Niger Delta

Flood: Delta Records 22 New Babies In IDP Camps

Published

3 years ago

November 10, 2022

Delta State Government on Wednesday said it recorded 22 new born babies at the various Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the state.
Secretary to the State Government and Chairman of the Inter-ministerial Flood Management Committee, Chief Patrick Ukah, disclosed this at a news conference in Asaba.
He said the loss recorded by the state would have been more catastrophic if not for the proactiveness of the State Government.
According to him, “it is interesting to note that this year’s flood is far more than what we experienced in 2012, but we give God the glory that the proactiveness of the State Government has really helped us in managing this it.
“We started our sensitization very early and we had stakeholders” engagement with traditional rulers, community leadership, school and everybody that we needed to meet.
“Many people responded by moving away from the low planes but, as expected, some people who hold some traditional beliefs held on to their ancestral homes.
“But through our proactiveness the Ministry of Environment was directed to open up the cannals leading to the Niger River and DESOPADEC was also handy in this regard as they opened up cannals around their own operational areas.
“We were able to set up 4 camps by DESOPADEC and 8 camps by the State Government, and we had about 21,000 IDPS in those eight camps and over 17000 in areas where DESOPADEC set up their own IDPs camps,” he said.
He said the South and Central Senatorial Districts were most impacted by the flood, but thanked God that the State Government was able to move the affected victims to the IDP camps.
He commended the private sector response to the flood disaster, assuring that the State Government would soon publish the names of the private sector donors in a full page advertorial in the newspapers for the state to appreciate them individually.
“Now that the water has started receding and we have started planning their exit, by the grace of God, we will do whatever it takes to assist them to get back to normal life irrespective of whatever they must have lossed to the flood.
“We thank God that we didn’t have so many deaths and we had a lot of deliveries, up to 22 babies in the different camps.
“Yes, we recorded some deaths and we are still compiling, but we recorded one death at Onne camp that had nothing to do with the flood. It was basically personal illness that the person had before now.
“In Patani, some travellers lost their lives while travelling towards the Port Harcourt Bayelsa Road, while 4 deaths were recorded in Isoko and one in Ugbolu.
“Apart from these deaths our camps remains very active and by the grace of God we have continued to keep them very happy and we hope to continue doing so until we come to the end of camping which by the grace of God is in sight,” Ukah stated.
He said the loss associated with flood was unquantifiable, adding that the State Government was yet to receive any money from FG other than some relief items from NEMA.
He called on the Federal Government to consider dredging the River Niger and Benue as well as building holding dams to cushion the effect of flooding in the country.

Niger Delta

Navy Pledges Improved Patrols, Welfare Boost For Personnel

Published

15 hours ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has pledged to ensure improved welfare for personnel and more patrols on the maritime corridors of the nation.

He disclosed this during an on the spot assessment of things at the Eastern Naval Command (ENC), Calabar, on Wednesday.

According to him, there is the need for officers to always be ready, by improving on their welfare, in a bid to keep the country secured.

“I am here for an on the spot assessment of our operations and like you have seen, I have also gone round to check the ongoing buildings.

”These are welfare issues and for us to be able to have our men ready and keep us secured, their welfare needs to be catered for.

“So, we are here to kill two birds with one stone, which are basically operations and welfare issues.

”I am happy with what the command is doing; it is doing well in terms of keeping the maritime environment safe.

“We will continue doing what we are doing and improve on that, which is patrol of the waters and increase in the area of surveillance”, he stated.

As part of his visit, Abbas commissioned the 12×1 Junior Rates Accommodation Block A and B, at the Navy Barracks at Atimbo in Calabar.

The naval chief also inspected other ongoing projects in the Akim Barracks, 1006 flats and the Navy hotel, all within Calabar.

Niger Delta

Delta Begins Uromi Junction Flyover Construction

Published

18 hours ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

The Delta State Government says it has began construction work on the long-awaited Uromi Junction Flyover Bridge in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of the state.

Director-General (DG) of the Delta State Bureau for Orientation and Communications, Dr. Fred Oghenesivbe, confirmed the development to newsme in Asaba.

According to him, heavy-duty construction equipment have arrived the site, a project which is being handled by Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, one of the country’s leading construction firms.

Oghenesivbe, described the flyover as a massive infrastructure project with far-reaching socio-economic benefits for the area.

He said the project would significantly transform the Agbor metropolis by easing traffic congestion, improving the city’s aesthetics, and boosting commercial activities within the local government area.

He described the State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, as a promise-keeper and pragmatic leader whose administration remains committed to infrastructure development and economic growth across the state.

The DG expressed confidence in Julius Berger’s capacity to deliver the project within record time and according to the highest construction standards.

“The Uromi Junction serves as a major link between different parts of the country but has recently been plagued by severe traffic congestion, making vehicular movement increasingly difficult”, he noted.

He urged residents to cooperate with the contractor and safeguard construction materials and equipment to ensure the timely completion of the project.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Rejects Ekid Ownership Claim Of Stubbs Creek

Published

18 hours ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

The Akwa Ibom State Government has rejected claims by the Ekid People’s Union that it owns land within the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve, describing such assertions as “false, misleading and a distortion of the judicial record.”

In a recent statement, signed by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Uko Udom, the state government said it was compelled to respond in the “overriding public interest,” despite a pending court case instituted by the same group.

The government stated that contrary to claims circulating in the media, the historic case of Ntiaro and Ikpak vs. Ibok Etok Akpan and Edoho Ekid, decided by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in 1918, did not vest ownership of Stubbs Creek land in any ethnic group or community.

“The final judgement merely dismissed the claims before the court and granted title to no party whatsoever”, the government stated, adding that “any assertion to the contrary is false, misleading and a distortion of the judicial record.”

According to the statement, the land was lawfully reserved by the colonial government under Forest Reserve Order No. 45 of 1930, later amended in 1941, 1955 and 1962, with “the principal rights of the land forfeited to the Government upon the change of status.”

It said the area has since been administered under applicable laws by the Akwa Ibom State Government, which “has at all times acted within its lawful authority in the management and allocation of land in the area for legitimate public and economic purposes.”

Citing the 1999 Constitution and the Land Use Act, the government stated that all land in the state is vested in the governor to be held in trust for the common benefit of Nigerians, noting that claims of absolute ancestral ownership are subject to existing laws.

The government “categorically denies allegations of fraud or misrepresentation” regarding Stubbs Creek or investments there and warned it would take “appropriate legal steps” against any individual or group publishing false or defamatory material capable of undermining public confidence or discouraging investment

The statement also assured the federal government of “full access and Right of Way” for the proposed Coastal Highway through any part of the state.

The government statement followed an earlier report in which the Ekid People’s Union accused Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State of making comments that allegedly linked the community to terrorism, while he was defending the Coastal Highway project passing through the Stubbs Creek.

Ekid People’s Union maintained that the people of Ekid are the original owners of the land known as Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve, arguing that their ancestral ownership predates colonial rule.

The group cited historical occupation, customary ownership and a 1918 Privy Council case, which it claimed affirmed Ekid rights over the territory.

The union also accused the Akwa Ibom State Government of misrepresenting history to justify taking over the land for commercial interests and the proposed Coastal Highway, an allegation the state government has denied.

The group rejected any suggestion linking the Ekid people to criminality or terrorism, insisting they were peaceful citizens defending their ancestral land through lawful and civic means.