The Nation Newspaper

Category: Niger Delta

  • Navy optimistic of political solution to re-emergence of militancy in Niger Delta

    The Nigerian Navy says it is optimistic that dialogue and political intervention will address the re-emergence of militancy in the Niger Delta region.

    It, however, said that where both processes failed to yield the desired result, it is “more than ready to take the military option’’.

    Commodore Christian Ezekobe, the Director of Information, Nigerian Navy headquarters, made this position known when he featured at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.

    “What has posed some level of challenge is the re-emergence of militancy in the Niger Delta – the blowing up of oil and gas infrastructure, which is crucial to the nation’s survival.

    “This we are grappling with right now.

    “Over the news you would have heard of various levels of arrest being made and handover of suspects to DSS also being made and so on.

    “But we are praying for a political solution a way of dialogue and political intervention

    “However, where that fails, we are more than ready to take the military option.’’

    He said that between June 2015 and Dec. 2015, the rate of maritime-related crimes at the sea such as robbery, kidnapping and piracy dropped sharply.

    Ezekobe, however, said a surge in the rate of such crimes was recorded in Feb. 2016 and continued up to April, when the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas initiated Operation ‘Tsare Teku’.

    “Since April, when ‘Operation Tsare Teku’ was initiated, we have had only two cases (of maritime-related crimes).

    “When it was initiated, the operation was to last 90 days.“

    He said although the operation ended two weeks ago, the second phase was recently inaugurated by the chief of naval staff in Port Harcourt.

    Ezekobe noted that before Tsare Teku was initiated, 47 attacks by pirates, were recorded.

    He said since then, the Navy had clamped down on illegal bunkerers and crude oil thieves, who were moving stolen products from the hinterland to the sea.

    Ezekobe said the Navy had acquired boats from an indigenous firm for use to patrol the creeks, rivers and rives in the region.

    “So, overtime, we are going to see that our partnership with Epenal leads to the mass production of patrol boats within the creeks and rivers of the Niger Delta,“ he said.

    He, therefore, urged all relevant government agencies and other stakeholders to join the crusade against piracy in the country.

    “But the solution to that problem is land-based and like I said, all the agencies of government need to intensify their efforts so that we can all solve the problem,“ he said.

    He disclosed that ‘Operation Awatse’ had put in place to check pipeline vandalism and other crimes.

    “The operation has addressed this issue and largely eliminated pipeline vandalism – at least in the Lagos lagoon area.“

    According to him, the re-emergence of militancy in the Niger Delta has encouraged some criminal elements to infuse themselves into the local criminal groups in the area to heighten the spate of insecurity and sabotage to oil and gas infrastructure.

  • Ominous clouds in the Niger Delta

    Ominous clouds in the Niger Delta

    The activities of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), the Adaka Boro Avengers (ABA) and other militant groups in the Niger Delta and the military’s readiness to cow them have put the region on the edge, reports Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

    The Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), the Adaka Boro Avengers (ABA) and other militant groups in the Niger Delta have put the region on the edge. Fear walks on all fours.

    The people, especially children, they claim to be fighting for are living in fear. The region is not faring better. The environment is devastated and no investor is thinking about the Niger Delta. The region wears the toga of violence and no development comes to any area that is notorious for hostilities.

    Besides, stakeholders from the region are also asking the militants to embrace dialogue if indeed their agitation is driven by their love for the Niger Delta. Everybody is scared that if the militants failed to accede to the peace talks, the full weight of the Federal Government’s wrath would be brought to the region.

    Indeed, the military and other security agencies have demonstrated their readiness to take the war to the militants. Different security measures have been mapped out. The Joint Task Force (JTF) has been reorganised and renamed Operation Delta Safe (ODS).

    The recent visit of the Minister of Defence, Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (retd) and the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, to the headquarters of the ODS in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, is an indication that the government is prepared for any eventuality.

    Apparently, they were in the state to assess the readiness of the ODS; determine its logistics needs and roll out fresh plans to deal with criminals in the region. The two security heads took their time to tour facilities of ODS and to inspect the components of the outfit. They held a meeting with the component heads of ODS behind closed doors.

    Gen. Dan-Ali and Gen. Olonisakin rolled out some of their plans when they visited the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd). The security measures are to be put in place despite the outcome of the ongoing dialogue. But they will be deployed in full gear if the dialogue fails.

    First, civilians and ex-militant leaders including community leaders and governors will be integrated in the operations of the ODS. This is to replicate the civilian JTF operating currently operating in the North-East. New brigades are to be set up in the region at strategic points in the creeks.

    Military personnel operating in the region will be constantly rotated. There is an indication that  troops fighting Boko Haram insurgents will be relocated to the Niger Delta. Already, there are ongoing mass transfers of soldiers in the Niger Delta to the Northeast.

    Gen. Dan-Ali, while addressing the operatives, said they should not see their transfer to the North-East as punishment. He commended their sacrifices to the country and asked them to always fight for the unity of the country. The troops harmoniously told the minister that they would not allow the country to divide in their time.

    Undoubtedly, the presence of Gen. Dan-Ali and Gen. Olonisakin, their activities and new security measures boosted the morale of ODS led by Rear Admiral Joseph Okogie. The ODS commander, component heads of ODS; Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Central Naval Command (CNC), Rear Admiral Mohammed Garba, and the Air Force Commanding Mobility Command, were all part of the visit.

    Gen. Dani-Ali said: “I come here to see how we can improve their logistics. You may recall that during our last meeting with the Vice-President where all the governors from Southsouth and east attended, it was agreed that whatever security arrangement that we will have must involve people within the general area.

    “I am here to enforce the decision whereby all the governors and locals in the general area will be accommodated in the security architecture. We have such arrangement in the North-East where we have local JTF and they were of tremendous assistance to our armed forces especially when it comes to gathering of intelligence.

    “This is one of the cardinal arrangements and that is why I said I should come and have a pure assessment of how we could imbibe them in this new security architecture of this new operation called Operation Delta Safe”.

    He added: “We are also of the opinion of getting some of these amnesty students that have graduated involved in the security architecture. They are being paid and we are thinking of the way they can be useful to us instead of just paying them.

    “We are also of the opinion that we should be having constant rotation of our security personnel to give us better understanding of how some of them will not be engaged in these illegal activities because if they overstay, they also get accustomed and get involved in some of these illegal activities. We also thinking of establishing special brigades”.

