Pastor Williams Kumuyi

Pastor Williams Kumuyi, the founder of the Deeper Christian Life Bible Ministry, has disclosed why he would return the tithes and offering of some members of his church.

Kumuyi said he would return the tithes and offerings of any of his member who is still living in sin.

He stated this while addressing his members at the church’s headquarters in Lagos, on the topic of holiness.

Kumuyi stressed that sinners who have refused to repent but support the church with their money are wasting their resources.

Stressing on the importance of living a holy life, Kumuyi said God does not need a “sinner’s money.”

He maintained that it is pointless for a sinner to pay tithes and offerings in church.

“If you are a sinner here, God does not need your money. All the money you are giving in this church does not get to God. You are just wasting your money.

“As a matter of fact if I know the numbers of sinners here and how much they gave as tithes and offering I will remove it and give it back to them. God does not need it and the church does not need it,” Kumuyi said.

A 35-year-old mother, Blessing Ebuneku Agoro, is in police net for selling her two biological daughters – Semilore Agoro (4 years) and Deborah Agoro (2 years) for N300,000 in Ogun State.

The woman was said to have sold the children without the knowledge of her husband, Oluwaseyi Agoro, who reported the matter to the police.

The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi, told DAILY POST on Sunday that the husband reported at the Redeemed Camp Divisional Headquarters that he travelled for some time and returned on Tuesday without seeing his two daughters.

According to the PPRO, Oluwaseyi told the police that efforts to make his wife tell him the whereabouts of the girls yielded no result.

“Upon the report, the DPO of the Redeemed Camp Division, CSP Alabi Akinjide, detailed his detectives to apprehend the suspect, who was already with the camp’s code of conduct department.

“On interrogation, the suspect explained to the police that her husband left home for the past two years and while he was away, she found it difficult to cater for the two children, with her other two children she had for another man,” it said.

She explained that while thinking of what to do, one Kolawole Imoleayo introduced her to a Port Harcourt couple, who she said were in dire need of children.

“She sold the two daughters to the couple at the rate of 300,000,” Oyeyemi said.

The police image maker added that her confession led to the arrest of the said Imoleayo; “they were both assisting the police in the investigation,” the PPRO confirmed.

While directing that the suspects be moved to the anti-human trafficking and child labour unit of state CIID, Ogun Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, said the sold girls must be rescued and brought back to their parent as soon as possible.

World number 2, Osaka pulls out of the ongoing French Open, following the Grand Slam organisers' threat that she would face disqualification if she continued to refuse to speak to media.

The tennis star released a statement via her social media accounts on Monday evening confirming she was pulling out of the French Open.

The four-time Grand Slam singles champion was fined $15,000 after she did not conduct a post-match press conference following her first-round win against Romanian Patricia Maria Tig on Sunday.

The four Grand Slam organisers reacted strongly to Osaka's move, releasing a joint statement on Sunday that threatened the 23-year-old with potential disqualification and a ban from future tournaments should she not reconsider.

In a statement posted on Twitter, Osaka said: "Hey everyone, this isn't a situation I ever imagined or intended when I posted a few days ago. I think now the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris.

"I never wanted to be a distraction. I accept that my timing was not ideal and my message could have been clearer. More importantly, I would never trivialize mental health or use the term lightly.

"The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that. Anyone that knows me knows that I'm introverted, and anyone that's seen me at tournaments will notice that I'm often wearing headphones as that helps dull my social anxiety.

"Though the tennis press has always been kind to me (and I wanna apologize especially to all the cool journalists who I may have hurt), I am not a natural public speaker and get huge waves of anxiety before I speak to the world's media. I get really nervous and find it stressful to always try to engage and give you the best answers I can.

"So here in Paris I was already feeling vulnerable and anxious so I thought it was better to exercise self-care and skip the press conferences. I announced it pre-emptively because I do feel like the rules are quite outdated in parts and I wanted to highlight that.

