Three persons were feared dead on Saturday in an accident involving two vehicles at the 9th mile corner, a suburb of Enugu.
Several others were injured.
The vehicles, a Hiace mini bus conveying passengers from Onitsha was said to have rammed into a stationary commercial pick up van.
Confirming the incident, police spokesman, Ebere Amaraizu said the bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the nearby St. Saviors Hospital, Enugu.
The Nigerian Immigration Service, Enugu State command has decorated 33 newly promoted officers of the command.
The comptroller, Enugu State Command, Ibrahim Bashiru Ismail while speaking at the event, said that the 33 officers were among the over 700 officers that were recently promoted nationwide by the Nigerian Immigration Service.
The comptroller stated that the promotion of these officers was based on merit, effectiveness, loyalty and hardwork.
He praised the present administration for its spirited efforts to encourage officers who work hard by the promotion, even as he advised the promoted officers to justify the promotions by working harder.
He told the decorated officers that: “to whom much is given, much is expected; now you need to do more as gallant officers”.
He went further to advice other officers who were not among the promoted ones to keep working hard and waits for their time, which he said would come at the appointed time.
The Enugu State Director of State Security Mr. Victor Duru who was in attendance congratulated the newly promoted and decorated officers and urged them to give their all to the command.
He stated that both the promoted officers and those that were yet to be promoted should ensure they work selflessly to support the Nigerian Immigration and the country especially now that the country has numerous security challenges.
The Enugu State Commissioner of Police Mohammed Adamu Abubakar who also spoke at the event, stated that “this occasion is very great, it is something to celebrate. Officers are always encouraged to do more by promotion, and I advice them not to relax, now is when they are expected to even work harder”.
The Commissioner of Police also said that promotion which is based on merit and performance is done cadre by cadre and no officer can be promoted above his seniors or when it’s not yet their turn and therefore urge the yet to be promoted officers to exercise patience keep working hard and wait for their time.
One of the newly promoted officers Mrs. Chinenye Emelemmadu, who was promoted from the rank of Chief Superintendent of Immigration to the rank of Assistant Comptroller of Immigration while expressing her joy thanked the immigration service for what she called an honour, and promised to work as hard as her new rank requires.
•Onyebuchi gets notice
Traditional rulers in Nkanu land yesterday attempted to save Enugu State Deputy Governor Sunday Onyebuchi from being impeached.
The monarchs visited the Government House, Enugu where they met Governor Sullivan Chime.
A source said they interceded on behalf of the embattled deputy governor, begging the governor to intervene.
The source said the royal fathers told the governor that their son had shown remorse and assured him that he would not disobey his directives again.
Chime, however, reportedly told the monarchs that he wished he could intervene in the matter.
He said it was beyond his power, as the matter was a legislative issue, saying: “The executive does not interfere in the functions of the legislature.”
The deputy governor was served the notice of impeachment yesterday.
The Assembly on Tuesday began an impeachment process against Onyebuchi, alleging gross misconduct.
Moving a motion for the notice, the Leader, S.K.E. Udeh Okoye, representing Awgu North, said they were exercising the power vested by Section 188(1)–(9) of the 1999 Constitution.
Allegations of abuse of office and disobedience to the lawful directives of the governor were brought against the deputy governor.
The desire to tackle headlong, the challenge of an estimated 17 million housing deficit currently facing the country appears to be the new driving force behind the renewed vigour of mortgage institutions, federal and state governments across the country. From the LagosHOMS scheme, a housing initiative of the Lagos State government, to the Home Charter initiative of the Ogun State government and several others across the country, the frenzy has assumed a higher pitch.
For instance, the initiative of the Federal Government to set up the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Commission (NMRC) has brought brighter hope of more housing opportunities for Nigerians. The Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, at a stakeholders meeting in Abuja earlier in the year, said 10,000 Nigerians would own houses in the year through the NMRC. This optimism is buoyed by the World Bank’s $25 million (N4.1 billion) support for this mass housing initiative.
But even as Nigerians patiently await the commencement of the NMRC initiative meant to have taken off on June 30, the country’s primary mortgage financial institution, the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that mass housing for all is achieved. The recent inauguration of a 324-housing unit in Elm estate, Enugu, is a further testimony to this. The Elim Estate project, though developed by NBP Projects Limited, a firm of private property developers, it was fully financed by the FMBN through a construction loan it granted the developer. The FMBN gets its funding through the contributions generated from the National Housing Fund (NHF) scheme, which comprises mainly 2.5 per cent contributions from the monthly income of workers.
