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Tag: Ebonyi State

  • Another lockdown looming to defeat Covid-19, says Umahi

    Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has said another is imminent if the country is to defeat the deadly Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

    He stated this during a live broadcast to residents on the state broadcast stations on Wednesday.

    According to him, the astronomical increase in the number of confirmed cases in the country and particularly the state is due to the easing of the total lockdown especially Lagos State.

    This he said enabled many people to travel and import the virus into the state.

    He said: “I want to commend Mr. President in the manner and wisdom he is handling this pandemic. You see, when the lockdown was there the cases were trickling in but when the lockdown was relaxed, the cases are coming in surprising manner”.

    “It is the Nigerian people that will advise themselves to isolate, to be careful. I expect another serious lockdown if the cases continue to increase like this and this will be by consensus agreement of the general public. We have to lockdown to defeat this monster that is called covid-19”.

    The Governor also said the latest four cases of the virus which took Ebonyi’s tally to 13 are all returnees.

    “We have recorded 13 coronavirus cases shockingly and surprisingly in Ebonyi state now. The first treatment centre has a total of 26 facility rooms and in the next seven days, we will be opening ultramodern emergency hospital ward we were constructing but now, we are turning it to 300-bed isolation centre here in Abakaliki”.

    Mr Umahi also revealed that one of the patients, a three years old child has recovered from the virus and discharged after he tested negative twice.

    Cattles banned from new Govt House

    Meanwhile, the Governor has said the state will not entertain Almajiris in the state.

    He was speaking on reports of Almajiris being smuggled into the Southeast after they were expelled from some Northern states in wake of the rampaging Coronavirus.

    While acknowledgimg the Nothern Governors for their cooperation on the issue, the governor however promised that the state will not welcome any Almajiri.

    “We will not be afraid to say that there will not be Amajiris in Ebonyi state and the Northern Governors I commend them, they said go to your state of origin”.

    “We will not allow Amajiris in Ebonyi state. Ebonyi will not allow Amajiris, they should go to their state of origin. We have to as a people to begin to tell ourselves the truth’.

    He also banned rearing of cattle around the new government house located inside the Centenary City Abakaliki.

    “I have directed the Chief Security Officer to meet with the security people. Please I don’t want to see any cow within the premesis of the centenary city. How can I be struggling with cows to come into Government House. Please, in the entire centenary city, I don’t want to see any cow. Not just government house, anywhere that is called centenary city; international market, the mall. This is insulting”.

    “So, security people should do meeting with the cattle rearers whether it is Hausa cows or Igbo cows because I can also see some Igbo cows and I don’t want to see it again”.

    He said cows seen flouting the order should be impounded and a court order obtained to auction them off.

  • Ebonyi State Police Command arrests 10 persons over torture of Pastor

    Ebonyi State Police Command arrests 10 persons over torture of Pastor

    The Police in Ebonyi state says it has arrested 10 persons in connection with the allegged toture of a cleric, Oko Chukwu Obeni.

    The Pastor was alleggedly tried and punished by the Traditional Council of his Amasiri community known as the Essa and Isi Oru.

    In a video which has since gone viral, his hands were tied to his back and he was flogged and beaten.

    Following outcries and condemnations that greeted the incident, the Police on Wednesday announced the arrest of Julius Amadi Nyerere and 9 others for the allegged assault.

    Police Spokesman in the state, Loveth Odah stated this in a statement.

    “On 14th of May at about 5:pm one Pastor Oko Chukwu Obeni ‘m’ age 30yrs of Ndukwe Amasiri village in Afikpo North LGA of Ebonyi State reported at Afikpo North Division that Isi Oru Age Grade led by one Julius Amadi Nyerere and deputized by one Eze Ogbonna ‘m’ all of the same address dragged him to the Ogo Play ground in the area, tired his both hands to back and flogged him severally with canes which infected mutiple injuries all over his body and poured him with filthy water’, the Spokesman said.

    Mrs Odah said that following the report, the victim was immediately taken to the hospital for proper medical care and he is responding to treatment.

