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NSCDC Parades 20 Suspects, 11 Trucks Laden With Illegally Refined Products
The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) has reiterated that oil theft, illegal oil bunkering and illegal oil refining activities must be checked, assuring that the corp has intensified its fight against the menace.
The NSCDC Commandant in Rivers State, Abdu Tambuwal, stated this while parading 20 suspected oil thieves, 11 trucks, 10 salon cars and buses laden with suspected illegally refined Automotive Gasoline Oil in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Tambuwal, who disclosed that the arrests were made between January 22, 2022 and February 1, 2022, explained that the issue of oil theft and illegal oil bunkering has been a disturbing issue in Rivers State, which he said was a strategic state in the country.
He said the feat was made by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad, deployed to the state to carry out microscopic investigation and monitoring of oil pipelines in the state in a bid to curtail vandals against the nefarious activities of oil theft, illegal oil bunkering and other related matters.
“Oil theft must be checked. NSCDC is all out for this very important and strategic fight, which we must win. The directive from the Commandant General is that we must intensify the fight against illegal oil bunkering and also illegal activities by vandals and other miscreants in the state.
“We must vigorously carryout series of marine operations and land operations in the state to ensure effective service delivery.
“Today, 1st of February, 2022, we are parading 20 suspected oil thieves, 11 trucks laden with illegally refined AGO, 10 cars and buses laden with suspected illegally refined AGO concealed in sack bags.
“The ongoing fight against vandalism of the critical Assets and Infrastructures in Rivers State will not stop until the state is rid of most, if not all the oil thieves who are bent on causing environmental hazards.
“I came with the mandate from my Commandant General,Dr. Ahmed Audi, to make sure all the oil thieves within and around Rivers State either relocate from Rivers state or stay clear of all the pipelines.
“On 22nd January, 2022 at about 0058hrs, two suspected oil thieves were arrested at an illegal bunkering site in Emohua LGA of the state.
“On 28th January, 2022 at about 0207yrs at Rumuekpe in Emohua LGA, nine suspected oil thieves were arrested with illegally refined AGO and DPK stacked in three different SUB Toyota cars.
“On 31st January, 2022 at about 2330hrs along Abonnema Wharf Road, the Command recovered a Black Volkswagen Golfcar with Reg. No. Lagos TE769XAA loaded with unspecified quantity of suspected illegally refined AGO.
“Also within the same area, and time, a green Honda Accord car with registration number Lagos, KRD116EH loaded with unspecified quantity of suspected illegally refined AGO concealed in sacks was recovered from the suspect named, Jack Ofonye ‘Male’ 32years.
“Today, the 1st February, 2022 at about 0610hrs, the command also impounded three vehicles laden with unspecified quantity of suspected illegally refined AGO concealed in sack bags.
“Vehicles recovered are as follow, a black Sequoia Jeep with registration number Abuja GWA422JF; Chevrolet white bus with registration number Rivers AFM222XA and a white Chevrolet express bus with registration number Abuja GWA967YR.”
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

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
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

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.
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