The Nation Newspaper

Category: Niger Delta

  • Widow wants killer cop arrested

    Widow wants killer cop arrested

    The widow of Anthony Obisike, who was killed by a policeman in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Police Service Commission.

    The alleged killer cop was a member of the Anti Terrorist Squad.

    The incident occurred in 2012.

    Mrs. Obisike said her husband was allegedly shot by the squad at Etche junction by Eleme flyover in Port Harcourt.

    She said police investigation identified the shooter as one of the policemen in the squad.

    She said: “The officers that rode in the bus include Ocheni Ihiabe, Ogban Kanu, Joseph Udele, Abraham Agande, Daniel Ayuba, Darlington Ukachukwu, Onunghakpo Benson, Uwgwo Uche, Emmanuel Zork, Peter Junior and Atanfut.

    “Since the incident that led to the death of my husband, the police have not arrested the officers accused of the crime. The police authority knows the officers behind the killing but failed to prosecute them.

    “I am presently suffering, with the children my husband left behind.”

    She urged the Inspector- General of Police to order the arrest of those behind the death of my husband and to ensure that justice is done.”

    Police Public Relations Officer Mrs. Angela Agabe said she did not know anything about the petition but promised to find out and get back to our reporter.

     

     

  • ACON raises alarm over hijack of airwaves

    Members of the Association of Cable Practitioners of Nigeria (ACON) have raised the alarm over the porous state of the airwaves.

    Its Chairman, Kunle Oyisaya-Afolabi, spoke at the end of its third quarter general meeting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    He expressed concern about the possibility of the country losing its media airspace to foreign operators if quick intervention was not made.

    According to him, international cable network service providers, especially those from China and South Africa, are fast taking undue advantage of the situation to spread their culture into the country to the detriment of Nigeria and her citizens.

    He accused two South African Cable Networks of being at the forefront of this abuse and called on the authorities, especially the National Broadcast Commission (NBC) and the Ministry of Communications to rise up against this trend and save the country’s heritage.

    Oyisaya-Afolabi said: “Nigeria airwaves are being seriously abused by foreign networks; the airwaves are being abused, culturally, morally and otherwise.

    “Unless government realises that this airwave belongs to us and should be managed correctly, effectively and efficiently to deliver dividends of democracy, we will have a serious problem.

    “Various cultures are crimping into Nigeria, at a very fast rate. Initially it was South/African culture, now you find out there are degradation in families.

    “Our culture is being gradually eroded by influx of these foreign cultures. It was South Africa before, but now, Chinese culture is fast coming in now; what we get on our television are Chinese news, culture, food and all that on our television, that is what is presently going on in families in case we don’t know.”

    In a communiqué at the end of the meeting, the group appealed to the government to take the plan to digitise Nigeria seriously and stressed that it would save the country from several hazards and also create employment for the citizens.

     

     

  • ‘My husband killed our son to hurt me’

    A Chief Magistrate’s Court 3, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, has heard how a fight over a pot of soup made a man, Cosmos Itoro, kill his two-year-old son.

    Itoro, 27, was arraigned in the court presided over by Mrs. Felicia Amanze for allegedly hitting his little son with a plank and killing him.

    He told the court: “I came back from where I went to and came back hungry. I noticed that they had eaten; so, I asked my wife to dish some soup so I can eat.

    “She refused, complaining that the quantity of soup in the pot was small and would not be enough for the children in the afternoon. I pleaded to her to assist me that I was very hungry. When she bluntly refused, I went to the pot to dish the soup myself; she came after me.

    “Her mother and younger brother who came to the house that morning supported her. While I was struggling with the pot of soup with her, her brother came and hit me on my eye. In the pains I rushed for a piece of plank around the house to hit back at my in-law. I did not know that my son Miracle was around. The plank landed on his head; he slumped and fainted. Before we could get to the hospital, he had died.”

    Mrs. Dorothy Itoro told the court her husband deliberately killed their baby, alleging that he had earlier threatened to kill him to hurt her.

    She said: “My husband is very lazy. He does not want to do anything for a living. I am shouldering the responsibilities in the house alone; pay house rent and take care of our three children.

