Train crushes man to death

 

An unidentified elderly man was on Tuesday crushed to death by a train in Enugu.

Our correspondent gathered that several persons were also injured in the incident, which occurred on a rail track located around the popular Ogbete main market in Enugu metropolis.

Eye witnesses said the train, which was said to be returning from Port Harcourt, appeared suddenly on the track at high speed.

It was alleged that the train did not blow its horn to alert people who were on the rail track at the time of the incident.

Our correspondent learnt that traders use the rail track for commercial activities.

An eye witness who did not wish to be named said the train nearly crushed a tricycle, otherwise known as ‘Keke NAPEP’, before killing the elderly man.

He claimed that the driver of the train would have killed several people, but for ‘divine intervention’.

“If not God who moved the vehicles out miraculously, we all would have perished,” the man, who claimed he was among the survivors, said.

Spokesman, Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the development.

Amaraizu described the accident as “horrible”, and wondered why the driver of the train did not blow the horn to alert pedestrians who were on the rail track.

Photos of Nollywood actor Kenneth Okonkwo and his sisters at Enugu High Court

Nollywood actor and lawyer, Kenneth Okonkwo shared theses photos of himself and siblings at the Enugu High Court. He wrote: "It tastes pretty good for lawyers from the same womb to appear on the same side of a case. Glad to be with Anita and Princess my siblings at an Enugu High Court. To God be the glory"

Enugu Rangers have apologised for their shameful trophy parade

Enugu Rangers Int. FC won the Nigeria Professional League last month After 32 years of waiting, and were rewarded with N40 million by the NFF and League Management Company.
But, there was outrage on social media when the team had a trophy parade on Oct 15 around Enugu main town and used an old 'dirty truck'. An apology has now been issued through the football team's official twitter account...

Chime urges Rangers to win 2015/2016 season

The Media Officer, Rangers International FC of Enugu, Foster Chime has congratulated the players on their victory over Lagos-based Ikorodu United and urged them to end the season as champions.
Chime said: “The victory over Ikorodu is a deserved one and it is what the club had been working for since September 19.”
Rangers will in their last game of the season host El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri on Sunday.
Chime said the victory gave them an edge over other clubs that were chasing the title and they now have a point to become the Nigeria Professional Football League champions.
Chime noted: “Yes, the victory over Ikorodu United has given us an edge over other title chasing clubs but our last match of the season is important.
“We do not want to lose a point at home again, to be sincere with you, it is better we finish the season perfectly and that is what we are planning for.
“Although a point in our last match will give us the league trophy, we do not want to end the season at home with a draw but the maximum three points at stake.”
Chime also said that the live coverage of the match against Ikorodu Utd was to give those who could not make it to the venue an opportunity of viewing it.
He also stated: “The match was televised live to give room for wider coverage as many people were not able to make it to the stadium.
“It is good for our football but it’s not for transparency as many people think.
“To be honest with you, our league has improved a lot not because of coverage, after all there are so many matches we have played without coverage and they were more transparent.
“We have qualified match officials in this country but they must-win syndrome by club owners and supporters has made it difficult for them to be seen as that.”
Chime said that all the 36 matches of the 2015/2016 NPFL were tough and that the clubs gave them the same level of concentration.
He added: “Our last match of the season will not be exceptional.”

Enugu Assembly sacks 200 newly-employed teachers

The Enugu State House of Assembly on Thursday sacked the 200 teachers recently employed by the State Universal Basic Education Board.

In a resolution passed by the lawmakers after considering reports on the recruitment, they held that it was conducted in a shoddy manner.

The state government had called for applications from qualified candidates towards recruiting 200 teachers to fill vacancies in its primary education system.

It was learnt that about 21,000 candidates applied for the positions.

However, the lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction that despite the large number of applications, the recruitment was conducted within a week.

They also expressed reservations about the calibre of persons recruited.

The lawmakers had earlier summoned the Chairman of ENSUBEB, Chief Ikeje Asogwa, and the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Rose Chiama, over complaints that greeted the recruitment.

The Permanent Secretary reportedly informed the lawmakers that she knew nothing about the exercise.

She equally said the board was not carried along in the recruitment.

But Asogwa, reportedly, defended the exercise, noting that the state government was aware of the development.

Asogwa also explained the criteria used in employing the chosen candidates.

