TheNewsGuru

Tag: Imo State

  • No APC Congress held in Imo State – Okorocha

    No APC Congress held in Imo State – Okorocha

    Former Imo Governor Senator Rochas Okorocha has declared there was no All Progressives Congress(APC) in the State because there is a substantive Appeal Court judgement on the executives of the party.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG gathered that Okorocha and others in factional camps of the party in the state, including Senator Ifeanyi Araraume boycotted the State Congress on Saturday.

    Reacting, Okorocha said through his Media aide, Sam Onwuemeodo that in addition to the substantive appeal court judgment, “there is an appeal pending in the Supreme Court over the issue.

    “What are we going to talk about the said congress nobody builds something on nothing.

    “There is a substantive appeal court judgment on the exco of the party in Imo State, it is not in doubt.

    “In addition, an appeal is pending in the Supreme Court and the case has not been decided and somebody said he is conducting a congress.

    “We won’t waste our time reacting on such issue, the governor knows and everyone knows that nothing happened. What they had on Saturday probably was a birthday party probably in advance for the governor. Nobody is celebrating anywhere even among their own group, do you see anybody celebrating.”

    Though the congress was conducted under peaceful atmosphere, an unusual calm pervades opposition camps over the conduct of the Congress in the State.

    In Araraume’s camp, everybody is keeping mum over outcome of the election that produced a former General Manager of Environmental Transformation Commission (ENTRACO), MacDonald Ebere as chairman.

     

  • 3 feared dead, houses burnt as soldiers raid Imo community

    3 feared dead, houses burnt as soldiers raid Imo community

    No fewer than three persons were feared dead on Friday as soldiers raided Izombe community in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.

    It was gathered that many houses, including the palace of the traditional ruler of the Aborshi-Izombe community, Pius Muforo, were burnt down.

    Although the exact cause of the raid is still sketchy at the time of filing this report, it was, however, gathered that Izombe, Eziorsu and Osobod communities have been enmeshed in oil bunkering operations.

    Speaking on the development, a community leader from Umuokwu village, Mr James Imo, claimed that over 50 houses have been burnt down.

    “I was informed that two military men were killed and their vehicle set ablaze after the two military personnel had killed one young man, Chukwunonso Iherue, in Umuokwu-Izombe.

    “The problem arose from misunderstanding between the youth and soldiers over crude oil bunkering activities,” Imo said.

    He alleged that the angry youth fought back, overpowering the soldiers and as well took their guns and burnt their vehicle.

    Imo said the military personnel ran to the palace of the traditional ruler for refuge, but the angry youth stormed the palace, brought them out and killed them.

    However, NAN gathered that the traditional ruler’s palace and many other buildings at Umuokwu village in Izombe were allegedly burnt down in the crisis.

    Also, it was gathered that the incident led to a reinforcement of soldiers, who raided the area.

    Another source, who pleaded anonymity, said: “I am calling from inside a hideout in the bush now.

    “Some soldiers attacked our community in retaliation over 18 Hilux vans carrying petrol and three war tanks.

    “My cousin living next to our compound told me that her house was burnt down after which the soldiers went and burnt down Chief C.A. Onyeukwu’s building,” the source said.

    Efforts to get a confirmation of the incident from the Public Relations Officers of the Police and Nigeria Army proved abortive as they both declined comments on the incident.

  • Police arrest alleged IPOB kingpin in Imo

    Police arrest alleged IPOB kingpin in Imo

    Police have arrested one of the kingpins of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Uchenna Chukwu, in Imo.

    Police spokesman in the state, CSP Mike Abattam said in a statement issued in Owerri on Friday that the IPOB champion, was arrested at Ehime-Mbano Local Government Area of the state.

    He added that the police also killed an IPOB member who joined other members to frustrate the arrest of the kingpin.

    He said Chukwu, aged 34 years, played a major role in the killing of police officers and burning of police stations in Imo and had long been declared wanted by the police.

    He explained that following credible information the police stormed his shop at Ehime Mbano area to arrest him.

    “The suspect raised alarm alerting members of his gang, picked a cutlass and rushed at one of the police operatives and attempted chopping off his head but was overpowered, disarmed and the cutlass recovered.

    “While this was on, the already alerted members who came in their numbers to rescue him engaged the police in a gun duel and in the process, one of them was neutralised while others escaped with bullet wounds,’’ he stated.

