News
Two remanded in Enugu prisons for illegal sale of land
An Enugu Chief Magistrate Court sitting at Nkwo Nike has remanded two suspects in prison custody for treaspass and illegal sell of land.
in the matter, Commissioner of Police VS EZEMBAEKE ONUKWUBE & IFEANYI EDE, the suspects were arraigned on a 3 Count Charge of CONSPIRACY, FORCIBLE ENTRY, AND CONDUCT LIKELY TO CAUSE BREACH OF PEACE.
They were accused of trespassing and constructing on piece of land at Gateway Layout, Ibagwa Nike, Enugu which are in legitimate, legal and peasable possession of the Gateway Layout Enugu Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd.
Their trouble started when they tresspassed into some portions of undeveloped land at the Gateway Layout, housing both ELIM ESTATE and VIVIAN ESTATE along Abakpa Nike – Ugwogo Nike – Opi Nsukka Road.
This was at a time the complainants, Gateway Layout Enugu Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd comprising 495 Landlords decided to commence development of the layout.
It was alleged that some miscreants specialized in vandalizing the land survey beacons of the various plots, to confuse developers.
They further constituted themselves into a gang to extort money from any developer of the layout, hence unreasonably delaying the progress of work on the Gateway Layout.
The accused persons were allegedly caught selling portions of land on the layout, and was encouraging illegal construction on them.
The Gateway Layout Enugu Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd had in a petition to the Commissioner of Police Enugu State and to the Divisional Police Officer, Unity Police Station, Ibagwa Nike, all dated 21st day of October, 2022, has called for thorough investigation of the activities of the criminal tresspassers, and land racketeering defrauding the unsuspected public, using some parcels of the Layout.
The inability of the accused persons to meet the bail conditions of two sureties with three years tax clearance led to their remand in prison.
The matter was adjourned to 22nd day of November, 2022 for hearing.
The lead counsel to the complainants- Chief Sir OAU Onyema who was on a WATCHING BRIEF in the court, informed the Trial Magistrate of their intention to apply to the Hon. Attorney General of Enugu State, for his FIAT, so that they can take over the prosecution.
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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.
This is as the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, appeared at the headquarters of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to testify in the ongoing investigation into the activities of the fictitious agency.
The apex bank’s admission came at the public hearing convened at the National Assembly Complex by the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the existence and operations of the PFIPC, chaired by Yusuf Gagdi and inaugurated by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
Monday’s hearing revealed critical gaps in the bureaucratic processes that allowed the fictitious agency to obtain the functional perks accorded to real government agencies.
Represented by the Director of its Banking Services Department, Hamisu Ibrahim, the CBN said the accounts, one in US dollars, the other in British pounds sterling, were opened following a mandate received from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
“On July 30, 2025, we received a mandate dated July 29, 2025 from the Office of the Accountant-General. We received the mandate to authorise two accounts, one a US dollar domiciliary account, the other a pound domiciliary account, for the Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council,” Ibrahim told the committee.
He explained the CBN’s verification process, saying, “The process of opening an account requires a mandate from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
“Once we receive that mandate, we perform all the necessary verifications to confirm that this mandate is actually coming from that office.
“The department that handles the mandate is different from the department that actually does the account opening,” he said.
Nevertheless, he noted that no one came to activate the accounts after they were opened.
“We did not receive any correspondence, mandate, signature or mandate cards. We were not introduced to the authorising or approving officers.
“Based on that, those accounts remain inactive, with zero balance. There have been no foreign exchange allocations.
“The accounts have maintained zero balance from inception to date and have never recorded any inflow or outflow,” Ibrahim said, adding that a statement of account had been attached to the committee’s records.
However, the CBN’s account directly contradicted an earlier submission by Accountant-General Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, who had claimed that no accounts were opened in the PFIPC’s name.
Also testifying before the committee, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, said her office never allocated any space to the PFIPC.
Records available to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service, she said, showed that the office space reportedly occupied by the council at the Federal Secretariat Phase III had been officially allocated to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, not to the fictitious council.
“There is speculation that the council occupied office space in the Federal Secretariat Phase III. We can state categorically that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation did not allocate any office space to the council.
“The office space indicated as the council’s official address forms part of the office accommodation allocated to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for the use of the OSGF and presidential bodies,” she said.
Walson-Jack, however, told the committee that during the 2025 Annual Manpower Budget Defence Exercise, the council submitted additional documents through one Patricia Akhigbe, including the appointment letter of its Director-General and details of its mandate, after which its request was processed alongside those of 87 other ministries, departments and agencies.
An authorised establishment for 314 positions was subsequently issued to the council, and a recruitment waiver followed days later, she explained.
Walson-Jack said Akhigbe had since been invited for questioning by the police.
She stressed that her office neither deployed staff to the council nor approved any recruitment, and urged the committee to direct further inquiries to the Office of the SGF.
