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Police Smash Biafra Radio Transmission In Rivers, Arrest Six Suspects
The Rivers State Police Command says it has busted and confiscated the Radio Biafra Transmitters belonging to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and domiciled in Iriebe Housing Estate in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.
The police operatives also arrested four suspected members of the proscribed group.
The four arrested suspected members of IPOB were among the six criminal suspects paraded by the police at the state command headquarters in Port Harcourt, yesterday during a press briefing.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Joseph Mukan, disclosed that confiscating the radio transmitters was made possible through intelligence gathering, saying that the four arrested members of IPOB were responsible for the attack on police stations during the #EndSARS protests in Oyigbo Area Command, where three police stations were burnt and looted.
He gave the names of the arrested IPOB members as Ugochukwu Abazim, Chinedu Ureagbu, Sunny Vincent and Onyekachi Sylvester, all male.
He listed exhibits recovered from them to include, one Radio transmission device (Biafra Radio), large quantities of IPOB T-shirts and face caps, a calendar bearing the photograph of Nnamdi Kanu, one television set, customized machetes bearing members’ names, substances used in the worship of their god, Ezumezu Amadioha Juju.
Mukan recalled that on assumption of duty as the 40th Commissioner of Police in April, this year, he met some challenging situations on ground, noting that with the benefit of hindsight, he re-strategised and repositioned his men, with strong charge to embark on aggressive intelligence-driven policing, with a view to gathering actionable information, which ultimately led to the dislodgement of the criminals.
“To this end, I can proudly tell you that between April and now, I have been able to arrest and prosecute a good number of suspected kidnappers, armed robbers, rescued kidnap victims and recovered large cache of arms/ammunition, among other achievements.
“As you can see, we are again in another period, characterized by upsurge in criminal activities. The command is not oblivious of the fact that this is the period where criminals take advantage to unleash havoc on unsuspecting persons. In view of the above, therefore, we have put in place elaborate and workable security measures that will contain and curtail these nefarious activities”, Mukan said.
The police helmsman used the opportunity to remind all residents of the state that the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic has commenced.
“Therefore, the Covid-19 protocols will be observed with regard to the presidential directives on gathering of persons, among others, as defaulters will be arrested and prosecuted.
“Again, for the umpteenth time, I want to re-echo our earlier stand on the use of fireworks, crackers and knockouts, which by their very nature, are explosives, capable of causing harm, panic and tension in the state.
He averred that as part of security arrangements put in place in the state, the command has deployed personnel to strategic locations in the state, in line with visibility policing strategy, adding that all critical government infrastructure, vulnerable and key points would be given special attention, including worship and fun centres during the Yuletide celebrations.
Mukan assured the good people of the state that the police were in the state to protect their lives and property, adding that “nothing more, nothing less.
“And I will do everything in my power to guarantee that their fundamental rights are protected, minimize police misuse of firearms and stop extra-judicial killings.
“The respect for human rights is sacrosanct and must be obeyed by our men.
“On behalf of the officers and men of the command, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year, as we make effective and effectual projections for 2021”, he stated.
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.