Rivers
Police Brutality: Ex-Commissioner Demands N30m Compensation
A former commissioner in Rivers State, Chief Pawariso Samuel Horsfall has demanded the payment of N30million as compensation for the brutality, assault and manhandling meted against him by operatives of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Buguma during 2019 gubernatorial and state House of Assembly elections.
Horsfall said payment of the sum so demanded would compensate for the assault and beating he suffered from operatives of SARS and Mobile Police Force as well as his properties and jewelleries carted away by the police during the incident.
The two-time commissioner and the current Regent of Peace Compound in Buguma town, Asari Toru Local Government Area, made the demand, yesterday, when he appeared to give evidence at the ongoing sitting in Port Harcourt of the state Judicial Commission of Inquiry Investigating the alleged Acts of Killing, Violence, Torture and Abuse of Fundamental Rights of Citizens committed by officers, men and operatives of the Nigerian police.
Horsfall while giving his evidence in the petition he submitted to the panel, alleged that on March 9, 2019, in Ward 7, Unit 11, Buguma, in Pawariso’s compound where the polling unit was situated, officials of SARS, accompanied by some APC stakeholders in the area, stormed his house and carted away his personal belongings worth about N30million on election day.
He further alleged that the police officers told him that they acted based on intelligence reports that he was harbouring thugs in his house, adding that he watched while the police destroyed his properties and looted his wife’s jewelleries.
The regent, who took his time to narrate his alleged ordeal in the hands of the SARS and police officers attached to monitor the said election in his polling unit, told the panel that the police officers also manhandled PDP supporters who came to cast their votes on that fateful day, adding that the police were aided by APC members to snatch ballot papers.
According to him, they were allegedly assaulted by the police, especially the SARS operatives, adding that the torture dehumanised and traumatised them.
“They alleged that I was harbouring thugs in my house. We were only seven persons at that moment, and my house is at the third floor of the three-storey building where the polling unit is located.
“They looted my properties and carted away my wife’s personal effects. I lost over N30million.
“I did not report the matter in any police station because the police seemed to be at war with every PDP member on that day”, he added.
Horsfall urged the commission to ensure that justice was served on the matter.
Our correspondent reports that a similar assault case brought by Hon Claudius Princewill from Buguma town in Asari Toru Local Government Area was later adjourned to December 14, 2020, for cross-examination by the police legal team, while the petition written by Mr Ezekiel Tariuwo was struck out because the matter was pending before a Federal High Court in the state.
The presiding Chairman, Justice Chukwunoye Uriri (rtd) while striking out the petition, said the panel was not bound to entertain any matter that was prejudice.
Rivers
PH Airport Users Lament Deteriorating Facilities
Users of Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa have decried continuous deterioration of facilities at the airport, saying that rather than improving, such facilities are deteriorating continuously.
Some of the airport users who interacted with The Tide on the matter pointed out that the state of some facilities like electricity at the airport, network of announcement, access to banking and access road network among others have seriously gone down.
Reacting to the situation while interacting with The Tide, a protocol officer with one of the multinational oil firms in Port Harcourt, Julius Nwoye said rather than improving, the state of electricity at the airport currently, is downwardly unimaginable.
According to him, an international airport like the Port Harcourt Airport, ought not to be experiencing continuous epileptic power supply, because of the business activities being undertaken.
“ For over six years, I have been in this airport, I have not witnessed this kind of situation where there will be outage of power every now and then, some time, up to three hours almost every day, since late 2023 till now, that is what have been experiencing here.
“ Before now, you will hear flights announcement at the VIP lounge, as well as at the Genesis Fast Food, and even at the car hires office, but now, even the announcement at the terminal building is not loud enough, and nothing is being done about it, and this is not so in other major airports in this country”, he lamented.
On his assessment, Mr Tonye Dokubo, a travel agent at the airport lamented over the state of banking at the airport, stressing that the UBA is now the only bank operating at the Port Harcourt airport.
According to him, there were four banks operating at the airport, but that the new tax regime has pushed them out of the airport, as well as other business outfits that have left the airport because of high taxation and rental charges.
Dokubo also lamented that the service being rendered by only UBA, is not enough for the entire airport, as compared to the volume of users, like other major airports in Nigeria, and urged the authorities to take urgent steps to address the setbacks.
