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Dev Strides: Wike Has Redefined Governance, Nsirim Affirms
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has within the last six years in office demonstrated clearly that he is a man with vision, Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, has said.
Nsirim said this while speaking, last Tuesday, on a live radio programme about the upcoming commissioning of 16 legacy projects and the flay-off of 23 others to mark the two years’ second term in office of Governor Nyesom Wike.
The commissioner reiterated that before Wike assumed office as governor, he envisioned what is called the NEW Rivers Vision.
He, therefore, called on Rivers people and professional bodies to support the state government in its efforts to fully implement the vision’s blueprint for the benefit of all Rivers people.
“And that NEW Rivers Vision blueprint encompasses what he wanted Rivers State to look like in terms of healthcare delivery, education, agriculture, women empowerment, sports, security, etc.
“If you look at these major sectors of Rivers State economy, you will find that Nyesom Wike’s touch has redefined governance in such a way that even those who are in position gladly accept that he has made a mark.
“Let’s take, for instance, healthcare delivery: if you recall, before this time, all the health facilities in the state were moribund. For now, as we speak, all the health centres, general hospitals in all the local government areas have been rehabilitated and equipped”.
According to Nsirim, the state now has five zonal hospitals; the former Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital has also been converted and equipped to a teaching hospital for the Rivers State University by the Governor Nyesom Wike’s administration.
“If you come to education, we had a situation where facilities were broken down, and you begin now to see the Nyesom Wike’s touch making the difference.
“I give you a few examples: if you go to Government Secondary School, Rumuokwuta; Birabi Grammar School, Bori; Nyemoni Grammar School, Abonnema; Kalabari Girls’ High School, Buguma; Government Craft Development Centre; left to die, have been rehabilitated and are now looking like polytechnics people have in some other parts of the country.
“Also, primary schools have been rehabilitated and equipped. So, you have the education sector in Rivers State bubbling with the state government bearing the cost of SSCE and JAMB fees for Rivers State students. It has never happened before in this state. This is because the man Wike has come to ensure that education is brought closer to the people.
“If you come to agriculture, we have what we call agricultural revolution, which will kick-off with the inauguration of the State Cassava Processing Company at Oyigbo on Thursday.
“That plant is a demonstration of the kind of agricultural revolution we are talking about because the company has facilities to get to the farmers, get the cassava and transport it to the plant. Already, we have 3,000 uptakers for that project. It is something novel.”
Speaking on road infrastructure development, Nsirim said Rivers State has witnessed what could be called an infrastructural revolution.
“Those who know Port Harcourt, the city centre right now, will miss their way when they come into Port Harcourt because of what Governor Nyesom Wike is doing.
“When he said he was building the first three flyovers, a lot of people thought it was a mere political rhetoric. How can you build three flyovers at the same time? But, of course, you can see that all those flyovers have been completed, and six more are being built across the city centre, and when people see the flyovers, they say: why is this man doing this? But I call Governor Wike a man who is building infrastructure for tomorrow.
“Rivers State remains the headquarters of the hydrocarbon industry in Nigeria. Just a few days ago, NLNG commissioned its corporate headquarters here. Train 7 of NLNG will soon take off. Now, if you see the influx of people who come into Port Harcourt because of the economic viability of this state, you will understand that building that kind of road infrastructure here is something that we all will cherish in years to come.
“People forget things in a hurry. Before Nyesom Wike came in, a road like Elelenwo/Akpajo Road now Justice Iche Ndu Road was impassable. Garrison/Trans-Amadi Road was impassable. There was no connection between Peter Odili Road and Woji. But now, travelling on those roads no longer takes hours because Wike has come to create a new network of roads.
“Today, we have for the people of Ogoni ethnic nationality, the Saakpenwa-Bori Road, which became something that politicians used over the years to lure them for support. Today, Wike has broken the jinx by building a dual carriageway with streetlights.
“For the people of Abonnema, I am sure that they never envisioned that they will have a Ring Road. You need to visit Abonnema now, a city that used to have one narrow road within.
“Are we talking about roads for the people of Sira and Kira? Are we talking about road for the people of Ibaa and Obele, Isiokpo people, Emohua people or the 21-kilometre road that will be commissioned for the people of Odufor/Omuoyo in Etche, who had never had a motorable road? Or is it the road to be commissioned for the people of Umueze/Umogberi/Eberi in Omuma, and the riverine people of Opobo during this anniversary celebration?
