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Abia man, 64, in NSCDC net over alleged child trafficking

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Abia man, 64, in NSCDC net over alleged child trafficking

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Abia State Command, has arrested a 64-year-old man, Mr. Nnanna Michael, a native of Obinkita Arochukwu, in connection with the operation of illegal baby factories and child trafficking in the Aba area of the state.

During the operation which took place on Saturday at Abanafo Street, Ariaria, two women, identified as Miss Doris Nelson (23 years) from Gombe State and Miss Ugochukwu Winner (21 years) from Isinweke, lhitte Uboma in Imo State, were rescued from Michael’s residence following credible intelligence provided to the command.

Investigation revealed that Miss Nelson, who gave birth on Monday, September 9, 2024, sold her baby the following day to yet-to-be-identified buyers, while Miss Winner is currently seven months pregnant and was being held under similar circumstances.

According to the state Commandant, Usman Ishaq Alfadarai, while briefing and parading the suspect before newsmen, “In his confessional statement, Michael, a father of four and a former worker at a motherless home, admitted to harbouring pregnant women, taking care of them until delivery, and then selling their babies. Michael revealed that Doris Nelson was introduced to him by a contact from Abuja named Miracle, who brought her to his residence in Aba. After giving birth to a baby girl, Michael sold the baby for N1.1 million, promising Doris N5O0,000 of which she had already received N100,000.

“Further investigations revealed that Miss Winner was introduced to Michael by Evangelist First Samuel, who resides in Aba but is now at large. The agreement was for Michael to purchase the baby after delivery and sell it to his potential buyers.

“Preliminary investigations further reveal that Michael has been in this illicit business for a long time, where he has been leveraging his contacts from his previous work experience at a motherless home to find both buyers and sellers. Michael admitted to selling one baby last year and two babies this year before his arrest.”

Upon the conclusion of our investigation,  Al-Fadarai said the case would be transferred to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons which is statutorily empowered to prosecute the offences adding that the court would determine further course of action. According to him. Michael is living in a rented apartment but the landlord claimed ignorant of what he was doing and even cooperated with the agency in the exercise.

“On this note, we would like to make it very clear that the NSCDC Abia State Command is committed to uncovering all individuals involved in this syndicated operation and we will continue to pursue Michael’s accomplices as we remain resolute in bringing all the perpetrators of these heinous crimes to justice and ensuring we put an end to such practices”, he said.

He called on parents to take responsibility for the proper upbringing of their children, as this case showcased the failure of some families in safeguarding their children from such criminal elements.

“We equally urge members of the general public to be vigilant and provide us with credible intelligence of any suspicious activities within their surroundings”, he noted.

Dislodged plank market residents illegal occupants – LASG

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Dislodged plank market residents illegal occupants – LASG

The Lagos State Government on Monday said that the dislodged residents and traders in the Oko Baba plank market, located in the Ebute Metta area of the state, were illegal occupants who had refused to relocate to the new location allocated to them by the government.

The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, disclosed this in a telephone conversation with According to Metro on Monday.

According to Metro reported on Monday that the traders and residents had accused the government of being responsible for the fire incident that destroyed their goods worth millions of naira.

The traders had claimed that the government deliberately set fire to the market to dislodge them.

Our correspondent, who visited the scene of the incident on Sunday, had observed that the market, which covered a large expanse of land and extended to the waterside under the Third Mainland Bridge, was razed by fire.

It was also observed that officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency were setting fire to the wooden structures.

While admitting that the state was responsible for the fire, Omotoso disclosed that the government had provided a new location for the traders in the Agbowa area of Ikorodu to relocate.

He emphasised that those who remained at the Oko Baba plank market were the ones who refused to relocate to the new market location.

The commissioner noted that, as part of efforts to make the new location attractive to the traders, the government had constructed a road that connected the new market to the major road in the Ikorodu area and provided the traders with accommodation.

He said, “The operation was carried out by LASBCA. We have relocated them to a new market in Agbowa, but some of them refused to move there. They complained that the road linking the market was not good, and the government constructed an alternative road for them. They were also provided with accommodation.

