May 2022 – Page 61 – Crime Facts

Post Date : May 9, 2022

IGBO-EZE NORTH: Aggrieved members ask PDP to suspend Onyenze, Uramah over abuse of office

…Call Igwe Ogbonna Ekere to order Aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Enugu North Senatorial Zone has urge the leadership of the party to suspend Rt. Hon. Mike Onyeze, Chief Alexander Uramah, PDP chairman, Igbo-Eze North Chapter and HRH Igwe Wilfred Ogbonna Ekere over abuse of their offices. The aggrieved members said that Rt. Hon. Mike Onyeze, Chief Alexander Uramah, PDP chairman, Igbo-Eze North Chapter and HRH Igwe Wilfred Ogbonna Ekere have glaringly and shamefully abused their respective offices on 27th March, 2022 at the palace of HRH Igwe Wilfred Ogbonna Ekere along Amufie road, Ogrute in Enugu-Ezike, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State by endorsing for second term, Hon. Engr Simon Atigwe, member representing Udenu/Igbo-Eze North at the National Assembly. Chief Alexander Uramah, was conspicuously seen in a video, where he belittled and abused his position as the chairman of the party in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area by telling his listeners that the entire people of Udenu Local Government Area are solidly for Atigwe and two third of the entire people of Igbo-Eze North Constituency 1(Ozzi) are also for Atigwe whereas the whole people of Igbo-Eze North Constituency 2(Umunano) are equally for him, thereby charging them to endorse Atigwe. Mike Onyeze also sang praises for Atigwe and directed the people to support Atigwe, hence their purported endorsement for second term for Atigwe. The characters and activities of both Alex and Mike as displayed during the event indicated that they have taken side and are totally using their offices to fight other aspirants vying for the same position come 2023. We, the concerned citizens and party members in Igbo-Eze North in particular and Enugu North in general, therefore call on Hon. Augustine Nnamani, Enugu State Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party and Rt. Hon. Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Executive Governor of Enugu State/ leader of the party to quickly arrest the situation and rebuild the confidence of the people to the party, most especially as we are gearing towards the party Primary elections and general elections respectively. Further more, HRH Igwe Wilfred Ogbonna Ekere, the traditional ruler of Ogrute-Ulo Autonomous Community should be called to order in order to curtail his excesses in abusing his palace and making speech that may throw the people into chaos.

Post Date : May 9, 2022

BREAKING: ASUU Extend Strike by 3 Months

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has extended its strike by 12 weeks. The Union extended the strike following the Federal Government failure to meet its demand after embarking on a 3 months warning strike. Confirming the extension of the strike, the National President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke said the academic body took the decision at an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) held at ASUU Secretariat in Abuja. The meeting which stated in Sunday and ended during the early hours of Monday, had in attendance principal officers and branch chairmen of the union. Recall that ASUU had embarked on a one-month strike on February 14 over the failure of the Nigerian Government to honour the various agreements reached with them and later extended the strike by 2 months on the 14th of March. According to the union, some of its demand are, the release of revitalisation funds for universities, renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, release of earned allowances for university lecturers, and deployment of the UTAS payment platform for the payment of salaries and allowances of university lecturers.

Post Date : May 8, 2022

Buhari Sleeps, Wakes Up With Common Man In His Heart – Gov Badaru

Governor Badaru of Jigawa State has said that President Muhammadu Buhari sleeps and wakes up with the common man in his heart. Badaru, who is the chairman APC Governorship primaries, stated this during interview with Channels TV’s Politics Today. Badaru said, “President Buhari ran this government with the fear of God and to the best of his ability. And he sleeps and wakes up with the common man in his heart; how can he improve the life of the common man. That much I know and because of people will see the sincerity of what we are doing and understand the circumstances. “We inherited a dead country and resuscitated it. When we came in, 26 states were not paying salaries. Even then there were earning close to $80 par barrel. Nigerians know what these people had done and they will never vote for PDP again.” Badaru added that in 2023 Nigerians would vote APC back to power because they have the history what PDP did to the country. He added, “They have the history of what transpired between 1999 to date. They will vote us back to power because they know we’re committed to their cause. “Nigeria was an economy that was import-dependent before we came in, completely being oil-dependent. And our sense of income is in sense of crude oil. We’re selling crude oil at $100 to $140 par barrel and we’re using that dollar to import almost everything we use. “Then suddenly prices crushed. Our demand, taste and income value didn’t fall, but the dollar revenue fall down and that economy we had no reserve to take care of what is happening. What miracle could have happened. Is Buhari the person that causes that top happen?”.

