Aba court dissolves marriage over denial of conjugal rights, deceit

March 31, 2017

By Ijendu Iheaka

An Aba-la-Ohazu Customary Court has dissolved the marriage between Ezinne and her husband, Victor Nwogu, over denial of  conjugal right for four years.

Ezinne, the petitioner, told the court that her husband had put her through emotional and physical trauma by beating her and being deceitful.

She also alleged that her husband had refused to pay for their house rent and denied her love as well as conjugal rights since 2014.

She, therefore, prayed the court to formally dissolve the marriage which was contracted in 2010 under the native customs of Amankalu, Igbere, in Bende Local Government Area of Abia.

Ezinne, who is from Umuekene, Obuzor in Osisioma Local Government in Abia, said she wanted to revert to her maiden name, Abel Uche Olawa.

“I am willing to return my bride price of N50, 000 through the court to Nwogu,” she said.

She further prayed the court to direct Nwogu to return all her property in his custody to her and should desist from threatening her.

While the petitioner had Mr Stanley Anyaegbe as her counsel, Nwogu was neither present in court nor was he represented by any lawyer.

The Senior Magistrate, Mr Diamond Olewengwa, said that although Nwagu was served the court papers, he did not appear in court.

“This shows that he is not willing to stop the dissolution process,’’ the magistrate said.

Olewengwa said that the childless marriage which displayed lack of love, a key ingredient in marriage, physical assault and “abdication of duty” on the man’s part showed him to be irresponsible.

“Being separated since 2014 till date and no child from the disjointed union, it is clear that all ingredients of dissolution are present in the petition,” the Magistrate said.

The court, therefore, ruled that the marriage between Ezinne and Victor had broken down irretrievably as a “result of lack of love and trust, deceit, denial of conjugal rights and irreconcilable differences stands dissolved”.

Olewengwa ordered that Nwogu should take back his N50.00 bride price, stop any threats to Ezinne’s life and release her property in his custody.

He also said that Ezinne should revert to her maiden name “Abel Uche Olawa”, adding that both parties were now free to remarry whoever they desired.

Supervision, funding will save Abia Polytechnic from collapse - ASUP Chairman

March 21, 2017 

By Ijendu Iheaka 

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, (ASUP) Abia State Polytechnic chapter, has called on governor Okezie Ikpeazu to continue funding and supervision of the institution to save it from its present rot.

The ASUP Chairman, Mr Precious Nwakodo made the call on Tuesday in his office during an interview with our reporter in Aba.

Nwakodo who thanked governor Ikpeazu for efforts he was making to save the soul of the institution said that the institution needed money but cannot do without proper supervision to survive.

“This government has shown much interest. The governor has had a meeting with us the Union leaders. He told all his aides to leave and said let us talk about Abia Polytechnic. 

“It shows sincerity. He has been here to look at our proposals in making things better and the appointments of recent has also shown that the governor is keen on turning things around here.

“Let us sympathize with him. He inherited a decay that occurred for over a decade. And within one or two years he is making efforts to keep Abia Polytechnic going. 

“We believe in what he is doing and we say he should continue on the supervisory and funding aspects. With that, we will get out of the mess”, he said.

Nwakodo said that the institution was “still travailing” now under hard circumstances but noted that with the government’s effort there was hope of “giving birth to a healthy baby”. 

He said that although the salaries owed the institution’s workers was affecting their morale, they were committed to helping the governor rebuild the place with all their might.

He called on staff members of the polytechnic to avoid being led to “unethical behaviours” to make ends meet adding that with courage; they can overcome their hardship and save the institution.

Nwakodo also encouraged the state government to continue the cleaning and reform process ongoing in the school stressing that with government’s growing interest, the Polytechnic will survive.

Archbishop Kattey urges recognition of true Nigerian leaders to inspire the youth

Archbishop Kattey urges recognition of true Nigerian leaders to inspire the youth


The Anglican Archbishop of Niger Delta, Dr Ignatius Kattey has said that Nigeria needs to inspire its youths by recognizing persons who have shown loyalty to the spirit of oneness of Nigeria.

Kattey made this assertion while delivering the maiden lecture on the pioneer Principal of his Alma matter, Ibo National High School, (National High School) Aba, Sir Moses Nwafo Onwuma in Aba.

