News
These People Will Take No Prisoners
It is clear that our state is in a battle for its soul. A battle, which no sane person would wish for. Last week, someone published an article in The Guardian, asking Governor Amaechi to go and make peace with the President. Good advice I guess but the bigger question is, is Governor Amaechi fighting the President? Can he even do so?
What really are the issues under contention? It may be necessary to throw them out and let Rivers people honestly judge for themselves.
The first issue that appears to have caused contention is the demolition of buildings around a primary school at Ayungibiri in Okrika Local Government Area. The incident occurred in 2010 when Governor Amaechi had received Her Excellency the wife of the President and she had spent a night in Port Harcourt. The next morning she headed to Okrika and the Governor out of regard for her person and position and because she is a Rivers daughter and our pride, decided to show her some of his work. She took offence when he showed her the primary school and mentioned that he would like to buy the adjoining properties to enable government demolish them and create grounds for the primary school. He was still explaining the rationale behind this and the children’s safety when Her Excellency grabbed the microphone and thoroughly berated him for daring to suggest or even give a thought to buying up the properties to create a better learning environment for the children. There were many witnesses at this event and there is a recording of the same, which thankfully, Mr. President is privy to. Governor Amaechi did not respond to this abuse but dutifully waited until the reception in the First Lady’s honour was over before leaving Okrika. The school in question stands today in Ayungibiri smack in the middle of those living houses. In deference to the first lady who comes from that local government area, NOT ONE HOUSE was brought down. For the sake of peace, the children lost.
The second issue is that of the oil fields in Soku. Soku is a riverine community in Rivers State. The people of Soku are Ijaws. The fight between Soku and neighbouring Nembe in Bayelsa is an old one. In October 2012, the Kalabari National Forum, an interest group of communities from the Kalabari area of Rivers State protested against what they termed “ the malicious and unconstitutional intent to balkanize and excise oil producing communities in Kalabari Kingdom of Rivers State and annexing them to be part of Bayelsa State.” Governor Amaechi’s electoral and constitutional mandate is to protect and secure the lives and properties of Rivers people and of Rivers State. As a Rivers son now privileged to defend his state; he must be able to rise to the occasion. He refused the stealing of Kalabari oil wells just as he defended the rights of the Andoni, the Etche and the Ndoki whose oil wells have also been ceded to neighbouring Akwa Ibom and Abia states. Refusing to bribe his way through, but preferring, instead, to the instrumentality of the courts in defending what is rightfully Rivers people’s commonwealth, he has become a pariah and erroneously tagged anti-Jonathan and anti-Ijaw. He defended the rights of the Kalabari people to oil on their land. He stood for them and not against them. He is not Ijaw by ethnic orientation but he is fighting an Ijaw cause similar to the cause for self-determination and resource control. This is his offence and one for which he also has come under persistent attack – for saying that the oil wells belong to Rivers State and that the National Boundary Commission should stop the travesty of justice of paying to one party monies that had been erstwhile held in an escrow account awaiting determination of its rightful owner by the courts of the nation.
The third issue for which Governor Amaechi has come under attack is the matter of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the allegation that he was using the Forum to attack the presidency. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Governor Amaechi is one man out of 36 chief executive officers of their states. He does not have the wherewithal to order them around. As chairman of the NGF he can merely speak the governors’ minds after a decision has been reached. Why then is he being singled out for persecution? The decisions reached by the forum are the decisions Governor Amaechi announces. Isn’t this a question of killing the messenger rather than the message? The same issues, the NGF talked about were the same issues raised by the PDP Governors’ Forum. Underneath this accusation lies the bigger one that Governor Amaechi is using the forum to prepare to run in 2015 as vice president. But everyone knows that no one contests for vice-president anywhere in the world and there are very few presidential candidates that would pick a strong and prominent character as their vice-presidential candidate. Besides, there are more politically savvy ways to court a perceived opponent in a democracy.
Last week, a new dimension to this entire drama unfolded. An accusation that neither Governor Amaechi nor his wife condoled with the wife of the president on the loss of her foster mother. It was the most shocking and embarrassing statement any publicist could have sent out, especially in the face of a widely publicised visit to the family home of the first lady where she was indeed receiving visitors and where a register was opened for condolences. This new twist has come despite press statements of both Governor Amaechi and his wife Judith to that effect? There couldn’t have been a more classical case of giving a dog a bad name just to hang, nay, out-rightly kill it.
