The Nation Newspaper

Category: Niger Delta

  • Rat race tears Okpella apart

    Rat race tears Okpella apart

    Crisis is brewing in hitherto peaceful Okpella community in Estako East Local Government Area of Edo State as Komunio, one the clans that make up the community, is at daggers drawn with the monarch, Okuokpellagbe, and other clans.

    The battle may not be unconnected with the huge mineral deposits in the community, as it was gathered that some influential leaders of Komunio, also known as Afokpella, are on a mission to excise the clan from Okpella, in a move for their people to gain unfettered control of their resources.

    A source said: “The revitalisation of the Okpella Cement Factory under the ownership of the BUA Group and other economic interests appeared to have triggered recent demand for autonomy by the Komunio clan as the company is located in the clan.”

    It was further learnt that the agitation for autonomy by the Afokpellas is coming at a time Okpella community is locked in a battle with its neighbors in Kogi State over ownership of a large parcel of land with huge limestone and other mineral deposit.

    The growing tension escalated recently when the President of Komunio Community, Chief Charles Adogah, authored a letter dated 24 July to the Chairman, BUA Cement Company Limited, hinting of the community’s move for autonomy.

    Adogah told the company that his clan had decided to indefinitely boycott activities at palace of the Okpella monarch, Okuokpellagbe of Okpella, HRH Andrew Yusuf Dirisu, citing perceived high-handedness, tyranny, and injustice.

    He asked the company not to transact any business whatsoever with the Okpella monarch on any matter that concerned the Komunio community and reminded the company that the parcel of land where the company is currently located and the minerals therein form part of the landed property of Komunio community.

    It was gathered that those leading the agitation by Komunio clan included Chief Adogah (SAN), Dr Ayuba Giwa, Philip Magnus, a community leader and Messrs Edward Sado and Anthony Usman, both of whom are lawyers.

    Our findings revealed that trouble started on June 16 when the traditional ruler summoned a meeting of the Okpella Traditional Council based on series of petitions from Ogiriga community that it wants to be a clan of its own and not under the Komunio community.

    It was also alleged by elders of the Komunio community who were at the meeting that a hidden agenda of HRH Dirisu was to dissolve the Komunio Ruling House and make part of Komunio an annex of the Imiegiele Okashie quarters so that no others parts would form part of the Ogiriga and Iddo sub-clan/ruling house.

    Chief Adogah, Dr. Ayuba, Sadoh and Usman wrote a strong-worded letter to the monarch accusing him of plotting to dislodge them from the place they have occupied for over 300 years.

    They reminded the monarch that the same gazette legal notice, which recognised his position as Clan head or Paramount Chief of Okpella equally recognised the Komunio Ruling House of the Oteku Sub-clan of Okpella clan.

    The letter reads: “No law or rule of law vests jurisdiction in you to decapitate Okpella, eliminate kindred and or villages or sub-clans or ruling houses that you hate and add more to your own village or any other for the purpose of “divide and rule” or to ignite inter-kindred conflicts.

    “No law or rule of law vest in you or any Clan head of Okpella as at today in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, any jurisdiction to make any declaration of the title to land as you have purported to do in favour of your own kindred and others or at all, certainly not after more than 300years of our ownership and occupation of the said land area.

    “We have hitherto believed that the unity and peaceful coexistence of Okpella was one of your primary responsibilities and not its economic exploitation and despoliation, which is the only reason you are attempting this patent lawlessness and illegality after all the assistance we have personally rendered to you to assist in the maintenance of peace in our beloved clan.

    “We shall make a report of this lawlessness and caprice to the Government of Edo state that made the legal notice under reference so that they can be forewarned of your moves to cause significant and serious security breaches and challenges for the State where none currently exists,” the letter added.

    The monarch was accused of deliberately increasing the number of villages in Okpella from seven he inherited in 1971 to 120. This action, they argued, made Okpella too large to be under the leadership of one traditional ruler.

    In his response to the letter from the lawyers, HRH Dirisu explained that no final decision on the issue raised at the meeting was reached regarding the dissolution or annexation of any part of Okpella and described it as the figment of the imagination of the authors.

    He said: “The Palace expresses dismay at the language of your letter and content on issue which it is displaying every act and diplomacy at its disposal in resolving. More painful is the fact that you are all gentlemen who have unfettered access to the palace from which you could have obtained the facts of the matter.

    “The substance of the matter is that there were petitions from Ogiriga Community regarding their continued grouping under Ukhomunyo. As these were continuing unabated and increasingly provocative, the Palace summoned the Okpella Traditional Council to discuss and evaluate the issues raised at its meeting held on 16th June 2015. No decision was arrived at that meeting regarding the dissolution or annexation of any part of Okpella. It is the figment of the imagination of the authors.

    “The Palace is undeterred by the very strong unwarranted and unjustifiable vituperations and threat in the tone of your letter. It will continue in its efforts and endeavors in ensuring the unity and co-existence of our clans.”

    It was learnt that another meeting slated for June 27 was boycotted by Komunio clan. Sadoh explained that they viewed it as a matter beyond the legal competence of Okpella Traditional Council.

    He stated that it is now a matter within the exclusive competence of the Edo State Executive Council and the legislature.

     

    Afegbua
    Afegbua

    Special Adviser to Governor Adams Oshiomhole on Media and Public Affairs, Prince Kassim Afegbua, who hails from the community, said nobody can redraw the map of Okpella. He accused the Komunios of seeking autonomy for economic reasons.

    Prince Afegbua stated that the Komunio clan earlier kicked against agitation by his ruling house for the creation of more clans for more political and economic patronage.

