The Anambra State Traders’Forum (ATF), has accused the CTC chairman of the Drug Market, Chief Donatus Ajanma, of allegedly diverting the money belonging to the market running into tens of million of naira. In the petition signed by Chief Zack Unah, Publicity Secretary,(ATF), the traders alleged that the Anambra State Government collected huge sums of money from the aspirants ranging from N250, 000, for chairmanship aspirants, 200,000, for the post of secretary, N150,000, Vice-chairmanship position, M50, 000 for other positions as against other markets that paid N20, 000 for the purchase of forms. They said unfortunately after collecting such huge amount from the contestants, the election was arbitrarily put off to allow Ajanma from Omambala to emerge as the Caretaker Committee Chairman because they knew that he would not have won the post of chairman in Ogbogwu market if credible, free and fair election is conducted in the Union. ATF in their statement alleged that all the monies generated by the caretaker committee that were supposed to be used to work for the market were allegedly diverted by Ajanma to his personal purse without the consent of the members of CTC. “He does not give the members of the Committee anything, rather he boasts that he has connection in Awka and sidelines them. He gathers everything for himself. If anybody asks him about the money they generated, he tells you whether you know how much he spends in Awka” said the traders. They continued : The money generated from the market is almost N100m. The money includes the money from Ogbogwu park, trucks, money generated from electricity (each trader pays N1, 000.00 per month), companies’ annual dues, ID cards, donations from importers and stakeholders, percentage from stallage fees, barrow tolls at the cost of N50 per a barrow”. Unfortunately, said the traders, the Commissioner for Commerce, Market and Wealth Creation, Chief Uchenna Okafor, popularly called Wiper seemed to be working in concert with Ajanma to etnrone Omambala agenda in the market, since all complaints forwarded to him fell on deaf ears. They said they had equally sent a petition to the Commissioner on behalf of the aggrieved members where they outlined the misappropriation and misapplication of the market fund but it was swept under the carpet without response. ATF said they had authoritatively gathered that the members of Caretaker Committee were not happy and had sworn to disrupt or boycott the election if the Commissioner refused to compel Mr Ajamma to account for all the money he collected since he was made the CTC chairman of the market. The traders said : Ajamma who was imposed on other candidates as Caretaker Committee Chairman cannot preside over the election he will be a candidate. It is not possible. It negates the tenets of democracy. It is either he conducts election for other candidates or he steps down, hand over to somebody who is not contesting the election or to the electoral committee chairman if he wants to contest. This is to ensure fairness in the election” ATF said Ajanma’s Electoral Committee was flawed because he single handedly constituted the Committee, hence the traders have vowed to resist it because the current CTC members were not aware of plan for any election in the market. The group said to avoid crisis in the market which could cause break down of law and order, the election which has been slated for this January should be shelved to allow the members of the market to resolve all issues, ATF cautioned. Editor’s Note: This photo is for illustrative purpose

…ask FG to tender public apology The Federal Government and its security agencies have been told to stop further harassment and intimidation of the young Igbo businessman, Chief Obinna Iyiegbu, popularly known as Obi Cubana. Ndigbo Unity Forum (NUF), which made the call in a statement in Awka, issued after its January 2022 general meeting said the invitation, harassment and intimidation of Obi Cubana by security operatives have become so rampant and unnecessary that it has to be condemned. Recently, Obi Cubana has been guest of Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA), the Police and Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) but they did not mention exactly the reason for the frequent invitation of the business man. The NUF in the statement signed by their President Ikemba Dede Uzor A Uzor and its Publicity Secretary, Chief Unah Zachkius, warned that “the nonsense should stop”, asking how many Northern business men including Aliko Dangote and others from other parts of the country were being harassed in such ignoble manner. Even the one in wanted list of United States of America (USA) has been protected not to extradited but they take pleasure in harassing Obi Cubana because he’s an Igbo man. NUF said that the Police officer has not been handed over to US authorities because he is a Northerner, noting that if he was an Igbo they would have hurriedly handed him over. NUF have they invited Dangote with all his sheddy business deals, why Obi Cubana. They just don’t want any other person to be wealthy like them who steal from Government treasury.” NUF further said the only sin of Obi Cubana was that he an Igbo and he gave his late mother a befitting funeral, warning that if the invitation, harassment and arrests continued, they will mobilise Igbo groups and youths to stage massive protests against Federal Government of Mohammadu Buhari and its fulanised security agencies throughout the country. NUF said the frequent invitation of Cubana was part of the policy of Buhari Government to persecute and impoverish Ndigbo, which his fulanised security agencies have the arrowhead. Attempt, said the group, to link Obi Cubana’s source of money to drug or any other crime amount to witch-hunting and insult but will fail , saying that Obi Cubana has not broken any known Nigeria law since he has the right to spend and enjoy his money the way he wants and gave Federal Government 7 days to publicly apologise to him since he is still mourning his late mother Ikemba Dede Uzor warned.

