Mother of the Minister of Finance, Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala was on Sunday abducted from the palace of the traditional ruler of Ogwashi-uku, Delta State, Obi (Prof.) Chukwuka Okonjo.
Professor Kanene Okonjo, 82 years old, the queen mother of Ogwashi uku was abducted at about 1:47PM by a gang of armed men who seized her at the gate of the palace at Ogbe-ofu and took her away, when the husband travelled out of the town.
However, the police have arrested a man who allegedly left the compound few minutes before the incident took place.
The man was said to have informed the housemaid that he was in the palace to take the queen mother to somewhere in the town.
The kidnappers numbering about 10 were lurking around the palace until the woman and her maid came down to serve workers at the gate soft drinks.
Eye witness account said as soon as the woman came down from the main building, towards the gate, the criminals also moved in from the gate to grab and push her into a waiting Golf Volkswagen car.
“The abductors when they walked into the compound were heavily armed. They were about ten. They bailed up the men fixing the interlocking tiles and asked them to lay face down. Immediately they saw her (the King’s wife who was coming towards the gate with her maid to serve the workers soft drinks) they bundled her into a waiting vehicle the Golf car while another car was parked outside”.
One of them, bracing all odds, went upstairs to collect the woman’s handbag. The eyewitness said another maid who sighted the kidnapper upstairs hid herself in the Kitchen.
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I hope this letter meets you well. The reasons I choose to direct this letter to you are that I am a Catholic and you are an old boy of my alma mater, St. Gregory’s College, Lagos.
I write from Kuje Prison Abuja where two other Catholics and I have been languishing in solitary confinement for 2 years on trumped-up charges relating to the October 1, 2010 bomb attack claimed by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).
My name is Charles Tonbra Okah, aka Billy Bones. On October 16, 2010 operatives of the State Security Services on a warrant invaded my residence in Apapa GRA claiming that I was the suspected spokesman for MEND using the pseudonym “Jomo Gbomo.” My eldest son, visiting from the United States where he attends the University of Kansas (KU) was also arrested.
At the SSS Headquarters Abuja where we were flown blindfolded with our legs and hands bound, my ‘cooperation’ was solicited for something completely different to my surprise. My captors threw me a lifeline; offering me freedom and a lucrative contract in exchange for false testimony against my younger brother Henry, who is resident in South Africa. I was to write a false statement claiming to have been told by Henry about the bomb plot and naming the following persons as his conspirators: Former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, Chief Timipre Sylva, and Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan. I bluntly refused.
To maintain pressure on me, I was told that my son would be implicated in the bomb matter, my containers of legitimate imports then at the Tin Can Port would be impounded and my business destroyed. I still did not budge, tossing their lifeline back with royal disdain.
When they realized I was not going to connive in their scheme, they became formal and reverted to the main reason for my arrest. I was asked for the MEND password, which I told them I did not know. They bound me in a chair, took off my trousers and clamped a device to my penis. My legs were then put inside a basin of water. The device when turned on passed a high voltage of electricity to my body and I lost consciousness. This was on Monday October 18 at about 6pm. When I regained consciousness, I discovered I was at the National Hospital emergency room. I remember the doctors asking why I had trauma marks on my chest where the SSS doctor performed Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). The SSS operatives were evasive in answering questions at the hospital. That night I was released and taken to rest for the night at the State House Clinic. That was the last time a torture was carried out on me.
My son was eventually released after Mr. Femi Falana visited in the company of my wife after a month of being denied access to a lawyer. However, my containers have been impounded up to date and my bank account frozen.
The SSS stopped asking about the MEND password after Jomo Gbomo made another statement while I was in their custody but refused to still let me go because I did not cooperate earlier with them. Meanwhile in the ongoing trial in South Africa, the same people who say I am JG also accuse Henry of being the same Jomo Gbomo.
Double Standard in Kuje Prison:
On December 24, 2010 we were remanded in Kuje prison as a result of our application to be removed from the SSS detention cell. Unknown to us, the SSS passed instructions from “above” to the prison authorities to carry out “special treatment” in order to stampede us into a trial towards conviction. For 2 years we have been locked up in solitary confinement, are not allowed to exercise or get sunlight outside and are forced to sleep on the floor when bunk beds are available. Even a court order by Justice Gabriel Kolawole to the prison for a change in our confinement style was ignored after it was superseded by an ‘order from above.”
