Columns
RELIEF MARKET PLAZA CRISES – By GOC NWADIKE

Published
1 year agoon
By
Ekwutos Blog
*_…exposing Those Behind The Audacity Of Criminality (Part 1)_*
*_By GOC NWADIKE_*
Few days ago, the story about a certain Paul Opara aka “Son Of A King” and gang, who corruptly, and in a Coup d’etat form, took over the leadership of the popular Relief Market Plaza behind the stadium, was broken by this writer.
The said Paul Opara (Son of A King), whom journalists have now discovered is working under what is described as “NINN AGENDA” audaciously imposed himself as the Chairman of the said Plaza since three years now, collecting revenues, mounted illegal toll gate at the entrance of the market and extorting traders and visitors.
“NINN”, from findings, is the acronym for Nkwerre/Isu/Njaba/Nwangele. Paul Opara is from Ekwe in Isu LGA, and allegedly sympathetic to a certain opposition politician from that Federal Constituency whom it was also allegedly said he is secretly coordinating a market group for.
Information also available to Press men informed that this imposter had severally intimidated the real chairman of the plaza, one Mr. CHINENYE OWOROMA who emerged through a general election of the plaza on the 21st of September 2020. Paul and gang said to be using enormous resources made available for him by his opposition sponsors, had severally dragged the chairman to various Police stations with unfounded allegations, but with the young man eventually found innocent and set free.
Further information dug out by investigators alleged that Paul Opara and gang had earlier thought that easing off the chairman through intimidations was going to be that easy, following the physical challenge on one of his legs. It was further revealed that “Son of a King” and his gang had not more than once, beaten him up, pushed and snatched the walking stick off the chairman with intend to put him off balance, and these had often made the helpless chairman fell and sustained some permanent injuries.
As at this very day, a case is still pending in one of the courts in Owerri, which had earlier ruled that the status quo be retained; that is, the Chairman – MR. OWOROMA CHINENYE retains his office as the dully elected chairman till determination.
But information by private investigators show that the recalcitrant and desperate Paul Opara has continued to boldly impose himself as Chairman of the Plaza, jumping from one SA to another, and dangerously poisoning the peace in the market.
MY PERSONAL INVESTIGATIONS:
Earlier in the week, MR. PAUL OPARA raised a large billboard at the entrance gate of the plaza with his image and name affixed as the Chairman of the plaza. The authentic Chairman, MR. OWOROMA CHINENYE quickly removed the banner, and not quite long, someone very close to the system called to order him to put back the banner. Later on, some other person directed him not to put back the banner, but should rather put his own.
Unfortunately, these various interests once again heated up the market that it took the intervention of some of us in the know to avert a gang war by some youths and various supporters who wanted to take the laws into their hands. This is happening at a time that the Imo state Governor Hope Uzodinma is seriously working for a permanent peace in the state.
Going further with my inquiries about who is the authentic chairman of the market, the SA to the Governor on Special Duties, NZE CHINASA NWANERI informed this writer that MR. OWOROMA CHINENYE is the dully elected chairman of the Relief Plaza. He hinted that he had personally visited the plaza and cautioned the imposter – Paul Opara to refrain from parading himself as the Chairman of the market and causing troubles in the plaza.
In my presence, he directed officers of the Imo State Signage And Advertisement Agency (IMSAA) to immediately remove the billboard raised by the imposter; a directive that has already been complied with and Oworoma’s board raised.
Paul Opara is still going about threatening even ISAMATA leadership that he is the chairman that they must work with. So, the question remains, Who Is Behind This Audacity and Criminality?
The imposter PAUL OPARA who is from Isu had smartly attempted to drag the names of some Isu leaders as his backers, prompting my visit to the Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture, CHIEF COSMAS MADUBA (Odeebube Isu).
The Leader informed that he had once heard the case, and upon discovering the truth, had sternly warned the desperate Paul Opara to desist from his nefarious activities.
