Category: Southeast report

Christians and Muslims across Nigeria have been tasked to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to achieve a viable economy, as well as ease suffering of the masses.

A cleric and senior minister of God’s Judicious International Assembly, Otughievwen, Ughelli South council area of Delta state, Arch Apst Quest Timothy Omajuwa, made the call in statement made available to The Nation in Warri, Saturday.

Describing President Tinubu’s quest to take Nigeria “out of bondage” as “good”, the cleric advised that the masses be made to “understand” the process so as to prevent them from becoming agents of destruction.

This is coming on the heels of the disquiet that have trailed the president’s inaugural speech on fuel subsidy removal.

Read Also: Tinubu, Shettima will take Nigeria to greater heights, says Betara

He said, “The President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, has very clear good intentions, but he must understand that the battle is between the rich and the poor in his time.

“Now that you are ready to stand up for the poor, make them to understand clearly so the same people you are to set free will not be used to set you ablaze.”

Stating that it is time for members of both faiths to go beyond “saying” but “live the truth,” Omajuwa enjoined them to support the Tinubu-led government and others in leadership positions, in order to achieve the much needed progress and development that citizen’s desire.

Pointing out that leadership is “a huge responsibility,” that comes with “pressure,” he stated, “your faith should be the instrument of lifting and blessing; not a weapon of confusion and pulling down those who have good intentions to make good things happen in the midst of the populace.

“Start to encourage your government to do better. The more we try to fight against the government in the name of the government has failed us, the more it will cause the government to fight back at us.

“Encourage your government to succeed knowing that it’s a collective responsibility to do so and a huge loss to disallow that.”

• •Warn miscreants shall not be spared

The commissioner of police in Enugu State, Ahmed Ammani, has ordered Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, Commanders of PMF Squadron Bases, other Tactical and Operational Units of the Command, to deploy personnel and all the operational and intelligence resources at their disposal to actualise the end to the illegal Monday sit-at-home in the state.

The CP’s order was sequel to the declaration of the state governor, Barr. Peter Mbah, putting an end to the illegal sit-at-home order in the state.

In a statement issued Saturday by the command’s public relations officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, the police boss also ordered the operatives to ensure maximum public security and safety of citizens and property in the State on the hitherto illegal Sit-at-home days.

He further directed them to ensure that the strategies already devised to reverse the ugly trend were implemented to the letter, warning that lapses on their parts shall not be tolerated.

The commissioner noted that innocent and law-abiding citizens of the state deserved to go about their lawful businesses without fear of harassment or physical threats by unscrupulous and subversive criminal elements, enforcing the illegal sit-at-home order.

Read Also: Mbah declares end to sit-at-home in Enugu

Hence, he tasked the supervisory officers and personnel under them to live up to expectations, by ensuring that every part of the state was visibly patrolled and necessary policing actions taken to forestall possible adverse activities of the undesirable criminal elements.

He reiterated that the operations to end the illegal sit-at-home order will be jointly executed by the police, the military, and other security agencies in the state.

The CP therefore warned unrepentant and subversive criminal elements, known to have in recent times murdered fellow brothers and sisters, destroyed their property and disrupted the social and economic well-being of their people without conscience, in the name of enforcing the inconceivable illegal sit-at-home order, to turn over a new leaf, as the security forces shall not spare any person or individuals found wanting.

Ammani therefore, enjoined citizens of the State to cooperate with the Police and the Joint Security Forces, while remaining law-abiding and vigilant as they fully begin to go about their lawful businesses on Mondays, like every other work day.

He urges them to promptly report criminals and their activities on such days and beyond to the nearest Police Station or call the Command’s emergency hotlines on: 08032003702, 08075380883, 08086671202 or 08098880172 for necessary policing actions.

Gunmen at the weekend attacked two Ebonyi communities burning three cars and shooting one person.

The attacks occurred at Uburu and Okposi communities in Ohaozara local government area.

The incident happened at night around 10pm, sources from the community said.

A source from the community told Our Reporter that two of the cars were destroyed at Rev.J Odii’s compound at Okposi Okwu in Ohaozara LGA of Ebonyi state.

