Segun and Mary Ayeni, parents of a set of conjoined twins, have raised the alarm over decisions taken by the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu State not to release the medical records of their daughters, Miracle and Testimony, and to solicit funds on behalf of the parents.
The babies had been transferred to the UNTH immediately after delivery on November 16, 2015.
Mary stated that two Western hospitals had indicated interest in offering their expertise to successfully separate the twins, but that the hospital had refused to cooperate.
An actress, Mrs. Caroline Danjuma, who is the founder of a non-governmental organisation, Hopeville Foundation, which has since taken up the twins’ case, added that she contacted one Prof. Nene Obiayo at the hospital for the scans and she was turned down.
Danjuma said, “I personally called the professor and asked ‘Why aren’t you releasing these scans to hospitals that are willing to assist?’ She asked me, ‘What do they need them for?’”
But the Public Relations Officer, UNTH, Mr. Cyril Keleze, described Obiayo as an emeritus professor of paediatric surgery who was well qualified.
Danjuma further stated that the hospital had been distributing its account details for individuals to donate funds.
Danjuma said, “What right does a hospital have to be giving out its account number for people to pay money? It is very wrong. I had even told the mother that after sorting out the team of doctors and after their research had been completed to determine the cost, then we will create an account in the name of the children and then people would start donating into that account.
“Whatever money has been donated will be made public and the remaining will be invested in the children’s education, which will also be made public. At the end of the day, the children are like a money-making industry for them (the hospital).
Keleze confirmed to SUNDAY PUNCH that the N5m previously stated by the Chief Medical Officer, UNTH, Dr. Christopher Amah, in February, for the surgery had not changed and that that the hospital was soliciting for funds on behalf of the parents.
The UNTH spokesperson said the hospital had made appeals and that some “well-meaning Nigerians” had indicated interest but that they had yet to make the payments promised.
“The parents are aware of all this. The hospital communicated with them. They know why they (the twins) are still there. They see them being taken care of. What’s wrong with that? If people enquire on how they can help with money for the surgery, what’s wrong if the hospital releases the account number to them?
But Segun said he and his wife were in the dark about decisions taken by the hospital concerning his daughters.
He said, “They can’t tell me that they involved me. They won’t say that to my face. It was even someone that called me and told me about the N5m. If I knew about it, why would I deny it?
“Are they not my children? If I had not seen the account number published in a national newspaper on February 10, I wouldn’t have believed. Is it the right of the hospital to use their own account number? I’ve never seen such a thing done in the civilised world.”
A chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, Hyacinth Nsude, was on Thursday arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court for allegedly committing perjury against his party.
APC data Centre
It was gathered that Nsude was arrested by the police on Wednesday night following a petition by two persons who claimed to be acting on behalf of APC, alleging that Nsude committed perjury against the party.
After investigation, the police arraigned him in court on a one-count charge of perjury.
When the charge was read to Nsude, he pleaded not guilty before the presiding Chief Magistrate, Nnena Madu.
Making submissions before the Court, counsel to the defendant (Nsude), Ik Ozor argued that the charge should be dismissed as the supposed complainant was not in court and was not represented by anybody. He equally asked the Court to grant the defendant bail, which the Court obliged.
The Court further ordered that APC should appear in court on the next adjourned date to indicate whether it was aware of such complaint for which Nsude was being prosecuted.
The matter was however adjourned to March 11 for further hearing.
It could be recalled that Nsude and other APC members in Enugu State are before the Enugu State High Court challenging the decision of the state government to constitute caretaker committees for the 17 local government areas in the State, instead of conducting local government elections to elect chairmen and councillors for the councils. The tenure of the last council administration elapsed on January 5 this year.
In his reaction, the state chairman of APC, Dr Ben Nwoye, simply said “the law should take its course, adding that he cannot be commenting on a matter before a competent court of jurisdiction.
It is not only surprising that Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka of the then Christ The King Parish, GRA, Enugu, (who is also the spiritual director of Adoration Ministry) reportedly resorted to throwing tantrums and unleashing lamentations over his transfer from the latter parish to Our Lady Parish, Emene, Umuchigbo, Njinike Enugu – his new station – but also it is unnecessary and quite unbecoming of a Catholic priest (and a missionary for that matter who could be called upon at any time, any day for an assignment that demands, among other things, his immediate relocation) to indulge in such a shameful public show of unwarranted displeasure – as was reportedly done by him during his farewell speech to his followers at Christ The King Parish, GRA, Enugu.
Mbaka and Buhari
Though it is natural for Fr. Ejike Mbaka, just like any human being, to be displeased in the circumstance he has found himself, yet carelessly and, in fact, deliberately registering such a displeasure in the glare of the public as a Catholic priest does not only smack of a great disservice to the church and the entire catholic community in Nigerian, but also such unpleasant swansong negates in some way the church’s core principles as embedded in the concept of dogmatism (which for sure Mbaka would have been exposed to them in the course of his priestly training). Therefore, to say the least, Fr. Mbaka’s public lamentations during his farewell speech to his followers at Christ The King Parish, GRA, Enugu reek of heresy.
As it is already a well known fact within the public domain, the idea of a periodic transfer of Catholic priests from their parishes to another is obviously a tradition as old as the church itself. Thus, this fact stands in direct contradiction to Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka’s reported and disgusting insinuation and lamentation that his own transfer portrays a quintessential case of a witch hunt. Unarguably, this mindset is more so outrageous, provocative and totally misplaced when juxtaposed with the fact that the same Fr. Mbaka who apparently takes delight in whipping up unnecessary sentiments in order to curry sympathy from members of the public and thus make his latest missionary movement look like a witch hunt had abini tio left a parish before joining Christ The King Parish, GRA, Enugu. Hence it is no less a sordid and indicting omission on his part to have, consciously or unconsciously, failed to publicly acknowledge and/or tell it to his followers (at least for the sake of records and as an acknowledgement of the magnanimity shown to him by those he erroneously wants to believe are fighting him by orchestrating his transfer) that he did spend no less than twenty (20) years as a parish priest in Christ The King Parish, GRA, Enugu, before now.
