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10 dead as soldiers, youths clash in Imo, soldier stabs creditor to death

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UMUAHIA— Less than 24 hours after soldiers and youths clashed in Izombe, Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State which left many dead, no fewer than 10 persons  have again, been reported killed and many houses burnt as soldiers from 14 Brigade, Nigeria Army, invaded Amangwu community in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State in search of their missing colleague.

Consequently, over 1,000 residents of communities in Ohafia clan are now living in Internally Displaced Persons, IDP, camps, following  continued attack by soldiers.

Also yesterday, gunmen allegedly attacked a popular police checkpoint located along the Onitsha-Owerri road in Ihiala, Anambra State.

Similarly, a soldier, identified as Saeed Sabo, of the 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu, is now cooling off in police cell for allegedly stabbing a middle-aged man to death in Umuahia.

10 killed, scores missing

Following the military raid of Amangwu community, scores of locals were also reportedly arrested and are yet to be sighted.

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The community has been reportedly deserted as locals fled to different locations, abandoning their homes just to stay out of trouble.

The invasion was in the aftermath of an alleged abduction of a yet-to-be-identified soldier, said to be ” on pass in the area”.

The soldier, according to reports, was said to be on leave, and visited his village in nearby Ikwun in Cross Rivers State but got missing at the border between Amuma Ohafia and Amangwu.

It was learned that troops from 14 Brigade were deployed for a rescue operation on the missing soldier.

The soldiers allegedly burnt over 50 houses in the community, while 10 persons were killed, with many others missing.

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Sources said the soldiers had also invaded Okon and Amuma with heavy shooting and broke into houses to arrest some youths.

His words: “The problem was with our neighbouring community, Amangwu, but the Army invaded Okon yesterday and burnt 5 houses. They were shooting  everywhere. Some of them were using drones to take pictures of the community.

”They returned by 2 am today (yesterday) and burnt another house. They broke into houses and dragged youths into their vehicles. Any youth arrested is tagged a member of IPOB.

”The youths arrested are yet to be seen since their arrest. People are fleeing their homes to the IDP camps. We are now IDPs in our place. We are afraid they may storm the IDP camp in search of youths.”

A resident of Amangwu who spoke on the condition of anonymity, alleged that the number of youths killed in the community was above 20, contrary to the 10 reported by the media.

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He said:  “What soldiers are doing in Amangwu community amounts to ethnic cleansing. If any youth has committed an offence, the soldiers should arrest him, not burn houses and kill people.

”Everybody arrested is tagged a member of IPOB. Many youths have been killed. Even families who fled Amangwu have been searching for their loved ones. Those whose houses were burnt couldn’t save anything because the soldiers came in the early morning when the residents were still sleeping.

”Some people were lucky to escape through the bush path because the Army blocked the area searching for people. Amangwu is now a ghost town.”

Efforts to contact the Army Public Relations Officer, 14 Brigade, Ohafia, Lt. Innocent Omale, were unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls and a text message was sent to his mobile number unreplied.

However, a top military source in the Brigade informed that soldiers were currently on operation in Ohafia, fighting the rising insecurity in the area, but denied burning houses and killing innocent people.

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The  source, who pleaded not to be quoted, confirmed that there was a military operation in the community in search of the missing soldier, and against criminal elements who had allegedly taken over the area.

The source denied the killing of locals and destruction of houses, explaining that only shrines used by criminals were destroyed.

Said the source: “There is an ongoing operation in search of a missing soldier in Amangwu general area. Only shrines belonging to the criminals in the enclaves were affected.

”The Nigerian Army is a professional Army that respects law-abiding citizens and fishes out those with criminal intent disrupting the peace-loving people of Ohafia and its environs.

“We must fish out the criminals in our immediate society for peace to reign.”

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On the justification for the alleged invasion, the source said: “But the criminals being executed in the criminal enclaves are irrelevant. Human skulls in different shrines? Mini Barracks in the bushes by these criminals? Missing innocent souls is (sic) of no concern? The Nigerian Army must fish out criminals in our society.”

