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Deputy Superintendent of Prisons Arrested for Armed Robbery in Enugu

Published

8 years ago

July 2, 2018

Eric

A Deputy Superintendent of Prisons in the Nigerian Prisons Service, Mr Collins Ugwu, has been arrested by the police in Enugu for an alleged involvement in armed robbery.

Ugwu, a native of Ezza in Ebonyi State, who resides in Abuja, where he works at the headquarters of the Nigeria Prisons Service, was nabbed in Enugu on June 26.

The senior prisons officer was arrested with suspected accomplices, Ifeanyi Ozor, a native of Enugu State who is also resident in Abuja; and Smart Osetu from Oguta in Imo State.

The Commissioner of Police, Enugu State, Mr. Mohammed Danmallam, disclosed, while parading the suspects, that apart from armed robbery, the prisons officer and his gang were also involved in conspiracy, malicious damage, stealing and ‘obtaining by tricks.’

The Enugu police chief revealed that Ugwu and his colleagues were apprehended after the police gathered intelligence information on their activities.

According to him, the gang stayed around the premises of commercial banks to monitor prospective victims who had come to withdraw money.

Danmallam said, “The suspects (Ugwu, Ozor and Osetu) belong to a syndicate that specialises in monitoring anyone that has gone to bank to make withdrawals and trail them to a point where they can smartly force the door or the windscreen (of the victims’ car) open with their instrument and steal the said amount.

“They are also part of a syndicate that buys goods from traders and generate fake payment alert to the owner of the goods without him knowing.

“They were nabbed along Ogui Road, Enugu by the operatives of the Enugu State Police Command on June 26, 2018, following intelligence information gathered concerning their nefarious activities.”

Items recovered from the suspects, according to Danmallam, include a Golf car with registration number Abuja RBC 220 KF, and a broken plug which they allegedly use in “scratching down” the window of the car to steal from their victims.

Ugwu rebuffed attempts by journalists to get him to explain why a deputy superintendent of prisons would venture into armed robbery and other criminal activities, especially after witnessing, from close quarters, the harsh treatment meted out to criminals in Nigerian prisons, where they are compelled to live in sub-human conditions.

Sitting quietly on the bare floor, Ugwu refused to respond to questions.

He also bowed his head to prevent journalists from taking pictures of his face.

Our correspondent observed that although he was handcuffed like other suspects, Ugwu looked ‘fresher’ than his colleagues.

The police commissioner further explained that Ugwu and the other suspects were helping the police in their investigations and would soon be charged to court.

The Punch

Featured

Tinubu Appoints Bianca Ojukwu As Foreign Affairs Minister

Published

1 day ago

April 29, 2026

Eric

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Nigeria’s new Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The announcement was contained in a statement released on Wednesday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy).

The appointment followed the resignation of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, who stepped down to participate in preparations for the 2027 elections.

According to the statement, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s elevation marks a return to a more senior role within Nigeria’s foreign service architecture, having previously served as Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Her new appointment places her at the helm of Nigeria’s diplomatic engagements, where she is expected to oversee the country’s foreign policy direction, strengthen international partnerships, and advance economic diplomacy objectives.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, following the resignation of Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, who stepped down to participate in the 2027 elections.

“Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu previously served as Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

The Presidency noted that the decision forms part of ongoing efforts to reposition Nigeria’s foreign policy framework for greater efficiency and stronger global engagement. It added that the new minister is expected to deepen diplomatic relations, promote Nigeria’s national interest, and ensure the welfare of Nigerians abroad remains a priority.

In the same announcement, President Tinubu also nominated Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, subject to Senate confirmation.

Enikanolaiye, from Kogi State, previously served as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations. He is a seasoned diplomat with over three decades of service in Nigeria’s foreign affairs system and has held key postings in Addis Ababa, Belgrade, Ottawa, London, and New Delhi.

The Presidency said the appointments are part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s foreign policy architecture and improve the country’s global diplomatic engagement.

Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu is a lawyer, diplomat, and former beauty queen who has had a long career in public service and international diplomacy.

She was born on 5 August 1967 in Anambra State and studied law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1992 after attending the Nigerian Law School in Lagos.

Her academic background includes a Master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio in Spain, as well as postgraduate diplomas in Human Rights and International Relations from the Berg Institute, Madrid, and in Dynamics of Conflict and Cooperation from the University for Peace in Costa Rica.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu previously served as Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Diaspora Matters and later became Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain from 2012 to 2015, where she also represented the country at the UN World Tourism Organization. She earlier served as Ambassador to Ghana.

She was appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in October 2024 by President Bola Tinubu, where she supported Nigeria’s external affairs portfolio, including diplomacy, consular engagement, and international relations strategy. She has now been appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Nairametrics

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2027: Lagos APC Guber Aspirant Rejects Hamzat As Consensus Candidate

Published

2 days ago

April 29, 2026

Eric

All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Lagos State, Samuel Ajose, has declared that the endorsement of Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat as the next governor by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) will not stand.

GAC, regarded as the highest decision-making body of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, endorsed Hamzat, as its consensus candidate for the 2027 governorship election.

The decision was reached during a closed-door meeting held at Lagos House, Marina, indicating an early alignment within the ruling party ahead of the next electoral cycle.

Speaking after the session, GAC leader, Tajudeen Olusi, said members unanimously agreed on Hamzat, expressing confidence in his ability to sustain and build on the state’s developmental progress.

Olusi explained that the meeting was convened to deliberate on the party’s forthcoming primaries and assess the governorship position ahead of the 2027 elections.

Speaking about the GAC adoption of Hamzat as Lagos APC consensus 2027 governorship candidate on Arise News on Tuesday, Ajose said that Sanwo-Olu and others are trying to force President Tinubu into making a decision.

“I don’t think our president, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is giving in to what they are doing.

“What they are just trying to do is to coerce him into taking a decision, and I don’t think that decision will stand.”

Featured

2027: Obi, South-East Leaders Meet Jonathan Behind Closed Doors

Published

3 days ago

April 28, 2026

Eric

A presidential aspirant of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi, on Monday, consulted former President Goodluck Jonathan on the state of the nation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Obi disclosed this after a closed-door meeting with the former president in Abuja. He led a delegation of South-East political leaders to the meeting, including serving and former lawmakers, as well as former Governor of Imo State, Achike Udenwa.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, the former Anambra State governor said the visit was part of ongoing consultations ahead of the 2027 elections.

“Notable South-East leaders have come in consultation with our respected former president. That is basically what it is—on the 2027 elections and, overall, about Nigeria,” Obi said.

Obi has been holding meetings with political heavyweights across the country as part of ongoing consultations ahead of the ADC presidential primary for the 2027 general elections.

Last week, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party was in Bauchi with South-East leaders, where they held a closed-door meeting with Bala Mohammed.

Speaking after the meeting, Obi said the visit was focused on building national unity and strengthening cooperation across regions.

“My purpose is to solicit the support and cooperation of His Excellency and the stakeholders of Bauchi and the North-East in our quest to unite this country. We want to have a united country to build a future for our children.

“The country cannot continue the way it is today; we are headed in the wrong direction, and we need to reverse that for everybody. That is the simple purpose of why we are here – to seek the support of the stakeholders of Bauchi in building a new Nigeria that will be of benefit to all,” he added.