The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bayelsa

  • EFCC seals off ex-Dickson’s aide’s buildings in Bayelsa

    EFCC seals off ex-Dickson’s aide’s buildings in Bayelsa

    Officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have sealed off buildings and other property allegedly belonging to Governor Seriake Dickson’s former Special Assistant on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Apere Embelakpo.

    Investigations yesterday revealed that a palatial and tastefully-finished building said to be owned by Embelakpo along the Azikoro Road, Yenagoa, the state capital, was taken over by the anti-graft agency.

    It was however observed that some unidentified youths were still occupying a section of the building.

    The youths attacked our correspondent with stones when they discovered he was trying to take a picture of the building.

    While our correspondent escaped by the whiskers, one of the stones created an impact on his vehicle.

    It was also found that sets of exotic shopping complexes and malls allegedly acquired by the former aide at the Kpansia Market along the Isaac Boro Expressway were also sealed off by the officials.

    Sources said the EFCC operatives escorted by some mobile policemen stormed the state capital on Tuesday in search of assets allegedly acquired using MDG funds by the former aide.

    An inscription “property under EFCC investigation, keep off” was written on the fences and gates of some of the buildings.

    Embelakpo is under investigation for allegedly diverting N800m meant for MDG programmes and projects in the state.

    His wife is also being probed by EFCC for alleged money laundering, forgery and suspicious transactions amounting to N200m.

    EFCC had earlier arrested former Senior Special Assistant on Media to Dickson Abnedgo Don- Evarada in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State for allegedly offering a bribe of N10million to the EFCC’s Zonal Head in Port- Harcourt, Ishaq Salihu.

    Don-Evarada reportedly ran into trouble when he allegedly approached Salihu over the case involving Embelakpo and his wife, Fiene Beauty.

     

  • ‘Bayelsa Agip pipeline blown 13 times in one month’

    ‘Bayelsa Agip pipeline blown 13 times in one month’

    A gas pipeline belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) at Ogbembiri in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has been blown up 13 times in one month.

    It was gathered yesterday that some gunmen attacked the facility on Sunday, raising questions in the community on why security agencies detailed to protect the oil installations had not stopped the frequent breaches.

    The gunmen were said to have stormed the community at 9 p.m, tracing the pipeline and rupturing it at a point where it had been fixed, following the last attack.

    While some sources said dynamites were used to blow up the pipeline, others said the gunmen deployed other mechanical devices to rupture the facility.

    It was learnt that the facility is a major gas supply pipeline criss-crossing Tumor community in Bomadi, Delta State as well as Ogbuasiri in Ekeremor and Ogbembiri in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

    While the pipeline is said to be relatively safe in other communities, it has been under constant attacks in Southern Ijaw.

    A source in Ogbembiri community, who spoke in confidence, said the constant breaches of the gas pipeline in the area had become worrisome.

    He said the attacks had raised some questions about the contractor in charge of security surveillance of the pipeline, who is said to be from the community.

    The source added: “Agip awarded both the security surveillance of the pipeline and its repairs, in case of a breach, to a contractor from the community.

    “So, the contractor enjoys dual contract of protecting the pipeline and repairing it whenever there is a leakage. But it is baffling how the pipeline increasingly comes under attacks.

    “It is a major pipeline because it supplies gas for domestic consumption and Agip has spent a lot of money fixing it.”

    Residents of the community wondered why security agencies, such as the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield, the Navy and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), had not found a lasting solution to the attacks.

    Besides the economic implications of the attacks, it was gathered that each time the pipeline was ruptured, it released toxic substance into the air, polluting the community.

    A security source, who confirmed the incident, said it was time security agencies assisted Agip to end the incessant attacks on the facility in the interests of the environment and the economy.

    But the Bayelsa State NSCDC Commandant, Desmond Agu, noted that though the current attacks had not been officially reported to his command, he had deployed his men to the creeks to protect critical national assets.

  • Tension in Bayelsa as militants kill three soldiers

    Ongoing attacks on security operatives in the Niger Delta region by gunmen suspected to be militants continued Tuesday following the killing of three soldiers attached to the Joint Force (JF), Operation Pulo Shield (OPS) in Bayelsa State.

    It was gathered that the gunmen, who operated on a speedboat, overran a military outpost at Foropa, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, and gunned down soldiers.

    After killing their victims, the militants reportedly carted away two AK47 riffles, a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) and other ammunition at the Foropa checkpoint.

    A top security source said the militants struck at about 1.30am Tuesday in a surprise attack adding that the soldiers could have been sleeping when the incident occurred.

