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<h1>Mr St. Moses Ogbonna, the Organising Secretary of of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia, has announced his resignation from his position.</h1>

Ogbonna communicated his resignation in a letter dated Monday, Feb. 19, 2019, addressed to the state party Chairman, Sir Johnson Onuigbo, and made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Aba.

Ogbonna cited “brazen acts of impunity” which, he said, had led to total neglect of the State Working Committee and State Exco of the party” as part of the reasons for his resignation.

He further pointed to the “usurpation” of the duties of his office by the state chairman.

“My decision was reached upon my painstaking review of the relationship between me, the Governor of the state, His Excellency. Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu and the state Chairman Sir Johnson Onuigbo.

He noted that over the period the duo had “consistently exhibited loss of confidence and trust, culminating in a deliberate and unconstitutional usurpation of my duties with impunity.

“This brazen act of impunity has led to total neglect and abandonment of the SWC and State Exco of the party.

“The party is now being run as a one man show and every important decision, including on financial matters and ratification of the results of the people, including delegate elections were done in a hotel without the approval of the SWC.”

Ogbonna said the situation had degenerated to the extent that the party still owed over six months stipends payable to Exco members and staff of the party without any efforts to pay, despite repeated demands.

He said that the staff of the party had been abandoned to suffer untold hardship, resulting in the abandonment of the party secretariat.

The legal practitioner claimed that he had been made a scapegoat due to his outspokenness against this impunity and imposition, which had also led to series of threats to his life.

He also alleged that the party was now being run as a one man show hence every important decision was being taken in a hotel without the approval of the SWC.

“I, as organising secretary, has been excluded in everything that is being done in the party.

“Every message to the National Headquarters that needed to emanate or sent by my office was done by the chairman.

“I, therefore, regretfully opt to resign my position as the state organising secretary of the Abia PDP with effect from 18th February, 2019.”

“I wish the party and other suffering exco members well in their future endeavours,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 19 members of the SWC had removed Onuigbo on Nov. 27, 2018, for allegations of imposition of candidates, impunity and usurpation of office.

He was later reinstated in December 2018 after the intervention of some key party stakeholders who said that the issues resulting in his sack had been resolved.

Calls put through to Onuigbo for his reaction were not answered while that of the state PDP Spokesman, Don Ubani was switched off.

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Ogbonna communicated his resignation in a letter dated Monday, Feb. 19, 2019, addressed to the state party Chairman, Sir Johnson Onuigbo, and made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Aba.

Abia PDP organising secretary resigns

<h1>The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has raided 30 hard drug black spots in Abia and arrested 39 persons in the last three months.</h1>

Mr Bamidele Akingbade, the commander of the agency in state disclosed this to newsmen in Aba on Tuesday.

He said that the raid and arrest of the suspects took place between Dec. 2018 and Feb., adding that those involved included 34 males and 5 females.

He listed towns raided to include Umuahia, Aba, Ohafia, Arochukwu and Isiukwuato areas of the state.

He said drugs ranging from cannabis, skonk cannabis, cocaine, heroin and other psychotropic substances were found on them.

Other things found on them, according to him are stimulants and depressants like tramadol, rophenol, diazepam, benelyn and codeine.

He said the agency also recovered eight locally-made single and double barrel guns and one pistol from one the suspects.

He said the command initiated the raid across the state with the intention to keep the state safe prior to the upcoming general elections.

“The action of the command is hinged on the premise that the line between violence and drug is thin.

“We have observed in the past, most of the past violent behaviours that characterised past elections have not been unconnected with the use of drugs.

“We could safely say that it is not impossible that some politicians may be planning again to induce our youths into violence in order to make them susceptible to violent behaviours.

“They may want to foment troubles during campaigns and elections by making hard drugs freely available to them,” he said.

He said those caught with the banned substances had been arraigned in courts while one case involving fire arm recovery had been transferred to the police for further investigation.

He said other cases involving drug abuse had also been properly documented and suspects counselled and released to their parents and caretakers.

NDLEA raids 30 black spots, arrests 39 hard drug suspects in Abia

Mr Bamidele Akingbade, the commander of the agency in state disclosed this to newsmen in Aba on Tuesday.

