Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, has advised the Nigerian Army to shun any plan to declare state of emergency in the  South East.

The group in statement by the National President, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro and the Secretary General,  Mazi Okwu Nnabuike the group said: “The recent proclamations of Nigerian military that any more evidence of killings of security agents by Biafra agitators in the Southeast region could lead to declaration of State of Emergency is an affront on the people of the region and a calculated attempt to create confusion and tension in the zone in as much  as we are not in support of any killings of Igbos and security agents in South East.

We had urged the military to concentrate on tackling the insecurity challenges in the Northern region where bandits and terrorist organisations like Boko Haram insurgents had wreaked havoc and fear amongst the people.  We urge Nigerian Army to declare State of Emergency in the North East before thinking of Southeast.

Igbo youths wish to categorically advise Biafra agitators to maintain  their original nonviolence postures and avoid making inflammatory threats of killings security agents in reprisal attacks. Such decision will surely bring catastrophic consequences to the peaceful atmospheric environment we enjoy in the Southeast.

By Elo Edremoda, Warri

His Majesty, Ogiame Ikenwoli, the Olu of Warri, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure funds are available for the continuation of the Koko-Ogheye Road project, kick-started by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), in 2010.

The traditional ruler while on an on-the-spot inspection of the 15.4 kilometre- road project in Koko, the administrative headquarters of Warri North council area of Delta State, noted that there would  be many economic gains for residents, private firms, as well as government, on completion.

The monarch further expressed dissatisfaction with the contractor handling a shore protection project in the old port town, calling for the termination of the job, which is reportedly being executed by a company linked to a seating South East governor.

Lamenting the decade-long abandonment of the project, the monarch disclosed that the project was conceptualised far back in 1955 in the national master plan as a coastal road leading to Nigeria’s commercial hub, Lagos State.

READ ALSO: Ikpeba faults fresh Delta FA election

Ogiame said, “I’m very happy I have been able to come and inspect this project. The project has been long, since 1955 actually. From the survey, we know that the work can be done from here to Ogheye.

“This is a very critical community in our kingdom, but it didn’t start until recently, when Levant got the job. We want to appeal to government to fund Levant, so that they can continue with the job and move back to site. As you can see, the site has been abandoned because there is no funding.

“Additionally, this road is going to open the neighbouring communities to a lot of projects. By the time this project is finalized, maybe to a dual carriageway, it will be better for not only Itsekiri communities, but my Ijaw brothers from Egbema kingdom.

Agency Reporter

Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has approved grant for victims of Oba and Ekiosa market fires.

A statement on Thursday by Secretary to the State Government Osarodion Ogie said this would alleviate their plight

He urged approved traders to approach any Trustfund Microfinance Bank to receive their grant.

Read Also: JUST IN: Fire razes INEC card readers in Ondo

“To alleviate the plight of victims of Oba Market and Ekiosa market fires, Governor Godwin Obaseki has approved distribution of grant to victims.

“A verification process was undertaken to ascertain the number of victims and the degree of loss suffered by each trader. This verification held openly for about three months.

“Please note that this is a livelihood support grant … It is free and the traders are not to pay back. Only traders who were screened and whose names are on the approved list should approach any Trustfund Microfinance Bank to receive their … grant.”

From Chris Njoku, Owerri 

National Union of Pensioners (NUP) has praised Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma for correcting the maladministration of past governments.

Pensioners, led by National President Abel Afolayan, described the situation in ex-Governor Rochas Okorocha’s tenure as unfriendly.

He said Okorocha owed pensioners over N56.4 billion.

Afolayan urged Uzodimma to pay pensioners their outstanding arrears.

Read Also: Uzodimma signs two development bills into law

He said recent protest was not by his members.

“We believe in dialogue and peaceful negotiation …” he said.

Uzodimma said: “I met a cabal when I assumed office. The fraud was huge so we decided on verification to clean up the system.

“The work slowed down because of COVID-19. We paid 900 pensioners, remaining 900… Soon we will have a clean nominal pension pay roll to ensure uninterrupted payment.”

From Sunny Nwankwo, Aba

Shop owners at Opobo road junction and their counterparts on Aba-Ikot Ekpene Expressway in Abia State were forced to close business on Thursday as a peaceful protest turned violent.

Youths of Umuokpo village in Obingwa Local Government were protesting the alleged murder of one of them, Onyekachi Nwaogu, by Robinson Abel of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in  Akwa Ibom State.

It was gathered some boys began looting shops.

Sources said the traders hurriedly shut their shops.

Policemen and soldiers stopped them from entering the city centre with Nwaogu’s body in a wheelbarrow. They recovered the body from the youth.

Read Also: Rivers, Cross River most violent states in N/Delta – Report

NSCDC said it was investigating Nwaogu’s alleged murder.

Commandant Samuel Fadeyi addressed reporters on Thursday at Abia State headquarters in Umuahia.

He said the shooting occurred when miscreants accosted a Hilux van with two expatriate workers and tried to extort money from them.

Otobong, a security protocol to the expatriates, came out of the vehicle to clear the road.

