By Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

Delta Police Commissioner, Mohammed Ali, has blamed syndicate groups for the recurrent killings of policemen in parts of the State.

He warned the group to desist or face the consequences of their actions.

Ali spoke on the heels of another killing of a policeman in Warri on Thursday.

He said the police command is worried over the recurring killing of police carrying out lawful duties.

CP Aliu reaffirmed his commitment to the safety of men and officers in every part of the state where they are posted to serve.

He said, “From the records of killings so far, we have come to realise that those responsible for the killings of policemen and carting away their rifles are members of a syndicate, especially that of cult groups, desperately in need of arms and ammunition to gain superiority advantage over other rival groups in a particular area.

“We are not leaving anything to chances anymore as we have intensified our own internal security strategy and network aimed at curbing the excesses of these syndicates in some strategic locations in the state.

“Just recently we initiated a ‘Permanent Pin Down Checkpoints’ in some strategic locations especially within the Warri area and its environs where this crime appears to be on the increase in recent time and we have deployed more men for this purpose.”

He urged members of the community to partner the police in curbing violent crimes in the society by divulging useful information that could lead to the arrest of these criminals.

CP Aliu noted that it’s only with this kind of useful information that the police can work effectively.

By Polycarp Orosevwotu, Ughelli

One of the prominent Ijaw leaders on Saturday, said President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigeria government must legalise the free use of sophisticated arms such as AK47 if Nigerians must confront bandits at every level and in whatever colouration.

The Ijaw leader and GMD/CEO of Babsfield Corporate Ventures and Tamfel Global Resources, Chief Julius Babogha who was speaking to newsmen in Warri while reacting to a statement credited to the Defence Minister Maj-Gen. Bashir Magashi, in a press briefing on Wednesday in Abuja, said Nigerians if not cowards, they can confront bandits.

Babogha said he will align with the Defence Minister, Maj-Gen. Bashir Magashi that Nigerians are not cowards and can directly combat the bandits, but not with empty hands or low grade of arms while the hoodlums are parading high sophisticated and superior guns.

Speaking further, Babogha said, “One will want to advise the Chief of Defence staff to carry out a thorough mop up exercise or grant everyone the right to possess riffles

“If the Defence Minister says “Security issues not only the responsibility of the military alone? We should ask him what now happen if hoodlums taking over a community with superior arms and you have same to confront them, won’t same arm come and ask how one manage to get such guns.

“But if you have or allowed to be in possession of sophisticated weapons for the purpose of protecting oneself as the herdsmen do, who is coming will be afraid and who is going will also be afraid, hence we are asking the Defence Minister on how we can confront the bandits, whether by hands or shoot and run to face bandits with superior guns.”

By Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt

Two separate fire outbreaks have ravaged a market and makeshift apartments in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

Traders, whose goods, cash and properties were destroyed in one of the incidents that occurred at the Bishop Okoye Street market in Mile three axis of Port Harcourt, Rivers State have, however,  begged the state Governor Nyesom Wike for assistance.

The second fire outbreak left scores of residents at the Chief Odum axis of Ogunabali in Port Harcourt homeless as makeshift houses were destroyed in the area.

The two fire outbreaks which occurred on Friday destroyed goods and property worth millions of Naira.

Over 10 shops and warehouses were destroyed, while over 20 makeshift building were destroyed, with those affected calling on the state government to assist them.

At the Bishop Okoye street market, bags of foodstuff such as rice, beans, garri and drinks were burnt as some of the victims were seen trying to pick some remnants.

Sources said apart from the goods lost to the fire, hoodlums took advantage of the situation to break into some shops and carted away items, including cash.

Though the course of the fire could not be ascertained, some persons said said that a woman, who lived in one of the shops left something on the fire and went out.

The Rivers State Fire Service reportedly responded early but did not have enough water in their truck, as youths in the area also got water and helped in putting out the fire.

The Chairman of Bishop Okoye Shop Owners, Uche Okeke, lamented the looting by hoodlums.

