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Niger Delta

NYSC Member Awards Scholarship To 4, Donates Food Items To Orphanage

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2020 Batch B, Stream 2, National Youth Service Corp NYSC Member, Queen Chibueze Alexandra Tochi, has awarded scholarship to four indigent
students of Margaret Ekpo Secondary School and Government Secondary school, Uwanse both in  Calabar.
Apart from the scholarship ward, the Youth Corper also donated food items/toiletries worth reasonable amount of money to the Uwanse
Motherless Babies Home, Calabar.
Speaking on the topic “Project Helping Hands,” the Youth Corp member stressed  that the scholarship award/donation of food items and
toiletries which she donated to the beneficiaries was  in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy (place of her primary assignment) is one of the ways of contributing her quota to cushion the effect of COVID-19 which has almost cripple the economy of the nation.
Chibueze, a winner of 2020 NYSC Queen, stated that, “It has always been my dream to support young generation.
“After I emerged as Miss NYSC batch B, I thought it wise to embark on this project as part of my community development project,” she noted.
On why the NYSC donated food items and award of scholarship to the indigent students (inmates of the motherless baby home) she said that
with outbreak of COVID–19 pandemic, it would be difficult to take care of the kids.
Chibueze who doled out the sum N200,000 to matron of the motherless baby home, said that the cash would assist the home to handle the fee of the beneficiaries immediately schools resumed after easing of lockdown.
She said that the scholarship ward shall span from their present classes of junior Secondary school 1 and Senior Secondary 1 to graduation.
In his remarks, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC)  Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral, David Adeniran, urged beneficiaries of the
scholarship award, Master Imoh Etim SS1, Miss Esther David of JSS1, John Imoke of SS1 and Esther Imoke JSS2 student not to joke with the
opportunity but to study hard so that they can graduate in flying colors.
Representing the FOC, Commander Sunday Ozah, urged other Corp members to emulate Queen Chibueze’s initiative.
Adeniran maintained that the navy became interested to collaborate with the Youth Corper when they discovered that she was passionate with issues that add value to development of mankind.
In his remarks, the Cross River State Coordinator for NYSC  Alhaji Mohammed Nakamba, who is represented at the event by Assistant Director Deployment/Relocation, Dimba Anyacho, while extolling Chibueze’s stated that when Chibueze emerged as winner of the public speaking contest and became the NYSC Queen, she thought Chibueze was a push over, unknown to her that she had “something in her skull”.
“I didn’t take her serious; I didn’t know she had dreams as big as this.
“All am saying is that other Corp members should emulate virtues like this that tend to add value to existence of mankind”. The NYSC coordinator stressed.
Also speaking the state Commissioner for Humanity/ Welfare, Mrs. Blessing Egbara, represented by Director Social Welfate, Dr. Peter Ipoule called on other individuals to assist the state in the upkeep of inmates at the orphanage stressing that government alone would do less.

From FRIDAY NWAGBARA, Calabar

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Niger Delta

Otu Orders Sanitation Operations Review In Calabar

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Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu,  has ordered an immediate review of environmental sanitation operations in Calabar metropolis.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Linus Obogo, on Friday, the Governor said the sanitary situation of the city had become a cause for concern.
He said the review became necessary because Calabar should continue to maintain its status as the cleanest city in the country.
“The city is now littered with wastes, the cleanliness status of Calabar is almost gone, we cannot just fold our arms and watch,” he said.
The Governor continued that every resident of the city had roles to play towards restoring the sanitary status of the city.
“Every resident should live up to their responsibilities. Our reputation in sanitation was not earned overnight, we worked for it.
“It is the product of discipline, policy consistency, and civic responsibility. We cannot allow negligence to take away this reputation,” he said.
He further directed that henceforth, sanitation exercise should be supervised by the office of his Special Adviser on General Duties.
“This intervention is intended to ensure stricter coordination among contractors and government agencies that are responsible for waste management,
“Environmental sanitation is not a peripheral concern of government. It is central to public health, urban dignity, and the overall quality of life of the citizens”, he said.
Otu expressed displeasure at lapses arising from the attitude of some refuse contractors in the state.
He said breakdown of mechanical tools could not be a reasonable excuse for non-evacuation of refuse.
“Operational setbacks should never translate into visible environmental neglect. Preparedness, contingency planning and prompt response are the hallmarks of responsible service providers.” he said.
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Niger Delta

Lawyer X-rays  Consequences Of Court Injuction Suspending INC Polls … As Diri Intervenes