In late 2011, while locked up inside our cellblock, prison officials clothed in protective apparel, facemasks and gloves carried out fumigation without opening us to wait outside. Our protests fell on deaf ears and by the time they were finished we were in distress. The Youth Corper doctor on call tried her best within her limits to the emergency she was confronted with. The poisonous gas and barbaric action reminiscent of the Nazi concentration camp infamous gas chambers, eventually led to the death of one Francis Osuwo, aka Gboko, also roped into this case by the SSS and a man I have never met before. Interestingly, the four persons in detention were strangers to each other except for one Obi Nwabueze who is a family friend and close associate of Henry.
The fumigant whose chemical constituents were never relayed to us has affected my neurological system and a neurologist of the National Hospital, Professor Bwala, has put me on a daily prescription of strong neurological medication.
While the Boko Haram suspects at Kuje prison are allowed to worship in the prison mosque, we have never set foot in the prison chapel. They are also enjoying privileges such as cable television, radio, liberty to move within the prison walls, bunk beds to sleep on and phone calls to their families. We are denied all of the above.
When I asked the current Controller of FCT Command the reason for the disparity, he said “the fear of Boko Haram is the beginning of wisdom.” He further said the Moslem community was concerned about their welfare in custody.
Double Standard in the Court:
Even in the courts where justice is supposed to be blind, the double standard is glaring. While Senator Ndume, accused of being a financier to Boko Haram was given bail by the same Judge presiding over our case, we have been denied bail.
I understand that this Senator was permitted by the same court to travel on his religious obligation to Mecca for the lesser Hajj while we are refused from attending mass in a chapel less than 50 meters from our cell block.
The court is willing to permit the Senator approval to travel abroad for his medical check if he can provide proof that such check up is not done locally. Meanwhile, I have been denied my application to go on a compulsory checkup, which in my case is mandatory for a kidney donor, having donated my left kidney to my mother 30 years ago.
Our cases have been adjourned repeatedly for cruelly long durations. The last time I appeared in court was March 2012 and the next adjourned date is January 31. 2013, that is if that date will not be shifted again under a flimsy excuse.
All we ask is for a free and fair trial from an independent Judiciary that should release us instead of holding us as scapegoats over an obvious power show. While this government continues holding us hostage, our families are becoming destitute.
Our rights to freely worship as Catholics is being infringed by the state who have more respect for Islam when all religions should be treated equally.
Double Standards in the Polity:
The National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd.) was quoted as saying that the government of President Goodluck Jonathan has the phone numbers of suspected Boko Haram sponsors. Later the Inspector General of Police said certain individuals had been put on a “watch list” as suspected Boko Haram sponsors.
Now the big question is why did the government not simply have our phone numbers and put us also on its ‘watch list” while we move about freely? They did not hesitate to arrest us, clamp us on trumped-up charges and detain us on flimsy excuses. They did not merely talk; they took action even in South Africa where my brother was arrested since 2010. Is there a better word to describe this other than hypocrisy?
The same government eager to negotiate with Boko Haram, which claimed responsibility for over 100 attacks where Catholics have suffered the brunt, have refused to negotiate with MEND and continue to delude themselves that all is well.
Why would this government expect Boko Haram to unmask it leaders and negotiate when they can see that perceived leaders and supporters of MEND are being persecuted and jailed?
I welcome a fact-finding visit from the Church in the company of credible Human Rights groups to verify our allegations.
On the two occasions Kuje Prison was visited by the Bishop of Abuja during the Christmas of 2010 and 2011, he was surreptitiously steered away from where were we are held hostage and I believe he has no idea of what is going in inside Kuje prison.
Our prayers is that leaders of our churches will be more sensitive and proactive in politics of the land that touches the lifes of their followers and not leave delicate issues solely in the hands of corrupt and selfish politicians, and majority of the population rid of a “Potiphar” mentality who believe lies when told by SSS.
May God save our beloved country!
Yours Sincerely,
Charles T. Okah
Charles T. Okah
Single Cell Block
Kuje Prison
Abuja, Nigeria.
His Eminence
Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie
c/o Catholic Church Secretariat
Lagos, Nigeria.
November 19, 2012
CC: Pope Benedict, Vatican, Rome
Catholic Bishop of Abuja Diocese, Abuja FCT
“I…was…sick…and in prison, and you visited me.”
