The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Enugu State

  • Enugu: Police raids black spots, arrest 15 hoodlums

    Enugu: Police raids black spots, arrest 15 hoodlums

    The Enugu State Police Command on Sunday  commenced the raiding of  black spots and forests areas in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area to rid it of hoodlums and their activities.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Ebere Amaraizu, said in a statement on Tuesday that the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Danmallam Mohammed, ordered the security raid.

    The statement said that the police within few days of the operation arrested 15 hoodlums that had been disturbing the peace of people in the council especially in Nimbo and Adani communities.

    According to him, Danmallam ordered the operation after an on-the-spot assessment and a thorough brainstorming involving senior police officers and critical security stakeholders.

    “The command has assured members of the public particularly the  good people of Nimbo and Adani communities of Uzo Uwani local government area of their safety.

    “This assurance followed the command’s renewed onslaught against crime and criminality in the area borne out of intelligence information.

    “No fewer than 15 suspects have been nabbed in the area after the raid of a certain forest identified as ”Malaysia” forest and other black spots that were alleged to be  harbouring hoodlums,’’ it said.

    The statement said that the ongoing operation was aimed at making the entire council area safe, adding that the onslaught would be sustained.

    “Those arrested during the ongoing operation are helping the police operatives in their investigations,’’ the statement said.

    The command’s PRO said operatives moved into action in the council area on Sunday night and the operation had produced harvest of arrest of suspected hoodlums.

  • UNN technical employees get gap-bridging training

    To promote excellent research, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in Enugu State has held a four-day gap-bridging workshop for 300 technologists and technical staff in its employment.

    The workshop, organised by UNN Consultancy Services Ltd (UNN CONSULT) in conjunction with the Association of Academic Technologists, was aimed at engendering laboratory ethics, basic safety and precision in research works.

    The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Benjamin Ozumba, said the exercise was in line with his administration’s efforts to improve the quality of teaching and research in the university.

    The VC, represented by the Deputy VC (Administration), Prof Charles Igwe, pointed out that the school had consistently been ranked as best university for quality of research journal by Webometric Ranking for the third time, stressing that the workshop was part of measures to consolidate the institution’s strides in research development.

    He said: “UNN earnestly seeks global attention and standings. To achieve this excellence, the component of our laboratories manned by technical staff must be strengthened. Our quest for global recognition and academic visibility cannot be completely achieved without building your capacities, skills and increasing your knowledge base to conform to the global demands and standards of the 21st Century workplace.

    “As a step to addressing the challenge of the modern-day work demands, the UNN CONSULT reconsidered supplementing the efforts of the university in delivering a first class service to the nation, hence the need for this gap-bridging training. The training is informed by the observed debt and depth of skills gap amongst the technical staff of the university.”

    UNN CONSULT Director, Prof Obi Njoku, said the training availed the organisation an opportunity of identify challenges hindering effective laboratory operations among the staff.

    He said: “From the training, we have seen that our laboratory lacks basic safety facilities. We also discovered that a lot of employees were posted to areas they lack expertise. Even, some of the staff members lack the knowledge of laboratory dressing code. Many departments have knowledge gaps among staff in senior and junior cadres. Many departments do not have senior technologists. These are the reasons the training became necessary.”

    Njoku, a former Dean of the Faculty of Biological Sciences, urged the management to implement the recommendations emanated from the workshop to enhance efficiency of laboratory operation and research development.

    A participant, Mr Yunusa Olayinka, a curator at the Department of Archeology and Tourism, praised the organisers of the workshop, describing it as timely to raise staff efficiency.

    “The workshop has made us realised some of the things we took for granted. It has taught us various forms of laboratory hazards and how to curb them. We also learnt about work ethics. The organisers have bridged the gap of knowledge in many ways,” he said.

  • De-worming: Enugu Govt.extends health-week

    De-worming: Enugu Govt.extends health-week

    The Enugu State Government has extended the ongoing 1st Round of 2017 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week by five days to achieve the target of de-worming 400,000 children in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the facility-based health exercise, which was kicked-off on Aug. 14, was initially meant to end on Aug.19.

