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Tag: Yenagoa

  • New Bayelsa police boss warns against corruption

    The newly-deployed Commissioner of Police,  Bayelsa State Command, Mr.  Austin Iwar, at the weekend, warned personnel of the command against corruption and violation of human rights.

    Iwar spoke in Yenagoa, the state capital, during his maiden address to the command and decoration of newly promoted 36 inspectors to the rank of assistant superintendent of police. 

    The police commissioner insisted that he would deal decisively with any officers found wanting in the protection of human rights in the state. 

    He said: “The police command under my leadership will ensure that Human Rights of individuals are never violated under any circumstance. All personnel of the command are warned to desist from acts capable of abusing the rights of our people. 

    “The leadership of the state police command shall maintain zero tolerance for corruption. Officers with corrupt tendencies are warned that this administration will not condone any act of corruption. Acts of corruption will be decisively dealt with. 

    “I have directed the immediate strengthening of all police oversight units to check the activities of personnel in line with the anti-corruption agenda of the Inspector General ,  Ibrahim Idris. They are to conduct unscheduled inspection and on-the-spot checks.”

    Iwar further said that his command would deploy intelligence policing approach, which he said remained a crucial strategy in crime prevention. 

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    He said the command would focus on substantially deploying police intelligence assets in synergy with relevant agencies to prevent crimes and make the communities safer. 

    He said: “As we strive to ensure that Bayelsa enjoys acceptable peace and security, measures will be taken to frustrate and reduce the disturbing activities of cultists and like criminals to rid the state if their menace. 

    “The Bayelsa State Police Command hereby warns all perpetrators of violence,  disturbing the peace of the state that the command will no longer tolerate deliberate acts with intent to breach the peace of the state. 

    “The police will decisively deal with all acts of aggression against the cherished peace we enjoy. Therefore,  violent offenders and like miscreants are warned to refrain from their crimes or be ready to face the full weight of the law.  The command is poised ever than before to make Bayelsa too hot for their nefarious activities”.

  • Jones Abiri returns to Bayelsa, relieves ordeal

    ‘I was blindfolded, held in underground DSS cell’ says Abiri

     

    Jones Abiri, a journalist and publisher of a local tabloid in Bayelsa State, the Weekly Source, on Tuesday returned to Yenagoa, the state capital, and relieved his ordeal in the hands of the Department for State Security (DSS).

    Abiri, who was received at the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) by journalists and leadership of the Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO) said he was arrested in his office, detained for seven days in DSS cell in Yenagoa and later blindfolded and flown to Abuja.

    He said he was kept incommunicado in an underground DSS cell in Abuja and denied access to medical treatment for about two years.

    Abiri, who was also received by his wife and family members, said the hope that God would grant him freedom one day kept him alive throughout the period of his incarceration.

    He said: “Precisely l was arrested on July 21st, 2016 in my office at about 3:23pm. About 12 armed men came to my office and they came with a document, a search warrant that my office was under investigations.

    “When l perused the search warrant, l saw it was signed by one Magistrate Lucky. I allowed them and they searched my office. At the end of the search they found nothing. They handcuffed me, took my phones, laptops and other things. Things unconnected to my arrest were also taken. All my pay slips, banking information were taken.

    “They whisked me away to the state command. I gave my statement and after spending seven days in Yenagoa, they took me to Abuja. Initially, l didn’t know where l was going. My eyes were blindfolded. Since that time, l have not been giving the grace and the opportunity to see my wife, my children, sisters, brothers and friends.

    “My lawyers were denied access to me. I was in an underground cell, where when the light went off, you would not see the next person. I was also denied medicals. I thank God that the CLO and other rights organization took up the matter and today l am out of detention.

    “If not because of the voice of the media and the CLO, DSS wouldn’t have taken me to court. I was given one count charge that l sent threat messages to Agip Nigeria Limited and Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) demanding money.