    The minister warned persons fanning the ambers of division and said Nigeria must remain unified. He said: “I wish to add that keeping Nigeria is a task involving all of us. Rght from the civil war, our armed forces have been doing their best in getting the nation as one. We are asking for your continuous support for what we could call unification of the nation. We need to know that if Africa is united, it is stronger”.

    He hinted of the fate that would be fall the region if the ogling dialogue fails. He said: “This is one of the cardinal point that brought us here, to look for peace, but we are also preparing in case the peace and negotiations are not favourable, and we are also on our own side making all the arrangement so that there will be peace in the Niger Delta. We cannot rule out force.

    “We have started the dialogue and we remembered that the negotiation started after our meeting with the Vice-President and South-South governors. This is one of the reasons why I am here. I came to see what is available on the ground and the operational capability of the armed forces within the zone”.

    On plans to avoid collateral damage in case the military decides to use force, the minister said: “We are not saying that we are going to war. We are doing internal security work and internal security work is not war.

    “So you cannot be talking about collateral damage. We know our rules of engagement. We cannot use just forces like that without any mandate. So collateral damage should not come in. As far as we are concerned we are just trying to stop criminality in this general area”.

    Gen. Olonishakin asked the aggrieved persons to embrace dialogue saying the military has the constitutional duty to ensure peace. He warned persons sabotaging the country’s critical infrastructure to stop or prepare to face the music.

    He said: “The military has a constitutional duty to ensure that there is peace and we are here for peace and whatever we need to do we will ensure that.

    “We have allowed truce to ensure that whoever that wants to come to talk can be given the opportunity, then while giving the opportunity we also ensure that our troops are in position to make sure that the truce is well implemented.

    “However, we want to tell those who are sabotaging the critical infrastructure that they have to put on their reasoning cap and ensure that they come to the negotiation table and discuss.

    “We in the military will enforce and ensure that critical infrastructures are protected and ensure that anyone found sabotaging the economy is properly dealt with and we will also ensure that those who are being involved in all the criminality are brought to book.”

    Few days after the departure of the chief of Defence staff and the minister, the military demonstrated what could happen in the region if the dialogue failed and the attacks on pipelines continued. The military was heavily present at Kaiama, the hometown of the late Ijaw icon, Isaac Adaka Boro.

    Their presence was informed by reports that ABA wanted to use the town as its base to declare the Niger Delta Republic. The massive presence of the military, however, thwarted the move.

    Speaking on Kaiama operation, Okogie said the military would not allow any group to use any part of the Niger Delta to declare a republic in Nigeria. Okogie, warned troublemakers and said the troops of the ODS were fully on ground to deal with them.

    Okogie spoke shortly after a close-door meeting that lasted for over five hours with component commanders of the ODS at the conference room of the outfit’s Headquarters in Igbogene, Yenagoa.

    Okogie said: “The information that was passed recently by some faceless organisation about creating certain republic for themselves will not be allowed to happen.

    “So, for that reason, we have to tell everyone that ODS under the Commander in Chief and Chief of Defence Staff is fully on ground and we are doing our own bit”.

    He described the Kaiama operation as routine and said the armed forces had the right to be anywhere at anytime.

    He said: “The Federal Republic of Nigeria belongs to all of us and the armed forces can be anywhere at any time. And we have decided to show our presence in this general area because ODS covers the whole of the Niger Delta maritime area.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Partnering for sustainable development of Niger Delta

    The crude oil and gas-rich Niger Delta region, comprising Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Ondo, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Abia and Imo States, is the hotbed of militancy and youth restiveness.

    Militancy started with the Niger Delta youths and other stakeholders genuinely agitating for commensurate development of the region, thereby ending the years of neglect and marginalisation, but the struggle was later hijacked by criminals for pecuniary benefits.

    To restore sanity to the region and ensure sustainable development, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was established in year 2000 by the Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.

    The Niger Delta, with a land area of 112,110 sq. kms., with population of over 40 million people and forty different ethnic groups, speaking 250 languages and dialects, with 13,329 settlements in 185 local government areas.

    The region is the third largest wetland in the world. Niger Delta has rich biodiversity, with five distinct eco-zones: mangrove forest and coastal vegetation, fresh water swamp forest, lowland rain forest, derived savannah and montane region.

    In order for NDDC to bring all the partners to speed on the challenges and opportunities inherent in the Niger Delta, the Partners for Sustainable Development (PSD) forum was put in place and had been meeting sparingly since December 2004.

    The forum is a consultative platform where key development stakeholders in the Niger Delta can plan, network, harmonise and coordinate developmental activities, towards a sustainable development of the region.

    The main mission of the PSD forum is to drive the implementation of the Niger Delta Regional Development Master Plan.

    It provides an opportunity for members to interact, share experiences, mutually learn and forge actionable partnerships, as well as a platform for collaboration among the development stakeholders in the Niger Delta.

    The forum is made up of active development partners in the Niger Delta, such as the governments of the nine states of the region, oil and gas producing companies, the Organised Private Sector (OPS) and International Development Agencies (IDAs).

    Other partners include the Federal Government’s National Planning Commission, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and the Amnesty Office, as well as chairmen of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in the nine states of the Niger Delta, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and NDDC.

    The first meeting in 2016 of the PSD forum took place at the Atlantic Hall of Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt in Rivers State on July 19 and had as theme: “Effective Collaboration in the Development of the Niger Delta Region,” with a former Rivers Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, as the interventionist agency’s Acting Managing Director.

    The next day (July 20), President Muhammadu Buhari appointed an ex-Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Nsima Ekere, as the substantive managing director of the commission, to complete the four-year tenure of Bassey Dan-Abia (in line with the NDDC’s Act), also from the same state, but sacked by the President after two years in office.

    President Buhari also appointed a former Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, an indigene of Cross River State, who recently defected from the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as the Chairman of the Board of the commission.

    Members of the National Assembly, especially the Senate, will screen and confirm the appointed managing director, chairman and other members of the board of the commission, from September 13, when they are expected to resume plenary from their last sitting of July 21.

    The acting managing director of NDDC, in her welcome address, reiterated that the last PSD forum was held between Monday, November 30, 2015 and Tuesday December 1 last year, while the PSD meeting of July 19 this year was the first to be held, since her December 2015 appointment as the commission’s helmsman.

    She stated that the PSD forum was to provide a clearing house of information for stakeholders during project planning, budgeting and implementation stages, to ensure that stakeholders were aware of what others were doing and planning to do.

