Anambra State Police Command has arrested three suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate in the State. The suspects include two males, Onyemechi Aniobi aged 23years and Elochukwu Okudo aged 25 years and a female, Pauline Elechi aged 24 years. A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, Haruna Mohammed said the Command’s Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS)trailed and arrested the suspects at their hideout in Ogidi in Idemili North Council Area. Police said the suspects had on the 12th of January, 2020, kidnapped a 14-year Old girl at Onitsha and taken her to a hideout. The statement said on the …
Author: Elochukwu Benjamin
A meeting of Southeast Governors yesterday in Enugu has brought hopes alive that a Southeast Regional Security outfit will soon emerge. In the face of increased insecurity and banditry across the country, the move has become imperative especially as the Southwest region had launched its own security initiative. Addressing newsmen after the meeting held at the Enugu State Government House, Enugu, Chairman of the Forum, Engineer Dave Umahi said the governors are unrelenting in their efforts towards protecting the lives and property of people of the southeast geo-political zone. Umahi who is also the Governor of Ebonyi State said pursuant…
As the 2021 Anambra governorship election approaches, the ruling party in the state, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has expressed optimism that it will extend its regime in the state beyond 2022. The State chairman of the Party, Sir Norbert Obi asserted while exchanging views with newsmen at the APGA Secretariat, Awka. 2021 will witness another governorship election that will produce the successor to incumbent Governor Willie Obiano of APGA. The party has retained power at the State helm for over 13 years now after former Governor Peter Obi wrestled power from the then PDP-led administration of Dr Chris Ngige…
The Leadership of Ndi-Igbo United Forum (NUF), an Igbo Socio-political Group, has said it was created to harmonize with all Pro-Igbo organisations to pursue the realization of the Igbo agenda. The formation of NUF had intensified concerns over the proliferation of pro-Igbo groups and cast a shadow of suspicion as to whether it has come to replace Ohaneze Ndigbo, the Apex Igbo Socio-cultural organisation. Despite its recent achievement in brokering a truce between the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and people of the Southeast with regards to the decommissioning of existing standalone meters in the region, the question of acceptance…
The Member representing Aguata Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Chukwuma Umeoji has urged the Federal Government to restructure Nigeria’s apprenticeship system and expand vocational training centres to boost employment in the country. The Federal Lawmaker who made the call in an exclusive interview with our correspondent regretted that the undeniable and invaluable contributions of indigenous artisanship to societal and national development, are becoming very weak. He expressed worry that due to the failure to develop apprenticeship culture in Nigeria, Chinese and other expatriate artisans have taken over Nigeria’s market to the detriment of local artisans thus kicking the indigenous…
Goods and structures worth hundreds of millions of naira have been destroyed in a fire outbreak at the Electrical Parts section of Nkwo-Nnewi located at Ebenator-Uruagu in Nnewi, Anambra State. The fire which started late Thursday night went unattended to for a while before men of the State Fire Service put it off with support from some shop owners. No life was lost as a result of the inferno. When newsmen visited the scene earlier today, the area was cordoned off by the security operatives to prevent hoodlums from taking advantage of the situation to loot. Meanwhile, Anambra State Government…
Anambra State Police Command has announced that it will henceforth impound all vehicles illegally using spy number plates, sirens, revolving lights, and covered number plates. A statement issued by the State Police Public Relations Officer, Haruna Mohammed on behalf of the State Commissioner of Police, John Abang, said the development is following directives by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu. According to the statement, such acts if left unchecked could worsen the security situation in the State. It, therefore, directed that such usages should stop immediately, warning that anyone found to have violated the order will be arrested…
In a bid to prevent the spread of Lassa Fever in the University Community, the management of the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) has organized a one-day sensitization workshop for the staff and students of the university. The workshop was held at the ETF building of the university. Last week, Anambra’s first case of Lassa fever, a 200 level student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, was confirmed at the COOU Teaching Hospital Amaku-Awka, a development that sparked fear among citizens of the state. Statistics from Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reveals an upsurge in the number of Lassa cases in Nigeria…
