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Cultists disrupt Soludo’s scheduled meeting, attack Anambra rights activist

Published

4 years ago

April 29, 2022

Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo

Suspected cultists wielding guns and other dangerous weapons disrupted a meeting that was scheduled to be held between the Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, and tricycle operators, on Thursday.

It was gathered that the incident happened at the Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka.

The tricycle operators had gathered to thank the governor for the bold step he took in stamping out touting and all forms of illegal revenue collections as well as to notify him of the latest development in that sector since he announced the decision to stop touting in the state.

It was gathered that the hoodlums also targeted a human rights activist, Osita Obi, who had been at the forefront of the fight to rid the state of touts.

It took the intervention of the police officers from the B Division Awka to rescue the 60-year-old activist.

According to an eyewitness, “The Keke drivers were waiting patiently at the Ekwueme Square for the arrival of the governor to thank him for the bold step he took to stamp out touting and all forms of illegal revenue collections as well as to intimate him with the goings-on in the field barely one month he took the decision to fight touting to a standstill in Anambra State.

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“They had all assembled when suddenly two tricycles loaded with about 11 armed thugs invaded the venue, identified the said Comrade Osita Obi, and pounced on him, beating him mercilessly until the police operatives from B Division Awka came just in time; shooting in the air and rescued the activist from the hoodlums.

“The hoodlums were sent to disrupt the governor’s interface with the Keke drivers.”

Speaking with our correspondent in his hospital bed at the emergency unit of the Chukwumeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku Awka, Obi said if not for the timely intervention of the police, he would have been a dead man.

He said, “We were patiently waiting for the governor’s arrival when some armed young men descended on me and hit me with all kinds of weapons with the intention to kill me because I was supporting the governor’s decision to end all manners of illegal revenue collections, especially from Keke drivers.

“We gathered at the Ekwueme Square to thank the governor for removing touts and cultists from Keke operation and also to give him feedback on what is happening in the field. So, not long, one Collins Ozojiofor, alias Snoop, came with some boys to attack me.

“They stole my phone, my eye glasses and stole the N50,000 I had on me. They beat me mercilessly. You can see my swollen face. I have pains all over me. Their mission was to kill me. Some of the Keke drivers alerted the Police Public Relations Officer who then called the DPO of B Division and they came there and rescued me and took all of us to the police headquarters.

“There at the police headquarters, while we were waiting for the commissioner to come and talk to us, I fainted. That was how I was rushed first to the Government House clinic, because I wanted the government to be aware of what we are doing. So, the Chief Protocol Officer directed that I should go to the Commissioner for Health who also directed that I should come to the emergency unit here.”

He said the fight against illegal revenue collections was not Soludo’s fight alone. He said citizens ought to support him with feedback.

He, therefore, thanked the state government for taking care of his hospital bills, saying that he would continue to fight to ensure that revenue touts were completely eliminated from the state.

Also speaking, a tricycle driver, Udeh Chidubem, stated that they had cried to the government as well as the leadership of the state union over imposition of illegal levies on them to no avail, which he said resulted in series of protests before the Soludo government.

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Related Topics:anambra Cultists Featured meeting rights activist Soludo

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First Daughter of Murtala Muhammed Reflects on Life Without Father, Preserving His Legacy

Published

2 hours ago

February 13, 2026

Trends Admin

Aisha Muhammed Oyebode and late General Murtala Ramat Muhammed

First Daughter of Murtala Muhammed Reflects on Life Without Father, Preserving His Legacy

Aisha Muhammed Oyebode, the first daughter of late General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, has opened up about the challenges of growing up without her father, the late military head of state assassinated on February 13, 1976, and her ongoing work in philanthropy, governance, and education.

In an exclusive interview, Aisha, who is a lawyer, entrepreneur, author, activist, and philanthropist, described losing her father at age 12 as a profoundly harrowing experience. She recalled the “silence of absence” and the “noise of expectation” that followed his death, explaining that she had to grow up quickly while navigating the pressures of public scrutiny and preserving her father’s legacy.

“My father treated corruption as an emergency, not a talking point. He believed in strong leadership, discipline, clarity of purpose, and a deep commitment to Nigeria,” she said.

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Aisha also highlighted the stabilizing role of her mother, Ajoke Muhammed, who raised six children after the assassination, instilling discipline, resilience, and a focus on education.

