IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

Operatives of the Imo State Police Command have arrested a pastor in the Assemblies of God Church in Owerri, Chukwuma Okezuo, for allegedly giving prophecies against the state Governor, Rochas Okorocha, during a church service.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Andrew Enwerem , who paraded the cleric before newsmen on Tuesday, accused him of prophesying during last Sunday’s church service in the Urratta area of Owerri.

The pastor was alleged to have said in his prophecy that the governor was recruiting young boys in the state with the sole aim of kidnapping children between zero and 10 years for ritual purposes.

The police spokesperson said the pastor prophesied that Governor Okorocha was allegedly engaging in the ritual exercises towards the 2019 governorship election in the state. He added that the “false prophecy” was capable of causing rancour and panic in the state.

“I parade before you one acclaimed pastor, Chukwuma Okezuo, of Assemblies of God Church. He was arrested during a church service last Sunday at Owaelu Urratta over false prophecies against the person of the Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha.

“The suspect , while on the pulpit, made false prophecies against the governor that he was recruiting young boys to be kidnapping children between zero and 10 years for ritual purposes. He falsely prophesied that the governor was engaging in the ritual purposes with the sole aim of winning the 2019 governorship election and therefore asked the congregation to pray.

“This false prophecy, by this acclaimed pastor, is very malicious and capable of causing rancour, panic, anxiety and disintegrating the state. The Imo State Police Command, under the leadership of Commissioner of Police, Mr Dasuki Galandanchi, will not watch the people jeopardise the peace of the state.

“Religious leaders should be mindful of the things they say. We will charge the suspect to court for legal action,” he said.

In an interview with Ameborave.com, the 40 -year-old pastor, who hails from the Mbaitoli Local Government Area of the state, said what the police accused him of was untrue.

He said that he only asked the congregation to pray against untimely death and spiritual manipulations without mentioning the name of anybody including that of the governor.

Gunmen have kidnapped two entertainers, Ugo Stevenson and Izunna Obiakor in Owerri, Imo State and demanded millions of naira as ransom for their release.

Stevenson, a 2008 winner of Nigeria Music Awards, is a popular high life musician, writer and public commentator, while Obiakor is the Chief Executive Officer of Twinstar Lightening and Stage House in Owerri.

The 2008 award winner was reportedly kidnapped around the World Bank area, while he was going home. His wife, who confirmed his abduction in a telephone conversation with our correspondent, said the kidnappers had established contact with her, demanding N5 m as ransom for his release.

Distressed Stevenson’s wife, who said she spoke with her husband, stated that the kidnappers contacted her two days after kidnapping her husband. She said, “The kidnappers have contacted me. They are demanding N5m as ransom for his release. They allowed my husband to speak with me.

“I told them how it is with my husband and family currently. I told them that we didn’t even have N10,000. They asked me to contact his friends. “I am, therefore, calling on his friends to help secure my husband’s freedom. They should not allow him suffer and die. He is just an entertainer, who has spent all his life making people happy. He has offended no one. His friends and the general public should come to my husband’s rescue.”

Meanwhile, Obiakor was reportedly abducted in his jeep. He was kidnapped in Owerri while returning home after the day’ s programme.

One of his friends, who does not want his name mentioned, confirmed Obiakor’s abduction.

The abduction of the two entertainers has generated spontaneous outcry as his friends and fans have taken to the social media, especially Facebook to condemn their abductions and demand their immediate release, unconditionally.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, who confirmed the abduction of Stevenson, said the process of rescuing the victim had commenced. “Stevenson was kidnapped somewhere in Owerri West Local Government Area. The commissioner of police has ordered the processes that would necessitate his release. We are working to ensure that the kidnap victim is rescued alive , unhurt and the kidnappers arrested without delay,” he said.

The abductions of the duo came few days after a popular activist, Paulcy Iwuala, was released after the payment of N7m as ransom.

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.