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Tag: Ebonyi

  • Police recover 146 arms in Ebonyi

    The police in Ebonyi State yesterday said it destroyed an arms factory in the state and recovered 146 prohibited/illegal guns and ammunition.

    Commissioner of Police Titus Lamorde said the recovery was in compliance with directives of the Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris.

    He said a task force, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Criminal Investigation, Oyeyemi Oyediran, was raised.

    Lamorde added that the police, acting on a tip off, destroyed a gun-making factory at Mgbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Area.

    He said: “The plice, acting on a tip off, discovered an arm-making factory in Mgbo. The owner escaped but we recovered some of locally-made arms.

    “Arms recovered include 18 AK-47 rifles; six G3 rifles; 21 pump action rifles; six English-made double barrel guns; 33 locally-made short guns; sixty-two dane guns and live ammunition and cartridges of different calibre.”

  • Ebonyi: Umahi appoints new SSG

    Gov Dave Umahi of Ebonyi has appointed Dr Hygenius Nwokwu as the  new Secretary to State Government ( SSG ).

    The appointment came less than six hours after  Prof Bernard Odoh, the former SSG, resigned his appointment.

    The Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Umahi, Mr Emmanuel Uzo confirmed the appointment in a telephone interview with our correspondent in Abakaliki on Tuesday.

    He said: “Yes, Dr Hygenius Nwokwu has been appointed the new SSG and his appointment is with immediate effect.

    “The Governor personally signed the appointment letter and the SSG has assumed duty immediately.”

    Nwokwu has previously held appointments as Commissioner for Education, Commissioner for Rural Development and Commissioner in the Ebonyi Civil Service Commission.

    He was until his present appointment, the Permanent Member in Ebonyi Secondary Education Board (SEB).

    Odo, appointed SSG in May 29, 2015  resigned his appointment in the late hours of Tuesday, April 2.

    NAN

  • Youths decry excessive taxation, brutality in Ebonyi

    Several youth groups and youth led organizations gathered in Abakiliki to decry excessive taxation being imposed on youth entrepreneurs.

    The youth groups met with representatives of the government from the integrated revenue department of the board of internal revenue, Mr. Esema A. Chima, and the SSA to the government on internally generated revenue, Mr. Okwuegbu Sunday, on Thursday.

    The youths have continued to endure a plethora of horrible experiences. Mr. Ukpabi of the Salt Youth Network narrated the experience of one of their skill acquisition beneficiaries, who just relocated to Abakiliki from his village to start his barbing business at a low cost location, only to be slammed with a tax of #36,000 which exceeds his rent and his business capital put together.

    The attitude of the waste management agents was not left out of this agitation as they were reported to have seized goods from traders at their business premises, insisting on annual purchase of waste bins. According to Mr. Nwogodo Vincent of Young Visioneers Association of Nigeria (YVAN), these agents also beat up citizens in the process of recovering such levies.

    As a result of this heavy tax and recovery agents’ molestation, several entrepreneurs have closed up their businesses, while some only open their shops at odd hours when the tax forces have closed for the day.

    In response, the government representatives explained the basis for the taxes and called on the youth to support the effort of the government as the dividend of their taxes can be seen in the development of the state. They however admitted that the agents responsible for the recovery are incompetent in some cases and as a result overcharged citizens. The youths suggested solutions to the problem which were documented in a communique.

    Read Also: Ebonyi tackles genital mutilation

     At the end of the engagement, the youths agreed that they are willing to work with the government in the interest of the development of the state and they are also willing to pay tax, but demanded from the government a more transparent process subject to assessment in the determination of taxes.

    The aggrieved stakeholders made it clear that the right to freedom of expression has been denied them since anyone who reports or makes any statement against the government becomes a victim of attack. Journalists such as Mr. Charles Otu and Mr. Chika Nwoba were reported to have been arrested and brutalized, as a result.

    One of the victims is a journalist; Mr. Chika, whose head was broken in the course of a recent attack and placed under critical condition, is currently in a struggle for his life at the Federal Medical Centre, Abakiliki. Mr. Charles Otu was also rescued through external intervention.

