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An amra is no doubt one of the states in
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Nigeria experiencing incessant and very
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high rates of kidnapping that in some
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cases do lead to the death of the
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abducted victims and killing of security
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operatives and some other persons around
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the scene of the mostly monetary crimes
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of hostage taking for a ransom.
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Specifically, our crime reporters
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gathered that there is hardly no week
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without one or two persons being
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kidnapped along the Initia aeriary
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federal road in an amber state,
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especially between Oba community and
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Aiala town. As we gathered that most
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victims of kidnapping in the state are
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hardworking small and medium-sized
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business owners who most of whom
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struggled out of poverty to become
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wealthy, successful traders. This we
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learned there may be no wealthy
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successful business owner along the
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Aiala Olu road left to be kidnapped or
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forced to pay ransom to the kidnappers.
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While in Ober wealthy people are being
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kidnapped quietly and ransom in millions
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are paid in silence to the kidnappers.
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According to members of the community, a
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young successful businessman was
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kidnapped recently at a location between
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the Ober New Road and Old Road junctions
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shortly after he visited his building
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construction site. While we also learned
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that some people in the state to report
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or contract their friends to kidnappers
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just to get a share from the ransom that
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will be paid afterwards or when such
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people have issue or dispute with their
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friends or co-raders. It may interest
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you to know that the Anamra State Police
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Command recently arrested a 24-year-old
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male suspect, Muan Victor, for allegedly
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luring his friend to be kidnapped by his
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criminal gang in Uli, Iala local
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government area of the state. and they
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reportedly collected a ransom in dollars
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equivalent to 5.3 million naira with his
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gang members just as gunman in a not too
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long distance time abducted a lawyer and
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two other persons in in Polyu auata
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local government area of an amra in
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addition to previous cases of kidnapping
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of the owner of de Porsche club Chief
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Igi by unknown gunman after the gunman
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killed numbers of persons along the new
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Oberi road in Idili south local
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government area of an amber state with
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the number of those killed at the
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Porsche nightclub said to be seven, but
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one of the security operatives was
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beheaded and another had his foot cut
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off and made away with by the invading
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deadly kidnappers. This occurred shortly
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after a well-known native doctor or
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aka Aqua Oko Turaki was kidnapped after
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his two personal aids killed in the
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vicinity of his hotel at Ober community
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before the kidnappers effortlessly took
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him away and was released after ransom
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in millions were reportedly paid. That
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not all. On May 21st, 2022, shortly
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after Professor Chukuma Soludo was sworn
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in as governor, gunman abducted the
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lawmaker representing Auata 2
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constituency in the state house of
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assembly. Okukuakoy Okoy, also known as
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represented Solido's state constituency,
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Isuopia. Aoy was killed and beheaded
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alongside his aid Sirill Chieoka 6 days
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after they were abducted along Agular
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Ziggbo road Anoroka local government
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area of the state and their heads and
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bodies dumped along a roadside in the
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state. And in December 2024, another
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lawmaker in the state house of assembly
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was killed. Ghana Minister of Defense
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Edward Omain Bulmer alongside seven
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other top government officials and
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military personnel have been confirmed
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dead after Ghana armed forces in a
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statement on Wednesday had declared the
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Z9 military helicopter missing stating
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the helicopter traveling from the nation
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capital in Ara to Abuasi in Ashanti
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region went off from radar at 9:12 a.m.
