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BREAKING: 4 unknown gunmen killed by soldiers in Anambra

The Nigerian Army said it has killed four gunmen alleged to be members of the Eastern Security Network, ESN terrorising Anambra State.

According to the spokesman of the army, Onyema Nwachukwu, the gunmen were neutralised by troops of 82 Division conducting Exercise GOLDEN DAWN after a fierce gun battle at Nnobi junction, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The Director Army Public Relations said the encounter followed the “assailants’ armed attack on personnel of security agencies deployed at Ekwulobia Round About in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, during which troops swiftly mobilised to the scene and subsequently embarked on pursuit of the criminals along Nnewi – Nnobi road.

“Troops made contact with the fleeing gunmen and engaged them in a fire fight, neutralising four of the criminals, Nwachukwu, a Brigadier General said.

“The gallant troops also recovered two AK-47 Rifles, one GALIL Ace 5.56 x 45 Iwi Gun, one Avofeng Hand held radio and one Black Highlander jeep. Sadly, a personnel of one of the security agencies paid the supreme price.

“In a separate operation, troops have foiled another attack by IPOB/ESN gunmen at Umunze Checkpoint, in Orumba South Local Government Area. The vigilant troops overwhelmed the attackers in the shootout that ensued, forcing them to take to their heels, abandoning, one Pump Action gun with nine cartridges, one dark blue Ford and four motorcycles, which the troops have recovered.

“The Nigerian Army notes that the recent attacks are part of proscribed IPOB/ESN plan to instil fear into the public and sabotage forthcoming Anambra State Governorship Election. Members of the public are reassured that the Nigerian Army, sister services and other security agencies will not relent in resolutely confronting all criminals intents against the citizenry and national interest. Law abiding citizens are enjoined to continue to go about their daily activities without any fear. They are also encouraged to report any unusual activity observed across Anambra State to the nearest security post,” the statement reads in part.

October 30, 2021
Alleged plot by S’East Govs to assassinate Mbaka baseless – Ohanaeze

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has described as weird a video on social media claiming that some governors in the South-East zone were plotting to assassinate Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka.

In the video shot by an unidentified man, who claimed to be a member of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, he had said the governors would kill Mbaka, the spiritual Director of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu Nigeria, and blame it on the agitators.

But the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide in a press statement said it was angered by such baseless and attention-seeking allegations.

The statement signed by Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, the group’s President-General noted that Ndigbo should be mindful of fifth columnists whose motive is to plant hatred and sow seeds of division among the people.

Okwu stated that “we find no credence in such baseless allegations against two governors of the South-East region merely because they attended a harvest thanksgiving at the Adoration Ground. We don’t know when it suddenly became a crime for politicians to worship God in any church of their choice.

“There is no nexus between the visit of the governors to the adoration ground and the claim by this fellow that it was a preparatory ground by the same governors to assassinate Fr. Mbaka. It is utterly baseless, unjustifiable and meant to cause disaffection among the parties involved and their followers.

“The governors in question are personalities who have done well in their respective states to protect the interest of Ndigbo. It is then sad for anyone to turn round and accuse them of killing the youths, allegations that are totally unfounded.”

The Youth group cautioned that this was not the time for Ndigbo to fight needless war among themselves but to forge a collaboration and face a common enemy.

“The Igbo in Nigeria today is facing various challenges from the outside and the worst thing that can happen is for us to begin to fight among ourselves. Such should be totally discouraged.”

“We urge our people, especially those in the diaspora, to stop this penchant of stoking the ember of crisis in the South-East while they partied in their far away locations. Our people must be wary of such characters,” Okwu further stated.

October 30, 2021
Land grabbing: Ex Enugu commissioner for lands to face probe

Reasons given by the immediate past Enugu commissioner for lands Victor Nnam have long been punctured just as fresh facts emerge that he will face probe.

The alleged rot in his Ministry reportedly led to series of petitions to the DSS and the State House of Assembly.

Some heads in the Ministry were also accused of collaborating with the Commissioner to allegedly perpetrate land revocations, racketeering and grabbing.

“Worried by the sharp practices in the Ministry under Dr.Nnam’s watch, which is capable of giving the government bad name and image , the concerned workers petitioned the security agents and House of Assembly, threatening to embark on street protest if they are not investigated and brought to book before it becomes too late.

“It was on the strength of the petition that the affected workers in the Ministry were redeployed to other ministries and parastatals by the state government. No worker was sacked by state government as claimed by the Commissioner in his sudden resignation letter.

“The Commissioner before his resignation was under investigation. He was with us in Government House Enugu on Wednesday,” the worker stated.

