Cross River State has often been generally regarded as slow in terms of businesses. But a group of young people, led by Mr Stanley Nsemo, believes the tide can be turned with the right attitude to business.
•Mr Nsemo
At a programme tagged Aspire Calabar held at the Channel View Hotel in Calabar, Nsemo, who is the managing partner of White Chapel and Partners, said the aim was to promote the spirit of entrepreneurship among young people in the state
Nsemo said: “What we are trying to do is a collaboration between a few young men that have grown up here in the state and looking for an opportunity to give back to the state by helping young people to inspire them to aspire to be more. We are trying to communicate to young people to come up, get entrepreneurs, become enterprising and do things differently and stop waiting for things to
“We have committed ourselves to mentorship, to build a few young persons in business. So we would pick 10 of their proposals, and give them a hundred thousand for each of them and groom them into business ideas that are workable and profitable to add values to the state. If we can successfully do town people every year, that would be a huge contribution. We intend to groom 10 young people every year.
“We pray that the government would see what we have done. The government has done so much so far. We are working with the entrepreneurship development centre, EDC. They are providing training. They already have a subsidized training curriculum that we are assessing for this 10 people.”
He continued: “Governor Ben Ayade is on the right track. The focus that he has on entrepreneurship is what we are looking for. We are luck to have a governor that understands that it is a business enterprise that drives the development of any state and as long as we have good ideas your state will grow.
“There is problem in the country and it is because most young people feel the society owes them too much. Now that is not to say the society does not owe them. It owes them the enabling environment to grow and be good citizens, but your development and growth comes from within. You must push yourself. As young people, this is the opportunity they need to see others like themselves that have been able to break free of the shackle of thinking that people have to look after you. Start small think big. When you start like that opportunities would present themselves to help you scale up your business.”
Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Mr Bassey Ewa Henshaw encouraged the youth to be bold and hardworking as nothing good comes easy.
General Manager, Investment Funding and Credit, Cross River Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency, Mr Louis Ibok, said there was a need to inspire young people to start and run their own businesses as a way of pursuing their dreams and contributing to society.
“If the youth gathered here because they need to start businesses, we need to also highlight what they need to do to leverage the opportunities available in the state so their businesses can start and grow as a means of solving unemployment and poverty issues within our society.
“Generally speaking business can thrive in any climate. All you need to do is learn what the variables are and how you can adapt your business model to whatever is happening at a particular time.”
Director Davandy Group of Companies, Mr Asuquo Ekpenyong, “The message is that when you want to start a business, go about the documentation, have business plan, do painful research, try to raise finance and then go into your business. Hire the right people and also have a sense of conviction about what you are going to do because there will be challenges.”
About 10,000 residents in 66 communities of Rivers State were beneficiaries of the three- day free medical outreach by National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), for rural dwellers.
The state Co-ordinator of the NYSC, Ngozi Nwatarali, spoke at an event to flag-off the programme on Monday.
Held at Ozuoba community of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area(LGA), of the state, Nwatarali said the outreach tagged “Health Initiative for Dwellers(HIRD), is the brainchild of the Director-General of NYSC, Brig-Gen. J.B. Olawunmi to provide health care intervention to members of the public especially those in rural communities where health facilities are rare and access to affordable, efficient and effective health care is not.
According to her, the programme is also part of the DG’s four point agenda to increase the visibility and capability of corps member to deliver more service delivery, thereby impacting directly on the people they serve in their midst.
The State Co-ordinator assured the members of the state of the readiness of NYSC managers to contribute their quota in the governments’ efforts to providing prompt intervention to their health care needs, and call for stronger supports from their partners and stakeholders in terms of provision of drugs and resources needed to carry on the programme round the communities.
“HIRD is a health initiative of NYSC DG Brig-Gen. J. B. Oluwami to provide affordable and timely health care intervention for larger populations of the country’s rural dwellers who lacks access to basic medical amenities due to their location.
“The presence of the NYSC in all the nooks and crannies of the state will be leveraged on to achieve this. Hundreds of corps medical personnel as well as other corps volunteers have made themselves available to ensure the success of this programme in all the LGAs.
“In the next three days of the HIRD programme in the state, a total of 66 communities will benefit from the health care service of this patriotic Corps members. At the end of programme, it is expected that over 10,000 rural dwellers would have received one firm of medical attention ot the other across the state.
“Adequate manpower, logistics support as well as drugs have been mobilised to three communities in each LGA of the state.
