Niger Delta

Firm Brokers Peace With Host Communities …Promises Employment, Other Incentives

Published

8 years ago

July 23, 2018

An agro-allied company operating in Rivers State, Siat Nigeria Limited has successfully brokered a truce with its host communities in Etche Local Government Area, with a firm promise to continue to provide employment opportunities, contracts and other incentives to the communities.
The Managing Director of the company, Mr Felix Nwabuko, who unfolded the package of incentive to the communities during a peace meeting brokered by the Executive Chairman of the local government, Hon Obinna Anyanwu at the firm’s corporate headquarters in Ubima last Tuesday assured that the firm would continue to have credible interface and interactions with its host communities based on the goodwill it shared with them.
Nwabuko, who gave the assurance based on the demands presented to the company by representatives of the communities, ranging from extension of its electricity project to Ozuzu, Isu and Ogida communities, employment, Memorandum of Understanding and appointment of Community, Liaison Officer (CLO) to request for landlords association, payment of stipends to traditional rulers, unpaid arrears of rent and contract jobs, among others, said the company was committed to meeting its corporate social responsibilities to the communities.
The Tide recalls that in the wake of the recent protest staged by the communities, the firm had directed each of the five communities to submit names of 10 persons to be employed into the firm, a gesture which the managing director said would be improved upon from time to time. .
According to him, “when we look at employment, we are not going to debate or rationalise this. We have our statistics of who is employed and from where in this company. We are very happy to ensure that we look at host communities for jobs. And you have heard today that proactively, they have asked for names of people. As we have started it, we are going to improve upon that”.
He also directed the communities to apply for the position of Community Liaison Officer (CLO), which the company had already advertised for, saying, “if we can get somebody who is competent and credible from the host communities, that is a plus. It opens door for professionalism. It is not an allocation job.”
On payment of arrears of unpaid rent to the host communities, the managing director disclosed that the management of the company had already championed the issue with the Rivers State Government.
“Government today is sympathetic to that issue. There is a file on that. The day that file is finalised, this issue of unpaid arrears of rent will be a thing of the past”, he said, adding that the company had already requested the communities to provide it with credible records on the issue..
He also promised that the company would pay stipends to deserving traditional rulers in the communities. “I know that we pay something as of now but not to the entire traditional rulers. We will sit down and look at the issue of traditional rulers”, he assured.
The Chairman of Etche Local Government Area, Hon Obinna Anyanwu, who led delegates of the host communities to the meeting, requested that the names for employment submitted to the company by the communities should be revisited, and also called for the conversion of casual security staff working in the company to permanent staff.
While describing Etche people as peace-loving, the council chairman said the people did not ask for too much during their presentation, and urged the management of the firm to reciprocate the peaceful disposition of the communities.
“The management of Siat, you know that for you to do business anywhere and make profit, you must ensure that the environment is okay”, he said.
Apart from the Managing Director of Siat Nigeria Limited, Mr Felix Nwabuko, the Chief Operating Officer of the company, Mr Gerald Ray and its Relations Manager, Mr Lucky Ezihuo also attended the meeting.
Delegates of the communities who attended the meeting included the Director, Quality Assurance/Chairman, Professional Ethics, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Prof Samuel Amaele, the Ochimba of Ihie Community, Eze Josiah Nwaguru, Eze Mathew Elekwachi, Eze Emmanuel Victor, Hon Israel Okoroafor, the President Ozuzu Youth, Mr Kingdom Aforoele and Chairman, Isu Community Development Committee (CDC), Mr Amadi Simeon, among others.

Donatus Ebi

Niger Delta

CSOs, Bille Community Urge Solution To Persistent Underwater Gas Eruption

Published

13 hours ago

April 10, 2026

The Tide

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the people of Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State have called for government’s urgent intervention to end the suspected underwater gas eruption in the community.

The groups, under the aegis of the Environmental Rights Action and Social Action, made the call during their advocacy visit to the Port Harcourt Zonal Head of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), in Port Harcourt.

The Programme Manager of Environmental Rights Action, Mr. Kentebe Ebiaridor, said the visit was to seek clarity on the response efforts of the regulators to the development in the community.

Ebiaridor expressed concern over what he described as “inadequate response from regulatory agencies and the government concerning the incident”.

He said discussions with some officials revealed that there was still no clear timeline for action to address the situation.

According to him, in the absence of clear ownership of the facility linked to the incident, companies operating within Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18 should be held accountable.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) had in a statement issued on March 20 by its Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, said the commission had commenced an investigation into a gas bubbling incident in Bille Community.

Eyesan said the commission expressed concern over the development and assured residents of its ongoing efforts to address the situation.

