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2023 Elections: COAS Cautions Troops

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The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, has warned troops of the Nigeria Army to avoid being dragged into politicking as the 2023 general elections approaches.
Yahaya spoke at a three-day ‘Second Senior Command and Leadership Seminar’ in Port Harcourt on Wednesday for commanders of various formations across the country.
The seminar had the theme: ‘’Building the Capacity of Nigerian Army to Meet Contemporary Security Challenges in a Joint Environment: The Role of Senior Leadership.”
According to him, no personnel will be allowed to participate in the elections or support any candidate as stipulated by the extant laws guarding the service.
“So, I want to remind all commanders that as the electioneering season approaches the political landscape is likely to become more tense across the geopolitical zones.
“Engagement of political thugs; use of hate speeches and other inimical activities by desperate politicians and their supporters will likely instigate a more fragile security situation in the coming days.
”I charge commanders at all levels to ensure that troops under their command are adequately enlightened on the need to be apolitical and eschew all political vices.
“To this end, all army personnel must act within the ambit of the law; the provisions of the extant rule of engagement and code of conduct for the elections in 2023,” he said.
He said the army would adopt a more superior system of operation to harness the collective potentials of all security stakeholders in the coming days and weeks.
The army Chief added the seminar was organised to brainstorm and proffer solutions to challenges confronting ongoing operations in the country.
“Our current operating environment is dynamic and has continued to expose new threats which require deeper insights to successfully overcome them.
“So, the forum offers senior commanders the opportunity to engage one another and introspect on our existing operational model so as to identify gaps.
“Resource persons invited, including academic practitioners, security and intelligence experts, retired officers and social media influencers, will contribute ideas towards addressing national security challenges,” he stated.
Yahaya said the army under his command was passionate towards ensuring that troops were adequately trained, equipped and motivated to perform their constitutional roles in support of the Federal Government.
On his part, the General Officer Commanding 6 Division, Nigeria Army, Port Harcourt, Maj.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, said the seminar was also organised to expose senior officers to ways to protect the image of the army.
According to him, the participating senior officers are drawn from army headquarters and all army formations in the South West, South South and South East.
“This seminar is organised, considering that our contemporary threat and operating environment demanded astute and innovative leadership competences from our commanders,” he said.

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Rivers

Group Promises To Champion Unity, Peace, Development Of Okrika

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A socio-cultural organisation in Rivers State, “Wakrike National Congress” (WNC), has pledged to champion the unity, peace and development of the Okrika nation.
The congress said this in a pre-inaugural press briefing in Port Harcourt recently.
The text for the briefing, which was read by the Chairman, Central Planning Committee of the Congress, Barrister Tamuno Williams, on behalf of the President, Wakrike, USA, Solomon David, said the body, which took three years to evolve, will also look into some problems affecting the Okrika nation .
He listed some of these problems as environmental pollution, youth unemployment, and the high level of illiteracy among Okrika youths.
The organisation said it will also bring back the lost glory of the Okrika nation.
“Gentlemen of the press, it is pertinent to underscore the vision and mission of this organisation: recognising our heritage as a people, the legacies of our forebears and our unique evolution and history.
“The Wakrike people from time immemorial have been the beacon of progress, development and prosperity among the comity of nations in our dear Rivers State.
“As Wakrike people, we recall with pride and sweet memories the pivotal role played by our forebears in the struggle towards the creation of Rivers State and its nurturing to the attainment of its stardom as the ‘Treasure Base of Nigeria’”.
The group said, despite these achievements, the “walls sustaining our heritage were broken down and everything appeared lost, except our unique will and God-given spirit of never giving up”.
The congress said time has come for the Okrikans, whereever they are, to be united.
“As a people, we must become united, we must fight for the education of our people, we must take steps to protect our environment and ecosystem, we must ensure that our kings and traditional institutions are respected and given a pride of place, our youths and women shall be repositioned to play critical roles God and humanity have bestowed upon them”, they said.
Meanwhile, the inauguration of the congress was held last Friday, with an inaugural lecture titled, “Wakrike Culture, Nationalism and Prosperity: Rebuilding the Broken Walls of Unity for Politico-Economic Renaissance”, delivered by Professor Ibibia Lucky Paul-Worika at Ogu Town in Ogu /Bolo Local Government Area.

