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  • Navy seizes 3, 574 bags of contraband rice worth N53.6m

    Navy seizes 3, 574 bags of contraband rice worth N53.6m

    Men of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Victory in Calabar have arrested a large wooden boat laden with 3,574 bags of contraband foreign rice smuggled from Cameroon, worth N53.6 million naira, as well as three suspects.

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

    He said the boat came from Cameroon and was headed for Calabar.

    Addressing reporters at NNS Victory jetty before handing over the items and suspects to the Nigerian Customs Service, Nwagu said, “In the early hours of 27th February, we got information about a boat laden with rice and my patrol team arrested the boat and three suspects on the boat. We brought the boat to base and offloaded the rice. It took us two and a half days to offload. After counting, we got 3, 574 bags valued at N53. 6 million. We would hand them over to the Nigerian Customs Service for further investigation and prosecution.

    “I want to tell general public that the Nigerian Navy under the leadership of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ekwe Ibas will not leave any stone unturned in pursuing those involved in any form of criminality, and we in the Eastern Naval Command, particularly NNS Victory are all out to fight criminality at any level.

    “We are aware of government policies and restrictions on foreign rice. We have arrested the people involved in economic sabotage and we are going to continue arresting them. So I advise the general public to do what is right. I warn that anyone who indulges in such, we are going to catch them. They cannot escape our watchful eyes.”

    The Calabar Area Assistant Comptroller of Customs Customs, Omachi Joshua, who received the items and suspects, appreciated the Navy for their effort.

    He said 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, from Bayelsa State said they were aware they had contraband on board.

    “We were bringing the rice from Cameroon and were arrested by the Navy. We were aware it was contraband. I don’t know the owner of the rice. We were just asked to transport it to Calabar from Kondo in Cameroon to Calabar. This is my first time,” he said.

    Read Also:Navy impounds 5.790m litres of crude, arrest 11 suspects

  • Cross River APC congress a sham, says Achigbe

    Cross River APC congress a sham, says Achigbe

    The special congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State to elect a chairman last Saturday has continued to generate controversy as one of the candidates, Dr Mathew Achigbe, has described the exercise as a sham.

    Achigbe, who addressed reporters in Calabar on Monday, rejected the outcome of the Congress, which saw Mr Godwin Etim John, emerge winner with 56 votes.

    He said the said congress, which lacked the participation of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and went ahead despite a court injunction, used suspended members of the party for the election against the spirit and in defiance of the party’s constitution.

    “The notice of the congress was short of the prescription of Section 85 (1) of the electoral act (2010 as amended) which stipulates that at least 21 days be given to INEC of the party’s intention to hold its congress, but which in this case no notice was given at all, and for the Cross River State APC less than three days’ notice thus leading to the harried selling, completion and submission of forms up to and until the commencement of the Congress.

    “The Congress defied Article 25(iv) of the APC Constitution which states that at least 14 days’ notice be given to each level of the party of its intention to hold congress but for which no notice was given in the instant case.

    Read Also: Cross River APC crisis deepens

    “That over 980 delegates (five from each ward) of the 196 council wards were disenfranchised from participating in the election of the state party which not only denied them their right to vote but their civic responsibility resulting in the congress being short of the stipulated minimum of a third of the appropriate quorum and very unfair deal to the hundreds of thousands of anxious party members to vote for a credible person in a critical congress.

    “From ordinary logic and proper deduction, there is no iota of doubt that the Congress of the APC purportedly held on the 24th of February, 2018 in Calabar was heavily compromised from conception to execution and should be rendered null and void. Godwin Etim John should therefore be disqualified for not being able to contest by reason of his suspension by the APC and the said suspension not being lifted by appropriate organ of the party and should not be declared winner of the Congress as chairman as this will amount to rape of democracy, a case too many in our ever nascent democracy.”

    Also a chieftain of the APC in the state, Mr Ernets Irek, who also describe the congress as an illegality, said they have lost confidence in the national chairman of the party, John Oyegun.

    “We don’t have any confidence in the national chairman of the party, Chief John Oyegun. We have lost confidence in him because he has refused to do the right thing. With 24 states in our kitty, if we are not careful, we may not even have 10 states in the next election. The kind of impunity going on is unheard of. It has become so compromised,” Irek said.

