From Sylvia Udegbunam Enugu 

The Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, has ordered a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Nnaji Izuchukwu (male) during an intelligence-led operation by operatives of the Anti-Cultism Section of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU).

In a statement by the Police Public Relations Oficer, Enugu State command, Daniel Ndukwe said that the CP has directed the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Intelligence Department (SID) to establish the facts of the incident and determine whether the operation and use of firearms complied with established operational standards and extant laws.

Preliminary findings indicate that operatives, acting on credible intelligence, raided Bull Hotel, Asata, Enugu, where Nworie Chidera Kelvin, a.k.a. “Akidi,” an alleged notorious drug peddler and Vikings Confraternity member, was lodged with associates. Akidi is reportedly linked to multiple cases involving unlawful firearm possession and cultism, including one in which he was charged in absentia. 

He was also suspected of keeping the gang’s firearms and other criminal tools. The operation led to the arrest of Akidi and nine other suspects, comprising males and females aged 17–28. Quantities of dried weeds suspected to be “loud” cannabis, a weighing scale suspected to be used for measuring illicit drugs, and ₦43,400 in various denominations were recovered.

During the operation, Nnaji and another suspect jumped through a window in an attempt to escape. While pursuing them, an operative was confronted by both suspects, who allegedly attempted to disarm him. In the ensuing struggle, the firearm discharged, leaving Nnaji with gunshot injuries, while the other suspect escaped. Nnaji was rushed to hospital, where he was later confirmed dead. His remains have been deposited in a mortuary for preservation and autopsy.

CP Giwa has urged the deceased’s family, associates and other concerned persons to remain calm, assuring them that the circumstances surrounding the incident will be thoroughly investigated and that any officer found culpable will face appropriate disciplinary action. He reiterated that professionalism, ethical conduct and strict adherence to operational standards, particularly those governing the use of firearms, must never be compromised in any police operation.

From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja 

Kogi State Police Command has confirmed a tragic incident that claimed the lives of two police officers in Ajaokuta Local Government Area after a male officer allegedly shot his female colleague, before turning gun to shoot himself.

A statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, Aliu Afusat, an Assistant Superintendent of Police(ASP), on Sunday, said the Command was investigating the fatal shooting at ASCO Camp, Ajaokuta, on October 23, in which two serving police officers died.

According to the statement, “the incident was reported at 11:04 p.

“Preliminary findings indicate that Corporal Amos Yusuf, who was on night duty, shot Woman Corporal Grace Onimisi and thereafter shot himself. Both officers were taken to separate medical facilities, where they were confirmed dead by medical personnel. Their remains have been deposited at the mortuary of ASCO Hospital.

“An AK-47 rifle and four expended cartridges were recovered at the scene as exhibits.

“The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for in-depth investigation. The circumstances and motive remain subjects of investigation, and the Command will not speculate on matters yet to be established.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Bello Kankarofi, psc, mni, extends his condolences to the families, colleagues and loved ones of the deceased officers over this tragic incident. The Command will provide verified updates as appropriate” the statement said.

From Attah Ede, Makurdi

A former Nigerian Ambassador to Namibia, Terhemen Tarzoor, has criticized former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom over his reported comments about Governor Hyacinth Alia, the Catholic Church and the state’s finances, urging him to exercise restraint in his public engagements ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Tarzoor, a former Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, said political disagreements should not be allowed to degenerate into personal attacks against the governor or derogatory remarks about the people of Benue State.

Speaking with journalists in Makurdi on Thursday, the former ambassador described Ortom’s reported remarks during a television programme last week, in which he allegedly referred to Alia as a “419” and a “fake Reverend Father” and described some Benue people as “shenanigans”, as inappropriate and condemnable.

He maintained that political differences did not justify the use of language capable of undermining the office of the governor or diminishing the dignity of the people who elected political leaders into public office.

Tarzoor, who is the Benue State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) campaign for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections, said Ortom should be mindful of the implications of his public comments about the incumbent governor.

“My take is that the former governor is not in the position to call the number one citizen 419. He has no right to call him that,” he said.

While acknowledging Ortom as an elder brother whom he respected, Tarzoor expressed concern that political disagreements were increasingly being expressed in ways he believed could heighten tensions in the state.

He also faulted the former governor’s reported comparison of Alia’s administration with the Catholic Church’s parish system, arguing that the analogy appeared to question the church’s financial accountability mechanisms without sufficient understanding of its administrative structure.

“As a Knight of St. John International, I want to disabuse his mind and the minds of people who listened to that programme that there is a high level of accountability in the Catholic Church,” Tarzoor said.

He explained that the Catholic Church maintained administrative and accountability structures involving priests, church councils, elders and lay faithful, which, according to him, provided oversight and ensured accountability in the management of church affairs.

“There is no Catholic priest that can just earn money and spend at ease in the Catholic Church. I therefore say Ortom does not have the equipage to pontificate on such a subject matter,” he added.

Tarzoor urged political leaders to exercise caution when commenting on religious institutions, warning against statements that could be interpreted as attacks on their administrative practices.

The former lawmaker also challenged what he described as an unfair comparison between Ortom’s eight-year administration and Alia’s government, which he said had been in office for just over three years.

He argued that any meaningful assessment of the two administrations should take into account their respective periods in office, the resources available to them and their development priorities before conclusions were drawn about their performances.

Tarzoor further condemned Ortom’s reported description of some Benue people as “shenanigans”, saying such language was unbecoming of a political leader who had previously benefited from the electorate’s support.

“I see that as repugnant. I see that as unbefitting of a personality who has benefited enormously from the votes of Benue people all his life,” he said.

He urged the former governor to distinguish between disagreements with the incumbent administration and respect for the people of the state, stressing that political criticism should be expressed with decorum.

“If he has issues, he should apply the right language, apply decorum in the manner to address matters. That is the only legacy we can leave for our children, those yet unborn, and not to talk down on someone in the person of the governor because you are bitter,” Tarzoor said.

On Wike’s reported comments concerning federal allocations to Benue State and the need for the state government to disclose its revenue and expenditure, Tarzoor questioned what he described as the minister’s selective focus on the state’s finances.

He asked whether the FCT minister had made similar demands for financial disclosures from other states, including Nasarawa, Rivers and Kano, arguing that calls for transparency should be consistent and not directed at one state alone.

“Has he spoken about the one coming to Nasarawa, or the one going to Rivers State? Has he published the one in Rivers? Has he published the one in Kano?” he asked.

Tarzoor, however, acknowledged that public revenue and expenditure were legitimate matters of public interest, but insisted that demands for financial information should be pursued through appropriate channels and applied consistently across the country.

He maintained that Alia’s administration was open to scrutiny and urged interested members of the public to use established legal mechanisms to obtain relevant government records.

“Governor Hyacinth Alia is open to all criticisms. The law is clear on freedom of information. You test it; the records will be there for you to see,” he said.

The former ambassador cautioned against what he described as uncoordinated demands for financial information, arguing that government officials should be allowed to concentrate on governance while legitimate enquiries were handled through established procedures.

He also urged the media to promote accountability by seeking accurate information from relevant government agencies rather than relying solely on exchanges among political actors.

Tarzoor’s comments come amid heightened political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, with disagreements over governance, public accountability and political leadership increasingly featuring in the debate in Benue State.