Metro

Gunmen Kidnap 9 Enugu-bound Passengers, Kill 2, Rob Others

Published

2 years ago

June 25, 2023

Gunmen operating at Imo axis of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway reportedly kidnapped nine Enugu-bound passengers, killed two and robbed others of their valuables.

The victims, who hail from Amangwo Olokoro in Umuahia, were said to be travelling to Enugu on Saturday for a burial, when they were attacked by the unidentified hoodlums.

Narrating their to newsmen in Umuahia on Sunday, one of them, who identified himself simply as Francis, said their Sienna Bus was flagged down at gunpoint near the Arondizuogu Junction on the expressway.

Francis (not real name) said that the vehicle was later diverted off the expressway to Arondizuogu Road in Imo, from where they were led into a hamlet far into the bush.

He said: “I have never had this kind of experience in my life before.

“We were travelling to Enugu for a burial and when we got close to Arondizuogu Junction, we saw a group of heavily armed men and they asked us to park.

“One of us in the vehicle asked them ‘why do you ask us to park and pointing your guns at us, do you know who I am?’.

“Then one of the hoodlums said, ‘now oga you will prove to us whom you are’.

“They ordered us out of the vehicle and asked us to sit on the ground and pull off our shirts with which they blindfolded us.

“From there, they started beating the man that made the comment with machete,” Francis said.

He said that when they got into the hamlet, residents “were watching us as if they are watching a video.

“When we alighted from the vehicle, their leader asked about the man that made the comment and they pointed at him.

“They brought him out, and barely three steps away from us, they shot him dead.

“Another man with us, who saw what happened and attempted to escape was rushed and also shot dead,” Francis said.

According to him, they seized the two corpses.

He said that the hoodlums were not fewer than 50 in their hideout, with 20 of them heavily armed.

“And the funniest part of it was that these men were speaking our own language.

“They told us that Umuahia people are ‘sabo to them’, that they asked us not to vote in the last election and we went out to vote.

“That they declared Mondays sit-at-home and we are not obeying them.

“That any Umuahia person they got around here will get it hot.

“Then they asked us to say our last prayers,” Francis said.

He said that as they were praying, they were being moved into one of the three new Hummer Buses in the hideout and taken to where they eventually loaded them back into their Sienna Bus and led to the tarred road.

“At that point they asked whether we can find our way out and we said no and they told the driver to go straight.

“They said we should go and tell Umuahia people what we saw.

“That was how we found ourselves back to Umuahia,” he said.

Francis said that valuables collected from them, included cash and cell phones.

Meanwhile, the deceased persons were identified as Chukwuemeka Nwachukwu, a pastor, who passed a comment after they were flagged down, and the Village Youth Leader, Ifeanyi Onwunkwe, who attempted to escape.

A journalist from the community said on the condition of anonymity that “the sad incident has thrown the area into mourning”.

Attempt made to get a confirmation of the attack from the Imo Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Henry Okoye, was unsuccessful as phone calls made to him failed to connect.

However, a senior police officer at the Abia Police Command claimed to be aware of the incident but said that “formal entry” had yet to be made.

“I am aware of the Saturday attack but you know the incident happened in Imo.

“So, as we speak, nobody has made any formal entry here,” the source said.

Metro

Natasha: Appeal Court Strikes Out Akpabio’s Motions, Imposes N100,000 Fine

Published

15 hours ago

June 11, 2025

Editor

The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has struck out two motions filed by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and awarded costs of ₦100,000 against him.

A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice Hamman Barka, struck out the motions on May 21, 2025, following the request for withdrawal of the appeal.

The PUNCH a certified true copy of the ruling on Tuesday night.

The motions, dated March 3, 2025, and March 25, 2025, and marked CV/395/M1/2025 and CV/395/M2/2025, listed Akpabio as the appellant.

The respondents were Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, Senator Neda Imasuem.

