Suicidal Man Lies On The Road In Imo (Photo)

An Imo State resident, Chidozie Anyanwu, has said he is ready to die
if the standard of living in the state does not improve.

Anyanwu, who was seen lying on MCC/Uratta Road, Owerri, on Monday,
refused to leave the road despite entreaties that he could be crushed
to death by vehicles.

He was, however, carefully avoided by motorists, including tricycle
riders, plying the road.

He told PUNCH Metro that his mother died recently and was put in the
mortuary, adding that she had yet to be buried due to lack of funds.

Anyanwu, who is married with three children, said it was difficult for
him to feed his family due to the harsh economy.

He said, "My wife is a civil servant and her salary does not come as
and when due. And when it comes, the bank collects all and still
debits her account because of a loan she took. The provision shop she
opened with the loan is not growing because Imo people don't have
money. People, who used to patronise the shop, are no longer coming
and when she calls them, they always say there is no money."

He said since the last three months, nobody had patronised his shop,
adding that his children ate only once in a day.

Punch correspondent gathered that Anyanwu later left the road after
some residents prevailed on him not to kill himself.

--ThePUNCH

Scientists find HIV-AIDs full cure

A British man with HIV undergoing a pioneering treatment to cure him
of the disease has shown "remarkable" progress, doctors have told a
newspaper.

Scientists treating the 44-year-old patient are now hopeful of a
breakthrough in what has been described as "one of the first serious
attempts at a full cure for HIV".

Results showed the man's most recent blood test showed no detectable
HIV was present.

Results showed the man's most recent blood test showed no detectable
HIV was present.

The man, who has remained anonymous, is the first of 50 people to
complete a trial using the two-stage attack on the deadly virus.

The research is being carried out by a collaboration of five of
Britain's top universities organised by the National Health Service.

Mark Samuels, managing director of the National Institute for Health
Research Office for Clinical Research Infrastructure, told the Sunday
Times: "This is one of the first serious attempts at a full cure for
HIV. We are exploring the real possibility of curing HIV.

"This is a huge challenge and it's still early days but the progress
has been remarkable."

The trial patient told the newspaper that recent blood tests showed no
detectable HIV virus was present, although it was too early to confirm
that the treatment had worked.

The new therapy aims to overcome a major barrier to clearing the virus
from a sufferer's body that has challenged researchers for decades.

Current methods using antiretroviral therapies (Art) fall short of
ridding patients of HIV, as the virus can hide out of the drugs' reach
in the immune system's T-cells.

By sheltering in dormant T-cells the virus can later take over its
host and use it to produce thousands of copies of itself, should Art
no longer work.

The research by Oxford and Cambridge universities, Imperial College
London, University College London, and King's College London, is
testing a "kick and kill" technique to first expose, then destroy the
virus.

First a vaccine helps the body find infected T-cells. This is then
followed by a course of the drug Vorinostat that awakens the dormant
T-cells, which then begin producing HIV proteins that act as a homing
beacon to the immune system.

Imperial College London consultant physician Professor Sarah Fidler
said the treatment worked in the laboratory and there was "good
evidence" it will work in patients.

However she added: "We must stress we are still a long way from any
actual therapy."

--BBC

Imo State Imposes N3,000 Development Levy On Indigenes

The Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has imposed a N3,000
development levy on all taxable adults in the twenty-seven local
councils in the state, this he said is necessary in order to replicate
development in all the 637 communities.

Okorocha gave the directive at the weekend while inaugurating the
state's Development Council and presenting adult registers to
government representatives in Owerri.

He enjoined the people to face current challenges and pay for their
benefits, adding that every taxable adult must register.

Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Acho Ihim, who was also
present reminded the audience of the Imo State Traditional Rulers and
Autonomous Law which mandates that a community must have a minimum
population of 2,000 for it to be recognized by government.

The Commissioner for Community Government, Culture and Traditional
Affairs, Innocent Eke, said the Community Government Council (CGC),
put in place by the current administration, had decentralized power
and empowered communities, as the people now participate in the
management of their affairs.

The chairman, Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Sam Ohiri, assured
execution of the order.

--InformationNigeria

Facebook launches ‘Marketplace’ for members

Facebook on Monday launched a new online "Marketplace" allowing
members of the huge social network to buy and sell with each other.

The new feature puts Facebook squarely in competition with local
online selling platforms led by Craigslist.

--AFP

Banks Reject Cheque Issuance To Savings Account Users

Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) are yet to comply with the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) directive that they allow cheques payments into savings
accounts.

The apex bank instructed the lenders that savings account customers
with Bank Verification Number (BVN) should be allowed to deposit
cheques not more than N2 million in value, per customer per day, into
their accounts.

But two months after, the lenders claimed they were still upgrading
their systems to enable them comply with the directive.