Currently, Aisha is the Group CEO of Asset Management Group Limited and the CEO of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF), where she champions girls’ education and youth empowerment. She noted that, particularly in northern Nigeria, female primary net attendance rates are as low as 47.3–47.7%, with young women’s illiteracy reaching 70.8%.

“From our experience, the solution to girls’ education must be holistic — removing economic barriers, ensuring safety, fostering community ownership, and making education relevant to livelihoods,” she said.

She emphasized that educating girls stabilizes families and strengthens the nation, adding that the MMF Foundation has been instrumental in providing scholarships, school feeding programs, and community initiatives to enhance female education.

Reflecting on her father’s legacy, Aisha described him as a man of humility, vision, and principle, whose simple resting place in Kano reflects a life devoted to duty rather than display. She and her siblings have committed to refurbishing his grave and that of their brother Zack while carrying forward his vision through their work.

“A grave does not hold a legacy — people do. The real monument to his memory is in how we choose to live, and the kind of Nigeria we are willing to build,” she said.

Aisha’s reflections combine personal remembrance, national history, and advocacy, highlighting the enduring influence of Murtala Muhammed on his family and the nation, while underscoring the importance of education, integrity, and principled leadership in Nigeria today.

First Daughter of Murtala Muhammed Reflects on Life Without Father, Preserving His Legacy

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Anambra Police Arrest Motel Owner, Two Others Over Firearms, Drug Trafficking

Published

2 hours ago

February 13, 2026

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Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga

Anambra Police Arrest Motel Owner, Two Others Over Firearms, Drug Trafficking

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested three individuals, including a motel owner, in Uke, Idemili North Local Government Area, for alleged possession of illegal firearms and involvement in illicit drug activities.

Police spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga disclosed that the suspects — Ifeanyi Ibeabuchi (39), Abdullahi Shaibu (26), and Obah Chima (18) — were apprehended by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad Awkuzu following credible intelligence.

The raid, carried out in the late hours of February 9, 2026, led to the seizure of multiple controlled substances, including Cannabis Sativa, Crystal Methamphetamine, Colos, and Mkpuru-mmiri. Authorities also recovered a Jojef pump action gun (breach number 21SA-0724) loaded with three live cartridges at the scene.

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Ikenga noted that Ibeabuchi confessed to the offenses during initial investigations, which helped law enforcement track and arrest the two other suspects.

“The Command reiterates its commitment to sustaining ongoing operations against criminal elements in the state and urges members of the public to continue providing useful information to aid policing efforts. Further developments will be communicated as the investigation progresses,” the spokesperson said.

The Anambra State Police Command has vowed to continue targeted operations against firearms and drug-related crimes, reinforcing efforts to enhance public safety in the state.

Anambra Police Arrest Motel Owner, Two Others Over Firearms, Drug Trafficking

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2 Nigerians Killed While Fighting for Russian Army in Ukraine War

Published

3 hours ago

February 13, 2026

Trends Admin

Hamzat Kazeen Kolawole and Mbah Stephen Udoka

2 Nigerians Killed While Fighting for Russian Army in Ukraine War

Two Nigerian men have reportedly died while serving in the Russian Armed Forces during the ongoing Russia–Ukraine War in eastern Luhansk.

The deceased, Hamzat Kazeen Kolawole, 42, and Mbah Stephen Udoka, 38, were reportedly attached to the 423rd Guards Motor Rifle Regiment of the 4th Guards Kantemirovskaya Tank Division, according to Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence. Their bodies were discovered in late November 2025, highlighting the growing risks faced by foreign nationals recruited into Russia’s military operations.

Kolawole and Udoka reportedly signed contracts with the Russian army in the second half of 2025 — Kolawole on August 29 and Udoka on September 28. Udoka received no formal military training and was sent to the front just five days after enlistment on October 3. Kolawole also appears to have been deployed with minimal preparation, raising concerns over the treatment of foreign recruits.

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The men were killed in a drone strike while attempting to storm Ukrainian positions, and Ukrainian authorities reported that they did not engage in conventional combat before their deaths. Kolawole is survived by a wife and three children in Nigeria.

Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence has used the incident to caution foreign nationals against travelling to Russia for employment, warning that recruits may be sent into dangerous combat units with little or no training. The deaths come amid increased recruitment of foreign fighters from Africa into Russian forces, sparking concern among human rights and foreign policy observers.

This development highlights the risks associated with participation in the Ukraine conflict as a foreign mercenary and underscores the humanitarian and security issues arising from the recruitment of untrained personnel into active combat zones.