmission of HIV constitutes a huge public health concern globally and especially in resource-poor countries.”
The coordinator who said they used the visit to intimate the Speaker on the forthcoming launching of their maiden Strategic Plan document in November, expressed worry that if nothing was done fast, Enugu State might be in serious danger in future because some donor agencies would soon stop their financial intervention.
“Honourable speaker sir, we are worried and concerned on the ability of the state to sustain the gains made in the areas of HIV & AIDS prevention, treatment, care, and support.
“Our worry is worsened by the continuous donor fatigue and also due to the fact that most donors would be closing shops towards the fall of 2015. What this portends is that if no proactive measure is taken to sustain the gains and improve on it, we may find ourselves in a state worse than we where some few years back.
To help reduce the rising rate of the pandemic, Nwibechukwu urged the Speaker to use his good offices to see that a bill is sponsored to dedicate funds in the Enugu State annual budget for CiSHAN for ownership and sustainability of HIV/AIDS response.
A member of the House of Representatives, Ossy Prestige, has lifted the spirits of prisoners and motherless babies, reports SUNNY NWANKWO
A member of the House of Representatives Hon Ossy Prestige (Aba North and South) has given the restricted and the needy what they probably need most: love and care.
He visited the Joy-Rita Motherless Babies Home along Aba-Owerri road, Abayi, Aba as well as the Aba Prisons.
From the prisons he went to Seventh Day Adventist Motherless, then to Father Basil Motherless Babies and then to Nwamaka Maternity and Motherless Babies Home Aba.
The lawmaker and his team spent some time with various inmates and also would not leave any place he visited without donating toiletries, baby diapers, beverages, bags of rice and garri, among others, including cash to support the inmates.
The lawmaker after being received by the Deputy Comptroller of Aba Prisons, DCP Stephen Ugbah was taken round the facility where he inspected their classrooms, skills acquisition workshops; carpentry section, laundry, sewing and barbing saloon rooms.
Prestige who was apparently touched by the plight and infrastructural decay including challenges of accommodation for the inmates and prison officials promised to take up some of the challenges of the corrective home which would be presented on the floor of the House of Representatives as soon as they reconvene for urgent attention to be taken.
The lawmaker who is also a Rotarian on discovering that the many of the inmates were on awaiting trial because they don’t have money to hire lawyers to pursue their cases in various courts said he was going to establish a free legal aids unit in his constituency office in Aba where he would engage the services of qualified lawyers to render free legal support for people who cannot afford fees for such services.
“Aba is a place where law enforcement officers will bribe their ways to come and work and when they arrive, they employ all manner of intimidation and harassment of the people in order to make money. This will stop.
“Already, I have started linking up with Amnesty International to find out ways they will help the people in this direction so that within the next one year, Aba will be a city where no one will be insulted or victimised for no just reason”, Prestige stated.
While presenting the gift items and cash to DCP Ugbah, Prestige said he was making the donation so that the inmates of the place would join other Nigerians in celebrating the country’s 55th Independence anniversary and promised to make his visit to the prisons a yearly exercise until he leaves office as Aba North and South representative.
The politician cum business mogul urging the Aba Prisons inmates to remain prayerful and steadfast, however promise to assist some of the inmates to offset their fines to enable them reunite with members of their families.
In his response, Aba Prisons Deputy Comptroller, Ugbah disclosed that after 1911 when the Aba Prisons was commissioned to harbor and serve as a deformation home for inmates of various criminal offences that apart from Senator Sani Shehu from Kaduna state who was incarcerated at the Prison by then General Sani Abacha’s regime after his freedom, Hon. Prestige was the first politician in the southeast and Abia Lawmaker to visit the corrective center and lamented that if not for the assistance coming from various Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s), Churches and corporate organizations who frequently donates to the Prisons, the place could have been closed down.
Ugbah informed the lawmaker that a primary and secondary school including other vocational workshops were setup within the Prison yard to help in educating and developing the knowledge of the inmates while undergoing rehabilitation process and to also as to equip them with the right skills of becoming useful and law abiding citizens when they would have served out their term and ready to reintegrate back to the society.
