The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Rivers State

  • Bode Ojomu join race for PDP National Publicity Secretary

    Bode Ojomu join race for PDP National Publicity Secretary

    A Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Bode Ojomu has joined the race for the party’s National Publicity Secretary at the National Convention billed for August 17, at Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

    Ojomu who hails from Irepodun Local Government area of. Kwara State, North Central, Nigeria said he’s going into the race to enhance the rebuilding of the party and return it to the people.

    He promised to impact and mobilize Nigerians through all forms of media to return PDP to power in 2019, rallying all media professionals in the party together.

    The PDP had earlier zoned its National Publicity office to the North Central geo-political zone.

    Bode Ojomu had been a tested student activist at national level before his admission into the University of lbadan, having participated actively in NANS as Speaker of Oyo State College of Arts and Science, Ile-Ife.

    Bode holds a Masters’ Degree in International Relations and Strategic Studies and B.A. Hons in language and Communication Arts and he is a member of Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) and Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

    During the tenure of Chief Barrabas Gemade as National Chairman, Bode was appointed as a Member of the PDP National Committee on Media and Publicity to formulate a Media Policy for the Party.

    He was the Director, Media and Publicity, MANDATE 2003 – the Governorship Campaign Organization of Dr. Bukola Saraki in Kwara State.

    In 2004-2005, he served with both Chief Audu Ogbeh and Dr. Amadu Ali as Deputy National Publicity Secretary and Acting National Publicity Secretary for 3 months.

    During his tenure, he participated as Member of so many important Committees including the Governor Joshua Dariye Investigation Panel under the Chairmanship of Governor Donald Duke and functions very effectively with the several Organs of the Party.

     

     

  • Soldiers sack Rivers community of alleged missing gun

    Soldiers sack Rivers community of alleged missing gun

    …over 10 houses burnt down

    Residents of Ihuaje community in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers state have lamented the invasion of their community by men of the Nigeria Military.

    Sources from the community said the community has been deserted as military men attached to a construction community in the place attacked the community over their alleged missing weapon, burning houses and destroying valuables.

    Residents are now said to be living as refugees in neighbouring communities, while others are living in the forests.

    The Community Liaison Officer (CLO), to the company Esor Robinson Ewor confirmed the story to The Nation in the community weekend.

    Ewor also confirmed that the missing gun has been traced to an indigene of the community working in the company. He said the community has known no peace since the incident, July 26 and called on the military Garrison commander and the Government to Save their Souls (SOS), from the Soldiers.

    He condemned the action of the suspect and said that the community despite being directly involved in the crime is not resting on its oars in finding solution to the problem. The appealed for time to trace the whereabouts of the suspect and the gun, with the view of turning them to the military, but begged that they stop further destruction of their community.

    Narrating how the trouble started, Ewor said,   “It was on the July 26, that Military men attached to Construction Company HADO / Diarycent Nigeria Limited, woke to discover that one of their guns was missing.

    “The Soldiers are resident in the company yard’s operational yard. After the muster, they discovered that one of their staff who is an indigene of the host community was not absent, on further investigation, especially through the CCTV camera, he was found to have collected the gun and jumped the fence.

    “Efforts were made to recover the weapon from the culprit. While the efforts were on-going, a stronger group (suspected to be cult group), met him and collected the weapon from him.

    “Because the suspect is a member of this community, the Army now transferred their grievances on the community, insisting that the community should either produce the boy or return the weapon.

    “The boy is presently on the run but the community is making efforts to trace his where about to recover the weapon from him, but knowing the military, their way of life and impatience, invaded the community, burning houses, destroying motor bikes and several other things.

    “No fewer than ten houses have been destroyed, but thank God nobody has been killed, but people have left their houses to their relatives in the other neighbouring communities, while those that have nowhere to go to are now hiding in the bushes.”

    Asked how many times they have invaded the community said, “They were in the community on Wednesday, then Friday again and are still threatening to come back and level what is remaining in the community if the gun is was not recovered back to them.

    “That is why people of the community have all scattered. They destroyed one thing or the other, burnt houses in each of the visits,” he said.

    The community appealed to the military garrison commander to come to their aid and save the community and its residents from the cruel hands of these Soldiers, stressing that they should not exterminate the entire community and its indigenes for the offence of one person.

    The admitted that the culprit committed grievous offence but noted that he was neither sent by his parents nor the community to steal the Soldier’s gun.

    “We are appealing to the garrison commander to prevail on the Soldiers in the area to give us a respite allow us breath space while we assist in looking for the culprit.