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Rivers

Nigerian DPO Bags UK Varsity Professorial Award

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A United Kingdom-based university, St.Thomas-Becket University, Canterbury, England, has conferred an Honorary Professorial Award on the Divisional Police Officer, Kwal Division, Delta State, CSP Edwin Igoche.
The award was presented to the DPO by Professor Chidi Ehiriodo, Presiding Chancellor of the African Institute of Theology (AIT) and assisted by Dr Emeka Okanu.
A press release signed by the, media aide, Comrade Christian Isaac, and made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt, says the award was in recognition of his policing prowess in and around the Niger Delta region.
According to the release, “St. Thomas-Becket University, Canterbury, England, United Kingdom, honoured Amb. Dr. Edwin Igoche Okoh, as a Professor.
“He received his professorship Award as a Professor Of Peace Conflict and International Jurisprudence. The certificate was presented by Prof. Chidi Ehiriodo, Presiding Chancellor, African Institute of Theology, AIT. He was assisted by Dr. Emeka Okanu”.
It stated that Edwin Igoche, before now, had acquired serveral academic qualifications such as BL, LLB, LLM, LLD, as a distinguished academia, describing the award as well deserved.
It further said the Police Officer has contributed a lot to the society in curbing insecurity and also expanded the knowledge frontier through the publications of serveral books.
Speaking with newsmen later, on, the DPO said he dedicated the award to God Almighty and the Nigerian Police.
He said those in positions of authority should do their best, as society is watching them.

By: John Bibor

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Rivers

Climate Change: TotalEnergies Plants 114 Trees

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TotalEnergies Limited planted about 114 trees and collected 4,706 kilogramme of waste in Lagos, Edo and Kano States to mitigate the impact of climate change and safeguard the environment in commemoration of the World Clean-Up Day, recently.
The Managing Director, TotalEnergies, Marketing, Dr Samba Seye, said the 2023 World Clean-Up Day is a clarion call to action for Nigerians to make the planet safe.
Seye stated that the objective of this initiative was “to meet some of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals by demonstrating TotalEnergies, commitment to protecting the environment and promoting climate actions while provoking environmental consciousness among our communities and young persons.
According to him, putting the exercise in the context of the company’s transformation towards cleaner energies, the Managing Director said “We are constantly embracing initiatives that support biodiversity and environmental preservation.
“More than ever before, there is heightened need for environmental consciousness as the climate beckons for action from every individual. We are therefore intentional in creating necessary awareness and implementing actions that protect the environment”.
The Managing Director’s speech was read by representatives at the other locations of Edo and Kano States.
The call for action was corroborated by Deputy Director, Conservation and Ecology, Ministry of Environment, Lagos State, Mr. Olabode Adeola, who represented the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry.
He said, “We are harnessing the power of the people to clean up the earth. If we treat our environment well, it will treat us well. This change must begin with us”.
Over 50 permanent employees of the company participated for the activities through the employee volunteers’ platform, ACTION.
Also, over 100 staff from the company’s service stations and over 330 students volunteered across the six locations/schools in the participating States.
Representatives of the Ministries of Education and Environment in the selected States, officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), representatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Kano State, staff of the Kano State Zoological Garden and Tourism, 10 volunteers from the Ogba Zoological Park and Garden in Benin City, Edo State, and two sanitation officers from Benin City, Edo State also participated in the activities.
The World Clean-Up Day is an annual global social action programme aimed at combating the global solid waste problem.
It is celebrated annually on the third Saturday in September and brings together pro-environment enthusiasts worldwide to clean up and care for their communities.

By: Ike Wigodo

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