Former Niger Delta freedom fighter, Asari Dokubo, has been officially recognized as the Amanyanabo of Torusarama Piri, a region in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara presented Dokubo, along with other monarchs, with their staff of office at a ceremony held at the Rivers State Government House in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

Other recipients of the prestigious honor included HRM Winston Odize Alamina Oputibeya XII, named the Amanyanabo of Koniju in Okrika Local Government Area; HRM Eze Noble Friday Uwoh (CSP retd), designated as the Eze Igbu-Ehuda IV in Ahoada-East Local Government Area; and HRH Prince Ike Ehie, who was installed as the Eze Igbu Orilukwoe, also in Ahoada-East Local Government Area.

During the event, Governor Fubara emphasized the vital role traditional leaders play within their communities and the state.

He reminded the new monarchs that their positions carry significant responsibility and that the state government reserves the right to revoke their recognition if they misuse their powers.

Fubara urged the new leaders to see their appointments as an opportunity to foster peace and development, saying, “I don’t want you to see this elevation as another platform to create problems in your locality. We have the power to withdraw the recognition, but I don’t intend to do that. So, I want you to be partners with the government to ensure that we continue to succeed.”

He also expressed confidence in their integrity, stating, “I know that you are all men of integrity. Support the course of governance so that we can all succeed together. It is a privileged position, and I am very sure that you are going to use it in the best interest of your people.”

Bello Bodejo, 

A Federal High Court in Abuja has approved a request from the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) to detain Alhaji Bello Bodejo, the President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, along with six others for a period of 60 days while investigations continue.

The court order, granted by Justice Emeka Nwite, follows an ex-parte motion filed by DIA’s counsel, I.O. Odom, who sought the detention of the seven individuals pending the conclusion of the ongoing investigation.

The motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1875/V/2024, named Bodejo, Suleiman Abba, Umar Jibrin, Umar Bello, Muhammed Ayuba, Jibrin Baba, and Saidu Wakili as the respondents.

In the application filed on December 16 by Mrs. N.F. Bala, the DIA sought one prayer: “An order of this honourable court enabling the applicant to detain the respondents for a period of sixty (60) days in the first instance, pending the conclusion of the investigation.”

According to Bonny Ozegbe, an investigating officer with the DIA, the respondents were arrested by the Nigerian Armed Forces in Nasarawa State and handed over to the DIA on December 11 for further investigation into their alleged involvement in banditry and illegal possession of firearms.

Ozegbe stated that the preliminary investigation revealed that the respondents were part of an attack on a military formation deployed to Nasarawa during an assault on farmers and their farmlands.

The attack resulted in significant injuries to military personnel and civilians and the theft of military arms and ammunition.

“During the operation that led to the arrest of the respondents, several weapons were recovered from them, including AK-47 rifles and ammunition, as well as other dangerous weapons,” Ozegbe said.

“The preliminary investigation report also revealed that the 2nd to 7th respondents, who were involved in the incident, carried out the attacks in Nasarawa State on the instructions of the 1st respondent (Bodejo), who is their leader.”

Ozegbe also noted that this was not the first time Bodejo had been implicated in security-related issues in North Central Nigeria.

He argued that the ongoing investigation, including efforts to apprehend accomplices still at large, necessitated the continued detention of the respondents.

“If the respondents are released into society, there is a likelihood that they will continue to commit the same, similar, or more serious offences,” Ozegbe said.

“I strongly believe that the respondents pose a grave threat to national security and the entire Nigerian citizenry at large.”

The DIA officer further argued that releasing the respondents could result in them evading trial, tampering with evidence, or disrupting the investigation.

“A court order is necessary to remand them in the Defence Intelligence Agency’s custody pending the conclusion of their investigation and arraignment in court,” he concluded.

When the case was heard, Odom explained that the application was based on allegations of banditry and firearms possession.

He confirmed that the respondents were arrested on December 11.

Justice Nwite expressed concern that only the DIA’s side of the story had been presented. “Why I am asking this is that you have presented your own side of the story,” he said.

After hearing Odom’s argument and reviewing the case, the judge granted the detention request, stating, “The prayer is hereby granted.”

The judge adjourned the case until March 3, 2025, for mention.

In a related development, the FCT High Court, led by Justice Mohammed Zubairu, ordered the release of Bodejo from the Department of State Services (DSS) detention on December 29.

Justice Zubairu ruled that Bodejo’s detention since December 9, without being charged to court, was unlawful.