“Those who were left at Ebute Metta were those who refused to move. They were illegal occupants in the market before, as there is no document allocating the place to them. The government had only been magnanimous by providing a new place for them.”

Omotoso added that the activities of the traders in the shanties posed a threat to the environment and the aesthetics of the state.

He continued by stressing that the recurring fire incidents in the market also posed a threat to the Third Mainland Bridge, necessitating the government’s action.

He added, “If you observe, the place has become an eyesore, and their activities are beginning to constitute environmental hazards. The impact on the environment is not good.

“They have also extended under the Third Mainland Bridge, which puts the bridge at risk because of the frequent fire incidents that often occur in the market. If these fires are allowed to affect the integrity of the bridge, it puts the lives of thousands of people who use the bridge at risk, and we won’t allow such to happen.”

He concluded by assuring the public that the government would always protect the interests of every resident of the state.

Police hunt killers of two cops in Anambra station attack

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Police hunt killers of two cops in Anambra station attack

The Anambra Police Command said it had launched a manhunt on the gunmen who executed the Monday attack on the Umunze Police Station in the Orumba South Local Government Area of the state.

Some yet-to-be-identified assailants attacked the police facility in the early hours of Monday, using explosives and firearms to set the facility on fire and also killing two policemen on duty.

The state police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, who reacted in a statement, blamed the attack on armed secessionists, who emerged from their hideouts to perpetrate the dastardly act.

Some sources and residents in the area, who spoke to our correspondent, on the condition of anonymity, said the assailants stormed the police facility, shooting several times into the air before forcefully gaining entry into the premises.

According to the sources, during the attack, some police officers were shot dead in an exchange of fire as the assailants caught them unawares while some parts of the premises were also set ablaze using improvised explosive devices.

One of the eyewitnesses said, “The masked hoodlums shot several times into the air as they marched towards the gate of the police station premises. It happened early this morning (Monday) and it was the gunshots that woke the neighbourhood and sent panic into the area.

“They shot and injured some police officers. Some officers were killed in a hot exchange of gunfire as they tried to resist the hoodlums from gaining entry. The incident happened within a short space of time, the hoodlums were about to cause further mayhem before they were overpowered by the officers on duty, after which they escaped to their hideouts.

“We learnt the hoodlums were trying to force a release of one of their members who is being detained at the facility. It is unfortunate what happened to the slain officers, there  is a need for the security operatives to step up their operations through the use of technology and intelligence gathering.”

The latest attack is coming less than a month after some gunmen similarly attacked the Oba Police Divisional Headquarters and Oba Civic  Centre, in Idemili South LGA of the state, during which a police corporal was killed and several others injured. The facility was also set ablaze.

Speaking further, Ikenga said a manhunt had been launched on the fleeing assailants and a clearance operation on the identified camp of the criminal was ongoing in the area.

Ikenga said, “The Joint Security Forces comprising of the Police, Army, Navy, civil defence and other security agencies recovered five unexploded improvised explosives and are on the trail of the arsonists and armed secessionist group members, who in the early hours of today (Monday) 16/9/2024  attacked the Umunze Police Station.

“The suspected proscribed armed group invaded the police facility with improvised explosives, shooting sporadically and fire caught part of the station.

“Unfortunately, two of the police operatives on duty during the gun battle in a bid to resist the assailants from causing more havoc paid the supreme price. Their bodies have been recovered and taken to the morgue.”

He added that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Nnaghe Itam, had visited the scene, for an on-the-spot assessment to reinforce and reassess security deployment.

“The CP calls on anyone who has any information that will aid the investigation to come forward. He also assures the public of utmost confidentiality to any such information in this regard, please,” Ikenga added.

Three killed, two injured in separate Lagos-Ibadan Expressway crashes

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Three killed, two injured in separate Lagos-Ibadan Expressway crashes

Three persons have lost their lives while two others were seriously injured in two separate accidents at the end of the Ibadan-Lagos Expressway, on Sunday night and Monday morning, respectively.