"I wrote privately to the tournament apologising and saying that I would be more than happy to speak with them after the tournament as the Slams are intense. I'm gonna take some time away from the court now, but when the time is right I really want to work with the Tour to discuss ways we can make things better for the players, press and fans. Anyways hope you are all doing well and staying safe, love you guys. I'll see you when I see you."

Cross River State Governor, Sir Ben Ayade Thursday dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Governor and the National Assembly members from the state had been at daggers drawn over the soul of the PDP in the state.

Governor Ayade formally declared for the ruling party at the Cross River State Executive Council Chamber, Governor’s Office in Calabar after a two-hour meeting with seven APC governors led by the party’s interim chairman and governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni.

Speaking on why he was joining the APC, Ayade highlighted the character attributes of President Muhammadu Buhari and the realisation that Cross River, which has been emasculated economically following the ceding of its oil wells, needed to be in sync with the party at the center, as the main reasons for moving.

According to the governor,  “having seen and known the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and his commitment to this country, his nationalistic disposition and all the efforts he has made to bring Nigeria to where we are today, it is obvious that at this point we needed to join hands with him to build a Nigeria that we can be proud of . 

“We need all governors to recognize that it is not party that matters.  It is character, it is honor,  it is commitment to the vision of this great nation. We all need to as a team work ahead of the president by working towards building a prosperous country that the succession worries of 2023 will come without the fears and the worries the international community has for us. 

“I believe that if everyone of us as governor joins hands with Mr President, I think we can sit on the same dining table and fashion out a way to govern this country.”

Speaking on the development, an elated Buni said he and his team were in the state to formally welcome Governor Ayade to the APC.

His words: “I am here on behalf of the APC family to welcome His Excellency the Executive Governor of Cross River State formally to the APC.  As from today he is the leader of the party in the state.”

Other APC governors who witnessed the event were Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Solomon Lalong of Plateau State, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and his Jigawa state counterpart, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar.

Also present was the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva.

Others at the meeting were the state deputy governor, Prof Ivara Esu, Speaker of the state house of assembly, Rt. Hon. Eteng Williams Jones and members of the state house of assembly, some National Assembly members, members of the Cross River State Executive Council members, local Government chairmen, councilors and some stakeholders, including Dame Princess Florence Ita-Giwa and High Chief Asuquo Ekpenyong amongst others.

Twenty suspected internet fraudsters, popularly known as Yahoo Yahoo have been arrested at different locations in Calabar by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Among those arrested, according to the Commission is a 23-year-old movie producer, Emmanuel Eneji.

The commission said in a statement on Wednesday that the suspects were arrested by its operatives in the Uyo Zonal Office on Tuesday.

The other 19 suspects, according to the statement signed by EFCC’s spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, are between 19 and 36.

They include, Okonkwo Chukwudi Charles, Obua Akwo Promise, Angba Murphy, Adie Stephen, Success Otu Edem, Asukwo Emmanuel, Godspower Akwo, Anibiet Nna, Jesam Akpama and Dennis Jerry.

The rest are, Princewill Sunny, Godbless Olulu, Charles Onwuneme, David Njoku, Victor Francis, Goodluck Alabo, Happiness Otu, Nwadike Kelechi and Obasi Ugochukwu.

“The suspects were picked up at different locations within the state capital, namely Ekorinim, Efioete junction, Parliamentary by Car Park and Behind Zone 6 by Monty Suit.

“Their arrest was facilitated by credible intelligence regarding their nefarious activities,” the statement added.

It also disclosed that items recovered from the suspects included one unmarked black Toyota Corolla car, one red Toyota Avalon with registration number-CHR 56 AF, various sophisticated mobile phones, laptops, one WiFi Router, one Modulator-demodulator and flash drives.

The Governor of Cross River State, Sen Prof. Ben Ayade, has given a formal approval for the employment of the 29 Magistrates who were disengaged from the state Judicial system. 

Cross River State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Tanko Ashang, disclosed this in his office in Calabar on Monday. 

The governor had earlier denied ordering the employment of the magistrates, leading to their disengagement.

