Electing selfless leaders will solve Biafra agitation crisis – Rep tells Igbos

December 27, 2018


By Ijendu Iheaka

Rep. Ossy Prestige (APGA-Aba North/Aba South) says the political solution to the agitation for Biafra is for Igbo people to elect leaders who will serve them selflessly.

The lawmaker made this known in Aba on Thursday during an interview with our reporter in Aba, Abia State.

Prestige noted that people were always forced to seek alternatives through agitations when their representatives are not giving them what they expected from them.

He, therefore, urged Igbo people to come out en masse and vote for credible candidates who have the mind to serve them rather than voting based on sentiments and material inducements.

“The refusal of some Igbo people to carry out their civic responsibilities will not resolve the issue of marginalisation which resulted in the revived agitation for Biafra,” he said.

He enjoined Igbo people in positions of leadership to seek the welfare of their people rather than enthroning selfish interests that rob the people of their dues through their representatives.

The lawmaker who noted that although he was facing a troubling opposition from the PDP-led state government in Abia, said he was not in competition and cannot compete with them.

He said he was in government to serve the people and not to create problems through unnecessary ego contests which levy huge losses on the people.

He, however, vowed that nothing would stop his resolve to free his constituents from their real enemies.

Reacting to criticisms from political opponents claiming he was idle in the Green Chambers, Prestige said that as a first tenure representative, he has a record of over 21 motions and nine Bills to his credit.

He also noted that he had attracted over 50 road projects to Aba, rehabilitated schools and provided water for his people which are eloquent testimonies of his service to people at the House of Representatives. 

Christmas: Aba residents bemoan hike in price of food items

December 24, 2018

By Ijendu Iheaka

A cross-section of residents of Aba, the commercial nerve centre of Abia, has expressed concern over the sharp increase in the price of food stuffs ahead of the Christmas celebration.

Speaking in separate interviews with our reporter in Aba on Monday, the people said that the development had brought untold hardship to them.

Mrs Ngozi Samuel, a fruit and vegetables seller, said the price of cabbage and carrot increased by 50 per cent in December.

“Before now, a bag of cabbage sold for between N5,000 and N6,000 but now a bag goes for between N13,000 and N15,000,” Samuel said.

She said that the price of carrot and other fruits also recorded similar percentage increase in the last few weeks.

Also, Mrs Chizoba Anyanwu, a tomato seller, said that the price of tomato had also skyrocketed ahead of the Yuletide.

Anyanwu said that a bag of the commodity went up from N5,000 in November to between N14, 200 and N15,000 in December.

She said that the increase in price was as a result of the Yuletide, adding that the commodity was supposed to be abundant in the market at this time of the year.

“The increase in the price of tomato is uncalled for. Tomato is supposed to be cheap now because it is usually available in abundance this period,” she said.

She said that, on the contrary, the price of pepper went down from N15,000 in November to N6, 000.

An onions seller, Mrs Eucharia Nwachukwu, also said that the commodity recorded a sharp price increase ahead of the Christmas celebration.

Nwachukwu said that the price of a bag of onions went up from about N20,000 in November to between N40,000 and N43,000 in December.

Mr Aloysius Chikwe, a stock fish dealer, said the price of the commodity recently went up by more than 30 per cent.

“The price of the commodity had been on the increase since the year began but skyrocketed about three months ago by about 30 per cent.

“It further went up a little pas Christmas approached,” Chikwe said, pointing out that the price increase had brought about low sales.

He said, “The situation has become a problem for us because sales have been very low this season unlike other Christmas seasons.

“Stock-fish is no longer affordable to the poor,” he said.

The residents appealed to government to take urgent steps to address the unwholesome development.

They charged the government to reduce the taxes and import duty imposed on consumables in order to make them affordable to the masses.

“Government should initiate policies to ensure that middlemen do not exploit the masses during the Yuletide by inflating the price of goods,” they said.

Atiku promises business support policies if elected president

December 19, 2018

By Ijendu Iheaka

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Presidential Candidate, Alh. Atiku Abubakar has promised to support policies that would promote businesses in Nigeria if elected.

Atiku said this on Wednesday during a Town Hall Meeting held in Aba with South East business Men and Women.

The former vice president also said that He would not sign any agreement that will hurt businesses in Nigeria.

He also promised to automate processes for business registrations to reduce corruption and increase productivity.

While responding to questions asked him by the businessmen, Atiku said he would promote businesses as long as they were within the confines of law .

“But I will not sign any agreement that will hurt Nigeria because I want to see prosperity and job creation in the country,” he said.

He said he was also a businessman and would do everything to solve their challenges stressing that they must work together with him to achieve the goal by voting for him.

Atiku noting that the PDP brought the idea of dry ports while in power, promised to ensure that the dry port in the South East is made functional if elected into office.

He said that the manufacturers in the country were suffering because of high interest rates stressing that if elected, he would ensure the reduction of interest rates to five percent to increase production.

He also promised to make policies that would encourage businesses with other African countries while protecting the nation’s local industries and improving Nigeria’s business opportunities.

Atiku also said that there would be no need for his administration to create any state in any zone of the country but is committed to the restructuring of the country which would leave the choice of state creation to the zones.

