The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Delta community

  • Two feared dead, houses razed as suspected herdsmen attack Delta community

    Not less than two persons were reportedly killed and tens of houses burnt in Effurun-Otor community, Ughelli South council area of Delta state on Sunday following a suspected armed cattle herders’ attack.
    But the Delta state police command, in a telephone chat on Sunday evening, debunked the report of casualties, adding that the situation in the community had been brought under control and that investigations were already ongoing.

    READ ALSO: Kogi: Uproar over killing of septuagenarian by suspected herdsmen

    Meanwhile, community sources told The Nation that two people had been confirmed dead, many houses burnt and that the traditional ruler of the community; the Orovworere of Effurun-Otor Kingdom, HRM King Duku II, escaped death by the whiskers when the invading herdsmen stormed his palace.
    Although the cause of the herdsmen attack could not be confirmed on Sunday evening, it was gathered that the invaders stormed the community with assorted dangerous shooting sporadically and unchallenged.
    Meanwhile, when reached for confirmation and comments, the spokesman of the Delta state police command, Mr Andrew Aniamaka (DSP), said there was an incident in the community, but could not confirm any death or the identity of the attackers.
     
    He, however, said the situation in the community had been kept under control, adding that all concerned stakeholders had been engaged in serious activities to ensure that there would not be a repeat of the unrest.
     
    “I’m not aware of any death and I know it’s a crisis having to do with vigilante, not herders and farmers clash. Surffice it to say that the matter has been brought under control by the police.
    “The Ughelli Area Commander, DPO Otu-Jeremi and the king of the community have sat down on the matter and have ensured that things are now under control,” Aniamaka said.

  • Pandemonium as truck crushes two in Delta community

    THERE was pandemonium in the university town of Abraka, Ethiope East Council Area of Delta State, yesterday after a mob took over the Abraka-Agbor Road to protest the killing of two boys by a truck. The truck rammed into the boys from Orhia- Abraka, after the driver lost control of the vehicle and veered off the road. The identities of the victims could not be ascertained as at the ime of filing this report.

    The sight of the mess made of the corpses by the truck triggered angry reaction from members of the community who were infuriated that the driver did not show remorse but abandoned the vehicle at the scene and took to his heels. A community source who relayed the development to The Nation in Warri, yesterday, said the mob went after every passing vehicle along the busy expressway, attacking drivers and leaving hundreds of travelers stranded while the melee lasted.

    “The sight was ugly; those boys were crushed beyond recognition and to make matters worse, the driver of the truck bolted before people could gather. The community boys were incensed by the sight of the corpses of the boys and they started attacking other vehicles traveling along the road around that time.

  • Delta community, BEDC bicker over alleged N4.16m debt

    Delta community, BEDC bicker over alleged N4.16m debt

    THE Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has cut electricity supply to Ugbolu community, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State over an alleged debt of N4.16 million.

    The Nation gathered that the community has been in darkness in the last six months thereby crippling commercial activities. A community leader, Ogbueshi Christopher Okonkwo, alleged that the authorities of BEDC supplied power between April and August 2016 and were served with a power consumption bill of N4.16million.

    He lamented that commercial activities in the agrarian community has been impacted negatively, adding that “except we get help from higher authorities, Ugbolu community may remain in perpetual darkness for a very long time.” He urged the lawmaker representing the constituency in the State Assembly to come to the rescue of the constituents.

  • Delta community protests Army’s occupation of land

    Hundreds of Uvwie indigenes and residents in Delta State disrupted traffic on the East West Road yesterday as they seized the Effurun Roundabout junction, protesting the alleged illegal occupation and sale of over 185.20 hectares of their land by the Army.

    The placards-wielding protesters pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to prevail on the Army authorities to return their land, illegally acquired, to them.

    Addressing the protesters at his palace, the Ovie of Uvwie , His Emmanuel Sideso, Abe 1, said the Army illegally acquired more than what was given to them by the people.

    “When I ascended to the throne, we made several attempts to get back some of the unoccupied areas by the Army. We generously gave them over 2,000 hectares in 1974 with the aim of establishing the Nigeria Defence Academy, but unfortunately, the defence academy was moved to Kaduna.

