Featured

Army Retires Five Rivers Soldiers, Others …Jonathan’s Men Top List …Defence Minister Explains

Published

9 years ago

June 15, 2016

There are at list five Rivers soldiers in a list of retirees announced by the nation’s military high command. Also, the list is populated by Pro-Jonathan soldiers.
The Minister of Defence, Brig-Gen Mansur Dan-Ali, has defended the compulsory retirement of 38 Army officers, explaining that it was part of an on-going reform in the Armed Forces of Nigeria, rather than a witch-hunt.
The minister made the clarification when fielding questions from newsmen after delivering a lecture titled “Defence Management: the Nigerian Experience’’ at the National Defence College, Abuja, on Monday.
He urged Nigerians not to be misled by the false information about the retirement of the officers, adding that no innocent officer was retired unjustly.
Dan-Ali said what culminated into retirement of the affected officers was a process of painstaking review and assessment of officers’ conduct in various tasks assigned to them at a particular time.
The minister explained that the affected officers were indicted for offences ranging from professional misconduct to financial corruption.
“What we did was to make sure that all those that were indicted in one way or the other for both professional corruption and monetary corruption, had the opportunity to defend themselves.
“ What I mean by professional corruption is soldiers’ involvement in partisan politics; if you are partisan, then you are professionally corrupt; you will be asked to go; that was what happened.
“Of course, they were given fair hearing; they were called by a board and they went and testified.
“Don’t forget that in the military, there is no half way to doing things; the moment you are found wanting, you have to succumb and you will go.’’
Dan-Ali said plans were under way to adopt and implement a reform policy that would reduce the country’s dependence on the military for duties that could be performed by the civil police.
He said that the Ministries of Defence and Interior were collaborating, to ensure that police and other paramilitary organisations were empowered to contain many of Nigeria’s security challenges and depend less on the military.
The minister said that the planned Defence reform would entrench professionalism and discipline in the Armed Forces.
Similarly, a former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Admiral Ola Ibrahim, noted that the achievements recorded by the military were products of good virtues instilled in officers and soldiers by its past leadership.
Ibrahim, however, identified political interference and paucity of funds being responsible for the shortcomings of the previous military leadership.
He said professionalism and improved support would be required for the military to fully actualise its defence objectives and duties to the nation.
It would be recalled that the Nigerian Army recently retired 38 senior officers over what it described as service exigencies.
Those retired as part of the exercise include Major-Generals Mobolaji Koleoso, T.C. Ude, S.D. Aliyu, L.C. Ilo, P.A.T. Akem, I.N. Ijoma, O. Ejimai, E.D. Atewe, Letam Wiwa (younger brother of murdered environmental rights activist and author, Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa), F.O. Alli, and M.Y. Ibrahim.
The Brigadier Generals are, D. Abdusalam, M.G. Ali, A.I. Onibasa, Mustapha Onoyiveta, Bright Fiboinumama, G.O. Agachi, Okonkwo, Bashir Mormoni, Ogidi, L.N. Bello, P.E. Ekpeyong and Oyefesobi.
The Colonels affected in the exercise include Ojogbane Adegbe (ADC to former President Goodluck Jonathan), C.K. Ukoha, Tonye F. Minimah (younger brother of former Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Kenneth Minimah), D.R. Hassan, F.D. Kayode, O.U. Nwankwo, M.A. Suleiman, Audu, and Nicholas Ashinze (Sambo Dasuki’s ADC).
The Lieutenant-Colonels forcefully retired are G.C. Nyekwu, T.E. Arigbe, C. Enechukwu, T.O. Oladuntoye, C.O. Amadi, Adimoha, D.B. Dazang, O.C.Egemode, Baba Ochankpa, A. Mohammed, and A.S. Mohammed, while T.A. Williams was the only major affected.

Featured

Rivers LG Poll: APC Wins 20 chairmanship seats, PDP Clears Three

Published

2 days ago

September 1, 2025

The Tide

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won 20 out of the 23 local government areas in the just concluded local government election in the State, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clinched three local governments.

According to the results released by the Rivers State independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), yesterday, the APC won the chairmanship seats in Abua/Odual, Andoni, Opobo Nkoro, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Okrika, Ogu/Bolo and Khana local government areas.