“It would be recalled that some weeks ago, the Enugu State House of Assembly invited the Commissioner, but instead of honouring the invitation as required and expected of him, he took to the social media and disparaging and maligning the House of Assembly members for inviting him to the House.

‘He later swallowed pride and appeared before the House of Assembly members on his bended knees

“It was also disclosed that the House of Assembly had after his appearance on the floor recommended to the Governor in writing to sack him, but immediately he got the hint of his impending sack, he hurriedly resigned and made the resignation letter public.

A source in Government House, disclosed that his sudden resignation will not stop the ongoing investigations of his activities and that of the redeployed workers from Ministry who collaborated with him.

October 30, 2021
Justice Odili: Court revokes FG’s search warrant

A Chief Magistrates’ Court has revoked a search warrant granted to the Joint Panel Recovery unit of the Federal Ministry of Justice to search the home of Supreme Court Justice Mary Odili.

The panel, which comprises the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Nigeria Police Force and the Ministry of Justice, had obtained a search warrant from the magistrates’ court after a whistleblower, Aliyu Umar, claimed to have observed illegal activities going on at No. 9, Imo Street, Maitama, Abuja.

Umar’s affidavit dated October 13, 2021, read in part, “I have observed some illegal activities going on in those houses within Abuja are illegal and hereby report the said matter to the law enforcement agency.

“I hereby state that all information provided by me to the EFCC is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.”

In a second affidavit deposed to by a senior police officer, CSP Lawrence Ajodo, the panel applied to the chief magistrate in Abuja seeking a search warrant to search the house.

The Chief Magistrate, Emmanuel Iyanna, subsequently approved the search warrant on October 29, 2021.

Armed with the search warrant, the police and other members of the panel stormed the house which turned out to be the home of Supreme Court Justice Mary Odili, who is also the wife of former Governor Peter Odili of Rivers State.

She was said to have resisted the attempts by the policemen to search her house, insisting that the house belonged to her and not her husband.

A top source said, “EFCC operatives armed with a search warrant stormed Justice Odili’s home today, claiming to be investigating her husband. Justice Odili insisted that it was her personal house and not her husband’s.

“As I speak to you, the operatives are still there, insisting that they must search the house.”

But the EFCC Spokesman, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, said, in a statement, that the commission had no hand in the matter and advised members of the public to disregard any news to the contrary.

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The statement read in part, “The attention the EFCC has been drawn to claims in a section of the media that operatives of the commission today, October 29, 2021 stormed the Maitama, Abuja home of a Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Mary Odili, purportedly to execute a search.

“The commission, by this statement, wishes to inform the public that the report is false as it did not carry out any operation at the home of Justice Odili. If there was any such operation as claimed by the media, it was not carried out by the EFCC. The commission enjoins the public to discountenance the report.”

Amid the controversy, however, the chief magistrate issued an order on Friday night accusing the government of misleading the court.

The order read, “Upon misrepresentation to this honourable court that led to the issuance of a search warrant in favour of Joint Panel Recovery, Ministry of Justice, against House 9, Imo Street, Maitama, Abuja, dated October 29, 2021. In view of the above fact, the said search warrant is hereby revoked.”

Peter Odili, who was governor from 1999 to 2007, obtained a perpetual injunction from the Federal High Court in 2007 which barred the EFCC from investigating or prosecuting him.

In 2020, he again approached the Federal High Court to get another injunction to stop an impending probe. Last month, the former governor sued the Nigeria Immigration Service for seizing his passport at the airport.

In its response, however, the NIS said it was the EFCC that asked it to seize Odili’s passport as part of a probe.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, however, ordered Immigration to release the passport to Odili immediately.

October 30, 2021
My problem with Obiano, Anambra Deputy Governor opens up

Anambra State Deputy Governor, Dr Nkem Okeke, has said he will not resign from office despite his recent defection to the All Progressives Congress from the All Progressives Grand Alliance.

Okeke also accused the governor of treating him unfairly.

The deputy governor, who visited his office at Government House, Awka, for the first time after his defection, told journalists that he would continue to hold office until March 17, 2022 when his joint ticket with Governor Willie Obiano, would expire.

He disclosed that he was under pressure to resign but would not do so because his defection was in the overall interest of the state.

“Some people have asked me to resign, but I will not resign. The decision I made to join the APC is in my interest, the interest of my family and also in the best interest of members of the constituency I represent.

“I was elected on the same ticket with the governor of Anambra State, and I did not beg him to choose me as his running mate for a second time. He came to me and said I would run with him for a second term and we won. I’m the only deputy governor in the state that did a second term.”

Okeke said he joined APC because he saw a brighter future for himself, the state and the Igbo in a political party that belonged to the centre.

He further noted that he decided to leave APGA because he was sidelined from the state affairs to extent that he didn’t know of anything happening in a government where he held the number two position.