    They reported that opposition parties are not free to host party meetings as it is unacceptable to the government of the day.

    South Saharan Social Development Organization, a non-governmental organization has come out to condemn the attack, upholding the fundamental human rights of Ebonyi state citizens.

    Speaking to our correspondent, Nwachukwu Onyinyechi, the program manager of South Saharan Social Development Organization said:

    “The Government of Ebonyi State should address the menace of brutalization by its tax collection agents. As much as it is important to increase the State IGR, it is imperative to secure the lives and rights of the citizens who are the tax payers.

    “The right of expression and association are constitutionally enshrined in the fundamental human rights and should not be denied any individual, group or community.”

  • Police arraign transporter for alleged stealing

    The police on Monday arraigned a transporter, Timothy Oyinbe, 32, in  an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing N100,000, belonging to a company, Chukwu bu Ikem Motors.

    The accused, who resides at No. 10, Ogota Road, Abakaliki in Ebonyi, is facing a two-count charge of disobedience to regulations and stealing.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

    The Prosecutor, Sgt. Emmanuel Ajayi, told court that the accused committed the offences on March 17 at No. 169, Abeokuta Express Way, Iyana-Ipaja, near Lagos.

    Ajayi alleged that the accused disobeyed the rules and regulations of the company by taking the company’s bus beyond the booked destination and collected N100, 000 from passengers.

    Read Also: No information on Leah, say Police

    The offences contravened Sections 122 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The News men report that Section 287 stipulates a seven-year imprisonment for offenders.

    The Magistrate, Mrs G.O. Anifowose, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50, 000 with one surety in like sum.

    She said that the surety must be gainfully employed and should also have his address verified by the court.

    Anifowose adjourned the case until April 11 for mention.

    NAN

  • ‘Herdsmen/Farmers crisis can ignite national war’, Umahi, Miyetti Allah warns

    The incessant loss of lives in the Herdsmen and Farmers clashes  all over the country is capable of igniting national war if not carefully addressed, Ebonyi state government and the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria have warned.
    Governor David Umahi and the National Chairman of Myetti Allah, Alhaji Bello Bodejo gave the warning in Abakaliki during a security meeting called by the governor over the recent clash between herdsmen and Farmers in the state.

    Umahi and Bodejo called for caution in handling the herdsmen crisis.

    Herdsmen had attacked some Farmers  in Enyanwu Igwe ,
    Igbeagu community of Izzi local government on Monday which left four persons dead with two others in critical conditions.

    Leaders of cattle herders  in south east and south south states, stakeholders of the troubled community  as well as all the security chiefs in the state were in attendance during the enlarged security meeting.

    Describing the killings in Enyanwu Igwe village as unprovoked killings, the governor ordered herdsmen around the area to leave the place until he can calm the embittered villagers down to avoid reprisal attack.

    ”It is unprovoked killings, life is so sacred. You can’t kill people as if they are fowls. Izzi people are warriors, I physically held them not to go for retaliation. The herdsmen there  in Izzi have to leave the place for now until I can calm everybody down. The way we are
    going, it can provoke national war and it will not help anybody.  If there is reprisal attack, I will hold all the leaders squarely responsible, I will charge all of you for any reprisal attack.

    ”The lives of every Ebonyian is very dear to me. God forbid, I can’t withstand where 76 people were killed like in Benue, I can’t withstand it. some people may be fighting to die but we fight to live, lets use wisdom and handle the matter”

    “ This is a National problem; we don’t want our people to continue killed. We must use wisdom to handle this problem. It is very easy to say I want all the herdsmen to leave Ebonyi but there are lots of implication”, he said.

    He regretted that agreement reached between the state and herdsmen in the area for peaceful co-existence have been destroyed.

