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Tag: Bayelsa

  • Suspected ritualist lynched in Bayelsa

    Angry mob on Thursday lynched a suspected ritualist at Akenfa a suburb of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital.

    He was reportedly caught red-handed while trying to cut the body of a young lady he was accused of killing by the mob.

    It was gathered that the young lady identified as Best, an indigene of Epie, was hit and killed by the suspect.

    The community has come under attack by ritualists who kill women and harvest their vital body parts.

    Sources said the suspect threatened to attack the mob with an axe when he was caught but that he was later overpowered and burnt to death.

    It was gathered that the man pretended to be mad during the day but turned to a killer at night.

    One of the sources who spoke in confidence said: “That’s the guy that has been killing women at Akenfa. They caught him once when he was trying to kill another woman, I think that was last month, they beat him up but did not hand him over to the police.

    “He was still saying he will kill. This morning he killed one Epie girl, they caught him when he was trying to butcher her with an axe. This is the third women he has killed so far”.

    Confirming the incident, the Bayelsa Police Spokesman, Asinim Butswat, said both the suspected ritualist and murdered woman were known to be mentally sick.

    A human rights activist and gender advocate, Princess Elizabeth Egbe, lamented the spate of ritual killings in the community.

    She said: ” There has been a lot of killings at Akenfa recently, mainly women. They always remove parts of the body, breast, brain, virgina, eyes and pants and bra.

    “As a Human Rights Activist/Gender Advocate, I strongly condemn these killings and call on the perpetrators to desist from this barbaric, inhuman, ungodly act and violence against women.

    “We, therefore, call on government at all levels to beef up security to stop further reoccurrence of these cases that have become a menace in our society.

    “This is serious violence against women and I call on all women to lend their voices to condemn these crimes because it’s crime against all women”.

  • Updated: Outrage as cultists kill corps members in Bayelsa

    There was outrage in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on Thursday following gruesome murder of corps members by cultists during one of their robbery operations.

    It was gathered the cult members, in what has become a regular occurrence in the capital city, stormed the corps members’ residence along the School Road in Swali and shot three of them.

    While two of the victims were said to have been confirmed dead at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Yenagoa, the third one was said to be lying critically injured and receiving treatment at the hospital.

    Cult groups have overrun Yenagoa killing and robbing residents at will under circumstances that seem to have overwhelmed the police and other security agencies.

    Residents lampooned the police and other security outfits for their inability to tame rampaging gunmen, who shoot victims at slightest provocation and rob them of their smart phones, cash, laptops and other valuables.

    They wondered how a small town like Yenagoa with headquarters of the 16th Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Central Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy, Mobility Command of the Airforce, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe (ODS), the police, the DSS and other security outfits could be overrun by cult members.

    The attacked corps members were identified as 30-year-old Popoola Oluwatobi Olamide, a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) and an indigene of Oyo State; George Onokpoma and Gbenga Dada.

    Popoola was reportedly shot dead at the spot, Onokpoma died at the FMC while Gbenga was said to be receiving treatment for gunshot wounds at the medical centre.

    The room where the corps members were attacked was riddled with bullets and the floor had thick blood stains of the victims signifying the horror that led to their death.

    Narrating how the incident occurred, a resident of the area, who spoke in confidence, said the hoodlums were about seven during the attack that occurred at about 9pm.

    He said: “We heard gunshots from the direction of the corps members’ room.

    ‘’One of the attacked corps members was heard screaming repeatedly and asking what was their crime. Another gunshot sounded and there was silence”.

    Another neighbour also said that the victims, who were discharging their primary responsibilities at a private school, the Victory Group of Schools, close to their residence, were awake marking examination scripts of their students, when the gunmen barricaded the building.

    “We are saddened by this incident. The deceased corps members were quiet and easy-going individuals.

    ‘’They hardly kept late night. They were always sitting at their doorpost whenever there was power outage,” he said.

    But angry reactions continued to trail the general insecurity in Yenagoa and the killing of the corps members with most residents questioning the essence of having many security outfits in the capital city.

