News
Floods: Panic as corpses float in Bayelsa, Delta cemeteries
This came as several communities in Bomadi, Patani and Burutu local government areas of Delta State were yesterday sacked by the ravaging flood, with indigenes sleeping on top of Bomadi Bridge.
This year’s flood is perhaps the worst in Nigeria’s history, with over 603 dead, two million displaced and hundreds of hectares of farmlands destroyed.
Corpses litter Bayelsa, Delta communities
Raising alarm yesterday over the health implication of floating corpses in their community, residents of Yenagoa in Bayelsa called on the state government for immediate action to avoid a public health crisis.
Confirming the incident, a resident, Mr Emmanuel Oden, lamented that the floating corpses had become a recurring development during floods, adding that relocation of the cemetery is long overdue.
Oden further alleged that corpses at the cemetery were often buried in shallow graves of about 3 feet, rather than the recommended six feet prescribed by law.
Another resident Mr Ebi Owoupele, pleaded with the Bayelsa State Government to understand the plight of the people and assure them that the cemetery will be relocated.
It was also discovered that the morgue at Bomadi General Hospital and Olodiama had been submerged, also with floating corpses as a result.
Contacted, the state commissioner for environment and chairman of Bayelsa Flood Committee, Mr. Iselema Gbaranbiri, who confirmed that three floating corpses were recovered and reburied with the environment properly fumigated.
His words, “the floating of corpses were actually reported. First, as commissioner for the environment, I got the report of a floating corpse and directed my head of health and sanitation to get the corpse reburied. Later two more corpses were recovered and reburied and the environment was properly fumigated.”
Bomadi, Burutu, Patani LGAs sacked
More disaster was recorded in parts of Delta State yesterday as many villages in riverine Bomadi, Patani and Burutu local government areas of the state were sacked by floods, with indigenes sleeping on Bomadi Bridge.
They appealed to the state government and political leaders to come to their aid.
Lamenting the situation in his community, the chairman, Bomadi federated community, Mr Seleyeibo Perekeme, said neither government nor political leaders from the area had responded to their call for help.
He said: “The entire Bomadi Local Government area is submerged, with only the council secretariat still standing because of community efforts.
“We’ve been able to dislodge the flood by blocking entry points with sand-filled sacks at the community waterfront through our earlier efforts. Now, the flood level has risen and we’ve been making similar efforts but we’ve run out of resources as a community.
“So, we’ve been calling on our political leaders to help since Bomadi is the last community standing and victims are fleeing in from neighbouring communities, such as Kpakiama, Oboro, Esanma, Tuomo, Tubegbe, Koloware, Ogboin-ama and many others in both Burutu and Patani council areas. Many victims are fleeing from Yenagoa to Bomadi.
We need N2m to save Bomadi town from submerging—Community chair
“If we can get N2 million, we can buy sand and sacks and be able to block entry points along the length of the community shoreline because the youths are ready to work to save Bomadi.
“But, until this moment, there’s no response from either the state government or our political leaders at a time of pains and distress as this. We are not happy because we seem to have been forgotten or abandoned,” he said.
An activist and youth leader, Comrade Kenneth Mezeh, however, lauded the efforts of the community leader and appealed to both state government and political representatives to respond to the plight of victims in Bomadi local government area and environs.
However, the chairman, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Bomadi local government chapter, Apostle Liberty Usiayo, in his reaction, said: “We have been going round the council area to see the level of flood devastation on the people and property, and the situation is really pathetic.
“No community is safe in the council area as all eleven communities have been ravaged, with women and children seriously affected. They need immediate food and medical attention.
“It’s also appalling that until this moment, there’s no government response to the plight of victims in the council area and we, as a body, urge the state government, appropriate agencies and politicians from the area to respond to the plight of victims without further delay.
MainPower Electricity Distribution Limited (MEDL) has restored power supply to parts of Enugu metropolis, which witnessed darkness.
Some parts of Enugu metropolis, under the Band A tariff regime, during the weekend witnessed three consecutive days of blackout.
The Head, Communications of MainPower, Mr Emeka Ezeh, disclosed this in a statement he issued on Tuesday in Enugu.
According to him, MainPower wishes to inform its esteemed customers that power supply to the Gariki Injection Substation was successfully restored on Monday, July 20, at about 8:30p.m.
“This is following the successful resolution of a major fault involving the indoor 11kV breaker at the station.
“The fault, which occurred on Friday, July 17, affected electricity supply to customers served by the Army and Gariki 11kV feeders.
“Consequently, normal electricity supply has now been restored to all affected areas,” he said.
Ezeh appreciated residents and customers for their patience, understanding and cooperation throughout the outage.
He noted that the company remained committed to delivering safe, reliable, and improved electricity services to its customers and residents of the state.