    He said some companies left Okpella because of economic agitation which he noted left many youths jobless.

    According to him, “Are they conducting a plebiscite or are they going to rewrite the history of Okpella? I am surprised that a particular community wants to pull out. Are they going to use caterpillar to uproot their houses? Are they saying they are no longer under the political leadership of the king? If they want to take such measure, there are procedures in law to take such measures. I expect that as we are moving forward, people should be talking about how to move community forward and not issues of clannish and ethnic sentiments. It should not be the driving force in promoting communal prosperity.”

    Dr. Ayuba, who faulted Afegbua ‘s claim, said the battle for the Komunio clan land was because of the huge mineral deposit therein not found in other clans. He said their agitation was to free them from oppression and further incursion on their ancestral land.

    When contacted on phone, HRH Dirisu said he traveled out of the country and described the agitators as his subjects whom he would not join issues with on the pages of newspapers.

  • Joy as Lulu-Briggs takes medical mission to the Island

    Joy as Lulu-Briggs takes medical mission to the Island

    It has been fourteen years since High Chief Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs, (a k a O. B. Lulu-Briggs), a native of Kalabari Kingdom, an Island of the Niger Delta, established a foundation  to carter for the poor.

    The multi-faceted foundation “O.B.Lulu-Briggs Foundation” operates five different programmes. Its Care for Life is exclusively for the aged who are poor ). The Free Medical Mission is for all, irrespective of age, class or gender.  Under the free medical mission  is also the foundation’s annual free eye test and free children de-worming programmes  and rural water purification programme.

    The foundation also has a robust scholarship (local and oversea) programme as well as Law School Scholarship award. This is to ensure no strata of the society is left out.

    The foundation has transversed communities in the Niger Delta, including Akwa Ibom,  Bayelsa, Cross River and  almost all the 23 local government areas of Rivers State.

    But in  all its mission trips, the core Island dwellers of the region (those behind the River banks) have been the least of the beneficiaries.

    The reason is not unconnected with the difficult terrain of the core river-rine community and the obvious lack of health care facility in such communities to host the team for the five-day long medical treatment.

    But beyond all odds, the foundation recently broke the jinx when it ferried over 70 medical and none medical personnel on a free medical outreach to Minama community of Asari-Toru.

    It was a huge success, as health seekers came from neighbouring river-rine communities, to benefit from the gesture. The joy of both the beneficiaries and their benefactor at the success of the exercise knew no bound.

    To the beneficiaries, it was like wonders in dreamland. They were happy they were remembered for such kindness. Their benefactor was happy that such exercise is possible in an Island community. Pa Lulu-Briggs’ long-time desire to also reach out to his own kith and kin behind the ocean has finally come through. He urged other island communities to wait for him.

    •Volunteers for the medical mission
    •Volunteers for the medical mission

    Despite the inability of the team to carry out surgery in the outreach for lack of operation theatre in the facility the exercise was held, about 2,500 patients, including paediatrics, were treated in the outreach.

    The joy of the community at the event cannot be over-emphasized. This was clearly demonstrated in the reception they accorded the Executive Director of the foundation, Mrs. Sienye O.B. Lulu-Briggs, who is also the wife of the founder of the foundation on arrival to the community.

    Old and young, including National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members serving in the community rolled out their drums to welcome the August visitor. They sang, danced and gyrated at the community’s water front for hours waiting for her arrival.

    Mrs. Lulu-Briggs was visibly amazed at the kind of reception given her and members of her entourage. She described it as overwhelming and the best reception the team had received from any community since the inception of the foundation.

    “The people of Minama are the most hospitable so far in our fourteen years of going out for the five-day free medical mission. We’ve been to almost all the 23 local government areas of the state, as well as Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom states for this programme but Minama has been the most hospitable of them all.

    “This is the only community that has, apart from providing accommodation to all our over 70 resident medical and non-medical personnel for the period, but also fed us.

    “Normally, we go with our food, but in this case they provided food for every one of us. Minama people are indeed the true example of the hospitality of a Rivers’ man.”

    The chairman of the community, Chief Probyn Herbert Grans-Ege, had extolled the rare virtues of the High Chief at assisting the governments to carter for its citizens, especially in the areas of health care delivery and care for the poor.

    Ege, who spoke through Diepreye Granville, said O. B. lulu-Briggs had used his foundation to lift the health burden of the country, and state in particular by, offsetting the high cost of accessing healthcare treatment by the indigent poor of the society mostly in rural areas like theirs.

    “The foundation dared our difficult geographical terrain, which makes transportation cumbersome to bring its free medical mission to us; we are indeed grateful.

    “ It is a common knowledge that health is wealth and also that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation, the health needs of any nation are of top priority all over the globe. Health care services remain one of the basic necessities of man, so long as man’s existence on this planet earth is concerned.

    •People waiting to be attended to.
    •People waiting to be attended to.

    It is also incontrovertible fact that health services are very expensive and consequent upon this, many people could not afford their medical bills and have been sent to their early graves.

    “We commend all your efforts in making life very meaningful to the down-trodden and the less privileged of the society. Your Foundation coming to Minama is a blessing to us and the communities.”

    The people sought the inclusion of their indigent elders into the foundation’s Care For Life programme and  scholarship scheme.

    Sienye Lulu-Briggs recalled: “Since the inception of the free medical mission outreach of the foundation, this is the first time the foundation has taken the outreach to the Island dwellers.

    “This is a breakthrough to O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation. We have been working, going to places, but we have not gone across the river to a community that is not accessible otherwise.