    He added that one locally-made double barrel pistol with two expended cartridges; two live cartridges and charms were recovered at the scene.

    Abattam also stated that the suspect was presently undergoing interrogation and had made useful statement to the police.

    He said the police was working in synergy with other security agencies to arrest other members of the terror group especially those that escaped with bullet wounds.

  • At 59, Okorocha speaks on what is most important to him

    At 59, Okorocha speaks on what is most important to him

    Ahead of his 59 years birthday celebration, former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, who represents Imo West Senatorial District in the Senate, has opened up on what is most important to him.

    The Imo State Senator said he desired in his lifetime to take one million children off the street and provide them with free quality education.

    Okorocha made this known on Wednesday in Abuja while speaking with a select group of journalists ahead of his 59 years birthday celebration on Thursday.

    According to him, his contract at 59 is to promote education for the less privileged, the downtrodden who lack access to education.

    Okorocha said that providing care and education for the downtrodden children across Africa meant much more to him than acquiring material things.

    “I want to take one million children off the street and give them free quality education, that is my target.

    “Once I am able to achieve that, it is much more important to me than being the president of Nigeria, a senator or governor.

    “This is more important to me than having mansions in South Africa and Dubai,” he said.

    The senator, who is the founder of the Okorocha Foundation, said that he presently has more than 25,000 children he was catering for in different schools.

    Rochas Foundation is a non- governmental, non-profit and non-political organisation, established in 1998.

    It has a firm commitment to serve humanity and build a credible future for Africa by ensuring every less privileged child has access to comprehensive and qualitative education.

    Okorocha said: “Now I have over 25,000 children, 75 per cent of them are orphans and about 15 per cent of them have single parent, five per cent are those living below poverty line, though their parents are alive.

    “On this my birthday, I have invited children from different parts of the country, and from all over Africa.

    He disclosed that many beneficiaries of his foundation had graduated and working in different fields.

    He urged more Nigerians and Africans to join him in the desire to move more children off the street and give them education that would not only develop the continent but promote peace.

    Okorocha also urged the media to give necessary support to the government in addressing insecurity, banditry and other challenges facing the country.

    “This is the time the media are needed more for the security and development of the country.

    “No doubt our nation is going through difficult moments and there are insecurity and other challenges. This is the time we are going to need you more,“ he said.

    He said that Nigeria could be made better collectively, if everybody played his part responsibility.

    Some of the children his foundation enrolled in different schools who came to wish him happy birthday are from Kenya, Congo, Cameroon, Mozambique, Gambia and Nigeria.

    Some others came from Ethiopia, Liberia, Burundi, Malawi, South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Niger, Lesotho and Tanzania.

    Some of the students thanked Okorocha for giving them life and hope through quality education.

    One of the students of Rochas Foundation College of Africa (ROFOCA), Miss Muna Begashaw from Ethiopia, said that Okorocha gave so many of her type hope.

    She urged more Nigerians and other Africans to emulate Okorocha by assisting the less privileged.

    “We have millions of less privileged in Africa and one man cannot take care of all of them. We need more people to emulate him,” Begashaw said.

    A Nigerian, Master Sanusi Muhammed from Sokoto State and an SS2 student in ROFOCA Abuja, said he counted himself lucky to be one of the beneficiaries of Rochas Foundation.

    Muhammed said that the foundation did not just provide them shelter and food but quality education and moral education to meet future challenges.

  • JUST IN: Presidency defends speech Buhari made during visit to Imo

    JUST IN: Presidency defends speech Buhari made during visit to Imo

    The Presidency says President Muhammadu Buhari’s comment on Gov. Hope Uzodinma of Imo at the meeting with South East Leaders has been quoted out of context.

    Buhari was quoted as saying that “I’ll be careful with your future invitations” at end of his speech at the occasion.

    Mr Femi Adesina, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, identified those he described as purveyors of disinformation as brains behind the fake news.

    According to him, Buhari at the event made it clear that he was expressly overwhelmed by the reception and galaxy of personalities that travelled from the five South Eastern states to have a heart-to-heart discussion with him in Owerri.

    Adesina said the President had assumed that he was in the state to commission projects alone but the governor pulled a surprise on him with the calibre of over 50 elders that came to receive him.