Elim estate comprises 128 units of one bedroom terrace units, and sells for N3.5 million each; 32 units of two-bedroom terrace units at the cost of N4.5million each; 89 units of two-bedroom blocks at the cost of N5.8million each; and 75 units of three bedroom bungalows costing N10million each. All the units are said to be delivered with good quality finishing, in addition to accompanying infrastructures of a good road network, electricity, sewage and other facilities to guarantee a comfortable and decent environment for its prospective occupant. The Estate equally has perimeter fencing, police post, tarred access roads, dedicated 500 KVA transformer, water reticulation, indoor sporting facilities and a shopping centre.
Vice President Namadi Sambo, at the inauguration of the Elim Estate, which is the latest effort of the FMBN, reiterated govern-ment’s commitment to the housing sector. He noted that the housing sector is vital to the socio economic development of any nation because it constitutes an important element of job and wealth creation. Sambo, obviously impressed by the composition of houses in the estate, praised the FMBN and the developer for ensuring that the scheme catered for affordability issues of individuals with its offering of one bedroom, two bedroom, three bedroom units, and at affordable prices to both low and medium income earners.
“This inauguration signifies the usefulness of synergy and corporation between government and the private sector. It underscores the effectiveness of the NHF as a veritable source of long term funding and justifies the need to strengthen the scheme through the recapitalisation of FMBN,” Sambo said, even as he expressed confidence that the NMRC which was launched last year, will bridge the cost of residential mortgages, stimulate availability of good houses to Nigerians and reduce affordability and gaps to finance.
The Managing Director of FMBN, Gimba Ya’u Kumo, also used the occasion to assure Nigerians of a better tomorrow concerning their housing needs. He said that the FMBN, in line with its mandate to provide affordable housing to Nigerians, has started the process of ensuring that participants on the NHF scheme had access to mortgage loans across the country.
Specifically, he said NHF participants and applicants to the scheme in Enugu are to be supported to buy houses in the Elim Estate scheme and others that would be developed.
He assured that low and medium income earners who qualify to own houses based on being regular contributors to the NHF scheme will benefit from a six per cent interest mortgage loan, which is repayable over a 30-year period. This is in line with the mandate of the FMBN which includes ensuring that Nigerians have access to cheap funding to owning their own houses.
I cannot but agree more with the well researched article written by Dr Johnbull Okpe, which harped on the need for Senator Ike Ekweremadu to be allowed to return to the Senate come 2015, because of his laudable achievements both at the National Assembly and the unprecedented service to his immediate constituency.
The article indeed brought to the fore the unfortunate past time of serving governors whose primordial desire is to frustrate and deny the party’s ticket to whoever is the incumbent from their constituencies simply because they want the appellation of ‘Distinguished Senator’ added to their Curriculum Vitae CV.
Shedding light on what is prevalent in the United States, where Senators serve for almost 37 and 40 years respectively at a stretch, it therefore beats one’s imagination hollow, why the hue and cry in Enugu State of the alleged desire of the incumbent governor to stop Senator Ekweremadu at a time his service is still needed by his people and nation for doing an excellent job so far.
There are other places governors can play deserving roles in national development other than the senate instead of heating up the political barometer like also being witnessed in Akwa Ibom where agitation is on also to stop the incumbent from returning to the senate.
One recalls with a sour taste in the mouth, where a former Governor of Enugu State, rail-roaded his way to the senate and there was nothing tangible on his record chart both in the debates on the floor of the senate or meaningful attraction of amenities and infrastructure to his people.
Tony Ugwuzo writes from Ogui, Enugu
Former House of Representatives member Hon. U.S.A Igwesi, in this interview with MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE, speaks on the margina-lisation of the Southeast and the zoning of the governorship to Enugu North Senatorial District .
What are we expecting in Enugu politics next year?
The government has zoned the governorship to Enugu North. Enugu is standing on a tripod, which comprises Enugu East, West and North. These are the three senatorial zones in the state. Enugu East, where Chimaroke Nnamani and I come from, Enugu North, which has done eight years in government. Governor Sullivan Chime, who would be completing his two terms of eight years in May 2015, is from Enugu West. So, by 2015, the governorship will be zoned to Enugu North, which has not produced a governor since the advent of the new political dispensation. The state party caucus has agreed on the formula. The governor and other prominent people from the state have agreed to keep faith with the arrangement by giving Enugu North the chance to produce the next governor of the state. However, there are dissenting voices, but they cannot stop the arrangement because it is well supported. Zoning is not written anywhere in our statute book, but we naturally agreed on work with the arrangement. If Enugu North presents the governor, it will be better for the state, for equity sake.