The lawmakers were not satisfied, and after considering the matter at a plenary on Thursday, passed a resolution, ordering an outright cancellation of the exercise.

They also ordered a fresh one.

The Speaker, Edward Ubosi, who stated the position of the House, said the nullification was with immediate effect.

Ubosi said the board should liaise with stakeholders, including the ministry of education, to conduct the future exercise.

The Speaker added that the fresh exercise should be conducted in the various local government areas in the state.

Biafra: Police arrest 12 IPOB members for threatening Enugu traders over planned protest

The Enugu State Police Command on Monday arrested about 12 people alleged to be members of pro-Biafra group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, over threat to attack traders who refuse to join its coming protest.

A statement by the Commands spokesperson, SP Ebere Amaraizu, said the suspected IPOB members threatened to deal with any trader who opens for business from Tuesday, today, stressing that all traders must stay indoors in solidarity with the group.

IPOB had announced its plan to carry out a mass protest all over the world against the continued incarceration of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu on September 23 2016.

However, Amaraizu in the statement said, the suspects were apprehended while addressing traders in Ogbete Main Market in the state, adding that upon completion of investigation, they will be charged to court.

The statement reads, “No fewer than twelve suspected members of a group identified as indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) were on 19/9/16 in the afternoon nabbed by the security operatives of the Enugu state police command who acted on intelligence information gathered about the said group in relation to its activity.

“Suspects were nabbed inside the popular ogbete market of Enugu state as they allegedly went into the market with public address to threaten and inflict fears on the members of the public precisely the marketers not to come to market from 20/9/16 and that if anyone is seen that the person will be dealt with by the group. The operatives arrested the suspects as the alleged threat announcement was being carried out.

Amaraizu disclosed that items recovered from the suspects includes, “21 handsets of different types, various leaflets in which some of them reads thus: IPOB FOR THE BETTERMENT OF YOUR CHILDREN AND THAT OF YOURSELF, PLEASE SIT AT HOME ON 23/9/16,THERE WILL BE NO WORK,NO SCHOOL,NO BUSINESS,NO MARKET, FREE NNAMDI KANU, FREE BIAFRA, ALL HAIL BIAFRA.”

Other items recovered include, “flags suspected to be that of the group with their insignia, public address systems, one wireless microphone. Suspects are helping the operatives in their investigations and will soon be charged to court,” Amaraizu said.

The command, however, reiterates its determination to safeguard members of the state, saying anyone caught going against the law, “will be made to face the full wrath of the law.”

Governor Ugwuanyi pledges to turn Zik’s residence to tourist site

The Enugu State governor, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, yesterday paid a surprise visit to Onuiyi Haven, the Nsukka residence of Nigeria’s first president, late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, promising to turn the global icon’s official residence in Enugu into a tourist site.

Accompanied by the former minister of Information, Chief Nnia Nwodo; Second Republic politician, Chief Maxi Ukuta; Chairman of Nsukka Local Government Area, Prof. Mrs. Rose Onah and top government functionaries, Ugwuanyi said they were at the residence to pay their respect and express the courtesy and goodwill of the government and the people of Enugu State.

He thanked and commended the wife of the former president, Dame Prof. Uche Azikiwe for the family’s continued support and service to the state government and the entire nation.

Responding, Prof. Azikiwe thanked the governor for the “surprise” visit, saying it was the first visit by any governor of Enugu and Anambra states to Onuiyi Haven since 1999.

She lauded the governor for his giant strides in the state and prayed the Almighty to continue blessing his efforts to take Enugu state to greater heights.

Why Enugu Is Prone to Attacks By Herdsmen - Alhaji Sambo

The geographical status of Enugu State as the gateway to and from the northern part of the country in the south-east,south-south geopolitical zones has been identified as the reason why Fulani herdsmen's attacks have taken an upward trajectory, the leader, Hausa community in Enugu, Alhaji Abubakar Sambo revealed yesterday.

Vanguard gathered that 90 percent of herdsmen migrating from the north to the south-east and south-south regions pass through the ever busy 9th Mile Corner, Ngwo, Enugu corridor to access their various destinations.

This scenario, it was learned, has made the state prone to uncontrolled hibernation of the herdsmen.

Sambo spoke against the backdrop, weekend, where Attaukwu youths protested the continued stay of herdsmen in their community after slaughtering a Catholic seminarian, Lazarus Nwafor and Ifeoma Agbo.

