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Wike Is Building Infrastructure For ‘morrow, Nsirim Affirms
The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, has stated that all the infrastructural development projects embarked upon by the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, are envisioned to serve the state better in years to come.
Making this known, yesterday, when the Zonal Director, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Port Harcourt Network Centre, Madam Bosede Adebayo, and her management team paid him a courtesy visit in his office, the commissioner said beyond creating employment for Rivers people, this was to enable the state meet the needs of the present and future generations of the state.
“If people knew that Rivers State would be like this, be congested this way, I think there would have been a ring road or some other thing by now. So, he (governor) has envisioned that in the next five to 10 years, because of the kind of investment flow that is coming in here now, Rivers State would need the right infrastructure to accommodate it. So, he’s building infrastructure for tomorrow”, he said.
According to Nsirim, unfortunately, many people who don’t understand the governor politicise everything.
“There was a time they politicised that they were demolishing peoples’ houses. But the houses that were demolished, compensations were paid to those who were affected”, he said.
While noting that the existing relationship between the ministry and NTA should be strengthened, Nsirim emphasized the need for the station, which represents the media, to spearhead the need to let the world have the true picture of what Rivers State stands for.
“Rivers State is blessed to have a visionary leader now, a man who has come to really define governance. I say that with a very strong sense of responsibility because we have seen leaders come and go. That passion to develop Rivers State and make it the destination of choice is what we see in Governor Nyesom Wike every day.
“We believe that the various media houses need to join the Rivers State Government to project the state as a destination of choice.
“We say proudly that we have what it takes: we have the right leadership, we have the right infrastructure, we have a welcoming environment, we have a culture that is second to none, and here remains the headquarters of the hydrocarbon industry. We have all it takes for investment, and we will join NTA to be part of the narrative that will position Rivers State as the destination of choice”, he explained.
To do this, he continued, “We need to set an agenda for Rivers State, and the issue is, if you live and do business in Rivers State, we have a shared prosperity to protect. As Zonal Director, if River State is doing well, it will reflect on the revenue you make, it will reflect on your personality. So, we want everybody to understand that we’ve gotten the right leadership, we need to come together to support that leadership.
“The narrative out there is that this is a no-go-area. But we understand the political economy. People would want to make Rivers State look bad so that some other areas will benefit from capital flight and all that. But we’re saying ‘no’. The time to change that narrative has come, and we’re lucky we have you now at the Zonal Network Centre.
“Help us, with your team of dedicated professionals, to design programmes that will help to project the interest of Rivers State, help us to design programmes and projects that would project the image of Rivers State”, he added.
Earlier in her speech, the Port Harcourt Network Centre Zonal Director of NTA, Madam Bosede Adebayo, explained that the reason for the visit was to congratulate the commissioner on his appointment, and pledge the station’s loyalty to work with him and the state government.
“Our coming today is two-fold: to congratulate you, and secondly, to pledge our loyalty, to say to you that the NTA is there for you. I also want to thank, through you, the state government for patronage given to my team, and like Oliver Twist, to say, please, we are available, at the shortest time, we are ready to give you the best of our services.
“Our facilities have also been improved upon to make sure that we do not disappoint you. So, we look forward to doing business together. Not only business together, we are ready to support you and your initiatives, and every other thing that you would want us to do”, she said.
In order to boost the synergy, Adebayo stated the need for the state to have a programme that would showcase the activities of government and its agencies that should have a feedback mechanism from the people.
“We believe Rivers State Government should have a programme on our channel, possibly every week, let it run for 30 minutes, highlighting the activities of the various agencies, and what the government wants the people to know. There should be a forum for a feedback”, Adebayo added.
In the entourage of the zonal NTA boss were managers in the station, while the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Barrister Ibiwari Clapton-Ogolo, and directors in the ministry were also present.
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have foiled attempts by drug trafficking syndicates to smuggle illicit substances concealed in carton walls, winter jackets, and body cream containers through Murtala Muhammed International Airport and a Lagos-based courier firm.
The agency said two consignments bound for Italy were intercepted at the Lagos airport, leading to the arrest of suspects linked to the shipments.
In a statement released yesterday, the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said one of the suspects, 37-year-old Friday Ehianuka, was intercepted on Friday, March 20, 2026, while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Rome, Italy.
The statement partly read, “Two of the consignments heading to Italy were to be moved through the Lagos airport where two suspects linked to the shipments were promptly arrested.
“One of them, 37-year-old Friday Ehianuka, was going to Rome, Italy on Friday, March 20, 2026, when he was intercepted while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight with 2,698 pills of tramadol 225mg concealed in containers of skin-lightening body cream, all packed in the suspect’s luggage.
“In his statement, Ehianuka, who is a resident of Milan, confirmed that he was to be paid a negotiated fee in Euros if he had succeeded in trafficking the consignment to Italy.”
In another operation on Wednesday, March 18, Babafemi said NDLEA officers at the departure hall intercepted another passenger, Christian Agbonhese, attempting to board a Lufthansa flight to Milan.
A search of his luggage uncovered 23,150 pills of tramadol 225mg, 4,000 tablets of tapentadol 250mg, and 1,320 pills of tramadol 100mg concealed in two large winter jackets.
“No fewer than 23,150 pills of tramadol 225mg; 4,000 tablets of tapentadol 250mg; and 1,320 pills of tramadol 100mg, all concealed in two large winter jackets, bringing the total number of opioids recovered from him to 28,470 pills. The 38-year-old Agbonhese is also a resident of Milan,” the statement added.
In a separate operation at a courier firm in Lagos, Babafemi said NDLEA officers on Monday, March 16, intercepted two parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 1kg, hidden in a carton shipped from the United States.
