Abia State Governor, Alex Otti has said that members of the opposition are gathering in Abuja and other places with the intention of deceiving Abia people with fake news about his administration.

According to him, the members of the opposition have perfected a strategy to churn out fake and sometimes, real documents for propaganda purposes.

Otti stated this at Government House, Umuahia, on Monday while swearing in the Chairman and Deputy Chairmen of the 17 local government areas, together with elected councilors.

Otti, who did not mention the names of the opposition members, however, said that his administration was not afraid of such gatherings, as according to him, previous meetings held by such un-named persons failed and will fail again.

“Let me leave a word for the so-called opposition who are gathering in Abuja and elsewhere with the sole intention to deceive people and distract this government.

“They have perfected a strategy to churn out fake and sometimes real documents for false narratives and propaganda.

“Just like the Bible assures, because these gatherings are not of God, they will scatter. Do not take Abia people for granted.

“You have done this before and failed. What makes you think you will succeed this time given all the transformation that has happened in this state in less than 18 months? A word is enough for the wise,” Otti warned

Defence Headquarters has confirmed the emergence of a new terrorist group known as ‘Lukarawas’ in the Northwestern part of Nigeria

The Defence Headquarters has confirmed the emergence of a new terrorist group known as ‘Lukarawas’ in the Northwestern part of Nigeria. The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, disclosed this to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday, November 7, while speaking on the operations of the military.

Buba said that the new terror group emerged from the Republic of Niger after the coup that led to the breakdown of military cooperation between Nigeria and Niger.

He said that the terrorists began incursion into northern parts of Sokoto and Kebbi States from the Niger Republic and Mali axis, particularly after the coup in Niger Republic.

According to him, before the coup, there were joint border operations with Nigerien security forces, which kept the terrorists at bay.

“The terrorists took advantage of the gaps in cooperation between both countries and exploited difficult terrains to make incursions in remote areas in some North Western states to spread their ideology,” he said

Buba said that the group was accommodated by the locals, who initially thought that the group meant well for them, adding that they failed to report the movement to the military and security agencies.

He assuranced Nigerians that the Nigerian troops have sustained intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) to degrade the terrorists. He added that the terror group had continued to take advantage of the vast under-governed areas to hide and evade troops as well as harass the locals.

According to him, troops are locating them and eliminating the threat.

Imo State Government has revealed that one of its critics has begun moves to reach Gov Hope Uzodimma with a view to striking a deal to stop the verbal attacks on the administration.

According to the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon Declan Emelumba, the critic, Dr Fabian Ihekweme has made contacts with friends of the Governor, offering to ” cease fire” If he is offered the whopping sum of Five Hundred million Naira( N500m).

In a statement he issued Thursday, Emelumba noted that the demand from Ihekweme has vindicated the government’s earlier position that the former Commissioner for International Affairs is neither fighting for the public nor is he motivated by morality.

” When we described him as an extortionist and blackmailer, the public thought we were too hard on him, but now it is clear that frustration and hunger are his sole motivation for his unwarranted and unsubstantiated allegations against the Governor ”

Emelumba disclosed that many friends of the governor and government officials have been reached by Ihekweme, asking that he be settled with N500m as a condition to stop his baseless attacks on the governor in the media.

Said he, ” We can confirm that Fabian Ihekweme has reached out to several people, including some government officials asking them to convince the governor to release N500m to him so as to stop the baseless attacks on Uzodimma. One of such persons he reached is a Lagos based businessman whom he spoke on the phone with on Wednesday and later sent his Opay account number for his ticket to Lagos to seal the deal. We have records of similar conversations, “Emelumba disclosed.

The Commissioner described as unfortunate the activities of Ihekweme who was offered an opportunity to serve as a commissioner but failed woefully on the job.

He said the most painful aspect of the whole saga is that Ihekweme case files in the police where he was indicted for stealing government’s property were still open.

On whether the government will consider buying the silence of Ihekweme as he is demanding, Emelumba said he should perish the thought as Uzodimma has nothing to hide.

” Never shall we condescend that low to even negotiate with a traitor and blackmailer not to talk of settling him. I just pity some gullible members of the society who have time to read the rubbish he churns out, “he said.

The commissioner insisted that the governor would never be distracted by the antics of one man who had already betrayed the trust of Imo people by selling government property.