Tag: Anambra

Anambra traders have urged Governor Chukwuma Soludo to urgently ban scavenging and scrap selling, arguing that those involved in the activities contribute to various crimes in the state.

This call was made by the Anambra People’s Assembly (APA) on Sunday, July 7, in a statement issued in Awka.

The traders asserted that the trade encourages criminal activities and has not contributed to the state’s development, saying it has led to environmental degradation and increased crime.

The statement was signed by APA leader, High Chief Tony Umeh.

“Most of the irons used in Culverts have been criminally removed or stolen for commercial purposes”, they said.

The traders said about 95 percent of those engaged in scrap collections intrude into people’s private homes and steal their valuables and money, household items, and convert same as scraps to sell to make money.

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The group also said: “Some of those things they stole, they do not actually know their worth, adding that none of the vandalisms in the state were perpetrated by them.

“The governor should ban them with immediate effect. They should arrest people who go about vandalizing people’s property in the name of collecting scraps” just like the Delta State government”

The APA, however, called on the state government to create dump sites where those who want to dispose of their waste materials should dump them.

“The governor should initiate an executive bill to the State House of Assembly which should pass the law banning scrap collection in the State within 30 days, by extension, the whole southeast”, the group said

• 59 dead, 5 living abroad receiving salaries
• 40 pensioners receiving salary too

No fewer than 400 ghost workers are receiving salaries in the Anambra State Local Government Civil Service Commission

Out of the number, 59 persons are dead, five others are living abroad, while 40 are pensioners still earning salaries.

Also, many others are involved in certificate racketeering, as the Commission has concluded investigations on six of them already.

These were revealed Friday in Awka by the Chairman of the Commission, Sir, Vin Ezeaka, who is also a legal practitioner.

He said the ghost workers were discovered in the 21 local government areas in the state.

Ezeaka stated that an investigation was launched in a bid to sanitizing the local government system.

Itemizing the rot while briefing newsmen, the chairman said,  that out of the 427 ghost workers already uncovered, 59 were staff of the Commission who had died a long time ago and are still receiving salaries, 40 others had retired and are still on the payroll of the commission, while five others are staff living abroad whose names are still on the payroll of government.

“We discovered 59 deceased staff who are still receiving salaries, 40 retirees also receiving salaries, and above all,

We discovered 222 workers on the payroll who nobody could identify as workers in any of the 21 council areas.

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 And we have many of them living abroad and still receiving salaries, so we wrote to the Joint Account (JAC) to remove them from the payroll.

“Some of them have come to voluntarily retire but we refused because you can’t cheat the government and want to retire.

” We are going to finish our thorough investigation and those caught in this unholy act will face the full weight of the law in accordance with civil service rules.”

Many people have been feared dead as a two-storey building shop collapsed in Eke-Amawbia market, Awka South local government area of Anambra state.

The Nation gathered that some others were trapped in the rubble.

The incident, it was further gathered, happened around 12.02 pm Thursday.

At the time of this report, security and paramilitary personnel were working to clear the debris.

The collapse has caused fear among traders, residents, and onlookers.

Eyewitnesses recounted that the two-storey shop building suddenly fell, burying numerous vegetable traders beneath.

However, it was further learnt, that one person had been rescued and rushed to a hospital in Amawbia for urgent medical attention

Traders who witnessed the collapse blamed the disaster on substandard engineering work, alleging that the building’s structural integrity had been compromised.

But the Chairman of COREN in Anambra state, Victor Menu, told The Nation that his body would investigate the actual cause before coming out with any answer

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Meanwhile, the rescue operation was still ongoing, with emergency responders working tirelessly to search for survivors amidst the rubble

One of the weeping traders who did not want her name mentioned, blamed the government and its agents for building markets with substandard materials

“They are only interested in collecting fees without checking the kind of materials being used in erecting structures in the markets in the state.”