Governor Chime has done very well in the last seven and half years. He has transformed the state from what it used to be. Anybody who succeeds him should be able to do better. Since Chime intends to run for the Senate, where I believe he will do better, we should support him. He will run for the Senate where Senator Ike Ekweremadu is presently representing the constituency. I believe that Chime will do better. Ekweremadu has done three tenures.
If Ekweremadu does not return to the Senate, what next for him?
He can come home and watch from the ringside. Remember, I was at the National Assembly for some time and came back home, so there is nothing wrong in coming home to play local politics.
But, it appears that there is no agreement over the issue of zoning…
The governor wants everybody to come together to speak with one voice. Nobody likes trouble, if there is somebody who does not agree now, the next thing is trouble. They try to bring pandemonium and confusion. The governor has been trying his best to ensure that everything works well. At the national caucus level, when we met, he told everybody to come, so that we can reach agreement on how the next governorship will emerge. He said we should present one person because we still have other parties warming up for the same position. So, if we have problem in choosing a candidate now, it means we will have problem during the general election. You know, some people when they don’t like your face no matter what you do they will still not like your face.
Other parties will slug it out with the PDP during the election for the governorship. What does this division imply for your party?
As far as Enugu State is concerned, the only party on ground is the PDP. Our problem is not other parties, but PDP itself. Even if the people do not agree to zoning, the PDP will still rule Enugu because of what the governor has done. I was in government under Nnamani, we never had it so good like this. I was a participant and majority leader, so I saw everything and know to a larger extent the impact of Chime’s performance in the affairs of Enugu State. When Chime had health challenges, people wanted him to die, but to the glory of God, the man came out of it. We want him to present somebody to us because someone presented him and he performed. So, there is no other person that can present somebody other than Chime in Enugu State. He is the leader of the party in Enugu State and he has that prerogative.
What if the candidate presented is not acceptable?
We will tell him the person is not acceptable and he will give us another person. In fairness, he is not the only person that will take that decision. Other key stakeholders would make input in the decision and the party generally will look at the viability of such candidate. So, people are now looking up to Enugu North to come up with one candidate that would be acceptable.
The Southeast has fully thrown its weight behind President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2015 bid. What informed your position?
We are completely marginalised, even under the present administration. We have been marginalised in terms of democracy dividend and other things. To be honest to you, we are the only region that has been so marginalised. Apart from the second Niger Bridge, we cannot really point to concrete thing that the government has done for the Southeast. It is only the Southeast that we have five states, others have six. We have been asking God what is our offence. This is unfair, this is injustice, we are not really happy under this administration. The Southeast as a region do not speak with one voice. Our delegates at the National Conference do not have any serious agenda.
Chris Oji
Their joy knew no bounds when the state government initiated road projects in their communities. The people of Umuaga and Umuabi in Udi Local Government Council said their prayers had been answered. The roads had been a huge concern to them. So as it was clear that their nightmares were soon to be over, they started praising Governor Sullivan Chime, even nicknaming him the Great Transformer.
The 14.5 km roads cut across the two communities and connect them with Achi and other communities in Oji-River Local Government.
Representive of the governor at the flag-off, the state commissioner for Works, Engr. Godwin Madueke, said the the flag-off was in fulfilment of Governor Chime’s promise to provide access roads to all local government headquarters and agricultural areas in the state.
Madueke disclosed that the cost of the contract from Amokwe Station to Umuabi Road project which is 7km is N1.216 billion while Amokwe Station to Umuaga Road which is 7.5km, will cost N1.217billion. All will be completed in 12 months.
The commissioner stated that there different levels of supervision in order to ensure that standard specifications were adhered to in the execution of contract and they include the resident engineer, directot of highways, multiphase consultant and the commissioner who would visit the project from time to time.
He solicited the assistance of the people and residents of the communities in locating a borrow pit for laterite and in protecting the road by not burning inflammable materials like trys as well as dumping refuse in the drains to avoid drain overflowing to the road surface.
