Interview

Enugu’s stolen twin: “Finding my missing girl was a miracle,” mother

Published

3 years ago

December 10, 2022

Mrs Gloria Okwudili, an indigene of Anambra State, who claims to be the biological mother of a 20-year-old lady, Juliet Agulanna, who was allegedly stolen from her at birth says she never knew she gave birth to a set of twins.

It took her 20 good years to find out that one of the twins was stolen at birth in controversial circumstances.

Hear her story:

I got married to Prof Okwudili in 1997, but I couldn’t have a child. I was introduced to a gynaecologist, then at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu State, who had a private hospital in New Haven (in Enugu).

He was said to be good at fertility issues. When I met him, he recommended some tests, after which he said that I had hormonal imbalance and placed me on drugs to enhance ovulation that could trigger multiple fertilisation. I started the medication in 2000 and in October of that year, I became pregnant.

The pregnancy started progressing with no sickness and no vomiting, and I started going for ante natal. I was managed by the gynaecologist, who used his ultrasound machine to monitor the baby. He told me that the baby was fine. On one of the days I went for ante natal, he said the baby was a precious child and thanked God. On July 12, 2001, another ultrasound showed that the baby was fine.

Delivery

On getting to the hospital on a Monday, the doctor instructed a chief nurse to place me on a drip. Thereafter, they took me to one of the private rooms upstairs. Immediately after I was given a bed, the nurse, as instructed, put the inducing drug.

The nurse continued changing the drip until Wednesday night when the doctor came and raised the inducement. At midnight, I went into labour and was weak. In the evening, my husband came and saw how I was struggling in pain and said he would not go home, but stay with me. The workers at the hospital started persuading him to go home. They told him not to worry. After much pressure, I told my husband to go home and he did.

A few hours after he left, around midnight, I went into labour. Shortly after, they brought me a baby boy and told me he was my son. I immediately named him Nzubechukwu, which means God’s will.

Before the nurse left, he told me to push and I knew I pushed. I also had a tear in my private parts and it was sutured.

I was never told I had twins

The doctor didn’t tell me that I had twins or that I was pregnant with twins. He hid it; he only told me that I had a precious child. But at the St Mulumba Catholic Church, New Haven, where I worship, people called me ‘Mama Ijima’ (mother of twins)

Ultrasound?

The doctor had everything in his hospital. He had the ultrasound machine and operated it by himself; whatever he wanted, he did by himself. He never told me that I was pregnant with twins. I did not also go to another hospital for a test because I never suspected anything.

I didn’t ask because he had told me that I was carrying one (baby). He always told me that I had a child and that it was a boy, and that he was a precious child. So, I never bothered because he was one of the best gynaecologists in Enugu. So, I had no reason to suspect that he could lie to me.

How I discovered I had a daughter 20 years after.

I must tell you that it is a miracle. Whatever God cannot do does not exist. I had three shops I used for trading, but I later rented one of them out in 2021. I was in my shop one day when a woman carrying a baby came looking for a shop to rent. She told me that she wanted to take the shop.

When I asked her what she wanted to sell in the shop, she said she wanted to open a salon. I refused to rent the shop to her. She came for about three days begging and saying she was not a troublesome person, but I didn’t yield to her pleas.

However, immediately after she left and crossed the main road in front of the shop, I called her back and rented the shop to her. About three months later, I was in my shop when a girl came, greeted me and asked about the woman. She asked me if the woman was good at dressing hair and that she wanted to learn from her; that was in 2021. I told her that the woman was not around but advised her to return later.

One day, when I was in my shop, one woman, Mrs Agulanna, came and told me to join her as she was about to sign an agreement for her daughter to learn hairdressing from the woman I rented the shop to. She came with some drinks and biscuits. So, I came out and sat down in front of my shop and she gave me a bottle of drink and some biscuits. After that day, the girl started learning the skill. Not quite too long after, people who came to my shop started saying that the girl looked like me and my son. They said she spoke like us.

I wasn’t interested initially

I was not interested in the talk because I didn’t know that I delivered a set of twins in the hospital. As people were talking, I said I had a son, and that people could look alike. Sometimes, when I leave the shop to go to the house to do something and she (the girl) was around, she took care of the shop until I returned.

At times when people came to buy an item, they asked her about my whereabouts thinking I was her mother, but she told them that her mother was not the shop owner. Some asked her if I was not her mother.

This became the talk of the neighbourhood. So, one day when I came out of my shop, some people who came to make their hair called the girl, Juliet, and asked her when she said she was born. She said July 18, 2002, and immediately it struck me. I was shocked. I asked her if she was sure about her date of birth. She said she was born in Ezeani, New Haven. I said there was no hospital in Ezeani and no maternity in Ezeani. So, she took her phone, called her mother and asked her, and her mother repeated what she (Juliet) said. I insisted that there was no hospital in Ezeani and then went home.

