The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ebonyi

  • Suspected burglar electrocuted in Ebonyi

    A middle-aged man was yesterday electrocuted in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.

    The police said the man was trying to break into a grocery store, when the incident occurred.

    Police spokesman Sylvester Igbo said: “This morning, we received information that a burglar broke into a shop at No. 22, Ezza Road. When he went into the ceiling, there was no electricity. Power was restored while he was still up there and he was electrocuted.

    “When the owner of the shop got there this morning and saw that the shop’s doors were damaged, she alerted the police, who discovered the body in the ceiling.

    “The body is yet to be identified and has been deposited at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (FETHA). The police have started investigating the incident to unravel what happened, if the deceased had accomplices and how many people were with him”

    The owner of the shop, Mrs. Chukwu Virtue, said: “I have lost over N1.8 million to burglars. This is the eighth time burglars are coming to my shop.

    “This morning, my brother came to the shop and discovered that the padlock had been cut and the roof of my neighbour’s shop had been broken. We alerted the police and the man in the roof was confirmed dead.”

    Igbo said two suspected robbers; Friday Emeba and Emeka Iwuoha were arrested on the Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway.

    He said two locally made double-barrelled pistols, a vehicle number plate, two live cartridges, one chisel hammer and two handsets were recovered from the suspects.

     

  • One dead, hundreds displaced in Ebonyi floods

    One dead, hundreds displaced in Ebonyi floods

    One person has been killed by flood in Ebonyi State, following two days of heavy rainfall. Hundreds of people have been displaced and property worth millions of naira were destroyed in the floods, which ravaged 15 communities in Ikwo, Izzi, Abakaliki and Ohaozara local government areas.

    The communities include Ogbe Hausa, Umunaga Uburu, Igbagu, Alike, Achara, Inyimagu, Akunakuna, Igbudu, Ndieche, Ndinkoshi, Okwerike, Ekahufu, Obegu and Ekpomaka.

    Speaking with reporters in Ikwo Local Government Area during a tour of the affected areas, Commissioner for Environment Dr. Paul Okorie said the state government, through the World Bank, is putting measures in place to prevent further casualties.

    Dr. Okorie said: “The state government sympathises with the bereaved family on the loss of their loved one. We are here to see things for our selves and we have taken note of the houses, the household appliances, the livestock and the farm produce that were destroyed. The level of destruction is most unfortunate.

    “The state government is collaborating with the World Bank to put in place mitigating measures to prevent further casualties. The task of putting in place a permanent measure against flood in Ebonyi is beyond the state government, but the state government would do everything within its reach to alleviate the suffering of the people.”
    Dr. Okorie praised the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) for its regular warning to flood-prone areas across the country.

    He said the warnings have greatly reduced the number of casualties. The commissioner said the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) would compile a list of the property destroyed and give relief materials to the victims.

    The victims urged the Federal Government to find a permanent solution to the floods, which have become an annual occurrence. Mr. Ifeanyi Mbam, a farmer, said he lost everything he had to the floods and is squatting with his relations.

  • Ebonyi seeks foreign help

    Ebonyi seeks foreign help

    The Ebonyi State government has sought Japan’s assistance to complete its projects and enhance partnership in areas of mutual interest.

    The Acting Governor of the state,Chief Dave Umahi, made the request in Abakaliki after leading a delegation of the UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria to inspect projects across the state.

    Umahi asked for support in the areas of the completion and reticulation of its N12 billion ultra-modern water schemes, assisting rural women in small-scale salt processing and exploration of the mineral resources in the state, among others.

    “We would appreciate the sustenance of our partnership with both the Japanese Embassy and UNIDO in agriculture and agro-processing, especially rice processing and value addition.

    “It is interesting to note that the modern rice mills being constructed in the three senatorial zones of the state are being equipped by the Satake Corporation of Japan.

    “We decided to partner with Satake in recognition of its track record in this area and appreciation of our long-standing partnership with the government and people of Japan.”

    According to the acting governor, the state needs accelerated paddy production to feed the installed capacity of about 100-tonne per hour rice mills across the state.

    “We are aware that Japan has the expertise in paddy production and large commercial farming that makes us implore you to bring reputable investors to partner with us in this direction.’’

    He noted that in the health sector, the government of Japan had extended grants to non-governmental hospitals, to effectively serve the healthcare needs of rural dwellers.

    “We have so far, committed N1.2 billion to this scheme and followed it up by awarding contracts for the rehabilitation of general hospitals across the 13 local government areas in the state, at the cost of N2.6 billion.

    “We, therefore, request your assistance towards the provision of requisite equipment in the hospitals,” he said.

    Replying,Mr Ryuichi Shoji, the Japanese Ambassador praised the Ebonyi government for it developmental strides and promised to assist the state in achieving its objectives.

    “With what we have seen so far across the state, Ebonyi, despite being a young state, is poised to attain great developmental strides due to the polices and programmes of the government,” he added

    Mr Patrick Konawa, the UNIDO Country Representative in Nigeria, noted that the organisation had installed a three-tonne per hour efficient rice milling machine at Iboko in Izzi Local Government Area, to enhance its rice production potential.

    “The installation process has been completed but it remains a steady source of power supply for the facility to take off,” he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, projects inspected during included: the three rice clusters at Ikwo, Izzi and Afikpo South LGA, the modern water schemes at Ofrekpe (Ikwo), among others.

  • Robbers kill Ebonyi Govt House worker

    •Police shoot dead suspect

    worker at the Ebonyi State Government House, Mr. Pascal Ugadu, was yesterday shot dead by a five-man robbery gang on Afikpo Road, Abakaliki, the state capital.

    An eyewitness, who pleaded for anonymity, said the robbers invaded Nnoli Filling Station about 9:15am and shot at a Toyota Hilux van, BDG 899 AG, which was refueling.

    The witness said the van was conveying some government officials to Ishiagu for an election into the Ishiagu Community Development Union (ICDU).

    Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters Celestine Nwali, Commissioner for Border and Security Donatus Ajah and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Internal Security, Mr. Collins Agbo, were at the filling station when the incident occurred.

    The eyewitness said the robbers, who operated with Cater motorcycles, carried sophisticated weapons.

    The witness said they stole an undisclosed amount of money from the station and robbed the employees of their phones.
    The eyewitness said: “We were heading to Ishiagu for the ICDU election in the company of some top government officials, who were expected to monitor the election. On getting to Nnoli Filling Station, we stopped to buy fuel.

    “We saw about five young men on motorcycles coming towards us with speed. On getting to where the Hilux van was parked, they immediately opened fire on the van, killing Ugadu, who was sitting at the back of the vehicle. The driver escaped unhurt.

    “We took Ugadu’s body and the vehicle to the Government House Clinic, where sympathisers, including the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Fidelix Mbam, and other top government officials wept uncontrollably.

    “About 12:30pm, the body and the vehicle were taken away from the Government House Clinic by a security team led by Mr. Godwin Okeke of the Government House Criminal Investigation Bureau.

    “We suspect that the aim of the hoodlums was to kill Agbo, in whose van the deceased was riding, but Agbo was not in the vehicle when they struck.”

    It was learnt that the body had been deposited at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.
    Police spokesman Sylvester Igbo confirmed the incident. He said one of the robbers was shot dead by a team of mobile policemen and soldiers, but the others escaped.

    Igbo said one AK 47 rifle, one shot gun, expended magazines, two motorcycles and other items were recovered from the hoodlums.
    Secretary to the State Government Mr. Fidelis Mbam described Ugadu’s death as “tragic, painful and unfortunate”.
    He urged the police to apprehend Ugadu’s killers.