As tensions between people of the Southeast and Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) rage, a Pan-Igbo group, Ndi-Igbo United Forum has reiterated its call on people of the region not to allow the replacement of their existing meters by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC). Electricity consumers in the Zone woke to multiple challenges of inability to recharge their prepaid meters, removal of alleged obsolete meters, compulsory migration to estimated billings and mandatory payment of #39,000 and #78,000 for standalone and double meters respectively. Worried by the trend, the NUF had met with the EEDC over the challenges on the…
Two pupils of Royal Kings Foundation Nursery and Primary School, Nkpor-Agu in Idemili North Council Area of Anambra State have been crushed to death. The deaths occurred when an overhead water tank collapsed on top of the roof of their classroom and onto the pupils during the class session. An eye witness said the 800-gallon capacity tank which was filled with water fell from its high stand in a neighbouring house adjacent to the school on the pupils. Two other students were said to have been injured as a result of the crash. The Police Public Relations Officer in Anambra…
A new division of the Court of Appeal was today inaugurated in Awka, the capital of Anambra State. The Awka Division which is the first in the State since its twenty-nine years of existence, brings to 18, the total number of Courts of Appeal in the country. Prior to the coming of the new division, litigants who seek advanced judicial services at the Appellate Court had either gone to the Enugu, Owerri or Benin Divisions for litigation. Inaugurating the facility, the President of Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa said the establishment of the new division, is part of Judicial…
As part of efforts to support the implementation of the Anambra State Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) 2010, a statement-taking facility has been inaugurated at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) office in Awkuzu, Anambra State. The project was initiated and executed by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) with support from British Council and European Union, to aid the Police in obtaining electronic evidence during statement taking in accordance with the provisions of the ACJL. Also as part of activities marking the inauguration, RoLAC which is steered in the state by Mrs. Josephine Onah, had also organized training…
Anambra State Police Command says it has gunned down a suspected member of an armed Car snatching syndicate in the state. The State Police Commissioner, John Abang disclosed this today when he paraded some criminal suspects at the State Police Command Headquarters in Awka. Abang said earlier last month, the dead suspect and members of his gang numbering about six with AK 47 rifles and other dangerous weapons, assaulted and snatched at gunpoint, a Toyota Venza with customized Registration number KOCO valued at six Million Naira from one Nwadike Collette Kosisochukwu at Ngodo village, Nise in Awka South Council Area…
The Organised Labour in Anambra State has handed the State Government a 14-day ultimatum to pay the New National Minimum Wage of #30,000 or face industrial action. The warning was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the State Executive Council meeting of the Organised Labour at the Labour House in Awka. Governor Willie Obiano had pledged that Anambra state will be among the first states to implement the New minimum wage and had at the 2019 Public Service Day, reiterated the pledge. Subsequently, a Joint Negotiation Council was set up to handle the consequential adjustments and an…
With the growing incidences of fire outbreaks in Anambra State, the State Police Commissioner, John Abang has urged residents to strictly adhere to safety and preventive measures so as to avert the spate of such disasters in the state. Between the 16th of October 2019 and now, the state has recorded about twenty-five major cases of fire incidents officially reported as follows, Six cases involving trucks, ten cases involving residential buildings, two cases involving markets and two involving schools. Others include three cases involving government offices and one case each affecting a Church and hotel. The implications of the above…
Anambra State Government has expressed concerns over the unimpressive number of taxpayers in the state. Chairman, Anambra State Internal Revenue Service, David Nzekwu made this known in an exclusive interview with our correspondent. Recent days have seen the state intensify its Internally Generated revenue drive through onslaught against revenue thieves and introduction of the State Social Identity Number (ANSSID). Data from the National Bureau of Statistics revealed that Anambra with a population of over 5 million people, has an estimated 198,000 businesses, with over 1.2 million persons engaging in trading activities. Nzekwu said the although the state has been able…
A Federal High Court sitting in Awka has adjourned further proceedings in a suit between Madonna University, Okija and six students and staff of the university till the 4th of next month. When the case was called up today, the lead counsel to Madonna University who is the Prosecutor, Authur Obi Okafor (SAN) pleaded with the court for an extension of time to enable him to tidy some issues. Justice Babatunde Quadiri who presided over the court granted the application and adjourned the case till next month. It was gathered that the application was due to ongoing efforts to resolve…