He urged the lawmaker to always remember them in his day to day activities at the National Assembly even as he prayed God to guide and protect the lawmaker and challenged other politicians in the state to emulate the gestures of Prestige.
The Abia State chapter of the Nigerian Library Association (NLA) has expressed its discomfort over the apparent waning interest in reading in the country.
The body added that this poor reading scenario can be blamed for examination malpractices.
Speaking during the association’s week in Umuahia, the state chairman of NLA, Dr Udo Nwokocha said it is a shame that students are no longer reading which is among the reasons behind their poor performances during examinations.
Nwokocha said that the onus is now on parents to join hands with the association through ensuring that their children read books like in the olden days, instead of watching films on televisions on daily basis.
He also blamed the parents for encouraging their children against reading, “They do this by ensuring that they obtain special or magic centres for them to sit for their examinations which do not make them better students or workers at the end of their education”.
The Abia NLA chairman said that the theme of the week’s celebration, ‘Bring Back The Users’, said that there is need for governments at all levels and relevant agencies to improve upon the funding of libraries of all types.
Nwokocha said, “By so doing it will enable the libraries to provide modern facilities that will make our libraries more comfortable and attractive to users, as we can never do without libraries for all academic works”.
He commended the state government for building the e-library saying that it will help to boost the enthusiasm and attract users back to the library, since it will offer electronic services to the users.
The Abia NLA chairman said, “We advise that the e-library should be integrated into the state public library system since it will provide electronic services under the library board, as it will help to form the hybrid library that is in vogue all over the world”.
Nwokocha regretted that people are relying more on Information Communication Technology [ICT], which he said has gone a long way in affecting the way the modern day students write.
He noted that students across the country are currently finding it difficult to write correct spelling of simple words, “This could be attributed to their ability to write text messages in short words
which has made them to lose focus on correct spellings”.
The Abia NLA boss then called on federal and state governments to order for the opening up of all locked up libraries in different schools as well as provide the necessary materials that will make the place attractive to students and other users.
He said that unless the libraries are reopened across the country for students to make use of them, “This may means that in the near future we will be training graduates who will be illiterates since they would not be able to read or write well”.
As soon as the Enugu State government approves the Bill passed by its House of Assembly, it will be an offence for anybody or organisation to paste posters or handbills at its bus stops without approval.
The member representing Nkanu East Constituency, Hon. Paul Nnajifor, supported by 13 others moved a motion urging the state government through the Ministry of Environment to ban members of the public from defacing the bus stops with posters of any kind.
The motion also sought to mandate the Ministry of Environment through the Waste Management Authority (ESWAMA), Ministries of Gender Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, to clear the bus stops and all the roads in the metropolis of the destitute and hawkers that constitute a nuisance in the state’s urban areas.
In the same vein, the motion sought the state government to direct the Ministry of Environment and agencies to monitor bus stops with a view to prosecuting offenders.
All the members spoke in favour of the motion before passing it but not before the member representing Udi North, Hon. Johnbull Nwagu raised objection that the House would be ridiculed should the order be flouted as it was in the past when a similar motion was raised during the 5th Assembly.
The Speaker Hon. Edward Ubosi overruled Nwagu’s objection saying that the import of the motion was to ensure the environmental cleanliness of the state that this time around, the law would be obeyed and thanked members for deliberating on the all important motion.
“I thank in a special way the mover of the motion and the co-sponsors and my colleagues for their contributions to the motion,” Ubosi appraised his colleagues.
Meanwhile, the House has cleared a member of the Civil Service Commission nominee, Mr. Egbogu Eugene Ejike from Eha Amufu, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area to replace Mr. Nwanze Agu who died recently.
Ejike would be sworn in to fill the vacant position.
The immediate past governor of Enugu State, Chief Sullivan Chime has been conferred with the title of Dike Ejejemba 1 of Udi Ancient Kingdom.
The kingdom said Chime was honoured for his meritorious service while in office.
The conferment ceremony took place at Eke Square Udi and was performed by the traditional ruler of the t kingdom, His Royal Highness, Igwe Chris Ogakwu.
