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Okorocha: Uzodimma has a killer squad

Published

4 years ago

January 6, 2022

Okorocha and Uzodimma

Former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has accused Governor Hope Uzodimma of setting up a killer squad known as Hopism Strike Force (HSF).

He also alleged that the strike force is behind the mayhems in the state. The governor has denied the allegations.

Addressing reporters at his residence in Owerri, Okorocha said the strike force comprises the military, police, DSS and Ebubeagu.

He challenged Uzodimma to name sponsors of insecurity in the state.

“If the governor knows he has no such force in the state, let him tell the world who killed Gukak.

“It is not about me or Uche Nwosu; it is about the image of our state. I want to repeat this Sheba, Uzodimma’s CSO, has been in detention for the past 4 days. He is among the striking force of Uzodimma, I still ask Uzodimma, who killed Gulak? Who killed traditional rulers? Who killed about 140 bodies of Imolites found in the mortuary? Hope Uzodimma has a striking force called ‘Hope striking force’ they should ask them what they are doing with this killer squad.”

He argued that unless the mystery of “Hopeism strike force and Ebubeagu” is unravelled, members of the public would continue to grope in the dark in search of the sponsors and agents of banditry in the state.

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The former governor lamented the lives and properties lost in the state, including the killing of some traditional rulers and over 104 others since the inception of the Uzodimma-led administration. “This never happened for the 8 years that I ruled this state,” he said.

He added that while everybody was waiting patiently to hear the governor mention those behind banditry, kidnapping, killing and all forms of mayhem in the state, he avoided it.

Okorocha boasted that he has no skeleton in the cupboard, adding that the increasing rate of killings and recent ‘kidnap’ of his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, in a church spoke volumes of a clueless and insensitive government to the people.

”My legacies are all over the place and would ever remain indelible and cannot be erased because they are very clear,” he said.

He urged the President, the Inspector General of Police and other security chiefs in the country to intervene in the ugly drama taking place in Imo.

The former governor dismissed insinuations in some quarters of his plan to dump the All Progressives Congress (APC) and queried: “How can I build a house, furnish it and abandon it for a tenant? I was one of those who formed the APC and Governor Hope Uzodimma only came in through the window so I cannot leave the party for him.”

Uzodimma described Okorocha’s action as paranoid.

“If he is not paranoid, why panic, what has he to hide? If Okorocha knows that the governor has a killer squad known as Hopism Strike Force, why wait until now that public searchlight is on you and son-in-law to start exposing the killer squad?” Uzodimma, who spoke through his Commissioner for Information and Strategy Declan Emelumba, said: “If you say that the governor has a killer squad, the best place to report is the police, not the press. I believe the Okorocha has something he is hiding and sooner than later, it will be exposed.”

The Nation

Related Topics:Featured killer Okorocha squad Uzodimma

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Akwa Ibom Barber Jailed 14 Years for Defiling 12-Year-Old Girl

Published

1 hour ago

April 2, 2026

Trends Admin

Akwa Ibom Barber Jailed 14 Years for Defiling 12-Year-Old Girl

An Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Ikot Ekpene has sentenced 32-year-old barber, Ofonime Augustine Etim, to 14 years’ imprisonment without an option of fine for defiling a 12-year-old girl, reinforcing Nigeria’s commitment to child protection and sexual offence enforcement.

The convict, who hails from Abama village, Obot Akara Local Government Area, was found guilty of committing the offence on May 10, 2023, in Ikot Obong Otoro, Abak Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.

During the trial, the State Ministry of Justice prosecution team called three witnesses, including the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) and a consultant gynecologist, and tendered documentary evidence. The medical evidence was pivotal, with the gynecologist confirming a 2cm deep vaginal wall laceration and multiple bruises, consistent with forceful sexual penetration.

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The IPO testified that the victim had been abducted and taken to the convict’s residence, while the victim’s elder sister recounted that the girl had been missing for several days before being rescued and taken to a hospital for treatment.

Justice Augustine D. Odokwo, who presided over the case, ruled that the prosecution had proven the case beyond reasonable doubt, dismissing the convict’s own testimony as unsubstantiated. The judge emphasized the gravity of the offence, stating, “The law is designed not only to punish but to deter others from such acts. Children must be protected.”

