Category: South East

Ex-militant leader, ‘General’ Endurance Amagbein, has rebuilt the home of Ijaw hero, Maj. Isaac Adaka Boro, as the Ijaw nation celebrates the 54th anniversary of his death.

The house was built in the 1950s.

Isaac’s younger brother and oldest member of the Boro family, David, said Amagbein saw the old house during last year’s Boro Day when he visited the family.

He said: “Amagbein came and said it was a shame that the house was standing like that while the people celebrated Boro, heaping praises on him, yet his house was decrepit.

“He wondered why Ijaw leaders did not do anything about the house all these years they have been celebrating. Amagbein took it upon himself and spent over N13 million to rebuild the house. No government has done it, it is an individual that took it upon himself to save the family from shame.

“People in government are benefiting from the sweat of Adaka Boro but they will not look at the family. They started the anniversary abroad, but former Governor Seriake Dickson brought the celebration home. But, even at that, what are we getting? Amagbein has changed all that and we are eternally grateful to him.”

The late Isaac Boro’s first daughter, Esther, said the significance of the Boro Day celebration is knowing where the Ijaw were coming from, where they had gotten to today, and the changes they had to make within themselves.

Hundreds of Ijaw youths, comprising Amagbein Peace Movement (APM), the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and Movement for the Survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND), ensured that businesses were shut in honour of the Ijaw hero.

IYC National Spokesman Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe noted that the remembrance celebration had impressed on the minds of youths of the Niger Delta that he was not just another folk hero, but a ‘university student leader, a teacher, policeman and soldier’.

National Secretary of the MOSIEND, Winston Cotterel Amain, described the celebration as another avenue to observe, commend, instruct and where necessary, criticise, especially in an event of outright contravention of the fundamentals and vision of the actualisation of the Reorientation, Repositioning and Recovery of the lost grounds in the emancipation of the Ijaw nation.

About 45 farming communities with forest reserves in Edo State have sued Governor Godwin Obaseki and the state government at the Economic Communities of West African States’ (ECOWAS) court in Abuja over plans to take over their lands.

The forest reserves extend to Ovia Northeast, Uhunmwonde, Owan West and Owan East Local Government Areas.

The suit was filed on May 11, 2022, by the incorporated trustees of the Okpamakhin Community Initiative, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) consisting of farmers and other land users in the councils, eight men and women farmers, and other land users of the forest reserves, with the processes obtained yesterday in Benin.

The plaintiffs, through their lawyer, President Aigbokhan, prayed the court to protect their inalienable rights and get judgment against the Obaseki-led government, which ceded their ancestral forest reserves to private investors to establish oil palm plantations and other agricultural activities, without their due information, consultation and consent.

The displeased plaintiffs also want the court to stop the forcible takeover of their ancestral lands by the Edo government, using armed policemen and other security agents.

The crisis in the Ebonyi State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) worsened yesterday with the purported suspension of the Chairman, Silas Onu, by his Obiozara ward in Ohaozara Local Government Area.

The execos accused Onu of unlawful conduct during the delegates election ‘which brought disrepute to the party’.

There has been a crisis in the party since a Federal High Court in Abuja sacked Tochukwu Okorie as the party chairman, and declared Silas Onu the new chairman.

Onu had challenged Okorie’s election, citing irregularities in the process that led to the congress which produced Okorie. The court sacked Okorie and declared Onu chairman.

But the party has been plunged into fresh crisis since the congress. Party executives in Obiozara ward announced Onu’s suspension, accusing him of gross misconduct and brigandage.

A letter announcing his suspension, addressed to the national chairman, and signed by Akpa Azi and Timothy Nwogo, factional chairman and secretary, reads: “We, the undersigned, on behalf of the PDP executives in Obiozara Ward, Ohaozara Local Government Area, have noted the gross misconduct and brigandage of our party chairman, Silas Onu, on May 3 and 4, which marred the lawful and peaceful ad hoc conduct of the ward congress for the election of three-man delegate for the primary election.

“We hereby resolve that Silas Onu is forthwith suspended as a member of our party in our ward.”

But the party’s spokesperson, Nwoba Chika, said Onu remains the state chairman. According to him, the signatories to the letter are not ward executives.

He said: “Though not conceding that the chairman has been suspended, it should be noted that those who wrote the letter failed to follow due process in its transmission.

“The letter should go through the local government leadership to the state executive or, in this case, the zonal executive, since the state chairman’s involvement will make it difficult to go through the state executive and then the national leadership.