“At each location, the Corps doctors, pharmacists, physiotherapists, nurses, and other paramedical and corps volunteers will carry out HIV/AIDs test, eye test, malaria, hypertension, diabetes tests, counselling and treatments as the case may be and even give referrals where necessary.”
Hon Osaigbovo Iyoha is a first-time lawmaker in the Edo States House of Assembly. He won election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to represent Oredo East Constituency. In this interview with Osagie Otabor, the lawmaker reveals how the determination to succeed, in spite of his humble background, spurred his efforts.
How do you combine business with politics?
It is not easy. It is only in Nigeria and in some other countries that politics has become a full time job. It is bad for it to be so. Ask somebody here who he is, he will tell you, I am a politician. I think politics should be part-time. We should make politics less attractive. That is what drives stealing and other vices. It will make people to know that public service is an avenue to serve. People should have time for their business as well as being involved actively in politics.
What was your growing up like?
It was not easy growing up. I was not born with a silver spoon. I am the son of a policeman and a disabled tailor. They did their best to make sure I had a good education. I grew up in Benin City. I sold things on Lagos Street to survive. A lot of people had it more difficult than I did. It was not bread and butter always. My parents had to bend their backs to ensure I got educated. The secondary school I went to, the Immaculate Conception College, was one of the best in old Bendel State. For me to get admission into ICC then, being from a modest background, means my parents meant well.
How did you make the breakthrough in business?
As every young man, while in secondary school, you aspire to be a doctor, lawyer or an engineer. I attended former Edo State University now Ambrose Alli University. I actually wanted to be an Electrical Engineer but I was given Mechanical Engineer. At that time, we were under the illusion that after school, jobs would be waiting for us. Growing up in a difficult time, I knew that I had to find a way to survive.
After completing my National Youth Service Corps, I went to live with my sister in Lagos. Luckily, I was around where real estate was growing – the Badagry area real estate was growing. I became an agent and turned into a super-agent. I moved to Ajah axis where they call the fastest growing real estate area in Africa and I became a broker for most of the communities. That was what we did for 10 years. In 2007, we moved to Bayelsa. The attraction was real estate. But after three years, I was lucky to be close to people through which we started doing construction jobs. It was from there I moved into politics.
How did you feel when you made your first millions?
I am not a millionaire, but the reward for hard work is success. You will realise that some people work harder than you but they have not been fortunate. It is only through God we can achieve more. Making money is like arithmetic; when you are able to be at the right place at the right time and take it when opportunities call. When you project and work towards your dream, you will get there. You also need to be truthful. Morally, I was taught to be modest by my parents. No matter what happens, nobody knows tomorrow. When I look at my background compared to where I am now, I never believed it. If you have the desire and energy to work at something, make sure you have every time and not taken by the vices. Once you keep the focus, you will achieve your goals.
What pushed you to run for political office?
I have been a private businessman all the while. I got interested in politics because of what Oshiomhole said the day he declared to run for governorship. He said governance is a serious business that should not be left for mediocre. That was where the drive came from. We needed to start building the system and to make good laws. That was the drive and I believed (that) I have a lot of goodwill.
How has it been this past three months?
It has been a very interesting time at the Assembly. We are learning on the job. We are not a rich state. We are doing something but you know we are barely three months in office.
Do you think your party will make headway in 2016?
What you sow is what you reap. If you ask people on the streets and market women they will tell you the difference between the PDP and APC. I was surprised people were congratulating Jonathan for conceding defeat. He did not have a choice because the people wanted change. The thing is to impact on the people because the day of reckoning will come. I always tell people they should vote us out if we do not perform. The only reason people voted APC was when they compared what APC governors were doing in Lagos and Edo to other PDP controlled states, they saw the difference.
Go to Delta State, you will not believe it is an oil rich state. Go to PDP states, they have not done anything. We have the momentum in APC. It is no longer business as usual in this country because a new sheriff is in town. Everything in this country was programmed to fail because certain individuals want to reap from the system before it collapses. We will not lose focus on what we have for the people. Very soon, everything is going to fall in place. The problem we have in this country is corruption but things have started falling into place. There is improvement in power. Policemen now conduct themselves a little better. I travelled and was surprised to see a new immigration service at work. Where several immigration officers used to stay, you find only two and there was no queue. I was initially worried. We got in the baggage room and all the baggage were ready. Before now, you will wait for two hours and be asked series of questions just to be extorted. Things are falling into place in this country.