    The state Director of Public Health Services, Dr Okechukwu Ossai, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Friday that the exercise would now end on Tuesday, Aug. 22.

    Ossai said that the exercise was for children less than five years, adding that besides enabling the government to meet the target, it would enhance the health of the children and boost growth and well-being.

    He, however, noted that the deworming had been a huge success due to the high rate of response from the targeted residents it was designed for.

    “We have daily evaluated the exercise through information from various health facilities and we have recorded huge success so far.

    “However, we are getting report of high turn-out from various health facilities and we have decided to extend the week to Aug. 22 to ensure that our target is met, 100 per cent,’’ he said.

    Ossai said that the Ministry of Health would be reaching out to more religious bodies and community leaders, to sensitise residents on the extension of the week.

    He said that the on-going jingles on the exercise and its benefits in local radio and television stations in the state would also be sustained.

    “The extension will help us mop up any uncovered area and further strengthen the Free and Compulsory Maternal and Child Healthcare of Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

    NAN reports that vitamin A is being administered on the children while newborns and infants of less than a year are also benefiting from immunisation.

    Nursing mothers are also receiving family planning talks, free HIV/AIDS screening, free insecticide-treated nets, nutritional guidance, hygiene and environmental orientation as part of the components of the exercise.

    The exercise is taking place simultaneously in all Primary Health Care (PHC) centres in the political wards; general hospitals in the council areas and tertiary health institutions in the state.

  • UNN technical employees get gap-bridging training

    UNN technical employees get gap-bridging training

    To promote excellent research works, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in Enugu State has held a four-day gap-bridging workshop for 300 technologists and technical staff in its employment.

    The workshop, organised by UNN Consultancy Services Ltd (UNN CONSULT) in conjunction with the Association of Academic Technologists, was aimed at engendering laboratory ethics, basic safety and precision in research works.

    The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Benjamin Ozumba, said the exercise was in line with his administration’s efforts to improve the quality of teaching and research in the university.

    The VC, speaking through the Deputy VC for Administration, Prof Charles Igwe, pointed out that the school had consistently been ranked as best university for quality of research journal by Webometric Ranking for the third time, stressing that the workshop was part of measures to consolidate the institution’s strides in research development.

    He said: “UNN earnestly seeks global attention and standings. To achieve this excellence, the component of our laboratories manned by technical staff must be strengthened. Our quest for global recognition and academic visibility cannot be completely achieved without building your capacities, skills and increasing your knowledge base to conform to the global demands and standards of the 21st Century workplace.

    “As a step to addressing the challenge of the modern-day work demands, the UNN CONSULT reconsidered supplementing the efforts of the university in delivering a first class service to the nation, hence the need for this gap-bridging training. The training is informed by the observed debt and depth of skills gap amongst the technical staff of the university.”

    The Director of UNN CONSULT, Prof Obi Njoku, said the training availed the organisation an opportunity of identify challenges hindering effective laboratory operations among the staff.

    He said: “From the training, we have seen that our laboratory lacks basic safety facilities. We also discovered that a lot of employees were posted to areas they lack expertise. Even, some of the staff members lack the knowledge of laboratory dressing code. Many departments have knowledge gaps among staff in senior and junior cadres. Many departments do not have senior technologists. These are the reasons the training became necessary.”

    Njoku, a former Dean of the Faculty of Biological Sciences, urged the management to implement the recommendations emanated from the workshop to enhance efficiency of laboratory operation and research development.

    A participant, Mr Yunusa Olayinka, who is a curator at the Department of Archeology and Tourism, praised the organisers of the workshop, describing it as timely to raise staff efficiency.

    “The workshop has made us realised some of the things we took for granted. It has taught us various forms of laboratory hazards and how to curb them. We also learnt about work ethics. The organisers have bridged the gap of knowledge in many ways,” he said.

