Governor Alex Otti of Abia State on Saturday received three former death row inmates who regained their freedom after spending 26 years at Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison in Lagos.

Among the men was Mr. Ogbonnaya Igbojionu, a native of Ibere, Ikwuano Local Government Area in Abia; Olawale Adediji, of Yoruba origin; and a third individual who was unable to travel for the meeting.

The trio had been sentenced to death in 2003 over a disputed generator sale that dated back to 1999.

Their release was facilitated by Simon Oshi, an Enugu native, who took up the case after discovering it online.

“When the influencer shared their story on social media, I felt compelled to verify it. I visited them at Kirikiri Prison with a team of lawyers and the influencer,” Oshi said, referring to Olumide Ogunsanwo, popularly known as Sea King, who initially publicized the injustice via social media.

Oshi recalled his first meeting with Igbojionu. “I told him I know your governor and that he’s a good and compassionate leader. I assured him I would reach out to Governor Otti.”

Moved by the details, Oshi contacted Governor Otti, who promptly assigned the Abia State Attorney General to investigate the case. Once confirmed, Otti wrote to both the Lagos and Ogun State governments to request action.

“After 26 years behind bars, Otti secured their freedom. This is a testament to his commitment to justice and compassion,” Oshi said.

Receiving the men at Government House, Umuahia, Otti commended both Oshi and Ogunsanwo for their roles.

“A typical Nigerian might say, ‘It doesn’t concern me,’ but you went out of your way. If you hadn’t brought it to my attention, I wouldn’t have known,” the governor said.

Otti clarified that although the original trial occurred in Ogun State, the inmates were imprisoned in Lagos. He extended appreciation to Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State for his swift cooperation.

“When I contacted Governor Abiodun, he acknowledged the letter and assured me he would act. Just last week, he called while I was out of the country to inform me they had been released,” Otti said.

The governor also emphasized the moral duty to build a just society.
“Justice is everything,” he said. “You can accumulate wealth, but if you don’t help build a just society, it’s meaningless. We all leave this world someday, and material possessions won’t follow us.”

To aid in their reintegration, Otti directed Commissioners Uzor Nwachukwu (Local Government) and Ikechukwu Monday (Power and Public Utilities) to oversee support measures.

“This might not fall under your direct responsibilities, but I’m tasking you to coordinate their reintegration,” he instructed.

Speaking on behalf of the freed men, Igbojionu shared the traumatic experience that led to their incarceration.

He recounted buying a generator from a man named Segun Ajibade in 1999, only for Ajibade to later return with police, claiming the item was stolen.

He alleged he was beaten, coerced into signing a statement he wasn’t allowed to read, and ultimately sentenced to death in 2003 after four years on remand.

In his closing remarks, Igbojionu expressed heartfelt appreciation.

The Biafra-Nigerian Civil War, remains one of the most harrowing chapters in the nation’s history.

Sparked by deep-rooted political, ethnic, and economic tensions, the war broke out in July 1967 when the Eastern Region of Nigeria declared independence as the Republic of Biafra.

In response, the Nigerian federal government launched a military campaign to reclaim the breakaway region, igniting a brutal conflict that would last nearly three years.

From 1967 to 1970, Nigeria was consumed by a war that devastated its southeastern region and left deep scars that still linger today.

According to records cited by Wikipedia, more than 100,000 soldiers were killed during the fighting. But the greater tragedy was borne by civilians, between 500,000 and 2 million Biafrans died, primarily due to starvation.

The humanitarian crisis reached global attention as images of emaciated children flooded the media, prompting international aid efforts and raising urgent questions about the ethics of warfare and blockades.

The Biafran side, encircled and cut off from vital food and medical supplies, suffered immensely under the weight of famine.

Though the war ended in January 1970 with the reintegration of Biafra into Nigeria, its legacy remains.

The phrase “No Victor, No Vanquished” became a slogan of post-war reconciliation, but for many, the psychological and emotional wounds never fully healed.