He went further before my team to place another call on him, and seriously cautioned him. He even summoned him to come to his house the next day (Wednesday) with the other team, an invite which I later understood that PAUL OPARA did not honour, rather went to a radio station to blackmail the aides of the government.
Again, who is behind this audacity?
Contacts were equally made to the SA Market Development, as well as SA Market Affairs, CHIEF ADOLPH ANOKWUTE and HON. EMMANUEL EZEANOCHIE (CHENCO) respectively, and both maintained that MR. CHINENYE OWOROMA is the authentic chairman of the Relief Plaza recognized by the government.
Hon. EZEANOCHIE (Chenco) who also doubles as the chairman of ISAMATA specifically sent a WhatsApp message to the SA on Public Communication, HON. ARINZE STANFORD NWOKEDI upon inquiry, where he maintained that MR OWOROMA CHINENYE is the chairman of the Relief Plaza.
Yet with all these clarifications, this writer wonders why, and how MR. PAUL OPARA still parades himself as chairman of the market with effontery, and has even been invited for negotiations/meetings severally on behalf of the market by just two principal officers (a Commissioner and an SA) in the 3R administration the past three years where the authentic and elected chairman exists.
Journalists are currently digging deep, and sure in the next couple of days, shocking stories of illegal deals and agreements, blackmails and other criminalities ongoing among some people using that plaza may be unearthed.
In the meantime, this is specially thanking all the aides of this administration mentioned above. They have been working tirelessly to promote peace, balance and Justice to all, and their quickest interventions and responses when called up have remained hallmarks of the 3R administration of His Excellency, Gov. Hope Uzodinma.
*_GOC NWADIKE writes from Umuna Ward in Orlu LGA and can be reached via greyviewstudios@gmail.com_*
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Columns
Nigeria’s Accoutant-General: 5 candidates make next stage

Published
8 hours agoon
February 14, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
The selection process for the appointment of an Accountant-General of the Federation has progressed to its final stage, with five candidates successfully advancing to the oral interview.
This development follows the conclusion of the ICT proficiency test conducted for the ten candidates who passed the initial stage of the selection process.
A statement signed by Mrs Eno Olotu,
Director, Information and Public Relations of the Head of Service of the Federation, said the oral interview is scheduled to take place today, Friday.
“This stage will serve as a critical evaluation of the candidates’ leadership abilities and strategic vision for managing the office of the Accountant-General,” the statement said.
The Head of Service of the Federation,
Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, commeneed the rigorous and transparent approach adopted throughout the selection process.
She expressed satisfaction with the professionalism demonstrated so far, highlighting that the ICT proficiency test was conducted on a merit-based platform to ensure that only the most qualified candidates advanced.
“This process underscores our commitment to upholding accountability, equity, and excellence in public service appointments.
“I am pleased with the progress we have made and confident that the oral interview will help us identify the best candidate for this critical role,” the Head of Service stated.
Additionally, the oral interview for the seven Permanent Secretaries who previously qualified will also be held on Friday, 14th February 2025.
Columns
DG seeks compulsory recruitment of first-class graduates into DSS

Published
20 hours agoon
February 14, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
The Director-General of the Department of State Services, Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi, has called for a policy mandating the recruitment of first-class graduates into the intelligence agency to strengthen national security.
Ajayi made this call while delivering the 2025 Distinguished Personality Lecture at the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin, Kwara State.
In his lecture, titled “The Roles of the DSS in Security, Peacekeeping, and National Integration,” Ajayi emphasised the need for a paradigm shift in recruitment and staffing within security agencies to ensure only the best minds are enlisted.
Represented by the DSS Deputy Director, Mr. Patrick Ikenweiwe, the DG argued that recruiting top academic performers into the DSS should be a compulsory national policy, similar to Israel’s selective university admission system.
The DSS DG stressed the need for a shift in public perception, noting that many Nigerians view security agencies as adversaries rather than allies.
He warned that such attitudes negatively impact intelligence gathering, peacebuilding, and national integration.
