Rivers

How We Restored Peace, Security In Andoni -Awortu

Published

2 years ago

October 13, 2023

The chairman of Andoni Local Government Area, Barrister Erastus Awortu, has attributed the peace and tranquility being currently enjoyed in the local government area to proactive measures he put in place.
Awortu disclosed this on Wednesday when he received a delegation of journalists who visited the council on an assessment tour of the local government area.
Recall that prior to Awortu’s administration, the local government area was ravaged by cult wars, with eight communities totally sacked by cult boys.
Giving insights into how peace was restored in the area after protracted cult wars that sacked some communities, the council boss said that apart from engaging warring youths and community elders in dialogue, his administration deployed contingents of police and soldiers to maintain peace in the area.
He also said that the council provided vehicles for both the police and soldiers to assist them in providing security in the various communities.
Awortu recalled that before he came to office, there was high level of insecurity in the area with eight communities sacked by cult wars and many people relocated to a nearby community called Kaa.
According to him, “Before I came into office, this area (LG) was ravaged by insecurity and all kinds of negative impressions, such that the cult boys were parading guns and collecting taxes. Even to allow you or your visitors come into the local government, you had to settle the boys.
“In fact, there was high level of insecurity in eight communities in the area, they were sacked by cult wars such that the whole area was totally deserted; everybody had scampered for safety. We had our people as refugees at Kaa.
“So, the first task before my administration was to provide relief materials for them at Kaa and later brought them back to their various communities. We had to deploy and maintain several contingents of police in the communities for security for close to two years”.
He continued, “You can see there is peace in the area now, but this took a lot of efforts maintaining security presence at various areas. We have three divisional police offices in Andoni; we have provided vehicles for two of them while the third division will be provided vehicle at the end of this month.
“For detachments of soldiers, we also provided vehicles for them; now we have the civil defence (National Security and Civil Defence Corp), we are going to provide Hilux vehicle for them at the end of the month”.
In the area of empowerment, Awortu said that the council has provided many indigenes across the various communities in the area with generators, 50-inches television sets and DSTV with subscription to encourage them to set up small scale businesses and viewing centres to keep them busy and watch premier league.
“We also sent 15 cadets to Charkin Maritime Institute for training in maritime and other engineering courses. They have done a two-year diploma programme and will soon aboard international vessels. No one was less than N10million, but we have an arrangement with the institution, we are paying gradually. Luckily, all of them came out well, no one failed. About 40 or 50 graduated from the school, the best ones are from Andoni. We are very sure they are going to be gainfully employed very soon”, he said.
To further stimulate the economy, the council boss said his administration has empowered several groups of women, widows and people with disabilities with between N100,000 and N200,000 each.
According to him, “We have not done less than 50 for each group each time. The last one we did was for about 50 people living with disabilities. We trained them for one week with PoS and starter pack of N100,000 each”.
Awortu also disclosed that his council revived the abandoned magistrate court and general hospital in the area while paying the NYSC medical doctors and nurses he engaged N100,000 and N50,000 each per month, respectively.
Earlier, the visiting Journalists under the aegis of Like Minds Journalists had told the chairman that they were in Andoni on assessment tour of what Awortu’s administration had been able to record in the last three years.
The spokesperson of the group, Ilaye Jumbo, at the end of the tour, said they were not disappointed by what they saw.
She urged other local government chairmen in the State to emulate Hon. Awortu, and also embark on peer review mechanism for the development of their respective council areas.

By: Boye Salau & Susan Serekara-Nwikhana

Rivers

Don, Stakeholders Urge Environmental Laws In N’Delta

Published

2 days ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

A lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Ibibia Worika, has called for stronger implementation of legal and policy frameworks to address the conflicts and environmental challenges facing the Niger Delta region.

Worika, who is the Director of the University’s Centre for Advanced Law Research, Faculty of Law, made the call during a stakeholders’ workshop held in Port Harcourt, with the theme, “Building Peace in the Fire.”

Worika, a Professor of Comparative Petroleum and International Environmental Law and Policy at the University of Port Harcourt, said the workshop was aimed at promoting dialogue to enhance the utilisation of legal and policy provisions.

He explained that such provisions were designed to combat extractive industry-related conflicts in the Niger Delta region.

In his paper titled “Addressing the Challenges of Hydrocarbon Mining and Related Conflicts: Towards Promoting Rights-Based Actions for Combating Climate Change in Rivers State”, he noted that pollution and environmental degradation in the region were widespread and well documented.

According to him, deliberations at the workshop focused on Nigeria and international legal frameworks that support oil extraction, while safeguarding environmental responsibilities and human rights.

Worika explained that although Nigeria’s Constitution did not expressly provide for enforceable environmental rights, the domesticated African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights contained provisions on environmental rights that courts could enforce when necessary.

He urged multinational oil companies operating in the region to comply with established international norms, including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

“These companies are largely from OECD member countries. They should internalise biodiversity safety measures and other international standards in their operations in the Niger Delta,” Worika said.

The Professor also urged the Federal Government to establish an environmental remediation trust fund for the Niger Delta, similar to the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project set up for Ogoniland.

He noted that while one billion dollars had been earmarked over 25 to 30 years for the Ogoni clean-up, other parts of the region suffering similar environmental damage required comparable intervention.