An eyewitness, who told According to Metro that the victims were one male and two females, said they all died on the spot.

Investigations further revealed that a Toyota Sienna bus XLE model with number plate JJJ 515 HZ ran over three pedestrians at a bus stop near the Academy area in the Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Federal Road Safety Commission, Mayowa Odeowo, apart from confirming the accidents, said, “Aside from the pedestrians who lost their lives, none of the passengers of the ill-fated bus was injured.

“Another accident was recorded on the same Lagos-Ibadan Expressway at about 10:15 am on Monday. Two passengers were critically injured but no death was recorded.”

The crash involved a white commercial Mitsubishi Mazda vehicle with number plate NKD 06 XG and an ash-coloured private Ford vehicle with registration number AAA 241 FY.

Odeowo said, “Fifteen individuals were involved in the accident, including six females and nine males. Two people, one male and one female, sustained serious injuries and were promptly taken to LAD Medical Hospital for treatment.

“Fortunately, no fatalities were recorded,” he confirmed.

The FRSC spokesperson, therefore, attributed the accident to loss of control and speeding, which caused the vehicles to collide on the dry, paved road in bright weather conditions.

The command warned that over-speeding remained a significant threat on Nigeria’s roads, and urged drivers to maintain focus and adhere to speed limits.

The police have taken custody of the damaged vehicles.

Fleeing terrorists kill five in Plateau community

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Fleeing terrorists kill five in Plateau community

Barely two weeks after eight persons were killed in two separate attacks carried out by gunmen in Congo and Zarap communities in the  Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, gunmen have again killed five persons in the council area.

According to Metro learnt that the latest attack occurred in the Mbar community on Sunday night.

Residents told our correspondent in Jos on Monday that the victims who were mainly youths were attacked on their way from Mbar town to Koh village along a bypass encircling Yelwa Nono village between 7. pm and 7.30 pm by fleeing terrorists on motorcycles after they were initially repelled by the military from the surrounding mountains.

The Chairman of Bokkos Cultural Development Council Vanguard, Farmasun Fuddang, confirmed the fresh killings in a statement, on Monday.

The statement which was jointly signed by the association’s Secretary, Duwam Bosco, partly read, “We wish to condemn in the strongest terms the tragic killing of five innocent young men in the Mbar community on September 15 (Saturday), despite prior intelligence reports of suspected terrorists’ influx into the area.

“By the time the security forces were informed about the attack and arrived at the scene several minutes later, the terrorists had completed their mission and fled without apprehension.

“This incident adds to a series of armed attacks in our villages, including the recent murder of 11 youths in Tarangol, Daffo, and Bargesh villages on September 3.”

He alleged that the unprovoked attacks were “a calculated attempt at evicting our people from their ancestral homes and taking over the land.”

“We request to be involved in the handling of the threats in our land, working in synergy with security forces as is the case with the civilian joint task force in the North-East and North-West regions.

“This is not to undermine or underrate the efforts of the military. However, we understand the logistical and manpower shortages faced by the military, requiring the active participation of local community members who by the way know the terrain and can better assist with intelligence to identify and expose criminal elements in communities.’

He also advised the communities to eschew late movements as advised by security authorities to minimise risks.

The socio-cultural organisation also sympathised with the families of the victims and called on their people to be vigilant.

“We will not stand idly by while our people, a small minority in Nigeria, are eliminated from the face of the earth”, the statement further stated.

The spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, Alabo Alfred, was not readily available when contacted on the incident as his phone indicated that it was switched off.

How I overcame PDP to become Abia Assembly Speaker — Emeruwa

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How I overcame PDP to become Abia Assembly Speaker — Emeruwa

The Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly, Emmanuel Emeruwa, in this interview with SUNDAY NWAKANMA, insists that the Assembly is united, irrespective of party affiliations

Was it an easy task to become the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly?

I thank God for the opportunity, even though when I was running, or contesting, I focused on just winning my election. It never came to my mind that I could become the Speaker, but as God would want it, at the end of the day, I was elected the Speaker. First-time member of the House, first-time Speaker. So, it was just a kind of miracle. Since then, I think I have been doing my best to hold the post.