Police spokesperson in Ebonyi state, Onome Onovewakpoyeya confirmed the incident.

She said the police has commenced investigation to unravel those behind the attacks.

She noted that the gunmen who lunched the attack in Uburu and Okposi Communities destroyed three cars while a passer-by sustained injury at the shoulder.

“Yes, the command is aware of the attack and investigation is ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects.

“A Sienna car and two other vehicles were burnt. A passer-by was shot at the shoulder and is receiving treatment at the hospital,” she said.

•Says President is Pep Guardiola of politics

A former Regent of Warri Kingdom, Prince Emmanuel Okotie-Eboh, has advised all political groups and national stakeholders to join hands with President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to address the nation’s challenges.

Okotie-Eboh describes the task before the new administration as onerous, noting that how the president handles it could make or mar the nation’s continued existence and development.

Prince Okotie-Eboh, a scion of the first Nigeria Minister of Finance, Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, said Tinubu’s victory was not a fluke, noting that the former Lagos Governor is a “political Pep Guardiola.”

“Asiwaju Tinubu has the requisite experience, political knowhow and zeal to move the nation forward; he is a master strategist, who knows the game of politics and teaches it like Pep coaches football.”

“He is able to adapt his formation to extant realities, as shown in how he survived as only governor of the defunct AD in 2003, and then successfully reclaim the Southwest in the following years.

“He was able to forge strategic allowance across the country, made valuable friendships, and prove to members of his team that his words are his bond. These are the hallmark of his successful political career.”

Meanwhile, Okotie-Eboh, a TV producer and member of Aferire-O’NE, an Itsekiri pressure group, asked Tinubu to make the development of the Niger Delta region and the reversal of its ugly history a priority, stressing that the peace and development of the area would engender growth and prosperity.

“The Niger Delta region, especially the Warri areas of Delta State, has been marginalized over the past half-century. As a region producing the bulk of the nation’s wealth, we deserve more and should get more.”

“I, therefore, humbly appeal to the President to focus on these areas. We have various outstanding projects like the Ogidigben Gas project, export-free zones, and several others; they need to be completed to generate the much-needed employment for our youths.”

“I am happy that he has promised to tackle the power crisis and address insecurity across the country, I appeal that he also take urgent steps to ameliorate the suffering of the masses; Nigerians are going through many challenges.”

“Addressing these issues would help to douse tension and stabilize the country for him to focus on areas of lasting solutions to all the issues bedeviling the country. I wish him a successful tenure because his success is a success for all Nigerians.”

Former spokesman of President Bola Tinubu in the region Dr. Josef Onoh has asked South East Governors, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other groups and individuals requesting the release of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu from detention to first engage with the families of the victims who suffered one casualty or the other from violence associate with IPOB.

Onoh said that the southeast leaders have continually suffered from willful Amnesia by denying the dangers posed by IPOB activities in their region.

He compared the Igbo leaders’ position to J. Edgar Hoover of the Federal Bureau of Intelligence (FBI) who refused to believe that there was such a thing as ‘organised crime’ in America, until the 1957 Apalachin summit that finally motivated him to take a public position.

Onoh said it was preposterous for the Igbo leaders to continually make requests to President Tinubu for the release of Kanu without first of all expressing concerns for the victims of Kanu’s lethal force by setting up a commission of enquiry into the matters involved with the criminal elements associated with IPOB.

He noted that President Tinubu is a freedom fighter who engaged conventional methods to negotiate democracy in Nigeria and would not be less concerned in any freedom negotiation that upholds the tenants of the rule of law and engagement.

Onoh was reacting to different pleads to President Tinubu by Governors in the south east, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and others to release to the IPOB leader without any condition attached.

Those who made the requests include Governors Chukwuma Soludo (Anambra); Peter Mbah (Enugu) and new President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, among other politicians.

Onoh stated that to his knowledge, the persons and groups making such requests have never engaged with the victims such as the families of the police officers who died in the hands of criminal elements purporting to be fighting for Biafra restoration.