Meanwhile, this implicitly long period of tenure elongation for Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka during his stint at Christ The King Parish, GRA, Enugu, is certainly a clear negation of the media reports which posit that the transfer of Catholic priests in Enugu Diocese “is a routine exercise done every six years by the bishop”. Nonetheless, it still boggles one’s mind wherein lies Father Mbaka’s disgusting impression of a witch hunt in this whole transfer saga.
Apparently, given it to him that he is an obedient Catholic priest as he is wont to make people believe, one wonders why Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka had to go the whole hog of publicly accepting his new posting with an obvious intent to show his pain, regret, reservation and, above all, grumbling – simultaneously.
Hear him: “How many trailer loads of cement came here? All the monies I made from my cassette and other private crusades all of them were used to build this church (Christ The King Parish, GRA, Enugu). We cannot quantify it but let God be glorified”.
Indeed, there is no gainsaying that the foregoing remark is uncalled for. This is basically because it is somewhat unbelievable that such a self-adulating remark could in the very first place be credited to or even be deemed to have emanated from a Catholic priest of repute who definitely has no illusions about the near anonymous nature of services being rendered to the church and the society at large by the individual Catholic clergy, which is akin to the sort of anonymity that obtains in the civil service. This in essence leaves much to be desired from Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka who supposedly knows or ought to know that whatever contributions he makes to the growth and development of the church as well as the promotion of Catholicism are not meant to be eulogized or celebrated to high heavens by himself – but other people.
Moreover, it is very disappointing that Fr. Mbaka who in his various songs and homilies – which abound in the market places and streets across the country – has tended to preach and emphasize the need for the citizenry and Christians alike to acquiesce in the decisions of constituted authorities with equanimity, decorum and meekness, yet here he is apparently living out the very opposite of what preaches as evidenced by his transfer lamentations. Funny enough, it is ironical that the same Fr. Mbaka who wants Biafra agitators to be acquiescent to the dictates of the government of the day could not in fact publicly contain his own petulance over a routine transfer exercise which the church he swore to spend the rest of his life in has a long standing tradition of upholding as it suits the wisdom of its authorities.
Similarly, even bearing in mind (borrowing the exact words of Mbaka) that “it is the will of God, and when the will of God either permissive or however it happens, nobody should question it”, why then must Fr. Mbaka bother himself with a litany of complaints thus: “I know we are going to suffer between now and few months to come, I am going to suffer because I have no place to lay my head; I am going to suffer because I have no place to keep the ministry’s assets; I know I am going to suffer”.
Truth be told, these unnecessary complaints are clearly untypical of a committed Catholic priest. And even granted that by dint of his transfer Rev. Father Mbaka has been moved from living in a duplex to a one room self-contained apartment as it were, does it in any way justify the fuss about his assertion of going to “Golgotha” to suffer? Or, is this transient change in the affairs of a mortal like (me) him worth publicly fussing about while forgetting in the same vein the enormity of the ordeal our Lord Jesus Christ, our great role model, experienced for the salvation of mankind? Or, could it be that the priests of nowadays no longer remember and reflect on the accounts of the lives and times of the likes of St. Augustine, Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta and, more importantly, our own highly revered, canonized and Blessed Michael Cyprian Iwene Tansi? Or, could it be that the same malaise inherent in the contemporary Nigerian dysfunctional system equally affects the calibre of our priests and priesthood candidates, as well?
But be that as it may, it must be clearly stated that while the decision of the Bishop of Enugu Diocese to effect the transfer of Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka remains highly commendable and a right one in the right direction (which has invariably helped to bring to his consciousness the fact that he is still in the service of God within the Catholic order and not in the Pentecostal church or in a sole proprietor capacity), it need not be belaboured that the church authorities still have to keep an eye on him while he performs his duties as a resident priest in his new parish, with a view to ensuring at all times full compliance with the tenets, practices and liturgies of Catholic faith and Catholicism.
Former minister of information, and governor of the old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo, has told members of the All Progressive Congress in Enugu State not to feel threatened by his defection to the party.
Jim Nwobodo
Nwobodo, a former Senator and presidential aspirant on the platform of his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party, said he did not come into the APC to take anybody’s place.
There were insinuations that some APC members in Enugu State were uncomfortable with Nwobodo’s admission into the party.
There were reports that the said aggrieved members voiced their dissatisfaction during a recent meeting, reportedly convened by Foreign Affairs minister, Dr. Jeffrey Onyeama, where Nwobodo declared his membership of the APC.
However, dismissing the insinuations, Nwobodo, who spoke through his media consultant, Mr. Nwobodo Onyekwere, said he was not in the party to rock the boat, particularly at the state level.
The former sports minister also said he would not lord it over the party’s members at the state level.
According to Nwobodo, all members of the party in Enugu State should join hands to reposition the APC in the state, instead of nursing needless concerns over positions.
“Some unidentified “stakeholders” had allegedly voiced opposition, criticism and/or objection to Chief Nwobodo’s admission into APC.
“Nothing could be further from the truth!
“If indeed there were any such dissenting voices at that gathering, such disgruntled person(s) ought to be openly and easily identified.
