News
RVHA Screens Commissioner-Nominee …Drills Halliburton’s MD, Manager
The Rivers State House of Assembly has screened and confirmed the former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Emmanuel Aguma (SAN) as commissioner – designate.
The Assembly also screened and confirmed chairmen and members of caretaker committees for two additional local government areas of the state.
Te screening and confirmation of the nominees yesterday followed the request letter by the Executive Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike and read by the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani at the Assembly’s plenary session in Port Harcourt.
The CTC Chairmen screened and confirmed include Mr Oladipo Ogu, Chairman-designate for Abua/Odual LGA and Mr Charles Chima Orlu for Port Harcourt City Local Government Area.
Unlike CTC chairmen and members who were thoroughly drilled by the members of the Assembly, the Commissioner- designate, Mr Emmanuel Aguma was only asked to take a bow and go.
According to the Speaker of the House, the former Attorney General had performed excellently as Commissioner for Justice and that his credentials and track record before the House still remained intact to qualify him for approval by the Assembly.
However, the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani appealed to the Commissioner- designate to look into a situation where tyres are used by butchers in burning of meat and carry out a serious investigation with a view to fashioning out a legal framework as a measure to curb the menace, if assigned the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice portfolio.
Ibani in the same vein, urged the Chairmen and members of the Caretaker Committees to take the development of the grassroots very seriously, saying that the Assembly would ensure that any chairman or member who does not perform to the expectation of the people would be recommended for immediate sack.
He said local government administration was serious business, stressing that the Assembly would not condone recklessness on the part of the Caretaker Committee chairmen and members, as such would attract severe sanctions.
The Speaker directed the Clerk of the House to forward a letter of confirmation to the Office of the Governor for their swearing-in.
Meanwhile, The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday drilled the Managing Director of Halliurton Energy Services, Mr Henry Okey and the Human Resources Manager of the company, Mrs Ijeoma Suzzy over alleged systematic discrimination of Rivers State indigenes working in the company.
The Managing Director and the Human Resources Manager appeared before the Assembly in Port Harcourt to defend the petition from some sacked staff of the company, accusing the management of the company of alleged unlawful dismissal of some indigenes of the state in the company’s managerial cadre, particularly one Barrister Azubuike Ogah without any compensation.
In the petition read and presented to the House by the Leader of the House, Hon Martins Amaewhule, the company’s management was also accused of only engaging indigenes of the state as contract staff while non-indigenes were employed as permanent staff of the company which is operating in the State.
The petition further accused the management of retiring Rivers indigenes without following the requisite and laid down conditions, an act purportedly deployed to intentionally rob Rivers persons of managerial positions in the company.
In response, the Managing Director of Halliburton Energy Services, Mr. Henry Okey denied the allegations, insisting that the company only retrenched three Rivers indigenes including one Mr Azuibuike Ogah, who was in charge of the Legal Department of the company as at early this year.
According to him, Rivers indigenes working in the company were 98 out of a total of 500 employees in the company.
The managing director also said that out of 25 persons in the top managerial cadre of the company, only one person was an indigene of Rivers State, nine persons from South-West geo-political zone, seven from South-East while five were expatriates and the other three were from states in the South-South geo-political zone.
The Managing Director further stressed that the company since 2015 till date had retrenched over 131 staff from both managerial and low cadres including contract staff, but he could not give accurate number of Rivers indigenes so far sacked by the company.
He said retrenchment of staff in the company was based on shortfalls in the company’s outputs and that the productivity of the staff was also taken into consideration.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani expressed the Assembly’s dissatisfaction with Mr Okey’s explanation.
The Assembly therefore resolved that the management of the company should reappear before the House armed with documents showing the redundancy policy of the company, its nominal roll, list of the 25 staff on the top managerial cadre and a document to furnish the House with the conditions for retirement as well names of those retired or retrenched in the company.
The House also urged the company to withhold any further retrenchment of Rivers indigenes in the company and admonished the management to do anything to ensure that the indigenes of the state occupy managerial positions in the company.