-Mathew 25. 35, 36
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West has berated the Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola over his refusal to pay workers in the state their November salary, nine days after the month ended.
The party which also condemned the wanton destruction of houses in Osogbo, the Osun State capital under the guise of road construction said it was inhuman for government to be demolishing people’s houses without first paying them compensation or providing alternative shelter for them.
In a statement issued today by its Zonal Publicity Secretary, Hon. Kayode Babade, the PDP said it was ungodly for workers to still be waiting for their November salary on the ninth of December, adding that; “it is either Governor Aregbesola is using calendars different from the normal one or Osun workers are already bearing the brunt of the governor and his party, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) political misadventure in Ondo State.”
The PDP urged Governor Aregbesola to pay the workers salary without further delay; saying’ “If he could be paying his wife N18 million public fund per month for food, workers salary should not be delayed for one hour.”
It also accused the governor of indiscriminate demolition of houses in the state, saying; “Responsible governance demands that people be paid compensation before their properties are destroyed by government.
“It was this same Aregbesola that demolished houses in five communities – Ataoja, Iludun, Ofatedo, Okebaale and Costain, only for the government to propose payment of ridiculous compensation to the house owners.
“For instance, owner of a one-bedroom flat were proposed to be paid N1 million, four-bedroom flat N1.5 million and an eight-room bungalow N800,00 until the properties owners protested to the State House of Assembly.
“Even after the protest, nothing was done to assuage the inhuman treatment and we fear owners of properties now being demolished will suffer the same fate.
“It is therefore our appeal that well-meaning Nigerians should appeal Aregbeola to stop his wanton demolition of properties in Osun State pending the payment of compensation to owners of the houses.”
Former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s recent confession (DailyTrust, 13/11/2012) that he could have rigged Malam Ibrahim Shekarau’s election as governor of Kano state in 2003 if he had allowed himself to succumb to pressure was indeed shocking, even though it was not surprising. It was not surprising because this same man had in 2004 narrated a story that clearly hinted, to the amazement of Nigerians, that those entrusted with power actually meddled flagrantly with election results to suit their whims and caprices.
Election rigging is in fact not new in Nigeria. Almost all the general elections conducted before the first military intervention in 1966 triggered off violence because they were suspected to have been rigged by those in power. However, most of the evidence adduced by witnesses at that time were generally doubted, discounted or dismissed even in courts, as no concrete evidence was advanced to prove that rigging took place beyond reasonable doubt.
In 2004 however Obasanjo as president shocked Nigerians when he announced publicly that one of his henchmen, Chris Ubah, while arguing with the then Anambra state governor, Dr. Chris Ngige, had disclosed to his hearing that he (governor) did not win his election but was rigged in by him. However, even though this revelation came from the horse’s mouth some Nigerians doubted its veracity as it was common knowledge that Obasanjo was naturally given to such gaffes and even theatricals.
His recent confession must have cleared all doubts that might still be lingering in the minds of those people. In any case, keen observers of Obasanjo’s eight-year presidency, from 1999-2007, have seen enough evidence to classify it as one of the worst in our history in terms of its failure to adhere to the rule of law. So why should anyone doubt that something like that, outrageous as it was, actually took place?
In fact, cases abound of instances where his government either disobeyed court orders or acted with impunity in contravention of the laws of the land. For that reason, therefore, the only thing that is surprising is that Obasanjo had no qualms about telling the world that elections were rigged in Nigeria and that he could have been pressurized to do so himself.
The question now is, how do we in future ensure that no one in power will ever be in a position to meddle with election results? How can we make the so-called Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) truly and permanently independent of the executive?
Without doubt, the woeful failure to conduct free and fair elections since the return of civil rule in 1999, with Obasanjo at the helm of affairs, has been one of the major reasons why democracy has failed to flourish in Nigeria. On the three occasions that the civilian administrations conducted elections, with two done under Obasanjo himself, we have seen how the matter of their credibility has gone from bad to worse.
Even though all the major parties can be accused of being involved in the unfortunate actions that truncated democracy, by engaging in rigging where they could do so, it cannot be denied that the party in power that allegedly influences INEC officials and security agents to do its bidding, is the worst culprit because it is able to commit the offence on a larger scale.
