The command’s spokesman, SP Joshua Ukandu, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abakaliki and made available to newsmen on Sunday.

Ukandu explained that Obasi was allegedly kidnapped, tied and locked up inside a hotel toilet.

He stated that the command also foiled an armed robbery attempt and neutralised one person during an operation along the Ehamufu–Nkalagu Road, Ishielu local government area.

He stated that the incidents occurred on November 12 and November 13.

The statement read in part: “The command has recorded another significant breakthrough in its fight against criminal elements operating within the state.

“On November 12, operatives of the command, while on a patrol along the Ehamufu–Nkalagu Road, heard sporadic gunshots and distress screams.

“The officers swiftly moved to the location and found one Ali Solomon struggling with three armed robbers, who were attempting to dispossess him of his motorcycle.

“Upon sighting the police, the hoodlums opened fire and fled.

“The operatives returned fire, neutralising one of the suspects and recovering one AK-47 rifle, loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition.

“Similarly, on November 13, a kidnapping syndicate, terrorising the Ezzangbo axis in Ohaukwu LGA, abducted one Obasi ThankGod, tied him up, and abandoned him inside a hotel toilet, while demanding ₦5 million ransom.

“Through diligent intelligence gathering, operatives of the command traced the hideout of the kidnappers, successfully rescued the victim, and arrested three suspects, namely: Uchenna Ogbozuru, Ebuka Ejiogu, and Chizoba Idenyi Ogwa.

“The suspects are currently in custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.”

Ukandu added that the State Commissioner of Police, Adaku Uche-Anya, further reiterated the command’s unwavering commitment to protecting the lives and property of all the residents.

The statement further quoted Uche-Anya to have assured residents of the state that “criminal elements have no hiding place within the state.”

Source: NAN

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This is the consensus formed by legendary footballer, Dr Segun Odegbami, and sports historian, Emeka Obasi, on the popular monthly interview discourse, Boiling Point Arena, Sunday night.

Both Odegbami and Obasi lamented that Nigeria has long lost the path of greatness with successive leaders not being visionary and foresighted enough to prioritize sports as a fulcrum of development and latch on the myriads of massive opportunities in that sector for all-round transformation of the economy.

To them, it is unthinkable that the government of the day, quite unlike other progressive countries of the world, does not view sports development as a priority, whereas sports have proven to be a symbol of the country’s unity.

The topic of discourse was: “Sports: A Mirror of the Cesspool of Corruption in Nigeria, 64 Years of Few Gains, Many Misses and Bunglings.”

The once-in-a-month current affairs programme which held via Zoom and broadcast live on Sweet 107.1FM, is hosted by a media professional and public relations strategist, Dr. Ayo Arowojolu.

Frontline traditional ruler, the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Prof Saka Matemilola, was the Keynote Speaker during the discourse.

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First to fire the salvo was Odegbami who lamented that although sports thrived better during the military days, “we now have people who have no idea what the history is and we are just swimming in the middle of the Atlantic, rudderless, without a pilot.”

Odegbami said: “Sports go beyond the game. Sport has become an integral part of society beyond the football that we all see.  If we reduce it to playing matches and winning trophies and all of that, we’d miss the point.

“But beyond it, there’s a whole planet of activity and innovation and technology and science and all of that inside of sport that can truly change our society and help us to develop this country. We have missed it completely because we see it for its recreational value only. We don’t see it for the bigger picture.

“Nigeria’s problem is that of leadership challenge. We need a leadership that understands, that appreciates, that has the vision, that can develop the strategy and can use the people that we have, which is our richest resource.

“We have to make use of them to come and start to reset the buttons of our development.”

With visionary leadership, he submitted that sports should have come ahead of music, film and entertainment industry as the biggest advertisement promoting the image of Nigeria globally.

For his part, Emeka Obasi a former Managing Editor, Telegraph Newspapers, also spoke in concurrence with Odegbami, admonishing the President Bola Tinubu Administration to show more seriousness about sports development and administration.

His words: “I think there is a deliberate policy by the government to kill sports in Nigeria. That’s the best way to put it. Do you know why? Sports is the only instrument of national unity.

“I said it because, take the national soccer team for instance. If they played well and all the players are Hausa, no one will complain. If they are doing well with 11 Yoruba players, or if they are winning with 11 Igbo stars, it will be joy unlimited.