Adebola Oloye, a customer of one of the deposit money banks, told The
Nation that his lender rejected a cheque of N200,000 he wanted to
lodge into his savings account, outright.

"The banks are not complying with the CBN's directive. The apex bank
has to compel them to do the needful because I believe the policy will
help to boost confidence in the banking system," he said.

CBN Director, Banking and Payment System Department, 'Dipo Fatokun,
had said the decision to allow cheques in savings accounts is in
furtherance of its efforts at strengthening the Nigerian payments
system.

The apex bank removed fixed interest rate on credit cards and
discontinued the actual address verification in account opening, for
customers with BVN. It also asked banks to begin to embed BVN
biometric data in payment cards issued henceforth, to facilitate
off-line BVN verification and biometric-based customer authentication
on such payment devices as Automated Teller Machines (ATM), Point of
Sale (PoS), kiosks, among others.

Former Keystone Bank Executive Director, Richard Obire, said the banks
had no reason not to comply. He said: "The CBN needs to wake the banks
up by setting a compliance deadline for them otherwise, the objective
of the policy shift will not be achieved."

He added: "In the past, they asked their customers to get two
references before cheques are acceptable into the accounts. I
understand they are taking precautions as accepting cheques can expose
them to risks, but with the BVN and registered mobile phone details, I
think they should comply without further delay".

Obire explained that accepting cheques into savings accounts would
boost financial inclusion and create opportunity for low income
earners to pay their dividend warrants and other cheque-related
instruments into their accounts, until such accounts can be credited
directly through the e-dividend platform.

-TheNation

Imo Police Explain How Three-Day-Old Stolen Baby Was Rescued

The Imo state police command has rescued a 3-day old baby, born to the
family of Mr and Mrs Oluebube Ekwedike of Umuezealaowerre Ehime Mbano
Local Government Area of Imo State.

While reuniting the baby with his parents on Monday, the Imo State
Police Commissioner, Taiwo Lakanu, said the baby was said to have been
stolen by unknown child thieves barely 48-hours after the baby was
given birth to at the Chukwunonso Maternity in Isiala Mbano Local
Government Area of Imo state.

At The Verge Of Selling

He said that after the issue was reported to the police, the men of
the command swung into action and arrested two suspects who were at
the verge of selling off the baby.


The mother of the baby could not hold back her tears as she holds her baby again
The mother of the baby, Uchechi Ekwedike, 21, who could not hide her
joy seeing her baby again, said she was tricked by the culprits in
order to steal her baby.

After reuniting the baby with his parents at the command headquarters
in Owerri, the capital of Imo State in southeast Nigeria, Mr Lakanu
said despite the numerous warnings for people to desist from child
stealing and trafficking, some persons were still adamant in causing
pain and sorrow on innocent members of the society.

He said: "My team, the entire Imo State Police Command, will not rest
on its oars to ensure that criminal offenses are brought to its barest
minimum in the state.

"It is so unfortunate that such barbaric behaviour still exists
amongst our people. But the arrest of these ones should serve as a
deterrent to other child thieves across the state and to make them
realise that no matter how smart they are, the hands of the law will
catch up with them".

While speaking to reporters in an incoherent manner, the prime
suspect, Mrs Ngozi Anyanwu, claimed that the act was not intentional
as it was targeted at the owner of the maternity home who she claimed
was owing her some amount of money prior to the incidence.

--ChannelsTV

US Declares 20 Nigerian States Unsafe

United States government has listed 20 of Nigeria's 36 states as
unsafe and asked its citizens living in the country to stay away from
them.

Among the 20, it cited Borno, Adamawa and Yobe as a complete no-go
area as "the ability of the US Mission to provide assistance to US
citizens" in those states remains severely limited.

Members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect recently renewed attackes in
Borno State, while Fulani herdsmen have scaled up killing of villagers
and farmers in Adamawa State.

The travel warning, published on Wednesday, replaced an earlier one
dated February 5, 2016.

In addition to the three frontline states, the Department of State
also "recommends against all but essential travel to the following
states due to the risk of kidnappings, robberies, and other armed
attacks: Bauchi, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna,
Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Niger, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, and
Zamfara.

"The Department also warns against travel in the Gulf of Guinea,
because of the threat of piracy" the advisory published online added.

It added that based on safety and security risk assessments, the
embassy maintains restrictions for travel by U.S. officials to the
states listed above; officials must receive advance clearance by the
U.S. Mission for any travel to those states.

The statement particularly urged vigilance around government security
facilities; churches, mosques, and other places of worship; locations
where large crowds may gather, such as hotels, clubs, bars,
restaurants, markets, shopping malls; and other areas frequented by
expatriates and foreign travelers.

