The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bayelsa

  • Jilted husband kills in-laws

    A 37-year-old man at the weekend set the house of his in-laws at Isampou community Ekeremor Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, ablaze killing his wife’s mother and brother.

    The man whose name could not be ascertained was said to have been enraged at his wife’s decision to run away from home.

    Thinking that his wife was sleeping in her mother’s house, the man was said to have sneaked into the compound of the deceased at night and set it on fire.

    While the fire burnt the mother-in-law to death on the spot, the brother-in-law was said to have temporarily survived the incident but died later following first-degree burns he sustained from the inferno.

    “The man poured fuel on the room of his mother-in-law thinking his wife was sleeping in her mother’s room.

    “The wife left him some days ago saying that she did not want to marry him anymore. The wife was living with the man at Bomadi, Delta state before she left for her mother’s house at Isampou, Bayelsa, a source who spoke in confidence said.

    It was learnt that irate mob from Isampou community stormed the Ndoro community in Bomadi and burnt the family house of the culprit in retaliation.

    The couple were said to be having marital problems when the wife decided to call off the marriage and return to her mother’s village.

    The wife reportedly planned to sleep in the mother’s house but changed her mind and and decided to spend the night at a friend’s house.

    “Angry youths from Isampou community stormed the Ndoro community in speedboats with the burnt corpses of the in-laws. After searching for the killer husband in vain, they burnt his family house,” the source said.

  • Edo: INEC must not allow inconclusive election-LP

    Edo: INEC must not allow inconclusive election-LP

    The Labour Party in Edo State has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to work hard to not to allow inconclusive election in the September 10, governorship elections.

    It said INEC under Professor Mahmood Yakubu has set a bad example to emulate in various inconclusive elections in Bayelsa, Rivers and Kogi States.

    A press statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Uroupa Samson, said the warning was because of alleged plans by some political science to compromise the electoral process.

    The statement reads in parts, “This note of warning become so imperative owing to information at our disposals, that some desperate political actors have perfected plans to work through the INEC and security agents to compromise the process and when there is a resistance to the evil plot, it will now be declared inconclusive.

    “INEC should not give room for any form of rigging, both sensitive and none sensitive material and personnel should be dispatched to appropriate locations without delay for any reason including the remotest part where the exercise is to take place.

    “As a party whose ideology is hinged on social democratic values, justice and fairness, we are ready to play by the rules of the game and accept whatever is the outcome provided the process is adjudged free fair and credible of international best practices. But if otherwise, we will challenge it”.

  • Bayelsa Federal Polytechnic searches for sanity

    Bayelsa Federal Polytechnic searches for sanity

    There is hope, maybe, a breath of fresh air, for the troubled Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe, Southern Ijaw, Bayelsa State. The newly appointed Rector, Dr. Timi Seiyaboh, has vowed to bring sanity to the crisis-ridden polytechnic.

    In fact, the institution requires sanity. It has been a shadow of itself since its establishment in 2009. From a citadel of learning, the Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe, the only polytechnic owned by the Federal Government in Bayelsa, has gradually become the Ivory Towers of decay, corruption and confusion.

    It was even ironic that all the obstacles that militated against the institution were erected throughout the period former President Goodluck Jonathan, who hails from the state, was in the Aso Rock Villa.

    Located on the bank of the River Nun in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state, the polytechnic has a mandate to produce middle and high level manpower in Aqua Agriculture, Oil and Gas, Applied and Enviromental Science programmes.

    The institution’s journey to destruction started during Jonathan’s Presidency. The tenure of its former Rector, Dr. Eneyi Ekpebu, was marred by allegations of massive financial fraud against Ekpebu and the Bursar, Mr. James Neminebor.

    The school was said to have only admitted 48 students since its establishment in 2009. Despite its lean student population, the school reportedly maintained 100 employees in its payroll.

    The institution was crippled by inefficient management and perhaps gross and deliberate financial misappropriation. Some highly-placed persons vowed to destroy the institution by making it their personal cash cow.

    Irked by the development, the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANP), engaged the management staff in a protracted labour dispute. The union wrote many petitions to the then Supervising Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, detailing the woes of the institution and calling on him to bring sanity to the polytechnic.