But generally speaking, desperate politicians hankering to assume power in order to control our meager resources have been adept at devising new tactics of rigging that are always worse than previous ones. Hence, rather than give their maximum cooperation for us to conduct better elections by learning from our past mistakes, the politicians are only concerned about winning power by hook or by crook. In the process, they “don’t give a damn” about corrupting the system to achieve their objectives.
For instance, the general elections of 2003 and 2007 were characterized by such common rigging tactics as destruction of ballot papers (belonging to opponents’ supporters), multiple-voting, buying of votes, and snatching of ballot boxes and stuffing them with fake ballot papers. Election officials were also bribed to alter recorded figures at collation centers, while agents of other parties were intimidated and driven away from the centers to enable the riggers to do as they liked. In one case that I remember, a party agent was hacked and killed for refusing to leave a collation center.
The fake ballot papers were printed by non-reputable publishers, as many of them were reported to have been arrested for the offence. Because of that, the ballots were identifiable being of less quality. By and by, however, they assumed superior quality as the desperate riggers tried to make them look as good as the genuine ones.
But by the 2007 general elections and that of last year, the issue of fake ballot papers was taken to the next level. Supporters of the party in power were on the two occasions supplied with genuine ballot papers for them to find means of stuffing the ballot boxes in order to win their respective states.
Whether the genuine extra ballot papers were supplied to those in authority by INEC or obtained fraudulently is not the issue here. The point is that genuine ballot papers were used by those who have abused the privilege of their being in power in order to rig elections.
How can I prove this? Well, where I voted last year I saw with my own eyes some women caught trying to stuff ballot boxes with ballot papers that turned out to be very genuine. These papers were earlier thumb-printed and given to the women to hide in their hijabs beforetheycametocasttheirvotes.
As they bent down to do so, they covered the ballot box with the hijabs and attempted to slot in as many of the already thumb-printed papers hidden in their dresses as they could. Some of them were caught by vigilant party agents and handed over to the police, but that was the end of the matter. None of them was prosecuted, as the politicians who sent them went and freed them.
One other evidence of rigging that I witnessed included clear signs that election officials, high and low, were compromised. How else can you explain the case of party agents, especially those of the ruling party, getting some quantities of the official indelible ink which they rubbed in their hairs and touched frequently in order to deface and invalidate the ballot papers of those who voted for their opponents?
Thousands of such invalidated ballot papers were recorded where I voted, allowing the riggers to win easily. The pathetic thing about it is that when this was brought before it as part of evidence that rigging took place the so-called state election tribunal did not even bother to look at the defaced ballot papers, as apparently they had better papers to look at that were crisp and fresh!
There were also stories of how compromised and partisan election and security officials were used to help the favored party at collation centers. Many of them looked away as figures scored by the parties were increased or decreased as the case may be. Sometimes opponents’ agents were forced to accept bribes or risk bodily harm or even death.
The solution to this elite problem can be found only in the realm of morality. But moralityandpoliticsareincompatible,whichiswhypeoplesaypoliticsisadirtygame. Even as this is a fact, if religious and morally upright people could venture to vie for and win political offices they might be able to make a difference.
As for the need for INEC to be autonomous it is the duty of the honorable members of the National Assembly to tackle the problem now that they are about to amend some contentious provisions of the Nigerian constitution. INEC’s source of funding and appointments of its top functionaries should no longer be the responsibility of the executive but by law a matter to be sanctioned by the legislature.
In this way it will no longer be answerable to one person or influenced to do any unwarranted acts that would favor any party. Also, the commendable idea of using university lecturers as returning officers should be extended by INEC to cover lower election posts by using corps members and idealistic university students, hoping that they would be able to resist being compromised as well.
Until we are able to conduct credible elections in Nigeria that are generally adjudged to be free and fair, no one (much less those who conduct elections by virtue of their being in power) should expect us to be less rancorous after elections. We can only be gallant losers of elections, to the extent that we can congratulate those announced by INEC as winners, if we are convinced that no one abused his office to do any untoward thing to rig the elections.
