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Doctors vow to continue strike as FG fails to convene meeting 

Marcus FATUNMOLE
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Doctors vow to continue strike as FG fails to convene meeting 

THE Nigerian government has not contacted its striking doctors since they proceeded on indefinite strike on April 1, leadership of the medical practitioners told The ICIR on Tuesday, April 6.

Consequently, doctors say the strike will continue as long as government fails to take them and the health sector seriously.

The strike affects at least 74 public hospitals across the nation, including those owned by federal and state governments, crippling services.

Doctors in the country, under the aegis of National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), agreed to down tools over unmet demands by the government, including payment of salaries for house officers who have been owed for three months and  resident doctors who are owed between three and six months.

NARD’s decision to embark on strike was contained in a communique issued after its Extra-ordinary National Executive Council Meeting in Abuja on March 28.

Speaking with our reporter on Tuesday April 6, NARD President Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi said the federal government had not contacted NARD since its members proceeded on strike and had not scheduled a meeting.

At meetings with doctors in the past, the government had been represented by Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige; ministers and other top functionaries of Federal Ministry of Health; Budget Office of the Federation, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, among others.

“The government promised to send NARD leadership an invite. As at today, it has not sent us any invite. We have not seen any invite from the Ministry of Labour (whose responsibility is it to bring aggrieved employees of government for a dialogue),” Okhuaihesuyi said.

He explained that for the first time in the history of NARD, there had been no division among its members. “Every member of NARD is observing the strike,” he said, adding that there were daily feedbacks from each of the affected hospitals, nationwide.

READ ALSO: Buhari enjoys best medical care in UK as Nigerian doctors commence strike

Okhuaihesuyi vowed that the strike would continue as long as government refused to meet doctors’ demands.

NARD is one of the groups through which medical doctors in Nigeria relate with the public and their employers.

Reacting to the fact that NARD goes on strike almost yearly (as it also changes its leadership yearly), Okhuaihesuyi said the recurring strike was because of government negligence of the nation’s health sector for many years and its failure to honour past agreements with the association.

He said the worst part of the failure was refusal by the government to pay salaries of house officers and resident doctors in the country for months.

While appealing for understanding from Nigerians, many of who had been stranded or abandoned at hospitals because of the strike, he said government should be blamed for the crisis.

“You don’t expect a doctor that is hungry, that is not able to pay his house rent, that is not able to pay his children school  fees, whose children are sent back home to be able to function properly. Doctors are human beings like any other human beings. You don’t say because I’m a doctor, I should not pay for the house I rent or pay my children school fees because my salary has not been paid,” he stated.

In a report published by The ICIR on Sunday, April 4, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) countered Ngige for claiming that resident doctors were not paid in the UK and US, but paid in Nigeria. This newspaper proved the minister wrong by citing how resident doctors were paid in the UK and US.

Empty ward in Nigerian hospital during a strike by doctors.
Source: Vanguard newspaper

Ngige’s gaffe came after he had threatened the striking doctors with ‘no work, no pay’ on Friday March 2.

The ICIR had reported on Thursday, April 1, how President Muhammadu Buhari relaxed and enjoyed quality, accessible, affordable and uninterrupted health services in London, while doctors in Nigeria grounded the country’s public hospitals.

The ICIR had reported on March 14 how rift between two medical groups in the country denied house officers three months salaries across tertiary health facilities in the country.

One of the doctors is Venatus Okorie, who collapsed at University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital in February this year, after he had reportedly worked uninterruptedly for 72 hours. He confirmed his ordeal to The ICIR in an exclusive report.

NARD embarked on strike twice in 2020, resulting in the Federal Government approving additional N8 billion for hazard allowance and other demands by doctors and other health workers in the country.

Government had, in the past, issued directives to chief medical directors and medical directors of hospitals (as the case may be) to replace striking doctors with corps members and other health workers who did not receive training as doctors.

However, such a directive has not yet been issued in the current circumstance.

Exclusive: Collapsed doctor, Okorie, owed three months’ salary arrears

Meanwhile, an aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan Reno Omokri has led protests against Buhari at the Abuja House in London, demanding that the president return home to fix his nation’s healthcare.

A pro-government group has also converged on the premises, ‘praying’ for the president.

 

Why ASUP declared indefinite nationwide strike

Lukman ABOLADE
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Why ASUP declared indefinite nationwide strike

THE Academic Staff Union Polytechnic (ASUP), on Tuesday, announced that the union has commenced a nationwide indefinite strike with immediate effect.

