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Tag: Anambra

  • Taraba, Anambra get new CP

    Taraba, Anambra get new CP

    The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the appointment of Chukwudi Chris Ariekpere from Abia State as the new Commissioner of Police for Taraba State. He takes over from CP Peter Oparah while Livingstein Ikioye Orutugu from Bayelsa State takes over the Anambra State Command from Obong Nnache Itam.

    A statement by the Head, Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, said the PSC Chairman, DIG Hashimu Argungu (rtd), said the new commissioners should settle down to their new posts and ensure there was no gap that might necessitate a break down of law and order.

    Read Also: TikTok removes over 2m videos in Nigeria over violation – Report

    He charged the new CPs to be committed to duty and ensure that Nigeria is freed from bandits and deviants.

    He said the commission will continue to monitor their conduct and ensure they succeed.

  • Residents hail Soludo as gunmen, kidnappers flee hideouts in Anambra

    Residents hail Soludo as gunmen, kidnappers flee hideouts in Anambra

    Residents of Enugwu-Agidi, a community in the Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, have praised Governor Charles Soludo after Agunechemba, the newly established security outfit, raided a notorious criminal hideout in the area. 

    Acting on Governor Soludo’s directive, security operatives conducted the operation, recovering assorted charms and weapons.

    The criminals, who had long terrorized the area and the state, fled, while some were neutralized and others sustained serious injuries. 

    Following the raid, residents commended Governor Soludo, hailing him as the “Anambra Messiah” for restoring security and peace to the community.

    Patience Ejike, a resident, expressed her gratitude, saying, “What Soludo has done has given us a new lease on life. We had been living in fear—our people were being kidnapped, raped, and killed at will. The gunmen instilled fear in everyone. There were roads we could no longer use and times we dared not step outside. We were in bondage.”

    Another resident, who spoke anonymously, described the criminals as operating like spirits, making them even more feared by the community. 

    “Many people have not visited our relations in some of the communities in Anambra for a long time now because of insecurity. You don’t talk to anyone anyhow. The people have suffered.

    “Our women can’t no longer access their farms including the men. Initially, some persons were pointing accusing fingers at herdsmen, though they invaded this area at a point, our people are the so-called ‘unknown gunmen’

    “If Soludo gets it right through this Agunechemba method, everybody will be grateful to him, especially, our people here in Enugwu-Agidi,” the source said.

    The Special Adviser to Soludo on homeland security, Prince Ken Emeakayi, who’s in charge of the new security outfit, Agunechemba, has come up with another dimension to freeing the residents from insecurity

    “All hotel owners must ensure that every guest lodging in their facility must submit a copy of any government means of identification like National Identity Card, International passports Or Voters Card to the hotel

    “The hotel must photocopy all these documents and submit them to the president general of the community who in turn submits to the local government mayor and then to the State government.

    “Any hotel or guest house who fails to submit these documents will forfeit his or her lodging facility to the government and will equally answer for such offence.

    The new laws are not for hotel owners alone, the landlords and landladies are equally involved

    “All landlords and landlady must go to their president general and obtain a form for their various tenants occupying their houses or shops

    “All landlords and landladies must ensure they know every detail about their tenants in their houses or shops through the forms they will fill using any government means of identification

    “Any landlord or landlady who fails to submit all the forms filled by his or her tenants to the government through the president general shall forfeit his or her building and also answer for the offence,” Emeakayi said

    Such laws apply to the president general of every community in the state and the government has placed a bounty of five million naira on informants

    Read Also: Revalidation: Activist sues Soludo for alleged Land Use Act violation

    Agunechemba, equally moved to the Awo-Iseke-Ihiala axis on, the same day, where they burnt the den of the hoodlums, who took to their heels.

    Bones and skulls of killed victims were scattered everywhere in that bush.

    Speaking further to The Nation, another resident (in tears) narrated their ordeal at the hands of the hoodlums.

    “They’re all Igbo. We’ve been living in fear, at times those people will come and issue threats of killing everybody if say anything.

    “They will tell us that they came to liberate us from the hands of our enemies. But I’m sure they were working with some of our people” she said

  • MTN gifts Catholic pupils education materials in Anambra

    MTN gifts Catholic pupils education materials in Anambra

    Telecommunications network providers, MTN, has provided education materials worth millions to Saint Theresa’s Secondary School, in Anambra State

    Some of the materials are books, school bags, umbrellas and no fewer than 300 students benefitted. 

