TheNewsGuru

Tag: Imo

  • JUST IN: Police rescue Imo monarch kidnapped by 10 gunmen in early morning raid on palace

    JUST IN: Police rescue Imo monarch kidnapped by 10 gunmen in early morning raid on palace

    The police on Saturday rescued unhurt the traditional ruler of the Mbutu Ancient Kingdom in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, Eze Damian Nwaigwe.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the monarch was taken away from the palace at about 2:30 am on Thursday.

    A source said the gunmen, numbering about 10, shot into the air before whisking the monarch away.

    The command’s spokesman, Michael Abattam, a Chief Superintendent of Police, confirmed the development.

    He said the monarch has been reunited with his family.

  • Gunmen kidnap, shoot Imo traditional ruler dead, dump body inside car

    Gunmen kidnap, shoot Imo traditional ruler dead, dump body inside car

    Gunmen have murdered Edwin Azike, the traditional ruler of Atta ancient kingdom in the Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State.

    The Imo State Police confirmed the incident on Friday.

    According to the Police Public Relations Officer, Mike Abatam, Azike had been abducted on Thursday night.

    His lifeless body was later identified and recovered inside his vehicle along the road leading to the market square in the community on Friday morning.

    Meanwhile, eyewitnesses also said four other people were killed in the community.

    The PPRO said the Commissioner of Police Rabiu Hussaini has directed all the tactical teams to swing into action immediately and go after the perpetrators.

    The incident comes less than 24 hours after another traditional ruler in Mbutu ancient kingdom of Aboh Mbaise Local government area of the state Damian Nwaigwe, was abducted from his palace.

  • 10 Gunmen abduct Imo monarch in early morning raid

    10 Gunmen abduct Imo monarch in early morning raid

    Ten unidentified gunmen in the early hours of Thursday kidnapped the traditional ruler of Mbutu ancient kingdom in the Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, Damian Nwaigwe.

    The gunmen abducted the traditional ruler at his palace around 2:30 am, a community a close source to the palace revealed.

    The source said, “the traditional ruler of Mbutu ancient kingdom in the Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo state, Eze Damian Nwaigwe, has been kidnapped. The respected king was kidnapped at his palace around 2.30 am, on Thursday.

    “Those who kidnapped him were many. They came in vehicles and were more than 10. They barricaded his palace, shot indiscriminately until they whisked the monarch away in an already steaming vehicle.

    The palace of the king is excluded. He built his house far from where other villagers live that was why it wasn’t difficult for him to have been kidnapped without any resistance from his subjects.”

    It was further gathered that the kidnap of the king had caused panic in the community, as villagers kept vigil from the time of the incident till dawn.

    Police spokesperson in the state, Micheal Abattam, confirmed the kidnap of the monarch when contacted by our correspondent.

    Abattam said that the command had swung into action intending to rescue the traditional ruler, unhurt.

  • Gunmen attack Imo community, kill two, destroy properties

    Gunmen attack Imo community, kill two, destroy properties

    Gunmen have killed at least two persons when they stormed Etekwuru autonomous community in the Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State around 4am on Wednesday.

    The invaders also destroyed properties and left some villagers injured before leaving the area.

    The reason for the attack had yet to be ascertained as of the time of filing this report but our correspondent gathered that the community is currently in a state of panic.

    The traditional ruler of the community, Eze Kenneth Okereke, who confirmed the attack on Wednesday morning, called on security agents to come to the rescue of his subjects.

    TheNewsGuru recalls that some gunmen had on October 21 burnt the palace and official vehicle of the traditional of the community when they invaded his home in an attempt to kill him.

    The attack on the palace of the traditional ruler came two days after some hoodlums and military men clashed in the community, leading to the killing of two soliders and youths.

    The monarch who wrote a letter to the state governor, Hope Uzodinma, requesting help, disclosed that he was on exile owing to the destruction of his palace.

     

  • Imo pastor calls self ‘disgrace to body of Christ’ after receiving N1.5m share for kidnapping Catholic priest

    Imo pastor calls self ‘disgrace to body of Christ’ after receiving N1.5m share for kidnapping Catholic priest

    A 35-year-old pastor, Izuchukwu Anoloba has been arrested for kidnapping Fr Fidelis Ekemgba, a Catholic priest in Imo state.

    The pastor while confessing to the crime said he got N1.5 million as his share from the kidnap.

