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Don’t Extend NDDC Board’s Tenure -Ex-Agitators
A coalition of Niger Delta agitators have appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to halt any plans aimed at extending the tenure of the present board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
They also called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to initiate a probe on the activities of the erstwhile Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Dr. Habiba Muda Lawal.
The agitators in a statement, yesterday, alleged that Lawal collected billions of Naira from the Chairman and Managing Director of the NDDC, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba and Mr. Nsima Ekere, respectively to extend their tenures to 2020 instead of December 2017 when their time would elapse.
The militants stated that influencing the tenure of current NDDC board officials would breed crisis in the Niger Delta region, warning that they would be forced to resume attacks on the oil installations.
The statement was signed by John Duku for Niger Delta Watchdogs and Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators; Ekpo Ekpo for Niger Delta Volunteers; Osarolor Nedam for Niger Delta Warriors; Henry Okon Etete for Niger Delta Peoples Fighters; Asukwo Henshaw for Bakassi Freedom Fighters; Ibinabo Horsfall for Niger Delta Movement for Justice; Duke Emmanson for Niger Delta Fighters Network and Inibeghe Adams for Niger Delta Freedom Mandate.
Others were Abiye Tariah for Niger Delta Development Network; Joshua Ebere for Renewed Movement for Emancipation of the Niger Delta; Jeremiah Athony for Movement for Actualization of Niger Delta Republic; Francis Okoroafor for Niger Delta Freedom Redemption Army and Nelson Okochi Walter for Niger Delta Liberty Organisation.
The statement reads thus: “The Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators condemns the illegal extension of the NDDC board and demand arrest and prosecution of the immediate past Acting Secretary to the Government of the Federation. It is on record that the tenure of the present board of NDDC elapses by the end of December 2017.
“Our position is that, the peace that is in place in Niger Delta must be oiled further by constituting a new board in accordance with the rules and practices that have been in place. There should be no attempt to extend the tenure of the present board, if the Federal Government is genuinely interested in the peaceful atmosphere that is prevalent in the Niger Delta.
“Presently there is peace in the Niger Delta region; the cease fire which was announced and sustained by all the militant groups last year after the intervention of PANDEF was to give the government a peaceful atmosphere for dialogue and subsequent implementation PANDEF 16-point agenda, rather than extending the NDDC board to create crisis in the Niger Delta.
“Having failed in their bid to escalate crisis in the Niger Delta through the meaningless Operation Crocodile Smiles, the hawks and detractors of the Niger Delta have gone about introducing a very gross illegality in the NDDC board and duration to willfully set one state against another.
“The constitution of the board of NDDC and its tenure has been running seamlessly from inception to date. A seamless and rancor free composition of the Board has followed a defined pattern and each state knows when it will assume the headship of the management team.
“Quite unfortunately, we have been inundated with reports of how Dr. Habiba Muda Lawal abused his privilege of acting as the SGF by collecting billions of Naira from Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba and Mr. Nsima Ekere to influence him (Habiba) to raise a memo that illegally extends the tenure of the current board run for another four years to terminate in 2020.
“Another gross error is that Dr. Habiba Muda Lawal was presumptuous, as the current board was inaugurated by the minister of Niger Delta and as such the NDDC is under the oversight of the Ministry of Niger Delta and not the SGF.
“Secondly, the present board of NDDC does not merit a day extension, the Niger Delta people have witnessed the worst board of NDDC since its inception.
“The present board of NDDC constantly engages in fraud, embezzlement, nepotism, favouritism in award of contract running into billions of Naira, it is a standing order of this present board that such billions of Naira contract be awarded to their family members, friends and political associates, without recourse to due process and the rule of law as contained in the Public Procurement Act.
“For instance, Techsel Products Limited, Gasons Nigeria Limited and many others are few of the companies owned by Mr. Nsima Ekere and brothers and currently handling different NDDC projects running into billions of Naira. As witness by us, majority of these projects are not executed and very few executed are of poorest standard with substandard materials, poor facilities and equipment and are below the globally accepted standard compared with the huge amount such contract was awarded.
