APC Condemns Alleged Role of Publicity Secretary in Kidnap, Killing of Ebonyi Monarch - Newstrends
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APC Condemns Alleged Role of Publicity Secretary in Kidnap, Killing of Ebonyi Monarch

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HRH Francis Igwe
HRH Francis Igwe

APC Condemns Alleged Role of Publicity Secretary in Kidnap, Killing of Ebonyi Monarch

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted with deep shock and dismay after confirmed information linked one of its members — the party’s Publicity Secretary in Ebonyi State — to the abduction and later killing of HRH Francis Igwe, the father of former Ebonyi Deputy Governor Dr. Kelechi Igwe.

Reports indicate that the monarch, a respected traditional ruler from Ndufu‑Alike community in Ikwo Local Government Area, was kidnapped on March 1, 2026, while on his way to church, before being killed roughly 24 hours after his abduction. Security sources say the suspects had demanded a ransom and were tracked through a bank account used for ransom transactions. Police have since arrested the APC Publicity Secretary, Simbad Victor Ogbuatu, along with eight other suspects connected to the crime. One suspect was reportedly killed during a gun battle with security operatives as they carried out the operation.

Addressing the monarch’s family on Saturday during a condolence visit in the Igwe family compound in Ikwo, the APC Chairman in Ebonyi, Chief Stanley Okoro‑Emegha, said the development had left the party leadership deeply stunned and saddened.

“The report is unheard of, and I do not have the confidence to face the public since the past two days,” Okoro‑Emegha said. “Members of the party cannot, in their entire lives, believe that the party can be associated with such an act.”

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He described members of the party as “a family,” saying that even in normal party activities, “someone can vouch for another,” and emphasised that the alleged crime has brought deep embarrassment to the APC.

Chief Okoro‑Emegha pledged the party’s support for any action taken by the state government and security agencies to ensure justice for the Igwe family. “The governor, as the father of the state and leader of the party, cannot tolerate such an evil act no matter who is involved,” he said. “We condemn whatever is condemnable — as whatever is evil is evil.”

He further admonished that anyone aware of the alleged crime who failed to disclose it should also face the consequences of their actions.

Addressing the grieving family, Okoro‑Emegha encouraged resilience, saying, “I also urge the family and entire community to be consoled, because the deputy governor needs your solace to be strong. The worst thing one can do against God is to take a life that you do not know how it was created.”

The Palace Secretary of Ndufu‑Alike community, Dr. Johnson Aloh, also addressed the gathering, expressing appreciation to the APC for the visit and support. He described the incident as “earth‑shaking,” lamenting that such a tragedy had unfolded in Ebonyi State, which he said had built a reputation for peace and stability.

“We were devastated when we heard that the name of our dear party was soiled by the actions of an individual,” Aloh said. “We, however, have the discerning spirit to differentiate the act of an individual from that of the party, as we know that the party can never indulge in such an act.” He urged authorities to ensure that “bad eggs who want to tarnish the state’s image” are brought to justice.

Governor Francis Nwifuru has also condemned the killing as tragic, leading state officials in another visit to the monarch’s home and assuring that those responsible — including any fleeing suspects — will be apprehended and prosecuted. Police reported recovering a locally made firearm from some of the suspects during operations.

The incident has sparked widespread reactions in Ebonyi State and nationally, with calls for strengthened efforts to tackle kidnapping and violent crime, and for political actors to disassociate from criminality.

APC Condemns Alleged Role of Publicity Secretary in Kidnap, Killing of Ebonyi Monarch

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Tragedy in Ibadan as Woman, 26, Dies at Boyfriend’s Residence

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Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka
Oyo State Commissioner of Police, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade

Tragedy in Ibadan as Woman, 26, Dies at Boyfriend’s Residence

The Oyo State Police Command has launched a manhunt for a 29-year-old man, identified as Quadri Mohammed, following the death of his 26-year-old girlfriend, Precious Mogaji, in Ibadan, the state capital.

Mogaji was reportedly found dead in the early hours of the day at the entrance of Mohammed’s room in the Oguntula area of Ojoo, Ibadan.

According to the police, the incident was reported at about midnight by a concerned resident who alerted officers at the Ojoo Police Division after noticing the lifeless body of the young woman.

Spokesperson for the Oyo State Police Command, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade, confirmed the development, stating that officers were immediately deployed to the scene following the report.

Ayanlade said preliminary investigation revealed that the victim had visited her boyfriend prior to the incident.

“Upon receiving the report, officers from the Ojoo Police Division moved to the scene where the body of the 26-year-old woman was discovered at the entrance of the suspect’s room,” he said.

The police spokesperson explained that the prime suspect, Mohammed, was nowhere to be found when officers arrived at the location, raising suspicion about his involvement in the incident.

He added that the victim’s body was evacuated and deposited at a hospital mortuary for autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Ayanlade also clarified that contrary to some reports circulating on social media, the incident occurred in the Ojoo area and not Akobo as earlier claimed.

The police assured residents that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect and unravel the circumstances surrounding the death.

“The command has commenced a full investigation into the matter and a manhunt has been launched to arrest the suspect who is currently at large,” Ayanlade stated.

He further urged members of the public with useful information that could assist the police in tracking down the suspect to report to the nearest police station.

The tragic incident has sparked concern among residents of the area, with many calling for swift justice and improved safety measures to prevent similar occurrences.

