News

Police Arrest Two over US Consular Officials’ Killing in Anambra

Published

1 year ago

May 19, 2023

Eric

The Anambra State Police Command says it has arrested two suspects in connection with Tuesday’s attack on a convoy of US Consulate officials along the Atani/Osamela Road in the Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The embassy officials, who were on a humanitarian mission in the state came under fire while they were passing through the area.

The attack, according to the police, led to the death of three US consulate officials, who are Nigerians, as well as four policemen accompanying the convoy.

The Commissioner of Police in Anambra, Echeng Echeng, at a press conference in Awka on Thursday, said two suspects were arrested after a joint operation by the police, the Army and the Navy.

Echeng said, “As you are probably aware, a team of officials from the Lagos Consulate of the United States of America and their police escorts were ambushed on May 16, 2023, between 12:00hours and 14:00hours, along, Atani/Osamela Road in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State by suspected Eastern Security Network and Indigenous People of Biafra.

“Information about the incident was received by the Anambra State Police Command, through an official of the consulate, at about 14:30hours. Consequently, a joint team of Mobile Policemen and troops of the Nigerian Navy stationed in Onitsha was immediately deployed in the area.

“Upon arrival at the scene of the incident, the joint security team sighted and engaged the assailants in a shoot-out but they escaped through a nearby forest.

“On May 17, 2023, joint security forces comprising police tactical teams from the command and troops of the Nigerian Army as well as the Nigerian Navy raided a camp in Ugwuaneocha community of Ogbaru LG, which was suspected to be the hideout of the assailants, but discovered that it had been deserted.

“Two persons of interest were arrested and they are currently assisting the police in the investigation. The criminal camp was razed down by the joint security team.

“The preliminary investigation conducted by the command, following the incident, revealed that five male officials of the US consulate and four armed Mobile Police escorted from Lagos on a mission to assess the impact of erosion in the Ogbaru LG were travelling in a convoy of two vehicles when they suddenly came under attack by armed men who targeted them with gunfire and set their vehicles ablaze.”

“Regrettably, seven persons (including three of the consulate officials and four mobile police escorts) were murdered during the attack while two other officials of the consulate are yet to be found.

“Information from the USAID authority disclosed that five of their staff and four policemen involved in the attack are Jefferson Obayuwane (a retired DSS personnel), Sunday Prince Ubong, Ekene Nweke, Hassan Etila and Avwuvie Kaye Monday.”

The CP said the remains of the deceased had been recovered and deposited in a morgue while the state police command and other security agencies were working round-the-clock, in concert with the Government of Anambra State, to find and rescue the missing officials.

He, therefore called on members of the public who could provide information about the identities and locations of the culprits, to kindly assist the police with such information timeously.

“May I assure you all of the resolve and determination of the command and other security agencies to track down the perpetrators of these heinous crimes and bring them to justice,” Echeng added.

News

Ngelale Resigns As Tinubu’s Media Aide

Published

3 hours ago

September 7, 2024

Eric

Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on media and publicity, says he will be embarking on an “indefinite leave of absence to frontally deal with medical matters” affecting his immediate, nuclear family.

In a statement issued on September 7, Ngelale said the decision “was taken after significant consultations with my family over the past several days as a vexatious medical situation has worsened at home”.

“While I fully appreciate that the ship of state waits for no man, this agonizing decision — entailing a pause of my functions as the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity and Official Spokesperson of the President; Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, and Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen — was taken after significant consultations with my family,” he said.

Ngelale said he “looks forward to returning to full-time national service when time, healing, and fate permit”.

“I respectfully ask for some privacy for my family and I during this time,” he added.

On July 31, 2023, Tinubu appointed Ngelale, an ex-aide to former President Muhammadu Buhari, as his special adviser on media and publicity.

On May 19, 2024, the president appointed Ngelale as the special presidential envoy on climate action.

News

Revisit Your Drawing Board, Nigerians Are Suffering Deeply, Yoruba Elders Tell Tinubu

Published

1 day ago

September 6, 2024

Eric

The Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) has told President Tinubu that Nigerians are “suffering deeply” under his administration asking him to meet short term needs of the people before pursuing a long term vision.

The elders’ council, through its Secretary General, Chief Oladipo Oyewole, stressed that millions of Nigerians living without food, fuel and light, President Tinubu needs to go back to drawing board and fashion out measures that will bring immediate comfort to the people.

YCE, through a statement, noted that it remains hopeful that Nigeria will have a turnaround.

“However, going by scanty information available on Government pursuits and activities, there is, presently, a lot of suffering in the land.

“Be that as it may, we of YCE stand on our strong position that the interest of the masses to live a good life should be given full attention.

“Without regular supply of electricity and with the official announcement of increase in the price of petroleum products (PMS), the current hardship cannot but be increased in daily living by Nigerians.

“The Federal government ought to immediately pursue every avenue to make available to our people, the dividends of democracy. Not through distribution of palliatives (that does not seem to filter to the bottom) but by putting in place avenues to enhance proper and quality living through effective governance administration.

“Every Nigerian should be entitled to enjoy our common resources Indeed, Nigerians are suffering deeply at this time….. no light, no fuel, no food”

“Mr. President should, without delay, revisit his drawing board to attend to the short term needs of Nigerians (the immediate needs of the people) whilst pursuing the long term vision of making Nigeria a better place for growth and for development.

“As Elders, we demand immediate succour for the people to boost the welfare of Nigerians so that all can live in comfort and harmony.As far as this elders council is concerned, a lot of administrative work by Government is (absolutely) required for the masses of this country to live, stay alive as respectable and responsible people.”

The state of this nation today, YCE said, is a pill that has a bitter taste.

“The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should do something quickly to ensure proper steering of its intentions to establish and install better governance in Nigeria. In fact, the Presidency should do all possible to alleviate the suffering of all Nigerians immediately and without delay.”

News

We Deliberately Demobilized, Abandoned Captured Armoured Tank, Says Defence Hqrs

Published

4 days ago

September 3, 2024

Eric

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters has reacted to viral video of terrorists leader, Bello Turji and his gang burning a captured military armoured tank.

In the video that surfaced online, the terrorists were seen celebrating after burning the military vehicle.

In its reaction, the Military, in a report monitored on the official X handle of DAILY POST on Monday, through the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen Edward Buba, said the MRAPs seen in the viral video were demobilized due to the inability of troops to use them.

Buba stated that the incident happened after the military personnel got stuck in swampy terrain during operations against bandits in Zamfara State.

He said the troops decided to demobilize the MRAPs to prevent it from being useful to the terrorists after abandonment.

He said, “Subsequently, troops dismounted and demobilized the MRAPs, when efforts to backload them were futile. The said demobilization of the MRAPs by troops was to prevent it from being useful to the terrorist after abandonment.”