What happened next?

The following day, when I came out to open my shop, the girl came begging me to forgive her.

Why?

She said she wasn’t born on July 18 but on June 14. I wondered what was going on. She also said that her mother said she was born somewhere in Abakpa. So, I forgot about it and after some time, the girl started coming close to me. Whenever I went to the house to do something, she watched over the shop for me. Whenever she was less busy, she used to come to my shop and we discussed and laughed.

,Thereafter, she started coming close to my family. So one day, I asked her if she knew her weight at birth and she said her mother told her it was 2.2kg, but my son, Nzubechukwu, weighed 3.8kg (at birth). I told her that my son cried a lot when he was a baby and she said her foster mother said she did the same.

She told me lots of things about herself?

She said many things about her upbringing. She said she often told her foster mother that she was a twin, that she had a twin brother. She said whenever they (foster parents) provoked her, she would go into the house, pack her things and say, ‘This is not my home; I will go to my house’. She said she had done that more than three times because of how they had been maltreating her.

She said her foster mother treated her badly and shouted at her for every little thing she did. She also said when she was in school in Akwa Ibom, they (foster parents) rarely visited her. So, as we were bonding together, she requested a pair of eyeglasses as hers was bad. She said her teacher told the foster mother that her eye problem was hereditary.

The eye problem in my family is hereditary

My family has an eye problem, myopia, and it is hereditary. I have it, my son has it. I inherited it from my mother and my mother inherited it from her mother. It was when she saw that my son wore a pair of eyeglasses that she started requesting. She told my husband that she wanted one. He told her to tell our son to take her to a doctor to have her eyes examined.

The doctor asked if they were siblings

After examining her, the doctor asked them whether they were siblings because they had the same eyes. Nzubechukwu didn’t say anything but laughed. I wasn’t with them but they returned and they relayed what happened to me.

In the first week of July 2022, the girl woke up one morning and told her foster mother that my husband and I said that she was our daughter and that our son, Nzubechukwu, had a twin sister, who was stolen in the hospital where they were born. She said her foster mother threatened to call the police, quarrelled with her and laid curses on her.

The following morning, the woman told the girl that she had a dream where I said that all I said about her being my daughter was a joke. The girl got angry and came to my shop that early morning and pleaded with me to do a DNA test with her. I asked her if she was sure about what she wanted to do and if she had discussed it with Mama Chika (her foster mother) and she said yes.

The DNA test

When my husband returned, I told him what the girl said and he asked me where such a test could be done in Enugu. I told him that I would ask around. We started searching and were directed to a place. My husband went there and made an inquiry and was told that only the father and child could undergo the test. On July 7, 2022, the girl came to our house and we took her to a molecular laboratory at Rangers Avenue for the DNA test. When we got there, they asked questions, and thereafter asked me, my husband and Juliet to sign some documents to confirm that we all were not forced to undergo the test.

Juliet gladly signed, I signed and my husband signed. They took them inside. I didn’t follow them. After collecting their specimens, they told us that the result would take two months to be ready.

The DNA result came out in 3 months

The test was done on July 7 and in September, my husband called and asked me what I was doing. I told him I had just finished my night prayer and was about to sleep. He said the DNA test was out. I asked what the result was. He said he was the biological father of Juliet. So Juliet is our biological daughter; it was 99.9996 per cent positive.

I screamed. I called my family. I called my mother, who once saw the girl at my shop and told me that she looked like my son and embraced her. So, when the result came, I told her and my brothers. There was joy in my village.

So, my husband returned on September 10, 2022, and said he wanted to tell Juliet first and we called her and told her the result of the DNA test. Before the test was done, she said she would cry for the rest of her life if the test result turned out negative but would cry for joy if it was positive. When the result came out, my husband told her and she requested that the result should be sent to her and my husband did that.

How did her foster mother react to the result?

When we asked her (Juliet) what she would do next, she told us not to worry, and that she would handle it. She sent the result to Mrs Agulanna (her foster mother), and the woman called her family and informed them about the development. They started calling my daughter (Juliet) and abusing her. One of her (foster mother’s) sisters called my daughter and asked her if she wanted to repay Mrs Agulanna with a DNA test after taking care of her for 20 years. They also told Juliet not to go and alleged that we forced her to undergo the test, but my daughter said no. They told her to go to the village but she refused. Another one, who lives abroad, called and started laying curses on her.

Are you privy to the conversation?

I listened to the conversations because I was there with my husband. So, my daughter told us that her foster mother was sick, that she didn’t want anything to happen to her, and that she would talk to her. That is why she sent the test (result) to her.

Did you and your husband honour her appeal?

