News
Youth Attack Throws Rivers, Bayelsa Into Darkness
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
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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