In the appeal, Akpabio sought the following reliefs: “An order of this Honourable Court enlarging the time within which the Appellant/Applicant may seek leave to appeal against the decision of the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025 between Senator Natasha AkpotiUduaghan v. Clerk of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and 3 Others (Coram: Honourable Justice Obiora Atuegwu Egwuatu) delivered on March 10, 2025 on grounds of mixed law and fact as contained in the proposed Notice of Appeal.

“An order of this Honourable Court granting leave to the Appellant/Applicant to appeal against the decision of the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025 between Senator Natasha AkpotiUduaghan v. Clerk of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and 3 Others. (Coram: Honourable Justice | Obiora Egwuatu) delivered on March 10, 2025, on Grounds of mixed law and fact as contained in the proposed Notice of Appeal attached as Exhibit B.

“An order of this Honourable Court enlarging the time within which the Appellant/Applicant may file their Notice of appeal against the decision of the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025 between Senator Natasha AkpotiUduaghan v. Clerk of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and 3 Others. (Coram: Honourable Justice Obiora Egwuatu) delivered on March 10, 2025.

“An order of this Honourable Court staying further proceeding in Suit No: FCH/ABJ/CS/384/2025 between Senator Natasha AkpotiUduaghan v. Clerk of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and 3 Others. (Coram: Honourable Justice Obiora Egwuatu), pending the hearing and determination of the Appellant/Applicant’s appeal before this Honourable Court.”

The court, in its ruling, held, “Application seeking to withdraw the two motions dated and filed on 20/3/2025 and 25/3/2025 is granted and the motions are struck out.

“Costs of ₦100,000 are awarded to the 1st Respondent. Appeal No. CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/395M/2025 to be deleted.”

Metro

JUST IN: Drama As Oshiomhole Shuts Down Lagos Airport’s Zulu Terminal After Missing Flight To Abuja [VIDEO]

Published

16 hours ago

June 11, 2025

Editor

In an arrogant display of political privilege and disregard for public inconvenience, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, the former Edo State governor and current senator for Edo North, on Wednesday forced the closure of the Zulu Terminal at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos after arriving late for his flight to Abuja.

SaharaReporters gathered from credible sources at the airport that Oshiomhole blocked the entrance to the Zulu Terminal of the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) after arriving at the terminal well past the scheduled departure time of his flight.

Oshiomhole was scheduled to travel on an early morning Air Peace flight. His departure time for the flight to Abuja was 6:30 am.

Sources at the airport said the senator blocked the entrance to the terminal entirely, refusing to budge despite multiple pleas from the terminal manager.

According to eyewitnesses, rather than accept responsibility for his lateness, the senator blocked the terminal’s entrance, creating a gridlock that left dozens of passengers stranded and delayed.

Sources said the terminal manager’s repeated efforts to resolve the disruption were met with obstinate refusal by Oshiomhole, forcing the regional manager to intervene.

A management meeting was hurriedly convened to pacify the senator and convince him to allow normal operations to resume.

Witnesses described the scene as chaotic and humiliating for airline and airport staff, who were seen pleading with the senator to de-escalate the situation.

Air Peace, the airline scheduled to fly the senator to Abuja, refused to accommodate him, citing his late arrival and adherence to strict check-in policies.

“He missed the flight. That’s the simple truth. He wanted them to delay the flight for him, but Air Peace refused,” a source familiar with the incident said.

“Oshiomhole blocked the terminal

https://x.com/SaharaReporters/status/1932776554347610343?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1932776554347610343%7Ctwgr%5E2fa07ed71d8279348ed453c1552852f6c48ea541%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsaharareporters.com%2F2025%2F06%2F11%2Fair-peace-lambasts-senator-oshiomhole-unruly-conduct-assaulting-staff-barricadinghttps://x.com/SaharaReporters/status/1932776554347610343?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1932776554347610343%7Ctwgr%5E2fa07ed71d8279348ed453c1552852f6c48ea541%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsaharareporters.com%2F2025%2F06%2F11%2Fair-peace-lambasts-senator-oshiomhole-unruly-conduct-assaulting-staff-barricading

Metro

Air Peace Lambasts Oshiomhole For Unruly Conduct, Assaulting Staff, Barricading Terminal Entrance At Lagos Airpor

Published

16 hours ago

June 11, 2025

Editor

A Nigerian airline, Air Peace, has strongly condemned the disruptive actions of former Edo governor and serving Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, who reportedly caused major disturbances at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 (Zulu Hall) on Wednesday morning.