Madueke appealed to the communities to bring whatever complaints they have to the ministry, explaining that payments to the contractor would be made based on the certificates generated or work done.
The permanent secretary in the ministry of works who is an indigene of one of the communities, Innocent Onyia confiemed that the people of Umuaga and Umuabi had been yearning for rescue from the state government from the deplorable state of their roads.
Onyia was optimstic that with the flagoof of work on the roads, the people would hope hope of improving in their economic and social lives. “This explains our gratitude to His Excellency, Barrister Sullivan Chime, governor of Enugu State over the road projects. The people will be more grateful if the two roads are extended to link them with neighbouring communities in Awgu and Oji-River local government areas.”
A retired High Court judge from one of the communities in Umuabi, Justice Francis Ezeike described Chime’s gesture as fantastic, adding, “We fought for it before and after the civil war, several governments and administrators kept promising us of fixing this road, but none of them achieved it. We are grateful to God that Governor Sullivan Chime has achieved it.”
In thie same vein, special adviser to Governor Chime on special matters, Ndubuisi Ugwueze was full of praises to the governor saying, “It is a great day for the people of Umuaga because we have never had it loke this before as we are known as the best producers of palmwine, palmoil and palm kernel.”
Chairman of Umuabi stakeholders and General Coordinator, Total Mandate for Governor Sullivan, Charlie Chime said that his joy could not be quantified following the commencement of the road construction and commended Governor Chime for his gesture.
According to him, by constructing the roads, the governor has incresed the life span of the people of the community and the community was expressing total support to his government.
The leader of the women of the area, Mrs. Georgina Eze Ajaga expressed happiness over the projects as according to her, the roads would improve access for the transportation of abundant agricultural produce in the are to the urban for sale.
And the project manager of Greyline Nigeria Limited, the company handling the projects, Mohammed Kenaam assured that the company had all it takes to deliver quality jobs. “This is not a new case for us in road constructio. We have been in this are and the people know us and our camp is around here. I cannot make promises as what we have achieved is a testimony to our competence. Greyline Nigeria Limited is more than enough, we will fulfil our promise and we will finish the project by the grace of God as much as possible before 12 months.”
There is one more thing to cheer in Enugu State: shelter.
The state government has continued to make steady progress in the implementation of its four point agenda a road map produced to guide it in the committed efforts to serve the people of the state better.
Apart from roads and urban beautification, one other area the administration of Governor Sullivan Chime has made a difference in the provision of affordable houses for residents of the state.
Chime commissioned the 384 flat Maryland Estate in Enugu comprising two and three bed rooms built by the State Housing Development Corporation. The estate is for low income and middle level workers in the state. It consists of 324 two bedroom and 60 three bedroom.
The Maryland Estate is one among the many estates developed and being developed in Enugu to meet the demand for shelter from Enugu residents. The administration had developed such estates like the Coal City Garden, Greenland and Ekulu East, popularly known as Zoo estates. The Palm Beach Estate, near Nsukka is almost coming to completion and it was the first suburban estate. The buildings included thirty and fifty units of self contained bungalows.
And in line with the governor’s determination to provide affordable and decent accommodation to workers in the state, the state government had approved a N2 billion loan
offer from the Federal Mortgage Bank for the development of the Enugu State Workers Estate at Ogbeke Nike, Enugu East local government area.
The project which will be executed by two Estate developers, Ceebt World Development and Kayllods Limited, will consist of two bedroom, 3-bedroom bungalow, 4-bedroom duplex and 2-bedroom block of flats.
The Maryland Estate was started by the administration of former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani but the project was abandoned by the same administration after putting up only two blocks. Nnamani christened the estate Loma Linda after his school in the United States. But upon taking over the completion of the estate, Governor Chime returned its original name of Maryland.
Chime while commissioning the Maryland Estate has this to say: “I am delighted to be here to commission one project that is so dear to our heart, in fulfillment of our part of obligations to our people. We are here essentially here today to commission this laudable project which was commenced by the past administration. We have been attacked severally for abandoning projects started by the past administration.
“I believe all those attacking us will today realise that it has been long all these while, that it has been the policy of this administration to continue with projects that will endure to the benefit of the people of Enugu state,
“When we came in, we saw a project that was started, although no serious effort had been put in to realise that project. The contract was then awarded to a not too serious contractor. The whole concept of it was wrong. And we took it over, and today, we have this to show for our efforts.