    “We then asked that the unoccupied part of the land be returned since the defence academy is no more here. We approached them but no response, rather my subjects have been deprived from even living in the place. Three years ago, they marked even the villages to be demolished, which was not part of the land given to them. They have illegally extended the land without our knowledge”, the monarch said.

    Also speaking on the protest, President-General of Uvwie, Chief Austin Ukuwrere explained that the land was the unused piece of land after the completion of the 3 Battalion Barracks,  Effurun, in 1979, by the Army.

    “The representatives of the Uvwie families as at then, seeing that not all the lands purportedly acquired were actually acquired,  developed and occupied, requested that these lands be released to them for their farming activity, which was their main occupation by the purported acquisition.

    “Rather than release these unused portion/or the illegally acquired extra land to the Uvwie families, various commanding officers of the Effurun Barracks in league with some serving and retired Army generals have been converting the illegally acquired extra acres into private use by leasing, assigning or sale of the lands to private individuals and organisations through the instrumentality of the Nigerian Army Properties Limited,” he said.

    Former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Chief Victor Otomievwo said: “It is unfortunate that a government in Nigeria will steal a land from a people, turn it into a commercial venture and at the same time harass the same people with the intention of occupying land not included in the 1974 Gazzette.”

     

  • Army’s medical outreach for Delta community

    The Army will continue to do its best to assure Nigerians that it is their friend.

    The Commander of Sector 1 of the Join Task Force (JTF), codenamed Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), Col. Alhasan Grema, spoke yesterday during a medical outreach to Ubeji Community in Warri South council area of Delta state by the OPDS 3 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Effurun Barracks.

    Col. Grema said the outreach was a way of giving back to society and to strengthen the civil/military relationship.

    A leader of the community, Mr David Mode Akoma, expressed delight at the development, noting that it was  unusual seeing soldiers and officers bearing drugs and syringes instead of guns.  He urged the Army authorities to do more for his people.

    The Medical Director of Twins Clinic and Hospitals, Warri, Dr Emmanuel Egboh, said the free medical services include the treatment of high blood pressure, optical issues, and many others.

    The medical outreach was part of the Nigerian Army Day celebration.

  • Foundation to build secondary school in Delta community

    The management of Felix Anirah Foundation has pledged to build a secondary school at Ugbakele village in Mosogar community of Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State.

    It said this would fulfil its quest to make education accessible to the residents, irrespective of social status.

    Addressing reporters at the weekend on the project site, a former chairman of Sapele Local Government Area and the foundation’s President Felix Uruemuesiri Anirah said the foundation emphasised helping the needy and ensuring their happiness.

    The former council chief said the first phase of the project – a block of six classrooms with a staff quarters – would be ready by in April while the other phase would be ready by in December.

    On the need for children to get quality education at all levels, the activist emphasised the need to have a good learning environment.

    Anirah said residents of Ugbakele had suffered long enough, hence the foundation’s resolve to help them.

    He thanked God for giving him the grace, love and providence to help the needy.

    The activist said the foundation would any resident, irrespective of his or her background, to uplift them.

    Residents of Ugbakele received members of the foundation during the inspection of the proposed site for the school.

    They expressed joy that the area would get a secondary school where their children would get good education.

    On behalf of the community, Chief Friday Anuya, Chief Johnson Tobi, Mr. Emmanuel Orogumoku and Mr. Benson Ewhariemu expressed gratitude to the foundation.

    They pledged to ensure that the project’s success.

    The foundation’s Coordinator Tony Uba said the school was among the projects the foundation would complete in the New Year.

    Dignitaries in Uba’s entourage included Chief Thomas Akpodiete, Ogheneovo Dumi, Anderson Opefu, Prince Osioh, Chris Anthony and Amos Tadaferua.

  • Total oil empowers youths with starter packs in Delta community

    Total Nigeria Plc on October 19, 2016, presented starter packs to five graduating youths of its 2015 Skills Acquisition Program (SAP) in Koko, Delta State.

