News

Police Nab More Suspects Over DSP’s Murder …Ban Use Of Fireworks And Knockouts In Rivers

Published

9 years ago

December 23, 2016

The Rivers State Police Command has said more suspects who were allegedly involved in the beheading of a Deputy Superintendent of Police, Muhammed Alkali and his driver, have been arrested.
The Tide recalls that Akali and his driver were both beheaded in an ambush during a routine patrol at Ujju in ONELGA during the recent re-run legislative elections in the area.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Nnamdi Omoni, disclosed in an interview with The Tide in his office, yesterday in Port Harcourt, adding that these suspects were different from the initial three arrested by the Police Special Intelligence Response unit (IRT).
The Police spokesperson said the panel of inquiry set up by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) would soon be in the state, adding that the panel was not perturbed by the state government’s declaration not to cooperate with the police on the investigation.
He expressed optimism that the police would arrest all the suspects involved in the inhuman and callous murder of the Police personnel.
Meanwhile, determined to provide a secure environment during the Yuletide celebrations in the State, Rivers State Police command has arrested a three-man armed robbery gang who were alleged to have stormed a new generation Bank at Eagle Cement, Rumuolumeni axis of the state, Wednesday.
The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Nnamdi Omoni, disclosed this while briefing journalists on the success recorded by the command preparatory to the Christmas and New Year celebrations in the state at the Police Command headquarters, Moscow Road Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Omoni said the combined team of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and the men of the Rumuolumeni Police Station led by the DPO, CSP Felix Nnebue, swiftly responded and mobilised to the scene, adding that the hoodlums on sighting the Police, opened fire on them, which resulted to the arrest of three robbers.
According to him, one of the SARS operatives sustained gunshot wound, and was currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in the state.
The State Police image maker gave the names of the arrested armed robbery suspects as Samuel Nwala ‘m’ 28 years from Igwuruta, Kaaly Taagaba ‘m’, 28 years from Kpong, Khana, and Lucky Ukwuoma ‘m’ 26 years from Etche LGA, adding that items recovered from them include, one cooking gas cylinder, one handsaw, one chisel and two Ghana must go bags.
The Police spokesperson averred that the suspects were helping Police in on-going investigation, adding that efforts were being made to arrest the fleeing members of the gang and recover their operational weapons.
Meanwhile, the authorities of the Police in Rivers State say they have banned the use of fireworks and knockouts during and after the Christmas and New year celebrations across the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Nnamdi Omoni, disclosed in a statement that the command was “mindful of the fact that the these devices are explosives which by their nature are harmful and capable of disturbing existing public peace while causing unnecessary panic in the state.
“To this end, the command hereby appeals to the general public, parents and guardians alike to desist from blasting these devices. He urged parents to warm their children and wards against their use.
“Retailers of the devices are equally advised, and warned to stop the sale, as any person or group of persons found flouting this Order will be arrested and prosecuted,” he stated.
The Police PPRO urged people to be security conscious and report all suspicious characters to the police, using the following security Numbers: 08032003514, 0802895460, 08028915401 and 08160723892.

News

FG Ends Passport Production At Multiple Centres After 62 Years

Published

5 hours ago

September 19, 2025

The Tide

The Nigeria Immigration Service has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.

Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this yesterday while inspecting Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja.

He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.

“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.

He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.

“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.

“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.

“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.

He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.

Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.

He said the centralised production system aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for better service delivery.

News

FAAC Disburses N2.225trn For August, Highest In Nigeria

Published

6 hours ago

September 19, 2025

The Tide

The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed N2.225 trillion as federation revenue for the month of August 2025, the highest ever allocation to the three tiers of government and other statutory recipients.

This marks the second consecutive month that FAAC disbursements have crossed the N2 trillion mark.

The revenue, shared at the August 2025 FAAC meeting in Abuja, was buoyed by increases in oil and gas royalty, value-added tax (VAT), and common external tariff (CET) levies, according to a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting.

Out of the N2.225 trillion total distributable revenue, FAAC said N1,478.593 trillion came from statutory revenue, N672.903 billion from VAT, N32.338 billion from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), and N41.284 billion from Exchange Difference.

The communiqué revealed that gross federation revenue for the month stood at N3.635 trillion. From this amount, N124.839 billion was deducted as cost of collection, while N1,285.845 trillion was set aside for transfers, interventions, refunds, and savings.

From the statutory revenue of N1.478 trillion, the Federal Government received N684.462 billion, State Governments received N347.168 billion, and Local Government Councils received N267.652 billion. A further N179.311 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) went to oil-producing states as derivation revenue.

From the distributable VAT revenue of N672.903 billion, the Federal Government received N100.935 billion, the states received N336.452 billion, while the local governments got N235.516 billion.

Of the N32.338 billion shared from EMTL, the Federal Government received N4.851 billion, the States received N16.169 billion, and the Local Governments received N11.318 billion.

From the N41.284 billion exchange difference, the Federal Government received N19.799 billion, the states received N10.042 billion, and the local governments received N7.742 billion, while N3.701 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the oil-producing states as derivation.

News

KenPoly Governing Council Decries Inadequate Power Supply, Poor Infrastructure On Campus

Published

7 hours ago

September 19, 2025

The Tide

The Governing Council of Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, has decried the inadequate power supply and poor state of infrastructural facilities and equipment at the institution.

The Council also appealed to the government, including Non-Governmental Organisations, agencies, as well as well-meaning Rivers people to intervene to restore and sustain the laudable gesture, dreams and aspirations of the founding fathers of the polytechnic.

The Chairman of the newly inaugurated Council, Professor Friday B. Sigalo, made this appeal during a tour of facilities at the Polytechnic, recently.

Accompanied by members of the team, Prof Sigalo emphasised the position of technology, technical and vocational education in sustainable development.

He noted that with the prospects on ground, and the programmes and activities undertaken in the polytechnic, there is no doubt that the institution would add values to the educational system in our society and foster the desired development, if the existing challenges are jointly tackled.

This was contained in a statement signed by Deputy Registrar, Public Relations, Kenpoly, Innocent Ogbonda-Nwanwu, and made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt.

The chairman who restated the intention of his team of technocrats to ensure that KenPoly enjoys desirable face-lift, said the Council would deliver on its core mandates, accordingly.

Earlier, the Rector, KenPoly Engr. Dr. Ledum S. Gwarah, commended the appointment of Professor Friday B. Sigalo as Chairman of the KenPoly Governing Council.

He described him and his team as seasoned technocrats and expressed confidence in their ability to succeed.

The Rector pledged the management’s support to the Council to ensure that KenPoly resumes its rightful place in the comity of polytechnics in the country.

Facilities visited by the Governing Council include KenPoly workshops, laboratories, skills acquisition centre, library, hostels and medical centre.

Chinedu Wosu