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Niger Delta

Money Laundering: Judge Demands Sylva’s Presence In Court

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12 years ago

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L-R: Commander, Joint Task Force, Bayelsa State, Commodore Ime Henry Ekpa, Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Mr Frank Hanachor and Assistant Comptroller of Immigration, Mr Benaebi Oba, at the 2014 International Day Against Drug Trafficking in Yenagoa, recently.

L-R: Commander, Joint Task Force, Bayelsa State, Commodore Ime Henry Ekpa, Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Mr Frank Hanachor and Assistant Comptroller of Immigration, Mr Benaebi Oba, at the 2014 International Day Against Drug Trafficking in Yenagoa, recently.

A Federal High Court,
Abuja last Thursday  ordered that a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva and his co-accused persons, must always attend court proceedings for the N19.2 billion money laundering instituted against them   by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed, gave the order in a ruling after parties’ lawyers argued on  whether it was necessary for the accused persons to attend court and enter the dock while still challenging the court’s jurisdiction to entertain the suit.
Sylva and others are challenging the competence of the charges and also asking the court to disqualify the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), from handling the case.
Justice Mohammed, in his ruling held that Sylva and others, were, by law required to attend court at every hearing, since the charges had been formally instituted against them.
He said the accused were duty bound to attend court proceedings in relation to the charges  despite their pending applications challenging the court’s jurisdiction and the charges, and against the prosecuting counsel.
He added that the defence lawyers failed to show any legal provision that the client could stay away from court just because they had pending applications challenging the jurisdiction of the court and the competence of the charges.
Sylva was present at the Thursday’s proceedings. But the judge declined to issue bench warrant requested for by the prosecution lawyer against the absentee accused persons.
The judge said their counsel had sufficiently explained why their clients were absent from court. The EFCC had filed the 42 counts against the accused persons in 2013. The former governor and others were accused of money laundering involving N19.2bn.
Others charged along with Sylva are Francis Okoburo, Gbenga S. Balogun, Samuel Ogbuku, Marlin Maritime Limited, Eat Catering Services Limited and Haloween Blue Construction and Logistics Limited.
Sylva and Balogun reluctantly entered the dock on Thursday, but Okoburo and Ogbuku were absent from court.
Defence lawyers, including Israel Olorundare (SAN), who represented Sylva opposed the prosecution’s application for bench warrant.
Justice Mohammed adjourned till October 8 for hearing of the pending applications by the accused persons.

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Niger Delta

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

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6 days ago

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March 2, 2026

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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.
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Niger Delta

C’River Suspends Taskforce Activities Over Drivers’ Protest

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6 days ago

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March 2, 2026

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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.
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Niger Delta

A’Ibom Assembly Urges More Private Investments In Agriculture

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6 days ago

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March 2, 2026

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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.
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