    Mrs. Semenitari pointed out that the forum would afford stakeholders the opportunity to devolve development functions, avoid duplication of efforts and waste of scarce resources.

    She said: “The goal (of the PSD forum) is to bring all partners to speed on the challenges and opportunities inherent in the Niger Delta region.

    “The importance of this forum in the development of the Niger Delta cannot be overemphasised, especially at this auspicious time, when the country is relying on major actors in the Niger Delta to come together and address the development challenges facing the region, in view of the change agenda of Mr. President.”

    The NDDC’s helmsman also lauded President Buhari and members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for their unalloyed commitment to the development of the Niger Delta, while assuring that their efforts would not be in vain.

    Many guest speakers presented papers at the PSD forum, with emphasis placed on how to move the Niger Delta forward and ensure sustainable development of the region.

    Mrs. Semenitari, in her presentation titled: “Partnership/Partnering: Strategies to Deepen Collaboration with tiers of Government and Development Agencies,” noted the critical roles of partners in the protection of projects in the communities.

    She pointed out that as critical partners with NDDC, communities of the Niger Delta must always safeguard projects within their localities, in order to drive development.

    Ex-Rivers information commissioner said: “What we are doing is to seek collaboration of our partners to protect investments. The people of the communities in the Niger Delta are critical stakeholders and are partnering with NDDC to protect their investments.

    “The communities’ people are the owners of the development projects and national assets, such as pipelines and they must protect them.”

    The NDDC boss also urged the people of Niger Delta to get themselves educated and look beyond their immediate environment, stressing that they must be aware of the world and maximise the benefits.

    The Country Director of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Dr. Larry Boms, noted that the institute had always been a partner of NDDC, while assuring that UNITAR would continue to engage with the NDDC, but noted that collaboration was essential, to ensure development of the Niger Delta.

    The Secretary of the Ledum Mitee-led Technical Committee on Niger Delta, Amb. Nkoyo Toyo, noted that recommendations of the committee led to the creation of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and granting of amnesty to repentant Niger Delta militants.

    Toyo also admonished Niger Deltans to always think outside the box, envision how the region would look like in the next 50 years, thereby giving peace a chance and remaining united to ensure commensurate development.

    The Chief Executive Officer of Multimesh Broadcasting Company Limited, Godfrey Ohuabunwa, in his remarks, urged people of the region to dream big, for the Niger Delta to be a model and Nigeria to be better for it, reiterating that government would not be able to employ everybody, while calling for human capital development.

    While also speaking, Prof. Paul Nwolu of the Ford Foundation’s West Africa Office, stated that the foundation was happy to partner with the NDDC, while admonishing the people of the Niger Delta to learn how to make their challenges work and support decent livelihood, to solve most of the problems of the region, through dignity of labour.

    The pioneer Military Administrator of the old Rivers state, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, in his remarks, pointed out that state governments were cash-strapped because the oil was not flowing, declaring that if the situation was not urgently addressed, the Federal Government would also be cash-strapped.

    Diete-Spiff, who is the Amayanabo of Twon-Brass in Bayelsa state, said: “The Niger Delta has been the treasure base of the nation and we would have liked to see everybody in the region living like those in Dubai or Kuwait. They should be looking prosperous, confident, completely relaxed and cool.

    “That is the Niger Delta I will like to see. Where our children go to school, with top-level hospitals and other institutions and everybody is coming down here (Niger Delta) because they know this is the beehive, the land flowing with milk and honey, with the people themselves being given their rightful position.

    “I will like to see a Niger Delta, where everybody has peace of mind and equanimity and do not feel at all that they are being short-changed. I will like to see a Niger Delta where there is enough employment and where it is a joyful and happy family, proudly contributing and leading the nation’s economy.

    “The youths (of Niger Delta) are not employed. The older ones, even the pensioners, are not getting their pensions, because the earnings have dropped seriously. Everybody is agitated and what you see is a spill-over. When a kettle or a pot boils, it spills over and so the Niger Delta is boiling. We are trying to get to the root of it and we will see how we can control it and make everybody cool down.”

    The first-class monarch also described the PSD forum as a milestone in the history of Niger Delta, while urging the people to work as a team, to make the Niger Delta an enviable region, thereby moving forward, even without crude oil and gas.

    King Diette-Spiff urged the people of Niger Delta to change their attitude and make the region a better place for all, stressing that the region was supposed to be a tourist destination, while urging the people to work towards building industries and make Niger Delta an economic hub of Nigeria.

    The National Chairman of the Traditional Rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria (TROMPCON), His Majesty Eze Akuwueze Raphael Ikegwuruka, Ezeahurukwe II, described the actions of members of Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) and other militant groups as diametrically colossal.

    He urged the Federal Government to restore sanity to the crude oil and gas-rich region without further delay and to dialogue with the warlords.

    The monarch also called on the Federal Government, oil companies and others properly fund the NDDC.

  • Militancy, insecurity in Niger Delta didn’t deter me from service, says retiring Irish missionary

    A Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Paul Hardy, has said that militancy and kidnapping in the Niger Delta did not deter his 52 years of missionary work in the region.

    Speaking at a send-off ceremony in his honour, Hardy, who started his missionary work in 1964 in Calabar, said that the insecurity in the Niger Delta was not enough to deter him from serving in God‘s vineyard, adding that the zeal to impact life was paramount.

    The priest said that though he was a foreigner, he had no economic or commercial value to attract kidnappers, hence he did not bother about his personal security as he lived among the ordinary people.

    “I have no economic and commercial value, but I have enormous spiritual value for all mankind and so I have nothing to be afraid of,” he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the parishioners of Christ the King Parish, Imiringi in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa took turns to shower him with encomiums for his selfless service.

    The Chairman of the men’s fellowship in the parish, Chief Jude Ogbuku, said the entire Bomadi Vicariate would miss the priest.

    Ogbuku said Hardy would be remembered for his relentless missionary service to the entire vicariate, appreciating his fatherly love shown to both Christians and non-Christians who came in contact with him.

    While praying God to bless the priest on earth and later in heaven, the chairman challenged indigenous priests to lead lives worthy of emulation.

    Chief Napolian Izuan, who spoke on behalf of Imiringi community, commended Hardy for his compassion to the poor, the needy and the less privileged in the society.

    “The legacy he left behind will not be forgotten,” he said.

