News
35 Days After, Top Rivers Monarch Regains Freedom From Captivity

Thirty five excruciating days after he was kidnapped in his palace in Ikuru, Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, a first class Traditional Ruler, King Aaron Miller Ikuru, has finally been rescued by the police from his abductors.
The monarch’s spokesman, Maurice Ikuru, confirmed the release to newsmen, in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
The monarch, who is also the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, was nabbed by kidnappers on February 21, 2021, during a meeting with some of his kinsmen in his palace in Ikuru, a riverine community in the state.
On the same day, a senior lecturer and head of Department of Linguistics and Communication Studies, University of Port Harcourt, Dr. Jones Ayuwo; also the king’s kinsman, was kidnapped at Bori on his way back from a meeting in another village on Bible translation in local languages.
The university lecturer was nabbed in company of some journalists, who were released shortly afterwards, but not without some horrifying ordeals.
While disclosing the king’s release, the palace spokesperson did not, however, give details of how the monarch was released from the kidnappers’ den.
He simply confirmed that the king was released on Saturday night.
Maurice also said the monarch was released unconditionally without any ransom paid, adding that, “we just thank God for everything.”
It would be recalled that Maurice had informed newsmen earlier on March 17, barely 25 days after his abduction that the kidnappers were demanding for a ransom of N5billion.
Maurice had said, “They had made contact with the family. They said they want N5billion.But I have not heard anything from them again. But we are believing God that very soon, he will be released’.
Also speaking, spokesman of the Rivers State Police Command, SP Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed the monarch’s release, saying, “The Command is in an ecstatic mood over what has happened.”
A statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Nnamdi Omoni, revealed that the Okama of Ikuru Kingdom was released Saturday night at a forest in Abissa in Akuku Toru Local Government Area where he had been held in captivity for five weeks.
The statement said his release was a result of robust synergy between the Nigerian Police and the Navy, where through collaborative efforts, both agencies from inception, worked relentlessly with the aid of technical assistance to release the monarch.
Omoni said,, “The police, in the wake of the incident, deployed strategically and mounted unassailable pressure on the kidnappers and it was reported that in one of such pressures, the king’s clothes and hat were recovered at a creek, while one Wariboko Basoene was arrested, who in the course of investigation, made useful confessions to the police, and finally led the operatives to a forest in Abissa, where the monarch was eventually rescued, unhurt”.
Narrating his ordeal in the hands of his abductors, the traditional ruler expressed gratitude to God Almighty for using the instrumentality of the police and other agencies to effect his release.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Friday Eboka, who led his officers to the residence of the monarch, commended the efforts of the police for ensuring the safe and unconditional release of the king and his kinsman, the lecturer, kidnapped simultaneously.
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.
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