Unknown gunmen kills two and set 3 trucks ablaze in Delta
.as CP assures Delta residents of adequate security
Assailant set Nnewi South LGA Secretariat, police station ablaze
There are palpable tension in the entire south east as Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, refused to admit Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, to bail.
Justice Binta Nyako, in a ruling, held that since Kanu was earlier granted bail in 2017 and jumped the bail, the court must first determine the real reason he jumped the bail before he reapply for another one.
Justice Nyako then dismissed the application for bail.
The court had, on April 8, exonerated the federal government on the allegation that the leader of IPOB was forcefully abducted abroad to stand his trial.
Nyako, in a ruling, held that rendition for the purpose of criminal investigation was allowed.
Nyako said since Kanu was on bench warrant, the law allowed that anywhere he was sighted, he could be arrested and brought to face his trial.
“Rendition for the purpose of criminal investigation is allowed.
“In the instant case, there is bench warrant on the defendant (Kanu). Suffice to say, he is a fugitive before the court,” she said.
The judge, who dismissed Kanu’s move to challenge the terrorism charge, upheld seven counts in the fresh charge filed by the federal government against the IPOB leader.
Nyako said that the federal government, through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, had been able to established some allegations against Kanu in counts one, two, three, four, five, eight and 15.
“Counts one, two, three, four, five, eight and 15 show some allegations. The court shall proceed to try the defendant (Kanu) on those counts,” she ruled.
After the review of the 15 counts, she held that about eight of the counts appeared to be similar and did not disclose action.
She, therefore, ordered that counts six, seven, nine, 10, 11, 12 13 and 14 should be struck out.
Nyako also ruled that the order proscribing IPOB as a terror group still subsisted until it was vacated since the issue was still on appeal.
She dismissed the argument of Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, counsel for Nnamdi Kanu, that whether IPOB was a terrorist organisation under the Nigerian law or not was still a subject of appeal.
Meanwhile, Two persons were reportedly shot dead while three trucks loaded with grainnant were set ablaze when members of the dreaded indigenous peoples of Biafra IPOB yesterday unleashed mayhem on the residents of Ugbolu community located a few meters away from seat of power.
Casualty figure could not however ascertain as at production time, but an eyewitness confirmed that those shot dead included the driver of the trucks and his assistant.
On of the eyewitness, John Okafor commercial driver told journalists that the attackers blocked the road, and commanded the truck driver to come down from the vehicle.
“They used logs of wood to block the road. The were conducting search on every vehicle plying the route.pp
“When the Dangote cement truck got there, they stop the truck, drag down the driver and his boy and beat them up.
“After, I left the scene, I later heard that the attackers killed the driver and his conductor. I did’nt ply the route again out of fear,” Okafor said.
Another eyewitness, Mr. Tony Emezuaka, a commercial motocyclist our Correspondent that the attackers set the truck on fire, after killing the driver and his boy.
According to Emezuaka, who said he witnessed the incident, the truck loaded with bags of cement was razed down, before the attackers fled the scene.
Confirming the incident, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Ali said only one life was lost during the attack.
“I call you to brief you the security situation in Delta state. There were several threats of report on social media on Sunday that Delta State especially Asaba should observe the three days sit-at-home by the IPOB.
“On Monday, the security personnel dominated the hook and crannies of the state to give adequate security and prevent the IPOB in perfecting their threat.
“But it is unfortunate that we received information this Wednesday morning that IPOB blocked Ugbolu road, an outskirt of Asaba.
“Before my men could arrive the scene, they had shot the driver and set two trucks and a tricycle ablaze”
Meanwhile, The Commissioner of Police (CP), Delta Command, Mr Ari Ali has reassured residents of the state of adequate security of lives and property.
Ali gave the assurance while confirming the alleged killing of a Dangote Truck driver by suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Eastern Security Network (ESN) to newsmen on Wednesday in Asaba.
The police boss also said that two vehicles and a tricycle were set ablaze by the hoodlums.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that IPOB had issued a sit-at-home order to all the South Eastern states and Delta.
Ali said that Delta was not part of the South East zone of the country adding that the evil directive of the sit-at-home order could not be enforced in Delta.
“We are not going to allow any hoodlum under the guise of IPOB or ESN to come to Delta. In the first place Delta is not part of the South Eastern region of the country.