  • Fear grips residents over Bayelsa earth tremor

    Fear grips residents over Bayelsa earth tremor

    Niger Delta environment is sick. The air, land and water have all been polluted. Aquatic life is disappearing. Air-borne diseases are rife and all bodies of water even the sea have been poisoned.

    The widespread environmental pollution in the region is man-made, caused by years of reckless exploitation and exploration of crude oil; mindless vandalism of oil pipelines, oil wells and other installations in the name of agitation; oil theft and illegal refining of crude oil.

    There is, however, a new threat to the region which has compounded the woes of the environment. It is constant occurrences of earth tremors which have raised fears of possible earthquake in the region. A team of the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) recently identified earth tremor  as another environmental challenge facing the people of the Niger Delta region.

    ERA, in its report, says tremor is the latest addition to the much-talked-about pollutions occasioned by gas flaring, explosion, leaks, oil spills and threat posed by flood and coastal erosion.

    In fact, there has been history of earth tremors in the region. For instance in June, 2014 ERA/FoEN reported an incident of earth tremor in Ikarama, Okordia clan, Yenagoa Local Government Area Bayelsa State. A similar incident was reported at Oboburu on 25th October, 2014 in Egiland, Rivers State.

    Recently, on July 11, residents of some communities in Ahoada West, Rivers State and Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, raised the alarm over earth tremor in the areas. They said the earth quaked in the night of July 10.

    The people of Akinima in Engenni clan, Ahoada West, were very disturbed. A resident and businessman, Mike Ogbakusi, whose house is located close to an oil facility belonging to Shell, said the tremor occurred in the area at about 11.15pm.

    He said: “The whole place was shaking, though it didn’t last long; it just shook and everybody was shouting. The tremor even extended up to Mbiama and Igbogene, people at Igbogene in Yenagoa also noticed that there was an earth tremor.

    “We don’t know the cause, but people are afraid. It has happened in the past and, I think this is about the fourth tremor we have experienced here. And Akinima community has written to the Ministry of Environment, Rivers State.

    “But up till this moment nobody has come from the Ministry to ask the people what is actually happening; whether there was tremor or no tremor; nobody has come, not even Agip or Shell. So, that is the situation we are in in Akinima now; we are living in fear.”

    He appealed to the government to send experts to the area to assess the development. “We are not geologists. We don’t know anything. We want experts to come and tell us what actually happened and precautionary measures to be taken.

    “So that we will be guided, we don’t know when; maybe the earth will open and all of us will go in; we don’t know. We are not experts, we don’t know what is actually happening so we need experts to come and educate us on what has actually happened.

    “There is a lot of exploration going on in our environment and people are shooting dynamites here and there; and we don’t know what is happening, buildings are cracking”, he said.

    Ogbakusi said the quaking earth must have been caused by the seismic operations of oil companies in the area. “Whenever, they are entering the bush, they will be shooting and, running their lines.

    “If you go inside our community now you will see  their seismic operation related lines running in between buildings. They explore in the day, but the tremor was experienced at night.  When we experienced the tremor; it was like something shifting; not necessarily hearing the sound of an explosive.

    “But you can feel that the earth moved, shook. People ran out from their houses when it occurred; to find out what was happening.This is the fourth time such a thing is happening in this environment.

    “If you go to the home of the paramount ruler, the secretary of the community will tell you the date of the letter the community wrote to the Rivers State Ministry of Environment. The other one happened about two years or one and half year ago; now this one has happened again.

    “I witnessed the tremor which just occurred two days ago and the previous ones. I cannot say which company is responsible for the seismic activities going on around us presently; what I know is that this area is covered by Shell and Agip”, he said.

    A female resident who introduced herself as Animasum Markalso said she experienced the tremor that occurred in community. She said: “Between 11:00pm and midnight, there was a sound and at that same moment; the building shook heavily. Although the shaking or tremor didn’t last long, there was an accompanying sound.

    “I have experienced it in the past. But I was shocked by this one; I thought it was an earthquake. I even tried to run to my husband to ask him what was going on but because he just returned for the weekend and was tired I decided not to bother him. But, my mind ran amok; thinking of possible causes and also whether the world was coming to an end.

    A civil servant, Nwakam Paul, said such incident has been recurring in the community. “It is about the third time since I returned from the north that I have observed it. This one was a little mild than the rest.

    “It normally happen like an accident, within the twinkling of an eye it is gone. But we just noticed it; that something strange had happened.  I don’t know if we can attribute the cracking of buildings in the community to these earth tremors. The other time it happened even electric poles and wire were obviously seen shaking, moving.

    “People ran to the street when it happened in the past because it was a strange phenomenon. We are neither geographers nor geologists and we have never subjected the incident to serious scrutiny and reach logical conclusions and so; even though there are exploration activities going on around us; we don’t know what to attribute the cause of the earth tremors to right now.

    “We cannot say it occurs annually, maybe bi-annually. And, I didn’t hear any accompanying sound when it happened few days ago and; it happens quickly, like lightening. Within the space of one to five seconds; it is done.  I was wide awake when it happened”, he said.

    Even a neighbouring community, Akinowiso, was affected. A resident of Akinowiso, Paul Peters, said: “When we experienced the movement or shaking of the earth last time; it led to cracks in my building. I managed to patch some of the cracked spots because I had little cement in the house but no money for major repairs.

    “Then, with this very recent shaking of the earth again has widened the cracked sections of the building. I am confused, but I want to use this opportunity to appeal to the government to investigate the phenomenon and take appropriate steps to prevent this earth tremor from happening again.

    “I am saying so because I am not the only victim; if you move around this community you will discover others who suffered the same fate; whose houses have cracked as a result of the earth tremors. And, we are afraid, not knowing what might happen the next day.

    “So, the government should listen to us and take proactive steps before more damage is done.We are yet to see any government official since we are experiencing this earth tremor in our environment”.

    Also a resident and indigene Delta State, Paul Harrison, said he would relocate from Akinowiso if the incident happened again.

    “Well, the thing is that I am a stranger and if the earth tremor continues I can take my wife and children and relocate. Such relocation of strangers can affect the place in terms of commercial activities and development.

    “I have spent about seven years in this community and this earth tremor has happened up to four times. The day it happened around 11:00pm, suddenly everywhere shook. I thought somebody was knocking on my door and, when I went out I saw people running out from their houses towards the roads.

    “They later said it was a vibration from the ground; just like an earthquake, very seriously. So, we had to check around the house whether it had cracks as a result of the quake.

