Niger Delta

Police Decry Alleged Infiltration Of Criminals Into C’River

Published

5 years ago

May 21, 2021

The Cross River State Police Command has expressed worry over the alleged infiltration of the state by unauthorised, questionable characters and suspected criminals.
Briefing newsmen at the Police Headquarters in Calabar, the State Commissioner of Police, Sikiru Akande, lamented the actions of the suspected criminals and hoodlums.
The Commissioner explained that his unit discovered an infiltration into the state through the sea, land, air, stressing that the force has commenced a major operation to prevent unauthorised people from entering the state.
He said persons coming into the state must have their data collected to ascertain their free crime status.
“If people come into the state, we will have their data captured, and they may not pose as a security risk to us”
“I want to state clearly that we are witnessing different levels of attacks nationwide on security, agencies/destruction of facilities, it is worrisome, barbaric and portends danger to all and sundry. It requires a collective response from critical stakeholders to curb this ugly trend in our society irrespective of tribe, religion and cultural differences.
“At this juncture, I call on traditional rulers, community youth’s leaders, religious leaders, etc not to see these daunting security challenges as a problem of the Police alone, but a general approach that needs a high level of commitment from citizens through information gathering and sharing to relevant authorities for proactive policing.
“We are all aware of what is happening within the South-South and South East region of the country and general insecurity in the country, Cross River State Command being a proactive command is not sitting back
“For the past one month, we tirelessly rid the state of all crimes and criminality and one of the things we have discovered is that drugs play an important role in the activity of the men of the underworld
“There are so many categories of substances these people take to boost their ego and make them high but for the past one month, the command has increased her patrol vehicles.
The Commissioner also paraded over 40 suspected criminals including cultists, armed robbers, and burglars, amongst others.
He commended Governor Ayade for the support the command received which, he said had emboldened it to do more, particularly in the area of crime control.
In a related development, a serving Superintendent of Customs, Mba Ukweni Edu, has been kidnapped near a river in Cross River State.
The incident, according to an eyewitness who pleaded anonymity occurred last Friday between 1 and 2pm at the riverbank in Etono Central in Biakpan.
The victim, it was learnt was posted to Ikom in Cross River State in preparation for his retirement, having worked outside Cross River State since the inception of his service.
“Though he has worked in Calabar briefly before he was posted to Ikom, he came in from the West, Lagos.

By: Friday Nwagbara, Calabar

Niger Delta

Stakeholders In Delta Seek Stronger GBV Action, Women’s Leadership

Published

5 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Stakeholders in Delta State convened in Asaba for a leadership workshop organised by Otdel Health Heritage and Environmental Initiative (OHHEI), focusing on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and women’s participation in decision-making processes.

OHHEI Project Director, Mr. Peter Olayinka, represented by a consultant, Juliet Obiajulu, urged participants to contribute meaningfully toward advancing women’s leadership and combating GBV across communities in the state.

He said the workshop aimed to strengthen participants’ capacity to influence policies, challenge harmful cultural norms, and reinforce initiatives designed to prevent and respond to GBV.

Olayinka said women often faced bias even when they occupied leadership positions, and stressed that gender diversity improved the quality of decision-making and promoted innovation and accountability in governance structures.

Speaking, the Chairperson of the Association Against Child Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Mr Eris Jewo-Ibi, identified cultural norms, domestic responsibilities, political resistance, and grassroots barriers as constraints to women’s participation.

Delta State GBV Desk Officer, Mrs. Rosemary Okpuno, emphasised that effective decision-making required women’s perspectives, adding that inclusion remained critical to addressing persistent gender-based challenges.

Voke Angbagh of the Delta State Ministry of Justice outlined penalties for rape and called for the establishment of special courts to handle sexual offences cases.

Angbagh said frequent adjournments delayed justice for survivors, stressing that dedicated sexual offences courts would ensure timely trials and stronger protection for victims in Delta State.

The Tide’s source reports that facilitators identified cultural acceptance of violence, unequal power relations, discrimination, poverty, limited education, and low self-esteem as major drivers of GBV.

They emphasised that violence and exclusion resulted in social, physical and emotional harm, imposed economic costs, reinforced harmful stereotypes, and widened existing gender inequalities.

The source also reports that OHHEI, a local non-profit organisation, focuses on education, health, environment, and social justice, promoting sustainable development initiatives with gender equality at the centre of its interventions.

Niger Delta

C’River Suspends Taskforce Activities Over Drivers’ Protest

Published

5 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Cross River State Government has suspended all taskforce activities connected to commercial transportation and ticketing across the state.

The State Governor, Bassey Otu, announced the suspension at an emergency stakeholders meeting on Friday in Calabar.

It would be recalled that commercial drivers in Calabar metropolis took to streets on Thursday to protest alleged multiple taxation and extortion by government agencies.

During the protest, the drivers alleged that taskforce groups claiming to represent the state government openly harassed and extorted them.

Represented at the meeting by Ekpenyong Akiba, his Special Adviser on General Duties, Otu said the suspension would subsist pending further review of the situation.

The Governor stated that the state government did not commission anyone to extort drivers in the name of task force.

He urged commercial drivers and other road users to remain law-abiding while government worked out a lasting solution.

On his part, the Chairman, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Calabar Metropolis, Mr. Sunday Dennis, expressed optimism that the dialogue would yield positive results.

He said the meeting had provided an opportunity for the aggrieved commercial drivers to present their concerns directly to the state government.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Unified Drivers Association, Mr. Nta Henshaw, described the harassment on drivers as worrisome, and urged the state government to be decisive in resolving the matter.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Assembly Urges More Private Investments In Agriculture

Published

5 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Nutrition and Food Security has called for more private sector investments in agriculture.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Moses Essien, made the call when the committee visited Aviclaire Farms, a private establishment in Usung Idem, Uruk Usoh in Abak Local Government Area.

Essien, who represents Ibiono Ibom in the Assembly, commended the Management of the farm for partnering an NGO, ECEWS, to promote private investment in agriculture.

He commended the partners for adopting climate-smart agriculture initiatives in their operations, adding that such move would promote food security.

“Your interest in using transformative intervention to promote food security is a veritable way of complementing the efforts of the state government,” he said.

The lawmaker continued that adopting practical climate-smart agriculture model would help to generate employment, improve nutrition outcomes, and strengthen food sufficiency.

He further said he was impressed with the strides recorded by the partners, saying, “your investment has created jobs for no fewer than 2,000 youths.

”You are an example of an environment-friendly investor. I urge Akwa Ibom residents to embrace environment-friendly and technology-driven agriculture models,” he said.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, ECEWS, Dr. Andy Eyo, who conducted the committee round the farm, said the collaboration was conceived to demonstrate the viability of climate-smart farming in ensuring food sufficiency.

Eyo said the farm, which commenced operations with four greenhouses, had expanded to 14 within two years, and currently supplying high-quality produce to major markets in Uyo and neighbouring communities.

He said ECEWS was exploring cooperative frameworks to enable rural farmers and women’s groups to adopt greenhouse technology for sustainable livelihoods.

In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Aviclaire Farms, Mrs. Victoria Eyo, said the controlled-environment ensured precision cultivation and consistent yields.

She further said the farm served as a capacity-building centre for students, interns, and agri-business trainees.