News

Youth Attack Throws Rivers, Bayelsa Into Darkness

Published

8 years ago

January 31, 2018

Few days after some Ahoada youths forced the closure of a Transmission Station in Ahoada Town, Ahoada-East Local Government Area of Rivers State, which resulted in the complete loss of power supply to Yenagoa and some parts of Rivers State, another group of community youth from Afam in Oyigbo Local Government Area has shut down Afam Transmission Station, thereby throwing the entire Port Harcourt metropolis into darkness.
The Tide gathered that the youth, who claimed to be members of Oyigbo Youth Assembly (OYA) stormed the Afam Transmission Station in Oyigbo Local Government Area at 10:34 am, last Monday morning and barricaded the station.
The youth claimed that the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) refused to supply Afam communities power over non-payment of electricity bills, thereby violating an earlier agreement with the Federal Government.
Speaking with The Tide, last Monday, the Manager, Corporate Communications, PHED, John Onyi regretted the incident, saying that it was becoming the order of the day any time PHED initiates disconnection of power supply to the community following the non-payment of electricity bills in the last four years.
Onyi noted that in January, 2017, a similar action was meted out to electricity users when the youth in their large number, forcefully asked the operator on duty to shut down the entire station.
The spokesman explained that the value of energy being wheeled to the community based on the statistical meter on their feeder was over N5.8billion cumulatively with an average consumption of over N140million monthly.
According to him, ’’Each time an attempt is made to enumerate the community for the purpose of accounting for the energy and sustainability of the power industry, it is always met with resistance from them.
“Worrisome also is the fact that all the commercial outfits in the area such as cold rooms, hotels, hospitals, welders, schools, among others, are not allowed to pay for energy consumed, yet, they are smiling to the banks with the proceeds of their businesses.
“On several occasions at different places, spanning over two years, meetings were held with relevant stakeholders, including the OYA in other to explain the implication of not allowing PHED to collect its money, yet, they pretend not to understand’’, he added.
Onyi said PHED was in business, adding that the survival of any business entity in the world thrives when customers pay for services rendered
He assured that the distribution firm will continue to engage its customers to foster collective growth through the provision of electricity to legitimate consumers.
According to him, “It must be noted that electricity supply is not free,” as he appealed to Oyigbo Youth Assembly to vacate the Afam Transmission Station with a view to returning normal social and economic activities to Port Harcourt metropolis and its environs.
Meanwhile, Bayelsa residents have lamented the adverse effect of prolonged power outages on their economic and social lives.
Our correspondent reports that power supply to the state was cut off from the national grid on Jan. 23.
Many small business operators told our correspondent yeysterday in Yenagoa that the development had adversely affected their businesses, which was worsened by high cost of petrol.
Miss Faith Okodion, who runs a hair dressing shop in Yenagoa said the power outages had thrown her temporarily out of business.
“The power situation has become unbearable; it has been worsened by the fuel scarcity, so when you buy fuel at between N250 and N300 per litre and add it to the cost, people will not be able to afford it.
“For one week now, I have not seen any job to do because I don’t have the money to buy petrol and I am just praying that power is restored,” Okodion said.
Mr James Michael, an operator of a frozen food store at Onopa area of Yenagoa said that he lost all the products he stocked for sale within the first few days of the outage.
“I have few kilogrammes of fish, meat and chicken when the problem started, my first reaction is to buy 10 litres of fuel to preserve them hoping that power will return, but after the third day power was not restored.
“I hoped to sell off the stock but failed because customers did not turn up and it was economically unjustifiable to be buying fuel, so the loss has been too much to bear,’’ Michael said.
However, the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) told our correspondent that the power outage in Bayelsa and parts of Rivers was inevitable.
Mr John Onyi, the Manager, Corporate Communications, PHEDC attributed the outage to the handiwork of Ahoada Youths, who shut down one of the transmission stations.
Onyi said prior to the incident, one of the two 40WM transformers serving the state was faulty, which reduced the capacity of the firm to distribute power by half.
Onyi said the utility company was incapacitated by the restive youths who threw the public into darkness.
He said residents in Bayelsa and some parts of Rivers were served by the transmission station located in Ahoada community in Rivers, which had been without power supply since Jan. 23.
Onyi said efforts by the utility firm to dialogue with the youths, who allegedly attacked the station to protest irregular power supply were unsuccessful.
He urged the Bayelsa government to wade into the issue.
“Therefore, the management of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company is calling on the security agencies and indeed the government of Bayelsa to wade into the matter.
“The forceful closure of the transmission station located inside Ahoada by a group of youths has led to complete loss of power supply to Yenagoa.
“The forced outage has not only affected the state capital, but also the adjoining communities in the state and some parts of Rivers, namely Isiokpo, Emuoha, Elele, among others.
“The stick-wielding youths came out en-masse early Tuesday morning, chanting war songs, blocked and barricaded the transmission station with fetish items.
“In the process, they forced the operators on duty to switch off the entire station. This action of the youths led to the loss of 132kv lines supplying power to Yenagoa.
“Ever since, all efforts made by the management of PHEDC to get the matter resolved have been met with further threats from the youths,” Onyi said.
The PHEDC official lamented that protests in the Niger Delta region over load allocation from the national grid, which leads to realistic systemic load shedding by the DISCO was becoming too frequent.
He said residents had always demanded for 24-hour power supply without corresponding payments, and efforts made by the company to explain the electricity value chain appear not to be understood.
“Surprisingly, the debt profile of the Ahoada community as at December 2017 stands at over N7.6 billion, yet the youths have not deemed it necessary to tell their people that they should settle their outstanding debts.
“Electricity has been misconstrued in some quarters to be free and not to be paid for whereas it should not be so,” Onyi said.

