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Tag: Rivers State

  • Arrest, prosecute all political killers – Lawmaker

    A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Oluyinka Ogundimu has reiterated the need for all political killers to be arrested and prosecuted to forestall future occurrence.

    Ogundimu, who is the Chairman House Committee on Finance, gave this advice while speaking on a programme organized by the Lagos State House of Assembly Correspondents Association (LAHACA) designed for lawmakers to give account of their stewardship.

    It would be recalled that a serving youth corps member, Dumebi Samuel was killed during Rivers re-run that took place on Saturday 19the March.

    Samuel was attached to Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) as an Ad-Hoc staff but was killed during the election.

    A similar incident also happened at the lawmaker’s constituency, Agege constituency in the last general elections where a youth, Eyitayo was gruesomely murdered by political thugs.

    Ogundimu who was reacting to incessant political carnages, stated that “he is already working with the state Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode on how to forestall future occurrence and also bring perpetrators of previous killings to book.”

    He disclosed that there were plans in the pipeline for the youths in his constituency, adding that the young ones in the society would have to channel their energies to sports.

    The lawmaker however pointed out that in trying to encourage the youths to take part in sports, it must be an effort for them to earn income rather than just exercising themselves.

    While commenting on the relationship between the executive and legislature in the state, Ogundimu said “the relationship between the two arms of government should not be the kind that we have between pepper and eyes.”

    He explained that the state House of Assembly has been known for effective oversight, saying that that was done through monitoring and corrective measures.

    “We are doing our monitoring, we don’t have to be confrontational; we still get them corrected where it is necessary. When we blow the whistle, it serves as corrective measure. There is no arm of government that can work in isolation,” he said.

    In his comment on the new law on Employment Trust Fund in the state which is meat to create enabling environment for job creation, the lawmaker stated that the N25bn which would be pumped into the economy of the state for a space of four years would be adequately monitored.

    He stressed that before the House passed the Bill, there was an improvement in comparison with the Security Trust Fund, saying “we made sure that the executive sent the administrative guidelines before passing the Bill.”

    He added that there is also a standing committee of the House that would carry out the required monitoring of the Employment Trust Fund to ensure that the money is judiciously expended.

  • Rivers Rerun: INEC postpones election in four LGAs

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Rivers State, Mr. Aniedi Ikoiwak, has just announced the cancellation of legislative rerun in Khana, Gokana, Andoni and Bonny LGAs Rivers State.

    Ikoiwak made the announcement on Saturday in view of attack of INEC officials by party agents, who alleged that result sheets were fake.

    The REC added that new date for the elections will be announced later.

  • Rivers election: Police warn trouble makers

    Rivers election: Police warn trouble makers

    Mr. Sotonye Wakama, Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Operations, on Wednesday, warned politicians and their supporters against causing trouble during the March 19 re-run legislative election in Rivers.

    He gave the warning in Port Harcourt while addressing politicians and police officers ahead of the election.

    The DIG advised politicians and their supporters bent on fomenting trouble, to have a re-think or face justice.

    According to him, intelligence report indicates that some politicians have hired and kept some people in a hotel, with the intention of using them to terrorise their opponents during the election.

    The DIG assured that the group and their sponsors would be dealt with, irrespective of their social standing in the society.

    ‘’We are not begging or appealing to anybody or group.

    ‘’If you like, come that day with guns and cutlasses, the police are battle ready.

    ‘’No matter who you are in the country, we will deal with you when you contravene the law; the law will be stretched.

    ‘’We are not here to plead, the law will be stretched; things have gotten beyond what could be tolerated.

    ‘’It is time to stop this nonsense,’’ he said.

    Wakama said the police had arrested some suspects in connection with the Omoku mayhem.

    In his contribution, Mr Aniedi Ikoiwak, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers, said it was not possible for the commission to conduct peaceful election without the cooperation of politicians.

    He therefore appealed to them to cooperate with INEC towards ensuring a hitch-free election.

    Ikoiwak said 6800 members of National Youth Service Corpse (NYSC) would participate in the conduct of the polls.

    In their separate remarks, representatives of political parties assured that their supporters would be peaceful during and after the election.

