News
Saro-Wiwa: Ogoni Groups Threaten FG Over Seized Bus …Plan Protest ’Morrow
Two Ogoni groups have threatened a showdown with the Federal Government if it fails to release the Kenule Saro-Wiwa memorial bus allegedly impounded by the Nigeria Customs Service.
Speaking to journalists in Lagos, at the weekend, the Social Action and the Ogoni Solidarity Forum said, they had exhausted “all peaceful avenues” to secure the release of the bus.
The bus, a memorabilia donated by a UK group to the Ogoni people to mark the 20th anniversary of Saro-Wiwa’s death, was allegedly seized by the Nigeria Customs on September 8th.
It would be recalled that Saro-Wiwa was executed by a military tribunal set up by the Sani Abacha-led junta on November 10, 1995.
The current Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs, Hameed Ali, was a member of the tribunal which ordered the hanging of Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni environmental activists.
“For us, it’s just more tha n a make-shift steel bus, and we demand to have that bus back. We have exhausted every peaceful avenue we have got, and that’s why we are calling this meeting and telling you, that come the 9th of November, 2015, if the government does not release the property of the Ogoni people to the Ogoni people, the Ogoni people will take action,” the Senior Programme Manager, Social Action, Ken Henshaw, said.
“And we dare to say that economic activity around the area of the Ogoni nation, which includes the NNPC, and so on and so forth, will be stopped. The Ogoni people are fully mobilized. We have been the ones holding them back, that you don’t need to take this kind of action at this time. There is visible anger. We are being seen as traitors over this and we have made up our mind.
“We will take whatever action on the 9th of November. And this is our last attempt at appeal to the government – release what belongs to the Ogoni people to the Ogoni people. We are tired of this posture of belligerence with the Ogoni people, which the government of Nigeria ha s continued environmentally and physically since the 90s. And for us this is the last straw and it has broken the camel’s back.”
The groups’ threat came a day after the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) also threatened a protest if the Nigeria Customs fails to release the bus.
However, when our correspondent contacted the Nigeria Customs, the agency denied knowledge of the bus.
“A s I speak with you, I still don’t know in which Customs command this thing was done,” Spokesperson, Nigeria Customs, Wale Adeniyi, said over the phone.
“They just said Lagos port and I have called the two major ports in Lagos and they don’t seem to know about it. The Area Comptroller should know if such a thing exists.”
There are three major ports in Lagos – APMT at the Apapa port and TICT and Grimaldi at the Tin Can Island port.
When Adeniyi was told that the bus was being held at Grimaldi, he promised to call back in ten minutes, but he never called back.
Subsequent phone calls and a text message to his line were never responded to.
There is still no official reason why the bus, which had an inscription by Ken Saro-Wiwa during his trial – “I accuse the oil companies of genocide in Ogoniland” – on its side , is still being held at the Lagos port two months after its arrival from the UK.
Henshaw said his group and the Ogoni Solidarity Forum had written a petition weeks ago to Ali, the Customs boss, demanding the release of the bus.
“We have received no official response from Customs to our petition,” said Henshaw.
“So, as far as we know, our bus has been seized by the Nigerian government for many reasons one of which is an intentional aggression against the Ogoni people, second of which is an attempt to eliminate every memory of the struggle of Ken Saro-Wiwa from the history of this country.
After the bus arrived in Lagos, Henshaw, accompanied by another Niger Delta activist and National Coordinator, Ogoni Solidarity Forum, Nigeria, Celestine Akbobari, and Aremu Abiodun, a clearing agent, went to the Grimaldi terminal to clear the bus.
“We were taken to the office of the Valuation Officer, the Customs officer in charge of valuation, Aina Moyo,” Akpobari, said.
“And he told us right there in his office that ‘the shadow of Ken Saro-Wiwa can kill somebody. I don’t want to get myself involved in the release of this one, especially now that Buhari is on seat. If it were before I can just release this bus now. You will have to go to Abuja. You, you know that the shadow of Ken Saro-Wiwa can even sack somebody from work. My work is important to me.’
