News
Outrage As Gunmen Kill Four In Rumuoro
Unknown gunmen, numbering about 30, have reportedly killed four persons in Rumuoro community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, following mid-day raid by suspected assassins.
The gunmen, who stormed the once peaceful community at about 12:45pm, last Saturday, shot sporadically to scare away villagers, who scampered for safety, amid tempered confusion, and calls for help.
Some of the villagers, who saw a number of the rampaging gunmen, alleged that the attackers were indigenes of Okporowo Ogbakiri.
Eyewitnesses told The Tide that in the aftermath of the shooting, one Pastor Joseph Iheme from Igodo’s compound was shot and killed instantly in the river while fishing with his son, Mr Godknows Iheme.
According to sources, Godknows narrowly escaped the attackers’ bullets while his father’s corpse was taken away by the attackers.
It was further gathered that a pregnant girl from Kpalikwu-Imoh’s compound, one Miss Queen Ada Amah, was taken away and murdered by the attackers.
Sources said that Ada was slaughtered at a separate location, and her unborn baby taken away, apparently for ritual purposes.
Community sources told The Tide that Mr Kingsley Owhonda of Wokne’s compound, who went for fishing on the fateful day, was taken away alive to the same neighbouring bush where Ada was murdered, tied on the tree and amputated until he gave up the ghost.
According to sources, “Miss Mini Elizabeth from Igodo’s compound was captured along-side Queen Amah. They both went to the stream to fetch water at the same Rumuoro river. We learnt she was buried alive by the same people”.
The Tide learnt that Mr Godknows Iheme, who escaped the terrifying attack, quickly ran to the community where he alerted the people on the killing of his father by members of a suspected armed group, allegedly from Okporowo community.
According to Godknows, some group of armed men, numbering more than 30, attacked Rumuoro through the river boundaries and directly shot his father who slumped immediately after being shot at.
Godknows claimed that while running away, he also saw other members of same group holding two girls who also went to the river to fetch water from the stream.
He alleged to have seen one Mr Jackson Eme aka Jakande, Mr Abuchi Elenga aka Abuja, Mr Lucky Alikor aka Topper, Mr Chinedu Ndala aka China, and Mr Kudos, all with AK-47 rifles.
Godknows claimed that some other members of the gang, now at large, were also wielding AK-47 rifles, even as they desperately searched the area for more victims.
A community source told The Tide that it was only after the dastardly act had been perfected that the security agents swooped on the area where the attack took place.
It was further learnt that when the security agents cordoned off the area, they were, however, unable to access the scene of the killing of Pastor Joseph Iheme in the river.
When the search team came back, it was later discovered that one Mr Kingsley Owhonda who also went to the river was taking away alongside the two girls.
Sources said that a day after the attack; hundreds of youth of Rumuoro visited the scene in search of their loved ones but could not find any of the four persons.
According to community sources, the search team, however, discovered the a fishing net, two female clothes, two pairs of male trousers and clothes and a jerry can rubber, all belonging to the victims of the attack.
The community sources alleged that the same group from Okporowo community had at various times over the last couple of years, invaded Rumuoro community, killing more than 10 persons in different attacks.
However, the leaders of Rumuoro community have appealed to the security agents to come to their aid, while urging that the suspects be arrested and brought to justice.
Reacting to The Tide inquiries on the alleged murder of the victims, the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed the killings, and called for calm in the community as security operatives were doing their level best to arrest the culprits and prosecute them accordingly.
The PPRO said, “We are aware of the killings in Rumuoro. We are, however, investigating the matter to unravel the circumstances surrounding the killings, and bring the perpetrators to book”.
Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
Rivers State Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu, has called for renewed commitment, transparency, and collaboration among stakeholders in the health sector in the State.
The deputy governor particularly urged synergy between the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP) and the Primary Health Care Management Board towards improved healthcare delivery in the State.
?Prof. Odu made this call during the 2026 First Quarter Review Meeting of the Task Force on Primary Health Care at the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.
?She stressed the importance of honesty and urged all parties to be truthful and open in addressing challenges within the system.
?According to her, transparency remains critical to identifying and resolving underlying issues affecting healthcare delivery, noting that “if we are not truthful, we will not cure the disease, but merely cover it up.”
The deputy governor recounted a personal experience at a Primary Health Center where a patient, despite being duly registered under the RIVCIPP scheme with completed biometric capture, was still asked to make payment for services.
According to her, intervention by relevant authorities later confirmed the patient’s eligibility, exposing a communication gap between the scheme and healthcare providers.
Odu warned that such incidents could discourage community members from enrolling in the scheme, thereby undermining its objectives.
“When this happens, we are disenfranchising our people. The message that goes back to the community is that even when you register, you are still made to pay,” she stressed.
?While commending the leadership and staff of the Primary Health Care Management Board, Ministry of Health, Development Partners as well as other supporting units, for their efforts, ty deputy governor stressed that performance should not lead to complacency.
She urged stakeholders to continuously strive for improvement, raise standards, and leave lasting positive impacts within the system.
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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the opening of examination slip printing for candidates registered for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
JAMB made the announcement yesterday, urging candidates to visit its website to download their slips ahead of the examination.
“Examination Slip Printing is now available. The slip contains details of the venue, date and time of your examination and gives you access to the examination hall,” the board said.
Candidates are to visit jamb.gov.ng and click on “2026 Slip Printing” to print their slips.
The development comes after JAMB dismissed a viral press release falsely claiming the examination had been postponed.
