
News
Three to die by hanging for kidnapping, killing Rivers chief after collecting ransom
A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has convicted and sentenced three men on charges of kidnapping and murder.
Although four suspects were arraigned in court for the kidnap of late Chief Abbot Ogbobula in June 2017, only three were convicted while the fourth suspect was discharged and acquitted.
The three men identified as Boma Thompson, Emelike Mathias, and Daniel Thankgod, were convicted on four charges of conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping, conspiracy to murder, and murder of late Chief Abbot Ogbobula.
Justice Monina Danagogo presided over the case which was held on Thursday, January 18, 2024.
Speaking to Channels Television, counsel to Goodnews Nwoka (fourth suspect), Augustine Ojekudo, said of his client, “he is very very happy, he was only trying to help and that got him into trouble. He was the CSO of the LGA and even arrested the 1st defendant who he handed over to the police but somehow, he was arrested.”
Speaking further the senior lawyer said, “This has convinced me that the courts are indeed the last hope of the common man and are indeed capable of dispensing justice.”

In June 2017, the late Chief Ogbobula was kidnapped from his home in Ihuba village in Ahoada and taken by his abductors to Manikin Bush in Degema LGA where he was held hostage and died eventually in the hands of his abductors.
The gang demanded a ransom of N20 million from the family. The relatives first sent the sum of N200,000 to the kidnappers. The family later sent an additional N500,000 to the gang.

In a horrific twist of fate, a young member of the extended family, Udoma Njoku, (pictured) sent to deliver the money was abducted and beheaded by the gang.
The gang murdered the octogenarian and buried his body in a shallow grave in the bush where it was later exhumed in the course of a police investigation of the case.
Four persons were charged to court in a four-count charge of conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping, conspiracy to murder and murder of the Late Chief Abbot Ogbobula.
In respect of count one (conspiracy to kidnap), the 1st, 2nd and 4th Defendants were convicted and sentenced to seven years imprisonment with no option of fine.
In respect of count two ((the kidnapping of Late Chief Abbot Ogbobula), the 1st, 2nd and 4th Defendants were convicted and sentenced to death by hanging.
In respect of count three (conspiracy to murder Late Chief Abbot Ogbobula) the 1st, 2nd and 4th defendants were convicted and sentenced to 14 years imprisonment with no option of fine.
In respect of count four (murder of Chief Abbot Ogbobula), the 1st,2nd and 4th Defendants were convicted and sentenced to death by hanging or by lethal injection.
News
Enugu Lawyer rejects paternity claim after DNA Test results
A legal practitioner, Barrister Chinedu Ifeanyi Iloeje, has publicly declared that a man previously believed to be his son is not biologically related to him, following the outcome of a DNA test.
In a public notice published in a newspaper, Iloeje stated that he was allegedly misled by the man’s mother into believing that the individual, identified as Chinedu Francis Iloeje, was his biological son.
According to the notice, DNA testing conducted on the matter established “beyond any doubt” that the man is not his son.
The lawyer further clarified that he never legally adopted the individual, despite the latter bearing the name Chinedu Francis Iloeje.
Disclaimer
Barrister Iloeje explained that the man’s original name is Chinedu Francis Onwualu and stressed that he has no legal or biological relationship with him.
The notice also informed members of the public, the Greater Iloeje Family, the Umuodu Village Union, Uwani Amokwe Town Union, St. Theresa’s Catholic Church Amokwe, Udi Local Government Council, and other stakeholders of his declaration.

He stated that the disclaimer was made in good faith and while of sound mind, urging the public to take note of the clarification.
The publication has sparked discussions on paternity disputes and the increasing reliance on DNA testing to resolve questions of biological parentage.
News
Obi donates N10 million to burnt hospital in Enugu
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the forthcoming 2027 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has donated N10 million to assist in the renovation of the burnt Mother of Christ Specialist Hospital, Enugu State.
The former Anambra State governor handed over the cheque for the donation to the hospital management team when he visited the hospital yesterday.
The hospital belongs to the Reverend Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of the Catholic Church.

Mr Peter Obi inspecting the burnt hospital
Addressing the hospital management team after inspecting parts of the burnt hospital, the NDC presidential candidate commended them for their efforts in contributing to healthcare delivery services.
Telling them that even though they might feel that they were not being appreciated for what they were doing, Obi, however, described healthcare delivery services and education as among the “most critical needs of society” and urged them not to relent in what they were doing.

Accompanied during the visit by his Chief of Staff, Commissioner for Housing, as well as Special Adviser on Media when he was Anambra State governor, Prof. Stella Okunna, Prof. Patrick Obi, and Dr. Valentine Obienyem respectively, Obi assured the hospital management team that he would continue to support them.
Part of the hospital gutted by the inferno and inspected by Obi was the Children’s Ward.
Expressing gratitude on behalf of the hospital management, the Chief Medical Director of Immaculate Heart Hospital, Nkpor, Anambra State, Rev. Sister Dr. Maria Nkiruka Okafor, eulogised Obi for his sacrifices and selfless contributions to humanity.
Disclosing that Obi had already credited the hospital’s accountant with the N10 million donation and that he was even the person who called her to inform her that he had received the sad news of the inferno and promised to donate towards the renovation, Rev. Sister Okafor described him as a rare politician.
She prayed that God would grant him his ambition to become President of the country and enable him to achieve his desire to transform it.
News
FG, Enugu State target direct China-Enugu Cargo flights by December – Keyamo
The Federal Government and Enugu State Government are in talks to ensure the commencement of direct cargo flight operations between Enugu and Guangzhou, China, before the end of the year.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Barr Festus Keyamo, disclosed this in Lagos during the launch of the United Air’s newly acquired airplanes on Thursday.
The Minister added said the FG had affected a structural management overhaul at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, also bringing the airport under a privately run operational framework.

Enugu Airline
“One of our prides in the South is the Enugu International Airport. The Enugu governor approached Mr. President, noting that the airport was not maximising its economic potential under standard bureaucratic structures, and requested to bring in private investors to run it. Mr. President gave the green light.
“As I speak with you, Enugu is now fully privately owned and fully supported by state government, with the clear objective of also turning it into a dedicated cargo hub for the entire Southeast.”

To this effect, therefore, Keyamo said that a high-level bilateral trade negotiations were ongoing with a view to securing direct logistics flights between China and the Southeast by the end of 2026.
“Just two days ago, the Enugu governor and I were actively negotiating the first direct cargo flight from Guangzhou, China, straight into Enugu.
“We are targeting December for the maiden flight. This will allow our Southeast merchants and traders in China to consolidate their goods into unified cargo accounts twice a week, flying straight into Enugu for seamless delivery to hubs like Onitsha and Aba,” he concluded.
It is recalled that Governor Mbah had in July 2025 launched Enugu Air, a state-owned airline, as part of the administration’s integrated blueprint for a modern, multimodal transport ecosystem and the vision to make Enugu a major aviation and logistics hub.
Since then, Enugu Air has grown its fleet from three at inception to six planes with plans to further increase it as it prepares to commence operations to regional destinations like Accra, Libreville, Abidjan in next few months and long haul flight operations to various destinations around the world by the end of the year.
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