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FG not sincere to end insecurity in Nigeria – Gov Ortom
…Reads riot act to kidnappers
The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom says the Federal Government is not sincere to ending insecurity in the country.
Governor Ortom spoke Thursday, December 8th, 2022 when he paid a sympathy visit on his Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Chief Ekpe Ogbu who was recently kidnapped by herdsmen but released unharmed.
He reiterated his stance that the Federal Government was complicit in the lingering insecurity in the country involving terrorism, armed banditry, herdsmen militia, kidnapping and other crimes.
The Governor insisted that “others who are in Government today can pretend about this but Government is complicit at the Federal level. They are part of it. Whatever they are saying now is pretence. They are telling lies and they do not want to give attention to the insecurity situation.”
According to Governor Ortom, “If the Federal Government whose responsibility is to provide security for lives and property and who have the coercive forces of the security architecture of the country decides that terrorism, kidnappings and evil should end today, it will end.”
He maintained that, “If the Federal Government is in doubt, let them make an executive order just like the President makes executive orders in other areas and give me the responsibility to look after the coercive forces that are in Benue State. Tell them to take instructions from me, we will end the evil, armed robbery, banditry and everything, we will end it today in Benue State.”
Governor Ortom explained that “the problem is that the Federal Government is complicit, they are part of it and I accuse them. Why do herdsmen bring their cows in Benue State again when there is a law prohibiting open grazing. Is democracy not anchored by the rule of law?,” he queried.
While rejoicing with the Commissioner and his family over his release from the kidnappers unharmed, Governor Ortom vowed not to allow kidnappers in the state have a field day.
He warned that kidnappers will not be allowed to have a field day in Benue State, stressing that the state will not be a safe haven for kidnappers and other criminal elements.
Governor Ortom vowed that the State Government will never accede to kidnappers’ demand for ransom, emphasising that the provision for death penalty in the law criminalizing kidnapping in the state has been activated stressing that, houses used as kidnappers den will be demolished.
In his words, “We are not going to relent on this war and there is no way we will compromise and allow kidnappers to have their way in this state. I challenge our people to rise up and not to allow kidnappers in their communities. When you suspect them, don’t hesitate to involve the security agencies so that they will not come back again.
“There is no way we can add value to the development of our state when we have kidnappers all over the place terrorising our communities. There is no way foreigners will come here and invest in our state with challenges like this. There is no way we can do everything on our own and make things work. So we must stop this.
“I want to use this medium to send a message to the kidnappers. Benue State will not tolerate this and we are going to move very hard.”
Governor Ortom further stated that for the kidnappers to have dared to kidnap a Government official, it was a clear indication that they have declared war on the Government and charged communities to rise up in support of Government’s effort to declare war on the kidnappers and armed robbers in the state, adding that anyone apprehended will be dealt with according to the law.
He charged communities in the state not to accommodate kidnappers and must step up intelligence gathering and report suspicious persons to security agencies.
While recounting his ordeal in the hands of kidnappers, Chief Ogbu disclosed that from interaction with his abductors, the mission was solely to kill him.
He particularly noted that his driver became the most targeted when the kidnappers discovered that he was Tiv and is from the same tribe with the Benue State Governor but for the mercies of God they had returned alive.
According to Chief Ogbu, although the identity of the kidnappers who were heavily armed could not be known to them since they had disguised in camouflage of conventional security agencies and masked their faces, they constantly communicated in Fulfude, a language spoken by the Fulani, and were freely traversing Ado, Ogbadibo to Oju and seemed to be in control of the forests in the axis.
He expressed gratitude to Governor Ortom for his love and for standing to protect Benue territory and enjoined him not to back down from sensitizing Nigerians on the need to escape from the looming national catastrophe no matter the victimization, blackmail and attacks on his person and office.
A cleric, Chibuzor Gift Chinyere, has raised alarm after another child was reportedly abandoned at his residence on April 23, 2026.
According to him, the incident occurred earlier in the day when the young boy was discovered at his gate. He stated that he has immediately notified the police and is making arrangements to hand the child over to the appropriate authorities.
The cleric explained that he is unable to take in new children at the moment due to ongoing registration processes with the Ministry of Social Welfare. He stressed that accepting the child would violate existing legal requirements guiding child care and protection.
He further disclosed that his facility is already accommodating over 500 children, making it necessary to strictly adhere to regulations before admitting more.
Chinyere also expressed appreciation to the Federation of International Women Lawyers and the Ministry of Social Welfare for educating him on proper legal procedures.
He reiterated that the child would be transferred to the custody of the Ministry, emphasizing that compliance with the law remains his top priority.
Adewole Emmanuel, a 400-level medical student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, has died after reportedly collapsing moments before his final session examination.
