TheNewsGuru

Tag: Imo

  • South-East governors, Ohanaeze meet in Imo on security [Photos]

    South-East governors, Ohanaeze meet in Imo on security [Photos]

    Governors of the South-East region are currently holding a meeting today in Owerri, the Imo State capital over the security issue in the region.

    Navy and Air Force Commanders, the Inspector-General of Police, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other stakeholders are reportedly expected to be present at the meeting.

    The was confirmed by the Chief Press Secretary to Imo State Governor, Oguike Nwachuku.

    Also, the Imo State Government confirmed the meeting via a tweet, saying “Southeast Security Summit currently ongoing at Owerri, Imo State. All 5 South-East Governors present at the meeting.”

    The meeting holds days after gunmen attacked the Owerri Custodial Centre, freeing 1,884 inmates. The Imo State Police Command was also attacked by gunmen who set several vehicles abalze on the same day.

  • JUST IN: Gunmen kidnap Catholic priest in Imo

    JUST IN: Gunmen kidnap Catholic priest in Imo

    Gunmen on Sunday morning abducted a Catholic priest, Rev. Prof. Izu Marcell Onyeocha in Imo State.

    Onyeocha, was said to have been abducted around 7:00 a.m at Ihube Community in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State along Enugu -Port Harcourt Express Road.

    The victim, who is a lecturer in the Faculty of Humanities at the Imo State University, is a native of Avuru Community in Ikeduru council area.

    He was said to have been on transit from Enugu to Owerri when the incident happened.

    According to a resident of Okigwe town, the cleric was driving when the gunmen accosted him.

    The gunmen were said to have shot sporadically into the air to force him to stop.

    It was not clear if the cleric drove alone but a resident said: “The kidnappers shot sporadically in the air to scare away other road users at the scene of the operation. They drove the cleric in his car at the scene of the incident”.

     

  • BREAKING: Community erupts in joy as kidnapped Imo monarch, cabinet chiefs regain freedom [VIDEO]

    BREAKING: Community erupts in joy as kidnapped Imo monarch, cabinet chiefs regain freedom [VIDEO]

    His Royal Highness, Eze Charles Iroegbu, the traditional ruler of Umuezie community of Nguru Mbaise in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State kidnapped some few days ago has been freed, TheNewsGuru.com, TNG can authoritative report.

    TNG reports that Eze Iroegbu, who is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of All States Mass Transit, was kidnapped along with his cabinet chiefs.

    Confirming their release on Saturday, a palace source who does not want to be named said the monarch and his chiefs were released without ransom.

    “The king and his chiefs are back in the palace as I speak to you. The people and entire community have come out and have erupted in dance and songs rejoicing with them. And I can confirm that no ransom was paid.”

    https://twitter.com/tngbreaking/status/1380776802596052992

  • Imo jailbreak: Over 80 inmates back in custody

    Imo jailbreak: Over 80 inmates back in custody

    No fewer than 80 inmates have voluntarily returned to the Owerri custodial centre of the Nigerian Correctional Service.

    Over 1844 inmates had escaped on Monday when gunmen attacked the centre and released them.

    The gunmen also attacked the headquarters of the Nigerian Police and set ablaze the office of the Criminal Investigation Department after releasing all the detainees.

    On a visit to the damaged facilities on Tuesday, the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, had said inmates, who turn themselves in, would not be tried for jailbreak.

    About 40 returned on Tuesday, making a total of 82 number of inmates in custody at present.

    The Public Relations Officer of the Centre, Mr. Joe Madugba, told newsmen that the inmates returned between Tuesday and Wednesday.

    He said, “We have a total of 82 inmates right now. Remember that we have 36 that refused to escape and six that returned. Presently 40 others have joined them. They might have heeded the advice of the honourable minister to grant them amnesty from the crime of jailbreak.”

    He said that the centre is still expecting more of the detainees to return.

  • Gunmen raze another police station in Imo, free inmates hours after jailbreak in Owerri

    Gunmen raze another police station in Imo, free inmates hours after jailbreak in Owerri

    Imo State appears to be top on the list of troubled states in the country at the moment following a fresh attack on a police station barely a day after the massive attacks on a correctional facility and adjoining police command in Owerri, the state capital.

