News

Police Allegedly Shoot Father of Three Dead Un Anambra

Published

2 years ago

October 23, 2023

A woman, Mrs Dorcas Nwakor, residing at Haruna Street, Odoakpu by Sokoto Road in Onitsha, Anambra State, has petitioned the acting Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over the alleged killing of her son, Chibueze Nwakor, by police officers attached to the Area Command in Onitsha.

In the petition, made available to journalists in Onitsha, on Monday, Mrs Nwakor, said Chibueze, her only son and father of three, was shot dead by the police officers around his residence on October 13, 2023, while he was going to his place of business.

She petitioned the acting IGP through her Lawyer, Anayo Emejue and Associates, adding that her son, was shot dead without any provocation by three policemen, led by one Jude Utazi, on the fateful day.

The petition partly reads, “It is our client’s instruction that on October 13, 2023, at Onitsha, Anambra State, a team of three policemen shot their son, husband and brother, Mr Chibueze Nwakor, to death for no justifiable reason.

“Chibueze, who lives at No. 15F Haruna Street, Odoakpu, Onitsha, was shot to death by policemen led by one Jude Utazi attached to Area Command, Onitsha, for allegedly refusing to answer their questions.

“After shooting him, the policemen jumped into their ash-coloured commuter Hiace shuttle bus and zoomed off.

“The victim was rushed to the hospital by his neighbours, but because of the severity of the bullet wounds, he died before receiving medical attention, leaving behind his wife and three children. His corpse has been deposited at the mortuary.

“This is a case of wilful murder of a citizen without any justification or provocation.

“The mother and the wife of the deceased want the Nigeria Police to explain why their son/husband was killed and those responsible for the killing.”

The petition was also copied to the Commissioner of Police in Anambra, the State Director of DSS, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Anambra, the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Abuja, the Director, National Human Rights Commission Abuja, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, among others.

Briefing journalists in his office on Monday, the counsel to the family, Anayo Emejue, confirmed that the deceased was shot dead without any provocation by three policemen led by one Jude Utazi.

He said, “We were told that the three policemen involved in the killing have been detained at the Police Headquarters in Awka, but when we got to Awka, we saw them moving freely on the streets.

“This was a father of three who hailed from Owerre-Ezukala, Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, but he lived with his family at No. 15F Haruna St. close to Sokoto Road junction, where he does business.

“He did not commit any offence, just that he refused to answer their questions and he was shot by trigger-happy policemen and they jumped into their ash-coloured commuter Hiace and zoomed off.”

Every effort to get the reaction of the Investigating Police Officer in the case, Azuka Moses, proved abortive, as calls and messages to her telephone line were not responded to.

However, when contacted on the development on Monday, the Anambra State Police Spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident, adding that “the case is still under investigation”.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department, Awka, Mr Akin Fakorede, in a letter written to the counsel for the bereaved family, urged him to be physically present for the autopsy of the deceased, billed for noon on Tuesday, at the St. Charles Borromeo Specialist Hospital Morgue, Onitsha.

The letter from the Deputy Commissioner read in part, “Notification of autopsy: Invitation to witness the autopsy of late Mr Chibueze Samuel Nwakor, of No. 15F Haruna St. Odoakpu Onitsha, murdered on 13/09/2023, post mortem examination to likely cause of death will be conducted on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, by noon at St. Charles Borromeo hospital mortuary.

“Accordingly you are please invited to be physically present at the venue as a witness to the post-mortem examination. If for any reason you can not be present, nominate an appropriate person to represent you.”
PUNCH

News

Shock As Adeleke Employs Roadside puff-puff Hawker As Govt House Chef

Published

6 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Thursday shocked a female puff-puff seller during a rally in Osogbo by buying all her snacks with ₦50,000 and offering her employment as a chef at the Government House.

This happened when Osun public servants trooped out in their thousands in what they called an appreciation solidarity rally in support of the governor for his support and care since he took over state governance.

It was observed that the governor, who sat in the bus, had sighted the woman who was among the crowd cheering him.

He immediately beckoned to the woman carrying a plastic container filled with puff-puff on her head and asked how much it would cost to buy all the snacks.

