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I was kidnapped for refusing to sell land – Anambra community leader

Published

6 days ago

December 30, 2024

A community leader and Vice Chairman of Obunagu Achalla village in Enugu Agidi community in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, Ozo Ozoemena Okeke, has alleged a plot by some of his kinsmen to kill him saying he was kidnapped twice because he refused to sell community lands.

He stated this when he spoke with journalists at his country home in Obunagu Achalla, on Sunday.

According to him, the incident has led to his kidnapping twice between 2023 and 2024, saying that it was God who saved his life, apart from the payment of ransoms to the suspected kidnappers.

Okeke disclosed that it was the evil scheme of four of his kinsmen allegedly working in secret alliance with suspected kidnappers to eliminate him by all means for being a stumbling block to their grand design to continue to appropriate parts of the land and sell the same to highest bidders while the community and its people continued to wallow in abject poverty.

He said, “My first experience was on October 17, 2023. It was the initial period the road in front of my house was being graded, which they claimed that I sold the land to someone, but I did not sell any land.

“Thinking that I had sold a piece of land, these people invited kidnappers to kidnap me so that I would bring out the money suspected to be paid for the land.

“I think this set of suspected kidnappers are poor because they collected all my foodstuff including garri, palm oil, salt among others. They discovered I had only N22.00 in my bank account through phone and no other bank accounts.

“They wondered where the money they claimed that I realised from the land should be. They concluded it was a mere allegation and I was freed.”

“The second invasion was in August 2024. After the peace meeting with my people, the kidnappers invaded my house again around 4 pm that fateful day and took me into the bush to Urum in the Awka North local district before proceeding towards one shrine in Ukwulu. I stayed three days before they released me.”

But in a swift reaction when contacted, the Chairman of Obunagu-Achalla in Enugwu Agidi Community, Emeka Ementa, denied any link with suspected kidnappers that kidnapped Okeke at any given time nor any knowledge about the incident.

He admitted that the community at a meeting under his leadership agreed to suspend and ostracise Okeke and others for their sabotage of the corporate existence of the community by aligning with the Ezinano Awka community on the controversial peace deal with Obunagu-Achalla village in Enugwu Agidi Community over their land.

“Well, I don’t have any contact with any kidnap syndicate, I don’t even intend to. I am only saying that he(Okeke) should change his way of life; he has been known for this over the years.

“The community only took normal cautions to suspend him from our meetings and other activities. The decision was taken at a general meeting, not personal to me. So, I wouldn’t think and I never thought about that. Why would I kidnap him, for what?

“I have never heard of this kidnap of a thing. It is him forging this kidnap thing. It’s like a drama to me; it’s a forgery and I have not heard of it anyway. But Okeke has been known for this kind of behaviour.”

On the question of the ancestral relationship between Ezinano Awka and Enugwu Agidi people over the land in dispute, Ementa explained, “The land is called Agu-Nawgu because Nawgu people were living there before and were part of it.

“After Nawgu was removed by the six communities of Awka, Isu, Enugwu Agidi, Nawfia, Amawbia and I think Okpuno. It’s a land got after a conquest and shared into six, everybody has theirs. Awka has its own and so are other communities.

“So, a major part of that land is where the Awka people are now contesting with us in court. The whole of that land, part of which is our ancestral land, they are joining both the ancestral land and that of Nawgu to the place they are dragging with us in court.

“The court in its unanimous decisions gave it to us in three court sessions, the Awka court, High Court and the Appeal Court.

“We are now asking the state government to use its good offices to intervene because Enugwu-Agidi has suffered so much.”

Related Topics:chairman community Court eliminate Enugu

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Gunmen abduct Nigerian Professor, Demand N10m Ransom

Published

2 hours ago

January 4, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted Professor John Ebeh, a senior lecturer in the Department of Philosophy at Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU), Anyigba, Kogi State.

The assailants are reportedly demanding a N10 million ransom for his release.

Eyewitness accounts revealed that the attackers invaded the professor’s residence in Agbeji, a suburb of Anyigba, in Dekina Local Government Area, at about 7 p.m. on Thursday.