“Like I know, in Israel, there is one examination that students take to get admitted into the university. The moment you score above 70 marks, you have no option but to be sent to the university there.”
He contended that intelligence work requires exceptional intellect to tackle sophisticated criminal networks.
“Tell me how would a ‘Dundee’ (dullard) be able to keep security in a criminal gang that is constituted of First Class people? You know, it takes intellect to track criminality.”
“So, if I have my way in this country, and we keep praying that we do the right thing, the academia should be able to supply us, sincerely, the details of students who have excelled in their various fields of study so that they would be forced to serve this great nation,” he said.
The lecture further highlighted the critical role of intelligence agencies in safeguarding national security, emphasising that public perception of security organisations as adversaries rather than allies hampers intelligence gathering and peacebuilding.
Addressing Nigeria’s security landscape, Ikenweiwe noted that traditional threats such as sabotage, subversion, and espionage have evolved into more complex challenges, including terrorism, insurgency, separatist agitations, militancy, cybercrime, and economic sabotage.
He reaffirmed the DSS’s commitment to tackling these threats through strategic collaborations with sister agencies and continuous stakeholder engagement.
Speaking on an overview of the mandate of the DSS, he said the service’s internal security responsibilities are accommodated in the NSA Act CAP N74 LFN, 2024 and SSS Instrument No. 1 of 1999.
“The former summarily mandates the Service to prevent and detect any crime against the internal security of Nigeria as well as protect non-military classified national security matters, while the latter, promulgated by Abdulsalami Abubakar, mandates the service to, among others, prevent, detect and investigate the threat of espionage, subversion, sabotage, terrorism, separatist agitation, law and order and economic crimes of national security dimension.
“The instrument also demands that the DSS gives timely advice to the government on all matters of national security interest. Most importantly, the Service is empowered by the aforementioned legal frameworks to execute other functions as may from time to time be assigned by Mr. President, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
“The centre also offers short-time capacity-building training in those areas. Quite a number of officers from the Nigeria Armed Forces, other security agencies as well as officers of other nations have benefitted from the programmes, graduated and are doing well in their callings,” he said.
Meanwhile, in a related development, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu on Wednesday received a delegation from the DSS, led by the Deputy Director-General, Mrs. Afolashade Adekayaoja, at the State House, Abuja.
The visit underscored the administration’s commitment to empowering women in leadership roles within the security sector.
Tinubu applauded the DSS for appointing a woman to such a high-ranking position, stating, “Women who have proven themselves in their careers deserve recognition and leadership roles. This is a testament to my husband’s long-standing belief that women are highly responsible and committed.”
She urged female leaders in the DSS to support one another and diligently execute their duties to inspire future generations.
In response, Adekayaoja expressed gratitude for the administration’s commitment to gender inclusivity and reaffirmed the DSS’s dedication to ensuring national security and stability.
With the push for compulsory recruitment of Nigeria’s brightest minds into intelligence services, the DSS aims to bolster its operational effectiveness in addressing evolving security threats and strengthening national peace and integration.
Columns
Seven Convicts Forfeit Hotel, N230.3m, Others in Makurdi

Published
1 day agoon
February 13, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
Justice M.S.Abubakar of the Federal High Court, sitting in Makurdi, Benue State has ordered the forfeiture to the federal government, the sum of N232,396,714.00 (Two Hundred and Thirty-two Million, Three Hundred and Ninety-six Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fourteen Naira), a hotel as well as the sum of $4,977 (Four Thousand Nine Hundred and Seventy-seven US Dollars) recovered from seven fraudsters.
The forfeiture followed the conviction and sentencing of the fraudsters,
prosecuted on separate one-count charges, bordering on criminal impersonation, money laundering, cybercrime and obtaining by false pretence by the Makurdi Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The convicts are: Tamaraudeinyefa Shedrack Brakekebebe, Godday Conference Brakekebebe, Terhemba Josiah Asagh, Nyiter Avalumun Elijah, Ahmed Alabi Akindele, Kennedy Torbem Ayanger and Hwande Aondooungwa James.