    “That morning, he went out and came back to complain of hunger, and requested to be served his food. I told him that the quantity of soup that was remaining was small and should be left for the children but he insisted and went to take the soup. I went to stop him. Then we began to struggle over the pot of soup. At a point, he left it to me and said he was going to kill Miracle to hurt me. He rushed after the plank and hit the boy, he slumped and later died.

    “My brother did not fight him; he was the person who was struggling with him over the pot of soup.”

  • Parties battle Cross River’s electoral body over council polls

    The first indication that all was not well with the September 21 local government elections in Cross River State emerged when the National Conscience Party (NCP) and the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) raised the alarm over the decision of the State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC) to shift the date of the close of nomination forms and submission of candidates.

    Their grouse was that it was to favour the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which failed to meet the deadline. The parties said the umpire had “benevolently” agreed to shift the date under the guise of trying to accommodate the merger of some political parties.

    The NCP and PPA dragged CROSIEC to court over adjustment to the election timetable.

    According to the timetable issued by the commission, the period for the submission of candidates’ names was to last from May 17 to June 17. Also the period for sales of nomination forms was to last from May 20 to June 21.

    CROSIEC chairman Patrick Otu said the deadlines were extended to the first week of July. This, he said, followed a meeting with political parties where they agreed that the extension should be allowed to accommodate the merger attempt by some political parties.

    Since then it has been a barrage of complaints against the commission.

    An originating summons 3 dated July 9 from the High Court in Calabar shows fhat the NCP and PPA want an order restraining the defendant from selling on or acting on or processing any nomination form sold to any political party candidate after June 21 and the issuing of CROSIEC forms LGE001A and LGE002 to any political party after June 17.

    The defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) accused the electoral umpire of arbitrary charges of which it had instituted a case in court to protest the development. Otu said the only money collected from candidates were N90, 000 for chairmanship and N30, 000 for councillorship candidates for security fee, election deposit and processing fee, which he said applied to all parties.

    Chairman of the defunct ACN, Hiilard Eta had also protested against the voters register which he said would disenfranchise a lot of Cross Riverians who had attained the voting age of 18 between when the last elections was held and now.

    Also, the defunct Congress for Democratic Change (CPC) has instituted a legal action in the Federal High Court seeking to bar the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) from handing over the Voters’ Register to CROSIEC for the conduct of the Council election without first carrying out a comprehensive review of the register.

    The CPC is querying INEC’s power to handover the voter register to CROSIEC to organise the local government election in Cross River State on September 21 without a revision of the Voters’ Register.

    CPC also wants an update of the register by INEC.

    With the merger of the ACN, CPC and All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) into the All Progressives Congress (APC) registered on July 31, Eta said the commission’s legal advisers would advise on the way forward.

    Speaking at a meeting convened by the chairmen of the three defunct parties, he said they were already harmonising their structures.

    However, the fate of the APC hangs on the balance as to whether it will be eligible to present candidates in the local government elections with the deadline for submission long due, a situation CROSIEC has refused to comment on. But with the adjustments of the timetable severally to accommodate various interests, it is believed they may have a case.

    In a surprising development, PDP jumped into the fray of parties attacking the umpire.

    PDP Chairman John Okon told reporters in Calabar that the umpire has lapses. One of his grouses was CROSIEC’s failure to publish the list of screened candidates at the time stipulated by the timetable. He raised fears about the commission’s readiness to handle the elections.

    Okon said: “Our candidates submitted themselves for screening and from CROSIEC time-table stipulated that the screened list will be published at area offices between 15th-19th July, 2013. As we speak today, the list of screened candidates is not published.

    “We demand that CROSIEC publish the list of screened candidates and the parties that sponsored them immediately. We don’t want to believe that CROSIEC wants to smuggle names of candidates of parties that did not submit nomination as at 7th July, 2013.”

    On why is the PDP was worried over the umpire’s noncompliance to timetable when it had been a beneficiary of an alteration to timetable before to accommodate their own interest, he said the first instance was done in a “transparent” way.

    When The Nation visited Otu on Wednesday, he was unwilling to talk. But after being persuaded, he wondered what the PDP was fretting over.

    He said: “It is just that they were expecting the list and they have not seen it yet. Whenever they see it, let them take it. This thing is not easy. We are working towards it. It is not easy screening all the candidates. Maybe it would be out next week. I will not say more.”

