News

Killing Of Anambra Ex-monarch: APC, APGA In Verbal War

Published

4 years ago

September 12, 2021

Last Friday’s gruesome murder of the former traditional ruler of Mkpunando community in Anambra East LGA, Alex Edozieuno and his driver, Chukwuemeka has triggered an altercation between the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

APC had raised the alarm over plots by some top government functionaries in the state, to eliminate selected leaders of the party, claiming that the late Edozieuno was also its member.

In a press conference by the Director-General of the Andy Uba campaign organization, Mr Paul Chukwuma and the state party chairman, Mr Basil Ejidike on Sunday, the duo said some leaders of the party in the state have been receiving death threats.

Chukwuma said some members of his party, including himself, has received threats for supporting the APC and its candidate, adding that the assassination of Edozieuno last Friday was politically motivated.

“We are here to brief you on a sad event that took place in our state on Friday. We woke up to the news of the assassination of Chief Alex Edozieuno. Until his death, he (Edozieuno) was the traditional ruler of Mkpunando community, before he was dethroned by the Obiano government.

“This death is of major concern to us because it is considered to be a politically motivated killing. We wonder how anyone could indulge in such an act, no matter how highly placed.

“A few weeks ago he joined our party in an elaborate political function. His reception into the party took place in his home town and was attended by many Anambra people, and now he is gone.

“Like late Edozieuno, most of our members, including the APGA lawmakers that defected to our party have been receiving death threats by phone calls. We wonder why the death threats to us and to members of our families, from highly placed individuals in Anambra, and a serving member of this government (names withheld).

“Our contest in Anambra has never gotten to a point where lives are lost and we are not taking this lightly. We are calling on the law enforcement agencies to move into action and conduct proper investigation since the threat has come to reality.

“Our resolve to salvage Anambra is not shaken. We could have swept it under the carpet, but the manner in which Edozieuno was killed is a source of concern to us. Things have gone bad in Anambra State, and infrastructure has broken down.

“We have had series of things go wrong in this state, but we have never addressed a press conference. We are forced to address this one because the issue at stake is bigger than the rest. I have been receiving threats and our party leaders too.

“We have decided to do things differently this time and we are reaching out to the people in the grassroots and by the grace of God it is yielding results and people are leaving APGA and PDP in droves to join our party, and it is apparent that some people are not happy with this.

“If this had happened on a Monday, it would have been blamed on IPOB. Let us distinguish criminals from IPOB, because IPOB has never threatened any APC member, and we have nothing against them,” Chukwuma said.

But the APGA in its reply through the state governor, Willie Obiano accused the APC of politicizing the death of the former monarch.

Governor Willie Obiano, while reacting through the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr C. Don Adinuba described the allegation as stupid and unintelligent, calling on the APC not to politicize the death of the former monarch or that of anyone.

A release by Adinuba read: “The Anambra State Branch of the APC held a press conference where its leaders attempted to politicize the brutal murder of the former traditional ruler of Mkpunando community in Aguleri, Anambra East Local Government Area, Chief Alexander Edozieuno.

“The APC leaders alleged some Anambra State Government officials and a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Chinedu Obidigwe, had a hand in the murders, adding that the persons had been sending threatening messages to APC members.

“It is important to remind some politicians that it is asinine and callous to attempt to politicize the death of any person. To allege that the murders were preceded by threats and text messages without proof is preposterous.”

Adinuba said rather than politicize the ex-monarch’s death, the APC should provide whatever it has about the crime to the Nigeria Police Force, to help fish out the killers, as they are also the party in power at the federal level and controls the country’s security apparatus.

Obiano had immediately after the news of the killing on Friday ordered security agencies in the state to immediately swing to work, while the new state police commissioner in Anambra, Mr Tony Olofu also visited the scene of the event.

News

Ground Rent: 34 Embassies Risk Closure Tuesday

Published

60 minutes ago

June 9, 2025

Editor

Thirty-four embassies in Abuja risk being closed down by the Federal Capital Territory Administration over unpaid ground rents spanning 11 years, according to The PUNCH.

The PUNCH, however, learnt that the opposition Peoples Democratic, Federal Inland Revenue Service and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, who were also listed as defaulters, had settled their ground rent with the FCTA.

A publication by the FCTA revealed that many foreign missions had not paid their ground rents since 2014, with the affected diplomatic missions collectively owing N3,662,196.

On May 26, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, ordered officials to commence enforcement on 4,794 properties that were revoked due to non-payment of ground rent, spanning between 10 and 43 years.

But President Bola Tinubu intervened, granting a 14-day grace period, which ends on Monday (today), to affected property holders to settle their outstanding obligations.

The Director of Land, FCTA, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, disclosed that the defaulters would pay penalty fees of N2m and N3m respectively, depending on their locations.

The defaulting embassies include the Ghana High Commission Defence Section (N5,950); Embassy of Thailand (N5,350), Embassy of Côte d’Ivoire (N5,500); Embassy of the Russian Federation (N1,100); Embassy of the Philippines (N5,950); Royal Netherlands Embassy (N5,950); Embassy of Turkey (N3,350), and the Embassy of the Republic of Guinea (N5,950).

Also included are the embassies of Ireland (N500), Uganda (N5,950), Iraq (N550), and the Zambia High Commission, which owes (N1,189,990).

Other missions on the list include the Tanzania High Commission (N6,000), German Embassy (N1,000), Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo (N5,950), Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (N459,055), Embassy of the Republic of Korea (N5,950), and the High Commission of Trinidad and Tobago (N500).

