The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Abia State

  • High tension cable kills food vendor in Abia

    An unidentified female food vendor was killed by high tension cable on Thursday, along Okpara Square in Umuahia, Abia State the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    The woman, an assistant food vendor, had her life cut short while trying to rescue her co-worker from an electric shock.

    According to an eyewitness, the deceased had rushed to save her colleague, who the high tension cable from the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) pole had shocked.

    “Both women were assisting a woman to sell her food beside the high tension pole. When one of the cables fell off, one of them touched it and got shocked.

    “While she was crying for help, the other woman, who is now late quickly rushed to rescue her. It was in the process of rescuing the first victim that she got electrocuted,” the eyewitness told NAN.

    Read also: Police arrest suspected fraudster posing as MFM General Overseer

    It was gathered that the person the deceased was trying to save was rushed to an undisclosed hospital for urgent medical attention.

    The deceased was covered with a wrapper while the owner of the food business was reported to have gone to the police.

    The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police, Abia Command, Mr Godfrey Ogbonna, confirmed the incident to NAN, saying the police would investigate the case. (NAN)

  • Youths protest murder of colleague over N450

    Youths of Amator Ukwu autonomous community in Osisoma Local Government Area of Abia State have destroyed houses to protest the murder of one of them, Chidi Sunday.

    The bereaved family is yet to come to terms with their son’s death and peace has eluded the community.

    Investigations said Sunday was killed by the son of a man, simply identified as Chief Obidie. Obidie’s son engaged the deceased in a fight on behalf of his father and set him ablaze. He is now at large.

    Sources in the community said the incident caused pandemonium as angry youths destroyed some houses in protest.

    “I can’t really say what happened because I wasn’t there. But from what we gathered, Mr. Chidi Sunday has a small shop in front of his family compound where he manages to earn his living. Chief Obidie of Amator Ukwu Community bought goods worth N450 and a quarrel ensued between them.

    “Obidie was said to have called his son, who was at Ekeakpara, to fight the deceased and after beating Sunday, Obidie’s son set him on fire,” a source said.

    Police spokesman Geoffrey Ogbonna confirmed the incident and said the police were on the suspect’s trail.

    It was learnt that the Transition Committee (TC) Chairman of Osisioma Ngwa council,  Ugochukwu Nwaogu, who visited the bereaved family, described the incident as unfortunate.

    He assured the deceased’s mother that the culprit will be arrested and prosecuted.

  • Police detain APGA Aba North candidate

    The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Aba North Local Government Area of Abia State is concerned with the safety of its House of Assembly candidate, Destiny Nwagwu.

    Some party chieftains alleged that men dressed in plain cloth with the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) inscription, between 6 and 7am yesterday, whisked Nwagwu from his home in Aba.

    According to them, Nwagwu’s sudden disappearance could not be unconnected with his outcry over the “daylight robbery” of his victory at the polls.

    They claimed that Nwagwu’s sudden disappearance was an attempt by the ruling party to make him chicken out in pursuing his legitimate case in court.

    State Chairman Augustine Ehiemere confirmed Nwagwu’s arrest, but said he didn’t have details.

    However, further investigations showed that Nwagwu was being held at the Aba Area Command of the police based on a petition written against him by the Transition Committee (TC) Chairman of Aba North, Mr. Charles Esonu.

    Attempts to reach the police spokesman, Geoffrey Ogbonna, were unsuccessful. But a policeman, who pleaded for anonymity, confirmed that Nwagwu was in their custody.

    He said: “Is Nwagwu above the law? He was not arrested, but only invited over allegations in a petition against him by the Aba North TC (Charles Esonu).

    “He has been posting on social media, so many things against the petitioner. He was only invited to say what he knows. I learnt that the Area Commander (ACP Peter Okpara) will be looking into their case much later today (yesterday) because as we speak, the Area Commander is in Umuahia.”

    Nwagwu, who confirmed his arrest by SARS officials at his residence in Aba about 6.30am, debunked allegations that he sent assassins against the petitioner.

    Read also: APGA: Buhari’s policies will stabilise economy

    He stressed that he went to INEC headquarters in Umahia with Ossy Prestige and some other persons on the day Esonu was allegedly attacked by assassins sent by him.

    “I was arrested about 6.30am while driving out of my compound. Some people carrying guns in plain cloth rounded up my car and said I was under arrest. I asked for my offence but they said I will know when we get to the station. I begged to be allowed to tell my wife but they refused.

    “It was when I got here (Area Command) that I learnt that the Aba North TC chairman wrote a petition against me, alleging threat to his life and that of his relatives.

