Rivers

Family Accuses Vigilante Of Killing Man In Rivers

Published

5 years ago

December 30, 2020

The family of one Princewill Ogbonda has accused a vigilante group in Igwuruta, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, of killing their brother after he was arrested over alleged kidnapping.
The younger brother of Princewill, Lucky Ogbonda, told newsmen in Port Harcourt, yesterday, that his elder brother and one Peter Opurum were arrested by the vigilante outfit called ONELGA Security Peace and Advisory Council (OSPAC) over a month ago on allegations of kidnapping, saying the duo were still missing.
Lucky, however, said eyewitnesses broke the news to him that the OSPAC members had taken him to a soothsayer who told them that the duo were guilty of the crime.
He alleged that having received that unverified information, the vigilante shot them and took their bodies away.
Lucky said that he called on the Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, to prevail on the vigilante group to produce his brother (Princewill) dead or alive.
“They made a wild allegation against my brother that he is a kidnapper and one Peter Opurum. Immediately, they started beating my elder brother with all sorts of weapons and they locked them (Princewill and Peter) up. They went and called a soothsayer ‘who is a magician’ to do what they call Bible return-return. The Bible said that my elder brother and Peter Opurum are kidnappers.
“The OSPAC commander ordered one of his boys who took a gun and one other person, they shot both of them and immediately they called OSPAC Aluu (same outfit nearby) and they took away the body of my elder brother. From November 21, till now, we have not seen him and we have not heard from him. whether both of them are alive or not we don’t know,” he stated.
Lucky expressed dismay that despite being aware of the incident, the police had refused to make an arrest after an initial attempt to arrest the Igwuruta OSPAC commander and his members were resisted.
“If the DPO (Divisional Police Officer) is having difficulty arresting OSPAC in Igwuruta, he can call the Commissioner of Police for reinforcement. The OSPAC office, Igwuruta is open. They are there boasting that nothing will happen. I suspect a foul play on the part of the DPO,” he alleged.
Speaking on the incident, Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Port Harcourt branch, Prince Nyekwere, advised the victim’s family members to write a formal petition to the police and the association.
Nyekwere noted that as much as he commends the role of the said vigilante outfit in fighting crime in the state, the law does not allow them to kill anybody.
“Nobody, including the police, OSPAC, or anyone for that matter has the right to kill anybody on allegation of any crime. Unless and until that person has passed the due process of law and found guilty by a competent court with jurisdiction and the proper punishment meted out to the persons.
“So, people should play within the rules and the law of the land. They (OSPAC) are actually supposed to support the police in passing information. You cannot take somebody, and you are the judge, the prosecutor, the executor. No, the law does not allow that”, Nyekwere said.

Rivers

UNIPORT Moves To Tackle Insecurity … Inducts Security Experts

Published

1 day ago

November 30, 2025

The Tide

The University of Port Harcourt, has taken a significant step towards addressing the issue of insecurity in Nigeria by producing security experts through its Institute of Niger Delta Studies (INDS), with the institute inducting its first graduating students into the Nigerian Institute For Industrial Security (NIIS), with the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General E E Emekah, delivering a quality lecture on the topic, “Promoting Blue Economy In The Niger Delta: The Place Of Security”.

In his lecture, Major General Emekah emphasised the importance of security in promoting the blue economy in the Niger Delta region.

He noted that the activities of the Joint Tasks Force (JTF) are geared towards maintaining peace on Nigerian waterways and promoting productivity, and also stressed the need for a non-kinetic approach to security operations, winning the hearts and minds of the communities, and collaborating with security personnel to fight insecurity.

The GOC charged the inductees to ensure that their study/training provides practical solutions to the pressing security challenges facing the Niger Delta and Nigeria as a whole.

He emphasised the significance of their studies in UNIPORT, given the prevailing security threat to lives and property, especially on Nigerian waterways.

The Acting Director of INDS, Dr. Chukwu-Okeah, expressed satisfaction that the occasion marks a new milestone in the history of the institute, noting that the Niger Delta has been besieged with environmental and security challenges, and it is time to rise up and build the region through the blue economy ideology.

