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Anambra: Gunmen kill two soldiers, burn secretariat, court, 32 vehicles
Gunmen went on the rampage in Anambra State between Sunday and Monday as they killed two soldiers, kidnapped a lawmaker, set ablaze a local government secretariat, an office of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, a magistrate’s court building as well as over 32 vehicles.
The attacks came less than three days after the state Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, visited the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, in the custody of the Department of State Services.
The gunmen on Sunday shot dead a vigilante at the Eke Oko community in the Aguata Local Government Area.
The victim, who was on a motorcycle, was putting on a mobile police T-shirt when the gunmen overtook and shot him dead.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Toochukwu Ikenga, said policemen recovered the victim’s lifeless body.
“Preliminary information shows that the yet-to-be-identified victim is not a member of the Nigeria Police Force,” he added.
Gunmen also stormed the Idemili North LGA secretariat in Ogidi on the same night and set ablaze the secretariat office and a magistrate’s court on the council premises.
Sources said the hoodlums burnt all files and property in the secretariat.
Over 32 vehicles parked inside the secretariat were also reportedly razed.
The police spokesman, Ikenga, attributed the incident to unidentified arsonists.
It was gathered that the gunmen proceeded to the Ogidi district office of the EEDC, not far from the secretariat and set it ablaze.
Our correspondent learnt that about 32 utility and operational vehicles were burnt during the incident, including other assets and equipment on the premises.
It was also gathered that having gained access to the office complex by pulling down part of the wall, the criminals attacked a security guard manning the office.
They reportedly inflicted machete cuts on the guard’s head, leg and arm, as they demanded his gun, while his other colleagues ran for their lives.
Confirming the incident, the Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC, Mr Emeka Ezeh, expressed displeasure that efforts made to reach the Anambra State Fire Service did not yield any positive result.
Ezeh said members of staff who were on ground were helpless, as they watched the office building and other assets go up in flames.
He said, “It later took the intervention of the Commissioner for Utilities, Mr Julius Chukwuemeka, around 9.05am to bring the fire service team down to the scene of the incident.
“This is a big loss to EEDC, and a great setback to the efforts being made by the company to strengthen its network and improve the quality of service to its customers within Ogidi and Anambra State at large.”
In another development, a group of gunmen kidnapped a member of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Dr Okechukwu Okoye.
The lawmaker, popularly known as Okey Di Okay, was kidnapped late on Sunday while driving in his Sienna car.
Confirming the incident, the police spokesman, Ikenga, said the lawmaker’s black Sienna bus, which he was driving before the incident, had been recovered, adding that the command had launched a manhunt for the kidnappers with the aim of rescuing him.
In another separate attack, a group of hoodlums, wielding weapons, including guns, opened fire on a military checkpoint at the 3-3 Estate in Nkwelle Ezunaka, near Onitsha.
The soldiers were said to have retaliated, as a gun battle ensued thereafter.
Two soldiers died in the shootout.
According to sources, the shooting started around 10pm on Sunday and lasted till early Monday, with bullets flying in the air and dropping on rooftops.
A resident, who did not want her name mentioned, said the neighbourhood was scared throughout the night as gunshots rent the air.
She said, “Yesterday night at housing estate gate, unknown gunmen attacked the military men securing us. There was three hours of gunfire. My estate was hot from 10pm to 12am.”
It was learnt that the gunmen also visited the Government Reserved Area in Onitsha, where they shot intermittently.
Also confirming the incident, Ikenga said, “Information before me shows that on May 15, 2022, around 9.30pm, there was a shooting incident along the Onitsha-Otuocha Road by 3-3 area.
“The command, on receipt of the information, quickly deployed personnel in the area and operations are still ongoing.”
Meanwhile, the police have killed two gunmen said to be enforcing the sit-at-home in the state.
The incident happened along the Umunze Road, Orumba South LGA with the operational vehicle of the hoodlums recovered.
Confirming the development, Ikenga said, “The Anambra State Command operatives on a crime prevention patrol in the early hours of today, May 16, 2022, along Umunze Road, Orumba South LGA, engaged gunmen allegedly enforcing sit-at-home in Anambra State.
“The operatives neutralised two of the miscreants and recovered a white Toyota Hiace bus with no number plate.
“Further details show that these miscreants were obstructing the movement of innocent road users going for their businesses. The hoodlums forcefully collected their motorbikes and tricycles, chased away the passengers and set the motorcycles and tricycles ablaze.
