Tag: Enugu

Operatives of the Enugu state police command have arrested twenty-nine suspects for their alleged involvement in kidnapping in the state.

The state commissioner of police, Kanayo Uzuegbu, who disclosed this while briefing journalists on the successes recorded by his command between April and May 2024, said that the command also arrested other suspects over their involvement in different offences.

He stated that some of the suspects had been arraigned in court and remanded at the correctional centre while the remaining ones would be arraigned after investigations.

The CP stated that out of the total number of arrested persons, 29 were involved in kidnapping, while others were involved in armed robbery, vandalisation, murder, cultism, rape, and unlawful possession of firearms.

He disclosed that the victim of rape was arrested on the 25th of April after defiling a four-year-old girl and causing serious damage to his house.

Read Also: Alia to demolish kidnappers’ houses

Kanayo described Enugu State as the most peaceful state in Nigeria, expressing happiness that the people of the state are law-abiding.

He used the opportunity to describe the sit-at-home order of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as an aberration and urged people to go about their lawful businesses, assuring that the command would provide security for them.

On the recent attack by suspected herdsmen that led to the death of four persons, he promised to partner with the commissioners of police in Benue and Kogi States against the crime.

“It is important to inform you that a majority of the suspects arrested have been arraigned in court and remanded in Correctional Custodial Centre, while others are still being investigated. Interestingly, two male suspects involved in conspiracy and abduction were arraigned, convicted, and sentenced to three (3) years imprisonment.

“I make bold to say that Enugu State has generally remained relatively peaceful, secured, and safe enough for law-abiding residents and visitors to continue to carry out their legitimate businesses.

“This is despite the so much media hysteria generated over some of the few criminal situations recently recorded in the State.

“There is no denying the fact that we live in a time when there is a high level of citizens’ journalism, which is highly wrapped with misinformation and disinformation peddling, through the internet, especially social media. I, however, urge our citizens, particularly media practitioners and netizens, to always tow the path of discretion, objectivity, and accuracy when reporting sensitive security issues”, he stated

The organized labour in Enugu state has said that some retirees in the state civil service were still being paid N1,000 monthly as their pension.

The state chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Benneth Asogwa, and his counterpart in the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Fabian Nwigbo disclosed this while addressing the state governor, Dr. Peter Mbah on behalf of workers during the Workers’ Day celebration at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu on Wednesday.

According to the TUC chairman, there was an urgent need for an upward review of the pension to improve the social and economic wellbeing of retirees, lamenting that pensioners were still owed outstanding pensions, a development he added, had put so much pressure on their health and general wellbeing.

The workers also demanded that “payment of outstanding pension to retirees of state parastatals, local government and primary schools and the incorporation of parastatal retirees into the state central monthly pensions platform.

“Harmonization of pensions and payment of gratuity to retirees at both state and local government levels”, as well implementation of Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for the Health Professionals and workers in the State Health system.

Read Also: Subsidy removal: Mbah okays N25,000 cash award for Enugu workers

For the NLC chairman, the government should ensure that after the verification of pensioners, payment of the arrears of gratuity should commence to alleviate the sufferings of persons in that category.

The workers, among others pressing demands, also called for a review of the termination of the appointment of some staff of Enugu State College of Education Technical (ESCET), most of who had worked in the institution for over two years before the announcement of the sack.

Governor Mbah, who was represented by his deputy, Ifeanyi Ossai, empathized with the Nigerian workers in the current hardship they face in the face of the economic situation in the country. 

He stayed that his administration was aware of their challenges, pleaded for their understanding and more patience.

He said: “No one can pretend that there are challenges in our country that the income the workers receive hardly is enough to cater for their basic needs. This is because we don’t exist in another planet. We live with our people. They go to the same market. Families buy fresh the same petrol stations, buy from the same shops with their children going to the same schools and hospitals.

“We know how hard it is for every worker. But all we are asking from our workers is for them to be patient with us. Within the means available to government, we keep doing all we can to make life a lot better for the workers of Enugu State.

