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‘Not In My State’ …Wike Foils Attempt To Abduct Judge …Rivers PDP Condemns DSS, Police Action
The illegal siege on Rivers State by federal security agencies has continued unabated but an attempt in the early hours of Saturday by hundreds of Department of State Services (DSS) operatives and policemen to illegally abduct a Federal High Court judge residing at Number 35 Forces Avenue in Port Harcourt was foiled by the tacit resistance of the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike and hundreds of Rivers people, who mobilised to stop the act of illegality.
The Tide reports that the illegal abduction was led by the Rivers State Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Tosin Ajayi, and Rivers State Police Commissioner, Francis Odesanya.
However, it was gathered that the operatives of DSS had reportedly rough-handled Wike, pushing him around and injuring his hand, while a few of the operatives cocked their rifles and threatened to shoot the governor.
The Tide learnt that the operatives were irked by Wike’s arrival at the scene shortly after the failed abduction process began.
It was learnt that Wike had received security information on the illegal moves, minutes after the operation started.
The security operatives had blocked the entrance of the residence of the Federal High Court judge at about 1am on Saturday, claiming that they were acting on orders from above.
It was learnt that as they dragged Wike around, they insisted that they must be allowed to leave with the judge.
However, the commotion attracted passersby and journalists who thronged the vicinity to know why hundreds of security agents in several patrol vans had been mobilised.
It was gathered that upon the arrival of a litany of the media, the Rivers State Director of the DSS, Mr Tosin Ajayi, jumped into his vehicle, and fled the scene.
However, addressing journalists, Rivers State Police Commissioner, Francis Odesanya said the two security agencies were at the scene because they received privileged information.
Odesanya claimed he was at the scene as a peace maker, but declined comments on why the police joined the DSS to abduct a serving Federal High Court judge.
In an interview with journalists at the scene of the failed illegal abduction of a Federal High Court judge by the police and DSS, Wike said it will not be under his watch that security agencies will be allowed to entrench needless impunity.
He declared that their reckless action portends danger to the nation’s democracy, noting that he was convinced that President Muhammadu Buhari was not aware of the level of impunity being perpetrated by federal security agencies.
Wike stated that whatever the situation, the rule of law must prevail in a democratic setting.
He said, if the security agencies had a lawful directive to implement, they must follow due process.
According to him, “Not under my watch will I allow this kind of impunity to take place. That is why we are here. I don’t know which judge they were detailed to abduct. I didn’t bother myself to know which judge. All I am interested in is that, at this level, it is not allowed.
“He is not a criminal and he is not an armed robber. If the person has committed an offence, invite him. It is only when he refuses to honour the invitation that you can adopt this commando style.
“The commissioner of police is here, the director of DSS is here. Their operatives cocked their guns and threatened to shoot me. I have never seen that before. Again, this is to tell you what we are facing. We know that more will come. For us in this state, we shall continue to resist it.”
Wike added: “It doesn’t matter what it will cost. When you talk about liberty, sacrifices must be made. We are not trying to stop an arrest. All we are saying is that things must be done decently and in line with the rule of law.
“Rivers State is under siege. For you to see a governor out at this time of the day, something is wrong. A siege is an understatement. If this type of thing happens next time, the people will resist it to the last”.
The governor stressed: “They are trying to do something funny in this state, probably to declare a state of emergency.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Rivers State has described as most sacrilegious, the attempt by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), and policemen to shoot the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, for intervening in the alleged abduction of a Federal High Court judge serving in the state in the early hours of Saturday.
The state Chairman of the PDP, Bro Felix Obuah, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Jerry Needam, asserted that the unruly behaviour of the overzealous security operatives was the worst of its kind in the history of Nigeria, and a cause for concern.
Alleging that the action of the security operatives was aimed at finding a reason to declare a state of emergency in the state, Obuah urged President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Assembly members, judicial officers, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and all relevant authorities and stakeholders to be on the alert on these acts of recklessness against Rivers State as injury to one is injury to all.
“There is no doubt that the Rivers State experience is exceptional and the democratic abuse by security agencies and their political paymasters is aimed at testing the mindset of the people, and if left to stand, will definitely go round and translate into a national malaise,” the state PDP chairman lamented.
According to him, “It’s unheard of anywhere in the world where legally constituted authorities like the DSS and the police will break into the residence of a legitimate federal judicial officer of the status of a judge for the purpose of arrest in the wee hours of the day, citing orders from above as their reason.
“This is an act of brigandage and roguery, worse still when a serving governor intervened; same security agents cocked their guns against the state chief executive and security officer in the presence of the state police commissioner and director of DSS. This, though real, is most unbelievable”, Obuah added.
The state PDP chairman, however, appealed to Rivers people to remain calm in the face of the unprovoked attack and siege being perpetuated by those opposed to peace in the state so that they can have their way and continue with their exploitation and underdevelopment of Rivers State.
“We are happy and grateful that God is on our side. Each time they come up with a new strategy to cause mayhem, they end up hitting the air because even the gods of the land abhor their intentions.
“Nonetheless, this particular sacrilege of attempting to shoot our governor will never be taken kindly,” Obuah said.
Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
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.