“As all neutral witnesses would bear out, the whole duration of the occasion was devoid of any untoward or unsavoury incidents.
“Chief Nwobodo has left PDP to join APC, strictly on principle and for the good of his people.
“He hasn’t joined to take anybody’s place or lord it over anybody.
“There is no need for anybody or group already in the party to feel unsafe or threatened by his entry, as everybody’s preoccupation should be repositioning of the party in the state for greater goals and/or results,” Nwobodo said through his media consultant.
He disclosed that the APC leadership in Enugu State had said that measures are being taken to bring to book, persons found to be responsible for the ‘false’ insinuations that his membership was not welcomed by some sections of the party in the state.
According to him, “Those involved in this treachery know themselves and are also aware they have been unmasked”.
“Our nation needs peace, justice and progress,” he added.
It would be recalled that, while announcing his defection to the APC in Enugu on Friday, Nwobodo had said the development was informed by a desire to move Enugu State into the mainstream at the federal level.
He also noted that it was not good to be in the opposition.
“I want our people to be part of the Federal Government at the centre.
“I had a problem being an opposition governor.
“I am not coming into APC because I want anything.
“I want our people to be re-integrated and have our own share of the Federal Government resources,” Nwobodo had said.
He equally condemned the PDP, blaming the party’s leadership for allowing five governors to leave for the APC in the build up to the 2015 general elections.
In the same vein, Nwobodo recalled that even when he was in PDP, his wife, Patricia, had been an active member of the APC.
Interestingly, about 24 hours after he defected from the PDP to the APC, Nwobodo also moved from the Anglican church to the Catholic church, where he re-married his wife, Patricia, in a wedding which held at the Bishop’s Court, in Enugu.
“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. 2 Peter 2:1-3”
By Ehi Ekhator
Going by the bible verses above, it’s obvious that a Catholic Priest, Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka of the Adoration Ministry in Enugu State cannot be distant from the warning by Apostle Peter.
Father Mbaka
The self-acclaimed prophet has not seized to amaze the general public since he gained the national attention after prophesying that Jonathan will not win the 2015 general election.
In Nigeria, men of God are highly respected; nobody dares say any ill-words against them as anyone found doing that is referred to as Satan with insults from their apologists.
Due to this respect, pastors take advantages of the people, sending inciting messages, particularly to public office holders during and after election in order to have a share of their national cake.
Before the Presidential election in 2014 between the former President, Goodluck Jonathan and a retired General, Muhammadu Buhari, the wife of the former President Dame Patience with the help of the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, visited the Rev. Father Mbaka in his Enugu parish. She was welcomed, the congregation was filled to the beam, and the Holy Spirit moved the man of God to deliver prophesy concerning the election.
Mbaka attacked those who said Jonathan had not done well, so assured him through his wife that God had given him victory for the second term.
He admonished those attacking the President for his inability to rescue the more than 200 Chibok girls abducted by Boko Haram, adding that Jonathan was not a kidnapper.
“We are not stopping, because we want him to go back. Even if you don’t come here, we keep praying for him,” the priest said, addressing the president directly.
“Because the first one we did you were not here. We are not sycophantic. Because you and your husband have done well, in spite of the distractions.”
Mbaka said “Campaigners have no reason asking the president to return the girls home since Mr. Jonathan was not keeping them.”
“Jonathan is not a kidnapper,” he added.
He told the First Lady to “go with the consolation of the Holy Spirit. The anointing of the Lord says God will make your family great.”
So what happened after?
Before the wife of the President departed, Mbaka requested for her direct mobile number so he could give her messages from God, but instead, Mrs Jonathan asked another pastor with her to give his mobile.
The self-acclaimed prophet claimed that he tried the number several times but couldn’t get through but an aide to the pastor answered the call.
“When she came here, I told her to give me her number so that I could give her messages, but thrice she refused. It was later she told one of the pastors with her to give me his number. So, before that message (that Jonathan cannot win) , I had called the number for two weeks but it was always the Personal Assistant to the pastor that picked the calls.”
Possibly out of disappointment of being slighted, Mbaka on his 2015 new year message, made a u-turn on a message he claimed he had received from God. This time, he told Nigerians that Jonathan’s bird could not fly, and also attributed the reason of his changed message to what the masses want.
Mbaka said “I recently anointed Mrs. Patience Jonathan as the next First Lady in 2015, when the First Lady and the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu worshipped at the Adoration Ministry, where the First Lady admitted that she experienced ‘a spiritual rebirth.’
“That day, I released some birds that would go and fight for Jonathan. But today I state that Jonathan is going nowhere as far as next year’s election is concerned. One of the birds, which I released during Mrs. Jonathan’s visit, has refused to fly.
“All the other birds I released flew away but the healthiest of them, which was Jonathan’s bird, could not fly. I tried to make it fly but it could not fly,” he said.
In his attempt to justify the claim above, Mbaka added “when Jonathan was aspiring to become Nigeria’s President, he was happy like other Nigerians but the bad luck which millions of the citizens had faced since he came into office was quite disturbing; hence the masses want a change.”
Take note of the phrase “the masses want a change” and Patience Jonathan refusal to give him her direct mobile number, his frustration to call have access to Aso Rock.
Out of fear and the backlash that ensued his change of support, Mbaka raised an alarm that his life was threatened. He claimed that Jonathan had sent his men to go after his life because he refused to support him. He also claimed that his bank accounts were frozen.
Daring the alleged threat, Mbaka declared: “Tell them I am not afraid of them. I have said what I was asked to say. The only word I have for them is Isaiah 54:15,17: “Surely they shall gather, but because the gathering is not of God they shall scatter. No weapon fashioned against me shall prosper.”