    According to reports a group of armed men invaded another police facility in the state on Tuesday.

    The latest attack was carried out on the Divisional Police Headquarters in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area – just about an hour-and-a-half drive from the state capital.

    Sources said the gunmen, who came in buses and in a large number, arrived at the police station and freed all the suspects in detention before setting the building ablaze.

    Police authorities in the state confirmed the incident although they insisted that the armoury at the station was intact.

    “Ehime Mbano (Police) Division has just been attacked, no casualty on the part of the police, no loss of arms, three vehicles burnt,” Orlando Ikeokwu who is the Police Public Relations Officer said.

    On Monday, gunmen attacked the Police Command Headquarters in the state where they burnt almost all the vehicles parked there.

    The attack, carried out in the early hours of Monday, happened at a time when gunmen also invaded the Owerri Custodial Centre, freeing hundreds of inmates serving various jail terms.

    Authorities of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) put the figure of inmates who fled the correctional facility at 1,844.

    They, however, noted that six of the fleeing inmates voluntarily returned to the facility while 35 others refused to escape from custody.

    The incident was condemned by the Federal Government and the state government, as well as various individuals and groups in the country.

    Mr Mohammed Adamu, who was the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) at the time of the attacks, ordered the immediate deployment of additional units of Police Mobile Force (PMF) and other police tactical squads to Imo.

    He stated that this was important to strengthen security in the state and prevent further attacks on security formations or any other critical national infrastructure in the state.

    The former police chief had also directed the Commissioner of Police in Imo and a new Special Investigation Team to carry out holistic investigations into the incident, with a view to arresting and bringing the perpetrators of the attacks to justice.

    A day after the incident, the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, as well as the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, and Adamu visited Imo for an on-the-spot assessment of the attacked facilities.

    But the attack on the police station in Ehime Mbano is said to have occurred barely three hours after the vice president, the minister, and the former police chief left the state.

    The attack, carried out in the early hours of Monday, happened at a time when gunmen also invaded the Owerri Custodial Centre, freeing hundreds of inmates serving various jail terms.

    Authorities of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) put the figure of inmates who fled the correctional facility at 1,844.

    They, however, noted that six of the fleeing inmates voluntarily returned to the facility while 35 others refused to escape from custody.

    The incident was condemned by the Federal Government and the state government, as well as various individuals and groups in the country.

  • Imo Jail Break: We’ll grant pardon to prisoners who willingly return – FG

    Imo Jail Break: We’ll grant pardon to prisoners who willingly return – FG

    The federal government on Tuesday said fugitives who escaped from the custodial centre in Owerri, Imo state capital, will be pardoned if they voluntarily return.

    Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, made the remarks while inspecting the centre on Tuesday following an attack on the facility on Tuesday.

    He described unlawful escape from custody as a crime but assured that inmates who voluntarily return will be exempted from prosecution.

    The minister said the Nigerian government would do everything in its power to bring the assailants to justice.

    “Unlawful escape from custody is a crime but the government in its magnanimity will grant amnesty to prisoners who wilfully return.

    “They will no longer be charged with unlawful escape but only for the initial crimes that took them to prison. So, we urge all escapees to return before they are caught on the run,” he said.

    Recall that 36 inmates stayed back after the attack and six inmates had returned.

  • Attack in Imo an act of terrorism – Buhari

    Attack in Imo an act of terrorism – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the deadly insurgent attack that took place on the Police Command Headquarters and the Correctional Facility in Owerri, Imo State, on Monday, calling it an act of terrorism.

    In his reaction to the incident early on Monday, Buhari praised the initial response by security guards and security forces for preventing greater loss of life and the destruction of public property.

    The President directed security and intelligence agencies in the state and the geo-political zone to fully mobilize and go after the terrorists, apprehend them and get them punished under the full weight of the law.

    He also called for the best efforts to be made to rearrest fleeing prison detainees, many of whom are believed to be deadly criminals.

    Buhari then appealed to members of the public to assist the law enforcement agencies with any relevant information that could lead to the apprehension of these criminals who perpetrated this despicable act.

