Connect with us

News

Bayelsa Communities Lament Military Siege

Published

on

Residents of Igbomotoru in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have raised the alarm over alleged military siege on their communities by an international oil company (IOC), Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and a pipeline surveillance firm, Darlon Security Nigeria Limited.
Then residents called on the state and Federal Governments as well as the international community to intervene in what they described as dehumanisation of their communities by armed personnel.
Leaders of the communities led by the acting paramount ruler of Igbomotoru 1, Chief Simon Alogodei, told journalists in Yenagoa, last Saturday, that the armed soldiers were allegedly acting on the instructions of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited and a pipeline surveillance firm, Darlon Security Nigeria Limited.
Alogodei said the military brutality was being intensified despite a formal letter dated July 6, 2022, which they wrote to the organs of government at the state and federal levels notifying them of the unprovoked siege.
He said, “With deep pains in our hearts and from a state of new-complete helplessness, we the leaders and bona-fide representatives of Igbomotoru 1 and 2 communities in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, hereby call on the Bayelsa State Government, Federal Government of Nigeria and the international community to, with earnestness, urgently intervene and bring under control the ongoing siege and persistent dehumanisation in our Igbomotoru 1 and 2 communities being perpetrated by armed military personnel and their cohorts, believably acting on the directives and instructions of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company Ltd and Darlon Security Nigeria Ltd.
“While we do not have any quarrels with military personnel providing security in any part of Nigeria, including our Igbomotoru 1 and 2 communities, it is not in dispute that they are expected to keep to their standard code of conduct and maintain international best practices. It cannot be a medium siege mentality and subject our people to dehumanisation.
“As at today, our poor and hapless women are beaten and harassed re-currently by these armed military personnel. Living and doing business in our communities is now virtually impossible.”
The traditional ruler, therefore, urged the governments and the international community to prevail on the allegedly sponsored soldiers to vacate their lands and stop inflicting pains and sorrows on them.
Also speaking, the solicitors to Igbomotoru communities, Prof. Festus Emiri (SAN) and Stanley Damabide, claimed that no fewer than seven people had been killed and several others arrested in Igbomotoru since the soldiers stormed the communities on June 22, 2022.
Dismissing insinuation of oil bunkering camps in the area, Emiri described the military invasion as a part of divide-and-rule tactics deployed by the oil firm and its ally to keep the communities disunited, stressing that there was no problem in Igbomotoru to warrant the presence of soldiers.
He said, “There is no problem in the community, and in any case, soldiers have no powers whatsoever to invade any community. The Constitution of Nigeria is very clear, Section 217 to 218; soldiers are only deployed and employed to protect the territorial integrity of the country.
“If they perceive there is any problem in the community, what they should do is to seek police help and the police have the powers under our law to prosecute. But what they are doing is to frighten the people and once the people are frightened they cannot come together to present a common front against Agip used as a surrogate by Darlon Security Limited.
“At least seven persons have been killed. How many more they want to kill we don’t know. Several persons have been arrested, people can’t go to their farms, people are just in prison but the constitution guarantees their right to life, property and movement. These cannot be abridged without any court of law convicting a people. There is nothing like community guilt. The law does not provide that a community can be guilty. An individual can be guilty, not a community.”
Damabide on his part expressed surprise that despite the formal complaint to relevant government quarters, the alleged acts of dehumanisation were still going on in Igbomotoru.
He, however, disclosed that they had just received a phone call from the state government informing them of a meeting scheduled for Friday this week and described the military brutality in the community as “sad and unfortunate”.
Efforts to get the responses of the Agip Oil Company and Darlon Security Nigeria Limited proved abortive as their spokespersons could not be reached.

Continue Reading

News

Police Rescue Kidnapped Victim, Recover Stolen Vehicle

Published

on

Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have rescued one Osazee Okugbowa from suspected kidnappers.
Moses Yamu, the command’s spokesperson, disclosed this in a statement yesterday, stating that the victim was rescued by operatives of Ologbo Division, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, on Friday, 8th February 2025, at about 5 pm.
Yamu said the victim was kidnapped on 7th February, 2025 by five armed men from his residence in the presence of his family in the Power Line area of Owanoba community.
He stated that the victim had since been reunited with his family after receiving medical attention.
He, however, added that the command is on the trail of the suspects in a bid to arrest them.
Meanwhile, Yamu disclosed that the command has recovered a silver-coloured Toyota Yaris with registration number 535 DR, which was snatched from its owner at gunpoint at Upper Mission Road Extension in Benin City.
He said the car was recovered by operatives of the Okuaihe Division in Uhunmwonde Local Government Area, following a distress call received on 6th February 2025.
He added that the operatives intercepted and pursued the car snatchers, who abandoned the vehicle at Iguomon Community along the Benin-Agbor Road.
Yamu said the car has been handed over to its owner while efforts are ongoing to identify and arrest the suspects.