I agreed and suggested that we report to our parish priest so that he would call her (Mrs Agulanna) so that we would settle (the matter) amicably. My daughter also agreed. My husband and I went to the parish priest and explained everything to him and showed him the DNA test result. The priest called Mrs Agulanna and told her about the development, that there was no gain in making trouble and that it was good that we settled the matter amicably since we are one family in Christ and members of the same parish.

What did Mrs Agulanna say?

The woman said she didn’t know what he was talking about but said she would call me. So later that day, she called me and asked me if I was accusing her of stealing my child? I said no. I told her to tell her husband to take the DNA test and that if the result came out positive, I would accept it. We were just waiting for her to come, but did not know that she was in Enugu. One Saturday morning, we were saying the rosary when I saw a police car parked. As God would have it, my husband was in the church that day. Immediately after I saw the woman (Agulanna), she now pointed at us. The policemen told us to come and we met them. The policemen said they had a report against us at their station at PRODA by Sunrise Estate.

So, we followed them and didn’t prepare for anything. When we got to the station, they told us to write a statement. I stated everything I told you – that I didn’t know that I had a twin baby. My husband wrote his statement and thereafter they said we would go to Abuja. I told my family and some neighbours to come to the police station. So, we followed the policemen in a Sienna vehicle to Abuja. When we got to Abuja, we met the officer in charge.

What did the officer tell you?

He asked me why I took someone else’s child for a DNA test. I told him that she (Juliet) came to me and requested it and she is 20 years old and an adult. He asked us if we had a place to stay and a family friend came and took us to their house. When we returned to the police station in Abuja, they told us to go home. So, we returned to Enugu.

You mentioned earlier that Juliet told you that her foster mother claimed that she was born a month before your son was born…

She is lying. I am the mother of the girl (Juliet).

She also demanded a paternity test to determine whether your husband is the biological father of your son and another test to confirm that you are Juliet’s mother. What is your reaction to that?

I am ready for any kind of test. They are my children. Nzubechukwu is my son and Juliet is my daughter. If they are in doubt, we can go for a DNA test.

Interview

Why I didn’t run for Governor in 2023 – Pastor Sam Iyiogwe

Published

1 month ago

April 3, 2026

Everydaynewsngr

Tracking down Pastor Sam Iyiogwe, a former LGA Chairman and former SSA to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for this interview was as difficult as anything one can think of. At a time politicians are avoiding the press ahead the 2027 election Iyiogwe couldn’t help but accept when the issue of infrastrucural development of his people was mentioned.
As Nkanu East LGA Chairman, Iyiogwe, led journalists through neglected communities in his area where schools were scarce, chemist shops doubled as hospitals, and some areas lacked road access for decades. In Amankanu, residents recalled transporting pregnant women in wheelbarrows to distant health facilities.
Iyiogwe began opening up rural roads and improving access to services before Governor Peter Mbah’s election in 2023. In this chat with PETRUS OBI, he reflects on the situation of his people 10 years later.

Q: You initiated the development of abandoned communities in Nkanu East as LGA Chairman. You also canvassed for a Governor from that area. Are you surprised that you have no appointment in this government?

Iyiogwe:

Thank you so much; compliments of the season. Its a period we are celebrating the Liberation of mankind from sin through our Lord Jesus. I say Happy Easter in advance.

The issue is that in life God is in control. He is in charge of everything. Every politician deserve to be part of what is being done. If I answer your question directly…you are aware how Nkanu East used to be. When we came in we did our best. The issue in Nigerian system is that many of us coming into politics are actually supposed to be looking for employment in the ministries or companies. But we have turned politics into a place of becoming rich overnight. Many are not there because of the passion for their people. But as a person, what brought me into politics was the state of things in my area especially Amechi-Idodo, Owo, and Amankanu. Then I didn’t know much about Nkanu East. I used to think that our own side was so bad until I joined politics. Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, I can say was another person who because of him I was dragged into commitment to PDP and politics because of the attacks against him by some opposition, some of them our brothers. And God said to me, give him your support.

In this present government what I can say is that the number one thing which brought me into politics which happens to be our roads; because it was a disaster; it was as if we were not part of Nigeria. And God told me; you can do it. Today, the governor, God has used him to accomplish number one thing that brought me into politics. I didn’t join politics because I was looking for work, or contract or appointment, it was primarily to see how our area can be opened up. A situation where from January to December-year to year movement is a tug of war. Rainy season is out of it, you cant move, even on bicycle.

God also used me in due season to open it up and by His grace we were able to effect reasonable changes in every community of Nkanu East. And today the governor has completed 100%, of that thing that brought me into politics. And he did it in a bigger way. It’s a dual carriage way; all the way from the Enugu/Abakaliki Expressway, that’s Owo junction to Owo, up to Ubahu, Amankanu all the way to Neke, Ikem linking us to other part of Enugu North zone.

