High Court 7, Owerri, presided over by Hon. Justice C.M.I. Egole
found the accused persons guilty of murder, following an
overwhelming evidence before it; even as it freed the ninth accused
person-Sussana James Duru for having not actively participated in
the dastardly act.

The convicted persons, who were all found guilty of first degree
murder are: James Ugwuoha Duru, Fester Nuforo, Alexander Nnadi
(Alias Apollo), Friday Nuforo, Jonathan Chuddy Nnadi, Chifoanu
Okorie, Mattias Ohazurike and Evans Egbujor.

Delivering the landmark judgement in suit number: HOW/4C/2007,
the presiding Judge analysed all the evidence before it and found
eight, out of the nine accused persons guilty of conspiracy and
murder.

“You are to be hanged by your neck until you are drained of your
life breath and you are dead and may God have mercy on your
soul,” the judgement reads in part.

Investigations revealed that the freed Sussana James-Ugwuoha
(wife of James Ugwuoha Duru) was linked to one of the murderers
by marriage and although she is said to have accompanied her
husband to the house of the deceased on the fateful day to lure him
to the scene of the crime, she hadn’t actively participated in the
dastardly act.

The accused was therefore freed and allowed to return home. All
the condemned criminals were led away in handcuffs to a waiting
Black Maria by armed security officials and prison guards.

Making their last comments as they were being led out by security
operatives, Festa Nuforo wailed, ‘Nze Dominic was my father!; while
James Ugwuoha contended in vain with his captors for a chance to
shake his wife’s hand, retorting that he already knew that he would
never return home alive.

When given the chance by the trial judge to offer their famous last
words or plead for leniency, the convicts took turns to eulogise the
deceased, describing him as ‘our father and benefactor’; but
showed no remorse.

The journey to the hangman started when the convicted persons
conspired and murdered the deceased on the 3rd of March, 2005
following a protracted land matter and other sundry community
issues.

According to reports, the condemned persons had on the said day,
lured the deceased to his farm land in a bush (Okpouzi) in the
village where they laid siege for him and ended his life.

In an attempt to cover up their atrocity, the murderers earlier
influenced the falsification of the autopsy conducted on the corpse
of the deceased, alleging that he died of a natural cause. They had
also touted a traditional story of the deceased being used for
rituals; the diversionary steps never yielded fruits.

Following a Federal High Court ruling, the falsified autopsy was
nullified and an independent autopsy ordered. The independent
autopsy is said to have revealed the actual cause of the death of
Nze Duru, was “multiple homicidal injuries…”

The matter which lingered for seven years survived all intrigues
adopted by the accused persons to either buy time or pervade
justice.

Reacting to the judgement, first son of the deceased, Chief
Emmanuel Duru described the ruling as victory for justice, even as
he commended the Judiciary in the state for maintaining its status
as the last hope of a common man.

He lamented the incessant killing of innocent people in the area and
called on the government to take urgent steps to sanitize the area
in the interest of the citizenry.

He however urged the people to flee from evil practices and turn to
God for salvation.

While many hailed the judgement in Izombe community where the
crime was committed, the families of the condemned persons were
in grief.

Okorocha made the declaration at a rally in Owerri as part of activities marking his two years in office.

He said his joining APC was to ensure that his people continued to benefit from the dividends of democracy.

He explained that All Progressives Grand Alliance had engaged in the merger and not in alliance with any party, noting that a two-party system was good for the country’s democracy.

The governor said the state had witnessed more development in two years than in the past 12 years.

Okorocha added that APC would bring the state closer to the “federal eye”.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that moves by the governor to merge APGA with the APC has generated heated debate among APGA stakeholders.

Seven governors were present at the rally to show solidarity with the governor.

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State commended Okorocha for his bold move, describing APC as the solution to the notion’s numerous challenges.

Governor Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State described Okorocha as a true democrat, who would not relent in delivering the dividends of democracy to his people.

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State observed that Okorocha had brought some noticeable changes to the state, saying he would through the APC bring more transformation.

-Punch

OWERRI — The identity and whereabouts of the Mercedes Benz 200 saloon car driver that allegedly rammed into the staff car of Imo State governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has remained a mystery.

Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Katsina, did not help matter, yesterday, when he was asked to give details of the road traffic crash involving Chief Okorocha and the Mercedes Benz driver.

Mr. Katsina only reaffirmed that there was a head-on collision between the governor’s staff car and a yellow Mercedes Benz 200 flat booth, adding that the driver did not sustain any injury.

The Imo police boss, however, failed to say if the driver of the said Mercedes Benz car was arrested at any point and if he was still in their custody or not.

