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land Crisis In Idumuje-Ugboko Community : Ned Nwoko’s false assassination Plot
…Why He Is After Gabriel Ogbechie Rainoil ChairmanBusinessman-cum-politician, Prince Ned Nwoko of Idumuje-Ugboko community in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, who reliable sources say has continued to pull the strings of false stories, has alleged that another prominent son of the community who is the chairman of Rainoil, Chief Gabriel Ogbechie, is sponsoring a plot to assassinate him.
This, however, was found not to be true.
According to a petition he wrote to the office of the Commissioner of Police, Abuja, Ogbechie was mentioned as sponsor of the plan to kill him by two suspects in Kuje Prison. He alleged in the petition that his wife, Regina Daniels, was told by one Wale Jana that he (Jana) was informed about the plot by an inmate who overheard the suspects discussing how to assassinate him.
Part of Ned’s petition reads:
“I was reliably informed by my wife, Regina Daniels, who was also informed by one Mr. Wale Jana, that the suspects who were arrested and remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in connection with the murder case in my village, are plotting to cause me harm and possibly kill me._
_From the information made available to me, the evil plot is being sponsored by one Chief Gabriel Ogbechie, the chairman of Rainoil. I came to this conclusion because, according to the report sent to my wife by Wale Jana, an inmate in the same room with the suspects at the correctional facility who pretended to be sleeping heard them plotting to harm me by conspiring with others outside the prison yard. From what he heard, the sponsor of the planned attack owns a filling station and is in the business of oil and gas and hails from the community around. As far as I know, the only person that fits that description is one Chief Gabriel Ogbechie…”_
Meanwhile, if it were not for the involvement of the police, the nakedness of Ned Nwoko’s false assassination theory would have gained public acceptance.
Based on Ned’s petition, Chief Gabriel Ogbechie and other people were reportedly invited by the police for questioning, including Ogbechie’s lawyer. The case got to the office of the Inspector-General of Police who then put together an investigative team to probe the allegation. In the course of investigation, Ned was asked to present the said Wale Jana who he said in his petition overheard the suspects plotting to kill him, but Ned changed the story. He was said to have told the police that the person who actually heard the suspects planning to kill him was not Jana but one Ossy Boise. When he was asked to present the Boise, Ned said the guy was dead. Then the police reportedly asked him to tell them how the Boise died, where he died, what killed him and where the autopsy report is, to which Ned could not make available any proof. Consequently, the case was dismissed by the police.
It was after his plot hit the rocks that, we gathered, Ned Nwoko decided on an escapee method by pushing the story to the public domain. In his public narrative, Ned claimed that the Boise that died was actually poisoned and that Gabriel Ogbechie was behind his killing so that Boise wouldn’t be able to testify against him (Ogbechie) in the case.
Logically, Ned Nwoko’s narratives were clear falsehoods, based on two premises. The first premise is that, in the petition that he wrote alleging a plot to kill him, Ned mentioned one Mr. Wale Jana as the person who informed his wife someone overheard the suspects discussing the plot. When Ned was asked to present the Wale Jana, he changed the story. Ned said that it was not Jana but one Boise. The second premise is that, when the two community youths were arrested, they were arrested and detained for murder. When they were taken to court, the judge said that they should be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the conclusion of investigation. But Kuje Correctional Centre was overcrowded and because of the coronavirus protocols, the two suspects were remanded at Suleja Correctional Centre. In other words, Ned was not aware that the suspects he claimed were overheard plotting his assassination in Kuje Correctional Centre were indeed being detained in Suleja Correctional Centre.
Therefore, sources said, it is clear as crystal that it was false narrative that Ned pushed to the public place and these revelations have verified the fact that, indeed, there was no plan by anyone to kill Ned Nwoko; it is just a plot to malign Chief Gabriel Ogbechie. Sources also confirmed that the assassination theory, including ceaseless media attacks, is actually part of face-saving efforts to get back at Chief Gabriel Ogbechie, who he perceives as supporting those he (Ned) is being oppressed in a community land tussle that dates back to twenty years.
According to insiders, Ogbechie has been challenging Ned, in courteous manner, on his violation of the due process required to acquire a community land, asking of him to engage the leadership of the community properly in doing so. The land crisis involves Idumuje-Ugboko community from where both Ned and Ogbechie hails and all Chief Ogbechie has been doing is to bring peace back to Idumuje-Ugboko community and to compel Ned Nwoko to protect and preserve the throne and the family heritage and not drag the throne and, indeed, the Idumuje-Ugboko community to disrepute.
