Category: South East

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Usman Baba has deployed 98 senior officers to Anambra State ahead of the November 6 governorship election in the state.

There have been violent attacks in the state and the sit-at-home ordered by proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has cast a doubt on the possibility of the election holding on the scheduled date.

On Saturday, IPOB announced that the Southeast will be on lockdown from November 4 in solidarity with Nnamdi Kanu, its leader, who is currently in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).

But President Muhammadu Buhari had given the marching orders to security agencies to ensure smooth conduct of the election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had, on Monday, said the election would proceed as scheduled.

In a statement yesterday, IGP Baba ordered a “major overhauling” of the security architecture for Anambra State.

The police boss also directed that Joseph Egbunike, a Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), be deployed as the state coordinator of the security component of the election.

Egbunike will oversee “the implementation of the operation order evolved from the election security threat assessment, to ensure a peaceful environment devoid of violence and conducive enough to guarantee that law abiding citizens freely perform their civic responsibilities without molestation or intimidation,” a statement by Force Headquarters spokesman Frank Mba, said.

“DIG Egbunike will be assisted by the DIG in charge of Operations, acting DIG Zaki Ahmed. Other strategic commanders deployed to Anambra State include five Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs), 14 Commissioners of Police (CPs), 31 Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) and 48 Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs).

“The senior officers are to coordinate human and other operational deployments in the three senatorial districts, 21 local government areas and the 5,720 polling units in Anambra State.

“The IGP reassures the nation that the force is adequately prepared for the gubernatorial election in Anambra state come November 6, 2021,” the statement said.

The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (USCDCP) has said 140,000 people living with HIV in Rivers State have access to the treatment.

The Country Director of the centre, Dr. Mary Boyd, who led a delegation to the Secretary to Rivers State Government (SSG), Dr. Tammy Danagogo, said the number represented 85 per cent treatment coverage.

A statement by the SSG’s Press Officer, Juliana Masi, quoted Boyd as saying that people with access to the treatment were living well and incapable of transmitting the virus.

Boyd said compared to other states, Rivers had high percentage of immunisation, adding that 81 per cent of eligible individuals had access to routine immunisation.

She described the centre’s collaboration with Rivers as wonderful, noting that the centre could point at areas of impact in the state.

She said: “Not only can they live a healthy, productive life, they also don’t transmit the virus anymore. This has been an important legacy that this partnership has accomplished in the last two years.

“Two other areas the CDC works in Nigeria are in the areas of Immunisation and Global Health Security. Important accomplishment we also monitor is that 81 per cent of eligible individuals now have access to routine immunisation in Rivers State. That is above average, compared to other parts of Nigeria. There is also a very functional emergency operation centre in Rivers.

“Honestly, our collaboration with Rivers State has been wonderful because we can point to areas of impact we have had in the lives of the people in Rivers.

“Another reason why we are here is knowing that Rivers used to have a high burden of HIV disease, tuberculosis; and knowing that COVID-19 has been a burden on everyone, and the longer it is around, the more fatigue we will all experience, we have been talking to your team on ways to leverage some of the resilient infrastructures that already exist in these powerful programmes to make sure that we take advantage of them to further extend the impact of our collaboration to save more lives.”

Danagogo assured Boyd of Governor Nyesom Wike’s resolve to continue in the effective eradication of preventable diseases affecting the people.

The SSG reiterated that Wike placed high premium on health, saying the government was always releasing counterpart funds for such preventable diseases.

The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr. Lawal Abubakar, has ordered an investigation into the fire incident, which occurred at a one-storey, lock-up shops in Nsukka, Enugu State.

Spokesman Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Daniel Ndukwe said in a statement yesterday in Enugu that the fire occurred in the afternoon of October 25.

He said the shops are located opposite Peace Mass Transit Motor Park.

“Preliminary investigation shows that the fire, which burnt eight shops at the storey-building before it was put out by personnel of Enugu Fire Service with support from volunteers, is suspected to have been caused by electrical surge in the building.”

“However, no live was lost, while the police have secured the building to avoid untoward criminal activities.

“The commissioner has commiserated with owners of the shops over the losses incurred.

“The police boss has urged citizens, especially owners of business buildings, to ensure electrical wirings and other installations are properly fitted and maintained to avoid incidence of this nature,” he said.

The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Paulinus Nsirim, has said  the developmental strides of Governor Nyesom Wike in the state are so glaring that nobody can deny them.

He spoke yesterday when the overall winner of the essay competition organised by his ministry, as part of the second phase of its #OurStateOurResponsibility advocacy campaign, Miss Sophia Awajibenem Oyibo, visited him in his office in Port Harcourt.

He said: “The developmental strides of Governor Wike in all sectors of the state’s economy are so glaring that nobody can deny the fact Rivers State, today, is the development index for Nigeria”.

Nsirim expressed delight about the performance of  Oyibo in  media appearances as the face of the ministry and the ambassador to the #OurStateOurResponsibility advocacy campaign.

Addressing the winner, he said: “Your eloquence and articulation during your recent media appearances confirm that your victory in the competition is an attestation that the vision of  #OurStateOurResponsibility actually came from God.

“What we have seen goes to confirm that indeed Rivers State is blessed with and abundant human and natural  resources for any form of investment to thrive. We all must join hands to sell our State to the outside world and not to pull her down”.

The commissioner reiterated that the aim of the second phase of the campaign was to re-engineer the desires of the younger generation to the core values of society such as hardwork, honesty and integrity as the hallmark for greatness.

He congratulated Miss Oyibo and pledged the Ministry’s support to all the programmes she would initiate in tandem with the #OurStateOurResponsibility advocacy campaign.

Earlier, Miss Oyibo expressed gratitude to the ministry for the opportunity created for the young ones to redirect their energy towards pursuing good societal values.

She disclosed her plans to introduce programmes that would enlist young ones in the campaign to showcase the great opportunities created by the  developmental strides of the Governor Wike’s administration.

Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu yesterday swore in 27 newly-appointed commissioners into the Executive Council (Exco).

Speaking after the swearing-in at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia, he said the commissioners were selected to support his administration’s drive and vision for a better life for ‘Ndi-Abia’.

The governor, who noted that his administration was on its final lap, said it was the desire of his government to complete ongoing projects and possibly embark on new ones.

He urged the commissioners to be active in the state’s socio-political and economic renaissance.

Warning that there is nothing juicy in the appointments, Dr. Ikpeazu cautioned those whose agenda was to line their pockets that they would be disappointed. He advised them to see their appointments as call to duty.

Responding on behalf of his colleagues, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Eze Chikamnayo, thanked the governor for a privilege to be part of the Exco.

He said they would not let the government and citizens down.

Deputy Governor  Ude Oko Chukwu; the member representing Ukwa West State Constituency, Godwin Adiele; the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Asiforo Okere; Secretary to Government Chris Ezem; Head of Service Sir Onyii Wamah; Chief of Staff to the Governor Prof A. C. B.  Agbazuere; the Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Deputy Governor, Sir Don Ubani, among others witnessed the ceremony.

The oath of office was administered by the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Uzoamaka Uche Ikonne.