What are the challenges you face, first as a lawmaker, and then as the Speaker?

Every job has its challenges and most particularly any new job. Nobody was born a legislator, every legislator learns on the job. This is because, from the first day you are elected, you start to learn. So, it is also what I am experiencing. I have been going through some coaching, and some seminars to learn how to be a legislator from the Nigerian perspective. I have had the experience as an executive, I have been a local government chairman, but that is different from being a legislator. Even though I worked with the task force, this is entirely a new experience, because you are working with your equals. So, you can’t just control them anyhow, you have to dialogue and reach an agreement on certain issues. You also quarrel with them, even when necessary, and then, at the end of the day, everybody comes together to pass a bill or even to disagree with it.

How have you been you been relating with your colleagues, both from within your party and the opposition?

On a normal note, you wouldn’t know who is who. We relate like friends and brothers, except when we get to the floor we know that we have opposition because they also want to oppose whatever thing we bring to the House. Ordinarily, we eat together, drink together and go out together. You wouldn’t know the difference. Once we come to the House of Assembly, party affiliation goes away, unless for some of them who want to be publicly noticed. Other than that, we are the same.

How has the Speakership shaped your leadership acumen?

One learns every day. I met stiff opposition from day one. This was because the Labour Party was down by one person. The PDP had 11 lawmakers while LP had 10. APC had one and YPP had two. That makes the total number 24. So, it was difficult to manage all these people, especially the PDP group. This was because they were agitating that they should produce the Speaker, having had one number above us. But I quickly built a coalition with the other minority members to agree on certain things. So, I was able to emerge with the support of the other two parties. That gave us an edge. It didn’t go down well with them, so initially, they were opposing everything and walking out until finally, I tried to bring in some tranquility in the House. The excesses of the PDP members were quickly curtailed when one of their members was suspended.

What is the relationship between you and your co-contestants for the Speakership?

We are all one now and they will have to wait for another opportunity, but I’ve not tried to boss anybody since I was favoured or opportune to be the Speaker. If the PDP had won the governorship election, probably, one of the contestants would have been (the Speaker), and I wouldn’t have even tried contesting. But because the Labour Party won and my members saw me as more mature and calmer in doing things, that I have that disposition of looking at things dispassionately before I come to a conclusion, they supported me. I also have had that training as a former chairman of a local council, I tend to understand people’s points of view before acting.

What lessons have you learnt in the last one year as the Speaker of the Abia House of Assembly?

With most of these things that have happened, God has led me to be calm listen to all arguments, and not be quick to respond to issues. If not, probably, I would have lost my job as a Speaker, but so far, so good. Like I said earlier, I tend to control the youthful exuberance because I am a little bit past that stage. So, it has helped me a lot.

How would you describe your relationship with the other arms of government – the executive and the judiciary?

So far, so good. I haven’t had any brush with either the executive or the judiciary. So far, we haven’t had any course to have any litigation or whatever for me to judge the judiciary as being hostile or friendly, but we have a cordial relationship now. My executive is where we always rapport with. In order to get things done, you must have to relate very well with the executive because we are still not independent.  So, we have to relate with the executive very well.

How many laws and motions has the Assembly passed since its inauguration in 2023?

So far, before we had our one-year celebration, we conveniently passed six bills that were signed into law. And since we came back, we have been able to do two more. I am someone who believes that bills are not something you rush into. This is because, you have to weigh the pros and cons, and how it affects the people before you just go ahead and snap it on. I believe that there are enough bills in Abia State and even in the country at large. The problem is implementation. You can be passing bills every day but how can it be implemented?

Which of these bills excite you the most?

