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1 killed, several shops burnt as Imo govt demolishes Hausa settlements

Published

3 years ago

July 31, 2023

Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma

1 killed, several shops burnt as Imo govt demolishes Hausa settlements

One person was killed and another injured while several shops and homes were burnt down during an alleged operation by government officials on some Hausa communities in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State.

Multiple sources told Daily Trust that the officials, believed to be agents of the Owerri Capital Development Authority (OCDA) and Environmental Transformation Agency (ENTRCO), alongside policemen set ablaze shops and properties in Avu Junction and Hausa market, Nekede No 1 market and Arugu market as part of the government’s efforts to remove alleged shanties and illegal structures.

“Several houses and shops belonging to northerners were burnt down, most of us are currently taking refuge in the bush and our Juma’at Mosque was equally demolished by the taskforce and the police,” said Nura Kabir Umar, a youth leader at Nekede No 1 market.

Umar, said tension started brewing on Thursday and climaxed on Sunday when policemen on the invitation of ENTRACO officials shot and killed a 35-year-old trader identified as Mudashir Muhammad and injured another.

Daily Trust reports that the Imo State Government, through the OCDA had last year declared a take-off of an enforcement order to reclaim the city capital from street trading, shanties and illegal parking.

The OCDA General Manager, Francis Chukwu, had then met with the leadership of Hausa communities in the state and urged them to cooperate with the government in achieving the plan.

Our correspondent, however, could not verify if the operations at the three markets were part of the plan as the Imo State Commissioner for Information, Declan Emelumba, did not respond to calls and SMS sent to his phone.

But traders at Nekede No 1 Market yesterday told our correspondent that there had been no notice or order from government agencies asking them to vacate and insisted that any allegation of crime within their neighbourhood should have been investigated.

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They alleged that government officials, with the connivance of the police, had instead set their wares ablaze and caused them to lose goods and properties worth millions of naira.

However, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Barde, at a news conference on Sunday denied allegations that the three markets had been set ablaze. Instead, CP Barde said an inferno had gutted Avu market.

The CP, who spoke to journalists in Owerri said: “I invite you here this afternoon to clear some misleading reports making the rounds on social media, alleging that hoodlums attacked and burnt the popular Hausa Market Avu which is not true.

“For the purpose of clarity, I wish to inform you that the incident that happened at the market was a fire outbreak that led to loss of properties. No life was lost in the inferno and it’s under investigation and the outcome of our investigation will be made known to the public.

“I am pleased to inform you that, the Executive Governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Hope Uzodinma, has been informed and directed arrangements be made for him to meet with those affected.”

Nura Kabir Umar, however, later confirmed that CP Barde had returned to the scene of the incident on Sunday evening after his men allegedly shot and killed a 35-year-old man.

“He came to the scene and urged us to exercise patience, adding that the governor was not aware of what had happened. We were at the scene assessing the damage to our property when members of ENTRACO and the police came and opened fire on us. They killed one and injured another,” he added.

Traders punch holes in CP’s statement

Traders from the three markets affected by the incident yesterday told Daily Trust that the statement by the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Barde, was far from the truth. They said there was no fire incident in any of the three markets, insisting that they had been directly targeted and attacked by government officials and the police.

Narrating the genesis of the incident, Musa Isa who had a provision store in the market said he lost goods close to N10 million in the incident.

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“It started on Thursday at about 11am. We heard that some people had stormed Onitsha Road burning shops belonging to Hausa people and injuring many. Some of their properties, goods and money were stolen. Many of them were beaten up,” he said.

“Twenty minutes later, the taskforce and the police arrived at Nekede No. 1 market. They burnt houses and shops. They beat up people and the hoodlums confiscated our money.”

He said upon realising that some of the attackers were police officers, together with members of the Owerri Capital Development Authority (OCDA), and Environmental Transformation Agency (ENTRCO), they made efforts to contact other government officials to find out what was happening.

“We were not told anything; we asked our people not to take laws into their own hands,’’ he said.

Abdullahi Umaru, a suya seller from Sokoto State said his three selling points were burnt down. “I have lost everything. My wife and I now sleep outside, we don’t know what to do.

“For the police to say it is a fire incident, is unfortunate. These people came with bulldozers on Friday and demolished our place of worship. Who would see what has happened and claim it is a fire incident?

“They did not destroy only one market, or does that mean the fire jumped seven kilometres from one market to the other? These are people we saw, they came here with a bulldozer, demolished and burnt our properties and we are surprised to hear this coming from the commissioner of police,” Nura Kabir Umar said.

The youth leaders said they had approached policemen at the scene on Friday while their place of worship was being demolished but the security agents had instead asked them to leave. “It was soon after that, that they started setting the shops and the houses belonging to our members ablaze,” he said.

One of the Hausa community leaders in the state, Lawan Fagge, when contacted by this reporter also said suspected members of ENTACO group who claimed to be in operation to remove hoodlums from the area had burnt down their markets.

He said the attacks were carried out on three markets at Nekede No 1, Avu Junction, along Port Harcourt road, and Adugbo Park along Onitsha road.

Return home immediately, CNG tells northerners living in South East

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has advised all northerners to leave the South East immediately following renewed attacks on northern communities especially in Imo State.

CNG’s spokesman, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, made the call in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, where he emphasized that no group had the power to hold innocent people to ransom.

He also called on the federal government to take more urgent steps in disbanding militias, and armed groups in Imo State and the South East.

1 killed, several shops burnt as Imo govt demolishes Hausa settlements

Related Topics:Featured Hausa settlements Imo

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Court Orders Final Forfeiture of Jeremiah Useni’s UK Property to FG

Published

11 hours ago

March 31, 2026

Trends Admin

Former FCT Minister, Jeremiah Useni

Court Orders Final Forfeiture of Jeremiah Useni’s UK Property to FG

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of a UK property linked to late former FCT Minister, Jeremiah Useni, to the Federal Government, in a ruling that reinforces Nigeria’s push to recover suspected illicit assets.

Delivering judgment on Tuesday, Binta Nyako granted the application filed by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), declaring that the property was reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities. The forfeited asset is located at No. 79, Randall Avenue, Neasden, London NW2 7SX, in the United Kingdom.

The court held that evidence presented by the CCB showed a clear mismatch between Useni’s legitimate earnings while in public office and the value of the London property. According to the agency, findings from its Financial Investigation and Forensic Accounting Unit (FIFAU) revealed that the late minister’s declared income could not justify the acquisition, indicating the likelihood of undeclared or illicit funds.

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Before the final ruling, the court had granted an interim forfeiture order on November 20, 2025. Following this, a public notice was published inviting anyone with interest in the property to contest the forfeiture. However, no individual or organisation filed any claim within the stipulated timeframe, paving the way for the final forfeiture order. The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2333/2025, listed the administrators and executors of Useni’s estate, alongside the property itself, as respondents.

In a related development, the United Kingdom’s First-Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), in case REF/2023/0155, had earlier ruled that Useni was the beneficial owner of the property. The tribunal found that the property was acquired under a fictitious identity, a move aimed at concealing ownership.

Ownership claims by individuals identified as “Ms Tali Shani” and senior lawyer Mike Ozekhome were dismissed by the tribunal. The court held that documents presented to support the claims were fraudulent and unreliable, further strengthening the case for forfeiture.

Counsel to the CCB, Sufyan Ahmad, anchored the application on provisions of the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022 and the 1999 Constitution (as amended). In her ruling, Justice Nyako stated that the forfeiture aligns with Nigeria’s legal framework on asset recovery and serves the interest of justice, particularly in cases involving suspected proceeds of corruption.

The judgment underscores the Federal Government’s intensified efforts to trace, recover, and reclaim illicit assets held both locally and abroad. It also highlights increasing collaboration between Nigerian authorities and international legal systems in tackling financial crimes and corruption-linked assets.

Court Orders Final Forfeiture of Jeremiah Useni’s UK Property to FG

metro

Teen alleges torture by stepmother, loses hand

Published

14 hours ago

March 31, 2026

Trends Admin

Teen alleges torture by stepmother, loses hand

A 19-year-old boy, identified as Friday, has accused his stepmother of subjecting him to torture that resulted in the amputation of one of his hands.

Friday’s account was made public in a viral video shared by Nigerian content creator Lucky Udu.

The teenager alleged that the incident occurred while his father was away, during which his stepmother accused him of having an inappropriate relationship with her and demanded that he confess.

He claimed she threatened him with a knife when he denied the allegation.

Friday further alleged that he was taken to a man who accused him of witchcraft and subjected him to torture, including burning his hands over charcoal.

He said his injuries later became infected, but his stepmother allegedly refused to take him to a hospital and instead forced him to continue working.

According to him, a passerby who noticed his condition alerted the police, leading to his rescue and the arrest of the stepmother.

He was subsequently taken to a specialist hospital where doctors amputated his hand due to the severity of the damage.

The incident has generated reactions on social media, with many Nigerians calling for justice and stronger protection for vulnerable children.

Authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the matter.

Teen alleges torture by stepmother, loses hand

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Cars Torched as South Africans Protest Alleged Nigerian ‘Igbo King’ Coronation

Published

19 hours ago

March 31, 2026

Trends Admin

Cars Torched as South Africans Protest Alleged Nigerian ‘Igbo King’ Coronation

Violence erupted on Monday in KuGompo City, Eastern Cape, South Africa, following the reported coronation of a Nigerian national as a traditional king, prompting the Nigerian High Commission to issue a 10-point safety advisory urging Nigerians in the country to prioritise safety and maintain a low profile.

According to the advisory titled “Advisory to All Nigerians Living in the Republic of South Africa,” citizens were urged to exercise caution, limit movement, avoid interactions with unfamiliar persons, and suspend socio-cultural activities to reduce the risk of becoming targets amid rising tensions. The circular also advised Nigerians to respect local laws and customs and refrain from posting inflammatory content on social media that could escalate the situation.

What began as a peaceful protest over the alleged installation of Solomon Eziko as Igwe Ndigbo quickly escalated. Videos and images of the coronation circulated widely, sparking anger among residents and civic groups. Protesters torched vehicles, vandalised properties, and clashed with law enforcement. Police reportedly deployed teargas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds, while fire services worked to contain the blazes.

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A man was stabbed during the unrest and taken to hospital. Authorities clarified that the victim was not linked to the demonstration, though some civic groups claimed one of their members was injured and also struck by a vehicle.

Several groups, including ActionSA, the Patriotic Alliance, and the civic movement March and March, joined traditional leaders in condemning the alleged coronation as illegal and unconstitutional.

Athol Trollip, ActionSA Eastern Cape leader, said: “There is no constitutional provision for any foreigner, legal or illegal, to coronate themselves in the Eastern Cape. We support existing local kings, not Nigerian kings.”
Steve Motale, Patriotic Alliance spokesperson, said: “We condemn this fake coronation. Even the Nigerian High Commissioner has denounced it.”

The Royal House of AbaThembu also denied involvement, calling social media claims linking King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo to the coronation false and misleading.

The unrest follows recent anti-migrant protests in South Africa, where residents demanded stricter immigration policies targeting Nigerians and other foreign nationals. Analysts say the protests reflect broader xenophobic tensions and concern over foreign influence on local traditional structures.

The Federal Government of Nigeria continues to monitor the situation closely, urging citizens in South Africa to remain law-abiding, cautious, and vigilant until stability returns.