Alhaji Abubakar Sambo, leader of Hausa community and member, Enugu Constituted Security Committee, said:"Enugu State is witnessing the spate of herdsmen attack because it is a major gateway to and from the northern part of the country to the south-east and south-south regions where these herdsmen come from."

"Before you access any part of the south-east or south-south, you must pass through Enugu. There are many routes which the herdsmen use to connect the state. Some of them come in through Kogi State-Uzo Uwani local government area of Enugu State. That was the route the herdsmen that attacked Nimbo used.

"Other routes are Obollor-afor in Nsukka,Orakamu through Benue to Enugu,Aghamelumu-Nsukka route among other routes. The herdsmen ply these routes to any part of the south-east and south-south. Most of them that are migrant herdsmen decided to settle in some rural communities in Enugu State while on transit. This scenario is what i think,make Enugu prone to incessant herdsmen clashes".

In Enugu, Pastor allegedly marries mother, daughter

A pastor, Mr Timothy Ngwu, was on Monday docked at an Enugu North Magistrates’ Court for allegedly marrying another man’s wife, daughter as well as another woman.
Veronica Ngwu, the pastor’s wife was said to have petitioned the court over the development.

The victims whom Ngwu converted to his “wives’’ were said to be members of his church: Gods’ Favor Ministry, Nsukka.

One of the victims, Mrs Calista Omeye, however, told the court that her husband, Mr Fidelis Omeye, had persuaded her to meet the pastor as he wanted her to do the will of God through the pastor.

“My husband was a member of the church and he introduced me to the church, because he said that the pastor had a revelation for me (Calista).

She said the revelation had to do the will of God but he later left the church but I refused to leave the church with him.

“I have 10 children for him and we were all members of the church before he quitted and I had a baby for the pastor but the baby died after some weeks,” she told the court.

She said that it was with her husband’s consent that their daughter was given to the pastor in marriage.

“It is not true that I gave out our daughter in marriage to the pastor without the consent from my husband, he was aware of everything,” she said.

The pastor who hailed from Ihe-Owerre, Nsukka, was absent from the court as he was said to be on admission at an hospital in Enugu.

The presiding magistrate, Mrs R.I. Oruruo, adjourned hearing in the matter to Sept. 26.

In another development, the magistrate sentenced 17 youths from Amuzam-Ugwuaji in Enugu North Local Government Area to three weeks’ imprison for conspiracy and unlawful assembly.

The accused persons were in 2013 arraigned for malicious damage of a building under construction belonging to one Mr Charles Maduekwe, at Independence Layout, Enugu.

The complainant had told court that he invested over N20million on the project before the incident occurred.

Maduekwe said that he invited some military men to arrest the accused person who later handed them over to the police.

He said that the military men recovered harmers and other dangerous weapons used by the accused persons to perpetuate the crime.

Meanwhile, the President General of the town, Mr Emmanuel Nwafor, said that the disputed land belonged to the community.

No external body had ever claimed the land or bought it from the community, Nwafor said.

He alleged that the youths were waiting for the elders to allocate the land before the military arrived and whisked them away.

“We did not destroy any pillar or building as the land was covered by weeds. We only went there to share the land.

“It was when they refused to leave the land that some military men arrested them,” he said.

Ruling on the matter, Oruruo said that the evidence before the court showed that there was a conspiracy among the accused persons to commit a crime and unlawful assembly to breach public peace.

She, therefore, sentenced the accused persons to three weeks imprisonment each, with a N10, 000 option of fine. (NAN)

Foster mother cages girl in bush for five months

A 28-year-old woman identified as Mary Mathew has been arrested by the men of the Ondo State Police Command for child abuse.

The suspect allegedly caged her four-year-old foster daughter inside the bush for over five months at Imafon Village in Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Mary said she ‘quarantined’ the young girl identified as Precious Michael when she suspected that the girl was possessed with witchcraft and also suspected that the four-year-old girl must have been inflicted by Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which reportedly killed her deceased mother last year .

The suspect was said to be a relative of the girl’s late mother and brought the little girl to Imafon in December 2015 after the death of her mother.

Parading the suspect at the headquarters of the command in Akure on Thursday the state Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Hilda Harrison, said the suspect was arrested following a tip off.

While Mary was paraded her husband was not but the police boss said both of them were in their custody.

