Governor Okezie Ikpeazu on Thursday August 8, confirmed the arrest of the soldier that shot a commercial motorcyclist at Opobo Junction area of Aba.

The soldier behind the killing was identified as ‘CPL Ajayi’ and it was gathered that he pursued the unarmed young man from Ohanze Village to Umuokereke Ngwa, a distance of about 25 kilometers and shot him at close range from behind over a N100 bribe.

The 30-year-old man Chimaobi Uzoukwa, left behind a pregnant wife, two sons and an aged mother.

The Abia State Governor promised to pursue the prosecution of the arrested soldier when he paid a condolence visit to the family of the deceased at Umuokereke Ngwa community in Obingwa Local Government Area of the state. Ikpeazu described the killing of the 30-year-old young man as wicked, malicious, unprofessional and cowardly, and also expressed deep sadness that a security personnel who is paid and maintained by tax payers money will turn around to kill the very person he is paid to secure.

The press statement released after Governor Ikpeazu’s condolence visit by his Chief Press Secretary Onyebuchi Ememanka, reads in part;

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has vowed that no stone will be left unturned in the quest for justice for the slain motorcyclist, Late Chimaobi Nwaorgu, who was gunned down by a soldier yesterday.

Governor Ikpeazu stated this today when he visited the family of the deceased at Ezido Na Ife Village, Umuokereke Ngwa in Obingwa LGA.

Accompanied by the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ene Okon, Police Area Commander for Aba, ACP Opara and other senior Police Officers, Ikpeazu described the killing of the 30 year old young man as wicked, malicious, unprofessional and cowardly. 

He expressed deep sadness that a security personnel who is paid and maintained by tax payers money will turn around to kill the very person he is paid to secure, stating that the circumstances surrounding the killing of the young man are unacceptable to the government and people of Abia State.

The Governor who was visibly emotionally shaken, wondered why a soldier will pursue an unarmed young man from Ohanze Village all the way to Umuokereke Ngwa, a distance of about 25 kilometers and shot him from behind, at point blank range.

According to the Governor, “This is one murder too many. We will do everything possible under the law to get this murderous soldier and bring him to justice. Whatever it takes, we will do. We will go to Abuja or any other place to ensure that this particular soldier doesn’t go scot free. The death of this young man is extremely painful and cannot go in vain. This is my position and this is the position of the Government and people of Abia State”.

The sight of the young wife, who has suddenly become a widow his two infant sons and his aged mother evokes a feeling of strong emotions and the atmosphere was very charged indeed.

The Governor assured the family that he will personally ensure that the young family is not allowed to suffer. He also announced that the soldier was arrested yesterday and is currently in detention and thanked the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ene Okon for the prompt response to the matter.

Governor Ikpeazu pleaded with the family and the entire community to take heart and accept the sad incident with philosophical calmness. While advising against violent demonstrations which could aggravate the already charged situation, the Governor told the people to trust his ability to pursue the deal with this matter decisively.

Prophet Emeka Odumeje, the Anambra-based Pastor that made headlines over claims of replicating one of Jesus’ miracles by walking on the River Niger on August 19, has denied boasting of such.

It was reported that the General Overseer of the Mountain of Holy Ghost Intervention Deliverance Ministry had invited journalists and Nigerians to come witness the “miracle”.

However in an exchange with a Facebook follower, the Anambra Pastor that has been at the center of controversial deliverances asked for a video of him calling for a media coverage of his ‘walking on River Niger Miracle’.  Here is a screenshot of the Facebook exchange Prophet Emeka Odumeje had with a Facebook follower below;

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a money laundering charge against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s lawyer Uyiekpen Giwa-Osagie.

It accused him of laundering $2million ahead of this year’s general elections in which Atiku, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, contested against President Muhammadu Buhari.

EFCC said the lawyer handled the $2million without going through a financial institution.

It said the sum exceeded the amount authorised by law to be transacted in cash.

A three-count charge, signed by prosecuting Counsel Rotimi Oyedepo, was filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos against Giwa-Osagie and his brother Erhunse Giwa-Osagie.

EFCC said they allegedly contravened sections 18(a) and 1(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, punishable under Section 16(2)(b).

