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Don’t Panic, LG Boss, Army, Police Assure Oyigbo Residents
Residents of Oyigbo Local Government Area, which has been infiltrated by criminal elements under the guise of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Rivers State have been asked not to panic over military presence in the area.
The Chairman of Oyigbo LGA, Hon Gerald Oforji, made the appeal in a statement he personally signed, and made available to newsmen, yesterday.
Oforji also urged residents not to panic over military exercise going on in the area as it was aimed at recovery of stolen arms.
“People living and doing businesses in Oyigbo should strictly obey the 24hrs curfew imposed by Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike.
“Total compliance to the governor’s directive will ease the lifting of the curfew,” he stated.
Oforji’s appeal comes amidst reports of alleged ‘mass killings’ in Oyigbo by security agencies.
While the media space is totally blank of pictures and videos from Oyigbo, residents have been raising alarm on social media and local radio in Port Harcourt.
However, a resident of the area, Ndu Amaike said that the alleged killing started since Governor Wike’s declaration about the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in all parts of the state.
Amaike said the essence of the military action is extra-judicial, adding that, “I have personally lost two people that are close to me. The Army just shoots at will and bullet will just touch people.
“The soldiers mounted roadblocks on the major roads but we now hear that they are about to move into the streets. So, those that have gates have started to lock their gates. People are just scared really.”
Meanwhile, a group known as the Indigenous Youth Forum (IYF) has alleged that 33 people were missing, and 17 others, including women and children, were shot and wounded during a military operation in Oyigbo.
In a statement, spokesperson for IYF, Ebube Nwagbara, also alleged that the ongoing military operation in Oyigbo has claimed the lives of 28 Igbo sons and daughters in four days.
He said, “We are using this medium to draw the attention of well-meaning Nigerians and members of the international community to the ongoing massacre of Ndigbo in Rivers State by Nigerian soldiers”.
“According to our record so far, this war against Ndigbo in Rivers State has claimed the lives of 28 Igbo sons and daughters in four days, 33 people are missing and 17, including women and children, are shot and wounded”.
However, spokesman for the state Police Command, SP Nnamdi Omoni, while responding to claims by the group, said, “There is no such thing as massacre in Oyigbo.”
Similarly, the Nigerian Army has said that its ongoing operation in Oyigbo was not targeted at innocent persons but criminals who killed innocent citizens, including six soldiers and carted away their weapons.
This was made known by the Public Relations Officer of 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major Charles Ekeocha, while speaking on a live radio programme monitored by The Tide in Port Harcourt.
According to him, the Army operatives are doing stop-and-search to see if they could recover the rifles carted away by the so-called members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), saying that the soldiers were very professional in their engagement with the civilians.
He said that the locations the soldiers were clearing were possible hideouts for criminals and weapons, adding that if the Army failed to retrieve the weapons, the criminals could use them against innocent people.
It would be recalled that the proscribed IPOB under the guise of#EndSARS protests had killed four policemen and six soldiers while carting away weapons and setting police stations and vehicles on fire.
By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
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.