    He said: “It was a surprise attack because the gunmen caught the soldiers unawares. They opened fire on them, killed three of them and carted away their arms and ammunition”.

     

  • Four dead as troops, gunmen clash in Bayelsa

    Four dead as troops, gunmen clash in Bayelsa

    •One soldier injured in gun battle
    •Two killed, others injured in Rivers

    Four gunmen have been feared killed in a shootout between troops of the Joint Forces (JF) of Operation Pulo Shield (OPS) and gunmen suspected to be sea pirates at Peregbene, on the Ogbia-Nembe waterways in Bayelsa State.

    A soldier (a private) was injured in the gun duel, which lasted about an hour.

    The gunmen were said to have attacked the gunboat conveying soldiers to an undisclosed location for an official assignment.

    A security source, who spoke in confidence, said the gunboat was led by an officer when the gunmen opened fire on it.

    The source said the gunboat came under attack at 1.30 pm on Monday.

    He said: “The soldiers repelled the attack. They replied fire for fire and injured some of the gunmen. But one of the soldiers, a private, was also injured.”

    Confirming the incident, the Coordinator of the Joint Media Campaign Centre (JMCC) Col. Isa Ado said the troops were on patrol of the waterways when they saw the hoodlums between Peregbene and Obama.

    Ado said the suspected pirates were riding a speedboat with 200 horse power engine, which had been banned on the waterways, when they saw the Army gunboat.

    He said: “On sighting the gunboat, the gunmen tried to escape. Our troops fired at them while they were trying to run away. As they were escaping, they were firing back at our troops. About four of them were hit by bullets. They were either dead or sustained serious injuries.

    “They navigated into a narrow creek, put off the engine of their boat and ran into the creeks. They escaped with their dead. One of our soldiers was shot in the leg and he was immediately evacuated to a hospital for treatment.”

    He said the troops were still combing the creeks to locate the whereabouts of the gunmen.

    Ado said the commander of the OPS ensured constant patrol of the waterways to fish out economic saboteurs and other maritime criminals, in accordance with the directive of the Defence Headquarters.

    Also, it was gathered that pirates attacked a commercial boat conveying traders to Kaa in Khana, Rivers State.

    The gunmen reportedly shot and killed two of the traders, injured a kid and the captain of the boat.

    The travellers were said to have left Bonny Island, in Bonny Local Government of Rivers State, for Kaa when their boat came under attack.

    A source, who lives on Bonny Island, said the gunmen ambushed and tried in vain to stop the vessel.

    “The boat had 200 horse power engine. So, the captain, on sighting the gunmen, sped off. The gunmen chased the boat but could not catch up with it.

    “They opened fire on the boat, killed two persons and injured the captain and the kid. The injured are in a critical condition. The captain managed to bring the boat to Kaa,” the source said.

  • Bayelsa NSCDC, DPR compel marketers to sell at regulated price

    Independent petroleum marketers in Bayelsa State were recently compelled by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to sell fuel at the regulated price of N86.50 per litre.

    The state Commandant, NSCDC, Mr. Desmond Agu and the Controller, DPR, Mr. Asuquo Antai, in a major monitoring operation, stormed the filling stations to check excesses of marketers.

    Apart from mega stations owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), other filling stations in Yenagoa, the state capital, were seen dispensing fuel to buyers at between N150 to N180 per litre.

    But Agu and Antai who were accompanied by armed NSCDC operatives and other officials of DPR forced the station owners to revert to the regulated pump price.

    Residents who were on queues to buy the product were seen jubilating and thanking the law-enforcement agents for their intervention.

    Such jubilation was witnessed at Unless God filling station when the DPR and NSCDC bosses insisted that the station should either sell at the regulated pump price or close for business.

    Residents who were initially buying the product at N150 per litre immediately increased their demands with some ceasing the opportunity to fill their fuel tanks.

    One of the residents, a chief from Nembe Kingdom, Nengi James, described the monitoring exercise as a welcome development and appealed to the law-enforcement agencies to sustain the operation.

    “We are happy that the government has not abandoned us to the profiteering tendencies of these marketers. We are still scared that if they leave now, the marketers will go back to their high prices. So, we are appealing to the NSCDC and the DPR to step up their monitoring”, he said.

    There was, however, a skirmish at a NNPC filling station in Tombia, between the two agents and a colonel of the Nigerian Army attached to the Joint Force (JF) Operation Pulo Shield (OPS).