–
Mohammed wrote in from Hotoro, Kano (aumo21@yahoo.com)
Gov. Obi (second right); Arc. Callistus Ilozumba, Commissioner for Works ( first right); Oseloka Obaze, the SSG( first left), and the representative of TAMAD Construction, Anthony, during the flag-off of three bridges along Atani-Ozubulu road under construction
As if in fulfillment of his vow to turn Anambra State into a huge “construction yard”, Gov. Peter Obi of Anambra State yesterday flagged of three bridges of 60, 45, and 45 meters on Atani-Ozubulu road, vowing to complete them within the life spam of his Government. The flag-off was preceded by the flag-off of many roads in the State as well as many other projects that set the people of the State wondering where he got the money to execute those projects.
Valued at the combined cost of over 2 Billion Naira, the bridges, excluding the 12kilometer roads component, are handled by TAMAD construction firm based on their satisfactory execution of Amansea-Ebenebe Bridge. Already, the Government is constructing the Onitsha-Ogbaru- Akiliozizar-Atani-Ogwuikpere road terminating at Rivers State. The over 60-Km Federal road with difficult terrain is costing the State more than 16 Billion Naira. With the construction of the stretch from Atani to Ozubulu, the entire areas would become accessible.
Speaking at the flag-off, Gov. Obi said that he would continue satisfy the yearnings of the people of the State till the last day of his Government. “We have seen those in authority flag-off many projects even when they did not safe money for their execution, but in our own case, for any project we are flagging of, we have saved money for that”, Obi said.
Speaking, the State Commissioner for Works, Arc Callistus Ilozumba said that the Atani Ozubulu road belonged to class of roads being constructed in difficult places that subsequent Anambra Governments shied away from because of the huge cost implication. “Some of the roads that belong to the same class as this are the Umuoba- Anam-nmiata road, roads in Ayamelum and parts of Anambra West,” the Commissioner submitted.
In his own remarks, a community leader in the area, Chief Michael Okendu said he was short of words to describe what God has done for Anambra State through the Government of Peter Obi. He said that nobody would have thought that Anambra Government would do the road under reference with three bridges. He prayed to God to answer Obi’s prayer that He gives Anambra State a successor better than him or at least as good as he is.
An Egyptian protester holds up a battle of oil and a bag of sugar as he chants against Muslim Brotherhood and Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi outside the presidential palace under a banner with a defaced picture of Mr. Morsi and Arabic that reads “the people want to bring down the regime,” in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012.
Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi is preparing to amend a controversial decree in which he assumed sweeping powers, Prime Minister Hisham Qandil said on Saturday.
Mr. Morsi tasked six officials who met on Saturday with elements of the opposition to “modify the constitutional declaration” he issued on November 22, Mr. Qandil said on the private Al-Mihwar television channel.
The officials, among them politicians and members of the judiciary, “met to draft a new text [decree] and could finalize it late on Saturday or on Sunday morning,” he added.
Mr. Morsi also said he wished to discuss the possibility of postponing a referendum on a draft constitution that the opposition said was rushed through by a panel dominated by Islamists.
Mr. Morsi’s November 22 decree – which put his decisions beyond judicial review – sparked Egypt’s current political crisis, which has seen deadly clashes between his Islamist supporters and secular-leaning opponents.
Seven people died and more than 600 were injured on Wednesday night in clashes between the two sides outside the presidential palace, and army tanks were deployed to keep demonstrators at bay.
The new draft charter, approved by an Islamist-dominated panel, boycotted by liberals and Christians and objected to by the opposition on the grounds that it limits freedom of expression, women’s rights and freedom of worship, is set for a popular referendum on December 15.
Opposition leaders have said they will only take part in talks if the referendum is postponed and Mr. Morsi repeals his decree.
The non-Muslim population resident in the Muslim dominated northern Nigerian State of Kano continues to suffer death in the hands on the native Kano indigene. Information available to 247ureports.com indicates that two teenage students, aged 16 and 17 years were shot dead by unknown Muslim gunmen on Thursday December 6, 2012 at the Yankaba area of Kano metropolitan city near Hadeja road.
Eyewitness reports indicate that the shooting incident occurred at minutes after 7pm near Yankaba area popularly referred as Anambra – line when unknown gunmen riding on a motorbike instantly shot the two teenagers to death at close range – while wailing “Allah is Great” in Arabic. The gunmen escaped immediately.
The names of the two teenagers killed were Daniel Nwachukwu, aged 17 [from Owerri] and Chukwuemeka Emmanuel Agazie [from Umuchu], aged 16. Both were childhood friends who grew up in Yankaba. Daniel recently secured university admission in Imo state.