The problem began in Year 2000. Ned Nwoko had approached the late King of Idumuje-Ugboko, HRH Obi Albert Nwoko that he wanted to be allocated 33 hectares of land because he was bringing investors to the community to build a Cattle Ranch and Dairy Farm where the youths of the community would be employed. The late king excitedly allocated the 33 hectares of land to Ned as requested, for free, we learnt. However, instead of fulfilling his promise to bring investors to Idumuje-Ugboko, Ned only erected his personal mansion on a portion of the land and held on to the remaining part without any development.
Few years after that, Ned again approached the late king to request for another 100 hectares of land upon which he promised to build a sports university, the first of its kind in sub-Sahara Africa. But the king refused him, on the ground that the 33 hectares of land he was earlier given which he has failed to put to use for development as promised, was still causing crisis in the community. The king then asked him to first start the sports university on the remaining portion of 33 acres and more lands would be added if that was not enough for the university project. Sources said that Ned was not comfortable with the king’s suggestion. Hence, he reportedly kept pressure on the king on the matter and in the process, the king died on the 9th of February 2017.
The Idumuje-Ugboko’s kingship is hereditary; so, it is expected that when a king dies, one of his children would naturally take the throne. In that regard, the late king’s first son, Prince Chukwunomso Nwoko, was chosen to succeed his father and the necessary rites to that effect were undertaken. According to sources, Ned Nwoko soon approached the Prince and told him that his late father had already promised him a hundred hectares of land for the university project. But the Prince reportedly replied Ned that he was privy to the agreement he had with his late father, which was for him to first start the university project on the remaining part of the 33 hectares earlier allotted to him. The Prince told him that until he started the project on the first land, the palace could not give him another land. Ned didn’t like that, sources said, thus, he reportedly began working against the Prince’s candidacy to the throne.According to reliable sources, Ned got in touch with people relevant to events that would make the Prince to get his staff of office, applying pressures on them and eventually the Prince has not received the staff of office till date. A meeting was reportedly called by elders of the community to deliberate on the next line of action but, according to information, thugs suspected to be working for Ned Nwoko invaded the meeting place and disrupted the process. The meeting was then relocated to the palace. Again, we gathered, thugs stormed the palace, but the youths of the community rose to defend the palace and stop the thugs. Tension arose and it degenerated to a free-for-all.
Following the palace scuffle, we learned, Ned Nwoko wrote a petition to the police headquarters in Abuja that somebody, a certain Okada rider from Onicha-Ugbo, was killed in the palace and the community youths be held for murder. Subsequently, two of the community youths were reportedly arrested. In the course of the investigation, nobody was found to have died in the palace encounter. But based on Ned’s petition to the police, the arrested youths were taken to court and remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the conclusion of the investigation. Few days after, and before the final funeral rites for HRH Albert Nwoko, Ned wrote another petition to the police against the Prince and president general of the Idumuje-Ugboko Development Union (UDU), Mr. Okey Ifejiokwu. Both the Prince and the community union president were arrested. That was when prominent personalities in the community decided to intervene. Pressure was, however, mounted on Ned by Ogbechie and elders of the community and the Prince was released, leaving Ifejiokwu in police net. The Rainoil chairman later got a lawyer for Ifejiokwu through whom he secured his release from custody. That was where the problem between Ned and Ogbechie actually started. Ned had assumed that Ogbechie was supporting people against him. Hence, the assassination plots.
…….GDP rose 4.43 per cent in Q2
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday assured Nigerians that his administration would intensify efforts to translate improving economic indicators into better living conditions. NigerianBusiness Directory
He declared that the economy is now on an “irreversible path” towards growth that households will feel at their dining tables and in their pockets.
The President said the Federal Government would, within the next few weeks, introduce measures targeted at vulnerable Nigerians, including cheaper means of transportation, increased food production and relief programmes designed to directly reach people at the grassroots.
Tinubu gave the assurances in his reaction to the latest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures released yesterday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The report shows that the Nigerian economy grew by 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 4.23 per cent recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2025. NigerianBusiness Directory
The President welcomed the figures as further evidence that the economic reforms undertaken by his administration since May 2023 were yielding results, according to a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga.
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“Under our watch, the economy is on the irreversible path to experience even more growth that all homes will feel at the dining table and in their pockets. We are not resting on our oars.
“We are fully committed to translating consistent, stronger economic performance into better microeconomic outcomes for our citizens. We must stay vigilant by ensuring the sustainable progress we are recording remains irreversible,” Tinubu said.
According to the NBS report, growth was recorded across agriculture, manufacturing, oil and gas, and services, with the services sector maintaining its position as the largest contributor to aggregate GDP.
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In nominal terms, Nigeria’s aggregate GDP rose to N119.27 trillion in the second quarter, representing an 18.43 per cent increase from the N100.7 trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
Tinubu said his administration had spent the past three years taking difficult decisions necessary to stabilise the economy.
“In the past three years, we tried to do the hard part by implementing the necessary reforms to stabilise the economy.
