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Bimbo Ogbonna’s death: Group warns Lagos Police against intimidation of her family

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***Decries 12 hours arrest of grieving Mother, brothers

A frontline advocacy group against Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) – Men Against Rape Foundation (MARF) has warned the Lagos State Police Command to desist from being used to intimidate and harass the mother and brothers of late Bimbo Martins Ogbonna at the instance of her husband, Ikechukwu Ogbonna.

Bimbo, documented by some respected anti-domestic violence non governmental bodies and activists as a victim of Intimate Partner Violence, died after she reportedly sustained 95% burns in the house. It was alleged that rather than rescue her, her husband opted to video record her inside their locked apartment and this has led to him being charged for negligence leading to her death.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Executive Director of MARF, Lemmy Ughegbe decried the arrest and intimidation of Bimbo’s grieving mother, Mrs Ebele Comfort Martins and her brothers at the instance of Mr. Ogbonna.

“It is laughable that Ogbonna alleged that Bimbo’s mother stole $20,000 USD from his house when

“On the 24th day of December, officers of the Lagos State Police Command arrested the grieving old mother of Bimbo and her two sons at the instance of Mr. Ikechukwu Ogbonna who claimed that she stole $20,000 belonging to him from his apartment on the same day that Bimbo was gutted by fire.”, Ughegbe noted.

He said Ogbonna’s claim is laughable because upon news of his wife’s death, he immediately made a voice note recording, explaining that he did not abscond on the day of the fire incident, but left to seek financial assistance from his friends and associates to enable him pick Bimbo’s hospital bills”, Ughegbe stated.

“While we concede the right of the police to investigate allegations of crime, no citizen should be unduly detained on flimsy allegations, which lack credibility and iota of evidence like the one made by Mr. Ogbonna upon which the police had to detain the old woman for twelve solid hours”, Ughegbe stated.

According to him, the allegations made by Ogbonna leading to the arrest of the trio was a study in contradiction and on the face of it the police ought to have been dismissed within a few minutes of interrogating them.

“You all will recall that after Mr. Ogbonna came out of hiding and handing himself over to the police who had been on his hunt over his alleged role in the fire that burnt his wife and led to her death, he claimed that he went to meet friends and associates to raise money for her medical bills”, he recalled.

“How can the same man who wrote in his statement at Panti Police Station and on Instagram that he didn’t have money for her hospital bills and that was why he went looking for financial support from friends and associate, suddenly wake up to claim he had $20,000 in the house, which was stolen by his mother in-law?”, Ughegbe quizzed.

“An impartial police would easily see through this tissue of lies and not keep the old woman in detention for twelve hours. Instead, the police played dumb and allowed themselves to be used as tools to harass and intimidate the grieving family”, he stated.

He said “to detain an old grieving woman on the eve of Christmas for 12 solid hours without any deference to her age or the fact that she has just lost her daughter and is traumatized by the circumstances of that loss is totally unacceptable, reprehensible and condemnable.”

Obviously the police are in dire need of emotional intelligence as they have shown by this assault against the grieving family that they lack emotional intelligence and the knowledge of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) associated with losing a child or a sister as in the instant case.

He called on the Inspector General of Police to call the Lagos State Police Command to order in order not to have the reputation of the police, which he has been working hard to clean up, muddied further.

Meanwhile, the Investigation Unit of Make A Difference Initiative headed by Comrade Jacob Edi had ran a check on Ogbonna and found that he has been in dire straits financially for quite some time.

Mr. Ogbonna even had to sell some choice Wrist Watch to offset various debts he owes people.

A check on estate also shows it is gated and access cannot be granted any visitor or family member into the estate without the permission of a resident.

However, the Investigative Unit of Make A Difference Initiative can confirm that the time any member of the family visited the scene of the incident was in the company of the Police at Panti and Ikechukwu to conduct Forensic, Fire Report and to take some of the children’s clothing.

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‘Listing Simon Ekpa among wanted persons by Nigeria military is rascality, intimidation’

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The recent listing of the Biafra Prime Minister Simon Ekpas’ name among wanted individuals by the Nigerian government and military has been condemned by The Biafra Republic Government in Exile.

Chief of staff to chief Ekpa, Dr. Ngozi Orabueze in a statement said the declaration is an indication of the highest form of rascality,  irresponsibility and intimidation that can not be found in a true democracy

She said the Nigeria government and military were looking for a foithold to suppress the basic and inalienable rights of the Biafra people to chose their leader and discuss who they are as a people hence they came up with the declaration
“Prime Minister His Excellency Simon Ekpa is a Self Determination Leader who can never be a wanted individual. 

Dr. Orabueze indicated that the declaration by the Director, Defence Media Operation Maj. Gen. Edward Buba is a show of the highest form of rascality,  irresponsibility and intimidation. 
“It is also a ploy by the Nigeria government and military to suppress the basic and inalienable rights of the Biafra people to chose their leader and discuss who they are as a people.” 
The chief of staff in the statement called for the immediate withdrawal of the Biafra Government the Nigeria government.

She also demanded an apology from Major General Buba to the Biafra people whose rights and image  has been trampled upon with such fallacy and publication. 
In her statement, Dr Orabueze explained that the continuous use of intimidation, suppression, killings and disrespect for the right of over 70 million Biafrans scattered all over the world and inside Nigeria can no longer go without a measurable action.