“They said Buhari gave me money, but I have never met with Buhari. I don’t know him in person. I only delivered the message I was given and I stand by that message because the future of this country is bleak with Jonathan on the saddle.”
In December 18, 2016 Mbaka mission was finally accomplished. He was received by President Buhari in Aso Rock.
Receiving the priest, Buhari welcomed him and expressed gratitude over the role he played during the last election.
Buhari said “Thank you very much for what you have done and said. It brought you out to the whole country as a man of courage. It was honest and well delivered,”
The president added. “It has gone into the records as one of the best concerns expressed from the pulpit, not because it favoured me and my party, the All Progressives Congress, but because it was good for the country.”
As expected, Mbaka 2016 New Year message put Nigerians and the President at their toes. Mbaka for the second time raised an assassination alarm, but this time, about the President.
He claimed that some forces are planning to assassinate Buhari over his stand on corruption.
The Adoration Priest said “Many people are planning to kill Buhari; there are many plans on how to eliminate his life so that corruption will continue; so that embezzlement will continue. But I speak to Buhari that God who put you there will protect you; be firm, remain resolute, don’t be intimidated; President Buhari God and his people are behind you, you are the answer to the prayer of His people.”
Without forgetting to send Jonathan’s share of the lash, the Priest claimed that Jonathan killed Nigeria and “only handed over the skeleton to Buhari’s government.”
It is on record that the priest is used to making politically motivated speeches. It could be recalled that months back, Mbaka attacked the credibility of Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha.
He accused the governor of giving N50 million dud cheque to the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace, Dr. J. V Obinna
The Catholic Priest also spread the rumour that former Governor Ikedi Ohakim had flogged a Catholic priest.
In the past, clergymen and traditional rulers were served as semi-gods and were expected to play neutral in political related issues and other controversial engagements for the purpose of their revered role in society which make them more adored and respected.
This editorial can be reproduced as long as credit is giving to the writer and website
ENUGU – The Speaker,House of Representatives,Hon. Yakubu Dogara, yesterday, lamented that he joined the All Progressives Congress, APC,without dragging Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State along with him.
Yakubu Dogara
Dogara who spoke with nostalgia at the grand reception organized by Senator Chuka Utazi representing Enugu-North senatorial district on behalf of Nsukka Cultural zone at the Government Field Nsukka, revealed that Ugwuanyi’s pedigree as a ‘Progressive’ while at the House Representative will serve as a tonic that will boost governance in Enugu State.
This is even as Senator Utazi noted that destiny has beckoned on Ugwuanyi at this time to shoulder the heavy responsibilities of leadership in Enugu State.
According to the Speaker,”For us in the House of Representatives,the governor is our Ambassador. The fact that am here today attests to the kind of leadership Ugwuanyi provided during his stay at the National Assembly. I have no doubt that Ugwuanyi’s pedigree will be brought to bare in Enugu State.
“I will hold him(Ugwuani)accountable if he does not bring those developmental goals we discuss to Enugu State. He was a Progressive mind at the House of Rep. One of my regrets is that i did not cross over to APC with him”.
In a welcome address,Senator Utazi noted that,”We are confident” that the governor’s,” pedigree and inscrutable focus shall move our people many years ahead. You are carrying the aggregate of the hopes of a people. We know you will be a leading light of this generation in terms of the quality of leadership you would demonstrate.
While addressing the mammoth crowd that thronged the venue to witness the conferment of chieftaincy title on him,Governor Ugwuanyi urged the people to remain steadfast in their prayers and support his administration to achieve more for the people.
Dignitaries who graced the events includes; Deputy Senate President,Ike Ekeremadu,Governor Ibrahim Dankwanbo of Gombe State,former Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State,former Secretary to the Government of the Federation,Senator Anyim Pius Anyim,Chief Authur Eze,Peoples Democratic Party,PDP,Publicity Secretary,Olis Metuh,former Minister of Information,Chief Nnaia Nwodo among others.
Enugu – A Catholic Priest in Enugu, Rev Fr. Ejike Mbaka has condemned the recent agitation and protests for Biafra nation describing the action as `evil.’
Father Mbaka
Mbaka made the condemnation in Enugu on Saturday in a sermon at his weekly Adoration Ministry.
The cleric urged youths in the South East and South-South to go back to their business as the protest could lead to their death.
“Locking up your shops and disrupting economic activities will not add any naira to your pocket, whatever grievance you have could be resolved through dialogue,’’ the cleric said.
He lambasted those leaders that were behind the agitation and protests, saying that they should use their children for the struggle.
Mbaka commended President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing ministers from the zone and assigning them with good portfolios.
“President Buhari’s action has proven that the South East has not been marginalized. I would have reacted if no minister emerged from the zone,’’ he said.
He said that the five states in the zone had minister each as prescribed by the Nigerian constitution as well as other key security and protocol officers that serves under president and his wife.
The reverend father attributed the recent free health screening initiative by the Wife of the president, Mrs Aisha Buhari, in Enugu to her love for the people of the region.
He blamed the Igbo leaders for not living up to the expectation of the people in the area, adding that past governors, National Assembly members failed woefully in discharging their mandates.
“President Buhari is not the cause of poor roads, unemployment and other decay infrastructures in the south east, we should blame our leaders.
“Most of the roads had been awarded but our leaders squandered the fund, even the university teaching hospital in Enugu is a no-go-area and our leaders are not concerned about it,” he said.
Mbaka called on the new Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, to use his office to employ youths in the zone, adding that it would stop what he called another Boko Haram in the south east if not curtailed.
He praised Buhari’s war against corruption, saying it had enthroned due process and sanity in governance.