“Even IPOB had come out to claim their non involvement in some of these dastardly acts and have volunteered to work with the government and security agencies to fish out the criminal elements that have hijacked their organization, but the immediate past governors of the south east refused to engage them.

“Infact they were enjoying the mayhem and sit-at-home. They played the role of victims more than the affected, showed no support for the security agencies nor the safety of the indigenes, visitors and residents of their states, rather they protected themselves in their respective Government houses while others were killed by the criminal elements, including men and women of our security agencies.

“What did we say to the family of Dr. Chike Akunyili who was savagely murdered in the open street, Joe Igbokwe who’s house was burnt, attack on Senator Ifeanyi Ubah that resulted in the death of his security aides; attack on Former Governor Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State, Staff of the America Embassy who were recently murdered in Anambra State, just to mention but a few.”

He said that it was unconscionable, inhuman and an exacerbation of injury, for the Igbo leaders to be making demands for the release of Kanu, towing their lines without recourse to the damages already done to the psyche of the victims and their relatives simply because they were not sincere with their requests but rather playing politics with Nnamdi Kanu’s release.

He said that what the south east leaders are doing is playing politics with Nnamdi Kanu and have failed to resolve the matter squarely, adding that apart from engaging with the families of the victims of IPOB violence, Ndigbo should collectively tender an apology for the atrocities of the criminal elements in IPOB.

“I’m not against the release of Nnamdi Kanu, after all I’ve said it before that the release of Kanu is more important than Senate Presidency being zoned to the south east, but our southeast leaders and Governors must take responsibilities of some actions and not just Nnamdi Kanu and members of IPOB.

“When we wrong someone we know, even unintentionally, we are generally expected to apologize. The person we hurt feels entitled to an admission of error and an expression of regret. We, in turn, try to ameliorate the situation by saying, ‘I’m sorry,’ and perhaps make restitution. Till date no restitution has been made to surviving families of IPOB victims.

“But when we’re acting as leaders, it’s not just to use release of Nnamdi Kanu to play politics or publicise it in media by asking Mr. President to release him, the circumstances are different. Leaders are responsible not only for their own behavior but also for that of their followers, who might number in the hundreds, thousands, or even millions as the case of IPOB.

“The first question then is, who exactly is the guilty party? The degree of damage is an issue as well. When a leader feels obliged to apologize, especially for a trespass in which followers were involved, the harm inflicted was likely serious, grievous widespread, and enduring.

“Since leaders speak for, as well as to, their followers, their apologies have broad implications. The act of apology is carried out not merely at the level of the individual but also at the level of the institution. It is not only personal but also political. It is a performance in which every expression matters and every word becomes part of the public record as shown in the way they call for Nnamdi Kanu’s release is now made public record by various actors in the south east.

“So the Igbo leaders including Nnamdi Kanu and all IPOB agitators should first engage the families of the victims of criminal elements within IPOB, show remorse, apologise to them even though it will not bring back their loved ones, yet it will surely go a long way; but not to come haphazardly to score cheap political goals and make it look as if Asiwaju does not want to release Nnamdi Kanu,” he said.  

Niger Delta Youth Council Worldwide (NDYC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to revamp the nation’s four refineries in light of subsidy removal by the Federal Government.

 The youths noted that when the refineries start functioning, it would grow the local economies of the communities they are sited, create more jobs, and build the skills of Nigerian youths in the petroleum sector for global jobs.

The group said this in a statement jointly signed by its National Coordinator, Jator Abido; National Secretary, Kede Michael, and BoT – NDYC, Bekes Apere in Abuja yesterday.

“Mr. President, as a matter of national urgency there is a need to work towards revamping the four already existing refineries in the country to ensure the steady supply of petroleum products in the wake of your bold and courageous decision to remove subsidy on petroleum products.

“This will develop not just the nation but also the local economies of the communities they are sited, create more jobs, and build the skills of Nigerian youths in the petroleum sector for even global jobs,” the statement said.

The youths also appealed to Tinubu not to yield to the shenanigans of politicians regarding the status quo in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

It said the current Managing Director (MD), Chief Samuel Ogbuku, management and the Board of the Commission were dedicated and focused sons and daughters of the region who must not be pushed out until they complete their well-deserved tenures.