    “He (Esonu) claimed that on March 10, after leaving INEC Headquarters in Umuahia, that I sent assassins after him, which is not true. We only went to Umuahia over the controversies surrounding the March 9 elections, where it was clear that I won. I only went with Ossy Prestige, his DG and a few other persons. So, I don’t know where the thugs who attacked Charles Esonu came from.

    “I don’t go with thugs and shouldn’t have sent any against Esonu because I know that I will get back my stolen mandate.”

     

  • 26-year-old allegedly kills cousin over N500

    A 26-year-old man, simply identified as Chidiebere, at the weekend in Aba, Abia State, allegedly stabbed his cousin, Chisom, to death over N500.

    Chisom, 27, until his death last Friday, reportedly lived with his aunt (Chidiebere’s mother), who operates an eatery at the Ogbor Hill axis of Aba and was said to have shared a room with the suspect.

    The Nation learnt that last Thursday, Chisom’s aunt went to the market to buy items and asked the deceased to take charge of business while she was away.

    Immediately the mother went out, Chidiebere was reported to have entered her shop and asked Chisom to give him the N500 he learnt someone who owed his mother had paid.

    The deceased was said to have refused.

    Chidiebere reportedly insisted that the money must been given to him, and after an argument, the deceased agreed to give his cousin the money.

    It was gathered that when Chidiebere’s mother returned from the market, Chisom narrated what happened to her.

    A source close to the family said Chidiebere, who became angry because his cousin informed his mother about the matter, vowed to deal with him.

    The source said the deceased did not take the threat seriously and after supper, they went to bed.

    He said about 1am, Chidiebere woke up, reached for a dagger he hid in the room and stabbed his cousin, who was asleep, near his heart, twice.

    The incident was said to have occurred near Ebiogwu Street, Ogbor Hill.

    Neighbours took Chisom to a clinic on the Federal Housing Estate where the doctor on duty pronounced him dead.

    Read also: Command nabs nurses for allegedly selling baby 

    The Nation learnt that after stabbing his cousin to death, Chidiebere went back to sleep, not minding the consequences of his action.

    It was while he was still sleeping that youths from the Federal Housing Estate stormed the house, apprehended him and handed him over to the operatives at Azuka Police Station.

    The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) was not in when our reporter called.

    A senior police, who preferred anonymity, confirmed the incident.

    He said the matter had been transferred to Umuahia.

  • FERMA tidies up seven roads in Abia

    The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Abia State chapter, has kicked off a plan to keep seven federal roads in Abia State neat and tidy.

    The agency has started cutting grass and mopping up refuse along various federal roads in the state to make way for easy vehicular movement.

    The roads which are in different parts of the three senatorial zones of the state witnessed several truckloads of refuse being evacuated along the Enugu-Port Harcourt express way and cutting of grasses along the median which was being done through direct labour.

    Speaking with newsmen at one of the venues of the exercise, the state resident engineer of FERMA, Osita Ezenwaka said that the cutting of grass and clearing of refuse will complement the efforts of federal government on road repair.

    Ezenwaka said that the management of FERMA decided to introduce Shareholders Assisted Right of Way Maintenance Intervention Program (SHAROW-MIP) with the aim of making the highways safer and more environment-friendly.

    He said that the exercise will help in ensuring that the roads are in clean and good condition, stressing that a healthy environment makes for a healthy living and called on all to join hands to make it work.

    The Abia FERMA boss said that he is satisfied with the level of work being done by his agency in ensuring that all the seven roads being cleaned will make motorists to see better during the day and in the night while driving.

    He noted that before now that the median and other parts of the federal roads in the state have been littered with refuse and cabbages which is not supposed to be so, “You can see that people have formed the ugly habit of littering our roads with rubbish which we intend to stop.”

    Ezenwaka explained the FERMA exercise will also help in a long way to reduce the mountain of refuse that have been constant ugly sites in several parts of the state, stressing that it does not portray the state in good light.

    He recalled that the grasses along the Enugu-Port Harcourt express way had been cut recently, “But you can agree with me that constant dumping of refuse along the median has made it (grasses) to grow to a higher level which needs urgent attention.”

    The roads being attended to include, Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, Azumini-Aba Road, Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road, Arochukwu-Ohafia and Uturu-Okigwe Road.

    Ezenwaka said that the agency would have loved to be clearing the medians every month, “However we are handicapped with lack of funds, as we are determined to ensure safe motoring on all our roads across the federation.”

    He noted that if the medians and road shoulders are kept clean that the waste water will find a way to drain on its own instead of percolating on the roads which will in turn destroy the roads which have been done with several millions of naira.