What is view on the search for Oshiomhole’s successor by Dr. Ogbemudia?
Only the people have the power to install a successor. When he finds his successor, we are still going to determined who to succeed Oshiomhole.
The Akwa Ibom State government says it is ready to invest in the pension industry to generate income for the state.
Governor Udom Emmanuel spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of the on-going World Pension Summit in Abuja.
He said the N5 trillion pension fund could create a lot of investment opportunities for interested investors.
“The main reason for this is with over N5 trillion, which is over $25 billion, we have a whole lot of investment opportunities where we are doubly sure the pension fund can actually be invested and they can also realise the money because that is the essence of investment.
“You don’t invest to lose your capital; you invest to actually get adequate return on your investment. Even in terms of road infrastructure, the economic viability of the roads in the Southsouth (zone) is being linked up by Akwa-Ibom.
“So, we can actually earmark some of these for the investors to come under the PPP (public private partnership) model. We as a state government will also be interested in taking up some equity.“
The governor said pensioners in the state were receiving their monthly pension on a regularly.
According to him, the state government has been concentrating on the development of infrastructure in the past few months.
“We have concentrated on some of this infrastructures, especially in terms of the human capital development,“ he said.
Emmanuel told NAN that the state had the natural resources and the creativity to drive development in all sectors of the economy.
He, however, said adequate funding was required to develop the infrastructure needed to drive the development process.
“You could actually hear when I talked about the three Cs – cash, commodity and creativity. In this case we are creative in ideas, policies and in our approach on programmers that we invent.
“In terms of commodity, we all know how wealthy we are in terms of the abundant natural resources. Cash could be a problem, but who owns the cash? It is either the capital market or the pension fund,“ he said.
Emmanuel advocated the setting up of an institution that would ensure proper and accurate remittance of pension contributions.
“Once you set up strong institutions, those things are mere administrative. We are after building those strong institutions so that processes and procedures can actually run normally.
“So, set up strong institutions and things will happen – policies, procedures and processes will actually run,’’ he said.
The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 160 drug dispensing premises in Akwa Ibom State. These comprise five pharmacies and 155 patent medicine shops.
They were sealed for offences ranging from dispensing poisons without the supervision of a pharmacist, poor storage conditions, selling medicines above the approved list for patent medicine vendors and non-registration of premises with PCN, among others.
Three other premises were issued compliance directives for poor documentation and untidy environment, the Council stated.
Addressing reporters at the Southsouth Zonal Headquarters of PCN in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, the Deputy Director and Head of Enforcement, Stephen Esumobi, said the Council which is a Federal Government parastatal charged with the responsibility of regulating and controlling the education, training and practice of pharmacy was in the state to enforce its core mandates.
Giving a breakdown of their activities, Esumobi said: “Our enforcement teams have been in Akwa Ibom State since the beginning of this week. The teams were in the state capital and also visited 17 out of the 31 Local Government Areas which include Uruan, Itu, Abak, Oruk Anam, Mkpat Enin, Ikot Abasi, Etim Ekpo, Onna, Etinan, Eket, Esit Eket, Nsit Ibom, Nsit Ubium, Ikot Ekpene, Ibiono Ibom and Ikono”.
He noted that while the level of compliance by premises in the state capital is encouraging, the situation in most of the local government areas visited were not. He said PCN observed that many premises began operations without following laid-down guidelines.
While many of the premises are located in environments that are not conducive for the sale of drugs, some others failed to meet minimum requirements for storage and personnel, thus, exposing members of the public to dangers of consuming medicines whose quality, safety and efficacy cannot be guaranteed, Esumobi noted.
According to him, another category of offenders are those who failed to renew their premises certificates with PCN. ‘Annual renewal of premises certificate is mandatory and it is to ensure that registered premises continue to maintain or improve on the standards that made them qualified for licensure’, he warned.
He said the exercise was not punitive but to ensure practitioners operate according laid down guidelines, to preserve the lives of medicine consumers. Those premises sealed will be unsealed once the operators comply and rectify observed irregularities, he assured.
He said the rule for those wishing to establish a pharmacy or patent medicine shop is to apply for location approval. When the location is approved the premises applies for facility inspection to ensure that the structure and personnel are adequate.
He urged stakeholders to follow the laws warning that PCN will not tolerate the sale of medicines without submission to regulatory control.