APC also won in Gokana, Tai, Oyigbo, Bonny, Eleme, Etche, Omuna, Akuku Toru, Asari Toru, Degema, Ikwerre and Emohua local government areas.

The Commission, however, said the PDP won in Port Harcourt City, Obio/Akpor, and Ogba Egbema Ndoni local government areas.

Chairman of the Commission, Dr Michael Odey, who announced the results at the Commission headquarters in Port Harcourt, said Ofori Owolabi of the APC scored 28,755 votes to emerge winner of the election for Abua Odual while Solomon Ochomma, also of the APC, emerged chairman elect for Ahoada East after scoring 54,509 votes.

Odey said Eugene Epelle also of the APC scored 84,125 votes to emerge winner in Ahoada West, while Bob Fubara was elected the chairman-elect for Akuku Toru after scoring 63,593 votes.

Similarly APC chairmanship candidate Lucky Otuo Promise emerged chairman-elect for Andoni after scoring a total of 126,181 votes, APC’s George Onengiyeofori emerged winner in Asari Toru after scoring 56,383 votes, while Pepple Blessing Abinye garnered 13,543 votes to emerge winner in Bonny Local Government Area.

Other APC candidates elected include Michael John Williams who scored 16,536 votes to emerge chairman-elect for Degema Local Government; Obarlllormate Ollor (77,452) for Eleme; Dr Chidi Julius Lloyd (114,380) for Emohua; Njoku Boniface (100,649) for Etche; Confidence Deekor (96,478) for Gokana, while Wobodo Charles got 62,746 votes to emerge winner in Ikwerre Local Government Area.

Other APC winners from the APC include Akuro Tobins (32,285 votes) for Okrika; Hon Obasi Uchechukwu (38,530) for Omuma; James A James (38,822) for Opobo Nkoro; Vincent Nemieboka (36,374) for Ogu/Bolo; Hon Mbakpone Okpe (70,080) for Tai LGA, while in Oyigbo, Okechukwu Akara scored 101,495 votes to emerge winner.

Meanwhile, the RSIEC chairman announced Dr Gift Worlu of the PDP with 328,823 votes to emerge winner in Obio Akpor; Shedrack Ogbogu, also of the PDP, scored 51,051 votes for Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area, while in Port Harcourt City, Sir Alwell Ihunda garnered 235,054 votes for PDP to emerge winner.

The APC also cleared the councillorship seats in Abua/Odual, Andoni, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Okrika, Ogu/Bolo and Khana, Oyigbo, Bonny, Eleme, Etche,Tai, Khana Opobo/Nkoro and Degema local government areas.

Similarly APC councillorship candidates also emerged winners in Asari Toru, Degema, Akuku Toru, Gokana and Khana while PDP cleared the councillorship seats in Obio/Akpor, Port Harcourt city, and Ogba Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Areas

Meanwhile, the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions has passed a vote of confidence on the just concluded local government election in the State.

National Chairman of the forum, Hon. Mamman Nda Eri, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt.

Eri said all the chairmen across the country were in Port Harcourt to monitor the election as well as gain experience in an election under emergency rule.

John Bibor & King Onunwor

Featured

RSG Commences Revitalization Of 200 Health Centres

Published

2 weeks ago

August 22, 2025

The Tide

The Rivers State Government has commenced the revitalization of over 200 primary health care centres across the state.

Senior Special Adviser to the Rivers State Administrator on Health Matters, Professor Chituru Orluwene, disclosure this during an enrollment sensitization campaign organised by the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP) at Ogale in Eleme Local Government Area of the State.

He said the government was also equipping all zonal hospitals as well as revitalizing all General hospitals across the state.

Orluwene said the ongoing programme was in line with the promise by the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (Rtd), to bring affordable and quality health care services to the door steps of the people.

According to him, the programme will not only increase the average lifespan of the people but also reduce poverty and sufferings.

The Special Adviser called for mass enrollment into the RIVCHPP, and listed some of the benefits to include free and affordable health care services, among others.

Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary, RIVCHPP, Dr (Mrs) Vetty Agala, disclosed that over 108,000 persons have so far enrolled with the RIVCHPP within the last one year.

Dr Agala said the programme which started during the administration of the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, also has the backing of the State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (Rtd).

