Category: South East

The Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Anambra State, Ven. Joseph Nweke, has decried denominational tension in the state.

He attributed the ugly trend to politicians with selfish interests.

Nweke spoke in Onitsha while hosting the Justice Development and Peace Caritas (JDPC), in partnership with Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

He said the trend was heightened in the wake of the November 2021 governorship election, stressing that the church and the government must find ways of addressing the menace.

Nweke said: “We must find safest way of de-escalating denominational tension brewing faster in the state.

“If we say we’re Christians, we don’t need to discriminate in any way. We must see ourselves as one.

“If the government can succeed in addressing this trend, I think there will be peace because religion is opium.

“The government should also be aware that politicians are the architect of this tension. They need to watch out for such actors.”

The Project Manager, JDPC Onitsha/FCDO, Mr. Alphonsus Nwoye, said the visit was to find out ways to unite Christians, regardless of their denominations.

A former Commissioner for Information and Orientation in Bayelsa State, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, has informed ex-President Goodluck Jonathan of his intention to contest the coming National Assembly election for Ogbia Federal Constituency.

A statement by Iworiso-Markson’s Media Assistant Allen Ibiba-Harry said Jonathan, who received the aspirant at his Abuja home, called for peace among his kinsmen vying for elective positions in the 2023 general election.

The former president said the tenets of democracy could only flourish if peace was allowed to prevail and stressed that elections should not divide people, but should unite them.

Iworiso-Markson had hailed the ex-President for his role as a peace mediator across Africa. He solicited his support to actualise his ambition.

He said after many struggles, he yielded to the pressure by stakeholders across the three constituencies in Ogbia to run for the election.

Iworiso-Markson said if elected, he would bring an unusual kind of representation that would impact on his constituents.

The aspirant, who is also the publisher of First News Online, used the opportunity to present the print version of the newspaper to Jonathan.

Present at the meeting was Rex Ogbuku, one of the leading lights in Ogbia and a senatorial hopeful in 2023.

The Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas Nigeria Limited (NLNG) and the United States President’s Malaria Initiative (US-PMI) have begun the distribution of free mosquito treated nets on Bonny Island, Rivers State.

A statement by the General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development,  Andy Odeh, in Port Harcourt, said the exercise was part of the plans to make the island Nigeria’s first malaria-free zone.

He said the foreign partner, US-PMI, donated 273,450 nets for the campaign.

The Ministry of Health and the Grand Bonny Kingdom are also involved in the malaria elimination campaign project.

This was contained in a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in March 2021 by NLNG’s management and the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, the statement noted.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the giant gas firm, Dr. Philips Mshelbila, said the distribution of treated nets was critical to making Bonny Island malaria-free and hailed the US-PMI for donating 273,450 treated nets worth millions of Naira.

Bayelsa State Government has urged the four communities that make up the Kolo-Creek Cluster Development Board in Ogbia Local Government to be patient over the protracted delay in restoring power to the area.

Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo made the appeal yesterday when he met community leaders, executives of the cluster board and other representatives from Otuasega, Elebele, Oruma and Imiringi at the Government House, Yenagoa.

The meeting was held on the heels of a 14-day ultimatum issued by the Kolo-Creek Cluster Communities to the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to fulfil its agreement with the cluster board on restoring electricity to the communities.

The ultimatum, which was signed by the paramount rulers of Imiringi, Otuasega, Oruma and Elebele communities, among other things, demanded  operationalisation of the 2.5 MVA  generator installed by Morpol Engineering Services Ltd, and the award of contract for the Oruma high tension line.

They said SPDC had deliberately refused to honour the agreements it had with the cluster communities on several occasions since 2013.

A statement yesterday by the Senior Special Assistant to the Deputy Governor on Media, Mr. Doubara Atasi, noted that the communities had unanimously resolved to shut down oil installations and platforms at Kolo-Creek at the expiration of the ultimatum.

Addressing the high-powered delegation of the Kolo-Creek cluster communities, Ewhrudjakpo appealed to them to be patient, as the government makes efforts to resolve the issues.

He said the government was not happy with the attitude of the SPDC for reneging on its promises to restore electricity to its host communities at the Kolo Creek Cluster.

He urged the communities to give the government the last chance to get round the long-drawn blackout in the area, saying nobody would blame the communities for shutting down the oil installations if the SPDC failed again for the umpteenth time to fulfil its part of the agreement.

