There is disarray in Akwa Ibom State’s Etim Ekpo Local Government Area following the death of Mma-Offiong James Peter, 70, by her son, Inyangake James Peter.

After being taken into custody by the authorities on April 4, 2024, at approximately 9:00 am, the suspect claimed he followed a voice that kept telling him to kill her.

Odiko Macdon, the Akwa Ibom State Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, made this announcement on Monday.

The statement read, “The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested one Inyangake James Peter, 40 years old for gruesomely murdering his biological mother, and one Mma-Offiong James Peter, about 70 years old, on 4/4/2024 at about 9:00 am at Ikpe Annang Village in Etim Ekpo LGA.

“The Suspect who confessed to the crime has been transferred to the state CID for discrete investigation.

“The suspect on interrogation alleged that he had a voice saying ‘kill her’, ‘kill her’, and he decided to oblige.”

In a related development, the statement added that the police have also arrested one Solomon Asuquo Isaac, who murdered his son as a result of a family misunderstanding.

It further read, “Also, one Solomon Asuquo Isaac of Ikot Obok Nsit in Nsit Ibom LGA who murdered his son, one Iboro Isaac, 18-years-old, last year as a result of a family misunderstanding, has been arrested

“Cases of some family members killing their biological relatives have been of great concern to the Command in recent times.

The statement added that the command also arrested another suspect for possession of arms and ammunition.

“On 9/4/2024, Anti-Robbery Squad of the Command on stop and search, intercepted and arrested one Ekemini Edet Akpan of Ekpene Ikpan Village, Nsit Ibom LGA, along Calabar Itu Highway by Raycon Construction Company for having one locally made gun, one revolver pistol and eighteen live cartridges.

“Suspects will be charged to court after investigation”, the statement concluded.

It was gathered that the incident occurred in Umuchiana village in the Aguata Local Government Area of the state.

A family source said that the suspect had been exhibiting some unusual behaviour before the incident occurred.

In the last three years, the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency reports that it has apprehended 5,0901 drug offenders in total, including 46 drug lords.

This was announced on Monday during the inauguration and handover ceremony of an operational facility constructed and donated to the NDLEA in Lagos by the British Government, by Brig-Gen Muhammad Marwa (retd.), the agency’s chairman.

According to Marwa, the agency had successfully prosecuted and found 9,034 of them guilty during that time, and it had also recovered over 7,561 tonnes of illegal drugs.

He said that this would seriously damage the criminal networks that distribute illegal substances in addition to upsetting the flow of those drugs.

He said, “Our operations have undergone substantial reforms resulting in remarkable achievement within the last three years. During this period, the NDLEA achieved significant milestones in its mission to combat drug trafficking and abuse with a total of 5,0901 arrests, including the apprehension of 46 drug barons. Our agency has demonstrated its unwavering commitment to bringing those involved in illicit drug activities to justice. Furthermore, the conviction of 9,034 offenders underscores our relentless pursuit of accountability and deterrence in the fight against drug-related crimes.

“Our seizure of 7,560,749 kilogrammes of that 7,561 tonnes not only disrupts the flow of illegal drugs but also serves as a significant blow for the criminal networks responsible for their distribution.”

Marwa added that the agency had taken decisive action against illicit drug crop cultivation with its search and destroy campaign against cannabis plantation which had led to the destruction of over 1000 hectares of cannabis farms in the past three years.

“At this time, we are looking at alternatives. We are strategising on how to control cannabis cultivation in Nigeria through the encouragement of cannabis growers to turn their attention to growing alternative illicit drugs and with this, an alternative development unit has been created in my office,” he added.

Speaking at the ceremony, the British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Jonny Baxter, assured the agency of continued support to the NDLEA and Nigeria.

He said: “We, the UK Government, are delighted to have this long-standing relationship with the NDLEA and I’m in particular delighted to have been personally in several activities especially your maritime. This building makes a whole set of different actors and capabilities to address any criminal activity.

“We’re delighted to continue our support for the NDLEA and the Nigerian government to tackle what is sadly a global industry, which needs a global response. I’d like to join the chairman in affirming our continued support, our continued cooperation, and indeed our continued pride in working together with ladies and gentlemen of this agency, the NDLEA.”

The NDLEA in February intercepted what it described as the single largest heroin consignment at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.

