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Military Alerted Before Dapchi Abduction -Amnesty Int’l …Report Vindicates Our Position -PDP …CSOs React, As Group Calls For AU’s Investigation

Published

8 years ago

March 21, 2018

Global human rights watchdog, Amnesty International (AI) has revealed that Nigerian security forces got advance warnings that a convoy of Boko Haram fighters was heading towards Dapchi, a town where 110 schoolgirls were abducted by terrorists on February 19 in an assault similar to the infamous Chibok girls’ abduction of April ,2014.
It claimed that no fewer than five calls were put across to security forces between 2pm and 6:30pm on that fateful day of the abduction of female pupils from Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State.
In a report on the incident released, yesterday, Amnesty International said the first call was made to the Nigerian Army Command in Geidam, 54kilometres from Dapchi, informing them that Boko Haram fighters had been seen at Futchimiram heading to Gumsa, a village about 30km from Dapchi.
The Director, Amnesty International in Nigeria, Osai Ojigho maintained in a statement that the Nigerian authorities have failed in their duty to protect civilians, just as they did in Chibok four years ago.
Amnesty added that documented evidence shows that the military did nothing to stop the insurgents.
“The sighting of an armed convoy at Futchimiram immediately sparked several phone calls to alert authorities. Sources who informed the military commander in Geidam at 2p.m. report that he responded to them by saying he was aware of the situation and was monitoring it.
“At about 3pm, the convoy arrived in Gumsa, where they remained till 5pm. People in Gumsa called Dapchi villagers to warn them that Boko Haram fighters were on their way. One villager who received such a call said he informed a police sergeant who promised to notify the Dapchi Division Police Officer (DPO).
“At about 6:30pm, when residents were heading to the mosque for evening prayers, Boko Haram members entered Dapchi. Witnesses said Boko Haram fighters asked for directions to the military post, the local government office and the girls’ school,” the report said.
Amnesty learnt from an eyewitness that approximately 50 Boko Haram fighters stormed Dapchi in a convoy of nine vehicles with Arabic inscriptions on them. The vehicles included seven Land Cruiser trucks, one Hilux and a Canter truck.
A police source in Dapchi also told the group that on sighting them, police officers fled because they feared that the Boko Haram fighters would overpower them. According to victims and eyewitnesses interviewed by AI, Boko Haram left Gumsa for Dapchi at about 5pm, arriving at about 6:30pm.
“They left Dapchi at about 7:30pm in the direction of Gumsa, where villagers say they arrived at about 9p.m. During the attack, army officials both in Geidam and Damaturu were again alerted. The military only arrived in Dapchi shortly after Boko Haram left. Villagers in Dapchi and Gumsa said a military jet arrived about one hour after Boko Haram left Dapchi,” read the report.
AI lamented that in spite of the several distress calls, the Nigerian military neither took effective measures to stop the abduction nor made serious efforts to rescue the girls after they were taken by Boko Haram fighters.
Amnesty, whose researchers spoke to about 23 people and three security officials, said the Army command in Geidam had told callers they were aware of the situation and were monitoring.
Police in Dapchi promised to tell divisional commanders, while Army commanders in Geidam and Damaturu were also alerted during the attack, it added.
While describing the inaction as, “inexcusable security lapses”, Ojigho said, “Evidence available to Amnesty International suggests that there are insufficient troops deployed in the area, and that an absence of patrols and the failure to respond to warnings and engage with Boko Haram contributed to this tragedy. The government’s failure in this incident must be investigated and the findings made public and it is absolutely crucial that any investigation focuses on the root causes.”