“Records in our disposal show that some of the beneficiaries of this ill-awarded contracts are brothers, sisters, in-laws and political associates of the Managing Director of NDDC MD, Mr. Nsima Ekere as well as the cousins, brothers, friends and in-laws to the Executive Director – Projects, including their Aides and relations working in the MD’s office who connived in this illegal adventure of fraud.
“It is a well known fact that the MD’s office has been turn to money making factory by his Aides, the Aides are fond of collecting monies from visitors before allowing them access to the MD without the knowledge of the MD.
“Recently, the MD flooded Akwa Ibom State APC and stakeholders with contract award letters ranging from N150million, N200million, N500million, N800million and above in order to further his 2019 governorship ambition, therefore we and the Niger Delta people in general will resist any attempt to extend the present NDDC board more than December, 2017.
“This action will bring injustice to other states in the Niger Delta which supposed to produce the next MD, Chairman and other board members of NDDC.
“We also wish to alert Mr. President that the recent APC local government campaign flag-off in Akwa Ibom state was funded with N500mllion by the managing director of NDDC, this money was meant for the development of the Niger Delta region, the youth empowerment programme which was embarked by commission was hijacked by the aides of the managing director while water icing contract always given to the youths were shared among the aides and directors in the commission and the state representatives in the commission.
“We hereby demand that: The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should immediately investigate the immediate past Acting SGF and recover billions of naira meant for the development of the Niger Delta region.
“The Civil Service Commission should also suspend the former Acting Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr. Habiba Muda Lawal for the role he played in order to fuel crisis in the Niger Delta region.
“We urged Mr. President to disregard the illegal extension of the tenure of the present NDDC board for the interest of peace in the Niger Delta.
“We also urge the EFCC to investigate the Managing Director of NDDC, Mr. Nsima Ekere, his brother Mr. Idorenyin Ekere, his sisters, his Aides, his political associates, Techsel Products Limited and Gasons Nigeria Limited.
“The same investigation should also be extended to Executive Director – Projects, Executive Director – Finance and the Chairman – Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba.
“Finally, the Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators shall resume serious attack on oil installation from January 15, 2018 if the Federal Government continues with this illegal extension after the expiration of their tenure.
“We want the Nigerian public and the entire world to be aware of this injustice as we shall not accept any illegal extension of the present board of NDDC. A stitch in time saves nine,” the ex-agitators added.
The General Overseer of Firstlove Assembly and renowned preacher, Senior Pastor Simeon Afolabi, has highlighted the significance of thanksgiving, saying it remains one of the best ways to show gratitude to God, and also one of the ways to please God Almighty.
Pastor Afolabi gave the indication as the guest preacher at the annual thanksgiving celebration of Holy Hills Church in Port Harcourt last Saturday.
The 2025 Holy Hills Church annual thanksgiving, tagged, “Thanksgiving of God’s Mercies”, witnessed the gathering of christian faithful to celebrate God’s unwavering love and mercies despite insurmountable challenges.
The General Overseer said the essence of thanking God cannot be over-emphasised, considering the good things He is doing for mankind.
The renowned man of God said one of the ways to please God is not to take His act for granted but to thank Him for everything He has done.
He urged churches to endeavour to make thanksgiving their priority so as to attract more blessings from God.
Pastor Afolabi noted that gratitude is a way of God, hence, “it behooves us to do it every moment of the day,” and opined that the Holy Hills Church was on the right track by recognising God’s mercy and kindness through thanksgiving.
In his remarks, the General Overseer of Holy Hills Church and Chief Host, Pastor Sunny Ikonwa said the aim of the annual thanks- giving celebration was to thank God for His mercy, saying, the annual event which is like Christ Mass to his members could best be described as God’s faithfulness upon their lives.
He said the annuall meeting remains God’s project which the church attaches great importance to and ensures its success every year.
He noted that the church under him will continue to sensitise people and preach to them on the way of peace.
The cleric recalled that the church that started under a palm tree has made tremendous improvement by God’s grace.
Pastor Ikonwa said his mission which is doing what pleases his Maker remains his watchword.
