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Court Strikes Out Case Against Rivers LG Boss, 4 Others
A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday, struck out a suit brought against the Chairman Caretaker Committee, Etche Local Government Area of the state, Hon Charles Anyanwu and four other members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by the Nigerian police for lack of jurisdiction.
The accused persons were however rearrested by a detachment of armed policemen, who stormed the court immediately the judge struck out the case.
Charles Anyanwu and the others were arraigned on a one-count charge of unlawful possession of one pump-action rifle in suit No PHC/PH/42C/2015 before Justice Lambo Akambi
The prosecuting police officer, DSP Paul Idenyenmm, O/C legal prosecution, State CID, Port Harcourt told the court that the accused, Charles Anyanwu aged 44, on the 7th day of February, 2015, at Ulakwo, Etche in Port Harcourt judicial division of Federal High Court, did unlawfully have in possession, one pump action rifle which is a prohibited fire arm without license.
The prosecution alleged that the accused committed an offence punishable under section 27(7) of firm arms Act cap F28 laws of the federation of Nigeria 2004.
The defence counsel led by B.E .I Nwofor (SAN) and other 14 counsels in their submission, opposed the charge brought by the prosecution on the ground that the section quoted does not exist in law, and as such, can not be heard by the court.
The Senior Advocate told the court that section 27 of the firearms Act cap F28 does not have up to sub-section 7, rather it stopped at subsection 5.
He, therefore urged the court to strike out the matter as lacking in merit and defective, and queried the jurisdiction of the court to hear such matter.
The prosecuting counsel led by D Deinwigwe (SAN), however, did not oppose the argument of the defence counsel on the defect of the charge brought against the accused before the court.
The prosecution later applied to the court for the withdrawal of the charge which the court granted.
The trial judge, Justice Lambo Akanbi, after hearing the submission of both the prosecuting counsel and the defence upheld the arguments of the defence counsel, and struck out the charge for lack of merit and jurisdiction.
Other accused persons arraigned along side, Hon Charles Anyanwu, include Hon Tony Gboms, Alhaji Onurukwe, Prince Adiele Sam Wobo, Bestman Amadi and Boch Nsirim.
Meanwhile, an Elder statesman and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, Prince Emma Anyanwu has been allegedly dragged to a juju shrine in Ahoada East LGA of the state by his elder son, Hon Charles Anyanwu.
Hon Charles Anyanwu is the chairman, Caretaker Committee (CTC) for Etche Local Government Area and also the first son of the elder statesman.
The Tide learnt that the trouble between the CTC chairman and his father was the former’s membership with the All Progressive Congress (APC).
The Tide further learnt that Charles Anyanwu dragged his father to the shrine for allegedly by hiring thugs to destroy the fence and building under construction situate along Ulakwo (I) road.
The Tide also learnt that prince Emma Anyanwu had last year ordered some thugs to de-roof a building belonging to his son for allegedly hoisting APC flags and banners in his compound. It was gathered that it was such provocation that prompted Charles to buy a property outside the compound to erect his own building in the community, which was also destroyed by unknown thugs allegedly hired by his father.
A source, who spoke to The Tide, on condition of anonymity said that Prince Emma Anyanwu became angry upon hearing from a messenger that he has been summoned to appear before the shrine on a date yet to be decided.
According to him, the messenger of the shrine also told him not to enter into the disputed building until the matter was decided and resolved amicably.
However, Prince Emma Anyanwu, not satisfied with the development to save his reputation and image before his political associates, reported the matter to the state police command, which immediately swung into action, and arrested the CTC chairman his first son.
The source blamed the development on political intolerance and lack of maturity among the political class in the state and the nation at large.
Family members of victims of 2014 Nigeria Immigration recruitment tragedy who got automatic employment from President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, last Friday. Photo: NAN
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.