Security operatives in Anambra state have raided the camps of gunmen terrorizing the region, recovering 14 vehicles.

The police command has urged individuals whose vehicles are missing to come and check.

This information was revealed in a statement issued Wednesday in Awka, Anambra State by the command’s spokesperson, Superintendent of Police Ikenga Tochukwu Ikenga, and made available to reporters.

He mentioned that the raids were conducted at different times and locations across the state.

Ikenga said: “This is to inform the general public and good people of Anambra State that during several operations on a raid of criminal camps, vehicles, tricycles, and motorcycles were recovered.”

“The vehicles were either snatched through armed robbery, stealing, murder, forceful/criminal dispossession of properties, or car snatching, by men of the underworld.

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“Owners are requested to come to the office of the State Criminal Investigations Department, Awka with valid proof of ownership for a claim.”

He added that the Commissioner of Police assured members of the public that the command was committed to ensuring that stolen properties were always recovered and returned to their rightful owners to assuage the sense of deprivation the victims of such crimes went through.

The command also listed the vehicles as a Space Wagon Passat with reg number: NNE 48 AS, a Volkswagen Golf with reg number: THE 479 AA, a shuttle bus with reg number: AGU 364 ZW and a Mitsubishi bus with reg number: CN 25 ABJ among others

Members of the Divine Heaven Amalgamated Landlords Association, Ifite-Nteje in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State on Saturday protested destruction of their property by suspected youths of the community.

One of the owners of the demolished hotel Malachy Chukwu, was said to have taken his life over the incident. 

The protesters, comprising men and women, said several buildings, including a hotel located at the Chinua Achebe Airport Road Ifite-Nteje worth billions were allegedly destroyed by a group parading themselves as the executive members of Ifite-Nteje Development Union.

Chairman of the Association, Chief Patrick Maduegbuna, appealed for Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s intervention to avoid total break down of law and order. 

He said: “The transaction took place in 2019 and the association started developing the place after payment.

“But all of a sudden, they started demolishing our property there, saying the land deal had been revoked. They demolished houses, hotel and other buildings nearing completion.

“We called them to know what was the matter, they said we did not buy the land correctly, that we should buy it again and add money.

“We chose to protest rather than taking laws into our hands. There are more than seven estates there. All we want is to have our property back.”

The Association Secretary, Mr Nwako Maduka said the landlords paid all the required dues and the documents signed by the same people allegedly trying to revoke the land sold to them genuinely.

Chairman, Ifite-Nteje land management committee, Chief Ikechukwu Erikeife, said some young men who sold their plots were making efforts to sell the same land for the second time, adding that land grabbing to make money at all cost was the source of confusion in Ifite-Nteje.

He said that the parcels of land were acquired by the developers through the right source, promising to look into the situation as the protesters could not afford to buy the land for the second time.

But Secretary of ifite-Nteje land management committee, Mr Ngoesina Okechukwu, described those behind the allegations as meddlesome interlopers, saying Ifite-Nteje community has a way of hoisting leadership in a traditional way.

Okechukwu, a lawyer, said the estate developers followed the due process in the acquisition of the land from Ifite-Nteje.

He said: “I was in Abuja and heard about the protest organised by the opposition, who were claiming to be executive members of Ifite-Nteje Development Union.

“The same group was said to have claimed they had abolished the Ifite-Nteje land management committee and revoked the land sold to the landlords association.

“The Ifite-Nteje land management committee is a body constituted by the community with power of attorney which could sue and be sued.

“The court had taken judicial notice of the land committee as representative of Ifite-Nteje, in so many cases, securing judgement for the entire Nteje community,” he explained.

The Nation  gathered that about 70 associations acquired the vast land occupying strategic position along the airport road with most of the buildings destroyed were at various stages of completion.

Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Anambra State Command has arrested four suspects allegedly involved in illegal mining activities in the state.