CP Ali said the command had put in place tight security measures to prevent reoccurrence of the incident.
In the same vein ,Unknown gunmen were reported to have set ablaze Nnewi south council Secretariat and also a police station, both in Ukpor, Nnewi South local Government Area of Anambra State
The incident according to sources occurred in the wee hours of Tuesday when the arsonists first set the Secretariat ablaze before proceeding to the police station to complete their mission.
A reliable source from the area recalled that the Ukpor police station had been burnt during the endSARS protest and was later rebuilt only for it to be burnt down for the second time just as the Education department of the council Secretariat was burnt down in February this year and now the main Secretariat has followed suit.
Condemning the actions Dr Boniface Agbala, chairman of Idemili Leaders of Thought; Hon Obioha IreamokeJP, /National Trustee/Anambra state Coordinator South East Nigeria Presidency Movement SENPM; Paramount Ruler of Ogidi community Igwe Alexander Onyido; chairman of Mgbachu village Nkpor Chief Arinze Idemili and Bishop Abraham Chris Udeh of the By fire by fire Ministry Nnewi and Chief Jude Nwankwo president of Building Materials International market Ogidi described the current spate of insecurity in Anambra state in particular and Southeast in general as very unfortunate.
Specifically while Dr Agbala described the burning of the council buildings as politically motivated action or better still a deliberate in-house act perpetrated by insiders in the presence or absence of security personnel guarding the secretariat Bishop Udeh alleged it could be the Fulani people that perpetrated the act in their usual hatred for Ndigbo
Bishop Udeh Igwe Onyido of Ogidi Ireamoke Jude Nwankwo and Arinze Idemili however cautioned Ndigbo against wanton killings and destruction of properties belonging to their fellow Igbo in the name of agitation .
Meanwhile, as the sit-at-home order in Anambra state enters day three, business activities remained grounded as roads, markets, courts, schools, courts, among others were shut.
The situation worsened Wednesday, ostensibly sequel to Nnamdi Kanu’s court hearing as directed by IPOB that there will be sit-at-home any day Kanu is to be arraigned in court.
Consequently, the ever-busy Onitsha/Owerri road was a ghost zone including Onitsha/Enugu expressway, Onitsha/Asaba/Benin/Lagos expressway and the Onitsha/Nnewi/Ekwulobia/Uga/Akokwa road.
Reacting, Chief Ikeme fadiya, a resident of Onitsha, said that, “I had wanted to get to Benue state today but no commuter vehicles so I have to postpone the trip to Thursday.”
“Today’s sit-at-home is severe, unlike the previous ones when people would see very few inter state commuter buses. It is even better I postponed it because I don’t see any open market in Onitsha to procure few items.”
Also reacting, a sale’s girl at Oba International Market who simply identified herself as Rose, said that, “I didn’t open the shops for three days now to avoid miscreants vandalizing the wares in the shop.
I was told that criminals capitalized on the situation to maim, rob, steal, assault and extort money from unsuspecting innocent general public who refused to be indoors”
“No shop, even the markets, schools, offices, courts and roads are shut and people are in their various homes playing indoor games and making merry”.
A resident of Awka, state capital, Mr Chudi Mgbakoha, reiterated the need for the state government to beef up security as hoodlums capitalized on the situation to commit all manners of crimes in the name of IPOB sit -at-home order.
“Governor Soludo should rise up to the challenges as his duty is to protect lives and properties of the people. The other time people who went out to buy what they would eat came back dead, they were shot dead by hoodlums claiming to be ESN members.”
“ESN operatives are trained in such a way that they don’t hurt a fly unless you are a criminal. They are intelligent like you and I and don’t even embarrass nor harm People”
“May be because Kanu was arraigned in court today that is why every place is deserted, this is the third day, it started on Monday and the rival IPOB group said it will last for four days, Monday to Thursday but genuine IPOB said it would only be for two days, 18 and 26, May, so this is the present situation” he posited.
Meanwhile there has been killings here and there within the state by a yet to be identified gunmen prompting residents to live in fear of uncertainty.
In Onitsha, Nkpor, Umuchu, 33 near Onitsha, Awada, Okoh, among others, there were killings and sporadic gunshots are renting the air in some areas this Wednesday according to reports
