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Tension heightens in S/East as gunmen renew killings

Published

5 years ago

July 17, 2021

The peaceful atmosphere being enjoyed in the South East geopolitical zone after the activities of the infamous unknown gunmen strikes that led to the death of many people in the area has again been cut short following renewed attacks in parts of the zone.

In the last two weeks, no fewer than 20 lives have been lost, including high profile personalities like the Director General of federal government –owned Science Equipment Development Institute, SEDI, Enugu, Professor Samuel Ndubuisi, Anambra State –born billionaire and philanthropist, Chief Philip Udala, team manager of Udala Football Club in Anambra State, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of AutoEase Service Limited, Ifeanyi Okeke, two soldiers attached to the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, as well as a police orderly of Chief Udala, among others.

For instance, the killing of Udala, who hailed from Uke in Idemili, was so bizarre as it happened in the full glare of passersby and traders at the Eke Agu market in Abatete in Idemili North local government area of the state. When Udala left his house that fateful morning, little did he know that he would not come back alive. His assailants had ambushed his convoy around the market and opened fire at close range and when their guns could not do the work, they applied other means.

An eyewitness who gave her name as Chioma said: “The attackers shot him severally, but the bullets did not penetrate. They then stabbed him with knife, pushed him inside his Lexus jeep as he attempted to run away and set the car ablaze with him in the car. He struggled to come out of the car while the fire was raging, but couldn’t and he fell off the car door after he was completely burnt. The assassins also killed his driver, Peter, the team manager of his club,, Godsent, his security detail, Paul and another policeman riding with him.”

According to Chioma, who claimed to be familiar with the victim, Udala returned from Lagos the previous day, not knowing that his life would come to an end the following day. Chioma added: “Udala wedded his new wife only last month and she is heavily pregnant. His new mansion at the 3 -3 area of Onitsha is at the finishing level and the opening of the new house was already being planned. He was a very generous man and did not deserve this kind of death.”

As questions were still being asked as to the motive behind the killing of Udala and his aides, suspected cultists struck in Awka the following day in a daylight operation, killing three people in the process. The suspected cultists numbering three operated in a tricycle and shot repeatedly at the popular Aroma junction unchallenged for about 20 minutes before heading to the Ifite area of the state capital where they gunned down the three persons.

Police spokesman in the state, Mr. Tochukwu Ikenga said investigations into the incidents had begun. Although cult activities had become rampant in many towns in the state, even among secondary school boys, the problem reduced after some villages in Awka formed what looked like the dreaded Bakassi Boys that held sway during the administration of former Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju and started killing and burning suspected cultists on the streets. As the people of Anambra State were wondering the cause of the return of the street killings, the Coal City of Enugu, considered as one of the safest cities in Nigeria, started recording frightening incidents of murder. Before the killing of the Director-General of the Science and Equipment Development Institute, Prof. Ndubisi along the Enugu –Port Harcourt expressway, a former High Court Judge in the state, Justice Nnaji, was shot and killed in his car in a busy area of the city. The police orderly attached to Ndubisi was also killed as they were returning from work. Forty eight hours before the killing of Ndubisi, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of AutoEase Service Limited, Mr. Ifeanyi Okeke, was also murdered in the city in the presence of his eight-year-old son.

As the people of Enugu State were wondering the cause of the increasing insecurity in the state, the Nigerian Army reported the loss of two soldiers, alleging that operatives of the Indigenous People of Biafra’s militant arm, Eastern Security Network, ESN, attacked its location at Iggah and Asaba checkpoint in Uzo Uwani local government area of the state.

According to the Director of Army Public Relations, Brig Gen Onyema Nwachukwu,, the fallen troops were deployed to checkmate the activities of gunmen at Adani community in the local government when they came under the attack of the operatives of the ESN.

“Sadly, during the fire fight that ensued between the Army and ESN, two soldiers paid the supreme price. Troops are currently on the trail of the criminals.