“Now the economy is stabilised, and we have laid the foundation for a prosperous nation. We didn’t do the reforms to create challenges, but to ensure prosperity reaches all our people,” he said.
The President said the latest growth figures were among a series of indicators showing that his Renewed Hope Agenda was working, pointing to improvements in the country’s external reserves, trade position, credit ratings, infrastructure development and oil and gas production.
“The results of the efforts are becoming very clear to all: The Renewed Hope Agenda is working. Because of those tough decisions, today Nigeria has trade surpluses. Our foreign reserves are at their highest in 17 years. Our credit rating has moved up several notches.
“We are building roads, railways and superhighways that will last for a long time. Investors who left are returning. Oil and gas production is increasing,” Tinubu said.
He also cited developments in the education sector as evidence of progress, saying Nigerian universities had enjoyed stability while the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) was expanding access to tertiary education.
“And in our universities, for the first time in a long time, there are no strikes. Our children are in class. And through NELFUND, student loans are putting education within reach, and affordable credit is going to our civil servants through Creditcorp,” he said.
The President said the next phase of the administration’s intervention would place greater emphasis on alleviating pressures confronting vulnerable Nigerians and ensuring that improving macroeconomic indicators translate into tangible benefits. NigerianBusiness Directory
“In the next few weeks, we are addressing some of the challenges being faced by our vulnerable population by providing cheaper means of transport, ramping up food production and implementing various relief programmes that will touch lives at the grassroots,” he said.
Tinubu also took a swipe at the opposition, saying the latest economic figures had come at a time when opposition elements were attempting to diminish the achievements of his administration and promising to reverse some of its reforms if elected.
He maintained that the policies undertaken since the beginning of his administration were not intended to impose hardship on Nigerians, but to correct structural weaknesses and create the foundation for sustainable prosperity. NigerianBusiness Directory
The President pledged that his administration would remain focused on consolidating the gains recorded so far.
Economy expands further on broad-based growth across sectors
The NBS report, which shows 4.43 per cent growth in the second quarter, indicates that the growth outperformed both the first quarter of 2026 and the corresponding second quarter of 2025.
The report highlighted a broad-based economic expansion driven by significant improvements in the agricultural segment, non-oil sector, services and sustained growth in the oil sector.
The agricultural sector almost doubled its performance, with a growth of 4.39 per cent in the second quarter of 2026 compared with 2.82 per cent in the corresponding period of 2025.
The non-oil sector, which accounted for about 96 per cent of the economy, grew by 67 basis points to 4.31 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 3.64 per cent recorded in the second quarter of 2025. Non-oil sector growth was 3.94 per cent in the first quarter of 2026.
Non-oil sector performance was driven by growth across various segments, including crop production, telecommunications, real estate, trade, financial institutions, cement manufacturing and construction, among others.
The oil sector grew by 7.31 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, higher than the 2.57 per cent recorded in the first quarter of 2026, but lower than the 20.46 per cent recorded in the second quarter of 2025.
The industrial sector also grew by 3.96 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, as against 7.46 per cent recorded in the comparative period of 2025.
Average daily crude oil production rose to 1.72 million barrels per day (mbpd) in the second quarter of 2026, outperforming both the preceding quarter and the comparable period of 2025.
Crude production in the second quarter of 2026 was the highest since 2022. Oil production stood at 1.68 mbpd in the second quarter of 2025 and 1.55 mbpd in the first quarter of 2026.
The oil sector thus contributed 4.16 per cent to total real GDP in the second quarter of 2026, a sustained improvement on the 4.05 per cent recorded in the corresponding period of 2025 and 3.92 per cent recorded in the first quarter of 2026.
In nominal terms, total GDP rose by 18.43 per cent from N100.73 trillion in the second quarter of 2025 to N119.29 trillion in the second quarter of 2026.
In terms of GDP share, the services sector remained the dominant driver, contributing 56.62 per cent to aggregate GDP in the second quarter of 2026, as against 56.53 per cent recorded in the comparable period of 2025.
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The non-oil sector contributed 95.84 per cent to aggregate real GDP in the second quarter of 2026, as against 95.95 per cent in the second quarter of 2025 and 96.08 per cent in the first quarter of 2026.
Experts were unanimous that the latest GDP report showed a positive outlook for the economy.
Analysts at SCM Capital stated that the second-quarter 2026 GDP report underlined improved macroeconomic conditions and broad-based policy support, which have continued to anchor economic performance.
They said the report showed broad-based resilience, with an uptick in oil output reflecting gradual operational improvements and sustained field activity across major production basins, alongside a non-oil sector gaining stronger momentum.
Analysts at Coronation Group and Cordros Capital Group stated that the GDP performance outpaced their expectations, noting that the economy had shown resilience and steady growth.
sustained economic resilience, with growth anchored by the services sector alongside gradual improvement across non-oil activities.
