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Tag: Ebonyi

  • Umahi bans burials, weddings, other public gatherings in Ebonyi

    Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi on Monday banned all forms of public gathering in the state for one month.

    The Governor stated this at the town hall meeting which held at the International Conference Centre Abakaliki, the State Capital.

    He listed such public gatherings to include burials, weddings, conferences, seminars and any other large gatherings.

    Represented by his Deputy, Kelechi Igwe, the Governor said the ban is for a period of one month in the first instance.

    He said the ban is part of measures to protect the people from contacting the deadly Coronavirus which has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation.

    He said: “It is painful to take the decision but government had to reason that it is better to let the dead bury the dead for now. But if you feel that you cannot wait, then you can take the corpse and bury just you and your family without any ceremony and invitation to anybody.”

     

  • Sad! Man lures girl with suya in Ebonyi, defiles her

    Sad! Man lures girl with suya in Ebonyi, defiles her

    A roasted meat (suya) seller, Dawuda Ibrahim, has been taken to an Ebonyi State magistrates’ court for supposedly defiling a girl after luring her with the meat.

    It was gathered that the casualty, was a regular customer of the suspect, and that the suspect had constantly asked her out but she rejected the advances.

    According reports, on February 28, 2020, the victim went to buy suya (meat) from the suspect, and didn’t know that the suspect gave her a special one purportedly laced with love potion.

    It was learnt that the girl after eating the suya, followed Ibrahim to Enugu where he had canal knowledge of her.
    He was arraigned on one count of unlawful sexual intercourse on Thursday.

    The Police Prosecutor, ASP Mathias Eze, told the court that the offence was punishable under Section 360 of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.

    The charge read, “That you, Dawuda Ibrahim, on February 28, 2020, at Ugwuehara village, within Abakaliki Magisterial District, did unlawfully with an intent to have sexual intercourse with a girl, lured her to a place in Enugu State where you caressed by touching her breasts and other parts of body including her private parts, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 360 of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.”

    The perpetrator who pleaded not guilty was granted bail by the presiding Chief Magistrate, Mrs Nnenna Onuoha, in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum.

    The surety, according to the magistrate, must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court and must provide evidence of identification, such as National ID, voter card and passport.

    The case was adjourned till April 4, 2020, for hearing.

  • One killed as Ebonyi PDP Councillorship primary turns bloody

    One person was been killed in Ebonyi as the primaries for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) turned bloody on Friday with pockets of violence recorded in various parts of the state.

    The victim, Mr Enyinnaya Ibiam, who was a Staff of Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Uwanna, Afikpo North Local government area, was shot to death by an unknown member of rival group of the party in the area.

    Though reports were sketchy at the time of this report, it was however gathered that the bullet that killed him was intended for another person.

    Commissioner of Police, Awosola Awotinde confirmed the killing.

    He said the police are on the trail of the shooter and will soon arrest him to answer for his crime.

    He, however did not disclose the name of the shooter.

    However, an eye witness said the shooter was a Development Centre Coordinator for one of the Development Centres in the council.

    The eyewitness, who spoke to on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, said there was a serious clash between two groups at the venue of the councillorship election at Uwanna where armed thugs shot sporadically into the air to scare voters but it took the intervention of the Police who stormed the area and stopped them.

    “There was a serious problem but the police came and teargassed them and the boys were disparsed. But later when the police left, the coordinator was said to have pulled out a gun and shot at his brother who is opposing his preferred candidate but fortunately he dodged the bullet and the bullet hit Ibiam who was standing at his back” she stated.

    Meanwhile, a wife of a journalist one Mrs Ogochukwu Nweke was allegedly attacked and stripped naked by some armed thugs in Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi state.

    The husband of the victim, Chukwudi Nweke a worker at the Ebonyi state Broadcasting Cooperation, EBBC who spoke to Reporters said a Youth leader in Ishielu local government led the attack on his wife.

    Mrs Ogochukwu Nweke contested the Councillorship position in Ogboji ward in Ishielu.

    “They beat her up, stripped her naked and collected all her belongings including the originals of her credentials, her PDP nomination form, my laptop and many other personal things including N110,000. This happened at Aristocrat Hotel where the Local govt party executives invited her for her clearance

    “I need the assistance of all to help me recover my wife’s Original Academic Credentials.

