Niger Delta

Bassambiri Crisis: NASS Caucus Pays Solidarity Visit To Diri

Published

3 years ago

September 1, 2023

The Bayelsa State Caucus in the National Assembly has said it will support the State and Federal Government in resolving the crisis in Bassambiri community in Nembe Local Government Area of the State.
Chairman of the House of Representatives Caucus, Hon. Fred Agbedi, stated this yesterday when he led a delegation of the members on a solidarity visit to Governor Douye Diri in Government House, Yenagoa.
Agbedi, who represents Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency, said the visit was to lend their voice to ongoing efforts to restore peace to the community and ensure that the pepertrators were brought to justice.
According to Agbedi, “we want to thank His Excellency immensely for taking up the responsibility of ensuring that peace returned to Bassambiri. As your representatives, we feel that we must be in solidarity with you and not only to address a press conference in Abuja.
“We are your ambassadors at the national level and whatever happens in our constituencies and senatorial districts affect us. So when we heard of the crisis in Bassambiri we very disturbed”.
“We decided to pay you a solidarity visit as governor and father of the state, who has made tremendous effort to sustain peace in the state. Everybody can attest to the fact that you have brought total peace to Bayelsa State.”
Agbedi further stated that the purpose of the visit was also to thank the governor for setting up a commission of inquiry on the crisis.
He said they had taken steps to discuss the issue with the leadership of the parliament in order to attract federal government attention towards addressing the problem.
Responding, Governor Douye Diri commended the caucus for its intervention.
Senator Diri stressed the need for stakeholders at the state and the national level to work closely to ensure that Bayelsa remained peaceful and stable ahead of the November 11 governorship election.
“We want to thank you for the steps taken so far. There is some semblance of peace in the community but it is not yet uhuru. My charge to you is to seek ways of resolving the disputes in the area. If anybody is arrested for possession of fire arms, they should be charged to court rather than holding them in perpetuity.”
Speaking with Government House correspondents, member representing Brass/Nembe Federal Constituency, Marie Ebikake, allayed fears that the people of the community would be disenfranchised in the November 11 poll as peace would be restored.

Also, Senator Konbowei Benson representing Bayelsa Central Senatorial District urged the Inspector General of Police to withdraw the Strategic Weapons and Tactical (SWAT) team from the community, noting that the heavy presence of various security agencies could escalate the crisis.

Niger Delta

Stakeholders In Delta Seek Stronger GBV Action, Women’s Leadership

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Stakeholders in Delta State convened in Asaba for a leadership workshop organised by Otdel Health Heritage and Environmental Initiative (OHHEI), focusing on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and women’s participation in decision-making processes.

OHHEI Project Director, Mr. Peter Olayinka, represented by a consultant, Juliet Obiajulu, urged participants to contribute meaningfully toward advancing women’s leadership and combating GBV across communities in the state.

He said the workshop aimed to strengthen participants’ capacity to influence policies, challenge harmful cultural norms, and reinforce initiatives designed to prevent and respond to GBV.

Olayinka said women often faced bias even when they occupied leadership positions, and stressed that gender diversity improved the quality of decision-making and promoted innovation and accountability in governance structures.

Speaking, the Chairperson of the Association Against Child Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Mr Eris Jewo-Ibi, identified cultural norms, domestic responsibilities, political resistance, and grassroots barriers as constraints to women’s participation.

Delta State GBV Desk Officer, Mrs. Rosemary Okpuno, emphasised that effective decision-making required women’s perspectives, adding that inclusion remained critical to addressing persistent gender-based challenges.

Voke Angbagh of the Delta State Ministry of Justice outlined penalties for rape and called for the establishment of special courts to handle sexual offences cases.

Angbagh said frequent adjournments delayed justice for survivors, stressing that dedicated sexual offences courts would ensure timely trials and stronger protection for victims in Delta State.

The Tide’s source reports that facilitators identified cultural acceptance of violence, unequal power relations, discrimination, poverty, limited education, and low self-esteem as major drivers of GBV.

They emphasised that violence and exclusion resulted in social, physical and emotional harm, imposed economic costs, reinforced harmful stereotypes, and widened existing gender inequalities.

The source also reports that OHHEI, a local non-profit organisation, focuses on education, health, environment, and social justice, promoting sustainable development initiatives with gender equality at the centre of its interventions.

Niger Delta

C’River Suspends Taskforce Activities Over Drivers’ Protest

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Cross River State Government has suspended all taskforce activities connected to commercial transportation and ticketing across the state.

The State Governor, Bassey Otu, announced the suspension at an emergency stakeholders meeting on Friday in Calabar.

It would be recalled that commercial drivers in Calabar metropolis took to streets on Thursday to protest alleged multiple taxation and extortion by government agencies.

During the protest, the drivers alleged that taskforce groups claiming to represent the state government openly harassed and extorted them.

Represented at the meeting by Ekpenyong Akiba, his Special Adviser on General Duties, Otu said the suspension would subsist pending further review of the situation.

The Governor stated that the state government did not commission anyone to extort drivers in the name of task force.

He urged commercial drivers and other road users to remain law-abiding while government worked out a lasting solution.

On his part, the Chairman, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Calabar Metropolis, Mr. Sunday Dennis, expressed optimism that the dialogue would yield positive results.

He said the meeting had provided an opportunity for the aggrieved commercial drivers to present their concerns directly to the state government.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Unified Drivers Association, Mr. Nta Henshaw, described the harassment on drivers as worrisome, and urged the state government to be decisive in resolving the matter.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Assembly Urges More Private Investments In Agriculture

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Nutrition and Food Security has called for more private sector investments in agriculture.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Moses Essien, made the call when the committee visited Aviclaire Farms, a private establishment in Usung Idem, Uruk Usoh in Abak Local Government Area.

Essien, who represents Ibiono Ibom in the Assembly, commended the Management of the farm for partnering an NGO, ECEWS, to promote private investment in agriculture.

He commended the partners for adopting climate-smart agriculture initiatives in their operations, adding that such move would promote food security.

“Your interest in using transformative intervention to promote food security is a veritable way of complementing the efforts of the state government,” he said.

The lawmaker continued that adopting practical climate-smart agriculture model would help to generate employment, improve nutrition outcomes, and strengthen food sufficiency.

He further said he was impressed with the strides recorded by the partners, saying, “your investment has created jobs for no fewer than 2,000 youths.

”You are an example of an environment-friendly investor. I urge Akwa Ibom residents to embrace environment-friendly and technology-driven agriculture models,” he said.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, ECEWS, Dr. Andy Eyo, who conducted the committee round the farm, said the collaboration was conceived to demonstrate the viability of climate-smart farming in ensuring food sufficiency.

Eyo said the farm, which commenced operations with four greenhouses, had expanded to 14 within two years, and currently supplying high-quality produce to major markets in Uyo and neighbouring communities.

He said ECEWS was exploring cooperative frameworks to enable rural farmers and women’s groups to adopt greenhouse technology for sustainable livelihoods.

In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Aviclaire Farms, Mrs. Victoria Eyo, said the controlled-environment ensured precision cultivation and consistent yields.

She further said the farm served as a capacity-building centre for students, interns, and agri-business trainees.