The Cleric spoke on the theme “A Teacher In Public Life: Sir Moses Onwuma Era Revisited”.

The Archbishop said that Col. Adekunle Fajuyi’s death while showing unalloyed loyalty to Nigeria and Gen. Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi needs to be rewarded to encourage loyalty to the nation among youths.

“Fajuyi has no business dying. He showed solidarity with his boss, Nigeria’s Head of State. Nigeria as a nation has not given Col Fajuyi the honour he deserved as a man, who even in the face of death, and at the risk of his life, was loyal to his boss.

"Nigeria is sending a wrong signal that loyalty does not pay.", Kattey said.

Kattey said that great men like Aguiyi-Ironsi and Fajuyi who died to keep Nigeria one should have national institutions and edifices named after them to recognize their effort in nation-building.

He also urged Ibo and Yoruba people to cease antagonizing each other and be at peace in honour of Fajuyi’s sacrifice for Aguiyi-Ironsi and Nigeria.

In his speech, the Abia State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ikechi Mgboji expressed happiness over the decision to encourage hardwork and excellence through celebrating Sir Moses Onwuma by IBONACO Old Boys.

Mgboji said that giving back to society was not part of our culture but noted that recognizing people who have led others in the path of greatness was a worthwhile venture.

He urged students not to allow the efforts of their teachers to be in vain when they succeed in life stressing that they should remember people who put them on the path of greatness.

 Earlier, the President-General of Ibo National High School, Aba Old Boys Association, Deputy-Inspector-General of Police, Azubuko Udah (rtd) said they were celebrating Onwuma’s outstanding performance at the school.

He said that the former principal’s resourcefulness and commitment inspired teachers, students, Society, and re-invigorated schools and public institutions in the South East during his time.

Udah said that the Onwuma Memorial Lecture series was aimed at restoring hope to the people and creating an intellectual platform for promotion of selfless service and excellence.

He said that the lecture would be made a regular event and called for financial and moral support to the association to keep it going.

New Shopping Mall in Aba to resist fire outbreaks - Association

 March 20, 2017


By Ijendu Iheaka

 The EKUMI United Association in Aba on Monday said it was building a fire resistant shopping plaza to resist outbreaks of fire which usually engulfed shops during the harmattan.

Dr Uju Anusionwu, a member of the association and its spokesperson, said this in an interview with our reporter in Aba on Monday.

He said that the group took the decision to build the EKUMI shopping plaza, currently under construction in Aba, to check loses traders incurred annually from fire outbreaks in the South East.

“The entire conception is to build a fire-proof market in Aba. This plaza is a fire-proof market so that there will be nothing like fire incidents tomorrow destroying traders’ wares.

“We have in place what is called hydra points to be established here so that whenever there is any smoke, water will start emitting from those hydra points. We have a borehole to service it all year round,” he said.

According to him, the plaza will ease the stress of Aba residents while shopping, especially during the raining season with its ultra-modern facilities and special design.

“It will accommodate a crèche for market women to keep their children on the first floor.

“On the second, floor, it will have a maternity and dispensary to take care of minor medical cases and child delivery for women who get into labour in the market.

“Some people may have sensation that can cause them heart attack. Such persons can use the dispensary to save their lives.

“The plaza will also have a cold room where after the day’s sales, dealers of perishable goods will preserve them and pay to collect them the next day.

“We also have a “left-over” centre to cater for the missed baggage forgotten with the cart pushers.

“We will give tags or token to shoppers and when they finish buying with their loads, they will return them.

“We have also provision for restaurant so that people can eat good food while shopping, there is also provision for urinary, toilets and bathrooms so that people can shower and also urinate or go to toilet and pay a small token with ease,” he said.

Anusionwu said that the buildings were designed to ensure that shoppers could move from one particular block to other blocks without coming down.

He also said that the complex would have a banking hall to enable shoppers do banking transactions with ease.

Abia Court jails man 1 month over waste disposal

March 16, 2017

By Ijendu Iheaka

An Aba-la-Ohazu Customary Court in Aba, Abia, on Wednesday jailed a 26-year-old man, Ndukwe Edu, for one month for dumping refuse at a collection point after the prescribed time.

The Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) had arraigned Edu on a charge of dumping refuse at about 10.00 a.m,. an hour after the time set by it.

Abia Government had prescribed 5.00 p.m to 9.00 p.m.daily for waste disposal in the state.