    “But l said l knew nothing about that because l had no connection with oil companies. But they insisted l was the one. But l kept on holding onto my creator. Now the matter is court”.

    Abiri assured the DSS and person who signed his bail bond that he would not jump bail expressing optimism that he would win the case.

    “They were thinking that l would jump bail. But l am ready and very resilient to face my trial. I am emphatic and believing God that l am going to win the case. I am not scared of them. Dr. Ambassador Godknows Igali and Fredrick Andy came to my rescue to sign the bail bonds without fear. They stuck their neck. So, l will not jump bail”, he said.

    He added that following his experience in detention, he had concluded plans to write a book to be entitled, My Prison Journey.

    He thanked the Press Unlimited, an organisation in Netherlands for donating €2000 amounting to about N450,000 which facilitated his freedom.

    He said though he knew nothing about the organisation, it came to his rescue through an environmental activist, Alagoa Morris and Peter Ikanga.

    Abiri disclosed that he had filed a suit to enforce his fundamental human rights at the Federal High Court, Abuja adding that the matter would come up for hearing on August 27th.

    “If l am a militant, Niger Delta will know that l am a militant. But l am not a militant. If I were a militant, l wouldn’t have owned an office to be doing my newspaper work. I should have been in the creek. I have already filed a suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja to enforce my fundamental human rights”, he said.

    Read Also: The case for Jones Abiri

    Also speaking, the Bayelsa State Chairman, CLO, Chief Nengi James, thanked all the stakeholders, who contributed for the release of Abiri.

    He, however, asked security agencies especially the DSS to stop persecution of the Ijaw and Niger Delta people.

    James lamented that over 50 persons from the region were being held in detention without trial and called on the DSS to follow the process of law and grant them freedom.

    Also speaking, the Bayelsa Chairman, NUJ, Mr. John Angese, said Abiri is a bonafide journalist in the state saying his experience in DSS detention would make him stronger in his profession.

    Chairmen of the Bayelsa Federated Newspapers Publishers Association (BAFENPA) and Bayelsa Independent Publishers Association (BIPA) in their various remarks asked the DSS to respect the rule of law in its operations.

  • IYC, Igbo group urge members to support pro-restructuring candidates

    The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide and the Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC) at the weekend appealed to their members to support pro-restructuring candidates irrespective of their political parties in the 2019 general elections. 

    The leaders of the groups, who met at the Ijaw House, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, specifically urged their members to cast their votes for candidates, whose manifestoes support restructuring.

    The Igbo leaders comprised the South-South Coordinator of OYC, Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa; South-South Secretary, OYC, Ogoegbunam Ifeanyi; OYC leaders, Cross River, Remy Agwuzie; Delta State, Chief Chris Ezeukwu; Rivers State, Ezeilo Franklin and Akwa Ibom, Chief Nelson Udeze.

    The Igbo leaders’ delegation later met with the leadership of the IYC, Central Zone, chaired by Mr. Tari Porri.

    Prior to their meeting with Porri’s leadership, the Igbo delegates in a communique signed by Franklin, called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency set up machinery in motion to restructure the country.

    “It has become more strident even as it has been generally agreed by all ethnic nationalities and even the political party at the centre that there is a need to restructure the Nigerian state for better efficiency”, they said.

    The Igbo leaders also asked the multinational companies to relocate their headquarters to the Niger Delta region in line with the directive of the Presidency.

    Read Also: IYC warns against subversion of democracy

    They said the relocation would enhance harmonious relationship between the oil companies and their host communities and further enthrone mutual trust, respect and peace in the region.

    The leaders emphasized the need for mutual coexistence  between the south-south and the South-East for progress and development.

    In a meeting with Porri, Aurthur-Ugwa, who is also the Bayelsa State President of OYC said the youths were making plans to hold a summit on restructuring.

    Porri in his remarks commended his Igbo counterparts for their position on restructuring saying it was in tandem with the views of the Bayelsa Governor, Seriake Dickson.