For members of the public who wish to operate patent medicine shops or pharmacies, the PCN Director advises them to visit the PCN state or zonal offices for proper guidance.
The Chief Executive Officer, House of Diagnosis, Medical Diagnostics Service Eket, Akwa Ibom, Dr Kelechi Anyanso, has advised the indigenes of the state to be more health conscious.
Anyanso spoke last weekend during a three-day free medical test and treatment with the theme: “Caring for the Masses,” in Eket Local Government Area.
She said the people should continue to be conscious of their health, environment and life-style patterns, to minimise the development of diseases in their bodies.
Anyanso also advised the people to visit medical experts for regular check up.
“We should also strive to widen our knowledge of disease prevention as we carefully listen to the numerous workshop and seminar packaged for us in the course of the event.
“Sometimes, we are the causes of our own sickness, sometimes we do not know because I am sure if we know better we will not do things that will make us sick,’’ she said.
She said the free medical test and treatment was to commemorate the 55th Independence Anniversary Celebration of the country.
She added that the essence of the free medical test and treatment was to add value and reach out to the people.
Anyanso expressed commitment to make the House of Diagnosis to become a global phenomenon in the field of diagnosis, research and a one-stop shop for any kind of investigative procedure.
“We are using this forum to give back to the community that has welcomed and accommodated us for years,’’ she said.
Anyanso said that beneficiaries were treated for different kinds of sicknesses included malaria, typhoid, fever, cancer and HIV.
She explained that if the treatment could not be handled by Diagnosis House, she referred them to the hospital.
She said that the institution was collaborating with the Society for Family Health (SFH) and Family Health International (FHI) to achieve its objectives.
Dr Ogbobe Clement, one of the doctors in the House, said that diagnosis entailed treatments of ailments and creation of awareness of the ailments to the people.
Clement said the House would continue to seek and promote preventive measures rather than curative measures.
He noted that some of the ailments could be cured if detected earlier.
“We are also here to correct some misconceptions bordering on some health issues; we all know that HIV is not a killer disease any more.
“You can live comfortable with it and live your normal life with it; if you know your status early and do what you expected to do,’’ he said.
Chairman of the occasion, Chief Assam Usoro, thanked the organisers for improving the life of the people, saying that health is wealth.
Usoro urged other professional bodies to take a cue from the House.
He called on the indigenes to come out en-mass and make the best out of the free medical test and treatment in the area.
He advised the people to check their status regularly, to maintain a good healthy living.
Chairman, Eket Transitional Committee, Mr Frank Archibong, expressed appreciation to the organisers.
Three days ago, Sergeant William Relomer woke up upbeat. Nothing forewarned him that he would not return home to his family. The riot policeman, who was on escort duty, an official of Oyigbo Local Government Council of Rivers State; and a driver were killed that day by armed robbers in Port Harcourt. The bandits escaped with a huge sum of money belonging to Oyigbo local council, which was withdrawn from a new generation bank on the busy Olu-Obasanjo Road. The policeman’s rifle has also become part of their war chest. The robbery took place around noon.
In the last four months, Port Harcourt has been under siege of armed robbers, kidnappers, cultists, sea pirates and pipeline vandals.
Traders are groaning. Residents are scared. Nightlife has taken a holiday. And oil firms are alerting their members of staff to the danger of moving about the oil city without caution.
Before the last general elections, Rivers State was on edge. The state capital, Port Harcourt, bore a chunk of the brunt. After the polls, many traders and business men and women expected a conducive business clime to return but their expectations are far from the reality. Now, there is so much grumble over lack of cash flow.
Robbery, kidnapping and cult-related activities have worsened the situation. Night club owners and other night businesses operating in the state are closing their shops for lack of patronage.
Some of the business men, who spoke to the Niger Delta Report, said apart from low business patronage, the government at the state and federal governments should also kick the ball rolling to encourage vibrant economy.
A rice seller at Mile 3 market in Port Harcourt, Mr. Godwin Arume, said he borrowed money from the bank after the elections to import bags of rice using his Toyota Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) as collateral, with the hope that he would return the money as agreed.
Arume said: “As I am talking to you now, what I used as collateral to collect money from the bank has been taken away from me because of bad business. After I imported the rice with the money, some rice dealers who I also supplied rice came with different stories that I should supply them to pay later. Till today, they have not paid. This is the worse period of doing business in Port Harcourt.”