Governor Amaechi has endured much bashing because he has chosen to tread the path of peace. When the incident occurred in Okrika, he briefed his older brother, Mr. President. Thereafter, he worked assiduously for Mr. President’s election. Rivers State was not a burden at all to Mr. President all through the campaigns and preparations for the 2011 elections. Indeed, to date the Government and people of Rivers State continue to mourn our brothers and sisters who shed their blood at the Elekahia Stadium just to ensure Mr. President’s victory. The NGF was also a united front and gave support to Mr. President during that re-election bid.
Before the NGF elections he met with many leaders of the party explaining his position and his desire to contest. After the NGF elections, he sought audience with Mr. President and was denied access. When the Commissioner of Police hurled insults at him, he protested to the authorities. When there was a breakdown of law and order and insecurity loomed in the state he sought audience and met with the President and Commander-in-Chief. He has repeated at different times he holds the person and the office of the President in high regard. So, why has he been declared public enemy number one?
For me, the answer is simple. People are using the name and office of Mr. President to fight a proxy war. People who are determined to seize the soul of Rivers State and send us down the beggarly road of “ruler-centric” rather than “people-centric” government. People who fear that Governor Amaechi in office till 2015 may put paid to their attempt to get at the purse-strings of Rivers State and the draw-strings of the Brick house.
These are the people goading Mr. President on and feeding him with lies that have been allowed to fester for so long, that they are beginning to seem like the truth. People who shudder to think of the day there might indeed be peace between Mr. President and Governor Amaechi and, therefore, who would stop at nothing to foment trouble and continuously fan the embers of the furnace of hatred. Thus, the reason these people increase the tempo of the sabre-rattling of war each time the President and Governor Amaechi meet to forge a way forward. For them a resolution portends political demise and the end of their hopes. Peace means the exact opposite to their ambition. These people are those screaming to Mr. President “share the child, share the child”, because they hold no good intention for or claim to the child.
But Governor Amaechi is determined to finish this race well. Rivers people deserve to enjoy the benefits of the wealth that God has put in their soil. Free education, free healthcare, good infrastructure, new opportunities, human capital development and saving for future generations. Amaechi’s work is evident and that is why those who oppose him are panicky.
The problem is that in their panic, they are sowing the wind. For sowing the wind, the bible promises them the whirlwind in full measure.
As for Governor Amaechi, I think he knows this already, because it is his mantra: “Once has God spoken, twice I have heard this, that power belongs to God.”
Mrs Semenitari is the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications.
Nigerians were among more than 140 residents injured after Iran launched multiple ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles at the United Arab Emirates, at the weekend.
This raised fresh fears for thousands of Nigerians living and working in the Gulf nation.
The UAE Ministry of Defence disclosed last Saturday that its air defence systems intercepted several missiles and drones fired from Iran, describing the attack as a major escalation in the ongoing regional tensions.
In a statement posted on its official X handle, the ministry said its air defence units engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 drones during the latest assault on March 14.
It added that the attacks left six people dead and 141 others injured, including foreign nationals.
“The UAE air defence systems on March 14 engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 UAVs launched from Iran,” the ministry stated.
“Since the onset of this blatant Iranian aggression, UAE air defences have engaged 294 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,600 UAVs launched from Iran,” UAE added.
According to the ministry, those killed in the attacks included citizens of the UAE as well as foreign nationals from Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.
“Although the authorities did not specify the exact locations where the casualties occurred, the ministry said the injured victims were from several countries, including Nigeria.
Others affected include residents from Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The list also included Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Comoros, Türkiye, Iraq, Nepal, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Ghana, Indonesia and Sweden.
The Tide reports that this development has sparked concern among Nigerian communities in the UAE, where thousands of citizens live and work in sectors such as construction, hospitality, logistics and trade.
Data from Nigeria’s diaspora commission shows that the UAE remains one of the largest destinations for Nigerian migrants in the Middle East, particularly in the emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
The Nigerian government had in recent years raised concerns over the safety and welfare of its citizens in the country following diplomatic tensions and visa restrictions affecting Nigerians.
Saturday’s attacks have now heightened anxieties within the diaspora community, especially as the Gulf region faces growing military confrontations.
In its statement, the UAE Ministry of Defence said the country remained fully prepared to confront any threats to its security.
“The Ministry of Defence remains fully prepared and ready to deal with any threats and will firmly confront any attempts to undermine state security in a manner that ensures the protection of its sovereignty, security and stability, and safeguards its national interests and capabilities,” the ministry said.