247ureports.com spoke to the fathers of the murdered boys, Solomon Agazie and Nwachukwu. They expressed shock and disbelief over the killing of their innocent sons in cold blood. Mr Nwachukwu who was heavily saddened, cried repeatedly “Who killed my son? What offence has he committed to be shot instantly to death without justice?”
The father told our correspondent that on Thursday, Daniel visited his friend, Chukwuebuka and while Chukwuebuka was seeing off Daniel just 200 metres away from his home, when Chukwuebuka sister, who was in the bathroom had two gun shots, rushed out to the scene, only to discover that her brother and friend had been shot to death.
In panic, she alerted her parents. Both fathers rushed out to see the dead body of their two boys lying in a pool of blood – bullet riddled body.
Within about 10minutes after the shooting, the agents of the Joint Task Force [JTF] stationed in Kano arrived and carried the bodies of the teenagers to the Bompai Police station where the incident was recorded and thereafter the bodies were taken to the Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital mortuary for autopsy.
The Police Command confirmed the incident to 247ureports.com indicating that investigation has commenced to unravel those behind the crime.
Meanwhile, the latest killing of two Igbo teenagers brings the number of Igbo people killed by Muslim gunmen to 18. The Ohaneze Ndigbo head in Kano, Chief Tobia Idika who spoke with 247ureports.com lamented bitterly over the rampant killing of non-Muslims and non-natives in Kano. He called on the government of Kano State to do something to provide security for their non-Muslim population – or else – they will be forced to defend themselves.
In his words, “the government of Kano State has shown that it does not care for the non-Muslims in Kano. Every week boys in motorbikes come into our areas and kill us – and the governor just ignores the death as if we are chickens dying. Till date, the government of Kano has not done anything to console the mourning families. I am disappointed and tired.”
In speaking with the Commissioner for Information for Kano State Government, Prof Farouk concerning the adequacy of security for non-Muslims in the State, he stated “Gov’t provides security for all residents of the State regardless of their tribe or religion. It is a fact that terrorists killed more Muslims than any other sect in the State. So why trivialize issues“.
The electoral victory of the senate seat representing the south senatorial district of Anambra State came as a long awaited august visitor for the former Senior Special Assistant on Domestic Matters to the former President of the federal republic of Nigeria, General Olusegun Obasanjo. The victory, to most informed observers, came at the sensitive end of a long drawn out battle for the opportunity to serve at a leadership capacity for Senator Andy Uba. The opportunity brought to a temporary close the passionate struggle for Senator Uba to join the political ranks in Anambra.
Mounting the seat of Senator representing the people of southern senatorial zone in Anambra State presented what many suspect may become a Greek gift to the Uga born politician while other believed the Uga born politician may have ability to deliver a stellar performance. As at the swearing in on 2011, many of the informed spectators were unsure of the form his senator-ship will take. But it was certain the eagerness on the part of the Uga born politician was solid.
Senator Andy Uba’s arrival to the senate saw him take on the position of Chairman of the Senate House committee of Electoral Matters – a sensitive position for a new incoming senator.
However a cursory examination into Senator Andy Uba’s performance measured in terms of his ability to cater to his constituency through developmental program – shows what appears a latent inclination towards a pragmatic transformation of Anambra southern senatorial district. This is evident through the number and nature of constituency projects housed in the same senatorial district. Examination of the 2012 Appropriation Bill confirms the ongoing pragmatic transformation.
According to the 2012 Appropriation Bill, N349.47million worth of projects were cleared to be carried out at the constituency represented by Senator Andy Uba – through the efforts of the Uga born politician. Specifically, the Anambra south senatorial district felt the impact of democratic dividends under five categories namely, Energy Commission, Education, Water Resources, Lands and Housing, and Millennium Development Goals [MGDs].