    “But we didn’t discover any crack. The shaking happened twice and it was brief; lasted just about five seconds. We even heard a loud sound; as if someone used dynamite; very serious”, he said.

    In Igbogene, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, residents also confirmed that a tremor occurred in their environment at about 11:22pm on the fateful day. A resident, Victor Idiedo, said the quake lasted for about a minute.

    He said: “The first thought that came to my mind was whether armed robbers have come to invade my compound, de-roofing my building so I started shouting armed robbers, armed robbers. My elder brother who lived behind me also came out.

    “When we came outside we saw people trooping out and asking ‘what is happening that the earth is moving, quaking everywhere?’ A neighbor recorded crack in his house. And, since we didn’t hear or read about the incident in any of the local media houses, I decided to reach out to Alagoa Morris of ERA/FoEN; to hint him.

    “Meanwhile, I read from one of these online news on 29thJune, 2016 that about six states likely to be affected by earthquake. This raised my fears on the spur of the moment, because Bayelsa State was named among the six states.

    “I was scared and, that was why I got in touch with Alagoa Morris. When I made further inquiries, I received information that some communities in Ahoada West local government area of Rivers State were also affected; even Akenfa, though mildly”.

    Idiedo, however, said he had never experienced such incident at Igbogene adding that there was no explosion before the tremor. “I have lived in this community for over 10 years and this is the first time I am experiencing such a thing like this.

    “There was no explosion, just that the building was shaking. I was fully awake and I have never experienced such in my life before. A minor crack occurred as a direct result of the earth tremor in the neighbourhood.

    Plates and other things in my cousin’s house fell down from where they were kept as a result of the quake. Some of the breakable ones got broken”, he said.

    Another resident of Igbogene, Chief Etekpe Friday said: “We were about going to bed when I heard a very high vibration. My window shook heavily; even the ground vibrated. I thought immediately of what the cause could possibly be; thinking if rodents around could be responsible. I had to resort to prayers. So, I had the vibration experienced in my house”.

    ERA in the report compiled by its Bayelsa State Coordinator, Mr. Alagoa Morris, said a renewed search for oil could have been responsible for the earth tremor.

    The report said: “ERA.FoEN is very much aware of renewed and heightened search for oil and gas within this environment; in Yenagoa and Ogbia local government areas of Bayelsa State and beyond; even as attested by one of those who spoke to ERA at Akinima.

    “This has been on for about three months or more now. It is also a common knowledge that explosives are often used during these seismic operations. When a similar incident happened at Ikarama community in June, 2014; it attracted the attention of the Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment.

    “What is not clear is whether anything significant was made beyond the visit of officials of the Ministry then. Ordinarily, not just for the records; experts would have been invited to investigate and come up with reports for stakeholders to know what the prognosis is and allay the fears and concerns of the people/communities.Currently, the people in affected communities are apprehensive”.

    Therefore, ERA asked the three tiers of government to should rise up to the occasion and take appropriate steps to identify what actually happened and why.

    It appealed to the relevant agencies of Federal Government, including the Science Ministry, Environment, NDDC and Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to get experts who will work effectively with the State governments, Local governments and communities affected to unravel the mystery around earth tremors in our communities.

    It said such studies should provide practical solutions to the problem, allay the fears and concerns of the affected communities and take take steps to prevent real earthquake from happening.

    The report said: “All stakeholders, including the media should follow up on this with a view to halting whatever danger that is on its way.

    “Communities should be more alert, document and keep accurate records of happenings around them. They should also report such strange occurrences to relevant NGOs, media and the government”.

  • ‘Many defecate on water in riverine area’

    ‘Many defecate on water in riverine area’

    Doune Porter is the Chief Communication Officer of UNICEF. She spoke with  Precious Dikewoha on access to toilet and other issues.

    How do you feel working as UNICEF communication chief in a country like Nigeria?

    To be frank,  I love the work I am doing,  though it is a very hard work. It is always, can I say sometimes 24 hours in a day and seven days in a week.  But I am cool all the time.? It is incredible work but I love it. Nigeria is such a huge country with a population of 170 million people and more than half of it are children and UNICEF is so much interested about children. To be precise, over 90 million people are children; so, it is not an easy task, it is a lot of work.  We are involved in education; we are involved in health, especially primary education, water, hygiene and sanitation. One of the things that worry me so much is that fact that over 50 million people in Nigeria don’t have access to toilet. This is a serious problem and we are interested on the health of the children, especially  the venerable. We have huge problem of malnutrition in this country; we have 2.5 million people suffering from acute problem of malnutrition. It is staggering, if we open up on this now people would be shocked but this is a very serious problem in a country that is very rich. One thing about me is that I love advocating for children, I love the work UNICEF is doing, particularly in this country.

    In all these, do you think UNICEF is doing enough to solve and advocate on these problems?

    We as UNICEF never believe we have done enough. We always want to do more. One thing you should know is that there are always children suffering and it is heart breaking that we cannot reach all of them. One of the  things we can do with the limited resource is to advocate for children to make sure that primary health care centres , health care givers  get the right  information they need to bring up children in a happy way. Nigeria is a wealthy with such healthy and vibrant growing young population.  It is sad that Nigeria is not investing enough in education, health, water and sanitation. These areas are good investments, especially putting polices in place that will protect children, and making sure that implementation of these policies are funding. If teachers are paid, the children will be educated, who is going to be driving the economy in the next generation. If we fail to recognise the potentials of the young ones, ?if children are malnourished, how are they going to represent the country in the next generation?  Everything is interlinked; we cannot be  talking about the future generation when children are facing health challenge. There must be adequate immunisation, good water and sanitation. I know Nigeria has huge potential but you have to invest to get this result.

    When you say UNICEF cannot reach all the children in Nigeria in need of help, is it because of funding or short of personnel?

    There are approximately 90million children in Nigeria, and we are one international organisation and our presence is in all the countries in the world. We have 350 staff in the country of 170 million people; how can we reach 90 million children? It is not possible. The question is who are responsible for taking care of  these children? Parents are the first caregivers. To ensure that we contribute to reach these children, we try to work with the ministries, state, federal and local governments. We have limited resources. What we can do is to work in the selected areas so that we can show example of best practices. We can provide evidence; for example, we are talking of malnutrition. Most of the children are malnourished to the extent that they have become ill. Treating malnourished children is very simple because it can be done at the local level. This year alone, we have reached more than four hundred thousand children and this as I said can be done at the community level and their lives can be safe; it is a good investment. What we are doing is advocacy; we are engaging the local, state, even when we have opportunity to be in a meeting with the Federal Government we also advocate to them. We do this by advising them to spend or invest on our interesting areas and get a good return because investment in children is a good investment.