    Already, with the elections less than a month away, the umpire’s hands are already looking full. There are speculations that the local government elections would be shifted.

     

  • Bayelsa prepares to host NAFEST

    The Chief Executives of Culture of the Federation (CEC) met in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital to brainstorm on ways of leveraging on culture to promote a united Nigeria.

    The meeting held at the Ijaw House had in attendance chief executives of culture from the 36 states, Federal Capital Territory and heads of Federal Cultural Parastatals and Federal Department of Culture.

    The gathering afforded the cultual experts an opportunity to deliberate on ways of packaging the forthcoming National Festival of Art and Culture to douse the tension.

    The 2013 edition of NAFEST with the theme, Culture, Peace and National Transformation, is to be hosted in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

    Governor Seriake Dickson, who declared the meeting open appealed to participants not to relent in their efforts to map out strategies of promoting national unity and cultural diversity.

    Dickson who was represented by the state Commissioner for Culture and Ijaw National Affairs, Dr. Felix Tuodor, said the government made culture and tourism its priority.

    “As a first step, an autonomous ministry of culture was cated forbthe first time to maximally address the and harness its potential.

    “I have no doubt therefore, that this meeting of our cultural giants would deliberate and fashion out policies that would outlive NAFEST 2013, such that would further strengthen our national unity and promote our cultural diversity in Nigeria.

    “Again, I am delighted to be part of this as we have mandated the ministry to tap the abundant potential inherent in our culture for the development and growth of our people,”he said.

    He described as great honour to give the state a hosting right for the event.

    The Executive Director, National Council for Arts and Culture, Mr. Nwajim Maidugu, said the forum was organised to enable members discuss and profer ideas on culture as a vehicle for national unity.

    He lauded the state government for hosting the event and for supporting the State Ministry of Arts and Culture.

    He said such encouragment was responsible for the state cultural troupe’ distinguished performances both within and outside the country.

    He said: “This year NAFEST is designed to consolidate children’s participation as a major plank for transmitting the values of the country’s cultural heritage to future generation.

    “This forum generally offers opportunity for members to interact, discuss and profer ideas towards repositioning the culture sector to key into the overall government development programmes.

    “It is also a platform on which the strategies of implementing national cultural events such as the NAFEST amongst others are discussed and adapted.”

  • ‘Resist western influence on Bini culture’

    Life of Edo State Deputy Governor, Deaconess Endurance Odubu, has urged the Bini people to resist western influence on their culture.

    She said the culture was unique and worth preserving.

    Mrs Odubu spoke at the unveiling of the female version of the Bini traditional attire “Ewu Iwu Oghikhuo” which took place in Benin City.

    Deaconess Odubu, who was represented by Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Blessing Maigida, said the Bini traditional attire for women came at the right time when the youths seem to be losing grip of their cultural values and ethics.

    She noted with sadness that Benin moral values were fast being eroded by western culture and appreciated the designer of the traditional attire for Bini women, Dr. Helen Uhunmwanagho, for the initiative aimed at giving the rich cultural heritage of the land its pride of place.

    Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism Mrs. Ainena Jemitola said the introduction of the traditional dress code for women would reduce the threat of extinction posed to African culture.

    The chairman of the occasion and Iyase of Benin Kingdom, Chief Sam Igbe noted that the Benin, traditional attire remains the pride of the Benins all over the world, and called for more unity among the Benins.

    President, Benin Cultural Heritage Centre (BCHC), Dr. Roland Ehigiamosoe said the traditional outfit for women is a derivation from body tattooing as practised in Benin Kingdom.

    The initiator and designer, Dr. Uhunmwangho, explained that the attire had been designed into blouses and robes, which can be worn at formal or informal settings.

    She said the new IWU dress Code was not introduced to do away with the notable Benin attire of wrapper and beads but to enhance what is already on ground.

     

  • Will NDDC board free Niger Delta of ‘failed’ projects?

    Will NDDC board free Niger Delta of ‘failed’ projects?

    President Goodluck Jonathan is expected any moment from now to announce a new board for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The board is coming in at a time there are concerns over abandoned or failing Federal Government projects in the region.