“The call for Self Determination, Self Referendum and Redeclaration  of Biafra as a Sovereign state is a task geared towards the security of lives and property of indigenous Nigerians in Biafra territory, and must be achieved for peace and reduction in terrorism in that part of the world. 
“The 40 United States of Biafra currently under the leadership of Biafra Republic government in Exile headed by Prime Minister Simon Ekpa is the wish of Biafra people. Such wish must be respected. 
“The inclusion of the distinguished Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic government in Exile’s name Simon Ekpa among the list of wanted individuals in Nigeria is the same thing Nigeria government and military did to the current Biafra leader leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is currently being held in Nigeria DSS detention center despite repeated legal rulings to free him.
“The United Nations has also called for the release of Nnamdi Kanu but the Nigeria military and government has refused.
“Nigeria is currently in a military rule disguised with President Tinubu as a civilian stooge. 
“With this publication, the Nigeria military and  government has once again proven to the world that it is a government that uses its power militarily to intimidate, suppress, kill and maim innocent citizens. “Thousands of innocent Nigerians have been killed this year alone by government sponsored terrorists. 
“The Nigeria military and government runs a  policy to reintegrate and rehabilitate known terrorists. This  policy has cause more deaths to indigenous Nigeria citizens compared to Boko Haram.
“Last Christmas, over 300 indigenous citizens were murdered same day by government sponsored and reintegrated terrorists. 
“The only crime of Simon Ekpa is to speak against these killings and encourage Biafrans to defend themselves against invading terrorists.”

She described the Nigeria government and military romance/sympathy with terrorist leaders such as Hamas that recently visited Nigeria and welcomed in over 3 news media controlled by the Nigeria government as a grave concern.
“Such action validates the connivance of the current Nigeria  government and military with terrorists.”
Dr. Orabueze therefore called on the Nigeria government to not only withdraw the Biafra Prime Ministers name from their purported wanted list but to respect the wishes of the Biafra people and peacefully start discussion towards the exit of Biafra from Nigeria
The Chief of staff noted that she will be open for such discussion any day

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Youth leader on marathon trek for Jarigbe arrives Abuja after 5 days

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A prominent youth leader in Cross River North Senatorial District Aruku Richard Monkom had made 474.9km long trek from Obudu to Abuja in honour of Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe

The young man who arrived Abuja on Saturday morning had flagged off his marathon walk at Federal Goverent College Obudu on March 19.
He arrived Abuja at about 11.45 am on Saturday to a warm welcomed by Distinguished Jarigbe and other supporters.

He said, “I trekked day and night and thank God I was able to make it here after, and embarked on the long walk as my only way to appreciate the quality representation our Distinguished Senator has given the Cross River North in the Senate.
“But did vidoe of myself in every popular locations on my way down here starting from the Federal Government College Obudu, down to Makurdi, Akwanga, keffi, mararaba and finally Abuja.”
Richard who is the coordinator of PDP youth movement in Cross River told journalist that he was in Abuja to present award to Senator Jarigbe and to encourage him to continue with his good work for the zone.
According to him, “I have only met Distinguidhed Senator once and this is my first time of coming closer to him and embarking on the long walk was the only way I felt I could honour him for standing with our people.

According to him, the lawmaker has become a model for everyone in the society due to his standout legislative performance which is basically on Human Capital and Infrastructural Development in the zone
Speaking when he received the youth man and other youths in his official home Sen Jarigbe thanked Mr Richard for his amazing show of solidarity . Senator Jarigbe who is the chairman Senate Committee on Gas said the action of Mr Richard will rather spur into more work fir his people .

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Tension persists in Warri, as thugs attack sympathisers of Chief Emami

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Barely two weeks after residents of Okere Community in Warri South local government area of Delta state suffered sporadic gun shots from unidentified military men, tension has again gripped the community again as thugs attacked innocent indigenes who were just returning to the city after the last ugly incidents.
Findings revealed that those targeted in the attacks were loyalists of the prominent Warri businessman and philanthropist, Chief Ayiri Emami.
Chief Emami had recently while offering prayer at the community shrine sought divine intervention on the stool of Warri, a supplication which courted the anger of the incumbent Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III.
The victims of Thursday attacks included David Iwere and Philip Awani, among others. They had earlier been granted bail from Police custody among other innocent victims of March 2 attack before they were physically assaulted again.

Narrating his experience in a chat with newsmen, Mr. David Iwere, claimed that the reason for the persistent assaults on him and others was their support for Chief Ayiri Emami, over his insistence on the edict as regards succession to the throne of Olu of Warri and the preservation of Itsekiri custom and tradition, “which the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, is bent on desecrating with oily substance as displayed in Okere Community Ogwa ( town hall) on Saturday March 2 this year and similar exercise earlier at Ogbowuru hall in Ode – Itsekiri and Ugborodo.”
“We will not succumb to the continued attacks, the Inspector – General of Police, should take note of the lawless and destruction being carried out by thugs acting on the behest of the Olu of Warri.”
Further checks revealed that the police in Delta State have reportedly invited those fingered as threats to the peace of the Okere community.

In the letter signed by Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Abubakar, Warri Area Command headquarters of the Nigerian Police Force, Warri, Delta state aides of Olu of Warri was allegedly listed among those constituting threats to peace.

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