The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Abia State Command

  • Police declares Biafra Security Service illegal

    Police declares Biafra Security Service illegal

    The Commissioner of Police Abia, State Command, CP Adeleye Oyebade has declared the recently formed Biafra Security Service of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as illegal.
    Oyebade in a press briefing at the command’s headquarters in Umuahia, the state capital warned those behind the formation of the security network he described as “unlawful and illegal” to retrace their steps.

    He stressed that the Nigerian constitution recognizes only the Nigerian Police, Nigerians Army and the Department of States service, adding that any other group claiming to be providing security without an approval from constitution was illegal.

    The state police boss further stated that the full weight of the law would be brought upon the organizers of the said BSS who he noted were displaying videos of the “outlawed” security service on their social media network.

    Oyebade who stated that the police and other security operatives in the state would never fold their hands and watch unscrupulous elements to disrupt the relative peace in the state reiterated that the police in synergy with other sister agencies to make the state safe for business and economic activities to thrive.

    He also used the opportunity to parade suspected armed robbers, kidnappers, cultists amongst others who he said were still being investigated and would soon be arraigned in court for trial for commencement of prosecution.

    Amongst the paraded suspects was a car snatcher identified as Onyekachi Nwaogu of No. 7 Nwankwo Street  off Obohia, Aba South Local Government Area of the state.

    Oyebade also disclosed that detectives attached to the D7 SCIID, Umuahia, but operating in Aba also recovered a Red coloured Toyota Camry with reg number SSM 521 TP with engine number 5X3249568 and chasis no. 4018G12K4TU74221 suspected to have been stolen from its owner.

    He appealed to Abians to always provide necessary information about the activities of hoodlums in their areas to the police and other security agencies in the state who he stated were ready to make the state unsafe for criminals to thrive.

  • Police warn IPOB/MASSOB, others on protest, use of siren in Abia

    Police warn IPOB/MASSOB, others on protest, use of siren in Abia

    The Abia State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has warned members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and other pro-Biafra groups planning to embark on any form of protest to rescind from such action.

    The Public Relations Officer of the Command (PPRO), Geoffrey Ogbonna in a telephone interview with our reporter on Wednesday also debunked speculations making rounds that they (police) arrested and detained members of the people of MASSOB and BIM (Biafra Independent Movement)

    According to Ogbonna, “The information at our disposal was that one of our sister agencies arrested some members of MASSOB and other pro-Biafra group on the day of their protest which I would not want to comment about. But as we speak, I am yet to receive information from any division that they arrested members of MASSOB and that is the much I can tell you.”

    The PPRO who said that the police was doing everything within its powers to ensure that residents of Aba and the state go about their businesses without fear of intimidation from any quarters stated that the command would not fold its arms to watch anyone hide under any guise to foment trouble or cause breach of peace in the state.

    He said that the warning was part of the police proactive steps in ensuring that Abia remains calm and conducive for business activities to thrive in any part of the state.

    “It is naturally expected that nobody should take laws into his/her own hands as to coarse other law abiding citizens into a demonstration under any guise. Specifically, IPOB, MASSOB and other associations thinking along that line are better warned because doing otherwise shall be met with the full weight of the law.”

    The Police spokesman also disclosed that the command has similarly imposed ban on the use of siren in the state especially by unauthorized persons in the state.

    Ogbonna who lamented indiscriminate use of siren in the state by individuals said that the command has directed any person(s) not permitted by law to use siren in the state to dismantle them and stressed that anyone caught forthwith by police in any part of the state would be arrested and treated according to the law that prohibited indiscriminate and illegal use of siren in the state.

    “For purpose of clarity, those entitled to the use of siren in the State are: The executive Governor (of the State), the Assistant Inspector General of Police, The Commissioner of Police,
    The Brigade Commander (14 Brigade Ohafia), The Fire Service and Ambulances when on emergency duties.

    “Persons outside the personalities/Institutions mentioned above in the state having siren on their vehicles are advised to dismantle it or be made to face the Law.”

    However, an official of MASSOB who spoke anonymously dismissed the warning by the police, stating that no amount of threat on them would cow them from the ongoing agitation for the Sovereign State of Biafra.

    The source said that MASSOB is a peaceful and non-violent group who have become sacrificial lambs in the hands of the police and other security agencies and stated that it is their fundamental rights to embark on peaceful protest at any time that they like.

    “We have remained resolute and peaceful in our agitation for the sovereign state of Biafra. We heard the announcement and we want to assure the police that they are just issuing a warning or threat that doesn’t hold any water. If we decide to hold protest on May 30 or any other day, they won’t stop us. They can go ahead to kill innocent and unarmed citizens of Biafra, but that would not deter us from the agitation of Biafra. That their warning or threat doesn’t make any sense and can’t kill the fire in us to have a state that has been the dream of our heroes past.”

