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Author: Desmond Ejibas

  • NAF pledges regular air operations to end oil theft, insurgency

    Oil theft

    By Desmond Ejibas

    Port Harcourt, June 17, 2024 (NAN) The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has pledged increased air support to sister security agencies combating oil theft and insurgency across the country.

    Abubakar gave this assurance on Monday at a luncheon with troops of air component of Operation Delta Safe (ODS) at the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) base in Port Harcourt, Rivers.

    He said that President Bola Tinubu had mandated the military to adopt results-driven approach to addressing insecurity in the country.

    “The Nigeria Air Force is resolute and determined to preserve the territorial integrity of a united Nigeria as well as prevent economic sabotage.

    “It is heartwarming to note that the NAF has continued to execute its mandate through the conduct of operations to deter criminal elements from sabotaging our dear nation.

    “Recently, the air force carried out series of air missions in support of surface forces for enhanced operational effectiveness.”

    Abubakar, who was represented by the Commander of NAF’s 115 Special Operations Group, Commander Ali Idris, outlined various air operations, including air interdiction, armed reconnaissance and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

    Others are casualty/medical evacuation, tactical airlifts and logistics resupply, psychological operations and combat search and rescue missions, among others.

    “The NAF, supported by sister services, has rejuvenated the multifaceted contributions of airpower in fighting the prevailing security challenges across the country.

    “The impact of airpower employed in the theatre of operations has yielded positive results in decimating oil thieves and their capabilities.

    “These air interdiction missions conducted in the past three months have significantly crippled criminal activities and disrupted their logistics hubs, denying them freedom in the Niger Delta,” he said.

    The air chief commended Tinubu’s backing of security forces and assured the troop’s commitment to actualising their mandate.

    Gov. Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers expressed gratitude to the military for its selfless sacrifice in protecting the state and the nation from both foreign and domestic threats.

    He said that the country had recorded significant reduction in insecurity and attributed the improved security situation to the commitment of security personnel.

    “The armed forces personnel understand the true meaning of sacrifice and have shown this by standing strong to defend Rivers state and the country at large.

    “The success recorded in combating insecurity is not only a clear indication of ongoing efforts to defend Nigeria but a testimony that the mission of NAF is yielding positive results.

    “Therefore, we owe it a duty to reflect and pray for our fallen heroes who paid the supreme price protecting the territorial integrity of our dear nation,” he said.

    Fubara reiterated his government’s support for the air force operations against illegal bunkering and other unlawful activities in the state. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    DES/CJ/

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    Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

     

  • Rivers Govt. faults fake court ruling affirming 27 lawmakers as PDP members

    Rivers Govt. faults fake court ruling affirming 27 lawmakers as PDP members

    Ruling

    By Desmond Ejibas

    Port Harcourt, June 11, 2024 (NAN) The Rivers Government has clarified that the state High Court did not declare that 27 state lawmakers are still members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Mr Dagogo Iboroma, the State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, presented the certified true copy of the court judgment during a news conference in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

    Factional Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, and 26 other lawmakers announced their defection to the All Progressive Party (APC) in December but later denied it.

    The Rivers government later took the lawmakers to court seeking an order to prevent them from parading themselves as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA) and the PDP.

    Iboroma clarified that the trending report about court ruling in favour of the 27 assemblymen was false and intended to mislead the public.

    He confirmed that the court indeed struck out the case due to a lack of merit.

    “The reports in social, print and electronic media was a misrepresentation of the judgement of the High Court of Rivers state in suite number DHC/20/CS/2024.

    “Our position on the case has been confirmed and vindicated by the certified true copy of the court containing the legally binding pronouncement of the court.

    “In this case, the court dismissed the case citing a lack of jurisdiction and merit, while joining the PDP as the fourth defendant,” Iboroma read the judgement to the hearing of journalists.

    The attorney-general described the circulated report as fake news that intended to tarnish the court’s reputation and causing confusion and misinformation among the public.

    “The court did not rule that Amaewhule remained speaker of the RSHA, neither did it declare the other 26 former lawmakers as members of the RSHA and the PDP.

    “Whatever finding of fact that is not included in the court order is an obiter dicta, which has no binding force.

    “Therefore, I urge the media to desist from interpreting court judgements without reading them first and seeking legal advice before publication,” he cautioned. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    DES/MNA

    Edited by Maureen Atuonwu

  • 2.18m patients received NDDC’s initial free medicare, says MD

    2.18m patients received NDDC’s initial free medicare, says MD

    Medicare
    By Desmond Ejibas
    Port Harcourt, June 6, 2024 (NAN) The Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Samuel Ogbuku, said no fewer than 2.18 million people of the region benefitted from the commission’s initial free healthcare services.