The cleric, however, urged Nigerians to be patient with the president as he had good plans for the country.
ENUGU—The Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, yesterday, said its self-determination struggle remains on course.
Biafran Protest over Kanu
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had recently maintained that the Biafran struggle had become an avenue to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.
But in a reaction through Mr. Uchenna Madu, the factional National Director of Information, MASSOB, said the Biafran struggle remained a genuine movement despite the activities of few bad eggs.
Madu said contrary to Obasanjo’s claims, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of Independent People of Biafra, IPOB, and Director, Biafra Radio, was totally committed towards realizing Biafra.
The MASSOB faction slammed Chief Raph Uwazurike, accusing him of sabotaging the struggle.
According to Madu, “after our monthly National Officers’ meeting at MASSOB headquarters at Freedom House, Okwe, we have decided as follows: Olusegun Obasanjo’s assertion that Biafran activists are fraudsters and General Gowon’s statement that Biafra is a closed issue, were all made because of their conviction on Ralph Uwazuruike’s betrayal and deviation on the Biafran struggle because of his lust for wealth, compromising nature, open political romance and public association with Nigerian government during the Jonathan administration.
“MASSOB condemns the hypocritical call of Ralph Uwazuruike for Nnamdi Kanu’s release. Uwazuruike hates Nnamdi Kanu and celebrates his detention because he is jittery that Nnamdi Kanu has taken over the mainstream of Biafra actualization, which attracts major international sympathies.
“Uwazuruike will be the happiest man if Nnamdi Kanu is dead. Uwazuruike, who claimed that he expelled Nnamdi Kanu from the struggle is making a caricature of himself and his MASSOB faction.”
He added that “MASSOB also condemns the sudden wake-up of Ralph Uwazuruike to establish another Radio Biafra to counter the current Radio Biafra broadcasting all over the world.
“This Uwazuruike’s Radio, which he levied N250, 000 on each local government area of his followers in the South East, Rivers, Delta and some western states, through which he raised about N70 million, has been diverted to another personal venture.
“Since June 2015, the money meant for establishment of Uwazuruike’s Radio Biafra has been raised; why is his radio not on air? What is still holding the operation of the radio? On which project has the money been diverted to? Can Uwazurike explain to Ndigbo and his brainwashed members what happened to the N70 million? This is another fraud in the name of Biafra actualization.”
While accusing Uwazurike of collecting billions of naira to support ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election, the MASSOB faction threatened to “expose all the fraud and criminalities Ralph Uwazuruike committed in the name of Biafra as well as all the houses, hostels, estates and hotels he built, bought and still constructing in Owerri, Lagos and Abuja.”
They maintained that “Nnamdi Kanu was not suspended or expelled by Ralph Uwazuruike or MASSOB; he left MASSOB in 2009 when Ralph Uwazuruike came to London to buy a personal mansion for his family.”
THE Federal Ministry of Justice has recommended the trial of three top members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Enugu State over alleged forgery. The recommendation by the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, followed a petition to the police headquarters, by Hon. Dennis Oguerinwa Amadi, representing Udi/Ezeagu Federal constituency at the House of Representatives, dated July 6, 2015.
PDP
Amadi alleged that the PDP members forged documents which a former member of the National Assembly benefited even as reports indicated yesterday that the police in Abuja have invited the alleged beneficiary for questioning.
In its report submitted to the Commissioner of Police, Force Intelligence Bureau, by the Investigating Police Officer, ASP Emmanuel Mordi, the Police stated that, “considering the overwhelming evidence that flows from the finding of facts in this case, it is conclusive that the suspects may have committed the offence of conspiracy to wit: forgery, impersonation, altering and perjury.”
The DPP, Muhammad Saidu Diri, who signed the document on behalf of the Solicitor General of the Federation, noted that the DPP established a possible case of forgery and should be prosecuted. “We have carefully perused the case file, it was discovered that the evidence available disclosed an offence of forgery which is a state offence.
“I am therefore directed to request you to forward the case file to the office of the Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Enugu State for prosecution.”
THE All Progressives Congress (APC), has started the process of reviewing the membership of the party in the South East geo political zone, according to the chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha.
Okorocha
In a statement signed by Okorocha’s Chief media scribe, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, and made available to The Guardian on Monday, Okorocha regretted that some members of the party in the zone, comprising Imo, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu states, were found to be involved in activities considered to be anti- APC.
He accused the Publicity Secretary of the party in the zone, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, of granting an interview to a national daily , painting the governor in bad light. He said such acts would not be tolerated any longer in the party, particularly in the zone.
“The All Progressives Congress (APC) South-East will now look into the activities of some of the leaders of the party in their respective states during the last elections with the aim of fishing out those who sabotaged the party and acted as mole for the last administration, and who are also scheming now for appointments and feel that they can achieve that through blackmail.”
Okorocha noted with dismay that he was accused of not campaigning for President Muhammadu Buhari, genuinely during the last elections, faulting the claim as untrue. The governor maintained that Buhari was in Imo at his invitation and campaigned, adding that he also ensured that two members of the APC won in the House of Representatives, despite avalanche of intimidations and harassment by the then government of the day, now in opposition.
Okorocha maintained that he has insisted that in Enugu State, only those who were loyal to the APC should be the ones to be considered for appointments.
“The APC in the South-East should celebrate Governor Okorocha for giving them two National Assembly members, one governor and 22 House of Assembly members out of 27, and above all, for the unprecedented pressure he mounted on the PDP people that made them not to return the kind of election figures they gave to Goodluck Jonathan in 2011.