Enoch Epelle
News
Rivers DPOs Receive Awards For Outstanding Performance In Crime Prevention …As Students, Media Group Honour CSP Worgu, CSP Yusuf
Two Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) in Rivers State have been honoured by separate groups for their contributions to security, crime prevention and improved community-police relations in their respective areas of responsibility.
The beneficiaries are the DPO of Afam Police Division, CSP Endurance Worgu and his counterpart at Oyigbo Police Division, CSP Bello Yusuf.
CSP Worgu was honoured by a group of students under the aegis of Rivers State Graduate Students Associations for what they described as his commitment and outstanding performance in the discharge of his duties.
The students, led by Chidi John Enyie, Esq. said CSP Worgu was selected based on his track record and status as one of the longest-serving young DPOs of Rivers State origin.
According to the group, CSP Worgu has made significant contributions to the protection of lives and property in the area since assuming office following the #EndSARS period.
The students said they were particularly impressed by the improvement in community-police relations under his leadership, noting that professionalism had remained a key feature of his service.
Enyie represented by Comrade Briggs Soku, said the students community was pleased to identify with a Rivers indigene who had distinguished himself in the police force.
He said the students considered it necessary to encourage and celebrate CSP Worgu because of his achievements as a young Rivers man excelling in a profession that many people from the state were often reluctant to join.
Receiving the award at his office in Afam, CSP Worgu expressed gratitude to God and the students for finding him worthy of the honour.
The DPO said the recognition had boosted his morale and encouraged him to sustain his efforts towards maintaining peace and security in the area.
He said he least expected the honour, particularly because it came from the students, adding that the recognition would further motivate him to serve the people better.
CSP Worgu assured residents of Afam that the police would sustain the existing peace in the area.
He appealed to members of the public to support the police by providing credible and timely information, stressing that useful information from residents would make the job of security personnel easier.
Meanwhile, the Ikwerre/Etche Media Association has also honoured the DPO of Oyigbo Police Division, CSP Bello Yusuf, for his efforts in tackling criminal activities in the area.
The media group presented the award following the swift tracking and arrest of five suspected kidnappers who had allegedly terrorised residents of the Kom-Kom axis and other parts of Oyigbo.
The group commended CSP Bello for what it described as his determined efforts to restore confidence and security in the affected communities, particularly Kom-Kom and Obeama.
According to the group, the arrest of the suspects demonstrated the DPO’s commitment to tackling criminality and safeguarding residents.
The media association said residents had received the development with relief, noting that the police action had sent a strong message to criminal elements operating in the area.
Responding, CSP Yusuf appreciated the group for the recognition and reaffirmed that there would be no room for criminality in Oyigbo.
He also commended the media for its role in disseminating credible information to the public, saying the media had remained supportive of the police in the fight against crime.
CSP Yusuf warned criminal elements operating in Oyigbo to leave the area or be prepared to face the full weight of the law.
He assured residents that the police would continue to pursue criminals and work to dismantle their hideouts, regardless of where they might be operating.
News
College Of Bishops Endorses Tinubu, APC Candidates For 2027 Polls
The 5000 Achievers Christian Forum and Colleges of Bishops, Archbishops and Apostles, a Christian interdenominational organisation, has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State for the 2027 general elections.
International President of the forum, Archbishop Lucky Aroh, disclosed this during the ordination and consecration of three new Bishops, as well as an award ceremony held in Port Harcourt.
Aroh said the performance of the APC-led Federal Government had endeared the party to the organisation, prompting the forum to declare its support for President Tinubu and other APC candidates in Rivers State.
He said the forum would support all APC candidates in the state during the 2027 elections and urged Nigerians to vote for the party.
Aroh, who is also the General Overseer of Caring Peoples Church, Port Harcourt, charged the newly consecrated Bishops to see their new positions as a great responsibility and dedicate themselves to the advancement of the kingdom of God.