    In Akwa Ibom, projects in deplorable conditions include the East-West Road, which passes through Ikot Abasi, Onna, Eket and Oron and the Eket-Ibeno Road.

    The Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District Assembly, a group of opinion leaders in the area, said the slow pace of work and shabby handling of some federal projects have become worrisome.

    The group said: “The haphazard execution of the roads, notably the East–West Road, and the Eket – Ibeno road has made it impossible for economic and social activities between communities affected by the re-construction of the projects.’’

    The group doubts the completion of the Akwa Ibom section of the East – West Road before the December 2014 deadline.

    It said: “We doubt very seriously the possibility of attaining this promise on this stretch of road which traverses Ikot Abasi, Mkpat Enin, Onna, Eket, Nsit Ubium, Urue Offong Oruko, Okobo and Oron in Akwa Ibom State. Kindly take a look at the proposed Bye-pass where work has not started and the Qua Iboe River Bridge being constructed at snail speed.

    “On the Eket Ibeno Road, they maintained that the road which links the operational base of Mobil Producing Nigeria with the rest of the state has been in a sorry state for the past two decades, and despite the fact that contract for its reconstruction having been awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission, the road still remains a perpetual death trap.

    “In view of this we believe that the Good Governance Tour currently is a step in the right direction, as this exercise affords the Federal Government the opportunity to have inspected projects across the countr and thereby address the challenges associated with the implementation of projects.”

    The state is also home to the inland water jetty that has been neglected by successive governments. There is also the abandoned NTA Channel 39 Eket. The project, which commenced in 2001 as part of the Federal Government’s Rural Broadcasting Programme, was billed to start in June 2003.

    The group said: “The building was completed, transmitters installed and generators provided but the station has not been commissioned ten years after completion. We strongly suggest that the minister should find time to visit this project of his ministry and use his good office to ensure the smooth take-off of this viable media outfit, which could be of immense importance to the transformational leadership of the president, as well as sensitise the people as at when due.”

    Recently, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) expressed concern over the abandonment of projects by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    President of NUPENG, Igwe Achese, in a statement, said: “It is sad to state that despite the huge funds allotted the NDDC from oil revenue to develop Niger Delta, there is nothing really on ground to show for its existence. We have had many cases of NDDC contractors collecting mobilisation fees and abandoning the projects. The objective of setting the NDDC has not really been met, as the roads in the Niger Delta are still in deplorable state. The NDDC is just another avenue for its officials and government cronies to enrich themselves. The NDDC has failed to transform lives in the Niger Delta.

    “It is only its signboards that are seen, with no noticeable progress in the contracts awarded. A case in point is the reclamation project in Gbaramatu area where the contractor was reported to have removed its equipments even when the project has not been completed.”

    NUPENG urged the Federal Government to review the mandate of the NDDC to make its impact felt by the people whose soil has been destroyed by the activities of oil multi-nationals.

    Achese added : “It is a pity that the NDDC has not lived up to expectations despite the huge billions of naira voted for its activities every year. The Federal Government must, therefore, set up a special task force to monitor all its activities, projects and make sure that they are commissioned on time.”

    The report of Presidential Monitoring Committee on NDDC is also a testimony that the next NDDC board must make a difference. It indicted the management of the commission of abandoning 285 projects in the region. The projects are at different levels of completion.

    The projects were executed between 2005-2011. The report said 609 projects in three states were physically inspected and evaluated. Of the 609 projects monitored, 222 (36.5 per cent) were completed, 102 (16.7 per cent) were on-going and 285 (46.8 per cent) were abandoned at various levels of completion.

    The report indicated that “the committee interacted with host communities, stakeholders, the NNDC contractors and officials and discussed grey areas, with a view to correcting the anomalies identified in the course of the project inspections”.

