Metro

5 Injured As Shootings, Protests Trail Ejection Of Anambra Land Owners From Motor Parks

Published

2 years ago

August 23, 2023

There was a pandemonium on Wednesday at a mini motor part close to both the New Auto Spare Parts Market, Nkpor and the Flyover along the Enugu/Onitsha at Nkpor in Idemili Northern Local Government Area of Anambra state arising from heavy shootings.

The shootings which ended up in inflicting injuries on about five persons, according to eyewitnesses started at about 1 p.m. when some security operatives on masks stormed the area and attempted to forcefully eject the people of Amafor Community who claim to be bonafide owners of the land where the motor parks were cited and who are generating revenues for both the community and Anambra state government.

The shooting, injuries and forceful ejection of the land owners and their revenue agents later gave rise to a peaceful protest by the villagers who carried placards with various inscriptions.

Chairman of Amafor Village, Nkpor, Sir Emmanuel Idemili who confirmed the incident to newsmen, said the federal ministry of works gave the community an authority to manage the two parks and collect revenues for the community and the state government which they have been found perfectly until yesterday when the masked security operatives stormed the parks at the instigation of the former Chairman of Idemili North Local Government Transition Committee, Chief Raphael Asha Nnabuife who he said is also an indigene of Nkpor but not from Amafor village which owns the land where the parks are located.

Idemili who contended that the security operatives succeeded in chasing away his men from the duty posts with their heavy shootings, added: “We have been in charge of the parks, we got our permissions from the state government to generate revenue from the parks for the state government but what we saw today is very strange to us”.

“Just this morning, I was at Awka on official assignment, when our men who are working at the parks called me and told me that masked security operatives stormed the parks under the flyover bridge and started shooting indiscriminately, ordering them to vacate the place immediately, and they took to their heels”.

“The shootings and attack from these security men may have come from the former transition chairman of Idemili North Local Government Area Caretaker Committee Chairman, Chief Raphael Nnabife Ashia because when he was the transition Committee chairman, he sacked us from the parks, telling us that the parks were owned and controlled by the State government and not the Amafor community.

“The men have been working under the cover of ANSIPPA to ensure that we are not working and collecting the revenue on behalf of the state government because he claimed to have taken ownership of collection of revenue from the parks on behalf of the state government through his company Pugaty Investment.

“I was told that over 5 people got injured during the stampede as a result of the heavy shootings of which I am yet to know if my men were involved as the shootings resulted in traders at Nkpor New Auto Spare Parks and Nkpor Relief Markets immediately shut their shops and fled for their safety,” he further added.

“In a swift reaction when contacted, Chief Asha Nnabuufe who Idemili accused of instigating their forceful ejection, denied involvement in the attack and sack of Amafor officials at the parks, saying that the sack may have come from the State government in collaboration with ANSIPPA as the parks are owned and controlled by the state government.”

However, when contacted also, the Executive Director of Anambra Investment Promotion and Protection Agency, ANSIPPA, Chief Mark Okoye confirmed that it was the State government that sacked them not ANSIPPA.

Also when contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said that he was not yet aware of the incident.
VANGUARD

Metro

Gunmen Kill Three In Zamfara Community Over N3,500 Yoghurt

Published

11 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Editor

At least three people were killed on Wednesday in Danjibga village, Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, after armed bandits attacked the community.

The incident was reported on Thursday, December 4, 2025, by security analyst Bakatsine on X.

Bakatsine explained that the attack began when a group of gunmen entered a local shop and attempted to take Rufaida yoghurt worth ₦3,500 without payment. The shop owner insisted on payment, prompting the men to become angry, drop the goods, and leave.

According to Bakatsine, the gunmen returned less than an hour later, heavily armed, and opened fire, killing three people. The attack also forced residents to flee and resulted in the looting of the shop.

He said, “Yesterday evening in the Danjibga community of Tsafe LGA, Zamfara State, a group of bandits entered a local shop and attempted to take Rufaida yoghurt worth ₦3,500 without payment.

“When the shop owner insisted on payment, the gunmen became angry, abandoned the yoghurt, and left. They returned less than an hour later and started shooting sporadically, which killed three people, forced residents to flee, and looted the shop.”

As of the time of filing this report, authorities have not issued an official statement regarding the incident.