    “We banned under aged herders, we banned night grazing in the state. We have no grazing routes in Ebonyi which means that nobody has the right to carry cattle by route  to Ebonyi state and we agreed on that. We also agreed with the Herdsmen that the first offender must be
    prosecuted.  We also said that no farmer should go to farm with gun and no herdsmen should rear cattle with gun or matchete, it is stick. We must abide by these rules”.

    Umahi’s postulation was also corroborated by the National Chairman of Myetti Allah, Bello Bodejo who argued that the incessant killings in the country can cause chaos in the country.

    He said the state has been very accommodative to the herdsmen, warning that it should not be abused.

    “Ebonyi state is very peaceful and it is accommodating to our members. It has been so accommodating to our members even more than some Northern states of the federation and we condemn these  killing in this state . There are minors and migrants who are causing these lots of problems. There are also criminals moving as cattle herders who are causing these havocs. The Chairman of Myetti Allah of various states in the south east and south are all here and we are not happy with
    what happened, we condemn these killings in totality.

    “Nigeria is confronted with so many security challenges and one of them is the unfortunate farmer/herder conflict. If this conflict is not resolved, it has the potential of throwing this country into unnecessary chaos”, he said.

    Meanwhile, the National Chairman and the leaders of the herders across south east and south south will meet with the herdsmen in the state for two days over the crisis.

  • Four dead in Ebonyi farmers/herdsmen clash

    Four persons reportedly died in Igbeagu Community, Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, following a farmers/herdsmen clash yesetrday.

    Police spokesman Loveth Odah, who confirmed this, said two herdsmen attacked a villager feeding his cattle in the bush and cut off his hands.

    “As they attacked him, he managed to raise an alarm and more villagers came to his rescue,” she said.

    According to her, the herdsmen also attacked the villagers, who came to their brother’s rescue, cutting about three of them with machete.

    But the villagers caught them and beat them up, before handing them over to military men in the community.

    The injured were rushed to the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA). Two later died.

    Odah added: “One of the herdsmen later died as he was being rushed to the hospital, making it four deaths.”

     

  • 2019: INEC inaugurates teams to drive elections’ projects plan in Ebonyi

    2019: INEC inaugurates teams to drive elections’ projects plan in Ebonyi

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) in Ebonyi, on Tuesday inaugurated 19 different committees to drive the commission ‘s Elections’ Projects Plan (EPP), ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    The committees are: Inventory Committee, Election Monitoring and Support Centre Committee, Electronic Dashboard Committee, Security Committee, Domestication of EPP Committee, among others.

    The Ebonyi INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Godswill Obioma, inaugurated the committees at the commission’s state headquarters in Abakaliki.

    He said that the action was in line with directive from the national headquarters of the commission.

    According to him, the committees known as Elections’ Projects Plan task teams will carry out various responsibilities preparatory to 2019 general elections.

    He said that each of the committees has specific activities, team leader, team members, time line and terms of references.

    The resident commissioner described the inauguration as a ‘defining’ moment for the commission as it moved closer to the 2019 general elections.

    He said: “The Elections’ Projects Plan is a document developed by INEC to drive the implementation of transparent elections for 2019.

    “Therefore, the inauguration of the 19 Elections’ Projects Plan task teams is a defining moment for the commission in Ebonyi because they are going to drive transparent conduct of 2019 elections.

    “INEC has developed a five-year strategic plan covering 2017 and 2021 and what this means is that whatever INEC does in terms of election and other activities are captured in the strategic plan.

    “You have a daunting task to make the commission to succeed in the 2019 general elections and you must work hard within your committees to enable the commission achieve better result”.

    The resident commissioner said that a monitoring team would be set up to ensure that various committees worked within the time line.

    The INEC’s Administrative Secretary, Mr Charles Ezema, who responded on behalf of other heads of the committees, assured that the committees would carry out the assignments diligently and in accordance with terms of reference.

    “The committees will not disappoint the commission on this very important assignment and we must work within the time line.

    “What we have done today has helped our understanding to know that election is a process which can be reduced into strategic planning for efficient and effective result.

    “It is important that we take our responsibilities seriously, especially now that we have 68 registered political parties to contend with, ” Ezema said.