    “Subsequently, the leader of the Isi Oru Age Grade Mr. Julius Amadi Nyerere and nine others were arrested in connection of the case”, she said.

    According to Odah preliminary Investigation revealed that the assualt was as result of a post made by the victim in one of the popular Social media platforms, Facebook, condemning a particular action of Afikpo North LGA Council Chairman Hon. Ogbonnia Oko Enyim and commending the Traditional Ruler of the area and his cabinet over the decision taken against the Council boss for such action’.

    She added that the LGA Council Chairman’ s loyalist were allegedly angered by this post in the said platform causing them to take the laws into their hands thereby commiting the heinous crime.

    “Meanwhile, the Acting Commissioner of Police Ebonyi State, DCP Yekini A. Ayoku urges the general public to remain calm as he has ordered the full scale investigation into the matter with a view to unraveling the circumstances that led to such inhuman treatment”, Odah added.

  • Covid-19: Ebonyi warns against stigmatization of recovered patients

    Covid-19: Ebonyi warns against stigmatization of recovered patients

    Ebonyi state government on Friday warned residents against stigmatization of recovered coronavirus patients in the state.

    The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Umezuruike stated this at the coronavirus treatment centre in Abakaliki while discharging a young lady who tested positive of the virus and was treated by the state medical team.

    He said the lady has tested negative of the virus after being confirmed positive 14 days ago.

    Umezuruike disclosed that the lady was the fifth ase in the nine cases of the virus recoded in the state.

    “We are here at the treatment centre to discharge one of our patients who tested negative after being confirmed 14 days ago for covid-19. We thank God for this success story. We thank his Excellency the Governor for all his efforts, wisdom and commitment in fighting this pandemic since inception.

    “I also want to use this opportunity to thank the frontline health workers who have come out boldly with confidence without fear of anything to confront this scourge. As we are discharging this young lady, we are congratulating her too because out of the nine cases that we have so far registered in Ebonyi state, she is the first person that tested negative.

    “She wasn’t the first person to come but she was the first to be negative. So, we congratulate her. We have told her that as she is discharged today, she is free but there is one peculiar problem with covid-19 because anybody that have suffered it before can still contract it

    “We told her that she should always wear her face masks, wash her hands regularly and intermittently with running water and soap, to also rob intermittently with alcohol based sanitizers, maintain physical distancing.

    ” We want to use this opportunity to tell the general public that when a person is free of covid, the person is free of covid. There is no room for stigmatization. At presently she is free and anybody is free to interact with her at physical distance level”, he stated.

  • COVID-19: Umahi bows to pressure lifts ban on Churches, religious worship

    Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state on Friday lifted the ban on religious worship after more than a month that churches, mosques and other religious centers have remained locked.

    The lifting of the ban which is to take effect from 15th May, 2020 will have religious centers conduct their worship once in a week.

    The ban was imposed as part of efforts to prevent spread of the deadly Coronavirus in the state.

    Despite the ban and other measures including closure of the state borders with neighbouring states, the state still recorded 9 cases of the virus.

    The lifting of the ban followed weeks of pressure by some Christian faithfuls in the state who questioned why Churches were closed while markets remained opened.

    The governor announced the lifting of the ban in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation and Acting Commissioner Human Capital Development and Monitoring, Uchenna Orji.

    He emphasised that the waiver was in response to the passionate appeal made by the Leadership of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ebonyi State Chapter.

    According to the Commissioner, other bodies that made the appeal for the re-opening of Religious Centers includes, some Revered Bishops among other clergy.

    The statement noted that the re-opening of the worship centers would be under strict observance of COVID-19 policy and State laws.

    The statement said that the Governor after having prayerfully reviewed the request and in consultation with state leaders, “directed that religious centres in the state do re-open for worship once a week, effective from 15th May, 2020 under attendant conditions.”

    According to the Commissioner, the reopening is coming with various conditions which he said includes that all Churches are to observe their service only on Sundays from 9am to 11 am.

