The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Anambra

  • Anambra woman begs husband’s kidnappers with N9,000 ransom

    A middle-year old man was reportedly kidnapped in Okpoko, Ogbaru local government area of Anambra state.

    The victim, simply identified as Chikodili, was abducted in the wee hours at his residence in No. 65 Nwokedi street.

    The Nation gathered that the abductors, numbering three, had stormed the area and whisked the victim away.

    A resident who preferred anonymity said the wife pleaded for his release, saying she was willing to offer the sum of N9,000 as her “widow’s mite”.

    He said the suspects had accepted the offer which she had gone to get when they took her husband away.

    The Nation however learnt that the victim was taken to a nearby bush from where the abductors intended to take him to an unknown destination before they were apprehended by the community’s vigilante.

    Leader of the vigilante group in the area, Mr. Okpala Victor, confirmed the incident, saying the suspects have been arrested.

    He said the suspects were apprehended inside the bush following a tip-off.

    He said, “The vigilante group stormed the bush, freed the victim and arrested the trio suspects who are now at the Police station.

    “The Police have assured us they would be charged to court immediately.”

    Reacting, President General of the community, Edwin Emesinwa, applauded the vigilante for the feat, describing the security outfit as the best in the state.

    He said, “Since my assumption of office about a year now the community sleeps with two eyes closed.

    “Those saying criminals have taken over the community are the criminals themselves.”

  • Two dead, others injured in Anambra auto crash

    Two persons died and two others were injured in an accident involving a petrol-laden tanker and a Mercedes Benz Bus at Agu-Awka Junction, Awka, Anambra.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who visited the scene of the crash gathered that the tanker which was Enugu-bound ran into the bus loaded with food items.

    The bus was trying to join the Expressway from the junction leading to Old road.

    The accident occurred at about 1.10 a.m. on Wednesday.

    A combined team of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Fire Service personnel was seen cordoning off the area, diverting traffic and ensuring that fire did not inflame again.

    Mr Andrew Kumapayi, Sector Commander of the FRSC told NAN that his team arrived the crash scene 10 minutes after the incident was reported for rescue.

    Kumapayi said four persons were involved including three males and one female.

    He blamed the crash on speed violation and loss of control.

    “About 1.15 a.m. this morning, we got a report of a crash involving a petrol tanker marked YLA 170 XM with product and a Mercedes Benz bus with Reg. No: BKL 80 XA at Immigration Junction, Agu Awka.

    “Four persons were involved; two died on the spot and two including a man and a woman have been taken to Chukwuemeka Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital for medical attention,’’ he said.

    Kumapayi called on drivers and owners of articulated vehicles plying the Anambra route to maintain their vehicles and observe traffic rules and regulations at all times.

    He warned that his command would not fold its arms and watch motorists waste the lives and property of innocent citizens on the highway

    NAN reports that the sector commander alongside other stakeholders in traffic management held a town hall meeting with truck drivers in Onitsha on Monday on ways to curb carnage.

    The command had decided to commence strict enforcement of articulated vehicle driver’s compliance with rules in the state from April.

  • Woman abused in viral nude video begs for justice

    Ms Ogochukwu Okafor, young mother of a six-year-old son filmed nude in Anambra State in a video that has gone viral on the internet on Tuesday demanded for justice.

    Okafor, who spoke to newsmen in Awka, described the incident as `unfortunate’ adding that the video had ruined her reputation and career.

    The victim, a widow said she dropped out of school after she lost her husband.

    She said that she held an Ordinary National Certificate (OND) and was currently unemployed.

    Okafor said she could never be assuaged by any amount of plea to rescind her decision to have the suspects prosecuted.

    “I am a single mother, I lost my husband and I am just struggling to take care of my boy who is just six years.

    “I feel terrible, I feel disorganised; if it is just my face I would have endured it but my nakedness all over the place.

    “They have ruined my career both in Nigeria and outside the country,” she lamented.

    Nwankwo, who flogged the victim, said she never knew her action would assume this regrettable dimension.

    She said it was a transferred aggression from her estranged husband who left her and took away her son.

    Nwankwo said her intention was to go to her sister’s house who had complained to her about the relationship between her husband and the lady to settle the matter.

    ” I feel bad, I did not have it in mind that it will turn out this way; My plan was just to go there and settle the situation.

    “The memory of my past experience with my ex husband who took away my son made me to transfer the whole aggression on her.

    READ ALSO: Nude video: Police arrest three suspects for humiliating woman in Anambra

    “My sister called me for help that her husband has been sleeping around with this lady and that got me angry.

    “When I got there, the lady ran into the toilet and locked the door and I asked her to come out and flogged her, but I was not the person that sent out the video,” she said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Okafor was allegedly lured to the home of her Facebook male friend, Mr Ifeanyi Azotani only to be humiliated by Azotani’s wife and her friend who got her nude and had her snapped.

    The Anambra Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Ladodo, who paraded Azotani, his wife, Tochukwu and her friend Ogochukwu for the act, said the suspects stripped their victim and video recorded her naked.