Palpable fear gripped residents of Dong village, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State after gunmen attacked a mining site, killing four persons. The gunmen stormed the mining site on Saturday and shot the workers dead, a situation that forced the State Police Command to deploy more personnel to the troubled community. In a statement issued on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Gabriel Ubah, said the deployment is to forestall the breakdown of law and order. The police spokesman stated that the command has begun investigations with a view to arresting the perpetrators of the crime. “Yes, the command is aware of the incident at Dong,” he said when asked if the police authorities are aware of the attack. “The police immediately raced to the scene. Unfortunately, four persons who went to a mining site were killed by yet to be identified gunmen. Security has been beefed up in the area. “Meanwhile, an investigation is ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding their death and to arrest the perpetrators of the dastardly act.” Meanwhile, the member representing Jos South/Bassa federal constituency in the National Assembly, Dachung Musa Bagos, has condemned the incident, describing it as inhumane. The lawmaker in a statement issued on Sunday by his spokesman, Danja Dafwam Yaks, said the incident has raised concerns over the readiness of security agencies in tackling the guerilla-style of attacks which has been ongoing for two decades. “I am angry and enraged by the daily killings within and around my constituency. I want to state emphatically that I will continue to talk about these callous attitudes of known criminals amongst us until they are all gotten rid of finally,” he said. He equally asked the federal and state governments to charge security agencies to tackle more seriously as a matter of urgency the insecurity around the state and country at large.

At Least 112 illegal refineries have been discovered in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. Chairman of the council, Samuel Nwanosike told Channels Television that 99% of the discoveries were made in a particular community located along the OML 17 trunk lines. The discovery comes on the heels of the recent efforts by the state government to bring an end to the economic sabotage brought as a result of the illegal refineries, as well as the health implications resulting from soot pollution. Governor Nyesom Wike had pledged N460 million to the 23 local government area chairmen to fight oil bunkering in the state. This implies that each chairman will receive N20 million to destroy illegal refinery sites that have been identified in their respective domains. Wike made this pledge on Wednesday when he met with the local government chairmen, the Commissioner of Police in Rivers, Friday Eboka, and the State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Aliyu Bature. “All of you should hire bulldozers, clear all those creeks,” the governor ordered the LG bosses. “The government will give you some money so that they will know that we are serious. “Those of you who are from the riverine areas, I don’t want to hear it is the creek. Go and clear those areas, apply to the state government, each of you, at least N20 million for a start to hire the equipment. “That does not mean you will wait before you start. You must start today, tomorrow. CP, please give them the security to do this work. Don’t give them two policemen.” This comes a week after the governor asked the police commissioner to collaborate with heads of other security agencies in Rivers, council chairmen, and traditional rulers to fish out all those involved in illegal bunkering and artisanal refining for prosecution. He had accused persons engaged in illegal bunkering and artisanal refining of being responsible for the soot polluting the air and endangering the health of residents of the state. The governor also declared that the state government has resolved to curb the activities of those involved in crude oil theft and refining once and for all. Meanwhile, there have been renewed calls to the Federal Government to provide modular refineries to curb the economic sabotage.