    “The Soldiers are destroying the community.

    “People have deserted the community, everybody is living in fear, the military is paying unfriendly visits to the community from time to time, nobody is in the community right now.

    The CLO noted that the boy in question has not been associated with any form of criminality before this time. The community members know him very well. There are over 60 indigenes of the community in the community, including him, if he was of questionable character, I would not have recommended him to the company.” He insisted.

    When the Nation visited the community Saturday, the place was dry and void noise of human being and animals, save handful of old men that gathered in a meeting at the community chief’s residence.

    In his reaction, the Human right activist in the area, comrade Napoleon Ordu condemned the military invasion of the community over a crime committed in the company by their employee, and called on the authorities concerned to intervene in the situation before they community is wiped out.

  • Rivers Police nab notorious kidnapper, cultist

    Rivers Police nab notorious kidnapper, cultist

    The Rivers State Police Command has continued to record outstanding success in crime fighting and this came to limelight when on 10/7/2016 about 1000hrs the Command operatives on information at Rumuohia in Emohua Local Government Area arrested a notorious kidnapper/cultist one Omunakwe Uchendu ‘m’ age 31 years a native of Rumuohia village in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    The suspect is said to be among the hoodlum causing carnage along the Emohua area and also the second in command of the Green Landers Cult group a.k.a Degbam in Rumuohia Emohua who has been on the wanted list of security agents for several offences including Armed Robbery and Kidnapping. The suspect has made useful statement regarding his criminal activities. Investigation is ongoing.

    The Command wishes to assure the citizenry, that the police is working hard to eradicate, if not eliminate totally all forms of criminality in the state.

  • Suspected killer of Police ASP, two others arrested in Rivers

    Suspected killer of Police ASP, two others arrested in Rivers

    The Police in Rivers state Tuesday said it has apprehended one Chimenem, a member of the criminal gang suspected to be killers of three Police officers attached to Rumuolumeni Police Division of the state recently.

    An Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Daniel Ofomah and two others were reportedly ambushed and killed by unknown gunmen while on routine patrol in their area.

    The Police have been looking for their killers. The command’s spokesman, Nnamdi Omoni a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), in a statement in Port Harcourt, the state capital, Tuesday alleged that Chimenem and his criminal gang members were responsible for the murder, and that he has already confessed to the crime.

    Omoni in the statement also said that five members of the gang were killed by the police in the confrontation that led to Chimenem’s arrest while arms and ammunitions were recovered.

    He said their criminal hideout was raided by the joint operation of the Police and the Military following useful information from the public.

    He said, “in its resolve to make the state uninhabitable for Armed Robbers and Kidnappers, the state Police command has again recorded a mile stone in crime fighting as the men of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit through a tip-off arrested one Chimenem a notorious kidnapper/ armed robber who on interrogation confessed to being among the robbers who recently ambushed policemen that led to the killing of ASP Ofomah Daniel and two others of Rumuolumeni Police Division.

    “Based on his confession, a joint operation by DPO Rumuolumeni, Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU) and the Military raided a black spot at the Trans Kalabari Road, Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt where the hoodlums engaged the men on a fierce gun duel leaving five of them fatally wounded.

    “Consequently, one single barreled shot gun, one cut-to-size single barrel gun and five rounds of live cartridges were recovered from them, as others escaped with bullet wounds. Investigation is on-going at the Anti-kidnapping Unit.”

    The Spokesman also said that five other suspected hoodlums were also arrested in parts of the state same weekend.

    He gave their names and places of origin as, Maduabuchukwu Nwobiri and Chimobi Nwobiri both from Ikem village in Etche LGA of the state. Others are Dickson Egba from Bayelsa and Peter Reuben Akwa Ibom states respectively, as well as one Felix Adewale from Ondo state, resident in Aluu Community in Ikwerre LGA. He was a driver of a criminal gang, their operational vehicle laden with stolen items was said to be also impounded by the police during his arrest.

    They suspects were reportedly apprehended by the men of the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS), the C4i Unit and joint operation of men of Anti-kidnapping Units of the command in their (Police) and military team.

    They were arrested during separate operations at the weekend.

    Various items including women’s’ bag, containing money and other valuables, fire arms and ammunitions and robbers operational vehicle among others were recovered from them.

    He said investigations are ongoing. He lauded the cooperation of members of the public in crime fighting in the state and called for more valuable information to from them.

    The command reiterates the need for police-public partnership in terms of volunteering information that can lead to the arrest of these marauders and possible recovery of their weapons.