     

  • Mixed reactions trail death of Aba businessman

    Mixed reactions trail death of Aba businessman

    • As woman dies in Aba market

    Mixed reactions have continued to trail the death of an Aba-based businessman identified as Mr Ezekiel Okechukwu who  reportedly died after a yet-to-be identified gunmen attacked and shot him at a popular bus stop (Ukwu Apu) along Umule in Osisioma Local Government Area of Abia State.

    While unconfirmed reports have it that the man was shot by men of the Mobile Police Force (MPF) stationed at the location, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abia State Command ASP Ogbonnaya Nta debunked the reports, saying that the man according to entry made to the police by wife of the late businessman, Mrs Uju Okechukwu, has it that the killer of her husband was in mufti (plain cloth).

    However, sources within the area disagreed with the statement of the Police PPRO as they told reporters that the man who was suspected to be returning from a function with the wife died from a stray bullet as a result of accidental discharge from one of the police personnel on duty at the time of the incident.

    They said that the man who was abandoned by the police team in the pool of his blood died before help could come his way as the impact of the bullet shattered his brain.

    Some of the residents of the area told reporters that the situation caused pandemonium in the neighbourhood, forcing shop owners to close shops in an attempt to evade possible police mass arrest.

    According to one of the residents who spoke anonymously, “the mobile policemen on duty at Ukwu Apu was having an altercation with one of the keke Napep drivers, may be because the man refused to give him the usual royalty. It was while he was trying to stop the keke man from passing without dropping something that his gun and in the process killing the man whom we suspected was going home with his wife from a function when the unfortunate incident happened.

    “The man from what we were able to gather wedded his wife newly. It is really an unfortunate incident and we are using this opportunity to call on the police, government of Abia State, civil liberty organizations and other bodies to investigate the matter and also ensure that any security agent who abuses the use of arms will be properly prosecuted and punished for using arm(s) against the people that they are supposed to use the arms to protect.”

    Members of the victim’s family, until the time of this report cannot be reached, but Ogbonnaya Nta in a telephone conversation with our correspondent that men of the state police detective team from the state CID have swung into action with the hope of uncovering the people behind the killing of the man and stated that the commissioner of police in the state, CP Adeleye Oyebade would soon make the findings of the team public at the appropriate time.

    In another development, a yet-to-be identified woman said to be in her middle age has reportedly died in Aba as a result of an injury she sustained after falling on top of an  exposed iron from a yet to be completed gutter construction.

    The incident which took place at the popular Umungasi market along Aba-Owerri road at the weekend saw traders in the market abandoning their shops for about 2hrs and as such suspending commercial and trading activities within the period the apprehension lasted.

    A trader at the Umungasi market who gave her name as Ify while narrating how the incident happened said “on Saturday morning, we were around the market when we started hearing some people screaming. We rushed to the place and saw a woman said to be coming into the market to buy something bleeding profusely. People around the location said that the woman lost her footing while crossing the gutter and landed awkwardly on one of the exposed irons which pierced into her anus. Help came and she was pulled out from the iron with so much blood gushing out.

    “We don’t know why the contractor constructing this gutter refused to do his work properly. This iron has been like this in the past one year and we have at any opportunity begged the state government to ask the contractor to come back to the site to complete his project because we want to avoid this kind of thing, but all our entreaties failed on deaf ears. We want to use this opportunity to appeal to our listening governor to mandate the contractor to come and complete the project he has haphazardly done before it takes another person’s life.”

    Another male trader told our reporter that a yet to be confirmed report has it that the woman was reported to have died at an undisclosed hospital where she was receiving treatment, but Police PPRO said that he was yet to be informed about the incident when contacted on his mobile phone by our reporter.

  • Police kill armed robber, arrest one, another at large

    Police kill armed robber, arrest one, another at large

    Personnel of Nigerian Police Force, Uzoakoli Division, Abia State Command has successfully nipped in the bud, the activities of hoodlums who have been terrorising Uzoakoli and its environs.

    Reports have it that while a member of the gang identified as Golden was killed in a cross fire between the police and the hoodlums, while Ekeoma Onuoha was arrested and in police custody.

    It was gathered that the police have launched manhunt on another member of the gang identified as James Kalu.

    The Nation gathered that the dislodging of the gang by the police brought joy amonst residents of the community who said that their joy knows no bounds and thanked the police for a job well done.

    Confirming the incident, Police Command Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Ezekiel Onyeke Udeviotu said the incident happened at about 9pm on Wednesday.

    Udeviotu said that the DPO of Uzoakoli Division after receiving information that the gang who specialised in motorcycle and car snatching were within the area mobilized his men with the support of some members of the local vigilante to confront the hoodlums and in a cross fire,one of them was shot.

    According to him, the hoodlums after sighting the police and the vigilante members opened fire on them and the police responded,killing one while the other member gang escaped.

    The PPRO further disclosed that the police operatives also recovered a motorcycle they were operating on and a Jojeff Pump action riffle, adding that the matter has been transferred to the state CID for further investigation on the matter.