Crime
Uzodimma orders probe after saving widow from drinking ‘corpse water’ of late husband
Uzodimma gave the charge in Isieke, Awo-Omamma, Oru East where female siblings of a deceased man, Odinakachi Ndubuisi tried to force his wife, Chika Ndubuisi to drink the water used to wash the corpse to prove her innocence over his death on Friday.
Represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Lady Nkechi Ugwu, Uzodimma warned locals to desist from such practice, saying it will not be allowed in Imo State.
The Imo State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Chief Nkechi Ugwu and security operatives had on Friday saved a widow, Mrs Chika Ndubuisi from drinking the water used to wash her husband’s corpse.
Ugwu, alongside the local government Chairman, and security operatives stormed the venue of the burial at Isieke, Awo-Omamma, Imo State on Friday, October 24th.
The Commissioner said the Imo State Ministry of Women Affairs, Onurube Coalition Group, Virgin Heart Foundation, Harsco Global Media, Odumodu TV, and Sisters With a Goal intervened, rescued the widow, and provided her with support and protection.
Ugwu disclosed that the widow, Chika Joy Amanda was falsely accused by her in-laws, the Akamegbulem family, of killing him.
Sources who pleaded anonymity said Chika was locked inside the ambulance that conveyed the corpse to the Isieke community, waiting for her to drink the water before help arrived.
However, due to the heavy presence of security operatives and government officials, Odinakachi’s siblings backed down and allowed her to alight from the ambulance.
Thereafter, security operatives directed that the burial ceremony begin and ensured the dust-to-dust rite was performed by Chika and her children, and the corpse was buried.
Late Chika’s husband, Mr Odinakachi Ndubuisi was said to have given up the ghost after a tough battle with hepatitis complications.
The source said during treatment, one of Odinakachi’s sisters forcefully moved him from the hospital to a native doctor where he gave up the ghost.
Sources had alerted Onurube Coalition that some female siblings of Odinakachi Ndubuisi had threatened the widow that she would be forced to drink the water used to wash her husband’s corpse to prove her innocence.
The source said Chika was locked in the ambulance for hours alongside her brother with the corpse and was resisted from alighting until she tasted the corpse water.
However, upon notice of the barbaric practice, Onurube Coalition consisting of Marjorie Ezihe, Davidson Nwosu, Harriet Ijeoma, and several others alerted the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Chief Nkechi Ugwu and the Oru West local government Chairman, and several security operatives who stormed the community and rescued Chika, her children, and brother.
The Imo State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Chief Nkechi Ugwu said the ministry waded into the obnoxious, victimisation and inhuman treatment meted out against a widow in Awo-Omamma in Oru-East LGA whose husband died of a protracted sickness.
Ugwu said “When the attention of the ministry was drawn that the family members accused her of killing her husband and wanted the widow to drink the water used in bathing the husband’s corpse and also bathe with the water, efforts were made to stop the obnoxious and harmful traditional practice.
“In collaboration with the council Chairman of Oru East, Chief Okwaraigwe, the representatives of Virgin Heart Foundation and Onurube, Director Child Development of the Ministry, Mrs. Blessing Azubuike, and security personnel from Oru East, we attended the burial to ensure that obnoxious practice was not carried out on the widow.
“We were there until the man was buried and the grave site closed. The woman and her children were rescued from the hands of the evil perpetrators and those caught in the act were handed over to the authorities for prosecution in line with the relevant extant laws”, Ugwu said.
Further, she said calm has been restored to the community saying “calm has been restored to the community with an investigation started to fish out those behind the harmful traditional practice long abrogated and prohibited. We gave a stern warning to people to desist from such acts because in imo state, such will not be condoned.”
In May 2025, a non-governmental organisation, Community Life Project, called for the total eradication of the harmful traditional practices and the denial of women’s inheritance being practiced in some communities of Imo State.
Meanwhile, calm has been restored to the community while Chika and her children have been taken into protective custody to protect them from further attacks from her in-laws.
Two police officers have been killed after suspected armed herders ambushed the convoy of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Ayilamo, Logo Local Government Area of Benue State.
The latest attack occurred on Monday evening, barely four days after another deadly incident in the community reportedly left four policemen and seven residents dead.
Community sources said the DPO had travelled to Makurdi on official duty and was returning to Ayilamo when his entourage came under attack.
One of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the victims were among newly deployed Mobile Police officers stationed in the area.
He said the officers were attacked at about 6pm while travelling from Ayilamo to escort the DPO back to the community from Makurdi.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, DSP Peter Aondongu, said two officers attached to the DPO’s entourage were killed in the attack.
“The DPO came to Makurdi to collect some things, and while returning to Ayilamo, he was attacked and lost two of his men in the attack,” Aondongu said.
The latest incident has raised fresh concerns over the security situation in Ayilamo, where repeated attacks have resulted in casualties among security personnel and residents.
The Nigeria Police Force has placed its formations nationwide on red alert following intelligence reports of planned terrorist attacks on worship centres, schools, NYSC orientation camps and other public places.