    Ogbuku disclosed this in a statement issued by the commission’s Director, Corporate Affairs, Pius Ughakpoteni, and made available to newsme in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

    He stated that the beneficiaries received treatment for various illnesses and conditions and that many underwent free surgeries.

    Ughakpoteni quoted the NDDC boss to have said: “Since our initial intervention until the suspension of the free health mission in 2019, over 2.18 million Niger Delta people benefitted from the commission’s free healthcare services.

    “People who had little or no access to modern healthcare facilities were treated of all sorts of ailments.

    “The ailments ranged from minimal consultations for conditions like malaria, upper respiratory tract infections, fibroids, eye and dental surgeries to surgeries for children with minor cuts, amongst others,” he stated.

    According to the statement, the current medical outreach, which started on April 15, has already assisted no fewer than 18,000 patients, with 115 undergoing free eye surgeries to correct their vision.

    It added that this year’s exercise, carried out in collaboration with Ecclestine Concept Limited, focussed on individuals in rural and remote areas, who had challenges in accessing healthcare facilities.

    “The 115 patients underwent general and eye surgeries at Ogu General Hospital in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers.

    “So far, 18,000 people have benefitted from the 2024 medical outreach in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Imo and Ondo States.

    “We have documented evidence and abounding testimonies attesting to its positive impact, enhancing the quality of life of the poor individuals in rural communities,” Ughakpoteni added.

    He further stated that the medical outreach was initiated due to concerns regarding the limited access to healthcare services for rural dwellers. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    DES/USO
    Edited by Sam Oditah

     

  • Army trains personnel to enhance proficiency in finance management

    Training

    By Desmond Ejibas

    Port Harcourt, June 6, 2024 (NAN) The Nigeria Army has commenced specialised training for finance officers and soldiers within its 6 Division to enhance finance management proficiency.

    Maj.-Gen. Adetokunbo Fayewimo, the Chief of Accounts and Budget, said at the opening of a two-day capacity training for personnel in Port Harcourt on Thursday that the essence was to boost performance.

    The training is with the theme: “Personnel Capacity Development: A Panacea to Proactive and Efficient Financial Service Delivery”

    Represented by Group Managing Director, Nigeria Army Welfare Limited, Maj.-Gen. Samson Jiya, Fayemiwo said that the training was organised to enable finance officers to function optimally within the ambit of the law.

    He said: “The training is designed to address the training needs of finance officers and soldiers at the division level.

    “This training will enhance personnel understanding of contemporary government financial policies, financial best practices and their impacts on accounting for Nigerian Army funds.

    “We organised this training understanding that the duties of the Nigeria Army Finance Corps are central to the army’s performance and effectiveness both in war and peace times,” he said.

    Fayemiwo reiterated the importance of providing prompt financial services to troops across various units and formations when and where needed.

    “Finance officers must conform with extant regulations and maintain professionalism in their conduct as military personnel.

    “I have mandated all Nigeria Army finance personnel to be proactive and proficient to ensure effective performance of their duties at all levels,” he added.

    Maj.-Gen. Jamaal Abdussalam, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, said that the training was essential for military professionalism because it would serve as a foundation for discovering potential.

    According to him, the frequent training programmes organised by the army headquarters have significantly enhanced efforts to address the daunting security issues in the South South region.

    “Recently released data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission indicated growth in the nation’s crude oil output.

    “This growth was made possible through our reinvigorated operations to eliminate illegal crude oil activities and our focus on personnel training,” he said.

    Abdussalam said that the finance corps, as the nerve centre of the division, should actively improve and demonstrate greater proficiency in fulfilling its responsibilities.

    “Financial personnel must continue to learn and adapt to the many financial policies introduced by the Federal Government to handle the dynamics of current financial revolution,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    DES/AZU

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    Edited by Azubuike Okeh

  • Group wants IOCs to clean up polluted environment before divestment plan

    Divestment

    By Desmond Ejibas

    Port Harcourt, June 6, 2024 (NAN) International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in the country have been urged to clean up all polluted and degraded sites in the Niger Delta before divesting their business.

    Dr Emem Okon, the Executive Director, Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

    She said that the call followed moves by Shell, Exxon Mobil, Total Energies and Nigerian Agip Oil Company to divest their operations.

    Okon said that about 65 per cent of the land in Niger Delta region had been degraded, saying that there is a critical need to restore the region’s ecosystem as part of the campaign against climate change.

    “Nigeria is impacted by the silent and invisible crises of desertification, land degradation, and drought, which are mostly caused by human activities and climate changes.

    “In the Niger Delta, the ecosystem has been severely damaged due to oil and gas exploration. This has led to various illnesses and disorders among the local population.

