The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kazeem Ibrahym

  • A/Ibom Corps members abandon duty post for threat to life

    A/Ibom Corps members abandon duty post for threat to life

    About 15 members of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) recently posted from the Ikot Itie Udung, Nsit Atai Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State camp, on Thursday abandoned their primary place of assignment following attacks by hoodlums.

    The affected Corps members, The Nation gathered were posted to serve at the Community Secondary School, Uruk Atta 11, in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area.

    One of the teachers, who craved anonymity, said: “The NYSC members were posted to this school on our request, and when they arrived we shared them to some private residence compounds at Obot Uboko and another compound along Uruk Atta 11-Okoyo village.”

    He disclosed that the suspected cultists had attacked the compound and disposed them of personal belongings including laptops, phones and petty cash.

    More worrisome to them, according to one Effiong Ekeke, a local resident was that: “the cultists also raped some of the female members, an action he said, forced them to flee the community.

    “Consequently, they (the Corps members) abandoned the school and left the community in protest over the lack of security.”

    Confirming the incident, Donald Iwok, a former Councillor, who represented the area at the return of democracy in 1999, attributed the incident to what he described as: “the collapse of security in some communities in the area.

    “In recent times, there had been incidences of cult clashes leading to the death of over 15 people in this axis along, especially in communities like Ikot Udobong, Okoyo, Uruk Atta 11, Ikpe and Otoro”, he recalled, adding “between Monday and Wednesday this week, two persons were also killed in Ikot Mkporikpo and Obon Ebot villages.”

    Calling on the Police to beef up security in the area, Iwok, an alumnus of the affected school, expressed worry that incidences of cultism, robbery and kidnapping for ransom, have become the order of the day in the area.

    The Chairman of Etim Ekpo Local Government, Udeme Eduo, who lamented that the scourge of cultism has created serious tension in the Council sued for calm, assuring that he was working with security agencies to restore peace.

    He charged traditional rulers to secure their domains to ensure their subjects lived according to the rules and regulations of the communities, warning that he would not hesitate to wield the big stick against erring youths in the habits of running foul of the laws.

    The Commissioner of Police (CP) Mr. Donald Awunah, said a number of suspected cultists have been arrested following the launch of ‘Operation Impact’ in the area.

    He assured that peace would soon return in the area as his men intensified efforts to dislodge criminal elements within Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District.

  • 6 killed, houses razed as A/Ibom-C/River boundary war escalates

    No fewer than six persons have been declared dead and several others injured as the age-long communal war between Oku Iboku community in Akwa Ibom State and Ikot Offiong in Cross River State, degenerated into full-scale war.
    Several houses, various brands of vehicles, including Julius Berger truck, according to some eye witness accounts, were razed around the Calabar-Itu head bridge and adjoining communities.
    Unconfirmed accounts said two security operatives, were among those killed, forcing the Military to deploy dozens of soldiers to the scene. 
    Police have also deployed detachments of Police Mobile Force (PMF), unit 26 and 57, to quell the war.
    Passengers to and from Calabar, capital of Cross River State, were stranded for several hours as the major access road was blocked by soldiers, anti-riot Policemen and other emergency security operatives.
    According to Chief Ene Essien, a community leader in Oku Iboku, the latest incident occurred after series of attempts by the people to reoccupy the fishing area after they were forced out by the people of Oku Iboku, failed.
    He said: “The Ikot Offiong people are fishermen who migrated into our area from Akpabuyo, in Cross River State to settle. After settling for so many years, they developed the instinct of seizing our land and even expanding more into Itu.”
    “Their uncomplimentary relationship with the host community forced us to push them away from the fishing community. When they left our community, the settled at Odukpani, but the people also pushed them out to their place in Akpabuyo, because of their penchant for war.”
    He recalled that the intractable war has lingered for years leading to intermittent attacks by the invaders from Ikot Offiong.
    According to him, the war started around the fishing area, but later escalated to the Calabar-Itu road, when the people of Ikot Offiong returned in reprisal that led to the dead of six persons after sporadic shootings.
    It was gathered the invaders returned with armed hoodlums in 11 busses and several flying boats, but were later repelled by a combined team of soldiers, anti-riot Policemen and men of the State Anti-Robbery and Kidnapping Squad (SARS).
    Two Aides to Governor Udom Emmanuel, Essien Ndueso and Joseph Okon, who were trapped in the war as they returned from the official assignment in Calabar, who narrated their ordeal, said, “the entire area was on fire” and thanked God they were not cut down by bullets.
    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Cordelia Nwawe (ASP), confirmed the incident, saying several persons were injured, adding that she was yet to be briefed on those who died in the incident.
    “It is not the business of the Police to count dead bodies, our business is to secure lives and properties”, she said, and assured that normalcy has returned as detachments of Police Mobile Force (PMS), 26 and 57, have been drafted to quell the crises.