    The statement read in part: ”We have observed that President Buhari’s concluding remarks at the meeting with South East Leaders during his one day visit to Imo State is being deliberately contorted and twisted out of context.

    ”The purveyors of disinformation want Nigerians to believe that the President bluntly told Governor Uzodinma, ‘I’ll be careful with your future invitations.’

    ”They have adduced different meanings to the phrase, contrary to the context wherein the President spoke during his successful dialogue with leaders of thought from Igbo land.

    ”When he arrived at the banquet hall of Imo State Government House for his last assignment in Owerri, the President was welcomed by over 50 leaders from the South East who had waited patiently for him for a Town Hall engagement, after commissioning strategic projects in the State.

    ”The President began his extempore speech by acknowledging the calibre of personalities present at the dialogue including the President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Prof. George Obiozor; former Chief of General Staff, retired Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe; and former Senate President Ken Nnamani.

    ”Former Military Governor in old Imo State; Sen. Ike Nwachukwu; the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe; Chairman of the South East Governors Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi; Deputy Governors of Abia, Anambra and the SSG of Enugu State, who represented the Governor.

    ”The Anglican Archbishop of Owerri Province, Most Rev. David Onouha, and his brother Bishop of Enugu, Archbishop Emmanuel Chukwuma, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo, just to mention but a few.”

    The presidential aide quoted the president’s words at the event as: “I am overwhelmed by this reception, overwhelmed in the sense that when I accepted the invitation by the Imo State Governor, who wants to justify investments the government has done to the people of Imo State,

    “I thought I would see the bridges, the roads and a few renovations.

    “He didn’t tell me he was going to get the whole Igbo leadership here. So in the future when he invites me, I’ll know what to do. But I think he has done what the military didn’t like. He has achieved surprise. He has surprised me beyond description.”

    He said the president later in his concluding statement at the same event, made reference to his earlier remarks on the ‘‘surprise’’ action pulled by the governor.

    On a lighter note, Adesina said the president quipped:
    “Governor of Imo State, I cannot thank you enough, but I will be careful with your future invitations.”

    He maintained that Buhari’s historic visit to Imo was very successful and the Igbo leaders who met him shared the same enthusiasm that his coming to the Eastern heartland would bring peace, foster unity, encourage good and better understanding among the citizenry.

    According to him, Archbishop David Onuoha, who is the Anglican Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, must have summed up the mood in the words of the prayer offered at the event:

    “Thank You dear Lord for our nation Nigeria and her people with diverse backgrounds, nationalities and cultures. Surely You did not make any mistakes in bringing us together.

    “Your purpose is for us to harness our potentials/strength to build a strong and virile nation. May this purpose never be defeated.

    “Glory be unto You for bringing Your servant and our dear President, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, safely to this State. Blessed be Your name for his life and the giant strides he is taking for the wellbeing of our nation.

    “Thank you for the huge infrastructural development that is taking place in various parts of the country.

    “Lord, Nigeria is a great nation with numerous challenges. We pray that you endue our President with heavenly wisdom, grace and strength. In his resolve to serve this nation, he will not fail, fall or falter.

    ”He will end his tenure strong and well to the glory and honour of your name and the good of our people.

    “May his visit today bring peace, foster unity, encourage good and better understanding among the citizens of this great nation; may it bring prosperity and restoration,” the statement added.

  • JUST IN: What Buhari said after seeing projects built by Gov Uzodinma

    JUST IN: What Buhari said after seeing projects built by Gov Uzodinma

    President Mohammadu Buhari on Thursday inaugurated four key projects in Imo State and assured the people of the State of more Federal Government’s presence.

    Addressing the people on the occasion in Owerri, Buhari said he was delighted to see the projects executed by Gov. Hope Uzodinma within a short time.

    He said: “Seeing is believing. I received invitation to come and see what the governor wanted me to see.

    “I have seen it now, justified by his integrity in making sure he is working very hard to get things that are necessary for the good life of the people of the State.

    “I’m really impressed with what he has done.”

    The President, who emphasised the importance of infrastructure and security, said Uzodinma was going through the same problem as himself at the center to make sure that infrastructure was in place.

    “I am very pleased with what I have seen and I assure you that at the center, I will help Imo within the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “I thank you very much for being peaceful and providing the weather for us to go round with the governor to see what he is doing in the state,” the president said.

    Earlier in a speech, Uzodinma expressed joy that the president made the visit, “despite challenges”.