    Chairman of Coalition of APC Support Groups in the state, Comrade Iso Bassey Edim accused some top officials of the party in the state of working with the People’s Democratic Party government to destroy APC ahead of 2019.

    “We’re not happy with what happened on Saturday because we can’t support the legalization of illegality. The constitution is clear on how to conduct party Congress. There was no INEC representation whatsoever. We are made to understand that there’s a sinister plan for those who think they can mortgage APC in the state.

    “Why did they rush into organizing a fire brigade Congress when there’s Congress coming up next month? We’re calling on the National Leader, Bola Tinubu, to come to our rescue because vultures are out to destroy APC. While we want to take over the state from PDP some people are working to destroying the party,” he said.

  • Tension in Calabar as gunmen abduct five kinsmen in two weeks

    THERE is palpable fear within the Igbo community in Cross River State as no fewer than five of their kinsmen have been abducted in the past two weeks in Calabar, the state capital. It was gathered that one Ifeanyi and Lazarus, both spare parts dealers, were kidnapped two weeks ago, while an electrical parts dealer and contractor popularly known as ‘But Why’ was abducted on Monday. The victims were said to have been kidnapped at their shops at Victor Akan Street, Calabar South. Sources said they regained freedom after paying ransom running into millions of naira.

    The latest kidnapping of a popular spare parts dealer, Mr Paulinus Obi, popularly known as Matata, and Emmanuel Ozokwu a contractor has sent a wave of panic across the Igbo community in Calabar. Obi was reportedly kidnapped on Wednesday at Bedwell Street, while Ozokwu was whisked away on Thursday at Target Street all in Calabar South. An eyewitness said Obi was kidnapped about 7:00pm on Wednesday, February 7, in front of his shop. Narrating the incident, the eyewitness said: “We were sitting out in front of Matata shop about 7:00pm having a drink when two young men wearing black clothe all through walked up to Matata and excused him.

    “As soon as he stood up another stern looking masked man came out from a parked old blue Audi 80 with AK 47 riffle and jerked Matata up and threw him into the car. Immediately the Audi 80 drove off with the three other persons, another Camry car parked around Bedwell by White House Street followed them and they zoomed off to unknown destination. “Since then they have not called, neither have they sent any message as to the next thing we can do. Honestly, this is one kidnap too many and the traders would not take this matter lying low any longer.” Reacting to the development, the president of Igbo community, Calabar, Chief Albert Enya, described the incident as very unfortunate and called on security operatives to step up efforts to check the menace.

  • NiMet predicts sunny, hazy conditions on Wednesday

    NiMet predicts sunny, hazy conditions on Wednesday

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted sunny and hazy weather conditions over the central States of the country on Wednesday.

    NiMet’s Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office in Abuja on Tuesday also predicted day and night temperatures in the range of 32 to 40 and 15 to 25 degrees Celsius respectively.

    The agency predicted that the southern States would experience partly cloudy to cloudy conditions in the morning with day and night temperatures in the range of 35 to 39 and 22 to 26 degrees Celsius respectively.

    It also predicted localised thunderstorms over Lagos, Ijebu, Yenagoa, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Eket, Oshogbo, Ibadan, Akure, Benin and environs during the afternoon and evening period.

    According to NiMet, Northern States will experience sunny and hazy conditions throughout the forecast period with day and night temperatures in the range of 32 to 40 and 14 to 19 degrees Celsius respectively.

    “It will be dry over the North, while increased cloudiness with chances of rainfall activities are expected over the south within the next 24 hours,” NiMet predicted.

    NAN

     

  • Calabar Radio station gives free fuel

    Calabar Radio station gives free fuel

    Calabar radio station Hit 95.9FM has given out free petrol to car owners at strategic filling stations in the Cross River state capital.

    The free fuel distribution was done for two days last week to mark   Calabar’s No. 1 urban contemporary radio station’s second anniversary.

    The station’s Head of Programmes and Production McDonald Peter-Anyangbe, alongside On Air Personalities were at the filling stations, Eddy Excel and Uddy King, on Tuesday and Wednesday after it was announced on air, to put smiles on the faces of listeners.

    Motorists were excited at the gesture and couldn’t stop pouring on encomiums on the station.