Edu, who lives at No. 14, Milverton Avenue, was nabbed by a staff of ASEPA and tried summarily.

Our reporter said that the accused had pleaded guilty to the charge.

The presiding magistrate, Mr Diamond Olewengwa, who gave the verdict, sentenced the accused to one month imprisonment without an option of fine.

“The essence of these laws is to ensure that the city is clean for you and me", he stressed.

Olewengwa said that considering the level of filth and littering done in Aba and its consequences on the health of residents, such sanitary offences could not be overlooked.

Quoting Sections 30 and 36 Sub 1 of the Abia State Environmental Sanitation Court Laws 2014 No.4, as amended, he said that habitual offenders of the law should be punished to deter potential offenders.

 “Mr Ndukwe Edu is hereby remanded in prison for one month. There is no option of fine. The essence is to serve as a deterrent and to correct others and to make the society to be in tandem with the prevailing laws of the state”, Olewengwa said

Aba tricycle operators protest local government levy on them

March 9, 2017

By Ijendu Iheaka

The Tricycle Operators in Aba on Thursday blocked roads leading to Aba Town Hall and the town centre to protest N40.00 levy imposed on them by the Aba South Local Government Council.

The blocked roads took about two hours with the joint intervention of the Nigerian Army, the Police, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to clear.

The operators refused to leave the road chanting songs like “We no go agree” until the Chairman, Abia State Amalgamated Tricycle Operators Association (ASATOA) Mr Eugene Job came to the scene.

Uba Onyenkwere, one of the operators who was at the scene when the trouble began spoke to our reporter in Aba.

“The problem began when I was stopped by staff of the Aba South local government and beaten for not having bought a new N40 ticket the council introduced”, he said.

He said that the council staff gave him the beating of his life for telling them that the ASATOA Chairman has not told them anything about the new ticket.

Onyenkwere said that the council staff invited the wrath of the tricycle operators who saw them rough handle him and other operators while confiscating six machines from the operators.

When our reporter sought the comment of the Aba South Council, some of the staff came and stopped the Deputy Chairman, Omenka Agbahiwe who wanted to talk on the matter from speaking to newsmen.

The ASATOA Mr Eugene Job after speaking with police, military and NSCDC personnel at the scene, later addressed the operators before they decongested the roads and stopped the protest.

Job said that the tricycle operators cannot accept the N40 levy from the local government warning the operators not to allow nobody defraud them in the name of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

He said “If the staff of the Aba South Local government wronged you by selling an unlawful ticket to you, apprehending you, beating you and tearing your clothes, I beg you in the name of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu and my name to forgive.

“I promise you that we have nothing to do with local government tickets for now. No one should bring local government tickets on the roads to cause problems for tricycle operators.

“I want to tell the Aba South LG Chairman that he is not in charge of tricycle operators and so should not impose any levy on tricycle operators to avoid crises. Nobody sent them.

‘From today, there is no more LG tickets. Go to work and be peaceful. We are on it and we will get this one right”, he said.

Abia HMB begs Ikpeazu to allow medical and paramedical staff employment

March 8, 2017

By Ijendu Iheaka

The Abia State Health Management Board on Wednesday called on Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to permit it to employ medical and paramedical staff to run the state's 17 hospitals.

The Chairman of the Board, Dr Reginald Alozie made the call during the ceremony to flag the operationalization of 100 beded hospital built at Mgboko, the headquarter of Obingwa Local Government Area

The HMB Chairman said that they had pleaded with the governor to declare a state of emergency in the health sector in Abia because of the plethora of problems bedeviling it including manpower shortage.

"One of the most troubling problems of the Abia HMB is the shortage of the medical and paramedical personnel. We have only 28 doctors managing the 17 hospitals in the state.

"There is also shortage of nurses, laboratory scientists and technicians, pharmacists, radiologists and radiographers and other paramedical staff.

"While we quite appreciate the economic crunch in the country, would you please give the HMB a little waiver on employment of medical and paramedical staff. This will enhance all qualitative healthcare delivery in our state", he said.
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He thanked the governor for building and equipping the  hospital with quality equipment which is standard to cater for the health needs of the people of Obingwa adding that the hospital will not know "out of stock drug syndrome".