Currently also, access to food and drinks has become difficult at the airport, as users are compelled to trek some distance to get them, as the management had ordered total relocation of the vendors, and this has forced prices of things higher.
Meanwhile, several efforts were made by aviation correspondents to speak with the Airport Manager, Michael Arewa on these issues, but he has repeatedly shown no interest to speak with the press.
By: Corlins Walter
Rivers
Indorama’s Jossy Nkwocha Wins Environmental Sustainability Award
Group Head of Corporate Communications at Indorama-Nigeria, owners of Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals and Fertiliser group, Dr Jossy Nkwocha has won the maiden Distinguished Spokesperson’s Award in Environmental Sustainability.
At the International Conference Centre, Abuja, he was announced as winner of the Award among three finalists from other organisations in Nigeria. He was thereafter presented a gold-plated, plaque and a certificate.
Dr Nkwocha also emerged finalist in Oil and Gas category.
The Award ceremony marked the end of a three-day National Spokespersons’ Summit organised by the Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), which was declared open by the Vice President, Alhaji Ibrahim Shetima.
Various resource persons from abroad and Nigeria, all of whom were former spokespersons in the public and private sectors shared their practical experiences and perspectives in the art and science of being a spokesperson especially in crisis communication, stakeholder engagement, among others.
President of NIPR, Dr Ike Neliaku said the 17 Awards categories were instituted to encourage Spokespersons in government and corporate organisations to be professional, responsive, ethical and creative in their Spokesperson’s roles and responsibilities to achieve impactful result.
“This healthy competition will produce impactful results,” he said.
Dr Nkwocha’s entry for the Award was how he and his team deployed the tool of stakeholder engagement to eliminate the false narrative that Indorama-Nigeria’s Petrochemicals and fertiliser operations were emitting soot in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The professional handling of the issue showed all the journalists, radio on-air personalities, the academics, professional bodies and concerned NGOs that Indoram’s operations were green and the company is environment friendly and environmentally sustainable.
Dr Nkwocha dedicated the prestigious award to his team members and management of the petrochemicals and fertiliser group.
Rivers
PH NiMECHE Inaugurates 9th Executive
The Port Harcourt Chapter of the Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Enginers (NIMECHE) has inaugurated its nineth Executives with Engr Promise Jumbo as Chairman.
The investiture ceremony which took place in Port Harcourt has as its theme,” Challenges of Mechanical Equipment Maintenance and Abandonment in Nigeria”.
National Chairman of NiMECHE, Engr. Alhassan Muhammed praised the Port Harcourt Chapter of the body for contributing towards the growth of the institution in the country.
According to Engr Muhammad, who was chairman of the investiture ceremony, NiMECHE in Port Harcourt was a beacon of excellence as far as the institution was concerned.
Represented by Engr Dan Entire, he said the ceremony represents the transfer of responsibilities and charged the new executive to put in place measures that will further advance the interest of mechanical engineering in the region.
Also speaking chairperson of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Port Harcourt, Engr (Mrs) Idaeresoari Harriet Ateke said the event signified a major milestone in the growth of the institution not only in Rivers state but across the country.
While urging for full support to the new executive, the NSE chairperson expressed confidence in the ability of the new executive to take NiMECHE to greater height.
She also described the theme as apt, and urged them to put in place programms that will improve mechanical engineering contributions to Nigeria’s transformation.
In his inaugural address, NiMECHE new chairman Engr Dr promise Jumbo said the chapter is poised to distinguish itself as the best in the country.
“As a professional institution, our focus is to distinguish ourselves and be outstanding in our operations.
“We will strive to surpass the achievements of our predecessors and creat new heights for those coming after us to also surpass us”.
He said the institution will maintain cordial relationship with others, particularly the Nigerian Society of Engineers Port Harcourt branch, relevant Government Agencies and Allied Industries.
Jumbo said the chapter will carry out activities that will impact positively on the professional wellbeing of members and as well provide quality mentorship for the young professionals.
He also said the impact of NiMECHE is already being felt across the state as the institution had in the recent past embarked on career talks to schools and institutions as a way of giving back to the society.
The event was attended by people from all walks of life.
By: John Bibor
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