“Also thwarted was an attempt to export 158 grams of methamphetamine concealed in the walls of a carton to New Zealand,” he said.
In Kano State, operatives arrested Abdulkadir Mamuda, 35, with 102.5kg of skunk at Dan-Tsalle, while another suspect, Uche Johnson Festus, 47, was nabbed at Naibawa Gabas with 95.5kg of the same substance.
Babafemi said the agency also recovered 21,737 bottles of codeine-based syrup during a raid at Otto, Ijora area of Lagos on Wednesday, March 18, adding that two suspects, Chidiebere Anigbogu and Paul Nwagbara, were arrested the same day on the Third Mainland Bridge while conveying 8,380 bottles of the syrup.
In Edo State, operatives recovered 97.5kg of skunk from the residence of Akeem Idde, 37, in Ojah, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area on March 16.
In the FCT, officers intercepted a commercial bus along the Gwagwalada Expressway on March 18, recovering 91,840 pills of tramadol hidden in body compartments of the vehicle. The driver, Aminu Ali, 27, was arrested.
In Oyo State, a suspect, Bankole Bari, was on Tuesday, March 17, arrested at Oke-Oyan, Ibarapa LGA, with 71.2kg of skunk, which he smuggled into Nigeria from Benin Republic through the Oyan River.
In a similar development, “Not less than 586,000 pills of tramadol and Exol-5 were recovered by NDLEA operatives from Lawal Anas, 28, along Kaduna-Zaria Highway, Kaduna, on Tuesday, March 17, while 7,290 tablets of tramadol 225mg were seized from Musa Shuaibu, 22, at the same location on Friday, March 20,” Babafemi said.
In Taraba State, officers intercepted Aliyu Adamu, 26, along the Takum-Jalingo Highway with 77,660 capsules of tramadol, while in Adamawa State, six suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure of 82.8kg of tramadol in a truck in Yola.
The suspects include Ramatu Aliyu, Jungudo Abdullahi, Najid Abdullahi, Musa Mohammed, Usman Abdulrahim, and Musa Mohammed.
The agency said its commands across the country also intensified War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaigns in schools, worship centres, and communities during the week.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers of the MMIA, DOGI, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, Oyo, FCT, Taraba, and Adamawa commands for the arrests and seizures, urging them to sustain the balanced approach to drug control efforts.
News
RSG Applauds FRSC, NDLEA For Enhancing Security In Rivers …As NDLEA Pushes For Drug Tests In Schools, NYSC Camps
The Rivers State Government has commended the dedication and collaboration of federal government agencies in sustaining security in the State.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the State Commander of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), CN Bature Dawa, in Port Harcourt, last week, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Dagogo Wokoma, said Governor Siminalayi Fubara appreciates the strong synergy between the agencies in promoting his administration’s vision of peace, prosperity and progress in the State.
Wokoma urged residents to remain law-abiding, noting that respect for the law is essential for good governance and sustainable development in all parts of the state.
He stated that the governor has remained committed to initiatives that promote peace and social order, stressing that the administration will continue to support programmes of federal agencies aimed at strengthening security and public safety.
“Our governor is committed to peace, progress and prosperity in Rivers State. I therefore encourage all residents, especially young people who are often targeted by those involved in drug abuse, to stay away from drugs, crime and reckless driving,” he said.
In his remarks, the State NDLEA boss, Dawa, disclosed that the agency has arrested 39 suspects in the state from December 2025 to date, including 16 new cases currently under investigation.
He explained that the NDLEA, through its Drug Demand Reduction and Drug Supply Control Units, has intensified efforts to curb the spread of illicit drugs and ensure offenders are brought to justice.
Dawa also called on parents and guardians to closely monitor their children, while urging hotel owners and managers to remain vigilant and prevent their facilities from being used for drug-related activities.
He further advocated the introduction of drug integrity tests in schools and within the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme as part of measures to discourage drug abuse among young people.
In a related development, Dr Wokoma received the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), CC Inyang Umoh, during a courtesy visit, and urged residents to abide by road safety laws and drive in consideration of other road users.
In his remarks, the FRSC boss expressed appreciation to Governor Fubara for the continuous support to the Corps.
Muslims in Rivers State have commended Governor Siminialayi Fubara for his dedication and commitment to the development of the state.
They also lauded the governor for promoting peaceful co-existence among various religious groups in the state.
Vice President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs ,Alhaji Nasil Awhelegbe Uhor, gave the commendation last Friday during the Eid-el Fitri prayer to mark the end of Ramadan fasting period, at the Port Harcourt Central Mosque, Niger Street, Port Harcourt.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the prayer, Alhaji Uhor said Governor Fubara has shown exemplary leadership in the affairs of the state.
Uhor who is the leader of the South South Muslim Ummah of Nigeria, called on Muslims to remain committed to the ideal of peace and fear of the Almighty Allah.
According to the Rivers State Islamic leader, the message is for Muslims to imbibe and allow the lessons of Ramadan to sink into their lives and shape their ways of doing things.
He urged Muslims to imbibe the culture of love and respect for one another.
“My message is that all Muslims should imbibe and allow the lessons of Ramadan to sink with them,” he advised.
Uhor stressed the need for Muslims and all Nigerians to remain patriotic, while avoiding all forms of anti-social behaviours.
He also called on the political leaders to put the country first, stressing that there is no need for Nigerians to continue to wallow in abject poverty when the country is so rich with natural resources.
Also speaking, the Chief Imam of Rivers State, Alhaji Ibrahim S Yalo, urged Muslims to fear God, and speak the truth always.
According to him, time has come for Nigerians to cultivate the habit of peaceful coexistence, speak the truth and be each others keeper.
“Nigerians own a duty to ensure peace, live together in fear of God and speak the truth always,” he said.
By: John Bibor