Men of Anambra State Fire Service last night escaped being lynched when they responded to a distress call over a fire outbreak around New Parts Market, Nkpor, Anambra State. An angry crowd who believed the Fire fighting outfit should have responded earlier to the inferno had hauled stones and other objects at the firemen who ran for their lives and in the process, damaged firefighting trucks belonging to the state. It took the intervention of the Police for the crowd to be dispersed and the fire trucks were moved to safety. The fire had started at about 9:10 pm last…
The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has warned the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to rescind its plan to divert the Floating Dock that was to be situated at Okerenkoko, Delta State. The warning was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of an expanded National Executive Committee Meeting of the Forum held at Benin City, Edo State. The original conception and design of the floating dock as approved by the former NIMASA Management led by the then Director-General, Patrick Akpobolokemi, shows that it was meant to be taken to Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta state, in the…
On the 18th of December, 2018, Anambra State House of Assembly passed into Law the Establishment of the Anambra State Fisheries and Aquaculture Business Development Agency (FABDA) following an Executive Bill from the Governor of the State, Chief Willie Obiano. The Agency is to drive the growth and stabilization of the Economy of Fisheries and Aquaculture as well as increase the Gross Domestic Product of the sector. In this exclusive interview with The News Chronicle (TNC), the Managing Director and CEO of the FABDA, Engr Emeka Iloghalu speaks on the Agency, its prospects for Fisheries and Aquaculture development in the…
Anambra State Government has confirmed the state has recorded its first case of Lassa fever with no casualty yet. A week ago, the State government had addressed a Press conference where it stated its response preparedness with respect to the outbreak of Lassa fever in some of its neighbouring states. Addressing journalists today in Awka, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Vincent Okpala said a few days ago, the State’s Health Emergency Response Team responded to the notification of a suspected case of Lassa fever, for which it followed national guidelines in managing the case from isolation and sample collection…
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Anambra State Command has paraded one Ezennia Benjamin Onyeka for alleged involvement in illegal registration of candidates in an unaccredited centre and for selling the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) forms above its official price. It was gathered that the suspect who was paraded today in Awka , was arrested following intelligence report on his activities which indicates that he was selling each JAMB form for between N5000 and N7000. The illegal registration centre known as 100 percent Computer Center, is located at Nnewi in Nnewi North Local Government Area of…
The umbrella body for all traders in the Southeast region, southeast Amalgamated Markets Traders Association (SEAMATA) has urged traders to shelve all business trips to China and other Asian countries. This appeal was contained in a statement signed by the President-General of SEAMATA, Chief Gozie Akudolu and its Secretary-General, Mr. Alex Okwudili, made available to newsmen in Enugu today. The appeal is coming against the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus in the Asian continent. While noting a major percentage of the Nigerian population traveling to China for business purposes come from the Southeast, SEAMATA appealed that such business trips be…
As concerns rise over the spate of deaths resulting from Lassa fever and Corona Virus, Anambra State Government says it has activated its Public Health Emergency Operation Centre to respond to any eventuality. Anambra State Epidemiologist, Dr Chijioke Obagha disclosed this in Awka in an interview with a correspondent on the recent development. According to reports from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the death toll from the Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria has increased to 41, with 19 states affected. In Anambra, there have been no confirmed cases of Lassa Fever, a viral haemorrhagic fever caused by the…
A Chief Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt today struck out all the charges brought by the Nigeria Police against the four persons arrested alongside Late Chima Ikwunado last year. The freed persons, Victor Ogbonna, Osaze Friday, Ifeanyi Osuji and Ifeanyi Onyekwere, had charges earlier brought against them to include robbery, cultism, and car snatching. The Chief Magistrate at the Court, Amadi A.O Nna struck out the matter and discharged the four accused persons following a report from the Directorate of Public Prosecution in the State Ministry of Justice on the matter, which exonerated the four persons of the accusations by…