    Hit FM, broadcasting in a frequency of 95.9, is the first private broadcast outfit in Cross River State, offering the “Best Music, Best Talk” on radio. The station commenced commercial broadcasting on February 1, 2016.

     

  • Calabar to get infrastructural facelift, says Ayade

    Calabar to get infrastructural facelift, says Ayade

    Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade has said the next phase of beautification of Calabar will involve provision of more roads.

    He said he was determined to ensure the city sustained its status as the most beautiful, as well as a tourism epicentre.

    The governor, who spoke against the backdrop of rehabilitation of major roads in the city, said attention would be paid to Calabar South.

    He said besides building and rehabilitation of roads, the lighting systems would be activated to give the place a facelift.

    Ayade said: “I am focusing on Calabar now, particularly Calabar South, to make sure I provide street lights and give the people more roads. Calabar South residents need the government more because their income level is low, yet they live in a city with high cost of living.”

    On the gale of endorsement blowing across the state for his re-election, he said: “I am excited that I see a whole lot of endorsements across the state, starting from the South. It gladdens my heart and makes me feel more committed to my people. The endorsements will spur me to do more for the people.”

  • Cross River inaugurates task force on Calabar masterplan

    Cross River State government has inaugurated an eight-man task force for the restoration of Calabar masterplan.

    Governor Ben Ayade, inaugurating the task force in Calabar, said it had become imperative to restore the city’s masterplan and restore its status as the cleanest and greenest city in Nigeria.

    He urged members to discharge their duties with integrity, shunning ethnic and parochial sentiments.

    Ayade said the team should ensure that the right things were done.

    “There is a masterplan for Calabar, but unfortunately, the distortion of the plan is happening at a very fast rate.

    “We have situations where people are building houses without approved plans, erecting commercial houses in residential neighbourhoods, building houses on flood plains and not respecting the boundary lines between highways, roads and clearance, as stipulated in the federal highway code.

    “This task force is designed to reverse the degeneration of Calabar.

    “Because of the required urgency at this point, men of character, integrity, honour and quality are being put together to address this trend.

    “You have a duty to reverse the city’s degeneration. This will involve, among others, pulling down any building on flood plains,” he said.

    The governor urged the team to ensure that residents paid development control and approval plan levies, while obtaining approvals for buildings in appropriate locations.

    He warned the task force against embarking on structure demolition without his approval, saying the right thing must be done.

    “Do the right thing, for if we allow people to build houses where there are drainages, under high tension cables, on transmission lines or close to major roads, the city will degenerate.

    “This will increase crime, while policing of criminality will be difficult,” Ayade said.

  • Court orders NSCDC, others to pay man N10m damages for assault, battery

    Court orders NSCDC, others to pay man N10m damages for assault, battery

    The Federal High Court sitting in Calabar has directed the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ) and six others to pay the sum of N10 million to one Mr Frank Eko over the case of illegal arrest, detention, assault, battery, humiliation and brutalization.

    Oko had dragged the NSCDC; the State Commandant, NSCDC; Mr Ayuk Assam John, the divisional officer in charge of Ogoja Division of the corps; Mr Michael Akwo, Mr Sunday Anoh; Mr Daniel Ebor, and Mr Wilfred Odey to court in May 2016 seeking enforcement of his fundamental rights which he claimed were violated in a case with suit number FHC/CA/FHR/47/2016.

    Delivering the judgment, Justice Inyang Ewko declared that the actions of the respondents, particularly third and seventh respondents, Mr Ayuk Assam John and Mr Wildred Odey, respectively, in arresting, detaining and brutalizing, intimidating and traumatizing the applicant; extorting and seizing/confiscating monies from him without any lawful cause, all amounts to abuse of office, ultra vires their statutory responsibilities and powers as provided for in the NSCDC Act No 6 of 2007; Cap N146, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010, thus illegal, unconstitutional and tantamount to a violation of the applicant’s fundamental human rights to his dignity of human person, personal liberty and freedom movement as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    The Judge ordered that all the respondents jointly and severally pay the sum of N10 million as damages in exemplary and aggravated nature for the embarrassment, harassments, humiliation, torture, pains psychological and mental the applicant was exposed to and suffered as a result of inhuman, malicious and degrading treatment of the applicant’s fundamental human rights.