Post Date : May 8, 2022

Bandits Attack Another Zamfara Community, Kill Seven Locals

No fewer than seven persons have been reportedly killed in Faru, a community in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State. This comes barely two days after a deadly attack in another local government of the state which left at least 48 villagers dead. During an interview with Channels Television, sources in Faru recounted how bandits invaded the community on Sunday afternoon. The assailants who were heavily armed, an eyewitness said, stormed the community some minutes before 2pm and began to fire sporadic gunshots. Another resident narrated that in the process, seven persons were killed while several others sustained various degrees of gunshot wounds. However, police authorities in Zamfara have yet to react to the latest attack by bandits in the state. Efforts to reach the command’s spokesperson, Muhammed Shehu, for comments were not successful at the time of this report. Before Sunday’s incident, bandits had killed at least 48 persons in Sabon Gari Damri, Damri, and Kalahe communities – all in Bakura Local Government Area of the state. The Sole Administrator of Bakura Local Government, Aminu Suleiman, who confirmed the attack to Channels Television said the bandits, in their large number and riding on motorcycles, launched an attack via Sabon Gari Damri village around 2pm on Friday. He said the assailants had killed nine people before proceeding to Damri community where they killed four persons, including a police officer and an official of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The bandits, according to Suleiman, set ablaze a Hilux vehicle belonging to the police in Damri before they left for Kalahe – a village between Sabon Gari Damri and Damri – where they killed eight persons. He added that the bandits killed some patients who were receiving treatment when they attacked a healthcare facility in Damri, and were forced to retreat to Sabon Gari Damri where they killed dozens of persons again, following a gunfight with security operatives. In all, Suleiman confirmed that a total of 48 people were killed during Friday’s attacks.

Post Date : May 8, 2022

2023: Ganduje to pick Senatorial form Monday

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State is warming up to pick the senatorial form on Monday to contest for the seat of Kano North senatorial district. Ganduje’s decision to pick up the form was reached at the stakeholders meeting held behind closed doors at the government house. A source with privilege information from the meeting said the Governor is expected to pick the nomination and expression of interest forms for the Kano North Senatorial District on Monday. With this development, Ganduje is to unseat the incumbent Senator Barau Jibrin who is currently occupying the seat. Although, Jibrin, had declared interest for the governorship seat but is yet to pick the governorship seat form. Jibrin before now was a close ally of Ganduje and perceived to be favourite candidate of Ganduje for the governorship seat before things fell apart between them and he joined the factional APC (G7) led by Senator Ibrahim Shekarau.

Post Date : May 8, 2022

ASUU holds crucial meeting over 12-week strike

Members of the National Executive Council of Academic Staff Union of Universities held a crucial meeting in Abuja over their 12-week strike, The PUNCH has learnt. A member of ASUU NEC told our correspondent that the strike may be extended. “We are still meeting. But from the reports given so far, we have no reason to suspend the strike. The Federal Government is not serious,” the NEC member said. The PUNCH had reported that ASUU had on February 14 commenced a warning strike to press home some demands. The lecturers asked the government to implement the Memorandum of Action signed in December 2020 on funding for the revitalisation of public universities. Other demands are Earned Academic Allowances, renegotiation of the 2009 agreement and the deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution among others. Meanwhile, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, had on Friday stated that the Federal Government and ASUU would resume negotiation this week. Ngige noted that the multiple industrial disputes in the education sector could have been averted if the unions in the education sector took advantage of his open-door policy like the health unions. He said, “We don’t have to cry over spilt milk. Let us look at your issues to see the ones we can handle immediately, the ones we can do in the medium term and the ones we can do in the long term. “There are certain ones that are over and above me that are not in my hands to do. “My job is to prepare an agreement after conciliation on what you have agreed with your employers, the Federal Ministry of Education, put timelines and monitor them, to see whether the results will be there,” he said.

Post Date : May 8, 2022

2023 presidency: I’ll abide by my party’s decision – Bala Mohammed

The Governor of Bauchi state and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential aspirant, Senator Bala Mohammed has promised to abide by whatever decision reached by his party on which zone of the country gets the presidential ticket. The Governor who made his position known in Makurdi noted that the decision of the party was being awaited by the aspirants assuring that the decision would be in the interest of all. He said: “Zoning is a party issue, we are waiting, there is nothing that has been mentioned by the party. I am a party man anytime zoning is agree on, I will abide by it. “I do not know whether it will be zoned to the North or South, or that it will be monolithic zoning or rotation. No one knows wether it will be zoned to the North East, North Central or South East. “But wherever it is zoned, I will definitely abide by the party’s decision because I am a good party man and I will stick by the decision of my party.” The former FCT Minister said he was in the presidential race to bring his wealth of experience to rescue the country from the All Progressives Congress, APC, maladministration He said: “I am in the race because I have traversed many constituencies in my career and I understand the country very well. I know the prevalence of mistrust and suspicion, ethnic animosity, here and there; herder and farmers clashes. “Some of the manifestations are very foreign, particularly in Benue. These are some of the deviations we are suffering because there is no government or governance. “We heard that some foreigners were brought into this country for election purposes and the foreigners have not left; they are still here. We must work with the state governments to secure the country. “We cannot surrender our safety and security to a clueless administration at the center; you cannot allow exclusion and nepotism to drive disillusionment and to cause misconception up to the extent of threatening our collective heritage as Nigerians.”