The Dapchi abduction has thrown into doubt repeated government and military claims that Boko Haram is on the brink of defeat, after nearly nine years of fighting and at least 20,000 deaths.
Boko Haram, which has used kidnapping as a weapon of war during the conflict, has not claimed responsibility but it is believed a faction headed by Abu Mus’ab al-Barnawi is behind it.
IS in August 2015 publicly backed Barnawi as the leader of Boko Haram, or Islamic State West Africa Province, over Abubakar Shekau, whose supporters carried out the Chibok abduction.
Analysts have attributed a financial motive to the Dapchi kidnapping given government ransom payments made to Boko Haram to secure the release of some of the captives from Chibok.
Meanwhile, the Coalition of Civil Society Groups against Terrorism in Nigeria has called on international rights organization, Amnesty International, to desist from what it described as its judgmental reports on the security situation in the troubled North-East.
The group, in a statement, yesterday, in Lagos, and jointly signed by its Convener and Registrar, Comrade Odeyemi Oladimeji and Atani John, respectively, described the recent statement credited to the rights group, where it said “Nigerian Security Forces ignored warnings about Boko Haram attack on Dapchi” as totally undeserving and a joke taken too far by Amnesty International, at the expense of Nigeria’s internal security and sovereignty.
Meanwhile, The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday said a recent report issued by Amnesty International (AI) report has vindicated its stance that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) must be held responsible for the abduction that took place in Dapchi.
Over 100 school girls were abducted by suspected Boko Haram insurgents in Dapchi, Yobe State. They are yet to be rescued by the Nigerian authorities.
The party in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, described the revelation by AI that security forces got advance warning of the impending attack but failed to prevent the abduction as “heartrending, distressing and disappointing”.
The report by AI stated that: “The Nigerian authorities have failed in their duty to protect civilians, just as they did in Chibok four years ago. Despite being repeatedly told that Boko Haram fighters were heading to Dapchi, it appears that the police and military did nothing to avert the abduction.”
The PDP said the revelation had further showed the ineptitude of the present government.
“This revelation by the Amnesty International has finally exposed Buhari-led Federal Government and its manifest failures, deceptions and culpability in the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate abduction of our daughters.
Similary, A legal and advocacy rights group, Women and Legal Aid, WELA, yesterday called on the African Committee on Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, ACERWC, to undertake a fact-finding mission to Nigeria to establish the circumstances surrounding the abduction of over 100 schoolgirls in Dapchi Village in Yobe State.
In a letter made available to newsmen yesterday, the group urged the committee, which is a unit of the African Union Commission, to request the Nigerian government to highlight steps taken to ensure the release of the school girls.
The letter, dated March 12, was addressed to Benyam Mezmur, the chairperson of African Committee on Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, ACERWC, African Union Commission.
Over 100 school girls were abducted in Dapchi village in February after the school was invaded by suspected Boko Haram members. The government of Yobe initially announced that the girls had been rescued but it turned out to be a hoax.
WELA yesterday said it wants the AU commission to put pressure on the Nigerian government to secure the release of the girls.
The organisation also described the abduction as a sign of failure of the Nigerian state in protecting Nigerian school children, reminiscent of the 2014 abduction of girls in Chibok community.
“We believe attacks on schools place children at risks of injury or death and affect children’s ability to obtain an education,” the group said.