Speaking on behalf of the communities, the Paramount Ruler of Elebele, His Royal Highness David Osene Osene, lamented that they had been suffering without light for nine years, precisely since 2013.

He said the communities had been very peaceful, in spite of the provocative attitude of the SPDC for almost a decade, warning, however, that they had resolved to shut down the oil installations in their area in two weeks’ time, if nothing substantial was done.

The Chairman of the Bayelsa State Electricity Company, Mr. Olice Kemenanabo, said if the necessary materials were provided, the power project could be delivered within the timeline reached at a recent meeting between Shell and the state government.

He noted, however, that only the SPDC could cause any further delay in the restoration of power to the communities, as the government had already done its part.

Fire yesterday gutted a section of the popular McIver Market in Warri, Delta State.

Goods worth millions of Naira were destroyed.

A source said the fire started around 9am, near the boundary between Ogbe-Ijoh and McIver markets.

Although its cause was yet to be ascertained, it was alleged that the inferno started from a part of the market where illegally-refined products were kept.

The raging fire, which was eventually put out by men of the Delta State Fire Service, reportedly lasted for over three hours, causing panic.

Our correspondent observed that stalls and makeshift shops were razed.

Witnesses attributed the incident to the activities of illegal refiners.

Some of the victims, who begged the government for help, said their savings were destroyed in the inferno.

Aggrieved youths of Opume community in Ogbia Local Government of Bayelsa State yesterday were on rampage,  following the alleged killing of a 39-year-old woman by suspected herdsmen.

The youth, who identified the deceased as Mrs. Waadu Alfred, alleged that she was raped, tied to a stake and hacked to death with a machete.

It was gathered that after she was declared missing at the weekend, a search party was commissioned by the community and the team discovered her decomposing body in a bush.

Youths yesterday blocked the routes leading in and out of the Nembe-Ogbia road, threatening to retaliate the brutal attack and killing of Waadu.

It was, however, learnt that the police and elders of the community intervened and restored peace.

Contacted on the development, police spokesman Asinim Butswat confirmed the incident.

Butswat, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said investigation had begun.

Bayelsa State Government last week confirmed a heavy shootout between security operatives and herdsmen at Ogbia-Nembe.

The shootout reportedly led to the arrest of unspecified number of suspects held at the Okaka Correctional Centre, Yenagoa, and the seizure of 150 cows currently in the custody of the government.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr. David Alagoa, and the Special Adviser on Security, CP Akpoebi Agberebi (rtd.), at a recent meeting with a delegation of women from Otuasega in Ogbia Local Government, claimed that Okarki, a neighbouring Rivers State community, is a major route through which herdsmen enter Bayelsa State.

They promised to beef up security.

Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who presided over the meeting, directed the chairmen of the eight local governments to set up sub-committees to work with its Anti-Open Grazing Law Implementation Committee, to check the activities of the herdsmen.

State governments have been advised to partner Eze Ndigbos (Ibo kings) to ensure peace in their territories.

Eze Ndigbo, Jakande Estate/Bucknor estates, Isolo, Lagos State, Eze Emenike Okpaga, gave the advice at his palace during an interview to herald the first anniversary of his coronation.

He said many state governments do not understand the roles of his colleagues, urging the governments to embrace them.

Eze Okpaga, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), explained that the Ezes work with the Ohanaeze  to organise the lbo in their domains to maintain their tradition, and ensure peace and order.

“We understand that the present Nigeria  set up is not fair to the lgbo.

So, we preach peace and let the people understand the state of things,” explained the Eze, who is from Ekwaghi-Igbo community in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

He added: “We let them understand that we are strangers and ensure that we live in peace. We are not to claim land from our host communities. I am not the king of Bucknor. I am a king of the  lbo in Bucknor kingdom”

He recalled that his appointment took him by surprise for two reasons -one, a prince, he had turned done a similar offer by his people at home and two, there were already two Ezes in Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA).

The Eze said he had a cordial relationship with other Ezes in the area.

On his experience in the last one year, he said: “It is a wonderful  experience as it enabled me to meet people l shouldn’t have met, thereby enabling me to learn from  them.”

He advised the government to develop a solution to resolve the agitations in several parts of the country. To him, he advised: “Be more humane to the led. Nigeria has a lot of resources. If we harness and distribute them well, no one will be poor.

He also advised the youth thus: “There is no goodness in warfare, and anger. You have a right to speak out but not in anger.”