By Simon Utebor, Yenagoa

A coalition of Niger Delta militants, under the aegis of the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA), has sent a protest letter to President Muhammadu Buhari over the alleged plan by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, to appoint his brother as the Sole Administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The RNDA said though Akpabio had the power to oversee the NDDC, his recent actions and lobby to approve the reappointment of the current Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Mr Akwa Okon, as the sole administrator to oversee the commission was provocative and could trigger a new round of violence in the creeks of the region.

Read Also: Buhari appoints Akwa as NDDC’s Interim Administrator

The RNDA, in a statement yesterday by its Coordinator,  ‘General’ Johnmark Ezonebi, said  if the approval was given for the appointment of Akpabio’s brother as the sole administrator, the coalition would be forced to review its earlier position on cease-fire and commence renewed hostilities against oil facilities in the region.

The RNDA said: “The appointment of a sole administrator alone without the appointment of an EDP and EDFA in the commission just to enable Akpabio to allegedly siphon, divert and embezzle billions of naira into private pockets from the recovered money by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is unacceptable and immoral.

“If Akpabio is allowed to have his way and announce the name of Mr Efiong Okon the present EDFA as the sole administrator to oversee the NDDC alone excluding the appointment of EDP and EDFA, then the RNDA will be left with no option but to declare a total war in the creeks to cripple the economy. We will also announce operation zero crude oil to flow in the creeks of the Niger Delta.”

By Elo Edremoda, Warri and Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

Three persons, including a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ward chairman have been reportedly arrested for illegal possession of arms and ammunition by military operatives deployed to restore calm in warring Emede and Igbide kingdoms, Isoko South council area of Delta State.

The Nation gathered that the PDP chieftain, identified as Christopher Irivi-Ubulubu, doubles as the chairman of Igbide ward and overall chairman of all the PDP wards in the local government.

He was said to have been under military interrogation until he was handed over to the Delta State Police Command through the Oleh Police Division on Friday.

The three suspects were reportedly arrested at their hideouts in a government school in Igbide community.

Read Also: Two traditional rulers suspended in Delta over communal violence

While details surrounding the arrest were still sketchy as of the time of filing this report, sources suggest that it may not be unconnected to the communal conflict between Igbide and Emede kingdoms which has claimed five lives and left properties worth millions of naira, destroyed in Emede kingdom.

Sources said that the attack on Emede by youths of Igbide kingdom saw persons in military camouflage and the use of sophisticated firearms.

Both communities have had an age-long land tussle, which sources claim triggered the renewed violence.

Following the killings and arson, the LGA Security Council on Friday, suspended the monarchs of the two kingdoms, imposed an indefinite dusk-to-dawn curfew and as well, declared the President General of Igbide, Mr Patrick Oboghor, “wanted” for failing to appear before it.

The President General of Igbide is currently at large.

The Police spokesperson, DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, confirmed the arrest of the trio in connection with the crisis, disclosing that arms and ammunition which they were “using to fight” were recovered from them.

Our Reporter

The chairman, Onitsha Archdiocesan Hospital Board, Rev Fr Patrick Omuta, has narrated how the former governor of Anambra State and Vice Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, in 2019 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, has, over the years, uplifted the Anambra health sector with many signature projects.

Fr Omuta, who spoke of Obi’s many investments in Anambra health sector, during the pastoral visit of Archbishop Valerie Okeke to Holy Rosary Hospital, Waterside, Onitsha, praised Obi for understanding the overwhelming importance of health in national development.

He said Obi was committed to the development of the health sector in Anambra State as the then governor of the state.

“When you go to Holy Rosary Specialist Hospital, Water-Side Onitsha, you will see the gigantic structures erected by Peter Obi. You cross over to the School of Mid-wifery, in the same hospital, his signature projects are all over the place. You move to Charles Borromew Hospital and their School of Nursing Sciences, his many projects will be staring you in the face. He even built a Doctor’s Quaters for them. The Joe Nwiloh Heart Centre at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Adazi-Nnukwu, which carries out open heart surgeries, was built by Peter Obi. Visit other hospitals like Iyi-Enu Specialist Hospital, Nkpor; Diocesan Hospital, Amichi; St Anthony’s Hospital, Ugwuagba; and see his laudable foot prints,” Fr Omuta eulogised.

By Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt

Protest rocked Onne in Rivers State on Friday following the decision of Intels Nig. Limited to sack over 700 members of its staff without benefits.

The aggrieved sacked workers, who began the protest on Tuesday said they would only stop their demonstrations if the firm paid their benefits.

The protesters and members of the Associated Maritime Services (AMS) barricaded the entrance to the firm’s plant yard displaying  placards.

Some of the placards contained messages such as ‘Kindly do the Needful pay us our Redundancy Money,’ ‘Every Labourer Deserves His Wages, Pay us our Money,’ ‘Please INTELS do the Needful, pay us Don’t Send us home Empty Handed We Were Your Workers’.

The President of AMS Union Staff Association, Intels, Sunday Atakpo, urged the management of the firm to pay the sacked workers their redundancy money.

Read Also: Arik Air sacks 300 workers

Atakpo said: “AMS is the major part of Intels group. We are here because over 700 of our men were placed on redundancy without following the condition of service.

“They had tried this three months ago and we blocked the road and protested and we were called for negotiation. While the discussions were on,  they went round and terminated the people on the 8 of December when discussions have not concluded and benefits of the people have not been paid.

“Since 1998, Intels and AMS have been having single negotiations, they are the same people. When we started this negotiation, we sat for about seven times and they said INTELS and AMS have been separated, we agreed. They went into discussions with INTELS 68 workers who were dropped and their benefits were paid to them.

“When it came to AMS, they brought in about 633 redundant staffs and their benefits were not paid to them. And we are asking where in this world will you work and will not be paid. These are staff who have worked for you for over 25 years and you want to lay them off without benefits.

“What they are doing is against any known labour law. Let them pay our people and we will leave them alone. You have not paid them off and you are chasing them out of the company, it is shameful and unexpected.”

Also, Tunde Bolaji, the Chairman of Junior Staff INTELS AMS district of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, appealed to the state Governor, Cheif Nyesom Wike, the Federal Government and Labour Organisations to compel INTELS to clear their outstanding benefits before laying them off.

Efforts to reach Intels management were unsuccessful but it was gathered that the protesters were not Intels employees but members of staff of contractual firms engaged by Intels.

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