The Holy Hills Church pastor said the mercy of God has been able to sustain his people, saying, the prayer of a Christian goes a long way to rekindle the heart of God, stressing that it is for this singular reason that the church had come in His presence with something measurable to it, as a way of showing appreciation.
According to him, anything big starts small just as his church has done.
He said to the glory of God, today, the church has been growing in His direction.
He, therefore, admonished Christians to have hope and faith in God in the face difficulties, urging the government to always put the interest of the people first, as it has everything it takes to make life meaningful for the citizenry.
Pastor Ikonwa noted that government should be able to implement policies geared towards bettering the lives of the people.
The climax of the programme was the cutting of the thanksgiving cake by the General Overseer and his wife .Various organs of the church also made special presentations to God.
The Nigeria Police Force has indicted the dreaded group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) over the killing of two police officers, and injuring of one civilian who was rushed to the hospital after sustaining bullet wounds in a coordinated attack in Imo State on June 11, 2024.
The State Police Command, had in a press release accused the Eastern Security Network (ESN), a wing of the Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB) of being responsible for the killing of the two police officers and injuring of a civilian at Akabo community in Ikeduru Council Area of Imo State.
According to the police, the incident was perpetrated in the early hours of the day by the hoodlums. They attacked one Christian Ama Chukwu in front of his shop at 79, Umudike, Umunnemoche Abazu, Akabo in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State.
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, engaged them in a prolonged gun battle and ultimately repelled the attack. Unfortunately, two police personnel lost their lives in the attack. An unnamed civilian was also critically injured in the attack,and he sustained serious injuries in the course of the shootout.
Some residents who spoke with newsmen said the hoodlums were first noticed alighting from their vehicles and harassing residents for not participating in the seat-in or seat-at-home protests. They said the situation got out of control when they opened fire on an approaching police vehicle.
Another eye witness, IfechukwuOpara, said the gunmen then moved around the village in the community,shooting sporadically to aid their escape. “They were driving around the community in a reckless manner while shooting in the air to scare people away before they finally left”, he said.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Imo State Police Command, DSP Henry Okoye had confirmed the incident.
He described it as “a senseless, unwarranted and unprovoked act of violence which must not go unsolved.”
According to him, the police would not leave any stone unturned in the quest to arrest and prosecute the criminals.
Subsequently, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, had mobilised a Police Tactical Squad of the Command to track down the killers, and said, “As I am talking to you now, an intense operation is currently going on in Ikeduru Local Government Area with a view to apprehending the hoodlums responsible for the attack.”
DSP Okoye noted that killings were another painful and stark reminder of the sacrifices police officers make in the commitment to secure the country.
As the Ogoni cleanup programme being implemented by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) continues to record significant milestones across thematic areas, the Federal Government says such gestures further demonstrate President Bola Tinubu’s commitment under the Renewed Hope Agenda to environmental sustainability and ensuring the Project brings benefits to Ogoni people.
The Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal, who made this assertion during the commissioning of the Bane and Gwara water schemes in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, in line with HYPREP’s mandate to provide potable water to Ogoniland, said the provision of potable water is a critical step towards improving public health, reducing waterborne diseases and enhancing the overall quality of life.
The latest commissioning brings the water stations to 16, providing access to potable water to 45 Ogoni communities , a development the Minister explains as part of President Tinubu’s commitment to peace ,environmental justice and socio-economic empowerment in Ogoniland, a beacon of hope for communities long affected by environmental degradation.
Lawal noted that the latest commissioning is restoring hope and dignity to the communities long deprived of this essential resource .
‘’The provision of potable water is a critical step towards improving public health, reducing waterborne diseases and enhancing the overall quality of life. It also signifies a renewed commitment to ensuring that the people of Ogoniland reap the full benefits of environmental remediation efforts.We
will continue to ensure that communities in Ogoniland have access to clean, safe and sustainable drinking water. With this initiative, we are not just commissioning infrastructure but restoring hope and dignity to the communities long deprived of this essential resource”, he said.
While commending the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, development partners, stakeholders and traditional rulers, among others for their relentless commitment towards the actualisation of these projects, he urged communities to protect and take ownership of the projects, emphasising that their longevity and effectiveness depend on their collective efforts of maintaining and protecting them for posterity.