     

  • Police arrest one over alleged reprisal killing in Rivers

    Police arrest one over alleged reprisal killing in Rivers

    Nineteen-year old Luke Okumebi has been arrested by the Police in Rivers state over the killing one Godstime Ifuroiyala at Buguma town in Asari-Toru Local Government Area of the state Wednesday.

    The spokesman of the state Police command, Ahmad Mohammad a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed this in a statement in Port Harcourt, the state capital Friday.

    Ifuroiyala aged 17 was reportedly murdered and corpse set on fire by the suspect.

    Community members believe that the act was in retaliation of the clubbing and burning of the corpse of a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ofinijete Amachree in Buguma, Monday evening.

    One Ndubisi Tochi was on Tuesday arrested and detained for Amahree’s murder.

    Mohammad in the statement said, “The police at Buguma on Wednesday March 9, 2016 at about 4:30 pm received a complaint to the effect that one Godstime Ifuroiyala ‘m’ 17 years old was at about 1 pm allegedly murdered at Tariah Compound, Buguma.

    “The police on receipt of the information raced to the scene of the incident but did not see the victim’s corpse, but there was sign of struggle and blood stains all around the scene.

    “Efforts to get information proved abortive as people around the scene declined to talk to the police until a patriotic citizen later volunteered information that led to the arrest of one Luke Okumebi ‘m’ 19 years old as one the suspects behind the alleged murder of the victim.

    “The suspect is presently being interrogated at the State Intelligence and Investigation Department of the Command. Efforts are heightened to arrest his accomplices with a view of bringing them to justice.

    “The Command craves for the continued cooperation of the media to confirm their stories to ascertain their facts and truthfulness before making them public,” he said.

     

  • Pandemonium as armed youths sack fishing communities in Rivers

    • Bayelsa, Edo, Ondo, Akwa Ibom fishermen vacate camps

    Armed youths have attacked fishing camps situated at the boundaries of Bonny and Andoni, local government areas in Rivers State.

    The hoodlums were said to have burnt houses and other properties belonging to the fishermen and their families.

    The youths who were armed with guns and cudgels, reportedly shot sporadically and injured the fleeing inhabitants of the camp.

    Over 10 of the thugs who were identified as Andoni youths were said to have stormed the area on two speedboats setting the camps on fire as they patrolled the waterways.

    The youths who were said to have operated for many hours, later departed and came back reinforced with more angry youths.

    It was learnt that the fishing camps were occupied by people from Okirika, Ogoni in Rivers State; Ifoko, Epelematubu, Ebeintubu, Forupaka, aka Ago Eri and Mumakiri, aka Ajengule.

    Others were Brass Nembe and Southern Ijaw from Bayelsa State; Ilaje from Ondo State and some tribes from Delta State.

    A fisherman from Bayelsa who sent a distress call to our correspondent in Yenagoa, said the camps had been sacked adding that the fresh attack occurred on Thursday.

    The source who spoke in hush tone from his hideout said there was commotion as fishermen and their families were running into the mangrove forest for safety.

    The fisherman, who spoke in confidence, urged our correspondent to save them by contacting security agencies.

    He said: “The armed youths arrived at exactly 2:48pm beating up every young man on sight and threatening to burn down the entire communities along the coast. Nobody can pinpoint the cause of their provocation. The government should do something fast to save lives.

    “These Andoni youths have been attacking and harassing us. We are not operating from their side. We are doing our business from the Bonny side of the boundary. The entire place is now empty because people are running away from their camps”, he said.

    In a statement via a text message, the Federated Non-indigenous Fishermen, Farmers and Traders in Bonny Coast called on the governments of Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom and Ondo states to come to their aide.

    The statement also sent a save-our-soul message to the Amanyanabo of Grand Bonny Kingdom and the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Worldwide.

    The statement said: “We have lived peacefully in Bonny lands and territories for more than 30 years doing legitimate business without any form of molestation from Bonny youths even in the heat of militancy in the Niger Delta region.

    “We have done no harm nor violated the robust business and neighborly relationship we have cordially maintained with the Andonis on the other side of the boundary.

    “Hence, we could not understand the reasons why the bands of armed Andoni youth should have the boldness to cross over to the Bonny to subject us to the most frustrating provocations.

    “In the last one month our young men have been under daily assault on return from the seas. They have been brutally forced to pay a daily fee of N1000 at gunpoint, immediately on return from the sea”.

