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Brothers burnt alive in Onitsha for touting
A video making its rounds on social media showed bystanders watching the movie like scene, screaming: “These are touts collecting illegal taxes in around Bida area of Onitsha. They were being set ablaze for touting. They are children of somebody. This is the return of Bakassi Boys.”
The alleged touts were however seen in the viral video struggling to escape from bonfire to no avail.
The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, in his reaction condemned the jungle justice style, even as he described the suspects as notorious armed robbers.
He said that the Commissioner of Police, CP Aderemi Adeoye, has condemned the act and reiterated his call for members of the public to always take criminal offenders to the nearest police station for necessary policing actions,, particularly the conduct of appreciate investigations.
“The CP has therefore ordered a thorough investigation of the incident.
“Meanwhile preliminary information reveals that the two suspects who were later identified as Omaume and Monday, are members of a notorious armed robbery gang led by one Ikanda, (male) already in the Correctional Service Centre.
“This gang is alleged to be responsible for several acts of attack and the dispossession of traders and unsuspecting victims of their personal belongings at the main market Onitsha.”
Recall that the Governor, Soludo had last week launched the Anambra Special Anti-Touting Squad in his efforts to get rid of touts in the state.
In the course of the launch held at Upper Iweka, Onitsha, the governor pointed out that in an environment where lawlessness had become a norm, bringing back law and order will be difficult, hence the purpose of the exercise.
He hailed members of the squad who had been found worthy and offered to serve, urging them to serve with commitment, passion and diligence.
His words: “Members of the anti-touting squad shall collaborate with the Nigerian Armed Forces, who have the primary responsibility to keep the state safe.
“The launch of the squad is an acceleration of the key promise we made to the people living in the greater Onitsha area, which consists of Onitsha North, Onitsha South, Oyi, Ogbaru, and Idemili, to restore Anambra State known for law and order, back to its full glory as the Light of the nation.
“When we assumed office, eight local government area were taken over. Thanks to the combined efforts of our security agencies and the vigilante service with their superb support, those local government areas have been liberated and normalcy restored. “
The governor further enjoined citizens to always remember, “if you see something, say something and to put it into practice”.
According to him, mobile phone numbers shall be made available to citizens to inform the government of any touting activities they noticed in the area.
He further warned that any market were touts are found operating, the chairman shall be removed from office.
To the market chairman, he said: “Take responsibility.
“We have told the youths to come out from their hideouts from the bush. We shall help to rehabilitate and integrate them into society to be useful to their families, communities, states and nations.
“While dealing with hoodlums on a larger scale, we will be dealing with touts in Onitsha, greater area of Anambra State as a whole.
“We are fighting a war to bring back the soul of our society governed by law and order, not a society where anyone does what he or she likes arbitrarily without recourse to law and order.
“Touts disturb customers who come from every nook and cranny of the country. But, this journey is to rescue Onitsha as a commercial hub and Anambra State in general.”
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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