News

Police Parade 80 Suspects In Rivers …Recover 386 Live Ammunition, Others

Published

8 years ago

June 16, 2017

Determined to provide a secure environment, the Rivers State Police Command, yesterday, paraded 80 criminal suspects for their alleged involvement in various crimes and other social vices in the state.
Among those paraded by the police, yesterday, was one Ugochukwu Arinze, 29, an indigene of Imo State, who allegedly killed his landlady, Mrs Ngozi Igwe from Aluu community, Rivers State, with a mortar pistol during a quarrel.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Zaki Mohammed Ahmed, disclosed this while briefing journalists at the Police Officers’ Mess, in Port Harcourt, on the various achievements recorded by the command within the months of May and June, 2017.
Zaki, disclosed that the police, within the period under review, recovered cache of arms and ammunition as well as raided many criminal hideouts across the state.
Giving the breakdown, the commissioner said, 386 live ammunition, 1,275 cartridges, 20 den guns, eight AK-47 riffles, six double barrel guns, four English pistols as well as eight vehicles were recovered within the period.
According to him, the successes recorded were as a result of partnership and co-operation the command received from members of the public on information gathering.
He averred that the command mounted aggressive patrol, raided some notorious criminal hide-outs and also introduced community policing approach which aided the arrest of the suspects.
Zaki further disclosed that the command was segmented into what he called seven sectors for effective policing and crime fighting, adding that each of the sectors was being commanded by Chief Superintendents of Police, Deputy Commissioners of Police and Assistant Commissioners of Police.
The police boss disclosed that the command also arrested a gang of armed robbers, who in Choba and took the occupants to a bush in Elele on June 20, 2016, and later killed two of the occupants, adding that investigations were progressing on the matter.
“We also arrested Chioma Isaac from Rukpokwu, who stole a one-week and four -day old baby in Oyigbo. We also arrested one Bright Mgba, a fake police officer, who goes about exhorting money from members of the public, especially at the Rukpokwu axis”, he stated.
Zaki used the opportunity to warn criminals in the state to repent or relocate to other states as the state was no longer safe for them, adding that the on-going war against banditry and other social vices would be sustained until they are flushed out in the society.
Our correspondent reports that other items recovered from the criminal suspects during the parade include, four generators, three Plasma television sets, home theatre, eight laptops, assorted GSM handsets as well as raps of Indian hemp.
Speaking to journalists, one of the arrested suspects, Bright Mgba, denied being a police officer but admitted committing the crime because he wanted to pay his house rent, adding that the uniform was given to him by his police friend.

News

HYPREP Tightens Security At Project Sites

Published

3 hours ago

November 30, 2025

The Tide

Following the rupture of the ground tank of its water facility in Ebubu Community in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has tightened security across all its project sites in Ogoniland.

HYPREP, which dropped this hint in a statement signed by its Head of Communications, Dr Enuolare Mba-Nwigoh, said the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey had given the directive for security to be tightened across all its project sites in Ogoniland.

Mba-Nwigoh noted that the tightening of security across the project sites has become necessary to forestall interference with the facilities.

He further disclosed that following the rupture of the ground tank of the Ebubu water facility, a team led by HYPREP’s Director of Technical Services, Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi has visited the scene of the incident to assess the situation, stressing that the water facility has been cordoned off for public safety.

The statement indicated that following the incident, HYPREP has henceforth barred non-project personnel and non-facility staff from gaining access into any of its active project sites in Ogoniland without authorisation.

While appealing to residents of Ebubu Community and the public to remain calm, the Head of Communications assured them that the Project is taking prompt steps to restore water to the community, saying, the cause of the unfortunate incident is being investigated.

He equally noted that the Chief Security Officer of HYPREP has been directed to immediately tighten security across all its project sites in Ogoniland.

The statement said HYPREP is deeply concerned about the incident, stressing that despite the setback, the Project reiterates its commitment to delivering sustainable cleanup in Ogoniland.