“But, you must also understand that for everything we have failed to do, not for want of desire to fulfill. It is because of non-availability of resources to meet the outstanding obligations of government.

“That’s why we’re trying to create wealth. That’s why we’re aggressive on our local and foreign drive for investments. That’s why we’re trying to create jobs”.

On pensioners that were yet to be paid in various parastatals and corporations, the governor promised to look into the matter with a view to solving it with dialogue the way previous issues were settled.

•Official begs Mbah, CP to save his life

Crisis has hit the GSM Village Traders Association, Enugu following a botched election into the leadership of the association.

 The election, which was supposed to have taken place in November last year, was said to have been cancelled over a disagreement among the contestants.

 According to the chairman electoral committee, Mr. Marcel Iloghalu, since the cancellation of the polls, a former chairman of the market and one of the contestants in the election, had been using the police to hound him.

Read Also: Simi discusses impact of motherhood on music, marriage

 Speaking with newsmen in Enugu weekend, Iloghalu made a passionate appeal to Governor Peter Mbah and the state commissioner of police to save him from untimely death over the election.

“After he appointed me as the chairman of the electoral committee to conduct the election last October, a former chairman and his group started calling me to swing the election in their favour.

“They were pushing me to disqualify the other chairmanship candidate to enable a former chairman win unopposed. But I refused and told them that everyone would be given the opportunity to contest,” he said.

This development, he said, made them demand back the money they paid for forms despite knowing that the money paid for forms was non-refundable.

 He also disclosed that the group also made a failed attempt to use the Enugu North LGA to remove him as the electoral committee chairman; a development he disclosed was being challenged in court by the union members.

 “Since then, they have been using the divisional police officer and his men to chase me around and even threaten my life.

 “I no longer go to my shop because of their threats. I got information that they want to take me to a magistrate court on a trumped-up charge of advance fee fraud in order to put me in prison just to enable them to have their way.

 “They have invited me to the police on several occasions. Just two days ago on Thursday at the court, they brought policemen from New Heaven police station to arrest me. 

“In the process of that scuffle, I fell down and hit my head on the tarred court premises, thereby passing out. I got myself several hours later in the police hospital where I was eventually revived.

Crisis has hit the GSM Village Traders Association, Enugu following a botched election into the leadership of the association.

The election, which was supposed to have taken place in November 2023, was said to have been cancelled over disagreement among the contestants into the leadership of the market.

According to the chairman electoral committee, Mr. Marcel Iloghalu, since the cancelation of the polls, the former chairman of the market and one of the contestants in the election, Mr. Ikenegbu Kenechukwu, had been using the police to hound him after he failed to do his bidding to install him for second term.

Speaking with newsmen in Enugu at the weekend, Iloghalu appealed to Governor Peter Mbah and the Commissioner of Police to save him from untimely death over the election.

“After he appointed me as the chairman of the electoral committee to conduct the election last October, the former chairman and his group started calling me to swing the election in their favour.

“They were pushing me to disqualify the other chairmanship candidate to enable the former chairman win unopposed. But I refused and told them that everyone would be given the opportunity to contest”, he said.

This development, he said, made them to demand back the money they paid for forms despite knowing that the money paid for forms was non-refundable.

He also disclosed that the group also made a failed attempt to use the Enugu North LGA to remove him as the electoral committee chairman, a development he disclosed was being challenged in court by the union members.

“Since then, they have been using the divisional police officer of the New Heaven police station and his men to chase me around and even threatened my life. 

“I no longer go to my shop because of their threats. I got information that they want to take me to a magistrate court on a trumped up charge of advance fee fraud in order to put me in prison just to enable them have their way.

“They have invited me to the police on several occasions. Just two days ago on Thursday at the court, they brought policemen from New Heaven police station to arrest me. 

“In the process of that scuffle, I fell down and hit my head on the tarred court premises, thereby passing out. I got myself several hours later in the police hospital where I was eventually revived. 

“So, in view of all these troubles, I’m appealing to the state commissioner of police to call his men, especially the DPO New Heaven police station, to order. I did not offend anybody. 

