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Tag: abakaliki

  • Abakaliki couple died from gas explosion not inverter – Police

    Abakaliki couple died from gas explosion not inverter – Police

    The Police Command in Ebonyi, says the explosion that claimed the lives of a couple, Mr and Mrs George Onuabuchi in Abakaliki, Ebonyi capital was from gas cylinder and not from inverter battery.

    DSP Joshua Ukandu, spokesman of the Command in the state told NAN on Thursday that the incident occurred on August 25.

    Ukandu said that preliminary investigation showed that the couple died from gas explosion.

    “It happened on waterworks axis in Abakaliki on August 25. The residents living around the scene called the attention of our personnel who visited the place but the couple has already been taken to hospital.

    “It’s very unfortunate that both finally died. The wife, Chioma died sometime in August while the husband died this month, September.

    “We gathered that the wife was a younger sister to the popular Nigerian Afrobeat singer, Patoranking .

    “There are no much details because the victims could not survive to tell the story. So, what killed them was gas and not inverter explosion,” the police spokesman explained.

    Also speaking with NAN one of the relatives who refused to mention his name described the incident as bad for the family.

    “They were young couple. They had only a child, three years old son.

    “Please I have more to say. I cannot say more than this. They have gone,” the relative said.

  • Sit-At -Home: Gunmen attack Ebonyi community to enforce Samuel Ekpa’s order

    Sit-At -Home: Gunmen attack Ebonyi community to enforce Samuel Ekpa’s order

    Indigenes and shop owners scampered for safety as gunmen invaded some parts of Abakaliki, the Ebonyi state capital to enforce the sit at home order as instructed by the Finland based Simon Ekpa.

    Ekpa the self-acclaimed loyalist of detained IPOB chief Nnamdi Kanu gave the order sometimes last week from his base.

    It was gathered that some villages in the state  deserted the streets of Abakaliki owing to the sporadic shootings by these unknown gunmen.

    Traders hurriedly closed their shops and went into hideouts for fear of being killed or hit by a stray bullet.

    According to an eye witness account, a woman who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the unknown gunmen invaded Ahia-Ohuru Market in Abakaliki and started shooting sporadically to scare people both traders and buyers away.

    She said: “People who were around saw the unknown gunmen who rode on two motorcycles, with guns. They were shooting anyhow to scare people away. They even burnt down a shop belonging to a woman. They saw the woman bringing out her goods, they met her and told her to close the shop.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that some hoodlums too attacked a community in Imo state and killing three persons before the operatives of the police force arrived to repel the attack.

    According to him: “People who were around saw the unknown gunmen who rode on two motorcycles, with guns. They were shooting anyhow to scare people away. They even burnt down a shop belonging to a woman. They saw the woman bringing out her goods, they met her and told her to close the shop.

    “The woman was asking them, what offense did she commit? Before you knew it, they poured fuel on the shop and set it ablaze. They were four in number.”

    Similarly, it was gathered that the popular Ebonyi International Market was abruptly closed, as well as all fuel stations in the State capital, shopping mall and other event centres in the State.

    It was also gathered that the said gunmen reportedly killed some persons at Izziamgbo junction, Ishieke junction and other places in the State.

    However, in a swift reaction, the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State command, CP. Aliyu Garba, who spoke to newsmen in Abakaliki, said there was no invasion by unknown gunmen in the State.

    He asked the citizens of the State to remain calm.

    CP. Garba noted further that he had deployed hundreds of police officers to go on patrol, looking for the said unknown gunmen.

     

  • 2023 Election: INEC begins display of voters register

    2023 Election: INEC begins display of voters register

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun the display of voters register in some parts of the country.

    INEC displayed voters register for the 2023 general elections in Abakaliki the Ebonyi state capital today Friday.

    According to  Clement Oha, the INEC’s  Administrative Secretary in Ebonyi state ,  the voters register display was an important pre-election exercise which allows registered voters to raise claims and objections as well as other issues affecting their registration.

    Oha, who distributed copies of the voter registers to the 13 INEC Electoral Officers (EOs) for the 13 Local Government Areas of the state, charged them to ensure that registers are displayed in the 171 electoral wards in Ebonyi.

    “The display of the voter’s registers which commenced today, Nov. 11, is to enable the voters across the 171 registration areas to raise claims and objections; I know that the commission has trained staff who are going to carry out the exercise.

    “Today, we have a singular honour and with the permission of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs Pauline Onyeka, to dispatch the registers to the various Local Government Areas.

    “We charge the EOs and their subordinates to ensure that the exercise is diligently carried out; that people who are coming out for claims and objections are diligently attended to and we will not tolerate a situation where you will take it and dump it in the office,” Oha said.

    He warned the officials involved in the exercise against indulging in any form of truancy and laxity, noting that there would be effective monitoring by the various heads of departments and the REC.

  • 26 -year-old lady allegedly gang-raped to death in Ebonyi

    26 -year-old lady allegedly gang-raped to death in Ebonyi

    A 26 year old lady whose names have been given as Miss Ugochukwu Nworie has been found dead in a hotel in Ebonyi state, the State Police Command has revealed.

    The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Loveth Odah, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Garba, on Wednesday in Abakaliki, vowed to arrest killers of the victim.

