The Nation Newspaper

Tag: invaded

  • Ortom: one million cattle invaded us after Cat Race

    Ortom: one million cattle invaded us after Cat Race

    •IDPs reject military’s medical outreach

    Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has said that over one million cattle invaded the state after the military launched Operation Cat Race (Ayem Akpatuma).

    He spoke at the funeral site of the 73 victims of the New Year’s Day attack, when Senior Pastor, of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Paul Enenche, and his wife Becky, visited.

    Ortom appealed to the military to flush out the invaders so that the over 160,000 displaced people can return home.

    According to him, over 60 people have been killed since the mass burial; three of them last week in Guma Local Government Area.

    Pastor Enenche, who anointed the land, prayed for God’s justice and judgment against the killers and their sponsors.

    Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Anyiin, Logo Local Government Area, have rejected the medical services sponsored by the military team on Operation Cat Race.

    There are over three camps in Logo, with over 100,000 IDPs.

    The medical team arrived at Anyiin yesterday with medical equipment, but the IDPs and other residents rejected the offer, saying “we want the enforcement of anti-open grazing law”.

    Most victims said they could not accept the treatment while Fulani herdsmen destroyed their crops and killed people under the guise of grazing.

    Iorhen Abur told The Nation that the military should arrest Fulani militia and make their homes safe for them to return before talking of treatment.

    The military team stayed at the camp for over five hours with no patient to attend to, and so left with their equipment.

    Spokesman of the 707 Special Forces Brigade could not be reached for comments.

  • Daily Times property invaded in ownership dispute

    Daily Times property invaded in ownership dispute

    Property estimated at millions of naira belonging to Daily Times in Lagos has been demolished.

    This followed a dispute over the ownership of the publishing outfit.

    Daily Times publisher Fidelis Anosike, who represents the firm’s parent company, Folio Communications Limited, alleged that the demolition was the handiwork of agents of Senator Ikechukwu Obiora, who is contesting the firm’s ownership with the publisher.

    Anosike said armed policemen and suspected thugs, last Thursday, invaded the newspaper’s headquarters at Agidingbi in Ikeja, the Lagos State capital, and carted away over N3 million cash, a 100 KVA generator, computers and furniture, among others.

    According to him, the inavaders also went to Daily Times multi-billion naira property at 15, Cooper Road in Ikoyi, occupied on lease by ace television broadcaster, Patrick Oke, and demolished it.

    But Obiora disputed the claims.

    He said whatever actions he took were in compliance with a valid court order.

    Anosike spoke on Monday at the firm’s headquarters.

    He said: “When they came in, Ikechukwu Obiora and the fake policemen carted away all our computers. They came on last Thursday and took over the premises, chased the workers away and took away the computers and money. They broke down the place, all in the name of trying to take over Daily Times.”

    Anosike accused Obiora of working in cahoots with a Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) and a Lagos-based property magnate.

    According to him, Obiora has a contrived interest in the property.

    Anosike said: “He (Obiora) claimed he was the owner of Daily Times. He then sued the paper through another company of his, claiming that Daily Times owed that other company N2 million. He further claimed that both companies had entered a consent judgment, agreeing that Daily Times had agreed to give up all its assets worth over N9 billion to that other company as payment for the N2 million debt.

    “So, it was on that basis they moved in here. It wasn’t based on an order. It was just impunity.”

    Oke, a former Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) presenter, corroborated part of Anosike’s claims.

    He said his family was thrown out of the Ikoyi property he had occupied for 14 years before it was demolished.

    According to him, his wife was not allowed to take anything from his home or studio, which Obiora’s men allegedly took away.

    Oke said: “A certain Obiora came here once and said he co-owns the Daily Times with Folio Communications’ Mr Anosike. He said he was the landlord of this place. I have been here for 14 years.

    “I said it was not true because I have been dealing with the Anosikes for 14 years and that they are the ones I know and recognise as owners of the land.