Present at the meeting were, Mr Frank Jacobs, owner of Jacobs Wines, Anthony Enukeme, Aba Oil Magnate, Okechukwu Williams, President Leather Manufactures, Abia and Emmanuel Adaelu Owner of Chemlap Nigeria limited among others.

NDLEA arrests major distributor of psychotropic substances in Aba

December 18, 2018

By Ijendu Iheaka

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Abia State Command, has arrested a major distributor of psychotropic substances at Ariaria market in Aba.

The NDLEA Commander, Mr Bamidele Akingbade disclosed this in a message sent to our reporter in Aba on Tuesday.

He said that the man, Chukwuemeka Donatus, was arrested inside Ariaria market after being put on surveillance by NDLEA operatives for about three months.

The Commander said the suspect was arrested while in possession of 60, 000 tablets of Tramadol, over 50 bottles of Codeine syrup, 2, 000 tablets of Diazepan and 1, 500 tablets of Rophenol.

He said that the legal department has concluded investigations on the matter and “we expect that he will be arraigned at the Federal High Court in Umuahia as soon as possible.

“We wish to use this medium to warn drug traffickers to leave the state as the Command is determined to make Abia state very hot for them.

“Our resolve is to ensure youths in the state celebrate this Christmas and New Year in peace devoid of substance abuse.” 

Police confirms the death of father and son in Aba fire

December 18, 2018


By Ijendu Iheaka

A father, his seven year-old son perished in a fire that razed a two storey building at No 1 Mgbe Street near Ariaria market Aba, Abia state on Sunday, Police has confirmed.


The state Police PRO, DSP Geoffrey Ogbonna disclosed this in an interview with our reporter in Aba on Monday.


He said that the father whose name he does not know was with his children in the flat when the fire started hence he made efforts to rescues them.


Ogbonna said that the man had sent down two elderly ones from their balcony and had gone back to the room to bring out the youngest when both were caught by the fire and died.


An eyewitness who lives in the neighbourhood said the fire started by 2 pm razed and raged until about 5 pm because the efforts by residents to contain it was subverted by oozing fluid suspected to be the cause of the fire.

The source who gave his name as Nwanna said that the fire began when a tenant on second floor whose children were involved in oil bunckering came home with their package concealed in polythene bags caught fire.

He said that when the suspected tenants on the right flank of the second floor where the fire began saw that it had engulfed the whole house, they made frantic efforts to evacuate their properties.

He said the selfishness of the occupants of the flat suspected to have originated the fire enraged Aba residents gathered to assist put out the fire who then turned to mob them but they ran away.


“That man Mr Ebere, who died in the fire was bringing down his children out of their first floor flat through the balcony because the liquid suspected to have caused the fire had set the whole staircase in the building on fire at once.


“So there was no place for anybody in the house to run out from. All those who escaped from the house jumped from the balcony as a result.


“Residents made efforts to quench the fire but if you see the huge smoke it was producing, you will know that it must have truly been set off by an inflammable liquid.


“They made efforts to reach the Fire Service people but they said they had no fuel to come and before they arrived, the man and his son had died in the fire”, the witness said.


Ogbonna said the police was still investigating the matter and had no knowledge of the cause of the fire yet.


He also said he could not confirm that the occupants of the inner first floor flat that had not been allegedly seen since the incident on Sunday ran away because they were responsible for it stressing that after the investigations, the truth would be revealed.

A female resident of the building who refused to give her name said huge sums of money, her television set, another neighbor’s TV set and generator were stolen by thieves who disguised as helpers during the fire incident which had left five families homeless.

2019: Abia APGA calls for level playing field, condemns attack on Reps member

December 18, 2018

By Ijendu Iheaka

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abia has urged the state government to provide a level playing field to ensure credible leaders emerged in 2019 polls.

The Chairman of the party in the state, Rev. Augustine Ehiemere gave the charge in an interview with our reporter in Aba on Tuesday.

The chairman was reacting to alleged attacks of the member representing Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency, Mr Ossy Prestige and his entourage in Uratta, Aba on Sunday.

Some hoodlums suspected to be supporters of the PDP attacked Prestige's vehicles and broke all the windshields when they went to hand over the Uratta Road to a contractor for reconstruction.

The road which had failed for over eight years was awarded for reconstruction by the Federal Government through the Ecological Fund Office and efforts of the lawmaker.

Ehiemere condemned the attack adding that such attitude should be discouraged in the state.

“What happened is really barbaric. As APGA state chairman, our duty is to advise the government in power to give political parties level playing ground in campaigns in the state.

“As APGA member in the Federal House of Representatives, Ossy Prestige is responsible to his constituency.

“What we are talking about in a democratic dispensation is giving the people the dividend of democracy.

“He attracted the reconstruction of a bad road which had remained so for over seven years now. PDP has not done that for many years.

“In doing that, Ossy Prestige was attacked and obstructed. You should also be aware that this same man gave scholarship to 150 Abians to study in Germany, when the government in power learnt of it they went to Germany and stopped it,” he alleged.

Ehiemere expressed the hope that Abians would be ready to change the government in power come 2019.