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PANDEF Hails Tinubu For Lifting Emergency Rule In Rivers

Published

4 days ago

September 19, 2025

The Tide

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has hailed the lifting of the State of Emergency in Rivers State, effective midnight, Wednesday, September 17, 2025.

In a statement signed by Board members and National Executive Committee members, yesterday, PANDEF commended President Bola Tinubu for rectifying what they described as an anomaly.

The statement was co-signed by Co-Chairmen, PANDEF Board of Trustees, Alfred Diette-Spiff and Obong Victor Attah, National Chairman Ambassador Godknows Boladei Igali, and National Secretary, Beks Dagogo-Jack.

Tinubu declared a State of Emergency in Rivers State on the 18th of March, 2025, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Deputy Governor, and members of the state House of Assembly for six months in the first instance.

In place of the governor, the President appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd) as Sole Administrator.

However, Tinubu announced the suspension of the Emergency Rule on Wednesday, stating, “It therefore gives me great pleasure to declare that the emergency in Rivers State shall end with effect from midnight today (Wednesday).”

The Forum commended Fubara’s unwavering perseverance and “faith in the divine will of Almighty God,” while also commending the Deputy Governor, Professor Ngozi Odu, the Speaker, and members of the House of Assembly, who were equally affected by the suspension.

“The Board and National Executive Committee of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, the apex socio-political organisation representing the South-South geopolitical zone, joins millions of Nigerians in welcoming the lifting of the state of emergency in Rivers State, effective midnight, Wednesday, September 17, 2025.

“While PANDEF had expressed strong reservations regarding the erstwhile emergency rule, we commend His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for taking this bold step to rectify the anomaly.

“We welcome Governor Siminalayi Fubara back to his elected office and salute his unwavering perseverance and faith in the divine will of Almighty God. We extend similar commendations to the Deputy Governor, Professor Ngozi Oduah, the Speaker, and members of the House of Assembly, who were equally affected by the suspension,” the statement read.

Addressing Rivers people, the forum declared, “Light has returned to the state and a new glorious dawn has come. A moment in which the bitter pains of the past months will inspire all to rededicate themselves to true mutual forbearance, new alignments and forward movement.”

They urged political leaders and citizens to put the past behind them and work towards the collective good of the State, while pledging to support Rivers’ developmental trajectory under Fubara.

“All hearts and hands must therefore be joined together to put the past behind us and work towards the collective good of the state.

“We look forward to the State’s return to normalcy and the resumption of its developmental trajectory under the leadership of Governor Fubara and his team. PANDEF reiterates its commitment to supporting the government and people of Rivers State in their pursuit of progress and development,” the statement added.

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RSG Approves Full Rehabilitation of State Secretariat …Unveils Housing Scheme for Civil Servants, Honours Veterans

Published

2 weeks ago

September 12, 2025

The Tide

Rivers State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Eteh Ibas (Rtd), has approved the complete rehabilitation and modernization of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex to enhance efficiency and productivity in the civil service.

Ibas made the announcement at the 2025 Civil Service Week Gala and Awards Ceremony held at Banquet Hall, Government House, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday,.

He disclosed that “initiative is designed to transform the secretariat into a modern, efficient and conducive work environment, directly supporting the civil servants who form the backbone of the state’s governance.”

The Administrator also approved the provision of 106 housing units for civil servants in the State.

Ibas paid glowing tribute to retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries, describing them as the bedrock of the state’s administration.

He stated that the awards ceremony was a symbol of deep appreciation for decades of sacrifice, resilience, and commitment.

“These interventions are designed to not only recognize your service, but also to improve your welfare in tangible and lasting ways,” the Administrator stated.

“We must build an administration that is efficient, effective, and truly citizen-centric,” he added.

The Administrator urged serving officers to draw inspiration from their predecessors and strive to make a meaningful impact in the lives of citizens.

He emphasized the importance of embracing innovation, technology, and continuous training to build a civil service equipped for the future.

The Acting Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr. (Mrs.) Inyingi Brown, in her welcome address, described the civil service as the “engine room of government” and expressed profound gratitude to the Administrator for his unwavering support and commitment to its modernization.“

“A society that does not honour its heroes is not worthy of emulation,” Dr. Brown remarked, lauding the retirees as torchbearers of discipline and loyalty.

She pledged to build on their legacy through reforms and innovation, projecting that the Rivers State Civil Service would become a model of efficiency and transparency by 2030.

Speaking on behalf of the retirees, President of the Association of Retired Permanent Secretaries, Sir Promise Njowhor,

expressed heartfelt appreciation for the historic recognition.

“For once, since the creation of the State, we are being honoured,” Njowhor said, adding, “Our morale has been lifted.”

He pledged the association’s continuous support for government programmes, describing the body of experienced retirees as a resource available to contribute to state development.