You remember we did a tour, I was the one as LGA Chairman that opened a road for a vehicle to enter Amankanu for the the first time. I remember the efforts to open up that road; I also remember the efforts to link up Amechi Idodo to Amagunze. In those days you pass through four local governments to come to our Council Headquarters. Today, the governor has also accomplished it; concrete bridges have been done across the Inyaba River, Idodo River. So whether I am holding a political position or not I am happy and very grateful to God and the Governor. I am also very happy that the governor appreciates the efforts put when I was a chairman. That i don’t have an appointment doesn’t mean that I am not part of the government. The governor listens to my words; he is my brother, we are also in the same party. He has respect for my words because I don’t present unnecessary issues. Whenever there is something I feel could affect the government or the people I usually pass it to him and I always see a response on his side. So whatever, the government has not ended, we still have over one year in his first tenure and his second tenure, by God’s grace is still there. The governor knows what he wants to achieve and the best people to use. Personally, I am happy and grateful to God and to him.

Q: Dont you think as one who had that foresight and zeal to develop your area, that working from the inside in this administration would be a good idea?

Iyiogwe:

Just as I said earlier, the governor knows the best people to use at any point in time. I also, in my lifestyle, I strongly believe in the will of God. That’s how God wants it. The most important thing is that the governor is doing much more than I expected when it comes to infrastructural development. In terms of transformation, unexpected projects are being done and I am happy. Not only that road, remember the road I opened from Godfrey Okoye University in Ugwuomu to some of our communities in Odobudo, Owachi, and Ndiagu Idodo Omulo Ubahu that linked up to Obeagu Ohuani Mbulu owo, the governor is also doing it.

There was a team we coordinated, the governor may not even know that I was involved; we connected ourselves together, I was the anchor point, we did a NEED assessment of connectivity of roads because one of the major problem of our people is roads; another is electricity. I remember during my time in Nkanu East through my connection with former Minister of Power Professor Bart Nnaji and Senator Gil Nnaji I was able to get electricity to about 16 communities through the federal government. So this road network was presented to him; also you remember I once mentioned that the governor did a NEED assessment where he sent people ahead of time to find out what the people’s needs are. If you go to that road we opened from Ugwuomu, you will come out at 17th Mile, Enugu/Abakaliki Road. As a Chairman I did about 100 box culvets within that corridor. Today the governor is reconstructing it with asphalt overlay. Honestly I am happy. I am grateful to him. I cannot thank God enough. I remembered lying down on various roads and junctions in parts of Nkanu East pouring oil, crying to God for mercy, breaking powers that said No, Nkanu East will not open up, ‘allow them to suffer for the sins they committed; the blood they shed.’ God intervened, because when you call upon Him genuinely He will answer. And today the rest is history.

Q: Generally, how would you rate the performance of Governor Peter Mbah?

Iyiogwe:

The governor is a very calm and organised person. He doesn’t make noise. He doesn’t talk much. People say he doesn’t see people, he doesn’t do this and that. The truth is, if you are really committed to governance you have little time for much receptions and all those things. I can tell you, I have never had a private audience with the governor. But most of the things I present to him are being actualized and I feel happy about it. What I can tell you is that Enugu State has gone much steps ahead.

I cried once when we had Economic Planning Commission Meeting during our own time under governor SullivanChime. Last year during the NBA Conference, I cried again. That was the first time I entered the International Conference Centre which was one of the things we prayed when Chimaroke Nnamani was governor that was not completed and I felt bad about that. Each time I passed there I will ask God, why has it not been done? Is it that He didn’t answer the prayer – because it’s not everything you ask that God will do. I remember how I took many ministers of God to ESUT when it was under construction and many other project sites and we prayed and the University was built and many other places. I kept asking, what was the problem of International Conference Centre? When it was completed with speed by the present governor I wasn’t around and when I came back I didn’t have the time to enter there until the NBA Conference last year. I was there and people around me were asking questions and commending our governor. I didn’t know when I started crying. Cry of joy and praise to God. I said God, you are so faithful. Apart from that, look at Presidential Hotel – My good boss, my oga, man whom I will never forget in life, I told my people and children the love he showered on me, former governor Sullivan Chime, he tried rebuilding the hotel but some factors came up that encumbered it.