    An eyewitness, who identified himself as David, said he saw the lifeless bodies of the corps members and wondered why the insecurity had been allowed to degenerate in the state.

  • Bayelsa to police: prosecute arrested electoral offenders

    The Bayelsa State Government has appealed to the police to prosecute persons arrested for various electoral offenses during the last general elections.

    The government in a statement signed by the Special Adviser II to the Governor on Security Matters and retired Commissioner of Police, Mr. Akpoebi Agberebi, said a particular politician and his driver were arrested by the police on February 26.

    He said the politician and his driver were nabbed for being in possession of multiple Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) and other electoral materials.

    READ ALSO: Army arrests 20 electoral offenders in Rivers, Abia

    He wondered why the police had kept sealed lips on the arrest adding that the state police command has a responsibility not to overlook brazen act of criminality against the state.

    Agberebi explained that operatives of the command on February 26 intercepted a Lexus Saloon car with a registration number Lagos BDG 809 EX conveying the PVCs and the electoral materials.

    He said the operatives impounded the materials, arrested the vehicle, its owner and the driver for interrogation and further investigations.

    He gave the identity of the suspects as one of the state constituencies in Yenagoa and his driver adding that the suspects volunteered written statements on the items in their possession.

    He said: “The government position is that the police should not sweep this violation of the electoral law under the carpet. The police should promptly charge the two suspects to court as only such step would prevent desperate politicians from further violating the laws of the land”.

  • Delta community wins age-long land dispute with Bayelsa

    Okia community in Burutu council area of Delta State has won an age-long land dispute with Agge community in Ekeremor council area of Bayelsa State.

    The High Court of Justice, Delta State in the Bomadi Judicial Division holden in Bomadi ruled in favour of the Delta community after several years of delay, adjournments and trials.

    The settlement was contained in a judgement delivered in Suit Number: HCB/13/2004 by the Court.

    The Claimants had approached the Court wherein they sought four reliefs against the Defendants.

    The Claimants, Messrs Pius Gbeneyi, Christopher Dove and Francis Akara, for themselves and on behalf of Okia Community in Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State, had dragged William Isiayei, Mt. Monday Lugbenwei, Mr. Okuku Imole Wurutuawei, for themselves and on behalf of Agge Community in Ekeremor Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, Defendants, to court over land tussle.

    They claimed that the defendants are laying claim to the land as well as seeking to take benefits due to Okia Community from Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).

    The Claimant’s through their Counsel, Nnamdi Ugwuka tendered a Plan No. PP/DT/2K4/03. In their reliefs,the Community prayed the Court for. “A declaration of Statutory right of occupancy to that piece or parcel of land which is lying, being and situate at Okia Community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State of Nigeria.

    “An order of Perpetual Injunction retraining the Defendants from dealing with SPDC and/or Sterling in any manner whatsoever, including the implementation of the Integrated Pipeline Surveillance Scheme(IPSS) in relation to the Claimant’s aforesaid Community land situate at Okia Community, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

    “A declaration that the Claimant’s Community being the rightful and bona-fide owner and in possession of the said Okia Community land, host to the aforesaid facilities belonging to the SPDC is the Community rightfully entitled to be considered by the SPDC for the implementation of the Integrated Pipeline Surveillance Scheme(IPSS) for host Communities especially on Okia Community land or any other contract which may be conceived by SPDC and/or Sterling or any other company whatsoever for host Community.

    “A Perpetual Injunction restraining the Defendants by themselves, their servants, agents, privies, workmen or whosoever from interfering or disturbing the Claimant’s right and title to peaceful possession and occupation of the said piece or parcel land situate at Okia Community or preventing or denying the Claimant’s of the right of reaping the benefits accruing to their Community as host to the SPDC facilities and/or Sterling or any other company and whatsoever facilities located on the Claimant’s Okia Community land in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.”

    On their part, the Defendant argued the matter challenging them to prove their claims and title to the land in dispute amongst others.

    Larry Ovwromoh Esq and V.A. Umukoro Esq represented the Defendants, Messrs Williams Isiayei, Monday Lugbenwei and Okuku Imole Wurutuawei who are representatives of Agge Community in Ekeremor LGA in Bayelsa State in Court.

