Four Arrested For Killing Police Inspector In Abia State

Four suspects have been arrested by the Abia State Police Command in connection with the killing of a police inspector, Princewill Divine.

The development was disclosed by commissioner of police in the state, Janet Agbede, while speaking with newsmen in Umuahia on Friday.

She noted that the inspector was among the five Police Mobile Force personnel attached to 28 and 55 squadrons, attacked on September 7, at Okagwe Junction, Ohafia.

Agbede added that the policemen were attacked by about 30 yet-to-be-identified gunmen at a bus stop pavilion located at the nip point where they were taking shelter during heavy rainfall.

“The criminals, armed with guns, machetes and other dangerous weapons, unexpectedly shot at the policemen and cruelly used machetes on the policemen who in-turn retaliated.”

“One of the policemen, Inspector Princewill Divine, died instantly, another had his wrist cut off, while others were left with varying degrees of injury,” she said.

She noted that the suspects who might have sustained bullet wounds, carted away three AK47 rifles with some ammunition.

According to her, the four persons arrested in connection with the incident were helping in the investigation to ensure further arrests and recovery of police firearms.

She, however, appealed to medical and trado-medical practitioners within and outside the state to report any person seen or presented with bullet wound(s) to the police or any nearest security agency.

Notorious Serial killer arrested in Abia State

A notorious Serial Killer and one of the perpetrators in the ritual killing of late Ime Odo who is on the payroll of Ifekwe Udo Emetu, alias fada who introduced himself as Ukpai Eke from Biakpan in Cross River State has been arrested.

 According to report, an employee of Mr Ifekwe udo Emetu aka, fada fada, Mr Ukpai Eke was arrested on August 13, 2020 after being on the wanted list for a case of murder of late Mr Ime Odo on July 25.

He confessed of the brutal murder act as well as working on the pay roll of Ifekwe Udo.  According to him, his gang hired the services of the motorcycle ridder and took him to Ukwa between Abia Ohafia and Ukwa Mbiabong in Cross River State where they murdered him with axe and took away his motorcycle which he was meant to complete payment two weeks to his employer- Ifekwe Udo.   

He went further to confess that, this is what they have been doing for years and whenever this assignment is concluded, the motorcycle will be sent back to Ifekwe whom they addressed as Fada, the Lucifer. He, Ifekwe will rebrand the motorcycle tank and seat and give it out again under hire purchase to other loyalists as a new brand.  According to the killer squard, this exercise has lingered and remained uncovered for many years. 

He went further to confess that this is not his first time of involvement in this dastardly act but pleaded for forgiven.  He said that many other members of the killers gang are scattered everywhere within Ohafia and its environs.

Aba automated shoe factory to begin production Sept 2020

UMUAHIA-The Aba automated shoe factory is set to commence operations, September 2020.

Technical partner of the Factory, Mr Osaro Ekonweren, who disclosed this after the inauguration of the Board of the company by Gov.Okezie Ikpeazu, in Umuahia, described the Aba Automated Shoe Factory as currently having the most updated shoe producing machines in the country.

In his words, “We were amazed and impressed by what we saw on ground. Our group has been into shoe production in Nigeria for over a decade now and I must confess that the machines we saw there when we went on inspection cannot be found anywhere in the country. We use machines in our own company but what we have is nowhere near what is at the Aba Shoe Factory.”

Ekonweren further explained that the factory has an installed capacity for the production of 5,000 pairs of shoes daily which translates to about 2 million pairs of shoes annually.

He added that there are facilities for expansion and assured that they would expand the capacity of the factory within the next year.

He saluted Gov.Ikpeazu’s foresight in establishing the factory, stressing that the factory will change the face of shoe production in Nigeria.

Ekinweren stated that his organization’s selection as technical partners for the factory was based on proven track record of quality automated shoe production spanning over 10 years.

Emphasizing that they make shoes for companies like PEP of South Africa, among others, he assured that the products from Aba factory will be well received by the markets.

“Products from this factory will not just be for the local market here but will be sold across West Africa and beyond. The factory will be run as a professional and commercial outfit with clear opportunities for value addition and job creation.

On when actual production will commence at the factory, he assured that they will start test runs in the next two weeks while they will start production by the second week of September.

He boasted that by December 2020, shoes from the factory would have gained ground in the local and international markets.

He also stated that the factory will also produce other leather works like bags, belts, wallets, etc.

Also speaking, the Executive Director, Operations of the Factory, Mr Chinenye Nwaogu said that with the new management structure in place, Gov.Ikpeazu has sent a clear message that the factory will be run solely on a basis of professionalism.

He said that the 30 shoemakers who were trained in China by the Governor on the use of machines in shoe production will form the initial technical staff of the factory while there will be huge emphasis on training for more operators.

Nwaogu explained that the delay in the start of production at the factory was because the Governor had insisted that a professional organization must be found to run the place and the process took some time, coupled with the pandemic of COVID-19 which shut down the country for about 3 months.

The Governor inaugurated the Board of the Factory yesterday and gave them a clear mandate to raise the bar and cement the place of Abia State as the powerhouse of leather works in Nigeria and West Africa. The Board has Mr. Mark Atasie, a Management Consultant, as Chairman.

Abia jailbreak: Police begin manhunt for 9 escapees

The Police in Abia have begun manhunt for the remaining nine of the 29 criminal suspects that escaped from police cell in Umuahia on Saturday.

SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, the Police Public Relations Officer for Abia Command, confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday that 29 detainees escaped from the Umuahia Central Police Station’s cell after overpowering the guard on duty.

Narrating the incident, Ogbonna said that one of the detainees had appealed to the guard (name withheld) to assist him with water to flush the toilet.

He said that unknown to the guard, the detainees had conspired to attack him in order to escape from detention.

“This happened around 9.00 p.m. on Saturday,’’ he said.

He added that as soon as the guard brought the water and opened the iron bar, the suspects rushed out, overpowered him and took to their heels.

The command’s spokesman said that 20 of the suspects were rearrested that night and in the early hours of Sunday.

He expressed the confidence that the remaining nine escapees would be rearrested and appealed for assistance from Umuahia residents.

“I appeal to members of the public to be vigilant and report any strange face or faces in dirty attires in their neighbourhood to the police.

“The suspects had dirty attires they wore in the cell and may be looking for where to steal people’s clothes in order to look decent to be able to escape from the town,’’ Ogbonna said.

Abia school reopening

Abia State Government says the reopening of exam classes will be after considering the basic needs for that purpose.

The Abia State Commissioner for Education, Dr Kenechukwu Nwangwa, who stated this on Thursday, disclosed that the state would reopen examination classes after consultations with education stakeholders in the state.

“We will reopen, but there are things we need to provide. We will be talking with both the principals and the private school proprietors. At the end of the discussion with them, we will now agree on a date.

“The issue of reopening of schools is a crucial issue and very important to us, but there are some things that need be put into consideration; why the school was closed and not to put the health of teachers, school staff and students at risk, especially putting into consideration that the COVID-19 situation is not getting better.”

I need evacuation from Abia to Lagos, I’ve spent all my money – Ibo guy begs FG.

A twitter user, one Nnamdi Uzoukwu, has called on the Nigerian government to evacuate him to Lagos because he has been locked up in Abia state for over six weeks.

He said he has spent all his money and he cannot afford to transport himself back to his base, being Lagos, where he has been over the years.

Uzoukwu’s plea is not unconnected with the evacuation of Nigerians from Dubai in the United Arabs Emirate and others who were brought from other countries to Nigeria.

He is not happy that the Nigerian government is evacuating people from other countries of the world to Nigeria but has not evacuated Nigerians who are locked up in some states of the nation.

 their ways through the security apparatus. Hence they find their way to other states without restriction.

COVID-19: Governor Wike Constructs Iron To Block Boundary Between Rivers & Abia

The Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike is not taking any chances in his fight against COVID-19, as he has reportedly put a metal fence across his State borders.

Pictures trending on social media show men working at the Rivers/Imo State border and Rivers/Abia State border trying to erect ash-colored metal fences.

In another set of pictures, the fully erect fences could be seen well guarded by security men with instructions not to allow anybody to move into Rivers State.

Nyesom Wike has been at the forefront of COVID-19 fight and had said he will do everything possible to protect the lives of Rivers people.

The governor had recently spelled out new edicts regarding the COVID-19 restrictions of movement in the State. He had said that any hotel operating against the Lockdown rule would be demolished.

Wike had also said that vehicles impounded would be auctioned to the people. True to his words, the governor on Sunday, May 10, ordered the demolition of Prudent Hotel located at Eleme, Rivers State.

Reactions have since trailed the action of the governor with many saying that he is taking the COVID-19 fight to the extreme, while others are of the opinion that nothing is too small or too big to be done in order to save a life.

Someone said, “At this stage, Wike should be stripped of all his security details, let those who have been quiet about his tyrannical actions come and wail. The same bastards who call Buhari a tyrant are very scared to call Wike the same or they’re just trying to ‘unlook’ as usual..”

Another said, “We may not all like Wike but his method in Rivers is quite unconventional. Look if we don’t apply force at this lockdown, we may end up in a serious crisis.”

Prudent Hotel in Alode Eleme demolished. (C) Twitter

Metal fence being erected at Rivers State border (C) Twitter

Metal fence being erected at Rivers State border (C) Twitter

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Orji Kalu: EFCC SET FOR FRESH, IMMEDIATE RE-TRIAL

EFCC PRESS RELEASE 

Orji Kalu: EFCC SET FOR FRESH, IMMEDIATE RE-TRIAL

The attention of the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission,  EFCC,  has been drawn to the judgment of the Supreme Court nullifying the trial of a former governor of Abia State,  Orji Kalu ,  his firm,  Slok Nigeria Limited and Jones Udeogu, a former Director of Finance and Account of Abia State Government and ordering their fresh trial at the lower court.  

The apex court based its verdict  on the grounds that Justice Mohammed Idris, who convicted Kalu and others had been elevated to the Court of Appeal before the judgment and returned to the lower court to deliver the judgment which it considered as illegal. 

The EFCC considers the judgment  of the apex court as quite unfortunate . It is a technical ambush against the trial of the former governor.  The Commission is prepared for a fresh and immediate  trial of the case because its evidences against Kalu and others are overwhelming. The corruption  charges against Kalu still subsist because the  Supreme Court did not acquit him of them.  The entire prosecutorial machinery of the EFCC would be launched in a fresh trial where justice is bound to be served in due course. 

Full Statement shortly pls. 

Dele Oyewale

Head,  Media & Publicity 

 08/05/2020.

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