The charges read: “That you Uyiekpen Giwa-Osagie and Erhunse Giwa-Osagie, sometimes in February 2019 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired to commit an offence to wit: making cash payment of the sum of $2,000,000.00 (two million United State Dollars) without going through financial institution, which sum exceeded the amount authorised by law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a), and 1(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared a notorious criminal known as Bobrisky wanted.

Wike also placed a N30 million bounty on his head. He urged anyone who has information about Bobrisky that could lead to his arrest to come forward with such information.

He also called for information about the killers of a Director with the state government, who was killed during the Choba community crisis. Bobrisky is from Gokana Local Government Area of the state.

The governor regretted that cultists had taken over youth groups across the state, necessitating the state government to proscribe all youth groups.

The Taraba state governorship tribunal on Friday granted the prayer of All Progressive Congress (APC), seeking to be re-listed in the governorship petition that had earlier been dismissed.

The Tribunal sitting in at the FCT High Court, Apo had on July 10, dismissed the petition filed by Abubakar Danladi of the APC, challenging the re-election of Gov. Darius Ishaku of the PDP in the March 9 governorship election in the state.

While delivering his ruling, the chairman of the three-man tribunal, Justice M.O Adewara held that the petition filed by the APC (second petitioner), had merit and as such is granted.

He also stated that according to the electoral act, an oral application for withdrawal of the petition made by counsel for the Petitioners, Alex Akoja, was supposed to be properly documented and served on all parties involved in the petition.

The APC and Danladi had approached the Tribunal, challenging the victory of Gov. Ishaku.

The petitioners had claimed that the governor was not duly elected in the March 9 election by majority of lawful votes cast, adding that Ishaku’s reelection was invalid by reason of non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

The dismissal of the petition followed an application made by counsel for the petitioners, Alex Akoja, which was predicated on the July 5 Supreme Court’s judgment which disqualified Danladi as APC candidate in the governorship election.

Arguing the motion earlier, counsel for APC, Ishaka Dikko SAN, informed that the motion seeking to re-list the petition was brought pursuant to Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution as well as Paragraph 29 of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act 2010, as amended.

While saying that APC was not disputing Danladi’s right to have his name struck out of the petition, the senior advocate stated that the withdrawal of the petition had affected the party’s right to proceed with the petition.

Dikko stated that what was very clear was while withdrawing the petition on July 10, there was no formal application by motion as mandatory prescribed by the Electoral Act.

Responding to Danladi’s counter affidavit against the motion, the APC counsel stated that there was no letter from the party authorizing the withdrawal.

He urged the tribunal to discountenance the counter affidavit for the fact that it was filed outside the seven days prescribed for filing a counter affidavit by the Electoral Act.

Arguing against the APC’s motion, counsel for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Solomon Ameh SAN, stated that the withdrawal of the petition was a matter relating to procedure.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered parties in the suit challenging the planned adoption of the indirect primary mode by the Kogi State All Progressives Congress (APC), not to take any steps that could affect the subject of the case pending its final determination.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo gave the order on Friday while ruling on an ex-parte motion filed in the suit by some members of the Haddy Ametuo-led faction of the party – the Ex-officio, Destiny Eneojoh Aromeh; Organising Secretary, Isah Abubakar; Zonal Youth Leader, Noah Aku, and Zonal Women Leader, Mrs. Joy Onu.

Justice Taiwo also granted an accelerated hearing in the case on the grounds that the APC primary for the next governorship election in Kogi is fixed for August 29, 2019

The judge ordered parties to file all the necessary documents and indicated his intention to hear the substantive suit and all pending applications on August 19, 2019.

The plaintiffs had, in their ex-parte motion, prayed the court for “an order of interim injunction, restraining the defendant by itself, its organs, agents or any person as so ever described, from adopting the indirect mode of primaries for the nomination of the governorship candidate in the forthcoming governorship primaries of 2019 in Kogi, pending the determination of the motion on notice.”

The judge took arguments on Thursday on the ex-parte motion and adjourned till today for ruling.

They are, in the main suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/833/2019, seeking to, among others, stop the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) from adopting the indirect primary model to select candidate for the August 29 primary ahead of the November 16, 2019 governorship election in the state.