The charge against Brakekebebe reads: “That you Tamaraudeinyefa Shedrack Brakebebe “M” ( 24 years old) in Makurdi, Benue State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did retain the sum of N64,762,169.00 ( Sixty Four Million, Seven Hundred and Sixty Nine Naira) in your Access Bank Account Number 0106661087 and the sum of N102,750,246.00 ( One Hundred and Two Million,Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Two Hundred and Forty Six Naira) in your Zenith Bank Account number 2650121852, which you reasonably knew to be proceeds of unlawful Act, to wit; Cybercrime and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering ( prohibition and Prevention etc) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3)of the same Section.
That of Asagh reads: “That you Terhemba Josiah Asagh “M”( 27 years old) sometime between 2021 and 2025 in Makurdi, Benue State with intent to defraud did send electronic messages via Facebook App with fake identity as an Asian soldier, working for United Nations in the United State of America which reliance, unsuspecting foreigners were caused to suffer loss of about $300,0000 ( Three Hundred Thousand USD, which you converted to your Kuda Bank Account Number 2018650772 and use same in building a Century Crip Inn Hotel, Gboko and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(2)(b)of the Cybercrime ( Prohibition and Prevention etc) Act 2015 and punishable under same Section of the Act.”
They all pleaded “guilty” to their charges when they were read to them, prompting the review of their cases by prosecuting counsel M.Yusuf, A.S.Idris, A.Gazali K.T.Sunday and Imadifon Igbinidu, who urged the court afterwards to convict and sentence them accordingly.
After listening to prosecution and defence counsel, Justice Abubakar convicted and sentenced Tamaraudeinyefa Brakekebebe to one year imprisonment or to pay N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he forfeited the sum of N102,750,246.00 (One Hundred and Two Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Two Hundred and Forty Six Naira), found in his Zenith Bank Account No: 2650121856 and the sum of N64,762,169.00 (Sixty Four Million, Seven Hundred and Sixty Two Thousand, One Hundred and Sixty Nine Naira) to the federal government.
Godday Brakekebebe was convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment or to pay N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he forfeited the sum of N56, 633,246 (Fifty-six Million, Six Hundred and Thirty-three Thousand, Two Hundred and Forty-six Naira) found in his Zenith Bank Account No: 4068151050 and another sum of N200,929.00 (Two Hundred Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty-nine Naira ), found in his Access Bank account No: 1462517972 to the federal government.
Asagh was convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment or to pay N1,500,000,00 (One Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he forfeited his Century Crip Inn Hotel, situated at No: 41 Adekaa Yaji Street, Gboko North LGA, Benue State and registered as plot 5352 in Gboko Land Registry and a Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic with Chassis No: WDDHFBQAA121814 and Registration No: ABJ 367 CY to the federal government.
Elijah bagged one year imprisonment or to pay N500,000.00 ( Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he is to restitute the sum of N10million to his victim through the EFCC Recovery Account and forfeit a Mercedes-Benz GLE with chassis No:4J6D5H876A44065 and Registration No ABJ 797 AL to the federal government.
Akindele was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment or to pay N100,000.00 ( One Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he is to restitute the sum of N1,645,000.00 (One Million, Six Hundred and Forty-five Thousand Naira) to his victim.
Ayanger was convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment or to pay N100,000.00( One Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he is to restitute the sum of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) to his victim, while James was convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment or to pay N500,000.00 ( Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he forfeited the sum of N8,050,124.00 (Eight Million and Fifty Thousand, One Hundred and Twenty-four Naira) found in his Zenith Bank Account No: 4256815018 and as well as $4977 ( Four Thousand, Nine Hundred and Seventy-seven US Dollars) USD in his wallet account to the federal government.
The road to their ill-fate began when operatives of the Special Task Force (STF) of the Makurdi Zonal Directorate of the EFCC followed credible intelligence on their involvements
in fraudulent criminal activities and arrested them in their hideouts.
Visit www.efcc.gov.ng for more stories

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