Efforts to reach the state PDP chairman, Chief Johnson Onuigbo on the issue did not yield results as his phone was reporting unavailable.

Abia Polytechnic workers appeal to government over unpaid salaries

December 17, 2018.

By Ijendu Iheaka

Staff of the Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, under the umbrella of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) have appealed to Abia Government over their unpaid salaries.

The union also urged the state government not to politicise the payment in relation to the political developments in the state.

Nwachukwu disclosed this in an interview with our reporter in Aba on Monday.

The union made the call after the government announced closure of the polytechnic following alleged plans by opposition parties to use its members to cause mayhem.

“That statement is unfortunate. They should pay staff their salaries. From January to December 2018, they have not paid anybody in this school a single salary.

“They are just struggling now to pay just one month which is for January 2018. They should pay us our salaries. If they pay us our salaries, we will be okay. They should not politicise it.

“We are not politicians and cannot leave our work to go into politics. Our work is different from politicking. That is what we are telling them”, he said.

The state government in a media release signed by Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okeiyi-Kalu on Monday said the institution was being shut down because of a planned protest.

Okeiyi-Kalu said that the protest allegedly being sponsored by the opposition parties was to use “lecturers to breach public peace”.

He said that the planned activity was illegal as the management of the institution had officially closed it down for the 2018 Christmas break.

He said the government had in the last three weeks given N200 million subvention to the school.

He however noted that the amount would not be enough to pay the workers all their salary arrears.

That the staff have been on strike for about two weeks over alleged nonpayment of 11 months’ salary debts owed them by the government.

NDLEA solicits Abia govt’s support for fight against drug abuse in schools

December 12, 2018.


By Ijendu Iheaka

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has called on the Abia Government to urgently support the efforts of the State Drug Control Committee to stem the spread of drug abuse.

The State Commandant of NDLEA, Mr Bamidele Akingbade, made the call on Wednesday in an interview with our reporter in Aba.

He underscored the need to organise drug awareness campaigns in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions across the state so as to curb the spread of the use of hard drugs in the institutions.

“Due to the high rate of abuse of psychotropic substances in primary and secondary schools across Abia, there is need for the state government to support the activities of the State Drug Control Committee.

“The committee is responsible for carrying out public awareness campaigns in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions across the state.

“The committee is also to advise the state government on actions that should be taken on critical issues in efforts to curtail drug abuse in the state,” he added.

Akingbade, however, bemoaned the fact that the committee, which was re-constituted in June, had not sat for once and, therefore, called on the state government to act quickly to make the committee functional for the benefit of the citizens.

The state NDLEA commandant noted that Abia had recorded a high preponderance and use of at least three types of prohibited drugs across all its 17 local government areas.

He said that 12 out of 17 local government areas of the state recorded the use of cocaine and heroin, while the remaining seven council areas recorded the use of cannabis, skunk cannabis, tramadol, benylin with codeine and rohypnol.

He said that the proliferation and increased use of hard drugs in Abia had caused some security, health and social challenges for the residents, which required quick interventions for prompt resolution.

Akingbade said that the trend meant that people would be increasingly getting addicted to drug use, while requiring rehabilitation, adding that any effort to prevent drug addiction was certainly better any effort to cure it.

He said that the consumption rate of prohibited drugs by people in the state was quite alarming.

He said that the development had resulted in increased drug-dependence, while reinforcing the need to put in place certain facilities for the addicts’ rehabilitation. 

Youths protest alleged maltreatment by NNPC in Aba

Youths from Okpokoroala in Uratta Autonomous Community, Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area of Abia, on Monday protested what they termed “maltreatment” of their indigenes by the Nigeria National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC).

Okpokoroala is the host community of the Aba Depot of the NNPC.

The youths, who flocked the road leading to the depot, barricaded the entrances and exits into and out of the depot demanding change of attitude from the company.

The protest took a different dimension when the community’s Chief Priest accompanied by some youths brought out an effigy representing the community deity and placed it on the main entrance of the depot while daring anyone to cross it.

The protesters, who sang peacefully at the gates, had placards bearing inscriptions like: NNPC recognize your host community; NNPC since 1979 you’ve not offered us office pin as your host, is it fair?

Others were “Are we not your host community, why treat us as if we don’t exist? Enough of this 42 years of neglect and no more of such”.

Prince Young Ngwaziem, President of Uratta Autonomous Community speaking on behalf of the host community, said the agreement was that 60 per cent of support staff must come to the host community.

“The big people here fixed their relatives and brothers to fill job openings meant for the host community.

“We don’t have one person in support staff of which 60 per cent is supposed to be ours. The only person we had was removed.

“They must tell us when they will site a single project here because they have not laid a single block here since they came,” he insisted.

He said that since 1979 when the company took their lands without compensation, they have not even given the host community even the smallest health centre.

“Let them give our people their rights. They can’t even grade the roads leading to the depot. We don’t give them trouble, but they are treating this peaceful community as though we are fools,” he said.

The youth president of Okpokoroala, Mr Chukwuemeka Chidi said that the presence of the NNPC had brought them no blessings.

He said that the community had written them severally for assistance but nothing came out of it.