    Agu and Antai discovered at the filling station that army operatives working for the colonel who drove a JTF Toyota Hilux with registration number OPPS 082 AHQ were bullying the fuel attendants and other people at the queue.

    The colonel who drove into the filling station through the wrong way were reportedly angry that the fuel attendants did not sell to him on time and allowed the army operatives to unleash violence on them.

    Agu and Antai who immediately intervened stopped the violence and engaged the colonel in a shouting match.

    Speaking on the exercise, Antai said some filling stations were compelled to sell fuel at the regulated price.

    He, however, added that Bayelsa needs daily supply of 825,000 liters of fuel to address the scarcity of the product in the state.

    He said the state currently receives between 150,000 to 300,000 liters describing the quantity as grossly inadequate.

    He said the DPR was against sharp practices such as hoarding, under-dispensing and overpricing adding that a filling station under investigation for product diversion would paid N6.5m fine if indicted.

    “We are appealing to the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC) to increase their supply to Bayelsa. The product is not just used in Yenagoa, people at the hinterland rely on it to meet their energy needs. Of we can meet 50 per cent of our daily needs, we will go ahead and wet the state with fuel.

    “The government has emphasised times without number that all retail outlets should sell at N86.50. We have embarked on this operation to enforce government directive.

    “Most of the filling stations have not been selling at the appropriate price. We had a meeting with independent marketers on the issue. We have told them that henceforth, they should sell at the regulated price or face severe sanction.”

    Also speaking, Agu said the NSCDC was backing the DPR to ensure marketers complied with the regulated pump price.

    “My men are on 24-hour patrol of filling stations and persons cheating members of the public would be dealt with according to the law. We are also warning those who are selling the product in black market to desist because we will confiscate the product and arrest them.

    “Let me sound it loud and clear that diversion of petrol is prohibited. Anyone caught diverting products meant for Bayelsa to another places will be decisively dealt with. My men will be on 24 hour surveillance and patrol.

    “We are aware that some filling stations sell only at night to rip customers off. We have mandated our operatives to henceforth patrol in the midnight to fish out errant marketers. We are poised to ensure that fuel consumers do not suffer in Bayelsa.”

    But James, who is the Chairman of Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) in Bayelsa said. “It is not a one-off operation. If the relevant enforcement agencies carry out such operation continuously,  all the sharp practices going on at filling stations will be reduced to the barest minimum.

    “The PPMC should also ensure that the right quantities are brought into the state. By so doing,  enforcement will be easier and erring filling stations will have themselves to blame.”

  • Kickboxing competition restores hope in Bayelsa youths

    In Bayelsa State, businesses are folding up. Families are relocating to better cities in other states. Civil servants have not been paid for about five months and local government workers are owed between six to 12 months salary arrears.

    The economy of the state has collapsed leading to systemic effects of increase in crime rates especially armed robberies. In fact, there seems to be nothing to cheer about the state as many people practically exude poverty in their physiognomical countenances.

    But a firm, Renew Entertainment, recently brought the joy of the state, initially known for riches and wealth, back. The firm singlehandedly floated a kickboxing competition that changed the psyche of many youths. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Renew Entertainment, Mr. Gospel Obolo, who hails from Otakeme in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state was the brains behind the competition.

    Obolo, an engineer and member of the Nigerian Kickboxing Federation (NKF), kept residents of Yenagoa, the state capital busy for three days. Youths, men, women, singles and couples found their way to Renew located along the Azikoro Road to watch participants deploy their energy to fight for relevance and medals.

    The competition had the trappings of professional tournaments. There was a ring built by Obolo himself within the expansive compound of Renew, a firm that combines talent hunts with bar, restraunt and club. Different categories of awards had been earmarked for champions with certificates of participation to be issued to persons who partook in the competition. Besides, Obolo from his pocket gave cash awards to persons who came tops in the competition.

    In fact, Renew was a beehive. People who paid tokens sat and watched different fights with excitement. They reclined with their choice drinks. Youths from different parts of the state and the Niger Delta region were allowed to thrill the audience with different performances in music and culture which acted as interlude to fights scheduled for the competition.

    Comedians and rising stars in music lightened up the place and compelled the spectators to temporarily forget their economic woes. Some established musicians such as Eno A and a sensational female singer Lady IB made the place livelier. Delectable and elegant ring ladies who announced the round of a fight by walking round the ring with a cardboard excited the men. The Bayelsa State Sports Council was represented.

    Coaches dished out energetic instructions to their fighters and well-dressed referees ensured that the fighters obey the rules of the game. In fact, everything was present and readily available. Well-trained doctors and nurses manned the first aide department and Renew ensured that an ambulance stood by in case of an emergency.

