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Niger Delta

Police Command Denies Knowledge Of Officers’ Protest Over Promotion

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The Zone Six Police Public Relations Officer (ZPPRO), DSP Nelson Okpabi has said the Zone Six Command of the Nigeria Police was not aware of protest by men and officers under the Zone who protested over non-promotion.
Speaking to newsmen DSP Okpabi noted: “I am not aware of any protest by policemen over non-promotion in Zone 6. Officers and men in the Zone are appreciative of the IGPs magnanimity over the promotion of deserving officers to their new ranks and pray that the tempo will be sustained.”
But aggrieved general duty policemen in Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, who were last promoted in 2016 expressed frustration over an alleged refusal of the Police authorities in Abuja to include them in the November 19, 2020 promotion.
Speaking with newsmen, the officers who claimed that they were due for promotion to the rank of Inspector accused the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, of selective promotion, saying the IGP was deliberately sitting on their rights for reasons best known to him.
A spokesman for the aggrieved officers, who gave his name as Augustine lamented their non-promotion, explaining that the officers had nothing incriminatory in their files, and were not passing through any disciplinary measures.
“It was obvious the IGP was deliberately refusing to give us what rightly belongs to us. We were promoted last in 2016 and were due for another promotion to the rank of Inspector last year. On November 19, 2020, the Police authorities released names of those who were promoted and surprisingly our names were not included for reasons we are not told till date.
“There is no disciplinary issue against us. We have complained officially to the authorities and still, nothing has been done. The painful thing is that our juniors have been promoted ahead of us and we are still waiting.
“Nobody has told us anything, no communication, nothing. As the IGP has not told us why we are not promoted, it shows his action is deliberate. People are aggrieved, people are very worried. This has already affected our output.
“At times, one could be willing to put in his best and work but each time his mind wanders to such treatment, it affects him psychologically, affects patriotism, morale, mood, appetite to food and general performance. To be frank, we cannot even sleep at night as our minds continually wander on reasons for such treatment, it is traumatic.
“If you had done something wrong and this type of treatment is meted out as a punishment, you’ll understand but in this case, nobody has told us what our crimes were. There is already a psychological issue, you cannot pretend that all is well when it is not. Communication has reduced, interaction has reduced,” Augustine said.
However, the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Nelson Okpabi described the allegation as untrue.
”I am not aware of any officer of the 2016 batch who has not been promoted. They were all captured and there is nobody left. We don’t have any of them in Zone 6 Command, it is untrue. The last promotion captured those who were expecting theirs. Everybody knows his own time”, DSP Ukpabi said.

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Niger Delta

CSOs, Bille Community Urge Solution To Persistent Underwater Gas Eruption

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April 10, 2026

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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
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Niger Delta

Police Detain 7, Recover Arms In A’Ibom 

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April 10, 2026

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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.
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Niger Delta

Otu Launches Grassroot Security Network In C’River

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April 10, 2026

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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.
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