No fewer than ten {10} persons have been confirmed dead as suspected Fulani herdsmen strike in Okigwe council area of Imo state.

According to an eyewitness, the attack yesterday which was unchallenged by the police or the Army happened around Ojukwu street, Umuchima, Owerri road by union bank and Six-to-six area.

The Imo State House of Assembly in reaction to the barbaric act have summoned the state’s Commissioner of Police Olaniyi Fafowora, to appear at the floor of the State Assembly next Tuesday.

According to IGBERE TV, Fafowor’s invitation was sequel to the motion moved by Chidiebere Ogbunikpa, a member representing Okigwe state constituency, during plenary on Thursday where he registered his displeasure on the invasion of Fulani herdsmen in the area.

The motion reads, “whereas the police and other security agencies are charged with the responsibility of protecting lives and properties of Nigerian citizens, Okigwe people inclusive.

“The police and other security agencies have failed to protect the people of Okigwe local government area. This fact became clear with the type of sporadic shooting that took place in Okigwe town last night which left eight persons dead and not less than twelve others wounded.

“The hoodlums had a field day as they went street by street in Okigwe town with bike shooting and killing my people unchallenged by the police and other security agencies in the area including the army.”

“Be it resolved by this honourable House that Imo state government and the police to provide operational vehicles and other equipment or manpower to enable the officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force fight armed gangs in Okigwe.”

Ogbunikpa further charged the police to wade into the situation, expressing fears that more persons may fall victim if the situation was not arrested.

Igbere TV gathered that the motion which received massive support from members was cosponsored by Paul Emeziem of Onuimo state constituency, Pascal Okolie of Orlu constituency and Kennedy Ibeh representing Obowo state constituency.

Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Lagos has dismissed an application by a former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Maurice Iwu, seeking the transfer of his N1.23bn fraud trial from Lagos to Abuja.

The judge, in a ruling on Friday, said the application lacked merit.

Justice Oweibo said a look at the list of witnesses submitted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission showed that most of the witnesses were in Lagos, with some retired, hence “justice will be better served for the trial to proceed in Lagos”.

Iwu, who was arraigned on four counts of money laundering and fraud, had through his lawyer, Mr Ahmed Raji (SAN), pleaded that the case be transferred from Lagos to Abuja on the basis of his old age.

At the previous proceedings, Raji had told Justice Oweibo that at the age of 70 years, his client was too old to be coming from Abuja to the Federal High Court in Lagos to stand trial.

Besides, Raji said the transactions leading to the charges against Iwu took place in Abuja.

The SAN said, “My Lord, this defendant is over 70 years of age and he always travels down to Lagos and books a hotel whenever this matter comes up. It will amount to great agony for him to continue with this trial in Lagos.”

But the prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, opposed the prayer.

After declining the application on Friday, Justice Oweibo adjourned till April 28 for trial.

The EFCC had October last year arraigned Iwu on four counts, wherein he was accused of laundering N1.23bn in the build-up to the 2015 general elections, in which President Muhammadu Buhari defeated then-incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.

According to the EFCC, Iwu, between December 2014 and March 27, 2015, aided the concealment of N1.23bn in the account of Bioresources Institute of Nigeria Limited with number 1018603119, domiciled in the United Bank for Africa.

The EFCC said Iwu ought to have reasonably known that the N1.23bn formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: fraud.

The prosecution told the court that the ex-INEC chairman acted contrary to sections 18(a) and 15 (2) (a) of the Money Laundering ((Prohibition) Act 2011 and was liable to be punished under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

But Iwu pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Suspected Fulani herdsmen in the early hours of Thursday attacked the Mbanyiar community in the Guma Local Government Area of Benue State and raped three women including the district head’s wife.

According to a native of the community, who simply identified himself as Terka, the suspected herdsmen headed straight to the residence of the community head and attacked the household.

The herdsmen allegedly raped the traditional ruler’s wife and two of his in-laws and destroyed crops stored in the barn.

Confirming the attack on his community, the traditional ruler, Tyoor Chado, said the herdsmen numbering 11 attacked his residence around 2am.

According to him, his wife and two of his in-laws were tortured and raped by the marauding herdsmen who also destroyed his farm.

“Since the incident happened, I have not seen my wife and the two other in-laws, but the Livestock Guards who have gone to the area told me they were tortured, raped but were not killed.

“I have reported the matter to the police and sent vehicle to go and convey them back to Daudu where I am now taking refuge,” the traditional ruler said.

He further said the herdsmen used cassava, melon and yam from his barn to feed their animals.

But when contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Benue State Command, Catherine Anene, said he had not been briefed about the attack.