While thanking the governor for giving him some exposure politically, Okeke said, “Within the period I have been deputy governor, I have been very loyal to my boss, but I was unfairly treated, so I decided to leave the party.

“For four years, I drove one Prado Jeep. At a stage, I was the only deputy governor in the country who drove a Prado. I was loyal to him and represented him in a lot of places. The only time I refused to represent him was when Dr Chike Akunyili was killed. And when he sent me to Enugu, I told him I needed security and also a bullet proof , and when he didn’t provide that, I decided not to go.”

Speaking on allegations that he was lured with a huge sum of money to join the APC, Okeke said, “I was already thinking of joining the APC after my tenure as deputy governor, but when APC members came to me and I told them so, they said it was better for me to join now, as I could add value . I gave them three conditions and they accepted.”

PUNCH

October 30, 2021
Anambra guber: IPOB says it has not called for boycott

Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has said its directive on lockdown of the Southeast from November 5 to 10 dad’shas nothing to do with the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State.

The proscribed group said it had neither made any official statement nor called for the boycott of the poll.

In a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB said: “The global movement and family of the IPOB, ably led by our great and indefatigable leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to clarify that contrary to speculations and blackmail, IPOB has never made any official statement or called for the boycott of Anambra State governorship election, coming up on November 6, 2021.

“It will, therefore, be wrong for people to speculate or peddle falsehood against us when there is no basis for such.

“For the sake of clarity, what we said was that the entire Biafra land would be locked down from November 5 to November 10, 2021, if by November 4 the Federal Government fails to release our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, unconditionally. Our position has nothing to do with Anambra election.

“All we need is the release of our leader who committed no crime to be held perpetually in custody. We have gathered, through intelligence, the plot by Nigerian Government to keep our leader in detention perpetually through frivolous court adjournments.

“We knew their evil plans when they were killing their fellow politicians and blaming it on IPOB. They should leave us alone. Using the social media to link IPOB to Anambra election shows most of them are not informed about plots by the Nigerian Government and her security operatives to hijack this election and give it to whom they feel to perfect establishment of RUGA in Anambra State.

“But that won’t work for them, because IPOB is ahead of their game plan. We urge media houses to be objective in their reportage and crosscheck their facts. IPOB has never, at any time, called for boycott of Anambra election. Media houses should stop publishing lies against us.”

THE NATION

October 29, 2021
Your resignation can’t save you, Ex Enugu LG boss mocks Commissioner

Ex Commissioner for Lands, Enugu

Former Chairman of Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State Chief Chukwudi Ezinwa has mocked former Enugu Commissioner for Lands, Dr. Victor Nnam saying that his resignation will not save him from his ‘sins’ while in office.

Ezinwa had raised an alarm which was recently published by EverydayNews alleging monumental land fraud in the Ministry.

The former Chairman who claimed to be one of the victims of the sharp practices involving top personnel called for a probe in the Ministry.

Speaking to newsmen, Chief Ezinwa said he was pushed to address the press conference to tell the world and the governor “whom I am serving what is happening in the Ministry of Lands.”

Ezinwa who acquired his land in 2008 and developed same, narrated how the same property was allotted to an unidentifiable owner with a C-of-O, in 2014.

He threatened fire and brimstone vowing to follow up the matter and expose the ongoing rot in the Ministry.

With the resignation of the commissioner which he described as an attempt to escape the imminent probe, Ezinwa has said that his resignation will not save the embattled commissioner.

“There is no hiding place for the former commissioner,” he stressed.

October 29, 2021
Breaking! Justice Odili’s whereabout unknown after invasion of her residence

Anxiety and confusion on Friday trailed the fate and whereabouts of the Supreme Court Justice, Mary Ekaego Peter Odili following the alleged unlawful siege laid on her Abuja family residence by security operatives.

Justice Odili’s family residence at lmo Rivers Street in Maitama was said to have been besieged by fully armed plain-clothed security men for undisclosed reasons at about 5pm of Friday, October 29.

However, security operatives guarding the house were said to have resisted the take over of the house without a court order or instructions from the above.

In the drama that ensued, the unidentified security operatives were said to have stayed put waiting for instructions from above to the resident guards to surrender for them to take over the house.

At the time of this report, DAILY POST could not ascertain the fate and whereabouts of the Justice as all roads leading to the street have been effectively blocked.

However, in a drama that compounded the problem and confusion, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, claimed it did not carry out any operation in Justice Odili’s Home

“The Commission by this statement wishes to inform the public that the report is false as it did not carry out any operation at the home of Justice Odili.

“If there was any such operation as claimed by the media, it was not carried out by the EFCC.

