Niger Delta
Appointment Of NDDC Sole Admin: Avengers Threaten Total Shut Down Of Oil Production
Following the appointment of a Sole Administrator (SA), to oversee the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), late Saturday, a militant group on the aegis of ‘Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA)’, has announced its determination to shut down oil production in the Niger Delta region.
RNDA has, therefore, advised multinationals oil companies operating in the creeks of the Niger Delta region to evacuate its workers on rigs, platforms and manifolds, warning that it will close down all the oil wells and flow stations in the creeks as well as cut down the ESCRAVOS-Warri-Kaduna gas pipeline that transmits gas to Abuja.
This was contained in a statement signed by the self-styled Commanding Officer of RNDA, ‘Major General’ Johnmark Ezonebi, aka OBAMA with the commanders of the nine militant groups in the creeks of Bini River, after convening an emergency meeting on the issue early on Sunday.
RNDA accused the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio of working in tandem with some powerful blocs in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa to approve the appointment of his cousin brother from Akwa Ibom State who is presently the Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Mr Akwa Effiong Okon as the sole administrator to oversee the NDDC to achieve a one man show.
The group while calling on President Buhari to act and correct the anomaly before it is too late, warned that every illegality must stop else it would be resisted heavily with any means necessary.
“Enough is enough of this continuous illegality and if Mr President folds his hands to allow this form of corruption and devilish act to continue without acting and without doing anything, then we the RNDA with the dreaded Striking Force Units of RNDA in the creeks will not fold our arms and keep quiet and we will not allow this to happen again this time around.
“We want to let Akpabio know that he and his fellow bidders in the Villa will fail woefully and they cannot enslave the people of the Niger Delta any longer and we will fight Akpabio to standstill with the last drop of our blood in the creeks”.
The group further states; “Again, Niger Delta militant has declared a serious warning, this time around there will be no going back. RNDA, writes to President Muhammadu Buhari an open letter over a proposed biding of Senator Akpabio to announce a one-man show of a frivolous criminal minded intentional Sole Administrator to oversee the NDDC with his cousin brother, Mr Akwa Effiong Okon from Akwa Ibom as the sole administrator alone without appointing EDP and EDFA in the commission just to enable Akpabio to siphon, divert and embezzle billions into the pocket of Akpabio and his fellow cronies from the recovered billions by EFCC which Mr. President directed should be returned to the commission.
“That is the funds Akpabio wants to embezzle and divert into his personal pocket with his cousin brother if appointed as the sole administrator just only one man alone to oversee the commission without any trace but it will not work this time around.
“The RNDA militant group from the nine states of the Niger Delta region known as the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA) has again warned seriously that if Mr President fold his hands and allow Akpabio to bribe the Villa and have his way and announce the name of Mr Effiong Okon the present EDFA, who is a relative to Mr Akpabio as the sole administrator to oversee the NDDC, excluding the appointment of EDP & EDFA, then the RNDA will be left with no option than to declare total war in the creeks to cripple the economy and we will also announce operation zero crude oil to flow in the creeks of Niger Delta.
“And we warned again seriously that if Mr President fold his hands and allow this to happen then we will assume that President Muhammadu Buhari is an enemy to the people of the Niger Delta and as much as Mr President continue to maintain his integrity and does not want to be an enemy to the people of Niger Delta, it is high time he called Akpabio to order in the interest of peace in the once troubled region, if not we will go ahead with our proposed plan, and we will visit Port Harcourt and burn down the entire NDDC building.
“Furthermore RNDA wants to state clearly that Mr President and the presidency should hold Akpabio responsible for whatever that will befall destruction of oil pipelines and oil facilities to shut down production of crude oil and attack to the ESCRAVOS-Warri- Kaduna gas major line.
“Mr President and the Villa should know that Akpabio is not popular and cannot withstand this battle because Akpabio and his family including his fellow cronies will not be spared in this battle because we know where all Akpabio properties and his fellow cronies’ properties are located across the country.
“We will not support any illegality and we will not fold our arms and allow just one man called Akpabio to enslave the oil and gas producing community people that are suffering in the creeks of the Niger Delta and Akpabio should know that it is the oil producing communities’ funds that is used in funding the NDDC, and therefore, he Akpabio cannot continue to enslave the people any more.
“And the RNDA has warned and there is no going back this time around and we have already directed that our Strike Force Unit is to be on red alert in the creeks to kick start blowing up all oil facilities and to bring down the major crude oil pipelines and cut down the Escravos-Warri- Kaduna gas pipeline that transmit gas to Abuja”, it threatened.
The Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board (RSPHCMB) says it will commence Supplemental Immunization activities on Saturday, May 3, 2025, to vaccinate children from 0-5 years across the State.
The State Health Educator, Dr. Diana Babbo, who stated this during a sensitisation meeting with Media Advocate for Health, Rivers State, on the update of immunization exercise in Rivers State, said the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) is a re-enforcement of the routine immunization at the health facilities.
According to her, it is aimed at boosting polio immunisation against the circulating variance of polio virus currently threatening the total eradication of polio in the country.
She further stated that there are four pillars of polio eradication, namely routine immunization (administered on babies in the health centre), supplemental immunization activity (supplements to boost the babies), surveillance (searching for children that have weakness in their legs or some oart of their bodies), and outbreak response.
The Health Educator noted that the Novel Oral Polio Vaccination Type 2 (NOPV 2) will be administered to children under the age of 0-5 years, which targets a specific polio still in existence in communities and capable of causing paralysis among the stated categories of children, despite the country being certified a polio-free nation.
