By Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba and Elo Edremoda, Warri

Following the killings and destruction of properties in the renewed clash between the people of Emede and Igbide clans in Isoko South Council Area of Delta State, the traditional rulers of both kingdoms have been suspended.

A 24-hour curfew has also been imposed in the warring communities.

This was decision reached by the Isoko South Security Council after a meeting held at the council’s secretariat on Friday.

In a statement signed by the Press Secretary to the Council Chairman, Okah Akpotha Fidelis, it was disclosed that the salaries of the monarchs are withheld forthwith, while plans are in motion to recommend that the Delta State Government retrieve their staff of offices.

The statement further revealed that the President General of Igbide community has been declared wanted for failing to appear to ‘brief’ government on the sad occurrence.

Read Also: Curfew in Delta community over communal crisis

Parts of the statement read, “the Isoko South Local Government Security Council arising from an emergency security meeting on the recent killings, arson and criminality in Igbide and Emede communities reached the following resolutions

“Declare killing, wanton destruction and arson acts of extreme criminality.

“Declares  24 hours indefinite curfew in Igbide and Emede communities beginning from 6pm today 11th December,  2020. Offenders to be severely punished.

“Suspends without salary, Ovies of Igbide and Emede; to officially communicate recommendation of retrieval of monarchs Staff of Offices to the Delta State Government

“Government ceases to recognise President Generals of Igbide and Emede communities. To communicate decision to companies and institutions operating in both communities.

“President General of Igbide declared wanted”.

Asked why the decision to suspend the monarchs and the non-recognition of the president generals, the CPS explained to The Nation that their inability to exercise leadership authority brought about the crisis.

By Chris Njoku, Owerri

A syndicate that specialises in abducting children of two to three years old using biscuits and candies as baits has been smashed by the Abia State Police Command.

The syndicate was smashed on Friday by the new security outfit, Rapid Response Squad, RRS, established by the Commissioner of Police, Abia State, CP Janet Agbede.

The Commissioner of Police who paraded the kidnappers at the command headquarters, said that the kidnappers were caught at various locations.

According to him, the police arrested them after they abducted children belonging to  one Mrs Happiness Monday and Mrs Rejoice Ikechukwu both of Umuochialla village in Osisioma Local Government Area of Abia State.

“The women reported to the Police that their children,  Master Marvelous Monday aged three  years and Master David Ikechukwu aged three  years respectively were abducted by unknown persons. Based on the complaints , operatives of the State Rapid Squad, RRS, led by its Commander, SP Johnbull Obioguru, swung into action.

Read Also: Three man syndicate nabbed after abducting, raping lady in Anambra

“The investigation resulted in the arrest of  Chinonso Slyvanus aged 17 years from Umuochalla in Osisioma Local Government Area at his hideout in  Owerri,  the Imo State capital and

Ekene Duru aged 31 years from Ariaria by Umuochalla , Osisioma who was arrested in his hideout at Enugu, Enugu State.”

It was gathered that after the arrest of Chinonso Slyvanus and Ekene Duru by operatives of the RRS, they called their buyers one Rose Okoro aged 45 years from 5 OPM Avenue Port Harcourt, Rivers State and Ngozi Ukpai, aged 38 years from Igwurita, Port Harcourt who bought the kidnapped children from them at N200,000 for each.

It was learnt that when Ngozi and Rose came to their normal meeting point to do their ill-fated business as usual, they were rounded up by men of Rapid Respond Squad (RRS).

Rose and Ngozi who confessed that they bought the abducted children from Chinonso Slyvanus and Ekene Duru at the rate of N200,000 and resold the children at the rate of N450,000 to one Chidi Okoro who runs a clinic named Prostel Hospital formerly known as God’s Favour Hospital and Maternity Umuode in Osisioma.

By Bassey Anthony, Uyo

The Police in Akwa Ibom have nabbed 40 persons for alleged armed robbery and cultism.

The suspects, said to be responsible for the current wave of insecurity in Uyo and other parts of the state, were arrested by the tactical team of the command on Thursday, December 10,  at about 9:30pm.

Spokesman of the Police in the state, Odiko Macdon, in a statement  on Friday,  said the suspects had claimed responsibility for cult related murder and killings in recent time

According to the statement, two locally made pistols,five cutlasses and a bag of substance suspected to be Indian hemp were recovered from them.

Read Also: Police nab suspected arms dealer with 299 live cartridges

”On Thursday,  10th December, 2020, at about 0930hrs, Tactical Team of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, relying  on credible information, in a painstaking operation, stormed criminal hideouts within Uyo metropolis believed to be part of the nest hibernating some of the hoodlums responsible for Wednesday night’s breach of the peace within Uyo.

“A total of 40 suspected armed robbers/cultists were arrested. Two locally made pistols,  five cutlasses, a bag of substance suspected to be Indian Hemp were among the exhibits, recovered.

“On interrogation, suspects claimed to be part of the cult groups responsible for cult related murder and robberies within Uyo metropolis recently.

