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Groups Warn Against Delay In Unveiling Substantive NDDC Board
Community Development Committee of Oil and Gas Producing Areas of the Niger Delta (CDCOGPAND) and Oil Mineral Producing Communities Traditional Rulers Forum (OMPCTRF), yesterday, warned that the delay in inauguration of a substantive board for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) may lead to renewed hostilities in the oil-rich region.
The groups, in a statement jointly issued by Chairman, Board of Trustees, CDCOGPAND, Joseph Ambakederimo; and Head of Secretariat, OMPCTRF, Kingsley Arthur; enjoined the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Obong Umana Okon to stop the ongoing charade of the illegal sole administratorship and avoid getting himself sucked into the macabre dance of shame in the NDDC, saying; “Obong Umana Okon should not allow himself to be manipulated, he should not give-in to the shenanigans of the buccaneers. He should not allow himself to be manipulated, he should not give-in to the shenanigans of the buccaneers.
“We are appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to implement his renewed promise last week to inaugurate the Board of NDDC, whose members he duly nominated, equally forwarded to the Senate for screening and confirmation as the NDDC Act prescribed, yet, the president’s appointees are yet to be sworn into office to do their work three years since the process of the appointments were completed.
“Looking at other appointments the President has made, particularly the recent appointment of the Managing Director for the Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA), Onne in Rivers State, the swiftness at which the appointment was made, calls to question as to why the NDDC board has become something of ridicule to the people of the region.
“Another one is the directive issued by the president for a forensic audit of Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) without dissolving the board of the HYPREP or appointing an interim sole administrator to run the affairs of HYPREP while the audit will last. In the case of the NDDC, a substantive board has been delayed even after the forensic audit had been concluded.
“The president did not also appoint an interim sole administrator to run the affairs of the OGFZA. A substantive appointment was quickly made which has made the OGFZA appointment the swiftest appointment ever made in seven years of this administration.
“Now, the question to ask the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Obong Umana Okon Umana, is: what is delaying the NDDC Board inauguration? Why is the NDDC board inauguration being handled in such a lackadaisical manner? And why are the people of the region seemingly so weak that they can’t resist this treatment of slavery by our own people?
“There has been two financial years’ budget of the NDDC approved by the National Assembly amounting to N799billion, which has been brazenly mismanaged with no repercussions meted out to persons, and we say this is alright by every standard.
“The resources of the commission are allegedly pilfered on a daily basis with some used to lobby people in this government to get extension of tenure in order for them to continue the illegality of the ongoing contraption and pillage the collective resources of the region.
“We hereby call on the minister to stop the ongoing charade of the illegal sole administratorship so that he does not get himself sucked into this macabre dance of shame. Mr Umana should not allow himself to be manipulated, he should not give-in to the shenanigans of the buccaneers.
“The people of Niger Delta are happy that Obong Umana was given the headship of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and by extension the responsibility to supervise the NDDC. The people are looking up to him for succour, to better their lot, therefore he cannot afford to disappoint the people, but the only way he will continue to enjoy the confidence of the people is when he quickly ensures the inauguration of the board, in accordance with the law, to ensure fair and equitable representation of the nine constituent states.
“The sole administrator’s continued stay in NDDC has become very toxic and corrosive to the environment and the earlier the sole administrator is dispensed with, the better for the region. The public space has been replete with stories of barefaced corruption since the appointment of the interim sole administrator to run the agency. The NDDC is over due to be run by a duly appointed and confirmed board, in accordance with the NDDC Act. Anything short of this at this time becomes unpalatable.
“The implication of what is going on is not yet felt by the perpetrators of the illegality. The NDDC that was a source of genuine means of livelihood for the young men and women of the region, has been taken away from them such that they now turn to illegal refining of petroleum products for survival, and which has activities have impacted heavily on the environment. Now that the illegal refining activities have been destroyed by government leaving them helpless, do we not see impending calamity? It is naturally follows that there could be a push back and that push back is imminent.
“The region is the most peaceful today in the country considering the level of insecurity in other parts of the country. We should not allow or do things in a manner that will open old wounds and plunge the region into unimaginable crisis. Let us not forget in a hurry when oil production in 2016 was drastically reduced to an insignificant quantity that adversely impacted revenues and the economy.
“Our actions and deeds should not be a tonic that will spur negative reactions which will be detrimental to the nation. Our collective concern should be guided by the challenges the region and by extension the nation will face.
“It will not be good for violence to erupt in the region during your time as the minister holding forth in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.
“We, therefore, urge the minister to follow the path of honour and due process and end the ongoing illegality of administering NDDC with a sole administrator in violation of the NDDC Act.
“We are not advocating for violence but the illegality in NDDC is the kind of action that propels people to anger, especially when agreements reached are not respected. Let us not allow this to get to the point where people will resort to self-help. If we can restrain ourselves we cannot guarantee that others will, therefore, it becomes extremely important for the minister to act in a manner that will douse tension. The position we take today shapes what happens tomorrow.”
The Defence Headquarters has placed troops on nationwide alert ahead of the Easter celebrations, assuring Nigerians of tightened security.
The DHQ also reaffirmed that ongoing support from the United States is strengthening counter-terrorism operations, with a visible impact expected in the coming weeks.
Addressing journalists during the end-of-the-month briefing on Tuesday in Abuja, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen Michael Onoja, assured citizens of heightened vigilance by troops during the Easter celebrations.
Onoja said the Armed Forces had already placed personnel on alert nationwide to prevent any security breach during the holiday period.
He added that similar measures were implemented during previous festive seasons, including Christmas and Eid-el-Fitr, and would be sustained.