The commissioner said, “Mary Mathew and her husband who alleged that the girl was possessed and thus decided to lock her outside the house. On receipt of the information, personnel attached to Juvenile Welfare Center of the police command visited the scene and met the girl in the cage as reported.

“She (the girl) was immediately rescued and taken to police clinic for medical attention while the suspects are under interrogation and will soon be charged to court “

Harrison further explained the victim would be taken to the state welfare home of the Ondo State Ministry of Woman Affairs and Social Welfare .

Also speaking, the police officer at the JWC of the command, Mrs. Olayemi Ojumu (ASP), who led the team that rescued the girl, told our correspondent that Precious had tested negative for HIV.

Mary, a farmer and indigene of Enugu State said she only confined the victim to a corner in her shop.

She said she confined the four-year-old there in the morning and released in the evening whenever she came back from the farm.

Police nab fake prophecy syndicate used by pastors to grow their ministries

A notorious suspected fake prophecy syndicate that specialized in working with some owners of religious ministry to confirm a certain prophecy in order to win more members for ministries and churches were on 19th August and 20th August 2016 nabbed at Holy Ghost park axis and popular P&T axis of the state by the operatives of the central police station of the Enugu state police command of the Nigeria police Force.

According to statement issued today August 21, by the Command, the suspects identified as Obi Ejike from Ubaho Okija in Ihiala local Government Area of Anambra state, Kuku Mary from Ijebuode Ogun state, Oluwakemi Joy from Ojo Lagos State, Nwosu Chizoba from Umunze in Anambra state and Peter Uchechi from Ebonyi state were nabbed on their way to a church/Ministry in Abakiliki and in Enugu to join in the fake prophecy deal.

 

It was further gathered that luck ran out of the syndicate as confusion broke out at a bus stop between them leading to some arguments and consequently attracted the attention of security operatives very close to the arena who suspected the scenario and intervened and on instant inquiry,the duo of Obi Ejike and Oluwakemi Joy were speaking at variance but further interrogation conducted immediately revealed that they are in for nefarious activities and eventually the other group billed for Abakiliki church/ministry prophecy were trailed and nabbed at P&T bus stop while waiting for bus to Abakiliki.

One of the suspects Peter Uchechi(F) maintained that they were recruited in large numbers and kept in house at Onitsha, Anambra state from there they shuttle to various states of the country to confirm a prophecy for the purpose of winning more souls for the said church or ministry and that they are usually paid through their coordinator who hired the house and kept them there.

According to her, they can be detailed to go to any state but the number of the link man in the said church/ministry is usually provided to them for easy connectivity on arrival and that they usually dialogue with the link man to the pastor of the church/ministry on the shape the job will take. She went ahead to reveal that they usually state their names,nature of problem they have and other necessary information which is given to the pastor of the church/ministry for his guidance and during the prophetic hours,she will be among the people with the said problem that will come out.

The pastor then using the said information prophecy and she confirms that before the congregation and she will be touched and she will fall and the pastor proclaims the problem is all over and that she has received her healing and that way,members of the congregation will believe that the pastor is powerful and a man of God and this will attract more members to the church.

"Some Pastors use us to grow their church/ministry and we are paid later through our coordinator depending your role." concludes Uchechi.

 On his part, Obi Ejike confirmed their illicit deal and maintained that he works hand in hand with the coordinator and he is the link of the people for Abakiliki and Enugu Job. He maintained that he joined the lucrative Prophecy job after he lost his business to the activities of fraudsters in lagos and then decided to relocate to Onitsha where he joined the prophesy deal and recruitment of candidates. He however was remorseful on the ground that he was not doing a moral thing. Nwosu chizoba from Umunze equally corroborated all the stories as told by Uchechi peter and Obi Ejike pointing out that she is a mother of one which she begat out of wedlock before joining the business which she initially started at Abuja before moving to Onitsha.

Oluwakemi Joy and Kuku Mary, both mothers of four children each and separated from their husbands joined the lucrative business through their friend who linked them to the coordinator.

ENUGU: CBN gives N1 billion loan to rice farmers to boost production

At least 5,000 farmers in Enugu State would benefit from a N1 billion Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) loan to the state for rice farmers. This is aimed at encouraging interested rice farmers in the state to go into full scale commercial rice farming.

Godwin Emefiele, the CBN Governor, who disclosed this in Enugu during the 2^nd launching of the Enugu CBN’s Anchor Borrowers’ program, said the program was in conjunction with the Okunerere Farms Limited (the anchor), and the Enugu State Government.