  • Dismissed DSS officer nabbed over alleged possession of 16 bags of cannabis

    Dismissed DSS officer nabbed over alleged possession of 16 bags of cannabis

    The Police Command in Enugu State says it has arrested a dismissed officer of the Department of State Service (DSS) and another for alleged possession of 16 bags of cannabis Sativa (a.k.a. Indian hemp).

    Mr Ebere Amaraizu, the Police Public Relations Officer, in a statement issued in Enugu on Monday, said that the suspects were arrested through intelligent information and a well-coordinated operation.

    Amaraizu said that the suspects are Emmanuel Ogbonna, who claimed to hail from Okpanam, Delta and Odo Chinedu of Aguabo, Enugu State.

    According to him, at the time of their arrest, Ogbonna had with him, an identity card of the DSS with the name Emmanuel Tako and number FCA552447.

    Amaraizu said that the suspects were nabbed when the operatives swooped on them at New Market axis of Enugu.

    He said that the bags of the weeds were concealed in the booth of their Camry car with registration number LSR 769 DF.

    Amaraizu added that the bags of weeds alongside the vehicle were recovered from them at the time of their arrest.

    He said that on investigation it was revealed that Ogbonna was dismissed as a DSS personnel but was using the identity card to transport weeds suspected to be cannabis Sativa.

  • NOA director tasks parents to strengthen moral values in family

    NOA director tasks parents to strengthen moral values in family

    Mr Isaac Onukwube, State Director of National Orientation Agency (NOA) Enugu State, has tasked parents to strengthen moral values in their families for proper upbringing of their children.

    Onukwube said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Enugu.

    According to him, family values need to be strengthened to curtail the high rate of crime and violence in the society.

    He expressed concern that parental care was lacking in many families in the society, a development he said had led many children to indulge various types of crime such as cultism and other anti-social activities.

    Onukwube also urged parents to have the number of children they could inculcate discipline and respect in to curtail crime in every community.

    He also called on parents to desist from displaying bad attitudes, adding that their children could easily copy them and by so doing, bring destruction on the society.

    “I call on every parent to desist from doing evil, for example, telling lies because their children will definitely learn from them.

    ”With such bad attitude the children of such parents will see cheating as a normal thing in life,” he said.

  • Police arrest two armed robbery suspects in hideout in Enugu

    Police arrest two armed robbery suspects in hideout in Enugu

    The Police Command in Enugu state on Thursday arrested two robbery suspects in a hotel in Gariki area of Ugwuoba community in Oji River Local Council of the state.

    Superintendent of Police Ebere Amaraizu, the command’s Public relations Officer, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday, said that the suspects were found with three loaded guns in their possession.

    “The suspects were arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Oji River Zone through intelligence information.

    “The suspects are helping the police in their investigations.

    “The command will continue to collaborate with sister security agencies and other stakeholders to ensure continued safety and peace in Enugu State,’’ he said

  • Ugwuanyi sacks three commissioners

    Ugwuanyi sacks three commissioners

    Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has dropped three commissioners in a minor cabinet reshuffle announced on Thursday.

    Those affected were commissioners for Information, Dr Godwin Udeuhele, Youth and Sport, Mr Charles Ndukwe and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Mr Smart Ogbe.

    The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Uwakwe Abugu confirmed the development to Government House Correspondents in Enugu.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that two commissioner nominees earlier screened by the state House of Assembly were sworn-in during the State Executive Council meeting.

    Those sworn-in are Mr Ogbuagu Anikwe, a veteran journalist who takes charge of the Information Ministry while Joseph Udedi was posted to Ministry of Youth and Sport.

    Until his appointment, Anikwe was the Chairman, Editorial Board of Business Day Newspapers and had worked at various times with the Guardian and Daily Times newspapers.

    NAN reports also that the third commissioner nominee also cleared by the assembly, Mr Donatus Ani, was absent during the event.