    Addressing the students, the MTN Senior Manager, Regional Operations, Southeast, Emmanuel Osumah,said it was the only way the network providers could encourage the pupils.

    He thanked the Chairman, Umuakwu Community Development Union (UCDU), Mr. Nnaeto Akpamgbo, the Principal of the school, Fr Martin Ekee, members of the school management, for the warm reception

    Osumah said: “Today, we gather for an initiative that contributes to our mission of enhancing education. 

    “At MTN Nigeria Foundation, we believe that education is the cornerstone of growth and development, and every student deserves access to the resources necessary to unlock their full potential. 

    “We are happy to present the MTNF Learning Support Material Initiative (LSMI), a program designed to empower students with essential academic tools. 

    “Our commitment is to foster an enabling environment for learning and support access to quality education. 

    “To our students, these materials are more than just supplies to support your studies; they are stepping stones toward your aspirations. 

    “Their true impact depends on how you choose to use them. Strive for excellence, and let your dedication, discipline and Focus shape your learning journey,” he said

    Rev Fr Ekee and the Chairman of the village, Nnaeto Akpamgbo, praised MTN for the largesse.

    Two of the students, Chinecherem Johnpaul, Maduka Prosper and Okpalaojiego Victor, hailed the network providers for remembering their school.

    They said it has helped some of the families that cannot provide for some of them.

  • JUST IN: Scores feared dead as security outfit storms gunmen, kidnappers’ den

    JUST IN: Scores feared dead as security outfit storms gunmen, kidnappers’ den

    Anambra Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s security outfit, (Agunechemba) has stormed operational base of gunmen and kidnappers with scores feared dead.

    Some of the hoodlums fled with various degrees of injuries while many guns and other items have been recovered

    Since the inauguration of the the outfit in the mode of the then “Bakassi boys” during the late Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju’s era, no fewer than six camps of the hoodlums have been decimated.

    The operation took place at Enugu-Agidi in Njikoka local government area close around 1am on Thursday. 

    The “Udo Ga Achi and Agunechemba” troops invaded the area with other security outfits like the Police, DSS,Military among others

    The Nation gathered that it was based on intelligence report and one of the gunmen was arrested too

    The items recovered include two AK- 47 Riffles, 8 Pump Action guns,4 Locally made Pistols, 3 packets of Cartridges(101 Cartridges) 4 empty Magazines of AK-47 Riffles, 3 Cutlasses, one Baofeng Radio, one motorcycle and many charms

    Many have been killed in Anambra over insecurity with others kidnapped at random. 

    Anambra police spokesman, Tochukwu Ikenga could not be reached on mobile for confirmation of the latest development. 

    But one of the Senior Police Officers in Anambra confirmed the development.

    He said it was a joint operation led by the Police Command based on intelligence gathering

    “Anambra must be free again, the Governor has done much and he has given us the mandate to secure the state and that’s what we’re doing. Those criminals must bow,” the source said. 

  • Anambra: The rise in idolatrous materialism

    Anambra: The rise in idolatrous materialism

    • By Chukwunonso E.C.C. Ejike

    Driving to the village has recently become an opportunity for reflection while behind the wheels for me. Such trips offer me opportunities to reflect on our failures, not just failures of the state in providing security and basic infrastructure, but also failures of complicity by the Church in leading society away from evil. On the roads leading to my village, one would find items wrapped in red, yellow, white or black pieces of cloth at ‘T’ or “Y” junctions. The items would usually be sprinkled with candies, biscuits, soft drinks, etc.

    Around the banks of the Ezu River, one would notice dozens of young men, stripped to their waists being bathed by women inside the river. The young men usually have exotic cars and SUVs parked nearby. These (often tertiary-educated) young men usually claim that their practice is about a return to our culture. But it is not. What the young men are doing is abominable in the Igbo culture.

    It appears to me that the rise in idolatry and idolatrous materialism observed is tied to the inordinate crave to acquire wealth without honest labour by our young men. The rise in these forms of idolatry is inextricably linked to the rise in “Yahoo Yahoo” and “Yahoo Plus” in Nigeria. These boys come home to the villages with exotic cars, dreadlocks, sagging over-sized trousers, and bold gold-plated necklaces and rings, and lure others to join them in their “good life”. Parents and elders do not ask questions about the sources of the flaunted wealth; and priests turn a blind eye. As a society, we must interrogate these trends, learn lessons and make amends.

