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Etche Legislative Leader Escapes Assassination …Accuses Council Boss Of Ordering CSO, Thugs To Vandalise Her Car …I’ve No Hand In Her Attack -ELGA Boss
The political supremacy in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-controlled Etche Local Government Council took a new dimension, last Monday, as the Leader of the Legislative Assembly, Hon Cynthia Nweke, escaped alleged assassination attempt on her life at Okehi, the council headquarters.
Nweke is a loyalist of a chieftain of the party, Allwell Onyesoh.
The incident, an eyewitness account said, occurred at mid-day, causing great panic and pandemonium within and around Etche LG Council Secretariat, as passers-by and staff of the council who came to work on that fateful day were seen scampering for safety.
The Tide learnt that the incident happened at the gate of the council secretariat, when the leader and some of her aides were going back to Port Harcourt after the screening of the supervisory councillors which was an official duty she and her colleagues came to the council to perform before she was attacked.
The list of the supervisors was submitted to the Legislative Assembly by the Chairman, Hon Obinna Anyanwu for confirmation and approval.
It was gathered that the councillors had been successfully sworn-in before the incident occurred.
According to an eyewitness, trouble started when the leader, who is a female, took the mace and put it into her car and was driving back to Port Harcourt after the day’s legislative business.
It was learnt that the move to take the mace along was part of an agreement with other councillors to ensure the safety of the mace in the Legislative Assembly building which was undergoing reconstruction.
But unknown to her, some thugs allegedly led by the Chief Security Officer to the council chairman, popularly called Shino, had laid ambush on her.
The source further said that immediately they sighted her vehicle coming toward the council gate, the thugs locked the gate and stopped her from leaving the council premises.
However, in an attempt to inquire what the problem was, she was rebuffed and the CSO and the array of thugs pounced on her; tore her clothes and smashed her car rear windscreen and window glasses.
The Tide gathered that video and pictures of the incident had gone viral on social media platforms since Monday with various calls on the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, to immediately wade in with a view to resolving the crisis bedevilling the council’s leadership in the state.
Some of the stakeholders have also urged the governor to ensure that the to inhuman treatment meted out to the leader of the Legislative Assembly was remedied and appropriate sanctions slammed on those behind the barbaric act.
When contacted on phone, the Leader of Etche Legislative Assembly, Hon Cynthia Nweke, accused the council chairman of masterminding the act, adding that she had put up a call to the chairman while the CSO and his thugs were harassing her, and the chairman promised to call the CSO to maintain the peace.
She lamented that the chairman never did.
She alleged that the CSO beat her up and tore her clothes, leaving her half-naked, adding that she took the house’s mace in order to protect it because the council secretariat was undergoing renovation.
“It was agreement with my colleagues that I should go home with the mace. There was no problem between me and the chairman. We screened all the candidates he submitted to the house, though I had before the time raised some points of observation on the submission of the list that the names should be spread across other communities rather than bringing person or persons from the same place where a councillor comes from because we shall soon go for election. We settled the matter, and we screened the candidates. So, why should CSO strip me half-naked, and uptill this moment, my chairman has not called me.
“I have reported the matter at Okehi Police Division and FIDA for necessary action”, she stated.
In his reaction, the council Chairman, Hon Obinnna Anyanwu denied sending anybody to beat the leader of the Legislative Assembly, adding that the council’s CSO only went to rescue her from the hands of her colleagues who were fighting her for carrying the mace to her private residence.
By: Amadi Akujobi
No fewer than 9,469 admissions across 20 tertiary institutions nationwide have been flagged as fake by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for the 2024 academic session.
According to the board, the admissions were conducted outside the popular Central Admission Processing System, popularly known as CAPS.
According to the list obtained from JAMB, Kano State University of Science and Technology led the pack with 2,215 fake admissions, with Ladoke Akintola University of Technology following with 1,215.
Others are Gombe state University, 1,164; Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, 761; Federal University of Technology, Owerri, 534; Ambrose Alli University, 514; Igbinedion University, 365; Akwa-Ibom Polytechnic, 340 and College of Nursing, National Orthopedic Hospital, Igbobi, 281.
Also on the list are Achievers University, 267; Nigeria Police Academy, 263; Abia State Polytechnic, 256; Osun State University, 224; Federal University, Lafia, 189; Niger State Polytechnic, 182; Federal Polytechnic, Ida, 171 and Edo State Polytechnic,166.
