News
Journalist attacked, beaten up, stripped on the orders of Ebonyi Commissioner
A journalist in Ebonyi State, Aliuna Godwin, was on Thursday allegedly brutalized by security operatives attached to the state’s Ministry of Border Peace and Conflict Resolution, reportedly acting under the direct instruction of the Commissioner, Prof. Paul Awo Nwobasi.
Commissioner Nwobasi
Aliuna, an editor with The Nations News Nigeria and correspondent for Daily Asset newspaper, was left hospitalized after the alleged attack, which occurred at the Old Government House, Abakaliki, where the ministry was hosting a peace-resolution meeting over an Ezeship tussle in Ishielu Local Government Area.Digital newspaper subscription
Speaking from his hospital bed along Nkaliki Road, the visibly injured journalist narrated how the Commissioner allegedly ordered his arrest, assault, and detention.
“I was roughly manhandled today by Neighbourhood Watch operatives under the directive and supervision of the Commissioner for Border Peace and Conflict Resolution, Prof. Paul Awo Nwobasi,” he said.
According to him, trouble began shortly after he arrived to cover the event with other journalists.
“I didn’t do anything to him. They had a programme today at the old Government House, Abakaliki, where the ministry was trying to resolve the Ezeship tussle rocking one of the communities in Ishielu LGA,” he explained.
Aliuna said an aide invited him into the hall, but moments after he sat down, the Commissioner allegedly began shouting.
“She insisted I should come inside. When I entered, I went to the back and sat down. Just a short while later, the Commissioner started shouting, ‘Who is that journalist?’ I said, ‘I’m the one, sir.’”
He said his phone was immediately seized.
“Before I knew it, they confiscated my phone. He ordered one of his aides to delete everything in the phone, to ransack it and do whatever he wanted.”
Aliuna stated that as he pleaded to be allowed to leave, the Commissioner grew more aggressive.
“I said, ‘Commissioner, allow me to go. I’m only doing my job as a journalist.’ He started fuming and said that if I talked again, he would beat me up.”
He said the Commissioner then allegedly pushed him and ordered security operatives to remove him.
“Before I knew it, he ordered the Neighbourhood Watch operatives to whisk me away. They bundled me out.”
The attack escalated outside the hall.
“As I was going out, I told him to allow me to go back and collect my phone. While I was still talking, one of them lifted me up and threw me inside their cell.”
According to the journalist, five operatives descended on him inside the cell.
“After throwing me on the ground, they started beating me up. About five of them descended on me, hitting me hard like a common criminal. What did I do to deserve such manhandling?”
He described severe blows to his head, eyes, and back.
“They were hitting me all at once — one on the head, another on the eyes, one kept hitting my back, and another was trying to pull my hands behind my back.”
Aliuna said he was ordered to strip.
“I sat on the ground. They told me to remove my clothes. I removed them. They said I was under arrest as directed by the Commissioner.”
He alleged that one officer threatened to break his legs.
“One of them went outside and brought a weapon. He said if I moved, they would break my legs. I asked, ‘What did I do? Did I steal anything to deserve this kind of treatment?’”
He remained detained until the event ended, after which the Commissioner allegedly continued to threaten him.
“After the event ended, my colleague met with him. He started threatening again that he would deal with me and report me to the governor.”
Now undergoing treatment, Aliuna said his vision has been impaired.
“As you can see, I’m now in the hospital undergoing tests and treatment. I can’t see clearly with one of my eyes. So, I call on the state government to intervene.”
He appealed to Governor Francis Nwifuru to call the Commissioner to order.
“I urge the governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, to call the Commissioner, Paul Awo Nwobasi, to order. He should stop being hostile to journalists in the state. This is not how a Commissioner should behave.”
Aliuna described the alleged assault as a direct attack on press freedom.
“It is barbaric and uncalled for for a Commissioner to order security operatives to beat up a journalist to a pulp. For what purpose? He is trying to suppress freedom of information in Ebonyi State. It is condemnable and unwarranted.”
He called on human rights organisations, editors, and the public to take action.
“I call on the general public, editors, neighbouring states, human rights groups, stakeholders, and governments at all levels to caution the Commissioner, Paul Nwobasi.”
He said no journalist deserves such treatment.
“How can a journalist doing his legitimate work be beaten like a common criminal on the orders of a Commissioner? Journalists are the conscience and mouthpiece of society.”
Aliuna said he remains deeply traumatized.
“I am not happy with the way I was rough-handled. I am not happy with what happened.”
He insisted that journalists must not be silenced.
“The way the Commissioner, Nwobasi, is gagging journalists in Ebonyi from doing their legitimate work is unacceptable.”
He stressed that journalists in the state have a cordial relationship with the government, making the Commissioner’s hostility baffling.
“Journalists in Ebonyi have a cordial working relationship with the state government. I don’t understand why the Commissioner is always hostile to journalists.”
Aliuna concluded with a final plea:
“Again, I call on the governor, Francis Nwifuru, and human rights activists to intervene for me because the way I was beaten like a common criminal is uncalled for.”