    Having stayed in Nigeria for some time now, what can you say about them, maybe good or bad memories?

    I  have not visited any riverine communities in Niger Delta but one thing I have discovered about those water settlers, though  not only them is that they defecate inside the river, bush and creek. All over Nigeria, even in the city people practise open toilet. There are 50 million people in Nigeria that don’t have access to toilet; it is staggering. Even if they don’t defecate into their water source but if it rains it will go into the water source. It is dangerous because it causes all sorts of diseases.

  • ‘The hoodlums destroying Ekpeye land are our own children’

    ‘The hoodlums destroying Ekpeye land are our own children’

    Ekpeye land in Rivers State was relatively quiet, peaceful and of no news significance until the July 13, 2012 Okugbe fuel tanker disaster which claimed no fewer than 230 lives.

    Ekpeye Land is made up of two Local Government areas, Ahoada East and Ahoada West , both situated on the coast line of Orashi river close to Bayelsa State from the West and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area on the East.

    The 2013 flood, which swept across Ekpeye land and submerged homes, farmlands, killing and sacking families and their members among others, also brought the area into media reckoning.

    The violence which characterised the last general elections saw Ekpeye at the receiving end.  The land has not rested from mourning and crying from the murder of their love ones, and family members by youths suspected to be cult boys.

    No fewer than 100 persons have been killed in the area since mid-2014. There has hardly been any month, week or even day that passes without news of murder of person or persons being heard. Some were killed and their heads taken away; others were killed and their heads left but their bodies taken away or thrown into the river, creeks.

    Cult groups, such as the Icelanders and the Greenlanders, De-gbam and De-well group or the most recently the Ekpeye Liberation Movement are believed to be behind the killings .

    Although the latest group has not been associated with any killing, and their enemies not yet defined, but they reportedly claimed responsibility of bombing one Akarolo pipeline in Ahoada East.

    One of the groups, months back, invaded and attacked the residence of their highly revered monarch, (Eze Ekpeye Logbo), Eze Robinson O. Robinson, at Ahoada East, destroying cars parked and other valuables.

    They also killed the son of the Anglican priest who led the first move to find peace. The attack on him devastated and forced him out as the chairman of “Peace, security and reconciliation committee” of the two Ahoada LGAs.

    However, the reconstituted  “Peace, security and reconciliation committee”, led by another cleric, Friday Anthony, fondly called F.O.C., recently organised a one-day fasting and prayer to seek God’s intervention on the situation. The programme, which held at the Headquarters of Ahoada East, was well attended.

    Eze Robinson said: “It is very unpalatable, disheartening shocking. Degrading, sacrilegious and unpatriotic for some youths in Ekpeye land to sporadically and ‘chameleonically’ disguised themselves to fight, kill, kidnap, assassinate, steal, rape, commit Arson, Armed Robbery and go into war with their own blessed communities in Ekpeye land.

    “All economic activities in Ekpeye land have shattered and crumbled. No Ekpeye man or woman goes to the farm again to grow crops for the future. Our children do not go to school again, traders don’t go to the markets again to sell their wares. Tenants have deserted Ahoada main town and all Ekpeye communities.

    “Strangers (none indigenes), have all ran away to Port Harcourt for safety, because of our children who have decided to be hoodlums/criminals, committing so many atrocities at our watch and detriment.

    “Let us mirror ourselves and watch the communities we now ran to for shelter and security. Are there no youths in the areas we have run to? Don’t the youths there have parents and relatives to kidnap, assassinate, steal from and rob with arms, burn their houses, rape their wives, mothers and sisters as our Ekpeye youths are doing here?”

    He accused parents of encouraging the criminality in the land, when he said: “The hoodlums destroying Ekpeye land are our own children. They bring all the loots to our houses while we watch them with enthusiasm. Are we not ashamed that our sons are among the criminals that are unleashing mayhem on our land?

    “How can a responsible indigene of Ekpeye choose to live in the forest like wild beast when there are houses and homes to comfortably live in and thank God for creating them human being? Are they blaming and asking God why He did not create them to be wild animals that are living in the forests? Let them note that no one that has ever challenged the authority of God that was not visited with doom, King Nebuchadnezzar and lot’s wife are classical examples.

    “Let me once again plead with all Ekpeye sons and daughters who have contributed in one way or the other, to disparage, disintegrate, annihilate the unity of Ekpeye land to have a second thought and stop sponsoring the hoodlums by providing them with arms, ammunitions.

    “I beseech all my children who have taking to the paths of militancy to return home and surrender their guns to the police for safety sake and reunification of Ekpeye land, and also ensure your names are subsequently profiled for amnesty program and reintegration.”

    The Care Taker Committee (CTC) chairman of Ahoada East, Britain Ewor, admitted grave security challenge of cultism, kidnaping and other criminalities.

    Ewor expressed the willingness of the government to ensure sustained safety across the area and noted that his administration’s operation “Know your neighbour” pet project should be encouraged.

    “It is obvious that security in the two LGAs in Ekpeye land (Ahoada West and Ahoada East) is at its lowest ebb. All of our communities have suffered one form of insecurity ort the other, ranging from loss of loved ones to outright destruction of property.

    “There are others that are wounded either physically or psychologically. As a government we are doing our best to the safety of all, but it is shocking when the people easily compromise security.

    “The hoodlums who daily maim and kill our people live among us but our people either for fear; fail to volunteer information that could assist the security agents; I am appalled by this.

    “In as much as it is not within my powers to pass judgement on the grievances that gave rise to the present security challenges, it remains our right to condemn acts that are not part of our known norms and values.

    “The various killings and wanton destruction of property are alien to us and must be condemned. Ekpeye land has been so much streamed with blood, this is unacceptable and I condemn the perpetrators of the callous, senseless and wicked acts.”

    Rev. Anthony said it would take only God to ensure lasting security in Ekpeye land.

    He said: “As responsible citizens of Nigeria, we have quickly realised that the security and peace of our land will be possible only by the infinite grace and boundless mercy of our Supreme God.

    “This is why we have set up three types of prayer for Ekpeye land between now and October: Mercy prayer (already been held), Prayer of Peace and restoration and Prayer of thanksgiving.”

    The committee members warned against further killing of the ‘bad boys’ by the vigilante members of the community.