The female hawker, who was visibly surprised and star-struck at the level of her proximity to the governor, found it difficult to even tell the governor how much she sold the snacks.

Surprisingly, Adeleke handed her a bundle of ₦50,000 to the cheers of the crowd.

The lucky woman knelt down in appreciation of the governor’s generosity.

Excited onlookers quickly rushed to share the snacks in the plastic already purchased by the governor.

The governor invited the vendor inside the vehicle where one of his officials questioned her academic background, and she revealed that she holds a Nigerian Certificate in Education.

Adeleke further asked about the dishes she could prepare and instructed his aides to take her contact details for employment as a chef in the Government House.

Confirming the development, the Commissioner II at the Osun State Civil Service Commission, Olaniyan Taofeek, shared the video on X (formerly Twitter), writing: “The moment Gov. Adeleke turned the life of a puff-puff seller into a Government House chef.”

A Special Assistant to the Governor on Digital Media, Oni Gbenga Lawrence, also corroborated the incident in a post on X, stating: “Moment Governor Ademola Adeleke turned the life of a puff-puff seller to Government Chef… not only ₦50k but he invited her into his car and employed her as chef in the Government House.”

The Guardian correspondent, who was at the scene of the welcome rally, made efforts to interview the lucky vendor, but they did not yield as she was not allowed to alight from the bus throughout the event.
(The Guardian)

News

Katsina Govt Revokes Licenses Of All Private, Community Schools

Published

7 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

The Katsina State Government has withdrawn the operating licenses of all private and community schools in the state, with effect from August 13, 2025.

The announcement came through a circular issued by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and signed by Commissioner Hajiya Zainab Musa-Musawa.

The ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Malam Sani Danjuma, released the document in Katsina on Saturday.

According to the circular, the move is part of the government’s effort to strengthen quality assurance and standardization within the education sector.

“The withdrawal of licenses is aimed at ensuring that schools operate in line with approved standards and provide quality education to students,” Danjuma said.

The circular also outlined a review of fees for license application, registration, and annual renewal.

“Owners of affected schools are required to obtain fresh licenses by submitting proof of payment to the ministry on or before September 30, 2025.”

The statement also added that school operators have been warned not to increase tuition or other charges without government approval.

The ministry further promised to issue additional guidelines soon, including categorization of schools and the revised fee structure.

News

JUST IN: Oldest Missionary To Nigeria, Ruth Elton, Is Dead

Published

8 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

British-born Nigerian missionary, Ruth Elton, reputed to be the oldest missionary has passed on at the age of 91.

Ruth Elton, born 7 September 1933, was a British-born Nigerian missionary whose lifelong dedication to faith, healing, and revival left an indelible mark on communities across western and central Nigeria.

It was learnt that Elton died on Saturday at Sharon compound, Alafia Bamin Quarters in Ilesa, Osun State.

She was the only daughter of Pa Elton and her remains have been deposited at the mortuary.

Ruth Elton, daughter of Sydney Granville Elton (Pa Elton), who is referred to as one of the founding fathers of Pentecostalism in Nigeria, had approached a Kaduna court and nationalised as a Nigerian.

At old age and despite the happenings in Nigeria, she still held in high esteem her father’s prophecies that although Nigeria could be known globally for corruption, it would only for a while as new dawn would beckon when the country would be known worldwide for righteousness and prosperity.

Elton moved to Nigeria in 1937 with her parents and served as a Christian missionary across Egbe, Okene, Koton Karfe, and other parts of Kogi, Ondo, Oyo, and Osun States.

A naturalised Nigerian, having renounced her British citizenship in the 1970s, she embraced the country completely and became fluent in Ebira and Yoruba.

Elton, who remained single, believed that she had made a true mark in the country and apart from her missionary work, she saw her efforts in taming infant mortality, especially in Okene, Kogi State as a generational impact.

Relating her experience on infant mortality in the country, Elton recently noted that many newborn babies had passed on due to lack of proper care and hygiene, adding that the practice of force-feeding babies contributed to the challenges, especially in the face of poor awareness.