 

Tragedy in Ibadan as Woman, 26, Dies at Boyfriend’s Residence

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Appeal Court Upholds Conviction of Ex-Army General, Orders ₦4bn Refund

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Court of Appeal, Abuja

Appeal Court Upholds Conviction of Ex-Army General, Orders ₦4bn Refund

The Court of Appeal of Nigeria has affirmed the conviction and prison sentence handed to former Major General Umar Mohammed over the diversion of billions of naira belonging to Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL), the property and investment arm of the Nigerian Army.

In a judgment delivered by a three-member panel of justices, the appellate court upheld the earlier decision of a Special Court Martial which found the retired officer guilty of stealing and mismanaging funds belonging to the army-owned company during his tenure as its Group Managing Director.

The court also sustained the order directing him to refund more than ₦4 billion traced to the illegal transactions.

According to the Certified True Copy of the judgment, the justices dismissed Mohammed’s appeal challenging both the jurisdiction of the military tribunal and the outcome of the trial. The appellate court held that the court martial acted within the bounds of the law and relied on credible and admissible evidence to reach its verdict.

The panel—comprising Justice Abba Mohammed, Justice Okon Abang, and Justice Eberechi Nyesom‑Wike—ruled that the prosecution had successfully established the charges brought against the former general.

Mohammed was originally arraigned before the military tribunal on October 10, 2023, where he faced multiple counts of stealing, criminal misappropriation and financial misconduct involving funds belonging to the army property firm.

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After the trial, the court martial dismissed him from military service and sentenced him to imprisonment. The tribunal also ordered him to refund $2,099,700 and ₦1.65 billion to the company as restitution for the diverted funds.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, Mohammed approached the appellate court in February 2025 through an appeal marked CA/ABJ/CR/383/2025, asking that the conviction be overturned on the grounds that the evidence used against him was weak and unreliable.

However, the appellate court disagreed.

The justices ruled that the defence presented by the former officer was riddled with contradictions and could not discredit the evidence already accepted by the court martial.

Part of the judgment highlighted inconsistencies in Mohammed’s testimony. During the proceedings, he had claimed that Nigerian Army Properties Limited did not operate berthing services, but the court noted that documentary records previously authored and signed by him indicated that the company was indeed involved in such operations.

The appellate court held that the conflicting statements weakened his credibility and strengthened the prosecution’s case.

Consequently, the court affirmed the conviction and sentence on most of the charges established by the tribunal, setting aside only the counts relating to alleged forgery.

Mohammed’s legal troubles extend beyond the criminal conviction.

In August 2025, the Federal High Court of Nigeria sitting in Lagos, presided over by Justice Dehinde Dipeolu, ordered the final forfeiture of shares worth more than ₦5 billion linked to the former general and businessman Kayode Filani.

The shares—totalling 245,568,137 units—were found to have been purchased with funds suspected to be proceeds of illegal activities during Mohammed’s leadership of the army-owned company.

The forfeiture followed an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which told the court that its investigations had established that the funds used for the investment were unlawfully obtained.

EFCC counsel Hanatu Kofanaisa informed the court that the Special Court Martial had earlier convicted the former general on 14 out of 18 counts relating to stealing and financial misconduct.

She also explained that the commission complied with all legal procedures for final forfeiture, including public notification through newspaper publications. No individual or organisation came forward to challenge the application.

Justice Dipeolu subsequently ruled that the anti-graft agency had proven its case and ordered the shares to be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government, in favour of Nigerian Army Properties Limited.

The forfeiture proceedings were brought under Section 44(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution and Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.

With the latest ruling by the Court of Appeal, Mohammed’s attempt to overturn his conviction has effectively failed, reinforcing the disciplinary action earlier taken by military authorities and marking a major judicial decision in Nigeria’s ongoing fight against corruption within public institutions.

Appeal Court Upholds Conviction of Ex-Army General, Orders ₦4bn Refund

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JUST IN: Fire Guts Section of Federal Secretariat in Abuja

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Federal Secretariat In Abuja

JUST IN: Fire Guts Section of Federal Secretariat in Abuja

A fire outbreak at the Federal Secretariat Complex, Abuja triggered panic on Monday morning after a section of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation was engulfed in thick smoke.

The incident occurred around 8:20 a.m. and affected Section C of the multi-storey building located within the federal government administrative complex in Abuja.

Eyewitnesses said heavy black smoke billowed from the affected floor, forcing workers and visitors to evacuate the building immediately as the situation escalated.

Videos circulating on social media showed plumes of smoke rising from the structure while staff members hurried out of the premises as security officials began clearing the area.

Officials from the media department of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation later confirmed the incident, noting that the fire was restricted to Section C of the building.

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“The fire outbreak is limited to Section C of the building and is currently being attended to by emergency officials,” the office said in a statement.

Personnel from the Federal Fire Service and other emergency agencies were quickly deployed to the scene to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to other parts of the complex.

Security personnel also cordoned off sections of the secretariat while firefighters battled the flames.

The incident reportedly disrupted normal activities around the complex, with workers temporarily stranded outside the building and vehicular movement around the area slowed as emergency vehicles gained access to the premises.

Authorities have not yet confirmed whether there were casualties or major structural damage, but officials said efforts were ongoing to fully extinguish the fire and secure the facility.

The cause of the fire had not been determined as of the time of filing this report, and investigations are expected to commence once the situation is brought under control.

JUST IN: Fire Guts Section of Federal Secretariat in Abuja

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