    Critical issues in the report include: “The abandonment of a large number of projects and the refusal of NNDC to address the issue of abandoned projects with no evidence of any attempt to recover the funds using appropriate government agencies such as EFCC and ICPC; the failure of the NNDC, to complete all Civic Center projects over an operational period of 12 years; The failure of NDDC to complete all shoreline protection projects over an operational period of 12 years; the failure of NDDC to complete all University Hostel Projects over an operational period of 10 years. It is noted that the federal government has allocated billions of Naira on the projects listed in ii-iv above and above as spent these monies; the unjustifiable introduction of astronomical variations on the contracts sums of most projects awarded by the NDDC over short periods of time. Some of these variations are effected prior to project commencement; The deliberate exclusion of some meg projects from the list of projects submitted to the Presidential Monitoring Committee for evaluation; the refusal of NDDC to sanction incompetent contractors such as Messrs Fountain Construction Company Ltd handling the Eket-Ibeno road in Akwa IBM state. It was noted that the incompetence of this contractor led to the strike action embarked upon by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Mobil Producing Nigeria Branch ( PENGASSAN-MPN) on 28th August 2012. most of the water projects embarked upon by NDDC are non-functional; the approval and execution of some projects that are completely outside the statutory operational scope of the NDDC, such as renovation of Port Harcourt Club and study on the generation of electric power from gully erosion sites amongst others; the refusal of NDDC to provide accounting records and records of beneficiaries of NDDC mass transit boat and bus scheme embarked upon since 2004; and the uncooperative attitude of NDDC management to the committee by refusing to provide records of some critical financial transactions of the commission such as the bank statements, payment vouchers, and their supporting documents, the stores records and accounts and the insensitive response of the NDDC management to the problems of contractors as related to the execution of their projects”.

    Jonathan, on receipt of the report, said: “One of the key issues you raised that we will also looked into it and see how we can cement it is that there is a gap between the managing committee and the management of the NDDC and they suppose not to see themselves as cat and dog. They functions suppose to complement because the NDDC cannot monitor itself.

    “From the establishing law the feeling is that let a body be established that could monitor and it could even help the management because you can never see what they are doing behind you. So we expect a robust relationship between the committee and the management and if you have a robust relationship if the committee observes certain things you can even discuss with the management even before reports are sent to the Presidency. And if there is an area where is not properly understood, there will be the basis for explanation.”

    But, there are the issue of the government and others not giving the NDDC its dues. The Federal Government is said to be owing the commission no less than N500 million. When the House of Representatives Committee on the Niger Delta toured some states in the region in June, it made it clear that the commission needed the money to function well.

    By the Act establishing the Commission, the Federal Government is to contribute an equivalent of 15 percent of the sum accruable to the nine oil producing state from the Federation Account for its operations. But the government had defaulted on this on several occasions. As at 2009, what had been denied the Commission was put at about N500billion approximately.

    Chairman of the House Committee on NDCC Nicholas Mutu said: “We now appreciate the need to commit more funds for the rapid development of the oil-rich region. What we have seen convinces us that the NDDC is making tremendous impact on the lives of the people. We will, therefore, urge the Federal Government to give the commission the financial muscle to be able to handle more big ticket projects.

    “We commend the NDDC for working against these odds and still delivering on its mandate of fast-tracking the development of the Niger Delta. In the light of this, we call on the Federal Government to encourage the commission by releasing the over N500 billion it is owing on outstanding statutory allocations to it.”

     

     

  • ‘My wife’s rapists nearly lynched me with machetes’

    ‘My wife’s rapists nearly lynched me with machetes’

    What has been the reaction of the government to your plight since the last publication?

    Government is government; they know what to do. In a matter like this, I cannot tell them what to do, but one thing I know is that God is watching and members of the public, both locally and internationally, are watching. The humiliation, as I said before, was not done to me but the entire human race and women at large.

    One of the suspects at large called me on phone; he confessed and condemned what they did and apologised to me. But, all I could answer him was to stop confessing and apologising to me, rather he should do all of those to God. My wife is God’s creation and not mine. So, he should repent and surrender his life to God; so, he will not enmesh himself into such act again.

    Let me also use this opportunity to inform the government that by my experience on pregnancy and HIV/AIDS, and the campaign against transmission to unborn babies, I have some wise solution to it and will like to make myself available to them if I am called upon to proffer wise and workable procedures to preventing the transition from mother to child.

    What is your feeling on the way the government and the judiciary are handling the case?

    I have not heard anything about the matter since. Who am I in the society that my outcry should be taken seriously? Who do I have that will stand to ensure the matter is taken up? My fervent prayer is that the suspects (rapists) should repent from what they did. If they repent, the government should forgive them.

