Tag: Imo

  • Umar Farouq Sympathizes With victims of Lagos, Imo, Ogun Explosions

    Umar Farouq Sympathizes With victims of Lagos, Imo, Ogun Explosions

    … Condemns illegal oil bunkering

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq has sympathized with victims of explosions which occured in Lagos and Imo states in less than one week as she described the incidences as incessant, disastrous but avoidable.

    Farouq sympathized with the government and people of Imo, Lagos and Ogun states following a deadly explosion which occurred at an illegal oil refining site on Friday night which killed scores of people at Abaezi forest in the Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State.

    Earlier on Thursday, a tanker ladden with 45,000 litres of PMS crashed and spilled its content across Lagos and Ogun State along Lagos – Ibadan Expressway killing a male adult.
    She advised that caution should be applied while plying the roads with inflammable substances while declaring the illegal bunkering of petrol in certain areas as a suicidal.

    The incessant occurrence of explosions in Lagos and Imo states are unfortunate but avoidable. The consequences of such dastard acts that led to the death of many people cannot not be over-emphasized.

    “ Illegal bunkering of petroleum products is a punishable offense under the law, therefore, the culprits should be brought to book to face the full wrath of the law.
    “I sincerely sympathize with the families of the victims and pray for the repose of the souls of the dead.”
    “I also appeal to the people especially the youths to desist from illegal bunkering of petroleum products in the area.”

    Meanwhile, rescue operations have commenced removal of several bodies burnt beyond recognition at the scene of the explosion in Imo state. Six vehicles were also razed during the incident.

  • Insecurity: IGP Appoints New CPs To Tackle Gunmen Attacks In Imo, Kaduna, Others

    Insecurity: IGP Appoints New CPs To Tackle Gunmen Attacks In Imo, Kaduna, Others

    The Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, has ordered the posting of new Commissioners of Police in Imo, Kaduna, Edo, and Adamawa in a bid to tackle the security challenges in the states.

    While Imo has been faced with attacks by gunmen suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)/ Eastern Security Network (ESN), bandits have yet to stop their activities in Kaduna State.

    At least two police stations have been attacked in Imo since the beginning of April – first in Mbaitoli Local Government Area (LGA) last Friday while the other came two days later in Orsu LGA.

    In a bid to address the situation, the police chief ordered the posting of new commissioners to take charge of the commands in the two states, as well as Edo and Adamawa.

    They are Mohammed Barde (Imo Command), Yekini Ayoku (Kaduna Command), Sikiru Kayode (Adamawa Command), and Abutu Yaro (Edo Command).

    “The posting is with immediate effect,” said the acting Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

    Baba charged the newly posted officers to hit the ground running in the areas of crime-fighting and public safety.

    He also called for support and cooperation from members of the public to the new police helmsmen to enable them to perform optimally on their mandate.

    “CP Abutu Yaro, fdc, the new Commissioner of Police, Edo State Police Command, holds a B.A [Hons] from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria,” said Adejobi. “He was appointed to the Nigeria Police Force as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police in 1988.

    “He has served in various supervisory capacities within the Nigeria Police Force, including as Commissioner of Police in charge of Zamfara and Imo State Police Commands respectively. Until his recent appointment, he was CP Force Provost Marshal, Force Headquarters, Abuja.”

    Kayode, on his part, holds a B.Sc in Political Science from the University of Benin and joined the service of the Nigeria Police Force as a Cadet ASP in 1990.

    He has served in various operational, investigative, and administrative capacities within the Force, as well as the Officer-in-Charge of Presidential/VIP Movement, State House Abuja.

    The Adamawa CP is a former Commissioner of Police in charge of Cross River State Police Command and until his appointment, he was the CP in charge of ICT at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

    The statement read further, “CP Yekini Adio Ayoku, psc [+], mni, holds a B.Sc from the University of Ilorin. He is an indigene of Agbeyangi, Ilorin East Local Government Area, Kwara State. CP Ayoku enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force as a Cadet ASP in March 1990.

    “He has served in several capacities in the Nigeria Police with a great wealth of experience. He was a one-time Commanding Officer, 24 PMF Squadron, Presidential Guard and Escort. He has participated in peacekeeping operations and was decorated with the United Nations Medal for meritorious service in Kosovo. He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police [IACP].

    “CP Muhammed Ahmed Barde, the new Commissioner of Police, Imo State Police Command, is a versatile Police Officer. He has served in Police College, Jos and Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil, Kano as DC Admin.

    “He equally served in Borno State Police Command as Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operations. He was one time head of Force CID, Annex, Enugu. Until his recent appointment, he was the Commissioner of Police, Adamawa State Police Command.”

  • INEC Declares Winners Of Bye-Elections In Ondo, Imo And Cross River

    INEC Declares Winners Of Bye-Elections In Ondo, Imo And Cross River

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the winners of the bye-elections conducted in Ondo, Imo, and Cross River states.

    This followed the verdict by the electorates in the different state and federal constituencies in the three states.

    In Ondo State, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mayokun Alade, has been declared winner of the Akure North/South Federal Constituency in the election held on Saturday. Alade polled a total of 26,370 votes to defeat his closest rival, Olumuyiwa Adu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who had 24,201 votes.

    The election result was announced by the election collation officer, Professor Rufus Ogunseemi of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, at the collation centre, Akure.

    At a similar exercise in Imo State, Blyden Amajurionwu of the APC was declared winner of the Ngor-Okpala State Constituency bye-election.

    Amajurionwu polled 9,248 votes to beat his closest rival of the PDP who scored 7,161 votes at the bye-election.

    For the bye-election that took place on Saturday in Cross River State, INEC declared Jude Ngaji of the APC the winner of the Ogoja/ Yala Federal Constituency.

    Ngaji raked in a total vote of 22,778 votes to defeat his closest opponent of the PDP who scored a total of 20,590.

  • Gunmen Murder Traditional Ruler, Four Others In Imo

    Gunmen Murder Traditional Ruler, Four Others In Imo

    Gunmen have murdered Edwin Azike, the traditional ruler of Atta ancient kingdom in the Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State.

    The Imo State Police confirmed the incident on Friday.

    According to the Police Public Relations Officer, Mike Abatam, Azike had been abducted on Thursday night.

    His lifeless body was later identified and recovered inside his vehicle along the road leading to the market square in the community on Friday morning.

    Meanwhile, eyewitnesses also told Channels Television that four other people were killed in the community.

    The PPRO said the Commissioner of Police Rabiu Hussaini has directed all the tactical teams to swing into action immediately and go after the perpetrators.

    The incident comes less than 24 hours after another traditional ruler in Mbutu ancient kingdom of Aboh Mbaise Local government area of the state Damian Nwaigwe, was abducted from his palace.

  • Trapped Passenger Burnt Alive As IPOB Sit-At-Home Order Turns Bloody In Imo

    Trapped Passenger Burnt Alive As IPOB Sit-At-Home Order Turns Bloody In Imo

    A passenger was burnt alive in Nkwogu, Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State when the sit-at-home order issued by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) turned bloody on Monday.

    Commercial activities were grounded in most parts of the state as residents observed the order.

    Schools were also closed while students sitting for NECO examination were prevented from taking their papers.

    Our correspondent gathered that the deceased was inside one of the three buses that were torched by a mob.

    Two of the vehicles, Hummer Buses, belonging to a popular transport company, Libra, were coming from Umuahia, Abia State capital, when they ran into a group of hoodlums suspected to be members of IPOB.

    It was gathered that they shot at the tyres, which forced the bus to stop.

    The passengers of the buses scuttled to safety, while one of the drivers was reportedly shot on the hip.

    The passenger could not escape before the bus was burnt down.

    Our correspondent also gathered that there was heavy shooting around Banana junction along Orlu-Owerri road as gunmen engaged security agents in a shoot-out.

    The Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Mike Abattam, did not pick his calls when our correspondent tried to reach him.

  • Police invade three ESN camps, arrest kingpins in Imo

    Police invade three ESN camps, arrest kingpins in Imo

    The Nigerian Police on Saturday invaded three training camps of the Eastern Security Network, ESN and arrested some yet to be identified leaders of the group.

    The operation was conducted by the Imo Command’s tactical units, IRT and special forces at the wee hours of Saturday.

    The development was contained in a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media to the Imo State Police Commissioner, CSP Mike Abatam.

    The statement said some of the criminal elements escaped into the forest after being overrun by the operatives during a gun duel.

    He said some items including weapons, charms drugs were recovered from the camp.

    The three camps are located at Atta in Ikeduru, Izombie in Oguta and Ideato North local government areas of Imo State.

    The statement reads in part, “Due to the superior firepower of the Police, the hoodlums were overrun by the tactical units while some of the hoodlums escaped with bullets wounds into the forest.

    “Several weapons, stolen cars, explosives, gun powders, charms, lPOB/ESN flags, ammunitions, bags of Indian Hemps, tramadol tablets and many other hard drugs were recovered”.

    ESN is a security outfit established by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu as the Commander.

  • IGP team arrests newspaper vendors, distribution agents in  Imo

    IGP team arrests newspaper vendors, distribution agents in Imo

    Operatives of the Intelligence Response Team of the Inspector General of Police have arrested no fewer than seven newspaper vendors and distribution agents in Imo State.

    The police operatives swooped on them on Monday morning at their base located at Number 5 Rotibi Street, Douglas Road, Owerri, as the circulation of the day’s newspapers was ongoing.

    Other vendors and distribution agents who ran away, told Journalists that the gun-wielding police operatives accused them of circulating newspaper publications that had stories on the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra and that were “anti-state.”

    One of the vendors who escaped the arrest said “as we were circulating our newspapers for the Monday edition, policemen putting on jackets that had IRT inscription swooped on us and started arresting us. The ones they took away were the ones that had Newspapers that had IPOB stories and the ones they said were against the Government.”

    Some of the vendors and distribution agents arrested by the IGP’s team are Nnamso Okoro, Nelson Enyiama, Blessing Isinwa, Onyebuchi Iwundu, and Michael.

    Our correspondent recalls that the state circulation manager of the New Telegraph Newspaper, Chuks Ugwuibe, is still being held in an undisclosed security facility after he was arrested in Orlu on Tuesday last week by security operatives while taking his weekly returns from vendors.

    The arrest of the newspaper vendors and distribution agents elicited reactions as residents of the state asked the government to stop clamping down on the press.


    The arrest also affected newspaper circulation in the state on Monday as the other vendors and distribution agents fled over the fear of being arrested.

    At the Government House Roundabout in Owerri, a popular place people gather to read newspapers and analyse issues, our correspondent saw people fuming and calling on the government to stop gagging the press.

    One of them said, “Do they think that arresting vendors and distribution agents and journalists will stop us from knowing the truth. They don’t know journalists, the more you arrest them, the more they write. Journalists are very strong people. Journalists are stubborn. They are very courageous. Journalists are trained to expose the evils in society. Journalists are always on the side of the people.”

    Another person said, “This administration is very clueless. Just look at the insecurity bedevilling our country; the only strength they have is to arrest newspaper vendors and distribution agents who are doing their lawful businesses. Why is it that this administration hates press freedom? Why is it that this administration does not like the truth?

    “Insurgents have taken over LGAs in Bauchi, Zamfara, Niger, and Nasarawa states and they are about entering Abuja and the only response this clueless government has is to arrest vendors and distribution agents. Very soon they will start arresting journalists, but that will not solve the problem. Government should be proactive not this petty approach.”

    When contacted, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Abutu Yaro, said that the operatives were not from his command.

    Our correspondent contacted the Forces spokesperson, Frank Mba. He promised to get back to him but had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.

  • Gunmen Killed In Attempted Attack On Imo Police Station

    Gunmen Killed In Attempted Attack On Imo Police Station

    Several gunmen, suspected to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), have been killed in an encounter with the police in the Orlu area of Imo State, security sources confirmed on Friday.

    A confirmed police source stated that members of the proscribed group were on their way to attack Orlu Police Station on Thursday evening.

    They were, however, ambushed and killed on Thursday in a joint counter-attack by the military and police operatives.

    The security sources confirmed that several stolen vehicles used by IPOB militants in their operation were also recovered. A video of them earlier setting out for the attack has also been released.

    The video showed the militants boarding vehicles as they embarked on the twatted operation.

    Orlu, the location of the attack is the second-largest city in Southeast Nigeria.

    This comes about two weeks after a joint operation comprising the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army and Department of State Services killed IPOB’s Number 2 man, Commander Ikonso, and six other members of the group.

    Security sources told Channels Television that Ikonso was killed in the early hours of April 24 with two other members arrested.

    Security sources told Channels Television that Ikonso was killed in the early hours of April 24 with two other members arrested.

    The late IPOB leader was also said to be the coordinator of all the operations of the group in the South-East, including the attack on the Imo Police Headquarters on April 5 and several other attacks on security and military personnel and facilities.

    Security operatives were said to have stormed the IPOB’s operational headquarters in Awomamma village, Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State, where they engaged the gunmen in exchange for fire.

    Commander Ikonso, alongside six others of his colleagues, eventually fell to the superior firepower of the security operatives.

    Ikonso is said to have carried out series of violent attacks on security personnel and formations in the South-East and South-South of the country.

    The operation is part of deliberate efforts by the police and other security forces to quell the activities of insurgents in Imo State and other states of the southeast and South-South region of the country.

    Several sophisticated weapons including six AK-47 rifles, hundreds of ammunition of different calibre, and charms meant to ward off bullets were recovered from the gunmen.

  • Gunmen Attack Another Police Facility In Imo, Kidnap Officer

    Gunmen Attack Another Police Facility In Imo, Kidnap Officer

    Gunmen attacked another police station in Imo State late Wednesday.

    Mbieri Divisional police headquarters located at Mbaitoli local government area of Imo state was the latest victim.

    The attack on the Mbieri station is the seventh police station to be attacked by gunmen in Imo state between January and April, which includes the attack on the Imo state police command headquarters on Monday.

    According to sources, the gunmen vandalised the police building and freed suspects in detention.

    They reportedly arrived in the late hours of Wednesday night with sophisticated weapons and shot sporadically before gaining access into the police facility.

    About two police officers were injured and another reportedly kidnapped.

    The Imo state police command has confirmed the incident.

    Spokesman Orlando Ikeokwu said although the Mbieri police station was attacked very late on Wednesday night, the attackers were repelled by the officers on duty.

    Ikeokwu said one of the officers is still missing while two are injured and receiving treatment at a nearby hospital.

    He also confirmed that some suspects in the police custody were freed.

  • Imo Commissioner Willy Amadi Caught In Sex Scandal Tape

    Imo Commissioner Willy Amadi Caught In Sex Scandal Tape

    In the video which was seen by SaharaReporters, Amadi, a lawyer and Federal Commissioner, Imo State Office of the Public Complaint Commission, was seen videoing himself in the 12-second sex tape which captured his image and those of the girls, in an amorous sex position.

    A leaked video has allegedly shown an appointee of President Muhammadu Buhari, Chief Willie Amadi, in a room with two girls making out.

    In the video which was seen by SaharaReporters, Amadi, a lawyer and Federal Commissioner, Imo State Office of the Public Complaint Commission, was seen videoing himself in the 12-second sex tape which captured his image and those of the girls, in an amorous sex position.

    Sources told our correspondent that the video first leaked on WhatsApp before it was later uploaded on YouTube last Saturday.

    However, a search on Tuesday morning showed that YouTube had removed the video for having violated its ‘Terms of Service’.

    Calls put across to Amadi were not answered and a text message sent to him was also not replied.