“The same thing happened at the Ekulu East Estate, popularly known as Zoo Estate. That was what happened there. We came newly, we met a beautifully conceived estate but the machinery that was put in place to build the estate was so poorly executed. What was intended for that estate was not fully realised. We took it over. People who were given free plots, who were not actually intending to develop those plots; we have to revoke and distribute them to more serious people who immediately developed that place.
“If you go there, it is about the best estate we have, not just in Enugu but in the country. So in developing estate, it has to go with passion and you must be serious about it. It is not just about dashing people or giving people plots. If you want to develop an estate for the use and benefit of our people, you have to do so seriously.”
He poured encomiums on the the managing director of the Enugu Housing Development Corporation saying: :We want to thank the Managing Director of the Enugu Housing Corporation, Ikeji Asogwa, who had already told us what we have been able to do in the past two years. I will not repeat them. All the accolades that we have in the housing sector, we can easily say thanks to you. You have been a shining star. You have shown that your appointment was not a mistake. If given the opportunity, I will appoint you a million times over.”
He expressed hope that the incoming administration would “continue in this aspect to ensure that our people are fully accommodated. In Enugu we have this policy of not saying no to any application for land. Some people, when they get their approvals for land, they will say thank you. They believe it is a right. We all have a right to own land in Enugu if you can afford it. So a matter of policy, we have been giving approvals, but the problem has been availability of land.
“But recently, we have been able to earmark a place to be able to meet the demand for lands. All the efforts we made in the past, once upon a time, we acquired some thousands of hectares of lads to meet the demand of our people in respect of lands. But one big project took it over. We have recently also, dezoned an area and in a very short while, we should we should be able to meet all the demands of already approved applications for land to ensure that our people explain themselves and do what they want to do. But at the same time, I encourage the Housing Corporation in this area of developing, and letting people buy developed properties.”
Also speaking at the occasion, the state commissioner for Housing, Mr. Victor Okolo said th intention of the government was to ensure that the teeming people of Enugu state can say at least, ‘we can have a roof of our own.”
He said the essential thing about Enugu was that Enugu had been the capital of everything viz the capital of the Southern Protectorates, capital of Eastern Region, capital of East Central state, Capital of aol Anambra state and Old Enugu state regretting: “And our people, the indigenes of this state kept catching up, but not as fast our colleagues who were there before us.”
According to him, the situation made it that “most of our people are still under other peoples roof.”
The Neighbourhood Watch of an Enugu State community is under intense scrutiny following allegations of victimisation levelled against the outfit, a development that has shaken up the entire community.
The vigilance outfit, Aji Community Neighbourhood Watch in Igboeze North Local Government Area has been accused of masterminding the killing of some innocent citizens of the Aji community “purely on the grounds of vendetta and not on grounds of commission of any crime.”
As a result of a petition to the Inspector-General of Police by a section of the community, men from the Force Headquarters Abuja, penultimate week stormed Aji and whisked away the chairman of the Aji Community Neighbourhood Watch and two others believed to have been masterminds of the series of killings that bedevilled the community in the past three months.
In the month of March 2014, the Aji Community witnessed the assassination of two persons named Oforma Itodo four days after he buried his mother and Obinna Onoja one week later.
It was learnt that prior to the death of Itodo, he raised an alarm in a written petition to the Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Abubakar over a threat to his life in which the I-G, in turn, forwarded the petition to the Enugu State Police Commissioner for prompt investigation.
Narrating to our correspondent on the alleged killings in Aji, a source from the community who pleaded anonymity for security reasons, said Obinna Onoja was gruesomely killed by the Aji Neighbourhood Watch after alleging that he stole some undisclosed items from the compound of a top Enugu State Government official.
The source narrated: “Before the Enugu State Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) could arrive in the scene where Obinna Onoja was killed, the Neighbourhood Watch group tortured him severely, using axe and machetes to chop off his toes.”
While confirming that his group arrested Obinna Onoja over some criminal activities in the community for interrogation, the Chairman of Aji Neighbourhood Watch, Mr. Joseph Azegba denied their involvement in his death, adding that they only interrogated him after which he was handed over to the police for further questioning.
“We did not kill Obinna Onoja. We only contacted the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Igbo-Eze North and the SARS and handed him over for further investigation into his case,” he said.