    “I most humbly call on the passionate father of the state, David Nweze Umahi and the wife to wade into this matter .

    “My house is under siege and we have been in the bush since yesterday as they are still trailing us. My wife and my entire family are under threat and fear” he stated

  • Ihedioha: Umahi leads PDP protest in Ebonyi, demands reversal of judgement in 24hrs

    Ihedioha: Umahi leads PDP protest in Ebonyi, demands reversal of judgement in 24hrs

    Ebonyi State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has given the Nigerian Supreme Court 24 hrs to reverse the judgement it delivered on the Imo State governorship election.

    The party gave the ultimatum during the peaceful protest it staged in Abakaliki, the State Capital.

    This is even as the party in the Southeast said the Supreme Court Judges who gave the verdict will not know peace unless they reverse the judgement.

    The Court had last week sacked Governor Emeka Ihedioha of the PDP as Governor of Imo state.

    The Court also declared Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the winner of the election.

    The judgement has been trailed by controversy and protest across the country and Ebonyi on Monday joined in the protests.

    Thousands of the party faithful in the state marched round the city to protest what they described as injustice and a rape on democracy in the country.

    The protest, which commenced from the state party Secretariat, terminated at the Federal High Court where the Chairman of the Party, Onyekachi Nwebonyi and Southeast Zonal Vice Chairman, Austine Umahi addressed the party faithful.

    They bore placards some of which reads: “NJC must act now”, Imo guber case: Supreme Court must revisit judgement, Ihedioha must return as Imo State governor, Save Democracy in Nigeria, Judiciary is now the lost hope of the common man”.

    They protesters wore all black clothing to signify that they are in a state of grief over the judgement.

    Speaking, Mr Umahi said the party is giving the Supreme Court and the National Judicial Council 24 hours to reverse the judgment that sacked Emeka Ihedioha as governor of Imo State.

    “We are giving them 24hours to reverse the judgment. If they don’t reverse the judgment, then democracy has been murdered in Nigeria. If they don’t reverse the judgement, they will never have peace in their lives”,
    Mr Umahi said.
    Mr Umahi described the judgement as unfortunate adding that the Judiciary has since lost the respect it used to command in the past from the masses.

    He said: “It is very unfortunate that our democracy has been murdered. It is very unfortunate that under the watch of the judiciary our democracy is murdered. Our understanding is that judiciary is the last hope of the common man, but today it is the lost hope of the common man.

    “For how long shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? And the Bible says God forbid. We want and we are saying it very categorical that the Judgment of the Supreme Court is a pervert judgement and must be reversed immediately, for the oneness of this nation and for the furtherance of democracy. They should reverse and reinstate the man that was elected by the Imolites and he is the RT. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha and not a man that was imported and through the back door imposed on the people of Imo State.

    “He is an agenda and we understand the agenda that is in him and will resist him with all that we have. That judgement cannot stand. We are here as lovers of democracy.

    “Judiciary, I want to pass an information to you, it could be one person today, tomorrow, it could be your turn. If you don’t resist this abnormality. If you don’t resist this abomination and If you don’t resist this imperfection, one day, it will be your turn.

    “It is time to rise up and say what is wrong is wrong. We have risen as democrats to say that what is wrong is wrong. To say, that we shouldn’t allow our judiciary to die. Once judiciary is captured, we are finished in this country and from all indications, we can see that we have a compromised judiciary. We can see there is no independence again. There is no rule of law in this country.

    “Where are we going as a country? This is worst than a banana republic. You are talking of awarding victory to someone that came fourth in an election? I don’t know where the Supreme Court got that political Mathmatics? From all calculations and from all permutations, it is wrong before God.

    “We want to warn that we are not foolish. We understand what have been going on in this country. If not for the rules of law, will APC be in Government today? A Democrat handed over to them and they have decided to squeeze, undermine us and see that nothing good happens in this country.

    “We want to say this. We are disillusioned and disenchanted. We are not happy. We have never seen a thing like this. And I know that the international community will be laughing at us..We have turning to a big for nothing country..it is a country that there is no hope for a common man. It has gotten to a level in this country where you can sit in your house and in the comfort of your home and write election results and the judiciary will approve it.

