• BCS Bishop confirms Archbishop, others missing

Abia and Anambra State Police Commands have disagreed over the alleged kidnap of the Archbishop of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, Bishop Uka Uka Osim, his wife, son and three other priests in his entourage.

While the Anambra Police Command denied knowledge of the incident, its Abia State counterpart confirmed it and said emphatically that the incident occurred in Anambra State.

It was gathered that the Archbishop and those in his entourage were kidnapped while traveling from Abia to Awka, Anambra State.

The Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Tochukwu Ikenga in a statement on Saturday said, “Anambra State Police Command wishes to inform members of the public that from inquiries made on the above news from our respective Area Commands, Police Divisional Headquarters, and otherwise, there is no such record of any incident as mentioned in the state.

“The Command has been relatively calm as police and other security agencies are strategically positioned in many areas of the state, while some operatives are on crime prevention patrol aimed to address any untoward situations.

“Given the above, the Command calls on members of the public to assist us with information regarding the above-mentioned incident if such happened, this will enable us to embark on the investigation, please.”

But the Abia State Police Command on Sunday clarified that the abduction of the Archbishop and those in his entourage occurred in Anambra State, not Abia as earlier reported by some sections of the media.

The spokesman of the command, ASP Maureen Chinaka, who spoke in reaction to the incident, revealed that one of the Aba’s Bishops confirmed the abduction.

She said however, the precise location or area in Anambra where the priests were kidnapped was not revealed.

The Abia PPRO said, “Based on our findings, the alleged kidnap of the Archbishop of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star occurred in Anambra State.

“This was confirmed by one of the Bishops of the church in Aba.”

The Advocate learnt that abductors of the Archbishop and members of his entourage have yet to make any contact with members of their families and the church since May 1 when they embarked on the evangelical journey from Abia to Anambra state.

The development has thrown both members of  the church and their immediate families into confusion and anxiety  even as prayers have been intensified to seek God’s intervention for them.

The Apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohaneze Ndigbo has demanded an immediate apology to the Ukachukwu brothers and their subsequent compensation by the Federal Government, over what it called, the unprovoked illegal demolition of the Real Estate Investment at Asokoro extension on the orders of the Minister of FCT, Barr Nyesom Wike.

Recall that officials of the Federal Capital Development Agency, acting on the orders of the FCT Minister, had on the 27th March 2024, invaded the project site with a detachment of over 300 security personnel including the Army, the Navy, the Police, and many others, and destroyed the properties.
The said property has the registration number: FCDA/DC/BP/ASD/29163 validly approved by the FCT authorities for development.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, the President General Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Engr Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu said there is no way anyone can talk about the development of Abuja without giving due credence to Igbo entrepreneurs, especially young men like Nicholas Ukachukwu, who worked so hard to develop the place.

According to him, Ukachukwu would not have invested such billions in Abuja, if he did not believe in one Nigeria.

“When Abuja was probably one or two streets, Ukachukwu came in here and invested heavily in developing Abuja. By the time these Igbos came to Abuja, many Nigerians from other tribes did not want to invest in developing Abuja.

“So when I invited him and he complained, I was actually moved with compassion because I know that this is a person who sincerely is a patriotic Nigeria and believes in the unity of the country.

“So he is one of those Igbos that Nigeria should be proud of and that is why this demolition is worrying me,” Iwuanyanwu noted.

The Ohaneze Ndigbo leader who described Ukachukwu as an honest and straightforward businessman, said he believes that he was being unjustly victimized and the Ohaneze Ndigbo will ensure that such is not allowed.

He said; “I want to assure you that as the Igbo leader, I will do my best to make sure that the Ukachukwu brothers are not in any way victimized any further and that they receive the due restoration of their properties which they lawfully acquired.”

Meanwhile, the Ohaneze Ndigbo youth wing has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene on the matter as a panacea for peace, equity and justice.