ASUP President Anderson Ezeibe made the announcement during a press briefing held in Abuja, stating that academic activities had stopped from April 6 across all 90 of its chapters in Nigeria.

Speaking with The ICIR in a telephone interview after the press briefing, Ezeibe stated some of the reasons for the strike.

According to him, polytechnics in Nigeria had been neglected by the Federal Government, considering the non-implementation of its Needs Assessment Report since 2014.

He stated that all federal polytechnics in Nigeria had been without governing councils since May 2020 and a lot of state-owned polytechnics also did not have such councils.

READ ALSO: Doctors vow to continue strike as FG fails to convene meeting 

“They are owing us the arrears of the new minimum wage. While there is a presidential directive in 2019 that everybody (workers) should be paid, our members are still being owed,” Ezeibe said.

He also stated that salaries of the union’s lecturers were not paid in some states like Abia where  ASUP members were owed for about 24 months, and other states like Ogun, Osun, Benue and Plateau states.

He also said that the Federal Government had refused to establish a commission to regulate the affairs of polytechnics across the country.

“In Nigeria, we have the National University Commission (NUC) that regulates the affairs of universities. We also have the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) which regulates federal colleges of education, but there is nothing of such for ASUP/Nigerian polytechnics,” Ezeibe noted.

The ASUP president further stated that Nigerian polytechnics were also battling the issue of the appointment of unqualified persons as rectors in some polytechnics in the country, mainly in the states.

When asked why the union was making its demand through strike action, Ezeibe said the strike was a legitimate instrument of engagement for a trade union and it was legally recognised.

“We are not a union that jumps to strike. We gave an ultimatum in March 2020 and unfortunately till now, the government has not deemed it right to address any of these issues, which is why strike has become the last option for us,” he noted.

This is coming three months after the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) called off its strike action.

Association of Seadogs protests against CCT chairman, demands his removal

Niyi OYEDEJI
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Association of Seadogs protests against CCT chairman, demands his removal

MEMBERS of the National Association of Seadogs (NAS) a.k.a. Pyrates Confraternity, on Tuesday, stormed the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) office in Abuja to demand the removal of the CCT Chairman, Mr. Danladi Umar over the physical assault of a security guard, Mr. Clement Sagwak.

The members of the association carried placards with inscriptions such as: ‘We demand Equity and Justice, sack CCT Chairman Now’, ‘ Say No to Elite Oppression’, ‘Say No to Judicial Tyrants, CCT Chairman Must Go’, ‘ Arrest and Prosecute CCT Chairman’.

The ICIR had earlier reported how the CCT chairman assaulted a security guard, Mr Clement Sagwak, over a parking lot at Bannex Plaza, Wuse 2, on Monday, March 29.

Umar was seen in a widely-circulated video, slapping a private guard repeatedly in the company of his police escorts and driver before sympathisers at the market began to shout at him and forced him out of the plaza.

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Speaking at the protest, Joachim Okudo, leader of Abuja ccvChapter of the Pyrates Confraternity said Umar has desecrated the exalted office he occupies and must resign for sanity to reign.

“We have come here today as an organisation that has fought for the human rights over the years to demand the removal of the CCT boss over human right abuse he perpetuated a week ago.”

Also speaking, Anderson Kolawole, president Zuma Deck of the Pyrates Confraternity said what is honourable for the CCT chairman to do is to voluntarily resign over the offence he had committed, adding that he is no longer fit to occupy the position.

“If the CCT chairman refuses to resign, we call on the National Assembly to remove him from  the office because he is no longer fit to remain there.”

On his own part, Olamide Oni, the vice president of Sahara Deck of the pyrates Confraternity, Abuja, said the CCT should be removed because he had shown to the whole world that he is tribalistic by not just assaulting the security man, but by also profiling him as “Biafra Boy”.”

Army contradict Kaduna govt, say five of 39 kidnapped students not recovered

Lukman ABOLADE
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Army contradict Kaduna govt, say five of 39 kidnapped students not recovered

THE Nigerian Army have contradicted a claim by Kaduna State government that five of the 39 students kidnapped from the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, were recovered.

Spokesperson for the Nigerian Army Muhammed Yerima disclosed this during a telephone interview with The ICIR on Tuesday.

The Kaduna State government had, in a statement signed by Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs Samuel Aruwan on Monday evening, claimed that five of the students had been recovered.

According to Aruwan, the Nigerian military had informed the Kaduna State government that the five persons recovered were undergoing a thorough medical check-up at a military facility.