A major distributor of Southern Paint Nigeria Limited, Mr. Emmanuel James, said the poor business patronage is because the government in the state and at federal levels have not settled down. He noted that there is lack of cash flow in the country, which is affecting business in the state and other states of the federation.
He said: “My brother, you can’t expect business in Rivers State to start booming like the way it was before the general elections in the state. When a government comes into power and they are stable without electoral litigation, the cabinet will be immediately appointed. And every aspect of the government will be functional, money will be budgeted for the ministry, contracts will be awarded and money will flow. ”
Orlu
On insecurity, Mr. Chigozi Orlu-Orlu, a lawyer and member of Lawyers Network for Change, said killings and kidnapping have continued. He alleged further that since the courts in the state were reopened insecurity in the state has increased to a level that people now hide for safety.
He said many politicians now live in Abuja, especially the supporters of All Progressive Congress (APC) and those tagged as enemies of government.
“How many politicians are living in Rivers State, even those of the ruling party are hiding their identities. How many of them that can invite journalists or visitors to their home? That’s because there is insecurity in the state. After the release of Vanguard columnist and the son of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, two clergy men, Venerable J.B Lawson and Venerable Isobo Dokubo of the African Church, were kidnapped. We are not talking about the incessant robbery and increased activities of cultism in the state immediately Chief Wike took over as the governor of Rivers State. Before now he told us that there was so much insecurity in the state because former Governor Rotimi Amaechi closed down the courts. Now that the courts have reopened, what is happening? To be candid with you, we are living in fear in this state.”
Chairman, Ikwerre Youth Movement (IYM), Emohua Local Government Area, Hon. Lucky Worluh, said he blamed the security agents for the security situation in Port Harcourt.
Worluh
Worluh said: “I want Rivers people to help me and find out if the Inspector General of Police, the Director of State Security Service (SSS) and other security agencies in this country do not know what is happening in Rivers State. What is happening in Rivers State is terrible; nobody will tell me that he does not know what is happening. Cult groups have taken over some communities. As I am talking to you now, some communities in Ikwerre and Emohua local government areas have been taken over by cult groups. Before the expiration of Amaechi’s tenure he set up commission of inquiry because of the killing that took place in Omuku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local government Area of Rivers State and other killing that took place in other local government areas. Some people went to court to stop that inquiry.
“Because they want us to continue living in the past, which is bad, the police are part of the atrocities happening in Rivers State. The same people that killed these victims are today having more than twenty escorts following them. You can imagine that the so-called caretaker chairmen are going around paying courtesy visit to some certain elements. You can imagine that the government of the state is not thinking on how to end insecurity in the state; instead they are busy respecting ex-militants and leaders of cult groups in the state. And the membership of cult groups is increasing daily. Of course, those who aided cult groups in the state are now members of the State House of Assembly, Caretaker committee chairmen. The people are shouting, the residents have resulted into self-help. Something must have to be done fast.”
The chairman of Ogba/ Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, Mr. Austin Ahiamadu, said insecurity in the state, especially that of his local government was because security agencies in the state refused to live up to their responsibility.
He said the people are not happy over the insecurity in Rivers State, particularly that of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local government area.
“We are unhappy over the insecurity situation in this area. I blame the Police for the continuous killing and shooting by unknown gunmen in Ogba Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State. The most recent is the killing by unknown gunmen who invaded three communities and killed over 13 persons in three communities, Omoku town, Obirikom and Ogbogu .
“Naturally as a Council Chairman, I am the Chief Security officer, but I can’t go to war, mine is to give order. As the Council chairman I have good relationship with the security agency but I can’t do their own job. And if their job is not done properly, you don’t come back to blame the council chairman. “
The Special Adviser to Governor Nyesom Wike on Media and Publicity, Sir Opunabo Inko-Tariah , said the governor had done a lot to improve the security in the state. He blamed Amaechi for the insecurity in the state, adding that: “Governor Wike in addition to other covert measures which cannot be disclosed for security reason because such disclosures will negate the very essence, he donated 64 vehicles with modern security gadgets to the security agencies in Rivers State.”
But for Nathaniel Mark, a Port Harcourt-based public commentator, said: “Under Wike, homes are not safe much as the roads and street corners have turned black spots. For travellers on the Emohua-Buguma-Degema road, death and abduction are daily realities. Several travellers on that route have either been kidnapped or killed. Armed security personnel are killed on that road much as ‘bloody’ civilians. Occurrences are daily as state Chief Executive and Chief Security Officer has done nothing to confront this monster.
