The Nation Newspaper

Tag: CALABAR

  • TCN upgrades transformers in Uyo, Calabar

    Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has energised and inaugurated into service, two new 132/33kV transformers.

    Two 60MVA transformers were inaugurated in Calabar, Cross River State and Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

    The capacities of Calabar and Uyo 132/33kV substations prior to the inauguration were 180MVA and 120MVA. The two substations have been upgraded to 240MVA and 180MVA.

    The General Manager (Public Affairs), Mrs. Ndidi Mbah, said in a statement that the 60MVA transformer in Calabar was inaugurated by Head of the Service of the Federation Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita.

    She said the upgraded substation in Calabar would improve the quality of power supply to customers of Port Harcourt Distribution Company in Calabar Municipality, Calabar South, Odukpani, Bakassi, Ogoja, Ikom, Yakuur, Itighidi, Ugep, Obudu and their environs.

    Mbah said the 60MVA transformer in Uyo was inaugurated by Akwa Ibom State Governor Emmanuel Udom.

    “The upgraded substation is expected to improve electricity supply to customers in the following communities of Port Harcourt Distribution Company: Uyo, Oron, Ikot-Ekpene, Abak, Ethan, Airport and their environs,” she added.

  • Igbo monarch rejects Biafra, says secession agitation a fraud

    A traditional ruler from Mbaise in Imo State, Eze Nwabueze Soronnadi Ezewiro, has distanced himself from the struggle for Biafra, describing the agitation as a fraud.

    Addressing reporters in Calabar, the monarch said the only institutional body that represents Igbo people all over the world, is Ohaneze Ndigbo.

    His words, “I am His Imperial Majesty Eze Nwabueze Soronnadi Ezewiro from Mbaise in Imo State as well as the Lord Mayor of the Igbo Nation and in Diaspora, Eze Agaba-Idu 1 of Igbo kingdom. Biafra is a fraud. Whichever way they take it but the truth has to be said anyway, the only institutional body that represents Igbo people all over the world is Ohaneze Ndigbo, not Biafra. Let me ask you one thing, when Odumegwu Ojukwu died, he was a General, he was given a state burial during the time of Jonathan, you saw in Nnewi that day that we, the Ohaneze Ndigbo were making our own preparation but the Presidency was doing the burial. His body was carried by Nigerian soldiers, so where are the Biafran soldiers to carry the body?

    “When they’re talking about Biafra, is Biafra only Imo, Abia, Anambra Enugu and Ebonyi states? No. It should be South-South, South-East all incorporated because these are the old eastern region excluding Edo. Have you seen anybody from those South-South states supporting Biafra?

    “We will put this thing on the table, get the Presidency, put our heads together and discuss this thing. But you can’t get it by force as if you are inciting to segregate from Nigeria federation.

    “The Biafran thing as much as I am concerned is dead gone. It was in the mortuary, it has gone to the cemetery. Its dead, there’s nothing and there would not be anything like Biafra.”

    The monarch also said the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, cannot impose his son in law as governor on the people in next year’s general election.

  • Landlord community stops $1 billion Calabar Virgin City project

    The landlord community of the proposed $1 billion Calabar Virgin City, Etap Ayip Kasuk Qua Clan II, have placed a traditional injunction known as “Ekpe” on the land, thereby stopping work on project in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

    The physical part of the injunction made up of palm fronds, pieces of red cloth among other things round the perimeter and on equipment at the site, has scared off the workers who have steered clear since it was put up.

    Clan Head of Community, HRH Ntoe Ededem Okon Ayito, said they had to place the traditional injunction because the government did not consult them before bulldozing the land for the project.

    Ayito told The Nation in Calabar, “Why we placed traditional injunction is that last year December, the government came to mount signpost there for proposed virgin city, which the community was not aware. So we now placed an Ekpe traditional injunction restraining them from entering the community swamp forest to do any project without the consent of the community, because by law the community has to be consulted first. So we now placed that injunction and they came and since it was a governmental project, I now conceded that we should do the groundbreaking so it should not be an embarrassment to the state. They now did a groundbreaking on the 29thDecember.