    “That Seventh Day Adventist and Muslim faithful are to observe their service on Saturdays and Fridays respectively from 9 am – 11 am. No Religious Centre shall permit more than 500 people and worshipers shall observe a minimum of 2 meters social distancing from one another.

    “Wearing of facemasks, washing of hands with running water and use of hand sanitizers must be strictly observed in all religious centres. No religious service is allowed to hold any other day other than the days specified herein and which must be in strict observance of all COVID-19 Laws and regulations”.

    “Christian Association of Nigeria ( CAN) has a duty to close down any religious gathering and arrest the principal of the worship centre that violates this order.”

    According to the Statement, the Governor urges all Religious bodies in the state to use the opportunity of window of worship to create awareness among their members on the protocols, policies, laws and regulations regarding COVID-19 and to pray for the State and Nigeria.

    “They are also enjoined to use the opportunity to advise their members to aggressively participate in agriculture and other lawful means of livelihood. CAN leadership and Anti- COVID-19 Committee on Religious Centres are requested to please mount strict monitoring of all religious centres in the state and ensure strict compliance and discipline among them.”

    Meanwhile, Ebonyi state government has commenced the distribution of palliatives to residents of the state..

    Speaker of Ebonyi state House of Assembly, who is also the chairman, state Anti COVID-19 sub committee on welfare and fund raising, Francis Nwifuru flagged off the exercise in Abakaliki on Friday.

    He handed over the sum of N36 million and 726 bags of 5kg bags of rice to religious bodies and widows in the state.

    The first batch of palliatives was handed over to leaders of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for distribution to their members and widows among others.

    The breakdown of the palliatives was given as follows: CAN, 2,600 bags of 5kg rice and the sum of 13,000,000, 00.

    CAN and Bishops 100 bags of rice and 5,000,000. CAN leadership in Ebonyi, 100bags of rice, 5,000,000.

    Ebonyi state Widows 5,000 bags of rice and 13,000,000, respectively.

  • 80-years-old widow escapes assassination in Ebonyi

    80-years-old widow escapes assassination in Ebonyi

    The Chairman Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Hon Sunday Eze has confirmed the attempted assassination of an 80 year old widow, Mrs Regina Opoke of Eguho- Ezzagu in Ishielu local government area of Ebonyi state by one Mr. Chima Edeh.

    Speaking with journalists in Abakaliki, Hon Eze said that he was alerted of the attempted assassination after the suspect had been arrested by the villagers.

    He said that though the motive for the attempted assassination is still not certain, he has ordered that the culprit be handed over to the police immediately for interrogation and possible prosecution.

    He noted that his administration would not watch evil people perpetrate dastardly act in the local government and urged the people to remain calm and allow security agencies to handle the situation.

    Also speaking on the ugly incident, the Catholic Priest of St Joseph Catholic Church, Eguho Ezzagu, Rev. Father Arinzechukwu Nkannebe who rescued the woman, noted that the living condition of the woman was unbearable and therefore called on spirited individuals and government to assist the widow.

    He said that all the property of the woman including clothes were burnt to ashes.

    The Cleric said: “It was indeed terrible yesterday night with this ugly incident. One Mr.Chima Edeh from Onunweke Ubia set ablaze the house of a poor, wretched and childless old woman, Mrs Regina Opoke.

    “This is high rate of heartless, wickedness and man’s inhumanity to fellow human being. A childless old woman, now homeless and naked now except the clothes she is wearing right now. This is terrible. Devilish.

    “Thanks to God no life was lost. The guy has been apprehended by the youths. Let’s consider ourselves to be children of this childless old woman of about 80 years old.

    “Always in the Church cleaning and sweeping the Church and compound. Taking charge of little children organization I formed to nurture our little ones in faith and good moral ( Sons and Daughters of St Joseph) every Saturday morning.

    “A Ghana-must-go bag full of clothes I gave her sometime in January and a bag of rice I gave her last month and all her property burnt to ashes… I’m full of tears, the Rev. Father lamented.