    He recalled that his administration commenced virtual commissioning of projects in March by Buhari.

    He described the projects as strategically and economically important to the people of the state.

    “When I took office last year, I undertook a holistic study of the needs of the people.

    “I found out that the infrastructure of the state had totally collapsed as almost all road network were broken.

    “Owerri was worst hit with flood sacking most part of the city, while property owners had surrendered to the flood, especially within D-Tiger and Chukwuma Nwoha axis,” he said.

    The Governor said the second phase of the Naze Road, through Obinze Link Road, which was abandoned for over 15 years, would be inaugurated before the end of the year.

    He said his administration had done 46 roads, including the Mohammadu Buhari Avenue, housing the Federal Secretariat.

    “We are doing more because we believe that with the right infrastructure, our economic development will be hastened and life would be much better for our people.

    “That is what informed our decision to permanently solve the perennial flooding in the capital city, Owerri.

    “The balloon-driven tunnel at the base of D-Tiger Road was built to check flooding in the area and to recover property swallowed by flood in the last 20 years.

    “The tunnel is 2.45 kilometers in length, 1.8 meters in diameter and between 0.9 and 11.5 meters in depth with 94 manholes,” Uzodinma said.

    He expressed confidence that Owerri would become flood-free, when the second phase of the projects would be completed.

    He said the Egbeada Bypass, also inaugurated by Buhari, would help to ease traffic in the city.

    He further said the new Executive Council chambers, which was rebuilt after 40 years, was equipped with modern communication facilities to ease policy and decision making.

    He thanked the president for his swift response to end the “politically-contrived security breach” in Imo.

    He expressed his administration’s commitment to the peace and unity of the country by building a mini-Nigeria within the state.

    Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ebonyi, Dave Umahi, and Chief Andy Uba, the Governorship Candidate of the Progressives Congress in Anambra, attended the event.

    Also in attendance were some ministers and presidential aides from the southeast, the Executive Secretary, National Agricultural Land Development Authority, Mr Paul Ikonne, and other top federal and state government functionaries.

  • VIDEO: Owerri residents line up to welcome Buhari to Imo

    VIDEO: Owerri residents line up to welcome Buhari to Imo

    President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived Owerri, Imo, on one-day official visit where he would inaugurate some developmental projects executed by the State Government.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Owerri residents line up to welcome the President as he arrived in the State to inaugurate projects executed by Governor Hope Uzodinma.

    The President was received at Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport by Governor Uzodinma, the Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ebonyi, Dave Umahi, and the All Progressives Congress Anambra State gubernatorial candidate, Andy Uba.

    Others at the airport to welcome the president included some cabinet Ministers and Presidential aides from the South East,the Executive Secretary of NALDA, Mr Paul Ikonne, as well as other Federal and State government officials.

    The President is expected to, among others, inaugurate First Phase of Naze/Nekede/Ihiagwa/Obinze link road, Balloon Driven/Flood Control Tunnel and Egheada Bypass road.

    Also, before departing Owerri back to Abuja, the president will hold townhall meeting with stakeholders from the South East zone of the country.

    VIDEO: Owerri residents line up to welcome President Muhammadu Buhari as he visits Imo state to inaugurate projects executed by Governor Hope Uzodinma.

    Posted by Sumner Shagari Sambo on Thursday, 9 September 2021

  • PHOTO: Wild jubilation as passenger delivers baby boy at motor park

    PHOTO: Wild jubilation as passenger delivers baby boy at motor park

    A female passenger [name withheld], who was set to travel from Owerri, the capital of Imo State to Enugu State, was on Wednesday delivered of a bouncing baby boy at the motor park where she was billed to travel from.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the pregnant woman was set to board the bus at the motor park for her trip to Enugu when she suddenly entered into labour.

    While it was not clear what induced the labour or if she was due, the labour did not take long before the baby boy was born, to the amazement of other travelers and passersby.

    Following the birth of the child, there was wild jubilation at the motor park. The mother was seen beaming with joy, following her delivery. The baby was hale and hearty.

    TNG reports the development happened in the early hours of today at the Owerri terminal of Peace Mass Transit.

    The transport company later shared the joyous occasion via its official Facebook page.