  • A/Ibom: Group raises alarm over alleged plan to assassinate APC leaders

    A socio-political organisation in Akwa Ibom state known as Akwa Ibom Change Movement, ACM yesterday the raised alarm over what it described as “systematic intimidation and assassination of selected vocal leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC,” in Akwa Ibom State by Governor Udom Emmanuel.

    Governor Emmanuel had last week during a Solemn Assembly, said Akwa Ibom youths should rise against “any idiot” who comes from Abuja to oppose his government, adding that before such a person leaves the studio, the youth will rise against him.

    In a release signed by the ACM’s President, Prince Emmanuel Sam and the secretary, Noah Noah, said Governor Emmanuel expressly threatened to unleash militants, which he euphemistically called “youths,” on perceived opposition figures in Akwa Ibom, especially those who have been appointed to serve in the APC administration at the federal level, and who dare to criticize him and his administration in 2017 and beyond.

    The group quoted the governor as saying: “In 2017, any Akwa Ibom son or daughter if you have been given appointment anywhere, thank God for your appointment. If you use your appointment to come into the state and cause disunity, I can reassure you I have the full assurances of the youths, any idiot who will come forthwith to make any nonsense proclamation in the state, the youths will not let him go.”

    According to the group, immediately the governor said this, the crowd, mostly youths, immediately went into a frenzy, jubilating as he said this.

    The group said: “It is worth noting that Governor Emmanuel issued this undisguised threat in the presence of dignitaries like the president, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rev. Olasupo Ayokunle, and several other Christian leaders. Several youth groups and women groups who also attended the religious ceremony.

    “Without any iota of doubt, the person that Gov. Udom Emmanuel directly addressed as the “idiot” who came “forthwith to make any nonsense proclamation in the State” and who the “youths” have “reassured” him that they would not “let him go” next time was Senator Ita Enang, the SSA to the President on National Assembly, Senate.

    “As a matter of fact, Senator Ita Enang had given a radio interview on Saturday, December 31, 2016, in which he asked the governor to account for the enormous resources of the state his government has gotten since June 2015.

    “Truth be told, the cardinal sin that Senator Ita Enang and other APC leaders in Akwa Ibom have committed, all they have been saying for more than one year now and which is twisted to mean “causing disunity in the State” is asking the PDP government of Mr. Emmanuel to stop blackmailing the Buhari”s government and falsely claiming that his glaring ineptitude and inability to run a transparent, accountable and responsive government is because the APC federal government has been short changing the Akwa Ibom people and government.

    “Gov. Udom Emmanuel has started, also after nearly two years in office, to stealthily use threat to re-introduce violence and state sponsored murder of perceived political opponents as a tool to bully, intimidate and frighten the competition out of the 2019 gubernatorial race.”

  • Uyo church collapse: ‘My original design was altered’

    Uyo church collapse: ‘My original design was altered’

    The architect who designed the plan for the collapsed Reigners’ Bible Church, Mr Abimbola Oke, said before the Commission of Inquiry in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on Monday that he stands by his original design for the church.

    Oke, who was cross-examined by the commission’s counsel, Mr Friday Oke, stated that when he visited the site to check on the church’s founder and General Overseer, Apostle Akan Weeks, he noticed that the design had been altered.

    According to him, during his visit, he told Weeks that what was implemented was at variance with the original design, adding that he urged him on the importance of adhering to the original design.

    Oke, who is also a lecturer in the University of Uyo, explained that when he observed the building, he also noticed that not all the structural elements had been put in place including the gallery floor.

    He said that he did not supervise the building project as had been alleged, noting that if he did, the church would have paid for it, having given the church a design that worths N11.5m for free.

    Asked why he chose to give out the service with such amount of money for free, Oke answered that, “That is not the first time I’m doing that kind of a thing; it is my belief that God can bless me; it is my act of service to God, and it has been proven over and over again.”

    When asked if he designed the roof and the trusses, Oke replied that he was not the person who designed the roof and the trusses.

    “Apostle Akan Weeks asked me to design a round or diagonal 5,000 sitting capacity auditorium plan for him. After the design, I took it to him and he said it was all right. As regards altering the design, I did not redesign any part of the building. I stand by my original design which included the basement floor.