Anambra NSCDC Commandant, Maku Olatunde, while parading the suspects in Awka on Friday stated that the suspects (names withheld) were apprehended on Thursday at about 1300 hours at the Tollgate Ogbunike in Oyi Local Government Area.

He said the arrests were effected in collaboration with the  Federal Mines Officer, Ministry of Solid Minerals Development in charge of Anambra State in strict compliance with the directives of the Commandant General to end illegal mining activities across the country.

He listed the exhibits recovered from the suspects to include a truck loaded with laterite with registration number LAGOS T- 13038 LA, 9 heavy-duty batteries, one heavy-duty hydraulic jack, and four fuel filters.

“These suspects were caught mining laterite without approval from the relevant authorities, causing environmental degradation in the area. With what we have done today, it is an indication and a strong signal to those illegal miners that it is no longer business as usual.

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“The suspects are currently in custody and facing further investigation and legal action,” he added.

Maku regretted that illegal mining had continually constituted economic sabotage with its attendant environmental risks, emphasizing the need for stakeholders to operate with valid licenses and approved mining sites.

He commended the Solid Minerals Unit led by ACC Ewogu Chinedu for sustaining the tempo of stamping out illegal miners in Anambra State.

Federal Mines Officer, Anambra State,  Engr. Henry Bolarinwa, while commenting on the synergy between NSCDC and the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, warned stakeholders in the sector to ensure they operate with valid licences and approved mining sites.

He said the warning had become necessary to block the revenue losses and prevent environmental hazards associated with illegal mining activities.

A Federal High Court in Abuja heard yesterday that funds in the Security Vote Account of the Anambra State government were moved into private companies’ accounts.

A prosecution witness, Ugochukwu Otubelu, said this while testifying at the resumed hearing in the money laundering case involving former Governor Willie Obiano.

He was led in evidence by prosecuting lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir (SAN). Otubelu, who said he used to be a banker, told the court that he managed the state’s security vote account as an Account Officer.

Otubelu identified the private companies as Nazotal Ventures; C. I. Party Ventures Nigeria Limited; Moment of Peace Ventures; Youdoo Ventures and Eazy Diamond Limited.

According to him, the companies were among the entities whose accounts he managed.

When asked whether there were ever inflows to the companies’ accounts from the Security Vote Account of Anambra State, Otubelu said yes.

Asked what happened to the funds thereafter, he said: “It was used to process transactions for the Principal Secretary to the defendant.”

He also told the court that the money did not go to the owners of the accounts.

Earlier, the witness identified Obiano’s Principal Secretary, Willy Nwokoye, and the Government House accountant, Theophilus Nwez, as signatories to the security vote account. According to him, Nwokoye gave directives on how funds in the account should be disbursed.

Otubelu also said he knows Obiano and has dealt with him on some occasions, including taking cash to him in both naira and dollars.

He added: “Still on the transactions of the Principal Secretary, he gives instructions on who payment should be made to. Sometimes, he instructs us to take cash directly to the defendant.”

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Under cross-examination by defence lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), Otubelu said the Anambra State government was not part of the account, it did not open the accounts and did not operate them.

On whether it was his idea that accounts of the six companies should be used for the instructions given by the Principal Secretary, Otubelu said no. He insisted it was the Principal Secretary who requested for the accounts for discreet security transactions

Another witness, Hayatu Adejo, a bureau de change (BDC) operator, said he was shown evidence that one of his companies – Connaught Nigeria Limited – received funds from Anambra State government.

According to him, the funds were paid into his account by a colleague, one Ayuba, who he sold dollars to.

He said: “I sold dollars to one Ayuba and he asked for my bank account details which I gave him. When the payment was done, I handed the dollars to him, but the payment narration said ‘MC Payment’, meaning Mangers Cheque Payment.

“That is why I did not know the money is from any state account.”

Under cross examination, Adejo denied ever dealing with Obiano.

Further hearing in the case was adjourned till October 7.