“With spiralling spate of kidnapping across Rivers state, most oil companies have chosen to quarantine their workforce. Recently, such oil companies issued travel advisory to their workers. The theme was short and simple – ‘Beware of Rivers State. As much as possible stay away or keep low profile’. Daily, people are kidnapped and that happens in broad day light. Recently popular essayist and newspaper columnist, Dornu Kogbara, was kidnapped right in her Port Harcourt home. Two days later, the son of the Vice Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Ndowa Sunday Lale, was kidnapped right in their Ebubu-Eleme country home.”
The Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Muhammad Kidaya Ahmad, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the police have done more than enough to protect lives and properties in the state.
He said: “As far as Rivers Police command is concerned, we are on top of the situation. I believe that if you sample the opinions of ordinary Rivers man and woman, he or she will attest that we are trying our best. One thing I observed is that some people are giving wrong assertion to the public about security situation in Rivers State. But I am assuring the public that we would not be deterred by the act of wrong perception, the command will do what they are supposed to do as to protect lives and properties in the state.”
A former officer of the Department of State Security (DSS), Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, believes the poor security situation in the state is as a result massive arms that were shipped into the state before the elections to arm the criminally-minded youths to do the bidding of politicians.
He said as long as the guns were not retrieved from the youths they would use them to perpetrate crimes against defenceless persons in the state.
For now, Port Harcourt especially remains on the edge. Nightlife has taken a break; oil companies’ workers are extra careful; and life cannot be said to be good for the ordinary people. And the rich also cry.
The Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal is on its last stretch. After no less than three months of sitting, it is getting to the stage where witnesses are rounding off their evidence for Governor Nyesom Wike. The All Progressives Congress (APC), its candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have already taken their turns to present witnesses before the tribunal. Today will mark the second day that the witnesses of Governor Nyesom Wike will mount the box to give their evidence.
As expected, Peterside and APC brought witnesses to show that the election was a sham. PDP, INEC and Wike did the opposite. Wike’s witnesses started giving evidence on Wednesday. He has six days to call witnesses. By the end of today, he would have had two days, which means he still has Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to wrap up with his witnesses—except the tribunal decides otherwise.
The first day for the PDP candidate was interesting and full of drama. All the defence witnesses refused to read documents, feigning poor vision. The witnesses, drawn mainly from Khana, Tai and Andoni local government areas, complained of vision impairment. Not a few see this as deliberate tactic to frustrate Peterside’s petition.
The witnesses include Monday Burabari Nkpoba, Elder Gbrone Gibson and Amos Apa, Barisua Peter, Chief Adagbo Samson, Godwin Gbarapi and Agahigiwune Isaiah. Their excuse created free entertainment for those in the court.
Apah, a retired civil servant from Tai Local Government Area, said he is 67 years, blaming his age for his inability to read the document. He was shown was shown Exhibit A300/5 which showed that no party agent signed the results. Samson, a civil servant from Khana, said he could not read because he forgot his reading glasses.
Under cross-examination, Peter also introduced a drama when he said he actually started voting at 15. Now 31, he said he started voting in 1999. The declaration of the trader, who claimed to have voted at Ward One, Unit One, Bori, Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, seemingly compounded his efforts to convince the tribunal that election actually took place in Khana on April 11.
Peterside’s lawyer Chief Akin Olujimi faulted the witness’ deposition where he failed to mention the absence of card readers and other electoral materials during the election. Olujimi exposed the contradictions in his written and oral evidence. Peter agreed that card readers were not used for the election, as accreditation was done manually. Like others, he also refused to read from exhibits that showed that neither was there an election nor voters’ register in that unit.
Another drama centered on attempt by lawyer to the PDP, Ifedayo Adedipe, to shield one of the witnesses from being confronted with an earlier admitted document made by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The tribunal overruled Adedipe’s objection on the ground that it was premature. Justice Ambrosa held that such objection should be reserved till the final address stage.
Also, Ambrosa, at a point, cautioned lawyers from the respondents’ camp to desist from whispering to witnesses before the tribunal.
“We (lawyers in the case) should be careful. We (tribunal members) are not here to destroy anybody. Why carry other people’s case on your head? If you are not careful, you will have stroke in few days,” Justice Ambrosa said.