    He said the youths took a decision to support only pro-restructuring candidates in the forthcoming general elections.

    “We have resolved to have a cordial relationship with the Igbos across the world. Anywhere you see Igbo man and Ijaw man we are friends and brothers. This will further encourage us to be our brothers’ keepers. 

    “We have also reaffirmed our commitment, support and solidarity with our fathers around the world on the resolution that the 2019 general election is a referendum on restructuring.

    “The youth wings of Ijaw nation and Ohaneze have resolved that we are working together to vote for a presidential candidate that believes in the restructuring of this country”, he said.

  • Experts drum support for Safe Motherhood Campaign Initiative

    Some medical experts in Bayelsa on Friday advised pregnant women to key into the Safe Motherhood Campaign Initiative of the State Government to tackle infant and maternal mortality rate.

    Dr Ebiakpo Agbedi, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics in the state Primary Health Care Board, gave the advice during an orientation programme in Yenagoa.

    Agbedi said that the programme was organised by the state Ministry of Health for members of the Sensitisation Committee on Safe Motherhood.

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    He explained that the essence of the Safe Motherhood Initiative was to promote good health of mother and child across the communities.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Bayelsa Government had on July 31 launched its Safe Motherhood Initiative.

    “The pregnant women benefits from the programme include free ante-natal care; enrolees of the safe mother initiative will get free insecticide treated mosquito nets, HIV/AIDS screening, tetanus injection and routine immunisation.

    “Other benefits include free diagnostic tests, a monthly incentive of N3,000 from the point of registration into the programme which will last for two months after delivery,’’ Agbedi said.

    Mrs Happiness Mass, Director, Reproductive Health in the ministry, also advised pregnant women on the importance of the initiative programme.

    Mass said some of the reasons for the high infant and maternal mortality rate include infection of the newborn.

    She said that the infection occurs especially around the stump of the umbilical cord and excessive bleeding during child birth.

    She added that the ministry was collaborating with relevant stakeholders to adopt a flexible approach to the routine immunisation of children.

    Dr Ebikapaye Okoyen, the Programme Manager, Saving One Million Lives for Result, an NGO, said other benefits of enrolees in the programme include a N2,000 package at point of registration.

    Okoyen added that a delivery kit after child birth was also included among other items.

    Mr Chris Odi, the Chairman of the Sensitisation Committee, said the committee would work hard to spread the safe motherhood message, using the local dialects of the people for effect.

  • Police investigate theft of twins in Bayelsa

    The police in Bayelsa State have commenced an investigation in the circumstances that led to the abduction of three-year-old male twins in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Asinim Butswat, who confirmed the theft said: “we have commenced investigation.”

    It was gathered that the twins were stolen by a middle-aged man at the Ekeki Motor Park area of Yenagoa, the state capital.

    The kidnapper, who drove in a black jeep, reportedly approached an area when the mother of the victims, Mrs. Modupe Joseph, sold roast corn.

    The victims identified as Taiwo and Kehinde, were at their mother’s business place with their three other siblings, a girl and two other boys.

    It was learnt that the mother of the victims was away to buy some ingredients for her business when the incident happened.

    She was said to have kept the children in the custody of one Aisha Ahmed, a female adult, while she left to get the items.

    Narrating the incident, Modupe’s second child, Funmi, said the man approached her and gave her the sum of N200 to go and buy food for the twins but she refused and told him they had all eaten at home.

    The little Funmi, aged 10, said she eventually collected the N200 after the kidnapper insisted she should take the money and get the food for them.

    “The man gave me N200 to buy food for my brothers but I told him that they have they eating but he insisted; so I collected the money. Before I returned, he has carried my brothers away”, she said.

    It was gathered that the kidnapper also tricked the children’s custodian, Aisha, with the sum of N1,000 to also purchase some food for the kids.

    Aisha said the man earlier beckoned on her and and gave her the sum of N1,000 to buy some food for the children so that he could have some change in lower Naira denominations.