    “Obiora claimed they had been to court to resolve the issue and I told him if he was serious, he should provide proof of what he was saying. He said he did not have time for all that, that he came to relocate me.

    “I was surprised! A place I have been living in for 14 years. How can you just come and say you want to relocate me?

    “I have spent millions on this property, putting it in good shape and making it habitable. Suddenly, he wants to throw me out!

    “Obiora said he was going to Abuja and that when he got back, we would conclude.

    “I travelled to Abuja the following week. Whilst I was there, I suddenly got a call from Lagos on November 21, saying some policemen were coming to raid my house the next day.

    “I called my lawyer and he was here in the morning of November 22. My lawyer filed a stay of execution before a Magistrates’ Court at Igbosere and we were given December 19 for the hearing. The magistrate ignored it and executed their plans.

    “My lawyer made them to understand that the occupant was not Daily Times but me; still, they did not listen.

    “They brought armed policemen and different people. They broke in and started throwing out all my things. They brought trucks and started packing my property. I don’t have the slightest idea where they took my things to.

    “My wife begged to take certain things but they refused. They later accepted on the grounds that she would pay them N1 million.

    “About 40 people were brought to destroy the property. This is my life; everything I’ve ever worked for was here.

    “We went to court to stop it but the court kept avoiding it. I have lost confidence in the Nigerian court system.

    “We are suing for damages and I hope Obiora can cope because we will go to the end of the earth to get payment for the damage done here.

    “Until recently, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) ordered his arrest. Since then, they have disappeared. The IG has proved that the country is not so helpless, that there is still a voice. We are really grateful to him for this. This has restored my hope that Nigeria is not all corrupt after all.”

    But Obiora said Oke was evicted pursuant to a Lagos State Magistrates’ Court’s judgment and that the property was handed over to his wife.

    According to him, Anosike is an impostor.

    He said: “Fidelis Anosike has no locus to talk about Daily Times. He is not an officer of the Daily Times in any capacity whatsoever: not as shareholder, a director or secretary, chairman or anything. He’s just an impostor who has been sacked from this company since 2010 by the judgment of a Federal High Court on account of the fact that he sold assets of the company to purport to use to pay for his own shares and the court declared that he acquired no shares in the company.

    “He and his group, Folio Communications Limited, as well as his brothers have been sacked from this company since 2010. But they refused to leave. The Federal High Court said they never invested one kobo in the company.”

  • How Wike’s agents invaded my home, damaged my husband’s car –Ex-Rivers commissioner

    How Wike’s agents invaded my home, damaged my husband’s car –Ex-Rivers commissioner

    The immediate past Commissioner of Information and Communications in Rivers State, Nrs. Ibim Semenitari, has accused Governor Nyesom Wike of sending more than 10 policemen armed with machine guns to invade her home and damage a vehicle belonging to her husband.

    In a statement she issued yesterday, Semenitari said the policemen came in two trucks to her No 12A, Ernest Ikoli Street, Oki, Old GRA, Port Harcourt in two vehicles and without a search warrant, letter or previous information, invaded her home on Thursday under the pretext of recovering government properties.

    Accusing Governor Wike of employing “brigandage, thuggery and underhand tactics”, Semenitari said the invaders also threatened to take away a Lexus jeep duly allocated to her as Commissioner of Information and which by law she was entitled to leave office with.

    The statement, which gave details of the alleged invasion of her house by Wike’s agents, reads: “On Thursday June 18, 2015, over 10 policemen armed with machine guns and in two trucks—One Ford Transit and One Hilux—arrived my residence, No 12 A Ernest Ikoli Street, Old G.R.A Port Harcourt. Without either a search warrant, letter or precious information, they forced their way into my premises.

    “My security guard on duty requested to know their mission and who sent them. They refused to disclose either but went round taking photographs and videoing my premises.

    “The security guard got in touch with my assistant who spoke with the men, explaining to them that I was out of town and again requested to know their mission and purpose. Again, they declined, insisting on seeing me first.

    “She then got in touch with me by phone as we were uncertain as to the identity of the policemen in question.