IDP camps spring up in Ohafia

The IDPs, comprising women and children, are now quartered in primary schools, community halls, and churches in some communities yet to be attacked by the soldiers.

Some IDPs who spoke to Vanguard, stated that they escaped with nothing as the soldiers burnt their houses, adding that They lacked clothing, food, and medicine .

They urged the federal and state governments to call the soldiers to order.

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Gunmen attack police checkpoint in Anambra

In a similar development, gunmen yesterday attacked a police checkpoint in Anambra State.

The attackers, who allegedly came from the neighbouring Mgbidi Local Government Area of Imo State, opened fire on the policemen on duty, who took to their heels.

Amid the confusion, passengers traveling to Owerri from Onitsha and Onitsha to Imo State had to make u-turn.

The development caused traffic gridlock in the area as the travellers parked their vehicles at nearby Nkwo Ogbe market, Ihiala, and at the Mgbidi end in Imo State.

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Workers at Anambra-owned Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University who were on their way to the office, had to abandon work for the day and fled home.

Residents of the area also fled into a nearby bush for safety, while authorities of the nearby Abbott Boys Secondary School, Ihiala, directed students to immediastely leave the school premises.

The state Police Public Relation Officer, PPRO, Mr. Tochukwu Ikenga, could not speak on the matter, but a police source confirmed the attack.

The source could, however, not confirm if there were casualties, although he said that the state police command had dispatched a special squad to Ihiala to quell the situation.

Police detain  soldier for stabbing creditor to death

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In a related development, te Police in Abia have detained a soldier for stabbing a man to death.

The victim, Uchenna Offor, 34, from Olokoro in Umuahia South, was said to have demanded that the soldier paid for goods bought previously on credit before another one would be sold to him.

An eyewitness said:  “The soldier attached to a Chinese construction firm came to buy something on credit around Umuahia Railway station but the victim demanded payment for goods bought previously on credit.

”In the ensuing altercation, the suspect was said to have used the bayonet of his gun on the victim, stabbing him in the chest.”

The eye witness said the victim who slumped after he was stabbed, was immediately rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, where he was  certified dead on arrival.

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Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, in charge of Abia State command, Geoffrey Ogbonna, a Superintendent of Police, confirmed the incident.

He said investigations into the matter had commenced, assuring that justice would be served.

Dismantle Mgbidi  army checkpoint, CSO tells CDS, CoAS, Imo govt

However, a civil society organisation, Security Situation Room, has drawn the attention of  the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff  and Imo State government to the army checkpoint of ‘extortion and oppression’ at Mgbidi, by St Joseph’s Catholic Church/Ray Jacobs Boarding School, Imo State.

Convener, Security Situation Room, Douglas Ogbankwa, in a statement in Abuja, yesterday, said: “We, through our observers noticed with dismay the long, unconscionable and reprehensible gridlock, artificially spurned by extortionist army personnel, who force commuters to cross to the other side, with the attendant danger of fast moving vehicles on  the ever busy Owerri- Onitsha Express Way,  a clear case of ethnic profiling,  as prohibited by Section 42 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria , 1999 (As Amended), as majority of those that ply that road are of Igbo extraction.

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“But in the hot bed of insurgency and banditry in the North, the Nigerian Army does not deploy such selective and targeted method used to humiliate people without any reason whatsoever. They collect money from those buses who do not disembark and keep all in a callously created gridlock, of which the only goal is to extort the poor commuters, who are mostly those perceived as the poor and the weak, while those in air conditioned private vehicles are given fast passes.

“There is  no search conducted. Even at that, they need a warrant on each commuter in their name to conduct a search  according to the law. The Security Situation Room condemns the actions of these brigades , masquerading as Army officials and we restate that there is freedom of  liberty and freedom of movement  as enshrined in Chapter 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria , 1999 (As Amended), as the actions of these brigades are a flagrant infringement of the Fundamental Human Rights of the citizens who ply the road”.