Read Also: Issues in fuel subsidy removal

“Over a long period of time Mr. President, the NDDC was hijacked and plundered by very selfish and self-seeking individuals from the region. Through our determined struggles, NDDC has gotten a Board and management team that reflects our wishes and they’re doing excellently. Although we are not unaware of the schemes of desperate individuals, our appeal is that you should work closely with the current MD Chief Samuel Ogbuku, and the Board of the Commission to bring about the much-desired change the Niger Delta region desperately needs for peace, security, and development of not just the region but Nigeria at large”, the statement added.

Praising the 9th National Assembly for approving the budget of NDDC and confirming state representatives of the NDDC for Delta, Chief Bernard Okumagba, of his Edo counterpart, Mr. Patrick Aisowieren and Chief Chidiebere Uchegbu of Imo State respectively, the group applauded the MD Chief Samuel Ogbuku of NDDC for his passion and determination as he strives towards ensuring that the Niger Delta was developed and repositioned as an investment and tourism hub in Nigeria with the potential for rapidly growing the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and raising individual standard of living.

Part of the statement reads: “The MD, Chief Samuel Ogbuku has demonstrated uncommon talent and capacity to lead one of the most complex Commissions with a vast mandate. It is therefore our duty as people of the Niger Delta to queue behind him ( Chief Samuel Ogbuku) and give him all the support he needs to succeed as his success is our success. With the forensic audit done and the statute of abandoned and ongoing projects known, it’s just a matter of time before the region wears a new face and enjoys real and sustainable development befitting of its oil-producing status.”

A leading female-based parfum brand, Majesticroobee will on June 3  open its first physical store at the Wuse 2,  in Abuja .

 It focuses on natural handcrafted extracts to deliver finesse to its customers.

The brand which has been in existence since 2017 is also releasing over eight new fragrances to add to its collection of over 300 .

  Amongst the fragrances are billions, whispers, wild desire, Ijele, duchess, elegance, a babe+, and  Queen’s pride, which adds to the existing line.

  According to  Majesticroobee Founder, Jonathan Peace, the brand started out from her passion to help people smell good. “I was teaching in a school and after the break, the children would come back all sweaty and smelling, I will bring out my perfume and spray on them. This became a habit, and so many kids would always love me to be their teacher. Even their parents would always compliment my smell game.

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  Then I decided to venture into perfumery, got the certification, and started creating perfumes as I have a nose for curating fragrances that people would fall in love with.

 Since 2017, then I have created bestsellers like Sugarlips, cloud 9, night fire, and Cleopatra.

  She noted that having moved to Bonny Island to settle with family, she realised that engaging women in the community and elevating their smell game will be a good idea, hence, she went into full-scale production and supplies, where she has been delivering across the globe.

  On what stands her brand out, Peace said that Nigerians love foreign fragrances a lot,  the Nigerian market is gaining ground because natural extracts like hers are safe for the skin. “We do natural extracts, non-alcoholic, aqua-based fragrances, body mists, and feminine care sets.

‘’We have our daytime fragrances, which should tell a story about your personality while our nighttime fragrances are clinging seductive fragrances that stay so close to the body to help couples spice up their marital life”.

  She stressed that her fragrances are most targeted at women. Womanhood takes a toll on women’s confidence, and we support ourselves with these fragrances that impact our confidence and sensuality. The main reason why we have received lots of positive reviews worldwide from ladies especially is that fragrances have an effect on the brain of men. “The nose is connected to a part of the brain that triggers memories and emotions. If your fragrance hits that part, there’s very little left to do.

  As a female-based brand, she noted that a lot of women come to share their insecurities. Hence, she started out Feminine Care to help women, especially those who have had to deal with post-partum care. “I also had my struggles, waiting to conceive for about seven years, and after having my first child, the changes that came with pregnancy hit me. So feminine care stands in the way to help women rediscover and find themselves.”

  She added that in Majesticroobee, it is a community of queens. “We leave no stone unturned; it is a safe space for women to come in and share their insecurities, and we learn from each other.”