    He also urged members of the public to be vigilant as “all of us have a stake in preserving our way of life from disruption by terrorists and anarchists while the Federal Government will use every available tool at its disposal to confront and terminate this bare-faced anarchy.”

    Gunmen have reportedly attacked the federal prison and police command headquarters in Owerri, Imo state.

    Some inmates in the prison were said to have been broken free by the gunmen. The attack was said to have happened in the early hours of Monday.

    There was said to have been heavy gunfire during the attack. The number of inmates released from the facility is yet unknown.

    The police command and some vehicles parked in the vicinity were set ablaze by the gunmen on Monday morning.

  • ‘No Nigerian deserves to be in prison’, Nnamdi Kanu says hours after massive jailbreak, attacks on police building in Imo

    ‘No Nigerian deserves to be in prison’, Nnamdi Kanu says hours after massive jailbreak, attacks on police building in Imo

    Few hours after a correctional facility and police investigations department in Owerri, the Imo State capital were set ablaze by unidentified gunmen, leader of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu has stated no Nigerian deserves to be in prisons.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that there were reports of massive jail break after the attacks.

    Unverified reports say over 2,000 inmates were freed the gunmen.

    However, reacting to the incident, the IPOB leader said some groups and individuals get freed and rehabilitated by authorities while others languish in custody.

    Kanu tweeted on Monday “If Miyetti Allah terror herdsmen & other murderous #Fulani groups, including Boko Haram insurgents, can be arrested, freed and rehabilitated by this neo-colonial Fulanised @NGRPresident, then no single soul deserves to be in any prison in Nigeria. If you know you know! #UGM.”

  • Okorocha vs Uzodinma display of thuggery in governance: IGP invited to investigate unlawful arrest

    Okorocha vs Uzodinma display of thuggery in governance: IGP invited to investigate unlawful arrest

    The immediate past governor of Imo Sate, Rochas Okorocha has issued warnings to his successor, Hope Uzodinma over what he described as display of criminality and thuggery in governance leading to his unlawful arrest and detention of his aides.

    Recall that the former governor who now is now representing Imo West Senatorial district was arrested yesterday for unsealing a property seized by the state government on Friday.

    Okorocha, while briefing his supporters on his arrest, called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to intervene immediately and order immediate probe of Uzodinma’s men (identified as Chinasa Nwaneri and Eric Uwakwe) who allegedly led thugs to attack him on Sunday.

    He alleged that police officers watched on as thugs attacked him and his aides.

    His words, “ Uzodinma is moving in a wrong direction that he may not end up well with. With what happened yesterday, Hope simply displayed criminality in governance, thuggery in governance. “

    He is creating unnecessary tension, when there is no need for it. Imo today is very unsecure for the first time since nine years. Now when you go to Orlu, you see killings that even the air force jet, for the first time in the history after the war came to Orlu.

    “You see, yesterday alone, 10 houses were burnt, at Ukwuta. Everyday people are being killed in this state, people are being intimidated by the governor and his thugs.Now I do not know what the governor wants to achieve, but I think he wants to make everybody to fear him. He has also introduced a law through the Imo state House of Assembly that empowers him to detain people at his will. That law is barbaric and must be condemned.

    “Now Governor Hope Uzodinma is busy chasing shadows of violence, and leaving performance. Since he came to office, what he has achieved so far is demolition of one thousand bed hospital in Douglas Somto, built by me. He has demolished the Tunnel at Port-Harcourt road, built by me, on the reason that it was sub-standard. He has demolished all the roundabouts that have brought beauty and safety of roads in our society, without replacing them.

    “Rather than making peace, he wants to rule by intimidation, and that is not acceptable in anyway. A wise governor who has not paid his workers, who has not paid teachers, pensioners, sacking workers, sacking teachers at will. Pay some and leave some. Now the wisest thing to do if he does not have money, is to use good speeches to appease the people. But unfortunately the governor is inciting violence on daily basis.

