News / Weather

Flood: FG releases relief materials for victims in Anambra

The Federal Government FG has released relief materials mainly food and non food items to flood victims in Anambra State.

An Assistant Director in charge of Response and Rehabilitation, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Walson Ibarakumo, said this after a closed-door meeting with officials of Anambra Government in Awka on Thursday.

Ibarakumo said the non food items had arrived but the food items were yet to arrive in Anambra due to the traffic challenges caused by flooding in the confluence town of Lokoja, Kogi State.

The NEMA official and his team were received by Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim, Deputy Governor of Anambra and Chief Paul Odenigbo, the Executive Secretary of Anambra State Emergency Management Agency.

He said the food consignment had been trapped on the Lokoja axis where flood had rendered the road impassable to vehicular traffic.

He said the food items meant to Anambra were 1,400 (10kg) bags of rice, 1,400 (10kg) bags of beans, 1,400 (10kg) maize, 75 (20kg) of salt, 75 (20 ltr) vegetable oil, 1,000 cartons of seasoning and 75 cartons of tin tomatoes.

The non food items included 7,350 nylon mats, 1,000 treated mosquito nets, 600 cartons of bath soap, 2,500 Guinea brocades (5yrds) and 1,000 units of each of children, women and men’s wear.

Ibarakumo commended the Anambra government for their efforts so far in the response, rescue and intervention operations while expressing hope that the trapped materials would reach the state soon.

On his part, Ibezim thanked the FG for the support but expressed regrets over the devastating impact of the flood on Anambra.

Ibezim said the number of affected local government areas had increased from five to seven with addition of Ihiala and Ekwusigo.

He said new challenges were emerging each new day due to rising water levels and that the government was still busy with containing the disaster which overstretched their preparations.

The Deputy Governor said efforts were being made to provide minimal comfort to victims and that every item meant to cushion their pains would be diligently distributed.…

News / politics

Just In: Supreme Court voids Andy Uba’s participation in Anambra governorship poll

The Supreme Court has voided the participation of Andy Uba in the last governorship election in Anambra State as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

A five-member panel of the court, held in a judgment on Tuesday, that the APC breached its guidelines for the conduct of primaries and thus, failed to conduct valid primary from which Uba emerged as the party’s candidate in the Anambra governorship election.

The Supreme Court affirmed the February 23, 2022 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which upheld the December 20, 2021 judgment by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The apex court proceeded to dismiss the appeals filed by Andy Uba and the APC – marked: SC/CV/240/2022 and SC/CV/241/2022. In the December 20, 2021 judgment, Justice Ekwo held among others that Uba was never a candidate in the election held on November 6, 2021 having emerged from an illegally conducted primary election held by the APC.

Justice Ekwo held that the plaintiff, in the case marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/648/201, George Moghalu (an APC aspirant for the election) succeeded in proving that the APC did not conduct a valid primary election from which Uba claimed to have emerged as the party’s candidate.

Details Shortly……

Fraud / News / politics

EFCC moves ex-Anambra State Governor, Obiano to Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has moved immediate past Anambra Governor, Willie Obiano to Abuja after he was arrested in Lagos Thursday night.

EFCC spokesperson Wilson Uwujiaren, confirmed this when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Friday in Lagos.

“The ex-governor was arrested in Lagos, but was moved to Abuja this morning (Friday),” Uwujiaren said.

Recall that the anti-graft commission busted Obiano at about 8.30p.m., Thursday, at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, on his way to Houston, Texas, U.S after handing over to his successor, Governor Charles Soludo. The commission’s spokesperson added that Obiano had been on the EFCC’s watch list for some months, adding that his immunity as a Governor prevented his arrest until he handed over to his successor.

Uwujiaren said the commission had requested the Nigeria Immigration Service to provide information on the former governor’s movement out of the country from airports, or other points of exit from the country.

As at time of filing this report, the EFCC is yet to release details on Obiano’s offence.…

News / Security

How I’ll rid Anambra of criminals — New Police Commissioner

Tony Olofu, new Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, has said at Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area that he would employ drastic measures in crime prevention.

Olofu, who spoke on Thursday, resumed office as Commissioner of Police in Anambra State on September 10.

He said at his maiden news conference that he would employ measures in line with security control techniques to rearrange and stabilize security architecture in the state.

He said the command would undertake critical threat analysis and embark on painstaking intelligence gathering through strategic deployment of intelligence assets. “We have robust synergy with sister security agencies, organized vigilance groups and other stakeholders to realize the goal,” he said.

Olofu assured that the fight against crime would focus on armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism, land disputes, kingship tussles and boundary issues.

He added that the thrust would also focus on farmers/herders clashes, public disturbances, attack on unsuspecting members of the public and security personnel, government infrastructures and sundry offences.

He said he had been briefed on a number of security challenges in the state and had been able to wade into the crises to forestall further incidences.

“The command is fully prepared with newest security strategies that will be more proactive to dominate the public space and checkmate acts of criminality,” he said.

The Commissioner also assured said the command had been bold in confronting numerous challenges faced by the state and had recorded several successes in curbing crimes.

He said senior operatives of the command had also briefed him about the immense support of Governor Willie Obiano, traditional rulers, religious bodies and other stakeholders.

“I sincerely commend the state for such support and appreciate them for supporting the police in their noble course of enforcing law and order,” he said, assuring that his tenure would not abort the cordial relationship.

He said where practicable, the command would support the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution and community policing principles to discharge its duties.

Olofu said the command would like to be in partnership with critical stakeholders, including the …