If you go across Enugu State, I mean all the Local Governments; there’s none you won’t go with pride. During our time, Sullivan did excellently well. Grading of roads were not part of Sullivan’s approved projects. I personally had to request for it because of the state of Nkanu East. Sullivan believed in asphalt roads; if its 1km so be it, but not road grading- seen as a means of siphoning funds. For us in Nkanu East, we didn’t even have roads to grade. What we had to do was to use bulldozers to open the roads. Some of these roads the governor is doing now are part of the roads I opened up. I connected Mburubu community to Nkerefi Community. We opened up Amechi Idodo to Amagunze, crossed the Inyaba River. I trekked that road almost five times with my team praying asking God for intervention…I remember a day, I was outside the country they were trying to connect from Amechi-Idodo to Amagunze but the bulldozer spoilt. They brought another one it refused to work; they brought a third one, I said don’t worry I am coming back. I came back on a Sunday; from the airport we went to where the bulldozers spoilt, and I said don’t worry I am here. As I was praying I heard a voice saying, leave these people let them suffer, they shed a lot of blood. I said No, Jesus Christ has paid the price and you cannot continue to hold them bondage. I annointed the bulldozer, and said start it, and it started. This is not a fairytale, I have witnesses. We crossed the Inyaba River and opened up the road to Amagunze.

It’s not only in Nkanu East that the governor is working as there’s no ward in Enugu State that you cannot go with pride because of what the governor has done.

I don’t want to keep talking about the Smart School but I can tell you with pride that it is a Mini University. Some people say it’s waste of money, why not do three, one in each Senatorial Zone. That is not the dream of the governor; he believes that people in the rural areas should have light and life. And its being reflected in every community. Besides the governor is very economical in his projects costing. In Enugu State you don’t hear of anyone harrassing contractors for kickbacks. Such act is unacceptable in this government. Also Health Facilities are being built across the communities.

The roads are being done across every area in Enugu State. I am not talking about Enugu Urban but rural areas.

Enugu urban projects are going on everywhere. I was going to see a relative who was involved in an accident in Emene. I was with a small car, and I called for them to bring an SUV because I know how that area used to be. To my surprise, when I got there, the road had been tarred with drainages on both sides. I also started seeing other roads in Emene, of all places.

What is annoying me is that people in government, other than Barrister Josh and few others , are not letting people know the amount of work being done. Projects are going on everywhere. What about the road from Nike Lake Road to Opi, which he is dualizing? Some people may say, why not leave it the way Sullivan did it, but he believes in advancement. Sometimes you wonder how it will be completed, but before you know it, it is done. So the projects are all over the place.

Why I talk about Nkanu East is because it was total darkness. When I came, I put on the light, but the governor has amplified everything, and I am happy. I can tell you that the governor appreciates the efforts I made as Chairman because he mentioned it during a stakeholders’ meeting last month and also commended me personally.

Q: You mentioned crying twice. Please can you elucidate on that; what really happened?

Iyiogwe:

The one at the International Conference Centre was a cry of joy, a cry of praise to God, a cry of thanksgiving to God Almighty. It was also a cry of appreciation to the governor, Barr. Peter Mbah, for making the International Conference Centre truly international after so many years. Nobody believed it could be done. I had asked God several times, why? During Governor Chimaroke’s time, I used to bring different ministers of God to pray, and every other project was completed except that one. So it was a cry of celebration.

The other was at the Exco chambers, where we used to hold Economic Planning Commission meetings with the governor; where the affairs of the local governments were discussed and we collaborated with him. Each local government would review what had been done, what was to be done, and approvals would be given.

I packaged a proposal, it was a 70km road from Neke to Amankanu, Ubahu, to Owo, to the Enugu/Abakaliki Expressway, down to Amechi-Idodo, to Amagunze, then to Akpugo and Ihuokpara. Maybe because of my passion and hunger for transformation, I proposed that 70km road. It was not a small project, and nobody advised me that it was too much. The day it was presented, Sullivan said, “Pastor, 70km road? That is like going to Onitsha and back.” That was the end of the story.

I was heartbroken and I started crying. The irony is that none of my friends or colleagues came to encourage me. It was only the then Deputy Governor, His Excellency Sunday Onyebuchi, who came when he was passing. Everyone else had left, but I could not get up. I was crying and saying, “Lord, will our people continue to suffer this way?” He came to me and said, “Chairman, don’t worry, maybe you can present something smaller and it will be looked into.” That one was a cry of pain.

But I remembered the love Sullivan had for me, and I said, thank you Lord. Then I took up the road myself. We asphalted part of it so our people could have access, and we stopped after Owo which Governor Peter Mbah still remembers today. Even my own people from Ubahu were abusing and criticizing me, asking why I should go and build a road for Owo people. But I was guided by the Holy Spirit. A road that would benefit up to five communities, why should I do it for only one?

How would I have felt now if I had done otherwise, now that an Owo man is the governor? That is why today I am proud and always bold to present important issues to the governor with humility.

Another project I did was in Obeagu-Ohuani, Ubulu Owo. The road there was in a very bad condition. Today, they honour me and appreciate me because of what I did there. When I was a child, my father used to hold my hand and we would trek from my community to Owo for ceremonies. So when I became Chairman, I asked about the road, and when my aides showed it to me, it was a disaster.