    “When we came here the first time to check out the venue for the programme, we discovered that they are a people that are so separate, they are not the only one, none of the villages in the Niger Delta(core river-rine communities), has a hospital.

    “If the present government of the state would consider and reintroduce the former Governor  Peter Odili’s days of mobile hospital to villages in the across the river to take care of the sick among them.

    “Although the foundation has a fully equipped mobile theatre and clinic but it is not for the riverine terrain but for communities on land.”

    She expressed deep concern over the plight of the people living without any health facility.

    “From our records or medical professionals and  volunteers treated close to 2,500 patients consists mainly, 481 persons that consulted our general practitioners, 430 children were seen by the paediatric doctors, 143 were treated for dental problem, 326 for the eye treatment, while 1, 012 for the laboratory tests while 62 persons were attended to at the Physiotherapy section.

    “However, the surgery section of this programme is not in session in this outreach, the reason being that the health facility we are using here for this outreach has no facility to carry out any form of surgery.

    “This is the fate of not just Minama Communities but the entire 33 Island communities and villages of Kalagbari Kingdom, that spread across three Local Government areas(LGAs), of Akuku-Toru, Asari-Toru and Degema.

    “While we note the predicament of Minama community, the World Health Organization (WHO) in its statistics of health care system ranks Nigeria 187 out of 190 member countries.”

    The event also featured prostate cancer disease awareness workshop with advice to men to form the habit of going for routine blood test  from the age of 40  for early dictation and cure of the disease. The disease does not present with any serious sign and symptom unless in its advance and incurable stage.

    The Deputy Governor , Dr. Ipalibo Banigo- Harry, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Somieari Isaac-Harry, said: “Prostate cancer awareness session of this outreach in a hard to reach community as this is very commendable.

    “This foundation has been into free medical treatment to indigent rural dwellers in the past 14 years, it is not easy task, considering the cost of accessing medical treatment is generally high, the decline in the price of crude oil in the International market has even made it more difficult, because access to funds to purchase the drugs and other consumable for the treatment is not easily come by.

    “O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation’s free medical programme is indeed a very big support to the Rivers State Government; for us to achieve a healthy society and closeness to medicare.”

    He acknowledged the efforts of the immediate past Chibuike Amaechi-led administration in achieving easy and effective medical care by his massive construction of health care facilities across the state, but noted that the present administration would do much better by improving on what is on ground.

    He urged residents of the community to adopt the habit of accessing health care facilities in their communities for routine checks and also endeavour to eat right to avoid preventable ailments and deaths.

  • Family, colleagues seek justice for Port Harcourt driver killed by police

    Family, colleagues seek justice for Port Harcourt driver killed by police

    A commercial bus driver in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, David Legbara, 37, who recently got married, woke up very early on the morning of Friday, August 7, 2015, prayed with his eight-month pregnant wife and left for work.

    The driver, until his death in the afternoon of the same August 7, was plying Mile Three-Rumuokoro route on the ever-busy Ikwerre Road in the city.

    Shortly after loading passengers from the popular Mile Three Park in Diobu, heading for Rumuokoro, he was stopped by policemen on stop-and-search duty at Wimpey Junction, Mile Four, Ikwerre Road around 12.20 p.m., but he was shot and killed by James Imhalu, a mobile policeman, popularly called MOPOL, whom he refused to give the demanded N100 bribe at the check point, without any provocation or altercation.

    Imhalu, a police Sergeant, is attached to the Kala Divisional Police Headquarters at Rumueprikom, Port Harcourt, the hometown of the Rivers Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike.

    The late Legbara, an Ogoni man from Uegwere-Boue in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers state, was the only child of his parents and the bread winner of his family, with an aged mother and if he did not bring money home daily, there would be no food for the family to eat.

    After shooting and killing Legbara, some of the passengers in the bus were also hit by the killer policeman’s bullets, sustaining varying degrees of injury, but still managed to jump out of the ill-fated bus and scampered to safety, to avoid being killed by the notorious policemen to cover the evidence.

    When the sad news of the bus driver’s murder got to Mile Three Park in the afternoon of August 7, his colleagues moved to Wimpey Junction and briefly protested.

    The aggrieved commercial drivers, their conductors and sympathisers strategised overnight, mobilised their members from the various parks in Port Harcourt and its environs and decided to protest again on August 8. They protested naked on major roads and streets in the state capital, especially Ikwerre and Aba roads.

    •The protesting drivers and Wike
    •The protesting drivers and Wike

    Very early on the morning of August 8, the rampaging protesters started burning disused tyres at different spots on the roads and streets, particularly Ikwerre road, one of the longest roads in the Rivers state capital that leads to the Port Harcourt International Airport, thereby creating tension in the state.

    Loading of intra-city and inter-state passengers was halted by the protest, as motorists, pedestrians, commuters groaning, trekking long distances and scampering to safety to avoid being hit by stray bullets, while economic and commercial activities were halted for some hours, by the ugly development, with people hurriedly shutting their business premises, in view of the horrific and warlike scene.

    The fearless drivers also confronted hoodlums at Wike’s Rumueprikom, Port Harcourt in Obio/Akpor LGA, leading to a free-for-all and complete breakdown of law and order.

    The spontaneous protest, sparked off by the murder, was not mostly condemned by Port Harcourt residents, who rightly saw the action of the errant policeman as unjustifiable, with the protest spilling to major highways, causing traffic dislocation and pains to members of the public.

    The notorious Rumueprikom on Ikwerre Road, just before Rumuokwuta Roundabout, then became a war zone, with the protesting commercial drivers having the intention of razing the Kala Divisional Police Headquarters.

