Rivers
3,000 Hunters Seek Light Weapons To Fight Kidnappers
Over 3,000 hunters in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, have entreated the state government to provide light weapons, communication gadgets, patrol vehicles and funding to enable them battle kidnappers and other criminals terrorising their communities in the area.
The hunters under the auspices of Professional Hunters of Nigeria, PHN, made the demand following reports of mounting abductions and robbery activities on parts of the East-West, Emohua-Kalabari roads, Obelle and Ibaa communities of Emohua.
Director of Intelligence and Community Relations Officer in the zone, Romanus Amadi, said: “If you listen, every minute of the day you hear kidnapping, killings, raping and other social vices. Professional Hunters is formed and registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, and Federal Government is aware of our existence. We are not indulging in any crime, but we are working to curtail crimes.
“Where we hear crimes happening, we will move to that area to arrest the situation. We have the capacity to fight crime. We are not just in Rivers State alone. We are brave enough to battle insecurity. We cannot do it without the support of government.
“If government will back us up, we will deliver. We are not demanding for sophisticated weapons, at least small arms that we can use to face this issue, then we are ready. We are over 3,000 persons.
“Without communication you cannot work effectively. We need communication gadgets. We need patrol vehicles. We also need money to run our operations. If government can support us with finance, all is settled.
“We are trained by the military and police, we attended the training at Nonwa, (Tai Local Government) which government is aware of. We are fit enough, all we need now are light weapons, not sophisticated weapons so that we can guard ourselves.
“What you should understand is that hunters mean those who know the in-and-out of the bush. They know everywhere in the bush. It is no longer for those who are trained to shoot and kill animals.
“We want to apply the knowledge we use in the bush in the community. Most of us know the environment very well. So if kidnapping happens now within this area and the information gets to the hunters, we will surround the area and get the victims out.
“This organisation has rules and regulations binding us because we are a government- recognised organisation. We are guided by rules in all we are doing. None of us will do more than he is expected to do.
“Once you, as a member of hunters misbehave, we hand you over to the police immediately. Police has the power to detain you and send you to court for prosecution. We do not have the right to prosecute, but we have the power to send you to the police,” he said.
General Commander, PHN, Emohua, Samuel Okereke, stated: “Our target is to eradicate crime, wipe away insecurity in our communities and the local government. Secondly, to bring back respect to men because everybody is living in fear of particular persons using their offices to disturb the peace of the communities.
“These are not supposed to be, so that the elderly ones in the community will have their peace. These are the reasons we are on ground to make sure there is security in all communities as part of community policing.
“Last time in Rumuodogo 1, there was a kidnap case and my men went and apprehended four suspects and they were handed over to the police. These are the things we are planning to do. We want to ensure that our young ones will not be involved in kidnapping and robbery. Anytime crime happens, we know the nooks and crannies of communities. We are perfect hunters who know places in the forest, there is no hiding place for criminals,” he said.
The Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board (RSPHCMB) says it will commence Supplemental Immunization activities on Saturday, May 3, 2025, to vaccinate children from 0-5 years across the State.
The State Health Educator, Dr. Diana Babbo, who stated this during a sensitisation meeting with Media Advocate for Health, Rivers State, on the update of immunization exercise in Rivers State, said the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) is a re-enforcement of the routine immunization at the health facilities.
According to her, it is aimed at boosting polio immunisation against the circulating variance of polio virus currently threatening the total eradication of polio in the country.
She further stated that there are four pillars of polio eradication, namely routine immunization (administered on babies in the health centre), supplemental immunization activity (supplements to boost the babies), surveillance (searching for children that have weakness in their legs or some oart of their bodies), and outbreak response.
The Health Educator noted that the Novel Oral Polio Vaccination Type 2 (NOPV 2) will be administered to children under the age of 0-5 years, which targets a specific polio still in existence in communities and capable of causing paralysis among the stated categories of children, despite the country being certified a polio-free nation.
Dr. Babbo further stated that this year’s NIPDs will address the high number of unresolved non-compliance cases in the State.
She debunked what she tagged a false rumour by mischief makers which claimed that the vaccines are responsible for the development of autism in children.
She said, “vaccines are not known to be responsible for the development of autism. We’re just hearing that. The truth is that one cannot know everything.
“That aspect that has been found, have we looked into other aspects, such as genetically modified foods, drinks, and milks that our children are taking?
“Have we also looked at genetic compatibility between couples before we now say vaccines are causing x, y, z things?
“Are we looking at the environment where these things are happening, what they are peculiar to?
“It must not be peculiar to all the families, there could be something also that’s happening around that we have not known. Research is evolving, let us not accuse our precious vaccines that have succeeded so far in my knowledge, to keep as many sicknesses at bay.
“The reason we do not have small pox in our world today, apart from the lab (a bio-lab) is because we vaccinated to the point where we were able to move small pox totally out of existence from human beings. We can succeed with that same pattern with all kinds of viruses”.
She stated that the connection between autism and vaccination could merely be coincidence.
Babbo, therefore, urged all parents, churches, and school owners to avail their children/wards the opportunity to be vaccinated against polio the stated exercise.
Sogbeba Dokubo
Engr Obi Fortune, a renowned philanthropist, has donated 80 desks to four secondary schools in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State. The donation is part of his commitment to advancing education in the area.
The schools that benefited from the gesture includes- Community Secondary School Umuoye.
Community Secondary School Akwa- Government Secondary School Ozuzu and Community Primary School Okehi 2 and all the schools got 20 units each of the desks.
Speaking during the brief handing-over ceremony held recently in okehi recently, Engr Obi stated that the donation fulfills his promise to use proceeds from his book sales to procure desks for schools in the LGA.
He disclosed that more desks will arrive soon and expressed his continued commitment to supporting education in the area.
Obi urged the schools to make good use of the desks and called on other individuals to contribute to the educational needs in the area.
This gesture demonstrates Engr Obi’s dedication to improving education in Etche LGA.
A professor of social and political philosophy at Rivers State University (RSU ) Nkpolu Oroworukwu port Harcourt, Prof Agha Eresia _Eke has emphasized that citizenship participation is crucial for achieving true democratic government. He stressed that citizens’ involvement in exercising their basic rights, such as freedom of speech, assembly, and religion, is essential for a democratic institution to thrive.
Eresia _Eke stated this while presenting his inaugural lecture at the 111 university’s inaugural lecture series with the topic “Nigeria Democratic practices:a contextual paradox”held at the university senate auditorium in Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
According to him, core democratic values which include:,- Respect for individual rights and freedoms, Protection of human rights and fundamental freedom, Equality before the law, Freedom of speech, assembly, and association, Protection of privacy and personal autonomy.
“Through out history, the problem that has agitated social and political philosophers has been to work _out a model for the realization of the common good of man.
Man has always sought and developed methods and systems of organising himself according to his true nature as a rational being.”he stated.
Eresia-Eke notes that Nigeria is not practicing a true federalism and highlights the importance of a pragmatic approach to democracy, where ideas and solutions are tested and refined in real-world environments.
He emphasized that citizens must hold their leaders accountable and demand respect for human rights, stressing that by doing so, citizens can undertake their civic obligations and responsibilities, strengthening society as a whole.
Earlier in his address, the Vice chancellor of the university, Prof Zeb _Obipi commended the lecturer for his brilliant performance, adding that he has justified and proven that he is a professor in his area of specialization.
The VC averred that the university has been consistent in the inaugural lecture monthly and assured that his administration will continue to continue to keep the trend.