    They complained among other things of infrastructural decay, unpaid arears of salaries, allowances, minimum wage, first 28 days allowance and implementation of NHIS and pension scheme. But the minister turned deaf ears to the cries of the workers. Ekowe continued to burn. The crisis claimed its first casualty, Mr. Frank Moses, a 35-year-old senior administrative employee of the institution.

    Moses was assassinated in his home in Yenagoa. SSANP accused the management of killing Moses alleging that the deceased became a target for exposing N1bn fraud in the institution and for dragging the management to court over allegations of embezzlement.

    Petitions were further written to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) by the union. Ekowe suddenly became a campus of reproach as officials of the anti-graft agencies turned their satellite on it.

    But now with the appointment of Dr. Timi Seiyaboh, as the new Rector of the polytechnic, hope has risen for the long-suffering institution. The workers are happy over the emergence of Seiyaboh whom they described as a forthright anti-corruption crusader. They expect him to turn round the fortunes of the polytechnic.

    Shortly after his inauguration, the rector promised all the stakeholders of the institution a new era. He said the polytechnic would no longer top the chart of bad news. He attributed crisis in the polytechnic to bad management, but said a new chapter had opened for the institution.

    He said: “We will no longer be known for bad image. Most times we have crisis because of bad management. This time we intend to operate a very transparent management. We are also going to be very serious with issues.”

    Seiyaboh said the era of collecting salaries without working was over adding that all the workers must perform their duties to earn their money. He said he was appointed specifically to develop the institution insisting that he must succeed in his mandate.

    He said: “Our days of crisis are over. We want to move forward. I have made it clear that all those that are ready to work with us, we will work with them. Those are not ready to work with us, they will be shown their way out. We need to develop this place. I have a mandate to succeed and I will succeed”.

    On infrastructure, he said the polytechnic was not doing badly. According to him the school has better infrastructures compared to others. But he said buildings and other structures would be maintained and improved upon.

    “Things are going got take shape and move forward. All the unions in the institution will be carried along. We are going to be demanding and we will make sure that people work for their money. We are going to sanitise the institution”, he said.

  • Troops arrest suspected soldiers’ killers in Bayelsa

    Troops arrest suspected soldiers’ killers in Bayelsa

    The military has arrested three of the militants who killed four soldiers at a checkpoint in Nembe, Bayelsa State, 16 days ago.

    Others were said to have been killed when operatives of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe (ODS) stormed the militants’ hideout at Saraba creek, near Okiama community, Okigbene in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.

    The military gunboat and cache of arms and ammunition, including weapons carted away by the militants on August 8, were recovered.

    ODS Commander Rear Admiral Joseph Okojie yesterday paraded the suspects and the recovered items at the ODS’ Headquarters in Igbogene.

    He said the militants’ hideout was located on August 13, stating that several items including military materials were recovered from there. Following the discoveries, he said, the troops relaunched another operation on August 22 at about 2pm.

    Some of the militants, Okojie said, were believed to have been killed during a shootout with the troops, but three of them were arrested.

    The Commander said: “On Monday 8 August 2016, at about 0930hours, a group suspected to be members of the Niger Delta Avengers disguised as people going for a burial party, ambushed and killed four of our soldiers at their duty post in Nembe.

    “They absconded with a gunboat and some ammunition. Since then, our troops stepped up operations in the areas hitherto inhabited by these bandits. Consequently, on 13 August 2016, our troops located and raided their hideout in a camp at Saraba creek near Okiama community in Okigbene in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

    “Several items including military accoutrements were recovered from them. In pursuit of these discoveries, a coordinated patrol was further launched.

    “On Monday 22 August 2016, troops at about 1400 hours (2pm) located and engaged these criminals in a shootout in which some of them were believed to have been killed, three suspects arrested and large quantities of arms, ammunition and the gunboat that was taken from Nembe on 8 August 2016 recovered”.

    He said during mop-up operation on the militants’ camp, weapons and some military items were recovered.

    The recovered weapons and items are 9 x AK 47 rifles, 1 x FN rifle, 4 x HK 21 MGs, 1 x G3 MG, 3 x GPMGs, 20 x AK 47 magazines, 2 x G3 magazines and1 x FN magazine, 1 x container of gun powder, 1 x Epenal  gun boat, 1,145 rounds x 7.62mm metal link, 2,485 rounds x 7.62mm ball cartons! 370 rounds x 7.62mm special ammunition and1,356 rounds x 7.62mm NATO.