    Activities expected to be performed by the task teams include: to domesticate the 2019 Elections Projects Plan in order to design a state-based 2019 EPP for Ebonyi, adopt final report of the inventory committee.

    Other activities also include to set up state Election Monitoring Centre (EMSC), create Electronic Dashboard for state EMSC, reactivate periodic data – gathering for base line data, among others.

    The task teams are expected to conclude all their assignments by April 4.

    NAN

  • Six killed in Ebonyi boundary dispute

    Six killed in Ebonyi boundary dispute

    The renewed boundary dispute between the people of Enyigba, Abakaliki local government area, Ebonyi state and their neighbouring Alike community, Ikwo local government area of the state has claimed six lives.
    Properties worth millions were also destroyed when armed youths from Enyigba stormed Alike shooting sporadically at villagers and setting houses ablaze.

    A source in the community said a two year old boy and five others were shot dead in the over three decades old intractable dispute.

    The source alleged that the youths stormed the Nwelem market, which is  opposite the home of the immediate past governor of the state, Chief Martin Elechi on a market day and opened fire on the people, killing  six persons.
    Policemen on duty at the nearby Alike Ikwo station, reportedly fled their duty post as they could not match the superior firepower of the youths.
    The attack forced hundreds of residents of the area to flee the community.
    The people of Enyigba belong to Izzi clan which is one of the major clans in Ebonyi state while Alike people belong to the Ikwo clan.
    Police spokesman, Loveth Odah said she was out of town when contacted for comments on the incident.
    Chief Press Secretary to Governor David Umahi, Emmanuel Uzor who confirmed the incident to reporters was however silent on the number of casualties.
    Uzor who briefed journalists in Abakaliki on the outcome of the state Executive council meeting, said the state government has directed Secretary to the State Government, Professor Bernard Odoh  to set up a 9-
    man committee to look into and resolve the crisis within seven days.

    Umahi  directed all the warring communities to cease hostilities with immediate effect and directed security agencies to arrest anybody fomenting trouble in any of the communities immediately.

    The state government according to Mr Uzor, also directed local councils to make bye-laws to prohibit the sale or lease of land for the purposes of cattle grazing, ranching, animal movement exploration/prospecting, among others without first obtaining permission from the Council Chairman who in turn must obtain authorization power from the Governor of the State.

    The Chief Press Secretary said failure to obtain such permissions before selling or leasing such lands  will attract severe punishment.
    The state Executive Council also frowned at encroachment of state government lands and banned building of hotels, schools, hospitals and others service buildings without permission from government.

    “Anybody who encroaches into the land acquired by the state government for purposes of development shall be committed to prison and such lands shall remain irrevocable.

    “Executive Council also directed that from henceforth, building of hotels, private schools, community sponsored schools, restaurants, hospitals, pharmacies and filling stations without EXCO approval are highly
    prohibited.

    “All private schools in Ebonyi state must be reviewed and approved by the Ministry of Education, and all such schools not approved by the ministry must be closed down within one week from the date of this
    briefing”, he said.

  • Four injured as farmers, herdsmen clash in Ebonyi

    Four injured as farmers, herdsmen clash in Ebonyi

    Four people have been seriously injured following clashes between Farmers in Akaeze, Ivo local government area of Ebonyi State and herdsmen on Tuesday.
    While three herdsmen where left with serious head injuries one of the farmers received machete cuts on various parts of his body.
    The farmer who sustained serious machete cuts wounds, is receiving treatment at the Emergency Ward of Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA) while the injured herdsmen are receiving treatment at a hospital in Awgu, Enugu state.

    The clash has led to residents of the community fleeing for fear of attack from herdsmen.

    It was gathered that herdsmen from Mpu, Enugu State invaded farmlands in Akaeze and destroyed farm crops which angered some farmers and led to one being butchered.

    The farmer confronting the herdsmen was what led to the rampaging herdsmen inflicting serious injuries on his body with their machetes.

    He is now reported to be unconscious in the hospital.