In his ruling after the day’s hearing, committee chairman Gagdi asked the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and other top government functionaries to appear before the panel on Thursday.
He stated, “In continuation of this assignment, the secretariat should invite the SGF to appear and brief this committee on the issues raised.
“Also to appear on Thursday are the Inspector-General of Police, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Finance, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice as well as the Minister of Budget and National Planning.”
“Also invited are the Accountant-General of the Federation, heads of the Budget Office of the Federation, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.”
The Enugu East Local Government Area has screened 116 prospective candidates seeking admission into the Enugu State College of Nursing Sciences, Parklane, and the Enugu State College of Health Technology as part of efforts to strengthen the state’s future healthcare workforce.
The screening exercise, conducted under the supervision of the Enugu East Human Capital Development Trust Fund, is aimed at identifying qualified candidates for admission into the health institutions while promoting human capital development among youths in the council area.
According to the Executive Chairman of Enugu East LGA, Engr. Pst. Beloved-Dan Obi Anike, the initiative aligns with Governor Peter Mbah’s healthcare transformation agenda, which includes the construction and operationalisation of 260 Type-2 Primary Healthcare Centres across the state’s 260 political wards, alongside the upgrade of existing health facilities.
Anike said the expansion of healthcare infrastructure would require a steady supply of skilled healthcare professionals, making investment in education and training a priority.
He noted that the programme is designed to prepare young people in Enugu East to take advantage of emerging opportunities in nursing, health technology, and other allied health professions, thereby contributing to improved healthcare delivery across the state.
The council chairman commended members of the Enugu East Human Capital Development Trust Fund for conducting what he described as a transparent and credible screening exercise and encouraged the candidates to remain focused as they prepare for their entrance examinations.
He reaffirmed the council’s commitment to education, youth empowerment, and human capital development, stressing that creating opportunities for young people remains one of the most enduring legacies of government.
Three weeks after President Bola Tinubu appointed Dr. Abdulrazak Namdas as Director-General of the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA), controversy has erupted over the delay in issuing his appointment letter, with allegations that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, is withholding the document.
The Presidency announced Namdas’ appointment on June 26, stating that he would replace Dr. Dakorinama George, who resigned to pursue a governorship ambition in Rivers State. The appointment was declared to have taken immediate effect.
However, Namdas has yet to assume office because the formal appointment letter has not been issued. Meanwhile, George has continued to function as the agency’s chief executive, attending official meetings and representing the BCDA at government engagements.
The development has sparked concerns over a leadership vacuum and raised questions about compliance with presidential directives.
APC chieftain Hamman Yero criticised the delay, questioning why the SGF had allegedly failed to implement the President’s decision.
“If the President directed Namdas’ appointment and the appointment letter is being withheld, then serious constitutional and administrative questions arise,” Yero said, stressing that presidential approvals should be implemented without unnecessary delays.
Despite the controversy, Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga insisted that President Tinubu has not reversed the appointment.
“As far as I know, the President has not changed his mind. Namdas remains the head of the agency,” Onanuga said, adding that the issuance of the appointment letter is the responsibility of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Multiple sources within the BCDA alleged that George resumed control of the agency after failing to secure the APC governorship ticket in Rivers State and has continued to oversee its affairs. Claims that his continued stay is backed by political interests remain unverified.
The situation has drawn comparisons to the 2023 leadership crisis at the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), where confusion over the appointment of the Postmaster-General was eventually resolved after the Presidency reaffirmed its decision.
As of the time of filing this report, the SGF’s office had not explained the delay in issuing Namdas’ appointment letter, while the Presidency maintained that the President’s directive remains in force.
The father of the late Mary Habila, Mr. Tanko Habila Wisdom, has appealed to the authorities to release his daughter’s body for burial, insisting that the family is not interested in an autopsy.
Speaking in an emotional video, Tanko said his only desire was to give his daughter a proper burial, lamenting that her body had been kept for too long.
“I am Tanko Habila Wisdom, the father of the late Mary Habila. I don’t have much to say in this case. All that I want is the corpse of my daughter,” he said.
“You don’t keep the corpse of a little child for so long like this. That is why I am here to say once and for all that I need the corpse of my daughter so that I can take her for burial. That is what I am standing on.”
He maintained that the family does not want an autopsy to be conducted, reiterating his demand for the immediate release of the body.
“I don’t want the autopsy, and that is why I am demanding the corpse of my daughter so we can bury her now,” he added.
Tanko also disclosed that the family had enjoyed a cordial relationship with the Minister of Works, David Umahi, where his daughter worked, and stressed that they were not accusing anyone over her death.
“We have been having a very cordial relationship with the Minister of Works, her workplace, and we don’t want that autopsy they are talking about,” he said.
“I am not suspecting anybody because death can occur at any time. Even as we are standing here now, one can fall down and die.”
The family’s appeal comes amid ongoing public interest in the circumstances surrounding Mary Habila’s death, with calls from different quarters for clarity over the incident.
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