Metro

Flood Submerges Houses In Anambra Communities

Published

1 year ago

October 31, 2024

Many houses located in flood-prone communities in five different local government areas across Anambra State have been submerged by flood following the rising water level from the River Niger and other related water activities.

Five local government areas have been affected by the flood including the Anambra West, Anambra East, Ogbaru, Awka North and Ayamelum local government areas.

Videos and pictures currently trending on social media show residents, including children wading through the waters, with submerged houses, markets, churches, schools, and other private and public facilities.

In one of the videos, a resident in one of the badly hit communities of Mmiata-Anam, Anambra West LGA, identified as Nnoru Anaekwe, narrated how residents of the community now paddle or ride in wooden canoes to their destinations, as major parts of the community and the local government area have been flooded.

One of the videos also showed when the Deputy Local Government Chairman of the Anambra West Local Government Area, Mrs Edith Ndive, was riding in a wooden canoe to her house.

Another video also captured some flood-submerged school buildings, as well as children paddling canoes and swimming in the flood.

In 2023 over 40 people reportedly died in a boat mishap that occurred along the Mmiata-Anam river, Anambra West LGA, when their boat hit a bridge and capsized in the waters.

The boat hit the bridge as a result of the rising water level. The victims of that tragedy were mostly women and children who were escaping to safer ground.

When contacted on the development, on Thursday, the State Commissioner for Environment, Felix Odimegwu, said the state government and relevant authorities were aware of the situation and were already providing necessary interventions.

Odimegwu said the water level had risen in the past few weeks, noting that the situation is being monitored.

He said, “The Anambra State Government Flood Management Team with personnel from NEMA, SEMA, International Organisation for Migration and the Red Cross Society are moving around collecting data on the situation at the Internally Displaced Persons camps.

“The state government has provided some interventions and relief materials so far to the people, with over 27 camps so far activated.

“No fewer than five local government areas have so far been affected by the flood, which include the Anambra West, Anambra East, Ogbaru, Awka North, and Ayamelum local government areas.”

According to him, the state government is better prepared for the flood, adding that the Ministry and the entire Flood Management Team have been issuing early warning signals almost every two days, showing the water level is rising.

The commissioner said the state received relief materials, including about 2,400 cartons of food items from Bank of Industries, adding that the food items comprised noodles, vegetable oil, Semovita, flour, salt and sugar.

He said these materials were distributed on Tuesday to the five local governments under threat at the moment.

Although he could not ascertain the total number of displaced persons so far, the commissioner said that the data were being generated, as the missions have been moving around the area since Tuesday.

He added, “Water level has risen in the past few weeks. We are monitoring the situation. Meanwhile a team of ANSG Flood Management Team with those from NEMA, SEMA, IOM, Red Cross, are moving around collecting data of the situation at the IDP camps.

“Because of early warning signals, we have been issuing out signals every two days displaying the water levels as it changes, we were better prepared. Many of the residents have moved to higher grounds and sorted shelter with their friends and relations. Others are at IDP camps.

“We have activated 27 camps. And the camps are ready to receive displaced persons as they come.

“The state has also received bags of beans, rice, noodles from Church of Jesus Latter Day Saints. These will be distributed any moment from now to the camps.

“The local government mayors are actively involved in making sure that adequate basic supplies are provided, that feeding is activated at the camps.”

Related Topics:Anambra Flood Flood flooding

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Metro

Ngige Recounts Attack On Convoy By Gunmen

Published

4 hours ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

A former Anambra State Governor and ex-Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has narrated how his convoy was attacked by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.

Ngige said the incident occurred when his personal aides were returning from an errand, resulting in the death of a woman, while his police orderly was shot in the leg and stripped of his rifle and uniform.

He disclosed this to journalists on Friday, when the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, visited him at his country home in Alor, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, to commiserate with him over the attack.

Ngige said he had been in Anambra since Saturday and had sent his personal aides on errands, including taking one of his vehicles for maintenance, when they were ambushed on their way back.

Dispelling rumours of his death, he said, “As you can see, I am alive; I am not dead, so there should be no panic. They attacked my convoy while they were returning around Umuoji. They saw some vehicles racing towards them, which later reversed, chased after them and started shooting.

“The assailants were all dressed in police and army uniforms. My convoy driver managed to manoeuvre until they ran into a shop. They caught up with my police security man who battled with them until his bullets were exhausted.

“They took away his rifle and uniform after shooting him in the leg.

“They told the two policemen that they were serving a ‘zoo government’. I think something is in the offing. They are seizing arms and mopping up police uniforms.

“I have spoken to the governor of the state, who assured me they will be tracked down. If they are not tracked down, it can lead to potential danger and an unravelling of the calmness we have enjoyed in the state for the past three months.

“You know we are entering the Christmas season and our people will be coming home. They need to be tracked down because this is a gang with a modus operandi of operating in police uniforms.”

On whether he believed the attack was targeted, Ngige said it was possible because his pilot driver and convoy are well known, but added that it might also be coincidental.

“My pilot driver is very well known. Anywhere people see him, they know Ngige is around. He has driven me for 22 years. So, on that basis, I may say they knew it was my convoy and decided to attack.

“On the other hand, it may be that they just saw a convoy with policemen and attacked them to harvest guns and uniforms. So I’m not insisting it was targeted. Anyone who targets me is wasting his time,” he added.