“In any case, the letter is forged as those who purportedly signed it have all denied appending their signature to it.”

The Anambra State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Chika Ifemeje, has identified ignorance of the law, especially of the constitutional law, as reasons for the increasing cases of human rights abuse among youths.

She challenged youths to imbibe the culture of reading so they can be abreast with their fundamental human rights as enshrined in the constitution.

Ifejeme spoke during a training and mentoring of youths on methodologies for tracking and defending human rights violations and abuse in the state.

The event was organised by the Centre for Social Awareness, Advocacy and Ethics (CSAAE), in partnership with Youth Empowerment Solutions Project Initiative (YES-P) and Centre for Health Education and Vulnerable Support (CHEVS), and powered by VOICE.

Ifejeme was represented by the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Barr. Ngozi Iwouno.

“Youths need to be very knowledgeable by reviving their reading culture. Lawyers are said to be learned because they read vast. But you need not be a lawyer to be learned to fight for your rights,” she said.

Delivering a paper titled ‘Obtaining social justice through harmonious non-confrontational approach’, Ifejeme lauded the role youths played during the #EndSARS protest, but regretted its outcome. She, however, proffered measures to be employed to ensure more effective and fruitful future protests.

She added: “Using the #EndSARS protest as case study, social media remains a powerful and indispensable tool in seeking social justice in the 21st century. To avoid a case where physical protest is hijacked by hoodlums, it is important to ensure there’s a leadership structure. Besides, there’s need to prohibit the use of destructive and weapons during protests.

“Protesters must inform and seek police protection prior to the protest. We must device means to identify members of these protest by either the wearing uniforms or head/armbands.

“We must not deter, but continue to seek for social justice in a harmonious and peaceful way at all times and in all places. It’s not just our God-given rights, but our fundamental human rights enshrined in chapter four of the 1999 Constitution as amended.”

The founder/Chief Executive Officer of CSAAE, Rev. Godswill Agbagwa, said the project was inspired by the sequence of EndSARS protest used by the youths to demand good governance, accountability and resistance to inhumane treatment by the police.

Agbagwa, represented by the Programme Manager, Davidson Nwaonu, said the exercise was to build the capacity of 21 young people representing the 21 councils of the state on what they need to understand about human rights, and how to defend rights before the law.

“CSAAE fights for good governance, rule of law, human rights and anti-corruption; advances quality education, entrepreneurship and job placement; promotes effective leadership and trains effective leaders.

“We are trying to harness the positive part of them as young people to work with the security agencies whose job is to ensure that our society is safe,” he added.

Three persons died while two others were injured when the roof of an open market stall in a market in Ebonyi caved in on Friday evening.

The incident happened at Ekeaja market square, Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area.

Governor David Umahi confirmed the incident in a statement on Saturday.

The governor was quoted by the statement issued by his Media Aide, Nwaze Francis as expressing shock at the incident

“The Governor of Ebonyi State, David Nweze Umahi, has received with rude shock the disturbing and unfortunate news of the toppling of a part of the roof of one of the shades at the Ekeaja Market, Uburu which resulted in the loss of about three lives while two others were hospitalised,” the statement said.

Governor Umahi who described the occurrence as catastrophic sympathised with the families of the three persons who lost their lives.

The statement also noted that the governor has also reached out to others who sustained various degrees of injury during the incident.

“We have received the news of the unfortunate incident of the toppling of a part of one of the shades at Ekeaja market and the death of three persons in the incident with rude shock.

“As mortals, we cannot question God but we pray fervently for God Almighty to grant the victims rest in his bosom and comfort their families,” Umahi said.

“We however pray that God Almighty grants the hospitalized survivors quick recovery and reintegration with their families.”

Governor Umahi, however, directed the police and other relevant agencies to immediately launch a full-scale investigation to unearth the immediate and remote causes of the incident.

“I, therefore, implore our security agencies to work with the engineers at the Ministry of Works and the contractor of the project to immediately mobilise for a thorough investigation into this unfortunate incident to discover the causes of the ugly occurrence as a way of averting reoccurrence,” he added.

It was gathered that the victims ran into the shade to wait out a heavy downpour in the area.

The strong winds that accompanied the heavy rain was said to have blown away part of the building which fell on them.

One of the victims is said to be a fourteen years old girl who died on the spot while others were rushed to hospital where two others were later confirmed dead.

The Deeper Life high school saga wherein a junior student, Don-Davis Archibong accused some senior students and teachers of molestation and abuse has finally been laid to rest by all the parties involved.