Chidi said that since 1979 that it was established, they have been employing people without considering the community and its graduates whom they did not find fit for jobs at the depot.

“We don’t want promises anymore. We can stay here for one month. How many times shall we write to them?

“People say dialogue is better and we’ve been doing that, but it baffles us that a company filled with learned people does not value dialogue.

“We have our brothers who are registered contractors, but whenever there are jobs to be done, they don’t call them.

“They rather call outsiders to do what our people can easily do and even better. We came here without even a single stick not to talk of cutlass.

“It’s a peaceful demonstration and we will remain peaceful until our cries are heard”, he said.

Chidi said in the last fire disaster that occurred on October 13, 2018, the community lost many of its sons because of the errors of the company.

He said that the committee NNPC sent from Abuja promised to do something for the community but regretted that since then they have all gone back to Abuja without fulfilling the promises.

The Depot Manager, Mr. Joseph Chukwudi, while addressing the protesters in the presence of heavily armed policemen, pleaded with the protesters to exercise patience.

He said he had forwarded all their complaints to NNPC headquarters in Abuja through its Port Harcourt office.

Chukwudi said he met the issue on ground but had not employed anybody there since he came except for two persons recently.

“What the panel from Abuja promised you will be fulfilled. They will study it and forward to Port Harcourt.

“This depot is not of two divisions; Pipelines and Product Management Company (PPMC) and Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company (NPSC).

“The depot has been balkanized. The management of the depot is now two. There is a division now and it is not as easy as you think to handle,” he said.

He said NNPC had been segmented into two divisions to make management better adding that the NNPC management was on their matter. 

Abia CP explains re-arrest of drowned man's friends

December 5, 2018


By Ijendu Iheaka

Abia State Police Commissioner, Chris Ezike on Wednesday said the police re-arrested friends of a man drowned at a swimming pool in Aba to deepen investigation and rule out foul play

A 20 year old man drowned at the swimming pool of a hotel on Margret Avenue in GRA, Aba, Abia state last Thursday.

The man who is a friend of the celebrator was said to have gone to swim at the hotel’s pool during their colleague’s birthday party but drowned in it leading to the arrest of their other friends at the event.

A Police source told our reporter that the youths numbering about 16 were first arrested on Thursday evening and released on Friday.

The source said their release came after preliminary investigations involving CCTV footage previews at the Central Police Station (CPS) Aba failed to link them to their colleague’s death.

However, our findings showed that State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Tuesday re-arrested and moved the boys to the state capital in Umuahia where they had remained detained until Wednesday.

Ezike said that the police was not in for a witch hunt but wanted to rule out every possibility of foul play in the death of the young man at the hotel’s swimming pool.

“You talked about CCTV footage. The footage did not show when the boy entered the pool. It only showed his body in the pool.

“We are looking at negligent act, we are looking at willful act. Willful acts are different from negligent acts but all or part can form the ingredients of a crime.

“So it is just the process of investigation that is going on. The matter is not an Aba matter because it involved homicide.

“When somebody has died, it elevates the discourse to a different level of investigation. We are not out to witch hunt anybody but in search of the truth”, he said.

Asked if following his promise to reduce human rights abuses he would stop the process of arresting suspects before investigating them as it is done in some other countries, Ezike said there are rules to obey.

“You obey the law and you obey the Constitution. The climes where you do not do that are different from ours.

“If you talk about the United States of America, they run a system where the prosecuting agencies are attached to the police.

“So more or less they are part of the investigation. It is not ours here. Secondly, they have virtually everything you will need in criminal investigation.

“They have the CCTV, they have the intelligence electronic devices. With all that they know when to go for arrest.

“But for us here, we start from the answer to the question. I wish we will get to where start from the question to the answer”, he said.

Police warn Abia residents against extra-judicial killing

November 30, 2018


By Ijendu Iheaka


The Police Command in Abia has warned residents of the state against extra judicial killing.

DSP Geoffrey Ogbonna, the Police Public Relations Officer for the command in the state gave the warning in an interview with our reporter in Aba.

He was reacting to the killing of two suspected robbers by the mob on Wednesday in the state.

Ogbonna said although the command had zero tolerance for crime and criminal activities, it was wrong for citizens to take the laws into their hands.

He also urged members of the public to exercise restraint and any time they have such incident, they should draw the attention of the police.

“As much as we are not in support of criminal acts such as forcefully taking people’s property, we enjoin people to report or hand over suspected criminals to the police.

“We know that they may not be just two and if they had been arrested, they would have been useful in giving us information on the arrest of others, “he said.

Some residents of Aba on Wednesday caught two robbery suspects out of the three that robbed a woman and killed them.

The woman was leaving a bank premises when the suspects robbed her of N300, 000.

Sources said that confession by the suspects that they also killed a young tricycle driver and dispossessed him of his tricycle at Ogbor Hill in Aba angered the residents and elicited mob.

Some members of the public at the scene were said to have beaten two of the suspects and set them ablaze.