    “Upon further investigation and after about three hours of them laying siege to my premises, I was told that they were from Rivers State Government House and had been sent to recover vehicles in my possession.

    “They attempted to break into a Range Rover Jeep belonging to my husband and bought long before I was made a commissioner in Rivers State Government, damaging the front door.”

    Semenitari said the vehicle in question belonged to her husband, adding that “contrary to the lies being peddled, it is not an armoured vehicle and has never at any point belonged to the Rivers State Government nor its agents, including myself as Commissioner of Information.

    “By the time I finally made contact with them and expressed my displeasure, they insisted that they would take away a Lexus jeep duly allocated to me as Commissioner of Information and which by law I am entitled to leave with upon leaving office.

    “The monetization policy of the government allows public officers to leave government with their official vehicles, as this is in lieu of vehicle, allowance, transport and other allowances, which they cannot draw because of the monetization policy of 2002.

    “Mr. Nyesom Wike served as Chief of Staff, and upon departure left with all the vehicles he used as Chief of Staff. This has been the practice since this democratic dispensation when President Olusegun Obassanjo instituted the monetisation policy.

    “Having served as Commissioner for two tenures, I am entitled to my status cars and have proof of allocation.”

    She accused Governor Wike of a deliberate ploy to destroy the reputation of his predecessor, Chibuike Amaechi, but she would not understand why the new governor would employ “underhand tactics” to achieve this.

    She said: “While I understand that Mr. Wike feels a dire need to destroy the reputation of Governor Amaechi and all those worked with him, it is unacceptable that he will engage in brigandage, thuggery and underhand tactics to do so.

    “A simple letter from any government official requesting me to make a submission or tender documentation would have been the appropriate way to go and I would have willingly tendered all the relevant documents to them.

    “Breaking into my home, invading my privacy, damaging my property and removing property from my premises is inappropriate and illegal.

    I have chosen however to put out these details in the public space as it is apparent that for some persons, only a destruction of my hard earned reputation would do, and this I would not accept.

    “My records in the Ministry of Information are crystal clear. I hope that Mr. Nyesom Wike is able to say same about his tenure in every office he has held.”

  • ‘Boko Haram invaded Gamboru with armoured tanks’

    ‘Boko Haram invaded Gamboru with armoured tanks’

    •Residents relive experience as Shettima visits Borno community

    Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima heard yesterday that Boko Haram members invaded Gamboru, a commercial town near the nation’s border with Cameroon last Monday, with armoured personnel carriers (APCs).

    The residents said the sect members invaded the town at 1am and operated till 9am without being challenged by security agencies.

    Last Monday, Boko Haram killed over 300 people and burnt the markets in the town in a daring overnight attack.

    Shettima commiserated with the bereaved families and promised to assist the traders to return to business.

    He said: “If a trader lost goods worth N100 or even N10 million, we will try our best to augment with the little resources at our disposal. We may not be able to meet all your expectations at this trying time, but I assure you we will do our best.”

    The governor cautioned that the task of rebuilding Gamboru should not be left to the government alone.

    He said all should work together to restore the town’s commercial strength which had given it an international status.

    A resident, Musa Gamboru, told our reporter what the town experienced during the hours of Boko Haram siege.

    He said: “They (Boko Haram members) burnt down the market and most structures of economic value to the people. All the trailers waiting to carry goods from here to Cameroon and other states of the country were equally burnt down.

    “We are not happy about the way they laid siege on our town and render us economically useless. The soldiers had a clear signal that the sect members were coming, because they came with four small sized armoured tanks. They were shooting from afar such that the residents of Ngala (a neighbouring town) could hear the artillery. Most of us took off before they surrounded the town.

    “My brother, you can’t believe this: they took several bags of beans and assorted grains and burnt down the remaining so that the people would not be left even with crumbs to eat or sell the next day.

    “That was the fourth time they visited us and the only time they succeeded in penetrating the place, killing over 200 of our people.”