Post Date : May 8, 2022

ARTHUR NZERIBE: Nigeria has lost political juggernaut — Uzodimma

Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State. Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has said that the death of Senator Arthur Nzeribe is a big loss to the people of Imo State in particular and Nigeria in general. Born on November 2, 1938, Senator Nzeribe reportedly died on Sunday at the age of 83, according to family sources. A statement by Governor Uzodimma’s Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser, Oguwike Nwachuku, said Senator Nzeribe will forever be remembered as a political juggernaut in Nigeria. Governor Uzodimma said his death has robbed Imo State and Nigeria of a seasoned politician and business icon, noting that Senator Nzeribe died when his fatherly and statesmanly advice were badly needed. The Governor commiserated with the family members of Senator Nzeribe, the people of Oguta, his political and business associates, friends and well wishers on his passing, urging them to pray for the deceased. Uzodimma who also said Senator Nzeribe’s death was a personal loss to his family, the government and people of Imo State, urged God to grant the soul of the deceased a peaceful repose. Fondly called the maverick politician, Senator Nzeribe represented Orlu senatorial zone between October 1983 and December 1983 in the Second Republic on the platform of the Nigeria People’s Party, NPP. At the return of the Third Republic he also represented the people of Imo West between May 1999 and May 2007 on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.

Post Date : May 8, 2022

Many Feared Dead As Fire Guts Another Illegal Refinery

Weeks after more than 100 persons were cremated in an illegal refinery in Imo State, no fewer than three persons involved in the same business have been reported dead in Abia State. Their death was as a result of a fire explosion at their illegal refinery situated in Uzuaku Community in Ukwa West Local Government Area of the God’s Own State. According to ABN TV, the casualties included a husband and wife as well as a male adult reported to be the only son of his family. The incident, which was said to have caused anguish in the homes of many families in the Community, happened on Friday night. The news platform said, the Shell pipeline that services the Uzuaku/Owaza axis have not had crude oil running through the pipeline for some weeks leading to the stoppage of illegal oil bunkering activities in the area. But the resumption of reticulation of crude oil through the pipeline within the week might have prompted the illegal refinery operators to go back to their business. A community leader, who confirmed the incident, said while the persons that were burnt to death at the scene of the incident were buried immediately, a few others died later at the hospital and some were still recovering.

Post Date : May 8, 2022

13 things you probably didn’t know about Nzeribe

Maverick politician Senator Arthur Nzeribe is dead. Here are things you probably didn’t know about Nzeribe: 1. Francis Arthur Nzeribe was born in Oguta, Imo State on November 2, 1938. 2. He was Senator for the Orlu Senatorial constituency in Imo State from October 1983 to December 1983 and May 1999 to May 2007 on palrform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) slate. 3. His father, Oyimba Nzeribe, was a lawyer and former state counsel, and his grandfather, Akpati Nzeribe, held the traditional title of Ogbuagu, Oshiji, Damanze Oyimba of Oguta.[ 4. His second wife is the sister of Hajia Asabe Yar’Adua, wife of the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, who was brother of President Umaru Yar’Adua. 5. Nzeribe lost his mother when he was a primary school student while his father was away in Great Britain studying law. 6. His care was taken over by Catholic priests who were involved in furthering his education. 7. He attended Bishop Shanahan College, Orlu and Holy Ghost College, Owerri. 8. In 1957, he traveled to Lagos where he obtained employment with Nigeria’s Port Authority as an engineering cadet, and a year later, received a scholarship from the NPA to study marine engineering. 9. He was a billionaire believed to be worth over $1.5 billion as of 2018. 10. Nzeribe built Sentinel Assurance and other companies. 11. Arthur Nzeribe was elected Senator for the Imo Orlu constituency 1999 and was reelected in 2003. 12. In November 2002, Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim indefinitely suspended Senator Nzeribe due to an allegation of a N22 million fraud. 13. In August 2007 Nzeribe was appointed a member of the Board of Trustees of the PDP.