Worika further called for the effective implementation of the Host Community Development Trust provisions under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), with minimal political interference and equitable representation of host communities.

He emphasised transparency and accountability in managing the trusts, adding that communities should be fully informed about membership criteria and project implementation processes.

On the remediation of Ogoniland oil pollution, Worika advocated for greater community engagement and inclusiveness in project planning and implementation.

“I would like to see greater community engagement, especially in cases where agencies decide how and where to intervene without adequate consultation with those affected. That is certainly not a good approach”, Worika said.

He stressed that communities most impacted by environmental degradation should be included at the planning and design stages and integrated into the project implementation process.

According to him, while technical aspects may require specialised expertise, local residents can handle less technical tasks such as sand removal and soil excavation, thereby enhancing ownership and empowerment.

Similarly, the President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Mr. Olu-Andah Wai-Ogosu, attributed rising youth restiveness and communal conflicts in Ogoni communities to poor mentorship and leadership failures.

“Our youths today are so much in a hurry. They don’t take time to understand issues before taking sides. They are easily swayed by short-term benefits and often fall prey to politicians”, he said.

He added that the crisis in traditional and political leadership had contributed to conflicts in the area.

Wai-Ogosu used the opportunity to urge parents and community leaders to instil discipline and moral values in young people to promote sustainable peace and development in the Niger Delta.

The workshop was organised by the Habitat Protection and Sustainabley Development Initiative, in collaboration with the Centre for Advanced Law Research, Rivers State University.

By: Theresa Frederick & Charity Amiso

Rivers

KENPOLY Rector Promises To Prioritise Students’ Welfare

Published

2 days ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

The newly appointed Rector of Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori (KENPOLY), Dr. George Chile Wadike, has said he would prioritize the welfare of students by improving the learning environment.

Dr. Wadike, who disclosed this to The Tide during an interview in his office, said his administration would reduce acts of social vices in the Polytechnic and make it more learning friendly.

“We want to ensure that the school environment is more peaceful and friendly to all.

“We also want to curtail the act of social vices, especially cultism experienced in the Polytechnic”, he state.

According to him, under his watch as Rector, he would ensure zero tolerance for social vices on campus.

On the infrastructures, the Rector said his administration would improve in the existing infrastructures in the school to enhance adequate learning.

He also said his administration shall improve electricity supply on campus to enable students read their books and better their academic performance

Kenpoly, Wadike said, would compete globally with its counterparts in all fields of learning.

“I promise to sow the seed of hard work, learning and teaching amongst others in the Polytechnic as a Rector.

“We shall also improve the Polytechnic by working with its Alumni and improve students welfare. That is why we are really here”, he said.

He assured on protection for students of the school in their academic pursuit and urged them to take their academics seriously.

On cultism and other social vices, Dr. Wadike said his administration shall partner with security agencies and the host community to eradicate acts of cultism in the institution

He also appealed to the students to embrace peace and take their academics seriously, rather than indulging in acts that will be inimical to their life.

The Rector further promised to build a cordial working relationship with the host and neighbouring communities, noting that such relationships shall improve the activities of the Polytechnic.

Dr. Wadike, an Accountant, who promised to reposition the image of the Polytechnic globally, said the activities of the Polytechnic would be publicised to the international communities to earn more credibility.

By: Chinedu Wosu

Rivers

Lulu-Briggs Commends Tinubu On State Police, Peace In Rivers

Published

2 days ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

A former Accord Party Governorship candidate in Rivers State, Chief Dumu Lulu-Briggs, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinibu for his “pragmatic support” for State Police in Nigeria.

Lulu-Briggs lauded the President on Friday during an exclusive chat with Journalists at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, in Rivers State.

According to him, State Police will help in reducing criminal activities across the country, saying that the security of life and properities is essential and it is a collective responsibility.

The former Governorship candidate called on governments at all levels to support the State Police in order to make the society crime-free.

He said the State Police would not only reduce crime, but will also boost employments across the country.

Lulu-Briggs also used the medium to applaud President Tinibu for intervening in the face-off between the Executive and Legislative arms of Government in Rivers State.

He expressed happiness that peace has returned to the state, noting that the fued between the two organs of the governments has delayed the speed of developments in the state.

The two-time governorship candidate also expressed optimism that the peace accord will give more rooms for development and also create a better atmosphere for empowerment of the youths and Women.

“Now that peace has returned in the state, there is need to queue behind the peace to be sustained for the overall interest and betterment of all in the State..

“On the political tussle in the state, I thank President Tinibu on the recent reconciliation. Now that the problem has been settled by the aggressive parties, it is the responsibility of the people to embrace peace and work towards the growth of the state and continuous sustainability of developments in the state”, he said.

On 2027 election, the Kalabari-born politician said politics is not a do-or-die affair, and advised both the public and politicians to play politics in accordance with the rules.

“To me, politics is not a do-or-die affair, whoever that wins election is still our brother or sister, the important thing is that let them do the needful, they should develop the area and the people.

“The problem we are having in Nigerian politics is that some of our politicians in positions of trust sometimes abuse the opportunities given to them”, he said.

By: Enoch Epelle