    “Since then, there is supposed to be an understanding between the community and the government, so that the community would know how many hectares of land they want to acquire and the purpose of the acquisition, whether it is for overriding public interest or not and so on. But we have not heard anything from the government. Since then till date nothing has happened. No communication between the government and the community.

    “Only for us to see swamp boogies in our forest destroying our economic trees worth billions of naira. I have tried to see how we can sit down and resolve this issue with government but it seems on their part they want to use force. Is it the community that would fight government? No. How can we fight government? Government is supposed to respect the Land Use Act of the country.  You know that before you acquire land, there has to be processes. If they have not met up with the terms, why should they go in and destroy what belongs to the community, which is our livelihood. This is the only thing we have. A lot of people and families are being deprived of their livelihood.

    “See the expanse of what they used swamp boogies to destroy with no compensation. The community has risen up because with what they have destroyed, the people now are hungry. People that have sunk in their thousands and millions to plant now have nothing. How can they live with their families? How can they train their children? We are not happy as a community.

    “We are not aware of what they are doing there now. They just entered there and started destroying our source of livelihood and now the people are suffering. That is why we say it should not happen and put in the injunction. All we are saying is that the government should follow due process because the land belongs to people. We are not fighting the government. The government cannot take our land and take it for their own interests unless it is for overriding public interest, which the community still has to be beneficiaries.

    “The implication is that government should stay off until the proper thing is done. The consequences of defying the injunction is left for those that defy it.

  • China Harbour intensifies work on Gelegele Seaport

     

    …Edo Govt. sees record time delivery of project

     

    The Edo State Government has said that efforts to industrialise the state is gaining momentum as China Harbour Engineering Company Limited intensifies work on the development of the Gelegele Seaport in Benin City.

    Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said “we are excited at the pace of work on the project. We foresee the delivery of this project well ahead of the scheduled delivery date.

    “Our partner, China Harbour Engineering Company Limited is living up to its billing as its personnel have been on ground for over about two months now. They have been working round the clock doing soil testing, ground mapping, following the aerial survey they did immediately they arrived Benin City, to ascertain the positioning of the facility in line with best environmental practice.

    “A visit to the site showed some de-watering, excavation and land reclamation work and the Project Execution Plan revealed that the Seaport will be delivered well ahead of the scheduled date of delivery.”

    Osagie added: “Governor Obaseki is in a hurry to transform Edo State into a state with solid industrial base. A lot of work is ongoing in the background to ensure that these projects are delivered in record time. It is not his style to create a buzz around projects.

    He further said: “The Edo Fertiliser and Chemical Company came on stream without any media hype until it was commissioned. The first phase of the Edo- Azura Power project was delivered in same manner and we are looking forward to receiving the first ship that will berth at the Gelegele Seaport. It will be a landmark event that will change the face of the state’s economy forever.”

    The governor’s Aide assured that with a functional port in Gelegele, Edo people and residents in the state will start enjoying the benefits of exporting and importing their goods to and from Europe/America, respectively.

    “We foresee the establishment of allied businesses such as tank farms, private dry ports and others, that by default go with seaports,” he added.

    China Harbour in January, began the execution of the project with an in-depth assessment of the Gelegele Seaport Report submitted by the Engr. Greg Ero-led Technical Committee on the Actualisation of the seaport, to the state government.

    The company with over 90 branches and operating in about 100 countries across the world commenced operations in 1994, is handling various projects in Nigeria including Calabar, Warri ports and most recently, the $1billion Lekki Deep Seaport.

    Read Also: Gelegele Seaport: Edo, Navy strengthen ties to deliver project

  • Navy seizes 130,000 litres of illegally refined diesel, arrests seven

    Men of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Victory in Calabar, Cross River State, have seized a large wooden boat with about 130 litres of suspected illegally refined Automative Gas Oil (AGO) commonly known as diesel.