Continue Reading

News

Soludo Rebagged FG Rice Shared To APGA Members-APC

Published

on

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Anambra State has protested the dominance of the Chukwuma Soludo-led All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in the affairs of the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government.
The party chairman in the state, Mr Basil Ejidike while speaking at the weekend said the dominance of Soludo in affairs that concern Anambra even at the federal level has become a challenge to the state chapter of the APC.
He said all appointments coming to Anambra from the Federal Government had nominees from APGA, while even rice distributed to all states to cushion the effect of hardship had Anambra’s share rebagged with the picture of the governor and distributed to only APGA members last Christmas.
Appealing to Tinubu, Ejidike said, “Sir, may I seize this opportunity to draw your attention to some challenges confronting the APC in Anambra State, that require your kind intervention.
“The issue of appointments made by the Federal government without recourse to the party is inimical to the growth and success of the party in our state, as these appointees do not reckon with the party at the state level.
“Whereby, most of those who have made and are still making heavy sacrifices for the party have not been adequately rewarded and appreciated, many of those who have gotten juicy Federal Government appointments in the past were mainly non-party members, drawn especially from our rival All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).”
He said the trend has not served as a source of inspiration or motivation to party members, and is threatening its strength and enthusiasm of emerging victorious in the Anambra 2025 project.
“At the ward, local government and state levels, our members are being discriminated against, as APGA does not recognize or reckon with those who are not their members in the distribution and allocation of government appointments and incentives.
“More worrisome is the fact that what we as a state get from the federal government as incentives and palliatives are usually sent through the state government.
“Sequel to the above, non-APGA members are denied access to them. It is on record that bags of rice sent as palliatives by the federal government were repackaged, and Governor Soludo’s pictures and APGA logo embossed on those bags, thereby giving the impression that they were provided by the governor.
“This arrangement has continued to diminish our party’s influence and reach within the state, and we are terrified to say the least.
“APC in Anambra have come with a passionate appeal, asking that you (Ganduje) intervene and save our members in Anambra from neglect.
“Your kind intervention, Sir, will bolster the morale of our committed party men and women towards the task ahead,” he added.

Continue Reading

News

2025 Budgets: I Hope Snake, Monkey Won’t Swallow This One-Atiku

Published

on

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has cautioned against the misappropriation of funds allocated to the health sector in the 2025 budget, referencing past bizarre claims of animals—such as snakes, termites, gorillas, and monkeys—being blamed for missing public funds. He stressed that such absurd incidents must not be allowed to happen with resources meant for healthcare.
Amid dwindling resources and reduced external support for healthcare services, Abubakar emphasised the need for transparency and accountability in the government’s $1.07 billion budgetary appropriation for the health sector. He called for mechanisms to ensure public audits and proper utilization of every kobo earmarked for healthcare.
The former vice president specifically questioned the government’s failure to provide a detailed breakdown of how it intends to spend over a billion dollars in the primary health sector. He noted that while investment in primary healthcare is crucial for providing Nigerians with accessible and affordable medical services, it would be unethical for the government to allocate such a significant sum without disclosing its intended use.
“The Federal Government has announced plans to spend a whopping $1.07 billion in the primary health sector, in addition to the N2.48 trillion initially proposed for healthcare in the budget,” Abubakar noted.
“What is even more concerning is that this additional funding is largely sourced from foreign loans, with a small portion coming from an international donor agency. Since these loans must be repaid, Nigerians have the right to know the full details and ensure that the expenditure is transparent and well-justified,” he added.
Abubakar further criticized the government for failing to commit to any physical infrastructure projects within the health sector, suggesting that this raises red flags about potential mismanagement or fraud.
According to the government, the funds will be used to improve governance in healthcare and strengthen primary health services nationwide, including recruitment, training, and retention of healthcare workers and teachers. However, Abubakar argued that the government has a poor track record in managing public funds, particularly in humanitarian services, and that Nigerians should not accept vague explanations without clear accountability mechanisms.
“It is difficult to trust this administration’s claims, especially given its history of misleading Nigerians about investments in social infrastructure,” he said.
He pointed out the government’s misleading statements about improvements in tertiary hospitals, despite the reality that many of these institutions lack basic amenities, such as stable electricity supply.
“The Tinubu administration has failed in the health sector due to poor funding. Major diseases in primary healthcare, including malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS, remain critical challenges. If this government is truly committed to healthcare, it must clarify how it plans to use this intervention fund to tackle these diseases,” Abubakar stated.
He also criticized the government’s response to the recent withdrawal of American aid for HIV/AIDS treatment, noting that its proposed intervention of N5 billion is grossly inadequate.
“If the Tinubu administration does not present a clear framework for managing this significant health sector investment or subject it to proper legislative scrutiny, then it may be safe to conclude that this is yet another case of public funds being mismanaged under the guise of serving Nigerians,” Abubakar concluded.

Continue Reading

Trending