Metro

Court Remands Ex-Rivers LG Boss, Royal Father, 73 Others Over Murder Of DPO, Cultism

Published

2 years ago

November 17, 2023

Editor

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has remanded 75 persons to the Correctional Centre on alleged conspiracy in the murder of the District Police Officer of Ahoada Police Division, SP Bako Angbashim.

This is as Ekpeye Youths Worldwide and the National Union of Ekpeye Students have called for an end to the seeming politicisation of the killings going on in their area.

The suspects, who are standing trial on two counts bothering on Conspiracy to murder and sponsorship of cultism, in charge sheet number PHC/3208/CR/2023, were picked after Angbashim was killed and decapitated by cults terrorising Ahoada East Local Government Area, led by David Gift Okpala Okpolowu, popular called 2baba.

Those remanded included a former Chairman of Ahoada East LGA, Cassidy Ikegbidi, Eze Ekpeye Logbo, His Royal Majesty Eze, Ngozi Angwo and over 73 others.

The defendants, who were arraigned in court by the Commissioner of Police, did not take their plea as the bail application by one of the defendant’s lawyers, Dejo Lamikara, was opposed by the prosecuting counsel, Eniyepere Sikpi, a Superintendent of Police.

But the trial Judge, Justice Sika Apirioku after listening to the argument by the lawyers, ordered that the defendants be remanded to Port Harcourt correctional centre and adjourned the case till 21st November for plea and bail consideration.

However, the Secretary General of Ekpeye Youth Worldwide, Adokiye Oyagiri, and the President General of the National Union of Ekpeye Students, King Ngozi, have condemned what they described as the politicisation of the killings in Ekpeye by an alleged sponsored group, Concerned Ekpeye for Peace and Development.

Speaking, Oyagiri, in Port Harcourt yesterday, stated that some youths of the area were being used to make incitive statements against the leader of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Edison Ehie, who represents Ahoada East Constituency II.

He said: “I think it is everybody’s right to talk about the insecurity but where there is an issue is when people begin to make false allegations and claims that they can not be substantiated.

“We all know that immediately after the DPO of Ahoada East was killed, the Governor placed a bounty of N100 million on the killers of the DPO, and till today we are yet to hear from the police if he has been captured or not.”

Ahoada East is governed by a sitting chairman, who bears the responsibility of security because he receives security votes. We think the motive of the group is connected to the political crisis going on in the state. And I think they are trying to discredit Edison Ehie.

When there is insecurity, people tend to politicise it and start taking sides. It is wrong to blame people individually but blame institutions that are responsible for our day-to-day lives.

Also, the President General of the National Union of Ekpeye Students, King Ngozi, condemned the statement by the Conference of Concerned Ekpeye for Peace and Development, that Edison Ehie, has refused to take any action on the killings in his area as politically motivated.

He noted that in his capacity Ehie has taken steps to end the crisis in the area which is not under his constituency as he, Ehie, is from constituency I.

He said: “As a matter of serious concern, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie has been and he is still one of the best politicians we have in Ekpeye land going by his track record. The people of Ekpeye land are very happy with his leadership direction because of his unquantified good deeds.”

Metro

Police Arrest Ex-Soldier, Four Others Over Armed Robbery, Kidnapping In Anambra

Published

6 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of five suspected members of a notorious armed robbery and kidnapping syndicate, including a confessed deserter of the Nigerian Army, in Awka, the state capital.

According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the operation was carried out on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Awkuzu.

Ikenga said the operation was carried out after the Command received intelligence on the abduction of a farmer at Isiagu, Awka.

The victim was reportedly released after an undisclosed amount of ransom was paid.

The police spokesperson said that, acting on credible intelligence, police operatives stormed the gang’s hideout at Notoko, Awka, leading to the arrest of the confessed deserter soldier and four other suspects.

Ikenga identified the suspects as 38-year-old Dominic Oraz, a confessed deserter of the Nigerian Army; 30-year-old Michael Nwobodo; 29-year-old Eze Friday; 23-year-old Uche Okolo, and 29-year-old Chinedu Gilbert.

