Niger Delta

Protesters Storm EFCC, Demand Probe Of Akpabio

Published

7 years ago

January 16, 2019

Protesters last Monday stormed the zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Wuse 2, Abuja, demanding the probe of a former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio.
The protesters under the aegis of Civil Society Groups for Accountability and Probity requested an investigation to be launched into what they described as the “unlawful acquisition of properties and false declaration of assets by the Senator”.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Jonathan Ogwuche said they were at the commission to submit a petition against Mr Akpabio.
He said in 2007, Mr Akpabio ‘claimed’ to have eight buildings, while in 2011, “he declared 10 buildings”.
“Curiously however and of worrisome note, in 2016, following an investigative report by an online media, it was alleged that he was among those with properties in Dubai.
“Contrary to claims by Senator Akpabio, the ‘following outlandish properties’ located at the under-listed addresses could also be traced to him as follows:
“1. Plot 5 Ikogosi Spring Close, off Katsina-Ala Crescent, Maitama-Abuja; 2. Plot 28 Colorado Close, Maitama; 3. 22 Probyn Road, Ikoyi, Lagos and 4. Plot 23 Olusegun Aina Street, Parkview, Lagos.”
He said the properties “are conspicuously missing in the asset declaration of the former governor”.
“With the exception of a Bedford armour bus which he claimed to be a gift, cars declared in 2007 were copied and pasted in 2011. This doesn’t represent the reality on ground as he is known to move about in a fleet of cars.”
The protesters claimed that a son of the former governor “who is said to have a property in Abuja (in 2007 declaration) at Games village acquired on 1-1-2005 worth a value of N16.9 million has an annual income of just N350,000, while in 2011 declaration, the value remained unchanged”.

Niger Delta

PDP Declares Edo Airline’s Plan As Misplaced Priority

Published

60 minutes ago

January 28, 2026

The Tide

The Edo chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday condemned the state government’s reported plan to establish a state-owned airline.

The party, in a statement by its Edo State Publicity Secretary, Mr. Dan Osa-Ogbegie, described the proposal as a misplaced priority and evidence of poor, disconnected governance.

The Tide’s source reports that the State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, unveiled the airline plan during a meeting with Aviation Minister, Mr. Festus Keyamo, in Abuja.

Osa-Ogbegie said the proposal showed a government out of touch with the pressing challenges confronting Edo State residents.

“At a time of decaying infrastructure and stalled projects, establishing an airline is unrealistic and profoundly insensitive”, he said.

He argued that airlines were capital-intensive and technically demanding, noting that similar state-owned ventures in Nigeria had largely failed.

According to him, Benin has become a shadow of what a modern state capital should be.

He decried poor roads, collapsed urban planning, neglected drainage systems and weak municipal services across the state capital.

“This is a crying shame for a city of Benin’s history, heritage and enormous potential”, he said.

Osa-Ogbegie said several inherited projects had stalled or deteriorated, eroding investor confidence and undermining economic growth.

He accused the governor of pursuing “white elephant projects that offer optics without substance.”

He also cited ongoing flyover projects in parts of Benin as examples of poor prioritisation.

Against this background, he described the airline proposal as diversionary and lacking economic sense.

“When roads are barely motorable and services overstretched, proposing an airline betrays an absence of judgment,” he said.

He urged the government to abandon the plan and focus on people-centred priorities that would improve living conditions and spur growth.

“Edo does not need an airline to fly above its problems. It needs a government ready to confront them on the ground,” he said.

He warned that failure to refocus would deepen perceptions of an administration lacking direction, competence and a coherent development agenda.

Niger Delta

Students Protest Non-indigene Appointment As Rector in C’River

Published

60 minutes ago

January 28, 2026

The Tide

Students of Federal Polytechnic, Ugep, Cross River State, have protested to the Governor’s Office in Calabar over an alleged plan to appoint a non-indigene as Rector for the institution.

Carrying placards with various inscriptions, the students demanded respect for catchment area policy, local content, and the appointment of an indigene of the state as Rector of the institution.

Speaking on behalf of the students in Calabar, Stephen Etem said the protest sought to alert the Federal and Cross River State Governments to an alleged deviation from the established rectorial selection process.

Etem said a Governing Council, chaired by Sen. Florence Ita-Giwa, was constituted by the Federal Government to conduct the Rector selection exercise.

“The screening, which began last year, reportedly produced a Cross River State indigene as highest scorer and recommended candidate.

“Information available to us suggests that the alleged recommended candidate’s name might be substituted at the Federal Ministry of Education.

“We urge the Federal Government to uphold the council’s recommendation because altering the process could threaten peace in the institution,” he noted.

Responding at the Government House, Mr. Goddie Akpama, the Special Adviser on Intelligence to the State Governor, Bassey Otu, appealed for calm, saying the Governor was away but would be briefed.

Akpama advised the students to submit written petitions through appropriate channels, avoid inflammatory language, and engage authorities to ensure stability and uninterrupted academic activities.

Niger Delta

Police Nab 7 Illicit Drugs Peddlers In Delta

Published

3 hours ago

January 28, 2026

The Tide

The Police Command in Delta State has apprehended seven suspected illicit drugs peddlers in the state.

Spokesman for the Command, SP Bright Edafe, who disclosed this to newsmen on Saturday in Warri, said the suspects were arrested on Tuesday by the police operatives attached to the Ugborikoko Division in Uvwie Local Government Area, following credible information.

He explained that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ugborikoko division, CSP Setemi Agbede-Zoukumor, received the useful information and promptly deployed her personnel on a follow-up.

“Acting on a credible and actionable intelligence, the DPO carried out a targeted operation which led to the discovery of an organised drug syndicate thriving within the Ugborikoko Community.

“A suspected illicit drugs dealer was initially arrested during the operation. In a dramatic turn of events, the suspect volunteered vital information which enabled the Police to trace and arrest six additional suspects believed to be key players in the drug supply chain,” he said.

Edafe said exhibits recovered from the suspects’ residences included 52 packs of GM Gold Indian hemp, one pack of Canadian loud, 40 packs of Kolorado and 16 sachets of Swinol.

He said others are 30 tablets of Tramadol, 52 packs of loud and two crushers, believed to have been used for processing and resale.

Edafe said the command was still investigating the matter.