“So, we have a governor, who is investing in infrastructure development because, if you have the right infrastructure in place, then, you can be sure that economic activities will thrive. Without the right infrastructure, economic activities will not thrive.
“If you come to sports development, Real Madrid Academy has become a major talking point in Nigeria. When the Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare, came to commission the Real Madrid Academy, he said clearly that Nyesom Wike is a man who is thinking ahead, that in fact, the Federal Government will copy from what he is doing here. We are believing that in the next few years, children from the academy will not only play football abroad but will also be equipped academically.”
He described Wike as a master strategist who is fully prepared to change the narrative with a developmental agenda to set new records.
He advised the opposition to stop demarketing the state with claims of non-existing level of insecurity when the Federal Government has failed to deliver on its promises.
“We must stop painting the state black simply because we want to score cheap political point. When we do that, we drive away investors unnecessarily,” he said.
He dismissed claims by detractors, adding that “Rivers State is safe. There is no part of the world where you will not find security challenges and the pockets of criminal incidents being used to paint Rivers State as insecure. The commissioning of the NLNG headquarters alone proves that, indeed, Rivers State is safe.
“As a commissioner for information and communications, I am proud to be associated with Wike’s government because I have seen that he is committed to leave Rivers State better than he met it,” he said.
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have foiled attempts by drug trafficking syndicates to smuggle illicit substances concealed in carton walls, winter jackets, and body cream containers through Murtala Muhammed International Airport and a Lagos-based courier firm.
The agency said two consignments bound for Italy were intercepted at the Lagos airport, leading to the arrest of suspects linked to the shipments.
In a statement released yesterday, the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said one of the suspects, 37-year-old Friday Ehianuka, was intercepted on Friday, March 20, 2026, while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Rome, Italy.
The statement partly read, “Two of the consignments heading to Italy were to be moved through the Lagos airport where two suspects linked to the shipments were promptly arrested.
“One of them, 37-year-old Friday Ehianuka, was going to Rome, Italy on Friday, March 20, 2026, when he was intercepted while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight with 2,698 pills of tramadol 225mg concealed in containers of skin-lightening body cream, all packed in the suspect’s luggage.
“In his statement, Ehianuka, who is a resident of Milan, confirmed that he was to be paid a negotiated fee in Euros if he had succeeded in trafficking the consignment to Italy.”
In another operation on Wednesday, March 18, Babafemi said NDLEA officers at the departure hall intercepted another passenger, Christian Agbonhese, attempting to board a Lufthansa flight to Milan.
A search of his luggage uncovered 23,150 pills of tramadol 225mg, 4,000 tablets of tapentadol 250mg, and 1,320 pills of tramadol 100mg concealed in two large winter jackets.
“No fewer than 23,150 pills of tramadol 225mg; 4,000 tablets of tapentadol 250mg; and 1,320 pills of tramadol 100mg, all concealed in two large winter jackets, bringing the total number of opioids recovered from him to 28,470 pills. The 38-year-old Agbonhese is also a resident of Milan,” the statement added.
In a separate operation at a courier firm in Lagos, Babafemi said NDLEA officers on Monday, March 16, intercepted two parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 1kg, hidden in a carton shipped from the United States.
“Also thwarted was an attempt to export 158 grams of methamphetamine concealed in the walls of a carton to New Zealand,” he said.
In Kano State, operatives arrested Abdulkadir Mamuda, 35, with 102.5kg of skunk at Dan-Tsalle, while another suspect, Uche Johnson Festus, 47, was nabbed at Naibawa Gabas with 95.5kg of the same substance.
Babafemi said the agency also recovered 21,737 bottles of codeine-based syrup during a raid at Otto, Ijora area of Lagos on Wednesday, March 18, adding that two suspects, Chidiebere Anigbogu and Paul Nwagbara, were arrested the same day on the Third Mainland Bridge while conveying 8,380 bottles of the syrup.
In Edo State, operatives recovered 97.5kg of skunk from the residence of Akeem Idde, 37, in Ojah, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area on March 16.
In the FCT, officers intercepted a commercial bus along the Gwagwalada Expressway on March 18, recovering 91,840 pills of tramadol hidden in body compartments of the vehicle. The driver, Aminu Ali, 27, was arrested.
In Oyo State, a suspect, Bankole Bari, was on Tuesday, March 17, arrested at Oke-Oyan, Ibarapa LGA, with 71.2kg of skunk, which he smuggled into Nigeria from Benin Republic through the Oyan River.