“But, the politicians don’t want Nigerians to use that lone instrument of unity to come together. So, that is why in sports today, you find out that those or many of those who are managing sports have no business being there at all.

“We have everything it takes to use sports to project this nation. We should talk about development. Sports is not national politics. It could be national politics. What we have in Nigeria is not sports, it is politics.

“We are joking. And as long as we remain joking, we will not get anywhere. Look at all these people we call herdsmen, bandits, kidnappers and those we tag criminals are potential world champions if our leaders know how to transform them.

“The best players in Africa are Nigerians, just like in other sports. Look at the Jamaicans. Do you see what the Jamaicans are doing in athletics? I am sure you know that Jamaica came from Nigeria. You have Abeokuta in Jamaica. I’m sure you know that. Most of these people we see running for Jamaica, their ancestors were Nigerians. They left Nigeria because of, the wickedness of some of our fathers through the slave trade. Those guys now ruling the world today in athletics are Nigerians.”

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Both Odegbami, otherwise called “Mathematical” and Emeka Obasi, former Managing Editor of Telegraph Newspapers, are to discuss how to rescue Nigeria from all-round defeat in virtually all sporting activities over time.

The topic of discourse is: “Sports: A Mirror of the Cesspool of Corruption In Nigeria, 64 Years of few Gains, Many Misses and Bunglings.”

The 24th in the series, the once-in-a-month current affairs programme holds on Sunday at 8 p.m. for a two-hour duration via Zoom and to be transmitted live on a radio station, Sweet 107.1FM.

Boiling Point Arena, with an incredibly large online followership, is the brainchild of the Convener, Dr Ayo Arowojolu, a media professional with 34 years multi-varied work career spanning the media, banking and education sectors.

Olusegun Odegbami who turned 72 last August was a  Nigerian professional player who was the toast in football circles many decades in the 1970s and the 80s.

Odegbami won 46 caps and scored 23 goals for the Nigeria national team which he guided to its first Africa Cup of Nations title at the 1980 tournament.

Nicknamed Mathematical, he was famous for his skill on the ball, speed and precision of his crosses from the right wing, with Jersey number 7.

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He played for IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan in his entire career, from 1970 to 1984.

In 1976, he won the African Cup Winners’ Cup with Shooting Stars F.C. Nigeria’s first African club trophy.

A Mechanical Engineer, Odegbami, is owner of a radio station called Eagles 7 Sports Radio 103.7 FM located in Wasinmi, near Abeokuta.

For his part, Emeka Obasi, a multifaceted journalist with several laurels who has been reporting sports for about four decades, was erstwhile Sports Editor, Champion Newspapers.

Obasi had covered Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, African Union Summit, FIFA Under-20 Championships and the African Nations Cup a couple of times.

A comparative historian, he is also a one-time Board of Trustees, Nigeria National Sports Hall of Fame.

Emeka Obasi’s two weekly columns, SportsFlakes and Emissary, are favourites to many newspaper readers.

A foremost traditional ruler, the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba Prof. Saka Matemilola, is expected to deliver a keynote speech to herald the discourse, in his capacity as Chairman, Boiling Point Council of Royals and Elders.

According to a statement by the Chairman, Organizing Committee for the programme, Dr. Eddy Ademosu, one of Nigeria’s notable Public Relations icon, the interview discourse will attempt an appraisal of how Nigeria has fared with sports development and dissect the issue of corruption within the various agencies of government.

Ademosu commended the management of Sweet FM, chaired by its promoter, Senator Olugbenga Obadara, for identifying with worthy causes through partnering with the Boiling Point platform to widen the audience reach of the programme through its terrestrial and online channels.

Boiling Point, a news and general interest group, comprises an array of eminent personalities including over 300 professors, technocrats, industry leaders, High Court justices, traditional rulers, security top shots, media professionals and several others.

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Located at 77 Tapa Road, Oke Ojo Isawo area of Ikorodu in Lagos State, the building collapsed at about 2.30 p.m.

The body of the landlord has since been recovered and taken to the morgue of the General Hospital in Ikorodu.

According to the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, the collapsed structure was an attachment to a main building.

NEMA quoted someone in the neighbourhood as saying that construction work was suspended on Tuesday in view of Eid-el-Kabir, the muslim festival which falls on that day.

According to him, labourer worked till late evening of Monday at the site.

The collapse was suspected to have been caused by inadequate time line to allow sand-filled land to compact properly before commencement of construction.

Poor building materials was also suspected to be a factor.

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