Several protests were staged by the magistrates over the nonpayment of their over 28 months salary arrears.

Barrister Ashang explained further that as a result of the stamp of  approval by the governor, the 29 Magistrates will subsequently be issued with appointment letters and then be payroll. 

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice maintained that the 29 Magistrates who hitherto were employed but were not patrolled because their employment did not follow necessary processes and therefore was irregular.

He went on to disclosed that as a result of this the governor had in January 26 this year constituted a committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Professor Ivara Esu to look into the issue. 

Other members of the committee included the, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the Head of service of CRS, The Chief Registrar of CRS Judiciary and the Auditor General of CRS.

Barrister Ashang stated further that the committee  "after rigorous sittings recommended a list of 29 magistrates for employment to the Governor adding that  the Governor has put his stamp of approval to the list bearing the 29 magistrates.

"With this approval, appointment letters will be issued to the new magistrates and they will accordingly be payrolled," the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice concluded. 

By Edem Edem (Daily Post)

Over 15 suspected cultists have been killed in Akpabuyo/Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River State in a renewed cult clash which started on Monday.

DAILY POST gathered that residents in the affected areas have deserted their villages and communities while economic and social activities have been disrupted.

It was learnt that the three popular cult groups in the area, Skyro, Mafia and Black Scorpion, have always engaged in bloody clashes.

An eyewitness who declined mentioning his name, lamented the action of the youths and called for the intervention of security operatives.

“This time, the operation was bloody.

“Imagine one of the suspected cult group took their members to a local charm doctor to prepare bullet prove charm and when they tested it by shooting one of them, he died on the spot” he said.

The eyewitness claimed that some houses and other properties worth millions of naira were destroyed by the hoodlums.

“These boys ran amock and destroyed many houses in the two local government areas”

When DAILY POST contacted the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Igri Ewa, he said the command has not been briefed on the cult activities in the areas.

However, the chairman of Bakassi local government council, Hon Iyadim Iyadim, while confirming the operation of the cult groups, regretted the actions of the youths.

“There are lots of killings in the area. It’s cult related but I have not heard of the destruction of houses.

“The last boy who died, his colleagues took him for charm preparation, to prepare charm for them so that bullets and other dangerous weapons will not penetrate their body,” he told our correspondent via phone.

“When he was put on trial, to ascertain the efficacy of the charm, he was shot and he died. That cult group lost three persons coupled with the ones the rival group killed..

“Up to ten persons have been killed and the operations started last two months and extended to this month (May); that is March, April and May.

“We have reported the matter to the government and on Tuesday, we had a security meeting with the governor,” he stated.

Iyadim explained that his local government, Bakassi has no operational base because the same boys destroyed the local government office during the #EndSARS protests.

“Not even a ruler or pin was left. What was left was for them to put fire in the local government secretariats, so nothing is left.

“And as at now, some soldiers who were around have been withdrawn and redeployed to other areas. The boys have ransacked police stations and attacked soldiers.

“The security agencies are afraid as they used charms and have adopted a measure of going to operation in large numbers to attack the military post and police station.

“The charm will make the security operatives to either fall asleep or make them not to see them as they approach. We are in trouble.

The Security Adviser, South South, Henry Okokon said, “We know your ears are on ground and you know the efforts the security agencies have put in the state as a whole.

“We cannot be everywhere at the same time but come to see it, the scripture says God helps those who help themselves, the community should have their own vigilante, they should also provide security for themselves

“Before things get out of hands, proactive measures should have been put in place. If you have these children as cultists and they are troubling people in that community, just let the security agencies know.

“Must they wait until they start killing people before they call us, more so, if it does not affect a particular person directly of indirectly they will not call or inform anybody.

“We have chiefs and traditional rulers in those places; ask me what they have been doing. The government had met with them, asking them to fish out all these dangerous boys or inform us.

“But they refuse to do that rather they allow them to kill people and destroy property before they start calling. We work 24 hours to ensure that we achieve peace in Calabar.

“There is no more kidnapping because of the intensive security check and they now go beside the riverine areas where there are creeks, where two minutes you are in the creeks and they go there to do the kidnap.

