There is tension in Anambra State over the whereabouts of Most Rev. Prof. Godwin Okpala (Retired Archbishop of the Niger Province and Bishop of Nnewi).

According to DAILY POST, the Archbishop was last seen on Friday when he embarked on a journey to Umuchu, a community in the State.

As of the time of filing this report, it is unclear if the Archbishop and his driver were abducted.

A prayer alert issued by the Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Rt. Rev. Ndubuisi Obi on Saturday, urged intercessory prayers for the Archbishop.

It reads,

“PRAYER ALERT from BISHOP Ndubuisi Obi of Nnewi Diocese.

Dearly Beloved people of God,

With a deeply burdened heart, we write to inform you of the distressing news that our revered Father in God, the Most Rev. Prof. Godwin Okpala (Retired Archbishop of the Niger Province and Bishop of Nnewi), has been missing since yesterday morning.

He embarked on a journey to Umuchu accompanied by his driver but, unfortunately, never arrived at his destination. Since then, there has been no communication, and neither he, his driver, nor the vehicle have been located.

We earnestly plead for your fervent prayers for their safety and swift return. The relevant authorities have been contacted, and we are hopeful and trusting in God’s divine intervention for a positive resolution.

Please, join us in prayer of intercession, trusting in the Lord, whose watchful eyes never slumber, to bring our beloved Father in God, and his driver back to us safely.

Thank you for standing with us in this moment of distress.

Ndubuisi Nnewi.”

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Anambra State Command, Toochukwu Ikenga said he was unaware of the development.

The Federal Government has fired some civil servants with degrees from private tertiary institutions in Benin Republic and Togo, JomogNews Nigeria reports.

The directive affected federal workers who graduated from the institutions from 2017 to date.

The Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Segun Imohiosen, confirmed the development to one of our correspondents on Wednesday.

In August, the Federal August announced that only eight universities had been accredited to award degrees to Nigerians in Togo and Benin Republic.

This followed an undercover investigation report in which a Daily Nigerian journalist acquired a degree from a university in Benin Republic in two months and used it to participate in the National Youth Service Corps scheme.

Following the report, the government banned the accreditation and evaluation of degrees from tertiary institutions in Benin Republic and Togo.

The Federal Government also set up an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling to probe the activities of certificate racketeers.

The then Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, revealed that over 22,500 Nigerians obtained fake degree certificates from Benin Republic and Togo and such certificates would be cancelled.

Mamman explained that the revelation was part of a report submitted to the Federal Executive Council by the investigative committee instituted to probe degree certificate racketeering by foreign and local universities in Nigeria.

He insisted there was no going back on the Federal Government’s decision to cancel the about 22,500 certificates awarded to Nigerians by some “fake” universities in the two francophone countries.

Mamman maintained that the decision to invalidate the certificates was not harsh as Nigerians who obtained degree certificates from such tertiary institutions dent the country’s image.

He said, “Most of those parading the fake certificates didn’t even leave the shores of Nigeria but got their certificates through racketeering in collaboration with government officials at home and abroad.

“The fake universities capitalised on the gullibility of Nigerians patronising such fake schools. The Federal Government, through the offices of the Head of Civil Service and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, would fish out those in the government’s employment with such fake certificates. I also urge the private sector to follow suit.”

Although the exact number of affected civil servants could not be ascertained, it was gathered that the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (Cabinet Affairs) had issued a memo to all the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to implement the order.

A source, who pleaded anonymity because she was not authorised to speak on the matter, disclosed that the sacking of the affected workers was based on the inter-ministerial committee’s recommendation.

The official stated, “There was a letter from the SGF cabinet affairs directing all ministries, departments and agencies of government to identify and terminate the appointments of workers employed with certificates obtained from the private universities in the Republic of Benin and Togo from 2017 to date.

“The decision is part of the recommendations of the committee set up to investigate the certificates of people who graduated from the universities.”

Our correspondent also gathered that some agencies like the National Youth Services Corps have commenced the implementation of the directive.

The NYSC Director of Information, Caroline Embu, confirmed to our correspondent that five members of staff had been sacked in line with the SGF’s directive.

She said, “Five members of staff were affected by the directive contained in the letter from the office of the SGF. No more.”

Troops of 6 Division, Nigerian Army in conjunction with other security agencies have announced a breakthrough in their ongoing war against economic sabotage in the Niger Delta.

The troops destroyed over 56 illegal oil bunkering sanctuaries, 88 cooking drums, 20 boats and recovered 1.2million litres of stolen crude in their various operations in the Niger Delta.

The Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division, Army Public Relations, Lt Col Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, confirmed the arrest of 17 suspected oil thieves, interception of seven vehicles, discovery of six illegal connection points and destruction of five motorcycles used for perpetrating economic sabotage across the region.

Danjuma said in Bayelsa, at an abandoned Oando wellhead situated in Okordia Forest, Yenagoa Local Government Area (LGA), 15 illegal refining sites were deactivated with over 755,000 litres of stolen crude as well as over 53,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) recovered.

He said around Biseni Forest in Yenagoa LGA, 12 illegal refining sites with over 34,000 litres of stolen crude as well 5,500 litres of illegally refined AGO were confiscated.

He said in Rivers State, around Kula I, general area in Akuku-Toru LGA, troops discovered one illegal connection on 36 inches Government pipeline, with three inches hose connected on it, used as a loading point by oil thieves.

He said: “This was in addition to a ground reservoir of 80 by 80 tarpaulin stocked with over 100,000 litres of stolen products recovered during the operations.

“The operation was also extended to Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, where an abandoned truck ladened with 35,000 litres of stolen crude stocked in a fabricated tank and concealed with bags of sawdust was uncovered.

“Relatedly, around Bakana and Buguma general area in Degema LGA, eight illegal refining sites with over 27,000 litres of stolen crude were confiscated.

“Three wooden boats, one fibre speed boat, several pots of different sizes, two receiver containing AGO and a local boat with over 12,000 litres of stolen were intercepted. The operation also led to the arrest of three suspected oil thieves in connection to the economic sabotage”.

Danjuma said in Bukuma community in Degema LGA, one illegal refining site, a reservoir with over 5,000 litres of stolen crude was dismantled.

He added that at Imo River, 11 illegal refining sites, 88 cooking drums, 26 metal container receivers, 14 plastic tanks, eleven boats, four pumping machines with over 42, 500 litres of stolen crude were recovered with three suspects arrested adding that around Obiafu Oil Field, several vehicles were intercepted with over 5500 litres of stolen products recovered.

He noted: “In Delta State, troops pursued economic saboteurs to Ugo Community in Orhionwon LGA of Edo State, where one suspected oil thief was arrested. He subsequently led troops to a bunkering site.

“Enroute the site, troops discovered a stationary Toyota Sequoia Jeep with Reg No Edo WWR 896 JU, loaded with sacks meant for stealing products. Further combing of the area, led to the discovery of a storage filled with stolen crude as well as over 200 sacks filled with over 40,000 litres of stolen products.

“At Yeye general area in Warri South LGA, one active illegal refining site, two ovens containing substance suspected to be over 2,000 liters illegally refined AGO were confiscated. Additionally, one Yamaha outboard engine with four suspected oil thieves arrested.

“While in Akwa Ibom, troops acting on credible intelligence, intercepted several drums of estimated to be over 5,580 litres of petroleum motor spirit at Enwang Bridge in Mbo LGA. The products were being prepared for onwa TVrd smuggling to a neighbouring country.”