Chime’s successor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was the special guest, noted that his predecessor deserved the title.
He assured that the good work of Chief Chime when he was the governor would be sustained.
In a speech before the conferment of the title, the traditional ruler of the ancient kingdom, His Royal Highness, Igwe Chris Ogakwu observed that Chief Sullivan Chime is a worthy ambassador and son of the ancient kingdom and Udi.
He noted that during his period as the governor of the state that he saw Enugu state as his constituency. He added that the legacies Chief Chime left behind speak volumes for him in the state.
The President General, Udi Progressive Union, Hon Emma Eneoli, the people of the ancient kingdom noted that Chief Chime is a worthy ambassador that had done the people proud.
They noted that they were happy that Chief Chime served meritoriously against all odds.
They enumerated the things benefited by the people during Chief Chime’s period as a governor as provision of solar powered, boreholes, tarred linked roads, political appointments and
employment opportunities among others.
Responding thereafter Chief Sullivan Chime thanked his people for the honour done him, promising them of his cooperation.
He thanked Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for attending the event.
He assured the governor of his continued support of his administration till his eight years tenure.
He noted that during his time in office that he served to the best of his knowledge.
Chime’s father was the immediate past traditional ruler of Udi kingdom.
He ascended the throne after serving in the cabinet of the legendary Dr. Michael Okpara administration in the First Republic as a minister.
Cashew growers in Akwari community and other locations in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State have bemoaned the poor patronage of their nuts.
They spoke to the Southeast Report during an interaction with them and distributors.
Cashew business is lucrative in the area, as is trade in pepper, cassava, palm oil.
Cashew plants cover about 700 acres of land in the area.
But the growers and distributors of cashew nuts face such challenges as poor road network and lack of storage facilities.
These challenges cause the farmers and traders to sell at giveaway prices.
A distributor of cashew nuts in the area and clan head of Ugwuomu and Onicha communities, Pa Jonathan Ugwuanyi lamented that the poor patronage was due to lack of good market system causing some of the farmers to travel as far as Orba and Obollo markets where they sell their products at low prices.
He said: “I have about 100 acres of cashew plantation, but the problem is that we have poor road and being cheated.”
“If we have the facility we would have built a market in Akwari, everybody and government will be coming to buy cashew from us, but the cashew nuts are being wasted here,” he said.
Also, Mr. Cornelius Eze said that the community is endowed with cashew plants and therefore, it was a veritable cash crop in the area.
“Before, buyers from Anambra and Enugu states came to survey how we can be transporting the cashew nuts, but because of poor road they could not make a deal with us. Nobody from outside is coming to buy from us, we are just wasting it here,” he said.
He continued: “In every harvesting season, some farmers produce about 20 to 30 kg bags of cashew nuts”.
He therefore called on the governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to construct the only road and a market for them in the area.
Violent criminals are no longer having a field day in Imo State as the police haul in suspected kidnappers, child-traffickers, cultists and robbers. OKODILI NDIDI reports
Crime no longer seems to be so risk-free in Imo State. But that is because the police are tightening the screw on felons. Kidnapping is no more rampant. Child-trafficking appears to be in recession, as are armed robbery and cult clashes.
•CP Lakanu
Since the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu took office, there seems to be only two options left for criminal elements in the state, especially kidnappers and cultists: relocate from the state or meet your waterloo.
The dragnet of the police has made it almost impossible for these daredevil kidnappers to execute their plans without being caught or killed in gun battle with policemen. Unlike in the past when kidnappers smiled to the bank with millions of naira extorted from family members of their victims, now they are caught even before they can open up negotiations and the victims rescued without any ransom.
It has also seized to be business as usual for notorious cultists, who had turned the state, especially Owerri, the state capital, into a killing field. Deadly cult clashes which often resulted to massive waste of live and properties of innocent people in broad daylight has also reduced significantly.
The Commissioner of Police had on assumption of duty on September 2, vowed to make the state uncomfortable for all criminal elements that hid under different guises to perpetrate crime and going by the successful bursting of notorious armed robbery, kidnapping and child trafficking syndicates, the police boss has kept his promise.