“The Chiefs in Akpabuyo and Bakassi know these boys, we have told them that if you know these boys tell us,we shall pick them and take them to correctional centre for them to rest there for a while.

“Be it as it may, we shall storm Akpabuyo and Bakassi and embark on house to house search with a view to fetching out these boys and hoodlums,” he said.

A gang of three fake operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission who embarked on an illegal operation purportedly to execute a fake Court Order have been arrested in Lagos.

Ghali Ahmed, Head of the EFCC Zonal Office in Lagos disclosed this today, May 13, 2021 at a press briefing in the Commission's office, Ikoyi, Lagos.

According to him, “The fraudsters were arrested at New Horizon Estate, Lekki, Lagos, in the middle of their illegal operation to ‘serve’ a Court Order purported to have emanated from the Mushin Magistrate Court, on an unsuspecting victim.”

The three-man gang of Pascal Ugwu Chijoke, Sodiq Ibrahim Adekunle and Edwin Bassey, a Police Inspector, posing as EFCC operatives allegedly stormed the residence of their target with all the paraphernalia of typical EFCC raid, wearing fake EFCC branded jackets and identity cards.

Ahmed warned Nigerians to be wary of impostors, using the good name of the Commission to extort unsuspecting targets. He urged citizens to be vigilant and report suspicious activities to the Commission.

He assured that the Commission is determined to stamp out the activities of impostors. "We will always be ahead of these fraudsters. If they fail to desist, they will face the music," he said.

The commission warned members of the public to desist from relating with Mr. Akpanke in its name.

The statement read:

"The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC wishes to notify the public that a certain Peter Akpanke is no longer a staff of the Commission and has no authority to represent it or carry out any business in the name of the Commission.

"This disclaimer became necessary following reports that Akpanke, who was dismissed from the agency, had been parading himself as a bona fide operative of the EFCC and using the false identity to harass and extort unsuspecting members of the public especially in Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.

"The Commission enjoins members of the public to desist from relating with Akpanke or according him any privilege due to an officer of the law.

"They are also advised to report any further solicitations from Akpanke to the nearest EFCC office or police station."

Agency Report

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has created additional 998 Polling Units in the 18 Local Government Areas of Cross River.

The Resident Electoral Commission (REC) in the state, Dr Emmanuel Hart made the disclosure in Calabar on Monday at a stakeholder’s forum on Expanding Voter Access to Polling Units Engagements.

“INEC Cross River State is happy to announce to you that when the proposed new polling units are verified and approved by the commission, Cross River will boast of an additional 998 polling units.

“The 998 PUs will be added to the existing 2,283 Polling Units and will increase the number of Polling Units in Cross River to 3281,” Hart said.

The commissioner said that the idea of additional Polling Units was to solve the problem of overcrowding during voting.

“By the special grace of God, the 1,527,055 registered voters in the state and new registrants will have decongested Polling Units in the forthcoming elections.

“It is also expected that with the full participation of voters in the electoral process, voter apathy will be reduced,” he said.

Hart further said that the additional PUs would guarantee short queues at Polling Units and provide a healthy environment in compliance with the COVID-19 protocols.

He announceed the commencement of Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) for 2023 election from June 28.

He solicited the continued cooperation of stakeholders in the participation of the electoral process for a free, fair and transparent election in the state.

In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Information, Mr Asu Okang commended INEC for carrying out the exercise.

He urged the commission to look at all the grey areas and rectify whatever observations made by the stakeholders. 

(NAN)

The People's Democratic Party Governors Forum (PDP-GF) Wednesday touched base at Calabar, Cross River to rub minds on some issues bordering on the party's unity in the South-South state.

Gov. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State led his Delta and Enugu states counterparts, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa and Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi during the visit to their host, Prof. Ben Ayade.

After about two hours meeting inside Government House, Calabar, Gov. Tambuwal, who is also the Chairman of the PDP-GF told journalists that the meeting "was a fruitful, peaceful and productive engagement with the stakeholders of Cross River."

