Imo State

By Uzair Adam 

The Imo State Police Command has detained a 17-year-old undergraduate, Jesse Chidiebere, from Imo State University (IMSU), for allegedly faking her own kidnapping and death. 

ASP Henry Okoye, the Police Public Relations Officer, released a statement in Owerri confirming the incident.

According to Okoye, the staged abduction caused severe distress to Chidiebere’s family and the university community. 

The incident unfolded on the night of October 26 when a message from Chidiebere’s WhatsApp account claimed she had been abducted and killed, directing her family to confirm the news at the Orji Police Station.

Acting on a distress call from concerned citizens, police launched an investigation, only to discover the following morning that Chidiebere was safe and that the incident was a social media prank. 

The police spokesperson noted that an investigation is ongoing to determine her motives, and Chidiebere will face prosecution. 

Commissioner of Police Aboki Danjuma expressed disappointment over the “irresponsible behaviour,” noting that the incident wasted valuable resources and caused unnecessary public panic. 

He advised parents to caution their children against dangerous pranks and the spread of misinformation.

“The command is dedicated to tackling misinformation and maintaining public safety throughout the state,” Danjuma emphasized.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has issued a warning to the general public, particularly those looking to apply for passports, to be aware of the actions of touts posing as immigration officers.

This was stated at the Command’s End-of-Year celebration and award ceremony on Saturday in Owerri by Mr. Cyril Alaje, the Deputy Comptroller of Immigration and Passport Control Officer for the command.

He gave the people of Imo his words that the Command will keep up its commitment to provide top-notch customer service while meeting all of its primary objectives.

Also, NIS Comptroller in Imo, Mrs. Nkechi Ezugwu, said that the recognition was a call to better service while recognizing outstanding officers in the state. She added that they were deemed deserving of the awards after a “rigorous selection process.”

She conveyed her sincere gratitude to the state’s governor, Sen. Hope Uzodimma, for approving the Command’s Headquarters’ move to a new location and her certainty that the required legal paperwork to support the move will be processed quickly.

By Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Owerri, Imo State, came under heavy bombardment by gunmen in the early hours of Monday.

According to reports, the gunmen threw grenades through the commission’s fence, destroying several offices and vehicles parked in the premises.

However, the police stationed at the INEC office engaged the gunmen in a heavy shootout, leaving three of the gunmen wearing charms and Biafra camouflages dead.

The Imo State Police Command through its spokesperson, Michael Abattam, confirmed that attack at the command headquarters in Owerri, where the lifeless bodies of the hoodlums were paraded. He said five rifles, two vehicles, charms, locally made bombs, phones and money were recovered from the slain gunmen.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Imo State Police Command arrested five persons for allegedly killing a man whose wife died in a car accident a few days ago. 

The incident took place on Monday, October 11, 2022, and her demise stroke terror and threw the community into deep mourning. 

The man was identified as Apostle Wisdom Mbakwe and hailed from Umuduruchukwu Aboh, Isu, in the Nwangele Local Government Area of the state. 

He was said to have been making the burial arrangements for his wife when he was brutally murdered. 

Speaking to journalists in the state, one of the deceased relatives recounted, “Our brother was observing his morning prayer according to the Jewish religion he professes. 

“Just then, Chidiebere said he heard the shout of ‘Yahweh, Yahweh’ and rushed into the house just in time to see the deceased struggling with some men.

“One of them tried to use a machete on his head, but he dodged, and it landed on his shoulders. He ran out to alert some neighbours and the youth of the area. 

“When they came, they did not see my brother or the assailants. So they started combing the bush, thinking that if they were kidnappers, they wouldn’t have gone far.

“But they combed everywhere without seeing anyone. When they eventually returned to the house, they observed blood all over the sitting room and saw my brother where the killers had pushed his body in between some chairs and covered him up with curtains,” she added. 

Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Mike Abattam, said the Police are still investigating to fully discover the circumstances surrounding the incident.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has buried a staff of the commission that was killed by gunmen in Imo State.

INEC announced the burial of the deceased staff, Mr Anthony Nwokorie on Thursday, September 1, 2022 on their verified Facebook page.

The deceased, aged 35, was attached to Ihitte Uboma Local Government Area of Imo State. He was killed on April 14, 2022 by gunmen at Nkwo-Ihitte while on official assignment for the commission.

“On 14th April 2022, Mr Anthony Nwokorie, a staff of INEC attached to Ihitte Uboma LGA office, was killed by unknown gunmen at Nkwo-Ihitte (Polling Unit 004) while on official duty during the just concluded Continuous Voter Registration.”

He is being buried today.

“RIPNkwokorie,” INEC Nigeria stated on Facebook

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, has announced that 256 new people have been diagnosed with the deadly Coronavirus in the country.

