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Why Prince Nonso Nwoko is facing terrorism trial
Idumuje Igboko is located in Aniocha, North of Delta State and bordered to the East by Idumuje-Unor, Ekpon or Akpu to the North West, Ohodua to the North East, Igbodo to the West and Onicha-Ugbo to the South.
Idumuje-Ugboko was founded in the 17th century. Historians are of the opinion that a core group of settlers led by Nwoko, his siblings and relations founded the community.
Idumuje-Ugboko is made of four villages. They are Atuma, Ogbe-Obi, Ogbe-Ofu and Onicha-Ukwu (Ogbe-Akwu). The four villages are reputed to have migrated from various towns and kingdoms in and around the present states of Delta, Edo and Ondo.
For instance, the Atuma village is said to have migrated from Owo, a town in present-day Ondo State, the Ogbe-Ofu from Emu, an Ishan speaking town in present-day Edo state, the Ogbe-Obi from Uzebu in the old Benin kingdom and Onicha-Ukwu from Onicha-Ukwu, a town in present-day Delta State. Among the four villages, the Onicha-Ukwu was the last of the villages to settle in Idumuje-Ugboko.
There are 16 Ebos and 24 quarters, commonly known as Idumu. The town is relatively known for its peaceful coexistence of his people since it was founded until thugs unleased mayhem on the community. After the mayhem, they left their trademark sorrow, tears and blood. The thugs were arrested and are currently facing criminal charges at the Federal High Court, Abuja
Chief Chris Ogwu is the prime minister of Ugboko, a former editor and retired journalist. He told this reporter how the incident happened. “Let me tell you, I was one of the victims of the mayhem. I was brutalized and my properties damaged by these boys. They abducted me and took me to the palace in front of Nonso where I was beaten up mercilessly.
“Between March 23rd and 26th, 2017, they unleashed mayhem on the Idumuje Ugboko community, attacked residents in their homes with guns, small axes, machetes, and sticks.
In the evening of 23rd of March, alarms were raised in the community by women and boys who were running helter-skelter and screaming.
“Upon stopping a few of them and asking what the problem was, it was learnt that thugs had invaded the residence of one Mr. Kennedy Nedu Iloh and had abducted him to an unknown destination. A search party made up of friends, family members and well-wishers later that night found and rescued him in the palace. His abductors had fled the scene on sighting his rescuers approaching their location’
“The next day, I, Chief Christopher Chukwuka Ogwu, the Iyase traditional prime minister of the Idumuje Ugboko Kingdom was seated in front of my house about 10 am when suddenly armed thugs attacked my home. They smashed the windscreens of two of my cars which were packed in front of my house – a Mercedes Benz 300 V-boot and a Toyota Camry (2.4cc). They entered the cars and stole some valuables such as telephones, cash, documents, etc. Meanwhile, I was abducted from my home to the palace grounds where I was ordered to lie on the grass after I had been thoroughly beaten up. Upon my return home, I found my home had been broken into and some of my valuables looted.
‘In continuation of these attacks, on the 25th and 25th, 21 other homes were similarly attacked at night with armed thugs roaming the community from village to village targeting homes of persons who supported the allocation of land to Lina’s International, a holding company owned by Prince Ned Nwoko who had applied to His Royal Majesty the Obi of Idumuje Ugboko for 90 hectares to build a sport university in Ugboko. His Royal Majesty (now late) was progressively inclined towards the university and had set up a 21-man land allocation of committee from amongst the membership of the Obi in Council (the official law making organ of the kingdom).
“I can tell you without mincing words that the thugs were sent to unleash the mayhem. At this time, Mr. Peter Bama was the chairman of local vigilante group set up in the community.
Also during the mayhem, Peter Bama’s home was one of those attacked. The thugs removed from his home some of the weapons and motorcycles which well-meaning members of the community had provided for the vigilante group. We reported the loss of the weapons and the motorcycles to the police who immediately gave assurance that they would investigate the robbery.”
Unfortunately, few months later, when a new vigilante group was launched in the community, the same supposedly lost weapons and motorcycles were released to them by the new tenants in the palace.