    Also arrested along with the items were seven suspects.

    Addressing reporters while handing over the items and suspects to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Commander of NNS Victory, Commodore Julius Nwagu, said they were intercepted along the Calabar channel.

    He said the boat contained 520 drums (250 litres each) of suspected illegally refined diesel.

    The Navy commander put the worth of the product at about N24 million.

    “My men on patrol intercepted a wooden boat laden with 520 drums of suspected illegally refined AGO and when I was informed, I asked them to arrest the boat and bring the boat to my base. That was done and the following day we commenced offloading and I am here hand over the drums to Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

    “Seven men were arrested with the products. We are handing over everything. The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas, gave me directives and the directives were clear on issues of illegalities and I want to assure you that I will not blink until perpetrators of heinous sabotage to our national economy are brought to book.

    “On investigation, we found that that these products came from Rivers State and the final destination was Calabar before they ran into my security patrol boats,” Nwagu said.

    Commander of the NSCDC in Cross River State, Haliru Usman Alhassan thanked the Navy for a good job.

    “They are fighting illegality successfully, and this is a good synergy between the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps. I am here to receive the items and suspects to be charged to court and prosecute them diligently. I promise the Navy that each level we are in the prosecution, we would be furnishing them with the information, so that at least they know how we are going. This is a lesson and others involved in such illegalities should desist,” Alhassan said.

    He said what would happen to the products would depend on what they court says.

    The leader of the suspects, Christopher Okon, 30, from Mbo in Akwa Ibom State said it was his second time on such trip.

    He said they brought the products from Rivers State to sell in Calabar.

    He said the business belonged to one Mr Tony.

  • UNHCR urges Cameroonian to respect human rights

    The United Nations High Commission for Refugees ( UNHCR ) has appealed to the Government of Cameroon to respect human rights of all citizens for the sake of peace.

    The commission’s representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Antonio Canhandula, made the appeal while speaking with newsmen on Monday in Makurdi.

    Canhandula said the instability in Anglophone Cameroon had forced thousands of citizens to seek asylum in Nigeria.

    He said Cameroonian Government should explore alternative ways of engaging with those who feel aggrieved for the sake of peace and that both parties should respect human rights.

    “UNHCR urges the Government of Cameroon to explore ways of engaging with those who feel aggrieved, for the sake of peace.

    “We also reiterate the need for respect of human rights by all parties involved,’’ Canhandula said.

    He said the refugees complained of exclusion from the national life by the Cameroonian Government, political processes and important positions in the government.

    “Longstanding grievances against the central government in Cameroon took a new turn in 2016 when a group of Anglophone Cameroonians triggered civil society-led demonstrations.

    “This was based on allegations of marginalisation by the authorities, particularly in the education and justice system.

    “Initially, the protesters called for the return to a federal system of government and greater autonomy.

    “However, on Oct. 1, 2017, the separatist movement, Ambazonia Governing Council, declared unilaterally the independence of Cameroon’s Northwest and Southwest Regions.

    “Tensions ensued with government security forces clashing with movement, resulting in injuries and deaths and leading to an influx of English-speaking Cameroonians into Nigeria.

    “Critics accused government forces of killing dozens of civilians while the administration is also alleging that suspected separatists have killed more than 10 security personnel since the crisis intensified in October.’’

    Canhandula further said that the UNHCR had registered 20,485 Cameroonian refugees seeking asylum in Benue, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states.

    He explained that the commission also opened a permanent office for the coordination of their activities in Calabar, Cross River, field offices in Adikpo, Benue and Ikom in Cross River.

    Read Also: UNHCR launches $157m appeal fund for Boko Haram victims

    The UNHCR representative said that the Benue Government had allocated 191 hectares of land for the settlement of refugees in Kwande Local Government Area.

    He added that the site was being developed.

    According to him, each site has the capacity to host 4,000 persons.

    He, however, said that the influx is expected to continue and there is the need for more land in Benue.

    “We are still working with the state authorities in Cross River to identify a suitable location to move the refugees away from the border in line with international standards.