    The statement was signed by the group’s President, Sola Aderibigbe; Vice-President, Mathew Kpabari; Secretary, Ingo Aye and Publicity Secretary, Opuala Oba.

    The statement added: “These criminals would further command elderly fathers to severe beatings and humiliation in the presence of their wives and children. We have taken enough of this brutality.

    “This is not the first time we have experienced these nasty treatments in the hands of miscreants from Andoni. As we speak the six communities have been evacuated of the aged women and children to avoid the daily trauma of being chased into the forest by these blood thirst miscreants from Andoni.”

    But the Naval Commanding Officer, Bonny, Capt. Semiu Adetegba, promised to send troops to the troubled area adding that the navy was doing something about it.

  • Rerun elections: Protect your votes, Wike tells Rivers people 

    Rerun elections: Protect your votes, Wike tells Rivers people 

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has urged the people of the state to remain resolute in the protection of their votes during the forthcoming rerun legislative elections.

    Commissioning the phase one of the reconstructed Nkpogu Bridge/Road and Ground Breaking for Phase 2, Governor Wike said that the people of Rivers State insist on free and fair elections.

    He charged the people of the state to vote for PDP candidates during the rerun legislative elections for the sustenance of development in the State.

    The governor said: “There is no need to allow the APC to come back to the state.  If you allow them to come back, they will scuttle development projects for our people.

    “We are children of light. We are in the promisedland and we cannot return to the days of darkness represented by the APC “.

    He added: “We must protect our votes to reclaim our mandate.  This is our opportunity to tell Nigerians once again that this is a PDP state”.

    Commenting on the bridge, Wike said it was started from the very beginning to its completion.

    He said the immediate past government awarded the contract in 2012 but refused to fund the project.

    He said the bridge and road project will improve  traffic  between  LNG and Trans-Amadi areas of  the  town.

    The governor called on  the  people  to cooperate  with the contractor  to execute the phase 2 within the  approved timeline and specifications.

    The programme  was attended  by  the  Deputy National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, Former Rivers State Governor, Sir Celestine Omehia,  Former Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Austin Opara and Senator Lee  Maeba.

  • PDP leaders should be blamed for Ogoni crisis – Senator Abe

    PDP leaders should be blamed for Ogoni crisis – Senator Abe

    The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Rivers Southeast Senatorial District in the March 19 rerun, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, has stated that the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should be blamed for the crisis in Ogoni land.

    Abe, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) in the 7th National Assembly, stated this Friday  in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

    The APC chieftain said: “It is important that I make this statement with regard to the crisis arising from  the military’s attempt to effect the arrest of Solomon Ndigbara (aka Osama bin Laden, an ex-militant leader), at Yeghe-Ogoni in Gokana Local Government Area, which led to the hoodlums burning down my Senatorial Liaison Office in Bori-Ogoni, Khana LGA.

    “I am happy that Governor Nyesom Wike, as the Chief Security Officer (CSO) knew and approved the military operations in Yeghe, Ogoniland. There is nothing wrong if he, as the CSO and after appraising the situation in Ogoni, approves that the military should raid the area of criminal elements and maybe recovers arms.

    “The person who stands to be blamed squarely for the crisis is Solomon Ndigbara and his group, who chose to engage the military in a shootout. Information available to me points to the fact that there was a deliberate attempt by the PDP to incite the people against my person and the APC.

    “PDP leaders know pretty well that we are innocent, but in their desperate attempt to exploit the situation for their political gain, they want to hang it on us. It is sad that this type of politics is being played by people who hold responsible positions.

    “It is unfortunate that the governor (Wike) visited the home of ex-militant leader, Solomon Ndigbara, in Yeghe community, but did not deem it fit to visit my burnt senatorial liaison office building at Bori, which is less than two kilometres away from Yeghe. Yet, this is the CSO, who visited areas affected by the crisis. As leaders, we should be sincere to ourselves and show good examples to our followers.”

    Abe, a former Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), who hails from Bera-Ogoni in Gokana LGA, also pleaded with Ogoni people to eschew violence, lawlessness and ensure that they maintain peace.

    He admonished Rivers people not to play politics with the military operations in Ogoni, since the victims of the crisis could have been people from any of the political parties and religion.

    Abe, a former Rivers Commissioner for Information, noted that the sad reality of the destruction of his liaison office showed that all was not well and could discourage prospective investors to invest in the area.