“We went to Abuja and stayed in Abuja for over two weeks, meeting with people. The same thing happened. Important people, great people that we respect that we thought would have helped us , they were afraid. Even Ogoni people that are senior Customs officers ran away.
“And this is just an art work. Non-motorized. So, the question here is why are they afraid of an artwork? And if they can waive billions of dollars for people like Dangote, is it an artwork donated for struggle that people are beginning to play drama with?
“We feel that the world should begin to know because we had been handling this matter with kid gloves. “
Akpobari said that the bus is important for the 20th anniversary commemoration of Saro-Wiwa’s death, which holds on November 10th.
“The bus is a living memorial that was donated in honour of Ken by some activists in the UK,” he said.
“That bus has been in the UK moving from one city to another and during our visit to the UK two years ago, we pleaded with the owners that this thing was not meant to be in London forever. That it was planned that at some point it will move to its permanent abode in Nigeria which is Ogoni. And they agreed that ok the 20th anniversary will be the best time to move it.”
Henshaw said that a place – an erected pavement – had already been created for the bus at the Ken Saro-Wiwa Memorial Centre in Bori, an Ogoni community in Rivers State.
“We are trying to use this bus as a bridge, as a point of solidarity, as a point of commitment that whatever ills was committed, that we can fix this,” Henshaw added.
“The bus is more than just an artifact. It’s a symbol of brotherhood, an edifice that represents the global solidarity with the people of Ogoniland.
“We intend to make the inside of that bus a resource centre that will inspire different people who intend to carry out struggles for human and environmental justice just the way Ken Saro-Wiwa did,” he added.
The Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board (RSUBE) has trained 1,000 newly recruited teachers with a view to raising standards in public primary and junior secondary schools in the state.
The two-day orientation and capacity building programme held in Port Harcourt introduced the teachers to civil service rules, classroom management practices, and professional conduct expected of educators in the state.
The State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, told the newly recruited teachers that teaching demands more than academic qualifications, and called for discipline, diligence, and a strong commitment to service.
He described teaching as a noble profession that is central to the development of the state.
The recruitment, he said, reflects the government’s investment in children and long-term development.
“Education is the foundation of societal progress, and basic education is where that foundation is laid,” Nwagor stated.
He urged the teachers to shape the values and character of pupils during their most formative years.
He pledged continued support from the Ministry of Education through training, resources, and an environment that allows teachers to perform effectively.
Nwagor directed RSUBEB to reject transfer requests from rural to urban schools, saying the newly employed teachers have an obligation to serve where they are posted and help strengthen education in those communities.
In his opening remarks, the RSUBEB Chairman, Hon. Sam Oge, explained that the recruitment process began in 2023 under the previous board, adding that after assuming office, he consulted widely and secured Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s approval to complete the exercise.
Oge said the selection was competitive, with 1,000 candidates chosen from more than 5,000 applicants, and urged the teachers to treat the opportunity seriously and avoid lobbying for reposting.
He directed the teachers to resume at their assigned schools immediately, saying request for reposting will not be entertained.
The former RSUBEB Chairman, Ven. Dr. Fyneface Akah, who delivered the keynote address, described the orientation as the teachers’ formal entry into the civil service.
He urged them to be creative, purposeful, and open to learning on the job.
Akah stressed that teachers have a role in restoring values lost to moral decline, and urged them to model national values and see their work as a calling with lasting impact on the society.
He thanked the State Government for approving the recruitment, noting that the exercise will improve access to quality basic education across the State.
Akujobi Amadi
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that no fewer than 1.4 million members of the National Youth Service Corps will be deployed for the 2027 general elections.
The Chairman of the commission, Prof Joash Amupitan (SAN), made this known on Monday during a courtesy visit to the Director-General of the NYSC, Brig Gen Olakunle Nafiu, at the Yakubu Gowon House, headquarters of the scheme, in Abuja.