It would be recalled that MainPower, which is a subsidiary of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), is in-charge of electricity distribution in Enugu State.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
Four herders and several cattle were killed on Tuesday when suspected gunmen attacked a cattle camp in Ifite Awka Community, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The incident has sparked concern in Awka, the state capital, as the attackers reportedly invaded the settlement and opened fire on the herders before fleeing the scene.
The attack has also prompted the leadership of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) to appeal for calm among its members, expressing confidence that the perpetrators would be apprehended and brought to justice.
In a statement, the National Deputy Director-General of MACBAN, Gidado Siddiki, said the four deceased herders were members of the same family.
According to him, the incident occurred at the cattle camp of Alhaji Aminu Mohammed on Tuesday, July 21, 2026.
He said, “According to reports, unknown armed assailants invaded the cattle camp while the herders were peacefully engaged in their legitimate cattle-rearing activities.
“The attackers opened fire sporadically, resulting in the deaths of four herders, namely Mohammed Bujumi, Hassan Bujumi, Abubakar Bujumi and Sani Bujumi.
“Several cattle were also killed during the attack, while the assailants reportedly fled with some of the cattle carcasses towards the nearby Mgbakwu Community.”
Siddiki added that another herder, identified as Usman Iliyasu, narrowly escaped the attack.
MACBAN condemned the incident as “heinous and senseless,” calling on security agencies to immediately investigate the attack, apprehend those responsible and prosecute them.
The association also urged the Anambra State Government to take urgent steps to strengthen security and protect the lives and property of residents.
While appreciating the prompt intervention of the Joint Task Force and the state government in recovering the bodies of the victims, Siddiki appealed to MACBAN members to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their own hands.
“We urge everyone to cooperate fully with the security agencies and allow the government to carry out the necessary investigations and take appropriate action to ensure justice is served,” he said.
Confirming the attack, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said a police-led joint security team responded to the scene following a distress call.
He said the operatives discovered the bodies of four male victims who had suffered fatal injuries.
“Preliminary observations revealed that the victims had their hands tied and sustained multiple injuries, including machete cuts and blunt force trauma. Also, two residential huts within the settlement were set ablaze during the attack,” Ikenga said.
The police spokesperson further disclosed that four dead cows were found within the vicinity, while two other cattle had been slaughtered, with portions of their meat removed.
He added that security operatives recovered sacks containing abandoned chunks of meat a short distance from the scene.
According to Ikenga, preliminary findings indicated that the attackers were armed with sophisticated weapons, including AK-47 rifles, pump-action guns, double-barrel guns and machetes.
He said one survivor escaped unharmed and was assisting the police-led joint security team with useful information that could aid the investigation.
The Anambra State Police Command urged members of the public to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible and timely information that could assist the ongoing investigation.
The Command said further developments would be communicated as the investigation progresses.
A former Assistant Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Dennis Amachree, has offered a fresh account of the circumstances surrounding the death of former Nigerian military Head of State, General Sani Abacha.
Amachree claimed that Abacha died of a cardiac arrest during an intimate encounter with a female pharmacist at the Aso Rock Guest House in Abuja.
The revelation was contained in his newly published memoir, DSS @40: My Journey Behind the Shield, in which he presented what he described as the true account of Abacha’s controversial death on June 8, 1998.
Abacha, who ruled Nigeria from November 1993 until his death in office, has remained the subject of several conspiracy theories concerning the circumstances of his demise.
According to excerpts of Amachree’s memoir published by The Nation, the former DSS officer, who was then Assistant Director of Operations and Intelligence at the Lagos Command, said Abacha died at about 4:05 a.m. while in the company of a female pharmacist at the Presidential Villa.
Amachree said the woman had accompanied her elder sister, whom he described as Abacha’s girlfriend, to the Presidential Villa after the former military ruler reportedly purchased a new SUV for the sister.
He stated that shortly after the intimate encounter, the pharmacist noticed that Abacha had suddenly become motionless and unresponsive.
According to his account, she checked his pulse but could not find one. She then hurriedly dressed and requested transportation back to her hotel.
The former DSS officer said the soldier on duty, unaware of what had happened, arranged a vehicle for her.
He added that after informing her elder sister about Abacha’s condition, the pharmacist was taken to the Abuja airport, where she boarded a 7:00 a.m. Okada Air flight to Lagos.
Amachree further disclosed that Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, Abacha’s Chief Security Officer, was informed of the former Head of State’s condition at about 5:00 a.m. and immediately ordered efforts to locate the woman who had been with him.
However, by the time security operatives arrived at the Hilton Hotel in Abuja, the pharmacist had already left for Lagos.
Amachree said he later received instructions from the DSS headquarters in Abuja to locate and interrogate the woman in Lagos. She was eventually traced to Ogudu and brought to his office for questioning.
He recalled that her first words during the interrogation were: “I did not kill him, he died on top of me.”
