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VGN Solicits Wike, Other Govs’ Support …Wants Buhari To Assent To Outfit’s Bill
A grassroots security outfit and paramilitary organisation, Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) in the South-South geopolitical zone, has solicited the support of Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike and other governors in the region to enable the body discharge its responsibilities more effectively in order to check criminality in the area. This is even as the body has equally stressed the need for President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the VGN Bill passed by the National Assembly to give the outfit full operational backing in the country.
The Acting Commandant of VGN in the South-South, Mr Tolumobofa Jonathan Akpoebibo, who made the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt last Saturday while reviewing the operations of the Rivers State Command, said the body was in dire need of logistic support in the zone going by the sensitive nature and size of the area.
According to hum, apart from lagging behind in the area of manpower, VGN in the zone needs vehicles to help its personnel’s mobility as well as stipends to enable it fund its activities.
Akpoebibo said the outfit needs more support from the Governors just as the state Governors in the North, the South-West and South-East are supporting their people.
He further indicated that the VGN Bill which the National Assembly recently passed into law, and currently awaiting the President’s assent, if given the final nod, would go a long way to reposition the body for greater efficiency, stressing that the body was currently training its personnel and ungrading their capacity to make them more result-oriented in the discharge of their functions.
The Zonal Commandant also gave an insight into what makes the work of the outfit different from that of the police and other security agencies, stressing that the work of VGN is to gather information which its personnel disseminate to the conventional security bodies for prompt actions, among other responsibilities.
According to him, “We assist the efforts of the police, the Military and the rest of them. We work with all conventional security bodies. We have the right to arrest and hand over. We also have the right to report any criminal activities to the government, the conventional security bodies and this body is recognised by the Federal Government and the 36 State Governors.”
Akpoebibo said this explains why VGN personnel are deployed to all communities in the country.
He said members of the body equally beam their searchlight on the creeks where some hoodlums may gather before executing their evil plots, saying, “We want to follow them up even in the creeks, to the smallest community, to know what they are really doing. And then give the conventional security bodies feedback”.
On how the personnel are able to discharge their functions successfully without being armed, Akpoebibo said, “Security is not all about arms. If you want to gather information, you don’t need to carry arms. You don’t need to carry gun. It is all about gathering vital information”.
In a related development, the Acting Commander of VGN in Rivers State, Mr Chuks Osumah, says the security outfit has been on ground in the state, particularly in ensuring that criminality is reduced to the barest minimum in the state.
According to him, the body has played significant roles in the arrest of some hardened criminals in the state.
Osumah, who spoke in an interview, assured that the body would continue to work with the state government to achieve set goals, but hinted that it needs the support of the government and well-meaning Nigerians to surmount its current office accommodation and other logistic challenges.
“Knowing the kind of Governor we have, he said he was confident that Governor Wike would do the needful by supporting the outfit.
On his part, the Assistant Commander, Legal, Boate Ayebaemi said VGN is held in high esteem in the country, as members of the body are effectively playing their roles across the country, and debunked insinuations that there are cracks within its ranks.
Ayebaemi, therefore, affirmed that Dr. Mohammed Usman Jahun remains the Commandant General of VGN in the country, and advised those parading themselves to desist forthwith, following a recent Court of Appeal ruling recognising him (Jahun) as such.
He equally authenticated the fact that Mr Chuks Osumah is the Acting Commander of the body in Rivers State, and solicited the support and cooperation of members to the leadership of the body in the state.
Donatus Ebi
The Organised Labour yesterday, called on the Federal Government to ensure inclusiveness in policy making and guide against erosion of rights, such as free speech and association.
The President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Joe Ajaero made the call at the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at the Eagle’s Square, Abuja.
The Tide source reports Ajaero and the President, Trade Union Congress, Mr Festus Osifo delivered a joint statement on behalf of the organised labour at the event.
Ajaero described May Day as, not only a moment to honour workers’ sacrifices, but also a platform to demand justice and accountability from those in public office.
He frowned at the alleged suppression of protests, and the erosion of rights of workers by some agents
According to him, workers have a duty to resist economic injustice, insecurity, and policies that undermine their dignity.
Speaking on the theme of the day, the NLC President underscored the need for Nigerian workers to reclaim the civic space and resist policies that contribute to worsening economic conditions.
