Category: South East

A 60-year-old human rights activist, Osita Obi, rescued from suspected cultists in Awka, the Anambra State following attack by suspected cultists has vowed not to back out of war against revenue touts until they are completely eliminated from the state.

He said fight against illegal revenue collections was not for Governor Chukwuma Soludo alone; stressing that citizens should support him with feedbacks to ensure the battle was won.

The suspected armed cultists, believed to be sponsored, reportedly disrupted a meeting scheduled to hold between the governor and tricycle operators at the Alex Ekwueme Square.

The Nation gathered that the hoodlums who stormed venue of the meeting in two tricycles, beat the activist to coma, and left three others with various degrees of injury.

Obi, Convener of Recover Nigeria Project and Coordinator of Tricycle Drivers Forum in the state, who was the primary target, had been critical of how the leadership of the tricycle operators oppressed their members with imposition of illegal levies.

Narrating his ordeal at the emergency unit of the Anambra State University Teaching Hospital Amaku Awka where he was receiving treatment, the activist said he would have been a dead man if not for the timely intervention of the police.

He said he together with the Keke operators were patiently waiting for the governor’s arrival when some armed young men descended on him and hit him with all kinds of weapons with the intention to kill him.

“Their mission was to kill me. Some of the Keke drivers alerted the Police Public Relations Officer who now called the DPO of B Division and they came there and rescued me and took all of us to police headquarters.”

Chairman, Anambra State Drivers Welfare Association, DWA, Comrade Adindu Opara, regretted presence of touts and illegal revenue agents in the state despite their sack.

Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr Tochukwu Ikenga, (DSP), said the leader of the attackers, one Collins Ozojiofor and few others were arrested.

THE Ogoni ethnic nationality has appealed to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to jettison any plan to field a riverine governorship candidate from the Rivers State South East Senatorial District.

The nationality under the auspices of the Ogoni Development Drive (ODD) said since the Ogoni had majority in the senatorial district, it would amount to injustice and political marginalisation for the PDP and other political parties to choose a candidate from the minority riverine area in the district.

The ODD in a statement signed in Port Harcourt at the weekend by its Director, Solomon Lenu, said any party that had settled for a riverine candidate should make its choice from another senatorial district where riverine ijaws are.

Lenu said the findings of ODD revealed that the PDP was planning to give its governorship ticket to a riverine candidate from the South East.

He, however, appealed to the PDP and other political parties to jettison the idea as it would jeopardise the majority Ogoni from producing the governor of the state in the near future.

THE Rivers State Government has disengaged all contractors involved in waste disposal in the state.

The government in a statement signed by the Governor’s Special Assistant, Media, Kelvin Ebiri, said the termination took effect from 29th April.

The statement said: “The decision to terminate their contract with the Rivers State Management Agency (RIWAMA) stems from their inability to fulfill the contractual obligation to ensure cleaner and healthier environment for Rivers’ citizens.

“In the interim, the Rivers State Government has directed the Chairmen of Port Harcourt City and Obio-Akpor Local Government Areas to immediately take charge of the evacuation of waste in their respective jurisdiction, pending the announcement of new waste contractors by Monday.

“In line with its commitment to ensure a more hygienic environment, the Rivers State Government has hereby assured residents and indigenes of the state of its resolve to tackle the waste problems in the state in a comprehensive manner.”

NO fewer than 30 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) escaped a bus fire explosion in Warri, Delta state, Thursday.

It was gathered that the incident took place at a yet-to-be identified filling station in the oil city.

The bus, said to be transporting the corps members to Asaba for their Passing out Parade (POP), immediately caught fire underneath, as it parked beside a fuel pump.

Efforts to locate the said filling station in order to ascertain the level of the situation proved futile Saturday.

According to a CCTV footage which has gone viral, the bus with an inscription of the ‘College of Education, Warri,’ had stopped for a refuel.

While some corps members could be seen struggling to get the door opened, others made it through the windows with the assistance of a man, whose identity could not be ascertained.

In the video, the Good Samaritan quickly rushed to the bus which was already aflame and tried breaking one of the windows to rescue the corps members.

A lecturer at the institution, though he could not ascertain where the incident happened in Warri, confirmed the development to The Nation.

He disclosed that a part of the bus, “about four feet,” was affected by the fire which was later put out.

OPERATIVES of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Bayelsa State Police Command, have arrested three suspected kidnappers, recovered one .9mm ammunition, red Toyota Camry with mutilated plate number and N1m cash.

Spokesman for the command, Asinim Butswat, a Superintendent of Police, gave the names of the suspects as Emmanuel Ebisco, 38; Williams Zikena, 39; and Ekparola Okumo, 35.

Butswat in a statement on Saturday said the suspects were arrested at their hideout at Biogbolo community, Yenagoa, the state capital, following a tip-off.

He said they were apprehended when they wanted to procure an AK 47 riffle to carry out a kidnap.

Butswat said the suspects had volunteered useful information and that they were assisting the police in their investigation.

He said they would be charged to court at the conclusion of investigation.

THE Enugu State Electoral Committee from the National Secretariat of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has applauded officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for a successful outcome of the ward congress across the state.

Speaking when members of the PDP electoral committee supervised the ward congresses held to elect three-man ad hoc delegates, the Chairman of the panel, Prince Vincent Yandev Amaabai, expressed delight at the peaceful atmosphere of the exercise across the 260 electoral wards in Enugu State.

