Niger Delta

US-Based Family Reaches Out To Widows, Orphans In Rivers

Published

6 years ago

December 18, 2019

About 112 widows from Ede community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, have benefitted from a special medical outreach and empowerment programmed sponsored by the family of late Elder Aaron Nwabite Izeogu who are based in the United States of America (USA).
The event, which held at the compound of the sponsors in Ede Community was the Izeogu’s Family 4th Annual Widows/Orphans/Octogenarians/Nonagenarians End of Year Praise and Worship in Collaboration with the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Ede, Ogba District.
Shortly after the health checks and administration of drugs, the 122 beneficiaries and another set of 34 widows took delivery of rice and unspecified cash gifts ahead of the Christmas celebration.
In all a total of 146 widows, 10 elderly men and seven orphan children benefitted from free medical outreach and Christmas packages.
Speaking to the beneficiaries and other community folks who gathered at the Izeogu’s compound through a video call from the United States in their native Ogba language, Prof. Vein Chukwudi Izeogu charged them to always trust in God, rather than hoping on man, saying God is the ultimate.
Prof. Izeogu expressed happiness to see that they were living in peace and hearing their voices, just as he wished them good health and thanked them for accepting the gesture his family offered through the years and wished them a happy Christmas and prosperous New Year.
Also through video call, Mrs. Margret Ulaku Chinwa thanked the beneficiaries and other community folks for attending the end of year and prayer session and urged them to always live for God.
Mrs. Chinwa said she was happy hearing their voices and seeing them and urged them to pray and reach out to those who could not make it to the end of year event for one reason or the other.
She also solicited their prayers for the repose of the soul of elderly community folks who have passed on in the last one year and thanked the Church for their efforts as well as the medical team for successfully completing the exercise.
In a sermon, District Pastor of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Ogba District, Saturday Itigwe, said the event was designed to pray for Ede community, saying: “It is important for us to have faith in God, hope for the future and the best in life because there is hope for tomorrow, especially for those who trust and believe in God.”
Pastor Itigwe said the widows might still be thinking of their spouses who have passed on, the elders may also be bothered about a health challenge or some situation, while the orphans might be thinking of the next meal, urging all not to be troubled as God said in His words.
Speaking to The Tide, the Doctor in charge of the medical outreach, Dapa Chineme said the programme was sponsored by the Izeogus for widows in the community, noting that they came with various ailments.
“We attended to about 109 widows (at the time of speaking). From the test we did, they came with various kind of illnesses, such as hypertension, diabetes, arthritis and malaria.
“But the prevalent ones (ailments) are hypertension, arthritis and body pains. For diabetes, we have few of them. Some have high blood sugar, so we took note of those ones for follow ups. For others, we examined them and administered drugs,” he stated.
Also speaking to our reporter, Supervisor of the End of Year, Smart Maduagu, said the event was to encourage people that have far more resources to remember the less privilege and vulnerable people and “those who cannot speak for themselves, to give them hope, purpose to live and to give them a future.”
Speaking to our reporter through her son, one of the widows, Mercy Akor, 83 thanked the Izeogus for the gesture, saying the medicals and gifts is a huge relief to her and prayed God to replenish their pockets and grant them good health.
Similarly, 88-year old Josiah Obigwe, described the gesture of the Izeogus as an effort worthy of emulation, noting that he was happy to hear their voices through the video calls and prayed God to preserve their lives.

By: Dennis Naku, Charity Opara

Niger Delta

Navy Pledges Improved Patrols, Welfare Boost For Personnel

Published

1 day ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has pledged to ensure improved welfare for personnel and more patrols on the maritime corridors of the nation.

He disclosed this during an on the spot assessment of things at the Eastern Naval Command (ENC), Calabar, on Wednesday.

According to him, there is the need for officers to always be ready, by improving on their welfare, in a bid to keep the country secured.

“I am here for an on the spot assessment of our operations and like you have seen, I have also gone round to check the ongoing buildings.

”These are welfare issues and for us to be able to have our men ready and keep us secured, their welfare needs to be catered for.

“So, we are here to kill two birds with one stone, which are basically operations and welfare issues.