"We're here on the mandate of the PDP-GF which was sanctioned by the National Working Committee (NWC) to come and engage with our dear brother and colleague, Prof. Ben Ayade, the Governors of Cross River state and the stakeholders of our party here in Cross River on the issues of the Congresses held here in the state that became contentious.

"We've engaged with (them) and the feelers we have is that by the grace of God we'll soon resolve these issues and the party will bounce back as one.

"There were lots of concerns about how the Congresses went about and everyone of us is interested that we restore normalcy to ensure that the family is brought back together and work together for the common interest of Cross River state," the governor said.

He also said his ensemble will take the report of the meeting to the Governors' Forum and the NWC for examination, deliberation and action.

Later the three visiting governors were led by Prof. Ayade to the state Industrial Park comprising of a frozen chicken lines (aka Calachika), Cross River State Instant Noodles, branded KISIMIE Instant Noodles, complex and the feed moll

They all expressed delight with the performance of their host who despite economic crunch has done superlatively well,  particularly in job creation and diversification of the economy of the state.

By Segun Adewale (Punch)

The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Yekini Nabena, has said Father Ejike Mbaka of Adoration Ministry, Enugu, is threatening the regime of the President Muhammadu Buhari

This is in reaction to a sermon delivered by Mbaka in which he called for the President to resign or be impeached over the issue of insecurity in Nigeria.

Reacting, Nabena in a statement on Friday faulted Mbaka’s call and threatened to report the clergy to the Pope if he continues to “cause disaffection” for the government.

According to him, the clergy who is supposed to use “all known spiritual means of averting crisis” is rather “threatening a democratically elected government for his own personal benefit while pretending to be speaking for the people”.

“One will wonder whom Father Mbaka is emulating because the Lord Jesus Christ did not threaten to bring down the government during his own time, in fact, Jesus Christ obeyed and honoured constituted authority,” he said.

“That’s why he paid his tax. We are calling on Father Mbaka to concentrate on his spiritual calling and stop speaking like politicians who it is obvious he (Mbaka) has been dining and wining with.

“If Mbaka has found another political ally, it is better to leave a political message for politicians.

“Calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to either resign or be impeached because of the current challenges is ungodly.

“Father Mbaka should not, however, take his luck too far because there is a lot to tell the Vatican and the Pope about his person and his sources of inspiration.”

The governor of Cross River State, Sir Ben Ayade, yesterday took delivery of yet another Boeing 737 aircraft at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos for the state’s commercial airline, Cally Air.

The aircraft was formerly owned by airBaltic. It is a 21-year-old Boeing 737-300 aircraft, re-registered as 5N-BYQ. It was stored at Ostrava Airport in Czech Republic, waiting to be ferried to Nigeria. It previously operated for airBaltic as YL-BBX, leased from Tokyo Century Corporation. The airplane is configured with an all-economy 144 seat cabin.

The arrival of the second aircraft is coming barely three weeks after the first one was received on April 6, 2021.

On ground to receive the second aircraft at Arik Air hanger in Lagos were the trio of the state Commissioner for Finance, Auquo Ekpeyong Jr., Director-General of of Due Process, Alphonsus Ogar, Director-General, Bureau of Public Private Partnership, Udiba Udiba.

The two Boeing 737 aircraft have a carrying capacity of 142 and 144 passenger respectively. 

Ayade while announcing the floating of Cally Air, early this year, had decried the prohibitive air transport cost in the country, particularly the Lagos-Calabar and Calabar Abuja routes, querying why “a passenger would pay over N70,000 to fly to Calabar? The route to Calabar either from Lagos or Abuja is the most expensive in Nigeria."

The governor explained that the outrageous charges was due to “the fact that there is no corresponding surplus of airlines coming into Calabar. So it is a responsibility of government to respond to the challenge of our people, recognizing that they are being extorted as a result of monopoly."

He said he created the Ministry of Aviation to bring into realisation the birth of Cally Airline. We are constructing an airport in Obudu to support the patronage of international tourists coming to Obudu cattle ranch.