He said: “The crowd here was excess. 80 per cent of people here are not traders, some of them are hoodlums. They only came to break into peoples’ shops, stealing their goods. The fire was something that was mysterious.

“We have not taking stock of the number. But I can tell you that all the warehouses in Bishop Okoye Street foodstuff market have been burnt down.

“The foodstuff burnt are Rice, beans, garri, groundnut oil, flour, drinks were affected. Because of the looting, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Mile three was here with his men and was calling for back up because of the crowd, but they didn’t come to assist him and because of that we have a lot of losses.

“The Rivers State Fire Service came, but if they had come earlier, the fire would have been stopped in one hour. Even when they came, they didn’t have enough water. We were here till past midnight.

“Some boys were here helping to stop the fire, others were here breaking into shops, even the ones that were not affected by the fire,” he stated.

One of the victims, Elder Kenan Lucky said he lost over 1800 bags of cement as his shop was completely burnt.

“I have about three trucks of load of items here, but you can see they are all gone. What can I say, I will appreciate if our governor can assist us financially and also help rebuild this place for us. Some bad boys went and break my other shop that was not affected in the fire and took away all the money in the safe,” he said.

By Chris Njoku, Owerri

The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Professor George Obiozor, Saturday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to restructure, renegotiate and decentralize power to solve Nigeria’s insecurity challenges.

Obiozor spoke at the palace of the traditional ruler of Amaifeke in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State, Eze Emmanuel Okeke, as he came to ascertain the security situation in the area after the military and the Eastern Security Network clashed.

The Ohanaeze President-General used the opportunity to declare the stand of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization thus: “We are glad there is peace in Orlu zone and that people are carrying out their normal duties. We appeal to the leaders of Orlu to maintain peace in Orlu, a zone traditionally known for being the most peaceful in Imo State.

“Our position is that no matter how bad Nigeria problems may be, only peaceful solutions will be best to guarantee Nigerian unity. This can be achieved through a restructured, renegotiated, decentralised or through power devolution.”

On the other hand, he said “use of force, intimidation or violence will be a national catastrophe which should be avoided. Use violent method will lead to a synchronised national crises and ultimate disintegration of Nigeria. This must be avoided.

“Insecurity in the country is real and must be treated as a matter of national emergency. In this context, I congratulate the Southeast governors and government for the anti-open grazing ban.

“Those who preach or prefer military solutions to Nigeria problems are today, equally as a threat to Nigeria unity as those enemies they are fighting,” Obiozor said.

He thanked the traditional leaders in the Southeast for their role in maintaining peace in the zone.

By Simon Utebor, Yenagoa

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Bayelsa State Command, has partnered the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) to ensure safer roads in the state.

The State Sector Commander, Mr. Chediebere Nkwonta, made this known on Saturday when he paid a courtesy visit to the leadership of the Council at the NUJ Press Centre in Yenagoa.

He called on journalists to support the command’s efforts to ensure safer roads in the state through the dissemination of it activities.

According to Nkwonta, the command is working tirelessly to enlighten and re-orientate members of the public on road safety behaviour, noting however that much success will not be achieved without adequate media coverage which will bring about attitudinal change.

The sector Commander, who disclosed that no fatal road accident was recorded in the state in the past two months, added that efforts would be sustained in sensitising Bayelsans so that the roads will become safer for everyone.

On his part, the NUJ Chairman, Comrade Samuel Numonengi, said the union is always ready to work with the FRSC to ensure that the corps succeeds in its duties to achieve accident-free roads through adequate reportage.

By Simon Utebor, Yenagoa

The Environmental Right Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has called on the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Bayelsa State government not to conceal the result of laboratory analysis of the sample of fresh crude oil deposits discovered around Otuabula II community in the Ogbia Local Government Area of the state.

Bayelsa State Head of ERA/FoEN, Mr Alagoa Morris, made the call in a field report on the discovery.

