The Anambra Police Command has confirmed the disappearance of a schoolchild, who reportedly got missing after a downpour and heavy flood that submerged Nibo-Isiagu Road, Awka, on Tuesday.

The ​‌‍​‌‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌​‌​Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Awka.

Ikenga stated that the command had intensified its search for the child, whose identity had yet to be ascertained.

He stated that the command rescued nine persons, including seven schoolchildren and two adults, in the same area, with the support of its Safe School Operatives and good-spirited Nigerians.

“The incident occurred in the early hours of today, when some schoolchildren and adults were caught up in the flood while travelling along the affected area.

“Upon receiving information about the incident, the Safe School Operatives swiftly mobilised to the area and, working with members of the community, rescued seven schoolchildren and two adults and moved them to safety, ” the PPRO added.

According to the statement, the command is continuing its search and rescue operations in the affected area.

It explained that the search operation was being conducted, in collaboration with community members and relevant stakeholders, and would continue until the remaining persons were located and accounted for.

It stated that the Commissioner of Police, Mr Nnanna Ama, had directed that the search and rescue operation be sustained and expanded.

It added that Ama also urged residents of the area, particularly those living or operating around the affected route, to assist with useful information that may assist in locating the missing pupil.

The command further urged parents, guardians, school authorities and motorists to exercise extreme caution around flooded roads, bridges and waterways, especially during periods of heavy rainfall.

It advised parents and guardians to ensure that children did not attempt to cross flooded or dangerous routes.

The statement explained that the command remained committed to the protection and safety of schoolchildren and other residents of the state.

“The police will continue to strengthen collaboration with communities and relevant agencies under the Safe School Initiative to prevent avoidable loss of lives during emergencies,” it added. (NAN).

Our Reporter 

Gov. Alex Otti of Abia on Tuesday  urged Igbo people to preserve their history while continuously renewing institutions created to advance their collective interests.

 Otti gave the advice on Monday  at the public presentation of a book: Ohanaeze at 50: The Burden of Memory, The Politics of Relevance.

It was authored by Mr Kalu Onuma.

Otti served as the event’s chief host.

He said the 50th anniversary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo provided an opportunity not only to celebrate its longevity but also to examine its relevance to present and future generations.

 He said the book’s emphasis on memory and relevance was  significant because institutions must learn from their history while adapting to changing social realities.

 “Memory tells us where we are coming from. Relevance challenges us to ask where we are going.

 “An organisation that forgets its history will struggle to understand its present, but an organisation that becomes too attached to its history without responding to the demands of the present may gradually loses its relevance,” Otti said.

 He said Ohanaeze emerged in 1976 from the need to provide a platform for Igbo people at a difficult period in Nigeria’s history.

He said that the circumstances that produced the organisation had changed significantly.

 Otti said the new realities required institutions representing Igbo people to create a greater space for young people, women, professionals and the growing Igbo diaspora.

 He commended Onuma for undertaking what he described as an important examination of the history, experiences and future of Ohanaeze.

 The governor urged members of the public to read the book, saying that its value would  be measured by the conversations and actions it would generate.

 “You cannot correct what you refuse to acknowledge. You cannot improve what you refuse to examine, and you cannot build the future if you are afraid to learn from the past,” he said.

 The author, Onuma, said the book was not written to praise or condemn Ohanaeze, but to examine what the organisation had achieved, where it had struggled and what it could become in the next 50 years.

Onuma said the book was an independent work and not a commissioned history of Ohanaeze.

 He said: “If it provokes questions, then it has done something useful.

“If it generates debate, then the conversation has begun.

“If the conversation leads to renewal, then the purpose of the book would have been achieved.”

The royal father of the occasion and Obi of Onitsha and Agbogidi,  Nnaemeka Achebe, performed the traditional breaking of Kola at the event.

Achebe said the breaking of Kola symbolised fellowship and goodwill, urging Igbo people to strengthen their bonds while preserving their cultural heritage.

 The reviewer of the book, Prof. Okey Anueyiagu,  described the publication as an attempt to interrogate an institution rather than merely celebrate its 50th anniversary.

 Anueyiagu said the book examined Ohanaeze’s history, leadership, internal dynamics and relevance to contemporary society.

