Police hunt killers of Anambra couple

 The Anambra State Police Command has begun a manhunt for the suspected killers of the couple who were found dead in a car boot along the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway on Wednesday.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, said in a statement made available to our correspondent on Wednesday that the police had begun investigation into the incident.

PUNCH Metro learnt that earlier on Wednesday, two lifeless bodies of a man and a woman, with violent marks and gunshot wounds, were discovered in an abandoned vehicle along the expressway.

The two fresh blood-dripping corpses were seen by passers-by at a lonely place along the Tempo Junction, Umunya area of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway in the early hours of the day. Along with the bodies, some expanded cartridges were also said to have been found at the scene.

The police said they suspected the couple were abandoned at the scene after they had been murdered, noting that the corpses had been recovered and taken to the mortuary for an autopsy.

Tochukwu said, “The operatives have also recovered the car in which the bodies were found, a black Corolla, with registration plate number Lagos AAA 621 EU. The bodies, a poignant reminder of the crime, were then deposited in the morgue and investigations have begun.

“Police personnel attached to the Oyi Division led by the DPO at about 7:30 am today 24/1/2024, have recovered two lifeless bodies abandoned in a car boot along the Enugu – Onitsha Expressway.

Again, cultists write joint letter to Ogun monarch, seek pardon

 For the second time in one month, another letter said to have been jointly written by two cult groups, Neo-Black Movement popularly called Aye, and National Association of Airlords, also known as Eiye Confraternity, asking the Akarigbo and paramount ruler of Remoland, in Ogun State, Oba Adewale Babatunde Ajayi, to forgive them of their wrongdoings surfaced on the social media on Wednesday.

The cult groups also in the letter denied involvement in the recent assassination of a high chief of the Akarigbo, Chief Abiodun Folarin, the Basogun of Itunsokun, Sagamu.

Three unknown gunmen who came in a Toyota Camry had on January 8, allegedly snuffed life out the highly revered and popular Chief Folarin.

Some residents of the community had insisted that the High Chief was allegedly killed by the cultists because of the pivotal role he had been playing to rid the town of the menace.

The letter titled, “Letter of Apology” and addressed to the Akarigbo and other traditional rulers and chiefs in Sagamu community, partly reads, “We, the above-named confraternities, wish to apologise again to the Akarigbo and Paramount ruler of Remoland.

“This apology letter is jointly written so as to further assure our king and the entire Sagamu community of our readiness to peacefully co-exist and also abide by the rules and regulations of Sagamu community

“May we also use this medium to let the paramount ruler and other traditional rulers in Remoland know that we know nothing about the killing of Basogun and we condemn the barbaric act in all sincerity. Long may you reign, the Akarigbo of Remoland.”

When PUNCH Metro asked if the palace of Akarigbo had received such a letter, the Baamofin of Remoland, Otunba Bayo Onafuwa, said, “We saw it like everyone else. Can’t verify the genuineness.”

Recall that the two groups in separate viral letters said to have been written in December and pleading for the forgiveness of the paramount ruler and the entire Sagamu community over cult killings of the past had found its way to the social media about two weeks ago.

The groups had promised to cooperate with the community to stop any form of bloodshed and operate according to the rules of the land.

Chinese national pleads for mercy over girlfriend’s killing in Kano

 The Chinese national, Frank Geng Quangrong, accused of culpable homicide in the death of his girlfriend, Ummulkhulsum Sani Buhari, has denied killing her intentionally and pleaded with Justice Sunusi Ado Ma’aji of the Kano State High Court to temper justice with mercy.

In his testimony on Tuesday, Quangrong claimed that he stabbed his girlfriend in self-defence after she allegedly grabbed his testes in September 2022.

“I didn’t kill Ummulkhulsum intentionally but stabbed her in self defence after she grabbed my testes,” Ouangrong said.

He pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in its judgment.

“I want this honourable court to temper justice with mercy in the judgement in view of the fact that I stated earlier,” he added.

PUNCH Metro had reported that Quangrong had allegedly killed his erstwhile girlfriend, Ummulkhulsum, following a misunderstanding in Kano.

When the matter was heard in court on Tuesday, Justice Ado Ma’aji fixed March 29, 2024 as the judgment date for the case of alleged culpable homicide.

“I want this honourable court to temper justice with mercy in the judgement in view of the fact that I stated earlier,” he added.

PUNCH Metro had reported that Quangrong had allegedly killed his erstwhile girlfriend, Ummulkhulsum, following a misunderstanding in Kano.

When the matter was heard in court on Tuesday, Justice Ado Ma’aji fixed March 29, 2024 as the judgment date for the case of alleged culpable homicide.