    The incident forced the State Governor David Umahi  to ban grazing in the entire Ivo local government area until investigation into the matter is concluded.

    Umahi who summoned emergency security meeting with security chiefs in the state, Leaders of Herdsmen, local government Chairmen and
    stakeholders of Ivo local government, set up 10-man committee to investigate the attacks.

    “This issue is becoming complicated because if we had seen cow, we will now believe that he attacked cows and they butchered him. I want the CP, the Army and the SSS to set up committee.

    It should be 10- man committee to investigate the matter and we will convey another emergency security meeting on the matter.

    “The investigation should commence immediately. But I am banning any Herdsman from entering Ivo local government until this investigation is completed and I want the security men to carry out my instruction. No Herdsman should enter the place, no cattle should enter Ivo local government again until investigation is completed”.

    ‘I want you people to note it down that any herdsman that is coming into Ebonyi must follow the procedure and must not carry animals late into Ebonyi. You bring in animals by vehicles, knowing there is no cattle routes, no grazing reserve or colony Ebonyi.

    “So, no animal should come to Ebonyi by routes, it should be by vehicle and before coming, the Ardo should do a letter informing us that they are coming in here. You cannot come into somebody’s farm without his permission, you can’t do that.

    “My prayer is that the victims will all be alive. At the end of the day when the report is completed, whoever is the first aggressor will go to prison, I will send the person to prison no matter whom the person is.

    “I am banning any form of entering anybody’s farm in Ebonyi state, anybody that does it will be arrested. Any cattle that goes into farmland should be arrested immediately. I have said it severally that there is no cattle routes in Ebonyi, there is no grazing routes and there is no colony.

    “Anybody that kills the cows of a Fulani man, should go to prison  for one year and also pay for the cattle. Any Fulani man that destroys the farm of a farmer, will go to prison for one year and pay for the cost of the farmland”, Umahi stated.

     Meanwhile Governor Umahi has assented to the bill passed by the State House of Assembly creating two additional autonomous communities in the the war torn Ezza/Ezilo community.
    Umahi while assenting to the bill expressed happiness with the speedy passage of the bill by the State House of Assembly, describing the law
    as the permanent solution to the age long communal crisis that led to destruction of lives and property.

    Governor Umahi after brokering peace in the community on assumption of office created two additional communities from the Ezilo community which now has the Izo autonomous community for the Ezza clan and Ameze community for the Ezilo people.

    He commended the State legislature led by the Speaker, Francis Nwifuru for their commitment and role in sustenance of peace in every part of the state and described them as worthy partners in development and enthronement of lasting peace. Ends

  • FG committee on farmers, herdsmen clashes visits Zamfara

    FG committee on farmers, herdsmen clashes visits Zamfara

    The National Economic Council Committee on Farmers and Herdsmen clashes on Saturday visited Zamfara on a fact-finding mission over security challenges in the state.

    The committee was led by its Chairman, Gov. Dave Umahi of Ebonyi.

    Speaking during the courtesy visit at government house Gusau, the Umahi said “we are in Zamfara today for fact finding over the recent security challenges faced by the state”.

    He said Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, constituted the committee on behalf of the Federal Government.

    Umahi said the committee is expected to interact with the government and major stakeholders in the state.

    According to him, the aim is to find solutions to the security problems in the state and country at large.

    “The committee since inception have been working hand in hand with the governor’s forum to address security challenges in the country.

    “We have earlier visited Benue, Nasarawa,Taraba and Adamawa and we have recorded great successes during the visits.

    “We are in Zamfara today and from what we have seen we are expecting good outcome from the people of the state.

    “I am using this opportunity to call on Nigerians irrespective of our differences to continue to cooperate with the Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammad Buhari to improve security of the country,” he said.

    Responding, Gov. Abdul’aziz Yari who described the visit as timely, commended the Federal Government for establishing the committee.

    Yari said the state government would support and cooperate with the committee to end security challenges in the state and country at large.

    The committee also met with the major security stakehokders in the state.