Why we demolished structures at Centenary city, Enugu govt clarifies – Newstrends
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Why we demolished structures at Centenary city, Enugu govt clarifies

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Why we demolished structures at Centenary city, Enugu govt clarifies

The Enugu State government, weekend, claimed that trending videos of alleged indiscriminate demolition of buildings at the Enugu Centenary City were to mislead the public.

The state said the only buildings demolished were those constructed illegally and uncompleted. It also claimed some of the affected ones served as kidnappers’ hideouts.

The state Commissioner for Information, Mr Aka Eze Aka, disclosed this when he inspected the site, located at Obeagu/Amechi Akwunanaw in Enugu South LGA.

Eze said, “What we saw in the trending video today was an attempt by the originators to demarket Enugu State as an investment destination for real estate development. But in reality, the operation by Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority and the security agencies was a testament that the government is resolved to rid the state of criminal elements and protect property rights and investments in the state.

“The culprits did not only erect the structures without any title and approval, they got inside this place pretending to be a block industry, whereas as you can see, they were into nefarious activities.

“When the person, who was on the video began to talk about trying to destroy his house and so on, it is important to state that not one single building that has been earmarked for demolition was touched because we also have a human feeling to allow these houses for them to be regularised. They just went about to recycle old videos where some property were destroyed by past administrations.

“It is also funny that the young man has been brandishing a mere deed, which cannot be an approval to build.”

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The ECTDA Chairman, Uche Anya, during the inspection, said his agency would not ‘succumb to blackmail, including recycling and trending of videos of past demolitions’.

According to him, “The ECTDA law prohibits carrying out any development or municipal service within the Capital Territory without the written approval of the authority. For the avoidance of doubts, Section 13 (1) of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority Law, 2009, provides: ‘Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, as from the commencement of this Law, no person or body shall carry out any development or municipal service within the Capital Territory, unless such development or municipal service has been approved in writing by the Authority.’

“However, whereas the current ECTDA leadership is determined to stop unauthorised developments and carry on with the urban masterplan restoration and renewal process, including those initiated by successive administrations, we took the initiative to mark the affected property in October 2023, issuing notices that should accord the developers a window to regularise their titles/properties, if any.

“For emphasis, even though the notices had since expired, no unapproved but completed or occupied building was demolished during the exercise by ECTDA. We are still calling on the developers to do the right thing.

“Meanwhile, it is to be made clear that the ECTDA operation of Friday, January 19, was based on an intelligence report about an illegal development/property that served as kidnappers’ den at the Centenary City. In the course of our due diligence, we also found out that the property, like many others at Centenary City, had no title or approval from the appropriate authorities.

“Although the building was not fully completed, the criminals had already mounted sophisticated surveillance equipment such as CCTV cameras, PTZ cameras, in addition to about two dozens of mobile phones denoting the dangerous level of sophistication.

“As some of the videos already in public domain clearly show, we made some chilling discoveries on storming the property with security operatives, including several guns and suspected kidnappers, whom the security agents were able to apprehend.”

Our correspondent reports that a trending video had allegedly displayed two men displaying papers which they claimed authorised them to build at the estate. In the video, they were begging the state government to spare their property, claiming that they returned home to invest, having been forced out of Lagos.

Why we demolished structures at Centenary city, Enugu govt clarifies

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Police recover bodies of father, son after mysterious death

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Police recover bodies of father, son after mysterious death

Authorities in Ebonyi State have recovered the remains of a man and his son who were found dead under unclear circumstances in the Ebebe Junction area of Abakaliki.

State Police Command spokesperson, SP Joshua Ukandu, confirmed the evacuation to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday.

Ukandu said the deceased, identified as Mr. Light Nwodor and his son Miracle, were found lifeless, prompting swift action by officers in the area.

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“When I was called by an individual about the incident, I quickly called the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the area,” he said.”They swung into action and the dead bodies have been evacuated.“The police have launched investigation into the matter.”The command will definitely inform the general public on completion of investigation.“Right now, nobody knows what caused their deaths,” he added.

He also noted that no updates had been received from the DPO regarding any arrests linked to the case.

Initial unconfirmed reports circulating online suggested that the deaths may have resulted from eating food prepared by a woman who is allegedly now at large.

Police recover bodies of father, son after mysterious death

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Many missing, one killed in Ebonyi community clash

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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

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EFCC declares four persons wanted over CBEX scam

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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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