IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

Criminal elements who abducted an APC chieftain in Imo State have been bursted by the Police command in the State. 

The operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad in the Imo State Police Command have arrested the alleged killers of an All Progressives Congress chieftain in the state, Amos Akano.

Akano, who was abducted before the just concluded APC National Convention, was found dead days after.

Ameborave.com learnt on Friday that FSARS operatives led by its commander, Mr. Godfrey Victor, swooped on the gang while they were waiting to collect ransom from the relatives of the deceased.

According to the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Dasuki Galandanchi, the suspects were nabbed in Ihiala in Anambra State .

The commissioner of police, who gave the names of the suspects as Ikenna Nwosu, Chibuike Martins, Emeka Eke, Chijioke Akukara and Adubuokwu Chibueze, said that the gang operated between Imo and Anambra states.

Galadanchi said the arrest of the suspects was a major breakthrough in crime fighting and prevention in the state.

“I want to announce the arrest of five persons in connection with the kidnap and murder of one Amos Akano,” he said.

“Other members of the gang, especially the ring leader, were subsequently arrested through very professional coordinated efforts.

“Through constructive and digital scientific approach, we were able to trail the suspects to Ihiala where they had asked the relatives of the victim to bring the ransom.”

The police commissioner, who vowed to fight crimes, especially kidnapping head on in the state, said he had reorganised the security formation of the command.

 

“We will give them no chance to operate. We are taking the war to their dens. Imo must be freed from kidnappers,” he said.

According to the police boss, the suspects equally kidnapped Patricia Okoronkwo, Daniel Akukanwa, Anoyo Ihegbe and Obijuru Kechinyere  recently.

The exhibits recovered from the suspects according to Galandanchi included two vehicles ,one pump action gun with two expended cartridges ,one locally made pistol and a cache of locally made bullet proofs and charms .

One of the suspects, Akukaria, told our correspondent that the ring leader gave him N40,000 in order not to involve the police .

As aspirants justle for political positions ahead of 2019 general elections, Mbaike Federal Constituency, made up of Ikeduru and Mbaitoli Local Government Areas, is not left out. An illustrious son of the constituency, Comr Nobleiyke Edoziem, who is an intending aspirant, has said that he would concentrate on human capital development if elected as the lawmaker of the constituency.

Edoziem who made this Statement recently in a press parley with newsmen in Owerri, Imo State capital, said that previous lawmakers of the constituency didn't pay much attention to their over sight functions as legislators. He noted that aside from law making, a legislator must strive to improve the living conditions of his constituents.

The young Edoziem who is a chieftain of Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA), opined that as a youth who lives in his constituency, he knows what to do to uplift the living standard of the people of Mbaike. The Ikeduru born Edoziem further stated that the impact of any leader was dependent on how many lives influenced positively.

Edoziem who is the National Deputy Publicity Secretary of MAJA said,  " The level of hunger and poverty in the country is very alarming, especially since the APC led administration of Buhari and Okorocha took over in Nigeria and Imo State respectively, as a result, lawmakers shouldn't go to Abuja and just attend siitings. They should be in touch with their constituents and make great efforts to ensure that the monthly allocation accrued to the constituency is judiciously used.

Edoziem continued ''I want to reduce the poverty level of Mbaike constituents. I know what the want as a people. I enjoin people of Mbaike to support me in my quest to give them responsive representation."

There is palpable tension in Owerri, the capital of Imo State following the abduction of a popular pro-democracy activist, Paulcy Iwuala.

Iwuala, founder of Genius Eyes International, was reportedly kidnapped along the Spibat area of Owerri while returning from the birthday party of one of his friends at the new Owerri axis of the state capital.

Ameborave.com learnt on Sunday that after holding Iwuala for ten days, his abductors communicated with his family, demanding N10 m as ransom for his release.

One of his friends, Philip, who confirmed his abduction, said, “After the day’s work, Paulcy headed to DE Angels, a popular pub in the New Owerri, to join in the birthday celebration of one of his friends. “I learnt that about 8pm, he left to see a friend at the Orji area of the town precisely at Spibat and that was where the kidnappers struck.

“No one could say what really happened except that a guy in a jeep was bundled away by some gun-wielding individuals and to avoid being trailed they shot into the air to arouse fear.” He said the police had been informed about the kidnap and that Iwuala’s family’s was running around to raise money to secure his freedom.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Andrew Enwerem, could not be reached for comments but a senior police officer confirmed the abduction. The police source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the command was working hard to secure Iwuala’s release.