"we need to take advantage of the massive climatic condition suitable for the growth of ornamental plants for export in Obudu cattle ranch.” 

Additionally, the governor said "it would increase the state Internally Generated Revenue and also generate employment opportunities for teaming unemployed youths in the state."

Ayade said the airline would fly Lagos-Calabar Obudu and Abuja- Calabar-Obudu-Lagos-Abuja routes.

Equity and fairness (in practice) are two important concepts, which over the years have been an effective approach to the achievement of a symbiotic livelihood. Globally, modern societies have considered "evenly distribution of power and resources to be the panacea for sustainable development and maintenance of peaceful co-existence". This normative approach however, curtails social inequalities, economic and political crises, and of course, regional imbalances. We must escape from the theoretical trap of the subject that is typical of the nature state - selfishness and "war of all against all". This nature of greed and selfishness is the baseline against which to judge the justifiability of the conventional political formula of "CODE 888".

Understandably, the desire to preserve one's political world grows stronger by every political season, this personal desire often times do not reflect the interest of the larger society, thus, raising an avoidable dust. It therefore behoves on every political gladiator to retreat and have a sober reflection ahead of 2023 - putting Cross River first.  

Going further, if the blame for the alarming insecurity and political instability that has challenged our freedom of existence could be attributed to marginalisation, injustifiable form of distribution of wealth and income across geo-political strata in the country, then, it will not be undesired to explore the principle of fairness as the antidote for our obvious fiasco. The most scandalous result of this is the destruction of lives and properties - this, also, we can avoid.

Zoning system is widely argued to be an ideology for power-sharing arrangements and a mechanism for ethno-regional balancing, conflict mitigation and consensus formation in plural society like ours. Cross River, just like every other State in the Nigerian federation is characterised by potentials of human population and material resources in the best of quality, across the three senatorial districts, to play major roles in Nigerian and global politics. 

Ahead of 2023, it is no longer news, that there are rapacious agitations by disgruntled groups and individuals to disregard the conventional system of governorship rotation in the State. Let them be reminded that peace and unity is a key challenge in many societies. It is a key challenge in Nigeria with major divisions along class, linguistic, religious and ethnic lines. In the case of Nigeria, a sense of belonging or inclusion is vital to the country's survival. This is why the Constitution prescribes the Federal Character principle in Section 14. Federal Character is about inclusion of the six geopolitical zones in the allocation of political and public sector appointments including the office of the President. Cross Riverians should take a bearing from the inclusion policy laid out in our Constitution. This connotes a sort of rotation. Any argument against this, is a misconceived one. Presidential election is rotated between the South and the North. Why then should a few power-drunk exhibit tendencies that may challenge mutual peace, having enjoyed same for a period 10 years? The elites in this school of greed argue from the point of credibility and capacity. That, to me, is laughable and quite an invalid notion, as there is no senatorial district bereft of credible candidates that can effectively and efficiently lead the state through the path of development at any political time. The Southern Senatorial District had the governorship seat between 1999 to 2007, succeeded by a Central Senatorial District Liyel Imoke who governed between 2007-2015 and handed over to the North. It is commonsensical to understand that power should return to Cross River South - a people that have patiently  waited and supported past administrations for almost two decades now.

Let us all throw our weight to the most credible in the Southern Senatorial District for a greater Cross River.

CP Akande

The Cross River State Commissioner of Police, CP Sikiru Akande  has announced the dismantling of all forms of roadblocks across the state.

CP Akande noted that the action was in line with the new policing vision and crime-fighting strategies introduced by the acting inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba.

He said: “I have given a marching order to all my DPOs that they should dismantle all roadblocks that exist within their area of responsibility.

“No policeman should be seen conducting roadblocks, if there is anything the police will respond tactically.

“If the policemen are not more than 7 on any federal road, please don’t stop because that roadblock is illegal”.