Energy Commission –
N78million worth of work project – that comprise of Solar Street lights:
Ekwulobia N16million
Okongwu Memorial, Nnewi North N12million
Umunze N10million
Ozubulu N10million
Eziama-Mgbachi Market N7million
Nanka/Oko/Omogho-Ufuma road N13million
Azigbo-Amichi/Ebanafor N10million
Education –
N43million worth of work project – that comprise of building of classroom blocks:
Nwagwa primary school Uga N12million
Obioha central school, Nnewi N5million
Community school, Umuomaku N5million
Premier [boys] secondary school, Ogbunka N5million
Gov’t technical college Umunze N5million
Central school, Adazigbo, Nnewi N5million
Girls secondary school, Ukpor N6million
Water Resources –
N42million worth of work project – that comprise of borehole installation and overhead tank:
St John Ekwulobia N10million
Nkwo Uga Market N5million
Nkwo Okija Market Square N9million
Isseke Central School N9million
Umuonyiba village, Ufuma N9million
Lands and Housing –
N105.5million worth of work project – that comprise of Transformers/Solar Street Lights/Classrooms:
500KVA Transformer at Aguluezechukwu N8.75million
500KVA Transformer at Nkpologwu N8.75million
Solar street light at Nnewi North N12million
Solar street light at Nnewi South N12million
Solar street light at Ekwusigo N12million
Classrooms/Staff rooms/Dinning at Ajalli N14.5million
Classrooms/Staff rooms/Dinning at Umunze N14.5million
Classrooms/Staff rooms/Dinning at Okija N14.5million
Classrooms/Staff rooms/Dinning at Ukpor N14.5million
Millennium Development Goals [MGDs] –
N80.97million worth of work project – that comprise of Transformers/Solar Street Lights/Classrooms:
500KVA Transformer at Umuowerre, Ekwulobia N7.5million
500KVA Transformer at Nkwo Market, Umunze N7.5million
500KVA Transformer at Iyaba Ngo Ozubulu N7.5million
500KVA Transformer at Mkpoka Okpuno, Nnewichi N7.5million
500KVA Transformer at Umobinwa/Egwe/Ogwu Umuagbuci N7.5million
500KVA Transformer at beside Ezinifite divisional police station Enugwu-Awor N7.5million
3 classroom blocks with VIP toilets – Isigwu-Nwagu Central School. Ifite Nanka N17.47million
Solar Street light – St Cletus Church road, Otolo, Nnewi N6million
Solar Street light – Umoru, Uga N6million
300KVA Transformer at Ohukabia, Nawfijah N6.5million
See enclosed document below for more details…
In all, the work project sums to a little under N400million for the fiscal year of 2012. Aides to the Uga born politician anticipate the Appropriation Bill for the fiscal year 2013 will draw on the strength of 2012 – to enable sustain the momentum of development in southern senatorial district of Anambra State.
Senator Andy Uba is currently in preps to vie for the seat of Governorship in Anambra State come 2014 under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP].
For those who accept water or other food items offered by unknown passengers in commercial vehicles, you must be careful as there are robbery gangs that now make use of this opportunity to rob unsuspecting passengers.
This has been discovered after the arrest of five members of a notorious robbery gang by operatives of the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos State Police Command. The gang specialized in drugging unsuspecting passengers in commercial buses before dispossessing them of their valuables. Unlike their other partners who use their vehicles to perpetrate the heinous crime, the arrested suspects, as gathered, would board commercial buses and position themselves strategically to actualize their devilish act.
The way they operate includes trailing their targets either from the bank, or public places, right into a commercial bus. According Crime Guard, seven members of the gang would board same bus with their target while another would pose as a sachet water hawker. Unknown to their target the sachet water have all been sedated. One of them would then pretend to buy a sachet water from their gang (hawker), offering N20 note, only to be told there is no N10 note for his balance.
Pretending to be nice, the buyer would take another sachet of water and offer to their target, with the explanation that he did not want his money to be left with the hawker. And immediately their target drinks the water, he would fall asleep and in the process, have his valuables dispossessed of.
The gang however met its waterloo after a failed attempt to sedate one of its victims in Ikeja area of the state recently. Consequently, three members of the gang were apprehended. A Police source at SARS said “We have been on their trail for two weeks now. We got information that the same gang had robbed someone on his way from Ikeja to Yaba and the case was reported at Sabo police station. Driver of that bus and his conductor were initially accused of conniving with the robbers but after proper investigation, they were released with stern instructions to be on the look-out for members of the gang.
“Unfortunately for the gang, they boarded the same bus last week Tuesday and the bus conductor who was vigilant noticed them and raised alarm. They were about seven but three of them were arrested while four others escaped. But during interrogation those arrested provided information that aided the arrest of two others. We are currently making effort to apprehend the gang leader who is currently at large,” he explained.