    According to reports, the state Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Hussaini, while parading the suspect disclosed that the victim was in his in captivity until a N5 million ransom was paid.

    Describing himself as a disgrace “to the body of Christ”, Anoloba begged for forgiveness.

    “I am a pastor with Apostolic Church of Christ in Lagos. I got N1.5 million from the kidnap of the priest. I never knew I would be arrested. I regret my actions because I am now a disgrace to the body of Christ and my family.” he said.

    The police said the victim is the priest in charge of St. Peters Catholic Parish in Umunohu Amakaohia in the Ihitte/Uboma Local Government Area of the state.

  • Army foil attempt to kidnap doctors, nurses providing free healthcare in Imo

    Army foil attempt to kidnap doctors, nurses providing free healthcare in Imo

    Troops of Exercise Golden Dawn have foiled an attempt to abduct a group of doctors and nurses providing free healthcare for residents in Amauju Isu Local Government Area of Imo State.

    The Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, disclosed this via a statement.

    While noting that a suspected member of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) was killed in a shootout, Nwachukwu said another was nabbed with a gunshot wound.

    “Members of the outlawed group had attempted to kidnap a group of medical doctors and nurses known as, ‘Doctors on the Move Africa’, who were providing free medical care to inhabitants of Amucha Community in Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State,” the statement read.

    “The troops in conjunction with the Nigerian Air Force 211 Quick Response Group and the Nigerian Police on receipt of actionable intelligence on the criminal plot, swiftly moved in and rescued the medical team. The medical team has been escorted to a safe location.

    “The troops afterward went after the hoodlums and made contact with them at Amauju Isu Local Government Area of Imo State, where they were found enforcing the illegal sit at home order in Amauju.

    “In the firefight that ensued, one of the criminals was neutralized, while the others took to their heels. One of them, who had escaped with a gunshot wound was later apprehended by the local Vigilante and handed over to the police.”

  • Army, police dismiss reported clash in Imo

    Army, police dismiss reported clash in Imo

    The Nigerian Army, 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze, Owerri and the police command in Imo have dismissed social media reports of a clash between personnel of the two security agencies.

    This is contained in a release co-signed by the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Capt. Joseph Akubo and the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Michael Abattam, in Owerri on Sunday.

    According to the release, there was no gun duel between personnel of the two agencies and any reports to that effect remains false, malicious and a product of the imagination of criminals.

    It said that law enforcement and security agencies in Imo would continue to synergise so as to bring to book all criminals and halt their activities in the state.

    It also called on Imo residents to ignore any sit-at-home order by any outlawed groups adding that security agencies would never get tired of protecting lives and property of the people.

    “Please disregard as false the report making the rounds on some online media platforms of a gun duel between the personnel of the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Police in Owerri.

    ”No stone will be left unturned in ensuring that law abiding citizens live in a conducive environment and carry out their daily routine without fear or intimidation by miscreants.

    ”We therefore call on all law abiding citizens to ignore the illegal Monday sit at home call by the proscribed and irredentist Indigenous People of Biafra and its affiliate criminal group, the Eastern Security Network ESN.

    ”All security agencies in the state will continue to discharge their constitutional mandate and ensure that lives and property are well protected, ” the statement read.

  • Investigate Uzodinma’s allegation that I am behind security crisis in Imo, Okorocha tells IGP

    Investigate Uzodinma’s allegation that I am behind security crisis in Imo, Okorocha tells IGP

    Former governor of Imo State Senator Rochas Okorocha has urged Inspector General of Police to investigate Governor Hope Uzodimma’s allegation that he is behind insecurity in the state.

    Governor Hope Uzodimma had accused Senator Rochas Okorocha of being behind the ugly and worrisome security situation in Imo State.

    The former governor on Saturday described Uzodimma’s statement as unguarded accusation.

    Okorocha in a statement he released by his Special Adviser on media, Sam Onwuemeodo said “Okorocha had, out of genuine and patriotic Concern about the Security Challenges of the State, which he governed for eight years and Orlu zone in particular, of which , he is the Senator, raised the issue at the Senate plenary.”

    He added “Okorocha had called for the intervention of the Senate and other relevant bodies and persons, all in an effort to see how to end the lingering security problem in Imo.

    “One had expected the Imo governor, to even Commend Okorocha for drawing the attention of the red chamber of the National Assembly to what has been going on in Imo, in terms of security challenges.