“The Kaduna State Government will provide updates on further operational feedback to be received on this case,” the statement read in part.

However, there was no picture or video evidence provided by the Kaduna State government to show that the five students had been recovered.

Army spokesman Yerima said he was not aware of such development, adding that if such communication was made from the Nigerian military, it would be from his office and there was nothing of sort.

“I am not aware of such report, I did not send anything of such to anyone. If they quoted the Nigerian military, they should say who, but I did not send out such information,” Yerima told The ICIR.

On March 12, 39 students of the school were kidnapped by gunmen who have since demanded ransom to free them.

However, Governor of Kaduna State Nasir El-Rufai has insisted that he would neither negotiate nor pay ransom to kidnappers.

El-Rufai said the only way to rescue the kidnapped students was through military action, adding that any other option was ‘emotional and irrational.’

The inability of the government to rescue the students so far has left grieving parents angry, saying that the government was insensitive towards their plight.

Chairman of the aggrieved parents Sam Kambai and Secretary Sanni Friday said  on Monday that the situation had become dire for many families.

The parents insisted that they would do everything within their powers to ensure their children safely returned home.

“We wish to reiterate that we will do everything within our powers, everything humanly possible, with the help of God, to ensure our children do not perish.

“First and foremost, due to the failure of government to live up to its primary responsibility of securing lives and property that we have this ugly development in our hands,” Friday said.

El-Rufai had earlier threatened to prosecute anyone negotiating with bandits or kidnappers on behalf of the state government.

 

Hope diminishes for mother of missing Nigerian teenager as Police discover matching body

Oghenekevwe UCHECHUKWU
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Hope diminishes for mother of missing Nigerian teenager as Police discover matching body

THE Police in Essex, North East of London have found a body which they say matches the description of missing 19-year-old Nigerian student, Richard Okorogheye. 

Richard’s mother, Evidence Joel said that officers informed her of the news on Monday evening and she intends to visit the station on Tuesday to find out whether or not the body found in Epping Forest is that of her son.

She had informed the police about 11days ago that her son who studies at Oxford Brookes University and admitted struggling to cope with academic pressure, left their home in the Ladbroke Grove area of west London on the evening of March 22 to go visit a friend but has not been home since then.

He was last seen on CCTV in Loughton, Essex, in the early hours of Tuesday, March 23, walking towards Epping Forest. Police divers had previously been seen searching the forest.

Evidence initially complained about the poor response she got from the Police when she reported her son missing who suffers from the sickle cell disease and didn’t leave home with the daily medications which he is required to take.

According to her, she was told by the Police that if she couldn’t find him, how can she expect them to find him.

“At the beginning they ignored me. I was nobody. I was just a black woman being frantic and overreacting about an adult who is 19, which we all know, these are vulnerable adults. I wish they had reacted earlier,” she told a newspaper.

The alleged response by the Police which many say has colouration of institutional racism has been widely condemned by the public and there are growing concerns about the wellbeing of Richard’s mum who says that everyday for her is a nightmare as she helplessly awaits information about her missing child.

“I feel completely helpless. Helpless, and also, sorry to use this word, but I feel useless. Because I want to go out there, to do something to look for him, search for him, anything, but I can’t”, she said of needing to remain at home in case he makes contact.

She added: “I don’t know what he looks like, how he’s feeling at the moment, if he’s breathing. I don’t know. I’m trying to be strong. It’s very difficult. I’m holding on but it’s very hard. It’s very, very hard.”

Atiku is not eligible to be president of Nigeria -Malami

Vincent Ufuoma
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Atiku is not eligible to be president of Nigeria -Malami

FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar is not eligible under the constitution to contest for president,  Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) has said.

Malami stated this in support of a suit filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja, by the Incorporated Trustees of Egalitarian Mission for Africa (EMA) on Tuesday.

The AGF argued that, having not been born a Nigerian or by Nigerian parents, and having not met the provisions of Sections 25(1) &(2) and 131(a) of the Nigerian Constitution, Atiku would be violating Section 118(1)(k) of the Electoral Act should he put himself forward as a candidate.

The EMA is challenging Atiku’s eligibility to contest for president and praying the court to hold, among others, that considering the provisions of sections 25(1) &(2) and 131(a) of the constitution and the circumstances surrounding his birth, the former vice president was not eligible to contest for the top office.

In documents filed for the AGF by a team of lawyers led by Oladipo Okpeseyi (SAN), the plaintiff argued that Atiku was not a Nigerian citizen by birth.