In a peace and reconciliation reception organised by Deeper Life High School on Friday, which is part of the terms of settlement, Don-Davis’ mother, Deborah Archibong who spoke with newsmen after the novelty match, expressed happiness that all the children involved in the case are alive to witness the occasion.

She recalled that her son, Don-Davis came to Deeper Life High School because of the sound moral standard and discipline the school is known for.

Mrs. Archibong appreciated the teachers, students and the principal for the cooperation, noting that she has seen Christ in all of them.

“I am honestly happy because all the children involved are alive and some parents watching us may be crying but I give God the glory. This is what the body of Christ is all about.

“Let us forget the devil came in, everything will be fine. The good news I want to trend from social media is that I like the cooperation of teachers, principal and every other person. When I came in I was wearing tight because I thought it would be anyhow but I see Christ in every one of them. I know that Deeper Life High school has come to stay,” Deborah Archibong said.

At the Peace and Reconciliation Reception, the lead counsel to Deeper Life High School, Taiwo Kupolati SAN, commended the High Court Judge, Ntong Ntong for initiating the peace process.

Kupolati also appreciated all the parties for embracing peace and advised parents to seek and boldly enforce peace as anybody who does not have peace is not entitled to good life.

“The Honourable Judge suggested that the parties should settle the case outside court. It is to the glory of God that after two conferences, both parties and individuals concerned; the school, and the children involved, came together to reconcile.

“I want us to know that as parents we must seek and boldly enforce peace because he who does not have peace is not entitled to good life.  I thank Deborah Archibong so much for agreeing to have this matter resolved at no financial cost because of the future of the children. I thank you for your understanding. All the bad memories and negative publicity are gone.”

In his words, the lawyer who represented the claimant, Sampson Awoji, thanked Deeper Life High school for keeping to the terms of settlement.

Earlier in his remark, the State Overseer of Deeper Life Bible Church, Akwa Ibom Pastor Emmanuel Amaeze, represented by Pastor Timothy Adewuyi, urged everybody to learn how to live in peace.

The highpoint of the peace and reconciliation reception was the presentation of memorabilia to Don-Davis Archibong as a parting gift from the Deeper Life High School.

It would be recalled Don-Davis Archibong’s parents in a suit no: HU/197/2021 had sued two senior students of Deeper Life High School, Uyo Campus, Shalom Ibikunle and Ola Feyisetan, the Principal Mrs. Ndidi Solomon and some teachers for abuse, molestation and neglect of their son while in the hostel even though medical report indicated that Don-Davis Archibong was not abused as claimed by the parents.

The governorship aspirant of the Accord Party for the 2023 general elections in Abia State, Bishop Emeka Nwankpa has assured residents and indigenes of the state that his government would address both the infrastructural challenge and systemic rot and set the state on the path of progress with his first four years in office as the governor of the state.

Bishop Nwankpa who spoke at the party’s secretariat located at Bende road in Umuahia, the state capital said that he was on a divine mission; to rescue Abia State from the clutches of those that has not only held the state down over the years, but have continued to impoverish and subject residents and indigenes of the state to penury.

The Accord Party governorship aspirant while bemoaning the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led government in the state for setting the state backward over the years listed godfatherism, revenue leakages, multiple taxation, non-promotion of workers, non-payment of workers’ salaries and pensions etc, among some of the systemic rot that he was going to address if elected governor of the state.

A Group, under the auspices of Urhobo Media Practitioners Advocacy Group, UMPAG, has called for peace and harmony among governorship aspirants across the state in respective of political party.

In a communiqué issued by its Chairman, Olorogun Festus Ahon, Secretary, Comrade Theophilus Onojeghen and Adviser, Chief Omafume Amurun at the end of its meeting in Effurun, Uvwie local government, Delta state, said the mission of the group is to join hands with other relevant stakeholders to facilitate the emergence of an Urhobo as governor of Delta State come 2023.

Anambra State governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, says wise counseling of Obi of Onitsha, Alfred Achebe, has helped the State and Ndigbo in tackling the issue of security.

The governor spoke while celebrating the monarch on his 81st birthday and 20 years on the throne of Onitsha kingdom.

In a statement Saturday in Awka, signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Chris Aburime, Soludo, said described Achebe as an outstanding personality in Nigeria.

“On behalf of the government and People of Anambra State felicitates with the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, (Agbogidi) on his 81st birthday anniversary, today, (May 14 2022).”