The Chairman added that the electoral processes were well organized, commending Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi-led PDP leadership in Enugu State for the peaceful outcome of the ward congresses in the state.

Led by the Chairman of the PDP in Enugu State, Hon. Augustine Nnamani, to supervise the congress in Umunevo, Ward 02, Ogui Nike, Enugu North Local Government Area, Prince Amaabai, accompanied by other committee members, Hon. Okey Ahiwe and Dr. Adetokumbo Pearse said, “We are members of the PDP state electoral committee who have come from the National Secretariat of our great Party in Abuja to conduct the ward congresses.”

At Umuenwene Ward, Enugu East LGA, where members of the electoral committee were received by the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Edward Ubosi, the member representing Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency, Prince Cornelius Nnaji, the Council Chairman, Nze Livinus Anike, among others, the Committee Chairman, equally expressed satisfaction with the peaceful conduct of the exercise which was also monitored by an INEC official, Mrs. Perpetual Onyia.

The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Okey Ahaiwe has assured that the relationship between Abia State government and the Labour in the State would get more robust in the days ahead.

The Chief of Staff gave the assurance while receiving in audience a delegation of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Abia State Chapter led by its Chairman, Comrade Ihechi EEeogwe.

Chief Ahaiwe said despite the down turn in the nation’s economy, the State government has carried the Labour along and assured them that government would participate actively at the forthcoming 2022 Workers’ Day.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation and Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Abia State Chapter, Comrade Ihechi EEeogwe said the Labour leaders came to congratulate him on his appointment as the Chief of Staff to the Governor and expressed the hope that his appointment would bring about a more robust relationship between the Labour and the government.

Also speaking, the immediate past TUC State Chairman, Comrade Sunny Onwunwa solicited greater partnership between the government and labour in the State, stressing that the Labour is not an enemy of government.

An Edo State High Court, Benin, presided over by Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele, has discharged and acquitted five former top officials of Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) over charges bordering on criminal conspiracy, especially the N1.5 billion fraud at the board, between 2013 and 2016.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on October 5, 2017 arraigned a former Edo Chairman of SUBEB, Prince Stephen Alao, and four other members of the board: Adams Osabuohie, (Director of Finance and Administration), Dove Momodu, Mallam Ali Sulayman (Acting Board Chairman) and Dr. Aisosa Amadasun.

Amadasun is the immediate Edo Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while Sulayman is now an official of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), with the duo and others pleading not guilty to the charges.

Part of the charges preferred against the defendants was: “That you, Prince Stephen Alao, Adams Osabuohien, Dove Momodu, Mallam Ali Sulayman and Dr. Aisosa Amadasun, sometime in the year 2013 to 2016, at Edo State, conspired to commit an offence under Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, No. 5, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2000.”

Delivering judgment yesterday in the suit, Justice Ovbiagele struck out the case due to the inability of the EFCC to ensure diligent prosecution, thereby discharging and acquitting the defendants on charges bordering on criminal conspiracy and for conferring corrupt advantage upon themselves and knowingly holding private interest in a contract award and abuse of office, during their tenure as Edo SUBEB members.

While responding to the judgment, Sulayman declared that the verdict showed that there was still hope in Nigeria’s judicial system.

He said: ‘’We thank God for His mercy. All glory to God. All the efforts to put us down did not work. I made up mind, by the grace of God that I am going to see it through, because I know that I am innocent, from the very beginning.

“We thank God for the depth of judgment. We also thank the efforts of our lawyers and ultimately God, who said innocent persons will not suffer.”

It could not be confirmed at press time yesterday evening, if the EFCC would appeal the judgment.

Former Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Seriake Dickson, has called for the immortalisation of Ijaw heroes saying they made huge sacrifices for the development of the Ijaw nation.

Dickson, who represents the Bayelsa West Senatorial District, spoke in Yenagoa, during a public lecture/symposium in honour of the late Amb. Lawrence Baraebibai Ekpebu.

He was among the dignitaries and speakers at the event with the topic “Education as a Tool for Sustainable Development – A Public Discussion on the Identity of the Niger Deltan.”

The former governor commended the organisers for giving him the opportunity to speak alongside other dignitaries such as King Alfred Diete-Spiff, Prof. Steve Azaiki and Amb. Godknows Boladei Igali,

Dickson also commended the late Ekpebu for returning to his homeland to lecture after attending the best schools in the United States.

He said Diete-Spiff and Prof. Etebu had their major achievements in the educationl sector and recalled that the Federal Government College Odi where the current governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri is an alumnus, was one of their many notable educational projects.

The Governing Council and Management of Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra State has commenced training of 107 Senior Officers of the Institution on Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

The training covered computer appreciation such as Desk Top and file management, Introduction to Microsoft, Power Point presentation, Printing Technology, Microsoft Excel, Data Management amongst others.

Speaking during the four days training, Chairman of the Governing Council and initiator of the training, Mallam Kale Kawu said the exercise was designed for Deputy Registrars (DR) and Principal Assistant Registrar’s (PAR).

Institution’s Rector, Engr Dr. Francisca Nwafulugo said her administration had provided opportunities for various trainings both internationally and locally for many staff through Tetfund sponsorship.