    Okojie said: “The Joint Task Force conducted this operation professionally and avoided collateral damage. We shall continue to sustain this approach which is in line with global best practices.

    “No criminal would go free, wherever they are, be rest assured we will get them and ensure they face justice. Let me re-affirm the commitment of the Joint Task Force Operation DELTA SAFE of its resolve to ensure peace and economic stability in the region.

    “Fortunately there are windows of opportunity provided by the Federal Government for amicable resolution of grievances by any aggrieved groups. Rather than engage in heinous crimes or self help, they should seize the opportunity and embrace peace or face the full wrath of the law.

    “In the same vein, those misguided elements that bear the unachievable and unfortunate message of disunity through declaration of imaginary independence must have a rethink.”

     

    The Joint Task Force believes these unscrupulous elements have ample time and opportunities to channel their grievances properly”.

    The Commander praised his troops for their gallantry during the operation and asked law-abiding citizens to go about their normal businesses.

    ODS, Okojie said, was set up by the Federal Government to ensure that Niger Delta is safe for economic prosperity and peace to thrive.

    A Nembe chief Wilfred Ogbotobo, yesterday hailed the gallantry, professionalism and competence displayed by the military in arresting “the demoniacs who attacked and killed troops in Nembe”.

    He said: “This spectacular feat is an indisputable evidence of the capability and  preparedness of the Armed Forces to call the bluffs and, deal decisively with the brazen, nonsensical criminality thriving mainly in Ijaw parts of the Niger Delta.

    “It is hoped that the Federal Government would now fully appreciate the urgency for a massive deployment of maximum force to confront the murderous madness peddled by the Ijaws. This is a precondition for any form of meaningful and lasting  establishment of law and order, peace and security in the Niger Delta”.

     

  • Bayelsa CJ’s son dies in swimming pool

    Mr Wariebi, son of the Chief Justice of Bayelsa State, Justice Kate Abiri, has been reported dead in mysterious circumstances.

    Wariebi was said to have died in an undisclosed swimming pool at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

    The Governor of the state, Mr. Seriake Dickson, in a statement signed on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson expressed deep shock over the untimely death of Wariebi.

    Dickson was said to have spoken after after paying a condolence visit to Abiri at her residence in Yenagoa.

    The statement confirmed that Wariebi, a graduate of law and a student of the Nigerian Law School, Abuja, reportedly died in a swimming pool last Friday night.

    The governor noted with regret, the circumstances under in which, the life of the young Wariebi was cut short.

    He said the state government would collaborate with the police and other relevant agencies, to unravel the real cause of his death.

    He described the deceased as a focused and promising young man, who was preparing to make a wonderful career in the law profession.

    He said that his demise remained a painful loss to the Abiri family and the state in general.

    The governor urged the family to view the incident as divine and prayed God to strengthen and grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.

    “As a Government, be rest assured that, we will stand with you shoulder to shoulder in this very very challenging period, especially in working with the Police and other relevant agencies of the Government to unearth the real cause of his death”, he said.

  • Bayelsa local govt seeks revenue from agric

    The economy is on recession. Revenue from the Federal Government has dropped drastically and responsible government at all levels are wearing their thinking caps to raise money internally to run their affairs.

    Sagbama, the Local Government Area of the Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, is not left out. The Caretaker Committee Chairman of the council, Mr. Michael Magbisa, recently reeled out its plans to improve the economy of the council.

    Magbisa said diversification is the pill for economic recovery and agriculture is the future. The chairman gathered stakeholders of the council at the Secretariat to brief them of his plans and his achievements since he was appointed to administer the council by Dickson.

    Dickson’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Mrs. Ebizi Brown, Political Adviser, Fynman Wilson and other notable leaders attended the event. Briefing them, Magbisa said all the plans to engage various sub-sectors of agriculture especially poultry and farming had been concluded in the council.

    He said: “You are all aware of the economic recession facing us globally, this has made a lot nations to diversify their economy.

    “We, at Sagbama plans to diversify into agriculture, hence we have initiated plans to venture into poultry farming and fishing. The council plans to engage about 100 youths to be trained in this areas not just for an empowerment for them, but also as a source of revenue generation for the council”.

    Reflecting on the administration of the council, he said: “Although the journey has not been so smooth but because of the support given me by most of you I have been able to overcome some of the challenges we faced.