He urged the public to read the book critically and note the questions it raised about the future of the organisation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that  Ohanaeze Ndigbo, established in 1976, is an apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation representing the collective interests, unity and cultural heritage of Igbo  people.

 The organisation emerged six years after the Nigerian Civil War in an effort to rebuild Igbo communal institutions and provide a platform for collective representation.

 NAN reports that the book examined five decades of the organisation’s evolution and pointed out the challenges and possibilities ahead. (NAN)

Abubakar Umar 

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has inaugurated a 10-member Independent Investigative Committee to probe the reported deaths of 37 persons held in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Niger State Command, giving the panel two weeks to establish the truth surrounding the incident.

Tunji-Ojo, who inaugurated the committee on Tuesday, also vowed that no officer, regardless of his or her position, would be shielded if found culpable in the deaths, stressing that the government owed Nigerians the truth.

The minister further warned that any attempt to destroy or conceal evidence, intimidate witnesses or obstruct the investigation would be treated as a serious offence.

According to him, the 37 persons were reportedly arrested and detained on suspicion of illegal mining before their deaths in NSCDC custody on Thursday, September 17.

He said the Federal Government had directed a comprehensive, transparent and unhindered investigation into the incident, adding that he had already ordered the immediate suspension of the Niger State Commandant of the Corps and all officers who were on duty covering arrest, investigation, legal, station and guard duties between September 15 and 17.

The suspended officers, he said, would remain out of duty pending the outcome of the investigation, while the committee would establish the identities of the deceased and investigate and document the circumstances surrounding their arrest and detention.

Tunji-Ojo said the committee would also establish, through appropriate medical and forensic examination, the cause and manner of the deaths, determine whether negligence, misconduct, complicity or any breach of duty occurred, and recommend appropriate disciplinary action, compensation where applicable, as well as measures to prevent a recurrence.

He said the membership of the committee was carefully selected to guarantee independence, credibility and professionalism, with Mr. Jonathan Kure, a retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, serving as chairman, and Prof. Isa Chiroma, former Director-General of the Nigeria Law School, as secretary.

Other members are retired AIG Hosea Hassan Karma; Prof. Olayinka Buhari, Professor of Histopathology and former Chief Medical Director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital; a representative of the Minna Emirate Council; a representative of the Niger State Government; and Alhaji Liman Sulaiman, National Secretary of the Miners Association of Nigeria.

Also on the committee are Mr. Deji Adeyanju, lawyer and human rights activist; Mrs. Zainab Suleiman Okino of Blueprint Newspaper; and Dr. George Agbakahi, Public Affairs Analyst.

The minister gave the committee full authority to co-opt relevant experts, access all facilities and request memoranda from members of the public, while directing the NSCDC leadership and all relevant officers to cooperate fully with the investigation and ensure that all records and material evidence connected to the incident were preserved and made available.

Tunji-Ojo said, “No life should be lost in the custody of the State. This is not who we are. This is not what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stands for. This administration was elected on the promise that every Nigerian life matters, and that security must be provided with humanity, professionalism and respect for human rights.” He added, “We owe you the truth. This Committee will give you the truth. No officer, no matter how highly placed, will be shielded if found culpable.”

Speaking on behalf of the committee, its Chairman, Jonathan Kure, described the assignment as a call to national service, pledging that members would protect their integrity while carrying out the investigation. 

“this is a privilege and we do not see it as an appointment but a call to national service. Some of us have had the opportunity serve this nation for 35 years and even in retirement, we are always willing to answer this type of call on the premise that my name, my integrity will not in any way be toyed with.” Kure said

He said he had accepted the assignment after seeking an assurance from the minister that his reputation and integrity would be protected, adding that other members of the committee shared the same commitment. 

According to him, “When the Minister called me, I said Hon. Minister, on one condition – you know who I am. And he said that was precisely why he was calling me and I believe it is so with all members of this committee.”

Kure assured Nigerians that the committee would approach the investigation with open minds and would not be influenced by sentiments or media reports, promising to submit its report without compromising its integrity. 

“We shall ensure justice by going to the field with open minds. We want to give this assurance to Nigerians. We are not swayed by sentiments or media hypes that might have been given. We will come back with our report and our integrity intact. We must give hope to this country.” He said.