Emmanuel’s death was announced on Thursday in a statement by the Ife University Medical Students Association.
The association lamented the sudden departure, describing Emmanuel as a solid pillar of his class.
The statement read in part, “Under the cover of dark clouds, we write to you with the heaviest of hearts to inform you of the passing of one of our own, an integral part of the association and a solid pillar of his class.
While describing the deceased as “a colleague, friend, roommate, and a Part 4 medical student with an undeniably bright future until the time of his passing”, the association added that “This incident is not only sad, but crucially painful as we lost a rising star and a loving member of the IFUMSA family.”
“In honoring his dearest memories, we kindly ask the general public to do without speculations and respect the privacy of the family during this vulnerable period.”
Speaking under condition of anonymity, a senior member of the association said the student died on Wednesday without an underlying ailment.
“He died yesterday. But he hadn’t been sick. He just collapsed and couldn’t be resuscitated,” the source said.
“We were about to write our final exam for the session. And during the process of waiting for the exam, he suddenly collapsed in the college and died.
“It’s just unfortunate as he didn’t have any underlying medical condition. We have contacted his family already.”
..As court srikes out charges against CEO, Energy FM Enugu, Pastor Ogbuanu, 3 others, Awards N1m cost against her
An Enugu State Magistrate Court has struck out a four-count criminal charge brought against a Lagos-based cleric and Chief Executive Officer, Energy FM Enugu, Pastor Basil Ogbuanu, and three of his workers.
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The court also awarded a N1m cost against Mrs. Patricia Nwobodo, the wife of a former governor of Old Anambra State, Chief Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo, for her failure to prosecute the case.
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The ruling, delivered by His Worship D.K. Ekoh at the Enugu South Magisterial District, followed the persistent absence of the complainants since the inception of the matter in January 2026.
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The defendants, Ezeh Patrick Muoneke, 46; Arinze Onoja, 26; Sedro Theodore, 28; and Basil Ogbuanu, 56, were arraigned on January 20, 2026, on charges bordering on conspiracy, deprivation of liberty, and assault.
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The four- count charge levelled against them read:
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“That you Eze Patrick Muoneke ‘m’, Arinze Only a ‘m’, on the 16th day of January, 2026 at about 1300hours at Patin-Son Estate, Ozubulu Street, Independence Layout, Enugu within Enugu Magisterial District did conspire among themselves to commit misdemeanor to wit: Deprivation of Liberty and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 496(a) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. 11 the Revise Laws of Enugu State, 2004.
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Count 11: That you Ede Patrick Muoneke ‘m’, Arinze Onoja ‘m’, Sedro Theodore ‘m’ and Ogbuanu Basil ‘m’ on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did unlawfully confine the movement and detain Mrs Patricia M. Nwobodo ‘f’ against her will from 11hours to 13hours and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 316 of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. 11 the Revise Laws of Enugu State 2004.
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Count 111: That you Ede Patrick Muoneke ‘m’, Arinze Onoja ‘m’, Sedro Theodore ‘m’ and Ogbuanu Basil ‘m’ on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did unlawfully confine the movement and detain Police Constable Ugwu Emmanuel ‘m’ against his will from 1100hours to 1300hours and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 316 of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. 11 the Revise Laws of Enugu State, 2004.
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Count IV: That you Ede Patrick Muoneke ‘m’ Arinze Onoja ‘m’, Sedro Theodore and Ogbuanu Basil ‘m’ on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did unlawfully assault Police Constable Ugwu Emmanuel ‘m’ by beating him all over his body and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 252 of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. 11 the Revise Laws of Enugu State, 2004.
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However, during the proceedings on April 15, 2026, the police prosecutor, B.C. Nnadozie, admitted that he had not seen the complainants since the matter started.
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Nnadozie told the court that he could not “manufacture oath” or serve witness statements on the defence as he had no contact with the nominal complainants.
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Counsel for the defendants, Emeka Oko, urged the court to dismiss the charge, noting that his clients, who are busy artisans and a Lagos resident, had suffered by traveling to Enugu for a case the complainants were not interested in pursuing.
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Delivering his ruling, Magistrate Ekoh lambasted the conduct of the complainants, describing it as a clear indication of their lack of desire to prosecute the matter.
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“A complainant whose complaint was investigated and to her knowledge is aware of the charge proffered against the defendants decides to stay in her luxury home without prosecuting her complaint, should as well pay damages to the person(s) she wrongfully complained against”, he said
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The court subsequently struck out the charge and ordered that the defendants must not be re-arrested on the strength of the same complaint.
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The trial Magistrate also granted the application for N1m cost against the complainant to be paid to the defendants.
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