He cautioned them against conduct capable of bringing their offices into disrepute, stressing that their activities would be closely watched by members of the public.
“As Bishops, the eyes of the public are on your activities. You must therefore conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of your calling,” he said.
Also speaking, the International Coordinator of the forum, Bishop Saint Robinson, urged the newly consecrated Bishops to work diligently towards winning souls for the kingdom of God.
Robinson, who was the guest speaker at the event, stressed that the activities of Bishops must at all times be guided by godly principles.
He also called on members of the church to support and cooperate with the newly consecrated Bishops in the discharge of their responsibilities.
The Secretary of the College, Apostle Elizabeth Ayadi Abaye, said the organisation was established to advance the kingdom of God and promote spiritual development.
According to her, the forum has organised several crusades, conferences, prayer meetings, ordinations, consecrations, enthronements, empowerment programmes and other spiritual development activities across the country as part of efforts to win souls for Christ.
Abaye said the organisation has members across the world and disclosed that more programmes had been scheduled to promote the spiritual development and wellbeing of humanity.
The three Bishops consecrated at the ceremony were Prince Alban Chike, Testimony Omenihu Shedrach and Prince Ifemena.
Among those honoured at the event were the Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC), Abali Community, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Manuchimso Prince Lemmy Wopara, and Clifford Oko Jaja, Coordinator of the 5,000 House-to-House for President Tinubu.
By: John Bibor
News
Police Arrest Fake Soldier, Others For Armed Robbery, Kidnapping
The Rivers State Police Command has arrested a 49-year-old suspected fake soldier, Andrew Atausi, and several other suspects in connection with various criminal activities, including kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, one-chance robbery and the alleged murder of police officers.
The State Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, disclosed this in Port Harcourt, recently during a press briefing at the Command Headquarters, where he said the arrests formed part of the operational achievements recorded by the Command between June and August 2026.
Adepoju said Atausi was arrested on August 10 by police operatives along Ada George, Port Harcourt, while dressed in military uniform and driving a Toyota Hilux painted in Army colours.
The Commissioner said investigation revealed that Atausi was not a member of the Armed Forces, adding that he was suspected to be a serial car snatcher, with three suspected stolen vehicles recovered from him.
He said the recovered vehicles included three Toyota Hilux vehicles without registration numbers and a Toyota Corona Premio with registration number BNY 380 ES, noting that the chassis and engine numbers of the vehicles had allegedly been tampered with.
Adepoju added that an axe and military accoutrements were also recovered from Atausi, as investigation continued into the circumstances surrounding the vehicles and other items recovered from him.
On the June 29 attack on police officers at Aluu Division, the Commissioner said three members of the gang allegedly responsible for the incident had been arrested by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit, VCRU-AKU.
The suspects, identified as Maduabuchi Emeka, 34, alleged gang leader; Doctor Chinedu Owhor, 42, and Kamachi Joe, 28, alleged armourer, reportedly led operatives to their hideout at Omagwa where two AK-47 rifles stolen during the attack were recovered.
Adepoju recalled that two police officers were killed during the Aluu attack, while others were wounded and one officer had his leg amputated, stressing that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fourth suspect.
On kidnapping, the Commissioner said five members of a suspected kidnapping syndicate were arrested in Oyigbo Local Government Area, adding that they allegedly confessed to operations in Kom-Kom, Railway, Obeama and Afam communities.
He said two other suspects from the same network, Anele Ogbogu, 35, alleged to be the gang’s armourer, and Kenneth Eke, 38, were arrested on July 27, with one AK-47 rifle and one SMG rifle recovered.
The Commissioner further disclosed the arrest of suspects in connection with alleged firearm offences, armed robbery, cultism and one-chance robbery, with firearms, ammunition and other exhibits recovered during the operations.
Adepoju assured residents that the Command would sustain intelligence-led, proactive and community-oriented policing in collaboration with other security agencies, while urging members of the public to continue providing credible information that would assist the police in combating crime across Rivers State.
By; King Onunwor
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