Also, the Resource Justice Manager of Social Action, Dr. Prince Edegbuo, warned that the situation could escalate into a public health emergency, if urgent steps were not taken.

Edegbuo called on relevant authorities to release the results of the tests reportedly conducted in the area, stressing that residents had the right to know the condition of their environment.

He also said CSOs were prepared to intensify advocacy on the matter, urging the development of emergency response measures, including possible evacuation plans.

A legal practitioner and community stakeholder, Mr. Commission Deinbo, had, on March 20, said residents had continued to witness unusual signs on the waterways in the area.

Deinbo said the signs included boiling and bubbling from the ground and river, sometimes within residential areas, as well as fire outbreaks, which the residents had always managed to contain.

He appealed to relevant authorities to come to their aid and find a lasting solution to the problem.

In a response, the Port Harcourt Zonal Head of NOSDRA, Mr. Bello Augustin, assured the community that he would relate its concerns to the appropriate quarters.

Augustin also commended the CSOs for their advocacy and concerns to community development in the state.

By: Wokoma Emmanuel & Theresa Frederick

Niger Delta

Police Detain 7, Recover Arms In A’Ibom

Published

17 hours ago

April 10, 2026

The Tide

The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State has detained seven suspects and recovered firearms after raiding a criminal hideout in Ndiya Mfia, Ikono Local Government Area.of the State.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, made the disclosure in a statement in Uyo on Wednesday.

John said that the breakthrough which occurred at about 6.00a.m on Wednesday, followed credible intelligence from members of the public.

“We reliably gathered that criminal suspects were hibernating in a compound disguised as worshippers.

“In a decisive operation, our personnel conducted a thorough search of the premises which led to the detention and recovery of arms,” she said.

According to her, the operation was in line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police to decisively combat crime in the country.

The police spokesman further said that two locally made double-barrel guns, five expended cartridges, four motorcycles and three generators were recovered during the operation.

She also listed 10 mobile phones, one police crest, four jungle boots, one peak cap, saw blade, spanner, number plates, machetes, a special force vest as other items recovered.

“We also found bottles of suspected spiritual oil and one enlarged photograph linked to an ongoing investigation,” she said.

John said that preliminary investigation suggested that the location was being used as cover for criminal operations.

She said the State’s Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Azare, has directed a comprehensive investigation on the matter in order to apprehend the principal suspect.

John expressed the commitment of the Command to rid the state of crime, and urged members of the public to always support the police with timely and credible information.

Niger Delta

Otu Launches Grassroot Security Network In C’River

Published

18 hours ago

April 10, 2026

The Tide

Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has launched a grassroots security intelligence network, named, ”Homeland Safety and Security Agency,” to strengthen community-based surveillance and enhance safety across the state.

Otu, who inaugurated the agency’s office in the Southern Senatorial District of the state on Monday, in Calabar, said similar offices were being inaugurated in the Central and Northern Senatorial Districts.

The Governor, represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Emmanuel Ironbar, said the officials of the agency would serve as first point of call before matters would be escalated to main security architecture in the state.

He described Homeland Security as an intelligence-driven structure focused on neighbourhood monitoring and early threat detection through coordinated local efforts.

He said the initiative constituted the directors and field operatives, tasked with gathering and forwarding intelligence to relevant security agencies for prompt action.

Otu noted that the network would serve as a first point of contact before intervention by conventional security agencies.

“It is important that we enhance monitoring of movements across our communities, border areas, and riverine zones to identify suspicious activities and enhance security response.

“The state government will provide necessary gadgets and communication tools to improve efficiency and real-time intelligence sharing,” he said.

Otu called for public cooperation, stressing that ‘’security is a collective responsibility requiring timely information from residents.’’

He said, ‘’to ensure that the security outfit works like a model unit, proper screening would be conducted on the volunteers to weed out undesirable elements from the system.’’

The Tide’s source reports that the Governor handed over 14 motor bikes to the agency’s southern Senatorial district office to enhance their efficiency.

On his part, the Director-General, South of the agency, Mr. Michael Nsan, said the volunteers had played key roles in reducing crime through coordinated patrols and intelligence sharing.

Nsan said over 1,300 volunteers currently supported the operations with additional informants providing critical information across communities.

“Crime rates dropped significantly during the last festive period due to our collaboration with law enforcement agencies in the state,” he said.

The Director-General said volunteers would undergo training and screening, with plans underway for formal recruitment through a government employment portal.

According to him, communication tools, including walkie-talkies, and patrol motorcycles had improved rapid response to security incidents.

He commended the governor’s commitment, noting that the initiative would further strengthen security architecture and community safety across the state.

The source reports that some of the dignitaries who graced the occasion were traditional rulers and government officials.