    “Oil majors are departing the Niger Delta after more that 70 years of oil extraction, the terrible effects of their activities on oil-producing communities, particularly the women are very visible,” he said.

    Okon expressed concerns that IOCs are swiftly selling off their assets and primarily shifting focus from shallow waters to deep-water operations.

    “In 2022, Seplat Energy Plc, a Nigerian firm, announced to the public that it had purchased ExxonMobil’s Nigerian shallow water business.

    “We are concerned about the swiftness of these divestment plans because the government has not provided any guidelines to address pollution issues from these companies.

    “These companies have failed to establish women development funds to support those affected by their oil extraction activities,” she added.

    The environmental activist said that decades of oil spills had drastically reduced land productivity and impeded subsistence agriculture in the region.

    Okon stated that the people of the Niger Delta would oppose any hurried divestment by transnational oil companies unless the environment and the people’s sources of livelihood were first restored.

    “For us, a just transition must encompass addressing the damages caused by oil pollution, conducting health audit and developing a clear strategy to combat climate change.

    “A just transition should also entail justice for countless victims of oil company-inspired and state-sanctioned abuses along with reparations to the people of the Niger Delta,” she said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    DES/AZU

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    Edited by Azubuike Okeh

  • Police confirm 3 fatalities in Rivers tanker explosion  

  • Oil theft: Army begins amphibious training of troops in N’Delta

     

    Competition

    By Desmond Ejibas

    Port Harcourt, June 4, 2024 (NAN) The 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, has has began a two-day combat swimming contest for soldiers within its formations and units under the division.

    The competition is part of the army’s 2024 training programme aimed at enhancing the swimming proficiencies of soldiers engaged in illegal bunkering and other amphibious operations within the creeks of the Niger Delta.

    Maj.-Gen. Jamaal Abdussalam, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) the division, at the opening on Tuesday that the soldiers would compete in conventional and combat swimming events.

    He said that the army opted to organise an annual swimming training for troops after some soldiers drowned during amphibious operations.

    “The soldiers drowned due to their lack of swimming skills, hence emphasising the importance of swimming as a focal point training aspect in the 6 Division.

    “We intend to train as much soldiers as we can in the art of swimming throughout the year.

    “This training aligns with the Chief of Army Staff’s command philosophy of having well-trained and well-equipped soldiers, ready for action when issues arise,” he said.

    Abdussalam highlighted the evolution of soldering over the years following rising emerging security threats in Nigeria and globally.

    “The dynamism and ever-evolving landscape of modern warfare has made it crucial for troops to possess the capability to navigate and thrive in riverine environments.

    “As the guardians of Nigeria’s most vital assets in the South South region, we are tasked to secure our national infrastructures and ensure the seamless flow of strategic operations.

    “Whether it is the swift crossing of raging rivers, rescuing of distressed comrades, or executing amphibious assaults, soldiers’ mastery of water-related skills will enhance our operations,” he emphasised.

    The GOC urged participants to exhibit their best performance and imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship and fair play throughout the competition.

    Brig.-Gen. Eddie Effiong, the Commander of 6 Division Garrison, said that 67 soldiers, comprising 55 males and 12 females from various formations and units under the division would participate in the exercise.

    “These are 2 Brigade in Uyo, 6 Division Garrison in Port Harcourt, 16 Brigade in Yenagoa, and 63 Brigade in Asaba, Delta.

    “The swimmers will showcase their skills in various swimming techniques like 50m backstroke, 50m butterfly, 50m freestyle and 50m breaststroke, among others.

    “Although this is a competition, its primary goal is to enable troops to hone their skills and knowledge of water, he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    DES/EEE

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    Edited by Ese E. Eniola Williams

  • Police uncover gang targeting, killing car-hire drivers in Rivers

    Police uncover gang targeting, killing car-hire

    drivers in Rivers

    Arrest

    By Desmond Ejibas

    Port Harcourt, June 3, 2024 (NAN) The Police Command in Rivers has arrested some members of a criminal gang suspected to be murdering car-hire drivers and stealing their vehicles.

    SP Grace Iringe-Koko, the command’s spokesperson, in a statement in Port Harcourt on Monday, linked the group to multiple cases of drivers that got missing.

    She revealed that the arrest of one gang member, Anthony Chima, exposed the sinister activities of the gang in the state.

    She stated: “The discovery of this criminal enterprise targeting Uber drivers in the state followed the disappearance of one Oghenevwarhe Barry Akpobome, an Uber driver.

    “Upon investigating the disappearance, Police operatives arrested one Anthony Chima, a 35-year-old graduate of Political Science from the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt.

    “Under interrogation, Chima confessed to being recruited into a gang that specialised in luring taxi drivers into ambushes and stealing their vehicles,” she stated.

