News
Gbaraka’s Killing: Justice’ll Be Served, CP Assures Rivers People

The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mukan, has said that the erring officer who allegedly shot Mr. Gospel Gbaraka, a security guard attached to a company in Port Harcourt, has been detained, and was undergoing internal disciplinary procedures.
The commissioner made this known when the family of the deceased paid him a visit at his office in Port Harcourt.
Mukan assured the family of late Gospel Gbaraka that justice would be served in the matter.
While consoling the family of the deceased, he urged them to remain resolute, saying that the police would ensure justice in the matter.
Earlier, the father of the deceased, Mr. Innocent Gbaraka, said that he needs justice for his late son as he was the only hope of his survival.
He added that if justice did not prevail in the matter, he has no option than to commit suicide.
Innocent called on the police authorities to ensure justice for his son, urging the Inspector General of Police, the state Commissioner of Police and well-meaning Nigerians to ensure that justice was served in the matter.
“I was in church when somebody came to call me that my son, who left for work, has been killed. I thought it was a joke. He took me to UPTH where I saw my son in uniform lying dead.
“When I asked the supervisor of the company what happened, he said a policeman working in the same company with my son shot him dead. I don’t know what my son did that he killed him.
“I don’t have anything to say than: let justice prevail. I don’t have anybody else, I am crying because that is a boy I suffered to train. I am finished. He was my only hope. If not for my wife, I would have hanged myself because I don’t know what I am doing here again. I will hang myself if justice does not prevail,” he cried.
Reacting, the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign (CBRPAC) called for an immediate and unbiased investigation into the incident to unravel the circumstances that led to the shooting of the deceased.
The Secretary, Board of Trustees of CBRPAC, Prince Wiro, called on the police authorities to ensure that the investigation was concluded in record time, and anybody found culpable, made to face the law.
However, youths under the platform of Ogoni Youths Federation (OYF) have demanded justice for their murdered brother, urging the Commissioner of Police in the state, Joseph Mukan, to order an immediate investigation into the development.
In a statement in Port Harcourt, the President-General, Ogoni Youth Federation, Comrade Legborsi Yamaabana, said the youths were in shock over the news, wondering what had led to the shooting when there was no problem between the victim and the policeman.
Yamaabana said: “The Ogoni Youth Federation (OYF) worldwide on Sunday, November 22, 2020, received distressing and shocking news of the extra-judicial murder of one of its youths and shining lights, Mr Gospel Gbaraka, at the hands of a gun-wielding member of the Nigerian Police Force, one Inspector James, serving at the Marine Base Police Station in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, now being detained at the Mile One Police Station.
“Gospel Gbaraka was on duty at his security post this morning. The said Inspector James is also a police security personnel attached to the company.
“There were no altercations, riot or crisis situation at the company involving groups of persons requiring the use of live bullets to disperse crowds, neither was there any existing problem between the deceased and Inspector James.
“As a youth body, we are incredibly pained that the life of this young man has been taken, particularly now that Nigeria is at a crossroad, and the world has been awoken to the demands of #EndSARS protesters whose focal point is to end the recurring decimal of police brutality and extra-judicial killings.”
Our correspondent reports that 28-year-old late Gospel Gbaraka, a native of Gwara Community in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, was allegedly shot dead by a police officer while on his duty post as security guard attached to Bulk Strategic Reserve Limited at Abonnema Wharf in Port Harcourt.
By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
-
Rivers4 days ago
HOS Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP … As Project Sensitization Team Visit Degema, AKULGA
-
Politics4 days ago
Reps Constitution Review Committee Holds Zonal Hearing For Rivers, C’River, Akwa Ibom In Calabar
-
Opinion4 days ago
Is Nigeria Democratic Nation?
-
News4 days ago
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
-
News4 days ago
2027: I Stand With Southern Presidency -Ortom
-
Politics4 days ago
Lagos LG Polls: Police Restrict Movement, Tightens Security
-
News4 days ago
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman
-
Opinion4 days ago
Checking Herdsmen Rampage