    “That is not right. We must have to get it correct. We need to address it, because if we don’t get it right, there is no tommorow for Nigeria. Nigeria has no future if we don’t get right today. You may be saying, oh, it is PDP today. But it is not talking about APC or PDP. We are not talking about any political Party. We are talking about Nigeria and the democracy. A lot of persons have died for this democracy and some people want to now rubbish it. They will not succeed”,Umahi concluded.

  • Widow, lover found dead in Ebonyi

    Police in Ebonyi state have confirmed the death of a man and his alleged lover in Umuezeoka Umueze, Effium Autonomous community, Ohaukwu local government area of the state.

    Police spokesman in the state, Loveth Odah, gave the name of the man as Ifeanyi Nwokwu and his alleged lover and widow, Nkechi Ezaka Ucha.

    Nwokwu and the widow, who were alleged to be covered, were found dead in the man’s house in the community.

    They were found by neighbours who mounted a search for them.

    The neighbours, who have not seen them for some time, decided to search for them and their search resulted in their corpses discovered in the community last night.

    A source in the community said apart from Nwokwu, another man known in the community was dating Nkechi.

    He alleged the man the community knows very well for dating the woman may have masterminded the killings of Nwokwu and Nkechi out of jealous.

    He said: “Ifeanyi Nwokwu and Nkechi Ezaka Ucha are lovers. The woman lost her husband years ago, the man invited the woman to where he built his house. Meanwhile, the wife of the man stays in her father’s compound.

    “In the night, the man and the woman were found dead inside the man’s house. The two lovers had wounds on their foreheads and some arrests have been made.

    “There is a man who is known by everybody in the community for also dating the woman and the man also has been arrested. This one that died in the community is not known for dating the woman unlike the one
    that was arrested.

    “People are suspecting that it may be the man who is known by the community for befriending the woman masterminded the crime”.

    A resident of the area, Jeremiah Obaji described the incident as worrisome.

    He said similar incidents have occurred in the community.

    “The spate of killing and armed robbery activities in Umuezeoka Umueze in Effium Autonomous community has reached an alarming proportion.

    “So many of our illustrious sons and daughters can no longer visit home because of the fear of the unknown, our aged fathers and mothers have been living at the mercy of this terror men.

    “I am pleading with the IG of police and Ebonyi state government to please come to our aid as our people can no longer sleep at home and those of us who are in the cities can not come home because of cases of similar nature.

    “We are pleading for a police post which can help in securing the lives and properties of my people. We are also pleading with the police to use their high powered intelligence gathering to unravel the killers of these people”.

    Coordinator of Effium Development Centre, Agbo Sunday, confirmed the incident.

    He pledged the support of government in the investigation so as to bring the perpetrators to book.

    Police Spokesman, Loveth Odah in confirming the incident said an investigation into the matter has been launched by the Police

    She said: “Yes, there is a report that two persons, a married man and a widow was found inside a room but we don’t have the detail of the incidents.

    “According to the report, their bodies are almost decomposing. But the perpetrators are not yet known and I assure you, police are investigating the matter and very soon we will unravel those behind it” she stated.

  • Umahi never said he also belongs to APC – PDP

    Umahi never said he also belongs to APC – PDP

    Ebonyi State Government and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday debunked media reports Governor David Umahi declared he was the only governor that belongs to the party and ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    They described the report as not only misleading but a mischievous representation of the Governor’s comment.

    The Governor, elected on the platform of the PDP, was quoted to have told a delegation that paid him a Yuletide Homage he is the only person that can engage in anti-party activities and nothing will happen.

    But clarifying what the Governor actually said, Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Uchenna Orji, the reports were untrue.

    He noted the Governor only cautioned those in the habit of defecting from one political to another to also know that he has friends and goodwill across political divides.

    He also said that those who hide under partisan politics to peddle lies against the State government should know that even the APC members know the giant strides and virtues of his administration.

    Orji added that the Governor’s style of governance was that of inclusive politics where partisan politics comes and goes but national interest and patriotism were the uncompromising.

    “In their desperate attempt to cause disaffection against the State Government, they mischievously misrepresented the Governor as saying: ‘I am the only Governor that belongs to PDP and APC.

    “This blackmail is nothing but a cheap and childish fabrication that is irritably displeasing to the sensibilities of the ordinary man.

    “It is a common sense that no one party member in Nigeria can belong to another political party at a time.

    “The Governor never said that he belongs to APC. He is unshakably a PDP chieftain and has been a great party man, whose track records as historic State Party Chairman and currently PDP Governor and leader in Ebonyi State are known and admired by people of good will.”