    The programme is a sustainable youth development program designed to empower less-privileged youths of the host communities. The youths are trained in vocations of their choice which include welding and fabrication, fish and crop farming, fashion designing, computer studies, furniture making and hair dressing.  This program has since its inception in 2006, graduated 45 youths in Delta state.

    The youths are screened and selected for training placements in certified training centers.  Training materials and allowances are provided for the beneficiaries and their trainers to ensure they are well equipped with the necessary learning tools. Close monitoring by the Stakeholders Consultative Committee, which comprises of the community leaders, representatives and Total Nigeria Plc, ensure beneficiaries remain committed to successfully completing their training.

    Total also pays in advance, two years shop rent to further assist the beneficiaries.  It is expected that these young entrepreneurs will positively impact their communities economically and socially by creating employment and imparting skills to improve the lot of other youths.

    On behalf of the Managing Director, Jean-Philippe Torres, the Corporate Affairs Manager, Albert Mabuyaku, presented to the 5 graduating youths starter packs needed for establishing successful businesses in their various vocations. Starter packs are work tools required to set up small scale businesses for the beneficiaries upon their completion of one year training.

    The Koko Community in a show of support to the program independently sponsored a graduating SAP beneficiary who trained in fashion designing; this brought the total number of graduating youths from 5 to 6 for 2015 edition of the program.

  • Militancy: Delta community alleges plan by military to invade it

    Militancy: Delta community alleges plan by military to invade it

    Just a few days after leaders of the Niger Delta advised the federal government to jettison the military option in solving the Niger Delta problem, one of the communities of the region, Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West council area of Delta State, has alerted of an alleged plan to launch a military offensive against its people by federal forces.

    Spokesman of the kingdom, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, speaking at a briefing in Warri yesterday, alleged that the nation’s security forces had concluded plans to attack Gbaramatu communities under the pretext of searching for members of the insurgent group, Niger Delta Avengers.

    Gbenekama, who said the state’s Commissioner for Information announced a plan by the military to embark on a two-week training in the creeks around the kingdom, noted that the announced plan was too much for convenience.

    “Please help us tell the whole world that the military has concluded plans to invade Gbaramatu communities under the guise of looking for members of the Niger Delta Avengers. It is the innocent people of our communities that will suffer should the military go ahead to bombard our communities. We don’t harbour members of the Niger Delta Avengers. The agitation cuts across the region so why single out only Gbaramatu kingdom?

    ” It is just not the training, we already know that they are training people to attack our people, they are bringing military men to attack our people. This has happened to us before.

    “We are aware that while the kings and Chiefs of the Niger Delta are struggling to bring peace because of the displeasures that are going on at government critical oil facilities, the government is thinking otherwise.

    “While we are begging for peace, the government is struggling, making arrangements to bombard Gbaramatu communities. We call you to cry out for us, let the world hear that we have said it in different occasions that we Kings, chiefs, chairmen and community leaders do not know who the members of the Niger Delta Avengers are.

    “We don’t know them. They don’t live in Gbaramatu; We don’t know where they live but agitations about better living is something that cuts across the whole Niger Delta region. That is why the present trend of companies facilities has been in the length and breadth of the whole Niger Delta and not limited to Gbaramatu”, he said

     

  • Delta community, military trade words over ‘looted’ N370m property, cash

    Residents of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri Southwest Local Government Area of Delta State and the military have traded accusations over alleged looting of the communities’ property and cash estimated at N370 million.

    The residents accused security operatives who participated in recent military operations in their communities of stealing property and cash.

    They said the military personnel robbed Oporoza, the kingdom’s headquarters, of property estimated at N300 million and N70 million cash.

    But the Army described the accusation as unbelievable and lacking in logic.

    The Armed Forces recently carried out a cordon-and-search operation in some communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, following renewed attacks on oil and gas facilities in the area.

    In a statement by the Chairman of Kokodiagbene community, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, Gbaramatu residents claimed that property estimated at N300 million were looted from homes in Oporoza and N70 million cash stolen from the king’s palace by the security personnel on the mission.

    The community’s spokesman urged the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, to investigate, recover and return the allegedly looted property and cash to the communities.

    He said Army’s failure to do so might force the kingdom to take a legal action against the Armed Forces.