“We assure the general public of our commitment to provide adequate security in the general area in collaboration with other security agencies. We also urge members of the public to complement the effort of the security agencies by remaining law abiding and providing useful information on the fleeing gunmen,” Gen Nwachukwu said.

While some people blame the killings on increasing rate of cultism in the society, others finger the ESN, which they believe, appears to be regrouping after the break that followed the arrest of the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. There were also those who believe that lack of central security outfit in the zone was fueling the insecurity.

A retired civil servant, Mr. Godwin Olisakwe said the killing of prominent people, like the SEDI DG, the football club owner or the retired High Court Judge could not be mere coincidence, arguing that those who carried out the acts must have planned their execution weeks or even months before striking.

He said: “ Apart from the soldiers that were killed at checkpoint, the other killings could be properly planned assassinations, which could either be due to business gone sour, or betrayals on the part of the victims. That is why people must be very careful with what they do, especially at this period in the country where most people appear to be frustrated about happenings and could be easily provoked.”

According to him, the governors in the various states in the zone appear to have relaxed on the issue of security, which is why the people he described as hoodlums were regrouping and causing havoc in the society.

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Italy-Based Businessman Excretes 98 Wraps of Cocaine at Enugu Airport

Published

5 hours ago

August 9, 2026

Trends Admin

Italy-Based Businessman Excretes 98 Wraps of Cocaine at Enugu Airport

In a major breakthrough, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 30-year-old Italy-based businessman at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA), Enugu, after he excreted 98 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.510 kilograms while attempting to board a flight to Europe. The suspect, Joseph Cyril, was nabbed on August 2, 2026, at the departure hall of the Enugu airport during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET930, which was en route to Italy via Addis Ababa and France. According to a statement by NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, Cyril was immediately placed under excretion observation, during which he expelled all 98 pellets of the banned substance. The total weight of the recovered cocaine was put at 1.510 kilograms. Investigations revealed that Cyril had arrived in Nigeria from Italy on July 13, 2026, and ingested the drug at a hotel in Awka, Anambra State, before proceeding to Enugu to catch his return flight to Europe on August 2.

In his confessional statement, the suspect disclosed that he had been running a legitimate business in Italy for several years before agreeing to traffic the cocaine consignment. He claimed he accepted the task in exchange for €3,500 (about ₦5.8 million) to help him raise funds to relocate to Germany, where his immediate family is based. The NDLEA noted that the arrest is part of the agency’s intensified efforts to curb drug trafficking through Nigerian airports and land borders.

Beyond the Enugu operation, the NDLEA recorded several other significant seizures across the country within the same period, demonstrating the widespread nature of the agency’s crackdown. In Lagos, operatives thwarted attempts by trafficking syndicates to export 1.2 kilograms of cocaine concealed inside 25 pieces of phone chargers destined for Saudi Arabia through a courier company. In a similar operation, officers intercepted 500 grams of cocaine hidden in the false bottom of a backpack that was being shipped to Italy via another logistics firm on August 3, 2026. Also in Lagos, a consignment containing 2.3 kilograms of Loud — a potent synthetic strain of cannabis — originating from the United States, was seized at a shipping company on August 4, 2026.

Italy-Based Businessman Excretes 98 Wraps of Cocaine at Enugu Airport

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Police Arrest Five Pakistani Nationals in Benue, Recover 35 Mobile Phones

Published

12 hours ago

August 9, 2026

Trends Admin

Police Arrest Five Pakistani Nationals in Benue, Recover 35 Mobile Phones

The Benue State Police Command has arrested five Pakistani nationals and recovered 35 mobile phones in separate intelligence-led operations conducted in Otukpo and Ugbokolo areas of the state . According to a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Orchia Peter Aondongu, operatives acting on credible intelligence arrested three Pakistani nationals on August 4, 2026, at Adoka Motor Park in Otukpo Local Government Area . The suspects were identified as Younas Mohammad, 36; Ahmad Nunil, 38; and Aslam Muhammad, 46. They were intercepted while attempting to board a vehicle to Adoka village . During preliminary questioning, the suspects claimed they were in Otukpo to market cosmetics and mobile gadgets. However, police noted that none of the items they claimed to be selling was found in their possession, raising questions about their activities and movements in the area .