“Our theme this year – “Reclaiming the Civic Space in the midst of Economic Hardship – reflects the urgent need for citizens to protect democracy and push back against repression.
“The civic space, where Nigerians express their concerns and challenge injustices is shrinking.
“If we fail to reclaim this space, the foundation of our democracy risks collapse,” he said
Ajaero, therefore, urged workers to unite and resist division, fear, and despair.
He also urged them to mobilise and organise for change, declaring that the right to demand better conditions is non-negotiable.
“Without workers, there is no society; without labour, there is no development. We must take our place in the fight for economic justice and democratic governance.”
Speaking in the same veins, Osifo said workers are the backbone of the nation—the educators, healthcare providers, builders, farmers, and innovators who sustain its economy -.
He stressed the need for the labour to reclaim the civic space even in the midst of economic hardship.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disassociated itself from a fraudulent site requesting payments from candidates who missed the ongoing 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The board said that the site, “Copyrightwriter Personal J Rescheduling Flw” and account number 8520641017 at Sterling Bank, associated with it, are scam.
The disclaimer is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by the Board’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin.
Benjamin said the account is being exploited to defraud unsuspecting candidates who missed their UTME.
“We issue this urgent notice to inform the public about this nefarious scheme targeting candidates who were unable to participate in the UTME.
“Some unscrupulous individuals are deceitfully soliciting payments of N15,700 under the false pretence of offering rescheduling services for the examination.
“Let us be unequivocal: this, it is a blatant scam, and we are confident that the public will not fall prey to such cheap and regressive tactics.
” The individuals behind this scam have no affiliation with JAMB or any legitimate government agency.
“The account details provided in these communications are entirely fictitious and bear no connection to any official processes; they exist solely for the purpose of perpetrating fraud,” he said.
Benjamin called on Sterling bank to take immediate and decisive action against this criminal activity.
According to him, JAMB has reported the matter to the relevant security agencies and actively pursuing those responsible for this deceitful act.
He further said that “JAMB does not reschedule examinations for candidates who miss their scheduled tests due to reasons unrelated to the Board’s actions”.
He, however, said that the Board is conducting a thorough investigation for candidates whose biometrics failed during verification and were thus unable to sit for the examination.
He said those without discrepancies would be invited to retake the examination at no cost , stressing that “no cost is required”
“It is imperative to understand that JAMB does not charge any fees for examinations after a candidate has completed their registration.
“We strongly urge all candidates to remain vigilant and not to succumb to these fraudulent schemes.
“Protect yourselves and report any suspicious activity immediately,” he explained.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has expressed its willingness to partner with the United Nations (UN) to accelerate the development of the Niger Delta region.
Dr Samual Ogbuku, Managing Director of the NDDC, made the appeal in a statement issued by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, in Port Harcourt on yesterday.
According to the statement, Ogbuku sought the UN’s support during his visit to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (UNRHC), Mr Mohammed Fall, at the UN regional office in Abuja.
He called on the global body to provide the NDDC with technical assistance and expert services to support the region’s development.
“We are eager to collaborate with the UN, recognising that the state governments in the region and the NDDC alone cannot achieve the level of regional development required,” he said.
Ogbuku identified key areas where support would be needed, including the provision of portable and affordable drinking water powered by high-tech solar energy sources.
He also highlighted the importance of reforesting the mangrove swamps, which have been severely damaged by decades of environmental degradation caused by oil exploration in the Niger Delta.
“Although the NDDC has made progress in providing solar-powered streetlights across the region, we still require UN support in delivering solar energy solutions for residential buildings.
“We also wish to explore the possibility of installing solar mini-grids in homes across communities, which would boost local commerce and trade,” he added.
The NDDC managing director further appealed for increased UN involvement in areas such as healthcare, education, youth training, gender development, and food security.
Ogunku stated that such interventions would significantly enhance the standard of living in the region.
In response, Fall affirmed the UN’s readiness to collaborate with the NDDC to fast track development in the Niger Delta.
He assured that the UN would support initiatives in food security, job creation, education, and renewable energy, among other areas.
“We aim to approach development in the Niger Delta holistically, rather than focusing solely on environmental pollution.
“This is merely an entry point; however, the UN’s development vision aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are designed to positively impact various aspects of people’s lives,” Fall stated.
He assured the NDDC of continued and fruitful engagements to drive the region’s development.