Falana withdraws suit challenging Polaris Bank sale

 The Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday dismissed a suit filed by human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), challenging the sale of Polaris Bank. Justice Lewis Allagoa dismissed the suit following an application filed by Falana, who was the plaintiff in the matter, seeking to discontinue the suit. Falana had filed the suit marked

The Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday dismissed a suit filed by human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), challenging the sale of Polaris Bank.

Justice Lewis Allagoa dismissed the suit following an application filed by Falana, who was the plaintiff in the matter, seeking to discontinue the suit.

Falana had filed the suit marked HC/l/CS/87c/23 against the Central Bank of Nigeria and Polaris Bank Nigeria Ltd.

In his originating summons, he asked the court to determine “whether, by the provisions of Section 42(2) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act 2020, and Public Procurement Act, 2007, the CBN could validly sell Polaris Bank for N50bn having earlier revitalised same for N1.3tn.”

Anambra landlords decry multiple levies, seek govt intervention

 Landlords in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State, have decried what they termed “multiple levies” extorted from them by illegal revenue collectors.

Speaking under the aegis of Fegge Landlords Association, they lamented that touts and revenue collectors, claiming to be working for the state government invade their community on a daily basis to collect sanitation, property and development levies, a situation they said, did not go down well with them.

The spokesman of the association, Chief Ignatius Agabarugo, who spoke on behalf of the group, made the lamentations at the local government secretariat on Tuesday, during an interactive forum with the deputy governor of Anambra State, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim.

Agabarugo said, “We are ready to cooperate with the state government in the area of ending these extortions that have become a menace on us. The extortions of landlords by touts and illegal revenue collectors have become unbearable. Whenever a landlord is carrying out any renovation on his building, the touts will come to demand for various amount of money.

Afenifere demands state police, scraps Adebanjo’s leadership title

 The pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, on Wednesday, annulled the office of the acting leader of the group, being occupied by Pa Ayo Adebanjo. This was as the organisation reiterated its call for the formation of state police amid the rising insecurity in the land. Afenifere, which appointed Adebanjo as the acting leader of the group

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The Guardian's Special Focus on Nigeria’s Most Inspiring and Definitive Top CEOs in 2023: Part II

DANIEL STEVEN ONYETULEM: Highly Resourceful Award-Winning Professional, Impacting Nigeria’s Occupational Health System, Through Synergy Wellcare Medicaid

Synergy Wellcare Medicaid Limited, an indigenous Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) duly registered and accredited by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), was established to provide healthcare solutions to Corporate, Communities and Individual clients with professionalism and customer centricity. Committed to providing excellent, comprehensive, and cost effective healthcare services to personnel cutting across various job functions and responsibilities towards overall staff healthcare and organisational growth, the Company’s main priority is strictly targeted at ensuring evidence based health and wellness of client’s work force to achieve set goals and optimal productivity. 

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Dr. Daniel U. Steven Onyetulem, a highly resourceful and dynamic occupational health physician of international repute, is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Synergy Wellcare Medicaid Limited. The young Daniel attended Methodist Primary School in Kano where he obtained First School Leaving Certificate, proceeded to the prestigious St Thomas Senior Secondary School in Kano where he had his SSCE meritoriously, Daniel U.S. Onyetulem holds MBBS degree from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. 

He also obtained a degree in Occupational Health and Safety Management from the British Safety Council, as well as Diploma in Occupational Medicine in United Kingdom. MPH programme at Federal University of Technology Owerri where he has completed his coursework, Certificate in Economic Evaluation in Global Health (EEGH), Leadership & Management in Health (LMIH) and Global Health Project Management (GHPM) all from University of Washington. Obtained MBA from Enugu State University of Technology Business School and several certificate programmes from Johns Hopkins University, United States of America. 

A Fellow and Member, Board of Fellows of Institute of Health Insurance and Managed Care of Nigeria,. Deputy Zonal Chairman South/South, Institute of Health Insurance & Managed Care of Nigeria, he is a vibrant member of ABU Alumni Rivers State Branch, member, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Association of General & Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN), American Heart Association (AHA), American Society of Occupational Health Physicians, A pioneer member of American Society of Improved Diagnosis/Diagnostic Errors in Medicine, A Nigerian delegation to a Master Class to Rwanda on Community Based Health Insurance Study and a Health Insurance Practitioner with over Ten Years (10) experience. A recipient of several Awards of Excellence and a 

Prior to his appointment as the helmsman at Synergy Wellcare Medicaid, Dr. Daniel He was the Medical Regional Manager (South/East) Expatcarehealth International Ltd, served as the Managing Director/Board Member of Century Medicaid Services Limited from April 2013 to January 2020. Currently, he heads the board of F-DUOS Group and a Principal Trustee of Stevenson Holistic Care Foundation an NGO.