    The Abia FERMA resident engineer explained that the exercise is to ensure that all the motor ways are kept clean which will in turn make the contractors working on the road from Enugu-Port Harcourt express way and other roads to have a clear vision on the roads without entertaining fears of hidden hoodlums.

    Ezenwaka used the forum to advise Abians against dumping refuse along the medians and road shoulders, adding that they should be dumping their refuse at designated dumpsites.

  • Ikpeazu to security agencies: clamp down on hoodlums

    Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has directed security agencies in the state to urgently review the security situation around major streets in Umuahia, the capital city.

    The streets including Orlu, Kaduna and Arochukwu by Calabar Road were identified as black spots where hoodlums and criminal elements gather before they go out to execute their nefarious acts.

    Our reporter gathered that the activities of hoodlums around Orlu, Kaduna and Arochukwu streets have caused fear among residents while road users avoid the road especially at night because of the activities of hoodlums who dispossess them of their valuables between 7pm and 6am.

    A release by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Enyinnaya Apollos said that the move by the state governor was geared towards clearing the area of hoodlums who have been accused of robbing and molesting innocent citizens on a regular basis.

    The release said the governor has also directed the state Commissioner for Public Utilities to immediately commence the deployment of street lights around the area including Umuwaya Road to Shopprite and the aforementioned flashpoints as well as ensure that previously deployed street lights within the state capital function optimally.

    Governor Ikpeazu who expressed the determination of his administration to tackle crimes through job creation and proactive security engagement also directs that brothels located around the aforementioned areas be closed down immediately and proprietors of such facilities, including joints where hard drugs are sold, be prosecuted.

    Unconfirmed reports in Umuahia on Tuesday had it that in line with the marching orders, the state security agencies on Monday night raided four notorious brothels in the capital city.

    The brothels which have now been shut down were said to have been used as hideouts after perpetuating their evil act.

    It was gathered that some suspected hoodlums were arrested during the raid.

    Efforts to speak with the spokesman of the Abia State Command on the Nigerian Police, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna proved abortive as his mobile lines were not reachable at the time of filing the report.

  • Voter apathy mars election in Abia

    There is voter apathy in the Governorship and State Assembly Elections in Abia State as some voters were stopped from casting their votes in some places by hoodlums who asked the voters the candidate of their choice before allowing them into the polling units.

    In most of the polling units visited, our reporters noticed that election materials and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officers, including ad hoc staff, were on ground for the election, but the voters were nowhere to be seen.

    It could be noticed that in most polling units visited in Aba by 10.30am, even though INEC officials and materials were ready, there were very few voters waiting to vote which may affect the results of the elections.

    One of the electorate, who gave his name as Chidi Anyatuonwu, told newsmen in Aba that some indigenes of the city were asking people to tell them who their candidates are before going in to vote.

    Anyatuonwu said the action of the youths of the area has made voters to stay back in their homes as they were being threatened to be dealt with if they fail to vote for their candidate.

    In his Onuaku ward in Uturu Local Government Area, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, Uche Ogah, said there is a noticeable improvement from the last election.

    Ogah said he is sure of victory but regretted that reports reaching him from some parts of the state showed that some hoodlums have been busy snatching election materials and harassing people.

    In his reaction, Chief Ikechi Emenike, a chieftain of APC in Abia State, who voted in his Umukabia, Ohuhu polling unit, expressed joy with the turnout of voters and improvement in the organisation of the exercise.

    At Umuogele Ntigha, in Isiala Ngwa North Council Area, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Reagan Ufomba, said he was impressed with the large turnout of voters for the election.

  • Abia gets new CP ahead of Saturday’s polls

    A new Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Awosola Awotinde, has been posted to Abia, ahead of Saturday’s Governorship and state House of Assembly elections, the command’s spokesman, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, has said.

    Ogbonna told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Awotinde, who was in Ebonyi, was swapped with the former Abia CP, Mr Eden Okon, who was also moved to Ebonyi.

    He said that the new commissioner assumed duty on Friday morning, after a formal handover from Okon.

    He said that the postings were done for the purposes of the elections and appealed to Abia residents to give the new police boss the “necessary cooperation.” (NAN)

  • Two die in Aba building collapse

    On Tuesday, February 26 a building situated at plot 98 Old Express off Sameck Junction by Faulks, Aba, Abia State, caved in, killing two while other occupants of the structure were rendered homeless.

    Aba, a throbbing commercial city, attracts lots of people, making it easily one of the most densely populated cities in the country.

