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‘I trekked for 1.5 kilometres, crawled in the bush,’ Gov Ortom speaks on assassination attempt

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The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on Sunday revealed how he escaped the attempt on his life by suspected assailants.

Gunmen had on Saturday opened fire on the governor’s convoy along the Gboko-Makurdi Road.

However, his security aides repelled the attack.

Ortom, who spoke during a church service at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Signs and Wonders Mega Parish, Makurdi, thanked God for saving his life.

He said some Fulani bandits, numbering about 15 shot at him and his nine aides in his farm on Gboko/Makurdi road.

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Ortom said he had to run on foot for 1.5 kilometres to escape the attack by the bandit.

He urged Nigerians with a good conscience to save the country from drifting into anarchy and lawlessness.

The governor wondered why a certain ethnic group in the country would be shielded and allowed to use its militia arm to wreak havoc on perceived enemies.

One of Ortom’s aides, Abraham Kwanghngu, corroborated his principal’s account.

He said nine aides were with the governor during the attack, adding that they did not only trek for 1.5 kilometres but crawled in the bush as the bandits fired bullets on the governor’s entourage.

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Kwanghngu said: “The governor and I along with few security details parked our vehicles by the highway and walked for about 2 kilometres to his farm by the river bank. We were our way back to our vehicles when we suddenly ran into an ambush mounted by well-armed suspected militia all dressed in black who opened fire on us.

“His Excellency and I had to run through the rough terrain for about a kilometre and a half at times crawling to avoid the showers of bullets fired at us by the gunmen.

“Thank God for the gallantry, proactiveness and courage demonstrated by the nine security details with the governor who immediately responded with fire to provide cover for us.

“The governor probably was the target for this evil assassination attempt by strange gunmen. By divine providence, Governor Ortom, myself and the security details escaped the ambush and safely made our way back to the Governor’s Lodge.”

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OYC Warns ICPC Chairman Against Alleged Bias in Uche Nnaji Case

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The Apex sociocultural youth organization of the Igbo race worldwide, Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), has described the current arrest made by the Independent Corrupt Practice and Other Related Offence (ICPC) against former Minister of Science and Technology and the 2027 People Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Enugu State, Hon. Uche Nnaji, regarding his certificate, as a deliberate political witch-hunt orchestrated by the Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency Gov. Peter Mbah.

In a press address in Enugu on Wednesday, 8th July 2026, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), called on Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to maintain the commission’s ethical standards, threatening to seek his removal if evidence confirms the alleged bias of ICPC in favor of Governor Peter Mbah against Hon. Uche Nnaji regarding the 2027 Guber election.

*The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) revealed that the fight against Hon. Uche Nnaji is a battle for the Enugu Governorship and the “Lions Building Seat” in 2027, and dismissed the certificate forgery allegations against Uche Nnaji as a political distraction and blackmail.*

The surreptitious entry into the court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to obtain a court order detaining Hon Uche Nnaji is a teleguided executive overreach attributed to Gov Peter Mbah apparently aimed at silencing Hon Uche Nnaji, which is highly censurable.

The Council stated that “A court of competent jurisdiction is presently handling the unsubstantiated certificate forgery case, and the University of Nigeria Nsukka and Hon Uche Nnaji have opted for an out-of-court settlement, following recent findings of misinformation.

Therefore, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), should maintain a neutral stance regarding the Enugu State Governorship battle to preserve his reputation built through his legal career and public service, and avoid being perceived as succumbing to Governor Peter Mbah’s alleged attempts to utilize executive power to blackmail and witch-hunt Hon. Uche Nnaji.