A team comprising officials of the state government, NOSDRA and ERA/FoEN accompanied by the head of landlord family, Thompson Okpukpu-isi, and security personnel recently visited the site.

The report quoted Governor Douye Diri’s Senior Special Assistant on Oil and Gas, Mr Timi Seimiebo, who led the team, as saying that NOSDRA took samples of the crude oil for laboratory test during the visit to Otuabula II bush.

Seimiebo said the team asked the community folks questions on whether the crude oil was authentic and if it was not a product of illegal oil bunkering activities or leakage from a facility in the area.

The governor’s aide said: “It is a virgin place and everybody has seen there is no pipeline here. So we cannot say it is a pipeline leakage. We have asked the community people whether there are any bunkering activities going on here and they said no.

“Anybody doing local refinery operations here, they said no. So the next thing is for the federal and state government to take action. Firstly, we wait for the test result to come out, then other necessary steps will follow.”

By Nicholas Kalu, Abuja

Former presidential adviser, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, says she will not rest until the displaced people of Bakassi local government area in Cross River State are properly resettled.

Ita-Giwa, who marked her 75th birthday on Friday, said this was the main reason she was still active on the political scene at this age.

“I am still fighting for my people. We are Nigerians who were suddenly displaced out of no fault of ours. We didn’t ask to be ceded. Our ancestral home was just ceded without any consultation and for many years now we have been crying.This is a fight so I would never give up on until proper resettlement is achieved,” she told The Nation on Friday.

Popularly known as Mama Bakassi, Ita-Giwa has been unrelenting in her effort to ensure justice and proper resettlement for the people of Bakassi, who were displaced following the ceding of their land to Cameroon.

As part of her many philanthropic efforts, she runs the Bakassi Children Foundation which caters to the needs, including the education, of Bakassi children.

By Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

Following rising reports of alleged rape, sexual abuse of minors at private lesson centres, the Delta State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Patrick Ukah has ordered the closure of lesson centres.

Ukah said the decision was taken in the public interest.

Ukah, spoke in Asaba, yesterday , while receiving members of the Delta State Child’s Rights Implementation Committee.

Ukah said all lesson centres should be closed and apply to operate as private schools for proper supervision.

Chairman of the committee, Mrs. Kevwe Agas urged an investigation into the activities of a proprietor of a popular lesson centres, his brother, a pastor and staff accused of inappropriate conduct.

She noted that cases of allegations of misconduct by proprietors of lesson centres had risen in the last one year.

According to her, the suspects had a way of making rape victims stop talking after a case of rape or sexual abuse has been opened.

By Rosemary Nwisi, Port Harcourt

There was chaos in Ubima community, Ikwerre Local Government area of Rivers State, Thursday evening following  the alleged killing of a man, Aleruchi Samuel Awuzurike by one, Chibueze Ojiriome over an alleged missing goat.

According to sources, trouble started when Awuzurike went to Ojiriome to enquire of his missing goat, which resulted in altercation between the duo.

The quarrel degenerated into a fight during which Ojiriome inflicted machete cuts on Awuzurike, leading to his death, hours later.

The incident led to a riot in the community, following which the suspect’s house was razed by a mob.

Residents were said to have been angered by the fact that  Ojiriome had in the past killed one of the goats owned by the deceased.

Read Also: Man killed over cow in Delta

Confirming the incident, police spokesman, Nnamdi Omoni, a Superintendent of Police(SP), who described the killing of Awuzurike as unfortunate, disclosed that his suspected killer had been arrested and that investigations were ongoing.

Omoni said,  “l can confirm the unfortunate incident of Ubima where one Chibueze Ojirome  23 years old, without justification gave several machete cuts on one Samuel Awuzuruike which caused his death.

“Recall that some days ago the same suspect killed a female goat belonging to the deceased.

“This attracted the villagers who resorted to self-help by burning the suspect’s home before the Police arrived.

“Meanwhile the suspect has been arrested and corpse deposited in the mortuary while investigation is ongoing.

So far normalcy has been restored”. he assured.