    “Despite the downturn in the economy and all the problems facing us as a people we have a success stories to tell and achievement to show case today”.

    He, however, made a passionate appeal to his stakeholders. He said: “It is my appeal for all of us to encourage and give all our support to our own father and leader, the executive governor of our beloved state Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson who is also from this wonderful council.

    “It was through his magnanimity I am able to be here as a caretaker chairman of this council, that also include most of you that are present her today. I want to specifically use this medium to appeal to all of us, his kinsmen to rally round the Governor especially now the federal allocation to the state gas dropped drastically.

    “Though we are facing the same financial challenges at the council, but because of our zeal for quality service and delivery of political dividends to our people. We have been able to not only spend the meager allocations that come to the council judiciously and prudently, we have recorded successes”.

    On some of his achievements, the chairman said following the state government’s directive, workers’ verification was carried out and payroll frauds such as impersonation, illegal appointments, falsification of documents and over-aged declarations were discovered.

    He said electricity was restored to the council’s secretariat. He said payment of workers including primary school teachers were still ongoing. He said the council was also able to open some factories to drive local production of essential goods.

    He said: “In this very short time of our stay, we have been able to put up aa table and sachet water factory in Sagbama. We also renovated the chairman’s lodge and governor’s lodge. We have also given the council secretariat a befitting look and the paint used in painting the secretariat building was actually produced by Sagbama Local Government Council.

    “We have set up a bakery for the production of bread for our people and we intend to create employment opportunities for our teeming youths, so as to reduce crime and other vices affecting us.

    “We have also relocated all commercial vehicles operating in Sagbama Town to the council motor park. This move is to create an enabling environment for passengers and to also check the insecurity challenges we are facing before I assumed office.

    “Very soon, security cameras will be installed in strategic location to monitor the activities of unscrupulous and questionable characters. We have also refurbished speedboats for our marine police to enhance security on our water ways. The various security apparatus have also been strengthened.

    “We have also put in place boreholes to provide water for our people in Tungbabiri.

    That project is ongoing and very soon the Tungbabiri axis of Sagbama shall have clean and portable drinking water from that project”.

  • Militancy: IG drafts ex-militant leaders, VIPs, others to police Bayelsa

    A group of 21 influential individuals known as Eminent Persons Forum (EPF) drawn from various communities in Bayelsa State, have been voluntarily engaged to work with the police to fight militancy and other violent crimes in the state.

    The state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi, who confirmed the development, said the idea of engaging people of influence in fighting militancy, kidnapping, piracy and other criminal activities originated from the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

    He said the forum consisted of ex-militant leaders, politicians, community leaders, market leaders, clergy men and other people with spheres of influence.

    Bayelsa has been under the throes of violent crimes with the recent killing of three soldiers at a checkpoint in Nembe creating further tension in the state.

    The Bayelsa State chapter of EPF took off at the weekend following a meeting held at the Police Officers Mess, Yenagoa, between Ogunjemilusi and important personalities in the state.

    At the meeting to inaugurate the group, Ogunkemilusi said the idea was originated by the IGP to broaden the scope of crime fighting in various communities.

    He said 21 eminent persons drawn from various communities and organisations would form the EPF after subjecting them to thorough screening.

    Addressing them, he said: “The idea of Eminent Persons Forum (EPF) is that of the Inspector-General of Police. When he was appointed, he had in mind to come up with an idea to bring people of your status on board.

    “You will first partner with us in resolving crime issues in our various communities. He is also looking for ways to remove bureaucracy and to bridge the gap between the public and the police. We are also looking at a coordinated approach to supporting policing efforts, so that somebody will not hijack the leadership of the police.”

    He further told them: “We also want to create an avenue to harness logistic support for the police instead of going to individuals to solicit support. We don’t want a situation where an individual is funding the system and before you know it the commanders are likely to compromise or mortgage their principles.

    “We are also looking at it that many people don’t even know what we are doing. It is only when we do something bad that you hear it but serious efforts are made daily to make sure that we maintain peace and security. It is not your fault.”

    A statement signed by Dickson’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said the police commissioner told the governor that the forum would enhance the relationship between the police and members of the public.

    He also promised to create a strike force to deal with acts of militancy, kidnapping and other violent crimes in the state.

    Dickson was said to have lauded the initiative assuring the police of his administration’s full support in their efforts to fight crime to ensure peaceful environment.