A soldier attached to 82 Division, Enugu, told the state and National Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal that a lawmaker, Chukwuemeka Ujam, was caught with 4,000 permanent voters cards on election day.
PVC voters card
The soldier said Mr. Ujam was intercepted at Ozalla, on the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway on March 28 while the election was going on.
“He identified himself as a staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission and we asked him to open the booth of his vehicle where we discovered two cartons filled with the cards,” he said.
The soldier said that his team took Mr. Ujam with the exhibits to their commander who tried to make some contacts to his superiors to ascertain their next line of action.
“As our boss was trying to call his superior, another call came in and ordered that we release the man with the cartons of cards immediately.
“We obeyed the order and one of our vehicles escorted Ujam with the exhibits to where I did not know,” he said.
The soldier said that he would not disclose where the order to release Ujam came from for security purposes.
Another witness, Elochukwu Nwankwo, who was the constituency agent for the petitioner, said he got wind of the incident through a phone call from one ward agent.
Mr. Nwankwo said that he was not at the scene when the first respond was allegedly caught with the exhibits.
“When I got to the scene, I saw Ujam sitting on the ground with the two cartons of voters cards placed beside him,” he said.
Mr. Nwankwo said he reported the incident to the police station at Ozalla three days after the election due to the exigencies of the period.
The matter was adjourned to August 27 for continuation of trial.
Mr. Ujam resigned his position as a commissioner in the state to contest the election and was declared winner.
The petition against the Peoples Democratic Candidate, Mr. Ujam, was instituted by Nnolim Nnaji of the People for Democratic Change.
Mr. Ujam represents Nkanu East/Nkanu West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
A Uk based Nigerian, Oluyinka Adeyeye has cried that the mother of her ex boyfriend has abducted her two kids.
The 65 years old woman, Claudette Amobi who hailed from Enugu State whisked the children away after claiming to take them for holiday.
Adeyeye cried that she has not talked to her children for months, adding that their grandmother won’t answer her call and when she did, would claim the children are not around.
The mother of two who said she was never married to the father of her two children, said she left him because of anger issues. She claimed that Chijioke Amobi (the father of the kids) beat her mercilessly when she was pregnant with the second child.
She said “The paternal grandmother of my children is refusing to return them back to the UK, from Enugu Nigeria and has said many times she will not release them to me. There was no agreement that they will live with her for ever, she is quite elderly around 65, and none of her 4 children have achieved much in life, our prayers are with them.
“My name is Oluyinka Adeyeye, I am the mother of Abigail Amobi and Joanna Amobi. We are all British Citizens, I was a single mother, did not marry their father (Chijioke Amobi), due to him beating me up whilst I was pregnant with my second child.’
“Unfortunately their father is constantly in and out of prison, and still has anger issues, our prayers are with him.
I reside in London, and have been for many years , the children were born in London, have lived with me from their birth till the time the paternal grandmother (Claudette Amobi Enugu State) took them on holiday. The children travelled on UK passports and Interpol has been informed.
“She does not pick my calls , always stating the kids are not around, I have not spoken to my children in months. I am their only stable parent, no child should be forced away from their mother. I will make as much noise as I have too. She may claim the children were not well taken care of by me or were maltreated, in that case she must file a report of child abuse in the UK, what is she afraid of. She visits the UK twice a year and refused to see me June 2015 when she was here. If my children state the were maltreated in my care any intelligent person would let the children come to UK and make a statement to the UK police about whatever happened to them.
“I have reported to the UK police and foreign office, regarding the paternal grandmother. I will know make the children Wards of the Court, and petition for a return order. I have been advised by a Senior police officer in Abuja to contact a very good lawyer to help my case. I will definitely make my case public, international, global, the whole world will know my story”
The Enugu State Police Command has arrested three persons for allegedly conspiring to beat and stab one Reverend Christian Ajibo.
A release made available to reporters in Enugu by the command’s public relations officer, Ebere Amaraizu said operatives of the Igboeze North Division of the command arrested the suspects.
According to him, the suspects gave their names as Uchenna Idoko, Ifechukwu Eke and Maxwell Idoko, all of Igogoro Enugu Ezike in Igboeze North local government area of the state.
Amaraizu stated that the suspects attacked the cleric with dagger on the right side of his chest, adding that they allegedly perpetrated the act while on masquerade but were later identified. He further disclosed that the suspects damaged the cleric’s car and stole his money.
He said “Suspects are helping the police in their investigations”.
The Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Eugene Odoh, has insisted that he is the leader of the legislative body, despite his removal by a faction that opposed the plot to impeach the state governor, Sullivan Chime.
The member representing Nsukka East constituency, Hon. Chinedu Nwamba, was elected Speaker by about seven lawmakers after Odoh and his group moved to impeach the governor.
The impeachment plot was stalled after the governor-elect, a member of the House of Representatives, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, intervened in the matter. However, the Peoples Democratic Party leadership in the state had congratulated Nwamba on his “emergence” as the Speaker.
Also, Nwamba and his faction, comprising of nine legislators, were received by Chime at the government house on Thursday.
Reacting to these developments in an encounter with journalists, Odoh said he remained the Speaker of the House.
He accused Chime of championing illegality in the state.
Odoh described the purported presentation of the ‘new Speaker’ to the State PDP leadership and the governor as a charade and an exercise in futility.
He stressed that he still has the support and loyalty of majority of the members of the legislative body and therefore remains the Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly.
Odoh said it was unfortunate that the party chairman, Chief Ikeje Asogwa, had to congratulate a ‘Speaker’ that was elected by only seven out of 24 members of the House.
He said, “To crown it all, the father of the state, who is the governor (Chime), syndicated the presentation of a Speaker that was elected unlawfully.”