"Security measures in Nigeria remain heightened due to threats posed
by extremist groups, and U.S. citizens may encounter police and
military checkpoints, additional security, and possible road blocks
throughout the country.

"Hundreds of thousands of Nigerians have been displaced as a result of
violence in the north."

The State Department noted that kidnappings remained a security
concern throughout Nigeria, as criminal elements across the country
orchestrated kidnappings for ransom; Islamic extremists, operating
predominantly in the North, also have been known to conduct
kidnappings. Criminals or militants have abducted foreign nationals,
including U.S. citizens, from off-shore and land-based oil facilities,
residential compounds, airports, and public roadways.

"Separatist groups have staged demonstrations in Abia, Anambra,
Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, Lagos, and Rivers states, some of which
have turned violent.

"Militant groups have destroyed oil production infrastructure in
Bayelsa and Delta states.

"U.S citizens are advised to avoid the areas of these states where
these incidents have occurred.

"Attacks by pirates off the coast of Nigeria in the Gulf of Guinea
have increased substantially in recent years.

"Armed gangs have boarded both commercial and private vessels to rob travelers.

"The Nigerian Navy has limited capacity to respond to criminal acts at
sea," it concluded.

-Tribune

Cheques can now be paid into savings accounts – CBN

The Central Bank of Nigeria on Tuesday released four new guidelines
for the banking industry, top of which was an approval for bank
customers to make cheque deposits into their savings accounts.

Prior to this development, bank customers could only make cheque
deposits into their current accounts.

The new guidelines were contained in a circular posted on the CBN
website and signed by the Director, Banking and Payment System, Mr.
Dipo Fatokun.

The circular, which was directed to banks and other financial
institutions, was dated July 28, 2016.

Aside from this approval, the CBN also ordered banks and other
financial institutions to remove fixed interest rate on credit cards.

The central bank directed the banks to henceforth begin to embed
customers' Bank Verification Numbers on their payment cards.

It also ordered the banks to discontinue actual address verification
as a condition for account opening for customers with the BVN.

In approving cheque deposits into savings accounts, the apex bank
limited the daily deposit to only N2m per customer in a day.

The CBN said the new guidelines were meant to strengthen the payment
system and the banking sector.

The circular, with reference number BPS/DIR/GEN?CIR/03/005, read, "The
Central Bank of Nigeria, in furtherance of its efforts at
strengthening the Nigerian payment system, hereby issues the following
directives: the removal of fixed interest on credit cards; and
discontinuation of actual address verification in account openings for
customers with the Bank Verification Number.

"Banks should begin to embed the BVN on all payment cards issued
henceforth to facilitate off-line BVN verification and biometric-based
customer authentication in such payment devices as the Automated
Teller Machines, Point of Sale Terminal, kiosks etc.

"Savings account customers with the BVN should be allowed to deposit
cheques not more than N2m in value into their savings account per,
customer per day. Please, be guided and ensure strict compliance with
the content of this circular."

In another development, the CBN advised Nigerians at home and in the
Diaspora to beware of the unwholesome activities of some unlicensed
International Money Transfer Operators in the country.

It said in a statement by its Acting Director, Corporate
Communications, Isaac Okoroafor, that the warning had become necessary
because of the activities of some unregistered IMTOs, whose modes of
operation were detrimental to the Nigerian economy.

Okoroafor stated, "All financial service providers in Nigeria, just as
in other jurisdictions, are required to be duly licensed in order to
protect both customers and the financial system as well as to ensure
the credibility of financial transactions.

"For the avoidance of doubt, all licensed International Money Transfer
Operators, in line with the CBN circular on the sale of foreign
currency proceeds of July 22, 2016, are required to remit foreign
currencies to their respective agent banks in Nigeria for disbursement
in naira to the beneficiaries, while the foreign currency proceeds are
to be sold to Bureaux De Change operators for onward retail to end
users.

"The Central Bank of Nigeria will, therefore, not condone any attempt
aimed at undermining the country's foreign exchange regime.

"Accordingly, members of the public are advised to beware of the
activities of such unregistered IMTOs for the greater economic good of
Nigeria."

--PUNCH.

President Buhari has clearly shown that he belongs to somebody

"I belong to everybody. I belong to nobody." That was the golden
statement or word on marble credited to President Muhammed Buhari,
GCFR as part of his Inauguration Speech on the day of his Inauguration
on Friday May 29th, 2015 at Eagle's Square, Abuja.

With that particular statement, among other highlights of his
Inaugural speech, the nation that has been put in a reverse-gear and
in a state of despondency suddenly seemed to be revived and had her
hope rekindle that her tomorrow would be better and alright.

But some of us with the eyes of the Spirit by God's grace, refused to
be cajoled by that statement. The contents of our rejoinder titled
"President Buhari Belongs to Somebody", widely published online and by
national newspapers like The Punch and The Sun, say it all.