    Do you really mean that?

    Yes, if they repent, they should be forgiven.

    So, why are you concerned that nothing has been done about the matter?

    I was in Magistrate’s Court Nine, here in Port Harcourt the first time they were arraigned, and the case file was referred to the DPP. Since then, I have not heard any other thing about it.

    I want to tell the whole world that God is the ultimate in whatever we do on earth today and should not be ignored. Let us fear God; that is the beginning of wisdom.

    What is the reaction of your kinsmen, your community leaders and family members and is it true that you were banished?

    Nobody banished me. Indigenes of my community, the young, the old and the chiefs, were and are solidly behind me up till date. They totally condemned the act. Some of them described it as abomination while others said it was an act of gross wickedness, which bears grave consequences on the actors and the community, being members of my family and community.

    Knowing the consequences, our chiefs attempted to wade into the matter but unfortunately it was already with the police; so, I asked them to go to the police and discuss with them. It is no longer my matter.

    Every member of the community has been raining abuses on the criminals; I was not banished at all. They have continued to pray that God should visit and pay those people back in His own way. I believe they have begun to reap it. What is happening in that community now proves to me that they are on top of it.

    The only thing is that because of the continued threat to my life by the suspects and their cohorts, elders of my community advised me not to frequent the village as I used to, or if I must come, I should come in the company of security personnel.

    The last time I went there, they came after me with machetes, clubs and other weapons to attack me, if not for the community members that intervened and rescued me; I don’t know what would have become of me now.

    They were angry that I went to the press. They were asking me the reason I took the matter to the media, saying that I have disgraced them. My problem now is that I can’t go home as I wish to see my aged mother of over 70 years because of fear of their attacks. I was not actually banished.

    Why did your wife go back to her parents and how did she get to the police with the information about her rape?

    After I reported the matter to the police and made statement, police from the Rivers State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) traced my wife to her parents’ residence at Owerri and arrested her.

    After the discovery that she and our about five month’s old baby boy were positive to the deadly disease, the parents invited her over to be with them for a while. It was there the police went to arrest her, brought her to their office in Port Harcourt, took her statement. It was in her statement that she mentioned the names of the people that raped her. Unfortunately, some of them are my cousins of the same surname. Before she was arrested, the boy had died.

    It was at this point that the police, led by a very senior officer, a Superintendent of Police (SP), Eneje, with the support of the DC/SCID ,Mr. Sam, led the investigations. As I said earlier, my wife was about two months pregnant when the incident happened.

    I am very grateful to God for the SP and his team; how they followed up the matter is worthy of emulation. The SP showed in that matter that he is a God-fearing man. I use this medium to express my heartfelt gratitude to him; he is an example of what policing should be. Efforts by the suspects and their sponsors to bribe their ways out and foreclose the matter were resisted by him.

    How is your wife coping with her status?

    Knowing that what she was diagnosed with is yet without medical solution, we resorted to seeking divine interventions. I took her to the Synagogue Church in Lagos, but unfortunately, we could not see the man of God, Pastor T. B. Joshua. The reason was that we did not go with her medical report.

    What is the position of your marriage?

    No comment on that.

    When was the last time you saw or called your wife?

    She is my wife. I don’t have comment on that still. My prayer is that God should show us mercy and heal her. She should also understand the fact that nobody other than God can heal her in this situation and her faith in God is very important at this point in time.

    When we went to Lagos, I bought a copy of the Bible for her. I never discriminated against her. We slept on the same bed, ate from the same plate, drank from the same cup. At my brother’s house where we stayed in Lagos, he provided different rooms for us but I left my own room for hers and we slept on the same bed. All to encourage her to be prayerful and study her Bible to build up her faith; because that is where lies the solution we need.

    My prayers always are that God may extend that divine mercy He has shown to me also to her. She is my wife.

    If God heals your wife of this disease today, will you take her back?

    (Smiles) I never divorced my wife. She is still my wife. I still give her courage. I always communicate with her elder brother even though I barely reach her. The last time I went to their Owerri residence I was told they had moved. The brother always denies knowledge of where she is.