“The Commission enjoins the public to discountenance the report,” a statement was issued by Mr Wilson Uwujare, Head, Media & Publicity read.

At the time of this report, the situation remained uncertain as the Director of Information of the Department of the State Service DSS, Dr Peter Ofunaya did not pick his cell phone and no statement was issued on the matter by the security agency.

The Director of the Press and Information at the Supreme Court of Nigera, Dr Festus Aweneri Akande switched off his phone when our correspondent tried to reach Hime.

Our correspondent recalled that the husband of the Supreme Court Justice, Dr Peter Odili had running battle with the Nigerian Immigration Service over unlawful seizure of his international passport upon arrival from a trip to the United Kingdom.

A federal high court in Abuja had on 18 ordered immediately release of the passport on the ground that it was unlawful seized and that the right of Odili to own property and move about as enshrined in the constitution was grossly breached.

Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo in his judgment on the issue ordered Immigration Service to apologise in writing to Odili for the embarrassment caused him by the unlawful seizure of the passport.

October 29, 2021
Tiwa Savage sextape hottest news on the internet – Google

Google has announced the emergence of a sextape involving Nigerian favorite pop star, Tiwa Savage, as among the top trending searches on Google in October.

The conclusion of the much-anticipated boxing bout between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder also piqued the interest of Nigerian sports fans on Google.

Google announced this in its October search trends report on Friday in Lagos.

Other trending topics in October are the World Teachers’ Day and the one year memorial of the 2020 EndSARS protests.

Nigerian youths and celebrities drove through the Lekki toll gate in Lagos in a memorial automobile procession. Folarin Falana, aka Falz, and Debo Adebayo, a.k.a Mr Macaroni, spearheaded the march.

Other interesting searches by Nigerians in October, according to google report, were the releases of hit songs Alcohol and Levels by Joe Boy and Flavour, respectively.

Nnandi Kanu Biafra’ was also a top searched term by Nigerians who were interested in the ongoing trial of the pro-Biafra political activist and the adjournment of his court case until November 10 by the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the search trends information is gleaned from data collated by Google based on what Nigerians have been searching for and asking Google.

(NAN)

October 29, 2021
Police refuses to vacate Justice Odili’s home as EFCC denies role

Policemen have continued to camp outside the home of Supreme Court Justice, Mary Odili, at 9 Imo Street, Maitama, Abuja, even as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission denied its role in the operation despite court documents to the contrary.

The EFCC Spokesman, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement that the commission had no hand in the matter and advised members of the public to disregard any news to the contrary.

The statement read in part, “The attention the EFCC has been drawn to claims in a section of the media that operatives of the commission today, October 29, 2021, stormed the Maitama, Abuja home of a Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Mary Odili, purportedly to execute a search.

“The commission by this statement wishes to inform the public that the report is false as it did not carry out any operation at the home of Justice Odili. If there was any such operation as claimed by the media, it was not carried out by the EFCC. The commission enjoins the public to discountenance the report.”

Documents seen by The PUNCH, however, show that the EFCC was part of the Odili investigation which is being handled by the Joint Panel on Recovery in the Federal Ministry of Justice under the leadership of Abubakar Malami (SAN), the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The panel comprises representatives of the EFCC, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Ministry of Justice.

The probe, it was learnt, was targeted at her husband, Peter Odili, who was Governor of oil-rich Rivers State from 1999 to 2007.

A witness, Aliyu Umar, said in the affidavit dated October 13, 2021, that he had given the information to the EFCC.

It read in part, “I have observed some illegal activities going on in those houses within Abuja are illegal and hereby report the said matter to the law enforcement agency.

“I hereby state that all information provided by me to the EFCC is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.”

In a second affidavit deposed to by a senior police officer, CSP Lawrence Ajodo, the panel applied to a chief magistrate in Abuja seeking a search warrant to search the house.

Odili, who was governor from 1999 to 2007, obtained a perpetual injunction from a Federal High Court in 2007 which barred the EFCC from investigating or prosecuting him.

In 2020, he approached a Federal High Court again to get another injunction to stop an impending probe.

Last month, the former governor sued the Nigeria Immigration Service for seizing his passport at the airport.

In its response, however, the NIS said it was the EFCC that asked it to seize Odili’s passport as part of a probe.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, however, ordered immigration to release the passport to Odili immediately.

An impeccable source told The PUNCH that Justice Odili, who is one of the most senior judges in the country, was upset about the decision of the EFCC to search her home.

The source said, “EFCC operatives armed with a search warrant stormed Justice Odili’s home today, claiming to be investigating her husband.

“Justice Odili insisted that it was her personal house and not her husband’s own.

“As I speak to you, the operatives are still there, insisting that they search the house.”

October 29, 2021