This ruling followed an application for a writ of habeas corpus filed by Bodejo’s lawyer, Reuben Atabo, SAN, which was not contested by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) or the DSS Director-General.

Two young men, Stanley Omeke and Igbonasi Odo-Okoro, residents of Aji and Aguibeje communities in Enugu Ezike, Igboeze North Local Government Area of Enugu State, have been reportedly murdered by members of the Aji community neighborhood watch.

The incident, which occurred on December 16, 2024, has sparked outrage among the families of the victims, who claim the vigilantes acted unlawfully and fabricated a false narrative to justify the killings.

According to Nmesoma Omeke, wife of Stanley Omeke, she and her husband had gone shopping for Christmas on that fateful day.

Upon returning home around 5 p.m., they stopped at Aji Junction to take a commercial bike. Suddenly, members of the neighborhood watch arrived, demanding that Stanley follow them.

“They shouted at my husband to get on their bike. When we asked what he had done, they refused to answer. They even tried to beat him. I told him to follow them to avoid further trouble, and I went to seek help from his friend, Kingsley Igbonasi Odo-Okoro,” she recounted.

Kingsley’s wife, devastated by the events, said that her husband left their home shortly after Nmesoma informed him of Stanley’s arrest.

He went to the vigilante office to investigate but never returned.

The following day, rumors spread that the vigilantes had taken both men to Okpo Union Primary School in Aji and shot them dead.

The vigilante group claimed that the men had been caught robbing vehicles on the highway.

However, Kingsley’s stepbrother, Arinze Odo-Okoro, strongly disputed the allegations. “We live in this community. If there had been any robbery, we would know. This is just a false story to justify their actions,” he said.

Arinze insists that justice must be served. “Even the government takes criminals to court. How can a vigilante group execute people without trial? We are appealing to the Inspector General of Police, the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, and President Ahmed Tinubu to intervene.”

Jude Omeke, Stanley’s brother, revealed that he was informed of the killings by a phone call.

When he contacted the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Igboeze North, he was told that the vigilantes had handed over two corpses, claiming the men were highway robbers killed by soldiers.

However, the vigilantes later admitted to shooting the men during an alleged gunfight.

Jude vehemently questioned the narrative. “Where is the gun my brother supposedly used in the robbery? If there was a gunfight, where are the weapons? My brother is not a criminal. This was a premeditated killing.”

The families expressed frustration over the vigilantes’ unchecked power.

Jude noted that Stanley had a pending court case against the vigilantes and suggested that this might have been the motive behind the killing.

“This is not the first time innocent people are being killed under false pretenses in Enugu Ezike,” Jude said. “The security group has become a law unto themselves.”

Both families are demanding accountability and transparency.

“I don’t know if my husband is dead or alive,” Nmesoma said, her voice breaking. “I just want to know what happened to him. My children and I need answers.”

Arinze added, “Justice is all we ask for. If they believe these men committed crimes, let them provide evidence and follow due process. What happened here is nothing short of murder.”

When contacted, the Spokesman of Enugu State Police Command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, said he was unaware of the incident and did not have such a report.

Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, 

Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has dismissed claims from opposition politicians that the state is overwhelmed by insecurity, accusing them of exaggerating the situation for political advantage.

He stated that such actions only foster unnecessary fear and disrupt the ongoing efforts to improve security in the region.

In a statement released by his Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Aburime, Soludo emphasized that the issue of security is a shared responsibility and cannot be solely blamed on the state government.

He criticized those using security concerns to undermine his administration, describing it as counterproductive to the state’s efforts.

Aburime stated, “While it is true that critics raise valid concerns about security, politicizing the issue or exaggerating it for personal or political reasons only exacerbates the situation. This approach does not help the state but only creates panic, which can obstruct the progress of security operations.”

The Governor’s spokesperson urged a more collaborative approach, involving not only the government and security agencies but also the community at large.

He stressed the importance of working together to combat insecurity, with greater emphasis on intelligence sharing, constructive dialogue, and community engagement.

“What Anambra needs at this time is unity. Government efforts must be complemented by citizens’ cooperation. This includes regular intelligence sharing, open discussions between critics and officials, and a collective approach to security at the community level,” Aburime said.

Soludo also acknowledged the global significance of community participation and intelligence sharing in building an effective security framework.

He warned that prioritizing political rhetoric over practical solutions would weaken the state’s security infrastructure.

While recognizing the presence of security challenges in Anambra, the Governor reiterated his commitment to improving the security situation and pledged continued support for law enforcement agencies, ensuring they are provided with the necessary resources, funding, and logistics to tackle the issues effectively.