The Peoples Democratic Party House of Representatives candidate for Ideato North South Federal Constituency in Imo State, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere says Governor Hope Uzodinma has failed in the area of security in the state claiming that insecurity in the state had worsened since he took office.

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Ugochinyere who is the spokesman of the Coalition of United Political Part, told reporters that the governor came into the state at the time it was the most peaceful in Nigeria, and turned it into a direct opposite under his All Progressives Congress (APC).

He lamented that Imo, under Uzodimma is now worse than the killing fields of Somalia, Borno, and Yobe states, and urged the people of the state to vote the APC out of office in the upcoming elections in order to put an end to the killings.

He said: “I’m sad. I weep for my people. Imo State and her people have not known peace since Uzodinma became Governor. They have only been hearing stories of killings, arson, kidnapping, and invasion. What they never witnessed when the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was in power.

“You can imagine, after his aide threatened to harm me if I ever come to Imo state, days later, my House and cars were burnt down, and my beloved uncle and other people were brutally murdered. The Governor who’s supposed to be in charge of ensuring the protection of lives and properties of the citizens he governs is busy making baseless accusations.

Therefore, as the elections draw closer, I urge my people to vote out the All Progressives Congress in the next election.

On his part, Uzodinma blamed Ugochinyere, who he accused of working hands in gloves with the killers terrorising the state, saying last week’s mayhem, was a direct consequence of breaching an agreement with Unknown Gunmen he had been working with to destabilise the state for his selfish aim.

The chairman of Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo State, Chris Ohizu, has been kidnapped.

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Two others who were with him during the time of the attack in the early hours of Friday were also kidnapped.

The gunmen who shot him before abducting him, burnt his country home at Imoko community in Arondizuogu area of the LGA.

Confirming the story a source said “the Sole Administrator of Ideato North was kidnapped together with two others after burning his house at Imoko community in Arondizuogu. They shot him on his leg before taking him away.”

This is coming  less than a week after the home of the spokesperson of Coalition of United Political Parties, Ugochinyere Imo, was attacked at Akokwa community in the Ideato North LGA, with three persons killed and about 33 vehicles razed.

Two days ago in Oguta gunmen stormed Agwa community but for the timely intervention of the police the story would have been different. In the ensuing gun battle our source said one  gunman was killed although police said it gunned down three of the gunmen.

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

One day after slashing taxes and rates for transporters in Anambra State, the State Government has arrested and paraded over 17 suspected illegal revenue collectors in different parts of the state.

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Aged between 20 and 45, the suspects were arrested and paraded on Thursday by the operatives of the Operation Clean And Healthy Anambra, popularly known as OCHA Brigade.

Parading the suspects at the OCHA Brigade headquarters in Awka, the Public Relation Officer of the agency, Mr Anthony Onyekwelu explained that they (the suspects)  who had dangerous weapons with them were perambulating every nook and cranny of the state to extort and defraud people of their hard-earned resources, in the name and disguise of working for the state government as revenue agents.

He further revealed that most of the suspects who were arrested in Onitsha metropolis and its environs, were cruising and patrolling on a vehicle with the bold inscriptions: “Government of Anambra State of Nigeria”, “Internally Generated Revenue for Commerce Tolls/fees”, “Anambra Internal Revenue Service (AIRS)”, and “It Pays to Pay Your Task”, while perpetrating their unlawful acts.

He described the acts as a serious sabotage to the efforts of the Prof. Chukwuma Soludo-led State Government to rid Anambra of criminality, shut windows of revenue leakage and make the state a clean, prosperous and liveable homeland.

He, however, noted that OCHA Brigade has been on top of the game in carrying out the mandate of government and implementing its policies, while also reassuring that the agency will not relent in making the state unconducive for illegal revenue collectors.

When interviewed, some of the suspects, Mr. Ifeanyi Odili who said he is a fashion designer at the Bridge Head, Onitsha; Mr. Martin Okwudili from Enugu State who claimed to be a staff of a brewery company in Onitsha; and Mr. Ifeanyi Nte from Anambra State, all pleaded innocent to the allegations leveled against them, and claimed that they were never caught with tickets or money as their arrestors alleged.

While insisting that they have legitimate means of livelihood with proper identifications on them; they, therefore, appealed for proper investigation as they may have been mistaken for some other people.

By Chuks Eke

The Police on Thursday charged Mr Sunday Chukwuemeka Alias Sunny Bigman and S. Bigman Multi-Business Concept, alleged illegal land grabbers/speculators to Federal High Court Awka with a 22 counts charge.

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Sunday Chukwuemeka was denied bail by the trial Justice Ngajiwa after hearing the Prosecuting Counsel oppose the plea made by Defence counsel, Alex Ejesieme SAN who moved a motion on notice for his bail.

The Court process was presided by Honourable Justice Ngajiwa in the Charge no FHC/AWK/C/135/2022, signed by A. N. Obo Esq of the legal department Zone 13, Ukpo between Inspector General of Police (Complainant) vs Sunday Chukwuemeka Alias Sunny Bigman and S. Bigman Multi-Business Concept (Defendants) .

The court was informed about the 22 counts charge as amended which stated that the defendants conspired with people now at large to commit felony, terrorism, Advanced fee fraud and other fraud related offences filed before it.

However, Sunday Chukwuemwka alias Sunny Bigman pleaded ‘Not guilty’ to all 22 counts charge and was remanded in police custody till 25th January, 2023 when the ruling on bail application would be heard.

It would be recalled that Zone 13 Police, Ukpo had earlier arrested the alleged illegal land grabber/speculator as one of the persons who on or before 12th November, 2022 allegedly invaded Jesus Favor Estate, Umueze/Ogwugwu Oba in Idemili South Local Government Area, Anambra State and demolished over 70 buildings and destroyed farmlands worth millions of naira claiming they were sent by government to recover the land.

According to the Chairman, Umueze/Ogwugwu community Oba, Hon. Barrister Chuba Oranusi, on November 12, 2022, a certain group of persons led by Sunday Chukwuemeka popularly known as Sunny Big man and one Mike Egbule known as MICPAN with thugs and some security personnel allegedly raided our place and started demolishing our homes, fences, scrapping our farmlands with two bulldozers harassing and brutalizing the original land owners.

“We showed evidence of the the Invaders brutalizing our people and trying to waste our ancestral lands that is why we approached Zone 13 police to give our evidence and  support our petition.

“The destruction continued until December. It was on December 14, 2022, that the long arm of the law caught up with Sunday Chukwuemeka(Sunny Big man who is cooling off his heels at Zone 13 police .

“We thank the Zone 13 police for promptly arresting one of the alleged culprits. We also thank the Anambra state government for promptly putting up an announcement when they heard our cry that they did not send anybody to come to demolish our homes.

“State Government said that they did not send anybody to be collecting money for the government which Sunny was allegedly doing, extorting our people and selling our lands. It was based on that that the police was able to arrest him because the government did not send him.

Also, when the demolition was ongoing, the spokesperson of the illegal land grabbers and property developers, Mr Mike Egbule known as Micpan while speaking to journalist on a phone interview claimed  that they had authorization from Government to recover the land saying that the demolished places belong to government.