Metro

Patient Accuses Ekiti Teaching Hospital Of Organ Harvesting

Published

11 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Editor

Management of the Ekiti State Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) has commenced an investigation into an alleged organ harvesting levelled against it by a patient, Mr Joshua Afolayan, who had surgery recently in the facility.

Joshua had accused the Teaching Hospital of an alleged harvest of his kidney by medical doctors in the hospital.

Addressing a press conference in Ado Ekiti, Afolayan explained that he had an accident in August 2025, and after visiting the hospital, he was told that one of his kidneys was affected.

According to him, the results of multiple scans carried out, including at UCH, Ibadan, Oyo State, confirmed that the right kidney had been damaged but the left kidney was very fine.

However, during surgery to remove the faulty kidney so as to protect other organs, Afolayan confirmed that he still urinated five minutes before the surgery, but since the procedure in October, he has not been able to pass urine.
He noted that all efforts to get explanations from the hospital proved abortive, as they continued to play him around.

Afolayan added that on second thought, he decided to visit another facility for scanning, only to discover that he had been living without a kidney since the operation.

He called on the government to carry out a thorough investigation and save his life, as he has continued to live in pain.

However, disturbed by the development, the Chairman, Board of Management of the Teaching Hospital, Dr Adedamola Dada, constituted a seven-man panel of enquiry to look into the alleged case of kidney removal in the hospital.
A statement by Rolake Adewumi, Head, Corporate Affairs, EKSUTH, disclosed that the members of the panel included Prof. Francis Faduyile, an Anatomic Pathologist from the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, who will serve as the Chairman of the panel.

Other members included Prof. Patrick Temi Adegun of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti; Dr Henry Abiyere from Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido–Ekiti; Dr Adebola Adeniyi–Agbaje, General Manager, Progress F.M, Ado-Ekiti.
Others are Reverend Emmanuel Aribasoye, Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, Ekiti State branch; High Chief (Prof) Babatunde Akindele, the Elemo of Ado–Ekiti, a community leader; and Barr. Adebayo Titilayo, the Legal Adviser to Ekiti State Ministry of Health, who will serve as Secretary to the panel.

She said that the panel has ten days to submit its report, adding that the hospital management reassured the public that no stone would be left unturned to determine the issues involved in the matter.

“The Management noted that members of the panel are independent and responsible members of the community who would exhibit fairness and justice.

“All the affected parties and the general public were urged to cooperate with the panel as the findings are being awaited.”

Metro

Appeal Court Upholds Ban On Vehicle Impoundment, Awards N1m Damages

Published

11 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Editor

The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Thursday, affirmed the judgment of a Federal High Court which stopped the Directorate of Road Traffic Services, also known as VIO, from further stopping, impounding, or confiscating vehicles on the road and imposing fines on motorists.

The appellate court, in the judgment delivered by Justice Oyejoju Oyebiola Oyewumi, held that the case of the VIO was lacking in merit.

“I find no iota of merit in this appeal; the decision of the lower court is hereby affirmed.

“Cost of N1 million is awarded against the appellant,” the appellate court held.

Recall that Justice Evelyn Maha of the Federal High Court had, in a judgment in a fundamental rights enforcement suit last year, issued an order restraining the VIO from impounding or confiscating the vehicles of motorists and/or imposing fines on any motorist.

The judge predicated her decision on the grounds that the appellants lacked the necessary legal backing to stop, impound, or confiscate vehicles and/or impose fines on motorists.

While the suit was filed by a rights activist and public interest lawyer, Mr Abubakar Marshal, the order is said to bind the Director of Road Transport, the Area Commander, Jabi, and the Team Leader, Jabi, as well as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), all listed as respondents in the case.

The judge held that the first to the fourth respondents, who are under the control of the fifth respondent (FCT minister), are not empowered by any law or statute to stop, impound, or confiscate vehicles and/or impose fines on motorists.

The trial judge had subsequently issued an order restraining the first to the fifth respondents, either through their agents, servants, and/or assigns, from impounding or confiscating the vehicles of motorists and/or imposing fines on any motorist, adding that doing so is wrongful, oppressive, and unlawful.

The judge also issued an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents, whether by themselves, agents, privies, allies, or anybody acting on behalf of the first respondent, from further violating the rights of Nigerians to freedom of movement, presumption of innocence, and the right to own property without lawful justification.

Dissatisfied, the Directorate of Road Traffic Services appealed the judgment of the trial court but lost.