    Like the beautiful bride, Aba on a daily basis witnesses an influx of families from the hinterlands and  cities across the country relocating to settle in the city.

    One of the problems Aba has at the moment apart from bad roads is inadequate housing. This is orchestrated by the continued swelling of the city’s population.

    The three-storey building that went down in the city, it was gathered, was built years ago, and has been waterlogged for several years. This affected its foundation. It caved in, killing two while two others have their stars to thank as they were rescued 24 hours after the building collapsed.

    An eyewitness who gave his name simply as Chima said that the deceased, a father of three had escaped from the building, but couldn’t make it after part of the fence of the building collapsed on him allowing other blocks to hit him in the process.

    “The owner of the building died many years ago. The people living in the house are his two wives and other tenants.

    “We learnt that one of the landlord’s wives noticed that the house was cracking. She raised alarm, asking their tenants to leave the building that she feared that the building was going to collapse. The man that died, from what we learnt was held back by his wife, but he eventually found his way into the building after he said that there was money that he wanted to use for something urgent. He made it, but while he was running out of the building, part of the fence fell on him, but before help could come his way, other blocks had already collapsed on him and he died.

    “The other person trapped inside is an okada man. I learnt that he was resting in the house before the unfortunate incident. We started this rescue operation when he called one of his relatives informing them that he was still trapped in the structure. So, what you see going on is an effort to see if he can be rescued alive.

    “You need to see waterlog here whenever it rains and this has been happening over the years. We were happy when the Governor of Abia State, Dr.  Okezie Ikpeazu started construction work on this Old Express. But our joy went down when we discovered that the work stopped just by Sameck. We are appealing to the governor to come to our rescue. We fear that many houses may go this way.

    Some of the occupants including Mr. Patrick Uzoma, Jonathan Charles and Benjamin Uzoma who despite their loss participated in the rescue of trapped tenants told our reporter that their properties at the time of filing this report is still trapped in the rubble, adding that they were still making efforts to see if they can salvage any of their belongings.

    According to some of the tenants, apart from their properties in the rubble, huge amounts of cash which they had wanted to use for other various purposes before the building collapse is still yet to be sighted.

    They said that the only thing that they could salvage from their flats were the clothes that they wore to their various shops and offices before the unfortunate incident. For them, the incident has left them to wonder if they still have hope in life again as what they have labored for in so many years collapsed into the ground in just a twinkling.

    According to them NEMA (National Emergency Management Agency) and the lawmaker representing Aba North and South Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Hon. Ossy Prestige had visited the site but they are yet to send relief materials their way.

    The residents who thanked the Abia revered traditional ruler, His Imperial Majesty Eze Isaac Ikonne to ensure that an excavator was on site which facilitated the rescue operation told our reporter that they got to know that some persons were still trapped in the building when a co-tenant called to inform his relatives that he was in the rubble.

    They disclosed that two other tenants were taken to yet to be known private clinics where they were being attended to. This is even as they appealed to the governor of the state, Abia lawmakers, NEMA and concerned individuals to come to their aids.

    While the residents of Old Express were still counting their losses, another three-storey building at Park road by East was said to have collapsed after a torrential rainfall in Aba which many attributed to the use of inferior or substandard materials in its construction, though no life was lost in the incident.

    Meanwhile, the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) and the Architect Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) have called on the Abia State government to set up a panel of investigation to look into the causes of constant collapse of building which has become a trend in the state.

    The Abia State Chapter of the two organizations (NIA and ARCON) made the call in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State during their fact finding mission in the sites of recent building collapse within the commercial city.

    The NIA said the frantic call became necessary following the recent collapses happening in the city that have taken lives without any serious action and punishment for those responsible for the mess.

    The fact finding mission which took the members of NIA and ARCON team to the offices of the Town Planning Authorities of Aba South, Aba North and Osisioma Local Government Areas was aimed at ascertaining the authenticity of the architects involved in the collapsed building and how they got their approvals.

    Speaking to newsmen after undertaking a tour of the incident scene, Architect Ikechi Ochiulo, Abia State Chairman of NIA urged the Abia State Government to look into the issue of constant collapsing of buildings and map out a strategy that will help punish those who cut corners during construction works.

    Ochiulo decried the presence of quacks in the state and how they go about claiming to be architects, getting their drawings approved by Town Planning Authorities without any license and seal of approval as stipulated by the law governing the profession.

    He said, “We have a situation that when collapses happen in this state, no panel, no investigation takes place. On the part of the Government, no panel of investigation is set up for culprits to be brought to book so that others will learn.

    “That’s why we plead with the Government that as these recwnt incidents have just occurred, they should not be swept under the carpet like the previous scenarios. Things must be done properly to help everyone.