  • Police in Rivers arrest three hoodlums

    Police in Rivers arrest three hoodlums

    The Police in Rivers state say they have arrested three notorious armed robbers who specialized in kidnapping and car snatching in the Government Reserved Area (GRA), of Port Harcourt, the state capital.

    In a statement in Port Harcourt Wednesday, by the new spokesman of the state Police command, Nnamdi Omoni, the criminals were set to launch an attack on a guest in one of the hotels in the area before they were intercepted by the police on a tip off.

    Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said three of the gang members sustained serious gun injuries, following a gun duel with the Police, however one of the robbers escaped with injury.

    He expressed the commitment of the new Commissioner of Police, Foluso Adebanjo to raid the state of all forms of criminality, with the view of restoring peace and tranquility to the state.

    The DSP said, “The Rivers State Police Command in its avowed commitment to fight crime and make Rivers State inhabitable for criminals on Monday, July 4, 2016 about 9:30 in the morning, based on intelligent report from a credible source that a gang of armed robbers numbering about four (4) who specialize in car snatching and kidnapping at the GRA axis in Port Harcourt had perfected plans to rob a guest in a hotel in the area (name of hotel withheld by Reporter).

    “On receipt of the information, team of Policemen from the command was immediately moved to the area and on sighting the police, the hoodlums opened fire, and in the cross fire three (3) of the robbers sustained various degrees of bullet wounds wherein one of them escaped with bullet wound, while others were arrested.

    “During the search session after the operation, one automatic pump action gun with one live cartridge, one locally made revolver pistol with three (3) with 0.9mm lives ammunition, and one Kia Rio saloon car with Reg. No. EJ 947 EKY, colour SKY Blue were recovered from them.” He stated.

    He reassured the residence of the CP’s unalloyed commitment to fight crime and criminality to standstill and appealed for corporation.

  • Buratai! Quietly repositioning the army

    Justin Amuna

    Lt General Tukur Yusuf Buratai! Some call him the soldier’s soldier others call him the gentleman soldier. One thing that is endearing to all about him is the gentle smile he beams every time he appears and the mien of confidence and competence.

    He caught my attention when he served as commander Joint Task Force, Operation Pulo shield in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State. The mandate then was to restore peace in the restive Niger Delta area and the General demonstrated his capacity to deliver as he efficiently mobilized the task force under his control to achieve peace in the area, and in record time. I watched a few interviews he granted subsequently after the “victory” and I was impressed by the humility in the tone of his words, which is a trait not too common in this part of the world; especially when you bear a gun.

    By the time he was done with the task, security had improved tremendously in Rivers and Bayelsa state. Oil theft, kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes had been contained tremendously. Soldiers that served under him then could testify to how seriously he took the issue of welfare of men and women under him. Several renovations and rehabilitations were carried out in their barracks to ensure an ideal level of comfort for the officers within the task force.

    When I heard he has been announced as the force commander of the multi-national joint task force(MNJTF) to tackle the Boko Haram menace , I was very elated, those who know this Soldier will attest that he is a complete no nonsense soldier who discharges his duties with the highest form of professionalism and discipline.

    I am certain that President Muhammadu Buhari expressed a sign of full confidence in his competence by appointing Tukur Yusuf Buratai as the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Just like I had thought, he got down to business immediately and backed by a new commander in chief, the stage was now set for the full onslaught thereafter unleashed on Boko Haram.

    At this point the stage was set for a revolution in the fight against Boko Haram; Buratai was now fully in charge of the army and he was not going to be the type of chief that will be commanding operations from a cozy office in Abuja. Within days of his appointment as COAS he was back in Maiduguri, he also travelled within different formations in the north east to boost the morale of the troops at the fore front of the fight.

    He did not only assure them of improvements on their welfare but backed it up with action, within a few weeks the same army that fled from Boko Haram terrorists a few month ago were now doing the chase, taking back territories that had hitherto been possessed by Boko Haram for years.

    Within months of being appointed as chief of army staff things, the entire outlook on the terrorism war changed, with the Nigerian troops leading the onslaught and rescuing several hostages, the success achieved within a short period was like a miracle even to an individual like me who has always been aware of Gen Buratai’s antecedent.

    Suddenly Nigerians started to believe in the Nigerian army again with several commendations from Individual and places that had earlier criticized them for not doing enough against the insurgents.

    Some people say Nigeria needs strong institutions and not strong men, true! However, in some cases strong men are required to help rebuild our institutions and then restore the confidence required in running such institutions going forward; after all, weak people are not likely going to possess the competence to build strong institutions.