News

198 UNIBEN Students Bag First Class

Published

7 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

A total of 198 students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN ) Edo State, bagged a First Class degree out of 14,083 students to be awarded first degree at the institution’s 51st Convocation and Founder’s Day ceremony.

Vice Chancellor of UNIBEN, Prof. Edoba Omoregie, disclosed this on Monday in Benin at a pre-convocation press briefing.

He said 4,217 students bagged a Second Class Upper, 7, 928 got a Second Class Lower, while 578 bagged a Third Class degree.

He said 15 new approved programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC) would commence in the 2025/2026 academic session.

According to him, “The wheel of progress is on course and moving steadily in the University of Benin. This administration is poised to deliver on its mandate of effective, practical teaching, sound learning, result-oriented research and impactful community service.

“We must applaud the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for establishing NELFUND, and by so doing significantly reducing the financial stress of students in the process of acquiring tertiary education. We enjoin students and their parents to take full advantage of the federal government’s benevolence in instituting the fund.”

Prof. Omoregie disclosed that Nigeria’s Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, would deliver the Founders’ Day lecture with the topic, “Reforms for a Shared Prosperity”.

The UNIBEN VC said Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs and Former Vice Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, Professor Eghosa Osaghae, would deliver the Convocation Lecture on the theme, “Making Our Universities Great”.

News

Bayelsa Education Fund, British Council trains tra 1,000 teachers

Published

7 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The last batch of 400 public school teachers in Bayelsa State on Monday commenced training under the sponsorship of Bayelsa Education Development Trust Fund (EDTF) and the British Council.

This batch will bring to 1000 the number of public school teachers in the state who have benefited in the partnership arrangement.School supplies

The EDTF, British Council and Teachers Training, Registration and Certification Board collaborated in the capacity development programme.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the five day capacity building program, Commissioner for Education Dr Gentle Emelah reiterated the commitment of the Bayelsa government to training and capacity of teachers in the state.

He noted that the improved teaching methodology in the state was responsible for the state producing the best student in the 2025 West African School Certificate Examinations.

Prof Ebimiowei, Executive Secretary at EDTF, noted that the collaboration is aimed at improving learning outcomes for pupils and students of public primary and secondary schools in Bayelsa.

“You will agree with me that until the cutlass is sharpened, it will have no impact on the hands of the farmer and so it is with our teachers., you need to be sharpened very well to give good delivery in your various classes and schools.

“Let me at this juncture appreciate the British Council for accepting to train 1,000 teachers, 50 education managers and 60 trainers for Bayelsa,” he said.

On his part, Chairman of the EDTF board, High Chief Fidelis Agbiki expressed appreciation to the Commissioner for Education Dr Gentle Emelah for his supportive role to the fund.

Agbiki urged the beneficiaries to justify the enormous resources invested by the government of Bayelsa by being dedicated within the five days the exercise would last.

He said; “This board will not operate on business as usual but on business unusual as we will push the frontiers outside the box to ensure that we get value for money,” Agbiki said.

Chairman of Development Partners Committee of the EDTF applauded the commitment of the partners for the successful completion of the programme, urging them to sustain the tempo

Speaking on the programme, Mr Fwanshishak Daniel, Head, English and Schools, British Council noted that the Bayelsa government had shown exemplary commitment to educational development.

He explained that the commitment has enabled the British Council and Bayelsa government to achieve within one year greater milestones that took other states three years to achieve.

He explained that the resources of the British Council have been made available to Bayelsa with the training of 60 resource persons from the state who will in turn train other teachers to improve education.

According to Daniel, the training will lay emphasis on new teaching methods, use of digital tools for self development and access to school amongst others.

Dr Peremoboere Ogola, Acting Chairman of TTRC, which facilitated training, thanked the EDTF for supporting training of teachers in Bayelsa with world class resources of the British Council.

She noted that another batch of newly recruited teachers are currently undergoing training at State government owned University of Africa, Toru Orua, Sagbama LGA in Bayelsa