    Indeed, in kickboxing, Obolo demonstrated that there are untapped enormous potential and talents in the country. Many youths were eager to enroll in the competition. They were seeking such opportunities to divert their energy from crimes to meaningful engagements. Margret Nzerem, Ochefu Godwin, Epere Prince and Ozioma Orji won in different categories of the competition.

    Obolo said the Renew project was aimed at honing talents in sports, music and other related areas of entertainment. He said the kickboxing competition was christened, the Battle of the Mangrove, to underscore the terrains of the Niger Delta. He said Renew was developing similar project for the six political zones in the country.

    He said he decided to singlehandedly sponsor the programme to prove a point that individuals could help the government in empowering the youths and getting them out of the streets.

    Furthermore, Nzerem thanked the organiser for giving the young people an opportunity to grow. “It is good to catch them young”, she said. Other persons who attended the event including the Technical Director, Bayelsa State Sports Council (BSSC), Miekpo Korubo, eulogised Obolo and his vision.

  • DPR sanctions 16 fuel dealers over sharp practices in Bayelsa

    DPR sanctions 16 fuel dealers over sharp practices in Bayelsa

    The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in Bayelsa has sanctioned 16 filling stations in the state for engaging in various sharp practices.

    Mr Asuquo Antai, Operations Controller of DPR in Bayelsa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa on Sunday that the marketers were sanctioned for overpricing, underdispensing and product diversion.

    Antai said the affected marketers were made to pay huge fines into government coffers as well as sign an undertaking not to indulge in the practices again.

    “The sharp practices we have observed are overpricing – selling above the approved pump price; under- dispensing and thirdly, diversion of products sent to them to other places.

    “We have sanctioned quite a lot of retail outlets over sharp practices in the last few days.

    “We have actually sanctioned 16 marketers; they were made to pay fines of various sums and sign undertaking,’’ Antai said

    He, however, said that because of intensified monitoring and sanctions, the DPR had reduced the diversion by marketers to the barest minimum.

    Antai also said that as part of activities put in place to check sharp practices in the state, the DPR had decided to publicise all allocated petrol products from government source.

    He said that DPR had decided to publicise all allocated petrol products from government source such as the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company.

    The official said the development would enable the DPR to track the product movement.

    “If they say between 30,000 and 33,000 litres have been sent to a particular station, we will ascertain if those product quantities actually arrive that station.

    “If we ascertain arrival we find out if the marketers selling without hoarding, without under dispensing and selling at the approved price.

    “That is what we have been monitoring and are still monitoring; our staff have been divided into two teams and they are all over the place on surveillance.

    “We want to appeal to Bayelsa people to keep an eye on all the stations.
    “We will announce product arrival on the television and radio to know the quantity of product that arrives at different filling stations.

    “So, if the people observe any sharp practices, they should call us to intervene; our numbers are published on DPR website,” Antai said.

  • ‘Dickson causing division in Bayelsa apc’

    ‘Dickson causing division in Bayelsa apc’

    Former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva has warned Governor Seriake Dickson  against destabilising the All Progressives Congress (APC). He accused the governor of fuelling disaffection in the party.

    In a statement in Yenagoa by his media adviser, Doifie Buokoribo, Sylva accused Dickson of using some “discredited and suspended” officials of APC as moles to cause disaffection and blackmail the party and its leaders.

    He said Dickson’s conspiracy against the APC will be exposed, adding that it is an effort in futility.

    Sylva said: “Dickson and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, have re-enacted their pastime of spreading falsehood about the APC and its leaders in Bayelsa State and trying to create dissension where none exists. They had tried that before and during the last governorship election in the state. When they failed miserably, they turned to forces external to Bayelsa, but inside the election management body and armed militia community, which they used to steal the people’s votes.

    “After he was awarded victory, one would have thought that a man who ‘won’ election would concentrate on governance. But, Dickson would not. Living under the shadow of fear of losing the stolen mandate, since APC filed a petition at the election tribunal, Dickson has applied every available mischief to try to destabilise the party and blackmail its leaders.

    “They have now procured the services of some discredited officials of the APC, who were suspended recently. These renegades are being used by Dickson and the PDP to spread wild, unsubstantiated allegations against Sylva and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri.

    He added: “Fabricating stories about Sylva and the APC has proved to be more than just a passing fad for Dickson. It has become policy – the only ostensible policy of the administration since his swearing in.

