Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, Adaku Uche-Anya, has condemned the checking of people’s phones and the transferring of money from these phones by police officers.

Students of Ebonyi State University, EBSU, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, AE-FUNAI, and some members of the public have been complaining of harassment, unauthorised phone checks by policemen, and the transfer of funds from their accounts to the officers’ accounts.

At a town hall meeting with security stakeholders in the state, held at the police officers’ mess at the headquarters of the Abia State Police Command in Abakaliki, the state capital, Adaku Uche-Anya warned officers of the command against this disturbing trend, describing it as criminal.

She noted that the police hierarchy prohibits checking phones without a warrant.

The Commissioner of Police provided the audience with contact numbers of senior officers to report any infractions by police personnel in the state.

She also cautioned members of the public against taking the law into their own hands or engaging in jungle justice.

She expressed her gratitude to the stakeholders for their cooperation in ensuring the security of the state.

The purpose of the meeting, according to her, was to assess the command’s performance and identify areas for improvement in service delivery.

The meeting was attended by traditional rulers, representatives from the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, market leaders, and other relevant stakeholders.

Nicholas Ukachukwu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Anambra, says he is moving away from his longstanding role as a political godfather to take the lead in the upcoming election.

Ukachukwu spoke after clinching the party’s ticket, describing his candidacy as the beginning of a new phase in his political journey.

“One thing I want to say here is that nobody has won governorship of Anambra state without my support. It has never happened before,” he said.

“I have been playing godfatherism, but now I want to be the father of the father. No more godfather.”

The former member of the house of representatives called on party members and stakeholders to unite and work towards delivering Anambra to the APC.

“This is not the journey, but the beginning of the journey itself,” he said.

“There is nothing better than us winning the seat of governance of Anambra state. Bringing Anambra to the mainstream will bring a lot of things that will flow down to the grassroots.

“Today, you have given me your mandate to embark on that task, but I cannot do it without you. I need all your support, I need all your prayers. We have to work hard.”

Ukachukwu also addressed past remarks credited to Chukwuma Soludo, governor of Anambra, dismissing the presence of APC in the state.

“Before now, the governor said there is no APC in Anambra state. Today, he said APC is in Anambra state,” he said.

“With God on our side, with your support, and the cooperation of my co-aspirants, we shall deliver Anambra to APC.

“I don’t want to talk like someone who has won the war. I want to talk like someone preparing to go for war.

“The preparation for the battle is for human beings, but victory comes from God. Let’s close ranks together, let’s work hard, let’s pray hard and deliver Anambra to APC.”

Ukachukwu clinched the ticket at the party’s primary election on Saturday, defeating his closest rival, Valentine Ozigbo, and other contenders by a landslide.

He polled 1,455 votes while Ozigbo secured 67 votes. Edozie Madu and Johnbosco Onunkwo got 8 and 26 votes, respectively.

The Anambra governorship election will hold on November 8, 2025.

The Agatu Youth Development Initiative, AYDI, has condemned the recent killing of a herder and the rustling of cows in several communities across Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.

The group attributed the crimes to perpetrators of violent acts, whom they described as enemies of the peaceful people of Agatu.

In a statement released on Saturday, AYDI expressed deep concern over the increasing criminal activities in the area, revealing that over 210 cows have been killed and stolen in the past few months.

AYDI clarified that these perpetrators were not indigenes of Agatu but rather outsiders envious of the peace and stability established in the region since October 2024.

The group’s National President, Ngbede Edoh, and Woman Leader, Mrs Rose Onuminya, expressed fears that the criminal acts could reverse the significant progress made in peace-building efforts by the executive chairman of Agatu LGA, Hon Melvin Ejeh.

The statement reads: “We are constrained to issue this press statement, in light of recent events in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State, whose people are known to be peace-lovers, peace-makers, as well as peace-builders

“We are deeply concerned about verified reports of fresh killings of an innocent boy, and over 210 cows by enemies of Agatu, who seek to reverse the gains our people have been enjoying from the peace strategy with Fulani leaders, which ensured that herders and settlers will respect the laws, traditions and customs of their host communities.

“As a gesture of reciprocity, our people undertook to be good hosts, hospitable, and accommodating, in demonstration of their time-honoured nature.

“We are afraid that if nothing is done – and urgently too – Agatu land might be returned to the dark days, where killings and reprisals were the order of the day.

“As is often said: ‘beneficiaries of acts of wickedness and crimes are those that originate them’. Therefore, no effort should be spared to stop evildoers from taking us back to Egypt.

“As a transparent, non-profit organisation, we make bold to state that the perpetrators of this fresh, targeted violence, do not represent Agatu, hence do not have the stainless and pure blood of Agatu running in their veins.

“Our painstaking investigations revealed that they are bad eggs, who are sponsored to truncate the peace enjoyed by the good people of Agatu since the assumption of office of the chairman, Hon (Amb) Melvin Ejeh.

“They are crises merchants, who accept the least of incentives, including a mess of pottage, to main, kill, and spill innocent blood, to satisfy their paymasters.”