By Our Reporter

The Joint Task Force South-East, Operation Udoka, has declared Ifeanyi Eze Okorienta, popularly known as “Gentle The Yahoo,” wanted over alleged threats to peace and security in the South-East.

The task force announced a N30 million reward for credible information that could lead to Okorienta’s arrest.

In a wanted notice issued by the military formation, Okorienta was identified as a person considered a threat to peace in the region, while residents were urged to assist security agencies with information on his whereabouts.

According to the notice, a “reward of N30,000,000” awaits anyone whose credible information leads to his capture.

The military also appealed to residents to support ongoing efforts to tackle violence and criminality across the South-East, with the message: “Give Peace a Chance.”

Members of the public who have useful information about the wanted individual were advised to contact security authorities through 193 or 0806 795 9570. The task force assured informants that they could provide information anonymously.

A photograph of Okorienta was included in the wanted notice alongside the inscription: “No Violence, No Criminality in the South East.”

The development comes against the backdrop of intensified military and security operations across the South-East aimed at tracking individuals suspected of involvement in violent and other criminal activities.

The task force further cautioned members of the public against attempting to apprehend Okorienta themselves if they encounter him.

Instead, residents were urged to promptly alert the security authorities through the designated telephone lines to enable security personnel to take appropriate action.

The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has confiscated several cartons of pirated literary works with street value worth N7 million at the popular Garki market in the Federal  Capital Territory(FCT).

Mrs Ijeoma Egbunike, the commission’s   Director of Public Affairs, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

According to the statement, Mr Femi Ajala, Director of Operation of NCC, who led the enforcement team, said the raid is part of the commission’s renewed campaign against piracy.

He said the  team was able to achieve its goal  with the support of armed police personnel from the FCT Command.

“Acting on credible intelligence, regarding the suspected storage and distribution of pirated books, we were able to move into the location.

“We discovered a substantial quantity of books suspected to have been reproduced and distributed without the authorisation of the respective copyright owners.

“We gained access to the store, seized and evacuated several cartons and bags of suspected infringing publications and subsequently sealed the premises,” he said.

Ajala added that the successful raid was part of NCC’s intelligence-driven approach to disrupting copyright piracy and protecting the legitimate interests of authors, publishers and other right owners.

While reiterating the commission’s zero-tolerance stance against piracy, the director of operation stressed that it remained a serious threat to Nigeria’s creative and publishing industries.

According to him, the illicit business deprives legitimate right owners of income from their works, and undermine continued investment in creativity and publishing.

“The operation was intelligence-driven. We received information about the location and acted on that intelligence.

“The volume of books recovered which worth N7 million shows the seriousness of the situation and the need for sustained enforcement,” he added.

He further explained that the commission would not relent in tracking down those involved in illegal reproduction, distribution and commercial exploitation of copyrighted works.

“The Commission will continue to disrupt piracy activities and investigate all those involved,” he said.

Ajala assured that further investigation would commence immediately to establish the ownership, source, distribution network and other circumstances surrounding the seized publications.

According to him, the investigation will be carried out with a view to identifying those responsible and ensuring that they face the full weight of the law.

He further warned pirates and other persons engaged in the commercial exploitation of copyrighted works without the requisite authorisation, that the commission would continue to deploy its enforcement operations to disrupt their activities.

He emphasised that the fight against book piracy was not merely an enforcement issue, but a critical intervention to protect Nigeria’s authors, publishers, researchers, educators and the wider creative economy.

He, therefore, urged members of the public, right owners, publishers and other stakeholders to always provide relevant information that could assist the commission in identifying and disrupting piracy networks.

According to the commission, some of the books titles seized during the raid include; ‘Purple Hibiscus’,  ‘The Magic of Thinking Big’,  ‘ ‘New General Mathematics for Senior and Junior Secondary Schools 1,2 and 3’, ‘Stan Basic Science and Technology for Primary School’,  ‘Work Book 3’,  ‘Lantern , Steps to Quantitative and Verbal Reasoning 3’.

Others included ‘Classic Basic Technology for Junior Secondary Schools 3’, ‘ Active Basic Science and Technology for Junior Secondary Schools and Work Book 2’,  ‘Queen Primer’,  ‘Royal School Series Part 1’, ‘WABP Physical and Health Education for Primary Schools 1 and 4’.

Other seized titles inluded ‘Learn Mathematics 5’; ‘New School Physics for Senior Secondary Schools’,  ‘MacMillan Champion Primary Mathematics 3 and 4’,  ‘Tonad’,  ‘Essential Commerce for Senior Secondary Schools’, among others.(NAN).

The troops of COAS Special Intervention Battalion 7 of Sector 2, Operation FANSAN YAMMA have foiled terrorists attack and recovered high-calibre guns and motorcycles in Tangaza Local Government Area (LGA) of Sokoto State.

Lt.-Col. Olaniyi Osoba, Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 8 Division, Nigerian Army, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Sokoto.

Osoba said during the operation which occurred on Saturday, troops advanced through identified terrorist threat enclaves, including Manu, Alkasim and Kandam villages, as well as the Magarya Forest axis.

“Upon making contact with the terrorists within the Magarya forest enclave, troops engaged the terrorist elements with superior firepower, forcing them to abandon their positions and flee into the deep forest,” he said.

Osoba further said that troops’ follow-up operations and a thorough search of the general area led to the recovery of significant arms, ammunition and mobility assets.

“The recovered items include one PKT Machine Gun, AK-47 Rifles, large quantity of 7.62 x 54mm belted ammunition, motorcycles and assorted logistical and miscellaneous items.”

According to Osoba, troops maintain a strong operational posture and continue to dominate the general area to ensure the total security of surrounding communities.(NAN).