The residents, especially businessmen and hoteliers, had constantly lived with the fear of the kidnappers who attacked their victims even in broad daylight. But today the presence of police patrol vans at every corner of the state has scared the hoodlums away and restored the confidence of the people.
Showcasing the achievements of his first month in the command, Lakanu promised to sustain the offensive against the criminals until crime is reduced to the barest minimum in the state.
He attributed his achievements to a renewed strategy, re-structuring, training and re-training of personnel as well as re-invigoration of outfits and coordinated efforts.
Enumerating the achievements recorded by the Command, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, disclosed that “on the 21/09/2015, following a tip-off, eagle-eyed operatives of the command nabbed an armed robbery syndicate connected with the robbery of N47 million on 07/09/2015 from one Prince Francis Ogbuji ‘m’ of Ukoromi filling station Amakohia Owerri.
•The suspected kidnappers
“The suspects arrested in the well coordinated operation at Mile 1 Diobu Port Harcourt include; One Ifeanyi Henry Anyaegbu ‘m’ 36 years of age of Amaimo Ikeduru L.G.A but resides at 96 Emenike Street Mile 1 Diobu, Port Harcourt, Ogadi Nwaka ‘m’ 32 years of age of Awo-Mbieri, Mbaitoli L.G.A, Chukwuemeka Anyanwu ‘m’ 35 years of age of Amorji Isiala Ngwa L.G.A Abia state but resides at No. 32 Nnanka Street Mile 1 Diobu Port Harcourt and Ede Ogechukwu Samuel ‘m’ 26 years of age of Akpugo Nkanu L.G.A Enugu state but resides at No. 22 Okwelle Street, Mile 2 Diobu Port Harcourt.
“Exhibits recovered from the suspects include; one Toyota Carina with reg. No. SPR – 872 – PB which was used as the operational vehicle and one Nissan Wagon with reg. No. FST – 897 – DY. The suspects are currently undergoing interrogation for possible prosecution.
The statement continued that, “on the 8/09/2015, following a tip-off, operatives of the command busted a child trafficking syndicate which uses Comfort Orphanage/Child Care Centre, located at Ngerem Estate, Irete, Owerri West L.G.A to carry out their nefarious activities. During the raid at the hideout, the following persons were arrested including pregnant women and children.
“Those arrested include Chizoba Obiagwu ‘f” 20 years of age from Umuduru Umunoha Mbaitoli L.G.A, Happiness Iheanacho ‘f’ 27yrs of age from Umuokenga Eziobodo Owerri West Local Government Area, Chidinma Iheanacho 7 years and Chioma Iheanacho 5 years.
“Others were Ihusaa Chinedu ‘m’ 47 years of age from Umuodetu Nekede Owerri West L.G.A, Patience Azuoma ‘f’ 20 years of age from Umuahu Orji, Owerri North L.G.A, Sunday Ihusaa ‘m’ aged 30 years of No. 5 Bus-stop, Nekede, Owerri West L.G.A and Victor Filian ‘f’ of Nnarambia, Ahiazu Mbaise.
“Also on the 18/09/2015 operatives of the command following a tip-off from good spirited members of the public arrested an armed robbery syndicate at Pinewood hotel along Orlu road Owerri.
“Members of the syndicate which specialised in snatching and selling of cars came into town from Port-Harcourt and include Joseph King ‘m’ aged 26yrs of No. 1 Alfa Garden Akpajio road 1 Eleme Port Harcourt, Wisdom Labari ‘m’ aged 18 yrs of Zina road Agbonchima Port-Harcourt, Rivers state,
John Miracle Goke ‘m’ aged 18yrs of No. 1 Chief John Goke close Akpajio Eleme, Rivers state, Okolie Paschal ‘m’ aged 19yrs of No. 91 Odami road Elelenwo, Rivers state.
Others were, “Sunday Enyeribe ‘m’ aged 27yrs of Dunamic Lodge Umuerim Nekede Owerri. Hope Uche Apuah aged 20yrs of No. 1B Education Road, Oyibo, Rivers sate. Chima Anene aged 27yrs of Jake bus stop by Arise and Shine Abjo, Rivers state, Isaac Gbunka aged 22yrs of No. 38 Old road, Port Harcourt.