The court ordered that the time Etim has spent in custody since May 13, 2023, be deducted from his sentence. It also directed that the convict’s name be entered into the State Sex Offenders Register, while all exhibits tendered during the trial remain in court custody pending any appeal.

Child protection advocates hailed the verdict, noting that it sends a strong message that perpetrators of child defilement and sexual abuse will face strict penalties, reinforcing justice and safety for minors across the state.

Akwa Ibom Barber Jailed 14 Years for Defiling 12-Year-Old Girl

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Lagos Taskforce Launches Anti‑Crime Patrol Unit to Curb Rising Criminality

Published

2 hours ago

April 2, 2026

Trends Admin

Akerele addressing operatives of the unit. Photo: Taskforce

Lagos Taskforce Launches Anti‑Crime Patrol Unit to Curb Rising Criminality

The Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences has officially launched a dedicated anti‑crime patrol unit to tackle escalating criminal activities, environmental offences, and street-level threats across the state. The launch took place on Wednesday at the task force’s headquarters in Bolade, Oshodi, and was led by the agency’s Chairman, CSP Adetayo Akerele.

The new patrol unit is designed to operate as a rapid-response team, patrolling crime hotspots 24/7 to proactively detect, deter, and neutralise criminal activities before they escalate into serious threats to public safety. According to Akerele, the unit’s mandate covers a wide spectrum of offences, including drug peddling, street urchinism, area boys activities (locally called “Omotaku”), one-chance robbery syndicates, attacks on government officials, quackery, and indiscriminate waste disposal.

“The unit will operate all out to stamp out criminal activities in the state this year. No stone will be left unturned to compel criminals to desist from their acts or relocate from Lagos State,” Akerele stated. He urged residents to support law enforcement efforts by providing timely and credible information that could aid operations.

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The initiative also comes after the Lagos State Police Command withdrew the task force from traffic enforcement, allowing it to focus entirely on security operations and law enforcement against criminality. Akerele emphasized that while traffic duties have been reassigned, the task force’s core functions remain intact, and the anti-crime patrol unit will intensify surveillance and intelligence-driven operations in known flashpoints.

Law enforcement observers note that Lagos, being Nigeria’s commercial hub, faces persistent street crime, drug offences, and environmental violations, making the launch of this unit a strategic move to reinforce public safety and protect lives and property. The task force aims to enhance Lagos State’s security architecture by deploying personnel in high-risk areas and responding swiftly to incidents reported by residents.

The state government hopes that this enhanced patrol unit will serve as a deterrent against criminality, ensuring a safer environment for both residents and businesses as the city continues to grow and urbanize.

Lagos Taskforce Launches Anti‑Crime Patrol Unit to Curb Rising Criminality

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Couple Jailed 15 Years for Selling Infant, Toddler in Calabar

Published

2 hours ago

April 2, 2026

Trends Admin

Couple Jailed 15 Years for Selling Infant, Toddler in Calabar

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Cross River State Command, has secured convictions against a husband and wife for selling their children for monetary gain in Calabar. The couple, Esther Ini Udo (32) and Eyo Stephen Udo (34), were sentenced to 15 years in prison each and fined ₦2 million, following a four-count charge for child trafficking and exploitation.

The Federal High Court, Calabar heard that Esther sold her newborn baby to a trafficker, Oluchi Judith (at large), for ₦300,000, while the couple also bought a one-year-old baby from accomplices, Blessing and Uduak, for ₦150,000 and resold the child to the same trafficker for ₦400,000. The court strongly condemned the actions, describing them as a gross violation of child rights and anti-trafficking laws.

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Both defendants initially pleaded not guilty, but the court found them guilty on all counts. Justice I. Ojukwu, presiding over the case (Suit No: FHC/CA/19C/2025), sentenced Esther and Eyo Stephen to 15-year jail terms, to run concurrently from April 1, 2026, the date of judgment.

The court also directed NAPTIP to arrest Oluchi Judith, who is wanted in connection with this and other human trafficking cases. Authorities emphasize that child trafficking remains a serious offense in Nigeria, with law enforcement intensifying efforts to dismantle networks involved in the sale and exploitation of infants and toddlers.

NAPTIP hailed the convictions as a significant victory against human trafficking, urging communities to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities involving children. Officials stressed that such harsh sentences serve as a deterrent to traffickers and perpetrators of child exploitation across the country.