I opened up the road, constructed box culverts and mini bridges about 14 of them along that corridor. I am happy the governor appreciates it. He is also building a bridge across the Idodo River in that area. I also built another bridge at Idodo River connecting Ubahu to Ndiagu Idodo Omulo, to Ohuani Obeagu Mbulu Owo, which leads to 17th Mile.

There is a Smart School being built there. But my people are about to be cut off. Children cannot attend the Smart School in Mbulu Owo from Odobudo, Owachi, or Ndiagu Idodo. They also cannot go to the one in Ubahu, or the one in Owo, because erosion has almost destroyed the bridge. The bridge is at the point of being washed away.

I have presented this to the governor, and he has sent his team to inspect it. This is the only appeal I am making to him to help our people so that we are not completely cut off. The children cannot be trekking about 25km to school. If that bridge collapses without a new one, we will be completely cut off.

Q: Upon all that is being done in Nkanu East, a lot still needs to be done?

Iyiogwe:

I remember telling you in an earlier interview in 2022 that Nkanu East will need a governor for about 16 years to address the problems of the area. This is because all the waters from Enugu State are discharged there. So when you get there, everywhere is waterways, and the area has been neglected for a long time. That is why it needs an Nkanu East person to become the President of this nation for us to be fully liberated. I don’t know how, but God can do it.

When people were asking me to run for governor in 2023, after my tenure as chairman, my ambition was to be governor, not for myself but for the people of Enugu. As time went on, we had a meeting in London where we set up a manifesto. But along the line, God said to me, “Be calm, just be calm.” There were other things He told me which are personal. I thank God I listened because it would have been a disaster if I had contested while my brother Peter was also contesting. Many people offered to buy the form and support me financially, but I told them, “Don’t worry, I am not interested.” I thank God that Peter Mbah emerged.

Honestly, I knew he would do well, but I did not expect him to perform at this level. The issue is that people do not know what is being done in Enugu State. That is why I am calling on our political team members to speak out. When things are done in your area, let people know. We are in politics.

Q: Sir, you were chairman from 2012 to 2016. What have you been doing since you left office?

Iyiogwe:

I worked for about six months with Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s council as Chairman. After that, he appointed me as SSA on Water Supply, where I worked for his first three years and six months. After that, I returned to my business. Since 1993, I have been in private business. I took voluntary retirement from the Nigeria Customs Service. Now I am in my family business, where I travel from one place to another in a supervisory role. I am doing well.

Q: What business is that? Can you share with us?

We are into different kinds of business: construction, pharmaceuticals, labour supply, consultancy, equipment and vehicle leasing, interstate transportation, trading, among others.

Q: What are the chances of Peter Mbah in his re-election bid in 2027?

The truth is that 2023 and 2027 are two different scenarios. In 2023, many people were aggrieved within the ruling party in the state, the PDP. I do not like saying this because Ugwuanyi was my boss and he respected me. There was a position he intended to give me, but for some reasons, he changed his mind. Politics involves a lot of blackmail and misinformation, and I am not interested in those things. However, I believe I could have been useful to him. God showed me that position, and I believe I was pushed out of it. I could have contributed more.

Like I said, 2023 and 2027 are not the same. Many party members who could not secure tickets became angry and worked against the PDP. We were not able to manage the situation, and it was further affected by Mr. Peter Obi’s presidential influence, as many people were focused on producing the President.

There was also a lack of discipline. Commissioners and other political appointees joined different aspirants, and aides to council chairmen supported candidates without waiting for the governor and stakeholders to decide. There was no coordination or control. Normally, appointees should wait until the governor, after consultations, announces the candidate.

These were some of the issues that affected us in 2023.

For 2027, Peter has done a lot. It will be a disservice to the people of Enugu if we do not support him for a second term. I believe he will win, and win well. However, we should not take anything for granted. I also want to say that the governor has the interest of Enugu State at heart. He believes in development and is very committed to it.

Interview

“I’m Not Playing Victim; the Contractor Toshel Failed to Do the Job” — Aniagboso Michael Speaks on Jesus Bu Eze Plaza Dispute

Published

3 months ago

February 3, 2026

Everydaynewsngr

Aniagboso Michael, a real estate developer and promoter of Jesus Bu Eze Plaza, has responded to allegations circulating on social media that he is playing the victim to damage the reputation of Mr. Tochukwu Nzekwe, Chairman of Toshel Company, and to avoid contractual obligations.
In this interview, with EverydayNewsNGR Aniagboso gives his account of the events surrounding the construction of the plaza located along Kano Street, Coal Camp, Enugu State.

Q: There are allegations that you are playing the victim to avoid fulfilling your obligations to the contractor. How do you respond?