    Another Source from the village who spoke to newsmen on grounds of anonymity said that the suspect had confessed that he had also last 2 years murdered another woman in the same village about two years ago.

    According to the source, the Childless widow was said to have escaped from her house on Thursday night when Edeh invaded her house but noticed that the widow had escaped.

    The suspect went ahead to set the house ablaze when he noticed that his l planned onslaught against the widow had failed.

    Meanwhile, the culprit was apprehended by the villagers and taken to Ishielu Police Division.

    Police Spokesman, Loveth Odah did not respond to requests for comment.

  • Covid-19: Ebonyi records 9th case, discharges one patient

    Covid-19: Ebonyi records 9th case, discharges one patient

    Ebonyi state Governor, David Umahi on Thursday announced a new case of Coronavirus in the state.

    This brings the total number of confirmed cases in the state to nine.

    This is even as one of the earlier confirmed cases has tested negative and is set to be discharged today.

    The governor who noted that the viral load of the rest of the seven, are becoming very negligible said the medical team is hopeful that by next week most of them will be discharged too.

    According to the governor, the 9th patient is a 26 year old man who hails from Odenigbo Village of Ngbodi Ward in Ikwo LGA.

    He said the patient deals on phone accessories and was staying at Salvation Army Street in Ibadan , Oyo State.

    “He came into Ebonyi State on 8th of May, 2020 and was intercepted at the border and brought into the Stadium and his sample was collected on 9th of May, 2020 and the result came out positive of Covid-19”.

    “The patient has been moved to the isolation center and he has commenced treatment in our treatment center at Unity Square , Abakaliki”.,the governor said.

    He also thanked the situation room members , all the health workers and all members of Covid-19 Team for doing great work in Ebonyi State.

    Mr Umahi encouraged the people to observe all the safety protocols so as to stay safe frombtyebdreaded covid-19.

  • Rep Member wants inclusion of Ebonyi in Ambassadorial nominees’ list

    Rep Member wants inclusion of Ebonyi in Ambassadorial nominees’ list

    The member representing Ezza south/Ikwo federal constituency, Ebonyi state under the platform of All Progressives Congress(APC) in the House of Representatives, Hon. Chinedu Ogah, on Wednesday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to include the state in the list of those nominated as career Ambassadors.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had on Tuesday this week, nominated 42 ambassadors-designate with all of them career officers.

    The nomination was contained in a letter he addressed to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, requesting the confirmation of the nominees.

    But Ogah observed that the list does not contain any Ebonyi nominee and called for the inclusion of the state in the Ambassadorial nominees.

    In a statement issued in Abakaliki, the parliamentarian said there was no reason his state should be excluded from the Ambassadorial list.

    According to him, Ebonyi supported and voted for the President massively in the 2019 presidential election with the President defeating his closest rival, Ahj. Atiku Abubakar at the polls in his Ikwo local government area.

    He noted that there are lots of civil servants from Ebonyi state at the federal level who he said were eminently qualified to make the list of career ambassadors.

    He therefore urged the government to search for them and include them to ensure that the state was not left out in the ambassadorial positions.

    Ogah expressed dismay at the exclusion of Ebonyi in the National Judicial Council appointment in which about 33 judges were appointed at the Federal Capital Territory.

    He urged the federal government to always apply the principles of federal character commission in any appointment it makes to ensure equity and justice.

    He said “whenever appointment is to be made, principle of federal character commission should be used to give every zone sense of belonging. It promotes equity, oneness and justice”.

    He however called on south east to rally round President Muhammadu Buhari for more democracy dividends.

  • How I escaped being buried alive by cultists – Ebonyi victim of cult war

    How I escaped being buried alive by cultists – Ebonyi victim of cult war

    Sunday Oji, victim of a recent cult war in Ebonyi state has narrated his ordeal in the hands of cultists.

    The 20 years old student of Comprehensive Secondary School, Ogwuma Edda in Afikpo South local government area of Ebonyi state on Wednesday said he was saved by hunters from being buried alive by the cultists.