Suspected criminals

The police on Tuesday paraded a 19-year old boy, Eteng Omini from Ugep in Cross River State and his friend, Godwin Nyenime, 18, for robbing and murdering a 58-year old lady, Doris Inyang along State Housing Estate, Calabar and carting away her 2016 Nissan Sentra car.

Parading the teenager and twenty nine other suspected criminals arrested at various locations in the State, the Cross River State Commissioner of Police, CP Sikiru Akande said the police was undaunted in its task of securing the state and will go to any length to stem the tide of attack on security men.

Some items recovered from the suspects include one Nissan Sentra, Mercedes Benz E350, Prado Land Cruiser, locally made guns, 42 inches television among others.

When interviewed by newsmen, Omini said he was asked by his friend Udobong to come and drive the vehicle from the premises and was promised to be paid N500,000.00

“I am not involved in killing the lady but was only asked to come and drive her vehicle from her residence for N500, 000.

“My friend Udobong asked me to drive the vehicle and we have been playing football together at Bassey Duke. He ran away after I was arrested."

18 LG Chairmen from CRS during a visit to PDP's NWC

Local government chairmen and councillors in Cross River have threatened to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) alongside Governor Ben Ayade if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) fails to do the needful.

This threat was handed to the PDP on Tuesday when the Chairmen met with the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP in Abuja, GRASSROOT REPORTERS has learnt.

The leader of the delegation and Chairman of Akpabuyo Local Government Area, Hon. Emmanuel Bassey who handed over the petition to the party’s Deputy National Secretary, Dr. Emmanuel Agbo, called for immediate conduct of transparent congresses at all levels in the state.

Speaking shortly after the meeting, the Chairman of Calabar Municipal Council, Hon. Effiong Nta Eke demanded a fresh state congress to guarantee the return of party structures to the governor.

Hon. Eke said: “The governor is the leader of the party in the state. He should be given control of the party structures and this can only be done with a fresh congress.

“We are demanding a fresh congress. If not, where the Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, goes, we will go with him. He is the leader of the party in the state.”

Commenting also, the leader of the delegation, Hon. Emmanuel Bassey said: “We are chairmen of the 18 local government councils in Cross River State. We came to meet the national chairman and we have met him, and he was ably represented by the Deputy National Secretary in the person of Dr. Emmanuel Agbo.

“We came for the purpose of our state; the state of affair of the party in our state; we met him and we presented to him what we came with and he has honourably taken care of it and has assured us that he is going to make sure that what we presented to the party and what we came with, will be given immediate and urgent attention.”

When he was asked to reveal the content of the petition presented, he said: “You guys must have known that the state congress has not been held, and we did ask that it be done urgently. And he has assured us that that will be considered urgently.

“For God’s sake, Prof. Ben Ayade is the party leader in Cross River State; he is the one that leads, just like every other governor in any PDP state. So, let us give him his due respect. Let it be given to him.

"Whatever equation he must have taken, I think is to a great extent it is for the goodness and betterment of the party.

“Let me state here categorically that we are the pillars of the party in Cross River State and these pillars were erected by Prof. Ben Ayade; so, if he goes, we go with him.”

The governor had lost the party's structure to the National Assembly Members from the state. 

By Emma Una (Vanguard)

Fifteen beheaded bodies were on Tuesday morning found dumped at five Miles area on the outskirt of Calabar.

The dead bodies comprising both males and females were dumped in steep valley along the double carriageway under construction by Governor  Ben Ayade.

The identity of the bodies is not yet known and those who might have dumped them there.

The gory spectacle was discovered by farmers this early morning.

A crowd gathered at about 11.00 am to observe the gory sight while a horde of flies fluttered around the decapitated bodies.

“Some persons may have brought these corpses and dumped here in a vehicle last night”. Alex a commercial driver who parked to observe the spectacle observed.

He said the people may have been killed in Calabar and taken to the  lonely area

 ” I wonder why police and security agents who mount roadblocks along this road could not intercept them because the odour that can emanate from such bodies can be very strong “

Ms Irene Ugbo the Cross River Police Command spokesman did not pick calls on her GSM line.