News
N’Delta Republic: Groups Warn Avengers …As COAS Threatens Military Option
The Foundation for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade (FHRACC) and the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), both in Delta State, yesterday, called on the Adaka Boro Avengers (ABA), to abort their plan to declare a Republic of Niger Delta, on August 1.
The groups, in separate statements in Warri, and made available to The Tide, said the move does not enjoy the support of right- thinking indigenes of the region.
The statements were signed by FHRACC National President, Alaowei Cleric and CEPEJ National Coordinator, Sheriff Mulade.
According to FHRACC: “the growing threats by some militant groups, particularly the Adaka Boro Avengers to declare Niger Delta Republic on August 1, 2016, does not conform with the tenets of the Niger Delta struggle.
“The foundation of the struggle is well-captured in the various declarations by the ethnic nationalities in the region such as the Kaiama Declaration, the Ogoni Bill of Rights etc. Although all the declarations anchored their demands on self-determination within the Nigerian federation, none of them proposed to declare Niger Delta as an independent state from Nigeria.
“Niger Deltans are requesting for economic and political autonomy within the Nigerian state. If the militants are fighting for the genuine cause of the region, then they should not make matters worst for the people,” the group said.
It added: “If an independent Niger Delta Republic should be an option, then they must use civilised means to pursue their agenda.”
FHRACC noted, “already, Maj. Jasper Adaka Boro of blessed memory had raised the bar for armed confrontation, and over the years, militants in the region have been engaging the Federal Government in armed conflicts.
“There are times armed struggle is not lucrative to achieving one’s aim. The world has evolved from armed struggle into intellectual struggle. Let the militants use non-violent approach to pursue their aim. All the various ethnic nationalities in the country have lent their voices to the need for Nigerians to renegotiate our unity.
“Niger Delta militants should also toe the same line by joining other Nigerians to push for our twin demands of Sovereign National Conference and Referendum. In the world today, struggle for independence through referendum is the only acceptable platform. The militants should take a cue from the recent world history,” it emphasised.
The group, however, called on President Muhammadu Buhari “to commit genuine effort to addressing the impasse,” adding, “the Federal Government’s divide and rule tactics or better still, lackadaisical attitude towards the region cannot resolve the crisis.”
It said, “We sense Mr President has given in to mischief makers who are averse to dialogue and have commended military approach. For the sake of peace and our corporate existence, President Buhari should not shy away from dialoguing with the militants. What is happening in the Niger Delta has further supported the need to renegotiate the Nigeria’s unity.
“Mr President, please save Nigeria from imminent precipice by allowing Nigerians to decide their future existence through a referendum,” FHRACC added.
Similarly, CEPEJ urged Adaka Boro Avengers to “give peace a chance and take advantage of the Federal Government dialogue because no meaningful development can take place in a rancorous environment.”
The statement, said: “Adaka Boro Avengers should abort their alleged plan to declare Niger -Delta Republic on August 1 because Niger Deltans do not support it.
“We know successive governments neglected, deprived and underdeveloped the region in spite of her huge contributions to the national economy. But what we need now is constructive engagement with the Federal Government since President Buhari has considered dialogue as the best option to engage the stakeholders and find a lasting solution to the lingering quest for development towards ending militancy,” CEPEJ asserted.
The group also implored government to show sincerity of purpose for the people “to have confidence in what he is doing, while Mr President should personally lead the dialogue process to achieve the desired result.”
Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Tukur Buratai, has threatened that the Nigerian Army would deploy full military action in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, if dialogue with the Niger Delta Avengers fails.
Buratai, said this in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, at the commissioning of the 2 Brigade Command administrative office complex at Bori Camp.
The COAS, who was represented by the General Officer Commanding 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, Major-Gen Ibrahim Atahiru, said the Federal Government was still committed to dialogue with the militant group, but that government could resort to other means, if dialogue failed.
“The non-kinetic has always been the source first before government can recourse to the kinetic means. There is the need for the Niger Delta Avengers to see reason and dialogue with government,” he said.
He commended the 2 Brigade Command for the completion of the office complex, saying that the office block would improve the operational efficiency and capability of officers and men of the command.
The Army chief later commissioned other projects at the command, including the swimming pool, office complex for regiment officers as well as building blocks at the Military Hospital.
Susan Serekara-Nwikhana & Josephine Atagana
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted consignments of cocaine and various opioids concealed in walls of cartons used to package cloths and other items going to the United Kingdom and Australia.
Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, in a statement shared on X yesterday confirmed the interdiction.
According to him, “The two seizures were recorded at a courier company in Lagos on Friday 15th May 2026 during examination of shipments going to the UK and Australia.
“A total of 170grams of cocaine sealed in cellophane parcels and buried in the walls of a carton of cloths heading to Australia were recovered.
“A wide range of opioids including: 200 ampoules of pentazocine injection; 1,100 capsules of tramadol and 100 ampoules of promethazine injection were recovered from another carton which has United Kingdom as its final destination”.
“In FCT Abuja, NDLEA operatives on Monday 11th May arrested a 29-year-old businessman Ogadi Peter who specializes in producing drug laced cakes and cookies for parties and social gatherings in the capital city.
“Following credible intelligence, he was traced to his home in Life Camp area of the FCT where he was nabbed while 800grams of skunk and 2.70kg drug laced cookies recovered from him”.
“In Delta state, NDLEA operatives on Sunday 10th May, raided Ejeonu village in Ukwuani local government area where they destroyed 27,500 kilograms of skunk on 11 hectares of farmland and recovered 22.9kg of same substance while a 52-year-old suspect Ifeanyichukwu Peter was arrested in a follow up operation at Obiaruku.