The NCDC disclosed 52 new cases of the virus on their verified Facebook page on Tuesday, June 14, 2022. This brought the total number of confirmed cases within one week to 256. 

The 52 new cases were reported in Lagos, Rivers, FCT and Delta State. While Lagos tops the chart of states with most cases, others like Imo and Kano featured prominently in the reported diagnosis.

According to the NCDC report, the 52 new patients made the total number of people confirmed to be affected with the virus to 256 404, while the total number of discharged patients was put at 250,137. The number of people who were confirmed to have died due to the virus was put at 3,144. This made the fatality rate about 3% of the total confirmed cases. 

However, many Nigerians do not believe in the existence of Coronavirus, and this poses a significant challenge to the administration of vaccines. Many others believe in its existence but are sceptical of the situation being used as a conduit pipe for government officials to divert public funds.

By MMuhammad Sabiu

Rochas Okorocha, who is now in the custody of the anti-corruption agency, the EFCC, was denied bail by a Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday.

Mr Okorocha’s counsel, Ola Olanipekun, was instead directed to notify the anti-graft agency by Justice Inyang Ekwo.

According to the Nigerian News Agency (NAN), Mr Olanipekun requested the court to give Mr Okorocha bail on liberal terms awaiting the hearing and resolution of an application on notice filed on May 25.

The ex-parte motion was filed on May 26 and was dated.

However, Justice Ekwo ruled that, because the case would be heard on Monday, it would be pointless to issue a bail order for the member.

The senior lawyer reportedly intimated that he had filed a motion on notice to have his client released on bail.

The judge, who set a hearing date of May 30 for the motions, told the counsel to notify the EFCC.

Following the EFCC’s allegation that it had been unable to serve Mr Okorocha despite multiple attempts, Mr Ekwo gave the anti-corruption commission May 30 as the last time the matter would be deferred, according to NAN.

After two adjournments for his arraignment, the court threatened to dismiss the case if the EFCC failed to present the senator on the next postponed date.

By Muhammad Sabiu

In a vicious fire battle along Orlu – Orsu Road on April 25, 2022, troops of the Nigerian Army’s 34 Artillery Brigade eliminated two gunmen and apprehended four other members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed affiliate, Eastern Security Network (ESN).

This is contained in a Facebook statement signed by Onyema Nwachu (Brigadier General), the Director of Army Public Relations, via the verified handle of the Nigerian Army.

The statement read, “The troops, while on routine patrol, made contact with elements of IPOB/ESN around the general area of Aluminium Company and All Saints Church. On sighting the patrol team, the criminal elements opened fire and launched [a] grenade attack on the troops. The vigilant troops responded with superior firepower neutralizing two of the criminal elements, compelling others to flee in disarray. 

“In a hot pursuit that followed the encounter, troops arrested four of the fleeing gunmen and recovered one AK 47 rifle, two magazines, one Police grenade launcher, two Baofeng communication radios, five mobile phones, one IPOB Beret, two Motorcycles, four SIM cards, five wallets containing different ID cards, afrodisiac [sic], charms and the sum of Sixteen Thousand Four Hundred and Sixty Naira only.”

The southeastern part of the country, which houses the secessionist Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been experiencing the violent activities of the Biafran agitators over the years.

By Uzair Adam Imam 

A 100 level student at the Claretian University of Nigeria, Imo State, Suel Ambrose, slumped and died while acting in a drama on campus.

The incident that took place Friday has thrown the whole school community members into confusion.

The drama was in commemoration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in respect to the Easter celebration.

Ambrose, who hailed from Benue State, was dramatising the role of the biblical Peter in the Passion of Christ when the incident occurred.

According to the source, who identified himself as Mavis, the 25-year-old first-year student fell on the floor and started bleeding. 

It was gathered the deceased had the dream of becoming a priest in the Catholic church before his demise. 

He added, “He was playing the role of the biblical Peter in the dream and that process when Peter cut the ear of one of the soldiers and Jesus fixed the ear and asked Peter to let them do their wish. You know how passionate the play is.

“So when the soldiers chase the disciples to drive them away from Jesus, the young man fell on the floor and started bleeding. We took him to our school hospital, and the doctors did their best, but he was not responding to treatment. 

“We took him to the Federal Medical Center in Owerri, where he was pronounced dead.”

The drama was in commemoration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in respect to the Easter celebration.

By Muhammad Sabiu

The founding pastor of Praying City Church in Owerri, Imo State’s capital, Kelechi Vitalis Anozie, has been detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The suspect, who was said to have been nabbed on March 10, 2022, is on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s watch list in the United States (FBI).

Anozie was apprehended after intelligence linked him to criminal conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering, according to EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwujaren.

Valentine Iro, Ekene Ekechukwu (alias Ogedi Power), Bright Azubuike (alias Bright Bauer Azubuike), and Ifeanyi Junior are alleged to have collaborated with Anozie.