Ike Wigodo & Tonye Nria-Dappa

News

NDLEA Arrests Four Notorious Female Drug Dealers In Four States

Published

2 days ago

June 8, 2026

The Tide

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested four notorious female drug dealers in Edo, Imo, Kano, and Gombe states.

The Director of Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, made this known in a statement in Abuja, yesterday.

Giving a breakdown, Babafemi said that in Edo, an intense sweep of notorious drug hotspots within Benin City by NDLEA operatives on June 2 led to the arrest of four key traffickers, including three females.

“At Uyosa, Benin City, two female suspects were nabbed with a cocktail of illicit substances, including 176 grams of skunk, 65g of Loud, and 5 grams of Methamphetamine.

“Along Agbor road in Benin City, another female suspect, 21-year-old Anita Abraham, was apprehended with 95 grams of Scottish Loud and 329 grams of regular Loud.

“At Upper Mission, Benin City, a male suspect was arrested with a diverse cache of psychotropic substances consisting of Loud, Colorado, Swinol, and Methamphetamine.

“A swift operation by operatives in Kano State on Thursday, June 4, led to the arrest of a 19-year-old suspect, Saifullahi Lawan at the Kafi area of Madobi, with 40 blocks of skunk weighing a total of 38 kilograms,” NDLEA said.

In a related development, Babafemi said, operatives in Gombe state intercepted a 28-year-old suspect on June 1 near Dantiti Plaza in the Tumfure area of Gombe.

“The suspect was caught with 15,000 capsules of tramadol,” he said.

He said the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands and formations equally continued across the country in the past week.

Reacting to the string of successful operations, the NDLEA Chairman, retired, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa commended the officers, men and women of the Imo, Edo, Kano, and Gombe commands for their resilience and vigilance.

Marwa 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.

He re-emphasised that the agency remains fully committed to dismantling drug supply chains and would continue to target traffickers regardless of age, gender, or concealment methods.

News

Navy Intercepts Over 135,000 Litres Of Stolen AGO In Rivers

Published

2 days ago

June 8, 2026

The Tide

The Nigerian Navy says its operatives under Operation Delta Sentinel have intercepted over 135,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) during separate operations in Rivers State waterways.

Director of Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said the operations were carried out by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder around the Onne and Abonema axis.

He said the seizures were made during routine patrols aimed at curbing crude oil theft and illegal fuel transportation across creeks in the state.

