LAND IN UGBOKO IS FOR THE UNIVERSITY. NO LAND GRABBING AND NO ISSUES OF MURDER. JUST RED HERRING.

Sowore Omoleye, the publisher of Sahara reporters has started re-enacting the same old lies he told more than two years ago - that Senator Ned Nwoko grabbed lands in Idumuje Ugboko and also caused some persons to be murdered .

As someone who has been following the trauma suffered by the 29 victims of the 2017 Idumuje Ugboko mayhem, orchestrated by Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko, the current state- installed Obi of Idumuje Ugboko, I stand a good stead to correct this malicious falsehood against an illustrious son of Idumuje Ugboko.

In 2015, Prince , now Senator Ned Nwoko, applied for a piece of land - 90 hectares- to establish a sports university in Idumuje Ugboko. The then Obi of the community, HRM Albert Nwoko consulted the members of the land allocation committee and after series of verifications and consultations with stakeholders of the four federating villages , the piece of land was duly approved by the late Obi and allocated to Linas international limited , a company owned by Ned Nwoko. 

The decision by Prince Ned Nwoko to establish the first Sports University in the community was then celebrated by every community folk , including Chukwunonso Nwoko and Gabriel Ogbechie, the proprietor of RainOil. Trouble started when Chukwunonso Nwoko started to issue orders from the royal palace even when his father was still alive. As two Obis cannot occupy the palace simultaneously, some chiefs like the Iyase, Chukwuka Christopher Ogwu and the Odogwu, Chief Sunday Edemodu sought to know what was happening. For their effrontery, Chukwunonso Nwoko clamped down on them and all those who were perceived to be against Chukwunonso succeeding the late King while also threatening  to banish them. The death of the Obi, Albert Nwoko  under mysterious circumstances on the 6th of February, 2017 signaled a chain of events, one of which was the most horrendous attacks on innocent people in the community who dared to oppose the enthronement of Chukwunonso Nwoko . 

The savagery and barbarity of the mayhem, which involved the importation of thugs and native doctors from outside the Idumuje Ugboko Kingdom left 29 persons emotionally traumatized, as their houses were destroyed or burnt . The Iyase of the community, Chief Chukwuka Christopher Ogwu and the Odogwu , Chief Sunday Odemodu were severely beaten like common criminals at the pleasure of Chukwunonso Nwoko and their houses and vehicles vandalized . Both Christopher Ogwu and Sunday Odemodu have been living like vegetables since then until the Iyase bowed to death recently, having been bedridden for 9 years. Sunday Odemodu too has become medically incapacitated for the same period .

The 2017 mayhem also resulted in two deaths - one instant and the other remote. An innocent Benue state born motorcycle rider , Cyprian Kumuolu was clubbed to death in front of Chukwunonso's House on his orders. The victim's  body was allegedly mutilated and carted away in a wheelbarrow and disposed off. Till today his body has not been found while the family of the slain motorcycle rider has been in court seeking justice for the past 9 years . Also , the former secretary of the land allocation committee of the community, Kennedy Iloh who was in 2017 severely beaten and cruelly dragged on the ground to the palace of Idumuje Ugboko on the orders of Chukwunonso Nwoko , later died due to the severity of the injuries he sustained in the hands of thugs employed by Chukwunonso Nwoko.

One of the victims ,Ogbuefi Victor Omezi escaped death by the whiskers but, nevertheless had his house destroyed and his business equipment vandalized until he had to relocate abroad to find solace .

Some of the persons who were responsible for the 2017 mayhem were arrested and charged for murder , arson and terrorism and other atrocities at the Federal High court Abuja . Without any explanations or justification their trials were discontinued last year by the Attorney General of the Federation. Also, Ekemejero Ohwovoriole , the present Delta State Attorney General, who was Chukwunonso Nwoko's lawyer in the terrorism case has been using his official position to forestall justice for the victims of the 2017 mayhem. He once allegedly plotted to transfer the terrorism case from Abuja to Delta where he would enter a Nolle Prosequi  and absolve Chukwunonso Nwoko and his associates of the terrorism charges. However, this is the right time for the Federal Government to conclude the terrorism case for the benefit of the victims of 2017 who are yet unable to get justice up till today. These are the criminals that Sowore and company are celebrating today and forgetting the victims . As a matter of fact , Sowore has twisted facts to make the Oppressors seem like the oppressed and the victims seem as the Oppressors. This is really unacceptable. Incidentally this same Sowore is to be arraigned on the 20th of November at the Federal High Court following Senator Ned Nwoko's case against him for criminal defamation. When the charges were pressed against him two years ago he shamelessly denied being the publisher of Sahara Reporters. Investigations have revealed that SR, which has no known office was neither registered in Nigeria nor the USA. He uses the cover of virtual anonymity to dabble into private family issues that do not concern him.

Sometime ago, after the Idumuje Ugboko mayhem, a guy simply known as Blessing went to Mount Ned, a government approved tourist site in Idumuje Ugboko with his girlfriend to swim . He entered the swimming pool without the presence of an instructor or guide and unfortunately found himself in the deepest part of the swimming pool. He died before help could reach him. The Police was promptly notified and he was taken to the Issele Uku general hospital where he was pronounced dead. The police carried out an investigation and thereafter released the corpse to the family for burial. Today, however Sowore is painting a different picture by linking Senator Ned Nwoko to the death of Blessing. All in a bid to create substance out of nothing Sowore is also falsely claiming that Regina Daniel was privy to the deaths of Cyprian and Blessing. The truth is that Regina Daniels was not in the  picture at all . One wonders if falsehood and character assassination have become Sowore's stock in trade. 

