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Tag: Imo State

  • How we killed ex-Presidential Aide, Ahmed Gulak – Suspect

    How we killed ex-Presidential Aide, Ahmed Gulak – Suspect

    Mr Chinwendu Nwagwu, a suspected leader of the gang that killed Mr Ahmed Gulak, has narrated how he and members of his gang killed the former Presidential Aide.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Police in Imo State disclosed arresting Mr Nwagwu at his country home in Nguru, Aboh Mbaise council area of the State on December 25.

    In addition to confessing to killing Gulak, Nwagwu claimed responsibility for burning down police stations and INEC offices in the State.

    Spokesperson of the police in Imo, CSP Michael Abattam disclosed that the suspect was paraded at the Command’s Headquarters, in Owerri, on Wednesday.

    Abattam said that Nwagwu, popularly known as ‘Onye Army ‘, confessed to joining the Nigerian Army in 2013 but left in 2021 and later joined the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the armed wing of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

    He said that Nwagwu further confessed to leading the gang that attacked offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ihitte-Uboma and Isiala Mbano council areas as well as the state headquarters in Owerri.

    According to him, Nwagwu was arrested at his country home in Nguru, Aboh Mbaise council area of the state on Dec. 25.

    He also said that the suspect confessed to the use of black magic to prevent bullets from penetrating his body,  adding that several items were recovered from his home upon his arrest.

    Abattam listed the items to include five pump action guns, four locally-made pistols, two cut-to-size double barrelled guns, 50 rounds of live cartridges, locally-made hand grenades and ESN regalia.

    “He rose to become commander in the ESN and personally confessed to have trained over 100 persons in the IPOB.

    He also confessed to have been part of those who burnt police stations, INEC offices and killed several innocent people.

    “He confessed to a recent kidnap of expatriate engineers along the Umuna/Okigwe road , murder of a native doctor in Nguru, Aboh Mbaise council area of Imo and killing of a police inspector and a police sergeant in Aboh Mbaise Police Station.

    “He confessed to leading the burning of several police stations, the killing of a truck driver along Mbaise road, attack of Owerri Correctional Centre and Police Headquarters in Imo,” he said.

    Abattam added that Nwagwu, who confirmed his involvement in the killing of Gulak, said his pay masters, including some traditional rulers, had deserted him and  declared him wanted.

    He added that he had been praying to come in contact with security operatives, whom he believed would spare his life and give him a chance to legally defend himself.

    “When my gang member shot Gulak, the bullet didn’t penetrate his body, so I came down from our vehicle, removed the rings on his finger and shot him before the bullet eventually penetrated. He fell to the ground and died”, he said.

  • Insecurity: Army, other operatives to man INEC offices in Imo – REC

    Insecurity: Army, other operatives to man INEC offices in Imo – REC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said security personnel, including the Army and Department of State Services (DSS), have been deployed to its offices in Imo State, given the frequency of attacks on its offices in the state.

    This is coming barely 24 hours after unidentified gunmen attacked and vandalised the INEC office in the Isu Local Government Area (LGA), marking the fourth of such incidents in Imo in less than three weeks. Other attacks were recorded in the Orlu and Oru West LGAs as well as the state headquarters in Owerri.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Prof. Sylvia Agu addressed the security crisis during a live appearance on a national television program on Friday.

    “Security men have been deployed, stationed in those areas. At the headquarters, we have the army, the Civil Defence, and the DSS. In the various local governments, we are using vigilante groups; we are using Ebubeagu group too and we have 100 percent assurance from the security men – not just giving us the assurance, they are already on the ground,” she said.

    “That particular building is one housing the election party monitoring department (EPM), security, the transport office, and some of the accounts building (sic). It’s very destructive, but we thank God because it did not affect our sensitive materials.”

    Commenting on the implications of INEC’s operations in the state, Agu downplayed the severity of the attacks, noting that the commission had backups to ensure it did not suffer a significant loss of data.

    “It’s really not enormous, because we have a backup for the accounts section. For the transport section, we don’t have much there. What we have there are pieces of furniture. For the EPM office, we have a backup. For all those things that got burnt, we have backups.

    “For the security office, (there was) nothing serious. We are aware that we’re vulnerable and because of that, we normally create backups in case of those types of incidents, so that when it happens, we can always lay (our) hands on our backups,” she said.

    The REC stated that permanent voter cards (PVCs) and other sensitive materials were not affected, adding that the distribution of PVCs was on schedule. According to her, distribution does not occur at the offices that have come under attack.

    “(There has been an) overwhelming turnout. We received overwhelming reports on a daily basis because we are working round the clock. They start at 8 am and end at 3 pm, but I’ve even told them to stay till 5 pm. We even work on Saturdays and Sundays, and we have an overwhelming turnout of people coming to pick up their PVCs.

    “We have vigilante groups in all those areas that are prone to attack. We have the police deployed and stationed there. You won’t notice them. We can’t tell our ideas to the public but what I know is that INEC is ready and we are working very hard round the clock to ensure that 2023 becomes a reality,” she said.