Today, the Biafran War serves as a solemn reminder of the dangers of division, the importance of dialogue, and the enduring cost of armed conflict on civilian populations.

Eight individuals lost their lives and several others were injured early Sunday in a tragic collision between a commercial Mazda bus and a DAF truck at Atura Bus Stop, inbound Badagry.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed the victims included both the bus driver and his conductor among the fatalities.

Another eight passengers were rescued and rushed to Badagry General Hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash.

Preliminary investigations by traffic enforcement officials revealed that the driver of the 16-seater Mazda bus (registration KJA 811 YF) was speeding and subsequently lost control, crashing into the DAF truck bearing registration T1 4636 LA.

LASTMA teams, working in coordination with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the Nigeria Police (Morogbo Division), and the Nigerian Army’s 244 Battalion from Ibereko Barracks, responded swiftly to the incident.

They led emergency operations to rescue survivors and recover bodies from the wreckage.

At the crash site, LASTMA General Manager Olalekan Bakare-Oki offered his condolences to the grieving families and issued a stern warning to commercial drivers:

“This tragic incident is a reminder that speed continues to be a silent killer on our roads. These deaths were avoidable if basic safety rules were followed.”

He further implored heavy-duty and commercial vehicle operators to make safety a priority, ensure vehicle maintenance, and submit to regular checks.

Highlighting the agency’s evolving focus, Bakare-Oki noted that LASTMA is integrating incident and disaster management into its traffic control operations.

“This transition aligns with Governor Babajide Sanwo‑Olu’s THEMES Plus Agenda, which promotes safety, emergency preparedness, and infrastructural efficiency as central to the urban transport strategy.”

Bakare-Oki also revealed that the state is installing speed-limiting devices at high-risk locations to help reduce fatalities.

He expressed gratitude to the FRSC, Nigeria Police, Nigerian Army, and LASTMA’s first responders for their prompt actions in rescue and relief efforts.

The agency urged all motorists and road users to remain vigilant, respect speed limits, and follow road safety regulations to prevent further tragedies.

Mrs. Tochukwu Ezemma, wife of missing Anambra State estate developer Ben Ezemma, has made a heartfelt plea to President Bola Tinubu for intervention after nearly a year of unanswered leads and fading hope.

Ben Ezemma, aged 34 and a director at Dubai Estate, vanished in November 2024 after meeting with a well-known figure in Awka. Mrs. Ezemma expressed her anguish:

“Even if they killed my husband, at least his corpse should be made available to us. The silence of security agents is killing me and the children slowly.”

She described her life since losing her husband as unbearable:

“Since the disappearance of my 34-year-old young man, the world has been turning around for me while those involved in the crime are roaming free in the society.”

“Some of them are involved in the coming elections in the state, while my husband is nowhere to be seen for close to a year now, and they want me to keep quiet.”

“Since my husband went missing in a mysterious way in 2024, sleep has gone far from me.”

“Our children are small; how am I going to take care of them alone?
“Please, our President, I am appealing to you and members of your cabinet to help this lonely woman in need.”

“Those who invited my husband for a meeting on that fateful day are still around and throwing money around in Anambra State.”

Mrs. Ezemma told newsmen she had already petitioned both the police and the Department of State Services in Anambra and Abuja, but felt ignored, believing only presidential intervention could save her from trauma.

Human rights activist Comrade Osita Obi also criticized the police for lackluster engagement, emphasizing public accountability:

“That is the reason we are interrogating the government and the police. They have all the apparatus at their disposal.”

“It might be this 34‑year‑old Ezemma today, but it could be any of us tomorrow. We want to know what happened to him. The cases of missing persons in this state are alarming.”

“We registered our SIM cards in this country, why can’t anybody track the perpetrators of this heinous crime? Our profiles are with the government. They should go into Ezemma’s call log to track his abductors.
“Honestly, I am in pain,” Obi lamented.