News
Enugu Land Tussle: Obeagu Community calls for removal of AIG
Tension has reached boiling point in Obeagu Awkunanaw community in Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu State, as residents accuse a senior police officer, Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police, Margaret Ochalla, of colluding with land grabbers to dispossess them of their ancestral land.
In a strongly worded petition addressed to the Inspector General of Police and another to the Police Service Commission, the community, through its representatives, called for the immediate removal of AIG Ochalla from her current posting at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Lagos. They also demanded that all investigations relating to the disputed land be transferred to a neutral location outside her control.
According to the petitioners, the crisis is rooted in a controversial land dispute involving a private company, Private Estates International West Africa (PEIWA), whose alter egos are named as Kingsley Eze and Gozie Okoye.
The community described PEIWA as “a group of desperate fellows” that used their connections to illegally seize and commercialize vast expanses of their ancestral land under the guise of developing the Enugu Lifestyle and Golf City.
“The story of the so-called Enugu Lifestyle and Golf City whose alter ego is one Kingsley Eze, and more recently, Gozie Okoye, is a vexed one,” the petition reads. “Our ownership of this land in question is not in doubt, as none of the dramatis personae is from our community, neither did any of their parents nor ancestors ever own any part thereof.”
They alleged that Eze and his associates forged documents purporting a land acquisition by the administration of Chief Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo—a claim the former governor has publicly denied. The alleged forgery is now the subject of Charge No. FHC/EN/CR/84/2025 – IGP V. Kingsley Eze & 2 ORS at the Federal High Court in Enugu, alongside pending civil suits at the Enugu State High Court.
The community claims AIG Ochalla, who has had a long-standing relationship with the land developers, has been partial and oppressive in her handling of the matter.
“She has pitched her tent with them and has been giving her unalloyed support since when she was a Deputy Commissioner of Police in FCID, Abuja,” they wrote. “Every police officer is an ambassador of the Nigeria Police Force and must act in the best interest of the public rather than in protection of the selfish interest of a few land grabbers.”
Residents say the situation deteriorated dramatically after Ochalla’s recent posting to Lagos. “Since Friday, 16/05/2025, AIG Ochalla unleashed a team of police officers from FCID Annex, Lagos against our people. They are kept in an expensive hotel, fed, and have been accompanying officers of PEIWA on daily basis as they patrol our community,” the letter revealed.
The petitioners claim that several community members have been arbitrarily arrested, detained at Uwani Police Station in Enugu, and charged to court on what they describe as “baseless” grounds. One high-profile incident involved the arrest of Rt. Hon. Paul Okechukwu Ogbe, a Senior Special Assistant to the Enugu State Governor.
“He was detained at Uwani Police Station and was about being flown to Lagos on 22/05/2025 when he collapsed and was rushed to hospital,” the petition noted. “Why take him to Lagos if there is no sinister purpose to keep him away, at a place where it will be difficult to get sureties?”
The community says it fears a coordinated plot to intimidate and silence them using the machinery of state.
“We are also wondering how long AIG Ochalla will be used by these land grabbers against us. Now she is in charge at FCID, Lagos, it is time to release a floodgate of criminal complaints, and members of our community will apparently know no peace henceforth,” the statement said.
They urged the Inspector General of Police to urgently transfer the case to Enugu or any other neutral zone and to order AIG Ochalla to recuse herself from the matter.
“She should be reminded that as a police officer, she has to be impartial in performing her duty, and should not let her personal relationships influence her sense of duty. We beg you to save the Nigeria Police from the dent AIG Margaret Ochalla wants to rub on your flagship and respectable institution.”
In a separate Public Notice, the community also addressed a letter dated 13 May 2025, allegedly issued by Gozie Okoye, now claiming to be Managing Director of PEIWA, warning against unauthorized construction within the disputed estate. The community dismissed it as an illegal and misleading document.
“Although the said letter was not particularly addressed to anyone, its contents are laced with bogus claims, distortion of facts, wishful thinking and threat,” they said.
“We must state clearly and categorically that we are the bonafide owners by inheritance of all that parcels of land called Agbana, Ugwuorie, Onususu, Akparata, Isi Oke, Ofia Ogonogo, Ofia Aru, Ururo, Orji, Ngene Uchoo, Ngene Ogwe, Iduru and Ihu Odeje among others.”
They accused Okoye of abusing his position as a former bank manager to facilitate a N2 billion loan for PEIWA using the disputed land as collateral without due process.
“Is it not an extreme form of corruption that Gozie Okoye, for his selfish interest, applied for a loan for his company and used public deposits to feather his nest?” they queried, promising to call for a probe by law enforcement agencies.
They also cited the 2024 report of the Enugu State House of Assembly Committee on Land Disputes, which sided with their community, as further validation of their claim.