Man drowns during friend's birthday party in Aba

November 30, 2018

By Ijendu Iheaka

A 20-year-old man, simply identified as Chidiebere David, drowned on Thursday night in the swimming pool of a new but popular hotel on Margret Avenue, GRA, Aba in Abia.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Abia, Mr Geoffrey Ogbonna, confirmed the incident on Friday.

“The man is about 20 years old. His name is Chidiebere David. He accompanied his friends to a birthday party in the hotel and got drowned there. That was exactly what happened,’’ he said.

Ogbonna however did not say if the police was foreclosing further investigations into the matter.

Our repoerter gathered that the deceased went with his friends who were over 16 in number to the hotel to celebrate the birthday of one of them.

Chidiebere who hailed from Imo died at the pool with no one realising that he had drowned until sometimes later.

It was further gathered that when the deceased colleagues saw his body inside the pool and made frantic efforts to save him, they discovered that he had died.

The relatives of the young man were said to have later arrived at the scene, taken his body and deposited at a morgue close to the hotel.

An anonymous source within the hotel told our reporter that the friends of the deceased were arrested and taken into custody same night by policemen from Aba Area Command.

ABSUTH health workers resume strike

November 27, 2018


By Ijendu Iheaka


Health wworkers of Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Aba, on Tuesday resumed their indefinite strike, locking the entrance to the hospital and depriving patients and other workers access to the complex.

The striking workers, who are demanding 10 months’ salary arrears owed them by the state government, would not also allow the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Chucks Kamalu’s car to enter.

The workers, dressed in black clothes, had placards bearing inscriptions like: “ABSUTH workers are hungry. But why”?, “ABSUTH workers can no longer pay school fees, bills, feed!’’

Others bore: “New employees have not been paid from May 2018 till date”, “Abia State Government has turned ABSUTH workers to beggars”, “How long shall we continue to cry for our salaries?’’.

Mr Sylvanus Inyama, the Branch Chairman, Medical and Health Workers Union, ABSUTH Chapter, said they had been going into and out of strike because they always believed government would keep to its promises.

He said that they were resuming the strike they suspended on June 8, again because the state government kept failing in its promises to pay them.

“By 6th June 2018 when the Joint Union went on strike, we were on strike.

“On the 8th of June 2018, the state government had intervened in the strike action and we came up with a resolution and a Memorandum of Understanding.

“We entered an agreement with government and they promised to be offsetting our salary arrears with two months payments, every month from June 2018.

“It is also written in the document that if the government failed to pay as promised the Union will not hesitate to resume the suspended strike.

“But since then government had not been able to meet up with the promise they made. They have not paid the two months for once as promised till date.

“What they now do is when we mount pressure, they will just throw in one month arrears, just like the last payment they made on Oct. 4, for January 2018 salary,” the union leader said.

Inyama said that they were protesting to remind the government that it had breached its agreement and that the workers were resuming the suspended strike.

He said that the protest at the gate of the institution would continue until next week when the hospital would close down completely with all patients in the wards sent home.

Mr Enyinnaya Ogbonna, a Health Workers Union member, while addressing the workers at the gate, called on Kamalu to appeal to the governor to pay them; stressing that their members are dying from hunger.

“We cannot continue to live this way. This gate is permanently locked until the government pays our salaries. We do not want one month payment again,” he said.

Ms Onyinyechi Akwara, a Medical Laboratory student, also told our reporter that it would be hard for them to take over tomorrow’s healthcare services from the current workers without proper training.

She said that the strike was affecting their studies adversely and begged government to urgently pay the workers to restore normalcy in the institution.

Mrs Blessing Ugochukwu, a new nursing mother who had triplets, said that the strike would affect the level of care given her and her babies by the doctors and nurses and even their discharge.

She said that she was not happy about the 10 months salary owed the workers and pleaded with the government to pay them to help her babies get proper care, be healthy and safe.

The nursing mother said she had not left the hospital because they have not been able to pay all that was required of her by the hospital.

She further said that the strike will have adverse effect on her and her babies if they were abandoned in the hospital. 

Osisioma Fire Victims: Abia Govt to award more scholarships to victims’ children

November 27, 2018


By Ijendu Iheaka


Chief John Okeiyi-Kalu, the Commissioner for Information in Abia, has said that more children whose parents died in the Osisioma Pipeline fire will be accommodated in the governor’s scholarship programme.

Okeiyi-Kalu disclosed this in an interview with our reporter in Aba on Tuesday.

The commissioner, who said four of such children had been awarded scholarships already, added that the governor had set up a committee to find the remote and immediate causes of the fire.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on Oct. 12 announced an oil pipeline fire outbreak along the Osisioma axis near Aba Depot, Abia, in its System 2E pipeline network which killed many residents.

He said the committee was mandated to compile names of victims to enable the government to get a dependable record on the incident.

He gave the assurance that the N10 million donated by Alhaji Atiku, Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, would be shared to victims’ families within two weeks.

He said government was being careful with the sharing process so as to ensure that the money did not end up in wrong hands.

“The committee will also write a comprehensive report which would be handed over to the governor when they finish sitting.

“We do not want to run and do the wrong thing. It is not the way to go. Meanwhile we have awarded scholarship to four children of one of the men who died as a result of that disaster.