Only recently in September, 2025, the Obi designate of Idumuje Ugboko, Solomon Eziokwubundu Nwabuokei Nwoko, on whose behalf the community has been in court to challenge the illegal occupation of the throne of Idumuje Ugboko, died under mysterious circumstances. Chukwunonso Nwoko and his cronies  shamelessly celebrated the death of his brother kinsman for days with traditional shooting of canons.

TRUTH ABOUT THE IDUMUJE UGBOKO UNIVERSITY LAND

There is no iota of truth concerning all the malicious and ill-informed stories being peddled by Sowore Omoyele concerning land grabbing of lands in Idumuje Ugboko by Ned Nwoko. The unverified stories emanated from people like Chris Aligbe and  others  and further harped on  and circulated by a fugitive Azuka Jebose who resides in the United States of America. 

A former inspector General of police had instituted an inquiry and the IGP's monitoring team came up with a report which exonerated Ned Nwoko of any land grabbing in the community. The complainants were charged to court for the offence of making false statements to public officers . 

As a matter of fact , Senator Ned Nwoko paid compensations running into hundreds of millions  to farmers from Idumuje Ugboko to Onicha Ugboko who made claims that their crops were affected by the land allocation . Also the police, through forensic analysis had found that the letter purported to have been signed by Obi Albert Nwoko was a forgery. Judgement on the forgery case  which was brought before the chief magistrate court in Asaba by the Police in charge No  CMA/420c/2016 was made and Chukwunonso Nwoko and two others ( Prince Ejimofor Nwoko and Prince Richard Obiajulu Nwoko) were convicted for forgery on the 8th day of March , 2024. Furthermore,  a Delta state official white paper was made exonerating Senator Ned Nwoko of any land grabbing . The white paper emanated after a detailed report was made by the then Special Adviser to the Governor on Conflict Resolution and Peace Building , Edwin Uzor on a fact finding mission  to Idumuje Ugboko. Another report was made by the former Aniocha North Council Chairman, Chuks Óseme exonerating Ned Nwoko of any land grabbing complicity. It was even the LG Chairman, Chuks Óseme that granted the customary Rights of Occupancy for the university land .

No court anywhere in Nigeria has ever investigated or convicted Ned Nwoko for land grabbing or murder of any citizen. These concocted stories being published by Sowore Omoyele and his Sahara Reporters are as libelous as they are ridiculous. Sowore and Azuka Jebose who are pretending to love Idumuje Ugboko are not from Idumuje Ugboko. It is even doubtful if Sowore has ever been to Idumuje Ugboko, neither does he know its location in the map of Nigeria. Senator Ned Nwoko had once instigated a suit against Sowore and he was unable to prove his wild allegations. The resumption of hostilities by Sowore against Ned Nwoko is suggestive that Sowore may have been hired by some of Ned Nwoko's political opponents to smear his name for political gains. But like a cat with nine lives, Ned Nwoko has always come out clean as the court of the land has never convicted him of any wrong doing all his life.

As a philanthropist, whose life is entirely devoted to the betterment of humanity, tales of murder and land grabbing allegations are just off -track and not in sync with Senator Nwoko's character and integrity. I understand that public figures often face scrutiny but Senator Ned Nwoko remains committed to upholding the highest standards of transparency, accountability and service to the Nigerian people. Recent claims circulating online by Sowore do not reflect the Senator 's record or the values he stands for. Instead of Sowore to highlight Senator Ned Nwoko's record bills and motions which touches on the welfare of Nigerians , he rather dwells on nebulous issues that bother on rumours and character assassination. Not for once has Sahara reporters focused on the iconic representation of the Senator's constituents or even the trending ANIOMA creation movement. My assessment of the situation is that it is irresponsible journalism if the focus is on hate campaign. Disputes - political, civil or personal- should be addressed through lawful channels not through public or media accusations.

The Idumuje Ugboko university land issue has since been put to rest . The Sports University is now on its third year, with many of its early antagonists benefiting from it . The sports university Idumuje Ugboko is a success story which has reverberated all over the world . It is anachronistic for anyone to be talking of the University land, four years after the the National University Commission ( NUC) approved the take - off of the University.

What is on the lips of every ANIOMA son and daughter is the creation of the ANIOMA state which is vigorously being championed by Senator Ned Nwoko . Any attempt to distract the Senator from this life changing pursuit will be dismissed and resisted by ANIOMA indigenes in Nigeria and in the Diaspora. All ANIOMA people are eagerly waiting for 2027 to demonstrate their gratitude to Senator Ned Nwoko who, in only less than 3 years in the Senate has shown amazing capacity to transform the ANIOMA landscape from a situation of lethargy to that of dynamism and realism.

God bless Senator Ned Nwoko

God bless ANIOMA 

God bless Nigeria

FOR: NATIONAL GUIDE FOR TRUTH & JUSTICE 

Marcus Okafor

National Coordinator