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with three crew members and five
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passengers on board. Others killed in
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the helicopter crash as confirmed by the
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office of the president of Ghana include
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Dr. Al-Haji Matala Muhammad, MP for
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Tamali Central, Minister for
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Environment, Science and Technology
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Al-Haji Munaru Muhammad, acting deputy
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national security coordinator Dr. Samuel
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Sarapong, Vice Chairman of the NDC,
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Samuel Abu Aagay, former parliamentary
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candidate, squadron leader Peter Beeala,
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flying officer Tuampedu, and Sergeant
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Ernest Ado Mensah. It was gathered that
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the military helicopter went down at a
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Dani Acroofam in the Ashanti region on
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Wednesday for yet to be stated cause of
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the incident as video footage showed the
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burnt beyond recognition bodies of those
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on board the aircraft. The aircraft was
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from Ara and heading for a Bowsi and is
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currently off the radar. All efforts are
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being made to establish contact. The
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Ghana armed forces had stated in a
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statement earlier on Wednesday. The
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government of Ghana has directed that
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all national flags be flown at half mast
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in honor of the late government top
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officials Edward Omain Bulma, Minister
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for Defense and Ibrahim Matala Muhammad,
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Minister for Environment, Science,
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Technology and Innovation among others
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who died in the military helicopter
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crash. According to local media, the
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fatal incident occurred on Wednesday,
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August 6th in the Adansi Acroofam
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district of the Ashanti region. While
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the two ministers along with six others
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were on route to Abuasi for official
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duties. Announcing the directive, Chief
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of Staff Julius Deborah expressed the
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government's deep sorrow regarding the
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loss of the two senior public officials
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and others on board the helicopter. The
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president is emotionally down. The vice
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president is leading a team to formally
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inform the families. Education Minister
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Haruna Idrasu told news reporters
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following the tragic helicopter crash
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that claimed the lives of top government
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officials including the defense and
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environment ministers. While announcing
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the death of the all passengers and crew
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members on board, the Ghana chief of
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staff Julius Deborah said, "On behalf of
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the president of the republic, his
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excellency John Drammany Mahama, the
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vice president, Professor Nana Jane Aaku
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Aguumang who is with us here and the
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government of Ghana. I have the
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unpleasant duty sadly to announce a
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national tragedy involving the crash of
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a military helicopter this morning
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around the Adansi area in the Ashanti
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region. Government regrets to announce
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the demise of the following persons in
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the tragic crash. Dr. Edward Kofi Omain
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Bulma, Minister for Defense. Al-Haji,
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Dr. Ibrahim Matala Muhammad, MP,
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Minister for Environment, Science and
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Technology. Al-Haji Munaru Muhammad,
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acting deputy national security
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coordinator and former minister for food
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and agriculture. Dr. Samuel Saong,
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vicechairman of the national democrat an
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amber state government under the
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leadership of Governor Charles Chukuma
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Soludo has said that the state is
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currently in search of justice over the
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killing of a young and creative fish
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farmer Martin Zafesi on Yaki well known
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by his business name as fish magnet who
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was reportedly shot on the leg while
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being kidnapped on Sunday the 27th of
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July 2025 at his residence in Azini Fet
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village Okuna. O ina the anmra state
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capital this Dr. George Mgalu, the
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Labour Party candidate in the
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forthcoming governorship election in the
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state, said that an amber state is no
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longer safe, adding that people are
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being killed, slaughtered for their
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families to bury in silence. While the
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state governor, Professor Charles
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Chukuma Soludo looks the other way with
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no sympathy, condolence visit, or
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statement. Specifically, Mogulu said, "I
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must speak frankly. An amra is no longer
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safe, not even in the state capital. Our
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people are being slaughtered, kidnapped,
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and buried in silence while the
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government looks the other way. This is
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not leadership. It is abandonment. Just
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recently, we lost over 10 lives in a
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ghastly accident at Amichi. Noi South
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local government area. Yet, there was no
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statement, no condolence, not even a
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visit from the state government.
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Instead, we see street renamings and
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political endorsement rallies. Where is
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our conscience? Mogulu stated while the
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former lawyer to Nambdi Caru, the
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detained Bafra agitation leader
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barristister Afeni Edio said the people
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of the state are currently romancing
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with crimes, hiding criminals and
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painting absurd narratives on social
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media to glorify and justify the rising
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crimes in the state. Saying the most
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frightening part, the reckless energy
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our own people expend defending these
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killers. When you shield murderers
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because they are your kinsmen, you
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embolden them. When you justify
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kidnappings under the guise of ethnic
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pride, you leave the gates wide open for
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the real external aggressors like armed
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herdsmen whose invasion will come when
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we are weakest and most divided. An amra
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state commissioner for information. Lor
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mea made the government position known
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on Sunday after he led other government
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officials on a condolence visit to the
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bereaveved mother of the victim who
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happened to be the woman leader of the
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anamra state all progressives grand
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alliance ABGA Mrs. Esther ones.
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According to Punch newspaper, Ona, a son
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of the woman leader of the Anamra State
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All Progressives Grand Alliance, was
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abducted by gunman at his residence in
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Ezeni community, Opuno, Orca South Local
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Government Area of Anra State in a late
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night attack on Saturday, July 26th, and
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was subsequently killed. In a press
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statement released on Sunday, the state
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commissioner for information law
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methodized with the deceased family,
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assuring them that the state government
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is in search of justice while sustaining
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and strengthening security in the state.
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Meer who maintained that such a
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development is an affront to the
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professor Chukuma Soludo government's
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new security architecture also expressed
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delight that the police are on the heels
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of the perpetrators. The commissioner
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was quoted as having stated this when he
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paid a condolence visit to the woman
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leader of the Anamra state ABGA Esther
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ones. According to the statement, the
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statement read in part, "The Anamra
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