CRIME
Okorocha Urges EFCC to Unseal Rochas Foundation College, Owerri
Immediate past governor of Imo State and Senator for Imo West, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has appealed to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to unseal the Rochas Foundation College and other ventures belonging to him which they had been shut in view of the subsisting Court judgment on the matter.
Okorocha urged the anti-gratf body to take into the fate of the students who he said were mostly orphans and should therefore, not be allowed to suffer because of the action of the present government in the State.
“it is not all about Rochas Okorocha and the family, but about humanity and posterity”, he stated.
DAILY ASSET gathered that the agents of the anti-graft agency (EFCC) from its office in Enugu on Tuesday, July 23, 2019, about 6am, stormed the Rochas Foundation College Owerri, with more than three thousand students, and most of them, orphans, and sealed the College.
The EFCC operatives also sealed the East High College and Academy, Owerri with Uloma Rochas Nwosu as the proprietor, among other investments belonging to the former governor and family.
However, reacting to the action of the commission (EFCC), the former governor in a statement by his media Aide, Sam Onwuemeodo dismissed the action as a sympathetic scenario stressing that the PDP government in the state and all Chieftains of the party who felt politically displaced from 2011 to 2019 by him had come together to launch war against him and his family and APC members.
“And that was why they needed INEC to declare their candidate winner even when he didn’t meet the requirement. Unfortunately, they have instigated certain agencies like EFCC into taking some hasty actions following flood of petitions by them”.
The former governor who faulted the approach of the EFCC argued that there was no prior invitation to the Managements or Proprietors of the Colleges and other establishments sealed by the Commission as expected before such action.
“To the best of our knowledge too, these Colleges have not been under the investigation of the Commission. We have had the feeling that the Sealing of the Colleges or any other structure as the case maybe, would have been based on the outcome of their investigation in which the managements or the proprietors would have also been interrogated”.
Onwuemeodo further stated that sealing the colleges and other properties because they belonged to Rochas Okorocha’s family before investigation is what is difficult to comprehend especially when most of these establishments had preceded the governorship tenure of Rochas Okorocha adding that the Rochas Foundation Colleges had existed in Imo and in several states of the Federation including Plateau, Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna, Oyo, Bauchi and so on, years before Okorocha’s governorship.
“What is happening in Imo at the moment is not governance. It is a total war against Rochas and his family, APC members, members of other parties and opponents. They said they want to make the state uncomfortable for opponents and they are doing it with recklessness”.
It should also not be forgotten that there is a subsisting Court Order to this effect. And we believe that the Commission’s office in Enugu is aware of the Court Order in question as it concerns the Commission and Okorocha’s investments.
The EFCC is a highly responsible Institution and our appeal is that it should not be incited against Okorocha and family and should equally take cognizance of the Court Order in question.
“Senator Rochas Okorocha and family believe strongly in the state and have relocated most of their businesses to Owerri unlike those who do not love the state and have nothing to show that they have a stake in the state,” the statement stressed.
CRIME
Niger Police Command Arrests Three Suspects over Assault on Council Boss
From Dan Amasingha, Minna
Days after the Chairman of Katcha local government area of Niger State, Danlami Abdullahi Saku was assaulted and seriously injured over his inability to settle a campaign loan he obtained, the State Police Command said three suspects were now in their custody over the incident.
Niger State Police Command Spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun in a release on Wednesday said On 16/06/2024 at about 1800hrs, information was received at Katcha Div that the Chairman Katcha LGA Hon.
Danlami Abdullahi Saku was attacked by some miscreants along Saku-Gadza village after the Sallah prayer at his village Saku, Katcha LGA.According to the Police Public Relations Officer, the attack was allegedly reported to be linked to a debt issue between the Chairman and one Yanda of the same area.
He noted that the Chairman sustained serious injury during the attack and he was taken to Gen. Hospital Bida, and later referred to another hospital for further treatment.