    Read Also: BayelsaPolice confirm theft of three-year-old twins

    She said: “One man came to me and gave me thousand Naira note to buy three plates of food for the children so that he could have change in his hand, but I asked him to bring the money so I would buy recharge card for him to get change.

    “While I went to get the recharge card, I saw the eldest among the children (Funmi) and I queried her for leaving the kids; but she told me that the man gave her N200 to buy food for the children.

    “When we returned, we did not see the two boys. I don’t know what has happened to them”.

    But Modupe cried: “I left my children with my friend Aisha to buy salt at Tombia junction. Now they are telling me that my babies are nowhere to be found. If I don’t see my children, I will die.”

  • Bayelsa: Police confirm theft of three-year-old twins

    The Police Command in Bayelsa has confirmed the theft of a set of  three-year-old twins on Monday by unknown persons at a motor park in Yenagoa.

    The Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Asinim Butswat, confirmed the incident in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Yenagoa.

    Butswat said the incident occurred at Ekeki Motor Park in Yenagoa Local Government Area and that it had been officially reported to the command.

    “According to the report, the assailants stole the babies and ran to an unknown destination.

    “We have alerted our tactical team for investigations and the perpetrators will be brought to book,” he said.

    Narrating the incident to NAN, the victims’ eldest sister, Fumi, said it took place at a time their mother, Mrs Modupe Joseph, went to a mini market in the area to buy salt.

    She said, “Our mummy went to Etegwe-Tombia area of Yenagoa to buy salt to cook corn.

    “The four of us were left in the custody of one Aisha Ahmed at the motor park.

    “Suddenly, one man approached me and gave me N200 to buy food for my siblings but I refused and told him that we have already eaten,” she said.

    Modupe said that the man persisted and made her to collect the money and proceeded to buy the food.

    “Unfortuntely, before I could return, the man had carried my twin brothers away,” she said.

    She said that the assailant came in a black Sienna bus, which he parked nearby.

  • Dickson hails Muslims for sustaining peace in Bayelsa

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has commended the Muslim community for keeping the peace in the state.

    Dickson encouraged the Muslims living in different parts of the state especially in Yenagoa, the state capital, to remain law abiding and ensure harmonious and peaceful co-existence in their conducts.

    A statement signed by Dickson’s Chief Press Secretary, Francis Agbo, said the governor spoke in Yenagoa when members of the Islamic Affairs, led by its President, Alhaji Yakubu Otobo paid him a courtesy visit in Government House.

    The governor maintained Bayelsa remained home to all Nigerians regardless of their ethno-religious and political differences.

    He urged the people of the state to cooperate with law enforcement agencies by providing useful information on the activities of criminals insisting that it was the collective responsibility of everyone to promote peace and stability.

    Dickson observed that, there had not been any major incident of conflict involving the Muslims in the state and appealed to them to sustain the prevailing peace.

    Responding to their request for sponsorship to holy pilgrimage, the  explained that his government currently lacked the financial capacity to sponsor, both intending Christian and Muslim pilgrims to the holy lands.

    He, however, promised that in no distant time, the government would institute a policy to support churches, mosques, organizations and the private sector for their pilgrimages.

    Addressing the Muslims, he said: “I want to commend all of you; I want to say that, we are happy with the moslem community in this state. Let me commend all of you for the peaceful way you have been going about your activities so far. 

    “In this state, we have not had challenges; we have not had negative reports about the conduct of our moslem brothers and sisters and so you all deserve a round of applause. I want to request that you keep it that way.

    “The government of Bayelsa state is a government for all people. All Nigerians and all human beings, who live in Bayelsa state. In this state, I have said it over and over again that everybody who is here is a Bayelsan irrespective of where you come from and feel free to practice your religion and carry on with your business but you to respect and abide by the laws of this country and the laws of this state.

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    “I urge you to continue to work closely with our security leaders and they are on to listen to you to get information from you about activities of people who want to create problems in this peaceful state. 