In a similar development, “Not less than 586,000 pills of tramadol and Exol-5 were recovered by NDLEA operatives from Lawal Anas, 28, along Kaduna-Zaria Highway, Kaduna, on Tuesday, March 17, while 7,290 tablets of tramadol 225mg were seized from Musa Shuaibu, 22, at the same location on Friday, March 20,” Babafemi said.
In Taraba State, officers intercepted Aliyu Adamu, 26, along the Takum-Jalingo Highway with 77,660 capsules of tramadol, while in Adamawa State, six suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure of 82.8kg of tramadol in a truck in Yola.
The suspects include Ramatu Aliyu, Jungudo Abdullahi, Najid Abdullahi, Musa Mohammed, Usman Abdulrahim, and Musa Mohammed.
The agency said its commands across the country also intensified War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaigns in schools, worship centres, and communities during the week.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers of the MMIA, DOGI, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, Oyo, FCT, Taraba, and Adamawa commands for the arrests and seizures, urging them to sustain the balanced approach to drug control efforts.
News
RSG Applauds FRSC, NDLEA For Enhancing Security In Rivers …As NDLEA Pushes For Drug Tests In Schools, NYSC Camps
The Rivers State Government has commended the dedication and collaboration of federal government agencies in sustaining security in the State.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the State Commander of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), CN Bature Dawa, in Port Harcourt, last week, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Dagogo Wokoma, said Governor Siminalayi Fubara appreciates the strong synergy between the agencies in promoting his administration’s vision of peace, prosperity and progress in the State.
Wokoma urged residents to remain law-abiding, noting that respect for the law is essential for good governance and sustainable development in all parts of the state.
He stated that the governor has remained committed to initiatives that promote peace and social order, stressing that the administration will continue to support programmes of federal agencies aimed at strengthening security and public safety.
“Our governor is committed to peace, progress and prosperity in Rivers State. I therefore encourage all residents, especially young people who are often targeted by those involved in drug abuse, to stay away from drugs, crime and reckless driving,” he said.
In his remarks, the State NDLEA boss, Dawa, disclosed that the agency has arrested 39 suspects in the state from December 2025 to date, including 16 new cases currently under investigation.
He explained that the NDLEA, through its Drug Demand Reduction and Drug Supply Control Units, has intensified efforts to curb the spread of illicit drugs and ensure offenders are brought to justice.
Dawa also called on parents and guardians to closely monitor their children, while urging hotel owners and managers to remain vigilant and prevent their facilities from being used for drug-related activities.
He further advocated the introduction of drug integrity tests in schools and within the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme as part of measures to discourage drug abuse among young people.
In a related development, Dr Wokoma received the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), CC Inyang Umoh, during a courtesy visit, and urged residents to abide by road safety laws and drive in consideration of other road users.
In his remarks, the FRSC boss expressed appreciation to Governor Fubara for the continuous support to the Corps.
Muslims in Rivers State have commended Governor Siminialayi Fubara for his dedication and commitment to the development of the state.
They also lauded the governor for promoting peaceful co-existence among various religious groups in the state.
Vice President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs ,Alhaji Nasil Awhelegbe Uhor, gave the commendation last Friday during the Eid-el Fitri prayer to mark the end of Ramadan fasting period, at the Port Harcourt Central Mosque, Niger Street, Port Harcourt.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the prayer, Alhaji Uhor said Governor Fubara has shown exemplary leadership in the affairs of the state.
Uhor who is the leader of the South South Muslim Ummah of Nigeria, called on Muslims to remain committed to the ideal of peace and fear of the Almighty Allah.
According to the Rivers State Islamic leader, the message is for Muslims to imbibe and allow the lessons of Ramadan to sink into their lives and shape their ways of doing things.
He urged Muslims to imbibe the culture of love and respect for one another.
“My message is that all Muslims should imbibe and allow the lessons of Ramadan to sink with them,” he advised.
Uhor stressed the need for Muslims and all Nigerians to remain patriotic, while avoiding all forms of anti-social behaviours.
He also called on the political leaders to put the country first, stressing that there is no need for Nigerians to continue to wallow in abject poverty when the country is so rich with natural resources.
Also speaking, the Chief Imam of Rivers State, Alhaji Ibrahim S Yalo, urged Muslims to fear God, and speak the truth always.
According to him, time has come for Nigerians to cultivate the habit of peaceful coexistence, speak the truth and be each others keeper.
“Nigerians own a duty to ensure peace, live together in fear of God and speak the truth always,” he said.
By: John Bibor
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