“Exhibits recovered from the suspects include six automatic pump-action guns, 63 rounds of live cartridges, one microscope, five machetes, one military cap, two police teargas canisters, handcuffs, a robber’s rocket launcher, criminal charms, three Motorola walkie-talkies, one jack knife, one power bank and cash sum of N26,000,” Ikenga stated.

He said that during interrogation, Oraz admitted abandoning the military in November 2024.

Ikenga noted that investigations are ongoing, particularly regarding the deserter soldier, in collaboration with military authorities, to guide further police action and prosecution of all suspects.

He said the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, commended the operatives for the operation and urged residents of the state to remain vigilant and to continue to report suspicious activities to the Police for prompt action.

The commissioner also assured Ndi Anambra of the Command’s unwavering commitment to combating violent crimes.

Metro

Police Arrest Ex-Soldier, Four Others Over Armed Robbery, Kidnapping In Anambra

Published

6 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

Ikenga said the operation was carried out after the Command received intelligence on the abduction of a farmer at Isiagu, Awka.

The victim was reportedly released after an undisclosed amount of ransom was paid.

He said that during interrogation, Oraz admitted abandoning the military in November 2024.

Ikenga noted that investigations are ongoing, particularly regarding the deserter soldier, in collaboration with military authorities, to guide further police action and prosecution of all suspects.

The commissioner also assured Ndi Anambra of the Command’s unwavering commitment to combating violent crimes.

Metro

Enugu Vigilantes Beat Young Man To Death Over Alleged Stealing Of Woman’s Clothes

Published

6 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

Members of the Neighbourhood Watch in Amagu Iwollo Oghe community, Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, have allegedly beaten a young man, Mr. Nosike Madueke, popularly known as Wojuwo, to death over a false theft allegation.

Community sources told SaharaReporters that the vigilante group was led by the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the community, Mr. Chukwuebuka Hillary Ngwueche, also known as Osuofia.

According to one of the sources, the incident occurred on Monday, August 25, 2025, when the local security men attacked Madueke with “dangerous weapons” after he was accused of stealing a box of clothes belonging to Mrs. Nneka Nwankwo.

The source explained that Nwankwo had earlier hired Madueke and his co-workers to repair or dig her septic tank and soakaway, but later raised an alarm claiming her box of clothes had gone missing.

“Instead of handing Madueke over to the appropriate authority, especially the police, they decided to jointly and severally take the laws into their respective hands by arresting Madueke, dragging him to his house for a search, bringing out his clothes, and burning all the clothes,” the source said.

“They tied Madueke on both his hands and legs and started profusely, taking turns by using offensive weapons such as guns, machetes, and irons, to beat him up till he died.”

“This happened in public at Iwollo Oghe Square. How can a trained CSO and his men kill a whole human being on a mere allegation by a woman of stealing her cloth, which was later found,” the source said.

“The young boy was from Imeziolo, Ezeagu LGA of Enugu State.”

According to another source, this marks the third time residents of Iwollo Oghe, either directly or through its purported security outfits, have been linked to the killing of people from the deceased’s community.

“Sometime in 1987, they shot Hyacinth Adinde with a gun and asked the people of Madueke community to do their worst.

“Also, years later, they killed Engr. Christopher Aniagbaoso, and yet they asked the people of the community to do their worst.

“The people of Iwollo Oghe are in the habit of killing the people of Imeziolo on mere suspicious grounds,” the source alleged.

“We call on the Enugu State command to do justice to this case as information reaching us revealed that the men are on the run after killing the young boy,” the source added.

A video obtained by SaharaReporters showed the deceased being beaten with sticks by men believed to be members of the Neighbourhood Watch, who were seen parading him along a community road.

Moments later in the footage, his lifeless body appeared on the ground, surrounded by residents, some of whom lamented, “See how they killed somebody’s only son for nothing.”

According to a source, the case has since been reported to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) of the Enugu State Police Command.

However, repeated attempts by SaharaReporters to obtain the reaction of the Police Command were unsuccessful.

Calls to the mobile phone of the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, went unanswered, and a WhatsApp message sent to him also received no response as of the time of filing this report.