”I am happy with what the command is doing; it is doing well in terms of keeping the maritime environment safe.

“We will continue doing what we are doing and improve on that, which is patrol of the waters and increase in the area of surveillance”, he stated.

As part of his visit, Abbas commissioned the 12×1 Junior Rates Accommodation Block A and B, at the Navy Barracks at Atimbo in Calabar.

The naval chief also inspected other ongoing projects in the Akim Barracks, 1006 flats and the Navy hotel, all within Calabar.

Niger Delta

Delta Begins Uromi Junction Flyover Construction

Published

1 day ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

The Delta State Government says it has began construction work on the long-awaited Uromi Junction Flyover Bridge in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of the state.

Director-General (DG) of the Delta State Bureau for Orientation and Communications, Dr. Fred Oghenesivbe, confirmed the development to newsme in Asaba.

According to him, heavy-duty construction equipment have arrived the site, a project which is being handled by Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, one of the country’s leading construction firms.

Oghenesivbe, described the flyover as a massive infrastructure project with far-reaching socio-economic benefits for the area.

He said the project would significantly transform the Agbor metropolis by easing traffic congestion, improving the city’s aesthetics, and boosting commercial activities within the local government area.

He described the State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, as a promise-keeper and pragmatic leader whose administration remains committed to infrastructure development and economic growth across the state.

The DG expressed confidence in Julius Berger’s capacity to deliver the project within record time and according to the highest construction standards.

“The Uromi Junction serves as a major link between different parts of the country but has recently been plagued by severe traffic congestion, making vehicular movement increasingly difficult”, he noted.

He urged residents to cooperate with the contractor and safeguard construction materials and equipment to ensure the timely completion of the project.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Rejects Ekid Ownership Claim Of Stubbs Creek

Published

1 day ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

The Akwa Ibom State Government has rejected claims by the Ekid People’s Union that it owns land within the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve, describing such assertions as “false, misleading and a distortion of the judicial record.”

In a recent statement, signed by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Uko Udom, the state government said it was compelled to respond in the “overriding public interest,” despite a pending court case instituted by the same group.

The government stated that contrary to claims circulating in the media, the historic case of Ntiaro and Ikpak vs. Ibok Etok Akpan and Edoho Ekid, decided by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in 1918, did not vest ownership of Stubbs Creek land in any ethnic group or community.

“The final judgement merely dismissed the claims before the court and granted title to no party whatsoever”, the government stated, adding that “any assertion to the contrary is false, misleading and a distortion of the judicial record.”

According to the statement, the land was lawfully reserved by the colonial government under Forest Reserve Order No. 45 of 1930, later amended in 1941, 1955 and 1962, with “the principal rights of the land forfeited to the Government upon the change of status.”

It said the area has since been administered under applicable laws by the Akwa Ibom State Government, which “has at all times acted within its lawful authority in the management and allocation of land in the area for legitimate public and economic purposes.”

Citing the 1999 Constitution and the Land Use Act, the government stated that all land in the state is vested in the governor to be held in trust for the common benefit of Nigerians, noting that claims of absolute ancestral ownership are subject to existing laws.

The government “categorically denies allegations of fraud or misrepresentation” regarding Stubbs Creek or investments there and warned it would take “appropriate legal steps” against any individual or group publishing false or defamatory material capable of undermining public confidence or discouraging investment

The statement also assured the federal government of “full access and Right of Way” for the proposed Coastal Highway through any part of the state.

The government statement followed an earlier report in which the Ekid People’s Union accused Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State of making comments that allegedly linked the community to terrorism, while he was defending the Coastal Highway project passing through the Stubbs Creek.

Ekid People’s Union maintained that the people of Ekid are the original owners of the land known as Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve, arguing that their ancestral ownership predates colonial rule.

The group cited historical occupation, customary ownership and a 1918 Privy Council case, which it claimed affirmed Ekid rights over the territory.

The union also accused the Akwa Ibom State Government of misrepresenting history to justify taking over the land for commercial interests and the proposed Coastal Highway, an allegation the state government has denied.

The group rejected any suggestion linking the Ekid people to criminality or terrorism, insisting they were peaceful citizens defending their ancestral land through lawful and civic means.