“We have offered free medical assistance to some of them who ran away, fearing arrest by police and I am happy they survived.

“I believe that in the next one or two weeks, the committee will complete its interim report and hand it over to the governor and we will ensure that everyone is compensated,’’ he said.

Okeiyi-Kalu advised all affected families to write to the governor through the committee. 

FRSC says 33 accidents, 26 deaths recorded so far in Abia in 2018

November 23, 2018


By Ijendu Iheaka


The Abia Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Commander Meshach Jatau, said on Friday that the state recorded 33 accidents between January and November 14, this year.

Jatau made the disclosure at the Aba Park, while speaking to drivers at a sensitization programme organized by the State Ministry of Transport, in conjunction with the FRSC, to mark its Safety Week.

He said out of the 33 accidents, 26 persons died while 257 were injured, hence the need to re-emphasise the importance of road safety.

“Accidents destroy lives and render families economically impotent, with some of their bread winners dead,’’ he said.

Jatau said that the number of road accidents in the state was high, stressing that there was the need to reduce it.

He said that deaths from accidents increased the number of out-of- school children, which also increased social vices, and charged the drivers to drive with their loved ones always in their minds.

In his remarks, the Abia Commissioner for Transport, Chief Kingsley Imaga, said that the state was working to ensure a zero accident record during the yuletide.

He charged drivers in Abia to be law-abiding, keep to their lanes and drive safely during the Christmas season, for the safety of all road users.

“The state is working to ensure it has a zero accident record by January 2019.

“Our appeal is to all drivers in the state to change their tyres, service their vehicles and avoid drinking before driving during this period,’’ he said.

The commissioner said that the sensitization programme was designed to enlighten new drivers and remind old ones of what they needed to know, to work and live beyond the Christmas season, without accidents.

He charged the drivers to imbibe the culture of discipline and driving with caution to be alive for their families, who would need them after the season.

“You cannot get all the money you need in your lifetime within this one month period. So avoid reckless driving and speeding to cover many trips if you must be alive to see the New Year,’’ he said.

The Director, Vehicle Inspection Office, Abia, Chief Okey Ekwonye, said drivers should ensure proper maintenance of their vehicles, for them to remain safe.

He urged them to consider their lives to be more important than the money they may save from “managing” bad vehicles, as the effect would be more damaging on them and their families.

The Assistant Chief Fire Officer for Aba, Okezie Uche, said that out of 105 fire incidents recorded so far in Abia in 2018, vehicles were involved in 20 of the cases.

He urged drivers to get at least a 6kg fire extinguisher, especially during this dry season, to be safe from sudden fire outbreaks from moving vehicles.

The Leader Joint Motor Unions in Aba, Chief Azubuike Asuzu, thanked them for the programme and urged the government to ensure drivers’ safety through doing what only governments can do.

He asked that they should be assisted to get and use new tyres, access genuine motor parts and lubricants, as well as fuels, as these help to keep the roads safe.

Asuzu pledged that all drivers who were not at the gathering would get the message. 

Community raises alarm over incessant harassment by suspected cultists

November 23, 2018


By Ijendu Iheaka

Aba-Ukwu Autonomous Community in Aba South local government area of Abia state on Friday, raised alarm over incessant harassment by a suspected cult group, Aroo Boys.

The traditional ruler of the community, Eze Monday Ugbo, who raised the alarm while speaking with our reporter in Aba on Friday, called on Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu to protect the community.

Ugbo said members of the group were going after women in his domain in order to rape them at the slightest opportunity.

“The menace has become unbearable to us and that is why we decided to cry out to the appropriate quarters to hear, and come to help us out.

“I am using this medium to appeal to Gov.Ikpeazu to direct whosoever needs to be directed to do the needful.

“For the security agencies, I know they have handicaps like inaccessible roads, yet we need to cry out for help.

“I want the Governor to direct the attention of the Aba Area Command of the Nigeria Police and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO),the Central Police station to come to our rescue, through  constant patrols.

“My area starts from Number 1, Port Harcourt road to Crystal Park Hotel junction, including both side of the road.

“It terminates at Nkwo Ngwa market where we have a common boundary with Etiti-Ohazu Autonomous Community,“ he said.

The traditional ruler said doing this would reduce the risk that the people faced, daily, in the hands of the boys who did all sort of things to them.

He said that the community security outfit lacked the wherewithal to curb the menace of the boys moving around with weapons. 

APGA to start reconstruction of burnt Nkwo Ngwa market soon

November 21, 2018

By Ijendu Iheaka 

Chief Chris Nkwonta, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate for Abia South Senatorial Zone on Wednesday promised the party would rebuild Nkwo Ngwa market before 2019 elections commence.

Nkwonta disclosed this while speaking to reporters at the palace of Eze Ishmael Nnakwu of Etiti Ohazu Autonomous Community in Aba when he went to visit the burnt Nkwo Ngwa market.

He said that the party had already asked for the details of what was destroyed by the fire and what was needed to help the affected traders come out of their losses.

“To alleviate the sufferings of the traders, we are going to start reconstruction work at the market even before the commencement of the 2019 elections.