Wike and INEC’s main task is to ‘rubbish’ evidence by witnesses for Peterisde, which include soldiers, policemen and even INEC members of staff. One of the witnesses, Mr Tafa Michael, a Superintendent of Police, who was on election duty on April 11 in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State, told the tribunal that his men caught agents of the PDP thumb-printing in a house opposite their party’s secretariat at Seme in Tai Local Government Area.
The police officer told the Justice Suleman Ambrosa-led tribunal that over 70 persons, including PDP agents, INEC members of staff, the commission’s ad hoc staff and other individuals were arrested by his men shortly after noon on election day and were taken to their office.
Another witness, an officer of the Department of State Security, Mr. Godwin Mba, revealed that cult groups and thugs spearheaded the violence and carnage that marred the April 11 governorship election in Rivers State.
There were many others from the close to 60 witnesses that Peterside called. All damning. These are what Wike is trying to rubbish with the likes of Apah and Samson. And the drama has been interesting. Five more days of drama may lie ahead.
On Thursday, September 10, Mrs Omamurhomum Ukana was returning from service at the St Paul Anglican Church, Ekete in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State. She was not carrying cash; the dutiful wife had a tin of palm oil, tangerine and items with which she planned to make supper for her beloved husband of 15 years and their two children.
She never did.
•The late Mrs Ukana with her family shortly before her death
Barely 100 meters to her home, the 43-year-old nurse was attacked by machete-wielding hoodlums and butchered to a painful death. Three days later when our reporter visited the murder scene, the bestial tale of her killing was aptly told by a congealed mass of her spilled blood.
“She was stabbed in the back, head and in her neck,” her husband, Stephen Ukana, told our reporter.
Mrs Ukana, popularly called Omas by friends, was not the first or 100th victim of a rampaging hoodlums, cultist and other criminals who have taken over Usiefrun, Orhumworun, Ovwian and other parts of the local government council in recent times, but her death was the most gripping for the people of the horror-struck community and Christian community in the area.
Those who knew her (and they are many) described her as a soft, gentle woman who couldn’t hurt a fly. She was a matron in health service of Warri South West LGA, where she was also the Focal Person in charge of nutritional heath.
A leader of the Anglican Church in the area told our reporter that she said the opening prayer for the evening church service on the day she was murdered.
So, why was she handed such a heartbreaking end? Trend of similar crimes in the area indicated that it is the modus operandi of hoodlums who have seized the area by the jugular.
•Blood-soaked Oyibo after his bloody encounter with the hoodlums
Mr Ogheneruona Oyibo, a reporter with the Delta State Broadcasting Service, one victim who lived to tell the tale of his encounter, said the criminals are usually young boys, some as young as 17 years or less and have no regard for the sanctity of life or human dignity.
“In my case, they broke a Coca-Cola bottle in my presence after taking my GSM phones, cash and other valuables. They used the bottle to stab me severally; on the head, back and arm before leaving me in the pool of my blood,” Mr Oyibo, told our reporter at the funeral of Mrs Ukana, on September 17.
But for quick intervention of good neighbours who rushed him to the hospital, Oyibo said he would he bled to death.
Our reporters visit to the area showed that the entire Usiefrun and other parts of that axis of the state are battling development challenges ranging from lack of motorable roads, power to all basic amenities. Apart from political appointees and few others, the people are mostly poor and without hope.
•Mr Ogheneruona Oyibo after his bloody encounter with the hoodlums
Investigation by our reporter revealed that the area has become a hotbed of violence and cult activities with school children, some as young as 12 years, deeply entrenched in cult activities.
The area, with a population of over 100,000, lacks government presence and basic amenities. The Delta Steel Town, the residential quarters of the Delta Steel Complex has deteriorated in the past decade, leading to the dearth of services that were provided by the company to its host.
“You can see the major roads into Orhumworun, Ekete, Aladja and other parts are deplorable. We do not have light or pipe-borne water supply. Parents are losing control over their children. The highest aspiration of some of the youths is to become thugs to politicians and go into politics,” a resident, who asked not to be named for obvious reason, told our reporter.
“Almost every child you find around here now belongs to one cult group or the other. They use their membership of the various cult groups to terrorise even members of their families and neighbours. Those who want to get protection join cults,” a civil servant in the area told our reporter on condition of anonymity.
It was gathered that the security situation in the area worsened further after the head of the Udu Central Vigilante Group, Honorable Prosper Erhinyojare, was gruesomely murdered. The local security chief was shot dead along with an associated at a beer parlour along the Udu Expressway about the 17th day of April, 2014.