Those allegations are completely false. I am not playing any victim card—there is no “victim card” here. The simple truth is that the contractor, Mr. Tochukwu Nzekwe, failed to execute the job he was contracted to do.
This is not about sentiments or social media narratives; it is about facts and contractual performance.
We signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in which both parties agreed that his company would fund and execute the entire asphalting project, valued at ₦118 million, covering approximately 5,500 square metres of the plaza.

Q: Can you explain the scope of the project and the agreement entered into?

The project covered about 5,500 square metres along Kano Street, Coal Camp. The agreement included construction of access roads, asphalt work, and the entire internal road network, including Silversmith Road.
The Bill of Quantities (BOQ) was prepared by his own engineers, reviewed by both parties, and mutually agreed upon. The total contract sum was ₦118 million, with a completion period of three months.
He undertook to handle everything—from clearing and laterite filling to asphalt work and landscaping.

Q: What went wrong during execution of the project?

After the three-month period elapsed, the project was nowhere near completion. One of the major problems was the use of obsolete and inadequate equipment—bulldozers, graders, and trucks that frequently broke down.
Materials would be brought to site, but work would stall for weeks. These delays seriously disrupted the project timeline. We held several site meetings and issued formal notices pointing out his failure to meet contractual obligations.
Despite repeatedly boasting that he had sufficient funds and equipment, the work did not progress. There were also constant disputes with his workers, drivers, and machine operators, which further slowed down the project.

Q: Was the project eventually completed?
Yes, but not by him. The project was originally scheduled for commissioning within three months. However, due to the contractor’s failure, I had to mobilise my own resources, lease equipment from other operators, and complete the remaining work myself.
The plaza was eventually commissioned on 4 March 2024 by the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, who was represented by his deputy, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai.

Q: Despite this, the contractor is said to be demanding full payment. What is your response?

That demand is unjustified. An independent assessment confirmed that he completed only about 10% of the total work.
Based on that assessment, we paid him ₦27.5 million, which was proportional to the work actually done. He demanded payment for 15%, but that entitlement was conditional upon full completion of the project. Since the job was abandoned, that condition was never met.
Instead, he allegedly began blocking the entrance to the plaza with heavy equipment and issuing threats.

Q: There are claims of police involvement and intimidation. What exactly happened?

Rather than resolving the matter professionally, he reportedly came to the site with police officers and other security personnel, instructing workers to stop work unless he was paid in full.
He reportedly took me to the police station, the DSS, and the EFCC. Subsequently, I experienced repeated harassment, including the presence of thugs at the site, intimidation of workers, vandalism of parts of the plaza, and threats to my personal safety.

Q: Did you seek legal redress?

Yes. I approached the court and filed a suit seeking an injunction to restrain him from further interference with the plaza. By that time, shops had already been sold and business activities were ongoing.
The court issued a statutory order recognising that M & B Company had taken possession of the plaza and that operations were ongoing under the Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) agreement, which is for 25 years.
At the time, there were about 250 shops and 32 functional toilets in operation. Despite the court process, he allegedly continued to return to the site, boasting of influence and connections.

Q: What is the nature of the BOT agreement and the contractor’s role?

The BOT agreement was entered into with Enugu North Local Government for a period of 25 years. Mr. Tochukwu Nzekwe and his company have no contractual relationship with the local government.
I brought him in solely as a contractor to execute the asphalting project using his own funds, estimated at ₦118 million—as clearly stated in the agreement already tendered in court.
Under the BOT arrangement, the local government is entitled to 30% of revenue, while my company retains 70%. The contractor’s 15% entitlement was conditional upon full completion of the project and was to come from my own share of the revenue generated from park operations and gate tolls.

Q: You have raised serious concerns about your safety. Can you explain?

My greatest fear is that the Chairman of Enugu North Local Government, Hon. Ibenaku Onoh, has allegedly connived with the contractor to forcefully take over the plaza.
I have been barred from accessing a property I developed with my hard-earned money. I have received threats, including claims that my children’s movements are being monitored. Because of this, I have gone into hiding and no longer move freely within Enugu.
I allege that the plaza has been taken over, handed to individuals loyal to the local government, and revenue has been collected for months without reference to me, the developer.

Q: What is your appeal to the government?

I am appealing directly to the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, to urgently intervene. I have always supported this administration and remain committed to its success.
If the local government doesn’t want to respect the MOU because of perceived personal interest of the chairman, it’s better the Enugu State Government assume full control of its management, ensure transparency, respect the BOT agreement, and allow me to recover my investment.
I am under severe financial pressure from creditors and cannot withstand further intimidation. My life and the lives of my family members are at risk. I am pleading for urgent intervention before the situation escalates further.

Interview

Gov Mbah Changing The Narratives, Politics in State Enugu — Anike

Published

1 year ago

May 8, 2025

Everydaynewsngr

PASTOR Beloved-Dan Anike, the chairman of Enugu East LGA, in this interview said that council fiscal autonomy is working well in Enugu State, adding that the metropolitan council is complementing the state government’s economic and social policies.
He asserts that Governor Peter Mbah is changing the narratives and politics Enugu State.