In that article, we debunked that particular statement and remarked
that the President actually belongs to the North (especially the
Hausa/Fulani) where he hails from and his party- All Progressives for
Change -APC (the party that produced him as its presidential
flag-bearer).

But some distrust Nigerians, including a well-respected Man of God who
is an ardent supporter of Mr. President found it difficult to be on
the same page with us on the views expressed in that article. Although
this writer is also a supporter of President Buhari but definitely not
a blind supporter or follower.

I belong to a section of supporters who still have their eyes
wide-open and regularly points out the pit-falls that the new
administration may not be conscious off. And true to the prophetic
insight clearly expressed in our rejoinder then by God's grace, the
President has begun to come up with his sets of appointments which
clearly show where he belongs- the North.

President Buhari rattled everybody including his Party-Chieftains whom
God used to work for his good success at the presidential polls
against all odds.

The clear-cut lopsidedness in the recent appointments into boards of
parastatals and key sectors of the Economy and the security apparatus
have left no-one in doubt of where President Buhari's spirit, soul and
body belong- the North with a particular reference to the Hausa/
Fulani.

This unfolding scenario seems to have left the Ruling Party (APC) to
be dumb-founded and rattled. No one is sure of the President's next
move. Not even his presumed Chief Advisers or handlers from the South-
West could predict him.

He has clearly shown to them that the statement in his inaugural
speech credited to him was just a political statement to cool down the
nerves of Nigerians and the tension in the land then. And if anybody
still chose to believe that statement, that person may still be living
in a fool's paradise and may have refuse to awake and see the
realities on the ground.

Consequently, the President's high popularity rating at his
Inauguration period has began to drop. And anybody that thinks
otherwise must be an UFO (Unidentified Foreign Object) living in
another planet other than the earth.

But for these shortcomings- lopsidedness in key political and
military/security appointments, pockets of extreme cases of religious
intolerance, inability to find lasting solutions to the Niger-Delta
militancy/criminality that has spread beyond its region to other
geo-political regions like the South- East and the South- West, the
nation would have heaved a sign of relief of moving in the right
direction towards our Canaan land-our Promised land where Nigeria will
be truly great and occupy her eminent position in the Comity of
Nations.

Despite all these shortcomings, a living dog is still better than a
dead lion when this new administration is compared to the one that
proceeded it- the former President Goodluck Jonathan's led
administration when the economy was in comatose and corruption in high
places seemed to be the order of the day. "For him that is joined to
all the living, there is hope; for a living dog is better that a dead
lion". Ecclesiastes 9:4, KJV

Politics apart, the nation was almost dying before this new
administration came on board and God has used it to inject some life
into it which enabled the nation to escape from our house of bondage
in Egypt, metamorphorically speaking.

But having crossed our Red sea and heading towards our Canaan land,
the nation is currently stranded in the wilderness and hoping for a
new sense of direction except our current set of Moses and Aaron find
solutions to the aforementioned shortcomings and desist from their
current policy of sectionalism and aloofness.

Nevertheless, the good news is that God will never leave this nation
stranded. He will still come to our recuse as we continue to look up
to him.
We can therefore cry for national deliverance using the words of
Psalms 60:1-12, KJV. "Give us help from trouble, for vain is the help
of men".

-Vanguard

How Police attacked Ahiara Catholic parishioners

THE Administration of Ahiara Catholic Diocese, Mbaise, Imo State, has
deplored the invasion of the Cathedral by the Imo State Police
Command, which it said unleashed a violent attack on a large number of
the Catholic faithful who had gathered seeking God's intervention in
the long-festering bishopric crisis in the diocese. This follows the
allegation made by the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Taiwo
Lakanu that youths of the diocese set up bonfires, barricaded the
highway and disrupted the peace of the town when the national
president of Catholic Women Organisation, CWO, Mrs. Agnes Erogunaye,
visited St. Rose Catholic Church, a parish in the diocese.

Speaking with Vanguard, the Secretary of Ahiara Diocesan Catholic
Youths Organisation, Mr. Victor Uzodimma decried the unwarranted
attack on the Catholic faithful because they refused to welcome
Erogunaye. He said: "What occasioned the attack on unarmed Catholic
faithful by the Nigeria Police Force was the planned visit of the
president of the National Council of Catholic Women Organization, Mrs.
Erogunaye, to Ahiara Diocese at the instance of pro-Bishop Okpalaeke
group.

"The faithful had gathered at the Cathedral to show their disapproval
of the visit of Mrs. Erogunaye whom they alleged had proven in her
short reign as the national leader of CWO to be an enemy of Ahiara
Diocese. However, the Ahiara Catholic faithful were determined to
resist the visit in a peaceful way through prayer and wearing of black
attires.