    The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Kala police headquarters promptly mobilised the policemen from the station, who confronted the protesters, leading to violence and confusion, with bullets flying and the roads and streets quickly deserted.

    In spite of the policemen’s sporadic and deafening gunshots and the teargas canisters fired to disperse the angry protesters, the determined commercial drivers were undeterred and continued to march to the Kala police station, with police reinforcement immediately drafted to contain the situation, which was later brought under control.

    Most of the aggrieved drivers and conductors then decided to completely strip, walking on the major roads stark naked, which was a horrible sight to behold, with women and ladies taking to their heels, to avoid any unfortunate incident.

    Sergeant Imhalu has been detained, while the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, immediately ordered full-scale investigation into the case.

    A brother to the deceased,  Gbenewii Papabari, said the late Legbara was heading for Rumuokoro in Obio/kpor Local Government after loading passengers from the popular Mile Three Park when he was stopped at the always-busy Wimpey Junction, shot and killed by the policeman, whom he refused to give N100 bribe.

    Papabari said: “Police have just murdered an Ogoni man and they have murdered sleep. My brother is the breadwinner of the family. We will not accept any plea on this matter. This is a man that his mother is very old in his home, if he did not bring money, there would be no food.

    “As I am speaking with you now, he got married recently and the wife is eight months pregnant. You can imagine how their condition will be. So, the entire Ogoni people will continue to protest and the drivers promised to ensure justice.”

    The Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Commercial Drivers Association, Chukwuemeka Henry Ogu, while also reacting, pointed out that their anger was that the police did not understand the gravity of the matter, by asking them to wait till August 10, 2015, before the drivers could be addressed on the matter.

    Ogu noted that though police authorities had already revealed that the killer sergeant had been arrested, but insisted that the arrest of the suspect would not deter them from fighting for the death of their colleague.

    •The drivers Union PRO, Comrade Ogu
    •The drivers Union PRO, Comrade Ogu

    The drivers’ PRO said: “The protest you are seeing here today showed that we are not happy over the death of our member. This morning, we called the drivers, ordering them that there should not be any loading. That is the reason for the suffering of passengers.

    “You can see them (passengers/commuters/travellers) trekking. We do not want any driver to work, until justice is done on the matter. Nowadays in Port Harcourt, the drivers do not know where the actual bus stops are or where to pick and drop passengers. Police always chase us around. We want them (police) to tell us the hope of the unborn baby of our colleague.”

    A lawyer, Gobari Deebom, stated that as an Ogoni man, he decided to take over the matter to bring justice to the victim’s family.

    Deebom stressed that the killer driver would not go unpunished, having already petitioned the IGP and the Rivers Commissioner of Police, Chris Okey Ezike on the matter, while disclosing that his meeting with Ezike showed that the police would cooperate to bring justice on the matter.

    The Rivers police boss, in his reaction, noted that two wrongs would not make a right, while stating that the killing of Legbara was clearly unacceptable and avoidable circumstance.

    Ezike also confirmed that the sergeant, who was among the policemen on stop-and-search duty at Wimpey Junction, had been arrested, according to him, having shot and killed the bus driver.

    Rivers police commissioner said: “On 7th of August, 2015 at about 12.20hrs at Wimpey Junction, Ikwerre Road, Port Harcourt, a policeman on stop-and-search duty shot and killed one David Legbara, who was a bus driver.

    •The angry drivers
    •The angry drivers

    “This action sparked off spontaneous protest from drivers, sympathisers and indeed members of the public, who rightly saw the action of the policeman as unjustifiable. The protest spilled to major highways and caused traffic disruption and pains to members of the public.

    “The policeman was promptly disarmed, arrested and detained, while I ordered full scale investigation into the circumstances and ramifications of this painful incident.

    “I sympathise and condole with the family of the deceased on the loss of their loved one. I condemn in unmistakable terms, the action of the policeman, as preliminary facts revealed his action was clearly avoidable. However, I shall await the outcome of full investigation as already ordered, before any conclusive action is taken.

    “The Inspector-General of Police is fully briefed, but he is saddened by the action of the policeman and has ordered that he (sergeant) be charged to court on conclusion of investigation. The protests on Friday and Saturday (August 7 and 8) appear to have been hijacked by hoodlums and cultists, as entreaties for peace fell on deaf ears.

    “Two wrongs cannot make a right. I therefore appeal to the deceased family, the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Drivers’ Union, and indeed parents and guardians to calm frayed nerves and allow peace to reign. We shall ensure that justice is done to this matter.”

    The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) also condemned “in strong terms” the unjustified and gruesome murder of the Ogoni (Legbara) by Imhalu and demanded his immediate prosecution and payment of adequate compensation from the police to the family of the deceased.

    MOSOP, through its President, Legborsi Saro Pyagbara, also warned that should nothing be done within fourteen days, the Ogoni people would have no choice, but to peacefully and non-violently protest the heinous killing, which was described as condemnable.The umbrella organisation of the Ogoni people said: “It is our position that the dastardly act has gone far beyond mere condemnation by the police hierarchy and it must thus match its public reaction with visibly genuine action.

    “The Ogoni people, we must say, are keenly watching and will accept nothing less than justice, not only being done, but also seen to be done on time.

    “The condition under which Mr. Legbara was killed is reminiscent of past situations, wherein a huge number of Ogoni natives had been gruesomely murdered over the years by the police over the latter’s attempts at extorting money from our people. Reports available to MOSOP have shown that the issue occasioning this latest death was extortion-related, but seemingly masked otherwise.