The people of Obeagu Awkunanaw are now calling on the highest authorities in the Nigeria Police Force and Police Service Commission to act swiftly and decisively to prevent further erosion of public confidence in the police and to forestall a potential breakdown of law and order.
The member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Chinedu Ogah, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-graft agencies to investigate the financial activities and source of wealth of socialite and businessman, Paschal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest.
Ogah, who is Chairman of the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, made the call on Thursday at a press conference in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
The lawmaker said the businessman’s financial dealings should be subjected to scrutiny regardless of his public profile.
“I am urging the EFCC to thoroughly investigate him, investigate his bank accounts, investigate all the things he does,” Ogah said.
He also accused Cubana Chief Priest of undermining President Bola Tinubu’s political fortunes in the South-East ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ogah questioned the socialite’s claim to political influence in Ebonyi State and challenged him to make his membership card of the All Progressives Congress (APC) public.
The lawmaker further criticised recent comments attributed to Cubana Chief Priest on social media in which he reportedly called for the resignation of Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru.
Ogah demanded that the comments be withdrawn and followed by an apology, warning that legal action could be taken if the businessman failed to comply.
“Who is Cubana Chief Priest? What is his address that gives him the impetus to speak against our governor, the most performing governor in Nigeria?” he asked.
According to Ogah, Cubana Chief Priest had no electoral mandate to speak on behalf of Ebonyi State or demand the resignation of its elected governor.
He also questioned the businessman’s political influence, noting that he had previously contested an election in Imo State but failed to secure the party’s primary ticket.
Ogah alleges plot against Nwifuru
The lawmaker further alleged that unnamed political actors were sponsoring campaigns aimed at discrediting the Nwifuru administration and weakening the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.
He defended the state’s security architecture, particularly the Commissioner of Police, Hope Okafor, against what he described as an orchestrated campaign for her removal.
Ogah urged the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS) and other relevant agencies to investigate those behind the alleged campaign and determine whether any law had been breached.
“All of us can attest to the peace and security we enjoy in Ebonyi State. The Army, the police, the Civil Defence and the DSS are doing marvellously well in Ebonyi State,” he said.
Lawmaker accuses Otu of mobilising protesters
Ogah also accused another critic of the state government, Charles Otu, of allegedly mobilising people from outside Ebonyi State to participate in a protest against the government in Abuja.
He claimed that some of those involved were presented as Ebonyians despite allegedly coming from other states.
Ogah said his lawyers had previously petitioned the DSS over allegations involving Otu and urged the agency to investigate the matter.
He also challenged Otu to substantiate allegations he allegedly made against him during an appearance on Arise Television.
“My own is that whosoever defaults the law, we take it legally. I cannot mention who I have not known. But when we get there, it is for the security agencies to investigate,” Ogah said.
Ogah lists Nwifuru’s achievements
Defending the Nwifuru administration, Ogah cited the state government’s scholarship programmes, school construction, road projects and other development initiatives as evidence of the governor’s performance.
He said hundreds of Ebonyi indigenes had benefited from postgraduate scholarships in Nigeria and abroad, while roads and schools were being constructed across the state’s 13 local government areas.
Ogah also praised Nwifuru for what he described as political tolerance, saying opposition parties had been allowed to operate freely in the state.
He argued that the people of Ebonyi should determine their political leadership through the ballot rather than through media campaigns and protests.
“Ebonyi people will choose who is their leader. They should stop using the media to castigate the governor,” he said.
Questions Nwifuru’s omission from Tinubu campaign council
The lawmaker also questioned the reported omission of Governor Nwifuru from President Tinubu’s campaign council, describing it as an error that should be corrected.
“How can a governor that has done much in APC not be included in the campaign council? How can a governor that is elected under the APC not be included?” Ogah queried.
He maintained that Nwifuru’s political influence and the APC’s electoral performance in Ebonyi made him an important stakeholder in Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign.
Ogah warned political actors against using the media to destabilise the state and urged all parties to pursue their grievances through legal and democratic channels.
The lawmaker, who is also the Ebonyi State Coordinator of the Tinubu Support Group (TSG), was accompanied by other members of the group at the press conference.
He reiterated his call for security agencies to investigate the various allegations raised and take appropriate action against anyone found to have violated the law.
The Federal Character Commission (FCC) has urged youths in Enugu State to disregard the belief that federal government jobs and other opportunities are already allocated before they are advertised.
FCC Executive Chairman, Hulayât Motunrayo Omidiran, gave the charge on Thursday at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, during the Peter Eze Enugu Youth Connect 2026.
Omidiran urged the youths to acquire relevant skills, embrace technology and actively pursue legitimate opportunities, stressing that federal character should promote both equity and merit.
She also warned against fraudulent recruitment schemes and advised applicants to authenticate employment opportunities before applying.