    “We have procedures for checkmating this evil. ARCON has made provisions that before Town Planners are to approve any drawing, they must see the seal of a registered and licensed architect. There’s a security stamp we put on the drawing of every true professional architect.

    “Here in Abia, we have also improved on that by even having what we call authentication form for which every practicing architect must attach his license so that those in Town Planning Authority will see all those things before approving any building drawing.

    “But sadly the drawing of the collapsed building we saw at the Town Planning Office has none of all these things I just mentioned which tell you where the problems are coming from. These are part of the things we are seeing that makes us call for serious synergy between us and the Town Planning.”

    Speaking further, Ochiulo said: “The presence of these quacks is a great misnomer to our professional and the society and when there is a misnomer like this and we continue to perpetuate it, we stand a greater lose. Those quacks to set records straight are not architects and are never part of us.

    “Our society stand a greater lose because of them for example, when you have a problem of building collapse, you spend three times of the money you should have spent to do things properly.

    “The money you spent on the poor job, the money you spend to demolish and clear and cart away the rubbles and the money you will spend to build again in the right way. So, wisdom demands that you do the right thing from on set.”

    The Abia State NIA boss went further warned estate investors and other persons who wants to build in the state to desist from patronizing quarks as it will do them more harm than good.

    “We want to warn the people that are patronizing these fake people that they are doing that at their own risk. A sick person submits himself to a quark surgeon to carry out operation on him, what else does he wish himself if not untimely death? Ochiulo asked.

    He assured that the necessary provisions of the law that will soon catch up with the fake people hovering around all in the name of architects in the state.

    Adding his voice to the pathetic situation of building collapses in Aba, a renowned architect, Chief Dan Nwankwo said, “Obviously from what we can see, it’s important that we get the records straight, the problem in our state and country at large is that people don’t use professionals for building.

    “They just go to quacks, anybody, but professionals. For instance, the drawings of the collapsed building at East Street by Park Road which we saw at the Town Planning Office were not prepared by a professional architect.

    “So, we are urging the people of this state to form the habit of using professional architects and engineers in their projects. If they do that, there will be no collapse. Over and above that, they should also accept the advice of these professionals during construction so that the building will stand the test of time.

    “They think it is expensive using professionals, but at the end of the day, it is not true because a professional saves you trouble and double expenses. Imagine the collapsed building; do you know how much he will spend in clearing it?

  • Gunmen attack warehouse, kill policeman in Aba

    A group of yet-to-be identified gunmen who attacked one of the warehouses in Aba, the commercial nerve of Abia State have reportedly killed one of the police officers attached to Aba Command of the Nigeria Police Force.

    The police officer according to close sources at the Aba Area Command is known among his colleagues as Nma Agha (War Sword).

    The Nation learnt that before the incident, the gunmen had gone to a warehouse located at Clifford in Aba South Local Government Area of the state where they robbed and carted away huge sums of cash from the owners.

    Unconfirmed reports have it that the gunmen also shot a worker at the warehouse who was later rushed to a private hospital at East road not too far from the scene of incident where he is said receiving medical attention after bleeding profusely.

    There are fears amongst close associates that the warehouse staff may not survive the gunshot.

    It was learnt that the hoodlums had finished robbing the warehouse and were on their way when they upon sighting the police officer and his team who were said to have gone for another duty not too far from the scene of the incident, started shooting at them.

    Read Also: Osinbajo to meet Aba traders today

    It was learnt that the police team who were apparently taken by surprise could not respond to the shooting.

    They later discovered that one of their colleagues was hit by bullets from the hoodlums as they can barely do little to save his life.

    The Abia State Police Command’s spokesman, Geoffrey Ogbonna in a telephone chat confirmed the death of the police officer, adding that investigation into the matter had commenced.

    Ogbonna said that the police had launched manhunt on the hoodlums to make sure that they didn’t escape justice.

    Meanwhile, residents of Aba have expressed their fears over the continued attack on warehouse owners and security personnel in the state and Aba in particular by hoodlums, a worrisome incident which they said needed to be checked before it goes out of hand.

    But security personnel who pleaded not to be mentioned told our reporter that events as such were expected at “this electioneering period.”

    According the officer, the hoodlums especially those working for politicians would take all manner of risk to get cash to buy weapon and when they couldn’t, they will attack any armed bearing security personnel to collect the person’s weapons with the aim of using such to perpetuate their evil acts for their masters.

    The personnel added that they were equally working to ensure that the state isn’t conducive for the hoodlums to operate.