”A discreet investigation is ongoing to determine the extent of their culpability and they will be charged to court immediately after,” the statement said

By Simon Utebor, Yenagoa

Bayelsa State governor, Douye Diri has challenged the leadership of  Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide (IYC), to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to achieve meaningful dialogue with the Federal Government in its effort to redress years of neglect and underdevelopment of the Ijaw nation and the Niger Delta.

Diri, who gave the charge yesterday in Yenagoa during a meeting with members of the Central Zone of the IYC, stressed that they should jettison militancy to pursue the legitimate demands of the people.

The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Alabrah, noted that the governors and people of the Niger Delta were at the stage of asking the Federal Government to implement true federalism where states would control their resources and pay taxes to the centre.

Read Also: Diri charges traditional rulers on security

He said: “We are in a federation where resources from one region are taken to Abuja on a monthly basis to be shared with places that have created more local governments for themselves. And these resources are shared according to local governments. The Federal Government also controls 87 per cent of the resources.”

Diri also made reference to the lopsidedness at the Niger Delta Development Commission with membership of the body cutting across board in the country and charged the IYC to focus their attention on such issues that have bedeviled the region.

He, however, expressed delight that the present crop of IYC leadership was evolving from the era of deploying militancy and violent means to adopting meaningful engagement to make its voice heard.

He decried the situation whereby Bayelsans, particularly the youths were not in control of the local economy as the state is not engaged in any productive activity, and urged the IYC to change the narrative.

By Nsa Gill, Calabar

Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade, of has taken steps  to ensure the renovation of the orientation camp of the NYSC in the state as promised by him last month.

Commissioner for Youth and Skills Acquisition, Hon. Omang Idiege, disclosed this after an assessment tour of the orientation camp to ascertain its current state.  He assured the NYSC State Coordinator, Alhaji Mohammed Nakamba, that the renovation work will commence in earnest.

Read Also: Ayade equips security outfit to combat crime

He said: “ We were here about three or four weeks ago during the swearing in ceremony of the 2020 Batch B Stream 1A Corps members and we did deliver a message from His Excellency, Senator Prof Ben Ayade, on the urgent need for the rehabilitation and renovation of certain structures at the camp. It has all along been his concern that the camp needs attention so we came to see things ourselves because all these reports were compiled and sent to His Excellency about a few weeks ago and he sent us to confirm if they are still in the same state. And as we have seen, they are still in that same state.”

By Elo Edremoda, Warri

A mobile policeman was on Friday afternoon, shot dead in Effurun, Uvwie Council Area of Delta State.  His rifle was also carted away by the arms-wielding hoodlums.

The Nation learnt that the incident occurred at about 2:30p.m along the popular Jakpa Road.

Details surrounding the incident were still sketchy as at the time of filing this report.

It was gathered that the deceased was detailed to an unidentified man who had stopped by a shop along the road to purchase some items.

Read Also: How police shot me in my shop, by 75-year-old woman tells Ekiti panel

The hoodlums were said to have zoomed to the spot in a vehicle, shot him multiple times and made certain that he was dead before driving away with his gun.

At least five mobile policemen have been killed and their arms carted away within the past two months, in the state.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, confirmed the incident, but could not give details about the deceased officer.

“It is true. I don’t have any information but the truth is that a mobile policeman was killed along Jakpa Road. But his details, where he is attached to, I don’t have for now,” the PPRO said.

 Bisi Olaniyi, Benin

THE Benin National Congress (BNC) has raised the alarm over plots to deny Edo State of being a part of the planned board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

It gave a nine-day ultimatum for assurances of fair treatment from President Muhammadu Buhari.

Its President, Aiyamenkhue Edokpolo, said Edo houses the largest gas reserve in West Africa and many oil wells. He said the state should not be denied its deserved role in the next board of NDDC.

Edokpolo said: “Edo State, as host to the largest gas reserve in West Africa, is eminently deserving of the managing directorship or executive directorship, but some persons who do not mean well for the Niger Delta have perfected plans to appropriate the positions to Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom States, which have had overstretched share of chairmanship and directorship of NDDC.

Read Also: NDDC IMC under fire as calls for their sack grow 

“Edo people are made to believe that peace and order-minded nationalities are prone to repression, suppression and all forms of devious marginalisation. The president’s prompt intervention will certainly be the saving grace.

“Edo is host to some of Nigeria’s productively endowed oil wells, some of which were appropriated to neighbouring states under military regimes, while some were resolved back to Edo, without any form of reparation whatsoever. Our oil-bearing communities are the most underdeveloped in the Niger Delta, against all established protocols of sustainability.

“The tragedy of the Niger Delta’s underdevelopment is connected to an unwritten rule by the so-called big four states that they must revolve the managing director and executive directors among themselves, against the unambiguous dictates of the NDDC Act, as amended. This is flagrantly absurd.”

The group also urged President Buhari to rise to the occasion and do the needful so Edo indigenes will not be pushed to the wall.