A preliminary investigation was conducted at Katcha Div and three suspects were later identified, apprehended and transferred to Bida Area Command.
The suspects arrested are; Alh. Abdullahi Kasimu 68yrs of Gadza village, Katcha, Alh. Baba Moh’d 30yrs of the same village and Ahmadu Moh’d 25yrs.
The suspects were transferred to SCID on June 21st for discreet investigation and prosecution.
“During interrogation, Kasimu narrated that he lent the victim over a million naira since August, 2023 and that several attempts to recover the money proved abortive.
“He further said that on June 16th, the victim promised to come and see him, and while he was on the way after the Sallah prayer, his son Ahmadu Moh’d, his in-law Alh. Baba Moh’d among others accosted the Chairman, had an altercation and inflicted serious injuries on the victims”
The State Police Command acknowledged that the victim was about to transfer the money to him at the point before being rushed to the hospital.
However, the suspects are under investigation in SCID, Minna. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend others at large, and they will be charged to court for prosecution immediately after investigations.
CRIME
Chief Imam’s Sallah Ram Stolen in Jos
There was a drama as the sacrificial ram of the Chief Imam of the Mista Ali community in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, Imam Abdulkadir went missing on the eve of the Ed-el-Kabir.
Abdulkadir’s ram was reportedly stolen during a downpour in the area on the eve of the Ed-el-Kabir.
An Imam in the community, Haruna Yaqub, disclosed this during the sermon, shortly after the two Raka’at prayers.
Yaqub, who condemned the incident, described it as “insensitive”.
He added that the act showed that people lack fear for God.
The Imam said, “The Ram of our Chief Imam, which he purposely brought to sacrifice, has been stolen in the night.
We are really shocked by the incident. We were surprised to hear this story. This means that people are not God-fearing.“It is scary that people have gone to the extent of stealing ram meant for religious activity.”
Speaking further, he urged people to be God-fearing and not engage in either stealing or any act of criminality.
He stressed that everyone will account for their actions on earth and hereafter.
“It is high time people repented and took the path of Allah. It is not too late. People should stop committing bad things and act according to Allah’s commandments,” he urged.
CRIME
AAUA Student Found Dead after church Vigil
A Student of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA), Modupe Ayandare, was found dead on Monday after attending a church vigil.
The death of Ayandare, who is of the Department of Agronomy, was made known by the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the institution.
“We express in strong terms our dissatisfaction and agony with respect to the death of one of our students, Miss Modupe Ayandare of the Department of Agronomy.
“According to report, the deceased was said to have committed suicide in the early hours of today at about 4:00am after she returned from a vigil in her church.
“The incident happened beside the church she attended, around Spotless Villa.
“The law enforcement agency has been informed already, and all hands are on deck to get to the root of the situation.
“Be assured that justice will be served and the law enforcement agency will undertake thorough investigation,” Mr Emmanuel Olaogbebikan, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the SUG, stated.
He asked anybody with useful information regarding the incident to give to the concerned authorities to come forward.
Also mourning the death of the student, the Nigerian Association of Agricultural Students (NAAS), AAUA Chapter, said the loss deeply affected the department.
Faith Igba, the PRO of the department, said the demise of Ayandare was a profound loss to the department.
Igba urged the members of the department to come together and be of help to one another, asking those going through challenges to seek help.
“During this difficult time, we urge everyone to come together in support of each other. The mental well-being of our members is of utmost importance, and we encourage anyone who may be struggling to seek help.
“Our faculty offers counselling services, and we are here to support you in any way we can.
“Please join me in extending our deepest condolences to Comrade Modupe’s family, friends and colleagues.
“Let us honour her memory by fostering a compassionate and supportive environment for all,” he said.
Speaking on the death of Ayandare, Victor Akinpelumi, the Public Relations Officer of the institution, said that the institution had confirmed the incident but was yet to know the cause of the death.
Akinpelumi, who sympathised with the family of the deceased, said that the institution would make an official statement known to the public as regards the death later.