Metro

Tragedy As Traders, Ocha Brigade Clash At Onitsha Market

Published

2 hours ago

September 9, 2025

Tension gripped Onitsha on Tuesday following reports that operatives of the Anambra State government-backed OCHA Brigade allegedly opened fire at the bustling Onitsha Main Market, Emeka Offor Plaza axis, which allegedly left four people, including a pregnant woman, dead.

But the police in Anambra State, which confirmed the incident, stated that one of the female victims died on arrival at the hospital, adding that seven persons sustained injuries from the incident.

They also confirmed that the seven victims who received gunshots have been evacuated to the hospital, adding that normalcy had been restored to the market.

They identified the victims as Ebuka Orakwe (male), Orum Oluebube (male), Anthony Kosisochukwu (male), Ifeoma Ezema (female), Chinwe Igwe (female), 22 years old, and two others, whose names they could not disclose.

Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred on Tuesday morning, sparking panic and outrage among traders and residents who fled the scene for safety.

According to reports, the victims, who had merely gone out to earn their daily bread, were shot by armed men allegedly operating for the state government OCHA brigade. The reasons behind the gunfire could not be determined.

A trader had said: “This is heartbreaking. Four innocent people who left their homes this morning have been cut down in cold blood. Among them is a pregnant woman. Anambra people are now living in fear because criminals have been handed guns and uniforms in the name of government enforcement”.

However, confirming the incident, the Anambra State Police Command, in a statement by its Police Public Relations Officer, Tochukwu Ikenga, stated that it swooped in to restore order in the troubled market after receiving a distress call.

He stated that an altercation had ensued between the personnel of the Ocha Brigade, an Anambra State Environmental Law Enforcement outfit, allegedly with some traders, during which seven traders sustained gunshot injuries. He said the incident triggered unrest within the market.

“Upon receipt of the report in early hours of today 9th September, 2025, the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Ikioye Orutugu, immediately deployed tactical teams and other security agencies led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, in company of the Area Commander Onitsha, the Divisional Police Officer Main Market, and the Commander of the Anti-Cultism Squad, to the scene.

“The Operatives swiftly addressed and calmed the traders, restoring order and dispersing them back to their shops and lawful businesses. The victims of the gunshots were promptly evacuated to a hospital and were identified as Mr. Ebuka Orakwe (m), Orum Oluebube (m), Anthony Kosisochukwu (m), Ifeoma Ezema (f), Chinwe Igwe (f), 22 years, and two others, names yet to be identified.

“Regrettably, one of the female victims was confirmed dead on arrival at the hospital. Her body has been deposited at the hospital morgue for autopsy and preservation. The other victims are currently receiving treatment, have been stabilised, and are responding positively”, Ikenga stated

He added that normalcy had since been restored in the area, while patrols and monitoring continue to ensure sustained peace.

Metro

Lifeless Body Found Inside Car at N’Assembly Complex

Published

1 day ago

September 8, 2025

Editor

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command said it has begun investigations, following the discovery of a lifeless body inside a vehicle at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.

Some reports had stated that the body was that of a 55-year-old man, identified as Gaddafi Iwar, who was a construction worker, working on one of the sites within the complex. According to the reports, the vehicle had been parked in the same spot for days before the discovery of the decomposed body.

Only recently, the Police said it had launched an investigation into the suspected suicide of a 30-year-old man identified as Ik Ojo, in the Kagini–Dei-Dei area of Abuja.

The probe follows the discovery of Ojo’s today, as seen in a viral video on Saturday, with friends and neighbors stating suspicions of foul play in the situation.

In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Josephine Adeh, on Monday, the security agency said the corpse was believed to be that of a labourer found around 9 am on Sunday, September 7th, inside a red Peugeot 406, parked at a construction site within the complex.

Adeh said Officers from the National Assembly Division responded to the distress call and evacuated the body to Asokoro General Hospital, where medical staff confirmed the body was already in advanced state of decomposition.

“On September 7, 2025, at about 09:00 hours, the FCT Police Command received a distress call reporting the discovery of an unidentified male, suspected to be a labourer, found lifeless at a construction site within the National Assembly Complex.

“The Divisional Police Officer (DPO), National Assembly Division, immediately responded to the call and, upon arrival, discovered the deceased inside a red Peugeot 406 motor vehicle with registration number BWR-577 BF. The body was promptly evacuated to Asokoro General Hospital, where medical personnel confirmed that it was already in an advanced state of decomposition,” the statement partly read.