"Since assuming office as the national leader of the National Council
of Catholic Women Organization [NCCWO] in Nigeria in November of 2015,
Mrs. Erogunaye has made it her sole project to suppress, disgrace and
humiliate the Catholic faithful of Ahiara Diocese through the national
CWO.

"She wants to make a name for herself as the woman who defeated the
Catholic faithful of Ahiara Diocese in their quest to remove the
shackle of injustice and oppression that was visited on them with the
unjust appointment of Bishop Okpalaeke as their diocesan bishop," he
explained. The Diocesan Youth Secretary further explained that the way
and manner Erogunaye visited, coupled with the influx of the police at
the Cathedral smacked of a grand design to intimidate the people of
the diocese.

According to him, "that visit was remarkable given that it was the
first time the national leadership of the NCCWO was being dragged into
the Ahiara Diocesan bishopric crisis. "According to reports, the
pro-Okpalaeke women as well as CWO delegates from nearby dioceses were
instructed to put on the Ahiara Diocesan CWO uniform and gather at St.
Rose parish, Ihitte to welcome the national president of the CWO where
there would be demonstration against the diocesan priests who have
remained resolute in their rejection of Bishop Okpalaeke as bishop of
Ahiara diocese.

"However, when the plan of the pro-Okpalaeke group filtered into the
ears of the Catholic faithful of Ahiara diocese, they decided to carry
out a peaceful counter-demonstra-tion on the same day in the Cathedral
premises. "As early as 6:30 a.m. that Saturday morning, men, women and
youths dressed in black attires had already assembled at the Mater
Ecclesiae Cathedral premises, where they embarked on a rosary
procession around the premises.

"Meanwhile as the prayers were going on, several police Hilux vans
arrived at the Cathedral with fully armed policemen led by their DPO,
Mr. Danjuma Ragga. After address-ing the people outside the Cathedral
gate, the first contingent of Police-men left the scene. "But at 10:50
a.m., over 40 Police-men in eight Hilux vans returned to the cathedral
and without any pro-vocation from the youths, began shooting canisters
of teargas into the crowd. Many people fell and were matched upon with
several injured in the stampede that followed.

"They arrested some persons in-cluding priests and seminarians and
fired teargas into rooms and kitchen of the bishop's house where many
had run for safety," the youth secretary narrated. It will be recalled
that the Catholic faithful of Ahiara Diocese have been resisting the
imposition of Bishop Peter Okpalaeke, considered an outsider, whose
appointment is contrary to the provisions of the Vatican, which stated
that a candidate for the office of the Bishop should be close to the
people.

-Vanguard

FC Ifeanyi Ubah’s players, coaches, fans attacked by Heartland FC’s fans in Owerri (PHOTOS)

FC Ifeanyi Ubah's players, coaches and fans were Saturday evening,
allegedly attacked by irate fans of Heartland FC after both clubs
played out a goalless draw in Owerri, the Imo state capital.

FC Ifeanyi Ubah players and fans who were navigating their way out of
the Dan Anyiam stadium after the keenly contested match were met with
violence by the enraged Heartland's fans who hurled stones and bottles
at the team's bus.

The players and fans were then ambushed by the irate fans as they
attempted to flee for safety on foot. Players and fans were beaten
while others were taken away.

FC Ifeanyi Ubah team's buses were destroyed as the windows were
smashed and the tyres punctured to restrain movement of the vehicles.

An eye witness who pleaded anonymity said "I have never seen anything
like this before. The level of hooliganism and thuggery shown by these
people was beyond belief. Can you imagine that they were hurling
stones at the girls? Young girls who just came to support their team.
It was so sad to see."

About 30 people were said to have been taken to different hospitals in
Owerri for treatment, while the whereabouts of others were unknown as
at Press time.

See photos.

--Vanguard

Naira crashes to all time low of 350/ USD

The sharp and steady depreciation of the Naira at the inter-bank
foreign exchange market in the last one week has forced the Central
Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to intervene yesterday to stem the slide.


The apex bank was said to have offered about USD5.0 million each to
dealers amidst scarcity of foreign currency which had persisted since
last week Friday following the sudden withdrawal of CBN's
interventionist resources.

Dealers said the supply from the apex bank saved the Naira from
crashing to N350/ USD1 yesterday as the rate was already gone beyond
N330 as at mid day before the apex bank's intervention which relieved
the pressure and forced the rate down to less than N310.

But the intervention could not save the Naira from further
depreciation at the parallel market segment where it traded for N380/
USD as against N375 it closed on Thursday, a development which the
dealers said was connected to a perceived pressure on external
reserves and CBN's capacity to continue to be the only supplier in the
market.