    He said that Okafor was lured by her Face book friend, Azotani to his house in Amawbia, Awka, only for his wife, Tochukwu emerged and locked her in the toilet.

    “The suspect’s friend, Nwankwo stripped Okafor naked and flogged her severally while the principal suspect was busy video-taping the incident and thereafter they pushed her out from the compound naked.

    “The suspects demanded the sum of N60, 000 from their victim or have her further humiliated by pushing the video to the internet.

    “Consequently, when the complainant could not pay the money as requested, the principal suspect actualised her threat and posted the naked video to the internet and since then the video went viral,” he said.

  • Police rescue six year old child sold to ritualist

    The Police Command in Anambra on Monday paraded one Monday Onyikwa from Umuefi Village, Nteje in Oyi Local Council Area for allegedly selling a six-year-old girl for ritual purposes.

    CP Rabiu Ladodo, who briefed newsmen in Awka, said the suspect was arrested in the bush with the victim, Chisom Egbunu.

    Ladodo said Onyikwa confessed that he was taking the child to one Nnamdi, a native doctor in Nando Village, Anambra Council Area who was also arrested.

    He said the man also confessed that he was paid N100,000 for the trafficking business, adding that the matter was still under investigation.

    The CP also paraded the masterminds of the viral video of a nude woman, Ogochukwu Okafor, who allegedly visited her Facebook friend, Ifeanyi Azotani and was humiliated by his wife and her friend.

    Azotani, his wife Toochukwu and her friend Nwankwo posted the nude video on the internet after the victim refused to pay them the sum of N60, 000 they demanded from her to kill the video.

    Read also: Police arrest two suspects over alleged murder of woman in Enugu

    The command said it recovered seven cars including one black Toyota Venza, three Toyota Corolla, two Lexus-350 Jeep and a Toyota Rav 4 Jeep from an Asaba based robbery syndicate led by one Paul Chukwuezugo and an accomplice Michael Obinna.

    The commissioner said the syndicate had earlier robbed one Chinyere Onwuzulike of her Lexus Jeep in Orumba North council area.

    Items recovered from them include one Barreta pistol, three IPhone and a Samsung phone.

    He said the suspects have voluntarily confessed to the crime.

    Ladodo said a total of 113 suspected cultists were arrested with 45 of them already charged to court and 33 under investigation.

    According to him 35 of the cultists were screened out. (NAN)

  • Police arrest 113 suspected cultists in Anambra

    No fewer than 113 suspected cultists have been arrested by the police in separate locations in Anambra state.

    The state commissioner of Police, Rabiu Ladodo, disclosed this to newsmen on Monday while parading the suspects at the police headquarters in Amawbia.

    He said the arrests were made by the Command Special Anti-Cult unit between March 11 till date.

    He added that 45 of the suspects were charged to court, 35 screened out, while 33 others were under investigation.

    “Exhibits recovered from the suspects include one browning and locally made single barrel pistol, 7 live ammunition, axe, daggers, machetes and some quantities of dry leaves suspected to be Indian hemp,” he added.

    Also paraded was a gang of robbers who specialized in car snatching.

    According to the Commissioner, a total of eight vehicles were recovered from them.

    He said, “Police operatives attached to the Command Special Anti-Cult unit went on investigation to Asaba in Delta State and arrested one Chukwuezugo Paul, 42 of Asaba.

    “Discreet investigation led to the arrest of his accomplice and gang leader, one Micheal Obinna, aka Mayor.”

    Ladodo said the same syndicate robbed a woman of her Toyota Venza car at gun point.

    “Exhibits recovered include 7 vehicles comprising of 1 black Toyota Venza, 3 Toyota Corolla, 2 Lexus 350 Jeeps, 1 Toyota Rav 4 Jeep.

    “Others include 1 barreta pistol with 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 1 cutlass, 3 iPhones, 1 Samsung phone and 1 black Lexus 350 car,” he added.

  • Women threaten to go naked over harassment in Anambra

    No fewer than 100 women including widows from Ndiukwuenu community in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, yesterday, stormed the state police command, threatening to go nude over alleged harassment by thugs and policemen in their area.  The protesters demanded immediate release of two of their husbands arrested by the police yesterday morning in the community.

    The names of those arrested by the police were given as Raymond Egwu, a Catholic catechist and Vincent Nwafor.  The women alleged that tear gas canisters were fired at them by men of the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) making some of them to lose consciousness.   But a senior police officer, who did not want his name mentioned, denied the allegation, adding that the women had fruitful discussion with the OC CID.  The senior officer assured the women that their husbands would be released immediately. However, addressing reporters at the CID gate in Amawbia, the leader of the protesting women, Dorothy Onyebarachi, said they no longer sleep with their two eyes closed on a daily basis without one form of harassment from the police or thugs in the community.  Also, the Secretary of the women group, Priscilla Okoli, told reporters that the women had decided to go nude round Awka and it’s environs, if such treatments were not stopped by government and the police in Ndiukwuenu.