    Instead of taking that path, the lmo governor decided to take the route of abuses and propaganda against his brother Senator, who had governed the State before him and who is also the Senator of his Zone. He should have collaborated Okorocha’s fresh ideas on the floor of the Senate, on how to solve the Imo Security problem.

    “The good news is that, Nigerians in general and Imo people in particular, know Okorocha and his history. He has the history of peace, harmony and unity. The history of uplifting life and building the Nation. The history of tolerance. He has Conviviality as a guide or principle.

    “We would rather urge the Imo Governor to see every Imo man and woman as a Stakeholder in the Imo project. And carry everybody along to see how best, to bring out the long known peaceful State from the Current quagmire. This is not what Imo was known for. And all hands must be on deck, to get the problem solved. It does not require muscle-flexing. Or push me, I push you.

    “Having said all these, it is our candid request, that the Inspector-General of Police and other concerned security agencies, should investigate the Imo governor’s accusation against Okorocha, with the aim of finding out the truth or otherwise of this costly accusation. We would also delight that the outcome of their findings be made public, in due course.

    “Okorocha governed Imo for eight years and ensured enviable peace, water-tight Security, bubbling and lively State and would not imagine or have any reason to dream of encouraging security collapse in his dear State. This is not possible and can never be possible.

     

  • Imo: Gunmen set ablaze Police Station, kill officer, injure DPO

    Imo: Gunmen set ablaze Police Station, kill officer, injure DPO

    In a resurgence of violence in Imo state, unknown gunmen on Tuesday invaded and set ablaze the Arondizuogu divisional police headquarters in Ideato Local Government Area of the state.

    The gunmen reportedly killed a police officer and injured the Divisional Police Officer of the station.

    It was learnt that the assailants struck at about 2 am on Tuesday.

     

    The Imo police spokesman, Michael Abattam, confirmed the attack and noted that the state’s Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Hussaini, had ordered investigation into the incident and was on his way to access the damage done.

    TheNewsGuru reports that the attack came barely 24 hours after some gunmen allegedly killed a soldier during a shootout with Nigerian troops at Awo Mmamma in Oru East Local Government Area of the state.

  • Police engage gunmen disguised as mourners in Imo, kill one

    Police engage gunmen disguised as mourners in Imo, kill one

    Operatives of the Imo State Police Command have killed a gunman and arrested another – both of whom were part of a group disguised as mourners.

    The spokesman for the command, Michael Abattam, who disclosed this in a statement on Saturday confirmed that other members of the group fled with various gunshot wounds.

    “Sequel to the recent attacks by some unknown gunmen in the state where some innocent persons lost their lives the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Rabiu Hussaini psc, directed the command’s tactical teams to ensure strict policing of the border areas and to embark on aggressive, intelligence-led stop and search/patrols to prevent bandits from entering the state forthwith,” he explained.

    “The strategy yielded positive results. On 17/11/2021 at about 1501 hours, while the ever gallant police command’s tactical teams were on a vigorous and aggressive stop and search operation along Owerri/Onitsha Road, suspected gunmen masquerading as persons mourning – going for burial ceremony somewhere in the state – approached the police checkpoint in a convoy of three motorcycles carrying two passengers on each, alongside a passenger bus with registration number Anambra NNE 725 ZG carrying passengers, and displaying in front of the bus, a belated burial poster of late Mrs Bridget Chine Nwadiozor dated 22/10/2021.

    “They were flagged down for routine search. On seeing the date on the belated poster, the police operatives became suspicious and alert. After searching the passengers on the motorcycles and nothing incriminating was seen, they went to the bus.

    “In the bid of searching the passengers in the bus, one of them pulled out a Berretta pistol and in an attempt to shoot at the police operatives, he was neutralised which led to a shootout. In the process one of the suspects, Odedira Ezuala ‘m’ aged 23yrs, a native of Umudike Ihiala LGA of Anambra State, was arrested while others, including the motorcyclists, escaped with bullet wounds.”

    The police, according to Abattam, recovered a police special Beretta pistol with breach No.90005 and 10 rounds of live ammunition, a bus with Reg. No. Anambra NNE 725 ZG, and a burial poster.

    He stated that the body of the neutralised gunman has been deposited at a morgue while the arrested suspect was already undergoing interrogation.

    According to the command’s spokesman, the suspect has made useful statement to the police and has volunteered to provide support to arrest the fleeing members of the gang.