A 32-year-old cleric, Pastor Abel Benard Aniude of Trimphant Kings Assembly, Enugu, has been nabbed by police detectives in Enugu for allegedly duping a 25-year-old lady, Ojiaku Chiamaka of N4 million.
Pastor nabbed for marriage, N4m scam
The pastor was said to have wooed Chiamaka on facebook in December 2013 and promised her marriage. Using preparations for the marriage as a bait, the clergy allegedly swindled the lady over N4 million.
He was arrested by police detectives at his No 42 Odudukoko street, Gariki Awkunanaw, Enugu State on April 13 following complaints filed by the victim.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, who confirmed the arrest, told Saturday Sunthat the suspect and his younger brother, Tobias Aniude serving a jail term in Enugu prison, were notorious for using facebook to promise innocent women marriage and eventually dupe them.
The pastor’s younger brother, Tobias was said to have been arrested for kidnapping and armed robbery and later remanded in Enugu prison in March. In the prison, Tobias was alleged to have continued usingfacebook to scam more innocent Nigerians.
The victim, Chiamaka, who works as a sales girl with her brother, Emmanuel Monday Ojiaku at Mokola, Ibadan, Oyo State, was said to have diverted proceeds from sales in her brother’s shop to meet the demands of Pastor Aniude.
Police investigations revealed that the cleric started coming to meet Chiamaka in Ibadan in July 2014 during which he began to collect money ranging between N300,000 and N700,000 from the victim.
By September 2014, the cleric was said to have fixed last December for their wedding with instructions to Chiamaka to start buying wedding cloths. He, however, came up with a lie that he had an accident during Christmas and as such the wedding could not go on as planned.
The wedding was later shifted to February 14, 2015 when the pastor again came up with another story that he was attacked by armed robbers and as such the wedding be moved to April 1, 2015, a development that eventually opened the mind of Chiamaka to the reality that she might have been dealing with a con man.
Giving details of what transpired between him and Chiamaka, Pastor Aniude told Saturday Sun: “I am an Assistant Pastor with Triumphant Kings Assembly. I have been in ministry for five years now. I am jobless.
“I met Chiamaka on facebook in December, 2013. I promised to marry her. Then, she started sending money to my bank account in Enugu. I visited her at Ibadan twice and collected the sum of N1million from her.”
He further explained: “I have to send my wife away with my two kids from my house to Aba. When I told my wife that I wanted to marry a second wife but she refused, that prompted me to send her packing.
“I used part of the money Chiamaka was sending to buy a car and built a bungalow in my village at Nochele Ndeaboli in Aliri Local Government Area, Enugu State.
“I deceived her that I wanted to marry her on Christmas day, December 25, 2014. I also lied to her that I had a motor accident. I rescheduled it for February 14, 2015. I lied to her again that armed robbers attacked me. I rescheduled it for Easter period, April 4, 2015 before the police anti-kidnappers squad arrested my wife, my Pastor Sam Ezenagu before I was arrested”.
Explaining how his younger brother, Tobias got involved in the scam, the suspect said: “It was when I have duped her that I handed over her phone number to my younger brother, Tobias who is currently serving in Enugu prison yard. My younger brother called Chiamka and told her that the wedding invitation cards were ready but that I am not serious and he is ready to marry her and so she should send him money.”
In her own account of the scam, Chiamaka explained: “I met Pastor Abel Bernard Aniude on facebook in December 2013 and we started chatting on facebook. Pastor Abel deceived me that he wanted to marry me. I worked in the shop of my brother, Emmauel Ojiaku who sells electronics in Ibadan. I started to send N700,000 and N300,000 to Pastor Abel through his UBA and Diamond account numbers”.
“In July 2014, Pastor Abel came to Ibadan and lodged in a hotel and after having sex with me, I gave him N300,000. Also on September, 2014, Pastor Abel came to Ibadan and lodged again in same hotel and after having sex me, I gave him N700,000. I don’t known how I ended up sending N4 million into his bank accounts.”
She pleaded that her brother should forgive her. “My family should forgive me. I was deceived. I have learnt my lesson in a hard way”, she said.
The victim’s brother, Emmanuel Ojiaku stated: “Chiamaka is my blood sister. She was in the village in Nnewi, Anambra State where one guy impregnated her and later the guy denied the pregnancy, she delivered the baby and after sometimes, the baby died. I went to the village in Nnewi and brought her to Ibadan to stay with me so that she will not suffer”.
On how Chiamaka was able to have access to his money, Emmanuel said: “I deal in electrical appliances in Ibadan. I took my sister, Chiamaka to be like a sales girl. Suddenly my wife took ill and had to take her to India for treatment.
“Chiamaka was in charge of my shop. I didn’t suspect her rather I handed over the shop to her. It was March 27, 2015 when Chiamaka came back from the shop and I discovered that she was having N1700, which led to searching of her room and I discovered N65,000 under her bed. I brought out cutlass and threatened her and collected her phone before she confessed to me that she has sent over N4 million to Pastor Abel.”
The General Overseer of Triumphant Kings Assembly, 47-year-old Pastor Sam Ezenagu where Pastor Abel works as Assistant Pastor told Saturday Sun: “I was doing counselling in my church, four years ago when Pastor Abel walked in and told me that he wanted to assist me in my ministry. We started working together. Every Sunday service we always give him N3,000.
“Suddenly, Pastor Abel brought a Honda Sport car and we celebrated it and asked him where he got the car. Pastor Abel told me that it was one of those he prays for that gave him the car. The church rejoiced with him. Also, in some months, I will not see Pastor Abel and if I call him, he would tell me he was doing some business somewhere.”
