The Nation Newspaper

Tag: UGOCHUKWU UGOJI-EKE

  • One feared dead as herdsmen, farmers clash in Abia

    One feared dead as herdsmen, farmers clash in Abia

    There has been a clash between men suspected to be Fulani herdsmen and the people of Umuobasikwu, Ozuitem community in Bende local government area of Abia state leading to one person believed to have been killed.

    The clash is also said to have led to the damaging of crops and farm lands worth several millions of naira in the incident said to have taken place late Sunday evening which the Commissioner of Police (CP) Leye Oyebade has confirmed.

    Speaking with newsmen late on Monday in Umuahia, Oyebade said that the situation has been brought under control as mobile policemen have been drafted to the community to secure life and property as well as prevent the situation from, getting out of hands.

    Oyebade who personally visited the community to ascertain the level of damages appealed to both parties to sheath their sword and give peace a chance, stressing that no meaningful peace would come out if the situation is not brought under control.

    He said that a large committee comprising representatives of the herdsmen, Hausa/ Fulani community, the local community, the state government, security agencies and other stakeholders had been constituted to resolve the face- off.

    The Abia police boss said that the peace committee would also fashion out ways to bring about a permanent solution to the frequent clashes between herdsmen and their host communities in the area.

    He said that negotiations were also going on between both parties on possible compensation on the damages incurred during the fracas with the view to bringing lasting peace between the community and the herdsmen.

    In his reaction, while lending his voice to the CP, the Chairman of Methi- Allah in the state, Hassan Buba appealed to herdsmen to embrace peace and live in harmony with their host communities.

    Similarly, the traditional ruler of the community, Eze Akarilo appealed to the aggrieved youths of the community to sheath their sword and give peace a chance, saying that there is no need for any bloodshed.

    The Deputy Speaker, Ndukwe who said he had also visited the community sued for peace, assuring that efforts were being made to forestall further occurrences and called on both parties to give peace a chance.

    Yaro also sued for peace, saying that Abia has been hospitable to Hausa/ Fulani community in the area and wondered why there should be a constant clash between the herdsmen and the host communities in the state when there is no need for such.

    The Nation recalls that clashes between herdsmen and farmers have been a recurring decimal in Ozuitem as well as some other communities in Abia North like Abam community in Ohafia local government area which has led to the loss of lives and property worth several millions of naira the recent times.

    The meeting was attended by the Chairman of Hausa/Fulani community in Abia, Alhaji Danladi Yaro; Deputy Speaker of Abia House of Assembly, Hon. Cosmos Ndukwe; the traditional ruler of Umuobasiukwu community, HRM Eze John Onuoha Akaliro, the Chairman of Methi- Allah in the state, Hassan Buba; and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Captain Agwu Awa (rtd).

