The Comptroller General of Customs in Nigeria, Bashir Adawale Adeniyi has said that recent intelligence and seizures have revealed that Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and Illicit cargo.
According to him, the scale and nature of these illegal importations pose a significant threat to national security and the health of Nigerian citizens.
Comptroller Adeniyi said this on Wednesday in a press conference at the Onne Port in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The customs boss who displayed 12 containers of Illicit goods intercepted by Area 2 command stated that the interception was through a combination of intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration and meticulous physical examination.
He said that the policy thrust of President Bola Tunubu administration supports, the re-energising of the country’s business environment to drive faster import clearance and grow the capacity for exports.
“ Our emphasis has been to promote initiatives that speak to trade facilitation and economic development. “It is a matter of regret that criminal elements in the international supply chain are exploiting our pro-trade stance to commit atrocities bordering on national security breaches.
“ The attempts to test our will through the importation of dangerous cargo through this Onne Port has necessitated the declaration of a state of emergency in Onne Port.
“ Coming on the heels of a seizure of a huge cache of arms couple of months ago, it is disheartening that perpetrators have not backed down on their illegal acts,” Adeniyi said.
The customs boss explained that some of the seizures on display: 40 feet container containing 4,800 pairs of military / paramilitary camouflage, rain boots and 67,320, pairs of various rubber footwears with a duty paid value N923, 040,000.
“Three, 40-feet container containing 562,600 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine and 3,150 pieces of chilly cutters with a DPV of N4, 716,573,846.
“ Three 40-feet containers, containing 380,000 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine 24,480, 000 tablets of Royal tramodol hydrochloride 5,350,000 tablets of tapentadol and Carisoprodol and other items with a DPV N17, 432,506,000.
“ Five, 40 feet containers containing 892,400 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine; 1,300,000 tablets of 50ml extra diclofenac, 7,250,000 tablets of 5ml trodol benzhexol and other items with a DPV of N128, 568,295.00.
“ These interceptions bring the total duty paid value of the 12 seized containers to a staggering N31, 200,688,142,” the customs boss said.
He emphasized that the Illicit Cargo is not just customs issue but it is security concern that will affects every Nigerian.
“ As we move on, I to reiterate our commitment to continuing this momentum that under my leadership will leave no stone unturned in our mission to protect the health and safety of Nigerians.
He commended the officers of Port Harcourt Areas 2 Command for their relentless efforts in safeguarding the Nation.

By: Kiadum Edookor

Chairman of the Governing Council of Rivers State University (RSU), Nkpolu Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, Justice Mary Odili (rtd.) has called for the reintroduction of Teachers Training College (TTC) in Rivers State in order to enhance the intellectual capacity of teachers in the State.
Justice Odili made this call at the presentation of a book, titled, “Dr. Christie Toby: Touching Lives, Raising leaders”, held in Port Harcourt, Wednesday.
The 358 paged book written by Dotun Adekanmbi, is episodic and has intricate narrative, touching different disciplines of knowledge and depicts the life of Dame Christie as a life of sacrifice from childhood characterised by moving from place to place due to her father’s postings to different cities.
She stated that she has always been pained over the nation’s education system which has suffered because of government policies.
“I have prayed and craved for an opportunity to unburden my mind over this, and God has answered my prayers”, she said.
According to her, it was providential to be nominated as chairman of the book presentation, noting that there is distress in the education policy in the country.
”Why phase out the Teachers Training College system (for Grade Two Teachers)? Now, we see half-baked teachers everywhere. The foundation of education has been swept off”, she stated.
She noted that untrained teachers now teach children in schools, noting that Dr Christie Toby’s early training with grounding in teachers’ college was what made her very strong in teaching and education management.
“The skills acquisition scheme of Dr. Peter Odili/Gabriel Toby administration was different because it had methodology. Please, return to the Teachers Training College (TTC) system”, she said.
She appealed to teachers, school managers, and parents to “get the book and read it well, as it is impactful and educative”.
Also speaking, the book reviewer, Dr. Williams Wodi, said the book depicts “Dame Christie Toby: a life of sacrifice from childhood to now. Moving from place to place due to her father’s nomadic life or postings to different cities.
“She concluded her education at Cardiff which is known worldwide as the centre of teaching.
“The tragedy of Nigeria’s education is that it boasts of teachers that rather need to be taught. They boast of academic titles instead of capacity, illiterate teachers. The damage done by these illiterate teachers will need 50 years of hard work to repair”.
He made some observations about the book, especially the need for organic linkage of the chapters, saying that the observations noticed can be treated in the next edition.
In her opening remark, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari opined that it was a tasking project, but it is good for a deserving mother, the woman who deserves her flowers and thanked every one who attended the programme for the honours done to her mother.
Earlier in her speech, the celebrant, Dame Christie Toby, expressed her delight and gratitude, highlighting the many experiences in early life that sharpened her career and path in later life.
“My goal was simple: To contribute in the field of education in a very difficult system. I didn’t know it would enrich my life and the lives of others.
“I am today proud of my students: many of them have turned out big in their fields”, she said.