    He said the cultists had already covered him to to his head level preparatory to burying him alive before the intervention of the hunters.

    A cult war had broken out among the some cult gangs in the council area which have claimed the lives of at least three persons in the past one month.

    Speaking on his hospital bed in Afikpo, Oji said he was mistaken by the cult group as member of a rival group.

    He said they pounced on him in his village, Ogwuma beating him to a pulp and them dragged him to a bush where they had already dug a grave to bury him.

    Mr Oji said that some local hunters who were in the area heared his cry for help and came to find out what was happening.

    According to him, the hoodlums had already covered all parts of his body inside the grave remaining only his head when they heared movement of people approaching the scene and took to their heels..

    According to Mr Orji, the thugs claimed they were avenging the killing of one of their members who was shot dead recently in the area.

    He said ’’ while I was in our compound, one of my friends came and told me to escort him to buy something. When we reached the store, we saw three boys with three bikes destroying and looting the shop of one guy called Imo Orji. One of them came to me and asked me where is Imo, is Imo around and I told them that I don’t know .

    “Before I could know what was happening, they started heating and matcheting me with cutlass , saying that I was the one that carried the gun and shot the guy that day. I told them it’s not me and I have not carried gun before in my life.

    “They said it’s not true that I’m there one. When they noticed that people have started noticing them, they bundled me into one of the bike and zoomed off and took me to the bush where they dug ground and put me and covered me with sand up to my chest. I was inside there suffocating, shouting before they heard footsteps of people coming and they ran away’’

    Reacting, the traditional ruler of Umunna Autonomous community, Ezeogo Dickson Obo described the security situation in the area as pathetic and terrible.

    He called on the security agencies and government to intervene

    “Security situation here in my community Umunna Community is very challenging and bad. We are calling the state government and other security agencies to come to our rescue. Suspected cultists usually beseige us, causing problems because they know that we don’t have some body to speak for us.

    This is not the first time they have been attacking us. The community is feeling bad and sad on the attack of Sunday Orji. We’re telling the government to intervene”, he said.

    Police spokesman, Loveth Oda said that nine suspects have been arrested in connection with the recent killings and violence in the affected communities.

    “Initially we arrested 36bof them, but they were screened and nine of them are in detention. Investigations are ongoing and more will be arrested”, she added.

  • COVID-19: Ebonyi confirmed cases rise to 7

    COVID-19: Ebonyi confirmed cases rise to 7

    Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi on Friday confirmed two more cases of Covid-19 in the State.

    This brings the total number of cases to 7 in the state.

    According to the governor, the two cases are an Enugu based couple.

    The 26 year-old man and his 19 year old wife hail from Ezza Inyimagu in Ekwulegu community, Izzi local government area of the state.

    Mr Umahi said they are traders based in Oji-River Enugu state.

    According to the Governor, the couple recently came into the state amd their samples were collected and the results came out positive for the virus.

    He called on the people of the state to remain calm and be vigilant and ensure they detect anybody trying to sneak into the state to enable such a person to be taking to isolation centre in the state for necessary action.“

    He said:” man and wife has tested positive of coronavirus pandemic. The man is 26 years old while the wife is 19 years old and they are from Ezza Inyimagu in Ekwulegu community in Izzi local government area of Ebonyi state.

    “They reside at Oji-River Enugu state both as traders. The man sells phone accessories, they were brought to Abakaliki Township Stadium on Tuesday the 5th of May 2020. Their samples were collected and tested and the result came out today to be positive.

    “They have been moved to the treatment centre but no cause for alarm, we are on top of the situation. All we ask Ebonyians is to do everything possible to dictate any of our brothers and sisters outside that are sneaking into the state so that we can bring them to the isolation centres and do the needful.

    “Conid-19 is not a death sentence but they need to be attended to on time. I want to all the people who are very much committed to this assignment and I want to say with gratitude to God that the strategies God gave to us is very unique and God has been quite merciful to us.