“Meanwhile, the police have intensified efforts towards prevention of crimes and normalcy has returned.”
PUNCH
metro
Peller Escapes Generator Fire at Lagos Home, Recalls Earlier Lekki–Epe Scare
Peller Escapes Generator Fire at Lagos Home, Recalls Earlier Lekki–Epe Scare
Nigerian TikTok sensation and streamer, Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller, has narrowly escaped injury following a generator fire incident at his residence.
The social media influencer disclosed the incident on Saturday via his verified Instagram page, where he shared a video capturing the early-morning blaze. In the footage, flames could be seen engulfing his generator as Peller, visibly shaken, cried out for help while neighbors and occupants rushed to contain the fire.
After sustained efforts using buckets of water, the fire was eventually brought under control. The generator was completely destroyed, but the building itself and everyone inside the house were spared, preventing what could have escalated into a major tragedy.
Shortly after the incident, fans and followers flooded his comment section with messages of relief and gratitude, praising the swift response that prevented loss of life or further property damage. The video also circulated widely across other social media platforms, where viewers raised concerns about generator safety, ventilation, and fire preparedness in residential areas.
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As of the time of filing this report, the exact cause of the fire had not been independently confirmed, though preliminary reactions online speculated about possible fuel-related or electrical issues.
Earlier Lekki–Epe Expressway Incident
The generator fire comes months after Peller survived a separate and highly publicized scare along the Lekki–Epe Expressway.
During that earlier episode, which unfolded during a widely shared livestream, the influencer was seen driving while emotionally distressed. The broadcast, titled “RIP Peller,” sparked widespread concern after he made a series of alarming remarks that unsettled viewers.
At the time, Peller appeared agitated during a phone conversation believed to involve his girlfriend, amid online speculation about personal relationship challenges. The livestream ended abruptly after the vehicle was involved in a crash, though Peller later confirmed he survived the incident.
The back-to-back scares have renewed conversations among fans and industry observers about mental health awareness, content moderation during livestreams, and personal safety, particularly for young influencers who share real-time experiences with large audiences.
Despite the incidents, Peller has continued to engage his followers and has expressed appreciation for the overwhelming support he has received.
Peller Escapes Generator Fire at Lagos Home, Recalls Earlier Lekki–Epe Scare
metro
Abuja Church Expels Newly Married Woman Over Refusal to Consummate Marriage
Abuja Church Expels Newly Married Woman Over Refusal to Consummate Marriage
An Abuja-based church has expelled a newly married woman, Oyiza, after she allegedly refused to consummate her marriage with her husband, Isaac—an action that has sparked widespread debate over marital consent, religious authority, and women’s rights in Nigeria.
The couple, who were living in Ibadan, got married on September 6, 2025, following the completion of their traditional marriage rites in Okene and a court wedding in Ibadan. Oyiza is originally from Kogi State.
According to accounts presented by the husband and church officials, marital tensions began shortly after the wedding, with Oyiza reportedly declining all attempts at intimacy. She allegedly told her husband she did not love him and later accused her mother of pressuring her into the marriage.
Family members and church leaders reportedly intervened multiple times over several months in an attempt to resolve the matter. Despite repeated marriage counselling sessions, the woman was said to have maintained her position, insisting she was emotionally unprepared for the union.
Isaac claimed that prior to the wedding, Oyiza had expressed doubts about proceeding with the marriage but later reassured him and the church’s marriage committee that she was ready, leading to approval of the wedding plans.
Photos from the ceremony, later circulated on social media, showed Oyiza appearing cheerful among friends and church members. However, Isaac said the marriage quickly deteriorated after the wedding, describing the relationship as emotionally exhausting and restrictive.
READ ALSO:
- Pastor Sentenced to Death by Hanging for Murdering Landlord in Akwa Ibom
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In February 2026, the controversy escalated after the church released a video on its YouTube channel announcing Oyiza’s expulsion and excommunication. The church’s International Director stated that five months of mediation had failed.
During the announcement, the cleric used strong and controversial language, accusing Oyiza of spiritual misconduct and urging members to pray against her, claiming she had disgraced the church. He also referenced traditional cultural practices, suggesting that emotional readiness should not prevent marital obligations—remarks that triggered intense backlash online.
The cleric further claimed that his wife received a spiritual revelation alleging that Oyiza was under a supernatural covenant preventing marital relations. These claims were made publicly but remain unverified.
Oyiza was not present during the announcement, and efforts to obtain her response have been unsuccessful.