“I also appeal for the state government intervention. My life is under threat. I can no longer do my business in peace”, he said.

Read Also: Reps Speaker Abbas, Enugu governor mourn Ayogu Eze

The former chairman of the market, Ikenegbu Kenechukwu, dismissed the allegations as frivolous, saying Iloghalu’s committee was dissolved by the local government, which directed him to handover every file and money to the new electoral committee appointed by the council to take charge of the election.

“Since then, he held on to the money and refused to hand over as he was directed to do by the local government authorities. He later started transferring the money back to the individuals instead of as directed.

“He was the person that dragged us to the same local government area and the police. But, after listening to his story, they asked him to quit. Already he was biased and was having meeting with our opponents,” Ikenegbu said.

A popular restaurant owner, identified simply as Oforma (aka Ofor Onye Ofe Olugbu) was on Monday night shot dead at Ogrute roundabout in Igboeze North Local Government Area of Enugu State by vigilante operatives known as Neighbourhood Watch in the area.

It was gathered the security team had gone to arrest someone in Offor’s restaurant but were resisted.

The situation, eye witnesses said, degenerated into a fight between the restaurant owner and the security operatives. 

In the ensuing fracas, the restaurant owner was shot in the back by one of the security operatives. 

The eyewitness further narrated that on seeing what had happened, the security men took to their heels, abandoning their vehicle which was later set ablaze by the angry youths.

The victim was rushed to St. Mary’s Hospital Ogrute where he was confirmed dead in the early hours of Tuesday.

A viral video of the security vehicle belonging to the neighborhood watch group was seen in flames as it was set ablaze by irate youths who trooped out to confront the security operatives.

Latest information also indicated that the youths have launched a manhunt for the fleeing security personnel.

A group known as Concerned Igboeze North Youths (CINY) confirmed the development in a post on social media on Tuesday morning.

Read Also: Army detains soldier for alleged killing of girlfriend in Enugu

The post reads: “We lost him. The guy that was allegedly shot dead by Igboeze North LGA Security personnel. St Mary’s hospital doctor at Ogrute confirmed him dead.

“This is so bad to say RIP. A breadwinner is gone; a father is gone; someone’s husband is gone; someone’s son; Uncle, brother, in-law etc is gone”.

They called on Igboeze North political leaders, the police, the chairman of the local government, the State Government and other relevant agencies to commence an urgent investigation to bring the culprits to justice.

Enugu Police Command was yet to react to the development as of the time of filing this report.

Twenty-Three inmates of the Enugu Custodial Centre bagged masters, first degree and Post Graduate Diploma of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) yesterday.

Five of them bagged master’s degree, 17 bagged first degrees while one got a Post-Graduate Diploma.

The 23 are products of NOUN’s study centre at the custodial facility, who completed their various courses within four or five years.

State Coordinator of NOUN, Nigerian Correctional Service, Mrs Jennifer Nwonyi, presented the degrees and diploma to the graduates at a virtual convocation held at the Enugu Custodial Centre.

She noted that the graduates had defied all odds to attain the great heights.

“I am overwhelmed with joy that God granted these students the grace to successfully complete their studies to become graduates of NOUN.

Read Also: Enugu monitoring team pays surprise visit to council HQ

“Thank God that these graduates overcame the psychological challenge of attending to rigours of years study while being held at the custodial centre.

“I say congratulations to our graduates and wish them great advancements as we have prepared them to face and overcome future challenges when they leave the custodial centre,” Nwonyi said.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Sunday Oyakhire, Deputy Controller of Corrections in charge of Enugu Maximum Custodial Centre, thanked NOUN for organising the courses and for providing facilitators.

In his remarks, Mr Arinzechukwu Onovo, the correctional centre’s Desk Officer for  NOUN programmes, encouraged the graduates to continue to search for knowledge, saying “it is the key to unlock many potentials.”

“We had a greater number of graduates of NOUN courses this year than we had last year.

“We will continue to encourage more inmates to take advantage of free educational reformation available at the correctional facility in partnership with NOUN,” Onovo said.