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How gunmen killed eight persons in Gov Uzodinma’s home attack
- IPOB commander killed as troops raid ESN hqts
A team of 12 men armed with AK 47 and grenades on Saturday killed about eight people, including three security personnel, and set ablaze the country home of Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State at Omuma, Oru East Local Government Area of the state.
Several vehicles parked on the premises were also burnt in the latest orgy of violence in the state.
Many people were wounded and subsequently hospitalised.
The state government, which claimed the attack was politically motivated, said “vigilant security operatives attached to the governor’s house successfully repelled the attack and consequently minimised damage.”
The Nation reports that moments before the attack, a special security squad had swooped on the alleged operational headquarters of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN) in nearby Awoomama, killing a man called Ikonso said to be the coordinator of the recent deadly attacks on the headquarters of the State Police Command and the Nigerian Correctional Service facility both in Owerri.
Leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, vowed Saturday night to avenge the death of his aide.
Residents of Omuma said the attack on Uzodinma’s house was launched at about 9am soon after information spread about the overnight attack on Ikonso and his gang.
Some youths allegedly angered by the security raid on Awoomama were said to have marched to Mgidi in Oru West and later to Omuma where the governor’s private residence is located.
The youths were soon joined at the building by the gunmen who came through the Oguta axis of the state.
On their arrival in the town, the gunmen first shot two yet to be identified security men at Oguta Junction dead.
A source said that the hooded gunmen forced their way into Uzodinma’s compound after breaking down the iron gates with the aid of grenade and proceeded to set it and vehicles parked therein ablaze.
Six security men on guard duty at the governor’s residence were said to have been killed by the gunmen, but the police confirmed three dead.
The sound of their gunshots sent some residents scampering for their lives.
Many fled to neighbouring communities including Atta in Njaba and Amiri and Akatta communities in Oru East.
Hundreds of villagers from Ozuh and Etiti villages, Omuma community in Oru East LGA, were also seen fleeing.
A video recording purportedly of the attack surfaced last night, showing hooded men during the raid. Some of the attackers were dressed in black.
One was seen rushing inside with used tyre ostensibly to start the fire.
The authenticity of the video could not be immediately ascertained.
It’s handiwork of political opponents, says government
The State government said through Information and Strategy Commissioner Declan Emelumba that gallant security operatives repelled the attack on the governor’s country home.
But he said the attack was politically motivated.
He said, “At about 9am today, Saturday, April 24, a group of hoodlums numbering about 15, driving in a motorcade of three vehicles accompanied by a tipper loaded with used tyres, stormed the country home of the governor in Omuma, Oru East LGA and attempted to burn down the house.
“However, vigilant security operatives attached to the governor’s house successfully repelled the attack and consequently minimised the damage they had planned to unleash.
“In the crossfire that ensued, a few casualties were recorded. Preliminary investigation suggests that the foiled attack may have been politically sponsored.
“The government has directed the relevant security agencies to expedite investigation on the incident and promptly apprehend the sponsors and their agents and bring them to justice.
Also reacting, the state’s police command PPRO, Orlando Ikeokwu, said in a statement that the hoodlums threw a petrol bomb at the governor’s house.
He said, “Yes, I can confirm the story. The hoodlums attacked the governor’s house by throwing in petrol bomb as a result of which two cars were burnt. But they were successfully repelled and none of the buildings was set ablaze.
“One unarmed personnel of the NSCDC was killed in the process. The hoodlums, while escaping, also killed a Police Sergeant and another NSCDC personnel who were both in their private vehicles at Mgbidi Junction.”
The Army spokesman, 34 Artillery Brigand Obinze, Imo State, Lt. Babatunde Zubairu told The Nation that soldiers never shot at any youth.
“I am not aware that youths were killed or a woman was shot by the soldiers, but I know that the governor’s house was attacked by unknown gunmen. The police personnel and our men at the compound repelled them,” he said.
Meanwhile, it was learnt that Army Command drafted soldiers from 34 Artillery Brigade Obinze to take over Oru East and West Council areas of the state to secure the areas against further attacks.
The IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary Emma Powerful declined to talk on the development.
He said, “We are not granting interview now, but Uzodimma wants to try us.”
The security team comprising soldiers, policemen and Department of State Services (DSS) personnel, also recovered from the alleged gangsters assorted guns, ammunition and charms.