The Embassy of Egypt (N5,950), Embassy of Chad (N5,950), Sierra Leone Commission (N5,900), High Commission of India (N150), Embassy of Sudan (N5,950), Embassy of Niger Republic (N500), and Kenya High Commission (N5,950) are also listed among the defaulters.

Others are the embassies of Zimbabwe (N500), Ethiopia (N5,950), and Indonesia (Defence Attaché), which has an outstanding balance of (N1,718,211).

The Delegation of the European Union (N1,500), Embassy of Switzerland (N5,950), Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia (N5,950), China’s Economic and Commercial Counselor’s Office (N12,000), South African High Commission (N4,950), and the Government of Equatorial Guinea (N1,137,240) also featured on the list.

Reacting, the Embassy of the Russian Federation firmly denied any outstanding debts.

“The Embassy pays all bills for the rent of the territory on which the Embassy complex is located in good faith and on time. The Embassy also has all necessary documents confirming payment,” it stated.

Similarly, the Embassy of Turkiye questioned its inclusion on the FCTA’s list, citing a possible administrative error.

A Turkish official told our correspondent, “We have not received a formal notification about the debt. We regularly make our payments on time, and we will check if we are on the list because of a bureaucratic mistake or a misunderstanding, and will fix the issue as soon as possible.”

The German Embassy, in a chat with The PUNCH, clarified that no formal claim or demand regarding unpaid rent had been brought to its attention by the FCTA.

“We understand that you are referring to reports suggesting that the German Embassy in Abuja has outstanding rent obligations. We would like to clarify that no such claim or demand has been formally brought to our attention by the Federal Capital Territory Administration,” the embassy stated.

It further insisted that all official financial obligations relating to the embassy’s premises had been settled as of the end of 2024, adding that there are no known outstanding payments.

The embassy emphasised its commitment to maintaining a respectful and cooperative relationship with the Nigerian government and the FCTA, reaffirming its dedication to transparency and mutual trust.

“Moreover, we can confirm that all official financial obligations relating to the Embassy’s premises have been fully settled as of the end of 2024. There are no known outstanding payments.

“The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany highly values its respectful and cooperative relationship with the government of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory Administration and remains fully committed to transparency and mutual trust,” the statement added.

The Embassy of Ghana also told The PUNCH that even though it had not been notified officially of the development, it would reach out to the Foreign Affairs on ways to resolve the issue.

The embassy stated, “The High Commission has noted the publication but has not been officially communicated to. We will liaise with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on this matter.”

An official at the Sierra Leone Embassy said they were unaware of the issue and would verify the claim.

He noted, “I am not aware and I am not in the office now. On my return, I will inform my authorities to cross-check.”

Concerning the claims by some embassies that they were not indebted to the FCTA, spokesman for the FCT minister, Lere Olayinka, stated, “This claim will be promptly investigated and appropriate action will be taken.”

Commenting on the development, a former Nigerian ambassador to Mexico, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, referenced the 1961 Vienna Convention and urged caution.

“For the diplomatic premises, if we are to go by the Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Relations, the premises of a diplomatic mission are inviolable,” he submitted.

“But that is not to say that they are not supposed to obey local municipal rules and regulations or the rules and regulations governing such things as relate to property ownership. However, there may be a caveat,” Amedu-Ode said.

He suggested that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should handle the matter diplomatically.

“It is a question of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs looking at each one on a bilateral basis and implementing it on a reciprocal basis,” the ex-envoy stated.

A foreign affairs analyst, Charles Onunaiju, also questioned the legality of applying ground rent rules to diplomatic missions, arguing that it was not applicable under international laws.

“By the Vienna Convention establishing diplomatic missions, diplomatic premises are sovereign territory of their respective countries,” Onunaiju pointed out.

He warned that any enforcement action against embassies could trigger diplomatic fallout.

“If you get into their premises to lock it down, you are obviously violating a very advanced diplomatic protocol. It will be a breach of diplomatic protocol,” the analyst warned.

Meanwhile, a reliable source close to the Peoples Democratic Party leadership, who spoke on condition of requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the issue, told The PUNCH that the PDP had settled all matters related to ground rent with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

He stated, “The PDP has resolved all issues with Wike regarding the ground rent. Action was taken on Friday to make the payment, so there is no longer any problem.”

When asked about the development, the FCT minister’s spokesman, Lere Olayinka, said, “Some of these things, there is no way we can know. Some are paying through Remita, people are paying online. So, it’s until they bring their receipts that we can know.”

It was also learnt that the Federal Inland Revenue Service had mended fences with the FCTA after their offices were sealed off following non-compliance.

On May 26, the FCTA sealed off the FIRS premises for non-payment of its ground rent, but the action sparked a row between both bodies, with the latter denying owing ground rent on its properties in Abuja. The revenue generating firm thus demanded a public apology from the FCTA for sealing off one of its offices.

However, the FCTA insisted that the shutdown was due to the non-payment of ground rent, a statutory land charge.

Refuting the allegation that FIRS owed 25-year ground on two of its office at No 12 and 14, Sokode Crescent, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, Director, Facility Management Department, FIRS, Tyofa Abeghe, said nothing could be further from the truth on the claim as FIRS had paid the said money.

He said a demand notice from Abuja Geographic Information System dated September 2023, asking for ground rent on the properties was honoured with a payment of N2, 364, 003 three months after the notice was issued.

It was learnt that the payment issue had been resolved.

In a similar vein, NAPTIP, which also had its office sealed, had settled their outstanding ground net, a source at the federal agency told The PUNCH.

“It’s been resolved,” the source said.