    In the short while he has been COAS, just like every other human he has had his dark moment. One of such is the clash with the Shiite group in Zaria and as much as I sympathize with the families of those that lost loved ones, I will also say that it is foolhardy for any group of people to attack soldiers violently and also threaten to kill them without expecting self -defense from the soldiers, more so in a convoy conveying the COAS.

    I am sure they were not expecting to get a pat on the back for that especially when the nation was still battling with an extremist group Boko Haram that almost succeeded in running over the whole country. The army, given that scenario was definitely not going to be taking any chances with the open and violent Shiite group.

    That said, I think the military can measure its reaction next time to reduce the number of collateral damage. The military though has submitted itself for investigation by the panel set up by the Kaduna state government; let us hope that the truth behind this incident is unraveled quickly.

    Despite the Kaduna case, I think COAS has performed way above average to put it in modes terms of human right and civil-military relations. I have also observed that the allegations of abuse of human right against the Nigeria army which hitherto was a regular occurrence has lately disappeared despite the significant victories recorded against the Boko Haram sect in recent times. I cannot recall a word of complain from Amnesty International or our own National Human Rights Commission and this is largely because Lt Gen Buratai from the onset made it clear that he will not support any of such abuse by the army under him.

    This leadership trait is what has trickled down to the rank and file of the army as the COAS continues to emphasize the need for the army to stick to their rules of engagement at all time irrespective of the level of provocation.

    The General who hails from Buratai town in Biu local government area of Borno state has had his fair share of the Boko Haram dose , his house was attacked by Boko Haram terrorist whilst he was commander of the joint task force in the Niger Delta, such was the situation then in Borno, Yobe and in fact Adamawa states. No one and nowhere was safe Including a General’s house, but today all of that is almost history.

    The residents of places like Maiduguri, Gamborou, Dalori and other such places are best positioned to tell the difference in the last one year, if anyone is happy about the progress made by the army, no one can be happier than the residents of these areas, some of which were under Boko Haram controls for several months.

    The army has achieved a lot in just about a year of Lt Gen Buratai’s appointment as COAS, we certainly look forward to more progress and exploits as he settles in to transform the Nigerian army into the strongest and most formidable army in Africa at first and subsequently one of the strongest armies in the world.

    Amuna is an environmental activist based in Port Harcourt.

     

  • Fishermen lament hoodlums’ attacks in Rivers 

    Fishermen, Wednesday, raised the alarm over incessant raids, robberies and attacks on their fishing settlements located along the Bonny waterways, Bonny, Rivers State.

    It was gathered that the fishing camps comprise mainly Ilaje and Ijaw settlers who hail from different states in the Niger Delta region.

    The camps are identified by their names as Forupaka (Ago-Eri), Mumakiri (Ajegunle/Bayelsa) and Iwokiri fishing communities.

    One of the fishermen from Bayelsa a state who spoke in confidence said attacks on people living in the camps had become a daily occurrence adding that their lives were in danger.

    He further identified the hoodlums as a gang of criminals involved in sea piracy and armed robbery camped close to Oyorokoto.

    He said: “They are a gang of gun-wielding criminals involved in sea piracy, armed robbery and killings camped near Oyorokoto from where they terrorize the communities in Bonny territories.

    “About a month ago they killed a young Ilaje fisherman in cold blood without provocation. It has become their daily routine to extort money from the mainly Ilaje and Ijaw settlers

    “Twice in less than two months they have sacked these communities forcing the people to flee to other fishing settlements in Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa states”.

    He said the gang was being led by one Felix, who said personally stormed the camps on June 8, ransacking the settlements and injuring fishermen.

    “When they came on June 8, they chased people upon down and many people abandoned their camps and ran into the forest. They almost killed one of the youths.

    “The government should quickly deploy the security to arrest this mad gang before they waste more lives,” he said.

  • Police kill four notorious cultists

    Police kill four notorious cultists

    The police in Rivers state have yesterday killed four notorious cultists in the state.

    The hoodlums are reportedly killed in a gun battle with the police at Ogbakiri area of Emuoha LGA the state yesterday morning.

    The state Police spokesman Ahmad Muhammad, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed the incident in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

    The cultists suspected to be members of Icelanders cult group, being led by one Italian, a native of Ikwerre LGA were said to be members of the group that has been terrorising Isiokpor and Rumuji communities of Ikwerre and Emuoha LGAs of the state.

    The criminals reportedly attempted attack on the Police Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS), Annex Office at Ogbakiri junction but were repealed by the Police.