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A Bayelsa-based lawyer, and candidate for the position of National Assistant Secretary in the suspended National Executive Council (NEC) elections of the apex Ijaw socio-cultural organization, the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Barr. Abraham Marshall, has said the court order, which restrained the conduct of the March 7th, 2026 polls, was a setback to stakeholders of the INC.
He expressed his worries about the plights of delegates who travelled from various parts of Ijaw land to come for the elections in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, only to be disappointed by the court order.
While thanking other candidates for maintaining orderliness and brotherliness all through the campaign processes, Marshall said the court injunction has devasted candidates vying for various positions.
He described the cost of what has already been spent on campaigns and sundry arrangements for the elections as huge.
Marshall noted that already he was a leading candidate for the position of National Assistant Secretary as he was optimistic of victory.
“First of all I’ve great confidence in the ability of the Electoral Committee headed by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, HRM, Justice F.F Tabai, which was eager to conduct a seamless election.
“Some of us have campaigned through the three zones and clans of the INC. Some of us went to the Western Zone, Eastern and Central Zones to meet delegates.
“That is how it happenes atimes when there are contest, some persons who are aggrieved, rather than take laws into their hands, go to court to seek judicial redress. So, I want to commend all candidates for maintaining decorum throughout the entire process.
“I like to also call on stakeholders to quickly seek for ways through internal mechanisms of the INC to end this problem so that the elections can be conducted because as candidates we’ve incured lots of expenses leading to the process”, he stated.
Meanwhile, in a bid to proffer solutions to the issues bedeviling the smooth conduct of polls, Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, on Friday met with stakeholders of the INC and its six Presidential candidates, as well as other major stakeholders of the Niger Delta region in Government House, Yenagoa.
In his remarks, the Governor  commended individuals and institutions, including the presidential candidates and the Conference of Ijaw Traditional Rulers and Elders (CITRE), for their efforts towards actualising a peaceful and seamless transition of leadership in the Ijaw National Congress (INC).
The Tide gathered that at the meeting, the presidential candidates agreed to withdraw all subsisting litigations concerning the election.
Represented by his Deputy, Dr. Peter Akpe, Diri also expressed gratitude to the Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Ambassador Godknows Bolade Igali, the Chairman and members of the INC National Electoral Committee, and other stakeholders who contributed to the resolution reached at the meeting.
Drawing an analogy from the scriptures, particularly 1 Kings Chapter 3, he likened the unanimous agreement of the candidates to withdraw all pending court cases to the decision of the true mother of the disputed baby who pleaded with King Solomon not to cut the child into two.
According to the Bayelsa helmsman, the resolution reflects the enthusiasm, love and patriotic fervour in all the presidential candidates to move Ijaw nation forward.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the meeting, the candidates, including High Chief MacDonald Igbadiwe, who secured the injunction from a Port Harcourt High Court stopping the INC Elections billed for last weekend, confirmed the agreement and pledged commitment towards the peaceful emergence of the next President of the apex Ijaw socio-cultural organization.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
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Police Rescue 7 Trafficked Victims In A’Ibom

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The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State has rescued seven victims and detained four suspects linked to human trafficking along Ikot Ekpene–Aba Road.
The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists in Uyo on Saturday.
John said police operatives dismantled a human trafficking syndicate operating within the state, rescuing seven victims and arresting four suspects involved in the network.
She said acting on credible intelligence, operatives swiftly mobilised a patrol team for a coordinated stop-and-search operation along Ikot Ekpene–Aba Road on Friday.
The operation, conducted at about 8 a.m. on Friday, targeted vehicles suspected of transporting victims of human trafficking.
“During the operation, the suspected vehicle was intercepted and four victims were immediately rescued, while the suspect conveying them was arrested and taken into custody.
“Following reports that a vehicle was conveying young persons suspected to be victims of human trafficking, our operatives quickly moved to intercept it,” John said.
She said interrogation of the suspect led to the expansion of the operation to Itam and Ibaka in Oron Local Government Area.
John said three additional victims were rescued and three more suspects apprehended during the follow-up operation.
This brought the total number of rescued victims to seven and suspects arrested to four.
According to her, preliminary investigations revealed that the trafficking syndicate specialised in recruiting and transporting young persons across borders for exploitation.
“Intelligence gathered further disclosed that one of the ringleaders earlier escaped through waterways from Ibaka in Oron to Cameroon and Gabon with some victims”, she said.
John said investigations were ongoing and the suspects would be charged in court upon completion of the probe.
The police spokesperson reiterated the Command’s commitment to combating human trafficking and other organised crimes in the state.
She assured the public that efforts were ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate.
John urged residents to remain vigilant and provide timely information to the police to help protect vulnerable persons and strengthen community safety.
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