“As you are aware, our governorship candidate has directed Abraham Oba, (the Abia House of Assembly member representing Aba Central) to give him an estimate of what it will take to do some palliatives pending when we will come to power and rebuild it completely”, he said.

Nkwonta said the plight of the traders who lost goods worth millions of naira in156 shops razed to the ground was pitiable at this time of economic hardship.

He said that the huge losses caused by the fire which gutted the timber and furniture sections of the market could have been reduce if there were access roads to the market and Ngwa road area.

“It was a very unfortunate incident but matters were made worse because there was no access road to the place.

“If there was an access road, I am sure the extent of damage could have been considerably reduced.

“So we went to commiserate with them and assure them that APGA will do everything within our powers to reinstate them to where they were before the incident”, he said.

Nkwonta who said he lost to Abaribe in 2015 because PDP rigged the election noted that his chance of winning the seat in 2019 is brighter now.

He said that the phasing out of incident forms in 2019 elections which would reduce rigging with through it would make his victory over Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe easier.

Nkwonta said that APGA, is hopeful of victory in 2019 Abia state elections because since 2015, it had developed a blueprint for rebuilding Abia state through total reconstruction of Aba which is its business hub. 

In his response, the royal father, Eze Ishmael Nnakwu thanked them for coming to see him and prayed that God would give them the desire of their hearts.

He pleaded with the party to intervene and ensure that the people of the area would have their roads rehabilitated to ease the carting away of refuse in the area.

The royal father said that there had been an outbreak of scabies among their children for some time now because of the effect of the environment on their health and asked for assistance.

Police arrests 10 empowerment scammers in Aba for duping scores of residents

 November 18, 2018

  

By Ijendu Iheaka  

Abia State Police Commissioner, M r Chris Ezeike on Sunday said the Police has arrested 10 scammers connected with duping scores of Aba residents in the guise to empower them.

Hundreds of  Aba residents were duped in the past two weeks by scammers claiming to be running empowerment programmes which promised participants double the amount of money they give to the scheme.

Ezeike said that in the last two weeks the police in Aba had been inundated with reports of various groups who masquerade as empowerment groups but with the motive of duping people.

He said that following the report of the scam, he had set up a panel to gather complaints of the victims of the crime which was predominantly committed in Aba using the guise of empowerment schemes.

“They are making people pay huge sums of money with the hopes that in less than weeks, the interest will double and triple and of course many people have fallen prey to this suspected scam.

“As at Friday when I set up this panel, we were suspecting that over 1000 persons have been defrauded but the preliminary reports I received from the panel is even more worrisome.

“I think that number is just a sheer minimal. Ten suspects are in custody.

“We are working hard so that from tomorrow we should be dialoguing with part of the judiciary to ensure that if we need to have some funds warehoused on some accounts, we will do so.

“I wish to use this opportunity to alert people of Abia particularly Aba and its environments to be wary of unauthorized financial institutions and empowerment units they patronize.

“There is no free launch anywhere in the world”, Ezeike said.

He said that the police have discovered that the ten suspects arrested in connections with the empowerment scam tried their hands on money doubling which is a crime.

 He said that money-doubling metamorphoses into conspiracy, forgery, fraud, obtaining through false pretences, operation of illegal financial houses and outright stealing.

The Police commissioner therefore called on victims of the crime to meet the panel members at Area Commander’s office in Aba to document their experiences and enable the police know where they fall.

“If any security agent be it a policemen or a front tells you to pay so, so and so amount of money, so that so, so and so can be given toyou, ignore such persons because they are also conspirators in this large scale fraud that has befallen our people”, he warned.

Over 150 shops burnt at Nkwo Ngwa Market fire in Aba

November 18, 2018 

By Ijendu Iheaka

Fire Saturday night razed about 156 shops at the timber and furniture section of Nkwo Ngwa market in Aba South local government area leaving many families grieving for their losses.

Okechukwu Lawrence, chairman of the market traders association told newsmen at the market on Sunday that he got a phone call at about 7:00 pm on Saturday informing him of the fire prompting him to race to the scene.

He said he rushed to the market on getting the information where he and the market taskforce members broke its gates to take in sympathizers to help quench the fire using borehole water.

“We tried our best before the Fire Service came in. We used our borehole to get water to quench the fire but the hoodlums around here later broke the borehole in their bid to steal our pump while the fire was raging.

“That was how I saw it yesterday. The fire was too much and it gulped millions of Naira worth of goods and properties here.

“We have some building material sellers on all these front shops. The second row of shops is furniture sellers and other things.

“We recorded a very big loss here but there was no loss of life or injury”, he said.

He debunked claims that his members attacked the fire service personnel who came to quench the fire.

Lawrence said that it was a group of hoodlums called Aroo Boys who attacked the fire service men.

He said the Aroo Boys further entered the market, broke doors carried rice, stockfish, clothes and other people’s properties and left.

He said they could have stopped the fire with Fire Service help before it destroyed up to 100 shops but were hindered by Ozuomba road which the government suspended work on two years ago.

He appealed to the government to come to their aid, help them by fix the road and to attend to the needs bothering them in the market.  

The Abia State Police Commissioner, Chris Ezeike who visited the scene Sunday morning said he came on a visit to access and sympathize with the victims of the fire.