Dr. Babbo further stated that this year’s NIPDs will address the high number of unresolved non-compliance cases in the State.
She debunked what she tagged a false rumour by mischief makers which claimed that the vaccines are responsible for the development of autism in children.
She said, “vaccines are not known to be responsible for the development of autism. We’re just hearing that. The truth is that one cannot know everything.
“That aspect that has been found, have we looked into other aspects, such as genetically modified foods, drinks, and milks that our children are taking?
“Have we also looked at genetic compatibility between couples before we now say vaccines are causing x, y, z things?
“Are we looking at the environment where these things are happening, what they are peculiar to?
“It must not be peculiar to all the families, there could be something also that’s happening around that we have not known. Research is evolving, let us not accuse our precious vaccines that have succeeded so far in my knowledge, to keep as many sicknesses at bay.
“The reason we do not have small pox in our world today, apart from the lab (a bio-lab) is because we vaccinated to the point where we were able to move small pox totally out of existence from human beings. We can succeed with that same pattern with all kinds of viruses”.
She stated that the connection between autism and vaccination could merely be coincidence.
Babbo, therefore, urged all parents, churches, and school owners to avail their children/wards the opportunity to be vaccinated against polio the stated exercise.
Sogbeba Dokubo
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has restated his administration’s commitment to providing more support to security agencies operating in the state.
He stated this on Tuesday when he received heads of security agencies, including Commander of the Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), Rear Admiral N.M. Madugu, Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ahmed Gaya, and the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 16, Yenagoa, Tolani Alausa, in Government House, Yenagoa.
The Governor assured security agencies across board that his administration would collaborate with them to protect lives and property as well as critical national assets on land and the waterways by providing patrol vehicles, boats and other necessary logistics.
He informed the new OPDS Commander that the task force had a responsibility to protect critical national, state and community assets contributing not only to the daily oil production output for the federal government but also to development and growth of the state.
The Governor stressed that the partnership between the state government and the task force had ensured that crime rate in the state was reduced.
“As a government, we are working round the clock with the security agencies so that our people can sleep with their two eyes closed and also ensure that national assets are safe for the benefit of the people and the government.
“Often, it is misconstrued as though these assets are only for the federal government. Rather, they are for the state, communities and the federal government. So we must work hand-in-gloves to ensure they are safe.
“Therefore, it is our responsibility to always ensure that these critical national, state and community assets are kept safe”, he said.
Responding to the request of the Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ahmed Gaya, the Governor stated that he had signed the Certificate of Occupancy of the land allocated to the Nigerian Navy at the New Yenagoa and approved a secondary school at Toru-Ebeni in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state.
He said the State Government was waiting for the naval authorities to commence development of the land.
The new JTF Commander, Rear Admiral Madugu, stated that the visit was to formally introduce himself and to solicit the government’s support to achieve his aim of protecting the critical oil and gas facilities in his area of operation and fulfil the presidential mandate of increasing oil production to 2.5mbpd.
While promising to work with the Nigerian Police to maintain peace in the state, Diri admonished AIG Tolani to be repentant and be more professional in his duties having attained a top position in the force.
The Governor, who recalled the role Tolani played when he was Commissioner of Police in the state during the 2023 governorship election, said: “Let bygone be bygone and work according to your conscience. Ensure that you are repentant and do what is right. Your zone covers Bayelsa and Rivers states and let the interest of both states be uppermost on your mind.”
On disputes among community youth associations, the state’s helmsman wielded the big stick and announced the dissolution of such body in Famgbe Community in Yenagoa Local Government Area.
He directed the Commissioner for Youth Development, working with the Commissioner of Police, to ensure a proper election is held in the community.
Diri also warned that traditional rulers whose communities were embroiled in conflicts would be sanctioned.
“Every other feuding community, including Ogboinbiri, we are still watching you. I have told all traditional rulers, if you cannot ensure peace in your domain but waiting for my wrath to dangle on you, then both traditional rulers and youth bodies will be sacrificed”, Diri said.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa
The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has said no profession in the health sector was superior to others, saying there was need for cooperation among workers in every health facility to achieve optimal results.
He stated this during a courtesy visit by the Bayelsa branch of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) to his office in Government House, Yenagoa, on Tuesday.
He assured that a good number of certified and competent medical laboratory scientists, as well as other medical and health practitioners would be employed based on the needs assessment indices at government’s disposal in the ongoing civil service recruitment exercise.
While appreciating their contributions to quality healthcare service delivery, he said government was ready to collaborate with the Association and other critical stakeholders in the sector to make health services more affordable and accessible to people of the state.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Doubara Atasi, said the current recruitment drive was aimed at addressing manpower needs in some critical sectors, including health, to improve service delivery in the state.
“We’re making progress in the health sector in Bayelsa. But we also admit that there is still much room for improvement.
“As you’re aware, applicants are applying to the state civil service, and some employment slots have been approved for Medical Doctors and Laboratory Scientists to be employed.
“We need competent and highly qualified personnel to be employed into the service to provide quality services.
“Every health worker has a role in health promotion. No profession in the health sector is superior to another. We are ready to collaborate with you to make health services more affordable and accessible to all Bayelsans”, he said.
Earlier in her presentation, the State Chairman of the AMLSN, Eunice Ayamaere Lelei, said there was need for government to employ more qualified laboratory scientists, and provide modern laboratory equipment in all its medical facilities across the state.
Lelei, who emphasized that laboratory scientists play a critical role in healthcare services in Nigeria, called for the implementation of the approved call duty allowance for members of the Association, and funding support for their Mandatory Professional Continuing Development programmes.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa