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2023: Bode George Slams Tinubu, Says He Is Not One Of His Kinsmen

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

Former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Deputy National Chairman, Olabode George has slammed the All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Spokesmen for his Presidential Campaign Council, PCC, Bayo Onanuga and Dele Alake for failing to answer fundamental questions as regards the educational background and where their Principal comes from, rather than trying to silence free press.

George stressed that the move by Tinubu and his propagandists is an attack on free speech; that they have failed to answer the questions posed by Nigerians, who want to know the person they want to entrust the affairs of the nation in its hands for the next four years.

George said that Tinubu has been claiming to be a Lagosian, but he has failed to name the School he went to in Lagos, his classmates, where he lived in Lagos, those he mingled with.

George made these assertions in an interview on Arise TV where he dissected some questions about the crisis in the PDP and correct the notion that Tinubu is one of his kinsmen in Lagos State.

“Tinubu is not from Lagos State. You can quote me. If he says he grew up in Isale-Eko, which school did you attend? I grew up on Evans Street in Lagos. 35 Evans Street was my grandfather’s house. I went to the community school. I played football at the local stadium at Isale-Eko. That’s how people knew me.”

“I have been to Tinubu’s State, his town and I know some people he attended School with. He is not from Lagos State and he can never be from here’. He should be bold to answer questions about his origin and his educational background. The electorate needs to know, because we cannot entrust our future into the hands of liars.

“We  need leaders that have integrity, that are truthful, respected, and have what it takes to rule a complex country like Nigeria”.

There has been insinuation that contrary to the claim of the former Lagos State Governor, Tinubu, that he hails from Lagos State, it is alleged that he is actually  from Iragbiji, Osun State.

His former Deputy while he was Governor of Lagos State during his first term, Bucknor-Akerele, also alluded to this claim.

Delving into the crisis rocking the PDP which has polarised the party, George said that the reconciliation process in the Party would only happen if the party’s hierarchy “gives unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar.”

He further stated that since the formation of the party almost 25 years ago, the North-Central, which currently holds the position of the national chairman, had predominantly occupied the position of the party’s leadership.

He added, “It is not a solution that cannot be handled. All we are saying is give what belongs to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. Give us what belongs to us. Turn by Turn Nigeria Limited. Take for example, what I am angry about is this, the first chairman was late Papa Solomon from North-Central. The second chairman, North-Central. The third chairman, Audu Ogbe, North-Central. The fourth chairman, my oga, Dr Amadu Ali, North-Central; Baraje, from Kwara, was also North-Central. Now you have Ayu, also North-Central.

“The South-West has never enjoyed this position since the party started almost 25 years ago. What is our crime? If you are telling us you want to rule this country, you have to weave all the tribes and all the people together. That is the major problem, and unless that is resolved, I will not vote for our own candidate.”

Insecurity: ‘Stop Feigning Ignorance, Boko Haram Started With PDP’, Lai Mohammed Replies Atiku

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Lai Mohammed and Atiku Abubakar

By Akinwale Kasali

Accusation and counter accusation between the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar and the Minister of Information and Culture are yet to abate.

Atiku had accused the President Muhammadu Buhari led All Progressives Congress, APC, during a town hall meeting recently of not doing the needful in addressing the Boko HAram Insurgency rocking the nation.

Atiku had claimed that he did not understand the Boko Haram phenomenon, lamenting that despite the efforts of the Nigerian Army, the insurgency had not been eliminated.

He said, “I still cannot understand why we should have Boko Haram. You see, I served in Borno State in the North-East and as a customs officer I was patrolling the entire North-East, so I am very conversant with the vegetation and with the border areas. I still cannot find a place in the Borno areas where anybody can hide and cannot be seen. I cannot understand honestly, the Boko Haram phenomenon.”

Responding to Atiku’s statement, Mohammed slammed the former Vice President for claiming not to understand the Boko Haram phenomenon, a situation which Mohammed said was nurtured by his party.

The Minister added that Atiku should not feign ignorance as it was under his party’s watch the Boko Haram insurgency started in 2009.

Speaking further, the former Kwara State Governorship candidate under the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, said that the former Vice President does not need to go far to understand what happened, asking him to discuss with the hierarchy of the party why it allowed Boko Haram to operate freely, bombing cities, motor parks, schools and other soft targets.

He said, “Well, he does not need to go far to get answers to his questions, he should ask his party, the Peoples Democratic Party under whose watch the Boko Haram insurgency started in 2009.

“For six years, until 2015, when our administration assumed office and inherited Boko Haram, the PDP more or less nurtured the insurgents into the monster they later became. Alhaji Atiku should ask his party why it allowed Boko Haram to operate freely, bombing cities, motor parks, schools and other soft targets.

“Alhaji Atiku who was then residing in Abuja, before porting to his new abode in Dubai, should ask his party, the PDP, why it allowed Boko Haram to bomb the police headquarters, the UN complex, a shopping mall and motor parks in Abuja, with such ease.”

The Minister added that the Presidential candidate should instead thank patriotic troops for creating a peaceful environment for economic activities to thrive in the North-East region.

“His Excellency will want to know that today, thanks to our patriotic troops, military objectives have been achieved in the North-East, the home region of Boko Haram thereby creating conditions for stabilisation operations to take place.

“Boko Haram terrorists have been cleared from most of their strongholds, where remnants are being stuck in Lake Chad area that are difficult to access.

“While on the campaign trail, and throwing political japs, we advise His Excellency Atiku Abubakar to note the popular idiom that people who live in glass houses should not throw stones,” he concluded.

Ogene Faults Exclusion Of Host Communities From Oil Development Committee In Anambra

By
The Source
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Victor Ogene

Hon. Victor Afam Ogene,  former House of Representatives member, for Ogbaru Federal Constituency, has faulted the exclusion of the main oil producing communities in Ogbaru, Anambra State, from the proposed Anambra State Oil and Gas Development Committee.

He went further to call the attention of Governor  Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, to the “unfair and unlawful exclusion”, which he said negates the objective of the Petroleum Industry Act.

He listed the main  producing communities as Ogwuaniocha and Ogwuikpele, both in Ogbaru Local Government Area and pointed out that out of the 11 Oil wells that qualified Anambra as an Oil Producing state, eight are sited in both communities; yet nobody from the communities was found worthy of inclusion in the committee.

According to government announcement, Governor Soludo would on Tuesday, December 13, inaugurate the members of the Anambra State Oil and Gas Development Committe.

But Ogene,  who is also the 2023 House of Representatives candidate of the Labour Party, in Ogbaru, in a statement on Monday said that:”While that’ll be considered a great news for our dear State, Anambra – that is gradually taking it’s place in the comity of oil producing states in Nigeria – the obvious exclusion of the main host communities, Ogwuaniocha and Ogwuikpele, both in Ogbaru Local Government Area, remains a disrespectful anomaly that runs contrary to the recently signed Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), that prioritises oil host community engagement and inclusion.

“The PIA describes host communities as communities ‘situated in or appurtenant to the area of operation of a settlor and any other community as a settlor may determine.”

He said that although “there are three Ogbaru sons in the Committee, the Commissioner for Information and one other, the non-inclusion of anyone from the twin communities of Ogwuaniocha and Ogwuikpele, is not only unjust but a development that might give oxygen to future bickering and rancour which Anambra doesn’t need at this period.

The Petroleum Industry Act, 2021 (PIA or “the Act”) was signed into law in August 2021. The PIA introduces significant changes to the legal and governance framework, administrative processes, regulatory and fiscal terms, and host community engagements in the oil and gas industry, in order to ensure transparency and enabling environment for oil producing operations.

Hon. Ogene therefore called on Governor Soludo to urgently look into the anomalous exclusion, with a view to ensure that both Ogwuaniocha and Ogwuikpele are properly represented in the Committee for the overall interest of the state and mutual goodwill.

International News Agency, Reuters, Indicts Nigerian Army Of Massacre; FG Debunk News, Says It Is Fake

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Lai Mohammed

By Akinwale Kasali

The Federal Government has debunked the news by International News Agency, Reuters, which alleged that the Nigerian Army carried out a massacre of children during the ongoing war against terrorism.

Reuters had, days ago, in its report alleged that the Nigeria Army is running a secret abortion programme on female victims of terrorists, adding that no fewer than 10, 000 pregnancies had been terminated since least 2013.

That prompted the United Nations, UN, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, to call on the Nigerian authorities to investigate allegations against the service.

Debunking the report by Reuters, and also showcasing the scorecard of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation under the administration in Abuja on Monday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, accused Reuters of making such an allegation without a piece of evidence.

He said, “The News Agency made this grave allegation without a scintilla of evidence, citing only anonymous sources and the reported review of phantom ‘documents’. The agency claimed that its investigation was based on interviews with 33 women and girls, interview with 33 women and girls to arrive at the bogus claim of 10,000 abortions! And in a further indication that the figure of abortions quoted was arbitrary or possibly conjured, the agency first put the figure at 12,000 before settling for 10,000.

“The Federal Government hereby categorically states that there is no ‘secret, systematic and illegal abortion programme’ being run by our military in the Northeast or anywhere across the country. We also hereby reject the accusation of running an abortion programme levelled against our military. We state categorically that this story is a scary instance of fake news and disinformation combined. The writers deserve an award in fiction writing.

Mohammed described the report as a ploy to demoralise and distract the Military as well as cut Nigeria off the support the country was receiving in the fight against terrorism.

“ Is it a strategy to set the world against Nigeria and cut off the support that is critical to crushing terrorists? Only the news agency can answer these questions. But we stand by our military, which has served meritoriously at home and regional and global peacekeeping operations from 1960 to date,” he added.

In another report by Reuters, released on Monday, December 12, 2022, it insisted on its allegation.

It stated that said the report was based on the revelations of more than 40 soldiers and civilians who claimed to have witnessed the Nigerian military kill children or seen children’s corpses after a military operation.

According to the report, the estimates of children killed by the Army were in the thousands, adding that it investigated six of the incidents in which at least 60 died.

The report read, “The massacre, previously unreported, is just one instance in which the Nigerian Army and allied security forces have slaughtered children during their gruelling 13-year war against Islamist extremists in the country’s northeast, a Reuters investigation found.

“Soldiers and armed guards employed by the government told Reuters that Army commanders repeatedly ordered them to ‘delete’ children because the children were assumed to be collaborating with militants in Boko Haram or its Islamic State offshoot or to have inherited the tainted blood of insurgent fathers.

“More than 40 sources said they saw the Nigerian military target and kill children or saw the dead bodies of children after a military operation. These sources included both parents and other civilian witnesses, as well as soldiers who said they participated in dozens of military operations in which children were slaughtered”.

N40 Million Fraud: Labour Party Exonerates National Chairman, Julius Abure

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Julius Abure - Labour Party National Chairman

By Akinwale Kasali

The crisis rocking the Labour Party, LP,  has been resolved following the exoneration of its National Chairman, Julius Abure, of an alleged N40 Million fraud, that polarized the Party.

The National Working Committee, NWC, of the Party, having carried out a thorough investigation over allegations the National Chairman of diverted the Party’s N40 Million into personal coffers has declared him innocent of the charges.

The corruption allegation was raised in a petition addressed to the LP National Executive Committee and Presidential flag bearer, Peter Obi, by the axed National Publicity Secretary of LP, Abayomi Arabambi.

The petition written by the sacked Arabambi lawyers, Kaiser Oghenetejire & Co.,  claimed that he was illegally removed through a coup orchestrated by Abure and the National Secretary, Umar Farouk. He stated that the Chairman grossly violated the provisions of the party Constitution by enriching himself fraudulently and denying candidates their tickets.

His petition partly read, “Julius Abure, the National Chairman of Labour Party diverted over N40,000,000 from sales of party nomination forms into his private transport company account with Access Bank Plc as payments thereby grossly violating the provisions of the Labour Party constitution 2019 as amended by enriching himself fraudulently and thereafter denied the candidates tickets after collecting their monies.”

Arabambi alleged that Abure had on different occasions defrauded aspirants and candidates on the platform of the party and called on the party to investigate the allegations.

He cited the case of a candidate for Lagos West Senatorial seat, George Gabriel Chiadikaobi, who paid N2.5m into the party’s account in Lagos and another N2.5m into Abure’s business account in August and another Lagos-based House of Representatives candidate, Umeadi Emmanuel Azubike, who paid N3m and N1m respectively on July 6.

According to him, Abure brought in four thugs with improvised arms or pistols who he initially thought were members of the Department of State Services to harass him when he came to present the evidence of the Chairman’s fraudulent activities during Thursday’s NWC meeting at Barcelona Hotel Wuse 2 Abuja.

“Julius Abure’s actions constituted a coup d’etat that amounted to suspending the Labour Party’s constitution for the implementation of draconian decrees rather than the party’s constitutional provisions as regards his illegal suspension and removal as the National Publicity Secretary and also the Ogun State Executive Council.

“Abure pleaded with me to conceal the details of how he embezzled N40 million which belongs to the Labour Party but I refused to do so. That was why I was illegally removed.

“I called for a financial Audit investigation of all the labour party’s accounts to be conducted immediately to ascertain the extent of financial malfeasance and impropriety perpetrated through illegal transactions from sales of party nomination forms and expression of interest,” he said.

Arabambi has vowed to fight his removal as the image maker of the Party by approaching a Competent Court for justice.

However, Umar Farouk, the LP National Secretary said that Arabambi is only ranting and like other enemies of the Party, he is just wasting his time as the Party has moved on.

Farouk stressed that there was no where in the petition that Abure was indicted and found guilty of the allegations leveled against him.

He dismissed the allegation as watery and an attempt to distract the Labour Party from winning the 2023 elections.

He said, “In politics, one cannot run away from various allegations from people who are not really in tune with the progress of the party. But I can tell you categorically that the NWC has passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of the National Chairman.

“Every part of that allegation has been reviewed and we have seen nothing financially wrong in what the allegation claims. It is just watery. I can assure you that the party will also challenge the action from the appropriate court of jurisdiction.

“In the said allegation, nowhere was the name of our chairman mentioned except in the heading. All the subsequent narration in the report was just watery and mere allegation.

“We are not going to be distracted. People are feeling that we are not strong but this action we are taking is making us stronger. We are not afraid to take decisions as long as it is in line with the Constitution of the party and the candidate.

“We are also not unaware of people coming into the party to cause chaos. Some miscreants will go and say things that are not really happening at the party. Things like money being shared or stolen by certain people. If you have proof of such a report, come out and tell us you are a member, this is your membership card and what actually transpired.

“So many people are being sponsored in the party to cause issues that are not there. We are moving forward as our slogan says. Forward ever, backward never.

“For now, the National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, has the backing of the entire NWC and NEC members.”

Gov Adeleke Ignorant Of Mining Law – Osun APC

By
Ayodele Oni
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Ademola Adeleke

By Ayodele Oni

The  Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that the state Governor,  Ademola Adeleke, lacks  understanding of statecraft and governance.

Acting State Chairman of APC, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal,  in response to what it called the governor’s embarrassing broadcast on the mining sector, said the claims of Governor Adeleke that the state governments in the last 25 years have either mismanaged returns on mining or have failed to recover derivation due to the state were fraught with ignorance.

“The claims made by Governor Ademola Adeleke during the  inauguration of the Revenue Committee and Solid Minerals Committee set up by his government, are ones made out of ignorance and mischief designed to embarrass previous governors of the state.

“It is worrisome that a state government which should have access to quality expert advice from the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies would issue an official statement to advertise its administrative unawareness and unseriousness about 13% derivation on mining.

“Contrary to Governor Adeleke’s claim that Segilola Company and other operating companies in the state are expected to pay Osun State 13 per cent derivation on the value of gold and other minerals resources produced in the last 25 years in the state, the correct information is that miners don’t pay derivation to state.

“The miners pay royalty, ranging from three per cent to five per cent of every ounce of gold or solid minerals extracted in the state, to the Federal Government because Mining is under the Exclusive List or authority of the Federal Government.”

He explained that it is from the royalty paid to the Federal Government that the 13 per cent derivation  is calculated and handed to the state.

Sooko maintained that it was alarming that no expert in the team of Adeleke could extend to the governor the needed information on this sensitive matter.

He said that it was outright misrepresentation of fact the Osun state governor’s allegation that  the previous governments had failed to account for derivation due to the state in the last 25 years.

“It is preposterous for the new government to demand 25 years derivation from Segilola Company.

“Is the company 25 years old in the state? Are the current government handlers aware that Segilola Company only began commercial operation in the state last year (2021); so from where did the idea of 25 years derivation arrears come?

“Matter-of-factly, the company is on a three-year tax holiday. The implication is that the company, during the administration of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, did not pay any royalty to the Federal Government that Osun State would have laid claim to any 13 per cent derivation.

“If there was anything the state government benefited from the company, it was the usual PAYE tax on its employees or perhaps Land Use Tax.”

The APC Chairman admonished the Governor to redeem himself of political pettiness and get decent and truthful professionals that would save his government from the current doldrum that has become a huge embarrassment to the people of the state.

LAHA Approves 1.768 Trillion 2023 Budget

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0
Mudashiru Obasa

By Akinwale Kasali

After several weeks of scrutiny, the Lagos State House of Assembly led by Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa has finally approved the 2023 Budget presented by Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo Olu.

The Lawmakers passed a total of ₦1,768,014,155,285 as the budget for 2023 with the Speaker, showering encomiums on his colleagues for their collective sacrifice and the swiftness with which the Appropriation Bill was handled.

The sum of N748,096,508,571 was budgeted as Recurrent expenditure and N1,019,917,646,713 as Capital expenditure for the year ending 31st December, 2023.

The sectoral allocations also shows that N3,228,396,960 was approved as the new Overhead Cost of the Office of Civic Engagement for drug abuse advocacy.

The sum of N802,987,206 was approved as the new Capital Expenditure of the Ministry of Economic Planning & Budget while N1,200,000,000 was approved as the new Overhead Cost (Social Intervention and Humanitarian Programme) in the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget.

Presiding over the plenary, Obasa said the passion with which the lawmakers processed the bill for passage showed their love for the progress of Lagos State.

He also expressed hope that residents of the State would show their satisfaction with the lawmakers and the All Progressives Congress (APC) by voting for candidates of the party in Lagos and at the centre during the forthcoming election.

It would be recalled Governor Sanwo-Olu had in October presented the sum of N1.69 trillion ‘budget of continuity’ to the House.

While receiving the proposal from the Governor, Speaker Obasa had urged that the 2023 budget “should have more human face, be targeted at reducing poverty and improving the welfare of the residents of the State as part of the THEMES agenda of the administration.”

Students To Buy Re-election Form For Governor Uzodinma

By
The Source
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Hope Uzodimma with Students on His Birthday

Members of the National Association of Nigerian Students,  Imo State Chapter,  have felicitated with Governor Hope Uzodinma on his 64th birthday, on December 12,  with a pledge to buy the re-election form for the Governor next year.

The students said that Governor Uzodinma has demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that he has the capacity to lead Imo State to an enviable height and should be encouraged to seek re-election next year.

Rejoicing with the Governor on his birthday when they visited him at Government House Owerri on Monday, the NANS leadership said that considering the several gestures of the Governor to students of Imo State origin and NANS in general, they will purchase the Governorship Nomination Form for him  when the time comes.

Vice President of NANS, Comrade Victor Ezenagu, said they came to appreciate the Governor on his birthday and to remind him of his numerous gestures to Imo Students, especially the role he played during NANS election that saw an Imo Student emerge as the National Vice President.

Furthermore, he said the efforts the Governor made to convince the Federal Government to make the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Owerri a University Teaching Hospital and Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education,  a University of Education, are efforts the Governor made that should require encouragement.

Again, the students thanked the Governor for making them comfortable by embarking on the Naze/Ihiagwa road project which they said has made their movement safe and smooth “but most importantly, the ICT empowerment programme through the Ministry of Digital Economy and E-Governance which the Governor launched recently as ‘Skill-Up Project’ for Imo Youths.”

Like Oliver twist,  Comrade Ezenagu on behalf of his colleagues appealed to the Governor for assistance in the areas of mobility for the nine different institutions in Imo State which he put at over 3.1million Nigerian students with about 75% being  Imo indigenes, to enable them go for student’s programmes.

The students sincerely congratulated the Governor for his birthday and wished him a Happy and Prosperous Birthday.

They also presented him with a birthday Cake which the Governor and some members of the Executive Council in conjunction with the Students cut at the occasion.

Expressing his gratitude to the students,  Governor Uzodimma thanked the Students for finding it fit and proper to celebrate him with a special gift.

In his words: “I will continue to encourage National Association of Nigerian Students and Imo youths in general because they represent the future of Imo State and Nigeria in general.”

The Governor added that they are the new leadership of the state and the nation in general with new ideas that will propel the nation to a greater height.

He prayed that what they have done today those coming after them will do better in future, promising to do his best to process their request even if in segments.

The Governor also expressed happiness that the students that visited him represent all strata of the society, noting that they represent culture and tradition by their dress mode, represent the legislature and even the judiciary.

He said what he has seen in the NANS Imo Chapter is the best so far in Nigeria and enjoined them to always be good citizens and Ambassadors of the State.

Imo INEC Attack: Two Gunmen Arrested, Three Killed; Governor Says Attack Politically Motivated

By
The Source
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INEC Headquarters in Imo State

Three bandits who were part of the gang that attacked the  Imo Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Owerri on Monday, and set it ablaze were neutralised by the Police, who also arrested two others alive with bullet wounds.

Security Operatives in the State are also combing the nooks and crannies of  Owerri for the fleeing members of the gang believed to have escaped with gunshot wounds when the Police engaged them at the INEC office located on Port Harcourt road, in the early hours of Monday.

Addressing newsmen at the Police Headquarters where the three neutralized hoodlums and two who were captured alive were paraded, Governor Hope Uzodinma wondered why bandits should think of attacking the INEC office at this time the body is preparing seriously for the upcoming elections if they were not being used.

The Governor said: “We need to decode the motive behind the action and why INEC is the target.”

He said what happened and events of the past confirms what he has always said that, “what is happening in Imo State is politically contrived, and justifiably so.”

He wondered why “some people think they can win election, yet they don’t want elections to hold. How then will they win?”

Governor Uzodimma emphasized:  “INEC does not need this type of distraction at this point and stage of our elections, rather they should be supported by all and sundry. But contrary to that what we now see are people creating distractions here and there and attacking innocent people.

“If now we put one and two together and recall that people have threatened that Imo State will be made ungovernable and there will be no elections in Imo State, that is the attempt to achieve their purpose.”

The Governor, however, assuaged the fears of Imo people, noting that “since the Police are prepared, and the security agencies are ready, there will be elections in Imo State by the Grace of God.”

The Governor also urged Imo people to go out and collect their PVCs as the State and INEC have decentralized the team.

He assured of sufficient security at the Local Government up to the Ward Levels to support our people in the exercise, even as he reassured that it will be a peaceful exercise.”

He reminded Imo people that “the collection of Voters Card is key to the elections we are looking forward to and if one doesn’t have the Voters Card he/she will not be able to vote.

“So, the Government working with the security agencies will do their best to ensure that all the environments, the Local Government Headquarters, the Ward and Collection Centres are properly protected and sufficient security presence assured.”

He seized the opportunity to reassure Imo people coming back for the Christmas celebrations that “the State Government with the efforts of the Security Agencies in withstanding the bandits will have a very peaceful and hitch-free Christmas.”

Briefing the Governor on the activities of the bandits and how his men were able to counter and neutralise some of them, the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Mohammad Ahmed Barde said that “the bandits attacked the Assumpta roundabout where they burnt a Sienna bus,” and that his men “confronted them and forced them to abandon one of their vehicles and from their they moved to attack the INEC headquarters in Owerri Imo State.”

Barde said the Police were able to neutralize three of them and arrested two alive while others escaped with bullet wounds, assuring that the Police are on trail of them.

He added that the police recovered three AK47 riffles,  three Pump action guns and some Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) as well two vehicles from the bandits.

The Police Commissioner passionately appealed to the media to report exactly what happened “because at the social media the story will be different,” regretting that the stories on the social media always tend to promote the activities of the miscreants “and that is why they seem to be above everybody.”

Governor Uzodimma later visited the crime scenes at the  Control Post roundabout where the Sienna bus was burnt and the INEC headquarters for on the spot assessment of the attack on the buildings and vehicles.

Imo: Archbishop Stripped Naked By Gunmen

By
The Source
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0

By Charles Igbo

For Archbishop Paul Hansen, it was a Sunday like no other.

He had woken up and prepared for a long day, and a very important mission.

Hansen, the Founder and Archbishop of a Pentecostal  Church, Unifaith Living Church Incorporated, was on his way from his Akwa Ibom State base to Ogidi, Anambra State. His mission to Anambra was to consecrate  the Bishop of one of his branches, Norman Okeorimili.

The journey was smooth until he got to Orlu, Imo State. Specifically at Akare Market Square, the story changed. He ran into gunmen who intercepted him. They went to work on him.

Without any consideration for Hansen’s status as an Archbishop, the gunmen stripped him naked, and made away with car, his Priestly dress, rank badge, money and six phones, including that of his driver.

The Archbishop and his driver were lucky they were not kidnapped, as well.

Time was about 2.00pm.

Left naked and helpless, it was a good Samaritan who rescued Hansen both men. Their benefactor drove them to the nearest Police Division, from where Hansen called the DPO in his area of residence, and narrated his fate.

Hansen who narrated his ordeal to Journalists when he, finally, arrived at the Church in Ogidi said: “The incident happened at Akata, Orlu Market Square, Imo State, while I was coming from Akwa Ibom State to consecrate the Bishop of our Church,  Norman Okeorimili, in Ogidi.

“I was stripped. They left me with a pant, my car and all in it removed. They included six phones that included those of my driver, money, regalia, badge rank among others.

“It was somebody I don’t know that brought his car to help me. He helped me to the  Police Area Commander, and from there, I called my own Divisional Police Officer in Akwa Ibom, and told him what happened.”

Since 9th December, violence in the South-east has escalated following a five-day sit-at-home order declared by Finland-based Simon Ekpa, an estranged member of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB.

IPOB has since denied him and his activities and utterances. His order is, also, being resisted by outraged South Easterners.

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