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Produce Students Killers: UNIPORT SUG Issues Two Wks Ultimatum …Senate, Okrika Chiefs Condemn Killings

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Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi (right) presenting a souvenir to the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Downstream Sector, Hon. Dakuku Peterside when members of the committee paid a courtesy visit to the governor at Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday.

The Student Union Government (SUG) of the University of Port
Harcourt has issued a two week ultimatum to the Aluu community in Ikwere Local
Government Area of Rivers State to provide to the security agencies, the
killers of the four students of the school to avert any unpleasant
consequences.

The SUG President, Maxwell Soye Nyamabo gave the warning
yesterday during a peaceful demonstration at Aluu over the gruesome murder of
the four students of the university at Umuokiri, Aluu last Friday.

The Tide gathered that the action was part of resolution
reached in the meeting held yesterday by the Students Union to draw the
attention of elders and leaders of Aluu community, especially Umuokiri village
where the incident took place on the need to produce and handover to the
security agencies, the killers of the four students.

The Tide also gathered that the peaceful protest which
started at about 9.am yesterdays paralysed both velucular and business activities
in the area.

Efforts to speak with the leaders of the community proved
abortive as most of the indigenes have fled for fear of being attacked by the
students.

However, the university still observed the two weeks free
lecture period earlier scheduled to enable the university community mourn the
slain students just as the Student Union Government has suspended the student
week billed to  have commenced last
Monday.

At a press briefing to the Vice Chancellor of the University
of Port Harcourt, Prof Joseph A. Ajienka said the institution will maintain the
free lecture days to enable the school observe a one-week mourning period
declared by the senate of the university on Monday.

It would be recalled that the authorities of the university
of Port Harcourt had declared a seven-day mourning in honour of the four
murdered students by an angry mob last Friday.

The school authorities also put off indefinitely, the
ongoing 2012 student Union Week, which commenced Monday to allow the students
observed a seven day mourning period for the slain students.

Ajienka confirmed that three out of the four student
murdered were students of the University while one is yet to be identified.

He identified the three as Biringa Chiadikobi Lordson, a
200-level, Theatre Arts student with Matric No U2010/1805036, Ugonna Kelechi
Obuzor, 200-level Geology student with matric No U2010/3010094 and Mike Lloyd
Toku also a 200-level Civil Engineering student with Matric No U2010/3010094,
while the fourth person, known as Tekena Erikena was yet  to be identified as a student of the school.

He debunked insinuations that the students were armed
robbers who were in the habit of terrorising the area saying that the law does
not give any body power outside security agencies to kill anybody without
police investigation and court conviction.

Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday in Abuja condemned the
killing of three students of University of Port Harcourt and their friend,
namely Biringa Chiadikobi  Lordson,
Ugonna Obuzor, Lloyd Mike Toku, Tekena Erikena, all below the age of 22 years.

The Senate called on the security agencies to fish out the
perpetrators and bring them to book.

The Senate made the call following the debate of a motion
sponsored by Sen. Ayogu Eze (PDP-Enugu) and 90 other senators.

Eze had in his lead debate noted the dehumanising manner in
which the four youths were stripped naked, marched like common criminals and
battered to death.

The lawmaker described as flimsy, the allegation of theft of
laptops and blackberry phones levelled against them, which was yet to be
ascertained.

Eze said it was a thing of worry that this was coming on the
heels of another systematic murder of more than 40 persons, majority of them
students in another institution of higher learning.

He also expressed concern over what he described as the cold
attitude of leaders of Aluu community, who first gave approval for the extra
judicial killing.

Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu in his contribution
said that one of the deceased was well know to him, adding that the allegation
of stealing of laptops levelled against him was immaterial.

Sen. Magnus Abe (PDP-Rivers) said it was wrong for the
community to have taken laws into its hands no matter the crime committed by
the students.

According to him, it is high time that perpetrators of such
dastardly acts are fished out and punished to serve as a warning to others.

While ruling on the motion, Senate President, David Mark,
said what happened in Aluu was in every sense a condemnable act.

He said the Senate would do all within its power, strength
and might to address it.

In the same vein, the Okrika Divisional Council of Chiefs in
Rivers yesterday urged the police to ensure that killers of the four University
of Port Harcourt students were prosecuted.

The Chairman, Okrika Divisional Council of Chiefs, Chief
Nimi Adoki, told newsmen in Port Harcourt that the killing was “barbaric.’’

It would be recalled that personal information released by
the university about the victims showed that two of them hailed from Okrika
Local Government Area of the state.

Adoki said the law enforcement agencies should ensure that
everybody who took part in the dastardly act was made to face the law.

He said the people of Okrika would resist any temptation to
give ethnic coloration to the matter.