  • Militants kill three soldiers in Bayelsa

    Militants kill three soldiers in Bayelsa

    Militants disguised in white-mourning outfits, on Monday morning, killed three soldiers at a checkpoint located in Nembe waterways, Nembe, Bayelsa State and stole two gunboats

     

    Details later.

  • Bayelsa launches manhunt for militants, vandals, robbers

    Bayelsa State at the weekend began the enforcement of its new strategy to end the menaces of militancy, pipeline vandalism, pirate attacks, kidnapping and other criminal activities along the waterways and creeks of the state.

    The governor of the state, Mr. Seriake Dickson, inaugurated a former militant leader, Mr. Africanus Ukparasia, popularly known as ‘General’ Africa, as the Chairman of the state Waterway Security Taskforce.

    At the inaugural ceremony which reportedly took place at the Banquet Hall, Yenagoa, Dickson was said to have mandated the taskforce to provide security agencies with required intelligence to deal with criminals.

    The ceremony which later moved to Africa’s palatial home attracted youths and leaders  from different parts of the state including the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Tiwe Oruminighe and the state Secretary of the party, Mr. Marlin Daniel.

    Youths were seen engaging in wrestling competition, dancing and singing at Africa’s compound where friends and family members including some former ex-militants went to identify with him.

    In his remarks, Africa assured the government of adequate security and intelligence gathering along the waterways of the state.

    He said criminals would no longer be allowed to take over the waterways to kill innocent people and subject travellers and traders to untold hardship.

    He warned sea robbers and other criminals operating in the state to leave the creeks or face tough times.

    Speaking on the choice of Africa, Oruminighe hailed Dickson for the appointment and said though the ex-militant leader is a member of APC, security is for everybody.

    He said Dickson, though a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), recently visited President Muhammadu Buhari to seek ways of solving the Niger Delta problem.

  • APC: Jonathan, PDP underdeveloped Bayelsa

    APC: Jonathan, PDP underdeveloped Bayelsa

    The Bayelsa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has challenged Governor Seriake Dickson to tell the people what the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did for the state in its 16 years in the federal administration.

    In the same vein, the party asked the governor to show projects the state benefited from in six years under ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The party said Jonathan, Dickson and his party underdeveloped the state and squandered the golden opportunities to attract development to Bayelsa.

    The party was reacting to a statement by Dickson that APC leaders should use their contacts and connections to attract federal presence to the state.

    But in a statement yesterday in Yenagoa, the state capital, by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Panebi Fortune, APC described the governor’s remarks as “mischievous and loose”.

    The statement described Jonathan and the PDP as liabilities to the people.

    APC said: “Our attention was today (yesterday) drawn to a mischievous and loose statement credited to Bayelsa State Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, apparently in clear exhibition of arrogance and shallowness that APC leaders from Bayelsa State were yet to attract development to the state.

    “From the statement, it was clear that the governor was either being misled by his imagination or was merely expressing another misguided view of our party, the APC.

    “In our view, the statement was reckless, even as it was a shameless show of brazen arrogance by a man whose party, the PDP, had an ample opportunity to develop Bayelsa State but looked the other way.

    “Does it not show much of political liability that while Jonathan, a son of Bayelsa State held sway for six years, the state is yet to take off? What template of development did the former President lay before he was voted out of office? For us in the APC and indeed the generality of Bayelsans, both Jonathan and the PDP were liabilities than they were assets to the people of the state. They underdeveloped Bayelsa State.”

    It added: “May we use this medium to remind Governor Dickson that rather than chase shadows and engage in blackmail, he should consider the plight of Bayelsa workers and pay their salaries. The level of hunger, despair and insecurity occasioned by poverty should be of paramount interest to him.

    “It is a shame that despite the God-given opportunity, Jonathan and his party decided to impoverish the people of Bayelsa State, just as Governor Dickson, like an emperor, has taken solace in a conquest-like squeeze of the people.

    “We use this medium to advise Governor Dickson to face governance during this period of judicial reprieve as the days of justice are not too far away. It can only be preposterous that development, which had eluded our dear state over the years under a PDP national government, can be hurriedly canvassed to Bayelsa within 15 months of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

    “For our supporters, we enjoin you to remain steadfast and ignore provocative moves orchestrated by the state government and its agents to trigger unease. We will win at the end of the battle.”