In one of the operations, naval personnel intercepted a fibre boat at the entrance of Owogono Creek in Ogu-Bolo Local Government Area carrying drums and jerrycans filled with suspected stolen AGO.

According to him, the occupants abandoned the boat and fled into nearby creeks, while the vessel and about 63,000 litres of product were recovered.

In another operation around Abonema in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, patrol teams intercepted a wooden boat conveying about 72,000 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO concealed in sacks.

The Navy said the products were being transported through waterways for onward distribution before the operation disrupted the movement.

Folorunsho said the recoveries highlight the continued exploitation of creek networks by criminal elements for illegal petroleum product transportation.

He added that all recovered items were handled in line with established procedures on anti-crude oil theft operations.

The Navy reaffirmed its commitment to intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling illegal oil networks and protecting Nigeria’s maritime economic assets.

News

PERM SEC Tasks PUBLIC SERVANTS TO EMBRACE ACCOUNTABILITY

Published

2 days ago

June 8, 2026

The Tide

The Permanent Secretary of Rivers State Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr Honour Sirawoo mni, has charged public servants to embrace accountability and prudent management of public resources, stressing that government funds must be utilised responsibly.

Dr. Sirawoo made the assertion during the 41st anniversary of The Rivers State Television (RSTV), in Elelenwo.

He noted that public service demands commitment and sacrifice, urging workers to justify the opportunities entrusted to them through diligengence and productivity.

“All I try to do is to see that we have value for every kobo that we spend and value for our time.

“Government has a social responsibility to provide opportunities, but when you have one, you must guard it through hard work and ensure your presence is justified,” he stated.

The Permanent Secretary further appealed to workers to see themselves as ambassadors of their respective institutions, adding that government remains committed to creating employment opportunities and improving public service delivery.

Also speaking, former Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr (Mrs.) Christiana Atako, praised the station’s professionalism and consistency despite operational challenges.

“We have never been disappointed. In spite of all the challenges RSTV had at that time, they never failed us. They carried our stories very well,” she said.

Dr Atako encouraged staff members to continually improve themselves through training, education and professional development in order to remain competitive in the evolving media industry.

Earlier, Acting General Manager of RSTV, Ambassador Paul Damgbor, described the anniversary celebration as an opportunity to reflect on the station’s journey of over four decades and appreciate those who have contributed to its development.

Pastor Damgbor said that the station had recorded remarkable improvements in recent months through the acquisition of digital cameras, computers as well as upgrades in audio and visual production facilities.

“We have seen great change. We were able to get new brand digital cameras and improve on our audio. We have also provided new computers for key departments, including News, Programmes and the Library,” Damgbor remarked.

He also unveiled a commemorative magazine chronicling the history and achievements of the station, describing it as a valuable reference material for preserving RSTV’s heritage.

The Acting General Manager, however, expressed concern over the theft of critical equipment from the station’s transformer, a development he said had forced the organisation to rely heavily on generator power supply.

The Senior Pastor of Gateway International Church, Pastor George Izunma, who gave a short charge during the event, urged media practitioners to uphold the ethics of journalism and remain committed to accuracy in reporting.

“You are pressmen. You are okay to doubt, but verify,” he advised, stressing the importance of credibility and responsibility in the profession.

He equally highlighted the need to “ask the help of God, sow a seed of help, and step into something as if you have help” stressing the need to move by faith for growth.

Some participants at the event also raised concerns about employment opportunities while commending RSTV’s growth and contributions to public enlightenment in Rivers State.

A major highlight of the celebration was the presentation of an award to the Rivers State Ministry of Information and Communications in recognition of its diligence and service to the people of the state. Dr Honour Sirawoo also received a special award for his contributions to the growth and development of RSTV.

Awards were equally presented to outstanding members of staff of RSTV for exemplary performance and their dedication to duty.

The event also featured the unveiling and launch of the RSTV commemorative magazine as well as a tour of the station’s newly built cafeteria and other facilities.

The celebration marked another milestone in the station’s 41-year history and reaffirmed its commitment to excellence in public broadcasting.