    “Issues of accessibility, security, topography, water resources, absorption capacity and good terrain for sanitation facilities are taken into consideration while selecting potential refugee sites.’’

    Canhandula said the commission was yet to gain access to Akwaya, where some Nigerian refugees in Cameroon were located.

    “The Akwaya sub-division, in particular, hosts small refugee population of around 1,800 Nigerians and around 600 Cameroonian returnees, who had been refugees in Nigeria before being repatriated in 2015 and 2016.

    “This area is very difficult to access, particularly during the rainy season.

    “Nevertheless, our office in Cameroon is working to organise an assessment mission there.

    “But we cannot provide first-hand information at this moment,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • NiMet predicts cloudy, sunny weather on Saturday

    NiMet predicts cloudy, sunny weather on Saturday

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted partly cloudy to cloudy weather conditions over the central states of the country on Saturday.

    NiMet’s Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office in Abuja on Friday also predicted day and night temperatures in the range of 33 to 41 and 19 to 29 degrees Celsius respectively.

    The agency predicted that the southern states would experience cloudy morning over the inland and coastal cities with day and night temperatures in the range of 30 to 36 and 22 to 26 degrees Celsius.

    It also predicted localised thunderstorm over Owerri, Akure, Ibadan, Oshogbo, Ikom, Asaba, Ogoja, Calabar, Warri, Eket, Yenegoa and Portharcourt in the afternoon and evening hours.

    According to NiMet, Northern states will experience partly cloudy to sunny conditions throughout the forecast period with day and night temperatures in the ranges of 38 to 42 and 20 to 27 degrees Celsius.

    “Localised thunderstorm over some parts of the southern region of the country are not unlikely and stability over some parts of the northern states in the next 24 hours,” NiMet predicted.

    Read Also: NiMET director says people need weather information to plan activities

  • Police arrest two suspected rapists, others in C/River

    Police arrest two suspected rapists, others in C/River

    The Police Command in Cross River has arrested one Inyang Akwanyene and Ibah Edet for allegedly raping and video-taping a 23-year-old lady at a guest house in Calabar.

    Presenting the suspects alongside 45 other suspects to newsmen on Friday in Calabar, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Hafiz Inuwa, said that the suspects committed the crime on Feb. 23 in Calabar.

    According to Inuwa, the victim claimed that she was offered a bottle of drink suspected to have been drugged which she took and became unconscious

    “On Feb. 23, a young lady reported to the police that she was invited by one Inyang Akwanyene to a guest house at Atimbo road in Calabar.

    “On arrival at the guest house, she met Akwanyene and his friend, Ibah Edet.

    “Thereafter, the duo forcefully had unlawful carnal knowledge of her and video-taped all that transpired which they later used in intimidating and demanding ransom from the victim.

    “They threatened to make it viral to the public if she failed to comply with their demands,’’ he said.

    The Commissioner explained that during interrogation, the suspects confessed to the crime, adding that the phone used for the recording was recovered from them and would be tendered as exhibit in court.

    Read Also: Police investigate alleged murder of betting shop owner

    He added that medical examination had been carried out by a qualified medical practitioner to know her health status.

    But Akwanyene told our reporters in an interview that he did not drug the victim.

    “I invited the lady to the guest house but I did not drug her. I was only framed up by her brother that I drugged her.

    “I and my friend had sex with her but we did not rape her because she agreed to make love to both of us. The only mistake we did was to record all that transpired,’’ he confessed.

    The commissioner also paraded 45 other suspects for various heinous crimes ranging from armed robbery, murder, stealing, cultism, unlawful possession of fire arms, defilement and internet fraud.

    “On the March 5, we arrested one Friday Odok and Humphrey Nku for allegedly stabbing one Muji Peter to death in Boki Local Government Area after a scuffle ensued over their affairs with women.

    “Also, on March 8, we got a tip-off that some five young men suspected to be yahoo boys were sighted at Itu Street with the intent to commit crime. Our SARS operatives swung into action and the boys were arrested.