The blue economy, he explained, emphasises the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and job creation while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem.

He described the blue economy as the new oil well, with the potential to drive economic diversification, job creation, food security, and climate resilience in the region.

One of the inductees, Ayuba Tanimu noted that security is dynamic, and continuous learning and research have equipped them to serve their communities and Nigeria well.

He described the Nigerian Institute For Industrial Security (NIIS) as a body of security professionals that meets annually to craft security policies for the country.

The programme, which attracted prominent individuals from the academia, security, and other sectors had the 7th Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof Joseph Ajienka, as its chairman.

Rivers

MCDI Inducts 150 Professionals In PH

Published

1 week ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The Mentoring and Career Development Institute of Nigeria (MCDI) has inducted about 150 new members into various categories of membership during a special induction ceremony and dinner in Port Harcourt.

Aimed at expanding the institute’s membership base, the event offered new inductees an opportunity to engage with senior members and integrate fully into the organisation’s professional network.

The induction ceremony was part of the 2025 national conference of the institute.

National President of MCDI, Dr. Collins Edebiri, administered the oath, while the new members promised to carry out their duties faithfully, following the institute’s rules and constitution.

Dr. Edebiri emphasised the institute’s core mandate of instilling values that will shape individuals and institutions.

He emphasised the theme of the conference, “Mentoring for Individual and Corporate Leadership”, noting that last year’s focus centred on national development and value reorientation.

Edebiri explained that the induction ceremony is a key feature of the institute’s annual conference, though inductions also occur quarterly.

On the criteria for membership, he said the most important factor is the desire to be mentored or the readiness to mentor others, and urged the new inductees to become ambassadors of value-driven leadership in their respective workplaces.

Guest Speaker at the ceremony, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, who was a former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), shared her experiences from her early days in journalism, attributing much of her professional growth to strong mentorship.

She encouraged members to embrace mentorship as a catalyst for personal and societal advancement.

Seminitari was later presented an award.

New members, including Wisdom Egberi Woniepiriye, and Mrs. Grace Ajinwanyiekwu, expressed their excitement and hope to be mentored well so they can eventually mentor others.

There were a dinner and networking session, marking another success for MCDI in its efforts to build leadership values nationwide.

By: Theresa Frederick & Charity Amiso

Rivers

Fisherman Gets Thumbs-Up Over Patent Creation

Published

1 week ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) has commended a renowned fisherman, Mr. Ricky Brown Owunari, for what it described as a remarkable stride in global engineering content creation.

In a congratulatory message signed by the Association, weekend, the SPE said the patented “Dewaxer Flow Enhancer and Downhole Tool” had secured official endorsement under U.S. Patent No. 12,448,868 B2.

They said the development has been highlighted as a significant indicator of Rivers State’s growing intellectual and technological capacity, with observers noting that such breakthroughs position the state as a rising hub for innovation.

According to those familiar with the innovation, the achievement serves as proof that Niger Deltans have moved beyond the era of militancy and are now producing world-class content, research outputs, and technical solutions.

The SPE officials described the patented technologies as timely tools designed to tackle wax deposition in crude oil wells, a major challenge that frequently disrupts production and increases maintenance costs.

They further stressed that the milestone underscores the need for Rivers State to invest more in supporting innovators whose works demonstrate global potential.

Industry experts revealed that the tool originated from years of field observation, experimentation, and rigorous research aimed at improving flow assurance in challenging well conditions.

They also urged the Federal Government to show greater appreciation for home-grown innovations, calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to formally recognise and encourage technological breakthroughs emerging from the Niger Delta.

Stakeholders at the event warned against piracy, emphasising that unauthorised copying of patented technologies undermines national progress and discourages genuine innovators.

Analysts observed that the breakthrough strengthens the narrative of a new Rivers State built on creativity, content development, and technical excellence rather than conflict.

The session concluded with a call for stronger collaboration between government authorities and industry players to protect intellectual property and position Rivers State as a greenhouse for innovation-driven content.

The content, The Tide gathered, is expected to solve critical challenges in the oil and gas sector, as well as other relevant areas of the national economy.

By; King Onunwor