Niger Delta

Oshiomhole Re-Registers, Salutes People’s Patriotism

Published

15 years ago

January 31, 2011

Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole at the weekend, re-registered at Ward 10, Unit 1, Iyamho Community Secondary School in Etsako West Local Government Area because of fault in the Direct Data Capture (DDC) machine when he first registered at the beginning of the voters’ registration exercise in the state.

Oshiomhole, who spoke to journalists shortly after his re-registration exercise explained that he has to re-register because of hitches of the first few days of the exercise.

“We can excuse INEC because there is what we call learning period. On the first day you may not be perfect but the good news is that those involved in this village were not up to ten. It was convenient for me to come back to register again and that is the little sacrifice one has to pay to get the electoral system clean,” Oshiomhole said.

According to him, INEC, at the level of design and planning has done better in 2011 than they have planned in 2007 because in 2007, in this village, “We were hearing that four, five days into the registration exercise machines has reached Auchi and some other day you hear it had reached Jattu and you are waiting for the machine to reach your own village”.

“The beauty this time around is that every polling unit has a machine, so there is no fear that someone is delaying the machine in his place so that before it gets to your place the registration is over. I think at the level of planning and quality design, INEC was comprehensive”, he said.

The governor acknowledges in some local government areas, like Owan East, Owan West, Uhunmwode and few other places where they did not have one machine, one polling unit, but they have been assured now by the REC that machines have arrived to be deployed to those areas.

He recalled that from INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega’s public statement, if for the reason of their own fault machines are not available, they will naturally have to make allowance for those communities where these machines were not available to enable everybody register re-assuring all with the comment by President Goodluck Jonathan that every Nigerian of adult age would be registered and nobody would be shut out for technical reasons.

“I believe for now from what I have seen and heard, this exercise as imperfect as it is represents a substantial improvement over what happened in 2007. I also find a citizenry that is more determined, demonstrating a level of patriotism, that we should all be proud. When I find ordinary people raising funds to buy a small N12,000 generator, where they see that there is no power and the battery has failed, it shows that Nigerians are determined and this time we would get it right,” he enthused.

Oshiomhole also observed that, there are clear signals that politicians who are not electable but are in government and even those who seek to enter government by all means are working hard to try to defeat this comprehensive arrangement that INEC has put in place.

The challenge for INEC leadership, according to the Comrade Governor is to search to ensure that ‘Judas’ within its ranks are identified and cited example of an electoral officer at Uromi who used the children of political party members to replace National Youth Corps members who were posted for the exercise.

The governor said, “She unilaterally allowed these people who are children of party members to function as registration officers and of course you know the purpose. I am satisfied that INEC has dealt with it by chasing those characters who are not employed for that purpose away”.

“This time around, if it is Oshiomhole or anybody else that is trying to cheat on the rules, they should be dealt with because the country is greater than anybody and no one is above the law. INEC should be capable of applying the red card for any of its functionaries who is incapable of reform”, Oshiomhole added.

Ben-Ose Ogbemudia, Benin

Niger Delta

CSOs, Bille Community Urge Solution To Persistent Underwater Gas Eruption

Published

3 days ago

April 10, 2026

The Tide

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the people of Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State have called for government’s urgent intervention to end the suspected underwater gas eruption in the community.

The groups, under the aegis of the Environmental Rights Action and Social Action, made the call during their advocacy visit to the Port Harcourt Zonal Head of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), in Port Harcourt.

The Programme Manager of Environmental Rights Action, Mr. Kentebe Ebiaridor, said the visit was to seek clarity on the response efforts of the regulators to the development in the community.

Ebiaridor expressed concern over what he described as “inadequate response from regulatory agencies and the government concerning the incident”.

He said discussions with some officials revealed that there was still no clear timeline for action to address the situation.

According to him, in the absence of clear ownership of the facility linked to the incident, companies operating within Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18 should be held accountable.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) had in a statement issued on March 20 by its Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, said the commission had commenced an investigation into a gas bubbling incident in Bille Community.

Eyesan said the commission expressed concern over the development and assured residents of its ongoing efforts to address the situation.

Also, the Resource Justice Manager of Social Action, Dr. Prince Edegbuo, warned that the situation could escalate into a public health emergency, if urgent steps were not taken.

Edegbuo called on relevant authorities to release the results of the tests reportedly conducted in the area, stressing that residents had the right to know the condition of their environment.