The local currency has been on a downward spiral since the CBN
eventually took away the currency price ceiling it had subtly placed
after it officially floated the currency mid last month.

The depreciation in the Naira is also mainly attributed to the lack of
supply from CBN following reports that the apex bank had reduced its
forex allocations to sales in the interbank market due to other
pressing needs for the foreign exchange resources amidst dwindling
dollar revenue from oil sales.

Before now, s upplies other than the CBN had avoided the inter-bank
forex market over complaints that the official rates did not represent
the true value of the Naira against the dollar, hence they find their
way to push their dollars to the parallel market segments.

According to some dealers international oil firms who are major
independent suppliers of forex are now selling part of their hard
currency directly to petrol importers under an arrangement with the
government. They, however, explained that they are still looking at
what will be a comfortable exchange rate for sellers to come back to
the market and that is why the rates kept going up in the past one
week.

Last week CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, flew to Britain and the
United States to try to lure back investors into Nigeria's financial
market after nearly one year they left due to CBN's exchange rate
control policy.

Vanguard learnt the trip was unsuccessful as the investors told the
CBN team that the market was not yet transparent enough adding that
the external reserves level was also uncomforting for them.

-Vanguard

Tears, Outrage In Owerri Over Demolitions

OWERRI, the Imo State capital, has been in the news lately for diverse
reasons bordering on the good and the bad, according to the
perceptions of the people. But of all the recent incidents and events
recorded in the city, the ongoing demolition of structures has
featured more prominently in the news as it continues to draw a lot of
tears and scathing criticisms.

Indeed, it has been outrage and lamentations galore since the state
government commenced the demolition of properties as a prelude to the
planned expansion of some roads in the state capital.


PHOTO: Section of a school structure affected by the demolition
exercise in Owerri


The demolition, which started along the Amakohia/Akwakuma axis, saw
the destruction of several ancestral homes, residential buildings,
business concerns, the desecration of graves, parts of the premises of
Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Akwakuma, Immaculate Conception Catholic
Church, Amakohia and several others.

Within the past week, some bank premises, the state headquarters of
the Peoples Democratic Party and the residential home of the
gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance,
Captain Emmanuel Ihenacho have been visited pulled down by bulldozers.
Establishments like the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri and the Alvan
Ikoku Federal College of Education, AIFCE, also suffered same fate
after being marked for demolition.

Irked by the planned destruction of their institution's properties by
the Governor Rochas Okorocha administration Students of AIFCE last
week stormed the streets of Owerri in protest.

Although the students pleaded with Okorocha to drop the idea of
destroying any part of the school premises, their pleas obviously fell
on deaf ears as parts of the institution were later demolished.

The incensed students have, however, vowed to do everything possible
to ensure that the state government does not carry out its threat of
also destroying the pedestrian bridge, perimeter fence, gate and other
parts of the school. Some of the placards carried by the students
read: "Okorocha, spare our pedestrian bridge", "Okorocha cannot
destroy the beauty of our College and security of students",
"Okorocha, leave us alone and continue your demolition exercise
elsewhere", and "Okorocha, please don't provoke us".

Similarly, economic activities were held up for hours in Owerri,
following a massive protest against the proposed plan by Imo State
Government to move artisans from the Orji and Nekede Mechanic Villages
to Avu in Owerri West local council area of the state.

Vanguard Metro reliably gathered that Governor Rochas Okorocha invited
the artisans to a meeting but it was not very clear at press time,
what went wrong before the aggrieved self-employed workers stormed the
streets in a protest march.

Some of the protesters expressed regret that the Governor had made up
his mind to forcibly move them to a virgin land where no amenity is in
existence. "I can tell you that we are not against his (Okorocha's)
government. If he insists that we should move to Avu, he should also
do us the favour of putting some social amenities in place," Mr.
Edward Okoli said.

"Some of us have built houses and other immovable structures in the
Mechanic Villages, which cost us millions of Naira. Today, government
wants to move us to a place that has nothing to support us and our
jobs," he added.

Another artisan, who simply identified himself as Sylvester, said
"there is no access road into the place, no electricity, no potable
water and no buildings".

Court issues restraining order

Apparently alarmed by the threat of imminent destruction of his
personal residence, Captain Ihenacho approached the Federal High
Court, Owerri, presided over by Hon. Justice Ambrose Lewis Allagoa.
After listening to Ihenacho's counsel, the court issued a restraining
order against the Attorney General of the Federation, the Minister of
Works, Power and Housing, the Governor of Imo State, Attorney General
of Imo State,
Commissioner of Works, Imo State, the Commissioner for Lands, Survey
and Urban Planning, Imo State and the Imo State Government.

This order of court was disobeyed.