    Delivering judgement, the Court presided over by His Lordship, Hon. Justice Michael Nduka Obi, said, “I have given due consideration to the evidence of Claimant’s witnesses; the traditional history of the claimants was only challenged to the extent that the land in dispute formed part of Okibou land.

    “Having now found that the Defendants failed to discharge the burden of proof in establishing that the land being claimed forms part of Okibou land, this Court believes the evidence of the 1st Claimant on the traditional history of the claimants as well as right of ownership exercised on the land in dispute.

    “I find that the evidence of traditional history was conclusive in proof of their ownership of the land in dispute and the Court so holds. I resolve these issues in favour of the Claimants.

    “Flowing from what I have heard above, I hereby declare that the Claimants are entitled to Statutory Right of occupancy to that piece or parcel of land known and called Okia Community land which land is lying, being and situate at Okia Community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State of Nigeria,” the court declared.

  • I didn’t praise Army over Bayelsa polls, says Deputy gov

    Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd) has recanted a statement attributed to him on the roles the Army played during the general elections.

    Jonah was quoted at the weekend during the inauguration of projects at the barracks of the 16th Brigade as absolving the army of wrongdoing insisting the soldiers’ conduct during the elections were in line with the directives of the Chief of Army Staff.

    But the Jonah’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Ebi Evinson, in a statement, said his boss was quoted out of context.

    The statement said it was totally incorrect and out of context to say Jonah absolved the military of any blame.

    Read Also: Police arrest suspected robbers in Bayelsa

    The statement said: “Following the Army’s correct admission that its role during elections, is only in support of other security agencies, the Deputy Governor said that it is what his enquiries revealed.

    “The Army should therefore conduct itself accordingly to be shielded from blames during elections as it has always been a stabilizing factor in the polity.

    “The position of the deputy governor is that some over-zealous officers of the Army over-stepped their bounds while discharging their functions during the elections, contrary to the roles in support of civil authority.

    “Given Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah’s robust pedigree as a top Naval officer before retirement, he is quite abreast with the constitutional roles of the military which guides his public utterances”.

  • Generator fume kills three sisters, cousin in Bayelsa

    Three sisters and their cousin have been reportedly killed in their sleep by generator fumes at Aghoro, Ekeremor Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

    It was gathered that the incident, which occurred at the weekend, threw the community into mourning.

    The deceased were said to be primary school pupils identified as the children of Demedogha London and Stephen Binasuode.

    The Nation learnt that the deadly fumes emanated from a new generator placed at the balcony of Demedogha’s bungalow.

    Explaining how the incident occurred, Demedogha, whose compound was besieged by sympathisers, said he kept the generator at the balcony far from the room of the girls.

    He, however, said when he woke up at 6am the next day, he discovered that the generator had shifted close to the door of the girl’s room.

    The distraught father said he found that the floor tiles aided the movement of the generator adding that the girls were already dead when he rushed to their room.

    He said: “The generator was outside but it was on tiles. The generator shifted close to the door. At about 6 am, I came out to put off the generator and saw that it was close to the door. Eventually when I entered the room I saw that all the children were dead”.

    A chief in Aghoro community, who identified himself as Etiti described the incident as painful and said the community would create awareness on dangers of generator fumes.

    But a resident, Victor, said the devastating incident would not have occurred if there had been electricity in the community.

    He said the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) commenced an electrification project in the area but later abandoned it.

    “Shell is doing an electrification project but the work stopped a long time ago. I appeal to shell to embark on the project so that this community can have light to avoid this kind of incident,” he said.

  • 2019: Investigate all electoral infractions now – PANDEF tells FG

    The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) on Friday called on the Federal Government under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, to immediately investigate all electoral infractions that took place during the 2019 general elections held on February 23 and March 9, 2019.

    While stressing that there should be no sacred cows in the investigation, PANDEF also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to bring to conclusion the process of collation of the Rivers State Governorship Election Results and the winner declared, so as to douse the political tension in the State.