    The Senator called on his supporters to remain calm, in the face of provocation.

    Wike, a former Minister of State for Education, during his visit to Yeghe and Bori on Thursday, accused leaders of the APC of being behind the violence and killings in Ogoni, by allegedly inviting the soldiers, declaring that as the CSO, he would not allow lawlessness and impunity.

    Rivers APC Chairman, Chief Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, however, insisted that the violence in Ogoni was planted, watered and nurtured by the incendiary remarks made by Wike at the 50th birthday of Senator Lee Maeba of the PDP at his Luuwa hometown in Khana LGA of Rivers state last Saturday, where he declared that the re-election bid of Senator Abe must be stopped at all costs.

  • Rivers Bloodbath: Wike ban Okada in 4 LGAs, orders security clampdown

    Rivers Bloodbath: Wike ban Okada in 4 LGAs, orders security clampdown

    Worried by recent spate of killings and cult-related violence in Rivers State, Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has ordered an indefinite 15-hour daily ban on the operation of commercial motorcyclists, popularly called ‘Okada’.

    The four local government areas include: Abua/Odual, Ahoada East, Ahoada West and Ogba/Egbema /Ndoni (ONELGA).

    Okada operators, by the order announced on Sunday morning by Simeon Nwakaudu, a media aide, “are prohibited from operating between 5pm and 8am daily in four local government areas of the state for security reasons.”

    It would be recalled that armed gangs have been on rampage in parts of the state, including Omoku, headquarters of Ogba-Ndoni-Egbema LGA (ONELGA) and hometown of PDP chairman in the state, Bro Felix Obuah.

    The ONELGA headquarters witnessed at least a dozen deaths during the weekend owing to the activities of the deadly cult gangs in the area.

    The statement stated, “Governor Wike has directed security agencies to enforce the ban.

    “The governor regrets any inconveniences the ban will cause residents, businesses and commercial motorcyclists in these local government areas.

    “He, however, called on all stakeholders in the mentioned local government areas to cooperate with the state government and security agencies to improve the security situation in their communities,” Nwakaudu added.

  • Cult clash claims six lives in Rivers Community

    Cult clash claims six lives in Rivers Community

    Rivers Police command has confirmed the death of six persons following a clash between two rival cult groups in Omoku, headquarter of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government area, on Friday night.

    DSP Ahmad Muhammad, Public Relations Officer of the command, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Saturday that anti-riot police units had been deployed to the area.

    He also said the situation had been brought under control following police intervention.

    “The incident is reasonably believed to be a battle of supremacy between rival cult groups in the town.

    “ As it is now, the situation has been brought under control, with more anti-riot policemen drafted to reinforce the existing security in the town.

    “ As for casualties, six deaths of the suspected cultists were recorded,” he said.

    A resident of Omoku town, who did not want his name mentioned, told NAN that among those killed were husband and wife, two brothers of same parents.

  • Police arrest female criminal suspect in Rivers

    Police arrest female criminal suspect in Rivers

    Police in Rivers state say the command has arrested four criminal suspects, including a woman in a part of Port Harcourt, early Tuesday morning.

    The Public Relation Officer of the command, Ahmed Muhammad who made this known in Port Harcourt the state capital Tuesday said the suspects were arrested at Ibadan waterfront area of Port Harcourt Township axis at about 5am, and several exhibits including arms, ammunition and vehicles recovered from them.

    The suspects are Francis Anderson (38), Gift David (18), Richard Toria (23), as well as Barikwa Godspower (32) female.

    According to him, their arrested followed a tipoff from residence of the area and swift response of men of the command to the distress call.

    “The Rivers State Police Command has arrested suspected criminals and recovery of five AK-47 rifles.

    “The suspects were apprehended and arrested about 5am on February 9, 2016 at about. A patriotic citizen reported to the police of a suspicious movement at Ibadan waterfront, Port Harcourt.

    “Quick response on the information by combine teams of police led to the arrest of the four suspects.

    “Exhibits recovered from them include five AK-47 rifles, six magazines and 120 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition. Two Toyota Camry vehicles with registration numbers MUS 583 DF, and SMK 577 BZ were also recovered from them.

    The suspects are presently undergoing Interrogations,” he stated.