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Normalcy returning to Anambra after the death of ‘Double Lion’

Published

2 years ago

June 25, 2022

NORMALCY is gradually returning to the various communities in Anambra State following last week’s killing of the suspected leader of the dreaded unknown gunmen popularly called ‘Double Lion’, operating from Orlu area of Imo State through some communities in Ihiala and Nnewi South in Anambra.

Double Lion and four members of his gang were killed by a suspected rival group at Ihiala at a time moving around the state had become frightening.

It was gathered that Double Lion originally belonged to the mainstream gunmen, but later formed another more daring group. His group was the one allegedly terrorizing most communities in Anambra South senatorial zone and forcing people who have functions to pay them hundreds of thousands of naira before such functions could take place. And once the money was paid, organizers of the event were strictly warned never to invite security operatives. Recently, two persons who defied the warning at Ihiala had their houses burnt.

In the past few months, most communities in the state had become deserted as the unknown gunmen allegedly led by Double Lion infiltrated villages and moving from house to house to find those who came back from their places of abode for the purpose of kidnapping them. Apart from kidnapping for ransom, the gunmen have been killing people with impunity. The group was also said to be responsible for the confiscation of arms and ammunition procured by communities for their vigilante outfits, thereby rendering communities defenseless.

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It was therefore heartwarming to the people of the state when the lifeless bodies of Double Lion and four members of his gang were paraded by another set of gunmen after they were routed in their den at Ogwuaniocha, a sleepy village across Ulasi River in Ihiala.

According to a very reliable source, Double Lion and his members were taken unawares and therefore could not mobilize to challenge their attackers on that fateful day.

While parading their bodies last week, the other group was seen in a viral video complaining that despite their decision to stop kidnapping for ransom and killing innocent people, Double Lion had continued to terrorize Anambra State, even though he is not from the state.

An indigene of Ihiala, Mr. Damian Ngoka said: “Double Lion’and his fellow gunmen have a camp at a place called Oseakwa from where they have been terrorizing Ihiala, Okija, Uli and other neighbouring communities.

“For some time, they have been disrupting burials and demanding to be settled before any ceremony is organized. They are also the group that has been kidnapping people and snatching cars.

“ Because of their activities, the ever busy Onitsha-Owerri road has become a shadow of itself and traffic on the road has become very light. What it means is that many people no longer travel and this is affecting the economy as goods and services are no longer transported from state to state.

“You can also notice that most Anambra people have abandoned their luxury cars and refurbished their old dilapidated ones as they consider it safer to drive old cars. But things are gradually returning to normal.”

Another incident happened at a village called Umuojimaka in Akwa during a burial when rival gunmen started shooting and following the pandemonium, the family took back the corpse to the mortuary. On Thursday, the Parish Priest of St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Akwa, Ihiala, Rev Fr.Paul Onwughalu at another burial of a 58 year- old Onitsha – based businessman, Mr. Pauline Mbanugo who was also killed by gunmen in the state, recalled the earlier incident.

He said: “Our people were traumatized on that day. We were ready to start the burial Mass and suddenly shooting started from many angles. People ran in different directions and the corpse had to be hurriedly returned to the mortuary.

“We thank God that the burial of Paulinus took place without any hitch, which is an indication that things are returning to normal and we pray that it will continue to be like that so that Anambra State will continue to enjoy peace.”

Last week, another member of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Nelson Achukwu was beheaded barely one month after the member representing Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s constituency in the House of Assembly, Okechukwu Okoye was also beheaded by gunmen suspected to be the gang led by Double Lion.

Achukwu, a lawyer with physical disability, represented Nnewi South constituency between 1999 and 2003. He was kidnapped from his home in Ukpor, Nnewi South local government area on June 9, 2022 and his headless body was found by his relatives between the boundary of Uke and Nkpor in Idemili North local government area of the state.

His decomposing body had since been buried by his family and the surprising thing was that the late lawmaker was still killed after a ransom of N15 million was paid and in spite of his physically challenged condition. The beheading was also traced to Double Lion and his group.

However, for the first time in many months, a whole week had passed in Anambra State without the ugly incident of kidnapping and beheading.

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Related Topics:anambra death Double Lion’Normalcy

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$6bn fraud: Judge scolds Agunloye’s counsel over delay tactics

Published

15 hours ago

November 15, 2024

Trends Admin

Former Power and Steel Minister Olu Agunloye

$6bn fraud: Judge scolds Agunloye’s counsel over delay tactics

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal High Court, Apo, Abuja On Thursday, chastised Adeola Adedipe, SAN, counsel to former Minister of Power, Olu Agunloye, for using delay tactics to slow the pace of the former minister’s prosecution.

Agunloye is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on seven counts of official corruption and fraudulent award of the Mambilla Power Project contract worth $6 billion.

During Thursday’s hearings, the court observed that the defence counsel has been in the habit of making excuses based on Agunloye’s health and age, as well as filing various motions, ensuring that little progress has been achieved in the trial.

Addressing the defence counsel, Justice Onwuegbuzie stated that “My principle of justice is that of no delay. The other time you brought the issue of amicus curiae and wasted the time of the court. You should also know that in my court I don’t read processes.

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“If you need time to serve processes, it must reach me on time, and your colleague must also be duly aware in time. There must be mutual respect. Do not come and serve processes in court; I don’t take that in my court,” he said.

Prosecuting Counsel Abba Mohammed, SAN, informed the court at the start of proceedings that the business of the day was the adoption of the prosecution’s application for the amendment of the charge, which was filed on October 30, 2024, to which the defence responded with a counter-affidavit and a request for an adjournment to allow the prosecution to study the affidavit.