    The commissioner added: “He only said that those who are in the habit of hiding under partisan politics to peddle lies against the State Government were on a frolic of their own as people of different political colorations including APC know the virtues of his administration.

    “It must be noted that the Governor’s style of governance is that of inclusive politics where partisan politics comes and goes but National interest and patriotism are the uncompromising principles of his administration”.

    “The essence of this disclaimer is to put the records straight for the information and right knowledge of the members of the public.”

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also the report as a blatant falsehood.

    The Chairman of the party in Ebonyi State, Mr. Onyekachi Nwebonyi, in a statement on Tuesday, dismissed the claim, saying Umahi is still a bonafide member of the party.

    He said the governor does not involve in anti-party activities.

    “The story is a blatant falsehood aimed at tarnishing the image of the governor and as well derailing him from his focus,” he said.

    Nwebonyi said Umahi is focused on developing Ebonyi State and completing the numerous gigantic projects the government is handling.

  • Tragic! 29-year-old man killed at drinking joint in Ebonyi

    A 29-year-old man, Boniface Nwoha, has been murdered by unknown gunmen at a drinking joint at Amika Abba area of Abakaliki.

    The Public Relations Officer of Ebonyi State Police Command, Mrs Loveth Odah, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Abakaliki on Friday.

    She said full investigation into the murder had commenced and assured residents that the perpetrators of the crime would be arrested and brought to justice.

    Odah said, “The case has been referred to the Criminal Investigation Department for thorough investigation.

    “The police will unravel the cause of the murder and ensure that everyone involved in the act is arrested and prosecuted.

    “I wish to use this medium to appeal to citizens to be law abiding, to resist the lure of taking laws into their hands and report any breach of right to the police.

    “We assure our readiness to ensure full protection of lives of every resident and there will be no hiding place for criminal elements in the state.”

    Meanwhile, a source close to the deceased’s family told the News Agency of Nigeria, on condition of anonymity, that Nwoha was killed by members of a suspected rival cult group.

    According to the source, the group was on a reprisal mission, following a fracas that took place at the compound of the deceased, where some people were reportedly injured.

    “The deceased allegedly had an altercation with some co-tenants at their residence at Amike Abba, which led to some persons getting injured.

    “In an apparent reprisal attack, the injured persons, alleged to be members of the Aye confraternity, trailed him to a drinking joint, where they shot him severally and fled,” the source said.

    NAN gathered that many residents of the area, especially youths, had fled their homes, following ongoing police investigation.

     

  • How I became a billionaire at 25 – Gov Umahi

    Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi has said that he became a billionaire at 25 years of age due to hard work and commitment to duty.

    Umahi, who made the declaration while interacting with leaders of Abakpa main market in Abakaliki, debunked social media reports that he owns shops at the market and built his house within one year.

    “I work very hard, I am not a poor person but a very, very rich person.

    “You can’t use the state’s money and still do all these things (projects) we are doing, I don’t have any shop or any interest in the market,” he said.

    The governor also said rescinding some of the decisions on the relocation of the traders from the market was due to the intervention of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

    He also announced that the Abakpa market would now be designated and called Ebonyi Fruits and Vegetable Market.

    “We presently have a special assistant on the market, the structures that are still strong are going to be renovated.

    “The traders have two options: it is either you renovate it to our taste and become landlords or we do it on our own and you are no longer the landlord,” he added.

    Umahi also announced that due to the intervention of CAN, the government had changed the date of the trader’s relocation to the state’s international market to Jan.10, 2020 instead of the original Oct.15, 2019.

    He also ordered that some of the shops that were hitherto sealed in the market and re-opened be re-sealed due to the owners’ reluctance to withdraw their lawsuits against the government.

    “The same applies to the such traders at the building materials market as we will enter into appearance with those who took us to court,” he said.

    The Chairman of CAN in the state, Rev. Fr Abraham Nwali, thanked the governor for his magnanimity in extending the relocation date, adding that the association would ensure an amicable resolution of the issue.

    Nwali, who is also the governor’s Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Religion and Welfare Matters, called for cooperation by all concerned parties in the overall interest of stakeholders.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the traders had been having a running battle with the state government over their relocation to the international market.