    The Court also ordered the respondents to jointly and severally pay the applicant the sum of N200, 000 for his medical bills at Police Clinic, Ogoja occasioned by the assault and battery.

    It also ordered the respondents to jointly and severally pay the applicant the sum of N200, 000 per day and for 25 days they detained the applicant’s truck with Reg No UMA && YW on the false and erroneous allegation that the applicant was diverting automotive gas oil (AGO), popularly known as diesel in the tanker, amounting to a total sum of N5 million.

    It also ordered the respondents, particularly Mr Ayuk Assam John and Mr Wilfred Odey to pay the applicant N100, 000 extorted from him before the applicant and the other three persons in the vehicle were released on January 7, 2016 and the sum of N860, 000 seized, confiscated or stolen by John and Odey from the applicant’s Toyota Camry Saloon car with Reg No ABJ 903 HY driven into the respondents’ premises, amounting to N960, 000.

    Ekwo also directed the respondents to tender a written unreserved apology to the applicant within 30 days of the judgment.

    The case of the applicant from the affidavit he deposed indicated he was a businessman, an Independent Petroleum Marketer, and Manager of Tonimas Petrol Service Station along Igoli Road, Okuku, Yala local government area, and Managing Director of Ultimate Frank Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited.

    According to the affidavit on January 7, 2016 at about 9am the third and seventh respondents intercepted and arrested the applicant’s petrol tanker with registration no UMA 77 YW laden with AGO from the company’s depot at Onne, Rivers State for delivery at their Okuku Service Station.

    It read in part, “There was a delivery note No 018645 dated 5th January, 2016 (Exhibit MEU-1) from Onne depot. The vehicle was taken from Ogoja local government council gate into the Council headquarters where the respondents have an office on an unfounded allegation that the product was being diverted. The AGO was to be delivered at Tonimas Petrol Service Station along Igoli Road in Okuku Yala, which is a distance of 5 to 8 kilometres from Yala. The third and seventh respondents refused to listen to any explanation concerning the tanker and AGO but subjected the applicant to beatings using their belts, sticks, butts of their guns, the result of which caused swellings and lacerations all over his body. He was further taken to the office of the respondents where he was further humiliated by being asked to frog-jump and detained with three others in their cell for onwards of seven hours.”

    Eko had gone to court demanding N100, 000 damages but got granted N10 million.

  • LG retirees in C’ River demand payment of N9bn gratuity, pension arrears

    LG retirees in C’ River demand payment of N9bn gratuity, pension arrears

    Local government retirees in Cross River have vowed to occupy all government offices in the state if the State Government fails to pay them N9 billion arrears of gratuities and pension.

    Mr Bassey Okosin, state Chairman, Association of Local Government Pensioners who dropped the hint at news briefing on Tuesday in Calabar, said the debt had been owed for 11 years now.

    Okosin said the Gov. Ben Ayade-led administration had been given one month within which it must begin to pay the gratuity and pension arrears owed them from 2007 to 2018.

    She expressed displeasure over the neglect of local government retirees in the state and emphasised that they would embark on a protest on or after Feb. 16.

    “Our state governor has received one part of the bailout fund and two tranches of the Paris Club refund, yet, no single local government retirees has been paid.

    “We heard that the Federal Government had released the funds for the primary purpose of clearing all outstanding salaries, pensions and gratuities; why then are we not paid?

    “As of today, we have an average of 25 local government workers retiring from service monthly.

    “If we don’t receive this money under one month, the 5,600 pensioners in Cross River will occupy all relevant government offices until we are paid.

    “Some people who are retiring now can no longer be captured in the nominal roll because from what we heard, the list is filled up.

    “We are appealing to the state government to allocate some of the monies received to us.

    In addition, we want the state government to allocate 15 per cent of the monthly allocation from the federation account to retirees’’, he said.

    The chairman expressed regrets that they had been denied their entitlements, saying that they were told that the bailout and the Paris Club refunds did not cover local government pensioners.

    According to him, more than 600 local government pensioners’ names that were omitted during the 2016 personal audit were still outstanding.

    “We have exhausted all known means of reaching out to the relevant arms of government without result.

    “We have taken a decision to pack our loads and live in all the offices that are responsible for the payment of these entitlements until further notice.

    “This is not a threat but what is likely to happen in the next one month.