    Iringe-Koko said that Chima’s testimony showed the gang’s further gruesome actions of killing the drivers and harvesting their body parts for ritualistic purposes.

    “The suspect said that he was introduced into the gang by his friend, Amfoh Abu, the group’s arms dealer, and another individual simply identified as ‘Reason.’

    “Investigation further revealed that ‘General Effizy,’ the gang’s leader, is a prominent figure in the Greenland cult and a seasoned kidnapper in the state,” she added.

    The police spokesperson said that Chima confessed that he randomly obtains the Uber drivers’ phone numbers and pretends to be a passenger in need of a ride.

    She said that on Jan. 10, Chima contacted Akpobome and directed the driver to pick him up at Reason’s residence.

    “Disguised as a passenger, Chima lured the unsuspecting Uber driver to a remote area in Aminigboko, where he met Reason and General Effizy along with four-armed gang members.

    “The driver was forcefully removed from the vehicle and taken to Effizy’s shrine, where he was tied up, gagged and gruesomely murdered.

    “Chima later led the police to the shrine and Effizy’s residence, where personnel recovered the victim’s skull and a locally fabricated Baretta pistol,” she said.

    Iringe-Koko said that a manhunt had been launched to capture the fleeing gang members, stating that Chima would face legal actions.

    She said that the Commissioner of Police in Rivers, Tunji Disu, has advised Uber drivers to be cautious while picking up or transporting passengers, particularly to remote or potentially dangerous areas.

    “The Akpobome incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers that lurk in the shadows, and the importance of vigilance and cooperation with the law enforcement agencies,” the police image maker said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    DES/ETS

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  • NLC strike won’t disrupt ongoing WASCE in Rivers, says official

    NLC strike won’t disrupt ongoing WASCE in Rivers, says official

    Examination
    By Desmond Ejibas
    Port Harcourt, June 3, 2024 (NAN) The Commissioner for Education in  Rivers, Dr Ovy Chukwuma, has given an assurance that the ongoing nationwide strike will not disrupt the West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE).

    Chukwuma gave the assurance in a statement issued in Port Harcourt and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday.

    He stated that the examination would proceed in the state, notwithstanding the notice of an indefinite strike by the organised labour to press home its demand for a new minimum wage.

    “While the ministry understands the concerns of the NLC and TUC, we also acknowledge the ongoing WASCE across the West African countries.

    “Disrupting the process in the state would affect the future and result of our candidates; hence, WAEC has resolved to go on with the examination.

    “Therefore, all school principals and supervisors are enjoined to continue with the conduct of the exam, while candidates are advised to continue their exams notwithstanding the strike,” Chukwuma added. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    DES/USO
    Edited by Sam Oditah

  • ECOWAS, UNHCR kickstart special programme for refugees in West Africa

    Programme

    By Desmond Ejibas

    Port Harcourt, June 2, 2024 (NAN) The Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) have introduced a special programme to enhance the welfare of refugees and displaced persons in the West Africa region.

    Prof. Fatou Sarr, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, inaugurated the programme during the Ambassadors’ Retreat in Port Harcourt on Saturday.

    Sarr reiterated the importance of synergy in the protection and provision of welfare services for refugees and displaced persons in the region.

    “The focus of the retreat is to address the complex humanitarian needs arising from displacement within the region.

    “It aims to foster collaboration among stakeholders and to mobilise resources towards the protection and well-being of the affected populations.

    “The commission has provided nine million dollars in 2024 to support the plight of persons of concern in members states,” she said.

    Sarr highlighted the significant contributions of partners towards the success of various initiatives aimed at  protecting and ensuring the well-being displaced persons.

    The diplomat affirmed ECOWAS’ commitment to finding actionable solutions to issues of displacement in the West Africa region.

    Mr Xavier Creache, the Deputy Director, UNHCR Regional Bureau for Africa, expressed gratitude for ECOWAS’ assistance and cooperation in addressing the needs of refugees, stateless persons, and displaced populations.

    “We appreciate the dedication and financial support provided by the ECOWAS commission, notwithstanding the persistent obstacles posed by instability and insecurity.

    “There is a critical need for additional financial resources to effectively meet the needs of the impacted populations and communities,” he added.

    Musa Nuhu, the Permanent Representative of Nigeria to ECOWAS and Chair of ECOWAS PRC, underscored the significance of political will and commitment within the region in addressing the difficulties faced by refugees.

    He stressed the importance of using a combination of national and international legal frameworks to protect human rights and address humanitarian concerns.

    “PRC will continue its advocacy and sensitisation campaigns in member states to ensure effective and durable solutions,” he assured. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    DES/AZU

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    Edited by Azubuike Okeh