    “Now he has taken a personal attack on me and my family, and I have not done anything in retaliation. First the governor reported the matter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), claiming that I used Imo state money to build some properties. The case has been in court, and till date there has not been any prove, by any court of competent jurisdiction, that has traced any government funds to any of my accounts.

    “Yet Hope has insisted in reporting the case every little to ICPC and CPC. When he saw that he is not making headway at the EFCC, he turned back to use the police. But I must say today, that the act of the government house police yesterday should be brought to question.

    “I want to ask, that the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Adamu, direct the arrest of Chinasa Nwaneri and Eric Uwakwe, who led the thugs. Most of them have been in armed robbery activities in the state…… I want the Inspector General to investigate, if those are policemen or thugs brought outside wearing Police uniform. I don’t think that any sane policeman will act in a manner those officers acted yesterday.

    “There is a breakdown of law and order in the state. I don’t think that any sane governor will want to govern a state of violence. Concerning the hotel in question, Hope Uzodinma, Commissioner for Land went to that hotel which I requested my wife to come down home and invest for the purpose of creating jobs and helping our people.

    “I was never a poor man before I became governor of Imo state. I came here, brought my children to invest, I brought everybody to invest because I believe in this state. Most of these people who are fighting me do not have one single investment. The commissioner for Land went there and arrested all the people, including guests of the hostel, before putting the pad lock he claimed he put. Why not put the pad lock first, then if anybody goes there, then you can arrest the person. But he arrested these people and brought them to the police station. They are still there and the Police, also have the audacity to detain innocent citizens because the governor has directed them to do so.

    “The amount of shooting that took place in that hotel was more than two hundred gunshots. Who are you shooting? Who do you want to kill? That is my question. Do you want to kill the citizens you are governing? That again is my question. So Hope Uzodinma must be called to order….. His thugs were shooting at us while Police officers from government house were watching. I restrained my aides not to shoot because I hate to stain my hands with blood, if not there would have been lots of deaths yesterday. They took advantage of that and did what they did to the extent that they destroyed all my cars, and riddled my cars with bullets.

    “What Hope Uzodinma is doing is not good. Few days ago he went to Eastern Palm University and shut down the university were children are going to school. That is not the way to do it. A governor, who came through court, should know how to respect the rule of law.

    If a matter is in court you cannot use executive power against the court power. But this is what Hope Uzodinma is doing in this state. “But for the timely intervention of the presidency in this matter, Imo would have been something else by this time. I want to thank the presidency and those who intervened in this matter, because in a manner that Hope led by Chinansa. All of you know who Chinansa is in this state. We know his track records. I know he shares the same track records with Hope Uzodinma.

    “We shall resist them, criminally governing this state. I have reported to all concerned. I have told everybody. And I have told them I am a man of peace. Hope Uzodinma should not take my calmness and peaceful disposition for granted. Enough is Enough.

    “I govern Imo state for eight years, there was no record of me arresting anybody. I was the most abused governor. People abused me but I never in anyway, any day arrested a man. But today its on record that Hope Uzodinma arrested a widow, kept her for 22 days, saying that she did contract with Imo state and should explain where the money is.

    “He arrested a house member and locked him up. He has been arresting people and intimidating them. Some of them do not have voice anymore.”

  • Just in: Imo police arraign 14 aides of Okorocha for breaching state’s security

    Just in: Imo police arraign 14 aides of Okorocha for breaching state’s security

    Fourteen aides of the former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, were on Monday arraigned before her lordship, B. U Adikaibe of Magistrate Court 4, Owerri.

    Some of the aides are Eberendu Chimechefulem, Ebere Nwoke, Basil MBA, Ebuka Samuel, Darlington Ibekewe, Obasi Goodluck, Nwaiwu Ndubuisi, Ekpendu Peace, Steve Anisnuobi, Ebere Nwokeobi.

    They were being arraigned on a seven-count bordering on disturbance to the security of the state and destruction of government seal at Royal Spring Palm Estate, Owerri, on Sunday.

    While Eddy Onyema is the leading counsel for the defendants, E.S Ibechem is the prosecutor.

    After hearing bail applications for and against the defendants, the magistrate went on 15 minutes break to enable her to rule on the bail applications.