    BREAKING:

    Jubilation as female Enugu-bound passenger of Peace Mass Transit is delivered of a bouncing baby boy at…

    Posted by Peace Mass Transit Limited on Wednesday, 11 August 2021

  • Police nab native doctor of Eastern Security Network in Imo

    Police nab native doctor of Eastern Security Network in Imo

    The police in Imo have arrested the alleged Eastern Security Network (ESN) native doctor with Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

    This is contained in a statement by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Abutu Yaro and signed by the command’s Spokesman, CSP Mike Abattam in Owerri.

    ”After a diligent forensic and technical intelligence gathering, the suspect, Benneth Okoli, 49, was arrested in his shrine at Akuma in Oru East LGA of Imo.

    “On searching the shrine, one locally made IED, charms and weed suspected to be cannabis were recovered.

    “The suspect on interrogation, made useful statements and is currently assisting the police to arrest the rest of his gang, presently on the run.”

    ”The arrest is coming a few days after bandits had an encounter with the police in the area.

    “Sequel to the attack on the Omuma Police Station in Oru East by bandits suspected to be the remnants of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and ESN terror groups, the CP dispatched the command’s tactical teams led by ACP Benjamin Osuji.

    “The team was directed to carry out discreet investigation and arrest the bandits involved in the attack of the police station.

    He said that the CP commended the gallantry displayed by the officers and men of the command, urging them to sustain the tempo.

    “He also thanked the people of Imo for their support and solicited for an all society approach to sustaining the already improved security architecture in the state.

  • Supreme Court stops FG from ceding 17 oil wells to Imo

    Supreme Court stops FG from ceding 17 oil wells to Imo

    The Supreme Court has granted an order of injunction restraining the Federal Government from ceding 17 disputed oil wells located at Akri and Mbede in Rivers to Imo.

    The apex court granted the order on Wednesday in Abuja while ruling in chamber on an ex parte motion argued by Mr Emmanuel Ukala, SAN.

    He prayed the court to stop the alleged implementation of the ceding of the 17 oil wells to Imo pending the determination of the suit filed by Rivers government.

    In it’s rulling, the apex court restrained the Attorney -General of the Federation (AGF) and the Attorney -General of Imo from taking any further action on the ownership of the disputed 17 oil wells.

    The court ruled that the defendants were not to take any action untill the ownership dispute was resolved.

    The apex court also stopped the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and the Fiscal Commission, (RMAFC), and the office of the Accountant General of the Federation from approving, implementing, or giving effect to a letter with reference number RMC/O&G/47/1/264 of July 1.

    The letter is said to have canceled the equal sharing of proceeds from the 17 oil wells by Rivers and Imo.

    The court fixed Sept. 21 to hear the substantive matter.

    The Rivers government dragged the AGF and the Attorney -General of Imo to the Supreme Court over disagreement on boundaries.

    The plaintiff prayed for declaration that the boundary between it and Imo, as delineated on Nigeria administrative map and other maps bearing similar delineations were inaccurate.

    It held that the maps did not represent the legitimate and lawful boundaries between the two states.

    The plaintiff also sought a declaration that as far as Nigeria’s administrative map and other maps bearing similar delineations, relate to the boundaries between Rivers and Imo, the said maps were unlawful and void.

    It held that the maps could not be relied on to determine the extent of the territorial governmental jurisdiction of Rivers and to determine the revenue accuring to Rivers from the federation account.

    It further prayed the Supreme Court to declare that the correct instrument, maps and documents, to be relied on in determining the boundary between Rivers and Imo were those used by the plaintiff in delineating the boundary line between the two states.

    The plaintiff also sought a declaration that all the oil wells within Akri and Mbede communities were wrongly attributed to Imo and that they were all oil wells within the territory of Rivers.

    “They form part of Rivers and it is only Rivers that is entitled to receive the full allocation of the distributable revenue from the oil wells on the basis of the 13 per cent derivation as contained under Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution.”

    The state asked for an order of mandatory injunction directing the AGF to calculate, to its satisfaction, and refund to it all revenue that had been wrongly attributed to or paid to Imo on account of the limit or extent of their territories.

    This, it said should include earnings due to it from revenue derived from Akri and Mbede oil wells.

    It asked for an order of mandatory injunction directing the AGF to produce the administrative map bearing the correct boundary between Rivers and Imo.

    The plaintiff also asked that the sum of N500 million be awarded as cost of prosecuting the case.