The alert followed fresh intelligence indicating increased mobilisation of terrorist elements for possible coordinated attacks on vulnerable targets across the country.
Police authorities also reportedly received intelligence on the movement of armed elements from Katsina through Kaduna towards Plateau State.
The operational order was contained in a police wireless message dated September 13, 2026, with reference number CB: 0900/FDPS/DOPS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL38/68, issued by the Department of Operations at Force Headquarters, Abuja.
Marked “Security General” and tagged “Treat as Very Important,” the message was circulated to Assistant Inspectors-General of Police overseeing Zones 1–17, Mobile Police formations, counter-terrorism and other specialised units, as well as Commissioners of Police in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The police directed formations to intensify vigilance and take proactive measures to prevent criminal and terrorist elements from carrying out attacks.
The warning specifically highlighted places of worship, educational institutions, NYSC orientation camps and other vulnerable public locations as potential targets.
A 16-year-old boy, Favour Ayogu, who was allegedly abducted in Igboeze South Local Government Area of Enugu State, has been rescued in Onitsha, Anambra State, after his abductors reportedly abandoned him near a security checkpoint.
Ayogu was rescued on the evening of September 13, 2026, by a joint security patrol team operating along Oguta Road, Onitsha.
According to the Anambra State Police Command, the teenager was found at Ekene Junction after unidentified persons reportedly pushed him out of a black Toyota Highlander SUV close to a security checkpoint.
The patrol team immediately intervened and rescued the victim, thereby preventing what the police described as further danger to his life.
Following the rescue, the Command said it had intensified surveillance and intelligence-led operations to identify and apprehend members of the suspected criminal gang responsible for the abduction.
The police also appealed to residents of Igboeze South and Ibagwa-Aka in Enugu State who may have useful information about Ayogu or his family to contact the nearest police station or the Anambra State Police Command in Awka.
The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, commended the security personnel involved in the rescue and directed officers to sustain strategic checkpoints, intelligence-led patrols and coordinated security operations across the state.
The Command assured residents and visitors that it would continue to intensify efforts to prevent criminal elements from using Anambra as a safe haven.
At least nine passengers have been killed after gunmen opened fire on a commercial bus at Dungus Junction in Kuru community, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The attack reportedly occurred around 9:40 p.m. when the bus, which was travelling towards Jos, stopped at the junction to drop off some passengers.
Several other passengers were reportedly injured in the attack and rushed to hospitals for treatment.
Lawan Suleiman, a neighbour and teacher of one of the victims, identified the driver as Ibrahim and said three of the victims were from his community in Bukuru.
“The driver is Ibrahim and he was my student. Three of them are from our community here in Bukuru. Their bodies have been deposited at the hospital. But relatives are preparing to collect them for burial,” Suleiman said.
The bus was reportedly riddled with bullets, with bloodstains visible inside the vehicle after the attack.
Rwang Tengwong, spokesman for the Berom Youth Moulders (BYM), also confirmed the incident, saying the victims were passengers travelling to Jos when the attackers opened fire on the vehicle.
Tengwong said one of those killed was a member of Operation Rainbow.
“The incident happened around 9.40 p.m. The victims were all passengers travelling to Jos when the terrorists opened fire on the vehicle. Among those killed was a member of Operation Rainbow. It is a very sad development and we lament the loss of lives,” he said.
He added that some passengers sustained gunshot injuries and were taken to hospitals, while some of the injured reportedly later died.
The attack has raised fresh concerns over the safety of commuters travelling along the route at night amid continuing security challenges in parts of Plateau State.
As of the time of filing this report, the Plateau State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
The Enugu State Police Command has ordered an investigation into two separate incidents of alleged disruption of political gatherings in Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state.
The incidents reportedly occurred on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at Ndiuno-Obuoffia community and St. Joseph Primary School, Agbani.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Command’s spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, said the Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to thoroughly investigate the incidents and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
According to the statement, armed hoodlums allegedly disrupted a National Democratic Congress (NDC) ward meeting at Ndiuno-Obuoffia with sporadic gunshots, leaving two attendees injured.
In a separate incident at St. Joseph Primary School, Agbani, hoodlums allegedly destroyed canopies and chairs arranged for a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rally.
The police said operatives were promptly deployed to both locations after receiving reports of the incidents to prevent further breaches of peace and track down the fleeing suspects.
The Command, however, noted that neither of the political gatherings had been formally brought to the attention of the police for security coverage.
CP Giwa reiterated his warning that all political activities in the state must be conducted peacefully and in accordance with the law.
He stressed that electoral offences are punishable under the law and warned political parties, candidates, supporters and other stakeholders against violence, intimidation, destruction of property and other acts capable of disrupting public peace or the electoral process.
The Commissioner urged political parties and other stakeholders to notify the police ahead of campaigns, meetings, rallies and other political gatherings to enable the Command to make adequate security arrangements.
He assured residents that the police would continue to maintain a peaceful and secure environment for lawful political activities while dealing decisively with anyone found violating the law.
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