    A variety of reasons may be adduced to explain this dangerous descent into idolatrous materialism. Easily one would come to the conclusion that the economic realities of our time is at the centre of this sad development. The fact that parents, teachers, elders, and indeed all of us, are failing in their (our) roles, is not debatable. Indeed, it could be argued that the economic strain on parents distract them from parenting. It could also be argued that the lack of opportunities for the youth contributes to deviant behaviours. I am nonetheless convinced that the Church is complicit in the rise in idolatrous materialism which we now witness. By the Church, I mean those Christian groups that are directly linked to the small group of illiterate and semi-literate men and women who physically experienced life with God-made-man and subsequently took the gospel to Europe where a culture blossomed and spread, then arrived our shores to ‘save us’. I do not, by any stretch, refer to the variant that blossomed in America and arrived our shores as business.

    When the Church arrived our shores, the missionaries realised the import of the Great Commission as outlined in the gospel according to Matthew 28: 16-20. Many of the missionaries who worked among our people lived in perilous environments, and in addition to evangelism, built schools and hospitals. They lived austere lives, preached holiness, hard work and acceptance of the will of God, and were not attached to material things. Our brothers who were the first to be associated with them, even as priests, lived like the missionaries. Unfortunately, priests now brag about the number of cars they own and the size of their houses in our villages and cities!

    Read Also: Alleged N110.4b fraud: Prosecution opens case, calls first witness in Yahaya Bello, others’ trial

    Growing up, we were drawn to the Church because the priest taught us how to live as Christ had instructed – in moderation, in holiness, etc. The Church was a place of solemn worship where our spirits were roused to God by hymns and songs and a properly prepared and delivered sermon. But things have changed; and priests appear to have changed too. Priests are now specialists in extortionist fundraising that once in a while I wonder if it is taught in our seminaries nowadays. Sometimes, threats and blackmail are used to force gullible parishioners to empty their purses into the treasury often held by admirers of Judas Iscariot. It is now common practice to see publicly known thieves, embezzlers of the common patrimony, and murderers, honoured with all sorts of titles in the Church. Things have truly fallen apart.

    Unfortunately, many priests of the Church have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the people are on edge. When the Church that should point the people in the direction of our Lord who lived as a modest carpenter and owned nothing, not even a colt, is now populated by ministers who by their words and actions tell us that we should elevate our primitive acquisition tendencies, one should expect moral disaster. The implicit message from the Church in Nigeria, is that being wealthy is all that matters, and that showing it off is very important. Our young men have heard this message, loud and clear. They have therefore abandoned the age-long Igbo truisms of aka aja aja na ebuta onu mmanu mmanu and aruo n’anwu, erie na ndo both of which placed premium on honest labour and the enduring sweet that comes from sweat. They have moved into the ‘ministry’ businesses of these priests, where people are promised solutions to their material problems in spite of their sins.

    Sadly when the ministry scam fails, as it often does, the young men remember the Igbo traditional practice of replacing a poorly performing deity with another until a solution is found or the supplicant dies. These young men, failed by ministry merchants, have now moved on to romance with dangerous idolatry.

    My thesis is that with the affluence many priests currently live in, and with their inordinate and frightening acquisition of material things, the youth in our societies may have found enablers and are now engrossed in dangerous idolatrous materialism. The Church must therefore take responsibility (at least in part) for the rise in idolatry and idolatrous materialism in our society and take urgent steps to remedy the malady it may have inadvertently caused.

    •Ejike, PhD, is a Professor of Medical Biochemistry at AEFUNAI. He writes from Abakaliki.

  • Hotel owner flees as security operatives hit criminals in Anambra

    Hotel owner flees as security operatives hit criminals in Anambra

    The hotel owner, where the Agunechemba security outfit uncovered shrines and graves in Oba Anambra State, is on the run.

    But his facility has been demolished by the state security outfit.

    No fewer than 30 graves were seen in the popular hotel when the security operatives stormed the arena

    Though there were few arrests, including sex workers, the owner of the facility had fled.