    According to Abugu, the change is the first step by the governor to reshape his cabinet for effective delivery of good governance to the people.

  • Man arraigned for killing daughter in Enugu

    Man arraigned for killing daughter in Enugu

    A 60 year old man identified as one Romanus Ugwuodo of Ogor village in Ikem Isi-Uzo local Government Area of Enugu state has appeared before an Enugu magistrate Court for allegedly killing his daughter.

    He was arraigned on a four count charge of conspiracy, murder, land and criminal.

    No plea was taken. The case was adjourned to August 31 this year pending the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution on the case file.

    According to a bulletin released by the Enugu police command spokesman, Ebere Amaraizu, a superintendent of police, the accused  had allegedly “on 23rd day of April, 2017 directed  for an unlawful trial by ordeal through Akolo Juju Shrine in Ogor village Ikem Isi Uzo and also the alleged possession of various charms together with the use of the Akolo Juju  which is reported to possess the power of causing natural phenomenon and disease and which in all, resulted in the death of his daughter identified as one Ebere Ugwuodo and that of his son identified as one Uchenna Ugwuodo said to have been killed through same means in January, 2016.”

    “The state criminal intelligence and Investigations Department of Enugu state command of the Nigeria Police Force”, states the bulletin, “had through the directives of the commissioner of police Danmallam Mohammed swung into action based on the petition received on the account of the alleged nefarious/criminal activities of the suspect who has allegedly and variously murdered his children using dangerous charms and Juju in 2016 and 2017 respectively and allegedly celebrating their death.”

    The bulletin further states: “It was further gathered that his nefarious activities came to the limelight after the death of his daughter Ebere  in which her burial became a problem as the irate mob besieged the suspects house where various charms and juju were removed leading to their unleashing of mayhem on the suspect and also burning down his house and were about sending him to his grave before police operatives from Isi uzo Division arrived the scene to save the situation and following this, the incident was brought to the state criminal intelligence and investigation Department on the directives of the state commissioner of police and after a discreet investigations suspect was arraigned formally in a law court.”

  • Enugu CJ discharges three, grants 15 inmates bail in Nsukka Prisons

    Enugu CJ discharges three, grants 15 inmates bail in Nsukka Prisons

    The Enugu State Chief Judge, Justice Priscilla Emehelu, on Monday discharged three inmates unconditionally and granted bail to 15 others during her visit to Nsukka Prisons.

    Emehelu advised the discharged inmates to be of good behaviour and avoid anything that would bring them back to prison.

    To those granted bail with liberal terms, she urged them to ensure they perfect their bails so that they would come to court for their case from home.

    “I have discharged three inmates unconditionally and granted 15 bail on liberal conditions as way of expediting justice in the state.

    “Those discharged should be of good behaviour and avoid anything that will bring them back to prison.

    “Those granted bails on liberal conditions should perfect their bails so that they will be going to court from their hmes,’’ she said.

    The chief judge, however, expressed concern that some inmates her predecessor granted bail and some she granted bail in Enugu Prisons on July 10, 2017 were yet to fulfil their bail conditions.

    “I call on their relations to come forward to fulfil the bail conditions so that they will be released,she said.
    The chief judge urged judiciary officers and lawyers to expedite actions to ensure that cases were disposed within reasonable time.

    She said that the state judiciary plans to start holding special court sessions in prisons in the state to ensure quick dispensation of justice.

    “Controller of prisons in the state should help us put arrangement in place in the three prisons in the state to hold court sessions so as to ensure quick dispensation of justice as well as decongest the prisons.’’

    Arinze Onogwu and Augustine Ogbodo, who were among three discharged unconditionally, thanked God for using the chief judge to come to their rescue.

    They promised to be of good behaviour as well as avoid anything that would make them commit any crime.

    “I thank God for showing me mercy today and I promised I will never commit crime again,” Onogwu said.

    “From today till my death, I will worship God as well as be a good citizen of this country,” Ogbodo said.