    “MOSOP is deeply concerned at the excessive use of force by the policeman on the victim, in a matter eyewitnesses said was not corresponding to such degree of violent response. It is MOSOP’s position that even if the deceased had committed any offence; Sergeant Imhalu had no right to have taken his life.

    “As a policeman of his rank (sergeant), he could not have feigned ignorance of the fact that he was prohibited by law and good conscience from denying the deceased his inalienable right to life, hence we believe the policeman’s killing of the Ogoni was deliberate. After all, there were acceptable options available to him.”

    MOSOP also stated that the violent approaches with which most policemen pursue the issue of extortion to the detriment of civilised policing had become a major source of concern and an appalling embarrassment to the people.

    The umbrella organisation of the Ogoni people stressed that the tendency of extortion by policemen had occasioned erosion of confidence and cooperation with the police by the general public, while calling for the comprehensive reform of the Nigeria police.

    Governor Nyesom Wike, according to his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Opunabo Inko-Tariah, visited Wimpey Junction and calmed the protesting crowd of commercial bus drivers, on the killing of their colleague by a trigger-happy police man and promised to bring the culprit to book.

    Wike said: “It is because I saw you (protesting bus drivers) gathered here, that is why I stopped.  I will not support a bad thing. I must find out the policeman that committed this murder and he must be brought to book.

    “I advise you all not to take the law into your own hands.  I have called the Commissioner of Police and he must explain to me why one of his men would kill an innocent person.  Please calm down.”

    Wike also stated that burning of disused tyres at different spots on Ikwerre road would not bring back the dead driver, while admonishing the crowd to disperse, claiming that their presence might aggravate the situation.

    The question remains: who killed Citizen Legbara? Until it is answered, the life of a Nigerian appears to mean nothing.

  • Bonny youths protest against Shell

    The Jumbo Major House Youths Association of Grand Bonny is unhappy with oil giant  Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) over alleged unpaid land rent money.

    The youths said SPDC has occupied the land owned by the Jumbo and Brown families since 1958 .

    The youth president of Jumbo Major House,  Mr. Dagogo Anims Jumbo, said : “We are protesting today because SPDC has failed to honour our agreement. They  occupied our land owned by the Jumbo and Brown families since 1958 and the rent had accumulated and there was no effort so far by the company to settle their debt.

    “We are advising them to pay us our rent or see the other side of us; we are peace loving youths. We don’t believe in violence and at the sometime we don’t want to be tempted to take a harsh decision against them.”

    He said apart from those mandated by the elders of the families nobody has the permission of the head of Jumbo major house to speak or negotiate on behalf of the family.

    He noted that the youths were protesting against Shell because the oil giant company had failed to comply with their agreement, adding that any money paid to a wrong hand would not be accepted as part of the rent due to the Jumbo Major House.

     

  • DESOPADEC and the Island called Naifor

    How come an Island in Delta State has three names in the books of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) and similar contracts are executed in each of them? SHOLA O’NEIL and BOLAJI OGUNDELE shed light on the matter

    The Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, known mostly by its acronym DESOPADEC, has been in the news for several reasons these past few months.  Unfortunately, not many of those reasons have been positive.

    The commission, a special intervention agency established by former Governor James Ibori in 2006 to develop the oil-bearing communities of the state, has over the past eight years of its existence become synonymous with graft.

    From the days of its pioneer Chairman, Chief Wellington Okirika to the recently dissolved board, the commission merely ‘developed’ a few individuals and officials of the state government and House of Assembly members to the detriment of the people.

    An Ogbe-Ijoh Warri community leader told our reporter: “Since the establishment of the commission, allocations of projects as it concerns Ogbe-Ijoh were characterised with fraud, corruption and impunity, which is at variance with the spirit and tenet of its establishment.”

    •Okowa
    •Okowa

    A petition to the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, which was made available to Niger Delta Report before the dissolution of the board, introduces an interesting dimension to the DESOPADEC debacle.

    It details how a small, non-oil bearing community located barely a mile from DESOPADEC’s headquarters in Warri metropolis was allegedly used by some politicians and their cronies in the commission to siphon several millions (possibly billions) of naira through duplication of contracts and manipulation of the community’s name and obtaining payments for contracts awarded and executed by other agencies.

    Attempts by our reporter to get the reaction of the commission to the weighty allegations were futile. From the head of the media and communications department, Rutherford Adowei, the Acting Head of Infrastructure, James Eclarke and the office of the Secretary of the commission, mum was the word.

    When Adowei was contacted over a week ago, he said he had nothing to offer as far as the inquiry into the matter was concerned. According to him, being the head of media does not guarantee that he would have the details of every transaction involving the body at his fingertips. He referred our Warri Correspondent to Adowei.

    The kernel of the Ogbe-Ijoh petition to Okowa, which was signed by Clement Oromoni and Elvis Wurusibewei, Chairman and Secretary of Ogbe-Ijoh Governing Council, hinted of discrepancies in projects awarded in Naifor, Naifor Island or Naiforgbene.

    According to figures revealed in the document, which Niger Delta Report reliably gathered had been received by the governor, the three ‘communities’ are one small island but received budgetary allocations within the five-year period under review – 2009/2010 to 2014/15 – more than established and known communities in the clan.

    The leaders of Ogbe-Ijoh believed that the name joggling was a gimmick used to siphon their funds. They said: “For instance, we discovered that several numbers of projects awarded so far in Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom are cited in Naifor, Naifor Island or Naiforgbene through manipulation and corruption done with collaborative elements within the system.

    “It is interesting to note that the name of this community appears in three different forms as mentioned above; however, it refers to a particular community.  It suffices to say that the inter-change of the name of this community is deliberately done to mislead DESOPADEC in other to attract ghost projects to it.