In a separate update, the ministry noted that its defence systems were still actively intercepting missiles and drones.
“UAE air defences are dealing with Iranian ballistic and cruise missiles and drones,” it said.
Regional media reports indicate that the attacks form part of a wider escalation of hostilities between Iran and Western-backed forces in the Middle East.
According to Al Jazeera, Iran has continued sustained missile and drone strikes across the Gulf despite protests from neighbouring states.
The strikes were said to be in retaliation for military operations launched by the United States and Israel against Iranian positions in the region.
Tehran targeted several Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, late on Friday and into Saturday.
The attacks also caused infrastructural damage in parts of the UAE.
Meanwhile, Iran’s elite military wing, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, warned that US interests in the UAE would remain legitimate targets.
Iranian state media reported that the group issued the warning after US forces attacked Iranian-controlled islands.
The IRGC specifically mentioned ports, docks and military installations linked to the United States as potential targets.
It also urged residents in the UAE to evacuate areas around ports and military facilities to avoid civilian casualties.
Security analysts say the growing exchange of threats and strike across the Gulf could destabilise the region’s economic and aviation activities if the conflict escalates further.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has charged the five new commissioners sworn-in last Wednesday to put in their best for the development of the State.
Fubara gave the charge during the swearing-in of the commissioners at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House, Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
This followed the successful screening of the five commissioners by the Rivers State House of Assembly, last Tuesday.
The five commissioners are Tonye Bellgam, Prof. Temple Nwofor, Dr. Peters Nwagor, Mr. Lekue Kenneth, and Sir Amairigha Edward Hart.
The Tide reports that the governor had sent nine commissioner-nominees to the Assembly for screening, but the Assembly confirmed only five nominees and rejected the nomination of four over various allegations.
Those rejected by the Assembly are Prof. Dantonye Alasia, Mrs. Charity Demua, Mr. Tamuno Williams, and Otonye Amachree.
The governor congratulated the new commissioners on their appointment, noting that their thorough screening by the Rivers State House of Assembly was a proof of their capabilities.
He urged them to deploy their wealth of experience in various fields and put the State on a fast lane of development.
“Ordinarily, I am supposed to charge you on your responsibilities and how to operate. But that has been taken care of by the screening at the Assembly.
“I believe that going through one of the most rigorous screenings, it is enough to say that for those of you who succeeded, you are fit and ready to deliver to our dear State.
“So there is no further charge. The screening was the charge, so I wish you the best as I don’t expect anything less than the best from you,” Fubara said.
The Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft and illegal bunkering, destroying a reactivated illegal refinery site in Rivers State and intercepting suspected stolen petroleum products in Calabar, Cross River State.
The Director of Naval Information, Capt Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement released in Abuja, yesterday.
Folorunsho said personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship SOROH, operating under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, destroyed a reactivated illegal refinery site at Okolomade Community in Abua-Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.
He said the action followed credible intelligence that a previously dismantled illegal refining site had resumed operations.
According to him, an Anti–Crude Oil Theft team deployed to the location discovered that the dismantled refining oven had been reconstructed.
“Further exploitation of the area led to the discovery of additional refining equipment and storage facilities containing about 3,000 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO),” he said.
Folorunsho added that the illegal refining infrastructure, including ovens, storage tanks, hoses, connected pipes and newly acquired metal components used for illegal refining, was destroyed in line with operational procedures.
He said personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship Victory, in another operation, intercepted about 3,950 litres of suspected stolen petroleum products at the Nigerian Ports Authority area in Calabar, Cross River State.
He said the interception was based on credible intelligence on suspected siphoning of petroleum products from vessels berthed at the port.
The naval patrol team, according to him, swiftly deployed to the area and traced the illegally siphoned products to a trailer park within the port facility.
“On sighting the naval patrol team, the suspected perpetrators fled the scene, after which the area was cordoned off and the illegally siphoned products secured,” he said.
Folorunsho said further inspection led to the recovery of about 3,950 litres of Automotive Gas Oil stored in drums and jerrycans, which had been evacuated to the naval base for further necessary action in line with extant regulations.
He noted that the successes aligned with the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, to intensify operations against crude oil theft and other maritime crimes across Nigeria’s maritime domain.
Folorunsho reiterated the Navy’s commitment to sustaining the operational tempo of Operation DELTA SENTINEL through intensified surveillance, patrols and intelligence-driven operations aimed at combating crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and other forms of economic sabotage.
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