“The police is investigating the incident and when we are through with it, the public would be informed of our findings,” the police commissioner said.

Vanguard recalls that Governor Okorocha, who is now receiving medical attention in a London hospital, was involved in a road traffic crash last Friday, along the ever busy Owerri-Orlu federal highway.

-Vanguard

Okorocha’s aide, Mr. Ebere Uzoukwa, told Saturday PUNCH that the accident occurred when a Mercedes Benz 200 ran into the governor’s convoy and had a collision with his own car.

Okorocha was on an inspection tour of projects in Orlu area when the crash occurred.

“The accident led to a minor cut on the governor’s scalp,” Uzoukwa said.

He said Governor Okorocha’s head was bandaged, but noted that he was stable and strong.

Okorocha said he would seek further medical attention due to the level of impact of the accident on him.

“Although the accident left me with a cut and some minor injuries, I am fine. I will, however, seek further medical attention because of the degree of impact made by the crash,” the governor was quoted as saying after the crash.

There was no information on the state of the governor’s driver and ADC or the occupants of the Benz car.

Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Katsina, confirmed the accident, noting that the accident was a “minor one” and that the governor was in a “stable condition.”

He said he had dispatched a police investigation team to ascertain the cause of the accident and would give further information on the matter upon the conclusion of investigation.

Also speaking, the governor’s personal physician, Dr. Sylvester Igwe, said Okorocha had a minor laceration of his scalp and was very stable.

“What he needs now is further medical examination,” Igwe added.

-Punch

The beauty of life is that none gets out of it alive. I know I am very much indebted to nature on its call and it shall come one day where destinies meet and part; but permit me to say the truth and do not annihilate me because I am exhuming the politically buried truth of Okorocha’s led administration.

Threat cannot stop me but only truth, justice and equity can. Any leader who is not big enough to stand criticism is very small to be praised. Yes, what lies in our power to do also lie in our power not to do and like Aristotle, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence therefore, is not an act, but a habit.” For Shakespeare, “Sparing injustice feed iniquity.”

Injustice anywhere in Imo State, has posed a serious threat everywhere. It is on this note that the question of conscience is asked to Imo state governor due to his ignoble activities, Okorocha, is it good? Today in our society, a thief is sorry that he is caught but not that he is a thief. What is happening in Imo State now justifies the Chinese saying that, “Sit a beggar at your table and he will soon put his feet on it.”

This is exactly what Gov. Okorocha is doing and I make bold to ask, is it good? In the words of Martin Luther, “It is both hazardous and dishonorable for a man to act contrary to the dictates of conscience” while his son Martin Luther King Jr. infers, “Cowardice asks the question, is it safe? Expediency asks the question, is it politics? Vanity asks the question, is it right?

And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because his conscience tells him that it is right…”

The time has come for the real and concerned Imo citizens to take the bull by the horn without minding whether it is safe, expedient, popular, politic and vanity or not, but we must take the bull by the horn to ask Gov. Okorocha the question of value and morals-Is it good? Because it appears that he has buried his conscience on the altar of selfish ambition and lies occasioned by apostasy and bigotry. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place”.

Every human being becomes free when he/she accepts the fact that his/her life should be ruled by conscience. Gov. Okorocha, with all these lies you have told, do you have the peace of mind? Oh, is it good?

Those who disobey their conscience know without being told that they formulate new evil premises for their daily life. This is where you find yourself now. Is it good? According to Schiller, “A brave man risks his life, but not his conscience” but today Chief Okorocha is risking his conscience and not his life with a bogus claim of being a brave leader-Okorocha is it good?

When you were manipulated in as the governor of Imo State you promised Imo people of not borrowing any money to run the affairs of the State, you sworn by all you considered sacred and holy that you will not loan money, today you did not only loan money but have mortgaged the future of Imo people with various loans- Okorocha is it good? You recently told Imo people and Nigeria as a whole that you never borrowed any money even though you have informed us of having a four year rolling budget.

How is it possible? Oh Owelle, is it good? Is it good that the money EFCC has acknowledged that you borrowed and attested to by some of your cabinet members is now being denied by you our able governor? Is it good? The people that signed the loan are still alive; I mean the N40 billion in zenith bank.

Why are you still lying Okorocha? Is it good? It is on record that Ohakim’s administration handed over the sum of N13.3 billion naira to this present administration led by Okorocha. Evidence abound that the N13.3 billion naira has been spent without resource to the projects attached to the Bond money collected by Ohakim’s government. Okorocha is it good that after spending that huge money your government petitioned the Security and Exchange Commission {SEC} for variance? Is it good? Is it good for your administration to spend the money before requesting from Security Exchange Commission to redirect the N13.3 billion naira to other projects? Question of the conscience re-echoes, your Excellency.