  • Abia Police arrest suspected kidnappers, robbers

    Abia Police arrest suspected kidnappers, robbers

    Abia state police command has arrested a suspected kidnapper, armed robber and a well-known receiver of stolen vehicles and other stolen items who has been under the surveillance of the command for several months.
    The command had in October last year smashed a six-man gang of suspected armed robbers who has snatched two Toyota Corolla cars from their owners at gunpoint at different locations in Umuahia.
    Speaking in Umuahia while parading some suspected armed robbers, the Commissioner Police (CP) Leye Oyebade said that since the command smashed the syndicate that they have been after the receiver of the stolen vehicles.
    Oyebade said that with the synergy of other security agencies in the state that they were able to arrest Ikechukwu Chukwuma John with the help of the Akwa Ibom state police command at Uyo in connection with the kidnapping of Celestine Ositadinma Nwankwo.
    The Abia CP said that the suspect was arrested on the 3rd of January this year with the Toyota Highlander of one of the victims he had kidnapped and handed over to them as they have been looking for him since October last year.
    He said that the command with the men of the Aba division arrested Udochukwu Victor Onyende aged 29 years of 50 Nwama street off Ohanku road in Aba, “The suspect with others now at large had kidnapped Chuks Nnanni a younger brother of Hon Ossy Prestige”.
    Oyebade said that the operatives of the Anti-Robbery Umuahia who were acting on information arrested one Chijioke Emeka of Amuri Umuaka in Njaba of Imo state, “The suspect had in the company of his gang robbed one George Agu of Agbama Housing estate of his Toyota Highlander with the number JJJ 71 DQ”.
    He said that the command in conjunction with the military arrested Uchechukwu Ukaegbu aged 22 years of 17 Ugorji street Aba and handed him over to the police in Aba.
    The CP said: “Items recovered from the suspect include one locally made revolver pistol, one .9mm ammunition, one locally made single barrel shortgun, 38 AK-47 rifle ammunition, 16 live cartridges and 9 SIM cards of various networks.
    “Other suspected armed robberies paraded include Prince Eze aged 29 years and Jonah Ikechukwu aged 23 years the suspects are notorious criminals that have been robbing and breaking of homes and stores along St Michael road Aba.
    “Items recovered from them include a Samsung tablet phone and one sim card which belongs to Mrs Eberechi Eze of St Michael roadAba which was robbed from her at gun point.”
    Oyebade said that the command with officers and men of Ndiegoro division Aba arrested Chima Sunday 20, Enanna Isaac 22 and Ogechukwu John 21 who were in an unregistered tricycle and when searched a locally made pistol was recovered from them.
    The CP said that the command also arrested one Samuel Okechukwu 28 who impersonates as a police sergeant who in company of other now at large snatched a Datsun mini bus with the number APR 244 YH from the owner , James Eke along Pound road.
    In an interview, Eke said that the suspect with his gang arrested him claiming to be police men and was taking him to the Aba central police station but on the way they tried to snatch his vehicle which he resisted, “In their bid to escape he caught the suspect”.
  • Suspected Fulani herdsmen clash with Abia community

    Suspected Fulani herdsmen clash with Abia community

    There has been a clash between suspected Fulani herdsmen and the people of Ndi Okereke Abam in Ovukwu autonomous community, Arochukwu local government area of Abia State, which has left about five people badly injured and battling for their lives in an undisclosed hospital.

    The injuries they sustained was said to have arisen from bullet and machete wounds inflicted on them by the suspected Fulani herdsmen during the clash between them and the indigenes of the Arrochukwu community.

    Speaking with newsmen the President General of the town union, Chief Chukwuma Egbuta Okubi, said that the incident happened last Friday when the herdsmen led their cattle into the farms destroying the crops in the farmland of his people.

    Okubi said that the matter was made more painful by the fact that the suspected Fulani herdsmen would uproot the cassava and yam for their cows to eat, including trampling on the entire farm land, thereby making it difficult for our people to hravest their farm produce.

    He said: “The herdsmen are trying to make our people to go hungry as they have decided to lead their cows to feed on our crops which are our main source of livelihood instead of the grass they normally graze their cows on, this is the height of provocation.”

    The President General said that they had asked the herdsmen to leave the community after an altercation on the same matter but after some time they returned with a promise not to destroy the crops and have been living peacefully until last Friday’s incident.

    Okubi said, “But on Friday afternoon when one of our men went to his rice farm with his family members to carry home harvested rice, he saw that the herdsmen had led their cattle to the heap of harvested rice where they fed”.

    “The plea of the farmer to the herdsmen to take the herd of cattle away from the rice fell on deaf ears as they rather drew their machete and gave several cuts on the man, who only survived because he was able to escape from the rampaging herdsmen”.

    He explained that the members of the man’s family escaped and raised the alarm in the community which drew the attention of the youths, who rushed to the scene of the event to ascertain what was going on only for them to be attacked by the herdsmen.

    Okubii said, By the time the youths arrived the scene the herdsmen who were already spoiled for war opened fire on them with their AK 47 assault rifles and inflicted machete cuts on them leaving six of them fatally wounded”.

    He said that the situation was saved by the timely arrival of the state chairman of the Farmers/Herdsmen conflict resolution committee and state Commissioner of Police Leye Oyebade and a team of police men from the Arochukwu division of the Nigeria Police led by the DPO, and accompanied by the officer in charge of the police station in the area.