    “Worst still, the said community (opposite Miller Waterside in Warri) is a non-oil producing community yet it received more projects than oil producing communities. What an irony!

    “The truth is that we are not against non-oil producing communities from benefiting from the commission; however, such benefits should not be at the detriment of oil producing communities that have suffered so much from pollution and degradation.”

    Another leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the contracts were targeted at ‘empowering’ few individuals rather than the generality of the community.

    Independent investigations by Niger Delta Report, backed by documents sourced from the commission, indicated that about 20 projects were allotted to the tiny community in DESOPADEC’s budget from 2010 – 2015. The projects ranged from solar-powered street lights, school blocks, construction of healthcare centres, nurses quarters etc.

    For instance, in 2010/2011 budgetary year, contract was awarded to a company (names withheld) for the supply of standby generating set at Naifor. In the same year the community with the same name also got allocation for the construction of teachers’ quarter at its primary school (Naifor Primary School).

    Using the name Naiforgbene, contracts were awarded to supply school desks, lockers and chairs to Naiforgbene Primary School as well as the supply of furniture, chairs, tables and hospital beds to Naiforgbene Community Health Centre. There was also supply of medical equipment for Naiforgbene Health Centre and construction of teachers’ quarters at Naifor Primary School and construction of Naifor Primary School in Naiforgbene

    In the 2011/2012, Naiforgbene got contract allocation for supply of solar-powered streetlights; construction of Naiforgbene teachers’ quarters with furniture and water distribution as well as construction of one unit of 2-bedroom bungalow.

    In 2013/14, contracts awarded for the community were: water pipeline distribution at Naiforgbene; construction of Naifor Island Secondary School toilet and principal’s office; and construction of six-block of classrooms at Naifor Island Primary School 2, Ogbe-Ijoh. Some of the communities leaders were particular rankled by the last project, because they say it creates the misconception that the project was located in the mainland Ogbe-Ijoh town.

    “You can see the deception, they said Naifor Island Primary School 2, Ogbe-Ijoh, by that it is assumed that Ogbe-Ijoh had gotten a project and it is added to the list of projects sited in Ogbe-Ijoh town when it is not,” the source stated.

    Similarly, in 2014/15, there were allocations for construction of doctors/nurses’ quarters at Naiforgbene; construction of concrete link bridge at Naifor and construction of concrete landing Jetty at Naifor Island.

    Prior to these contracts, the community had in 2009/2010 got various contracts, including for construction of the Naifor Primary School, Naiforgbene and renovation of six classroom blocks and teachers’ office. It was further learnt that seven projects have been earmarked for the island in the current budget.

    Although the unwillingness of DESOPADEC’s officials to open its doors to Niger Delta Report at the time of this report made it difficult to ascertain if the repetition of contracts were due to non-payment or partial payments in the previous years, Hon Clement Oromoni insisted that there was “fraudulent practice” in the commission’s board.

    “Our investigation and fact finding mission reveal that most of the contracts as they appeared in the budgets are fictitious and unverifiable. Not only are they fictitious and unverifiable, contractors in respect of these projects have been paid up to 80-90 percent of budgetary sum yet they have not executed the said projects. Also, a good number of these contracts were repeatedly awarded to the same set of companies,” they said.

    Oromoni and Wurusibewei claimed that some of those behind the purported scams “obtained payment for contract they did not execute” and they gave the example of the 2010/2011 contract for the “Installation of solar-powered street light at Naifor” as an instance. They said the contract had earlier been awarded and executed by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), claiming that the benefiting contractor merely took photographs of the NDDC projects and used them to obtain payment.

    “This (solar-powered streetlight) project was executed by NDDC and not DESOPADEC. But this project was manipulated and presented as DESOPADEC project by the contractors which contract sum were paid, but in reality the one awarded by DESOPADEC, which money was paid for, was never executed.

    “Also, a critical survey of the DESOPADEC past and present budgets unveil that cost of projects sum in respect of NAIFOR is far higher than similar projects awarded to other communities in Ogb-Ijoh Warri Kingdom,” they added.

    DESOPADEC’s Acting Head of Infrastructure department, James Eclarke, refused to offer any defence, pushing the bulk to the secretary.

    “You know this is a government establishment and there are appropriate channels for everything you want to do. The secretary is the only one with the authority to interface on matters like this; if he needs to get details on any issue from any department, he can always call for details or direct interactions”.

    Our mission to the commission’s secretary’s office yielded no result.  He was said not to be available. The last has certainly not been heard of this matter.

  • Petroleum Minister: Itsekiri group slams Urhobo’s ambition

    As various ethnic groups in the Niger Delta are jostling for the appointment of their kinsman as Petroleum Minister, the leaders of the Itsekiri ethnic nation in Delta state has slammed their Urhobo counterpart over perceived tactics of blackmail to achieve the aim

    The Warri Study Group (WSG), in reaction to a statement credited to the Urhobo Consultative Forum (UCF), said the Urhobos  are not qualified to seek one of the juiciest ministerial position, contrary to the claim by the UCF and its ‘falsehood and misinformation’ on Urhobo’s oil production quantum,.

    WSG, in a statement signed by Edward Ekpoko and Tony Ede, Chairman and Secretary debunked the claim that “The Urhobo contributes over 80 per cent of the nation’s income.”