Although the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/177/2019 was filed before the 2019 presidential election, it is yet to be heard and determined.

However, it was mentioned on March 15, during which Justice Inyang Ekwo noted that the suit was ripe for hearing and fixed May 4 for that purpose.

The AGF in the affidavit said: “The first defendant (Atiku) is not qualified to contest to be President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The first defendant is not a fit and proper person to be a candidate for election to the office of president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The first defendant was born on the 25th of November, 1946 at Jada, at the time in Northern Cameroon. By the plebiscite of 1961, the town of Jada was incorporated into Nigeria.

“The first defendant is a Nigerian by virtue of the 1961 plebiscite, but not a Nigerian by birth. The first defendant’s parents died before the 1961 plebiscite.”

READ ALSO: Hope diminishes for mother of missing Nigerian teenager as Police discover matching body

In his written address, the AGF argued that the effect of the June1, 1961 plebiscite, was to have the people of. Northern Cameroon integrated into Nigeria as new citizens of the country, even after Nigeria’s independence.

“This qualified all those born before the 1961 plebiscIte as citizens of Nigeria, but not Nigerian citizen by birth. Consequently, only citizens born after the 1961 plebiscite are citizens of Nigeria by birth.”

He cited provisions of the 1960, 1963, 1979 and 1999 constitutions and noted that the “reasoning of the lawmakers in ensuring that the persons to be the President of Nigeria is a citizen of Nigeria by birth is because such a person is the number one citizen and the image of the Nigerian state.”

The AGF argued that, where it was revealed that a person was born outside Nigeria before Nigeria’s independence in 1960, in a location which was never part of Nigeria until June 1, 1961, as it was in this case, such a person would not claim citizenship of Nigeria by birth.

“This is even more so where his parents do not belong to any tribe indigenous to Nigeria until their death. The facts of his (Atiku’s) birth on the Cameroonian territory to Cameroonian parents remain unchallenged.

“At best, the first defendant can only acquire Nigerian citizenship by the 1961 plebiscite. The citizenship qualifications under Section 26 and 27 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999), by implication, has limited the first defendant’s privileges or rights and cannot be equal or proportional to the privileges of other citizens who acquire their citizenship status by birth.

“This would include the legal preclusion of the first defendant from contesting for the office of the President of Nigeria.

The AGF noted that the only situation where Atiku could have acquired Nigerian citizenship by birth under the 1999 Constitution was if both or either of his parents and grandparents were Nigerian citizens by birth.

He added that another way would have been “if either his parents had become Nigerian citizen by virtue of Section 25(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which must be in compliance with Sections 26 and 27of the same constitution.

“With no concrete proof of compliance, we submit that the first defendant cannot contest election to the office of the Nigerian President.”

Section 26 contains the process of obtaining citizenship by registration, while Section 27 provides for the process of obtaining citizenship by naturalisation.

The AGF argued that Atiku, having contested election to the office of the Vice President before now, knowing that he was not a Nigeria citizen by birth, committed an offence under Section 118(1)(k) of the Electoral Act.

Atiku and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on whose platform he contested the last election have denied the plaintiff’s claims and prayed the court to dismiss the suit for lacking in merit.

They also filed a joint notice of objection, in which they insisted that Atiku was “a bonafide citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Atiku stated that aside serving as Nigeria’s Vice President from 1999 to 2007, he held many public/private offices, including serving as Governor of Adamawa State and as a Commissioned Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service.

He said both his parents, grandparents and great grandparents were born in Nigeria and they lived, died as Nigerians and were buried in Nigeria.

Atiku argued that he was qualified and eligible to be elected into the office of the President of Nigeria, adding that the plaintiff filed the suit in bad faith and in an attempt to malign his person and integrity.

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He queried the plaintiff’s right to challenge his nationality, arguing that he failed to show the interest he had above other citizens of Nigeria to be entitled to approach the court on the issue.

Kogi takes delivery of 16,900 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine amid false claims by governor

Vincent Ufuoma
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Kogi takes delivery of 16,900 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine amid false claims by governor

THE Kogi State government has taken delivery of about 16, 900 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine despite unsubstantiated and false claims peddled by Governor Yahaya Bello about it.

According to the Executive Director of the Primary Health Care Development Agency in Kogi Abubakar Yakubu, who led a team to receive the vaccine on Monday, the vaccination was scheduled to start on Tuesday.

Yakubu said that the most awaited COVID-19 vaccine arrived Kogi from Abuja at about 7:40 pm, noting that the state was well prepared for it.