Capt. Emmanuel Ihenacho reacts "The signboard of Lamonde Guest House,
owned by Rochas Okorocha, is located just one metre from the culvert
on Orlu Road. The gate of Lamonde Guest House is located less than 10
metres from the culvert. Neither the signboard nor the gateways was
destroyed by Okorocha for road expansion.

"The same Okorocha personally came to my residence with armed soldiers
and other security officers on Thursday, July 7, 2016, to supervise
the demolition of my residence, up to 14 metres from the edge of the
culvert, barely three days after a High Court order restraining him
from the demolition".

Some affected victims speak

Similarly, some residents of Amakohia and Akwakuma communities in
Owerri North Local Council Area of the state, have decried the
demolition of their homes and business outfits by government. A victim
of the demolition, Nze Obinna Emereole, told newsmen that he recently
accessed a loan from a micro finance bank, which he used to erect a
building at Amakohia.

While saying that the Owerri Capital Development Authority, OCDA,
approved the building plan before he commenced the construction,
Emereole however wondered why the Governor would personally supervise
the destruction of his house.

"Are we animals? Why must a government and governor we brought on
board, treat us like animals? It is indeed most unfortunate. God is
watching," Emereole lamented.

Governor's Chief Press Secretary responds
Reacting on behalf of his boss, the Chief Press Secretary to the
Governor, Sam Onwuemeodo, had this to say: "Former Minister of
Interior and the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand
Alliance, APGA, in the State, Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho, has been
very supportive to the Rescue Mission Government in the State since
2011, and that is why efforts by certain politicians in the State to
incite him against the government has failed.

"It is also against the backdrop of this development that Captain
Iheanacho would see the demolition of the fence of his house that was
very close to the main road, and that is Orlu/Amakohia Road, as an
action sincerely taken in the overall interest of the State and her
people, and not out of malice.

"And seeing the good work going on, on Amakohia/Orlu road, Captain
Iheanacho would not have gone to Court for an Order to stop the good
work; and that is why we had doubted the report on Court Order when we
read it on the pages of newspapers; and that could be the reason that,
uptill now, nobody has seen a copy of the reported Court Order.

"The Governor and indeed the Rescue Mission government will continue
to appreciate the support and understanding of Imo people, including
Captain Iheanacho, whose fences or kiosks have been touched in the
course of the expansion work going on, on some major roads within
Owerri and environs in line with the Governor's determination to make
Owerri a model city.
"The Governor will continue to work for Imo people with sincerity of
purpose until his ambition of building a state of our collective
dreams and aspirations is achieved.

Imo PDP's office is intact

"The state office of the Imo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP, on Okigwe Road, Owerri, is intact and has not been touched
or demolished as being falsely claimed by certain elements,
especially in the social media, in the course of the expansion work
going on, on that road.

"But the front fence of the building housing the party's office was
touched because it was built very close to the main road and there was
no way it would not have been affected by the on-going expansion work
on that road.

"It is very unfortunate that few indigenes of the state who have sworn
not to appreciate any good thing being done by the government of
Rochas Okorocha have been working tirelessly to use the expansion
works on some major roads in Owerri and environs to blackmail the
Governor vis-à-vis the government.

"Most people in the state appreciate what the government is doing at
the moment to add a lot of values to Owerri as the state capital and
make it a model city.

"The Governor has continued to appeal to the people of the state,
especially those whose fences, kiosks and other structures have been
touched for understanding. The Governor's ambition is to leave the
state better than he met it and all hands must be on deck to encourage
him in his effort to achieve that lofty goal."

--Vanguard

Imo CP Orders Arrest of Priests, Closure of Cathedral Over DPO’s Shooting

The Imo State Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, has ordered the
arrest of four priests and closure of the Catholic cathedral in
Ahiara, Mbaise, Imo State

This followed a violent protest over who should be the Bishop of the
Catholic Diocese of the area.

Also arrested were eight youths who were suspected to have
participated in the shooting of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO),
of Ahiazu division, Danjuma Ragga, a Superintendent of Police (SP).

Ragga, is currently recuperating in an undisclosed hospital following
wounds he sustained from gun shots said to have been fired from the
cathedral when the SP led a team of police men to restore law and
order in the area.
There had been protests in the diocese for about three years following
the appointment of Bishop Peter Opkaleke, by Pope Francis, as the
bishop of the diocese. They are insisting that a priest from the area
should mount the saddle and not Opkaleke, who hails from Anambra
State.

Because of the insistence, The Guardian gathered that a Vicar General,
Rev. Fr. Clement Ebi, was appointed to function in the diocese as a
bishop, pending the resolution.

The latest crisis erupted when the Vicar General wanted to host the
Catholic Women Organization of the diocese at St. Roses Catholic
Church, Ezinihitte, on Saturday. The youths, in their numbers came and
barricaded the streets and Cathedral, setting fire and carrying leaves
and placards and resisted the event from holding.