The Ohanaeze Youth Council(OYC) warned Governor Peter Mbah to concentrate on fulfilling his unfulfilled campaign promises to Enugu State rather than chasing Hon Uche Nnaji through the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)

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Governor Mbah’s Compassionate Gesture Brings Relief to Enugu Fire Victims

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Families displaced by the recent fire outbreak in the Asata area of Enugu have received immediate relief from the Enugu State Government following the intervention of Governor Peter Mbah, who directed that palliative support be provided to ease their suffering.
Chairman of the Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (ESEMA), Chinasa Mbah, disclosed that the agency promptly delivered the relief materials in compliance with the governor’s directive.
“We have given them some palliative as directed by His Excellency. Our report has equally gone in, and we await further instructions,” Mbah said.
She explained that ESEMA has completed its assessment of the incident and submitted its recommendations to the state government, adding that additional assistance for the affected families will depend on the governor’s approval of the agency’s report.
The swift response underscores Governor Mbah’s commitment to standing with citizens in times of distress. The victims, whose homes and belongings were destroyed in the fire that gutted two flats in a two-storey building on Church Road, Asata, are expected to receive further support as the government considers ESEMA’s recommendations.

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Questions Persist As Almajiri Commissions Attempts to Defend Projects Outside Its Mandate

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The National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children’s Education (NCAOOSCE) has defended the inclusion of projects outside its statutory mandate in the 2026 budget, insisting they are National Assembly constituency projects assigned to the commission for implementation.
However, the explanation has done little to quell public scrutiny, with critics questioning why a commission established to tackle the Almajiri system and out-of-school children—challenges largely concentrated in Northern Nigeria—is overseeing projects reportedly located in parts of the South-West.
The controversy has also been fuelled by concerns over the scale of the allocations, as the value of the disputed constituency projects is said to far exceed the funds earmarked for the commission’s core education programmes.
Responding to the criticism in a statement issued on Monday, the commission’s Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Nura Muhammad, said the projects were included in the 2026 Appropriation Act under the long-standing practice of assigning constituency projects to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for execution.
According to the commission, once such projects are approved in the federal budget and allocated to an agency, they become part of its implementation responsibilities.
“As part of a duly enacted federal budget, every project assigned to the commission forms part of its implementation responsibilities and will be executed in strict compliance with extant laws, financial regulations and due procurement processes,” the statement said.
NCAOOSCE maintained that the inclusion of the projects does not alter its statutory mandate, stressing that it remains focused on addressing the Almajiri system and reducing the number of out-of-school children across Nigeria.
The commission cited its achievements, including the profiling of more than 700,000 out-of-school children, the establishment of 119 learning centres, ward-to-ward advocacy campaigns, and the implementation of the National Policy on Almajiri Education, as evidence of its commitment to its core responsibilities.
This version attributes the concerns to critics and public scrutiny rather than stating them as established facts.

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Police Inspector Dies in Alleged Police Convoy Accident in Enugu

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A Police Inspector, Dr. Obodo Paul Ikechukwu, has reportedly died after he was involved in a fatal road accident allegedly involving a police convoy in Enugu State.

The deceased, who hailed from Nkpologu in Enugu State, was serving in the Operations Department of the Enugu State Police Headquarters at the time of the incident.

Details surrounding the circumstances of the accident remain unclear, but sources said the inspector was fatally injured after being struck by a vehicle in a police convoy.

Dr. Obodo, who was also a PhD holder, was described by colleagues and associates as a dedicated officer whose death has come as a shock to members of the police command and his community.

As of the time of filing this report, the Enugu State Police Command had not issued an official statement on the incident, while further details are being awaited.

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Mbaka Offers Prayers, Endorses Mbah’s Leadership Ahead of Election (See Video)

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The Spiritual Director of the Adoration Ministry Enugu, , has offered prayers for , praying for God’s favour, protection, and victory as the state approaches the coming elections.

Speaking during a church gathering, Mbaka declared that Governor Mbah would succeed, expressing confidence that God, whom he said had begun a great work through the governor, would bring it to completion.

“It shall be well with Peter Mbah; may the favour of God be with him. We back him with our prayers. The Adoration family throws our prayers around him, that he will succeed, in the name of Jesus. May God grant him the power of victory at the end of the whole election,” Mbaka said.

The cleric further expressed hope that Mbah’s leadership would bring joy to the Igbo people, the people of Enugu State, and the Church, adding that the Igbo economy could witness greater advancement under his administration.

According to Mbaka, the progress recorded so far gives hope that greater achievements lie ahead, stressing that God would perfect the work already begun.

His remarks come as political activities continue to gather momentum ahead of the forthcoming elections.

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