She noted that lack of access to quality health care had not only affected the average lifespan of Rivers people but increased poverty and suffering.

The Executive Secretary who stressed the need for the people to embrace the programme, said free medical treatment would be given to those who enrolled with it, adding that registration will guarantee free and affordable health care services to the people

According to her, government is also ensuring that all vulnerable groups including those with disabilities, widows, pregnant women, the aged, children and the downtrodden benefit maximally from the programme.

She said her team would move round the 23 Local Government Areas of the State to sensitize the people on the benefits of the programme.

The Sole Administrator of Eleme Local Government Council, Dr Gloria Obo Dibiah, announced that the council would sponsor over 2,000 less privilege persons from the area for the RIVCHPP programme.

She said the enrollment of 100 persons out of the 2,000 will start immediately.

According to her, the 2,000 beneficiaries will include people with disabilities, pregnant women, the aged, and children.

Dibiah further promised to assist the would-be beneficiaries to get their National Identity Numbers as soon as possible to enable them register for the programme.

She said the sponsorship was part of her administration’s commitment to improving the health care needs of the people of Eleme, and commended RIVCHPP for choosing Eleme to flag off the sensitization programme.

John Bibor

Featured

Nigeria Accounts For 70% Of 11m Illegal Arms In W/Africa

Published

3 weeks ago

August 15, 2025

The Tide

The National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) says that Nigeria is accountable for 70 per cent of 11 million illegal arms and light weapons in West Africa,

Mr Alex Ebimiebo, the South South Zonal Director of the NCCSALW, made the remark at the Naval Warfare Course 9 Inter-Agency seminar, organised by the Naval War College in Calabar on Thursday.

Ebimiebo presented a paper themed, “Strengthening Security Agencies Collaboration to Counter Illicit Arms Proliferation for Enhanced National Security in Nigeria.”

He said that the illegal arms dealings were largely responsible for Nigeria’s 2.2 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and 26,000 refugees in neighboring countries.

Ebimiebo further said that arms proliferation had led to economic distortions, an increase in violence, crime, and impediment to peace building.

He, however, called for concerted effort from all Nigerians to tackle the menace, saying that NCCSALW would take the fight to the society since security is the responsibility of everyone.

“So, as a result, everybody is a stakeholder, so as such, we need to involve the whole society in this fight and the center has a lot of programmes for collaboration with our sister agencies.

”We also have advocacy and sensitisation programmes that we take to members of the general public from time to time,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rear Adm. Akinola Oludude, Commandant, Naval War College, expressed concern on the influx of illicit arms into Nigeria since 2020.

He attributed this to the extensive borderline of about 4,470 kilometers between Nigeria, the Republic of Benin, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.

He also noted that the nation’s maritime domain that extended over 853 kilometers of coastline and of the Gulf of Guinea had also not helped.

The commandant said that the 2021 survey by the NCCSALW revealed that over six million illegal weapons were in circulation in the country.

Oludude said that out of the figure, about 70 per cent were in the hands of non-states actors.

”The impact of this illicit arms proliferation is profound and multifaceted.

”These weapons bred various forms of insecurity, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes, and armed robbery.

“Inter-agency collaboration is needed to tackle the proliferation of illicit arms and weapons,” he said.

Oludude said that no single agency, no matter how well-resourced, no matter how well-dedicated, could effectively tackle the complex challenge alone.

He stated that the nature of the recent arms proliferation demanded a joint and multi-agency approach.

“Therefore, this seminar provides a vital platform for us to collectively examine the complexities of this complex challenge,” he said.

Also speaking, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Eastern Naval Command, Rear Adm. Kennedy Ezete, urged the participants to translate the discussions and recommendations of the seminar into concrete actions.

He advised the participants to take the knowledge and insights gained to their respective agencies and organisations and implement them

According to him, “we must ensure that the suggestions and way forward developed here are implemented effectively and that the partnerships forged are sustained.

”This requires a commitment from all stakeholders, including the leadership of our security agencies and the wider community.

”Share your experiences, implement the strategies that have been suggested, and continue to work collaboratively to counter illicit arms proliferation.

“We must also continue to invest in training, technology, and intelligence gathering to enhance our capabilities.”