We did the Great Aba Development Bill which tends to stem or develop the area which is our own region. It is an important bill because it will enhance the development of Aba area. It expands the metropolis into five local governments: Osisioma, Aba North, Aba South, Ugwunagbo and Obingwa. Before now, it was just Aba North and South and part of Osisioma that was regarded as the metropolis, but now, it is five full local governments and it was passed under my own watch. So, it excites me and by the time these things are implemented, development will now go to the rural areas. People will now move from the town, and some infrastructure will be moved down to those areas that will drive people into those areas. I think that is for me, a big achievement. The other one that people clapped for was the amendment of the pension of former governors and former deputy governors. I think people across the nation hailed it. It was also something I am excited about. It is not that it will take much out of the system, but they don’t need it. Some are also earning elsewhere.

What are the challenges facing the 8th Abia State House of Assembly and how have you been able to confront these challenges?

One of the major challenges we had was just glaring. When this administration took off, the governor made it public that he would want to patronise local content, hence in the choice of vehicles, he chose Innoson to be supplying vehicles to the government: the commissioners, myself, myself, and everybody will have Innoson vehicles. So, he also extended it to the House members because, since we are not independent yet, we still get our vehicles from the executive. We did the budget and presented it to them, but the governor made us to understand that he was going to present us with Innoson vehicles. So, he had a deal with Innoson to produce those vehicles, but for a year now, Innoson has not been able to fulfill his own part of the bargain and most of the time, the House will agitate to do something extraordinary in order to make the government know that they really want their vehicles. But I have tried to persuade them not to make any trouble. We will continue to dialogue and see what will happen. I believe that the governor was not deceiving us, but Innoson had bitten more than he could chew by contracting these new vehicles that has never been produced and the dollar rate has changed with the naira. So, I know that as a businessman, he would still need to make some profit but he had a hitch. That has been where he is running around making all sorts of excuses. But I wouldn’t blame anybody now that causes trouble because of his vehicle. The only way is that I will continue to persuade them not to go that route. I also had to negotiate with the governor to do something to cushion their anger or their agitation.

What would you describe as the major achievements of the House under your leadership in the last one year?

What does a legislature do apart from passing bills? We have been able to pass bills, do up to 40 motions, about 57 resolutions and so far now, we have done seven bills. So, that is just what it is and I know that more will come, more swift and clear than it was because we had only four experienced lawmakers, the rest were first-timers. So, we learnt the art of legislation. I think we are getting smoother now than before.

Are there anything you wished you had done differently in the course of carrying out your duties in the last one year?

So far, I haven’t found any. Maybe I will in the near future, but so far, I am satisfied with what we have done. The only thing is that there is always room for improvement. The only thing I will improve on is the speed at which we handle things in the House. Sometimes, it is not all about the Speaker, but when you are dealing with adults, you also give them their own time to handle things.

Fleeing terrorists kill five in Plateau community

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Fleeing terrorists kill five in Plateau community

Barely two weeks after eight persons were killed in two separate attacks carried out by gunmen in Congo and Zarap communities in the Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, gunmen have again killed five persons in the same council area.

It was learnt that the latest attack occurred in Mbar Community on Sunday night.

Residents told our correspondent in Jos on Monday that the victims, who were mainly youths, were attacked on their way from Mbar town to Koh village along a bypass encircling Yelwa Nono village.

The attack, they said, happened  between 7:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. by fleeing terrorists on motorcycles.

The terrorists had initially been repelled by the military from the surrounding mountains.

The Chairman of the Bokkos Cultural Development Council Vanguard, Farmasun Fuddang, confirmed the fresh killings in a statement on Monday.

The statement, which was jointly signed by the association’s Secretary, Duwam Bosco, read: “We wish to condemn in the strongest terms the tragic killing of five innocent young men in Mbar community on September 15, despite prior intelligence reports of suspected terrorists’ influx into the area.

“By the time the security forces were informed about the attack and arrived at the scene several minutes later, the terrorists had completed their mission and fled without apprehension.

“This incident adds to a series of armed attacks in our villages, including the recent murder of 11 youths in Tarangol, Daffo, and Bargesh villages on September 3.

“We perceive these unprovoked attacks as a calculated attempt at evicting our people from their ancestral homes and taking over the land.

“We request to be involved in the handling of the threats in our land, working in synergy with security forces as is the case with the civilian joint task force in the North-East and North-West regions.