What has been your over 100 days experience as the council chairman of Enugu East Local Government?

It has been 100 days full of activities, trying to convert vision to realities, navigate the new environment and connect with the promises made during the campaign and maintain the social contracts with the people. Another influencing factor in the state is the kind of governor we have. Governor Peter Mbah is changing the narratives and politics in Enugu State such that if you’re a public officer, you must rate performance over politics. If you’re not ready to perform, then you won’t even be ready to navigate the scheme and see his break light. So he is a factor that makes everybody to be on their toes, especially the local government because he is working on every ward and so you have to match his strides.

How the grassroots felt his impact in 100 days

From the word go, we announced that we would introduce what we call City Charter which will not leave anyone behind. We will involve people to increase participation. We invited all communities, not wards, to conduct needs assessment and they stated clearly what they want. Our goals are clear, our major target is human capital development, upon which we now launch what we call the greater tomorrow scholarship for young students and also the One youth, one skill.

As part of the greater tomorrow scholarship, 50 students were selected from local schools and they migrated to major highbrow secondary institutions of private and missionary schools, just like a brand of the smart schools that are coming up in Enugu State.

About 1,750 students have been enrolled for WAEC of which about 70 per cent are non-indigenes, only 30 per cent are indigenes of the local government. We still have other educational programmes that are still pending such as the scholarships and bursaries for undergraduates. We have also declared that we want to train nurses as professionals in the health sector and education. These are purely targeted to support the state’s ongoing Primary Health Centres and smart school projects.

On infrastructure, we have commenced the construction of 1.4km road leading to the smart school in Ugwuomu, we have also commenced the construction of 1.2km road leading to a PHC centre at Emene, near Emenite. Drainage and earthworks are ongoing. On power, we said one Ward one transformer and we have 12 wards. So we have 12 transformers which we have distributed and are currently being installed and energized in various wards.

On public participation and open governance, we set up seven committees and I have received five reports of those committees. One was on the Needs Assessment of all our rural roads so as to match them with the state government’s vision of one ward 10km road. The state government has a 60/40 per cent infrastructure financing plan with the local governments, we are even saying if we can get 80/20 per cent rebate having seen the deficit we have on our roads.

Our former secretariat building covering over 3,000 square meters of land is being envisaged for the take-off of the Metropolitan School of Health Technology and Nursing, which we are working on now. We have written to the state government for provisional consent for us to proceed with that project. These are some of the projects under three months and in our budget this year, we are going to launch what we call Family Economic Empowerment Program (FEEP) and that will be a component of One youth one skill. We trained about 350 people in various skills and we have about 10 being trained in ANAMCO now in mechatronics. Some people have enrolled in heavy machines training.

They are being paid N70,000 monthly while on training and after one year of training, they will be engaged where they could earn about N500,000 per month. We received over 200 entries because most of our mobilisation and recruitment are done online. In fact, we have other offers from those who want to train people in China and people from even Niger State applied. Our target is human capital but beyond that, we have done foundation-laying for Type1 Public health centers in five communities of Neke-Uno, Obinagu-Nike in Ujudo, the one that is pending is in Nokpa, Ugbene II and Nkpologu. This is to complement the Type2 PHCs that are 12 ongoing in Enugu East Local Government. We look at communities that are far from places where those Type2 PHCs are located and we cite our Type1 Health centres.

On market developments, because we want to decongest Abakpa market, we’re looking at establishing neighbourhood markets in Ugbene II, Umuchigbo, Ogwuagor, and Ibagwa and two markets are already ongoing in Ugwogo – that is the Amankpaka market and the new Orie Ugwogo produce market.

To achieve this, in the next one month we are going to have an investment dialogue because our budget moved from about N5 billion to over N200 billion, which is about 400 per cent increase and it won’t be feasible if we don’t bring in critical investors in this journey. We want to create spaces and bring in investors who will bring in money to grow our economy.

What has been your experience on the fiscal autonomy of the local government councils?

Actually, the local government councils are in charge of their finances. Every remittance goes to the local government purse and every disbursement has been approved by me since September 2024 when I came in. It comes through the joint state account but it goes straight to the designated account of the local government and from salaries to capital expenditures, to overheads, recurrent and other economic commitments are done by the local government.

Does the state dictate to the local governments how the money is being shared or disbursed; does the state tamper with LG funds in any way?

No, I have told you that all money comes to us and we disburse the money according to our needs. There are obligations we have at the state level, I mean economic obligations like joint ventures with the state such as the 60/40 per cent on road construction and there are others like the 17 local governments coming together for whatever we want to do together; they are obligations on joint economic policies that benefit everyone.