The incident has since generated nationwide reactions, with many Nigerians, legal commentators, and rights advocates arguing that consent within marriage is non-negotiable and that religious institutions should not compel intimacy or publicly shame individuals over private marital disputes.
The case has reignited conversations around:
- Forced marriage and family pressure
- Consent and bodily autonomy
- Limits of church authority in private relationships
- Mental health and dignity of women
As of the time of reporting, the church has not released any further statement addressing the public criticism.
Abuja Church Expels Newly Married Woman Over Refusal to Consummate Marriage
metro
Pastor Sentenced to Death by Hanging for Murdering Landlord in Akwa Ibom
Pastor Sentenced to Death by Hanging for Murdering Landlord in Akwa Ibom
Prince Emmanuel Umoh, the resident pastor of Living Faith Church Chapel, Ifa Ikot Ubo–Ifa Ikot Okpon Branch in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has been sentenced to death by hanging for the murder of his landlord, Gabriel Bassey, a 500‑level civil engineering student at the University of Uyo.
Umoh was found guilty by Justice Gabriel Ette of the Akwa Ibom State High Court after evidence showed he fatally stabbed Bassey on December 21, 2020, inside the estate in Ifa Ikot Ubo, a community in Uyo Local Government Area. The judgment was delivered following a trial that lasted more than five years.
The prosecution established that Bassey had moved into his late mother’s property in Ifa Ikot Ubo to secure the family estate and be closer to school. The property previously housed a nursery school his mother built before her death in December 2019.
Court records show that part of the estate — a hall connected to a two‑bedroom apartment occupied by Bassey and his younger brother, Emmanuel Bassey — was leased to Living Faith Church for worship and community use at an annual rent of ₦150,000, with permission from Bassey’s father, Emana Bassey, a retired principal. The church began using the hall before the full rent was paid.
Umoh, who was later appointed the chapel’s first resident pastor, was given a spare key to the deceased’s apartment to allow access to church property stored inside. Evidence presented in court revealed that after this arrangement, personal items belonging to the deceased’s late mother — including clothing, dishes and valuables — began to go missing.
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- Scientists Warn Popular Hair Extensions Contain Cancer‑Linked Chemicals
- Keyamo Defends APC Amid Public Debate, Says Party ‘Not Made Up of Saints’
- Lagos Police Arrest Officers After Fatal Alagbado Shooting Amid Public Outcry
The father, Mr. Emana Bassey, testified that he initially approved the spare key arrangement. However, when items started disappearing, he instructed his son to return the key. The defendant claimed he had lost the key, prompting concerns over security. The church’s senior pastor, Owoidoho Akpan, who testified for the defence, gave the Bassey family ₦5,000 to replace the locks. After the locks were changed, no further items were reported missing, the court heard.
Additional tensions arose between Umoh and Bassey over the use of rent funds supposedly meant for hall renovations, with disagreements escalating in the weeks leading up to the murder.
On the day of the incident, neighbours observed Umoh entering the premises shortly before cries of “Jesus” were heard. Minutes later, he was seen wearing a blood‑stained white garment, claiming he had fallen while fixing a banner. Bassey was not seen alive again.
Five days later, on December 26, 2020, Bassey’s decomposing body was found in his room, wrapped in a mat with multiple stab wounds and a butcher’s knife beside him. Forensic evidence and witness testimony linked Umoh to the crime, with bloodstains on his clothing and the fact that he was the last person seen with the deceased.
Umoh was arraigned on December 6, 2021, on a single count of murder. He pleaded not guilty, and the prosecution called six witnesses, including members of the Bassey family and church officials, to support its case.
In his lengthy judgment, Justice Ette described the crime as deeply troubling and a betrayal of trust, particularly because it was committed by a religious leader on church grounds.
“Life is sacred, and those who represent God on earth should teach that. It is an irony and quite appalling when a man who claims to be the representative of the divine on earth stoops so low as to denigrate the very essence of his calling and take someone’s life on the premises of the church,” the judge said.
He added that individuals who violate public trust in this way threaten society and must be punished in accordance with the law.
Having found the defendant guilty beyond reasonable doubt, the court pronounced sentence:
“I hereby sentence you to death by hanging.”
The conviction brings to an end nearly six years of legal proceedings and underscores the rule of law in Akwa Ibom State, even when the accused holds a position of religious leadership.
Pastor Sentenced to Death by Hanging for Murdering Landlord in Akwa Ibom
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