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.
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.
ENUGU — Governor Peter Mbah has directed the Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (ESEMA) to provide immediate relief materials and other palliative support to two families displaced by the fire that razed a two-storey building at No. 22 Church Road, Asata, Enugu, on Saturday.
The governor’s directive followed reports by Everydaynewsngr that the inferno destroyed two flats and consumed household property, valuables, and important documents belonging to the affected families, leaving them homeless.
The General Manager of ESEMA is expected to assess the extent of the damage and coordinate the distribution of emergency relief items to ease the hardship faced by the victims while further interventions are considered.
Residents of the area welcomed the governor’s swift response, describing it as a demonstration of compassion and responsible leadership at a difficult time for the affected families.
One of the victims, an employee of a higher institution in Enugu State who is said to be approaching retirement, had lamented that the fire wiped out decades of savings and destroyed all his household belongings, including vital documents and certificates.
No lives were lost in the incident, while the cause of the fire is yet to be determined. Authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the outbreak as affected families begin the difficult task of rebuilding their lives.
The state government urged residents to remain safety conscious and report fire emergencies promptly to relevant agencies to minimise damage and loss of property.
By Our Reporter
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s real estate industry, alongside Golden Land Estate Ventures Limited, have called for urgent reforms to strengthen professionalism, transparency, and investor confidence in the sector.
The call was contained in a communiqué issued on Monday in Enugu following the company’s 2026 Mid-Year Seminar/Luncheon, held on Friday, July 3, at Wendy’s Place. The seminar, themed “Next-Level Real Estate Practices,” brought together real estate developers, chief executive officers, realtors, marketers, investors, and other stakeholders from the South-East to examine emerging industry trends, challenges, and practical strategies for sustainable growth.
According to the communiqué, participants unanimously adopted several resolutions after extensive deliberations.
Among the key resolutions was a call for stronger government action against the multiple sale of land. Participants urged the Federal, State, and Local Governments to strengthen land administration policies and impose stringent sanctions on communities and individuals involved in the fraudulent sale of the same parcel of land to multiple buyers.
They noted that such practices continue to erode investor confidence, fuel land-related litigation, and discourage genuine investment in the real estate sector.
The stakeholders also stressed the need to promote professionalism and healthy competition within the industry. They maintained that competition should be driven by integrity, innovation, quality service delivery, and professionalism rather than unhealthy rivalry, misinformation, or actions capable of damaging the reputation of fellow practitioners.
They further encouraged industry leaders to embrace collaboration as a means of promoting collective growth and enhancing public confidence in the sector.
The communiqué also emphasised the importance of honesty and transparency in dealings with clients. Participants urged real estate practitioners to refrain from making false claims, exaggerating property values, misrepresenting estate locations or approvals, or giving unrealistic assurances merely to secure transactions.
They insisted that prospective buyers should be provided with accurate, verifiable, and complete information before making investment decisions.
On service delivery, the seminar called on real estate developers and chief executives to establish effective internal controls to eliminate the overselling or double allocation of plots. Developers were also urged to ensure prompt allocation of purchased lands and timely issuance of all necessary documentation.
According to the communiqué, efficient service delivery is critical to sustaining customer trust and improving the credibility of the industry.
The participants also called on government agencies, industry regulators, professional bodies, community leaders, developers, and practitioners to work together in building a transparent, accountable, and investment-friendly real estate environment that protects property buyers and supports sustainable national development.
Golden Land Estate Ventures Limited reaffirmed its commitment to promoting ethical business practices, professional excellence, continuous capacity development, and responsible real estate investment in Nigeria.
The communiqué was signed by Comrade Damian Ogudike and Mr. Ikechukwu Eze, directors of Golden Land Estate Ventures Limited, on behalf of the company’s board. It was also drafted and endorsed by the seminar’s resource persons, Mrs. Amaka Dim of Exotic Landlady Estate and Miss Blessing Anene of BuildWise Solution Centre Estate.
By Our Correspondent
ENUGU — Two families were left homeless on Saturday after a fire destroyed two flats in a two-storey building located at No. 22 Church Road, Asata, in Enugu metropolis.
The fire, which started at about 10 a.m., reportedly broke out after the occupants of the affected upper-floor flats had left for their daily activities.
Although the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained as of the time of filing this report, eyewitness Tony Iroji said the inferno completely destroyed household items and other valuables in the affected apartments.
One of the victims, who returned home while the building was engulfed in flames, reportedly collapsed after seeing the extent of the damage. He was revived by sympathisers at the scene.
The victim, said to be an employee of one of the higher institutions in Enugu State and nearing retirement, lamented that years of hard work had been wiped out by the incident.
According to him, the fire destroyed all his household property, including important documents and certificates, leaving him with no option but to relocate his family to his ancestral home.
“All I have worked for all these years is gone,” he said in tears.
No life was lost in the incident, but residents appealed to the Enugu State Government, emergency management agencies and public-spirited individuals to come to the aid of the affected families, even as they urged the authorities to investigate the cause of the fire.
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