In the case of Oforma Itodo who was also allegedly killed by the same Aji Neighbourhood Watch few days after burying his mother, a family member who narrated the act, said they were about 50 who stormed their compound with axe, guns and machetes and refused to listen to appeals made by those who were still mourning.
He said: “The assailants went straight for Oforma who was carrying his little baby and started assaulting him after which they dragged him out of the compound to an undisclosed location where they butchered him and abandoned his lifeless body.
“We are still in the dark over the barbaric act of the vigilance group. This is why we decided to petition the Inspector-General of Police to help us unravel the reason behind their actions and bring to book the killers of our brother.”
The family source made reference to the earlier petition written by the deceased to the Inspector-General of Police where he raised an alarm that his life was no longer safe in the community.
According to him, the matter was surprisingly charged to court and Oforma, who initially was the complainant, suddenly became the accused.
“What we discovered in the court was a total contrast to what my brother complained in his petition. They completely twisted the matter and surprisingly my brother became the accused but to God be the glory the High Court in Enugu discovered the truth and discharged him.
“But ever since his discharge from court, the same set of people whom we know have the backing of a top government official in the community have been terrorising the entire community hiding under Aji Neighbourhood Watch to carry out their evil acts. They kept on trailing Oforma until they finally made sure they hacked him to death.
“We know the killers of our brother and can identify some of them because they came in the day time. They didn’t wear any mask. You know this is an era of rule of law and democracy; if actually Oforma committed any offence, what any right thinking person should do is to hand him over to the security agency for prosecution and not taking laws into their own hands.
“What we later understood was that there has been a parallel Neighbourhood Watch group in the community and that the killing of Oforma was to permanently seal the confession made by a member of the other group which they claimed Oforma was privy to,” he said.
Women of the community, under the aegis of Aji Women Forum (AWF) with Mrs. Amaka Uramah as leader, had cried out to relevant authorities to disband the Neighbourhood Watch before the community becomes a war zone.
The women leader lamented bitterly on the spate of killings in the community.
She said: “Our sons are being killed under mysterious circumstances. The killings were as a result of the dissolution of the previous vigilance group: we lost three of our young men last year and again two of them have also been killed recently.
“Before this crisis, Aji community has been relatively peaceful to the extent that our traditional ruler, Igwe Simeon Osisi Itodo was honoured as the most security conscious traditional ruler in the entire Southeast geo-political zone.
“As mothers, who carried these children in our wombs for nine months, we are tired of seeing horrible things and we want an end to it now,” she said.
Uramah, a teacher and chairperson of the Catholic Women Organisation in Aji recounted how body parts of their sons were mutilated.
According to her, last year, one Festus Idoko and Ndubuisi were slaughtered and their body parts mutilated while another, Uche Nwaossai’s decomposed body was found in his father’s water tank.
A magistrate in Enugu State Judiciary, Mrs. Ifeoma Nneji has been reportedly died inside her cell in Enugu Prison in the wee hours of Wednesday.
The deceased was said to have died of complications arising from shock.
She was remanded in Enugu prison along with her husband on Monday after they were arraigned for “conspiracy, false information and attempted murder.”
The deceased magistrate, served at Oji River Magisterial District before she was recently suspended by the State Judicial Service Commission on account of her alleged involvement in the abduction of a 9-year-old-girl.
Prison sources said that she became ill about 24 hours after she arrived the prison following her remand by an Enugu Magistrate Court for allegedly assaulting a female tenant residing in her husband’s house.
Nneji, her husband, Mr. Ifeanyi Nneji and another unnamed person living with them were said to have beaten and injured the tenant over an undisclosed squabble which resulted in the arraignment and remand of the couple.
Comptroller of Enugu Prison, Mr. Alloy Uchenna confirmed the death of the magistrate but said that the Deputy Controller in-charge of the prison was yet to brief him about what transpired.
The State Police spokesman, Ebere Amaraizu, said that Mrs Nneji and her husband were re-arraigned for another case of conspiracy, false information and attempted murder on Monday and were subsequently remanded in prison.
“They were remanded in Enugu prison custody where she died yesterday. The matter for which they were charged commenced from Abakpa Division and was later transferred to State Criminal Investigations Department, CID from where they were arraigned on Monday and the court remanded them in prison. We heard the Magistrate died on Tuesday but the cause of her death is not yet known,” the state police spokesman said.
Nneji was on March 2, 2014 arrested by the police for allegedly abducting a 9-year-old child.