In a separate operation on August 5, 2026, police arrested two other Pakistani nationals, Juma Sharif, 30, and Muhammed Sharif, 25, at a local hotel in Ugbokolo following credible intelligence . The two suspects reportedly told investigators they were dealers in Android phones. A search of their belongings led to the recovery of 11 Tecno Camon 50 Pro mobile phones . Further investigation and operational follow-up resulted in the recovery of an additional 23 Tecno Camon 50 Pro phones and one Infinix Hot 60 phone, bringing the total number of recovered mobile devices to 35 .

The police disclosed that the five suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Makurdi, where discreet and comprehensive investigations are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding their presence, activities, and movements within the state . The Command stated that it strongly suspects the possession of the mobile phones is a decoy for clandestine activities in the rural areas of the state, noting that this is even more probable as the suspects have limited proficiency in speaking or understanding English . The Commissioner of Police, Benue State Command, CP Cletus Nwadiogbu, commended the officers involved in the operations and members of the public whose timely information contributed to the arrests . He further urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons, movements or activities to the Police, pledging that the Command will continue to work with relevant stakeholders and members of the public to maintain peace and security across Benue State . The Command reassured the public that the operations form part of its proactive, intelligence-led policing strategy aimed at identifying potential security threats, preventing criminal activities, and safeguarding lives and property across the state .

Police Arrest Five Pakistani Nationals in Benue, Recover 35 Mobile Phones

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EFCC Acted Lawfully in Freezing Osun Account – Falana

Published

1 day ago

August 8, 2026

Trends Admin

Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights lawyer, Femi Falana

EFCC Acted Lawfully in Freezing Osun Account – Falana

Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has declared that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) did not act illegally by restricting the Osun State Government’s statutory allocation account. He cited landmark court judgments that affirm the anti-graft agency’s powers to investigate state finances, while also faulting President Bola Tinubu’s intervention on procedural grounds.

The controversy surrounding the EFCC’s decision to place a Post-No-Debit restriction on an Osun State Government account domiciled with First Bank has sparked intense debate across the country. The commission disclosed that the action was part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged fraudulent handling of approximately ₦11 billion in Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds, and Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations . According to the EFCC, investigators detected what it described as “precipitate and unwarranted movement of funds” from the account to various corporate entities beginning on August 2, 2026, prompting the need for swift intervention to prevent further diversion of public resources . The commission clarified that the restriction applied to only one account and was not a blanket freeze on all state government finances, a distinction that has been largely overlooked in public discourse surrounding the matter . The EFCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, defended the action, stating that the commission derived its powers from Section 34 of the EFCC Act and Section 7(6) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 .

Falana made his declaration on Friday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, wading into the controversy with a clear legal opinion that sought to clarify the legal basis for the EFCC’s action. The senior lawyer stated categorically that “as far as the law is concerned, the EFCC has not acted illegally” . He explained that under Nigerian law, the commission possesses the legal authority to freeze accounts belonging to the federal government, state governments, and local governments, provided it complies with the statutory requirement to obtain a court order within the prescribed period . According to Falana, the EFCC can impose a temporary restriction on an account for up to 72 hours without judicial authorisation, after which it must secure a court order to maintain the freeze . He maintained that the commission followed this legal framework in the Osun case, noting that the EFCC had indeed approached the Federal High Court, which “intervened based on information provided by the EFCC” . This judicial intervention, he argued, validated the EFCC’s actions under the existing legal framework, and the Osun State Government had appropriately challenged the legality and validity of the court order, rather than merely questioning the timing of the action .