He also said CSOs were prepared to intensify advocacy on the matter, urging the development of emergency response measures, including possible evacuation plans.

A legal practitioner and community stakeholder, Mr. Commission Deinbo, had, on March 20, said residents had continued to witness unusual signs on the waterways in the area.

Deinbo said the signs included boiling and bubbling from the ground and river, sometimes within residential areas, as well as fire outbreaks, which the residents had always managed to contain.

He appealed to relevant authorities to come to their aid and find a lasting solution to the problem.

In a response, the Port Harcourt Zonal Head of NOSDRA, Mr. Bello Augustin, assured the community that he would relate its concerns to the appropriate quarters.

Augustin also commended the CSOs for their advocacy and concerns to community development in the state.

By: Wokoma Emmanuel & Theresa Frederick

Niger Delta

Police Detain 7, Recover Arms In A’Ibom

Published

3 days ago

April 10, 2026

The Tide

The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State has detained seven suspects and recovered firearms after raiding a criminal hideout in Ndiya Mfia, Ikono Local Government Area.of the State.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, made the disclosure in a statement in Uyo on Wednesday.

John said that the breakthrough which occurred at about 6.00a.m on Wednesday, followed credible intelligence from members of the public.

“We reliably gathered that criminal suspects were hibernating in a compound disguised as worshippers.

“In a decisive operation, our personnel conducted a thorough search of the premises which led to the detention and recovery of arms,” she said.

According to her, the operation was in line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police to decisively combat crime in the country.

The police spokesman further said that two locally made double-barrel guns, five expended cartridges, four motorcycles and three generators were recovered during the operation.

She also listed 10 mobile phones, one police crest, four jungle boots, one peak cap, saw blade, spanner, number plates, machetes, a special force vest as other items recovered.

“We also found bottles of suspected spiritual oil and one enlarged photograph linked to an ongoing investigation,” she said.

John said that preliminary investigation suggested that the location was being used as cover for criminal operations.

She said the State’s Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Azare, has directed a comprehensive investigation on the matter in order to apprehend the principal suspect.

John expressed the commitment of the Command to rid the state of crime, and urged members of the public to always support the police with timely and credible information.

Niger Delta

Otu Launches Grassroot Security Network In C’River

Published

3 days ago

April 10, 2026

The Tide

Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has launched a grassroots security intelligence network, named, ”Homeland Safety and Security Agency,” to strengthen community-based surveillance and enhance safety across the state.

Otu, who inaugurated the agency’s office in the Southern Senatorial District of the state on Monday, in Calabar, said similar offices were being inaugurated in the Central and Northern Senatorial Districts.

The Governor, represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Emmanuel Ironbar, said the officials of the agency would serve as first point of call before matters would be escalated to main security architecture in the state.

He described Homeland Security as an intelligence-driven structure focused on neighbourhood monitoring and early threat detection through coordinated local efforts.

He said the initiative constituted the directors and field operatives, tasked with gathering and forwarding intelligence to relevant security agencies for prompt action.

Otu noted that the network would serve as a first point of contact before intervention by conventional security agencies.

“It is important that we enhance monitoring of movements across our communities, border areas, and riverine zones to identify suspicious activities and enhance security response.

“The state government will provide necessary gadgets and communication tools to improve efficiency and real-time intelligence sharing,” he said.

Otu called for public cooperation, stressing that ‘’security is a collective responsibility requiring timely information from residents.’’

He said, ‘’to ensure that the security outfit works like a model unit, proper screening would be conducted on the volunteers to weed out undesirable elements from the system.’’

The Tide’s source reports that the Governor handed over 14 motor bikes to the agency’s southern Senatorial district office to enhance their efficiency.

On his part, the Director-General, South of the agency, Mr. Michael Nsan, said the volunteers had played key roles in reducing crime through coordinated patrols and intelligence sharing.

Nsan said over 1,300 volunteers currently supported the operations with additional informants providing critical information across communities.

“Crime rates dropped significantly during the last festive period due to our collaboration with law enforcement agencies in the state,” he said.

The Director-General said volunteers would undergo training and screening, with plans underway for formal recruitment through a government employment portal.

According to him, communication tools, including walkie-talkies, and patrol motorcycles had improved rapid response to security incidents.

He commended the governor’s commitment, noting that the initiative would further strengthen security architecture and community safety across the state.

The source reports that some of the dignitaries who graced the occasion were traditional rulers and government officials.