In his speech at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey maintained that the Project remains resolute in its resolve to ensure that it completes and delivers all projects initiated within the time frame for the use and benefit of Ogoni people in line with the directives of the Governing Council and under the leadership of the Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal.
To achieve this, Zabbey explained that “We
continue to work closely with community leaders, youth and women, contractors and other stakeholders to ensure solutions are identified and implementation continues smoothly.
‘’We remain guided by the principle of partnership, dialogue, transparency and accountability, knowing that sustainable progress is best achieved through collaboration and mutual understanding. That is the hallmark of HYPREP,” he said.
He appealed to the people to continue to reinforce peace and understanding, using dialogue as a vital tool for resolving disputes, especially around project sites and within communities, noting that the concurrent implementation of over 100 projects across Ogoniland reflects the seriousness and dedication of HYPREP, a momentum that must be sustained through mutual trust and collaboration.
For the Project Coordinator, the event was an ideal opportunity to provide a project status update to Ogoni people, as he excitedly announced the milestone achievements recorded so far to include environmental remediation-94 percent completion in Phase 1 of mangrove restoration; shoreline at 67.1percent; Phase 2 land remediation at 36.55 percent; potable water-14 completed water facilities inaugurated, supplying potable water to 40 Ogoni communities, while the commissioning of the Bane and Gwara water facilities last Saturday increased the number of communities with access to clean and safe water to 45.
Other milestones are the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER) at 92 percent complete and the processes of operationalising the Centre has begun with the just concluded colloquium, while the Ogoni Power Project is progressing steadily with wayleave compensation and construction works at Bodo and Wiiyaakara substations ongoing. The Ogoni Specialist Hospital is at 76.8 percent with 98.7 percent achieved in the Buan Cottage Hospital. The Ogoni public study being conducted by the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC); over 7,000 women and youths have benefited from various employment opportunities, while over 5,000 have been trained in multiple skills and provided start-up skits, among other programmes.
Zabbey further hinted of the commencement of some demand-driven skills areas this quarter, which include cybersecurity, full-stack development, mud logging, software development, GIS and commercial diving.
In their separate goodwill messages, the member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Dumnamene Deekor; Chairman,Great Green Wall, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe; Chairman, Board of Trustees, Ogoni Trust Fund Incorporated, Hon Emmanuel Deeyah; Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development, MrNwizug Gordon; representative of the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited and General Manager, Relations and Sustainable Development, MrIgoWeli; former Secretary to Rivers State Government, Chief Kenneth Kobani; and former Rivers State Commissioner for Environment, Prof Roseline Konya; all commended the Minister of Environment and HYPREP for their commitment to the Ogoni cleanup programme.
Earlier, the Minister and his entourage had paid a courtesy call on Mene Bua Kenwigbara, King D.Y Barile, at his palace, where the former was conferred a chieftaincy title of MeneAnua Le Maa 1 of Ken-Khana Kingdom; and the Project Coordinator of HYPREP as Mene doo Letam 1 of Ken-Khana Kingdom.
Also decorated were the Chairman of Ogoni Trust Fund Incorporated, Hon Emmanuel Deeyah; and the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mahmud Kambari.
Highpoints of the event were the formal commissioning of the Bane and Gwara water facilities by the Minister and the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, Engr Tony Attach,represented by MrIgoWeli; the symbolic issuance of education support Items;and the visit to the Ken Saro-Wiwa Memorial Park for symbolic tree planting by the Minister; the Project Coordinator; BoT Chairman; Senator Abe; IgoWeli; Director General, NEASRA, Prof Innocent Barikor; and Zina Wiwa, the daughter of the legendary environmentalist; and the visit to the CEER.
In two years, the Minister of Environment, has visited Ogoniland five times to commission 16 water stations, supplying potable water to 45 Ogoni communities and ensuring that other projects get equal attention, a clear demonstration of his unflinching commitment to the accelerated implementation of the Ogoni cleanup programme in line with Priority 3, Deliverable 3 of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and driven under the visionary and passionate leadership of Prof NenibariniZabbey as Project Coordinator.
By: Donatus Ebi