    In a statement by the National Secretary of PANDEF, Alfred Mulade and made available to the Nation, the group appealed to the Federal Government to de-militarize the Niger Delta, so as to enable every citizen go about his/her lawful endeavors.

    The statement reads: “The reported killings, militarization, intimidation, electoral gangsterism and the attendant security situation in some states in the Niger Delta, particularly, in Bayelsa and Rivers States, has become a source of worry.

    “The Abonnema killings in Rivers State, reportedly orchestrated and perpetrated by the military and political thugs, apparently working on the influence of certain politicians with nefarious tendencies, during the Presidential election held on February 23, 2019, is a classic example of how certain desperate politicians and soldiers could instigate mayhem on innocent and defenceless citizens.

    “It must be noted with  every sense of responsibility  the dastardly act of militarization, intimidation, killings, electoral gangsterism and brinkmanship, during this period, and particularly  heightened during the governorship and House of Assembly polls  on March 9, 2019, as was seen in the case of Rivers State,  is not one anybody should pride himself about.”

    READ ALSO: Hungry old men endorsed Atiku – PANDEF

    PANDEF stated that the show of brigandage allegedly demonstrated in Rivers State, by the Army, the Air Force, the Police and other paramilitary personnel by invading the Independent National Electoral Commision (INEC) Office in Port Harcourt, in a bid to arm-twist and intimidate the INEC Officials in a bid to swing the results of the election to a predetermined candidate, is very dangerous for democracy.

    The Forum noted that the action by the military, was condemnable, and should be condemned by every lover of the Nigeria project, adding that for the fact that the Army issued a denial of their involvement in the shameful act was not enough to completely exonerate them.

    It added that the more the denials from the Military, the more their professionalism, rules of engagement, efficiency and neutrality becomes foggy and doubtful.

    “Is the military ‘crying’ that bloody civilians’ have taken over their duties?

    “If the Theory of neutrality being canvassed by the military is anything to go by, how come the harassment of innocent Niger Deltans in the likes of  Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, HRM Ateke Tom, Traditional Ruler of Okochiri – Okrika and a host of others?.

    “Why has the Army been so involved and entangled with election matters that they are now being out-smarted by so-called civilians-in-uniform?” the statement querried.

    “It must be placed on record, and the Federal Government must be reminded that, the Army, statutorily, has NO business with election duties, and so should NOT have been so deployed, in the first place.

    This is a matter that has been conveniently laid to rest by the Court of Appeal, in 2015,” the statement read further.

  • Bayelsa: APC accuses Dickson, PDP of using thugs to undermine elections

    The All Progressives Congress (APC), Bayelsa State Chapter, has alleged the use of thugs and other criminal elements by Governor Seriake Dickson and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to undermine yesterday’s house of assembly elections.

    APC State Publicity Secretary, Mr. Doifie Buokoribo, said in a statement yesterday in Okpoama-Brass that armed thugs loyal to the governor and his party were on the loose in a number of communities throughout the polls, rigging for the PDP and intimidating APC members.

    The statement said, “Just on Thursday, we alerted the Bayelsa public to an evil plot by Governor Seriake Dickson to unleash mayhem during yesterday’s governorship and house of assembly elections with the purpose to intimidate the opposition and impose his candidates in various constituencies of the state.”

    The statement, signed by Doifie Buokoribo, the APC

    State Publicity Secretary, Okpoama-Brass, said: “Bayelsa State PDP Chairman, Mr. Moses Cliopas, and other PDP leaders, accompanied by armed thugs hijacked all the electoral materials for Saturday’s election in Wards 16 and 17 of Southern Ijaw local government area. It took the intervention of the armed and security forces for the materials to be recovered, and some arrests were made.”

    It added, “In Ogbolomabiri-Nembe, the hometown of the deputy governor, his younger brother, Gabriel Jonah, used thugs to threaten and chase APC agents out of the community.

    “In Sagbama, where Dickson comes from, our members were in hiding for the most part of Saturday for fear of being harmed by the governor and his armed thugs.”

