The lawmaker that represented Enugu North Senatorial District in the 8th Senate, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, CON, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Peter Mbah to urgently halt the ongoing bloodbath in Uzo-Uwani Local Government of Enugu State.

He said the needless killings in the agrarian communities of Uzo- Uwani, as seen in the slaughter of four people in Nimbo last Sunday have turned the area to a killing field and engendered panic among residents.

Responding to the tragic killings of four people in Nimbo by suspected herdsmen on Sunday, Senator Utazi, in a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday, disclosed that the building of a Mobile Squadron Base at Nkpologu, which would have served as a swift response unit in the face of such security threats was politically thwarted by the past administration of Enugu State, thereby exposing the vast areas of Uzo Uwani to kidnappers and violent herdsmen.

The lawmaker expressed sadness that since the 2016 massacre at Nimbo, no week has passed without reports of killings and maiming of natives by rampaging herdsmen.

Senator Utazi, who was the Minority Whip in the 9th Assembly, recounted that in the wake of the 2016 massacre in Nimbo, he brought the matter to the Senate Plenaries, which prompted former President Muhammadu Buhari to dispatch IGP Solomon Arase to the scene. He noted that the IGP approved the commencement and building of the Mobile Squadron Base at Nkpologu and handed the letter personally to him to deliver to the Governor.

“Once on receipt of the letter, he convened a meeting to change the location to his preferred site and in the process robbed Uzo-Uwani LGA a project that would have put paid to the constant killings of our people,’ he said.

The Senator noted that the prosecution of the five suspects apprehended in connection with Nimbo killings suffered setbacks due to lack of fund by the Enugu State Government for diligent prosecution of the matter in court.

He further recounted that the former Governor set up a panel of inquiry to unravel the immediate and remote causes of the 2016 Nimbo killings, but there were no follow-ups on the matter and his personal attempts to bring the issue to Governor’s attention met vicious attacks from political sycophants and hired online mob. He argued that if the suspects arrested in 2016 killings were properly prosecuted, last Sunday attack could as well be averted.

Utazi explained that Uzo-Uwani has the largest landmass east of the Niger, with numerous water bodies and fertile lands which are major attractions to herdsmen.

‘That the Eastern Region Government sited Adarice Farm Settlement at Adani by Dr M.I Okpara, then Governor, was not by accident or lobby. It was because Adani and environs had comparative advantage over all other parts of the eastern region for agriculture”, he added.

In spite of the huge agricultural potentials of the area, the lawmaker noted with dissatisfaction that this year ranks as the worst farming season in the history of Uzo Uwani.

According to him, natives, farming settlements and migrant farmers have since abandoned their farms for fear of death in the hands of gun-weilding herdsmen.

“Adani, the seat of farming in Enugu State, is now a shadow of its former self. Opanda Nimbo, a cosmopolitan town thickly populated by migrant farmers from all parts of Enugu State and beyond is now totally deserted because of kidnappers and violent herdsmen’, he stated.

Senator Utazi advised Governor Mbah not to follow the unacceptable path of his predecessor in offfice in finding a lasting solution to the constant killings of natives on regular basis.

The Senator also called on Mbah to facilitate the handing over of Nkpologu Divisional Police Station to the police in order to make the place functional.
He explained that he built the station, as well as residential quarters, and provided a functional borehole and Hilux vehicle as his contribution to fighting insecurity in Uzo-Uwani.

Utazi equally advised Governor Mbah to revisit the report of the panel of inquiry on the 2016 Nimbo killings and possible publish a white paper on it. He urged the Governor to direct the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to track the matter of the five suspects arrested in connection with the 2016 Nimbo massacre and ensure diligent prosecution until justice is duly served.

‘I salute your resilience, I stand with you in your struggles’

The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election Peter Obi has written to Nigeria Workers saluting their resilience and doggedness to ensure a better Nigeria.

Obi said in the letter to mark the Worker’s Day that he stands in solidarity with the Workers in all their struggles.