Commercial motorcycle riders, (okadamen), yesterday, took to the streets of Ogbor Hill, Aba, Abia State, protesting the killing of their colleague, Chimaobi Nwaogu, by a soldier for allegedly refusing to part with N100 bribe at a military checkpoint.

Sources told Vanguard that the motorcycle riders, who paid a condolence visit to the slain member’s family at Umuokere-Ngwa community, Obingwa Local Government Area, Abia State, called on the military authorities to unravel the soldier behind the act to serve as a deterrent to others.

They further called on the military and the government to come to the aid of his family.

Eyewitnesses said the soldier had trailed the late Chimaobi as he rode past the checkpoint and shot him dead at his village, then fled.

An eyewitness told Vanguard: “We saw a soldier on a motorcycle pursuing Chimaobi. We were wondering what may have happened, then the soldier shot him and he fell off his motorcycle. The soldier then fled.

“It is painful that life has become so cheap that a soldier can just kill without cause. Now, Chimaobi’s wife is heavily pregnant and may soon put to bed. He left three children behind. Who is going to take care of them?”

The situation caused panic in the area as youths of the community set the military checkpoint on fire, even as the soldiers watched without fighting back.

The youths took the corpse to Opobo Junction, Ogbor Hill, Aba, where they also set fire to the Police checkpoint and a patrol van.

Lagos—A Lagos Magistrate’s Court sitting in Igbosere, has ordered the remand of a housekeeper, Mercy Edeh, in prison custody, for allegedly defiling her employer’s four-year-old daughter.

Edeh, 26, is facing a two-count charge of indecent assault and defilement. But her plea was not taken.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Inspector Peace Chukwudi, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on August 1, at 5p.m. at Chevron Drive, Ajah area of Lagos.

She said the defendant defiled her employer’s four-year-old daughter by fingering her private part.

Magistrate K. O. Doja-Ojo remanded the defendant in prison and said bail should be applied at the High Court, ordered the case file duplicated and sent to the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, DPP, for legal advice, and adjourned the case till September 11 for mention.

Wife of Ondo State Governor, Mrs Betty Akeredolu, has engaged the services of Taekwondo professionals to train young girls on the sport for self defence against rapists.

Mrs Akeredolu said this on Friday, when she delivered a letter to the Commissioner of Police (CP) in Ondo State, Mr Undie Adie, to express her displeasure over the rising incidents of rape in the state.

The governor’s wife was on the visit to Adie’s office over the rape of a student of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, by soldiers at the Ikare/Akungba road checking point last week.

She vowed not to treat the issue of rape in the state with levity.

She appealed to the Police to ensure that the perpetrators were treated as criminals by prosecuting them accordingly, for violating a civilian.

According to her, soldiers are supposed to be protectors of civilians, but this incidence has proven that Ondo women are not safe with anyone, hence, the need to equip them with Taekwondo skills for self-defence.

She noted that if the case of a soldier in army uniform raping a woman was brought to the fore and perpetrators made to face the full wrath of the law, it would serve as a deterrent to others.

Mrs Akeredolu, who disclosed that she had earlier scheduled a One Million Woman Protest Against Rape in Army Uniform for Thursday, explained that she decided to suspend it so that political distractors would not capitalise on that to cause confusion.

Responding, the CP assured her that the case would be treated with all seriousness, adding that the Police have not been taking the issue of rape lightly.

Adie assured her that as soon as the Army Commander transferred the suspects to his command, they would be charged to court immediately.

(NAN)

Kwara State National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Chairman Alhaji Aliyu Issa Ore has advised that kidnapping and other violent crimes on highways can be stemmed, if illegal transport unions are banned by the government.

Ore spoke while welcoming members in the North Central states (Zone 4) to the opening of their secretariat in the Kwara State capital.

The secretariat was funded by the national body of NURTW headed by Alhaji Najeem Yasin and Kwara donated the land opposite the Ilorin International Airport.

According to him, illegal transport unions abound across the states of the federation, which often times were difficult to be held responsible for suspected involvement in the events of crimes committed on the routes they ply illegally.

He said no registration of these unions were done in the first place and so they operate freely even in these days of crimes like assassinations and robberies aided by unknown transporters and fake passengers.

His words: “Three of such unions operating in Kwara were the Nigeria Association of Cooperative Transporters (NACT), Association of Okada Riders and Taxi Owners Association.