“One Toyota Corolla with car registration number. EF – 964 – FST and one Ford Explorer XLS Jeep with reg. No. APP – 987 – BZ were recovered from the suspects”.
Also in Police arrested within the period under review according to the Command’s spokesperson were members of the Vikings Confraternity, “on the 16th of September, 2015, operatives of Imo State Command with the aid of good spirited individuals arrested two cultists one Friday Umeibe ‘m’ of Ohafia L.G.A in Abia state and one Samuel Eke ‘m’ of Amaekpu Ohafia L.G.A in Abia state.
“The two boys who are both National Diploma 2 (ND 2) Public Administration students of Federal Polytechnic Nekede were arrested inside the school premises and have made useful statements to the police admitting to be members of a cult group known as Vikings Confraternity. One silent stainless steel pistol was recovered from the cultists.
“Also on the 13th of September, 2015, operatives of Imo State Command acting on a tip-off arrested one Chizoba Nnadogu ‘f’ 25yrs of age from Umuaka Imo State who gave birth to a baby boy on the 19th of June, 2015 at Onyebuchi Maternity Clinic, Umuhu Okabia in Orsu L.G.A and thereafter conspired with one Ijeoma Eboka ‘f’ 42yrs of age from Okporo Orlu in Orlu L.G.A and Lovelene Okereke ‘f’ 33yrs of age from Orlu in Orlu L.G.A and sold the baby boy to One Chinwe Chukwuka ‘f’ 46yrs of age from Umuoma Ihioma in Orlu L.G.A at the cost of N750, 000 while the sum of N200, 000 was given to the mother of the child”.
The statement also revealed that “on the 05/09/2015, the Command got intelligence report that two rival cult groups known as Vikings and Black Axe were engaged in a fight at Njemanze Street, Owerri. In a coordinated operation, operatives of the command were quickly drafted to the scene where one of the suspected cult members was found dead and others wounded.
“Those arrested include Chukwuma Anuga ‘m’, Lucky Ekpefua ‘m’, Kalu Aji ‘m’ , Chukwuma Peter ‘m’, Uche Felix ‘m’ and Uju Anukam ‘m’. The suspects who are currently in custody and undergoing interrogation have made useful statements to the Police on their involvement on the robbery attack at No. Sir Njoku Street, Area ‘M’ World Bank Owerri on the 1st of September, 2015 during which properties worth millions of naira were carted away.
“There was also the case of unlawful possession of firearms.
On 04/09/2015, eagle-eyed operatives of the command while on surveillance patrol arrested one Ifeanyi Nwadike ‘m’ of No. 71 Douglas road Owerri, items recovered from the suspect include a locally made pistol and one live cartridge”.
Meanwhile residents of the state have continued to laud the efforts of the police in pruning down the alarming rate of crime in the state. Dr Okwusinachi Moses, stated that, “at last we can go about our business without the fear of been whisked away by gunmen. We commend the efforts of the Police and we urge them to do more until these criminals are sent packing”.
•Some recovered arms and ammunition
Also at Ohaji-Egbema, a riverine community, which has been the haven of hardened criminals and cultists, a notorious gang of armed robbers has willingly surrendered their weapons following the recent onslaught against criminal hideouts by the Police.
Chief Samuel Ibecheodo, a member of the Police Community Relations Commission (PCRC), who lauded the achievements of the CP, however urged the residents and stakeholders to partner the Police in fighting crime in the state.
He posited that with credible information and cooperation from the people, the police command under the current leadership will restore peace and order in the state, “we have all seen what the new CP, Mr. Lakanu did in just one month, the kidnappers and armed robbers are relocating the state and we should support and encourage him to do more”.
The breakdown of the number of arrests made under the period include; 17 suspected armed robbers, nine suspected kidnappers, eight suspected cultists, 14 suspected child traffickers The items recovered include seven vehicles, arms and ammunition, while eight kidnap victims were rescued.