The acting National leader of the Ohaneze Youth Wing, Mazi Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu who made the call in a press briefing on the matter, said they have seen all the documents of acquisition, court judgments, orders, and evidence of Ministerial approvals for restoration of titles on the said properties.
He maintained that it is quite disheartening that this unlawful act was executed without recourse to the rule of law or any valid court judgment.

“Interestingly, this land was validly acquired in the nineties and has a clear history of legitimacy.

“Contrary to the claims of FCT Authorities, that the land was allocated in error to Praco international limited and the Ukachukwu’s, FCT Authorities must be reminded that Nigeria is governed by law and as such should desist from anything that is inimical to the peace, unity, and progress of this country.

“We are miffed by the sheer audacity of FCTA to unleash mayhem on fellow Nigerians even without any serious provocation. FCT Authorities must be cautioned,” he said.

The Ohaneze youth leader demanded an immediate and unreserved apology from the FCDA to the Ukachukwu brothers, for labeling them land grabbers

“Government is a continuum; other past FCT Ministers were not ignorant of the law governing FCT land Administration; therefore it is instructive to note that Ukachukwu Brothers are law-abiding citizens, with National Honours, who acquired their wealth through dint of hard work and unwavering commitment for excellence, and have contributed immensely to Peace, Development and Overall wellbeing of the Federal Capital Territory.

“We therefore demand that adequate monetary compensation should be paid to the Ukachukwu brothers for the malicious and unwarranted demolition of their properties.

“We also call on the FCDA and the FCT Ministry, to desist from further unlawful encroachment of the said property forthwith.

“If the intervention of the Ohaneze Ndigbo National leader is not recognized, we shall be left with no choice than to seek redress through struggle,” Okpalaezeukwu insisted.

The Director of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC), Nigeria’s Commissioner of Police (CP), Ifeanyi Uche, has emerged as chairman of the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL’s) African Heads of Cybercrime Units.

CP Uche emerged on Friday, May 3, after the 10th Africa Working Group meeting on cybercrime for heads of units held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel from April 29th to May 3.p

While delivering his speech, the Commissioner of Police said: “Cybercrime poses a significant threat to our societies, economies, and security, and it is imperative that we work together to address this growing challenge. As chairman, I am committed to leading from the front, fostering the much-desired collaboration among our member units to enhance our collective ability to prevent and investigate cybercrimes effectively in Africa.

“I consider this as a call to champion the enthronement of a new charter of technological renaissance and home-grown cybersecurity ethics in Africa and a paradigm shift from absolute dependence on external solutions to African-nurtured technological initiatives, adaptive to our socio-political ecosystem. This is achievable by harnessing and leveraging our inherent collective expertise, and resources through a common political will.”

He further stated: “We can make significant strides in combating cybercrime and creating a safer digital environment for all Africans. Together, we can stay ahead of the evolving threats posed by cybercriminals and protect our citizens from harm.

“With the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the emergence of Al and IOT, the undeniable reality is that global cyberspace is undergoing profound and rapid changes given the penetration of new technologies and growing interconnection of the system. Though this evolution offers opportunities for innovations, diversification, and cost optimization, it also carries with it increased exposure to new and devastating risks of imminent cyber-attacks. These attacks permeate and affect the entire global digital ecosystem equally with no exception to geographic belts hence we, but affects businesses of all sizes both in public and private sectors in all regions at a breakneck speed.”

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Police Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, said: “Having over 120 participants across 54 African countries and beyond engaging for over five days is not only commendable but inspiring because it gives us hope and confidence in the safety of Africa’s digital space and the prosperity of our nations and citizens.

“As you are aware, cybersecurity has emerged as a critical issue, not just for Nigeria but for the entire African continent. The rapid advancement of technology has brought unprecedented opportunities for development and progress, but it has also exposed us to new risks and vulnerabilities. As we witness the increasing digitization of our economies and societies, it is important that we strengthen our cybersecurity frameworks to mitigate these risks effectively. Cybercrime is borderless, and this means that collaboration is not an option, but a must.”