Abia State Environmental Mobile Court ini Umuahia, on Saturday, convicted and fined 52 persons out of the 64 offenders that were arrested on Saturday during the State’s environmental monthly clean up exercise.

The offenders, who were arrested in various parts of Umuahia between 7 am and 10 am by officials for trading and loitering, were arrained at the Mobile Court sitting inside the Umuahia High Court complex, for allegedly contravening the Abia State Basic Environmental Laws.

In his ruling, the Presiding Magistrate, O.C. Ibekwe, after listening to 64 arrested persons, convicted 52 of them and directed them to pay fines to the State government.

The court also discharged nine persons after discovering them to be sick, students heading for exams or workers on essential duties.

Three other arrested offenders were ordered by the Mobile Court to carry out community services in Umuahia, as a correctional action.

Speaking earlier with journalists after monitoring some markets, drainage and waste disposal points in Umuahia, Abia State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Philemon Ogbonna, appealed to Abia residents to support the clean environment initiatives of Governor Alex Otti.

Ogbonna, who was represented by Ikechukwu Oriuwa, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, disclosed that a Neighbourhood Environmental Watch would be established in the State to deepen cleaner environmental activities in Abia communities.

The initiative, he said, would further prevent indiscriminate dumping of refuse and to discourage other harmful practices to the environment.

Several persons are feared dead, while about 30 others have been declared missing following fresh attacks by suspected armed herdsmen in Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State.

DAILY POST gathered that the attackers had earlier invaded Ochobo community, where two persons were killed.

Their initial attempt to attack Agadagba community was reportedly repelled by residents. 

However, the gunmen returned on Saturday evening and opened fire on the community, killing several people, while about 30 others remain unaccounted for.

A resident, who spoke to our reporter from a hiding place, said the attackers stormed the community unexpectedly, forcing residents to flee into nearby bushes.

“They came shooting sporadically. Many people were killed, while several others escaped into the bush. As I speak with you, about 30 people are still missing, and we don’t know whether they are alive or dead,” the source said.

More to come.

Eleven suspected cultists have been remanded in the Ilorin Custodial Centre, Kwara State capital.

They were remanded on Friday on the order of a Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin.

DAILY POST gathered that the suspects, who are students of Kwara State University, Malete, were rounded up by the university’s security personnel and handed over to the state police command over alleged involvement in an attempted homicide following an attack on another student.

The student allegedly assaulted by the suspects is reportedly undergoing medical treatment at an undisclosed health facility.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the state police command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said she was not aware of the incident but promised to revert as of the time of filing this report.