“The outturn affirms our broader expectation of a steady, non-oil-led growth trajectory through the rest of the year,” Coronation Group stated.
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Update : NRC Releases Preliminary Report on Warri-Itakpe Train Crash, Says Wheel Defect May Have Triggered Derailment
……NRC Suspects Wheel Defect, Rules Out Track Vandalism
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has released its preliminary report on the June 8, 2026 derailment involving the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS), revealing that a possible sudden bogie or wheel defect may have triggered the accident.
The incident occurred at about 4:17pm near the Outer Home signal of the Goodluck Jonathan Railway Station at kilometre 177, Owa-Oyibu, Agbor, Delta State.
According to the NRC, the train had departed Itakpe at 12 noon with 482 people on board, comprising 442 passengers and 40 operational personnel, when the derailment occurred.
Five coaches, one locomotive and a power car were affected, with three coaches and the power car overturning.
The Corporation said emergency response operations were immediately activated with support from the Delta State Government, the Nigeria Police Force, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), local authorities and medical teams.
All passengers were evacuated within two hours of the incident.
However, the accident resulted in four confirmed deaths — three adults and one child — while 64 people sustained various injuries.
The NRC said 28 injured passengers were treated and discharged at the Railway Hospital, Owa-Oyibu, while another 36 were transferred to hospitals in Owa-Oyibu, Owa-Alero and Agbor.
Most of those admitted were discharged within 72 hours, while three people, including an NRC employee who required surgery, remained under specialist medical care. Two of the affected persons subsequently underwent surgical procedures.
The Corporation also clarified that its initial report of five fatalities was later revised to four following verification with the Delta State medical team responsible for the deceased.
Possible wheel defect identified
The NRC said its internal investigation involved site inspections, evidence gathering, examination of operational records and communication data, technical assessments of the locomotive and rolling stock, as well as interviews with train crew, operations and maintenance personnel, witnesses and emergency responders.
The investigation also examined the track infrastructure, turnout arrangements, communication systems and the effectiveness of the emergency response and evacuation operations.
Based on the preliminary findings, the NRC said investigators identified the possible sudden development of a bogie/wheel defect while the train was in motion as a potential primary factor in the derailment.
According to the Corporation, such a defect could have resulted in abnormal wheel-rail interaction, excessive impact loading and loss of running stability.
The investigators also identified the possible manner in which the train’s brakes were applied as a factor that may have contributed to the severity of the accident.
However, the NRC stressed that both issues remain working hypotheses and that the definitive cause of the derailment would only be established after further technical analysis.
No evidence of track vandalism
The Corporation said its inquiry team found that the railway points at the accident location were intact and that there was no evidence of track vandalism.
This finding distinguishes the June 8 incident from two previous accidents involving the same Warri–Itakpe service on November 1 and November 8, 2025, which the NRC said were attributed to track vandalism.
The independent Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has also commenced its statutory investigation into the accident.
The NRC said it was cooperating fully with the NSIB and would be guided by the findings and recommendations contained in its final report.
NRC announces safety measures
Following the preliminary findings, the Corporation recommended comprehensive safety inspections and audits of rolling stock, railway tracks and infrastructure before equipment is returned to service.
It also called for stronger maintenance and condition-monitoring programmes, timely replacement of defective components and improved availability of critical spare parts.
The NRC further recommended a review of operational safety procedures, improved emergency preparedness and rescue capabilities, enhanced staff training and competency assessments, as well as sustainable funding for railway modernisation.
The Corporation also proposed improvements to its insurance and compensation framework to ensure adequate protection for passengers and staff in cases involving medical treatment, disability and fatalities.
WITS service yet to resume
The NRC said the affected track has been fully recovered and restored, while the locomotives involved have also been recovered and are currently undergoing reconditioning.
However, the Corporation said the Warri–Itakpe service would not resume until a detailed safety audit of the track and equipment has been completed.
The NRC expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the incident and apologised for the delay in releasing the preliminary report, explaining that additional time was required to properly verify the casualties and notify the affected families.
The Corporation said it remained committed to implementing recommendations arising from both its internal accident inquiry and the independent NSIB investigation, with the aim of strengthening railway safety and restoring public confidence in train transportation.
I’m
Veteran Yoruba actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, has died at 66.
His daughter, Kira Taiwo, confirmed his passing during an Instagram Live session on Sunday.
The news comes days after Kira and her sister, Lima Taiwo, made public appeals on Monday, August 17, 2026, for medical advice for their father, who was battling stage-four cancer.
Kira said doctors had stopped chemotherapy because of his condition, and the family was seeking alternative treatments, including specialised procedures and traditional remedies.
She clarified that the family was not asking for financial donations, but for information on possible treatment options.
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