“We know that festive seasons usually have heightened security activities. The military command gives instructions to ensure all personnel are on alert. This time will not be different,” he said.
He emphasised that security agencies would not relax despite the celebrations, noting that adversaries often attempted to exploit such periods.
“I can assure you that we will always be on alert, particularly at this period of festivities, because we know that the threats expect us to relax.
“But we are not going to relax. Everything will be okay for this Easter,” he added.
Speaking on the ongoing collaboration with the US forces, Onoja said the impact of the collaboration may not be immediately visible due to the nature of military engagements, but expressed confidence that the benefits would become evident in the coming weeks and months.
He said the U.S. support to Nigeria’s operations had been significant, particularly in the areas of intelligence sharing and training, noting that the assistance was being provided on favourable terms to strengthen ongoing counter-threat operations.
According to him, “You are aware that they are bringing intelligence and training support to us, which we need. They are giving that to us on very favourable terms. There are lots of things I cannot say because of confidentiality.”
He added that the intelligence being provided included information on the location of threats and hostile elements, stressing that Nigerian troops would act accordingly.
“All we can say is that these things take time. There is a gestation period when we are conducting military operations.
“You will not see it immediately, but in the next few months or weeks, you will feel the difference in the impact of the assistance that the U.S. is providing,” Onoja stated.
On February 16, 2026, DHQ confirmed the arrival of approximately 100 US military personnel and equipment at Bauchi Airfield.
According to the military high command, the personnel, who are not combat troops, were in Nigeria strictly for technical assistance, training, and advisory roles in counter-terrorism efforts.
However, insecurity has continued to surge in several parts of the country since their deployment, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the collaboration.
News
RSG Pledges Support For Youth Initiative …As Youth Dev Advocate Seeks Policies On Transformational Leadership
The Rivers State Ministry of Youth Development has restated the State Government’s commitment towards supporting initiative that will empower youth socially and economically in the State.
Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Youth Development, Mrs Ruhoma Kejeh, stated this during the launching of a book titled: ‘A-Z Nuggets of Goal Setting: Discover Winning Ways To Set And Achieve Goals Like a Pro’, in Port Harcourt.
Kejeh said the State Government was committed towards supporting initiative that will empower youth socially and economically in the state.
The Permanent Secretary, represented by the Head of Department, Youth Education and Counseling, Rivers State Ministry of Youth Development, Mrs. Veronica Oborolor, described the book as a practical guide that will serve as a source of inspiration for youths.
According to her, the book is not only timely and commendable, but comes at a time when many youths face uncertainty in life.
In his remarks, the author of the book and a youth development advocate in Rivers State, Mr. Ibeleogute Emmanuel Ibodeng, called for policies that will promote transformational leadership in the country.
He said transformational leadership comes when the right policies are in place, and described the book as his contribution to human capacity development in Nigeria.
“This is my book launch. This will serve as my own contribution to human capacity building in this country,” he said.
Ibodeng added that the book will serve as a coaching template and model for emerging leaders, readers and passionate nation builders to coach themselves into excellence and patriotic citizens.
According to him, reading the book and imbibing its message has the capacity to make one a nation builder as it is tailored towards mind transformation and community development.
“My major target is to see that the leaders who come after this set will have their minds tuned after transformational leadership, and not just the kind of leadership we are used to today,” he said.
Also speaking, the guest speaker, Mrs. Uche Etiaba, said rather than relying on false hope and partisan politics, Nigerian youths should set clear goals and work out ways of achieving them.
Etiaba also described the book as a masterpiece, adding that vision without structure is like a mere dream.
She, however, blamed systemic failure as Nigeria’s major problem, arguing that the nation is experiencing high youth unemployment because the nation’s education system does not align with the job market.
According to her, there must be an alignment across all levels of our national life.
The event attracted people across all works of life.
John Bibor
The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to safeguarding lives and property, following a major breakthrough in the fight against kidnapping in the State.
Adepoju said this in a statement by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Grace Iringe-Koko which was made available to the Press in Port Harcourt, on Tuesday.
The police boss, in the statement, noted that the recent operation underscores the resolve of the command to intensify intelligence-driven policing and dismantle criminal networks operating within the State.
“Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command recorded the success after foiling an attempted abduction in Port Harcourt, leading to the arrest of a suspected gang member and recovery of arms and ammunition”, it said.
The incident, according to the statement, occurred in the early hours of March 20 when a 35-year-old resident, Fadi Nasser, raised the alarm over an invasion of his residence along Orogbum Crescent, Woji Road, in the Government Reserved Area of the state capital.
According to Police sources, the armed assailants attempted to abduct the victim and opened fire during the attack, creating panic in the neighbourhood.
“The victim, however, managed to escape unhurt, an outcome described by security operatives as both fortunate and instrumental in enabling a swift response by the police”, it said.
Investigations gained momentum after a mobile phone suspected to belong to one of the attackers was recovered at the scene, providing a critical lead for operatives.
Acting on the intelligence, officers of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit based in Aluu deployed technical resources to track the device, which led to the arrest of one Joseph Abibo, identified as a member of the gang.
During interrogation, the suspect, the statement revealed, reportedly confessed and provided useful information that guided operatives to the gang’s hideout within the State.
Police sources also disclosed that upon arrival at the location, the operatives came under heavy gunfire from other members of the gang, prompting a fierce exchange.
The Police team, however, overpowered the criminals, forcing several of them to flee, with about six suspects escaping into a nearby river with gunshot wounds.
The police revealed that a search of the hideout led to the recovery of two AK-47 rifles, four magazines and 108 rounds of live ammunition, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects and recover more weapons.
King Onunwor
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