    “Dickson has manifested understandable nervousness on the governorship seat. But, there should be a limit to anxiety. He should stop his mission in futility and await the outcome of the electoral courts. Neither his nervousness nor his current mischievous publications can stop the wind of justice that is about to blow him out of his usurped seat.”

  • Bayelsa shuts Shell facility over building permit

    The Bayelsa State Government on Monday said it had sealed the premises of Gbaran Ubie Integrated Oil and Gas facility owned by the Shell Petroleum Company of Nigeria (SPDC).

    The development was contained in a statement issued by the Executive Secretary of Bayelsa State Physical Planning and Development Board, Chief Boro Ige-Edaba, through Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson.

    Ige-Edaba said the closure of the company located in Gbarantoru in Yenagoa local government area of Bayelsa State, was following an eviction order issued by the State High Court in Yenagoa.

    He said the order granted the government leave to evict SPDC and all occupants of the premises to enable the board carry out environmental, health, technical integrity and safety checks on the facility.

    He said the facility was built without a permit and called development permit as required by law.

    He said the court directed the state Commissioner of Police, the Commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF) and all security agencies to facilitate the enforcement of the eviction.

  • Tension in Bayelsa over refusal to swear in lawmakers-elect

    •Police warn of security implications
    •Govt absolves Dickson as Speaker remains adamant

    The refusal of Bayelsa State House of Assembly Speaker Kombowei Benson to swear in three members elected on the platform of opposition parties is threatening security in the state.

    Benson has refused to administer oaths on Watson Belemote, of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), representing Brass 2; Gibson Munalayefa, of the Labour Party (LP) for Ogbia 2 and Gabriel Ogbara, of African Democratic Congress (ADC) for Ogbia 3.

    They were declared winners four months ago by the Appeal Court, sitting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    But the Assembly’s leadership, dominated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ignored them and hurriedly sworn in their party members, who won their rerun in March.

    It was gathered that aggrieved youths from the constituencies were preparing to protest in Yenagoa, the state capital, and shut the Assembly’s complex.

    The youths were also said to be preparing to block entrance to the Government House and disrupt the activities of Governor Seriake Dickson-led administration.

    The constituencies were said to be angry with Dickson, who was accused of conspiring with the Assembly’s leadership to frustrate the swearing in of the members-elect.

    It was learnt the Speaker, whose rerun was supported by the governor, was helpless.

    Benson reportedly told the lawmakers-elect to beg the governor to allow him swear them in.

    Sources said the aggrieved lawmakers-elect had reported to the attorney-general of the federation and inspector-general of Police.

    The state police command at the weekend waded into the matter and warned the government of the security implications.

    The Commissioner, Peter Ogunyanwo, in a letter to the governor, dated April 11, said the action of the House would compound the security threats in the state.

    Ogunyanwo’s concern followed a letter to him by the three members-elect requesting police protection in a peaceful protest they planned to demand their swearing in.

    In the letter to the governor, the police chief said: “The members-elect … stated they were successful candidates in the House of Assembly election of June 6, 2015, but the leadership of the House of Assembly has refused to swear them into office.

    “The trio also alleged that Benson Kombowei of the PDP, whose election was just conducted on March 11, 2016, was sworn into office immediately, wheras the House has denied them this right since 2015.

    “In view of the development, the police command is appealing  that you prevail on the Speaker  of the House to swear in the three members in the interest of peace and justice.

    “This is to prevent fresh  security threat to the existing ones in Bayelsa State. It would also act as well as a demonstration and confirmation of your large and accommodating heart.”

    The members-elect in their letter to the commissioner said they had planned a peaceful protest on next Tuesday.

    They said the move became imperative following the refusal of the House leadership to swear them in.

    They informed the police chief of their certificates of return issued to them by the Independent National Electoral Commission after their victories in court.

    They said in the letter dated April 7: “Efforts to effect our swearing in has remained futile, hence the resolution to employ this peaceful/lawful path of expressing our displeasure”.

    But the state government, in a statement through the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Jonathan Obueibite, dissociated Dickson from the alleged controversy.

    He said: “The Governor Dickson has never interfered with affairs of the House of Assembly. The Assembly is not subject to the unilateral control of the state executive.

    “The governor and the government will not interfere in the business of the Assembly. It is an internal affair and the people should not drag the governor into it. As a former legislator, the governor has promoted independence of the legislature.

    Obuebite also denied the claim that Benson instructed the aggrieved members-elect to plead with Dickson to be sworn in.

    “It is a lie and I challenge them to come forward with such evidence on the claim”, he said.

    He also said the government had not received any warning letter from the police commissioner.