The board described the notice as “malicious and fake” and urged candidates to disregard it.
The 2026 UTME is scheduled to hold from Thursday, April 16, to Saturday, April 25, 2026.
The examination follows a mock test conducted on Saturday, March 28, which recorded technical difficulties at some Computer-Based Test centres.
Of the 224,597 candidates who registered for the mock, 152,586 sat for the test across 989 CBT centres nationwide.
JAMB said over 20 centres were delisted for technical inadequacies.
The board also warned candidates against fraudsters on WhatsApp claiming to facilitate score inflation, describing such claims as “false and criminal”, and threatening cancellation of registration or withholding of results for any candidate found involved.
Over two million candidates, according to JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, registered for this year’s UTME.
News
RSU Unveils Five-Year Strategic Dev Plan …Calls For Collective Commitment To Institutional Excellence
In a decisive step towards redefining its future, the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, has formally unveiled its Third Five-Year (2026-2030) Strategic Development Plan.
The development plan is a comprehensive roadmap designed to strengthen the university’s position as a leading institution in Nigeria and beyond.
The unveiling took place during a high-level engagement with the Governing Council, Principal Officers and the university congregation, at the Convocation Arena, recently.
Delivering his remarks at the unveiling ceremony, the Pro-Chancellor of the university and Chairman of Council, Hon. Okey Wali, SAN, charged all members of the university community to align their activities with the strategic direction of the institution, emphasizing that the success of the plan depends on collective commitment.
He noted that the plan is not merely a document, but a working framework that requires discipline, accountability and unity of purpose.
According to the Pro-Chancellor, only through coordinated efforts from all stakeholders can the university fully realize its vision.
“I hereby invite the Visitor to the University, donor agencies, friends and well-wishers, and all stakeholders to support and fund the implementation of this strategic plan. We are confident that this plan will take RSU to greater heights in the comity of higher institutions,” he said.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, described the Strategic Development Plan as a document that would enhance the university’s corporate strengths, mitigate current weaknesses, leverage its corporate opportunities and address perceived existential threats.
“This Five-Year Strategic Plan sets out RSU’s goals, strategic objectives, expected outcomes and impact, including intervention strategies,” he said.
On his part, the Chairman of the Strategic Development Planning Committee, Prof. Emeritus Joseph A. Ajienka, noted that the 2026-2030 Strategic Development Plan represents a bold reaffirmation of the university’s founding ideals of excellence, creativity, innovation and inclusivity, aimed at positioning the institution to respond effectively to contemporary challenges in higher education.
Prof. Ajienka, who is also a member of the Governing Council, disclosed that the plan was developed through an extensive and inclusive consultative process, which he said reflects contributions from Faculties, Departments, Satellite Campuses and Administrative Units.
At its core, the plan seeks to advance the university’s vision of becoming a “unique and uncommon” institution that is structurally and philosophically oriented towards solving practical societal problems and ranking among the top ten universities in Nigeria.
The strategic framework identifies six key challenges confronting the university, including funding constraints, infrastructure deficits, limited research collaboration, and service delivery inefficiencies.
A statement by the university’s Acting Director, Corporate Affairs, Victor G. Banigo, further stated that the university has articulated four broad strategic goals supported by eight targeted objectives.
A central priority of the plan, according to him, is the strengthening of governance and administrative systems, alongside deliberate efforts to expand the university’s funding base. Others include enhanced alumni engagement, strategic partnerships and innovative fundraising initiatives aimed at ensuring long-term financial sustainability.
“Equally significant is the commitment to upgrading physical infrastructure across all campuses. Plans are underway to modernize lecture halls and laboratories, expand student accommodation, improve campus security and deploy advanced ICT systems to support teaching, learning and research.
“Recognizing that human capital is the backbone of institutional success, the university has placed strong emphasis on staff development, recruitment and productivity enhancement. Through targeted training programmes, mentorship initiatives and performance management systems, the plan aims to foster a highly skilled and motivated workforce.
“In addition, the university is poised to deepen its focus on research, innovation and entrepreneurship. By reviewing academic curricula, strengthening industry partnerships and establishing innovation incubation centers, Rivers State University seeks to translate research outputs into practical solutions that address societal needs and drive economic growth,” he said.
The PRO disclosed that the implementation of the strategic plan is projected at ?110 billion, reflecting the scale of transformation envisioned.
“While the university is committed to funding a significant portion internally, additional resources will be mobilized through government support, donor agencies, alumni contributions, and public-private partnerships.
“This multi-channel funding strategy aligns with the university’s broader goal of building a resilient and self-sustaining financial model capable of supporting long-term development,” he explained.
To ensure effective implementation, he said, “the plan incorporates a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework, complete with performance and impact indicators. A mid-term review is scheduled within the first two years to assess progress and make necessary adjustments.
“Furthermore, the establishment of a dedicated Strategic Planning Office will provide oversight, coordination and accountability in executing the plan across all units of the university.”
According to the statement, “As the university embarks on this transformative journey, the message from leadership is clear: the Strategic Development Plan is a collective mandate.
“For staff, students, alumni and stakeholders, it represents an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the growth and advancement of the institution. For the university, it is a pathway to consolidating its legacy while embracing innovation and global relevance.
“With a clear vision, defined priorities and a united community, Rivers State University stands poised to translate this strategic blueprint into measurable progress, advancing knowledge, empowering people and shaping the future of higher education in Nigeria.”