<h1>SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, the Police Public Relations Officer, Abia command has confirmed the burning down of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Isiala-Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia.</h1>

Ogbonna confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Aba on Sunday, adding that the fire occurred on Saturday night.

He said that information available to the police showed that the fire started from the toilet and extended to the office, where the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were stored.

The police spokesman said that some of the PVCs were already destroyed before the fire was eventually put out on Sunday morning.

He said that the number of damaged PVCs had yet to be ascertained.

Ogbonna, who spoke from the scene of the fire, said that the command had commenced investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire.

Speaking further, the Head of Public Affairs of the commission in Abia, Mr Bamidele Oyetunji, said that police had taken over the investigation of the incident.

Oyetunji said that the police were in a better position to find the perpetrators of the dastardly act and that the commission was not suspecting any politician or its member of staff.

Some residents of the area told NAN on the condition of anonymity that the fire might have started in the night but was only noticed on Sunday morning.

It was further learnt that the number of burnt PVCs might not be less than 10,000, considering the heap of the items.

NAN reports that similar fire razed down the Obingwa LGA INEC office in 2015, after a governorship election petition tribunal in Umuahia gave an order for the forensic inspection of the votes for the governorship poll in the area.

Fire engulfs INEC office in Abia destroying over 10,000 thousand PVCs

Ogbonna confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Aba on Sunday, adding that the fire occurred on Saturday night.

<h1>Bamidele Akingbade, State Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Abia, said that four men were arrested for illegally and secretly manufacturing Diazepam, a sleep-inducing anti-depressant drug.</h1>

Akingbade disclosed this while taking newsmen round the drug production laboratory at Omenihu Street, off Enugu Port Harcourt Expressway, Osisioma Local Government Area, near Aba.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Diazepam is the generic name for a controlled sleep-inducing, anti-depressant drug, also called valium.

He said that the company, which produced a brand of Diazepam, named DIZAPAM, was doing so without licence and in an unauthorised environment within a residential area.

Akingbade said that the company, without name, was operating in a warehouse and producing the substandard drug with the name of an Indian drug company, Shalina Laboratories, PVT, India.

The commander said the suspects were caught working in the laboratory when NDLEA men raided the warehouse.

He said that the owner of the factory, who is operating from Onitsha, Anambra, was on the run, while the agency had gone after him, after sealing off the warehouse.

Akingbade said that the agency had been gathering intelligence on the illicit drug production for some days before it materialised in the arrests.

What they do here is compounding and making diazepam illicitly, because from the test that has been conducted, it proved positive for Diazepam but the production, registration is not controlled.

So it is a clandestine laboratory. He has no number. He has nothing to show government why he is producing the drug.

I want to add that Diazepam that is produced here is a controlled drug and if a drug is controlled, it means that it affects the central nervous system.

And the use or abuse of it can lead to addiction or general damage to the users brain.

It is a depressant and used for treatment of insomnia and anxiety. So we expect that it should not be produced by a single individual in this environment. he said.

He promised that the man would be punished by the law when caught.

Akingbade urged persons buying diazepam in Aba or the South East, to check and ensure they got the authentic one.

He said it was suspected that some of the substandard products had been moved into the market.

He also urged residents in these areas, who had information on such unlicensed drug productions, to report to NDLEA for prompt action to save lives.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that proper production of diazepam must go through registrations with Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), NAFDAC and permit from NDLEA.

Also, it must be professionally prepared and produced in a verified laboratory with fully employed workers, who must be certified pharmacists.

The unlicensed laboratory is equipped with one big Lister generator, two packing and sealing machines, two tablet-making machines, one mixing machine and a dryer.

There are also unsealed tablets with waste products from packaging littering the floor of the production rooms forming the laboratory, when newsmen visited the warehouse-turned laboratory.

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Akingbade disclosed this while taking newsmen round the drug production laboratory at Omenihu Street, off Enugu Port Harcourt Expressway, Osisioma Local Government Area, near Aba.

Abia NDLEA arrests 4 for illegal production of sedatives

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ijendu.iheaka

Articles written by the author

Abia PDP organising secretary resigns

NDLEA raids 30 black spots, arrests 39 hard drug suspects in Abia

Fire engulfs INEC office in Abia destroying over 10,000 thousand PVCs

Abia NDLEA arrests 4 for illegal production of sedatives