    “By this evening, we will know the number of those who are on treatment that would have tested negative. So, we will subject them to another two sets of tests and if they consistently test negative, then by next week those of them will be discharged accordingly”.

  • Ebonyi cult clash claims two, Governor orders arrest of killers

    Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi on Wednesday ordered security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of the recent bloody cult clash in Afikpo South local government area of the state.

    This is even as the second persson was killed in the area on Wednesday morning in a reprisal attack.

    It will be recalled that one Onu Ukpai Chima had been killed in Owutu community in the area on Sunday as two rival cult groups clashed in the area.

    The killing allegedly led to the raid of hideouts of the cultists by Police on Tuesday night.

    But after the Police left, a cousin of the late Chima, whose name was given as Ukegbu, reportedly went on a reprisal attack and killed one Raphael Chijioke allegged to be a member of the cult group that allegedly killed Chima.

    Reacting to the killings on Wednesday, the State Governor David Umahi described the killings as unacceptable.

    He urged security agencies to move in an arrest anybody involved in the killings no matter how highly placed they may be.

    “The killings in Afikpo south is not acceptable. If we can solve this problem once and for all, it will be good”.

    “As the Governor of the state, I cannot take side. Security agents should go and do investigation and arrest whoever that is involved, get the person arrested and do proper investigation”.

    “Take the people involved in the killings to court. I will sign any paper for execution, I will do it to prove a point in Afikpo south”.

    The Governor said the killings have political undertones even as he rued the loss of lives in the clashes.

    “What is going on in Afikpo south is not acceptable, it is not acceptable. These lives that are being lost are not chickens. I know very well, it is political squabbles. We have it so much in Ohaukwu but God has brought it down”.

    “I have ordered a thorough and comprehensive investigations of the killings in Afikpo south and anybody is arrestable. This nonsense must stop! How can we continue to talk about killings in that place, it must stop! I need to be briefed on daily basis about this”, he said

    Meanwhile, the Chairman of Afikpo South Local Government Council, Eni Uduma Chima has condemned the cult activities leading to the death of Chima and Chijioke.

    The Chairman in statement by Spokesman of the Council, Anderson Ozuma said he has made Statements/Reports to appropriate authorities in his efforts to contain the escalation of cult activities and violence in Owutu Edda.

    “He has received and forwarded reports/information of the whereabouts of most of the cultists who perpetrated that reprehensible act of 3rd May 2020”.

    “He volunteered to personally join operatives of the Anti-kidnapping (A.K.) Squad of the Nigeria Police Force in the night of 5th May 2020 alongside other Stakeholders in security, which movement led to the arrest of 4 suspected cultists in the morning of 6th May 2020 who are alleged to be involved in the killing of late Ukpai”.

    Mr Eni said that it is unfortunate that after the departure of the said A.K. operatives this around 03:00 a.m. a person generally said to be a cousin of the late Onu Ukpai Chima whose name was given simply as Ukaegbu allegedly went on a revenge mission in one of the hideouts of the cultists which was not known to the Squad as at the time of the raid.

    “He was alleged to have shot and killed one Raphael Chijioke suspected to be a member of the cult group that allegedly killed his own cousin on 3rd May 2020”.

    The Chairman expressed regrets that despite the efforts and presence of security operatives and himself between last night and early hours of this morning, such incident could still happen.

    He revealed that the person who is said to be the cousin of the deceased Onu Ukpai Chima has been arrested and transfered to the Police Headquarters Abakaliki.

    The Chairman called on Town Union Executives of the hotspots of these cult activities and hideouts to rise to the occasion and join the Law Enforcement Agencies in the search for the cultists who are said to have remained in Owutu.

    He also called on members of the community to to be calm and volunteer useful information that can lead to the whereabouts of the cultists who are now on the run.

    Mr Eni also pleaded with the family members of the deceased persons to hunt for sensitive information regarding the whereabouts of the suspected cultists and killers of their loved ones and to shun taking laws into their hands by way of revenge or reprisals.

    Police spokesman confirmed the killings and arrests of the suspects.