The Enugu State Deputy Governor, Ifeanyi Ossai, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, challenged young people to prepare themselves for available opportunities.
Onyia said government could create opportunities, but individuals must develop the capacity to take advantage of them.
The FCC Commissioner representing Enugu State, Peter Ogbonna Eze, said the programme was designed to bridge the information gap preventing young people from accessing federal employment, scholarships, grants, fellowships and training opportunities.
Eze said many youths were discouraged from applying for federal jobs because of the misconception that such positions had already been shared among influential individuals.
He urged them to apply whenever legitimate opportunities were advertised, warning that nobody should pay money to secure a federal government job.
He also disclosed that five participants in the programme would be selected for a full scholarship opportunity.
Eze said the initiative would continue as a platform for connecting Enugu youths with credible opportunities and urged participants to become “ambassadors of opportunity” by sharing useful information with others.
The event brought together youths and stakeholders from across Enugu State to discuss federal representation, employment, education, skills development and other opportunities.
By Chinedu Sabastine
ENUGU — Umuchigbo Iji Nike Autonomous Community in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State has fixed Sunday, September 13, 2026, for its annual New Yam Festival.
The cultural celebration, which is scheduled to commence at 3 p.m., is being organised under the leadership of the Executive Chairman of Umuchigbo, Hon. Chief Afam Joseph Ogbene, popularly known as Akirika Chioku 1, Na Nike Kingdom.
The festival is expected to showcase the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the people of Umuchigbo and Umuenwene in Iji Nike Autonomous Community, while promoting unity and communal bonding.
Ogbene, in an invitation to the festival, described the celebration as an opportunity for the people to preserve their cultural heritage, strengthen community ties and give thanks for the year’s harvest.
He said, “Our New Yam Festival is more than a cultural celebration. It is a time for us to come together as one people, appreciate our heritage and give thanks for the blessings of the year.”
According to him, the event will also provide an opportunity for sons and daughters of the community, as well as friends and well-wishers, to reconnect and celebrate together.
“We are inviting everyone to come and celebrate with us. It is a celebration of our culture, our community and thanksgiving for the new yam season,” he added.
According to the invitation, activities will commence at Ogbene’s residence on Akirika Chioku Avenue, Nome Ogba Aniji Road, Umuchigbo, before proceeding to Obodoeze Iji Village Square, Odangene, for the New Yam rites and masquerade display.
The event will also feature traditional cuisine, music and other forms of cultural entertainment.
The organisers urged sons and daughters of Umuchigbo, friends, well-wishers and members of the public to join the community in celebrating the festival.
The Nigerian Army has announced a major reshuffle of senior officers, with several major generals and brigadier generals redeployed to key command, operational and administrative positions.
The changes, approved by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, are aimed at strengthening the Army’s operational effectiveness.
Major General IA Ajose has been appointed the new Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI. He moves from the Department of Army Operations at Army Headquarters to take charge of military operations against insurgency in the North-East.
Other notable appointments include:
Major General AE Abubakar — Dean, Faculty of Operational Research, Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre.
Major General AM Alechenu — Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre.
Major General RT Utsaha — Commander, Defence Headquarters Garrison.
Major General AM Umar — Commandant, Army War College Nigeria.
Major General UM Alkali — Director, Department of Civil-Military Affairs.
Major General GS Muhammed — Director General, Nigerian Army Finance Corporation.
Major General JE Osifo — Chairman, Military Pension Board.
Major General IE Ekpenyong — Director of Engineering Services, Defence Logistics, Defence Headquarters.
The reshuffle also affects several brigadier generals, including Brigadier General AA Bello, Brigadier General MS Adamu, Brigadier General MS Sule, Brigadier General I Sule, Brigadier General E Azenda and Brigadier General AS Bugaje, who have all been assigned to new command or administrative roles.
The Chief of Army Staff directed the newly posted officers to carry out their responsibilities with professionalism, dedication and a strong sense of duty.
More than 24 feared dead in suspected poisoning incident in Ondo
More than 24 people have reportedly died following a suspected poisoning incident in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The deaths were recorded in Araromi-Obu, Orita New Town and Odigbo communities, while several other residents affected by the incident are receiving treatment at various hospitals.
The Chairman of Odigbo Local Government Area, Taiwo Adegoroye, confirmed the incident but said he could not provide further details until medical experts conduct a professional assessment and determine the cause of the deaths and illnesses.
As a precaution, the local government has restricted the sale and consumption of sachet herbal concoctions and similar drinks being hawked in the affected communities.
Residents have been advised to avoid suspicious herbal mixtures, unverified sachet products and other substances of uncertain origin pending the outcome of medical examinations and laboratory tests.
Authorities are expected to carry out further investigations to establish the source of the suspected poisoning and confirm the exact cause of the deaths.
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