By: Akujobi Amadi

Rivers State Government has promised to revamp the different Rehabilitation Homes in the State for the overall social and mental well-being of the vulnerables.
The Commissioner, Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Arugu Ilamu, made the promise during his official tour of the state-owned rehabilitation facilities including the Rehabilitation Centre, Iriebe, Motherless Babies Home, Remand Home and Safe Home, in Borikiri, Port Harcourt, recently.
Speaking to newsmen, Ilamu commended the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for his tireless efforts in ensuring the smooth functioning of the homes stating that the Ministry under his administration would leave no stone unturned in expediting and implementing actions on the needs of the homes.
Ilamu explained that his visit to the homes was necessitated by the Governor Fubara-led administration’s top priority to cater for the welfare of the vulnerable in the State, which he said would be achieved by a firsthand information and knowledge of the happenings in the homes, assuring that the situation in the homes would be improved to meet the standards of rehabilitation homes.
In his words, “Upon resumption of office, I was briefed of our facilities and it is only right that I come and take a firsthand look at the place and get a firsthand knowledge of what is going on here.
“I want to begin by extensively thanking our dear Governor, His Excellency, Siminalayi Fubara, for providing the enablement to take care of these homes and children. He is doing a wonderful job and we are going to make sure we put in our best to accelerate the solutions to whatever problems we have come to see”.
Ilamu who stressed the importance of good mental state of the rehab patients insisted on fast tracking some of the protracted and lingered cases with a call on the staff of the different homes to shun laxity and live up to their duties.
“All the cases here that we know that want to go home and are qualified, please, do me a memo as fast as possible let’s see how we can fast track it and let them have their peace. This is because when you are not where you are supposed to be, it’s like a solitary no matter the environment. It’s your conscience, your heart, that is the most important thing. So, let’s fast track these cases”.
He noted that some of the facilities particularly the Safe Home were underutilised, saying “we will make sure that cases that are supposed to be referred here come here. So, please, all staff in charge, take this seriously”.
The Commissioner further noted the kind gestures of donors within and outside the state towards the homes regretting however that such efforts were not recorded for recognition and appreciation by the State government.
“I know that there are good Nigerians who help us in this work but they are not mentioned. They are not being appreciated and that should stop. From today, any Nigerian who comes to this home to donate one Kobo, we want to hear their names because we need to appreciate them publicly”.
“That is the only way we can show goodwill. People cannot come and donate things and nobody is telling them thank you. No society grows like that. If people notice that they are being appreciated, they will do more to assist the government because government cannot do it all on its own. We need to start to learn to tell people thank you”, Ilamu stated.
Some of the Rehab Patients who were there on account of drug abuse, drug addiction, accident, anger mismanagement among others insisted that their mental state had improved tremendously, courtesy of the homes.
They further commended the state governor and the ministry for the care and attention accorded them and prayed God to endow the administration with more grace and progress.
Ilamu was accompanied on the tour by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Justina Jumbo alongside other Directors of the ministry.

By: Lady Godknows Ogbulu