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Again, RSG Begins Unveiling, Flag-Off Of Nine Key Projects, ’Morrow

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The Rivers State Government has rolled out the drums to herald another phase of official commissioning of key projects embarked upon by the Governor Nyesom Wike-led administration in the state.
A statement by the state government said that the process is in continuation of the commissioning and flag-off of projects by Governor Nyesom Wike.
It indicated that Rumuola flyover would be commissioned tomorrow, while the GRA flyover would be commissioned on Saturday.
The also stated that the government would commission the Ezimgbu Road on Monday, December 13, 2021; with another commissioning of Tombia Road Extension scheduled for Tuesday, December 14, 2021.
The statement said that the governor would commission the Safe Home, Borikiri, Port Harcourt on Wednesday, December 15; while on Thursday, December 16, 2021, the governor would commission the Odokwu internal roads.
Also, the governor would continue the flag-off of key infrastructure projects with Chokocho-Igbodo Road slated for Monday, December 20, 2021; Oyigbo-Okoloma Road on Wednesday, December 22, 2021; and Magistrates’ Court Complex, Port Harcourt on Thursday, December 23, 2021.

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Wike Justifies N7bn Libel Suit Against THISDAY

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Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, yesterday, appeared before the state High Court in Port Harcourt, to testify as a witness in an N7billion libel suit against THISDAY Newspaper.
Wike said he was in court to seek justice and clear his name as a person from the malicious publication by THISDAY Newspaper, which portrayed him as deceitful, untrustworthy person, who exerts subterranean influences on judicial matters and over court sittings in Port Harcourt.
It would be recalled that Wike had in August, 2020, slammed a N7billion suit being damages for libel written and published in THISDAY’s Tuesday, June 23, 2020 edition captioned, “With Wike, Obaseki Meets His PDP’s Waterloo; Almost.”
The defendants in the suit are THISDAY Newspapers Limited, Leaders and Company Limited, Davidson Iriekpan, Chuks Okocha and Adibe Emenyonu.
Wike, while testifying as witness in suit No. PHC/1505/CS/2020 before the court presided over by Justice A. Enebeli, asserted that the defendants maliciously and falsely portrayed him as an unreliable friend/person.
“When you say somebody cannot be trusted; that cannot be a fair comment. When you say somebody is influencing the Judiciary, that cannot be a fair comment”, the governor said.
In his written statement on oath, Wike had stated that the defendants had accused him of influencing the decision of the court sitting in Port Harcourt that granted an injunction restraining Godwin Obaseki from participating in the primaries of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State in 2020.
He stated that the defendants maliciously accused him of undemocratically exerting influence on the primaries process of PDP in Edo State in aid of his ally, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, who was the beneficiary of the court order restraining Obaseki from participating in the PDP primaries.
The governor, who told the court that he was not even aware of the aforementioned suit by Ogbeide-Ihama against Obaseki, said the publication was reckless, false and without regards for the truth.
According to him, contrary to well-known journalistic tradition and practices, the defendants did not investigate properly to ensure the information they relied on was accurate.
“They did not seek to verify the facts from me or in any manner oblige me with the opportunity to state my own side of the story before proceeding to make the false publication” the governor argued.
Wike stated that the defendants further denigrated him before the entire world as a fake democrat, who engages in meddling in the internal affairs of All Progressives Congress (APC) in order to get at his political foe, Chibuike Amaechi.
The governor explained that he was not a member of the APC and has had no hand in the internal crisis which has bedevilled the party both in Rivers State and all over Nigeria.
“By the letter of Messrs E.C. Ukala and Co., Solicitors, under the hand of Emmanuel C. Ukala, SAN, dated 23rd June, 2020, the defendants were given opportunity to retract, and recant the publication as well as to offer apology for the false publication but the defendants spurned the opportunity and ignored the letter completely.”
The governor, while responding to claim by lawyer to the defendants, Turudu Ede, SAN, that the essence of the lawsuit was to intimidate and harass his clients, said the whole essence of the suit was to get justice and clear his name as a man of substantial character, honour and repute.
“The essence of the suit is to get justice since they (defendants) refused to retract the publication or apologise. So, I sued them to clear my name.”
Speaking to journalists outside the court, one of the lawyers to Wike, Mr. Mark Agwu said his client was in court to seek legal redress.
“To challenge him as a person, it means you have made him untrustworthy, a deceit, a cheat, an influencer of the court, because the publication they made was that he had a role to play in influencing the outcome of that Federal High Court case. Nobody will take that lightly, and especially for a man who believes in the rule of law”, Agwu added.
The court adjourned the matter for further hearing to 12th, 13th and 14th of January, 2022.

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$130m Fraud: Rivers Sues Saipem SPA, Saipem Contracting Firm, Others

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The Rivers State Government has charged two construction firms, Saipem SPA and Saipem Contracting Nigeria Ltd, to court over an alleged conspiracy to cheat and with intent to defraud the state of the sum of $130million, being advanced payment for the construction of the OCGT power plant in Port Harcourt.
In a 16-count criminal charge filed by the Director of Public Prosecution, C.F. Amadi for the Rivers State Attorney General, the state alleged that after collecting the said sum as advanced payment between 2011 and 2018, the defendants have not kept their obligation under the contract.
Others charged alongside the companies were Walter Peviana; Kelechi Sinteh Chinakwe; Giandomenico Zingali; Vitto Testaguzza and Davide Anelli, who are directors and officers of the companies.
The defendants are charged with various offences ranging from conspiracy, cheating and obtaining credit by false pretence, contrary to Section 518 (6) and (7) and punishable under Section 518 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37 Vol. 2 Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999, section 419A and punishable under Section 419 (A) (1) (b) of the Criminal Code, Cap 37 Vol. 2 Laws of Rivers State, amongst others.
Already, the Rivers State Government has issued a fiat to the law firm of Godwin Obla (SAN) to prosecute the matter before the state High court.
The defendants are equally charged for the offence of false Statements by Officials of Companies contrary to and punishable under Section 436 (b).
The prosecution specifically accused the defendants of obtaining credit of $130million by false pretences or other fraud contrary to Section 419A and punishable under Section 419 (A) (1) (b); obtaining credit of $20,467,942.00 by false pretences or other fraud contrary to Section 419A and punishable under Section 419 (A) (1) (b), obtaining credit of N7,000,000,000.00 only by false pretences or other fraud contrary to Section 419A and punishable under Section 419 (A) (1) (b).
They are charged for obtaining credit of N318,640,173.54, by false pretences or other fraud contrary to Section 419A and punishable under Section 419 (A) (1) (b); attempt to cheat $97million contrary to Section 508 and punishable under Section 509; attempt to cheat $15million contrary to Section 508 and punishable under Section 509; conspiracy to receive a credit of $97million by false pretences contrary to Section 518 (6) and punishable under Section 518; cheating $11million contrary to Section 421 and punishable under Section 421; cheating contrary to Section 421 and punishable under Section 421; cheating N110, 097, 416.51 contrary to Section 421 and punishable under Section 421; cheating by collecting sums attributable to shared facilities already paid for in AFAM Phase I in AFAM Phase II contrary to Section 421 and punishable under Section 421.
Obtaining N20, 467, 942 contrary to Section 421 and punishable under Section 421; obtaining credit of $60,168,936.00 by false pretences or other fraud, contrary to Section 419A and punishable under Section 419 (A) (1) (b); obtaining credit of $1,512,034.00 by false pretences or other fraud contrary to Section 419A and punishable under Section 419 (A) (1) (b) all of the Criminal Code Law of Rivers State, Cap 37 Vol. 2 Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria 1999.
According to the Proof of Evidence attached to the charge and the statement made by the Head, Power Generation/Mechanical of the Rivers State Ministry of Power, one Mr Temple Azunda M., the facts constituting the case in hand are as follows:
Saipem SPA and Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited and other officers of the duo, herein the Defendants, are Italian companies which services have been retained by the Rivers State Government, herein RSG, in several projects, prominent amongst which is the AFAM Phase II Power Plant Project.
By an initial tripartite agreement made on the January 20, 2010, the RSG under the auspices of the Rivers State Ministry of Power entered a contract with Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited, Saipem SPA for the construction of the OGCT power plant in Port Harcourt at a total cost of $119million consequent upon which the Rivers State Government made advance payments, in instalments, to Saipem Contracting Nigeria Ltd and Saipem SPA amounting in total to a sum of $130million in all which the Defendants have acknowledged receipt of.
The Defendants were to be given an initial mobilization of 20per cent of the total contract sum which the RSG paid.
It was part of the initial agreement – and indeed a condition sine qua non – that, to access the 2nd tranche of payment of 25per cent from the Rivers State Government, the Defendants would mandatorily have installed the Gas Turbine into the foundations as referenced in ATTACHMENT 1 to VO 007 which states that:
CONTRACTOR shall be entitled to a payment corresponding to 20per cent of the VO No. 007 LS PRICE upon mobilisation to site and commencement of bush clearing activities at SITE.
Upon commencement of bush clearing activities at the site, the contractor shall issue the invoice relevant to the above payment and the owner shall pay such invoice within 14 days from its issuance.
The parties agree that no deduction for recovery of advance payment shall apply on the payment due to the contractor for invoices issued by the contractor in accordance with this paragraph.

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