    Items like assorted charms were seen in the hotel’s shrines and uncovered graves, among other things.

    The incident is reminiscent of the 1996 imbrogolio popularly referred to as ‘Otokoto’ in Owerri, Imo State capital,where an 11-year-old boy was killed at a hotel.

    Soludo launched the Agunechemba security outfit to tackle the insecurity in Anambra that had defiled remedies.

    Though the Senior Police Officer, who The Nation contacted for confirmation did not want to talk about it, a member of one of the vigilance groups confirmed the incident.

    According to the source, “security is not where you make noise, a lot of things are going on secretly and Anambra residents will soon heave a sigh of relief’’.

    Read Also:Anambra hotel demolished as Soludo’s security outfit uncovers mass graves, shrines

    “The good thing is that all hands are on deck. The Military, the Police, Navy, DSS, Agunechemba, Udo ga achi are involved. We’ll get their soon,” the source said

    The operation by the security outfits were carried out on Saturday evening, some sex workers were arrested, including few alleged kidnappers

    Apart from kidnappings for ransom, killings of residents by gunmen, suspected ritualists are equally on rampage in the state.

    Some of the so-called ‘big guys’ claim to be real estate developers and Bitcoin chiefs, while the majority, including students, are involved in ‘Yahoo Yahoo +’ businesses.

  • Hotel owner flees after shrine, graves discovery in Anambra

    Hotel owner flees after shrine, graves discovery in Anambra

    The owner of a popular hotel in Oba, Anambra State, where the Agunechemba security outfit uncovered a shrine and over 30 graves, is currently on the run.

    Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s security task force demolished the facility following the shocking discovery. 

    During the raid, security operatives found assorted charms and other ritual items inside the hotel premises.

    Although a few arrests were made, including some sex workers, the hotel owner managed to escape before the operation.

    The incident has drawn comparisons to the infamous 1996 Otokoto saga in Owerri, Imo State, which revolved around the ritual killing of an 11-year-old boy.

    Governor Soludo had launched the Agunechemba security outfit to tackle the worsening insecurity in Anambra, which has defied previous efforts. 

    Reports suggest that suspected ritualists, kidnappers, and criminals operating under the guise of real estate developers and cryptocurrency traders are rampant in the state.

    Reads Also: Anambra hotel demolished as Soludo’s security outfit uncovers mass graves, shrines

    A member of one of the local vigilance groups, who spoke anonymously, assured residents that security forces, including the military, police, navy, DSS, and various local outfits, are working together to restore safety.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, could not be reached for comment, while a senior police officer declined to speak on the matter.

    Security operatives carried out the raid on Saturday evening, arresting a few suspected kidnappers alongside the sex workers.

    The crackdown on criminal hideouts has intensified in recent weeks, with no fewer than five buildings demolished across the state. 

    According to Anambra’s new homeland law, lands reclaimed from demolished structures are to be taken over by the government.

  • APC holds primary for Anambra Gov March 29

    APC holds primary for Anambra Gov March 29

    Ahead of the November 8 governorship election in Anambra State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has fixed the  primary for March 29, 2025

    Three billionaires have indicated interest in the ticket apart from Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, who died July 27,2024.

    They are: Sir Paul Chukwuma, former national Auditor of APC; Prof Obiora Okonkwo, Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines (UNA) and Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu,who once represented Abuja Municipal in the House of representatives.

    Read Also: APC chieftain Awodeyi-Akinsehinwa congratulates board appointees

    Anambra APC chairman, Sir Basil Ejidike, announced the date to the State Working Committee(SWC). 

    Anambra APC Publicity secretary, Dr Valentine Oliobi, confirmed the date to reporters. 

    ” The decision was taken after the meeting of the National Working Committee held a few days ago at the APC National Secretariat.

    ” The meeting was in line with the meeting held with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) boss Prof. Mahmood Yakubu with the heads of all the political parties few days back.

    “The All Progressives Congress found it imperative to meet and design a program for the Anambra State Gubernatorial primary election and communicate to the INEC within the ambit of the Electoral Law,” he said. 

  • Soludo announces N5m reward for credible information on kidnappers, armed robbers

    Soludo announces N5m reward for credible information on kidnappers, armed robbers

    Gov. Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has announced a reward that could be as much as N5million  for a whistleblower who gives information that will lead to the arrest of kidnappers and armed robbers.