Emefiele noted that CBN strongly believes that under the present economic situation, developing agricultural sector, and acting as a financial catalyst to the economy by targeting specific sectors that can create jobs on a mass scale, reduce poverty broadly, boost inclusive economic growth and conserve scarce foreign reserves in the country, would be a way out of the economic problem.

Represented by Charles Enwere, the apex bank boss pointed that the anchor borrowers program was designed to create economic linkages between farmers and processors; not only to ensure increased agricultural output of rice, but also close the gap between production and consumption by ramping up capacity utilization in our integrated mills.” he said.

“In Enugu State, we are targeting 5,000 farmers. We are looking at two anchors, the first was Tarra Agro Industries and the second one was Okunerere Farm Limited. Tarra has a target of 3,000 farmers, while Okunerere has 2,000 farmers. So our combined capacity for farmers is 5,000. That is what we are looking out for in Enugu State, the CBN boss said.

He added that “what we actually did was to cost the production of rice in Enugu State per hectare, and we came up with the total sum of N193,000 per hectare. So that is the amount we are going to give to each farmer.

He however said they were not going to give to the farmers cash. The component of it is given to them as inputs, such as seedlings, fertilizers, pesticides and other important inputs to help boost agricultural outputs and productivity. Then the labour components would be paid in their account.
Flagging off the program, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, who was represented by his deputy, Cecilia Ezeilo said, his government would do anything within its reach to support farmers in the state for real diversification of the state economy.
Governor Ugwuanyi commended the initiative, and stated that when fully operational in two years, it is expected to drastically reduce food importation, diversify the country’s economy and create jobs for women and youths.
However, the regional manager, Bank of Agriculture (BoA) reminded the farmers that the money given to them was not a grant, but loans; and the Bank must collect back every kobo involved.

Enugu community men divorce women raped by Fulani herdsmen

Report reaching The Summons Post is community men in Enugu state divorce their wives raped by herdsmen.

The Eke Town Union in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State has decried the increasing rate of divorce occasioned by alleged rape from suspected herdsmen.

The town union’s President-General, Mr. Anthony Enu, spoke about the issue when he testified in the commission of inquiry into the killing of people in Nimbo community on Monday.

Enu said that the situation had become scandalous because no man would take in a woman who had been messed up by suspected herdsmen.

“The herdsmen are consistently raping our women and daughters infecting them with serious diseases thereby causing indirect divorce in our communities,” he said.

“If my wife is messed up by the herdsmen, why should I take her in again? This will mean that what is holding her will hold me.”

According to him, communities in the area have had their fair share of attack by the cattle breeders, adding that no fewer than 10 people had died as a result.

Enu recounted how three residents of Ogui village, Iloafonsi Ofokansi, Aniago Egbo and Josephat Maduweke, were killed in cold blood by suspected herdsmen in 2002.

He said, “Mr. Isreal Eneje was working on his farm with his daughter when the cattle breeders took their animals to his farm. He protested and told them to go away and they ended up killing him.

“They have killed many of our people in the past and in each case we report to the police station at 9th Mile.

“The herdsmen are now assuming to be landlords and have been harassing our people. They should leave our communities in peace.”

Meanwhile, the Agu Umabor Town Union in Nsukka Local Government Area has said that it is opposed to the creation of grazing reserves in their area.

The Secretary of the union, Mr. Livinus Odo, said this when he testified in the tribunal on their activities of the suspected herdsmen in the area.

Odoh appealed to the South-East caucus in the National Assembly to give a block opposition to the legitimisation of any form of grazing bill.

“They should vacate our communities because we don’t have enough farmland not to talk of the one for grazing. The herdsmen have committed atrocities in our communities and it has been a difficult time for our people and we appeal to the government to save us from this menace,” he said.

He narrated the experience of one Nnabuike Odo, a commercial motoryclists, who on May 10, 2016, was almost killed because he made a comment, which some herdsmen found offensive.

“They shot at him but he was so fortunate to escape their bullets,” Odo said.

“We have abandoned a particular road leading to our community because of them. My people have abandoned agriculture because of the herdsmen and we are helpless.”

The Chairman of the panel, Justice Chukwuma Eneh, said that the commission would accommodate all complaints and forward same to the state government.

“We will accommodate your story in our report and see if the government will do something to help you,” Eneh said.