    The transition committee chairman of Arochukwu council area, Chief Amah Abraham Nnanna and his deputy, Kingsley Ngunu also helped to salvage what would have been a bloody clash between the herdsmen and the community members.

    When contacted on phone, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Ogbonnaya Nta confirmed the incident, adding that the CP’s arrival and the manner he handled the conflict helped to save the situation.

  • Herdsmen attack: Orji condemns security personnel attitude

    Herdsmen attack: Orji condemns security personnel attitude

    The immediate past governor of Abia state and the senator representing Abia Central in the Senate, Senator Theodore Orji has condemned the attitude of some security agencies over the constant attacks by Fulani herdsmen on some indigenes.

    Senator Orji said that in most cases when the issue of Fulani herdsmen attack on indigenes of areas where they graze their cattle, the security men show signs of partiality where they should be impartial.

    Speaking with newsmen in Umuahia, Orji said that security men should know that they are being paid with tax payer’s money and have no need to be partial, adding that the job of security men is to protect life and property and not to be partial.

    Orji wondered how people who are supposed to be cattle herdsmen would be carrying AK 47 automatic rifle and attack defenceless people, stressing that the senate is not resting on its oars to ensure that the problem is settled amicably.

    The senator noted that the issue of Fulani herdsmen attacking their hosts over grazing ground is not peculiar to South East alone, as it has happened at Agatu in Benue state, “Even when I was governor of Abia we had the same problem over grazing land in Ohafia.”

    He explained that as members of the senate that they do not have arms, police or army to pursue the matter, “What we have is the ability to make laws that handle the case and believe that law enforcement agencies will enforce the laws”.

    The Senator said that the senate is on the verge of providing grazing ground for the cattle herdsmen so that peace will exist between the indigenes who are the hosts and the Fulani cattle men.

    He said: “Once the grazing grounds are provided with all the amenities in such places, we are sure that the issue of clashes between indigenes and Fulani herdsmen will be a thing of the past.”

    On the issue of Nnamdi Kanu, Orji said that the South East caucus in the national assembly are talking and handling the matter in a manner that it will be settled in an amicable way devoid of rancour and acrimony.

    “The Nnamdi Kanu matter even as it in the court one should not talk about it, we in the national assembly from the South East are not keeping quiet, we are working to ensure that an amicable solution to it will be arrived at to ensure peace in the zone,” he added.

  • The political mood in Abia State has been exciting, with governorship aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) announcing their ambition. Correspondent UGOCHUKWU UGOJI-EKE examines the battle to succeed Governor Theodore Orji.

    The political mood in Abia State has been exciting, with governorship aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) announcing their ambition. Correspondent UGOCHUKWU UGOJI-EKE examines the battle to succeed Governor Theodore Orji.

    The political mood in Abia State has been exciting, with governorship aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) announcing their ambition. Correspondent UGOCHUKWU UGOJI-EKE examines the battle to succeed Governor Theodore Orji.

    No fewer than 10 aspirants plan to succeed Abia State Governor Theodore Orji, whose tenure expires next year. The contenders are warming up for the primaries, which may hold in October. Ten are from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and two belong to the All progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

    Until few weeks ago, the aspirants were dragging their feet. They were studying Orji’s body language. They were cautious because they thought that the governor would anoint a candidate to succeed him in the ruling party. However, Orji has not been categorical about his preference. Instead, the governor has only thrown his weight behind the decision of the party to zone the slot to Abia South, which is made up of people of Ukwa and Ngwa. Abia North produced Ogbonnaya Onu. But, part of that state is now in Ebonyi State. Orji is from Abia Central.

    The aspirants eyeing the ticket include Senator Nkechi Nwogu, Senator Uche Ogar, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe, Acho Nwakanma, Friday Nwosu, Dr. Alex Otti, and Uche Ogar.

    Nwogu

     

    The PDP chieftain will complete her second term in the Senate next year. She is the only female aspirant in the state. The senator has visited the PDP secretariat to inform the chairman and other members of the executive committee about her aspiration. However, she has some hurdles to cross. Nwogu is fit to rule Abia State. But, she is not favoured by the zoning. The senator is from Ngwa and her cradle is outside Abia South. She is one of the aspirants opposing zoning.