He noted that that zone of the market was full of materials easily susceptible to fire outbreaks.

Ezeike however called for calm and peace adding that the fire which was said to have been started by a generating set would be investigated immediately to find its cause.

  

Rtd Captain Awa Udonsi, Senior Special Adviser to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu on Security, said that the governor had been notified about the incident and would involve the concerned ministries.

Udonsi said he would not take decisions for the governor but assured that the government would “do the right thing” in the situation

Pregnant woman feared dead, three others critically injured in ghastly auto accident in Aba

November 13, 2018

By Ijendu Iheaka

 A pregnant women returning from the market in a tricycle was feared dead Tuesday afternoon following an auto accident that occurred by the abattoir on East road in Aba, Abia State.

Three other passengers of the tricycle who eye-witnesses said were also in critical condition were taken to New Era Hospital on Azikiwe road.

 A meat seller at the abattoir market who pleaded anonymity told our reporter that the tricycle driver packed by the road side to give a passenger change when the incident happened.

“Touts are not supposed to be allowed on the roads in Abia. Government should remove them from the roads. It is touts that caused this accident.

“They were struggling to take control of the steering wheel of this Van from the driver who was moving when they stopped him.

“When the Van driver disagreed with the touts on their demand for money from him, they began to drag the steering wheel with him.

“The Van driver’s attempt to running away from the touts to stop them from taking over his van, but eventually the van veered off the road and crushed the tricycle.

“A pregnant woman who was in the tricycle died on the spot while the driver has two of his legs crushed. No one knows if he would live.

“Two other passengers including the driver have been taken to a nearby hospital. This happened before me. No one told me. I saw it with my eyes.

“The pregnant woman was coming back from the market with food items he bought for preparing food for her family but on reaching here she met her end.

“You can see her bag and things she bought in the tricycle. This is very painful. Touts should leave people alone”, he said.

Another eye witness who gave his name as Emeka Ogbonna speaking to our reporter said if the touts had not struggled with the driver, the accident would not have happened.

He said that Aba people became enraged with the three touts and pursued them and caught one of the touts who was lying critically injured and bleeding on the road.

He also called on the state government to remove those touts from Abia roads adding that an accident that claimed three lives last week at Osisioma roundabout was also caused by touts.

One of the touts who allegedly caused the accident was beaten to a state of unconsciousness when our Correspondent got to the scene.

When contacted the Abia State Police PRO, DSP Geoffrey Ogbonna said he was unaware of the accident and surrounding incidences.

Abia govt vows to complete pending projects before 2019 elections

November 11, 2018

By Ijendu Iheaka

Abia state government has promised to complete the construction of Aba interchange, Ngwa and other road projects yet to be completed in the state  before the 2019 elections.  

John Okeiyi-Kalu, Abia state Commissioner for Information, made the promise on behalf of the government at the Aba Governor’s Lodge on Sunday.

Okeiyi-Kalu was speaking to All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) members decamping to People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from deputy governor’s home in Mkporo, Ohafia local government and the members of Abia Grassroots Movement (AGM).

He said that some hitches delaying commencement of work on Ngwa and Ohanku roads included a big drainage system needing fixing and pending NDDC contract on Ngwa and Ohanku roads respectively.

He said that Abia state government did not owe any worker in its 72 ministries and agencies which the state government is responsible for paying their salary.

The Commissioner said that the truth in Abia state was that only agencies which generate money and pay themselves like the state Polytechnic were being owed salaries by their management.

“If you find I have lied, I will resign my appointment. Nobody will win elections with lies in Abia state.

“You will do well to leave here with the truth because it is the truth that you know that you will use to convince others. And if you do not know the truth, you will vote on the basis of a lie.

“If you believe Ikpeazu has worked, vote for him but if you are not convinced, do what you like”, he said.

Speaking during the visit, the former Zonal Chairman of APGA for…., Chief Ojeabor Ude said they came to show solidarity with their son, Ude Okochukwu, the deputy governor.

He said they were using the opportunity to cross over to PDP from APGA in order to ensure their community worked to return their son, Okochukwu to the government house.

Ude said only his return with Ikpeazu under PDP would secure the position of Mkporo people in the government house which gives them an advantage to benefit from their son’s position.

The Chairman AGM, Chief Jerry Ohaegbulam said they came to tell the governor they were aligning with and supporting his 2019 bid because “he had done what his predecessors could not do”.

Ohaegbulam said his group would work with Ikpeazu to return him to office come 2019 but asked him to equip them to do what they have to do for him.

He and Ude begged Ikpeazu to clear Abia workers’ salary and pensioners’ arrears, complete projects pending across Abia and clear refuse on Uratta and other Aba roads to make his re-election easier.

“We will work with you but you should put your house in order. When you do what we asked you to do, you should go to sleep and leave the rest for us” they said.

In his response, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Ikpeazu on Special Duties, Chief Erondu Erondu who represented him thanked the defecting APGA members and AGM members for their support to Ikpeazu.

He said he was a messenger for the governor and promised to send the messages of the two groups to the governor when he returns from the meeting that took him away from receiving them.