Is it right? When you openly informed Imo people that Ohakims government house spent N150 million naira in a day, some people believed you but when common sense was used to analyze your claim, we discovered that N150 million naira per day for one month came to N4.5 billion naira and the Imo state monthly allocation within that period was between N2.2 billion naira a month.

Is it that you did not do simple Mathematics in school or you just wanted to discredit Ohakim by hoodwinking Imo people? Tell us Owelle is it good? During that madness called massive road construction in Imo State which you claimed to have spent N13.9 billion naira on roads in some local government areas yet your administration cannot boast of seven or eight km of tarred roads.

Gov. Okorocha, is it a lie? Is it good? In Onuimo local government where you claimed to have spent N255.6 million on roads not even one meter of road was tarred. Gov. Okorocha is it good? Recent record shows that you awarded contracts to non-registered and existing companies and went further to effect payment.

Okorocha is it good? Lufransa engineering services Co. and Ellison Gen. Supplies Co. were not registered by the time you awarded them contracts. Gov. Okorocha, you went ahead to pay N36 million naira on April 24th, 2012 to a company that was registered only on Dec.13, 2012. Is it good?

To which account was the money paid into? We all know that any company that is not registered in Nigeria cannot open any account in any bank. So our noble governor, tell us how you did the magic, is it good?

I have been accused of writing in favor of Ohakim but the fact still remains that Ohakim is a friend and Okorocha is my brother but in between my assessment of the two comes the saying that “A good friend is better than a bad brother.” The evidence of this abounds in this article. In the words of Aristophanes, “Wise men learn much from their enemies.” Augustine of Hippo enthuses, “He who is good is free, even if he is a slave, and he who is evil is a slave, even if he is a king.”

It is better for one who professes that his government is anchored on the truth of the gospel to live by example. Our king today is a slave to corruption, Imo people is it good? When Ohakim succeeded Udenwa, though they had their political differences which did not degenerate to the type of Hiroshima bomb we are seeing today.

Ohakim did not for one day touch any of “Udenwa boys” Dr. Vin Udokwu can attests to this. Even doctor Alex Obi, his wife remained a special adviser to Ohakim till Ohakim left office. When Udenwa left, Ohakim paid all the severance allowances to Udenwa’s commissioners, the then governor {Ohakim} allowed them to go home with their vehicles.

Ohakim’s political differences with Udenwa did not prevent him from executing his statuary duties to Imo people in spite of the fact that they were appointed by Udenwa. In the case of Okorocha, the moment he was declared the winner of the supplementary election and after the swearing in exercise, he ordered all appointees who worked with Ohakim to return their official vehicles within 24 hours.

Gov. Okorocha I am aware that some of them had their homes invaded by thugs in search of the vehicles as if there was a serious war in Imo State. Their two months salaries and severance allowances which Ohakim as indicated above paid Udenwa’s appointees were all seized by Gov. Okorocha. I make bold to ask, is it good? You did not pay the appointees, not to talk of paying Chief Ohakim any dime as gratuity after leaving office. Gov. Okorocha is it good? Instead of paying Ohakim his gratuity which his colleagues have all received in their respective states, you are seriously asking for his probe and went on to institute a probe panel, giving them a mandate to recover N62 billion naira which you claimed he stole while in office.

Is it good? Is it good to first of all accuse Ohakim of stealing N62 billion naira in the face of the entire nation before setting up a panel to probe him or set up a panel before accusing him? Gov. Is it good for you as the executive governor of Imo State to award scholarship to Imo State students only for IMSU school fees to be increased to N120 thousand per section instead of N53 thousand it used to be? Gov. Okorocha is it good? Is it good for your government to ignore the cry of IMSU students?

Following the same manipulation you removed Prof. B.E.B Nwoke as IMSU VC unannounced and without due process simply because he refused to do the wrong thing you asked him to do, Gov. Okorocha is it good? Now you instituted a judicial commission of inquiry to probe traditional rulers though we know you are targeting at the 106 autonomous communities which Ohakim administration approved. What wrong have they done? Why do you want to destroy every legacy Ohakim left in Imo State? Uzorma writes from Igbinedion University, Okada profnathanuzomah@yahoo.com

-Punch

Though The Guardian could not get across to the Speaker, Chief Benjamin Uwajimogu, for comments as he was said to be outside the country, the media aide of the Speaker, Mr. Samuelson Iwuoha, confirmed to The Guardian that “the officials of the agency were in the Assembly to do their job, and never arrested Duru.”