    “The apostle later asked me if I could supervise the building, but the church’s building committee chairman reacted to it by saying that they were going to build their church by themselves.

    “Afterwards I visited Weeks at a certain point in time and told him that what was in the design was not implemented. I also informed him of the importance of adhering to the original design,” he said.

    Oke added that he understood that the site was sloping and that was why he introduced the basement floor to suit the site.

  • ‘We’ll cripple every federal infrastructure that yields revenue’

    ‘We’ll cripple every federal infrastructure that yields revenue’

    • Okays bombing of Bonny crude oil export line by the Avengers

    Niger Delta Volunteers on Tuesday promised to cripple every infrastructure that yields revenue to the Federal Government.

    The group in a statement signed by its spokesman, Commander Ekpo Ekpo in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital, also described the bombing of the Bonny  crude oil export line as a child’s play, saying its scope destruction would no longer be limited to oil facilities alone.

    “We shall complement and supplement every move of the Niger Delta Avengers to ensure that our freedom from this Zoo is realized. We shall not spare any infrastructure that adds value to the activities of the Buhari led Federal Government.

    “We in the Niger Delta Volunteers are not surprised at the current shenanigans of the Federal Government through the office of the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the Minister of Transport, Chibuike Amaechi.

    “It is now obvious that the Federal Government of Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari has converted the commitment to peace and dialogue by the Elders, Royal fathers and Chiefs under the auspices of Chief Edwin Clark, and King Alfred Diete Spiff the Amayanabo town Brass to a circus.

    “In one breath, the Presidency is issuing a statement at a committee meeting under S.A. on Political Affairs in the Vice President’s office and in another, the Minister of Transport, Chibuike Amaechi, convening a meeting in Transcorp. Where does this circus place Ibe Kachikwu’s effort at bringing out notable Elders to commit themselves.

    “No wonder the Spokesperson of our big brother, the Avengers, General Muduch Agbinibo refers it to, “a shameful scene in Nollywood acts,” the group said.

    The group, however, warned all oil companies operating offshore and onshore to vacate, promising that its actions would likely create collateral damage to human life that may be in such facility.

    The militants also insisted that restructuring must be on the front burner of any peace and dialogue between the Federal Government and the people of the South South region.

    The statement reads: “This warning also goes to those in any infrastructure or facility outside oil that have economic value. To be forearmed is to be forewarned. President Buhari should strongly consider the withdrawal of Soldiers from the territory as their presence is a further escalation of stealing of crude oil.

    “Finally, the only way forward to resolve the Niger Delta issue is to restructure the country and that is the only acceptable bases for cessation of hostilities. Restructuring must be on the front burner. The South South is a block of contiguous ethnic Nationalities and will move as a block in the expected restructured Nigeria with powers to abdicate on political and economic issues affecting the block.”

  • Gov berates Nigerians who send children abroad for education

    Gov berates Nigerians who send children abroad for education

    The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel has expressed concern over the unpatriotic attitude of some Nigerians who send their children abroad for education saying that the majority of great men and women today were products of public schools in Nigeria.

    Emmanuel, who stated this on Thursday in Uyo, the state capital while briefing newsmen, noted that most of the teachers in overseas countries are not better than their Nigerian counterpart whom he noted are making waves all over the world.

    According to him, no amount of investment will be too much in the education of children and youths which he identifies as key drivers of any economy.

    With sound education the Governor said, young people could contribute to the development of their communities and help in addressing unemployment in the society.

    He emphasized the need for parents and teachers to instill discipline, fear of God and moral values in their children so that they can grow with it and become useful to society.

    Governor Emmanuel promised that his government will continue to provide a good environment for quality teaching and learning through the basic infrastructure in schools and prompt attention to the welfare of teachers in Akwa Ibom State.

    On the perennial flood ravaging some roads in the state, the Governor said that his administration is working in partnership with the World Bank to check the menace and that the Organization has received the design of the Babangida Avenue flood control project with a view to providing funding for the project.

    He explained that the Babangida Avenue flooding has persisted due to the topography of the area.

    This, he said, has made it difficult to channel the water to the nearest drainage around the State Secretariat.

    However, he assured that the Nsikak Eduok Avenue road flooding would be evacuated as soon as the underground drainage channeling project is completed.

    In the Health sector, the Governor said he painstakingly went round the state-owned medical institutions and that the sector would be revamp as the state government is awaiting delivery of medical equipment ordered from the United States of America to enable the hospitals provide better services for the people.

    He announced that the state government has entered into an agreement with a Singapore based firm to rehabilitate the General Hospital at Ikot Okoro under a Private Public Partnership Arrangement.