    They said: “Though they (UCF) did not name their resources, but since it is the Petroleum  Ministry they want, we can safely say it is oil and gas. If it is so, it is false; no state in Nigeria  produces up to 50 per cent of its oil and gas. The leading oil producing state in Nigeria presently is Akwa-Ibom State. Delta State comes in after Rivers and Baysela States. The Urhobo are among the least producers of oil and gas even in   Delta State. They produce about 20% of Delta State production, far behind the Itsekiri and Ijaw  in Delta State going by records of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and DESOPADEC.

    “The Ijaw as an ethnic nation remains the leading oil producing ethnic nationality in Nigeria followed by the Itsekiri of the three Warri Local Government Areas of Delta State.

    “One may ask; why do they want the Ministry of Petroleum Resources? Is it the opportunity for looting in the industry that has now been exposed and being investigated? When have ministerial appointments, being filled by advertorial placement?

    “We are surprised our Urhobo neighbour has not imbibed the palpable change the Buhari era has ushered in! Advertise for ministerial appointment! Perish the idea, you are not qualified,” Ekpokpo and Ede said in the statement.

    They also faulted the UCF’s claim that the late Yoruba sage and former Premiere of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, gave the Itsekiri undue advantage to marginalise the Urhobos of Warri through policies and  programmes in that era.

    “All Nigerians, except the sponsors of this falsehood, blackmail and treachery, are fully aware of the well-published and well-known facts about Itsekiri of Warri in Nigerian history.”

    The Warri group also lambasted the UCF for castigating President Goodluck Jonathan in the statement stressing that they were not fair to him in spite of his largess to the Urhobo nation.

    While conceding that President Jonathan’s policies were hostile towards Itsekiri and many other ethnic groups, the WSG said same cannot be said of the Urhobo, who got various ministerial appointments and board membership under the former president.

    “Though, it is now fashionable for those currying favour from President Buhari to accuse President  Jonathan of all evils, the truth must be told. The Urhobo under President Jonathan had two Ministers  – Chiefs Kenneth Gbagi and Stephen Oru and Chairpersons of Boards including the National Judicial Institute.

    “President Jonathan’s sweet romance with, and benevolence to, the Urhobos  made the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) take a vow to neither eat nor drink until President Jonathan was voted in at  the last election to the extent that  UPU even refused to welcome General Muhammadu Buhari, then campaigning for election.

    “President Jonathan’s alleged largesse caused the disgraceful fragmentation that belittled and mocked the Urhobo nation before and after the election,” WSG added.

  • Edo community cries out over abandoned health centre

    Edo community cries out over abandoned health centre

    There was so much joy and hope among inhabitants of Avbiama community in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State in 2013, when local authorities, with the support of an international agency, commenced the construction of a health centre in the rural community. The people saw the development as the answer to their prayer for an accessible and affordable health care.

    Two years on, the health facility has been completed, but unfortunately, it has also been abandoned. A visit by Niger Delta Report to the area and premises of the centre revealed a place overtaken by weeds and providing shelter for rodents and insects of various types.

    Instead of the reachable and inexpensive healthcare the residents of the Avbiama dreamt of when construction of the centre commenced, they still have to travel to Central Hospital in Benin City, the state capital for their health needs. Their sojourn in search of medical aid is even made more arduous my the deplorable state of the road leading to the community.

    Our reporter could not gain entrance to the now abandoned health centre because of overgrown weeds and fear of snakes and other dangerous living things that could be lurking within the bushy building.

    Chairman of Avbiama Community Development Association, Sunday Obazee, told our reporter that the hospital was well equipped after its completion, but lamented that there were no medical personnel employed by the local councils to man them.

    “There is a well-equipped primary health centre, but no staff. We go to Benin to get good health care. The place was built two years ago and it has been locked up since. We don’t know why they did not make it operational. We have been to local council and they said they don’t have fund to make it operational.

    “We clear the bush all the time hoping they would come and make it operational but nothing has been forthcoming.”

    More worrisome for Sunday and inhabitants of the community in their quests to seek health and other assistance outside their space is the deplorable state of the roads leading to the community.

    The roads, according to Sunday, were worsened following heavy duty lorries a Chinese firm are using to collect clay from burrow pits in the community.

    Ironically, the clay which the firm, Time Ceramics Company, uses for production of tiles and ceramic plates, was seen as waste products from the burrow pits.

    Sunday said they stopped the firm from collecting clay from the burrow pits because the firm refuses to contribute money towards repair of the road.

    His words, “Before now, the road was being managed until the Chinese firm came and started collecting clay as their raw material from this community. They contributed to the present bad state of the road. The company is sited at Utesi village. They only come here for their raw materials. We stopped them from coming because the man that owns the pit they were they collecting the materials from did not contribute anything to the repairs of the road. We just did not want them to worsen the road situation more than they have done, so we decided to stop them.”

    Sunday denied widespread report that N10m was paid to the community by the Chinese firm, insisting that nothing was paid to the community. He said the leaders of the Avbiama were surprised to see lorries carting away clay without informing the community leaders and the traditional of the source of their authority to do so.

    “We don’t actually see the use of clay as any raw materials. We used to see the clay as a waste product from the pit. To my understanding, they said they are using it for ceramics. We expect that the company to pay stipend for the road repairs.

    “We want government to repair this road. Two years ago, NDDC said they have awarded this road. They brought bulldozers and all of a sudden they stopped. We have been to their office and they kept telling us they would return to site. There is only one transformer providing electricity for this community and it has been overloaded.”

    It was difficult for our reporter to get the views of Time Ceramics as the spokesman of the firm was said to be sleeping when our reporter visited the company.

     

     

     

  • Coalition honours Etimigba

    Coalition honours Etimigba

    The Coalition of Delta State Students on Sunday rolled out the drums to celebrate a Niger Delta businessman and philanthropist, Chief Evans Etimigba. He was honoured with the group’s “21st Century Ambassador Diligent Service and Nation Building” award, in Warri Delta State.