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Crime

Enugu Student Stabbed to Death by Friend Over Phone Dispute

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A tragic incident has occurred in Enugu State after a 16-year-old student, Chibueze Odo, was allegedly stabbed to death by his friend and roommate following a disagreement over a mobile phone.
Chibueze, a Senior Secondary School student of Ugbaike Technical Secondary School, Enugu-Ezike, in Igbo Eze North Local Government Area, was reportedly killed on Saturday evening in Obollo Afor, where he was also serving as a part-time apprentice.
According to reports, the suspect, identified as Arinze, allegedly invited the deceased to a location in Obollo Afor before attacking him. The victim sustained fatal stab wounds to the neck and died at the scene.
The suspect reportedly told police investigators that Chibueze had previously lost his phone, prompting him to lend the deceased a faulty spare phone for repairs and temporary use.

The deceased

He claimed that when he later requested the phone back, Chibueze demanded reimbursement of N14,500, covering repair costs and the purchase of a memory card.
Arinze allegedly told police that an argument ensued when he asked for the phone and Chibueze insisted on receiving the money before returning it.
According to the suspect’s account, he stabbed Chibueze after the disagreement escalated.
Sources close to the victim’s family said Chibueze, who hailed from the Ukwuagbudu area of Ugbaike, had left his workplace after being invited to the meeting where he was attacked.
The sources further disclosed that the suspect is believed to be from the neighbouring Umuogbo Inyi community in Enugu-Ezike.
Family members said the deceased was accompanied by two others, including his elder brother, Nnanna, shortly before the incident occurred.
The body of the victim has been deposited at Dr. Eze Mortuary in Obollo Afor for an autopsy, while police investigations into the incident are ongoing.
The tragic killing has sparked grief and outrage within the community, with residents calling for justice for the deceased student.

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Crime

Suspected Terrorists Attack Kebbi Community, Kidnap Resident

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The Kebbi State Police Command has confirmed an attack by suspected terrorists on Tsamiya Town and deployed tactical personnel to the area to restore security and maintain law and order.

In a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, the attackers reportedly invaded the community in the late hours of Saturday, firing sporadically and causing panic among residents.

According to the statement, the assailants set ablaze a makeshift checkpoint belonging to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). They also attacked a local brothel and the residence of one Sule Mai Goge.

During the incident, a resident identified as Alhaji Yusuf Bazamfare was reportedly kidnapped by the attackers.

The police spokesperson disclosed that upon receiving reports of the attack, the Commissioner of Police immediately ordered the deployment of additional security personnel to the affected area to safeguard lives and property.

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He added that a comprehensive investigation into the incident has commenced, while efforts are ongoing to rescue the kidnapped victim and apprehend those responsible for the attack.

The Command assured residents of Tsamiya and surrounding communities that security operations would continue until normalcy is fully restored and the perpetrators are brought to justice.

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Crime

Anambra Police Arrest Parents After Lifeless Twin Infants Found Dumped in Gutter

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By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The Anambra State Police Command has arrested the suspected parents of twin infants whose lifeless bodies were discovered in a drainage channel in Okpoko, Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state.
The tragic discovery was made on Sunday following information provided by concerned residents who alerted the police about the abandoned bodies.
Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Ikioye Orutugu, described the development as a disturbing act of inhumanity and a gross violation of the sanctity of human life.
He commended officers attached to the Okpoko Divisional Police Headquarters for their swift response and diligent investigation, which led to the arrest of the biological parents of the deceased infants shortly after the report was received.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, operatives received information in the early hours of Sunday, June 21, 2026, about the discovery of two lifeless infant twins abandoned in a drainage channel along Cooperative Street, Nwokedi, Okpoko.
“Following the report, operatives immediately swung into action, secured the scene, gathered vital evidence, and commenced investigations,” Ikenga stated.
He added that preliminary investigations led to the identification and arrest of the infants’ biological parents, who are currently in police custody and assisting investigators in determining the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Condemning the act, CP Orutugu stressed that every child deserves protection, care, and the opportunity to live, reiterating the command’s commitment to ensuring that anyone found culpable faces the full weight of the law.
“The Command remains committed to a thorough investigation of the matter, and further developments will be communicated in due course,” the police spokesperson said.
Investigations into the incident are ongoing.