    “The Vigilante people must not go after the aggrieved sons and daughters of Ekpeye land and vice versa. The role of the vigilante however from now henceforth is limited to fighting thieves and armed robbers   caught disturbing the peace of our people.

    “No robber caught will be set free. Let there be calmness everywhere, we restate at this point that peace must return and gunfire must cease from all quarters in the land.”

    In his keynote message, title: “The roll of the Church in times like this” Rev. Ben Avor of First Baptist Church regretted that there is no respite despite the efforts by members of the committee to appeal and several visits to the youths camps to make them see reason to stop further killing and maiming.

    “The activities of these boys have disarrayed, communities destroyed, families members have been killed, there are weeping, crying and mourning in families because of insecurity in the land,” he said.

     

  • ‘Oil giant’s scheme helped reduce HIV prevalence rates in Bayelsa’

    Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), operator of the NNPC/CNL Joint Venture (JV), has announced the launch of a $1.4 million, two–year project in Bayelsa State aimed at preventing the transmission of HIV from mothers to their newborn babies, PROMOT (II) project.

    The community–based Prevention of Mother-to-child Transmission project (PROMOT II) is coming on the heels of PROMOT (I), a four- year project, which was earlier implemented in Bayelsa State between September 2012  and March 2016 and to which Chevron committed $5.3 million. Both phases of the project are implemented in partnership with Pact, an international non–governmental organisation with active programming in Nigeria for more than a decade.

    The PROMOT (II) project was officially launched on July 12, 2016 by Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, who was represented by Chief David Serena Dokubo-Spiff the Secretary to the Bayelsa State Government (SSG), at Ebbis hotel, Yenagoa, in Bayelsa State.

    The Bayelsa State Governor thanked Chevron for providing additional funds for the extension of PROMOT for another 2 years. “Chevron is a good Company and I commend the Firm for providing additional fund for the extension of PROMOT for another 2 years, in spite of the harsh economic climate.” He said. He noted that PROMOT (I) was a great success, as it contributed to the reduction of Bayelsa State’s HIV prevalence rates from 9.1 percent in 2010 to 3.8 percent by the end of the project’s third year in 2015.

    Chairman Managing Director, CNL, Clay Neff explained that the PROMOT (II) project is part of the Company’s Social Investment efforts in the Niger Delta. “Chevron invests in programs aimed at improving access to healthcare to support the communities where we operate. Working with partners globally and at local levels, we dedicate our capabilities, resources and people to support initiatives that build local capacity and deliver real, lasting gains in the fight against devastating diseases —particularly  HIV/AIDS” he said.

    Clarifying the reason for the project, Deji Haastrup, General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs says; “Fighting AIDS is not our core business, but it is essential to the success of our business. As a company, we depend on a healthy society. We therefore, promote healthy communities and improved access to health care aimed at eradicating diseases.”

    The PROMOT (II) project, being implemented by Pact,  will focus on promoting health care-seeking behavior among women of reproductive age (15–49) – including those living with HIV- to utilize antenatal care (ANC) and Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) services in 3 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Bayelsa State: Ekeremor, Brass and Southern Ijaw. Additionally, PROMOT (II) aims at strengthening community structures to advocate for accessible, quality ANC, PMTCT, and broader health services in Bayelsa State.

    Since the commencement of PROMOT (I) in 2012, over 386,000 people have been reached with HIV messages and 53,686 pregnant women were tested for HIV and received their results. Additionally, 670 people have been trained on the latest PMTCT approaches and techniques and over 300 HIV-exposed infants were tested at 6 weeks.

  • These kings must go to hell

    A bottle of Louis XIII wine, which costs at least £5,000, stands majestically on a side stool in Ekiw’s expansive office. A portion of it is in a golden tumbler in his left hand. He sips from it from time to time and each time he does that, his eyes light up in a manner suggesting: this is the life!

    Some minutes back he received a call from his mother. She is the only parent he has known for a long time. Though his father is alive, he considers him dead. The man is a good example of irresponsibility. He has 20 children from five women and did nothing to raise them. His own case was the most pathetic because he even denied his pregnancy. It took all kinds of persuasion for him to accept being his father five years after his birth. His emergence as a council chairman after the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) one-year mandatory service worsened their relationship. Every day his father would call him requesting for money and other material things. By the time he became the Controller of Staff to Timiro Ihceama, he was no longer on talking terms with the old man.

    Before his mother’s call, Mr Second had called. He was calling to inquire about the contracts he promised him in exchange for his support.

    A phone call brings him back from the past. On the line is Noemsi, his media aide. He looks at the phone and feels like ignoring it. After all, the caller is an aide he pays and makes to write whatever he wants. He feels like the ultimate kings who pays the piper and calls the tune. The call rings out the first time and he sips his Louis XIII.

    Noemsi calls a second time. He still ignores it, but as it is about to cut, he picks it.

    “What is it?” he asks.

    Like an obedient servant, Noemsi responds: “Good morning sir.”

    He does not return his greeting.

    Noemsi continues nonetheless. He is used to the man’s bad manners. He would have left the job when the man was a junior minister and was always harassing him for not projecting him very well in the media, but he hung on because the pay and other things attached were better than what he enjoyed as a correspondent with Flagship newspaper in Makurdi.

    “I was calling to find out if you have seen the video of your area’s monarchs who visited your predecessor,” Noemsi tells him.

    Ekiw remembers the video. It sits on the television stand.

    “We need to react to it in the media but I need you to see it and tell me how to spin the media reports in our favour. The video appears damaging sir,” Noemsi says.

    Ekiw is silent for some seconds.

    “Call back in 30 minutes.”

    The call ends and he summons his house help to come and operate the DVD player. Soon the video starts playing. Timiro Ihceama, who is now a super minister in Sai Baba’s cabinet, welcomes the monarchs. The camera pans in the direction of some 15 traditional rulers who are members of the Errewki Supreme Traditional Rulers Council. Greetings are exchanged.

    He almost loses track of the video until Ihceama’s voice brings him back from the dream land. Holding a microphone, the super minister says: “Your Majesties, our state is in a critical junction. And it is a moment when we have to make another crucial decision, one we should make with all sense of responsibility.  Errewki land, as an ethnic nationality, has a very critical role to play at this point in the life of our dear state. As custodians of culture, values, we expect the custodians of our culture and value system as traditional rulers and fathers to lend their voices of reason so that the people can take the right path. Your royal majesties need to maintain dignity in the face of politicians who are ready to buy the people’s conscience. We cannot afford to let this rerun go the way of the other where the people’s will was subverted.”