    Abaribe

     

    For Abaribe, political life is full of ups and downs. He was impeached as the deputy governor in 2002. In protest, he defected from the PDP. When he returned, he was given a heroic welcome. He bounced back as a senator. Next year, he will complete his second term in the Senate. Many believe that Abaribe is the most qualified for the job. He is also favoured by zoning, although he has always said that he would like to be the governor of Abia State, and not the governor of a zone. He is from Obinga in the South District.

    The former deputy governor is a big political fighter. He has been consulting stakeholders across the zones. He has the network and he can easily mobilise resources to run his campaigns.

    Nwakanma

     

    He is a former member of the House of Assembly. He was also the deputy governor under former Governor Orji Kalu and Governor Orji. Thus, he is an experienced politician.

    Nwakanma is from Obingwa like Abaribe. As the senatorial candidate on the platform of the PPA, he was defeated by Abaribe. He is loyal to the governor. This may work for him at the primaries. However, feelers suggest that Orji is not ready to play the godfather.

    Nwosu

    Nwosu is a lawyer. He is also from Obinga. He is a good mobiliser. The politician has traversed the nooks and crannies of the state to sell his candidature to stakeholders. He is the first candidate to declare his ambition. He is an advocate of zoning. In fact, he has told the people that Ukwa-Ngwa people should produce Orji’s successor in the spirit of equity, justice and fair play. If elected as governor, he said he would continue in the foot steps of the governor.

     

    Ikpeazu

     

    Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu is the Deputy manager of Abia State Environmental Agency (ASEPA). He is also from Obinga Local Government Area. Recently, there was a rumour that he was the anointed candidate. But, the state government has dissociated itself from the rumour. He has been silent on his ambition since then. However, he has said in the past that he is qualified to rule the state.

    Otti

    The PDP chieftain is a renowned banker and Managing Director of Diamond Bank. He is popular. His mansion in Ngwaland is the talk of the entire zone. His campaign organisation, the Alex Otti Governorship Grand Alliance (ALOGGA), has been up and doing, in terms of drumming support for his ambition.

    Emutchay

    Okey Emutchay is a diplomat from Uka East. He is the only aspirant from that area. He is from a reputable family, his father being a successful medical doctor and administrator in the defunct Eastern Region. He has all it takes to be the governor. Age is also on his side. He is the youngest aspirant. He is a professional with a lot of experience.

    Ogar

    Uche Ogar is an oil magnet from Onuaku Uturu, Isuikwuato Local Government Area Abia North. He is a respected community leader and a philanthropist. He has visited the party secretariat to inform the party leadership that he has joined the fray. In one of his sensitisation programmes, he told the people that he would bring the biggest construction company to the state to construct roads in his first one hundreed days in office.

    Ufomba

    Chief Reagan Ufomba is s chieftain of the APGA. He is from Isiala Ngwa. He is a veteran contender, having vied for the position in 2011. He is a successful businessman. He is also reliable and trustworthy. Many stakeholders believe that he has the potentials to be a successful governor. But, he is not favoured by zoning. It is believed that the people of Ukwa/Ngwa will support a candidate from the South. Also, the PDP is more popular than APGA in Abia State.

     

    Udensi

     

    Chikwendu Udensi is another contender in the APGA. He is from Arochukwu.

    Apart from Udensi and Ogar, other contenders are from Ukwa/Ngwa area. This is worrisome to monarchs from the area who have appealed to them to step down for one another. But, none of them is ready to step down. The contest has become an ego war. The aspirants have shunned meetings called by community leaders for the purpose of pruning down the number of aspirants.

    However, a source said that PDP aspirants have said that they would cooperate with any candidate who emerges in a free and fair primaries. They have also resolved not to defect from the PDP after the shadow poll, whether the outcome favours them or not.

    Despite the fact that the PDP has zoned the ticket to Abia South, it has also clarified that people from other zones can participate in the spirit of democracy.