“This is not to undermine or underrate the efforts of the military. However, we understand the logistical and manpower shortages faced by the military, requiring the active participation of local community members who, by the way, know the terrain and can better assist with intelligence to identify and expose criminal elements in communities.

“This, we believe, can enable us to find lasting solutions to these attacks.

“We wish to also advise communities to eschew late movements as advised by security authorities to minimise risk.”

The socio-cultural organisation sympathised with the families of the victims and called on their people to be vigilant.

“We will not stand idly by while our people, a small minority in Nigeria, are eliminated from the face of the earth,” the statement further stated.

The spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, Alabo Alfred, was not readily available when contacted on the incident as his phone indicated that it was switched off.

18 burnt as fire guts vehicle on Benin-Sagamu Expressway

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18 burnt as fire guts vehicle on Benin-Sagamu Expressway

No fewer than 18 people were burnt beyond recognition when a vehicle conveying them caught fire along the Benin-Sagamu Expressway on Monday.

The spokesperson for the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, disclosed this in a telephone conversation with According to Online on Monday.

According to Akinbiyi, the driver of the vehicle had placed a keg filled with petrol at the back of the vehicle.

The keg was said to have leaked its contents onto the vehicle’s exhaust, which was at a high temperature, leading to an explosion.

The explosion, coupled with the vehicle being in motion, resulted in the burning of the 18 passengers, while the driver was able to escape with injuries.

He added that eyewitness accounts suggested that the vehicle, fully loaded with passengers, was travelling from the eastern part of the country en route to Lagos State before the incident.

Akinbiyi said, “There was a road accident today along the RCC Yard on the Sagamu-Benin Expressway at about 3:30 pm. 18 people were presumed dead as the vehicle caught fire, and the passengers were burnt beyond recognition.

“Eyewitness accounts, corroborated by the driver, indicated that there was a keg full of petrol inside the bus, which fell over when the vehicle entered a pothole.

“The petrol poured onto the floor of the bus, then onto the exhaust pipe, causing the vehicle to catch fire while in transit.”

He identified the vehicle as a white Toyota Hiace bus with the number plate XA 690 AKU.

Akinbiyi noted that the injured driver was taken to a nearby hospital, while the bodies of the deceased were deposited at the State Hospital morgue in Ijebu-Ode.

“The partially burnt and injured driver was rescued and taken to Rona Hospital in Ijebu-Ode, while the presumed dead were deposited at the State Hospital Mortuary, Ijebu-Ode, by the FRSC,” he said.

He urged motorists to desist from storing fuel kegs in their vehicles when embarking on road journeys.

“While TRACE, FRSC, police, and OGSEAS commiserate with the families of the deceased, motorists are once again admonished not to store fuel in kegs and jerry cans while in transit, due to the attendant consequences,” Akinbiyi concluded.

15 children die in Kaduna auto crash

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15 children die in Kaduna auto crash

A road accident has claimed the lives of 15 children along Saminaka Road in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The tragic incident occurred around 1 pm on Sunday when a J5 bus carrying 63 children, mostly youngsters travelling to celebrate Eld El Maulud, collided with an oncoming articulated vehicle.

Corps Commander Kabiru Nadabo, Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps in Kaduna State, confirmed the incident.

“The driver of the J5 bus lost control due to overspeeding, resulting in the fatal crash. Fifteen children died instantly, while 48 others sustained varying degrees of injuries.”

Nadabo emphasised the importance of road safety measures.

“This accident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of reckless driving. We urge drivers to exercise caution and adhere to speed limits to prevent such tragedies.”

An eyewitness described the scene as chaotic. “I saw the bus swerve out of control and collide with the articulated vehicle,” said one witness.

“It was a horrific sight, and my heart goes out to the families of the victims,” he added.

The injured were rushed to Comprehensive Hospital in Saminaka, while the bodies of the deceased were deposited at Dabo Lere Memorial Hospital.

The FRSC has launched an investigation into the incident.