    Mulade said: “It’s worthy to stated that the Army looted valuable goods worth over N300,000,000 and about N70,000,000 cash meant for the completion of the Pere’s palace. We are appealing to the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Burutai, to probe his men and recover the looted items from the palace and other residents and kindly return them to the law-abiding citizens of Oporoza.

    “We believe the Army has the capacity to thoroughly investigate and bring the looters to book for the image of Army… As law-abiding citizens, we have no option than to institute a suit against the authority to recover our items, if the authority fails.

    “According to the Joint Task Force (JTF), the operation Cordon and Search was aimed at unmasking the militants and vandals. The authority has failed to arrest and parade any of the Avengers. Rather, it has been parading innocent youths in the Niger Delta to cover up its failures. They continue to perpetrate the heinous crimes by destroying our environment and causing untold hardship.”

    But spokesman of the 4 Brigade of the Army in Benin, the Edo State capital, Captain Jonah Unuakhalu, noted that the allegations were unfounded.

    He expressed surprise at the claims, wondering how soldiers on such operation, within the limited time could cart away property worth N300 million on gunboats.

    Unuakhalu said: “I don’t believe that any such thing happened. But my own is that first I’m in Benin, not in Warri. So, maybe I’ll have to put a call through to know what went down there. However, I just believe all these are fictions because you said property worth N300 million. How would they have moved such? “Let’s both look at it. How did they move it? This is a creek we are talking about and these people move in gunboats. How would they have moved property worth N300 million? I don’t know if you are getting my simple analogy.

    “I read in one of the papers that five of the people we paraded the other time are Senior Secondary School (SSS) 2 pupils. I mean: why do people just come out with stories that do not make any sense?

    “Let’s be realistic: N300 million worth of property? Haba! They even claimed military personnel were raping women. These are all stories coming out of their imaginations just to give the Army a bad name. They are just being funny and economical with the truth.”

  • Military ‘harassment’: Delta community seeks Fed Govt’s protection

    Military ‘harassment’: Delta community seeks Fed Govt’s protection

    · Residents panic over clampdown on ‘Avengers’  

    Residents of Kokodiagbene community in Gbaramatu Kingdom of Warri Southwest Local Government Area of Delta State have urged the Federal Government to save them from alleged military harassment following last Saturday’s invasion by the military.

    The residents said they have been living in fear since last Saturday’s invasion of the coastal community by the Joint Task Force (JTF) searching for members of a militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).

    They urged the Federal Government to save them from the insecurity arising from the deadly activities of the NDA as well as military intimidation and harassment.

    Our reporter’s investigation revealed that the militants attacked facilities in the community, which hosts Jones Creek, Otunana flow stations, among others.

    The chairman of the community, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, addressed reporters yesterday in Warri on the development.

    The activist condemned the invasion of the community, accusing the JTF of beating up the men and harassing the women.

    According to him, the community has always been peaceful and never supported militancy, even in the heat of the arms struggle before the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).

    Mulade said the JTF was led to the community by two masked men from Koko, an Itsekiri town.

    The activist warned the military not to rekindle the Warri inter-ethnic clashes.

    He said: “We condemn strongly the invasion of Kokodiagbene on Saturday by the JTF. Some people were beaten up, while others were harassed. This is uncalled for. And at the end of the day, nothing incriminating was found in the community. They entered our people’s home by force; they destroyed their property but no single arm was recovered. We advise the military to always do its homework thoroughly before invading any community.

    “We believe that the military should rely more on intelligence to do its work rather than resorting to the brute force, which they have been adopting over the years. We are law-abiding people. Now, we are living under terror: fear of attacks from the Avengers as well as harassment and intimidation from the Army.

    “We, therefore, call on the Federal Government to call the Army to order. Our fundamental human rights have been infringed upon.

    “We are critical stakeholders in Niger Delta. We have many oil and gas installations in our community; as such, we do not support what the Avengers are doing.  Their agitation is affecting the economy. It is chasing away the investors and destroying the environment, which is our only heritage.

    “We are willing to collaborate with the Federal Government and work out modalities to fish out the perpetrators of this heinous crime.”