The Nation gathered that the security team had trailed Ikonso and his men to the building following painstaking investigation of the Owerri attacks.
A gun battle ensued between the two sides as soon as the suspects sighted the team, which lasted till early yesterday with the bandits losing out.
By the time the exchange of gunfire subsided, Ikonso and six of his men lay dead.
Ikonso is said to be a native of Awo-Omamma, about 20 minutes drive from Owerri.
Sources said he coordinated all foreign donations to IPOB and usually disbursed same to IPOB sub units.
It was gathered that he had been promised the position of vice president in the ‘Republic of Biafra’ hence his dedication to the IPOB cause.
Confirming the operation via a statement, the Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima, said the operation was launched following “a detailed intelligence report on the location of the terrorists’ Operational Headquarters and the movement of the overall Commander popularly known as Ikonson Commander.”
He said four security operatives, including an Army officer and three policemen were killed in the operation.
Yerima said: “The IRT (Intelligence Response Team) and DSS teams along with troops of 82 Division of the Nigerian Army have been on the trail of the terror group since the unfortunate attacks on the Imo State Police Command and the Owerri Correctional Centre on 5 April, 2021.
“The said Ikonson commander, who was the mastermind of those attacks in addition to multiple attacks in the South East and South South regions, was neutralised along with six of his top commanders.”
The statement added, “So far, three AK 47 riffles, a Toyota Sienna van belonging to the terrorists and several other items of value including drugs suspected to be psychotropic substances were recovered and are being processed by the intelligence team to assist in further investigations and operations in the area.”
News
Ondo election: Again, INEC shifts collation of results to noon
Ondo election: Again, INEC shifts collation of results to noon
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has shifted the collation of results for the Ondo State governorship election from 5am to noon.
The Returning Officer, Prof Olayemi Akinwunmi, had earlier announced that collation of the remaining five council areas will resume by 5 a.m. (Sunday), but later said it commences by noon.
Prof Akinwunmi is the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Lokoja.
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Akinwunmi, who announced the recess, said it is to give room for the arrival of results from the remaining council areas.
He said: “We have five more local governments but we are going to take our recess now until 5am to receive some receive from Akure North, Okitipupa and Odigbo, then Ilaje and Eseodo. We resume 5am for these local governments.”
According to results from 13 of the 18 local government areas announced so far by INEC, Aiyedatiwa has polled 259,851 votes ahead of his closest rival and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Agboola Ajayi, who scored 81,031 votes.
Ondo election: Again, INEC shifts collation of results to noon
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Ondo gov: PDP, APC bought votes, says rights group
Ondo gov: PDP, APC bought votes, says rights group
The Centre for Democracy and Development West Africa (CDD-West Africa), through its Election Analysis Centre (CDD-EAC), has said that the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) bought votes from the electorate for as low as N3,000 and N5,000 respectively during the Saturday’s off-cycle governorship election in Ondo State.
Prof. Victor Adetula, Lead, CDD-EAC Observation Mission Ondo 2024; and Dr. Dauda Garuba, Director, CDD-West Africa, said this in CDD’s EAC preliminary statement on the conduct of the 2024 Ondo State governorship election, presented by Ms Oluseyi Awojulugbe, a member of the CDD-EAC.
The report also said that the election recorded lower incidents of disinformation and information manipulation, also referred to as fake new compared to the recently concluded off-cycle September 21 governorship election in Edo State.
“CDD-EAC notes a lot of instances of vote buying. In Okitipupa LGA, Ward 09, Unit 003 (Irowa, Ilutitun 3), voters were solicited for their votes, with APC allegedly offering ₦10,000 per voter and PDP ₦3,000.
“In Odigbo LGA, Ward 01, Unit 001 (Oja Baale, Agbabu), reports of vote-buying were noted, with APC allegedly offering ₦10,000 and PDP ₦5,000 per voter.
“Our observers also noted that some party agents started transferring money to voters to circumvent having to hold cash. In Ese-Odo, Ward 07, Unit 013 (Tari Ama Zion Ugo Community, Arogbo Ward 2), Vote-buying was observed at this polling unit, with PDP offering ₦3,000 and APC offering ₦5,000 to voters.
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“CDD observers watching the process in Ward 5, PU 001, located at St Johns Primary School, Iba Akoko South East spotted APC leaders writing down the names of those who voted for their candidate.