“This accident is a wake-up call for all drivers to prioritise road safety,” Nadabo said. “We will continue to educate drivers on the importance of safe driving practices.”

As the families of the victims mourn their loved ones, the nation is reminded of the need for vigilance on the roads.

“We must learn from this tragedy and work towards preventing such incidents in the future,” Nadabo emphasised.

The FRSC has advised drivers to exercise caution and adhere to speed limits, especially during festive periods.

“Our thoughts are with the families of the victims during this difficult time,” Nadabo said.

Ighodalo slams Oshiomhole N20bn suit for defamation

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Ighodalo slams Oshiomhole N20bn suit for defamation

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo has filed a N20bn defamatory suit against Senator Adams Oshiomhole over comments on the Planwell scheme.

Ighodalo, through his counsel, Ayo Asala (SAN) & Associates, also sought an immediate and unqualified retraction and apology for the false, defamatory, and malicious comments which should be published in at least two (2) National Television Networks and three (3) nationally circulating newspapers.

The PDP candidate noted that the allegations by Oshiomhole are baseless, false, and malicious, describing them as another of such defamatory fabrications and statements made by the Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District in the recent past.

He added that the fabrication of the unfounded and false story is a figment of Oshiomhole’s imagination, intended to denigrate his good character and reputation for the political purpose of advancing the sinking fortunes of Oshiomhole’s party and candidate in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Edo State.

A letter by Ighodalo’s lawyers dated September 16, 2024, and addressed to Oshiomhole reads, “We are counsel to Asue Ighodalo, who is the Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the forthcoming Edo State Governorship election. It is our information that at a campaign rally of your party on Saturday, September 14, 2024, you made statements to the effect that our aforesaid client, Dr Ighodalo, was associated with or participated in an alleged pyramid scheme known as ‘PLANWELL’ in which numerous Nigerians were defrauded of their hard-earned funds.

“This false and unfounded statement of yours was broadcast live on television and has received extensive exposure on electronic and social media.  It is sad to note that despite your status as an elder and holder of a public office, you appear to have developed a pattern of spewing false statements in the public domain purely for the achievement of your political ends.

“This baseless, unfounded, false, and malicious allegation has become another in a long line of such defamatory fabrications and statements made by you in respect of our client in the recent past. Our client is an accomplished Nigerian legal practitioner and a corporate leader whose impressive resume from birth up till the current day is entirely in the public domain our client has absolutely no connection with and could never have been involved in any manner whatsoever with the purported ‘PLANWELL’ scheme with which you have seriously defamed our client’s reputation.”

Ighodalo further noted, “It is clear that the fabrication of the unfounded and false story regarding the purported involvement of our client in the said ‘PLANWELL’ scheme or any other financial scheme whatsoever, is a figment of your imagination and a story fabricated purely to denigrate the good character and reputation of our client for the achievement of the political purpose of advancing the sinking fortunes of your political party and candidate in the forthcoming Edo State Gubernatorial elections.”

The letter added that Ighodalo was determined to ensure that the allegations against him do not go unaddressed.

“Our client has been inundated with calls and other contacts from concerned members of the public who heard your said allegations on electronic and social media as a result of which our client has suffered enormous unwarranted reputational damage arising from the lies and baseless fabrications of which you have become the purveyor.

“Our client is determined to ensure that these defamatory lies and fabrications which you have put in the public space do not go unchallenged.

“In consequence of the foregoing, therefore, our client demands the following:  i) An immediate and unqualified retraction and apology for your false, defamatory and malicious statements which should be published in at least two (2) National Television Networks and three (3) Nationally circulating newspapers.

“Pay to our client damages for 20 billion Naira for your false, defamatory, and malicious statements referred to herein. Take Notice that it is our client’s instructions that we immediately institute appropriate proceedings against you for damages in the sum of Twenty (20) Billion Naira (N20,000,000,000.00) for your said false, malicious, irresponsible and damaging statements made against our client without any foundation whatsoever. Further take notice that such action will be instituted without further notice or correspondence to you in that regard whatsoever,” it added.

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