”We have about 16,900 doses of the vaccine, and by Tuesday, we hope to flag off the campaign in the Ministry of Health.

”The first line of recipients of the vaccine are the health workers which will be demonstrated on Tuesday by 12 noon at the ministry.

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“The vaccine administration will be followed by the frontline essential non-health workers like the Police, military, NSCDC, Customs men, among others,” Yakubu said

He added that the ministry intended to carry out the campaign as efficient as it could because the state was a bit behind schedule compared with other states, which had almost completed their 10 days mandatory campaign for the administration of the vaccine.

Yakubu noted that the state was initially expecting about 45, 000 doses of the vaccines from NPHCDA, which accounted for one per cent of the total population of Kogi State.

”But to our surprise, we are being supplied with 16,900 doses now, I think there will be further reconciliation to send the balance of the doses as soon as possible,” he said.

Bello’s many lies

Bello is one of the persons making bogus claims about coronavirus outbreak and lately discouraged vaccine use in the country.

The governor, in a widely circulating video seen by The ICIR, discouraged supporters present in the gathering from taking vaccines.

The governor, who did not provide any evidence to back up the claim made against COVID-19 vaccine, said: “They want to use the (COVID-19) vaccines to introduce the disease that will kill you and us. God forbid!”

He questioned why COVID-19 vaccines were being produced in less than one year. “There is no vaccine yet for HIV, malaria, cancer and for several diseases that are killing us… We should draw our minds back to what happened in Kano during the polio vaccines that crippled and killed our children. We have learned our lessons.”

“If they say they are taking the vaccines in the public, allow them take their vaccines. Do not say I said you should not take it, but if you want to take it, open your eyes before you take the vaccines,” he said.

Also, Bello, in a Channel’s TV programme last December, questioned the need for Nigeria to procure COVID-19 vaccine.

He also said that no one in Kogi State had tested positive to COVID-19 and that the virus did not exist in the state.

Presidency keeps mum on suit against Buhari over missing N3.8bn health funds

Niyi OYEDEJI
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Presidency keeps mum on suit against Buhari over missing N3.8bn health funds

THE Presidency has kept mum over a report that N3.8 billion of public funds meant for the Federal Ministry of Health, teaching hospitals, medical centres and others were missing, as documented in the 2018 audited report by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.

The ICIR contacted Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari Femi Adesina, but he did not respond to a message sent to him. Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the president Garba Shehu was also contacted and like Adesina, he also did not respond to a message sent to him. Both spokesmen also did not answer calls.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) had filed a lawsuit against President Muhammadu Buhari over his failure to probe the allegation of the missing N3.8 billion.

READ ALSO: Buhari reacts five days after violent attacks in Ebonyi, Anambra

In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/433/2021 filed last week at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP sought an order of mandamus directing and compelling President Buhari to investigate alleged missing N3.8billion health funds, and to promptly investigate the extent and patterns of widespread corruption in the Federal Ministry of Health, teaching hospitals, medical centres and NAFDAC.

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Opeyemi Owolabi read in part; ‘’An order granting leave to the Applicant to apply for judicial review to enable the Applicant seek an order of mandamus directing and compelling the 1st Respondent to direct the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to investigate allegations.”

SERAP sought a court order to compel the Presidency to promptly investigate the extent and patterns of widespread corruption in the Federal Ministry of Health, Teaching Hospitals, Medical Centres and NAFDAC indicted in the 2018 Audit Report by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation;

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The anti-corruption agency likewise sought an order “granting leave to the applicant to apply for judicial review to enable the applicant seek an order of mandamus directing and compelling the 1st and 2nd respondents to take meaningful and effective measures to clean up an apparently entrenched system of corruption in the health sector.’’

Meanwhile, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

Buhari describes attacks on Imo Police headquarters, prison as acts of terrorism

Vincent Ufuoma
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Buhari describes attacks on Imo Police headquarters, prison as acts of terrorism

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has described Monday attacks on Police command headquarters and Nigeria Correctional Facility (prison) in Owerri, Imo State, as acts of terrorism.

Buhari, who condemned the incident in a statement issued by presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu, directed security and intelligence agencies in the state and the geo-political zone to “fully mobilize and go after the terrorists, apprehend them and get them punished under the full weight of the law.”

He commended the initial response of security guards and forces in preventing greater loss of lives and destruction of public property.

He appealed to members of the public to assist law enforcement agencies with any relevant information that could lead to the apprehension of those who perpetrated the act.