In his own speech, Ikpeazu thanked former governor Theodore Orji who started the project in conjunction with the defunct SURE-P.

He said that the project had been extended to three other local governments of the state adding that the new project was conceived to support the primary healthcare centres within the local governments.

He charged the people and youth of Mgboko and Obingwa to protect the hospital to ensure that its facilities were not vandalized or abused.

He promised to give the hospital the sum of N1 Million for its initial running to ensure free treatment of the people until the money is exhausted.

The Commissioner for Health Abia state, Dr John Ahukanna earlier said that the administration of Ikpeazu had used the newly built but non-functioning hospitals as a launch-pad for its revolution in secondary healthcare sector.

He said that the governor had planned to provide Abians a 24 hour hospital facility with accommodation for medical personnel, electricity and portable water.

He thanked the governor for the effort at an austere period in the country's economic life and called on Ikpeazu to give the ministry the opportunity to employ people.

Speaking on the hospital, Ahukanna said: "We will insist on zero tolerance for any form of malpractice in this facility and we encourage any such perceived issues to be reported to the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Abia State Disciplinary Committee about to be inaugurated".

CLO berates Army for manhandling Thisday, Authority newspapers reps, arresting vendors

March 7, 2017 

By Ijendu Iheaka

The Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), Aba unit has condemned the frequent arrest of Aba Vendors by soldiers in Aba, Abia state.

This was contained in a media release made available to newsmen in Aba on Tuesday and signed by Dr. Charles Chinekezi, chairman of Aba unit of CLO.

The condemnation followed last week’s manhandling of Aba Sales Representatives of Thisday and Authority newspapers and arrest of two vendors by Soldiers from the Ngwa Road Forward Operation Base (FOB).

Those arrested included a 64 year old woman Newspaper distributor, Mrs. Theresa C. Oloveze (Jecima) and a vendor, Mr. Obinna C. Ogbonna for allegedly selling Newspapers bearing “Biafra” news reports.

Dr. Chinekezi, said it was disturbing the army in Aba would believe that ordinary newspaper vendors would be behind publications carrying stories on issues of Biafra.

The release reads in part, “The CLO totally condemns the Gestapo approach employed by the Nigerian army in Abia to arrest, torture and clamp into detention innocent newspaper vendors in Aba whom they alleged to be behind the sale of publications carrying stories on issues of Biafra.

 “The CLO enjoins Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to take up this matter as the victims of the soldiers’ unwholesome attack have been unduly brutalized and traumatized for merely trumped-up charges of being behind the Biafran movement which by all intents and purposes could never be the truth.

 “For the benefit of doubt, Mrs. Chinyere Ibe and Simon Obi are sales representatives of Authority and Thisday Newspapers respectively while Mrs. Theresa Oloveze and Obinna Ogbonna as newspaper distributor and vendor respectively could never have been Biafra propagandists as alleged by the soldiers”.

 While wondering the persistent clampdown of newspaper vendors in Aba by the army, CLO said the soldiers should know that no law exists in Nigeria which criminalized the mention of Biafra in any publication.

The organization which was sad that 64 year old Mrs. Oloveze spent last week in detention, for no known crime, appealed to army authorities to call its personnel in Aba to order.

It also urged them to stop the constant harassment of newspaper men and women in the city.

It would be recalled that late last year, an Aba-based vendor was arrested by soldiers from the same base for allegedly selling “Biafra Newspapers”.

He was later transferred to the headquarters of the 14 brigade of the Nigerian Army, Ohafia from where he was released after weeks in detention.

Don calls for legislation to check computer hacking in Nigeria

By Ijendu Iheaka

March 6, 2017





Dr David Dimoji, the Dean, School of Science and Technology, Abia State Polytechnic, Aba on Monday called for legislation to check and punish internet hackers in Nigeria.

Dimoji in an interview with our reporter in Aba noted that unless the trend was checked through legislation, it would soon cause crisis in the economic sector.

Dimoji, who frowned at the increasing trend in bank account device hacks, said that a law would reduce the rate at which some ICT compliant persons hacked into devices without authorisation.

“Some states are establishing laws to punish kidnappers and now that the issue of hacking is becoming a very common offence, I want to believe that the privacy act is not enough.

“The privacy act says that if you get access to a document or data you are not entitled to access, it is an offence. But I want Nigeria to go beyond the privacy act to make a special law that would punish hackers.