  • PDP accuses monarch of hijacking electoral materials in Bayelsa

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has accused a paramount ruler in Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, of hijacking electoral materials.

    The State Secretary of the PDP, Chief Godspower Keku, said in a statement that the traditional ruler abducted officials of INEC with electoral materials to his residence for thumb printing and production of concocted results.

    He said that the materials were hijacked by the paramount ruler and taken to his residence for brazen manipulation in favour òf a Candidate òf the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Keku said that the electoral fraud affected units 12, 13, 14 and 15 of Ologoghe , ward 04 , Ogbia constituency 2.

    Keku said, that it was most condemnable that a paramount ruler would subject the traditional institution to ridicule to pursue selfish individual interest to the detriment of the common good.

    He urged INEC to redeem its image by cancelling the fake results being produced by the traditional ruler for the units.

    He said; “The PDP wishes to draw the attention of INEC and the public to the snatching of the electoral materials meant for units 12, 13, 14 and 15 of Ologoghe , ward 04 , Ogbia constituency 2 by a Paramount ruler.

    “The INEC officials were abducted, ballot papers hijacked by the monarch to his house for thumb printing and production of illegal results.

    “We call for total cancellation of results of unit 12, 13, 14 and 15 from Ologoghe , ward 04 , Ogbia constituency 2, Bayelsa State as election did not take place in these units.

    “INEC as the electoral umpire would do well to reject the fake results and cancel the election to redeem its image.”

  • PDP decries killings, violence, militarisation of elections

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the heavy militarisation, violence and killing of innocent Nigerians during Saturday’s Governorship and State Assembly elections across many states of the federation.

    A statement on Saturday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan blamed the development on what the opposition party described as the desperation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the elections.

    “The world watched with utter horror as soldiers under the command of the Buhari Presidency, hound, arrest, shoot, terrorise opposition figures and provide cover for APC thugs to unleash violence, kill opposition members, cart away electoral materials and disrupt polls in PDP strongholds, all in the bid to forcefully foist the APC on Nigerians,” the statement said.

    The party further bemoaned the resort to bloodletting, violence and alleged official high handedness by the APC in the electoral process, which it said, has further confirmed this administration has no regard for the lives of Nigerians and lawful processes, but only interested in seizing power by all means.

    The PDP noted that never in the history of the nation had a general election recorded such bloodletting, violence and manipulations as triggered in the 2019 elections.

    Lamenting further, the PDP said: “In Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Delta, Bayelsa, Kogi, Benue, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, among others, soldiers brazenly aided APC thugs to unbridle violence, hijack electoral processes and write fictitious results for APC candidates.

    “In Rivers state, soldiers invaded INEC office in Bori, beat up and chased away PDP agents and assisted the APC in ballot stuffing and writing of results.

    “The scenario was the same in Akwa-Ibom where security agents provided cover for APC thugs in their bid to hijack the electoral process.

    “In Imo state, APC thugs, accompanied by security agents disrupted polls in PDP strongholds and reportedly killed a PDP agents in Umudo/Umuwala area of Owerri.

    “In Ebonyi state, APC thugs aided by security agents, burnt down INEC facility in the state, seeing that their party did not have any foothold in the state.

    “In Ajaokuta, Kabba/Bunu, Olamaboro, Ijumu and several other local governments in Kogi state, APC thugs, assisted by soldiers invaded polling units and carted away ballot materials, a development which sparked off restiveness in some areas and resulted in mass destruction of property in the area”.

    The party regretted that in many other states, the APC, in connivance with INEC, orchestrated the deliberate diversion of electoral materials meant for certain areas to unknown destinations, resulting in the frustration of electoral processes in the affected areas.

    “We know that the APC plot to derail our hard- earned democracy and impose a fascist regime on our nation but we are resolute in standing with Nigerians and all lovers of democracy to ensure that nobody, no matter how vicious, is allowed to vanquish our democracy.

    “In all, our party stands with Nigerians in their resilience at this defining moment in our political history.

    “The PDP commends the courage of Nigerians in standing firm in defence of democracy, despite the machinations of the APC,” the party added.