The Police Spokesperson stated that the FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Ajao Adewale, had ordered a discreet probe to determine the circumstances of the incident, and that efforts be intensified to establish the identity of the deceased.

“The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, has ordered a discreet investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, and directed that efforts be intensified to establish the identity of the deceased. Further updates will be communicated as the investigation progresses,” she s

Metro

JUST IN: Bandits Abduct Kwara APC Chairman’s Wife, Daughter

Published

1 day ago

September 8, 2025

Editor

Armed bandits have kidnapped the wife and daughter of the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Patigi Local Government, Kwara State.

Alhaji Muhammad Swasun’s family were abducted late Sunday night in Sakpefu community.

According to eyewitnesses, the attackers stormed the area around 11 p.m., with sporadic shootings apparently to scare off “uninvited” guests, before heading to the chairman’s residence.

The assailants reportedly forced their way inside and whisked away his wife, Hajia Fatima, and daughter, Amina.

Local vigilantes, who arrived late, were said to have mobilised in search of the victims, but no report of any rescue as at when filing this report.

Metro

Ex-general Tackles EFCC Over Forfeited N5bn Shares

Published

1 day ago

September 8, 2025

Editor

A former Managing Director of Nigerian Army Properties Limited, Maj. Gen. U.M. Mohammed (retd) has asked the Federal High Court in Lagos to set aside the order of final forfeiture granted in favour of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, insisting that the 246,305,544 shares in dispute were legitimately acquired.

The EFCC had secured the order on August 26, 2025, claiming the shares, valued at about N5bn, were purchased with funds diverted from fraudulent sales of NAPL properties during Mohammed’s tenure.

The anti-graft agency listed the investments as including substantial holdings in Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Conoil Plc, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, Eterna Plc, Flour Mills Plc, Japaul Gold & Ventures Plc, NASCON Allied Industries Plc, Oando Plc, University Press Plc and Vitafoam Nigeria Plc.

The EFCC had argued that the forfeiture was made under Section 44(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution and Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.

But in a motion on notice obtained by our correspondent on Sunday, Mohammed contended that the shares did not originate from unlawful activities.

Instead, he maintained that they were purchased years before his appointment as head of NAPL in October 2015.

In an affidavit filed in support of his application, deponent Joseph Effiong said the shares were bought between September 3, 2007, and September 1, 2015.

“He was posted to Nigerian Army Properties Limited as the Managing Director on October 15, 2015, which was shown to me and marked as Exhibit UM2 is the posting history of ex-Maj Gen UM Mohammed.

“The shares listed in schedules A, B and C to the motion ex parte filed on April 29, 2025, do not represent proceeds of any crime or unlawful activities.

“Shares in Schedules A, B and C were purchased between September 3, 2007, and September 1, 2015, long before ex-major general UM Mohammed was posted to NAPL as the managing director,” Effiong said.

The ex-general is also challenging the forfeiture on procedural grounds, alleging that his affidavit to show cause filed on July 29 was ignored and that he was denied a fair hearing when the case, initially fixed for October 8, was brought before a vacation judge without notice to him or his counsel.

“That the final forfeiture order, having been granted in favour of Nigerian Army Properties Limited, is not in compliance with the provisions of Section 17 (1) Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Fraud Offences Act, 2006. The matter was initially adjourned to the 8th October 2025 for the hearing of the application for final forfeiture by Justice C.J. Aneke.

“That there was no urgency for the case to be transferred to any vacation judge. That no notice or communication whatsoever was given to the applicant or his counsel.

“Non-service of hearing notice is a denial of the constitutional right of the party interested to a fair hearing/fair trial. The final forfeiture order was made in ignorance of the affidavit to show cause date and file on July 29. The affidavit to show cause was not considered, “ he said.

He also alleged that the EFCC in the substantive suit failed or neglected to file an application for a final forfeiture order more day 60 days after the interim order was made by the court on May 7, 2025, in the Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022.

“The mandatory procedure for final forfeiture order under Section 17(1) requires any party interested in the property to show cause within 14 days of non-compliance, “ he alleged.

Mohammed is seeking an order setting aside the entire proceedings in Suit No: FHC/L/MISC/404/ and the final forfeiture of the shares.

The court has yet to fix a date for hearing Mohammed’s application.