It would therefore appear that the palace harboured some of the items removed from victims’ homes. People have therefore drawn the conclusion that Prince Nonso sponsored the attacks but he had denied it in the past saying he did not send the thugs to attack anybody.
On the recent campaign of calumny against Prince Ned Nwoko, he said “those behind the said campaign want to divert attention from the criminal proceedings for murder and terrorism believing that if they raise false allegations against me I will tell the complainants to withdraw the matter in Abuja.”
The thugs are currently in Kuje prison because they couldn’t meet their bail conditions. They were granted bail of N50 million each.
Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has extended warm felicitations to Muslims in Nigeria and across the globe on the joyous occasion of Eid-el-Fitr.
In a statement to mark the end of Ramadan, Araraume highlighted the significance of the month long period of spiritual reflection, fasting, and devotion. “As Muslims gather with loved ones to share in the festivities, I join in the cheer, wishing everyone a blessed and peaceful Eid,” he said.
The Senator expressed profound appreciation to Muslim Nigerians for their contributions to the nation’s growth, describing their faith, resilience, and patriotism as beacons of hope. “Your unwavering commitment to Nigeria’s progress is truly commendable,” he stated.
As the country navigates its current challenges, Araraume called for unity, understanding, and collective effort. “Let us embrace the spirit of Eid, forgiveness, generosity, and kindness, to build a brighter future for ourselves and generations to come,” he urged.
Araraume also extended solidarity to President Bola Tinubu, a distinguished Muslim and the leader of APC, praising his visionary leadership and dedication to nation building. “President Tinubu’s commitment to serving Nigeria has been exemplary, and we assure him of our continued support,” he said.
Reaffirming the APC’s commitment to national prosperity, Araraume emphasized that the values of compassion, unity, and progress embodied by Eid align deeply with the party’s ethos. “As we mark this occasion, we reaffirm our dedication to creating a Nigeria where faith and ethnic background are not barriers to success,” he concluded.
President Bola Tinubu is currently meeting with United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a high-level bilateral engagement aimed at strengthening ties between Nigeria and Britain.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Monday, said the meeting will culminate in the signing of various Memoranda of Understanding and agreements, including those on trade, investment, defence, and cultural cooperation.
The statement said the meeting reinforces Nigeria’s commitment to deepening bilateral relations, attracting foreign investment, and modernising key infrastructure to support economic growth.
It added that a major highlight of the visit was the signing of a £746 million financing agreement between UK Export Finance, the Nigerian Ports Authority, and the Federal Ministry of Finance.
Morning Recap: Nigeria, Britain set for fresh security alliances, Saudi Arabia declares Friday Eid-el-Fitr, other top stories
The statement said the deal will fund the refurbishment of two key maritime infrastructures — the Lagos Port Complex (Apapa Quays) and the Tin Can Island Port Complex.
The President and the First Lady had earlier been the guests of their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle.
Tinubu was accompanied by a high-profile delegation, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi; Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris Mohammed; and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu.
Other members of the delegation include Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; Minister of Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa; Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani; Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa; National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu; and Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed.
Morocco have been officially crowned champions of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after the CAF Appeal Board overturned the result of the final against Senegal. The decision comes after extraordinary scenes in Rabat where the Lions of Teranga walked off the pitch in protest, leading to a retrospective 3-0 forfeit victory for the host nation.
In a detailed statement, the CAF Appeal Board confirmed that the appeal lodged by the FRMF was “declared admissible in form and the appeal is upheld.” This landmark ruling effectively strips Senegal of what would have been their second continental crown, rewarding the hosts for a match that descended into chaos during extra time.
The roots of the controversy lie in a heated moment deep into stoppage time when Morocco’s Brahim Diaz went down in the box. While the referee initially waved play away, a VAR review resulted in a spot-kick for the hosts. This sparked a furious reaction from the Senegalese bench, with head coach Pape Thiaw instructing his players to return to the dressing room in a protest that lasted several minutes.
The CAF Appeal Board found that “the conduct of the Senegal team falls within the scope of Articles 82 and 84 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations.” By leaving the field of play, Senegal was deemed to have infringed on the regulations, leading to the administrative 3-0 defeat. The ruling sets aside the previous CAF Disciplinary Board decision and confirms that the protest lodged by Morocco has been fully upheld
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