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Fish Out EFCC’s Killers, RSG Tasks IGP, Security Agencies
The Rivers State Government has called on the Inspector General of Police, Department of State Services and other security agencies to fish out the killers of Ahoada West Local Government Legislative Assembly, Hon Ekele Fyneface Cohen Chikobi, popularly called EFCC Chiko in the social media.
EFCC Chiko, a social media influencer, was killed, last Thursday, around Rumuji along East-West Road when unknown gunmen opened fire on the convoy of the PDP House of Assembly Candidate, Hon Wanaka Augustine Okpokiri, killing EFCC Chiko and abducting some others in their convoy as they were returning to Port Harcourt.
In the last two weeks, drivers of two popular motor companies were attacked at around the same spot by the same gunmen, who killed one while the other escaped with severe gunshot injuries, just as the hoodlums kidnapped some of their passengers.
It was learnt that these incidents were only a tip of the iceberg in the last one month, as several private and commercial motorists and travellers have faced traumatic experiences, with some killed, some kidnapped while others escaped with gunshot wounds.
The state government concern was contained in a statement issued by the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Barrister Emma Okah, in Port Harcourt, last Friday.
“Time has come for the Government and people of Rivers State to ask more questions as to the security of lives and property in our state and the role and effectiveness of security agencies”, Okah said, noting that the death of EFCC Chiko after a campaign rally in his LGA was unacceptable.
Despite threats of violence against PDP members and other innocent people in Rivers people, the state government has continued to find ways to end this quagmire by supporting security agencies but enemies of progress would not agree.
“Recall that the establishment of the Rivers State Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency was a direct response to these challenges but some prominent Rivers sons instigated the Nigeria Army to shut down the recruitment process for their selfish political ends”, Okah said, adding that violent crimes like the death of EFCC Chiko would have been averted if the agency had commenced operations.
“Rivers State Government considers this death and the others like it, a direct affront to the security agencies and Rivers people demand that they rise to the occasion if they want us to believe their strength and impartiality.
“On our part, we shall continue to do everything within our powers as government to get the perpetrators of this crime to book in no distant time”, the statement added.
“As a government, we call on the Inspector General of Police not to go the way of his predecessor who politicised Rivers State security and didn’t consider the lives and property of Rivers people a priority despite repeated demands. He must show his presence in the arena.
“Hon. Ekele Fyneface Cohen Chikobi (EFCC Chiko) must not die in vain,” Okah stressed.
However, the government commiserated with the wife and family of the deceased, and prayed God to comfort them at this time of anguish, assuring that the state will stand with them at this time.
Earlier, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike had stated that the state government would ensure that the killers of Ekele Fyneface Cohen Chikobi (EFCC) were brought to justice.
Speaking at a meeting with Community Development Committees in Port Harcourt, last Friday, Wike said the state government would ensure all those involved in the dastardly act are tracked down by security operatives.
Wike said he received news of the murder of EFCC, the legislative leader of Ahoada West Local Government Area, with shock, noting that he was unsettled by the sad news.
Meanwhile, D-Source Connect has condemned the murder of the founding member of the group.
“EFCC Chico as he is fondly called, until his sudden and untimely demise was a committed and founding member of D-Source Connect Group whose sense of humour and leadership style we cannot forget in such a hurry.
“We, as a group condemn the gruesome murder of our brother and friend, and call on the Federal Government, especially the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Abubakar Adamu and all the security chiefs to fish out everyone involved in this dastardly act that took the life of this young man at his prime, at a time his family, friends and Rivers people need him most.
“While we condole with the family of EFCC Chico and pray that God grants them the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss, we pray that God almighty will grant him eternal rest”, the group added.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.