Amupitan, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser, Adedayo Oketola, described the meeting with the NYSC senior management team as more than a formal courtesy visit, saying it was also a mission of gratitude.
According to him, the NYSC remains a critical pillar in Nigeria’s democratic process.
He noted that corps members had participated in virtually every election cycle since 1999, stressing that, “INEC cannot conduct elections in Nigeria without the NYSC.
“As the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, I am honoured to discuss our collaborative efforts toward ensuring seamless and credible elections in Nigeria.
“You provide the heartbeat of our field operations. When we speak of election manpower, we are essentially speaking of corps members.
“They are the most dedicated, educated and patriotic election duty staff we have, and their presence at polling units brings a level of neutrality and public confidence that is irreplaceable.
“They form the backbone of our election processes, especially as ad hoc staff, whose dedication, discipline and patriotism are critical to the success of our elections,” he added.
Amupitan said institutional data from the 2023 general election showed the importance of the partnership between INEC and the NYSC.
He explained that INEC deployed about 1.2 million ad hoc staff for the 2023 elections, with over 70 per cent, nearly 850,000 personnel drawn from corps members and student volunteers.
Speaking on preparations for the 2027 elections, the INEC chairman said more than 1.4 million ad hoc staff would be engaged, with corps members making up the majority.
“For the 2027 general election, we will require 707,384 ad hoc staff for the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027.
“The same number will be needed for the governorship and Houses of Assembly elections on February 6, 2027, making a total of 1,414,768,” he said.
He added that INEC would also require 52,446 corps members for the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections, as well as by-elections in Nasarawa, Enugu, Rivers, Ondo, Kebbi and Kano states.
Amupitan said corps members accounted for nearly 90 per cent of Registration Area Officers and Presiding Officers in many states during previous elections.
“These young Nigerians did not just facilitate voting; they protected the sanctity of the ballot in 176,846 polling units across some of the most difficult terrains in the country,” he said.
He further praised the corps members for their role in off-cycle elections, particularly the Anambra governorship election and the FCT Area Council polls.
According to him, their digital proficiency contributed significantly to the seamless operation of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System.
“In those exercises, it was the digital proficiency of corps members that ensured the seamless performance of our BVAS, proving they are the tech-savvy backbone of our modern democracy,” he added.
Amupitan acknowledged the sacrifices made by corps members during elections and assured that INEC would continue to work with the NYSC and security agencies to strengthen safety measures and welfare packages for them.
As the 2027 general election approaches, we are committed to ensuring adequate mobilisation and preparedness of NYSC members for this important national assignment,” he said.
He also noted that the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections, scheduled for June 20 and August 15, respectively, alongside several by-elections, would serve as tests for innovations ahead of the 2027 elections.
Responding, Brig. Gen. Nafiu thanked INEC for its continued collaboration with the scheme.
He recalled that the Memorandum of Understanding between both organisations was signed in 2011 and had been periodically renewed.
Nafiu described corps members as credible, reliable and easily trainable manpower.
“The last batch of millennials will soon exit the scheme, leaving behind Gen Z corps members known for their digital savviness, which will benefit INEC,” he said.
He assured the commission of the NYSC’s continued support in both the 2027 general elections and upcoming off-cycle elections.
-
Featured4 days agoWASSCE: RSG Distributes Science Materials To Secondary Schools
-
News4 days ago
Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Lives More Important Than Foreign Investment – Oshiomhole
-
Rivers4 days ago
MBA Forex Trial Adjourn To June 3, Amid Bereavement … As Court Declines Cost Application
-
News4 days ago
ActionAid Demands Probe Of Govs Using Public Funds For Campaign
-
Aviation4 days ago
Passengers Stranded As Delta Airline From Atlanta Route Back Eight Hours After
-
Business4 days ago
Customs Impound N2.35bn Cocaine, 15 Trailers of Rice
-
Politics4 days ago
2027: Bayelsa Senator Gets Critical Endorsement For Second Term
-
Politics4 days agoINEC Sets Rivers South-East Senatorial By-Election For June 20