    “All our members have mobilised themselves from all the 18 local government areas of the state for this exercise’’, he said.

    NAN

  • Pensioners to shut down Calabar over N9b debt

    Pensioners to shut down Calabar over N9b debt

    The Association of Cross River State Local Government Pensioners has given the state government a one-month ultimatum to defray their entitlements else their entire 5, 600 members would occupy and shut down Calabar, the capital city.

    Chairman of the Association, Comrade Bassey Okosin, addressing reporters in Calabar yesterday stated that the pension board if properly managed, could properly manage itself without assistance from Paris Club Refunds, bailouts or any other such funds.

    Okosin said over N9billion is being owed pensions and gratuity is being owned them since 2007.

    “We would mobilize all our 5,600 members from the 18 local government of the state. We would sleep in the governor’s office, in the house of assembly. We would live with the Governor, the Speaker, the ministries, departments and all the relevant agencies until the give us our money so we can go. We have taken a decision to pack our loads to live in all the offices that responsible for the payment of these entitlements until further notice. This is not threat but likely going to happen in the next one month. We use this medium to appeal to government and all our relations based in Calabar to make adequate arrangements for our needs. It is our belief that all will prefer to take care of us this way than pay for us to take care of ourselves,” Okosin said.

    A statement by the chairman made available to reporters, read in parts, “In a press release credited to the Commissioner for Finance, it was stated clearly that the bailout funds and the Paris Club Refund was used among others in the payment of arrears of pension and gratuity in favour of pensioners in the state.

    “My response to this will be restricted to local government pensioners and I speak on good authority that up till today not even a dime has been paid to any local government pensioner in the state in the name of pension arrears nor gratuity from the bailout nor Paris Club Refund. All efforts made in this direction have been ignored by the relevant agencies of government.

    “About 600 names of local government pensioners that were omitted by the consultant during the 2016 personnel audit exercise is still outstanding. This was deliberate to enable the consultant collect their percentages, which was supposed to be based on savings made from the exercise.

    “The elderly men and women were deprived their pension for a period ranging from two to six months as a result of that exercise. Every documentation/verification of those names have been done for over a year now but nobody appeared to bother about it. This is different from arrears of pension generated by administrative bottleneck, where a person is retired and the process of computing entitlement will linger for between 6 months to two years. When eventually it is ready for payment. Only the current month is paid, while the rest is classified as outstanding arrears.

    “As at today, over 9 billion is outstanding in respect of arrears of pension and gratuity covering the period 2007 to 2018 in favour of local government pensioners. They have been denied these entitlement on account of lack of funds, the bailout fund and Paris Club Refund we are told those not include local government pensioners and no reason has been advanced for this, but we still expect that the right thing will be done alleviate the suffering of our members.

    “Where does the local government pensioners belong? Which fund is expected to clear these outstanding arrears? Is local government pensioners not part of this state? If so why disparities when it comes to their welfare, whereas welfare of other services is given without stress. That of local government pensioners must always have one excuse or the other.

    “We however appreciate Governor Ben Ayade in ensuring pensioners are paid regularly and up to date and pray that it should be sustained. We use this medium to also observe that while employment had stopped for over five years now, retirement rather increases at the average of 35 retirees per month.

    “The nominal roll has increased to 5, 600 pensioners with a corresponding pension bill of over N342 million. Given the steady increase in number of retirees subvention to the pension board should have monthly increase to take care of the increases. Gratuity fund similar to that proposed for the state should be set up from where monthly remittances should be made to cater for this aspect of entitlement for local government pensioners.

    “The operational guidelines on the management of local government pension board provided for local government pensions funds to be created from where the following remittances should be made; 15 per cent of local government annual budgets or monthly allocation; 2.5 per cent of local government personnel emoluments to be remitted by the state; reimbursement by the state for their retirees that are drawing pension from the local government pension board; subsidy to the board by the state from time to time; and reimbursement from the Federal Government for their retirees that are enjoying pension from local government pension board.

    “From the provision, local government pensions board does not require a bailout or Paris Club Refund to manage the board, if all agencies ensure that actual percentages prescribed by this provision are remitted to the letter, but there is apathy on the part of all those whose responsibility it is to implement this directive, thereby subjecting the board to artificial shortage of fund, which renders local government pensioners helpless.”