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Okuama massacre: Villagers boycott Reps hearing over fear of arrest

Published

1 year ago

April 26, 2024

Okuama massacre: Villagers boycott Reps hearing over fear of arrest

Members of the House of Representatives Committee on Defence were in Warri, Delta State, on Wednesday for an investigative hearing into the deaths of 17 military soldiers in Okuama town, Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State.

The investigative hearing was held in accordance with the House’s resolution passed on March 19 to explore the remote causes of the tragedy.

Chronicle NG reports that 17 military personnel, including a lieutenant colonel, two majors, and a captain, were ambushed and killed by yet-to-be-identified gunmen while they were in Okuama on a peacekeeping mission.

Following the incident, military soldiers damaged and razed buildings in the Okuama riverine settlement as a form of retaliation, forcing inhabitants to seek safety in the nearby bushes of Ewu Kingdom.

The House committee members, led by Babajimi Benson, arrived at the sitting location at the Government House Annex, Edjeba, in the state’s Warri South Local Government Area, around 10.45 a.m., but had to wait for indigenes from the troubled Okuama community to make their presentations.

However, during the waiting period, sources stated that the locals did not show up due to “fear of arrest or intimidation by the military.”

However, when addressing journalists, the committee chairman stated that the committee has received useful memoranda about the incident from many parties.

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Benson also assuaged Okuama indigenes who were concerned about their safety by stating that “there would be no witch hunt whatsoever.”

He asked members of the public who wish to submit a memorandum to do so in ten copies and submit them to the committee within one week.

He stated that they could submit such memoranda to the committee’s clerk, Musa Aliyu, at the National Assembly in Abuja or at the public investigative hearing.

He said, “The House of Representatives Committee on Defence looks forward to a robust engagement and meaningful contributions from all stakeholders.

“We came in yesterday (Tuesday). We met Governor Oborevwori, and we told him our mission. We’re here today (Wednesday) to see members of the community on camera and by way of memoranda.

“We’ve received a lot of memoranda from them, but they’ve not turned out physically. The window is extended for a week. So we’re still expecting a lot more memoranda from the people of the Okuama community.

“We’ve assured the governor and the people that we have the full backing of the House of Representatives to ensure that this matter is reviewed from both sides and followed to a logical conclusion.”

Benson promised the locals protection and urged them to come forward.

He said, “The community people are scared to come out vis-à-vis another list of wanted people being released. They have sent in a memorandum, and we’re still giving them a week to turn in a further memorandum in the next week.

“The clerk of the house is receiving the memory. We’ve dedicated our time to ensuring justice is done and people return to their community, perhaps better than it was before. We need to be fully armed with enough information before we visit Okuama. We will visit the place after hearing from the victims themselves,” he said.

Okuama massacre: Villagers boycott Reps hearing over fear of arrest

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metro

Many missing, one killed in Ebonyi community clash

Published

13 minutes ago

April 26, 2025

Trends Admin

Ebonyi State Police Spokesperson, DSP Joshua Ukandu

Many missing, one killed in Ebonyi community clash

One person has been shot dead, two injured and many people missing in Ndiagu Amagu, Ikwo in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State following a leadership tussle. The deceased, Nwoyika Ugbaloke and Thomas Ngaragu were reportedly attacked by some gunmen, but Ugbaloke couldn’t survive the attack.

Many people are said to be missing in the attack.

It was gathered that trouble started when a faction in the community imposed N40, 000 level on all the adults in Nduche Umuomara in the community, which did not go down well with another faction in the area.

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It was also gathered that the faction that imposed the N40,000 levy on the adults was also selling lands belonging to the faction that opposed the levy.

A son of the deceased, Nwoyika Kingsley Emeka, lamented the killing of his father and called for arrest of his killers. He said the killers were moving freely in the community, sealing people’s farmlands with palm fronds and warning them never to set their feet on the farms until the fines were paid.

He alleged that the perpetrators were being protected by some highly placed persons in the community.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu said he had not received any report on the incident.