    “Those from other places who may want to come here and hide under any guise to create any problem, we call on you, just as we call on all residents of Bayelsa to identify them; people whose mission and livelihoods are suspicious, let us know. The security agencies are there to work with you quietly to fish out any bad egg.

    “We want to work with all of you, with all leaders of state, both Christians as well as Muslims to ensure that the peace and stability that we have worked hard to establish continues to remain.” I want to use this opportunity to congratulate all of you for going through your religious obligation in the holy month of Ramadan.”

    Earlier in his remarks, the President of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (SCIA), Bayelsa State chapter, Alhaji Yakubu Otobo, commended Dickson for his visionary leadership and dogged commitment to the development of the state, especially in the areas of education, security, infrastructure and other key sectors of the economy.

    Otobo also expressed appreciation to the government on its policies and programmes, particularly as they affected non indigenes in Bayelsa, which he noted, gave them a sense of belonging, since the inception of his administration.

    He prayed God to grant Dickson and his team the wisdom, strength and goodwill to steer the ship of state to greater heights.

    He also solicited the state government’s assistance in the provision of a bus for the chapter, which the Governor granted.

  • Former Bayelsa governor’s aide docked over alleged rape

    Chief Richard Kpodo, a former Security Adviser to the former governor of Bayelsa, Timipre Sylva, was on Friday docked before a Magistrates’ Court in Yenagoa, for alleged rape.

    The accused was charged with unlawfully detaining one Teke Blessing on June 20 at Etegwe, Yenagoa,with an intention to defile her.

    He was also charged with raping the said Blessing on the same day.

    However, the accused pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge.

    His counsel, Funilaifa Seibokuro, urged the court to grant the accused bail, which was opposed by the prosecuting counsel, Ayibatonye Jumbo.

    Seibokuro said that the offence for which Kpodo was arraigned was a bailable one, and assured that his client, a well-known politician, would be available to face trial.

    He also said that Kpodo had medical challenges and pleaded that he should be granted bail on self recognition.

    The prosecuting counsel, in opposing, said that if granted bail, the accused would interfere and influence the prosecution witness and, hence, jeopardise his trial.

    He also faulted the claim by the defence counsel that the accused had medical challenge as there was no medical report to support it.

    The court, presided over by Mrs E.T.M. Ere, adjourned the case until Aug. 10. for ruling on the bail application and ordered that the accused to be remanded in prison custody.

  • Bayelsa demands justice for victims of killings

    The Bayelsa State Government on Wednesday called on the Federal Government to ensure justice for victims of killings across the country especially those who lost their lives and properties in armed herdsmen’ attacks.

    The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said justice would ensure national integration, peace and curb other challenges facing the country.

    ‎Iworiso-Markson spoke in Yenagoa while delivering a keynote address at the 8th Executive Committee of the Supreme Council for Non-Indigenes (SCN) in the state and the investiture of the organisation’s patrons.

    He commended the leadership of SCN for its efforts in contributing to the social discourse to bring about development and peace.

    He said: “Justice is key to achieving, assuring and perpetuating peace in the country. When we seek peace and exclude justice from the picture we are just paying lip service to achieving peace.

    “To put it graphically, each time justice is missing in the foundation of our search for peace, it will be as if we place the cart before the horse. Certainly, we wont be able to achieve any serious movement towards our objective.

    “What is missing in the country today is justice. One precursor that will bring justice and ultimately guarantee peace is restructuring. The time has come to restructure the country in line with advance federation of the world.

    “I do not want to propose anything different from what our leaders in the South-South and our governors, especially my boss, Governor Henry Seriake Dickson have proposed.

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    “Suffice to say that President Muhamadu Buhari must quickly set machinery in motion to ensure that the issue of restructuring is addressed once and for all.

    “Incidentally, his party, the APC has also agreed that restructuring will be doing justice to every sector and region of our country. For the avoidance of doubt, the restructuring that the South-South envisaged will include fiscal federalism.