A statement issued yesterday, in Owerri, and signed by the Police
Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Andrew Enwerem, a Superintendent of
Police, Lakanu, said he was determined to restore peace and order,
warning the perpetrators of the violence.

The statement reads: "Twelve suspects, including four Rev. Fathers,
were eventually arrested and are been interrogated. All those involved
in the shooting of the DPO will be fished out and prosecuted. The
Commissioner of police has therefore, ordered the Cathedral to remain
under lock and key to avoid further violence."

According to the CP, the protesters had defied all attempts made by
the police to restore peace, alleging that the youths, led by a priest
Rev. Fr. John Ogoekwe, of the CKC, Uvuru, Aboh Mbaise, who choose to
disrupt peace in the area, leading to the shooting of Ragga, on both
legs and hand.

-The Guardian

Referendum: Dubious Omission in Nigeria’s Constitution

A referendum is a vote in which everyone (or nearly everyone) of
voting age can take part in to answer sensitive national questions
thereby guiding policy makers on the direction popular with the
people.

In less than two years, the United Kingdom (UK) has held two referenda
to settle some thorny socio-political questions plaguing one of the
oldest political unions in the world. It is no longer news that they
voted in a referendum on June 23, 2016 to decide their continued
membership in the European Union (EU).

The push for the UK to end ties with the EU had been there for years
until the outgoing Prime Minister, David Cameron, exploited this
agitation in his political manifesto last year by promising to call
for a referendum on the UK's membership in the EU if he would be
elected.

He triumphed at the polls but it turned out to be the biggest and most
uneducated political gambling in modern history. Fifty two percent
(52%) of the voters voted to leave the EU forcing the Prime Minister
who had voted to remain to immediately announce his resignation.

Despite the ripples generated by this divisive plebiscite dubbed
"political earthquake" by many UK-based analysts and social critics,
there are lessons for African leaders and Nigeria in particular.

Holding two plebiscites in less than two years clearly portrays
Britain as a truly democratic union that does not leave all the
decision-making process in the hands of the career political elites
whose judgments are often tainted by selfish motives. Engaging the
common man in a vital decision process affecting him gives him a sense
of belonging and, even if the majority turns out to be wrong, it would
be a collective responsibility. Referendum equally brings wider
perspectives into public debates thereby broadening the understanding
of policy makers and preventing the enactment of myopic laws. It is
the most natural way of gauging public opinions on delicate national
issues in all decent modern democracies.

In Nigeria, there are agitations that have been rocking our unity for
ages. Some elements in the South East are agitating for the
independence of the region due to blatant marginalization over the
years. Absence of seaport in a commercially-oriented area, total
disrepair of almost all the federal roads in the zone as well as
lopsided composition of the present federal government against them
are some instances of this political exclusions.

The push of the Niger Delta people for resource control, agitations
against decades of oil spillage and environmental degradation are
always formidable challenges to every president elected or unelected
in this country. The bloody clashes between herdsmen and farmers in
some parts of the country are another matter that calls for urgent
national discourse. Some States and social commentators are clamoring
for state police, equitable revenue sharing formula and local
government autonomy yet all these have fallen on the deaf ears of our
leaders over the years breeding sporadic violence and tense political
atmosphere everywhere. Issues like these ought to be decided through
referendum.

It is a dubious error that there is no referendum in the 1999
constitution despite series of amendments it has undergone. Ours is
one of the few constitutions in the world that are perpetually under
amendment yet it has not tackled the chronic problems staring us in
the face.

Our leaders should not duck the question of referendum if we hope to
attain the status of civilized nations and move forward. So far, the
only commendable step towards correcting these anomalies was made by
former President Goodluck Jonathan by organizing the famed National
Conference that drew eminent Nigerians from all walks of life and
churned out over 600 recommendations aimed at restructuring Nigeria.

By a twist of fate, he lost his re-election bid to President Muhammadu
Buhari in one of the hottest elections in the history of Nigeria.
Since he assumed office in May last year, the present government is
yet to commit to implementing the report and their body language does
not show they will do so soon.

It is unclear how history will judge the current APC-led Federal
Government should they toss such a holy document into the waste bin.
Our legislators should rise above selfish politics and political
denial and face the referendum question courageously like Anthony
Enahoro.

Indeed, all Nigerians should rise up and push this to the front burner
in every political discourse. It should not be seen as tantamount to
handing a section of Nigeria exit ticket from the federation; there
are knotty matters it could solve. To ignore the wishes of a
significant population of the citizens in any democracy is unjust and
dictatorial. Little wonder Abraham Lincoln said: "No man is good
enough to govern another man without his consent".

--This article is originally published Vanguard