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The Tide Attack: Police Assures Better Security
The Rivers State Police Command says adequate security measures will be put in place at the premises of Rivers State Newspaper Corporation (RSNC) Publishers of The Tide Newspapers to safeguard lives and property within the corporation.
The Divisional Police Officer in-charge Mile 1 Police Division, Mr. Paddy Pagon stated this when he led the deputy Commissioner of Police, and other Officers of the command to the scene of armed robbery attack at the State Newspaper Corporation last Monday.
Pagon said the security arrangement would enhance free movement of persons, especially staff of the corporation whose major duties are at night, and assured of the Police’s readiness to rid the area of criminals.
He used the medium to warn criminals to keep away from the state, especially within Mile 1, Diobu axis, adding that the Division has zero-tolerance for criminal activities.
“They should repent and desist from the acts of criminality or be ready to face the consequences of their actions. As these two armed robbers are gunned down, that is how any of them will be killed if they fail to give up”, he stated.
Speaking to journalists, the General Manager, Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mr. Celestine Ogolo, described the incident as most unfortunate, adding that the armed robbery attack has affected the business of the Corporation.
Ogolo explained that since over 43 years of the establishment of the Newspaper outfit, such incident, had not occurred, and wondered why the armed robbers took such interest in a newspaper house.
He said he received a distress call from one of his staff at about 1.19am informing him of the armed robbery attack, adding that he responded swiftly by calling the Police emergency numbers.
“For over 43 years, we have been in this business without this sad experience. We don’t know what attracted them to the corporation.
“I received a call from my staff at 1.19 am about the robbery incident and quickly called the Police emergency number. The Police quickly arrived the premises on time but unfortunately, the armed robbers shot the Police man. The Police also killed two of the robbers”, he stated.
The General Manager explained that the Management would partner with the Police to ensure that there was absolute security in the area.
On the issue of fencing the premises, Ogolo said the matter would be discussed again with the Commissioner of Information, adding that it had earlier been taken to the Ministry of Housing & Urban Development.
Earlier, labour unions in the Corporation had decried the level of insecurity at the Corporation.
The Unions, the Nigeria union of journalists (NUJ), National Union of Publishing, Printing and Paper Products workers (NUPPPPROW), and two others made this disclosure when they met with the General Manager of the RSNC, Mr. Celestine Ogolo, over the incident.
The Unions, while sympathizing with the management and staff of the corporation urged workers to be calm and go about their normal duties, assuring that the unions would work with management to ensure that security of workers was guaranteed.
The union lenders, led by the National Vice President, NUPPPPROW, South-South; Com. Godwin Williams, urged the state government to immediately commence the reconstruction of the corporation’s fence that was demolished by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, adding that workers would not allow any form of insecurity that would put their members’ lives at risk.
It would be recalled that armed robbers, numbering five had stormed the premises of The Tide Newspapers on Monday about 1.19am, and dispossessed staff on night duty of their valuables and undisclosed amount of money.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the armed robbers first attacked the production unit, and made away with the phones and monies belonging to machine operators before gaining access to the first floor of the main building where editorial staff were busy finalizing work on the Monday edition of The Tide Newspaper.
The source further said that the robbers held one of the staff hostage because he appears to have known them, and decided to kill him, adding that the robbers ordered the driver on night duty to take them to the General Manager’s office on the second floor of the building.
According to him, while the driver was taking them there, one of the proof readers on the first floor, opened the door unknowingly, adding that immediately the robbers sighted the staff, they ordered them inside the office.
The staff said that while the robbers were at the proof reading office, the Police arrived and one of the Police Officers, in an attempt to rescue the workers followed the robbers to the first floor and was shot by of one of the robbers before he fired back at the robber.
He said the Police lost one of their officers and also killed two of the armed robbers during the exchange of gun fire.
Six staff members who sustained various injuries were hospitalized after they had been rescued from the armed robbers.
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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