  • Women threaten to go naked over harassment in Anambra

    No fewer than 100 women including widows from Ndiukwuenu community in Orumba North local government area of Anambra State, Friday, stormed the state police command, threatening to go nude over harassment by thugs and policemen in their area.

    Besides, they demanded immediate release of two of their husbands arrested by the police Friday morning in the community.

    The names of those arrested by the police on the orders of some land grabbers in the area were given as Raymond Egwu, a Catholic catechist and Vincent Nwafor.

    The women alleged they were tear-gassed by men of the state Criminal investigation Department CID, which allegedly made some of them pass out.

    But a senior police officer, who did not want his name mentioned, denied the allegation, adding that the women had fruitful discussion with the OC -CID.

    The senior officer assured the women that their husbands would be released immediately.

    However, addressing reporters at the CID gate in Amawbia, the leader of the protesting women, Dorothy Onyebarachi, said they no longer sleep with their two eyes closed on daily basis without one form of harassment from the police or thugs in the community.

    Also, the Secretary of the women group, Priscilla Okoli, told reporters that the women had decided to go nude round Awka and its environs, if such treatments were not stopped by government and the police in Ndiukwuenu.

    She said the people had forcefully taken their lands were they farm and feed their families, adding they come to the community to shoot sporadically every night to scare them and their families.

    Okoli said the Catechist of St John’s Catholic Church Ozzuh was one of the persons arrested with no just cause, adding that the two persons terrorizing the community were doing it in connivance with the police.

  • Expectant mother, kids burnt in Anambra

    An expectant mother and her two children have died in a fire that engulfed their house in Umuoffor, Okija, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State.

    The deceased were identified as Nwazuru Okeke and her kids – Chidi Ebube (2) and Makuochukwu (1).

    The Nation gathered that it was difficult to rescue them as they were trapped in the inferno.

    “We could not rescue them because before we gained access to the apartment, they were already burnt to ashes,” a neighbour lamented.

    Police spokesman Haruna Mohammed, who confirmed the incident, said the deceased were burnt beyond recognition.

    “There was a fire incident at Umuoffor village in Okija, at the home of Maxwell Okeke. His expectant wife, Nwazuru Okeke, and children – Chidiebube (2) and Makuochukwu (1) were burnt beyond recognition,” he said.

    Mohammed said police detectives attached to Okija Division put out the fire with the help of local volunteers.

    The source of the fire was still unknown as at last night, and Mohammed said the Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Ladodo, has ordered an investigation into the incident.

  • Pregnant woman, two kids burnt to ashes in Anambra

    A pregnant woman and her two children have been burnt to ashes in Umuoffor village Okija, Ihiala local government area of Anambra state.

    The deceased, Nwazuru Okeke, and her kids, Chidi Ebube and Makuochukwu, aged two and one year old respectively, were said to be at their residence when the incident occurred.

    The Nation gathered that it was difficult to rescue any one of them as they were said to be trapped in the inferno.

    “We were not able to recover the bodies of any of the victims because before we could gain access to the apartment, they were already burnt to ashes,” a neighbour narrated soberly.

    The state police spokesperson, Haruna Mohammed, who confirmed the incident, said the deceased were burnt beyond recognition.

    “There was a fire incident at Umuoffor village Okija at the residence of one Maxwell Okeke.

    “As a result, his pregnant wife named Nwazuru Okeke ‘f’, two children, namely Chidi Ebube Okeke aged two years and Makuo Chukwu Okeke ‘m’ aged one year were trapped in the inferno and burnt beyond recognition.”

    He said the fire was put off following the arrival of police detectives attached to Okija Division to the scene with the assistance of local volunteers in the area.

    Mohammad who noted that the cause of the fire was yet unknown, however, hinted that the Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Ladodo has ordered a full-scale investigation to ascertain circumstances surrounding the incident.

  • Jitters in Obiano’s cabinet over sack threat

    Threats by Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra state to relieve some of his appointees of their duties has sent panic to members of his cabinet.

    Obiano had in a message to mark the first anniversary of his government’s second term in office, threatened to change any underperforming aides in his cabinet.

    A source from government circles who refused to be mentioned cited pruning of cost of governance as major reason for the shake off.

    According to the source, the governor has not been impressed with the output of some of the aides, having not measured up to his expectations.

    The source said, “Some of these appointments were made for political expediency. But from the look of things, we can’t continue with such huge retinue of aides. They must be pruned down in the interest of everybody.

    “Besides, the governor wants to make a mark at this last lap of his administration. It not a time to gamble.

    Read Also: I’ll remove underperforming aides, says Obiano

    “He wants to remain focused and expand the state economic performance in the next three years.”

    The aides likely to be affected in the shake off, according to the source, were community liaison officers without offices but have been taking advantage of their position to exploit unsuspecting residents, especially in the rural areas.

    Reacting, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr C-Don Adinuba, said he was not aware of the planned layoff.

    “I’m not aware of the plan to dissolve the cabinet. They are all rumours,” he said.