“A similar raid in Orogun village, Ughelli North LGA on Tuesday 12th May led to the destruction of 37,500 kilograms and recovery of 55.4kg of same psychoactive substance on 15 hectares of farm as well as the arrest of 30-year-old Godwin Vincent Osadera.
“This brings the total weight of skunk destroyed by NDLEA operatives supported by soldiers in the two operations to 65,000 kilograms”.
“In Kaduna State, 361kg of skunk was recovered during a raid operation at Dan Magaji area of Zaria town on Wednesday 13th May. and a suspect Husaini Suleiman, 42 ,was arrested.
“A large cache of military-grade ammunition was intercepted by NDLEA officers on patrol along Abuja-Kaduna highway, Kaduna on Tuesday 12th May.
“A suspect, 35-year-old Abdullahi Hassan was caught conveying the 1, 989 rounds of RLA 7.62mm concealed in fresh white cassava granules locally known as garri.
“Both the suspect and exhibit have since been transferred to another security agency for further investigation’.
Also, a total of 181kg skunk was recovered from a suspect Aliyu Sani when NDLEA operatives raided the Ogere area of Ogun state on Wednesday 13th May, while another suspect Sufiyanu Mohammed Misa, 27, was arrested with 105,850 pills of opioids including tramadol, diazepam and exol-5 along Zaki- Biam road Wukari LGA, Taraba state on Thursday 14th May.
In Oyo State, two suspects: Adeleke Olamide Aliyah, 20, and Aloba Abdulazeez, 25, were arrested on Thursday, 14th May at Challenge II, Saki town, in connection with the seizure of 99 litres of skuchies.
NDLEA also said a total of 1,388.4175 kilograms of skunk were destroyed on two farms on Friday, 15th May when NDLEA officers raided Ago forest, Orhionmwon LGA, Edo state.
A 25-litre jerry can of palm oil used to conceal 1.2kg pills of tramaking 225mg was recovered from Kofar Ruwa motor park in Kano on Monday, 11th May following credible intelligence while a suspect Aminu Isa, 35, was arrested at Sabuwar Sharada area of the state same day with 30.5kg skunk.
The War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands equally continued across the country in the past week including: WADA sensitization lecture delivered to students and staff of The Apostolic Church Model College, Ijokodo, Ibadan Oyo State; School of Health Technology, Lambata, Niger state; Yewa Junior High School, Agege, Lagos; Government Secondary School, Yardaje, Katsina; Igogo Commercial High School, Igogo Ekiti and Government Girls Secondary School, Magwan, Kano state; among others.
While commending the officers and men of DOGI, Delta, Kaduna, Oyo, Taraba, Kano, FCT and Edo Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
No fewer than five persons have been confirmed dead after a three-storey building under construction collapsed in the Durumi 3 area near Gudu Market in the Abuja Municipal Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory on Saturday morning.
Ten other persons were rescued alive from the rubble, according to the media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Lere Olayinka, who provided an update on the incident via his X handle on Saturday.
Olayinka further stated that the Mandate Secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, who visited the site, disclosed that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, had directed that “all casualties be given free medical treatment.”
According to him, emergency responders continued efforts to evacuate more victims believed to be trapped beneath the rubble.
Officials of the Federal Fire Service, health workers, security agencies and local volunteers were at the scene working to rescue victims.
Recall that in April, six persons were injured following a similar collapse of a two-storey building under construction in Jikwoyi within the AMAC area.
Rivers State Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu, has charged newlywed couples to build their marriages on the virtues of love as taught in the Word of God.
Prof. Odu gave the charge at the wedding ceremony of Amblessed Favour Sunny-Cookey and Samson Jesuganji at Lifegate Power Ministries, Dominion Cathedral, in Port Harcourt at the weekend.
This was contained in a statement by the Head of Press, Deputy Governor’s Office, Owupele Benebo last Saturday.
The statement identified the bride as the daughter of Pastor Sunny Cookey, the Founder and Presiding Pastor of Lifegate Ministries.
The deputy governor congratulated the couple on a new phase of life, and prayed for God’s blessings upon their union, noting that the couple were raised by godly parents and encouraging them to uphold the Christian values instilled in them.
Referring to the sermon delivered during the ceremony, Odu emphasized that the principles of love and submission remain fundamental to a successful marriage.
According to her, genuine love reflects the nature of God, stressing that love should remain the foundation of the couple’s relationship as they journey through life together.
She prayed for enduring peace, happiness, and progress in their home, expressing confidence that the marriage would continue to flourish under God’s guidance.
The deputy governor commended the families of the couple for their support and upbringing, while urging the newlyweds to always remember the significance of the day and the commitment they had made before God and witnesses.
In his sermon at the wedding, the Founder and Presiding Pastor of Salvation Ministries, Pastor David Ibiyeomie, stated that marriage did not originate from Western culture, traditions, or human ideas, but from God, whom he described as the “manufacturer” of marriage.
According to the cleric, couples seeking lasting and peaceful homes must rely on biblical principles rather than societal trends or assumptions.
He explained that many marital crises and rising divorce rates stem from ignorance and failure to apply scriptural teachings in family life.
Drawing from the biblical parable of building a house on a rock, Ibiyeomie said the Word of God remains the only solid foundation capable of sustaining marriages through challenges and difficult times.
He noted that marriage naturally comes with unexpected realities and pressures, stressing that religious ceremonies or cultural practices alone are not enough to sustain a home without proper understanding of God’s instructions.
The pastor further warned that ignorance of scripture remains one of the greatest weapons against believers, urging Christians to study and practice the Word of God rather than merely attending church services.
The ceremony had many ministers in attendance including Apostle Zilly Aggrey, Pastor George Izunwa, and Bishop Winston Iwo.
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