Similarly, it reportedly arrested members of an organised criminal organisation which specialised in trafficking heroin across Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, Europe and America in an operation leading to the seizure of the consignment which weighed 51.90Kg

Vera Anyim, the woman accused of lying during her testimony at the Dunamis International Gospel Centre in Abuja, has stated that she has no ill will towards the church.

This came after the uproar surrounding the treatment she received on Sunday from Dr. Paul Enenche, the senior pastor of the church.

Anyim claimed to have received a “Bsc in Law” from the National Open University of Nigeria in a video that went viral during her testimony in church.

Enenche, however, cut her off and claimed she was lying. In addition to criticising the woman’s speech, the pastor questioned the veracity of her testimony.

Enenche who said there was nothing like “Bsc in Law” immediately asked her to leave the pulpit.

The action however generated a flurry of reactions as netizens demanded an apology from the cleric.

But Anyim, in a post on her Facebook page on Monday, said she had put the situation behind her.

She made the statement after meeting Enenche and his wife, Becky.

Sharing photos from the meeting, she wrote, “I want to inform the whole world that I just had a warm meeting with my spiritual father and mother, Dr Paul Enenche, and Dr Becky Enenche.

“I don’t have any grudge against the church or them. I remain committed to serving God as a member of Dunamis Church.

“I am thankful for the concern of the public.

“I have put the situation at my back, and I have moved forward, and I want everybody to do the same. Peace.”

The church in a statement on Monday said it reached out to Anyim over the issue, while it explained that concerns arose during her testimony at the Glory Dome on April 14, 2024, regarding her language proficiency and the clarity of her academic credentials.

It stated that her speech suggested a level of English proficiency below what might be expected of a university graduate, particularly one with a Law degree, while noting that discrepancies also emerged regarding the nature and duration of her academic pursuit, raising doubts about the legitimacy of her qualifications.

The statement added that the Senior Pastor’s actions stemmed from a commitment to upholding standards of excellence and integrity within the church community.

The statement read, “A scenario was created on Sunday the 14th April, 2024 at the Glory Dome, the Global Headquarters of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, when Ms Anyim Veronica Nnenna came out to testify of how God helped her graduate from the university, thus making her the first person to attain that feat in her family.

“These were the immediate triggers for the said scenario: First, listening to the testifier’s expressions as it borders on basic spoken English, conveys the impression that the minimum standard expectation of a graduate, especially a graduate of Law was not met.

“Second, stating that she studied Law for 10 years begged the question of what her degree actually was.

“Third, she was unable to state exactly what the correct degree was for Law which is LLB, rather she said it was a BSc in Law which is largely unknown as a Law degree in Nigeria and possibly globally.

“These prompted the Senior Pastor. Dr. Paul Enenche, to stop the testimony immediately as a product of a ‘lie.’ However, relief came when it was later confirmed that she actually graduated from a university.

“It must be pointed out clearly here that embarrassing the testifier publicly with the attendant media frenzy was never intended; whatever happened was under the spur of the moment.”

The church disclosed further that the Senior Pastor was rather based on his and the church’s aversion to seeming mediocrity and any appearance of untruth.

“While we remain resolute in our passion for excellence, intolerance of mediocrity and falsehood, we wish to reiterate the fact that no harm or hurt was ever intended by the Senior Pastor against Ms. Anyim Veronica. The Senior Pastor feels deeply concerned and had already reached out to her.

“As a commission, we regret every inconvenience, hurt, and embarrassment this unfortunate scenario has caused to Ms Anyim Veronica Nnenna. We remain committed to her physical welfare as well as her spiritual growth. God bless us all,” the statement added.

Some photos confirming that the woman graduated from NOUN were discovered on her Facebook page and shared online.

Reacting earlier to the treatment meted out to her, Vera lamented that she was disgraced and labelled a liar by her spiritual leader because she couldn’t speak English and mistakenly said B.Sc instead of LLB.

In a post on her Facebook page on Monday, she stated that she graduated with a 3rd class from NOUN and was no. 2262 on the list of graduates from the school.

She wrote: “It’s disheartened because I couldn’t speak English like lawyers. I was labelled a liar for mistakenly saying B.Sc instead of LLB. Actually, I graduated with a Third Class at NOUN. The rejected stone can become the cornerstone. We’re reminded not to look down on anyone.