He said: “As soon as the boys saw him, they turned violent …but the officer fired a warning shot to scare them.

“Rather than clear from the road, the miscreants attacked him. It was during the scuffle his gun fired and hit the deceased.

“When Nwaogu fell, Otobong carried him into the van and drove to a nearby hospital. But, unfortunately, the boy died.

‘’Youths then mobilised to the hospital, attacked Otobong and burnt the Hilux. It took the intervention of military personnel at a checkpoint to recover the gun and rescue Otobong.

“He is critically ill  and doctors are battling to save his life.”

Fadeyi condoled Akwa Ibom command, the bereaved family, government and people of Abia  at the unfortunate incident.

Abia State Commandant Nnamdi Nwannukwu said the command intervened to ensure the matter did not escalate.

The commandants appealed to parents to restrain their children and wards from indulging in criminal and illegal acts, promising to investigate the alleged murder and ensure justice.

From Simon Utebor, Yenagoa

Councillors of 12 wards in Ekeremor council of Bayelsa State have vowed to preserve the zoning on National Assembly seats between Sagbama and Ekeremor.

Bayelsa West comprises Sagbama and Ekeremor councils, making up Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency.

Deputy Leader of the House of Assembly, who represents Ekeremor Ward 6, Pimo Sylvester, said the agreement to share the Senate and House of Representatives seat between Sagbama and Ekeremor for eight years was beyond party.

Read Also: Bayelsa West: Dickson clinches senatorial ticket

Sylvester said: “We just had a meeting with former Governor Seriake Dickson on his senatorial ambition. There is a long standing agreement on zoning of National Assembly seats. The agreement was reached by the people, and it goes beyond parties. This unwritten power sharing arrangement is for eight years, and this is the time for Sagbama, not Ekeremor.

“We are standing behind our former governor, who is from Sagbama, and we shall oppose any person coming from Ekeremor because it is unjust and unfair. We want Dickson to go to the Senate to speak for the Ijaw. We believe in him… .”

From Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt

Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has decried the hike in prices of petroleum products, describing it as insensitive to the plight of Ijaw.

President of IYC Peter Igbifa, in a statement on Thursday, said Ijaw communities were worse hit because of their peculiar geographical locations.

Igbifa argued the decision to remove subsidies on fuel was done without ensuring facilities to ameliorate the negative effects of such action on vulnerable communities in Ijawland.

According to him, the government should have waited till some modular refineries were completed, moribund refineries rehabilitated and floating petrol stations revived.

Igbifa said prior to the hike, Ijaw communities were buying the product outside regulated prices because of unavailability of fuel stations in their areas.

Read Also: SERAP to FG: hike in electricity tariff, fuel price unfair, unjust

He lamented that prices of petroleum products had become outrageous with the latest increase in prices.

He noted that with the hike, many might go into refining crude to make products available in coastal communities.

“IYC rejects the increase of prices of petroleum products. It is ill-timed. Our coastal communities are the worse hit and we are asking the Federal Government to reconsider its position…

“We believe that before full deregulation is implemented in the petroleum sector, the government must put some prerequisite facilities in place. Such facilities must include reviving all floating petrol stations, full rehabilitation and optimum operations of the moribund Warri and Port Harcourt refineries, and completion of other modular refineries in Niger Delta.

“Anything outside ensuring that we have self-sufficiency in refining crude oil produced in this country amounts to putting the cart before the horse and we totally reject it.”

 Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

Local government and primary school retirees in Delta State on Tueday marched on the streets of Asaba to protest their unpaid benefits.

Over 1,000 protesters, clad in black, marched on the House of Assembly, which was on recess.

They marched to the Government House but security operatives stopped them.

Undeterred, they danced, drummed and sang songs to register their discontent.

They rejected emissaries, including Head of Service Reginald Bayoko and Senior Special Assistant (Religion Matters) Silvanus Okorote and Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Goodluck Ofobruku.

NLC chair said he was unaware local government retirees were yet to get their benefits.

He was booed by protesters, who displayed placards: ‘Pay us our gratuity from 2014 till date’; ‘Our Pension Mata: No Retreat, No Surrender’; ‘EFCC Probe all PFA’s’; ‘Let us Reap the Fruit of Our 35 years Labour’, among others.

Their spokesperson, Chief Helen Egie, said retirees had suffered hardship and humiliation since retirement.

She added that meetings with the government yielded no result, hence the protest.

Read Also: Man reportedly electrocuted in Delta

Egie lamented that 35 teachers died due to lack of care, adding that a backlog of accrued rights in December was N48,369,331,624.00, of which N8,137,909,068 is for council retirees and N40,231,422,556.00 for primary school retirees.

She said records from Bureau of Local Government Pension showed unremitted deductions from staff contribution amounted to N5.9 billion.

Egie said with the monthly allocation of N300,000 by the government, it would take over 18 years to offset the N40 billion backlog.

They appealed for an raise in the monthly allocation from N300 million to N2 billion until the backlog was paid.

Bayoko sued for patience, saying the government was concerned about their plight.