     

     

  • My ordeal, by policeman whose wife, kids died in kerosene explosion

    My ordeal, by policeman whose wife, kids died in kerosene explosion

    A police officer with the Rivers State Anti Bomb Squad, Inspector Maxwell Samson Etuk, has petitioned police authority over perceived injustice done to him after his wife and children died in a kerosene explosion.

    Etuk said since the incident, which happened while he was at work at night, he has been sleeping in an abandoned vehicle at the police headquarters, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt.

    In a three-page petition addressed to the Inspector-General of Police by his lawyer, Mr. Higher King, Maxwell is asking the police to show concern over his predicament.

    He said it was painful losing his wife and four children in the kerosene explosion at night while on duty and being abandoned by the police authorities.

    King told Niger Delta Report in Port Harcourt, the River State capital, that before his client petitioned the Inspector- General of Police. Several appeals were made to draw the attention of the police but all efforts proved abortive.

    The human rights lawyer said the authorities should to come to the aid of his client to cushion his anguish and suffering.

    He said: “We have petitioned the Inspector-General of Police. All we are expecting by this week is to receive reply which will determine our next line of action. As for justice, I know we will get justice over the matter.

    “Let me state clearly here that we are ready for any legal battle to ensure that justice is done and that will depend on the response to our petition.”

     

  • Glorious day for Calabar Archbishop

    From his humble beginning on June 30, 1979 when he was ordained a Catholic priest at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, Archbishop Joseph Ekuwem has made a glorious return to the city as the Archbishop of Calabar.

    From that day when he was ordained along with four others on that faithful June day, Archbishop Ekuwem has steadily climbed the ladder in the vineyard of God and with his new position is charged with shepherding the flock in the Calabar Archdiocese.

    He took over the responsibility from Archbishop Joseph Ukpo who retired having attained the canonical age of 75.

    Members of his flock who spoke with Niger Delta Report said Ekuwem is particularly noted for “his humility, deep understanding nature tolerance and keen foresight rooted in his early Catholic upbringing.”

    It was therefore not surprising that thousands of Catholic faithful in the Calabar Archdiocese drove all the way to the Calabar-Itu bridge, the border between Cross River and Akwa Ibom States (about an hour away from the state capital) to usher him to the city recently.

    Ekuwem had been the first Bishop of Uyo Diocese since 1989, where his achievements included creating many parishes, quasi-parishes and autonomous communities bringing the total number of parishes to 66 from the 32 he inherited.

    On February 2, 2013, the Pope Benedict XVI appointed him to succeed Ukpo.

    Ekuwem’s canonical installation as Archbishop of Calabar took place in the same venue where he was ordained as priest 34 years ago – the Sacred Heart Cathedral, where the Archbishop Emeritus, Ukpo expressed satisfaction over the cooperation he received from priests, religious and laity during his time.

    Ukpo called for the same cooperation to be extended to the new Archbishop.

    Ekuwem was installed by the Papal Nuncio to Nigeria, Most Reverend Augustine Kasujja alongside, the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Most Rev Dr Ignatius Kaigama.

    In his first address, Ekuwem’s words called for unity among all to work and forge ahead together.

    His words, “I will watch over the unity of the universal church. That the truth should be held and put into practice and passed to all. I would show paternal affection to those who err in faith and I would make every effort to guide them to the fullness of the truth. Having before me the image of Christ, the Supreme and eternal priest, I would conduct myself conscientiously and reverently and thus fulfil the ministry entrusted to me so having become myself become an example to the flock I would be able to confirm the faith in Christian perfection.

    “I would uphold the discipline and carefully uphold the observance of all ecclesiastical laws particularly those contained in the code of cannon law. I would prevent possible abuses especially with regards to the ministry of the word and the celebration of the sacraments

    “I would diligently work after the administration of the Church in terms of growth. In carrying our mandate given to show I would show particular account. I would take care to promote sacred vocations so that the spiritual needs of the whole church would be appropriately met. I would recognize and promote the dignity of lay people. I would be especially concerned to promote missionary work and evangelization of people.

    When the occasion demands I would give an account of my personal office in the apostolic field and to the best of my ability, I would respectfully accept the mandate and counsel.”

    Ekuwem was born on December 18, 1949 at Afi-Uda in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.