Justice Onwuegbuzie adjourned the case until November 28, 2024, to rule on the adoption of the application.

$6bn fraud: Judge scolds Agunloye’s counsel over delay tactics

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Emefiele printed new naira notes different from what Buhari approved – Ex-CBN official

Published

15 hours ago

November 15, 2024

Trends Admin

Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele

Emefiele printed new naira notes different from what Buhari approved – Ex-CBN official

The trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, continued at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama on Thursday, November 14, 2024.

A former CBN Deputy Governor, Kingsley Obiora, who served in the policy department, testified that the newly printed naira notes issued during Emefiele’s tenure deviated from the approval granted by then-President Muhammadu Buhari.

In his testimony before Justice Maryann Anenih via Zoom, Obiora disclosed, “the approval by then President Muhammadu Buhari was different from what was eventually produced,” according to a statement from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Obiora, responding to evidence presented by prosecution counsel Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, explained that he noticed discrepancies when comparing the naira notes in circulation with the President’s original directive.

During his seven-year tenure at the CBN, Obiora served on the Committee of Governors (COG), which he described as a body comprising “the governor, four deputy governors, and the director of corporate services.” He clarified, “The governor is the Chairman of the Committee, and during my tenure as Deputy Governor, Emefiele was our Chairman.” Obiora said the Committee met every Wednesday to address significant policy matters.

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Obiora recalled the initial introduction of the redesign plan during an event marking the one-year anniversary of the e-naira in Lagos on October 25, 2022. “The governor called all four deputy governors into a huddle and informed us of the plan to redesign the currency,” he said, expressing immediate concerns, as he felt “the event itself may not be the appropriate place to announce such a major policy.” He advised that the policy undergo further scrutiny before any public announcement.

Despite his reservations, Obiora noted that Emefiele proceeded with the plan, formally presenting it to the COG on October 26, 2022. “The governor mentioned that we had already had the president’s approval for the policy,” he stated, adding, “The deputy governor in charge of currency operations presented a memo, and it was discussed, deliberated upon.” Following this, a press conference was held to announce the redesign.

Obiora explained that the CBN Board was formally briefed on the naira redesign months later, in mid-December 2022. He said, “The policy was discussed at the board level mid-December. The board did not sit as day-to-day management but instead gave policy directions.” Obiora clarified that “the board’s involvement in the policy was limited to endorsing the COG’s prior decision, not initiating it.”

During cross-examination, defense counsel Olalekan Ojo, SAN, questioned Obiora about the timing of the board’s formal involvement. Ojo suggested that the December meeting “conforms with the naira notes currently in circulation,” to which Obiora responded, “Yes, sir.” He noted there had been no indication or directive from former President Buhari challenging the redesign.

Reflecting on past experiences with currency design, Obiora mentioned that while he was with the bank during the introduction of a redesigned N100 note in 2014, he was not directly involved in its development.

After delivering his testimony, Justice Anenih discharged Obiora and adjourned the case to December 4, 2024, and January 21, 2025, for further proceedings.

Emefiele printed new naira notes different from what Buhari approved – Ex-CBN official

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Train attack: ECOWAS court dismisses SERAP suit against FG

Published

15 hours ago

November 15, 2024

Trends Admin

Train attack: ECOWAS court dismisses SERAP suit against FG

The Community Court of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Court) has rejected a suit filed by a group of Nigerian activists, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) over an attack by bandits on an Abuja-Kaduna train on March 28, 2022.

The court held that it lacks jurisdiction over the case because relevant ingredients that could qualify it to be entertained as a public interest litigation were missing.

SERAP filed the case after bandits attacked the Abuja-Kaduna passenger train in 2022.

In the attack, armed assailants bombed the train carrying over 970 passengers on the Abuja-Kaduna rail line near Rigasa in Kaduna.

The attack led to numerous fatalities, injuries, and abductions.

SERAP, by its case, sought to hold the government of Nigeria accountable for alleged human rights violations in relation to the terrorist attack.

The organisation claimed, among others, that the attack was the result of the state’s inability to provide tight security for the passengers.

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SERAP argued that Nigeria’s alleged lack of measures to avert the attack violated the rights of passengers to life, security, and dignity.

It prayed for a N50 million compensation for each of the passengers and their families.

In a judgment delivered on Wednesday, the regional court declared the suit inadmissible due to lack of victim status required for public interest litigation.

A statement by the court said the judgment was delivered by Justice Dupe Atoki.

It added: “The court recognised its jurisdiction to hear the case as it involved potential human rights violations within a member-state, in accordance with Article 9(4) of the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol.

“However, the court found the claim inadmissible on grounds that it failed to meet the victim status requirement essential for litigation under Article 10(d) of the same Protocol.

“In its findings, the court said that SERAP claimed to be acting in public interest, citing previous incidents of terrorism in the region, including attacks on educational institutions and transportation services.

“However, the court determined that the case did not meet the criteria for a public interest action, or actio popularis, which requires that the alleged violations affect a large, indeterminate segment of the public or the general public itself.

“The Court highlighted that: The victims of the March 28 attack were identifiable individuals rather than an indeterminate public group, making the claim unsuitable as a public interest litigation.

“The reliefs sought, including specific monetary compensation, were directed at the identifiable victims of the attack rather than the public at large.

“Members of the three-member panel of the court were Honourable Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves(presiding judge), Honorable Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma (panel member), and Honorable Justice Dupe Atoki (judge rapporteur).”