“This is because a part of our problems, especially in the economic circles today is resulting from the activities of hackers. They hack into anything including your bank accounts, and if nothing is done to stop them, they can cripple an economy,” he said.

The dean said that the government should learn to act immediately because of the menace which had increased lately in many countries, adding that Nigeria should not wait to be hit by big-time hackers before taking precautions.

He said that the only way to handle the problem of hacking was to make a law criminalising computer hacking and any person found guilty of the offence would be punished with imprisonment.

Dimoji also counseled governments and institutions in the country to invest more in digitisation and ICT development to meet the needs of the time.

He regretted the lack of foresights of current political leaders who had refused to budget enough   for computerisation to equip youths to have access to computer-based jobs.

“Ask yourself, what percentage of our annual budget is allocated to digitisation or ICT? We are still doing things in the analog way.

“What I am saying is that the presidency and national assembly should make a special budget for computerisation, digitisation and ICT development. If we do that, we will move forward.

“Some of our youths are still analog while the world has long turned to digital, that is why most of our youths are not employable,” he said.
 

Army yet to release two vendors taken on Monday - Abia Vendors Association

By Ijendu Iheaka

 March 3, 2017

The Chairman, Abia State Newspaper and Magazine Distributors, Mr Ike C. Ike on Friday said that the army have yet to set free two vendors they arrested on Monday.

Ike disclosed this in an interview with our reporter to debunk the claim that the army had released the vendors.

He said that since Monday, nothing had been heard about the whereabouts of vendors adding that the association and members of their families have become worried about their safety.

Ike therefore called on the Nigerian Army 144 Battalion headquartered at Obehie in Ukwa West to releases the vendors in order not to harm them as one of them was said to have been released from hospital on Sunday.

Ike said that on Monday soldiers from the Ngwa High School Forward Operation Base (FOB), Aba, Abia State went to the office of Thisday and Authority newspapers and beat their sales representative.

He said that the soldiers arrested two newspaper vendors Mr Obinna Ogbonna and 64 year old Theresa Olovese aka Jecima.

 A vendor who was present at the time told our reporter that trouble started on Monday when soldiers in two hilux vans invaded newspapers distribution point on St. Michael’s Road in a commando-style.

According to the witness who refused to be named, the soldiers ordered everybody including those who came to buy newspapers and magazines to sit down on the bare floor.

 He said that having complied without delay the soldiers said they were looking for those selling what they called “Biafra Newspapers”, while ordering the people to identify themselves.

 He said that when the Thisday sales rep, Mr. Simeon Obi identified himself, the soldiers asked for his offficial identity card, manhandled and bundled him into a waiting hilux van for saying that his ID was upstairs.

 The case of the Authority newspapers sales rep, Mrs. Chinyere Ibe was more pathetic as she was beaten for saying “I am with Authority newspapers” which statement made the soldiers angry.

The source said immediately the woman said “I’m with the Authority Newspapers”, one of the soldiers gave her several slaps and asked, “You say you be authority, who gave you that authority, who made you the authority of this town? If I hear you be authority again, I will deal with you”.

 According to the source, three newspapers sales reps including that of Punch, Thisday and Authority together with some vendors were taken to the Ngwa High school army base where the humiliation continued. 

He said that the army captain in charge of the base ordered the severe beating of Mr. Obi for daring to ‘smile’ before the officer when he was ‘pardoned’.

 However, the two vendors including the 64 year old Theresa who was reportedly discharged from the hospital a day before her arrest were as at the time of filing the report still being held by the army.

Late last year, a vendor was arrested by soldiers from the same base for allegedly selling “Biafra Newspapers”.

He was later transferred to the headquarters of the 14 brigade of the Nigerian Army, Ohafia from where he was released after weeks in detention.

Efforts to reach the Commander of 144 Battalion, Lt. Col. Umar Sidi failed as his phones were out of network reach.

The State Police PRO, ASP Geoffrey Ogbonna said he was not aware of the arrests of the vendors in Aba over “Biafra Newspapers” by the men of 144 Battalion in Abia state.

When reached, the Commander of 144 Battalion, Lt. Col. Umar Sidi said that he was aware of the arrests and confirmed that the vendors were no longer with the army.

“They are now with the DSS in Umuahia who are conducting an investigation on their operations” he said.