  • JUST IN: Osinbajo, Ortom meet over Benue, Ebonyi land crisis

    JUST IN: Osinbajo, Ortom meet over Benue, Ebonyi land crisis

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday met behind closed doors with Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom and Ebonyi State Deputy Governor, Kelechi Igwe, over the land crisis between the two states.

    The meeting was attended by the Acting Director General of the National Boundary Commission, Adaji Adamu.

    Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Ortom said “We came at the instance of the vice president to discuss the lingering problem between Benue and Ebonyi states in particular between Agila in Benue and Ngbo in Ebonyi.

    “We are also here with the acting DG, National boundary commission and we had taken far-reaching decisions to ensure that we demarcate the boundary between these two states so that we can hold our people responsible.

    “As it is now its difficult to identify the criminal elements who are creating tension and creating more of these problems.

    “So I believe that very soon the boundary commission would be coming out with a program that both Benue and Ebonyi will team up together to provide the necessary logistics and security to ensure that the boundary is demarcated.

    “Well, it’s a border crisis because we are talking about two states. We should know the limits of each states. It’s a border problem more like communal problem.” he said

    On TIV/Jukun crisis, he said, “Well, I know that there is a spillover. This is largely TIV and Jukum in Taraba. I have Jukun in Benue state. We are not fighting. There were issues in the past and I decided to set up a judicial commission of enquiry which is still sitting to look at the remote and immediate causes of this strife so that we will find a lasting solution to it.

    “This other one is more of a problem in Taraba but because there are TIV people in Benue and we are talking about TIV people so each time people are displaying some run back to Benue so that’s the spirit of it.

    “But I think that the governor of Taraba state is doing well. Recently they met and they agreed that there should be ceasefire even though I saw in the press that there were some issues with that peace agreement but you know each time there are efforts to try to solve problems, criminal elements will come in and I think that the steps that the governor took by inviting two sides, both the TIV and the Jukum to sit together and find means of how they can resolve this matter is the best approach.

    “And I believe that once that problem is sorted out in Taraba state, we will not have anything in Benue state.” he said

  • Police confirm 8 dead in attack on Ebonyi community

    The Police Command in Ebonyi on Sunday confirmed the death of eight persons in Ukwagba, Mgbo, Ohaukwu Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, by suspected attackers from Agila in Benue.

    However, officials of the state government believe otherwise and blame stakeholders in the area for the situation.

    DSP Loveth Odah, the Police Public Relations Officer, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that in the attack which occurred on Saturday, four of the victims were beheaded.

    “The state Commissioner of Police (CP), Awosola Awotinde, top police officers and the Chairman of Ohaukwu LGA, rushed to the scene on receiving information on the incident.

    “We were informed by the people that the attackers came from neigbouring Agila community of Benue as they also burnt six houses and killed 20 goats,” Odah said.

    The PPRO gave the names of the beheaded victims as James Aleke, 55, Innocent Agbo, 65, Chukwu Enwe, 46, and Livinus Idoko, 70.

    “The victims whose bodies were still intact are Ngozi Idenyi, 32, Jonathan Onwe, 10, Ify Aleke, 51, and Susanna Ogba, 54, while Okeh Nwankwo, 53, is currently hospitalised.

    “The CP urged the people to remain calm and avoid undertaking reprisal attacks as the command will ensure that peace is restored in the area,” she said.

    Odah urged the Federal Government to intervene in the matter, saying the situation had deteriorated seriously.

    She also called on both state governments to re-double efforts to permanently tackle the issue.

    “The attack was last witnessed on Aug.27 when two persons were killed in the community,’’ she said.

    The state Governor, Mr David Umahi, during a visit to the area on Sunday, however, criticised stakeholders in the area for allowing the killings to continue.

    Umahi, represented by his Deputy, Dr Kelechi Igwe, said it was saddening to see six past chairmen of the council hailed from the area likewise Dr Sam Egwu, the first civilian governor of the state and current senator representing Ebonyi North.

    “You should know the people causing trouble in your domains as the traditional rulers should be able to identify those fomenting trouble in the area.

    “We are tired of the sentiments coming from this council but seek action because some people wrote undertaking to the state government, to ensure peace,” he said.

    He directed that all the people who signed the undertaking for the government must produce the perpetrators as they agreed to be held responsible if such event occurred.

    Mr Clement Odah, Chairman of the council, narrated his version of the incident and blamed those that were not happy with his administration for the killings.