The former intelligence officer said he obtained a detailed statement from the woman and subsequently contacted the DSS headquarters, after which she was flown back to Abuja.
Amachree maintained that the pharmacist’s account supports the conclusion that Abacha suffered a cardiac arrest during sexual intercourse.
He said the account also challenges longstanding claims that the former military ruler was poisoned or died after being entertained by foreign women.
According to Amachree, the account contained in his memoir represents what actually happened and should help end decades of speculation surrounding Abacha’s final moments.
General Sani Abacha died on June 8, 1998, after nearly five years in power. His death occurred less than a month before the death of Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, widely regarded as the presumed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, who died in detention under the Abacha regime.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The proposed local government elections in Anambra State may face fresh legal hurdles as 56 serving councillors have approached the court seeking an order restraining the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) from conducting the polls.
The councillors, who filed the suit barely one month before the scheduled election, are challenging the planned exercise on the grounds that their tenure of office has not yet expired.
Recall that the Anambra State House of Assembly recently passed an amendment to the state electoral law, limiting the tenure of elected local government chairmen, deputy chairmen and councillors to two years.
In the suit, marked No. A/261/2026, the plaintiffs joined the Attorney-General of Anambra State, the Anambra State House of Assembly and ANSIEC as the first, second and third defendants respectively.
The plaintiffs are seeking, among other reliefs, a declaration that the statutory system of local government guaranteed under Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, requires a secure, stable and reasonable tenure capable of promoting effective grassroots governance.
They are also asking the court to declare Section 110(A) of the Anambra State Electoral (Amendment No. 3) Law, 2024, which limits the tenure of democratically elected local government chairmen, deputy chairmen and ward councillors to two years, inconsistent with Section 7(1) of the Constitution and therefore unconstitutional, null and void.
The plaintiffs further want the court to strike down, invalidate and expunge Section 110(4) of the Anambra State Electoral (Amendment No. 3) Law, 2024, from the state’s statute books on the grounds that it is inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
They are also seeking an order affirming that democratically elected local government officials are entitled to a secure four-year tenure, which they contend is in line with the tenure enjoyed by elected officials at the federal and state levels.
In addition, the councillors are asking the court to issue a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, privies or anyone acting on their behalf from dissolving, terminating or interfering with the tenure of the elected local government councils at the expiration of two years.
They are equally seeking an order restraining ANSIEC from taking any steps, publishing election timetables or conducting any elections aimed at replacing the current elected local government officials until they complete what the plaintiffs describe as their full four-year tenure.
The suit could potentially affect the planned local government elections in the state, depending on the outcome of the legal challenge.
Residents of Ihuezeofia Village in Enuogu Autonomous Community, Nkerefi, Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, have appealed to the state Governor, Barr. Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, to urgently intervene in the leadership crisis allegedly rocking the community since June 2025.
The residents, under the aegis of Ihuezeofia Village, made the appeal in a statement signed by the Chairman, Comrade Edeson John Chukwudi; Secretary-General, Prof. Kenneth Ogbodo; and a senior citizen of the village, Elder Elijah Chukwu.
They alleged that the leadership crisis had left the community divided, accusing some individuals of attempting to impose a preferred candidate as President-General (PG) of Enuogu Autonomous Community against the wishes of the people.
According to them, “Enuogu community is being held hostage by some individuals who believe that the community belongs to them and that they will choose whoever they want to be the President-General of the community against the will of the citizens because of their position in government.”
The residents also alleged that Ihuezeofia Village had been marginalised since the creation of Enuogu Autonomous Community, claiming that no government project or meaningful government presence had been established in the village.
They noted that Enuogu Autonomous Community comprises six gazetted villages, adding that five of the six villages had produced a President-General at different times, while Ihuezeofia Village had allegedly been denied its turn.
The group further raised concerns over the absence of a unified constitution for the autonomous community, despite its creation about 20 years ago.
They alleged that the traditional ruler, former Presidents-General and the current Caretaker Committee Chairman, whom they accused of presenting himself as the President-General, were operating under three different constitutions.
The residents said they had earlier petitioned Governor Mbah through DHL on April 7, 2026, with tracking number 4288534084, and that the correspondence was delivered to the Governor’s office on April 9, 2026.
They also said they had written to the Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Rural Development, Hon. Charles Egumgbe, through their lawyer, but claimed that they had yet to receive a response from either the Governor or the Commissioner.
The residents said their decision to make their concerns public was borne out of their desire for peace and their belief that using the media would help ensure that their appeal reached the state governor.
They urged Governor Mbah to urgently intervene in the crisis, ensure fairness and justice among the six gazetted villages, and help restore peace and unity in Enuogu Autonomous Community.
They also appealed to the state government to address the alleged marginalisation of Ihuezeofia Village and ensure equitable distribution of government projects and development across the autonomous community.
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