According to a neighbor who identified himself as Akpai, “The hoodlums operated in a commando manner. It was swift. We noticed a car trailing him furiously; we took it as one of his friends or colleagues, not until we started hearing gunshots around his gate.”

A family source disclosed that the professor was abducted just as he was about to enter his compound.

“Professor Ebeh was almost at the gate of his house at Agbeji, on his way from the town when the incident happened.

“He had even given out a signal to his people to open the gate of his house when some people emerged suddenly from their hideout and started shooting sporadically.

“Amidst the confusion, someone drove in furiously and blocked his car.

“Some masked people alighted from the vehicle and whisked him away at gunpoint.

“His abductors called the family on Friday night, demanding N10 million,” the source recounted.

University officials have yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident.

However, one of Professor Ebeh’s colleagues expressed shock at the development, saying, “The kidnapping (of the professor) came to us as a shock. I have just visited his family to sympathize with them.”

News

Sad: Ondo SSG Is Dead

Published

2 hours ago

January 4, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Secretary to the Ondo State Government, Tayo Oluwatuyi, on Saturday died in an auto crash.

The SSG died in the crash which occurred while he was traveling from Akure, Ondo State capital, to Ibadan in Oyo State.

Confirming the incident, Ondo State Commissioner for Information, Wale Akinlosotu, stated that Oluwatuyi was hospitalised before he gave up the ghost.

“Hon. Oluwatuyi was a dedicated public servant whose unwavering commitment to administrative coordination, policy advisory, and implementation had a significant impact on Ondo State.

“Further details regarding memorial arrangements will be shared as they become available,” he added.

News

Mohamed Salah confirms this season as his last season at Liverpool

Published

2 hours ago

January 4, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Liverpool’s talisman, Mohamed Salah Hamed Mahrous Ghaly, popularly known as Mohamed Salah, has confirmed that the 2024–2025 football season will be his last season donning the shirts of Liverpool.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Mo Salah revealed that he is eager to win this year’s English Premier League title for the Reds to sign off his eight-year stay with the Merseyside based club.

Salah reflected on Liverpool’s previous Premier League triumph in the 2019-2020 season, noting that they were unable to celebrate it as they had hoped. Salah stated that he is determined to help the team win the title this year and celebrate in a manner worthy of their remarkable achievement.

He reflected on Liverpool’s previous Premier League triumph, noting that they were unable to celebrate it as they had hoped. Salah stated that he is determined to help the team win the title this year and celebrate in a manner worthy of their remarkable achievement.

“It’s probably because we didn’t celebrate the one we won in the way we wanted and also, coming back here too, it’s my last year in the club so you want to do something special for the city.

“We waited for that title for 30 years or so. So, to win it and it was the pandemic at that time, we didn’t really have time to celebrate it in the right way. It’s not a nice thing to do, so hopefully we can do it this year.”

“I really want to win the Premier League this season as it’s my last year at the club. I want to give something special to the City.” He said.

Mohamed Salah’s contract with Liverpool is set to expire at the end of the current season. He explained that although his agent, Ramy Abbas, and Liverpool are yet to reach any conclusive decision regarding a contract renewal, he remains focused and is not distracted by the off-field uncertainty.

“We are far away from any progress so we just need to wait and see.

“The thing in my head is ‘OK, if it’s my last six months, or last year, what do you want to see in the future? Do you want to look back and say I was concerned about the contract or I was stressed’ or do you just want to say ‘OK, I had an unbelievable season’.

“That’s in my head now. All the time now. If I feel that kind of distraction, I remind myself ‘You want to look back and you had an unbelievable season’. So that’s what I want to do.” He explained.

He has been in electric form this term, scoring 17 goals in 18 league games, while also registering 13 assists. He has won 9 trophies with Liverpool which includes 1 EPL title, 1 FA Cup, 2 EFL Cups, 1 FA Community Shield, 1 UEFA Champions League title, 1 UEFA Super Cup and 1 FIFA Club World Cup.

Source: Elvisanokyenews.com