He also urged members of the public to be vigilant,  saying that everyone had a stake in preserving the country’s way of life from disruption by terrorists and anarchists. He noted that the Federal Government would use every available tool at its disposal to confront and terminate the bare-faced anarchy.

Police finger Eastern Security Network

THE Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu said preliminary investigations revealed members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) were responsible for the deadly attack.

Adamu, who directed the Imo State Commissioner of Police to fish out the perpetrators, said the attackers were in possession of sophisticated weapons such as general purpose machine guns (GPMGs), sub-machine guns (SMGs), AK49 rifles, rocket propelled grenades (RPGs), and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

He also ordered the immediate deployment of additional units of Police Mobile Force (PMF) and other Police tactical squads to Imo to strengthen security in the state and prevent further attacks on security formations or any other critical national infrastructure.

The ICIR had reported how some gunmen in the early hours of Monday razed  Imo State Police Command headquarters.

Some vehicles parked at the command headquarters were also burnt down. It was gathered that the hoodlums further freed suspects in almost all the cells at the State Criminal Investigation Department of the command.

They also reportedly attacked the Owerri Correctional Prison in Imo State capital and freed over 1,500 inmates.

IPOB dissociates self from attack

The Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) has, however,  dissociated itself from the attack, saying that its members and ESN had never been involved in assaulting Nigeria’s security operatives.

The Media and Publicity Secretary of the group Emma Powerful urged the Nigerian government and media houses to stop labelling IPOB members and its security operatives as unknown gunmen, stressing that their primary assignment was mainly to resist the terror of the killer Fulani herders.

IGP fingers ESN members in Monday’s attack in Imo, directs CP to fish out perpetrators

Vincent Ufuoma
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0
IGP fingers ESN members in Monday’s attack in Imo, directs CP to fish out perpetrators

 

THE Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu says preliminary investigations have revealed that Monday’s attack on the headquarters of Imo State Police Command were carried out by members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

Adamu has, therefore, directed the Imo State Commissioner of Police to fish out the perpetrators.

In a statement signed by Force Public Relations Officer Frank Mba and made available to The ICIR on Monday, Adamu said the attack was with the intent to gain access into the armoury of the Police by the ESN. However, they were repelled by officers on duties, the IGP said.

He ordered the immediate deployment of additional units of Police Mobile Force (PMF) and other Police tactical squads to Imo to strengthen security in the state and prevent further attacks on security formations or any other critical national infrastructure.

While stating that the command did not lose any of its officers to the attack, Mba added that the attackers were in possession of sophisticated weapons such as general purpose machine guns (GPMGs), sub-machine guns (SMGs), AK49 rifles, rocket propelled grenades (RPGs), and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

“The attempt by the attackers to gain access to the Police armoury at the Headquarters was totally and appropriately resisted by Police operatives on duty who repelled the attackers and prevented them from breaking-in and looting the armoury,” part of the statement read.

“The armoury is thus intact! Similarly, the police suffered no human casualty, apart from a police Constable who sustained a minor bullet wound on his shoulder.

“Meanwhile, one of the operational vehicles of the attackers has been recovered by the Police and is currently being subjected to forensic scrutiny and investigations.”

The IGP, who described the deliberate and criminal attack on security operatives as an attack on the soul of our nation, has enjoined leaders in Imo State, the South-East and other parts of the country to speak out against the unfolding violence and criminality.

He equally called on citizens to avail the Police and other security agencies of useful information that could assist in identifying and arresting the criminals.

He vowed that the perpetrators would be brought to book, noting that the force was doing all within its powers to curb the activities of unscrupulous elements hell-bent on threatening the unity, safety, security and socio-ecomomic wellbeing of Nigerians.

The ICIR had reported how some gunmen in the early hours of Monday razed  Imo State Police Command headquarters.

Some vehicles parked at the command headquarters were also burnt down. It was gathered that the hoodlums further freed suspects in almost all the cells at the State Criminal Investigation Department of the command.

The hoodlums also reportedly attacked the Owerri Correctional Prison in Imo State capital and freed over 1,500 inmates.

IPOB dissociates self from attack

The Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) has, however,  dissociated itself from the attack, saying that its members and ESN had never been involved in assaulting Nigeria’s security operatives.

The Media and Publicity Secretary of the group Emma Powerful urged the Nigerian government and media houses to stop labelling IPOB members and its security operatives as unknown gunmen, stressing that their primary assignment was mainly to resist the terror of the killer Fulani herders.

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