The airline made its position known in a statement signed by its management.

“Air Peace strongly condemns the unruly conduct of a prominent Nigerian politician who disrupted airport operations on the morning of Wednesday, June 11, 2025,” the airline said in an official release signed by its management.

According to the airline, the individual in question arrived at the terminal at approximately 06:10 AM for Flight P47120, which was scheduled to depart Lagos for Abuja at 06:30 AM.

“The prominent individual in question arrived at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 (Zulu Hall) at approximately 06:10 AM for Flight P47120 scheduled to depart Lagos for Abuja at 06:30 AM. In line with our standard on-time departure policy, the boarding process had closed, and the flight departed as scheduled.”

“The airline said, “The politician resorted to violence, physically assaulting our staff and forcefully barricading the terminal’s entrance.”

The statement continues, detailing the extent of the disruption.

“He went as far as sealing the entry gate and manning the access point, effectively obstructing other passengers from gaining entry into the terminal.”

“This unacceptable behaviour caused significant disruption to ongoing operations and affected numerous travellers scheduled for various flights.”

Air Peace said it swiftly activated contingency measures to minimise the fallout from the incident.

“To minimise further inconvenience, Air Peace swiftly activated operational contingency plan to board affected passengers through an alternate terminal, ensuring the continuity of their travel plans.”

The airline expressed dismay over the incident, particularly considering the stature of the individual involved.

REAS ALSO: Air Peace Slashes London-Lagos Airfare

“We are deeply saddened that such a high-profile figure displayed conduct so unbecoming and disruptive to fellow passengers and our personnel. Air Peace maintains a zero-tolerance stance on violence or any form of aggression against our staff and passengers. We urge all guests, to remain civil and cooperative at all times.”

Reiterating its commitment to operational integrity, Air Peace emphasised the importance of adhering to aviation protocols.

“Aviation operations are bound by strict timelines and safety protocols, and we remain committed to upholding these standards while delivering safe and timely services to the Nigerian public.”

“Air Peace continues to stand for discipline, integrity, and respect for due process. No individual, no matter how influential, is above these values.”

Earlier, SaharaReporters reported that in an arrogant display of political privilege, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, the former Edo State governor and current senator for Edo North, on Wednesday forced the closure of the Zulu Terminal at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos after arriving late for his flight to Abuja.

SaharaReporters had gathered from credible sources at the airport that Oshiomhole blocked the entrance to the Zulu Terminal of the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) after arriving at the terminal well past the scheduled departure time of his flight.

Oshiomhole was scheduled to travel on an early morning Air Peace flight. His departure time for the flight to Abuja was 6:30 am.

Sources at the airport said the senator blocked the entrance to the terminal entirely, refusing to budge despite multiple pleas from the terminal manager.

According to eyewitnesses, rather than accept responsibility for his lateness, the senator blocked the terminal’s entrance, creating a gridlock that left dozens of passengers stranded and delayed.

Sources said the terminal manager’s repeated efforts to resolve the disruption were met with obstinate refusal by Oshiomhole, forcing the regional manager to intervene.

A management meeting was hurriedly convened to pacify the senator and convince him to allow normal operations to resume.

Witnesses described the scene as chaotic and humiliating for airline and airport staff, who were seen pleading with the senator to de-escalate the situation.

Air Peace, the airline scheduled to fly the senator to Abuja, refused to accommodate him, citing his late arrival and adherence to strict check-in policies.

“He missed the flight. That’s the simple truth. He wanted them to delay the flight for him, but Air Peace refused,” a source familiar with the incident said.