The political tussle in the Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has taken a deadly dimension following the kidnap and murder of a chieftain of the party, Amos Akano.

Akano , until his gruesome killing, was the Director -General of Ezihe Foundation, one of the groups supporting the governorship ambition of the Chief of Staff to Governor Rochas Okorocha, Mr. Uche Nwosu.

He hailed from Nkwerre Local Government Area, the same LGA with Nwosu.

He was an ally of the state governor’s camp and had been seen several times at state government functions.

According to his kinsman, Martins Nwadike, who confirmed the murder to our correspondent on Thursday , the deceased was kidnapped on the eve of the just concluded APC national convention.

He was said to be travelling home (Nkwerre) from Owerri, the state capital , when gunmen suspected to be hired assassins blocked him along the Isu -Njaba road and kidnapped him immediately.

When the APC members returned to the state after the national convention, where two factions loyal to the governor and other chieftains of the party from the state clashed while President Muhammadu Buhari was addressing the delegates, Akano ’s corpse was found .

Nwadike said, “He was kidnapped on Friday, a day to the APC national convention. He was travelling home from Owerri to Nkwerre, our home town . The gunmen blocked him on the Isu -Njaba road.

“They made away with him . His corpse was found after the national convention. This is very saddening and highly devastating.

“Desperate politicking has no place in a decent democracy. The deceased was a gentleman. He was educated and civil in all his dealings.

“We urge the security agencies to bring his killers to book. Imo is not known for violent politicking.

Those who take away human lives in order to ascend to political positions would be disappointed in 2019.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, had yet to respond to the text message sent to his phone.

Acho Ihim led Imo State House of Assembly suspend the following lawmakers;  Uche Oguwuike (Ikeduru), Nkenna Nzeruo (Oru East), Collins Chiji (Isiala Mbano), Ifeanyi Nnataraonye (Mbaitoli).

According to the chief mover of the motion and the Majority leader of the House, Lugard Osuji, the suspended Members conducted themselves in an unparliamentary manner which was against the code of conduct guiding the IMHA.

The house further set up a disciplinary committee, headed by Lawman Duruji, Henry Ezediaro, Uche Agabige, and Ikechukwu Amuka.

The affected lawmakers are however suspended indefinitely, until the Committee concludes investigations.

A final year student of the Imo State University, Blessing Amam, was on Monday found dead alongside her lover, identified as Emeka in her hostel in Umudagu -Mbieri, Mbaitoli Local Government Area of the state.

Ameborave.com learnt on Tuesday that the deceased student was a final year student in the Department of Theatre Arts , who was expected to graduate in August.

It was learnt that she slept in her hostel room with her lover on Sunday but both of them could not wake up the next day ( Monday).

A neighbour, who craved anonymity, said it was the smell from the deceased room that alerted other occupants who had returned from school that something was wrong.

She said, “The students came back from school and started inhaling very offensive smell and on inquiry, it was discovered that it was from Blessing Amam’s room.

“Her flat mates called her but she did not respond . The door was forcefully opened and behold , Blessing and her lover were found dead . There were blood stains and marks on their bodies. Blood equally gushed out from their mouths and nostrils.”

The source, who expressed worry over the circumstances that could have led to the death of the suspected lovers, maintained that the deceased were full of life the night before, adding that there was no indication that they were in any trouble or distress in the room that night .

When our correspondent visited the hostel, nobody including the security guards was seen , as the whole compound including the street was deserted. On inquiry, our correspondent was told that the students had fled because they did not want to be arrested by the police .

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Andrew Enwerem , who confirmed the incident said, “It was a case of sudden and unnatural death.” He, however, said that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Dasuki Galandanchi, had ordered an investigation into the circumstances that led to the death of the lovers.

“It is confirmed. It is a case of sudden and unnatural death . The commissioner of police has called for a thorough investigation into the matter. On receipt of the information , our men at Mbieri division rushed to the scene of the incident .

“The necessary information that aid investigation process has been collected but we call on the members of the public that have pieces of information that will help us unravel the circumstances that led to the death to please come forward ,” he said.

The Director of Information, IMSU Students ’ Union Government , Mr Desmond Joseph , who also confirmed the death of the final year student and her lover said , “ Amam Blessing , a 400 level student of Imo State University , Department of Theatre Art is dead . She was found dead alongside her boyfriend .

“Their bodies were discovered because of the offensive smell that perturbed neighbours who traced the source . They broke the door to discover Blessing and her boyfriend with stains of blood from their mouths, nose and other parts of their bodies.

We also gathered that such incident had happened in the past in a house somewhere in Owerri. ”