    “Between February and now, we have arrested 47 suspects for various heinous crimes in the state. We recovered 18 firearms from them,’’ he said.

    He called on members of the public to always avail the command with useful information that would lead to the arrest of suspected criminals in their respective areas,’’ he said.

     

  • NGO donates solar-powered blood bank to hospital to check maternal mortality

    NGO donates solar-powered blood bank to hospital to check maternal mortality

    In its bid to stem the rate of maternal mortality, Pathfinder International, a non-governmental organization, NGO, has donated a solar powered blood banks to the Nigeria Police Hospital in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

    President and Chief Executive Officer of the organization, Lois Quam, said post-partum haemorrhage is a leading cause of maternal mortality in the world and access to safe blood transfusion services was a major problem in Nigeria partly due to frequent power outage.

    Quam, who was accompanied management team of the organization in Nigeria, called for collaborative efforts among all key stakeholders, saying there was still more to be done to check maternal mortality.

    “Until no mother dies from delivery and labour, we must keep working together. A day that is supposed to be the happiest day in the mother’s life should not turn out to be a sad day,” Quam said.

    Read Also: NGO trains journalists, CSOs in affirmative action

    The officer in charge of the hospital, Dr Jenkins Ukaga, expressed appreciation for the gesture, saying with assistance from the organization over time, they have been able to significantly reduce cases of maternal mortality.

    He said the hospital, which was established in the 80s was open to members of the public.

    The Pathfinder team also met with the wife of the State Governor, Mrs Linda Ayade; the deputy governor, Prof Ivara Esu, as well as visited various health facilities in some communities to interact with traditional birth attendants, medical workers as well as nursing mothers and pregnant women among other key stakeholders to interact on issues that will promote saving the lives of mothers.

    There was also a motivational talk to students of the Department of Public Health of the University of Calabar by the Pathfinder International President, Quam.

  • Navy confiscates 3,574 bags of smuggled rice in Calabar

    Navy confiscates 3,574 bags of smuggled rice in Calabar

    Naval personnel attached to the Nigerian Navy Ship Victory in Calabar, have arrested a large wooden boat laden with 3,574 bags of foreign rice worth N53.6 million smuggled from Cameroon republic.

    They also arrested three suspects found in the boat that came from Cameroon and heading for Calabar.

    Commander of NNS Victory, Commodore Julius Nwagu, said on Thursday in Calabar that the arrest was made along the Calabar waterway in the early hours of Feb. 27, when they got information about the activities of the suspected smugglers.

    Addressing newsmen at the NNS Victory Jetty before handing over the items and suspects to the Nigerian Customs Service ( NCS ), Nwagu said that it took the command two and half  days to offload the bags of rice from the wooden boat.

    “In the early hours of Feb. 27, we got information about a boat laden with rice and my patrol team arrested the boat and three suspects on board. We brought the boat to base and offloaded the rice.

    “It took us two and a half days to offload the content. After counting, we got 3, 574 bags valued at N53.6million.

    “We will hand them over to the Nigerian Customs Service for further investigation and prosecution.

    “I want to tell the general public that the Nigerian Navy under the leadership of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas will not leave any stone unturned in pursuing those involved in any form of criminality.

    “We in the Eastern Naval Command, particularly NNS Victory, are all out to fight criminality at any level,’’ Nwagu said.

    Mr Joshua Omachi, the Calabar Area Assistant Comptroller of Customs in charge of Marine Command, who received the items and suspects, commended the Navy for the feat.

    Omachi said that the rice would be evacuated to the government warehouse of the Customs Area Command in Calabar, while the suspects would be prosecuted.

    One of the suspects, Moses Azazi, told our reporter that they knew that what they had on board was a contraband.

    “We were bringing the rice from Cameroon and were arrested by the Navy. We are aware it was a contraband.

    “I don’t know the owner of the rice. We were just asked to transport it to Calabar from Kondo in Cameroon,’’ he said.

    NAN