Many missing, one killed in Ebonyi community clash

metro

EFCC declares four persons wanted over CBEX scam

Published

1 hour ago

April 26, 2025

Trends Admin

EFCC declares four persons wanted over CBEX scam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared eight suspects wanted in connection with the alleged loss of approximately N1.3trillion to Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX).

Apart from two of the suspects based in Ibadan, the rest six were said to be from Idimu-Egbeda Road in Lagos.

But the EFCC has held on to two suspects it earlier arrested.

According to a notice by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Dele Oyewale, all the suspects are wanted for “fraud allegedly perpetrated on an online trading platform called Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX).”

The first set of suspects, who are Nigerians, include, Oloyede, Emmanuel Uko, Adefowora Oluwanishola and Adefowora Abiodun Olaonipekun.

The foreigners are Johnson Okiroh Otieno, Israel Mbaluka, Joseph Michiro Kabera and Serah Michiro.

The Adefoworas and Michiros are suspected to be couples.

The statement described the second set of suspects as “foreign accomplices wanted by the EFCC. “

The statement added: “The public is hereby notified that the persons whose photographs appear above are suspected foreign accomplices wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for fraud allegedly perpetrated on an online trading platform called Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX).

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“Anybody with useful information as to their whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, llorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt or Abuja offices or through 08093322644; its e-mail address: info@efcc.gov.ng or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies.”

Asked about those two earlier arrested, a source in EFCC said: “They are still in custody. “

The Director-General of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr Emomotimi Agama has said CBEX is unregistered with it.

He said the commission cannot be of help to the victims.

He said: “There is nothing the commission can do”.

“We are worried that this went on for long without anyone drawing our attention to it. That is why we are doing more enlightenment and asking people to come forward to report this for early detection.”

SEC said preliminary investigations revealed that CBEX, which also operates under the corporate identity of ST Technologies International Ltd, Smart Treasure/Super Technology, had held itself out as a digital asset-trading platform, offering high returns to investors in Nigeria.

It said: “The Commission hereby clarifies that neither CBEX nor its affiliates were granted registration by the Commission at any time to operate as a Digital Assets Exchange, solicit investments from the public or perform any other function within the Nigerian capital market.”

EFCC declares four persons wanted over CBEX scam

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Two more govs, 40 lawmakers set to dump PDP – Opposition group

Published

1 hour ago

April 26, 2025

Trends Admin

Two more govs, 40 lawmakers set to dump PDP – Opposition group

The Nigeria Lawmakers Opposition Coalition has revealed that 40 legislators and two additional governors are on the verge of defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing disillusionment with the party’s leadership and direction.

Spokesman of the coalition, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, disclosed this during a press conference held on Friday in his hometown of Akokwa.

Ugochinyere expressed disappointment in the current state of the PDP, asserting that its founding fathers would be ashamed of what the once-proud party had become. He accused the current leadership of sabotaging the platform that brought them to prominence.

The coalition demanded the immediate sack of the party’s Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum; the PDP’s 2023 governorship candidate in Imo State, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; and the expulsion of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. They also called for the emergence of a substantive national chairman from the North Central zone to save the party from collapse.

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“For two years, the leaders of this party have failed to find a solution to its internal crisis because they are actively undermining the very platform that made them,” Ugochinyere stated.

He criticized Damagum’s statements invoking divine guidance, questioning his inaction during critical party decisions. “Where was God when you allowed the North Central to be sidelined in appointing an acting chairman? Where was God when you supported APC defectors in court? Or when party structures were handed to APC members? And yet you speak of faith in God?”

He also questioned the continued membership of Wike in the PDP despite his open collaboration with the APC-led federal government.

Ugochinyere further used the platform to draw attention to the severe erosion crisis ravaging his constituency, Ideato. He appreciated the federal government’s intervention in the N25 billion Umuchima erosion control project, commending both federal and state efforts.

“I thank the federal and state governments for their commitment, but in other parts of my constituency, especially the Umuechi-Urualla axis, the erosion is out of control. It’s threatening St. Jude’s Catholic Church, the king’s palace, and federal infrastructure. The situation is dire,” he warned.

He revealed that a previous World Bank erosion control project in the area worth N9 billion had been abandoned due to mismanagement by the former state administration, resulting in worsening conditions.