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Imo: Protest rocks Owerri over demolition of old Timber Market

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Residents of Umuonyima community in Owerri Municipal Council of Imo State have staged a protest against the demolition of the Old Timber Market by the state government.

Speaking with Ekwutosblog , the President General of the Community, Christian Anukam, said that they were protesting against inhumane action meted on the community by the state government over the demolition of the ancient timber market in Owerri.

The PG expressed sadness over what he termed impromptu action on the side of the government for not informing occupants of the place ahead of time to enable them safeguard their wares.

“They came and informed us just a day before the demolition with one of the governor’s aides telling us that the instruction was to bring everything down,” Anukam said.

He pointed out that the community supported the APC-led administration of Hope Uzodinma and wondered why the state government decided to treat them in such manner by not allowing tenants trading in the market the opportunity to secure their goods before the demolition.


Anukam maintained that a one-day notice is not enough to enable occupants move their wares out of the area.

One of the community leaders, Paschal Ugwuanyi said they just learnt that Owerri Capital Development Authority (OCDA) officials were coming to demolish the place without properly informing the community.

According to him, the land was released to them since 2007 by the then administration purposely for the market. He stressed that they were surprised at the turn of events.

Another community leader, Prince Mike Ukaegbu, said they were on a peaceful demonstration because the land is the only market where the community and the traders make their daily living.

He pleaded with the state government to give more time to enable occupants secure their goods while looking for alternatives.

Ukaegbu further pleaded on the government to consider their pleas as they are also citizens of the state.

“We are in support of the government of Senator Hope Uzodimma,” he submitted.

Other community leaders who spoke to journalists, including the traditional head of the clan, disclosed that the notice of the demolition was impromptu and pleaded that there should have been an earlier notice before the action.

Recall that the state government, through the Owerri Capital Development Authority (OCDA), had said it will commence demolition exercise at the Old Timber Market.

According to the General Manager of OCDA, Frank Nkem, prior to the demolition, a 21-day notice was given to the occupants, which he said the occupants refused to adhere to.

Nkem said that during the last visit to the area, he toured the premises and engaged with the leadership to reiterate the need to comply with the notice to vacate the illegal occupation, which he said has expired.

He said the government is more concerned over how the area has allegedly become a breeding ground for criminal activities, including gun-running, drug peddling and other unlawful practices.

Nkem added that despite the official relocation of traders to the Naze Industrial Market many years ago, that remnant of the traders had remained recalcitrant, refusing to comply with the relocation order.

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US Senator breaks record for the longest speech ever on the senate floor with over 24 hours

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Senator Cory Booker has broken the record for the longest speech ever delivered in the Senate.

The New Jersey Democrat spoke for 25 hours and 5 minutes, according to his office, breaking the record for the longest floor speech in modern history of the chamber as he spoke in protest of  President Donald Trump’s “unconstitutional” actions.

Booker said he would speak for as long as he was physically able as he began his address at around 19:00 local time on Monday evening. He concluded at 20:06 on Tuesday.

Booker, 55, surpassed the late Sen. Strom Thurmond’s speech that lasted 24 hour and 18 minutes in 1957. Booker said that he was speaking “in spite” of the previous record holder’s remarks against the 1957 Civil Rights Act.

“Since I’ve gotten to the Senate, I always felt it was a strange shadow hanging over this institution — that the longest speech, all the issues that have come up, all the noble causes that people have done, or the things that typically try to stop – I just found it strange that he had the record,” Booker told CNN. “And as a guy who grew up with the legends of the Civil Rights Movement, myself, my parents and their friends, it just would seem wrong to me. It always seemed wrong.”

He lashed out at Trump’s radical cost-cutting policies that have seen his top advisor Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, slash entire government programs without consent from Congress.

The senator said Trump’s aggressive seizing of ever-more executive power had put US democracy at risk.

“Unnecessary hardships are being borne by Americans of all backgrounds. And institutions which are special in America, which are precious and which are unique in our country, are being recklessly – and I would say even unconstitutionally – affected, attacked, even shattered,” Booker said.

“In just 71 days the president of the United States has inflicted so much harm on Americans’ safety, financial stability, the core foundations of our democracy,” he said.

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Nigeria police raid ‘Yahoo School’ in Lagos, arrest 10 suspects

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Lagos State Police Command has uncovered and smashed internet fraud training facility, commonly referred to as “Yahoo School”, operating in the Iju area of the state.

This was contained in a statement by the command’s spokesman, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, on Tuesday in Lagos.

According to Hundeyin, the police arrested four yahoo experts and six trainees.

“During the successful operations, the police detectives apprehended four yahoo experts, of ages 22, 23, 25, and 26, who were running the notorious school.

“The other six suspects, who are between the ages of 12 and 26, are their criminal trainees, all of whom were undergoing training in cybercrime and fraud.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the principal suspects of the facility recruited their trainees from Anambra, engaged them to commit internet fraud and other related crimes,” he said.

The police image maker said all suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Yaba, for further discreet investigation and prosecution.

He further stated that efforts were on to arrest other accomplices.

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20-year-old arrested for raping girl who turned down proposal

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20-year-old arrested for raping girl who turned down proposal
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A 20-year-old man, Tiamiyu Oluwatobi Samuel, has been arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Osun State Command for allegedly raping a minor.

This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Corps Public Relations Officer, Kehinde Adeleke.

Adeleke explained that Samuel was nabbed on 26th March, 2025 by operatives of NSCDC for having carnal knowledge of a 12-year-old girl unlawfully in Gbongan, Osun State.

In his confessional statement, Samuel said he had known the victim for three years and had asked her to be his girlfriend, but she rejected his proposal.

The State Commandant of the Corps, Igbalawole Sotiyo said, “On Sunday, March 23, 2025, at about 3:00 pm, the victim was passing in front of the suspect’s house when he called her and dragged her into his room with the help of an accomplice.

“The suspect threatened the victim with a cutlass and had carnal knowledge of her.

“Thereafter, the victim started bleeding, and the suspect threatened to kill her if she told anyone. The accomplice is currently at large but will be apprehended to face the consequences of his actions.

“The suspect has admitted the offence and a medical report confirms that the victim’s hymen was broken.”

“I want to assure members of the public that upon the conclusion of our investigation, the suspect will be charged to court. Parents and guardians are enjoined to be vigilant and keep a close watch on their children and wards.”

Sotiyo also issued a strong warning to those individuals engaging in such heinous act to desist as failure to do so will result in severe consequences.

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