He said that the House Clerk was only invited to Abuja and he had gone to honour the invitation.

Said he: “Yes, they are doing their job. The Clerk was not arrested, but he was invited to Abuja and he has gone. They have the right to visit any arm of government. Don’t mind those who are carrying the rumours that they came for house members.”

Recently, both the Imo State government and the Speaker of the House, Uwajimogu, believed that the agency was on a political mission to Imo rather than the real legal job assigned to it.

I criticized Owelle when i did because of my love for Imo State . When he does things that deserve praise, I will give him praise. And when he does things that deserve scorn, I will give him scorn. It is the duty and responsibility of the citizenry and the media to criticize the actions, positions and policies of the government. Otherwise, left alone and unchecked, government may violate or abridge the constitution; individuals within government may abuse their powers and use the instrument of state to oppress and repress, engage in corrupt practices and lead the state to utter ruin.

We cannot sit back and allow the governor to fail. It is our state ; and is ours to save, protect and nurture. But Chudi should not expect me to see nothing noble, honorable and viable in some of the work and policies of the governor. What will i gain by sending only lava the governor’s way even when i see some good works that he has done. I don’t want his head. I don’t want him driven out of Douglas House. I don’t want him disgraced. I don’t want him to be a failure in administration. I want him to put up his best in governance.

Criticism has made Owelle Rochas to rebrand his policies so who am i not to praise him. Do i know better than Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar and other prominent Nigerians that recently showered praises on him? Criticism has made Owelle to do well in cleaning the streets, construction of roads and controlling traffic. He has done well in providing some employment opportunities, paying worker’s salary regularly and keeping our schools free from primary to tertiary . He has also done well in security, among other simple things that directly touch on the lives of Imolites. The success of any administration depends on how its policies improve the living standards of the ordinary citizens, and not how richer they make the few rich ones in the corridors of power.

If Chudi Kalu expects me to instigate unwarranted attacks on Owelle’s person by posting false and unsubstantiated stories just to break his spirit ,then he is making a big mistake. I am not one of the ex-this and ex-that in politics; those who have been thrown out of office by Okorocha’s victory at the poll who are angry and are throwing jabs and uppercuts at the governor . I don’t have to spill venoms the way Mount Vesuvius and Mount Saint Helens spilled lava.I dont need to rant and rave, bark, and dump insults at Owelle the way tsunamis dumps anger at isolated Islands.I have never held any political position in Imo State. But as a man who has held accounting and administrative positions in the oil and gas industry for some years now. I consider myself qualified to dish out advice on how to move the state forward.

I have come to have respect for Governor Okorocha for his audacity, his political articulation and how he managed to defeat the big PDP, bluff, ignore and dare all odds and still make himself relevant in the politics of Nigeria. His never say die attitude even at glaring risks staring him in the face makes me wonder. I ask where such confidence comes from.
I look at Imo state in this year 2013 with great optimism. I want Governor Okorocha to in this year 2013 create more jobs for the youths. I am not talking here of providing civil service employment but schemes which will not only get the youths employed but also eventually make them end up as employers. In year 2013 i want our LGA to work democratically again. Imo should strengthen the LGA system.2012 in Imo State was filled with too many political struggles. 2012 in Imo State witnessed high powered political back room struggles with the ruling political party in the state (APGA) and the big opposition party in Imo State (PDP) fighting with each other. Politics should not get in the way of development of the state this year.
Okorocha should as a matter of urgency flush out the bad eggs in his cabinet. There are some bad eggs currently holding political positions in his government. These bad eggs are working against his government and tarnishing the image of his administration. These bad eggs have been working underground to discredit his administration .He should do away with the bad tools in his toolbox and get better ones before it is too late.He should bring in people with energy, professional soundness, fresh and workable ideas to help propel the state forward. He should this year unite Imo people through a policy of political inclusion.

How can anybody justify an aide to a governor who is a kidnapper? Is such an aide not a bad egg? It was all over the news that the abduction of Miss Nkiru Sylvanus, Nollywood actress and the special assistant to Governor Rochas Okorocha on Public Affairs in December for which an 8 million naira ransom was paid is an insider job. We were told that a Director-General of Youths and Students Affairs to Governor Okorocha was detained by the Imo State Police Command over his alleged involvement in the kidnap saga. He was said to have been implicated by text massages allegedly exchanged between him and the abductors. More like him are in the governor’s cabinet. It is time to flush them out. Action speaks louder than words.