Others are Anchor University, 133; Michael and Cecilia Ibru University, 116 and the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, 113.
CAPS was introduced to enhance transparency and efficiency, and serves as an online platform where prospective university students can monitor and manage their admission status.
By centralising the admission process, JAMB CAPS ensures that all candidates are given fair consideration based on merit and institutional requirements.
The primary purpose of JAMB CAPS is to streamline the admission process into tertiary institutions across Nigeria. It achieves this by ensuring transparency as candidates can easily track their admission status, and guarantees that all applicants are evaluated based on consistent criteria.
The system also enhances efficiency as institutions can process admissions swiftly, and candidates receive timely updates on their application status.
The board has, over time, warned institutions against backdoor admissions offered to candidates outside CAPS, as candidates offered admission outside CAPS were barred from the mandatory National Youth Service Corps scheme.
Recall that the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, reiterated a directive in Abuja at the 2025 policy meeting of JAMB last week, declaring all admissions conducted outside JAMB as illegal.
He said institutions and individuals involved in such practices would be prosecuted and severely sanctioned.
“Any admission conducted outside CAPS, regardless of its intentions, is illegal.
“Both institutions and the candidates involved in such practices will be held accountable.
“Sanctions may include withdrawal of institutional assets and prosecution of culpable officers or governing council members,” he said.
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) says it will soon unveil a National Values Charter (NVC) to serve as a social contract between the Nigerian government and its citizens.
The Director-General of the agency, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, disclosed this in Abuja, yesterday at a one-day workshop on “Civic Responsibility and National Values for Voluntary Organisations”.
Issa-Onilu was represented by Dr Olukemi Afolayan, Director of Civic Values and Democratic Education at the agency.
He said that the charter would articulate the responsibilities of both the government and citizens towards nation-building.
“We are at a pivotal moment as a country.
“The challenges facing Nigeria range from insecurity, corruption, poor civic engagement, moral decay, and apathy in democratic processes.
“These require, not just governmental intervention, but active citizen participation,”he said.
He said that voluntary organisations had historically played key roles in moral reawakening, youth mobilisation and community development, dating back to the colonial period.
According to him, the NOA under the current leadership, has intensified efforts to fulfill its core mandate of value reorientation.
He said that the agency did that with the launch of several campaigns, including the National Identity Project approved by the Federal Executive Council in 2024.
“President, Bola Tinubu, is expected to formally unveil the National Values Charter.
“It defines the ‘Nigerian Promise’, the government’s commitment to equality, democracy, entrepreneurship, peace, inclusivity, freedom and meritocracy,” he said.
The NOA D-G said that the Charter would also highlight a ‘Citizen’s Code’ calling on Nigerians to embrace discipline, duty of care, tolerance, leadership, accountability, environmental awareness and resilience.
He urged voluntary organisations to support the campaign and serve as role models in their communities to promote patriotism and public trust.
Also speaking, Mrs Rhoda Sadus, Deputy Director of Civic Values and Democracy at NOA, said that the Charter was a critical component of a broader National Identity Project aimed at global reputational management.
“This is the first time any Nigerian organisation is targeting global reputational management through strategic media engagement, including broadcasts on international channels like CNN,” she said.
Sadus said that NOA was engaging Nigerians in the diaspora and working closely with other agencies, including the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), to promote a unified national identity.
“When the Director-General assumed office, he emphasised the need for Nigeria to define and project its identity.
“The National Values Charter was conceived to outline the responsibilities of both the government and the citizens, a departure from past initiatives that only targeted citizens,” she added.
She said that the agency would soon begin training public office holders on national values as part of the post-appointment orientation process.
“We believe that when both the government and the people fulfill their obligations, national development will follow,” she said.
In his remarks, Dr Mohammed Dambo, Commander of the FCT Man ‘O’ War, said the initiative offered an opportunity for Nigerians to unite under a common agenda for national progress.
“If America became what it is today through collective agreement and commitment, Nigeria can do the same.
“We need to stop gaslighting our leaders and start promoting a culture of excellence, patriotism and civic responsibility.”
He called for the values to be transferred to the younger generation as part of efforts to restore hope and pride in the country.
The Tide source reports that the workshop attracted the presence of representatives form Boys Scout Association of Nigeria, Girls Guide Association of Nigeria and Man O’ War Nigeria.
Others were Red Cross Society of Nigeria, Boys Brigade Nigeria, National Cadet Corps (School-Based) and War Against Indiscipline (WAI) Brigade.
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