It was gathered that the former Councilor’s murder sparked off unrestrained killings, maiming, robbery rape and other crimes in the area. The alleged arrest of his killers by the police has not halted the drift to anarchy.
“Since his death, cultism and criminal activities are on the increase as people are daily attacked. In the early hours of Monday, the corpse of a young m an suspected to be killed by cultists was on Sunday found at Ekete junction. The victim was simply identified as Junior. Also, at Owhase, a woman was killed after she had been robbed.”
Another source said, “Although the said Prosper was not himself free of terror, his presence, in the absence of government, brought law and order to some degree even though there were others under him who used his influence to victimize and carry out nefarious activities.”
It was gathered that members of the local vigilante group guarding the Usiefrun area have emerged as key suspects in the killing of Mrs Ukana. The vigilante gang, it was alleged, had earlier on the morning of September 10, warned of mayhem over the delay in the payment of their salaries.
“One of them particularly warned that when ‘bad things happen’ the people would know their importance and would be forced to pay up. It is instructive that on that same day they did not resume work as usual and the woman, who is the treasurer of the landlords’ union, was killed. So, it is a case of the witch flew over at night and the child died in the morning,” a source in the neighbourhood said.
Police Public Relations Officer, Delta Command, DSP Celestina Kalu, could not be reached for comment at the time of this report on Monday morning. But a source at the Owvian Police Station, who asked not to be named, said, “We are doing our best; it is a very difficult situation.”
The source, who revealed that some suspects had been arrested in connection with the killings, accused some prominent persons in the area of shielding culprits, adding, “When we called one of the suspects he boldly told us that he was at the home of a traditional leader. He said the traditional leader wanted to see us. Of course, we cannot tolerate that.”
Plots by some former militant leaders to return to the creeks and begin arms struggle against Nigeria have been uncovered.
A statement in Warri during the week by the leader of the Niger Delta Amnesty Leaders Progressive Change for Buhari, Commander Bibi Oduku, said some ex-militant leaders had concluded plans to commence activities aimed at attacking oil and gas facilities in the region, especially sabotaging oil pipelines as well as make the riverine communities uncomfortable for companies and humans.
He, however, added that those ex-militants going back to the creeks would not be doing so in the interest of the oil-rich region, but to satisfy their personal and criminal targets.
He added further that his group, working with leaders of the region, including kings and chiefs, had put defense plan together to secure lives and oil facilities in the region, adding that proper intelligence programme was also in state to thwart the criminal plots.
“I hereby assure all Nigerians and Mr. President that the basic security map plan of the Niger Delta riverine areas has been well drawn and it is assisted by some kings and high chiefs from different kingdoms.
“In this accord, I hereby inform the general public that any militant leader going back to the creeks are for personal, criminal selfish interests. And we will not allow any threat or criminal activities to take place in our areas nor support any criminal activity.
“We the peace loving citizens have made sure that even with the treat of some militants, we have drawn and complete a proper security system for pipelines, lives and properties in the water ways of Nigerians.
“These characters feel they are working against the growth of the economy of the country and the peace of the people, but I am assuring the government that all security intelligence has been put in order, that will not support any character of such in our areas anymore.
“I am using this medium to advise all ex-militants, freedom fighters and good citizens of young men in the name of freedom fighting, while the benefits are eaten up by some self-centered leaders. Join these leaders no more, support President Muhammadu Buhari, support Boro, support Bibi for a new Nigeria, for peace and harmony,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) the Central Naval Command (CNC), Rear Admiral Apochi Suleiman, during an inspection tour of facilities and platforms under the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta, in Warri, had warned that the navy would be stern with criminal activities in the waterways, henceforth.
While responding to questions from journalists during the inspection of facilities, Suleiman admonished those who might be nursing thoughts of taking arms up again in the region against the state, saying such people would be treated as mere criminals.
“It will be very unfortunate if the ex-militants are regrouping. They had a channel through which the amnesty was granted, which is expected to terminate by September and there is a Special Adviser on Amnesty, I expect that they should go through that process to air anything that is bothering them.
“For us, we are not scared of their re-grouping, we are prepared in all respects to counter any eventuality. Militancy is criminal and it will not be in our place to parley any militant, if they have a grievance they should go through procedure, we are all Nigerians,” he said.