Speaking on the attackers’ reference to serving a “zoo government” and the recent tension surrounding the incarceration of the Indigenous People of Biafra leader, Nnamdi Kanu, Ngige said the situation called for a political solution.

“When they told the security men that they were serving a ‘zoo government’ and should tell their masters they are coming for them, you know what that means.

“My take is that Nnamdi Kanu’s case requires a political solution. I met former President Muhammadu Buhari over it. Governor Soludo has also said he wants Kanu released to him. But even if they don’t want to release him to us, they can release him to Britain.

“Why I say so is because the symptoms he is exhibiting are bizarre. I am not a psychiatrist, but something is wrong. Even the doctors who conducted the psychiatric evaluation missed something. There is a mania component. In such cases, the court normally discharges the person. This is elementary psychiatry, and I am a medical doctor,” he said.

Also speaking, Obi, who visited Ngige in Alor, thanked God for sparing the former governor’s life and commiserated with the family of the woman who was shot dead while making a video of the incident.

Recall that unidentified gunmen attacked Ngige’s convoy along the Nkpor–Nnobi Road in Idemili North Local Government Area on Thursday.

According to Ngige’s former media aide, Sir Fred Chukwuelobe, the former governor was not in the convoy at the time of the attack.

A policeman in the pilot car was shot, and his gun and uniform were taken by the assailants, who were reportedly dressed in police and military uniforms.

Eyewitnesses said a woman who was recording the shooting was fatally shot, while a shop owner who rushed out to observe the commotion was also hit but survived and is scheduled for surgery to remove bullets lodged in his body.

“No policeman was killed. The escort leader who was shot has been operated upon and is expected to make a full recovery,” one eyewitness said.

Metro

Househelp Stabs Employer’s Daughter To Death, Takes Own Life

Published

4 hours ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

The Rivers State Police Command has launched an investigation into the death of a seven-year-old girl, Alicia Olajumoke, who was allegedly stabbed to death by her minder in Rumueme, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.

Details of the incident, which occurred on Tuesday, were scanty as of the time of filing this report.

However, it was gathered that the minder reportedly committed suicide after realizing the enormity of her actions.

Sources said the house help went to the school of her employer’s daughter, picked her up, and took her home before carrying out the act.

In a statement on Friday, the police spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, said the toddler’s mother, Glory Joseph, reported the incident to the police.

Iringe-Koko added that the seven-year-old girl died before reaching the hospital, where the minder, who also took her own life, was confirmed dead.

She further stated that while the corpses of both victims have been deposited at the hospital, the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCID) of the Police Command for a detailed probe.

The statement read, “Today, 25th November 2025, one Glory Joseph, female, of No. 21 Okabia Street, Agip Estate, Rumueme, reported at the station that her daughter, Alicia Olajumoke, female, aged seven years, was stabbed to death at about 1400 hours by one Success, female, surname yet to be known.

“She (Glory) further said that the suspect went to the school of the deceased, picked her up, took her home, and stabbed her to death. The suspect also inflicted a stab wound on her own throat.

“The scene of the crime was visited, and photographs were taken. The victim was rushed to the hospital, where she was confirmed dead. The suspect was also rushed to the same hospital and confirmed dead.

“The corpse of the deceased has been deposited at the morgue for autopsy. The case has been transferred to the SCID. Preliminary investigation is ongoing, and further developments will be communicated.”

Cases of violent attacks on children by household staff are rare but not unprecedented in Nigeria, raising concerns about vetting and supervision of domestic workers.

In one notable case, a domestic worker was sentenced to death by hanging in 2023 for killing an elderly employer and her daughter.

Metro

Police Arrest 26 Over Fake Currency, Adulterated Diesel In Lagos

Published

4 hours ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Police Command on Friday announced the arrest of twenty-six male suspects linked to “the possession of counterfeit currency and the production and sale of adulterated diesel to unsuspecting motorists at Eti-Osa, Lekki, Lagos.”

According to the Command, the suspects were apprehended on 27th November 2025 at about 1330 hours in a joint operation with operatives of the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI).

Police said, “Nine Hundred and Fifty-One Thousand, Three Hundred Naira (₦951,300) in counterfeit notes were recovered from their premises.”

All these were detailed in a Friday press release shared on the Command’s official X handle and signed by its Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi.

Preliminary investigations, the release stated, showed that Abubakar Rilean (40 years), Abubakar Abdullahi (35 years), Adamu Ibrahim Jora (35 years), and Michael John (30 years) were involved in “the production and distribution of adulterated engine oil/diesel, popularly known as ‘rice and beans,’ which they sold to unsuspecting and innocent motorists.”

Two others, Ichapi Moses (30 years) and Samson Adike (28 years), were identified as suppliers of the adulterated petroleum products in the area.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, warned individuals across the state engaging in unlawful acts to desist, declaring that the Command was “intensifying efforts and closing in strongly on perpetrators.”

He added: “Anyone found engaging in acts capable of endangering public peace, damaging vehicles, or threatening economic stability will face the full weight of the law.”

Reassuring residents, CP Jimoh said the Command remained fully in control of the security situation.

The CP stated: “The state is safe and there is no room for criminals or their unlawful activities. The safety and well-being of all residents remain the Command’s top priority.”

The public was urged to support ongoing security efforts, as the police emphasised that “credible and timely information” remained essential to crime prevention and arrests.