  • 2023 election cannot be rigged – Former INEC REC

    2023 election cannot be rigged – Former INEC REC

    Prof. Emeka Ezeonu, former Imo, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says the 2023 general elections cannot be rigged.

    He spoke on Wednesday at the installation of new patrons and revalidation of old patrons of the Anambra Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Awka.

    Ezeonu appealed to the public to ensure they get their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) ready to perform their civic responsibility in 2023.

    He said that the Electoral law as amended 2022, made it impossible for any form of rigging to take place in Nigerian elections any longer.

    “BVAS approval has tightened the loopholes in card reader, making the electorate more confident that their votes would count,” he said.

    Ezeoonu, chairman of the installation and Christmas party of the council, urged journalists to always be very professional in their reportage.

    Prof Stella Okunna, a professor of Mass Communication, with specialty in Behaviour change Communication and Development communication, charged journalists to be ethically balanced.

    Okunna, a Deputy Vice Chancellor, Paul’s University, Awka, and the NUJ Anambra Council Matriarch, urged journalists to give in their best to build a better society.

    She said that Journalists are agenda setters and should live up to their responsibility by fishing and dishing out quality and unflawed reports to their audiences.

    Chief Chris Eluemunoh, a veteran journalist and community leader, encouraged journalists not to relent in giving the public quality reports as sound reporting grows a nation.

    Eluemunoh recalled that in their time of practice, the environment for reporting was intense but defied all odds to feed the public richly with credible news.

    He said as a grand patron of the council, it is his duty to advise journalists to report correctly, accurately and wisely, especially during the general elections.

    Eluemunoh said that their reports must be seen to be fair to all and without bias.

    Mr Felix Awogu, Executive Head, Studios and Events, Multichoice Nigeria, was installed as one of the new patrons of the council.

    Earlier in his speech, Dr Emeka Odogwu, Chairman of Anambra Council, said that Journalists need to be well catered for in the country because of the hazards associated with their jobs.

    Odogwu appealed to the relevant authorities to upgrade the status of the journalists in the country by adequate recognition and handsome payments.

    Mr Henry Nwasike, former Chairman of Anambra Council, urged journalists to tackle quacks in the system to ensure respect for the profession as non-professionals give negative image of the job.

    The planning committee chairman of the event, Mrs Joy Mbachi, said that the role of journalists in nation building cannot be waved off and called for quality pay package for journalists.

    Mbachi urged journalists to hold on to the tenets of their jobs and proudly serve the public through quality reportage.

    Obi Asika, CEO, Cabal entertainment, and Executive producer, curator and developer of original content, Dr Azubike Ekweozor, were among the new patrons.

  • JUST IN: INEC suffers another attack in Imo

    JUST IN: INEC suffers another attack in Imo

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suffered another attack in Imo as hoodlums vandalised its Isu Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

    Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee said this in statement in Abuja on Wednesday.

    Okoye said that the attack was the fourth in the state, after that of Orlu and Oru West LGA, as well as the State Headquarters in Owerri.

    He said that the state INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Sylvia Agu, reported the attack in the early hours of Tuesday, adding that eight windows were smashed and burglary proofs removed.

    “Fortunately, the attackers could not access the building, movable and immovable equipment as well as other materials were not removed or vandalised.

    “However, as a precautionary measure, critical materials such as ballot boxes and voting cubicles have been evacuated to another INEC facility for safe keeping.
    “Similarly, all uncollected PVCs have been secured, while security will be deployed to ensure the continuous collection of the cards by registered voters in the same premises,” he said.

    Okoye said that the incident had been reported to the police and other security agencies for necessary action.

  • Just In: DSS nabs two alleged attackers of INEC offices in Imo

    Just In: DSS nabs two alleged attackers of INEC offices in Imo

    Two suspects who allegedly attacked Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) offices in Imo State, have been arrested by operatives of Department of State Services (DSS).

    Speaking during a meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof Sylvia Uchenna Agu, DSS Director in Imo state, Wilcox Idaminabo also disclosed that the agency has dislodged camps at Orsu from where the hoodlums launch attacks.

    The raids led to the arrest of a leader and financier of the hoodlums in Orsu. Idaminabo also said the hoodlums have relocated to Aku/Ihube axis along the Okigwe expressway.

     

    He said: “We have continued to comb their camps and cells in Orsu, Njaba, Orlu and Okigwe.

    “Our onslaught especially at Njaba led to the arrest of one Ejima who has been threatening to burn down the state and INEC offices.

    “I am happy to announce that just last night (Tuesday) we apprehended him and he’s now in our custody.

    “We also recovered a lot of arms, ammunition and charms from him.”

  • Hoodlums attack Orlu community in Imo state, set courts ablaze

    Hoodlums attack Orlu community in Imo state, set courts ablaze

    Hoodlums in Imo state have once again destroyed government facilities worth millions of naira in the southeastern state.

    It was gathered that the assailants set ablaze the magistrate and high court in Orlu community of the state, thereby destroying files and documents of the courts.

    Recall that daredevil armed men attacked the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Owerri, the state capital.