    It was gathered that the 26 year old Nworie was gang-raped as more than 12 used condoms were found in the hotel room.

    The PPRO said that investigation was still ongoing and other information needed will be provided at a later time.

    The police Spokesperson said the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Kpirikpiri Police Division in the State, confirmed that the incident took place in Hope-in hotel, situated at Nine Ngbowo Street, Abakaliki.

    “The DPO reported that the incident took place while on a routine check on the hotel. A room not accounted for was discovered.

    “So the DPO decided to enquire from the receptionist, who told him that the guests in the room were unknown to him.

    “Efforts to open the room proved abortive, until he requested for the spare key to open the door, only to discover a lifeless body of the lady, naked and her legs, hands with mouth were tied to the bed in the room,” Odah said.

    She added the corpse had been deposited at a morgue, describing the incident as unfortunate and an offence against humanity.

    Odah advised the general public, especially young ladies, to be careful, adding that efforts were on top gear to arrest and prosecute those behind her death.

  • Umahi orders landlords of dilapidated buildings in Abakaliki to renovate them, gives deadline

    Umahi orders landlords of dilapidated buildings in Abakaliki to renovate them, gives deadline

    The Governor Dave Umahi-led Ebonyi State Government has ordered owners of dilapidated buildings situated on major roads in Abakaliki, the state capital, to renovate them before November 30.

    The Commissioner, Ministry of Capital City Development, Mr Peter Nwebonyi, gave the directive at a meeting with the State Landlord Association (EBSLLA) on Friday in Abakaliki.

    Nwebonyi said that the government’s directive was to enable structures to match the present level of development in the city.

    He noted that the governor had spent resources in constructing flyovers, streets light and concrete roads required the landlords to play their part by rehabilitating their buildings.

    “We want the landlords to cooperate by enlightening their members to avoid their property being sealed and dragged to court.

    “All buildings in rickety shapes and some leaking roofs must be renovated by the landlords before Nov. 30, 2021.

    “Places like Ogoja, Afikpo and Water Works Roads, Udensi Street, Abakaliki /Enugu and Ogoja highways among others.

    “Areas mentioned are so dear to us because they form the heart of the capital city.

    “It is not wise that after the government has put street roads and lights in order, such dilapidated houses will still be there while the owners are busy collecting rents from tenants,” Nwebonyi said.

    The commissioner said any landlord who failed to comply with the directive would be sanctioned.

  • ‘I lost my virginity in Lagos’- Humblesmith

    ‘I lost my virginity in Lagos’- Humblesmith

    Nigerian singer, HumbleSmith might have broken the bank with ‘Osinachi’, an groovy song that stole the hearts of many across the African continent and won many awards.

    The highlife singer is no doubts one of the youngsters dominating the Nigerian music scene. When Humblesmith relocated to Lagos from Abakaliki, his lifestyle and fortune didn’t only change, the bubbly young entertainer also lost his virginity.

    He made this known when he was quizzed by reporters. In his words:”I was a virgin all through my stay in Abakaliki. I lost my virginity in Lagos. It wasn’t as If I was not exposed in Abakaliki, but I decided to respect my parents so I didn’t engage in much of corrupt lifestyle”

    When asked what the future holds, he simply said: ”My future is bright and huge”.

    Humblesmith had to take up menial jobs in order to earn a living. He later ventured into entertainment as an actor and appeared in various films including Hypertension with Sam Loco Efe. He returned to Ebonyi State at some point and then back to Delta State again to focus on a career in music. Determined to succeed, he started scouting for shows and performed for free until he was signed by DG Records who were impressed with one of his several performances.

  • ‘Abakaliki rice records high patronage…’

    ‘Abakaliki rice records high patronage…’

    Due to the harsh economic situation in the country, residents of Enugu are now patronising locally produced rice popularly called Abakaliki rice.

    A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who visited some grain markets and shops in Enugu metropolis on Saturday, reports that the de-stone brand of the locally produced rice was in high demand.

    Abakaliki rice sells for between N12, 000 and N14, 000 per 50kg bag depending on the variety; as against foreign rice which is sold for between N20, 000 and N23, 000 per 50kg bag.

    Mrs Eunice Madu, who deals on rice in Mayor Market, told NAN that almost all the bags of Abakaliki rice stored in her shop were bought during the yuletide.

    She added that she is now left with foreign rice.

    “I must confess, we sold out almost all the available bags of Abakaliki rice during the yuletide as most customers prefer it because it is cheaper and free of stone,’’ she said.

    Chukwuebuka Okoye, a retailer of Abakaliki rice in the market, told NAN that the cheap price and good quality of the rice attracted customers.

    “With N70 you can buy a cup of de-stone Abakaliki rice as against N120 for a cup of foreign rice.

    “As a result of this patronage of the e-stone brand of Abakaliki rice is high,’’ Okoye said.

    Mr Okechukwu Ugwu, a resident of Enugu commended the federal government for encouraging local production of rice and imposing ban on the importation of foreign rice.

    He submitted that the policy was in the right direction.

    Ugwu noted that apart from saving scarce foreign exchange, encouraging local production of rice had helped to create jobs in the country.

    “It has been proven that the local rice is more nutritious and tasty and can be stored longer than foreign rice,’’ he added.