    It is also available for anyone with information that would lead to discovery of their campsites and their round-up in the state.

    Soludo made the announcement at the formal launch of Operation ‘ Udo Ga-Achi’,l (Peace shall Prevail), a joint security intervention force, on Saturday in Awka.

    He said the security initiative was designed to safeguard the lives and well-being of all residents and visitors in state.

    According to him, there is the need for a collective action to fight insecurity as the acts and dynamics of criminality have evolved and become hydra-headed.

    “We are taking a decisive action on security with the formal launching of Operation ‘Udo Ga-Achi’ because we are determined to fight criminality and ensure Anambra becomes the safest state.

    “We need people in the communities to give information to security agencies through our toll free line – 5111.

    “For whistleblowers, anyone that gives us credible information that leads to the arrest of any kidnapper or armed robber or information that leads to rounding up of criminals in a camp will be paid a bounty of any amount up to a maximum of N5 million (depending on the class of criminal).

    “We encourage each community to design and execute its own security programme. On monthly basis, any community with zero crime will get a reward of N10 million,” he said.

    The governor said 2000 personnel drawn from the Nigerian Police Force, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and vigilante group known as ‘Agunechemba’, had been mobilised for the operation.

    Soludo said that 200 patrol vehicles had been procured and would be active in the nooks and crannies of the state.

    “This operation is designed to tackle the rising insecurity in Anambra, including kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, drug epidemic, criminal idolatry, land grabbing, touting and other violent crimes.

    “On the part of government, be rest assured that we are determined to take the criminals head-on and quadruple our efforts in security.

    Read Also: Soludo: conspiracy of silence fuelling kidnapping, rituals in Anambra

    “For our long-term survival, we must rise up and fight together. If you see or know something, say or do something! Silence means complicity,” he said.

    Earlier, the governor signed the Anambra State Homeland Security Bill 2025 into law to legalise the new security initiative in the state.

    He also announced Igwe Chidubem Iweka of Obosi as the Chairman, Anambra State Traditional Rulers’ Council.

    Speaking on behalf of Security Commanders, the Commissioner of Police, Nnaghe Obono-Itam, commended the state government for the initiative and promised the readiness of security agencies to ensure Anambra is safe and secure.

    (NAN)

  • Anambra traditional stool: gunmen invade community as residents flee

    Anambra traditional stool: gunmen invade community as residents flee

    • Four suspects nabbed, fear grips residents
    • Kidnapped person rescued

    The crisis rocking the traditional stool of Ojoto community, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State has taken a new dimension as gunmen invaded the area to abduct some prominent persons.

    As a result, the residents, especially, the targets have fled the community to escape being abducted and killed by the gunmen

    The hoodlums invaded the community at 1am last Friday, where one of their targets was kidnapped, but rescued by security men from a neighbouring community of Oba.

    The rescued victim (name withheld) has vacated his family and relocated them to another place for fear of the gunmen

    Ojoto community had been in turmoil over a traditional stool for some time despite the case being at the Nnewi High Court for determination.

    Since the invasion of the hoodlums into the community, the majority of the residents have left the area to other safer places, while some others celebrated the festivities in fear.

    The traditional stool of Ojoto is being contested between two prominent sons of the community, Gerald Mbamalu and Dennis Okafor.

    The Nation gathered that the community had selected Okafor for the throne after all the rituals had been performed and presented to both local government and state, before the government handed the staff of office to Mbamalu, ignoring the decision of the community

    Read Also: Police raid illegal weapons factory, arrest cultist, two murder suspects

    The arrangement made one of the parties and the community to seek redress in court, a decision which had not gone down well with the other camp.

    The fresh twist has instilled fears in the residents, while tension has equally heightened in the community.

    Meanwhile, The Nation gathered that four of the gunmen were apprehended by the Oba Vigilance group.

    The State Police Public Relations Officer, Tochukwu Ikenga’s line could not be reached, but one of the senior police officers in the state confirmed the incident.

    The source said an investigation was still ongoing on the matter, adding that the command would speak at the appropriate time.

    “There’s no cause for alarm, the command is on it. Our duty is to protect the lives and property of the citizens of this state. The command will not allow hoodlums to run over this state. They should allow the court to decide on the matter, ” the source said.