    The Chairman of, Nigerian Bar Association, Orlu branch, Barnabas Munonye, who confirmed the incident, described it as a very unfortunate development.

    He said his attention was drawn to the incident by the administrative secretary of the association early Saturday morning.

    The Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Mike Abattam, also confirmed the attack.

    According to the PPRO, the police had launched an investigation into the incident.

  • 2023: Gunmen attack Imo INEC office, kill three persons

    2023: Gunmen attack Imo INEC office, kill three persons

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) office in Owerri, Imo State was attacked by suspected hoodlums in the state and left about three persons dead.

    It was gathered that the attack on the INEC office happened very early on Monday in the state.

    Although, the Nigerian Police force got to the scene and repelled the hoodlums who invaded the premises to cause mayhem, they already shot some persons.

    Reports say, three of the hoodlums were killed, while one of them was captured alive.

    Meanwhile, the Imo state Police Public Relations Officer, Michael Abattam, promised to look into the situation and make a comment soon.

     

  • Labour Party candidate dies after inspecting venue for Peter Obi’s rally in Imo

    Labour Party candidate dies after inspecting venue for Peter Obi’s rally in Imo

    The Labour Party House of Assembly candidate for Okigwe, Imo State, Mr Chukwunonye Irouno is dead.

    Irouno, a popular master of ceremony in Owerri and the Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs and Entertainment to a former governor of the state, Rochas Okorocha, died on Monday night in his house in Owerri.

    The candidate, who was supposed to be the official MC for Peter Obi’s rally in Owerri yesterday died after he and other Labour chieftains had finished inspecting Kanu Nwankwo sports stadium in Owerri, the venue for Obi’s campaign rally in the state on Tuesday.

    A friend of the deceased told our correspondent that the politician died few minutes after arriving at his Owerri residence.

    He said, “Irouno has died. He just returned to his house and asked his wife to prepare dinner for him. He went inside his bedroom to freshen up. On getting to his bed, he started behaving funny.

    “His children couldn’t understand his action. They went to the kitchen to call their mother. Before his wife could rush to the bedroom, he was dead.

    “This is unbelievable. This was a man who was supposed to take charge of the proceedings during the Labour Party presidential rally in Owerri. He died few minutes after asking his wife to prepare food for him.”

    The news of Irouno’s death nearly disrupted the LP campaign rally in Owerri on Tuesday.

    Immediately the chairman of the local Organizing committee for the rally, Kingsley Onunuju, announced his death and called for a minute silence in his honour, the crowd erupted in shouts.

  • IPOB disassociates self from attack on INEC office in Imo state

    IPOB disassociates self from attack on INEC office in Imo state

    In a statement signed by the media and publicity Secretary of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Emma Powerful, the group disassociated itself from recent attacks on INEC offices in Imo State and elsewhere, saying the Nigeria Police is merely blackmailing it by linking the group with the attacks.

    According to the statement, it said neither IPOB nor ESN operatives has anything to do with the attacks and Nigerian elections in 2023.

    It said: “We have never supported nor involved ourselves in any election obstruction or violence as a movement.

    “The only actions we can take is to call our people to boycott voting if the need arises. But as of today, IPOB is not interested in Nigeria and its electoral activities and have never asked anyone to carry out any attack on our behalf.

    “For the Nigerian Government and her compromised Police to link IPOB and ESN to their sponsored attacks on INEC Offices has shown that they are deluded, misguided, deceitful, and don’t know the norms on which IPOB operations.

    “Nigeria Government and her Security Agencies are working day and night to blackmail IPOB self-determination Movement. They sponsor criminals to attack government facilities so they can rush to media to blame the attacks on IPOB and ESN without investigation”.

    It said there has never been anytime that Nigeria Police carried out any public inquiry on all the numerous attacks and arsons that they blamed IPOB for adding that “ESN operatives never attacked INEC office because we are not interested in this Nigeria’s forthcoming election in 2023.

    “Any one or group blaming IPOB or ESN for any attack on INEC facilities is under the influence of some powerful drugs. IPOB will not spare anybody using our name to disrupt election, and no body should link us with those who are destroying election materials”, it added.
    Besides according to the statement, IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi KANU has said it several times that he has not asked anyone to carry out any attack on his behalf.

    For that reason, the statement continued, no body should link the group with the attack on INEC office in Owerri Imo State, it stated.

  • Again, INEC office set ablaze in Imo

    Again, INEC office set ablaze in Imo

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says its office in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State undergoing renovation was attacked on Thursday.

    INEC disclosed this in a statement issued by its National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye on Friday in Abuja.

    Okoye said that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Imo State, Prof. Sylvia Agu, reported that the commission ‘s office in Orlu was attacked.

    “The incident occurred on Thursday, 1st December, 2022. The building, which is undergoing extensive renovation following an earlier attack, was vandalised and partially set ablaze.”

    Okoye said that three out of seven construction workers were abducted but later released.

    “The damage would have been more extensive but for the quick response of the Nigeria Police which has deployed its personnel to the site.

    “This is one attack too many. The Commission once again expresses its concern over the spate of attacks on its facilities and the negative consequences on our preparations for the 2023 general election.”