Excerpts of the letter below:

“My fellow Nigerian workers,

“As we come together to celebrate Workers’ Day, I am filled with an overwhelming sense of pride and admiration for each and every one of you who continue to stand tall and steadfast in your commitment to building our great nation, even in the face of adversity and challenges.

“Today, as we honor the hard work, dedication, and resilience of workers across the country and beyond, I am reminded of the incredible strength and spirit that defines us as a people.

“Despite the countless obstacles and hurdles that may stand in our way, you, the backbone of our society, remain unwavering in your resolve to contribute to the growth and development of our beloved nation.

“From the bustling streets of Lagos to the serene villages of the North, from the bustling markets of Onitsha to the bustling ports of Port Harcourt, your labor forms the foundation upon which our nation stands.

“Whether you are toiling in the fields under the scorching sun or laboring in factories amidst the hum of machinery, your efforts are the lifeblood of our economy and the driving force behind our progress.

“But beyond the tangible contributions you daily make to our nation’s development, it is your unwavering patriotism, resilience, and determination that truly inspire us all.

“In the face of economic hardships, political uncertainties, and social injustices, you continue to stand your ground, holding fast to your belief in a brighter future for our country.

‘I stand with you in solidarity, championing your cause and advocating for your rights. I recognize the sacrifices you make each and every day to provide for your families, support your communities, and contribute to the collective well-being of our nation.

“Today, as we celebrate Workers’ Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to one another and to the ideals of unity, justice, and equality for all. Let us take pride in our achievements, draw strength from our collective resilience, and rededicate ourselves to the noble cause of building a better, more prosperous Nigeria for generations to come.

“Lastly, I extend my heartfelt gratitude and admiration to each and every one of you for your unwavering dedication, patriotism, and sacrifice. Your labor is the cornerstone of our nation’s prosperity, and your contributions will forever be cherished and celebrated.

“Truly, as our anthem reaffirms, the labor of you our perpetual heroes shall indeed never be in vain.
“Happy Workers’ Day, my fellow compatriots!

-PO
May 1st 2024

The Public Petitions Committee of the Federal House of Representatives Tuesday threw out the petition by a gang of land grabbers from Ndiaga, Amechi-Uwani, to sabotage the peace of the community and blackmailing law enforcement agents into granting them free reign.

Chairman, Hon. Mike Etaba, who presided at the scheduled hearing in the committee room, in Abuja, struck out the petition on the ground that the House had no power to adjudicate on a matter that was already pending in several suits in different parts of the county.

Those who filed the dismissed petition included Chinwuba Agah, and Sunday ‘White’ Nnaji,and five others, who have been leading a group of land grabbers from Amechi-Uwani disposing off plots of land at the Centenary Estate, on the false premise that the acquisition of the land by the Enugu state government was not lawful.

The petitioners,acting in concert with dubious developers desperate to take over Centenary through the back door, raising a number of unsubstantiated charges against imaginary enemies, including a police officer, SP Chdiebere Ijioma.

They also alleged that a certain police IPO, was killed in the course of his work on their earlier petitions, but provided no details or particulars of the alleged murder.

At the hearing of the petition in Abuja on Tuesday, Barr. Peter Ezeh, who appeared for Private Estate Internal Limited, overseeing the development of Centenary, informed the committee that there were over 20 matters at various stages in various courts in the country, a facts that the petitioners fraudulently withheld from the law makers.

Vice-chairman of Ndiaga General Assembly, Hon. Onyekwere Nwobodo, also alerted the committee members of the destabilising activities of the petitioners in their homestead, describing them as land grabbers and desperadoes.

After taking elaborate submissions from credible persons and interest groups on the matter, Committee Chairman, Hon. Etaba, ruled that it was not proper to meddle in a case in courts of competent jurisdiction.

He struck it accordingly!

The petitioners are now expected to come up with a new petition, may be to the Senate, this time, in their endless search for a forum to justify their illegal land grabbing activities inside Centenary.