    “When our Rumuji Police station was attacked last weekend, we knew that this boys are up to something, by the directive of the state Commissioner of Police (CP), Musa Kimo, all our Police security formations were beefed up, so the Police were on red alert.

    “As God may have it this morning, around 11:am they hoodlums, the same people that attacked the Rumuji station, came to attack our SARS Annex office at Ogbakiri junction, our men fought back and they were repealed.

    “There was heavy gun battle between the Police and the criminals. There was re-enforcement of the SARS and Anti-Cultism Unit, at the end of the battle, three corpses of the cultists were recovered, the fourth one died in the hospital, but before he died, he was able to confess to the Police that they are the group responsible for the disturbances at Rumji, Aluu, in Emuoha LGA and Isiokpor in Ikwerre LGA of the state, and that their gang leader is one Italia.

    “There was no casualty on the Police side. Several wraps of items suspected to be dynamite explosive were recovered from the place they led ambush against the Police. No gun was however recovered from them.”

    The CP assured the people of the state of the Police resolve to give no rest to the hoodlums and appealed to members of the public to volunteer useful information to the Police.

    Emuoha and Ikwerre LGA of the state came under siege of the criminals last weekend. No fewer than 25 persons were killed in a two day-subsisted attacks on the areas.

  • Cult clashes in Rivers assuming alarming dimension – Army

    The 2 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Rivers State has stated that cult clashes in Rivers have assumed an alarming dimension and a source of security concern in the state.

    The Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 2 Brigade, Capt. Eli Lazarus, stated this Tuesday night in Port Harcourt, declaring that further attacks by cultists on any Rivers community would be met with full military action.

    He reiterated that in the past few days, cult clashes were recorded in communities in Ikwerre and Emuoha Local Government Areas of the state, with many deaths recorded.

    Lazarus said: “Among these deaths are some of our (Army) personnel, who were part of the team that responded to distress calls to prevent the situation from further degenerating.

    “Preliminary investigation revealed that these barbaric and condemnable acts were cult wars of dominance between Icelanders and other cult groups. This is seemingly motivated by the quest for economic advantage, suspected to be connected to oil theft and illegal bunkering.

    “The cultists are hereby warned to surrender their arms and turn away from their evil ways. I wish to state unequivocally that any such attacks on any community will be met with full military action. The viciousness and bestiality displayed by these cultists in killing their rivals have no place in any civilised society.

    “The level of violence and carnage recorded in the past few days must be eschewed and denounced by all peace-loving and law-abiding people of Rivers State. Those involved must never be allowed to go unpunished.”

    The 2 Brigade’s spokesman also stated that youths must be guided to save them from self-destruction, while urging parents and guardians to warn their children and wards against belonging to or associating with any cult group, while declaring that anyone caught would not be spared.

    He also solicited information that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrators of the heinous crimes and their patrons.

    Lazarus assured that all information volunteered would be treated as confidential, while urging Rivers people to remain calm and go about their lawful activities, assuring that security agencies would continue to work assiduously and make sacrifices in the performance of their constitutional roles and relate with all well-meaning citizens to identify the criminal groups and bring them to justice.

  • Five Policemen declared missing in Rivers

    Five Policemen declared missing in Rivers

    Five policemen attached to the Rivers State Police Command are feared missing after an ambush by gunmen on the Okujagu waterways in Okrika Local Government Area, last Wednesday.

    The command Friday declared them missing and set up a panel to investigate the circumstances of their disappearance.

    It announced the arrest of 53 suspects in connection with the disappearance of the policemen.

    THE Rivers State Police Command on Friday declared five policemen missing after an ambush by unknown gunmen on Wednesday at Okujagu waterways in Okrika Local Government Area.

    Spokesman for the police command, Mr. Ahmad Muhammad, said in a statement that the policemen were on an official mission to the area when they unexpectedly came under gun attack.

    “The policemen went to Okujagu community on a routine police inquiry when they were ambushed by unknown gunmen before they could disembark from the boat that ferried them, they were bombarded with a barrage of heavy gunfire which forced them to scamper for cover,” he said.

    Six policemen, comprising two inspectors and four other officers initially got missing but one – Inspector Aferuan Imoukhuede  – was rescued a day after.

    The police spokesman said: “Sting operations by the command are still on the top gear to rescue the remaining five missing policemen. Fifty-three suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident and are currently undergoing interrogation.”

    He said the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Musa Kimo, had set up a “high-powered” investigative panel headed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Investigation Department, to unravel the circumstances surrounding the entire incident.