The rehabilitation of the State Secretariat and the new housing scheme represent a major investment in the infrastructure and dignity of public service in Rivers State, signaling a new era of support for the civil servants who drive the government’s policies and programmes.

The Tide reports that the Administrator also conferred awards of meritorious service on retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries in the State

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Rivers LG Poll: APC Wins 20 chairmanship seats, PDP Clears Three

Published

3 weeks ago

September 1, 2025

The Tide

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won 20 out of the 23 local government areas in the just concluded local government election in the State, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clinched three local governments.

According to the results released by the Rivers State independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), yesterday, the APC won the chairmanship seats in Abua/Odual, Andoni, Opobo Nkoro, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Okrika, Ogu/Bolo and Khana local government areas.

APC also won in Gokana, Tai, Oyigbo, Bonny, Eleme, Etche, Omuna, Akuku Toru, Asari Toru, Degema, Ikwerre and Emohua local government areas.

The Commission, however, said the PDP won in Port Harcourt City, Obio/Akpor, and Ogba Egbema Ndoni local government areas.

Chairman of the Commission, Dr Michael Odey, who announced the results at the Commission headquarters in Port Harcourt, said Ofori Owolabi of the APC scored 28,755 votes to emerge winner of the election for Abua Odual while Solomon Ochomma, also of the APC, emerged chairman elect for Ahoada East after scoring 54,509 votes.

Odey said Eugene Epelle also of the APC scored 84,125 votes to emerge winner in Ahoada West, while Bob Fubara was elected the chairman-elect for Akuku Toru after scoring 63,593 votes.

Similarly APC chairmanship candidate Lucky Otuo Promise emerged chairman-elect for Andoni after scoring a total of 126,181 votes, APC’s George Onengiyeofori emerged winner in Asari Toru after scoring 56,383 votes, while Pepple Blessing Abinye garnered 13,543 votes to emerge winner in Bonny Local Government Area.

Other APC candidates elected include Michael John Williams who scored 16,536 votes to emerge chairman-elect for Degema Local Government; Obarlllormate Ollor (77,452) for Eleme; Dr Chidi Julius Lloyd (114,380) for Emohua; Njoku Boniface (100,649) for Etche; Confidence Deekor (96,478) for Gokana, while Wobodo Charles got 62,746 votes to emerge winner in Ikwerre Local Government Area.

Other APC winners from the APC include Akuro Tobins (32,285 votes) for Okrika; Hon Obasi Uchechukwu (38,530) for Omuma; James A James (38,822) for Opobo Nkoro; Vincent Nemieboka (36,374) for Ogu/Bolo; Hon Mbakpone Okpe (70,080) for Tai LGA, while in Oyigbo, Okechukwu Akara scored 101,495 votes to emerge winner.

Meanwhile, the RSIEC chairman announced Dr Gift Worlu of the PDP with 328,823 votes to emerge winner in Obio Akpor; Shedrack Ogbogu, also of the PDP, scored 51,051 votes for Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area, while in Port Harcourt City, Sir Alwell Ihunda garnered 235,054 votes for PDP to emerge winner.

The APC also cleared the councillorship seats in Abua/Odual, Andoni, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Okrika, Ogu/Bolo and Khana, Oyigbo, Bonny, Eleme, Etche,Tai, Khana Opobo/Nkoro and Degema local government areas.

Similarly APC councillorship candidates also emerged winners in Asari Toru, Degema, Akuku Toru, Gokana and Khana while PDP cleared the councillorship seats in Obio/Akpor, Port Harcourt city, and Ogba Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Areas

Meanwhile, the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions has passed a vote of confidence on the just concluded local government election in the State.

National Chairman of the forum, Hon. Mamman Nda Eri, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt.

Eri said all the chairmen across the country were in Port Harcourt to monitor the election as well as gain experience in an election under emergency rule.

John Bibor & King Onunwor