• State govt demands apology
• Holds Aba development summit Jan. 13
ABIA State Commissioner for Works, Mr. Eziuche Ubani, yesterday condemned invasion of his Ovom residence in Obingwa Local Council of the state by a team of military personnel and officials of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) on suspicion of stocking-piling arms.

Meanwhile, the state government, which promptly condemned the act, described it as unwarranted and unacceptable, thereby demanding an unreserved apology from the invaders. It also said the act was embarrassing.

Ubani, a former ThisDay On Sunday Editor and immediate past two-term member of House of Representatives, told journalists that the invasion of his residence at about 2:00 a.m. was carried out by a team of men of the DSS and the Nigerian Army.

According to him, the security agents on arrival in six Hilux vans, broke his gate, gained entry by climbing the wall and held him hostage for about four hours at Ovom.
He warned those he alleged causing disturbances in the state to stop it forthwith, saying that government would not condone violence in any guise.

He said the invading team, reportedly led by Stephen Agu of the DSS in Abuja, said they heard a report from the opposition that he (Ubani) was stock-piling arms and training people to assassinate leaders of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

According to him, the team thoroughly searched his house, water tank, broke his ward robe, climbed the ceiling and inflicted injuries on his driver who was in his Boys Quarters after which they wrote on a paper that they found nothing incriminating in the house.

He, therefore, frowned at the seeming use of what he called state institutions to harass innocent Nigerians, pointing out that such would not augur well for the nation.
In another development, Abia State government yesterday said it is organising a development summit from January 13-15, 2016 in Aba, Abia State, as part of its commitment to transforming the city.

The first of its kind, the Aba Urban Development Summit is expected to have in attendance chief executives of banks, foreign government emissaries, captains of industry, development partner organisations and an array of stakeholders.

A statement signed by the state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, said: “The summit is in line with one of the key cardinal development agendas of our administration which is to drive sustainable and all-inclusive development in Abia state.
“Aba, as the commercial nerve of the state, when sustainably developed, will trigger development activities in other parts of the state.”

The summit, which is being organised in partnership with the Ford Foundation, seeks to “convey key policy-makers, social, economic and technical experts and investors and entrepreneurs to discuss the key priorities and levers for unlocking the full potentials of Aba.”