-Kenneth Uwadi, Mmahu-Egbema, Imo State, Nigeria

The protocol officer to the Imo State Deputy Governor, Chief Laz Anyanwu was yesterday evening found dead in Owerri four days after he was reportedly kidnapped near Government House, Owerri, the Imo State capital.

Anyanwu, a former director of administration and services in Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area was discovered dead along a bush path at Nwaoriebe in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State yesterday afternoon. It was gathered that the late Anyanwu was kidnapped near the government house last Friday evening without a trace as to his whereabouts until he was found dead. Governor Rochas Okorocha, who was to address stakeholders’ meeting at the government house was visibly shaken when the body of the late Mr Anyanwu was conveyed to the government house.

It was gathered that no ransom was demanded for his release, a development which government sources said raised suspicion that his death was politically motivated.

-Sun

The State Chairman of Flood Management Committee and Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joe Obi- Njoku, is leading in the exercise.

Obi- Njoku said the exercise was necessary in view of the rising high cases of snake bite, malaria, typhoid, cholera, measles among others. He disclosed that 12 communities in Ohaji/Egbema and three communities in Oguta had so far been fumigated.

Regrettably, the commissioner was shocked yesterday when he heard that out of the 23 communities earmarked for exercise in the two councils: Ohaji / Egbema and Oguta, Abacheke community in Egbema allegedly resisted, warning the team not to spray any chemical within the vicinity. They refused to listen to Njoku’s and the Managing Director of the Fumigation Company, Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim’s explanation that the chemicals were human and environmentally-friendly. He said even after three months, the efficacy of the chemical could still be retained.

In addition to the fumigation exercise, the state government said it would intervene in financial rehabilitation to assist them in their businesses and farming, adding that building of development centres would be done to enable the victims quickly have refuge in case of similar ugly incident.

Responding, two youth leaders in the affected communities, of Nnebukwu and Osorbodo, Mr. Chidi Okonkwo and Mrs. Regina Ogbo respectively, commended the effort of government, regretting that communicable and other diseases occasioned by the last year flood in the area had led to loss of lives in the area.

-Guardian

People questioned the rationale behind the two-week public holiday in the state without answer. But that answer has now been provided by the governor – to mark the traditional wedding of his daughter right now being beamed live on AIT.

It would be recalled that the Niger State’s Governor Babangida recently gave out two of her children in marriage. There was no television to give it a live braodcast. Vice President Sambo did the same thing, not even the Nigeria Television Authority carried the event in Kaduna live. Udenwa, former Imo governor and Peter Odili, former River state governor variously gave out their children in marriage while serving as governors. None of these men ever went for a live broadcast which costs millions of Naira.

While one would ask what is wrong in the governor towing the steps he did, it would be necessary to remind that a governor of a state holds the trust of the citizens of that state, therefore decorum is expected from him in all his dealings. At the moment, Imo state is running a retainership with three national television stations for a thirty minutes documentary weekly on each of them showing the world the same old and renovated projects carried out in the state by Governor Rochas Okorocha. My problem is that these productions graphically edited by his Rescue Organization and aired on these stations are all window-shopped embellishments lacking the realities on ground.
Time has come when our governor concentrates, like his colleagues in Lagos and Akwa Ibom, in the real and sincere provision of democratic dividends to Imo people and reduce, if not eliminating completely this persistent and constant showmanship he has made himself known for.
Finally, Governor Okorocha should, as a matter of discipline minimize his thuggery mentality and reduce in the now familiar controversies he is now courting. The worrying stories of regular brushes, fighting and beating up of people by his convoy are rather becoming disturbing. The other day it was at Enugu as widely reported that the governor punched an aide to Governor Peter Obi over a sitting position at a birthday event of Chief Alex Ekwueme. This was widely feasted upon and reported by the press. Again was his beating up of a cab operator in Owerri by his convoy on the excuse that the driver’s mechanically faulted vehicle blocked the way. Another was the merciless beating of a gate keeper at the government house simply because he was not fast enough to open the gate for the governor’s convoy. The most recent still before the public is his supervision of the assault on Senator Chris Anyanwu by his aides simply because the senator’s motorcade was moving ahead of his.
Whatever the excuse for this embarrassment from the Imo governor, suffice to say that the lawless ingenuity of the governor blinded his eyes to remember that watching his boys indulged in such a shameful act against a woman, and a senator of the federal republic of Nigeria, and a member of his own party – APGA.

Please dear Governor, grow up and show maturity in leadership.

Greg Nwadike wrote from Abuja and can be reached on greyviewstudios@yahoo.com