“Subsequently, a card was given to them and they were instructed to converge at an agreed location where cash would be disbursed to them.
“In Ward 005, PU 001, St Barnabas Primary School, Ifon, CDD-EAC observers saw policemen arguing over money shared by a party stalwart.
“The policemen reportedly frowned that about 10 of them were given N100,000 while only one official from another branch of the armed services allegedly got N15,000,” the report said.
The CDD-EAC said that the vote buying incidents and behaviour of party agents sparked multiple conflicts during the voting process, listing Idanre LGA, Ward 06, PU 004 (Methodist High School), where APC agents were accused of strategically monitoring voters’ choices, a move initially defended by security officials but later curtailed after protests.
The report, however, commended the prompt arrival of electoral officials at polling units (PUs), with 99% of CDD-EAC observers reporting that the INEC officials were at their stations before 8:30am.
Observers also reported cases of rowdiness in the polling environment with some youths disagreeing in some cases about the initiative by poll officials to allow elderly voters to cast their ballots first, leading to the disruption of the process, despite the intervention of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) at Post Office Premises, Akungba Akoko, Akoko South West.
On disinformation and information manipulation, the report said that the numbers of false narratives, claims and counter claims in the Ondo State governorship election have been relatively low, compared to other recent polls.
It said, “In the campaign period, and on Election Day, 13 claims have so far been reported and fact checked by CDD War Room.
“This is low, compared to the 61 claims reported during the same period in the Edo election, representing a 79% increase between the two elections. While 12 of these claims have been assessed to be either false or misleading, the sole claim peddled on voting day was adjudged to be true.”
Ondo gov: PDP, APC bought votes, says rights group
News
Obasanjo takes jab at Tinubu govt, says Nigeria’s failing state obvious
Obasanjo takes jab at Tinubu govt, says Nigeria’s failing state obvious
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said Nigeria’s current state under President Bola Tinubu is in a terrible shape.
Indeed, he labelled the country’s status as a “failing state” marked by pervasive corruption and leadership failure.
Obasanjo gave the position during his keynote address at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum held at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
A statement released by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, quoted Obasanjo as referring to President Tinubu with the epithets “Baba-go-slow” and “Emilokan,” a term popularized during Tinubu’s election campaign, to underscore what he viewed as lackluster leadership.
He stated that the nation’s dire situation was evident to “every honest person.”
Delivering a lecture titled “Leadership Failure and State Capture in Nigeria”, Obasanjo warned that the nation was sinking deeper into insecurity, division, and underdevelopment.
He attributed these issues to widespread corruption, mediocrity, and a lack of accountability.
“The more the immorality and corruption of a nation, the more the nation sinks into chaos, insecurity, conflict, and disunity,” Obasanjo said. “The failing state status of Nigeria is confirmed and glaringly indicated for all to see.”
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Drawing inspiration from Chinua Achebe’s 1983 treatise “The Trouble with Nigeria”, Obasanjo reiterated that the nation’s challenges stemmed from a failure of leadership.
He dismissed notions that cultural or environmental factors are to blame, emphasizing instead the inability of leaders to rise to the occasion.
Obasanjo also accused the political elite of engaging in state capture, a form of corruption where powerful groups manipulate national policies, laws, and resources for personal gain.
He highlighted the sale of national assets at undervalued prices and the undue influence of interest groups in shaping Nigeria’s economic and political landscape.
“State capture is one of the most pervasive forms of corruption,” Obasanjo declared.
“What is happening in Nigeria – right before our eyes – is state capture, where public institutions are subject to undue influence from vested interests.”
The former president criticized the intertwining of business and political elites through family ties, lobbying, and vote-buying, which he argued prioritized private gain over public welfare.
He warned of the long-term implications on education, healthcare, infrastructure, and economic development.
On a hopeful note, Obasanjo maintained that Nigeria’s challenges are surmountable, provided the nation’s leadership embraces accountability and reforms.
In honoring Chinua Achebe, Obasanjo praised the late literary icon for his lasting contributions to Nigerian society, describing him as “a great and distinguished Nigerian.”
The speech has sparked debate about Nigeria’s current trajectory and the responsibility of its leaders to address deep-seated challenges.
Obasanjo takes jab at Tinubu govt, says Nigeria’s failing state obvious
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