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My abductors killed 20 people in my presence- Anambra witch-doctor, Akwa Okuko
Anambra state born witch-doctor Chidozie Nwangwu, popularly known as Akwa Okuko Tiwaraki, has said that his abductors killed 20 people in his presence while they held him captive for four days.
The boastful and flamboyant native doctor was kidnapped at his Triple P Hotel in Oba, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State at about 11:30 pm on Sunday, July 23 and was freed in the early hours of Saturday after the sum of N350 million was allegedly paid as ransom.
He also claimed that he would have escaped from the kidnappers’ den if he wanted to but that his abductors would have killed more people if he left
The Anambra State Police spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed his release to journalists on Saturday.
However, Ikenga did not disclose the actual amount paid as ransom, stating that the abductors reached out to the native doctor’s colleagues and friends and some money was paid to them before he was freed.
He added, “Yes, he has been released this morning (Saturday). We are waiting to debrief him, with a view to getting his experience and clue of who the abductors are, so that we can go after them.
I have the information that his abductors contacted friends and relatives and demanded some millions. I also have information that his abductors were demanding some specific amount but I have not gotten the accurate figure.
“According to speculations, they said it’s between N200m and N300m. We are making efforts to get in touch with him and get accurate information surrounding his abduction.
Recounting his experience in the hands of his abductors, Nwangwu said, “This whole thing is related to sit-at-home and they mentioned names of more people they will take, but it’s not something I can say now.
“They killed many in my presence. They killed up to 20 people before me. I did not take anyone’s money, they just came to kidnap and their target were people who have money. They wanted to kidnap as many as 50 people from my hotel that day, but I rather followed them.”
The native doctor said two of his security men were killed while he was abducted.
He stated, “While I was in the kidnappers’ den, I listened to the radio and saw how people were saying all kinds of rubbish, so I decided to set the records straight.
“What really happened was that I was there (at home) that day, at around 11:30pm when someone named Okey Japan called me and said they were at my hotel, and that they were spending money, and had spent close to N300,000, and that they wanted me to be around.
“I obliged them and drove to the hotel in my new car. I was there, and not up to 30 minutes, gunshots rented the air. People started running helter-skelter. I now went out to see what was happening and the people started shooting at me.
“They killed two of my security men. I don’t want to reveal much now, but I know that two things can only save a man. If your charms don’t save you, your money will save you. Anyone who has charms should have money. The people took me into their car.”
He said if he wanted to run away, he would have done so but that he had seen those that were shot and that if he left, they would kill many people.
Nwangwu said he decided to follow his abductors in order to save people’s lives and prove that his hands were clean.
The legal team of suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, say they are ready with factil evidence to defend her in court.
The team received a formal summons in the case filed against her by the Federal Government at the Federal Capital Territory High Court last week.
On Friday, May 16, 2025, the Federal Government filed the suit, marked CR/297/25, over alleged defamatory remarks made during a live appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on April 3, 2025.
The government accused the senator of “making imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person”, citing Section 391 of the Penal Code, cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990.
Among the witnesses listed to testify during the trial were Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and a former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.
Others include Asuquo Ekpenyong, a senator; Sandra Duru; Maya Iliya, investigating police officers; and Abdulhafiz Garba, investigating police officers.
However, in a statement issued Friday night by Dr. Ehiogie West-Idahosa (SAN) on behalf of the legal team, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lawyers confirmed receipt of the formal summons and pledged to prepare all “factual and statutory defences” available to the lawmaker during trial.
“At about 2:30pm on Friday, May 23, 2025, within the premises of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, we received the information filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, containing three counts alleging that our client, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central, made imputations she had reason to believe would harm the reputation of Senator Godswill Akpabio, President of the 10th Senate,” the statement read.
“We received the said information on her behalf through a letter of authority duly issued and filed in the court’s registry.
“The legal team will fully prepare and present all factual and statutory defences available to our client during the trial.”
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) will on Tuesday next week begin the take over of 4,794 properties in Abuja, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headquarters, due to unpaid ground rent.
The PDP headquarters, currently under construction in Abuja’s Central Business District, is among the affected properties, having been revoked in March for several years of unpaid ground rent. The FCTA disclosed that 4,794 titles had been revoked for failure to pay ground rent, with some defaults dating back 43 years.
The affected properties are located in various districts, including Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape.
The defaulters owe over N6.96 billion in ground rent. The FCTA had given a 21-day grace period for owners with debts under 10 years, which has now expired.
The FCTA officials announced that the takeover would begin on Monday, May 26, 2025, with the sealing off and restriction of access to the affected properties.
The Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze emphasized that the revocations were carried out under Section 28(5)(a)(b) of the Land Use Act, which empowers the government to reclaim land when the terms of occupancy are violated.
Two people sustained serious injuries when a training aircraft crash-landed at the Ilorin International Airport on Friday.
Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, NSIB, Mrs Bimbo Oladeji, who disclosed this in a statement, said the incident occurred at 17:28 local time on May 23, 2025, during a simulated instrument approach on Runway 05 at Ilorin International Airport.
Oladeji said the aircraft veered off the runway and came to a stop on the grass verge, leaving the two occupants on board injured.
She stated: “Both sustained serious injuries and were swiftly evacuated to a medical facility, coordinated by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA.
“In response, the NSIB Go-Team is currently preparing to depart from Abuja to Ilorin to conduct on-site investigations. The team will secure the site, collect physical evidence, interview witnesses, and retrieve operational data to establish the cause and contributing factors of the incident.”
Quoting the Director General of the NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., she said “Our thoughts are with the injured, and we commend the swift medical and emergency response. Now, our focus is on understanding exactly what went wrong. Every investigation is an opportunity to improve safety. We are deploying our team to Ilorin to ensure that no detail is overlooked.”
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