Pastor Ezenagu added: “It was April 12, 2015, Pastor Abel called me that policemen has arrested his wife. I ran to Aba. I asked whether there is any problem, I took a lawyer along with Pastor Abel and that was how he was arrested. Pastor Abel had to confess that he always dupe some ladies on facebook and how he got involved in the N4 million scam.
CP Adamu assured that Pastor Abel will soon be charged to court for trial.
The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Enugu state and Akwa Ibom State have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the entire results of the 2015 Presidential Election and National Assembly elections in the two states.
As at 8pm, Sunday, only three out of 17 local governments in Enugu state had had their presidential election results released.
None of the National Assembly results had been released as at press time as collation was still ongoing at different collation centres.
The Chairman of APC in the state, Dr Ben Nwoye, who spoke to reporters Sunday night , accused the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Chukwuemeka Onukaogu of conniving with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and security agents to rig the election in favour of the PDP.
The Akwa Ibom State Chairman of the APC, Dr. Amadu Attai who made the call yesterday evening at a press briefing also demanded that the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the State Barrister Austin Okoji should be redeployed immediately.
The position of the party was also collaborated by the APC governorship candidate, Obong Umana Okon Umana who said with the conduct of the election outside the INEC guidelines it was very clear that the election was not free and fair in the state.
Already, a petition dated March 29, 2015 has been forwarded to the National Chairman of INEC and the State Resident Electoral Commissioner over alleged connivance of PDP with institutions meant for the conduct of the election including INEC officials and Security operatives to rig the election.
The party displayed some of the recovered ballot papers thump printed by officials of the Peoples Democratic Party saying that the party intends to carry the exhibit to INEC office in Abuja today.
A housewife has been arrested in Enugu for allegedly hacking her husband to death over an undisclosed reason.
The couple deceased, identified as Elijah Agbo hailed from Imirike Agu village Udenu local government Area of Enugu State.
The unfortunate incident, according to the State Police command’s spokesman, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu took place last Thursday at about 9pm, after she lured her daughter to go inside and sleep.
Amaraizu in a statement yesterday stated that, “the wife Grace Agbo suddenly asked their daughter, Deborah Agbo a twelve year old girl to go to bed unknown to her about her intended motive.
“As soon as the daughter went in, she heard the sound of a heavy hit and she came out quickly, and saw the father lying in a pool of blood as blood gushing out from his head.
“It was discovered that the mother used a big stick to hit the father on the head which allegedly caused him severe injury and forcing him to fall down,became unconscious and later gave up the ghost”‘ said the police spokesman.
He further added that “the body of the deceased had been deposited at General Hospital mortuary Ikem for autopsy while suspected has been arrested by the police operatives”.
Enugu—An Indian national, identified as Mr. Vishwanath Mishal, has been arrested in Enugu for allegedly arranging his own kidnap and demanding N10 million ransom from his employers.
The suspect was said to have travelled to Enugu, where he sent distress calls to his employers in Lagos from someone else’s phone, claiming that he was held hostage in Enugu.
Following the negotiation for his release, the ransom was reduced from N10 million to N7 million, which he personally went to cash from a new generation bank along Okpara Avenue.
However, he was swiftly nabbed by police operatives, who laid siege to the bank before his arrival. Also arrested was a commercial tricycle operator who brought him to the bank to cash the money.
On interrogation, the Indian confessed that he actually hatched the plan because he NEEDED SOME MONEY to urgently sort out some pressing issues.
Men of Enugu State Police Command had also, this week, arrested one Madueke Ahamuefula from Egbema in Bayelsa State in the same bank for scam.
State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, said the suspect had earlier withdrawn N700,000 believed to have been swindled from unsuspecting members of the public, leading to the placement order.
He said luck ran out of the suspect when he allegedly came back to withdraw another money from his account, not knowing that there was a placement order.
AWKA — Okwudili Nnagbo, a kidnap suspect fleeing to South Africa, arrested after boarding his escape aircraft to South Africa at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, last month, was yesterday paraded at the headquarters of the State Anti-robbery Squad, Awka, Anambra State, alongside 13 other suspects caught for various offences.
Nnagbo, from Nri in Anaocha Local Government Area of the state, said he had been in the business of kidnapping for many years, adding that he had lost count of the number of persons he had kidnapped in the past.
He said he decided to quit kidnapping when one of his relations in South Africa invited him over, noting that he thought he had covered his tracks only to be arrested at the point of departing the country.
Also paraded were Chukwudi Chinedu from Okija, and Kevin Obi from Umuzu who allegedly raped the pregnant wife of a man they robbed of N66,000 and Uba Christian Chukwuemeka from Oji River in Enugu State who had been involved in the kidnap of female students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka where he enrolled for a diploma programme few years ago.
Chinedu said he was living in Lagos and was looking for money to
transport himself back to Lagos and blamed the devil for his action.
Another gang that includes Onyeka Ozoigbo, a vulcanizer, and Harrison Amaukwu, both from Uli in Ihiala Local Government Area were caught with 85 telephone handsets stolen from various people.
Luck, however, ran out on them when one of the people they approached to buy one of the phones at N1,700 alerted the Police and they were apprehended, while one member of the gang, who scaled the wall on sighting the police, is still at large.
Another suspect, Mr. Chiagorom Ihejiagwa, from Akokwa in Imo State admitted that though he had a shop in Asaba, he was involved in buying stolen cars.
The one that landed him into trouble, he said, was the Honda Pilot SUV which he bought at N1.5 million, adding that he knew that it was stolen before he bought it.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka also displayed various arms and ammunition recovered from the suspects.
