News
Gunmen kidnap UK-based man in Anambra, community raises alarm
A United Kingdom-based, Mr. Ikechukwu Okeke, has been kidnapped by gunmen in Anambra State.
Mr Okeke was kidnapped at his Amaokpala community in Orumba North Local Government Area of the State, on January 10th, 2025, at about 7:30pm, while returning home from the funeral service of his cousin, Mrs. Obiageli Okoli.
He was, however, released three days after undisclosed amount was paid to secure his freedom.
The incident was announced by the Diaspora Members of the Amaokpala community during a press conference held at the community, on Wednesday.
They expressed outrage over the rising insecurity in the state.
The community urgently called on the State Governor, Chukwuma Charles Soludo to take immediate and decisive action to address the security challenges threatening lives and property in the region.
According to the community, Mr Okeke, a United Kingdom-based professional and elder brother to Dr Chukwudi Okeke, chairman of Oxfordshire Cherwell District Council, returned to Nigeria on December 27, 2024, to attend his cousin’s funeral and visit his ailing parents before the unfortunate incident occured.
“The tragic incident occurred on January 10 at about 7:30 PM, as Mr. Okeke was returning home from the funeral of his cousin, Mrs. Obiageli Okoli.
“Unknown to him, the kidnappers had been trailing his movements. As he stopped at the gate of his residence, they struck, forcing him out of his vehicle and into a waiting Toyota Sienna, in which they whisked him away.”
The next morning, the kidnappers contacted his family and demanded a ransom of N100 million. After intense negotiations, an undisclosed amount was paid to secure his release. Mr. Okeke was freed unharmed after three days in captivity.
The incident has left the Amaokpala community enraged and questioning Governor Soludo’s silence on the deteriorating security situation. As the chief security officer of the state, they argue, the governor is responsible for ensuring the safety of all residents.
A visibly shaken Mr. Okeke expressed his trauma over the ordeal and attributed the high rate of insecurity in Anambra and Nigeria to widespread unemployment among young people and the lack of social security.
He called for urgent investment in industries and job creation to address these root causes of crime.
The Amaokpala community, which holds the Okeke family in high regard, is demanding immediate government action to restore security and prevent further incidents of this nature.
They maintain that effective governance and a focus on long-term solutions will significantly reduce criminal activities and foster peace across the state.
Tension and grief have enveloped the political community in Enugu State following the suspected murder of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Chairman in Udenu Local Government Area, Chisimdiri Emmanuel Ngwu.
Ngwu, said to be one of the longest-serving members of the ADC in the state, was reportedly found dead in the early hours of Wednesday, August 19, 2026, in circumstances suspected to be suspicious.
A family source, who spoke to our correspondent, said Ngwu left the house shortly after waking up on Wednesday morning but never returned alive.
“He woke up early in the morning on Wednesday and walked out and that was the last we heard of him,” the source said.
According to the source, the family became worried after discovering that Ngwu was missing, before his lifeless body was later found outside the compound.
“When we woke up, we didn’t see him only to discover his lifeless body in front of our compound. We saw scratches on his neck which was twisted backwards,” the source added.
The circumstances surrounding his death have continued to generate concern among family members, friends and political associates.
Meanwhile, two persons have reportedly been arrested in connection with the incident.
However, their identities and the circumstances surrounding their arrest were not immediately disclosed as of press time.
The development has reportedly sent shock waves through the ADC in Udenu and the wider political community in the state, with calls for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ngwu’s death.
Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele has claimed that President Bola Tinubu will relocate the capital of Nigeria to Lagos if he is declared the winner of the 2027 general elections.
Primate Ayodele made this statement in a video posted on X.
President Tinubu is seeking re-election under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Speaking about Tinubu’s re-election, the cleric said, “Lagos architecture will change. You may not see this one very seriously, but if Tinubu wins the second time, the capital of Nigeria will be relocated to Lagos.
“When this happens, the capital can be in Epe or Lekki or anywhere at all in Lagos.”
The Anambra State Police Command has uncovered the circumstances surrounding the alleged murder of a 56-year-old man, Mr Kelechi Madu, in Awkuzu, Oyi Local Government Area, two days after he was reported missing.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday, August 21, 2026, by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, who said the breakthrough followed a coordinated search and investigation by police operatives, local vigilantes and members of the deceased’s family.
Madu was reported missing by his wife on August 18, after he reportedly left home on the evening of August 17 and failed to return.
According to the Command, the search for the missing man took a grim turn later that day when his wife returned to the police station to report that he had been found dead in a nearby bush at Umuobi, Awkuzu.
Police operatives immediately mobilised to the scene, where they found Madu’s lifeless body with a deep axe wound to his head. His remains were subsequently evacuated and deposited at a hospital mortuary for preservation.
Following the discovery, detectives intensified their investigation and arrested the deceased’s 32-year-old friend, Mr Ifeanyi Nwankwo, who allegedly confessed to being involved in the planning of the killing.
Preliminary findings by the Command indicated that Nwankwo allegedly obtained money from Madu through fraudulent means, claiming he would assist him in acquiring a piece of land.
Police alleged that the suspect subsequently engaged two other persons to eliminate Madu in an attempt to conceal the alleged fraudulent transaction and prevent the victim from recovering the money.
The Command said two other suspects linked to the alleged plot were also arrested, bringing the number of persons apprehended in connection with the case to four.
The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, psc, mnips, has directed investigators to intensify the probe and identify every person involved in the alleged conspiracy and murder.
The CP vowed that all persons found culpable would be brought to justice.
The Command, through Ikenga, assured residents that it would continue to strengthen intelligence-led policing and community partnerships to prevent violent crimes, uncover criminal networks and ensure that perpetrators face the full weight of the law.
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