    Ekiw adjusts his seat at this stage and mutters: “Bastard! I am the one he is throwing stones at.”

    Eze Eberi, the deputy chair of the land’s traditional council, soon begins to respond on behalf of his colleagues. The way he starts annoys Ekiw and he feels like slapping the monarch.

    “His Excellency-forever,” Eze Eberi begins, “on behalf of Errewki traditional rulers, we are happy with the way you have received us. The thing we are doing here today has a lot to tell. You have done so much for our people and that is why we have come all the way to the FCT to pay homage.”

    “Stupid man,” Ekiw mutters and adds: “God punish your generation.”

    The traditional ruler continues:  “What the Supreme Council requires from every son and daughter of Errewki here present and those at home is that we want this message to reach every nook and cranny of Errewki. At a point, Your Excellency, we asked you some questions: one, with the level you have taken Waters State to, after your tenure, will these things still be maintained? Two, with all the security challenges we have been facing, after your exit, what will be the fate of our people? But we all know what is happening now because the will of the people was subverted. Errewki man has been portrayed as greedy. If because of the population of Errewki, we decide to rule for life, almost no one in this state can stop us. We can decide to play born to rule. Our population gives us that advantage.  Our people agreed that power must shift to the minority as the minority also has something to offer, but the greedy did not allow it to work. But we thank God for life and we will do all within us as regards the rerun.

    “Don’t be distracted by all intimidations. We, members of the Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers at this moment endorse you as our political leader and declare that all sons and daughters of this nationality in the four local governments will continue to rally round you.”

    Iheceama thanks the monarchs and makes some remarks:  “The Umbrella Peoples Party has given us a thug for governor. Do we just fold our hands? No, we cannot.  We have to keep checkmating him and through that we will be able to get our state back pretty soon.”

    He hisses after this. He pauses the DVD. He thinks about the use of the words ‘greedy’ and ‘intimidation’ by the monarch. He has no doubt in his mind that he is the one being referred to. He releases the pause button after some seconds. Now, the monarchs are leaving the palace. He has seen enough. He switches off the DVD player with the remote control.

    Seeing his former boss talk like him in that manner brings to his mind a statement by his daughter: “One moment, you see people being good friends and ready to sacrifice for one another and then the next moment, they are the worst enemies around. This kind of politics baffles me. It baffles me, it really does.”

    In no time, his phone rings. It is Noemsi on the line. He picks it and without listening to what he has to say, he shouts: “These kings must go to hell” and cuts the call.

  • Groups raise concern over security operatives’ brutality of Bayelsa residents

    Some civil society organisations in Bayelsa State recently raised the alarm over the increasing cases of brutality and extortion of residents by rampaging security operatives in the state.

    The groups consisting of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Bayelsa Non-Governmental Organisations Forum (BANGOF) and the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) expessed their concerns at a news conference in Yenagoa.

    The Chairman, BANGOF, Robinson Kuroghobogha, who read the statement of the groups, said that human rights violation in Bayelsa was on “a geometric increase”.

    Robinson said that men of the armed forces and other security agencies, particularly the police force, only have the mandate to provide security for citizens and not to harass and intimidate them.

    He cited the recent assaults on Tonye Yemoleigha, a reporter with Radio Bayelsa by an Air Force operative, and Philomena Briggs, a student, by five policemen, as some examples of police brutality in the state.

    He said: “It has come to the notice of the civil society that the rate of assault, harassment, intimidation and unlawful extortion of law-abiding citizens in Yenagoa by armed security personnel has been on the rise.

    “Several cases of brutality by armed (security) personnel have been reported to various institutions with no tangible response from them.

    “The case of Mr. Tonye Yemoleigha, a journalist with the Bayelsa State Broadcasting Corporation who was brutally assaulted by an Air Force personnel on the May 18 and that of Mrs. Philomena Briggs, a student, reportedly assaulted by five armed policemen are recent examples of the level of impunity of armed personnel in the state.”

    He said the brutality on residents by the security operatives was a violation of their fundamental human rights guaranteed in the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.

    “The human rights community and indeed all law-abiding citizens of Bayelsa are seriously concerned with the excessive conduct of armed security personnel.

    “The protection of lives and property and ensuring the rights of law-abiding citizens are not violated are the primary functions of the police.

    “Therefore, policemen acting with impunity and violating the fundamental rights of law-abiding citizens is a deliberate call to chaos and anarchy and no sane society will approve of that.”

    He urged heads of security agencies to take appropriate steps to reduce to the barest minimum cases of officers’ misconduct and brutal assault on innocent citizen.

    Robinson demanded compensation from the security agencies to all victims of recent brutality that had been reported to them.

    He said: “The Human Rights Community and indeed all law abiding citizens of Bayelsa are seriously concerned with the excessive conduct of armed security personnel. The protection of lives and properties and ensuring the rights of law abiding citizens are not violated are the primary functions of the police.

    “Therefore, policeman acting with impunity and violating the fundamental rights of law abiding citizens is a deliberate call to chaos and anarchy and no sane society will approve of that.

    “Law abiding citizens are always proud and happy to support the security personnel who conduct themselves in professional manner and as part of the society. We have worked closely with the security agencies to promote peace in the state.

    “Therefore, we strongly urge that deterrent actions be taking to eliminate such unprofessional conduct among security personnel especially the police. The world is a global village. The recent uproar in United State of America because of the conduct of a few police officers should be a signpost to all security personnel who think they are above the law.

    “ln the light of the above, while we seek elaborate collaboration with all security agencies in the state to promote lasting peace and security, we call on heads of security institutions in the state to take appropriate steps to reduce to the barest minimum incidence of officers’ misconduct and brutal assaults of innocent law abiding citizens.

    “As law-abiding citizens, we will promote all legislation and lawful effort to ensure the success of the operations of security personnel, but we shall also not relent in bringing to justice officers who abuse the privilege accorded them as security personnel.

    “We shall work with the Human Right Commission, the Judiciary and other key partners to ensure the dignity of human lives in Bayelsa State”.

    Present at the conference were Chairman, CLO, Bayelsa State, Chief Nengi James, FIDA Chairman, Dise Ogbise-Erhisere, former Secretary, CLO and Coordinator, Environmental Right Action, Mr. Alagoa Morris, among others.