    The National President of CODESSTU, Ambassador Patrick Kalin (JP), said the award given to the Chairman/CEO of Evatimi Global Ventures, was in recognition of his forthrightness and commitment towards provision of quality education for indigent members of the society.

    He said the students salute his “salient contributions to improving standard of living of the youths in the state and Ijaw nation and his advocacy for peace and sustainable development in the Niger Delta region.”

    Etimigba, who is the Igbelegbelebinewei of Iduwini Kingdom in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta states, described the award as something out of the blues.

    He said: “I particularly value this award because I know that people spend money searching for and buying honours, but I feel honored that a group I do not know from anywhere popped up and decided to recognise my little contributions to the society.”

    While dedicating the award to God and his “beautiful wife”,  Etimigba said the honour was the third he was receiving within just one year, having earlier being celebrated by Centre for Productive Leadership and the Niger Delta Youth Voice’s ‘Visionary Leadership of Action Gold’ and ‘Symbol of Diligent and Efficient Leadership’ awards respectively.

    “These may be awards and recognitions, but I see them as a challenge to rise and do more because there’s a portion of the bible that says ‘to whom much is given, much more is expected’. I have been challenged and I must say that I am motivated and spurred to do more for my community, my society and my country.

    “This latest award will make me more focused and productive, not only for myself and my family, but my community and our great nation. I also wish to thank friends and well wishers who celebrated this honour with me.

    “I have concluded plans to distribute 5,000 books and writing materials to pupils and students in various schools in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State. That is just the beginning. I pray God to give me and my family long life and good health and I promise to do more,” he vowed.

    Chief Itimigba, an indigene of Ofougbene town, was decorated with his traditional title by HRM Bosu Dio, the Ebenanawei of Iduwini Kingdom. Burutu Local Government Area of Delta state, in 1999.

  • Cleric extols women at conference

    Women have been described as carriers of untold treasures.

    Speaking at the 17th edition of the yearly Zion International Conference tagged “The Precious Jewel” organised by the Virtuous Women Services Foundation (VWSF), the President, Apostle Edu Elijah Mboho, wife of Archbishop Dr. Elijah Mboho, said it is important to remind every woman that they carry treasures that are unimaginable but that they must also be told that they have to come to Jesus through whom alone this untold treasure embedded  in them may be made manifest.

    Dwelling on the theme “The Precious Jewel”, Apostle Mboho said  “Precious”  defines a thing as being of great value, costly and highly esteemed, while “Jewel”  is a fashion ornament especially made out of a precious stone.

    Mboho told the women who gathered in thousands from across the nation at Gospel Village, Headquarters of Goodnews Community International Incorporated, Abak,  Akwa Ibom State,  that as precious and unique as  a jewel is, it is cut out of a rough stone and has to go through very rough processes, all aimed at bringing out of it beautiful sparkles that only the Creator knew and understands.

    Apostle Mboho said with the use of sharp, abrasive or hot instrument, the raw stone, taken out of the earth, is reduced in size, changed in shape and colours with the purpose of producing a desirable ornament for beautification.

    She told the excited and praying crowd that as recorded in 1st Peter 2:5, ‘We are living stones meant to be built into a spiritual house for a holy, dedicated and consecrated service to the Lord.

    Though the process may be rough, she reminded the worshippers that ‘the Master Builder has a target of bringing out every brilliantness, beauty and creativity embedded on the inside of them’. She urged them to hold on and stay encouraged as the end is glorious. ” Remember you are a chosen generation, and a special people set aside to display the virtues and perfection of Him who called you. Let your life say yes to your calling and purpose. Your blessing is tied to the fulfillment of your purpose. Your destiny is God’s divine agenda”, she admonished the worshippers.

    Membership of VWSF is open to all women, children and youth irrespective of age, nationality, colour, race or social standing in society as well as men.

    The weeklong programme, which had hundreds in camps within  the Gospel Village, ended with thanksgiving to God for His grace and mercies.

  • Coalition urges NDDC to establish micro-credit schemes

    A coalition of Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) has urged the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to institute micro-credit schemes.

    The collation, Niger Delta Network Advancement Program (NDNAP), in a statement  in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, advocated for the initiation of some palliative measures including grants for Micro Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMSEs) to calm the frayed nerves of youths.

    The statement signed by NDNAP President, Al mustapher Emem Edoho and Jubril Uwem Edukere, Board of Trustees (BoT) member, commended the Commission under the Managing Director, Sir Bassey Dan Abia, noting that his time has witnessed strategic interventions with positive impacts in the region.

    Edoho, who disclosed that the NDDC under Abia’s watch has effectively complemented the Federal Government’s development agenda for the region, said the decision of the group to give the Commission a pass mark was a fallout of what he called “reality check” embarked upon by the group in recent times.

    During the inspection, the group, according to Edoho, took inventory of Abia’s performance, noting that “within this short time as the Commission’s Managing Director, the NDDC has gotten a befitting 12-storey building that will serve as the permanent headquarters since it was established in 2000”.

    “The people of Niger Delta will be proud of the building which is awaiting commissioning by Mr. President”, he added.

    Besides, he pointed out that the Commission, in spite challenges of funding, has intervened in roads, bridges, hostels facilities in tertiary institutions, scholarship grants for indigent students and youths’ empowerment to address the restiveness of youths in the region.

    “We call on NDDC to initiate micro, small and medium enterprise grants or loans to further stimulate the economic development of the region and accelerate poverty reduction,” he said.