    “The issue of peace in the crisis-ridden North Central Nigeria where suspected Fulani Herdsmen have been accused of complicity in mass murder and expansionist tendencies, and myriad of other challenges facing the country could be resolved faster if everybody is served justice. Justice, to me, is one drug that cures all”.

    The commissioner said that Bayelsa State enjoyed sustained peace in the last six years because of the commitment of the government to ensure peace and social justice to all, regardless of creeds and tongues.

    ‎He said Dickson was conscious that lack of accountability, transparency and commitment to social welfare of the citizenry were also variants of injustice.

    He thanked the non-indigenes for their roles in boosting local economy ‎and living in peace with indigenes assuring them of a safer and more conducive environment for their businesses.

    ‎In his lecture titled, Peace-Building and National Integration in a Pluralistic Nigeria: the role of non-indigenes, The Guest Speaker, Raimi Lasisi said the threat to social integration came from persons, who provided incentives for violence, conflict and war in many parts of the country.

    He said: “Needless to say that when violent conflicts persist, the drums of disintegration become easily echoed in any society and this is particularly true of pluralistic or multiethnic countries like Nigeria.

    “Globally, there are several indicators that threaten peace and integration of nations. These indices all revolve around the balance of power issue which determines the level with which a nation lords over another especially for political, economic and social (ethnic and religious) reasons.

    “However, amongst the most pressing of these indicators that threaten peace building and social integration; negative ethnicity as well as religious extremism are the most vicious”.

    In their separate remarks, the Chairman of the occasion and Special Adviser to the Governor on non-Indigenes, Alex Dumbo and the President, SCN, Alhaji Ade Bakare thanked the government for giving them a sense of belonging in the state.

    They said about nine non-indigenes in the state were serving as political appointees of the government, describing it as a clear indication of their acceptability by the government.

  • IYC warns against subversion of democracy

    The Ijaw Youths Council ( IYC ) Worldwide has called for vigilance against anti-democratic forces in the country.

    The umbrella body of Ijaw youths in a statement in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on Wednesday said it would mobilise youths from all the ethnic nationalities across the country to stop any attempt to subvert democratic governance.

    According to the statement, signed by its Secretary-General, Mr. Alfred Kemepado, political leaders and key players have been asked to mind their public conducts and utterances.

    Kemepado appealed to leaders to show their patriotism by giving required attention to the sustenance of democracy and avoiding acts that could truncate it in the country.

    He said the IYC believed that democracy under President Muhammdu Buhari ebbing and doubted the President’s commitment to the ideals of democratic principles.

    Kemepado said the siege on the Abuja homes of the leadership of the Senate further confirmed the fears that democracy was under threat.

    He said: “The exploitation of state security apparatus to harass and intimidate perceived political opponents is not a healthy development. It is a display of political desperation which should not have a place in our democracy.

    “The recent developments at the National Assembly and the harassment of perceived political opponents are without doubt threats to democratic governance in the country. The National Assembly is an autonomous organ and shouldn’t be subjected to such a degrading harassment.

    “The blockade of the convoy of the Senate President and the failed attempt to arrest him with a view to prevent the Senate from sitting is unhealthy”.

    He added that for democracy to thrive, the principle of separation of powers enshrined in the constitution must be respected.

    Kemepado insisted there must be strict adherence to democratic ethos and values by all political actors.

    He argued that the emerging political situation in the country was further justification of the growing call for the restructuring of the country.

    He lamented what he described as the brazen violation of court orders by the current administration saying such lingering issues would be effectively addressed in a restructured Nigeria.

    Kemepado said that it was important for politicians to play by the rule and place the interest of the country and its stability above their individual and selfish political interests.

    He urged the people to resist any attempt by any group of persons or political interest to endanger the ideals of democracy.

    He said the insecurity occasioned by the herders/farmers killings across the state’s was disturbing and called on political leadership and security agencies to stop the bloodshed.