Niger Delta
Gov’s Wife Leads Protest Over Slain Job Seeker
The wife of the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Dr Martha Emmanuel, on Wednesday led the women of the state in a protest against the murder of the 26-year-old Iniubong Umoren.
Umoren, a graduate of Philosophy from the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, was abducted, sexually assaulted and later killed by persons led by one Uduak Akpan under the pretext of finding her a job.
The women all dressed in black attires converged around 8am and walked slowly down to the Government House.
While addressing the protesters, Emmanuel said, “Let me reiterate the position of the Akwa Ibom State Government and assure you that there will be justice not only for Iniobong Umoren but for all victims of gender-base violence in Akwa Ibom State.
Earlier, the Commissioner Women Affairs, Dr Ini Adiakpan, lamented the abuses meted out to females and charge women to unite and fight a common cause.
The Chairperson of FIDA , Emem Ette, said the group would continue to defend women.
Meanwhile, Civil Society Organisations have joined other Nigerians to speak against the alleged rape and killing of an Akwa Ibom job seeker, Iniobong Umoren.
Umoren, a young graduate, was allegedly raped, killed and buried by 20-year-old Uduak Frank Akpan who invited Umoren over under the pretext of offering her a job.
Some Akwa-Ibom youths had vandalised the home of the prime suspect, Akpan, taking his father to the police station.
The wife of the Akwa Ibom governor, Martha Emmanuel, on Wednesday, also led a protest against the killing of Umoren.
CSOs have since condemned the savage killing of the job seeker while also calling for justice and a safer society for women.
The Director of Programmes, Galaxy for Peace and Integrity Initiative, Precious Chukwunonso, believed that collective effort of every system in Nigeria would end violence against women.
According to her, “Every hand must be on the deck if we actually want to end violence against women.
She called on families, government at all levels, places of worship, and other organisations to speak up and fight against gender-based violence.
Also, the Co-founder of The Youth Evolve, Ruhamah Ifere, condemned the sexual violence meted on Umoren and other victims in the past, stating that the act is also a form of insecurity.
“When you hear the word insecurity, most of us just relate it to terrorism, banditry, and killings but then we also have the insecurity that is meted out towards women.
“Women are usually seen as weaker human beings. Their rights are not recognisedand can now be pushed upon by some people or by some men that see women as inferior,” she said.
Continuing, she said, “This Ini Umoren case is a very good example of principles of human rights being tampered with, because Ini Umoren has the right, not just only to her body, but she has the right to go about looking for a job.
“She also has the right to move about freely without having fear of feeling attacked just because she is a woman.”
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested the suspect and said he would be charged to court upon completion of investigation.
The Vice Chancellor of Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, Prof. Samuel Asagba, says the institution spends about N720 million annually on electricity bill.
Asagba, the 8th substantive Vice Chancellor of DELSU, made this known during the university’s 17th Convocation Press Conference, held at the institution’s campus in Abraka on Wednesday.
He said the university spent about N50 million monthly on diesel, to run the institution’s generating plants.
The VC said his administration would address the huge cost by exploring other alternative sources of power supply, such as solar energy and hydropower, through private partnership investors.
“We spend N60 million monthly on electricity, we also spend about N50 million monthly on diesel, so cumulatively, we spend about N110 million monthly in electricity, this, we have to address.
“Beyond electricity, a comprehensive and integrated water supply system for Site Three will be developed. There will be construction and maintenance of internal road network.
“We will vigorously ensure compliance with the master plan of the university”, he said.
Asagba continued that the university was exploring other avenues to boost its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), noting that the most demanding challenge in the overall scheme of the university was the issue of funding.
According to him, without proper funding, it will be difficult to realise the vision of the university.
He said DELSU would implement the financial policies of the University Council and ensure that the institution’s resources were used in ways that would most effectively advance the approved vision, mission and strategic plans of the university.
“To achieve the goals, DELSU Investment Ltd., in consultation with the Chairman of Board, will be overhauled. The university’s printing press will be upgraded to a publishing house.
“Scope for the Centre for Open and Distance Learning will be expanded to cover many departments of the university. Quotas for the admission of undergraduates will be raised for courses that are highly sought after.
“Investors will be engaged in a Public Private Partnership arrangement. National and multinationals will be wooed and partnered for the development of the university”, the VC said.
He stated further that the institution’s management would improve the prioritisation of the university’s ICT infrastructure, to enable it to compete globally.
Asagba also said sustained measures would be put in place to improve the quality of graduates and postgraduates students through closed monitoring, to guarantee their employability.
He continued that the university would be properly connected to the world through common wealth multifarious schemes, covering short-term and long-term sponsorship of staff and students.
Asagba further said the university would provide training and support to entrepreneurs and small businesses within Abraka community, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
He, however, stated that staff welfare remained top priority in his administration, adding that it would not be compromised.
Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has challenged the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) to be more intellectual in pursuing the shared dreams and aspirations of the Ijaw ethnic nationality in Nigeria.
He said this when he granted audience to the Chairman and members of the 2025 Boro Day Planning Committee, under the auspices of the IYC Central Zone, at his office in Government House, Yenagoa.
He advised the youths of Ijawland against armed struggle, stressing that the era of militancy had long gone having served its purpose shortly after the famous Kaiama Declaration.
Emphasizing the importance of education, the Deputy Governor recommended the use of effective intellectual engagements in fighting against inequity, marginalisation and deprivation of the legitimate rights and interests of Ijaw people.
He wondered why the IYC has not added its voice to the ongoing calls and public discourse for the creation of more local governments in the country, especially as it affects Bayelsa State.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo lamented that Bayelsa, with only eight local governments, had been grossly short-changed over the years, despite its huge contribution to the economic survival of Nigeria.
He charged the 2025 Boro Day Planning Committee to conceive programmes and activities that would add value to the lives of the Ijaw people, noting that the Ijaw struggle, which Boro epitomized, had transited from the use of arms to the battleground of intellectual engagement.
The Deputy Governor advised the IYC to collaborate and synchronize its activities for the Boro Day celebration with that of the State Ministry of Ijaw National Affairs to avoid unnecessary duplications and achieve success.
“We should celebrate the Boro Day in a way that adds value to the lives of the Ijaw people. So, the IYC should collaborate with the Bayelsa State Ministry of Ijaw National Affairs to harmonize the programme for the Boro Day Celebration to avoid unnecessary duplication of events.
“The struggle is now intellectual, it is no longer an armed struggle of the past. The IYC should stand against cultism, and drug abuse among our youths”, he said.
He continued that the “The IYC should as a matter of fact recalibrate its desires and motivation. We need intellectual engagement of the state and federal governments in very responsible and respectable manner.
“We expect IYC to be alert and sensitive to what is happening around us and within this country. For quite sometime now, people have been talking about local government creation in this country. In what ways has the IYC lent its voice to that discourse?”, he querried.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the IYC 2025 Boro Day Planning Committee, Evangelist Parkins Ogede, explained that the visit was to intimate the state government of the activities of the IYC Central Zone for this year’s Boro Day and to seek government’s support in terms of funding.
Evangelist Parkins, who thanked the Deputy Governor for granting the Committee audience at a very short notice, informed that the events include inter-LGA cultural displays, boat regatta at Oxbow Lake, Boro Day Memorial Public Lecture, amongst others.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council, is asking kind-hearted sons and daughters of Isoko to help save the life of one of their members, Comrade Dave Okpogadie, who is very sick and needs money to continue his cancer treatment.
Since 2024, Comrade Okpogadie has been battling cancer. He started his treatment with surgery at Asaba Specialist Hospital.
After that, he was moved to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, for chemotherapy and radiotherapy, special treatments that help fight cancer cells.
The Delta State NUJ Chairman, Comrade Churchill Oyowe, explained that Comrade Dave now needs to stay in the hospital for more than three months to complete his treatment.
“Sadly, the cost is too much for his family and the Union to handle alone. That’s why they are asking for help from generous people in the Isoko Community and beyond”, Oyowe pleaded.
He said the Union has already helped Dave twice before: “We have intervened at the initial stage. We gave out N1.8 million at first and then raised more money the second time. So far, we’ve raised about N4.5 million”, he said.
He also shared that one kind person, Comrade Shola Adebayo, gave a large donation of N2.5 million during the second round of fundraising.
The Delta State Ministry of Information and the Delta State Contributory Health Commission have also supported the cause. The Ministry has written to the State Governor, asking for a special intervention.
Oyowe said more help is needed, and fast: “We’ve spoken to the government, and they are working on it, but you know how government works, the machinery of government grinds slowly. We cannot wait because Dave needs treatment now.
“I know Isoko has many great sons and daughters. We are calling on them to help save Dave’s life. Cancer is treatable if caught early, but we must act now before it’s too late.”
The summation of fund for his treatment is currently fixed at N10,321,000, and include: Blood every week for 11 weeks; weekly organ test; post-treatment drugs; CT Scan; Radiotherapy session; 11 weeks hospital stay; Dental treatment every week; and Radiotherapy.
For Chemotherapy (Cancer Medicine Treatment), it includes: 11 sessions of chemotherapy; Blood test every week; Kidney test every week; Consultant’s fee; Extra/unplanned expenses; and Chemotherapy.
Meanwhile, the NUJ says it has a nine-member welfare committee in charge of managing all the donations and spending, with Comrade Ruth Omejie, from the Field Information Chapel, as Chairman, and Comrade Ameachi Okpara, from the Asaba Correspondents Chapel, as Secretary.