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The legal history of the EFCC’s powers provides important context for understanding the current controversy, and Falana traced this history to demonstrate that the commission’s authority had been repeatedly affirmed by superior courts. He recalled that in 2019, the Federal High Court in Benue State had ruled that the commission lacked the authority to freeze the state government’s account and awarded N50 million in damages against the agency . However, he said the EFCC successfully appealed that decision, and in September 2022, the Court of Appeal overturned the lower court’s ruling, affirming the commission’s power to impose a Post-No-Debit restriction on a government account for up to 72 hours before obtaining a court order . “That remains the law in Nigeria today,” Falana said, emphasising that the Court of Appeal’s decision had not been overturned by any higher court and therefore remained binding on all lower courts and government agencies .

Beyond the Court of Appeal decision, Falana also referenced a 2024 Supreme Court judgment that further solidified the EFCC’s authority to investigate state finances. This judgment arose from a suit instituted by the Kogi State Government and joined by several other states, which challenged the authority of federal anti-corruption agencies to investigate state government finances . Falana stated that the apex court examined all relevant constitutional and statutory provisions and concluded that agencies including the EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) have the power to probe accounts at the federal, state, and local government levels . He added that anyone dissatisfied with the existing legal framework should seek an amendment through the National Assembly rather than questioning the EFCC’s statutory mandate . “If Nigerians—those who are concerned—want the law changed, they can go to the National Assembly. But for now, as of today, EFCC has the power to freeze the account of any state and, in not more than 72 hours, has to go to court,” he said, making it clear that the legal question had been definitively settled .

The political dimension of the controversy emerged when President Bola Tinubu directed the EFCC to approach the court to vacate the order and discontinue the restriction, citing concerns about the timing so close to the August 15 Osun State governorship election . Tinubu stated that he was “deeply embarrassed” by the timing of the action, although he acknowledged the commission acted within its statutory powers by obtaining the court order . He said preserving public confidence in the integrity and credibility of the election informed his decision, a position that drew both support and criticism from various quarters . The President’s intervention raised questions about the appropriate limits of executive authority in relation to independent anti-corruption agencies, and whether such intervention could set a dangerous precedent for future investigations .

Falana, however, faulted President Tinubu’s intervention, arguing that the President ought to have respected the statutory independence of the EFCC and acted through the Attorney-General under Section 174 of the Constitution . He stated, “In intervening in the Osun State crisis, President Tinubu ought to have respected the independent status of the EFCC and the due process of law. As far as the law is concerned, the EFCC chairman is not at the beck and call of the President” . Falana noted that the Osun State Government had already taken legal steps to challenge the freezing order before Tinubu intervened, meaning the matter should have been resolved through the judicial process rather than through a direct presidential instruction to the anti-graft agency . He suggested that Tinubu could have directed the Attorney-General to take over the case under Section 174, with a view to withdrawing the case or not opposing the motion filed by the Osun State Government to vacate the ex parte order . Despite faulting the procedure, Falana appeared to welcome the eventual move towards restoring access to the state government’s funds, quoting William Shakespeare: “All is well that ends well” , indicating his pragmatic acceptance of the resolution while still criticising the process .

Looking beyond the immediate controversy, Falana also warned against establishing a precedent under which anti-corruption agencies would be expected to suspend investigations merely because an election is approaching . He argued that such an approach could provide governments with a window to move public funds without scrutiny during election periods, warning that “we must be very careful that we don’t give a dangerous impression that when elections are 10 days away, 20 days away, 30 days away, the anti-graft agencies must turn the other eye” . This warning reflects broader concerns about the integrity of electoral processes and the need for continued oversight of public finances, particularly during periods when governments may be tempted to use state resources for political purposes . Falana’s comments underscore the delicate balance between ensuring free and fair elections and maintaining robust anti-corruption enforcement, a balance that Nigerian authorities continue to navigate in practice .

EFCC Acted Lawfully in Freezing Osun Account – Falana