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Crime

Court Grants Anambra Native Doctor N50 Million Bail, One Surety

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By Okey Maduforo Awka

The Anambra State High Court sitting in Awka on Friday granted bail to a Nnewi-based native doctor, Ikechukwu Ezenagu, popularly known as “Mmuo Mmili Afuluanya,” in the sum of N50 million.

Recall that Ezenagu reported slumped during one of the Court sessions which stalled hearing for a period.

The Homeland Security Special Court, presided over by Justice Jude Obiora, granted the defendant bail with one surety in like sum and ordered him to deposit the title documents of his residence with the court as part of the bail conditions.

The court further ruled that the property would be forfeited to the Anambra State Government should the defendant abscond from trial.
Justice Obiora also directed Ezenagu not to grant media interviews or make comments to the press while the matter remains before the court.

The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Anambra State, Mr Tobechukwu Nweke (SAN), who is leading the prosecution, stated that the defendant is facing charges relating to the alleged violation of provisions of the Anambra Homeland Security Law 2025.

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According to the prosecution, the charges stem from allegations that Ezenagu engaged in activities contrary to the provisions of the law, which was enacted to strengthen security and curb criminal activities in the state.
The matter was subsequently adjourned until July 3, 2026, for the continuation of trial.

Ezenagu was arrested by the Anambra State Government on March 12 during a crackdown on traditionalists and native doctors suspected of preparing charms and other spiritual protections for criminals operating within the state.

His arrest formed part of the government’s broader efforts to combat insecurity and dismantle networks allegedly linked to criminal activities across Anambra.

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Crime

26-year-old girl commits suicide after multiple abortions

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By Okey Maduforo, Awka

A 25-year-old woman is suspected to have died by suicide after reportedly undergoing three consecutive abortions in Anambra State.

The deceased, whose identity has not been officially disclosed, was said to have left behind a note in which she mentioned a man identified only as Chigozie, believed to be her boyfriend and the person who allegedly impregnated her on multiple occasions.

The incident, which occurred in Onitsha, has prompted an investigation by the Anambra State Police Command.

Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Ikioye Orutugu, expressed concern over what he described as the growing moral and social challenges confronting society. In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the commissioner called on parents and guardians to play more active roles in the upbringing and emotional well-being of their children and wards.

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“The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Ikioye Orutugu, fwc, mnips, PhD, has expressed deep concern over the increasing level of moral decadence and other disturbing incidents being recorded in society, describing the trend as worrisome and a collective challenge requiring urgent attention from families, communities, religious institutions and relevant stakeholders,” the statement said.

According to the police, the woman was found dead on June 18, 2026, in circumstances suggesting a suspected suicide.

“A note suspected to be a suicide message was also recovered at the scene with a disturbing narrative of a relationship breakup after having three abortions for an unidentified man named Chigozie,” the statement added.

While emphasizing that investigations are ongoing to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the death, the police commissioner said the incident highlights the need for stronger parental guidance, moral upbringing, and emotional support systems for young people.

Orutugu urged parents and guardians to pay closer attention to the emotional well-being, social interactions, and behavioural changes of their children, noting that many societal challenges could be mitigated through effective parenting, open communication, and the promotion of sound moral values.

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He also called on community leaders, educational institutions, faith-based organisations, and civil society groups to intensify mentorship and advocacy programmes aimed at promoting positive values, resilience, and responsible living among youths.

The commissioner further directed the immediate transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Awka, for a thorough and discreet investigation.

The Anambra State Police Command reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property while collaborating with relevant stakeholders to address emerging social issues affecting public safety and societal well-being.

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