Rivers
Youths Urge CTC Chairman To Contest Oct 5 LG Polls
The youths of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, under the apex youth body, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Obio-Akpor Chapter, has called on the Caretaker Committee (CTC) Chairman of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Amb. Ihunwo Chijioke, to contest the October 5th Local Government Election.
The youths, in a communique read by the Chairman of the youth body, Comrade Prince Bekwele, at the 2024 International Youth Day Celebration, stated that in view of the current political issues in Rivers State, and the strategic positioning of Obio-Akpor in the State, Obio-Akpor LGA needs a bold, courageous and people-oriented leader, noting that there is no other person who is more suitable for that position than, His Youthfulness, Ambassador Chijioke Ihunwo.
The youths said “the entire youths of Obio-Akpor call on His Youthfulness, Chief Ambassador Chijioke Ihunwo to present himself to contest the forthcoming Local Government Election, sayi “the entire youths of Obio-Akpor pledge their unreserved support for him”..
In his remark, the Special Adviser to the Governor, Rt. Hon. Prince Achor Nna, while commending the youths for organising the programme, said the administration of Sir Siminalayi Fubara is youth centered.
He asserted that the youths of Rivers State are lucky, because during the last administration youths were not given the opportunity to be in leadership positions.
He congratulated the youths and urged them to continue to give their support to Governor Fubara and the CTC Chairman, Ambassador Chijioke Ihunwo.
In his response, Ihunwo thanked the leadership of NYCN, Obio-Akpor Chapter, for organising the event in commemoration of International Youth Day.
He urged the youths to be fervent in their prayers for his boss, the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, saying their prayers “are necessary, to thwart the evil plans of the enemies of Rivers State, in order for the Governor to continue with his developmental strides in the State, and give opportunities to youths”.
He stressed that “Governor Fubara is a youth friendly Governor, which he has demonstrated by giving eighty percent caretaker committee Chairmen to youths”.
He promised that there will be empowerment for youths of Obio-Akporl starting from next week, stating that the issue of October 5th local government election will be addressed at the appropriate time.
Dignitaries at the event were, His Royal Majesty, Eze Amb. Dr. Leslie Nyebuchi Eke, Eze Gbakagbaka, the King of Evo Kingdom, who was the father of the day; Barr. Evans Amadi, Member of Governing Council, Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic; Comrade Gift Jumbo, the State Deputy Chairman of NYCN; Comrade David Apiafi, the State Secretary and Head of Administration NYCN; and Comrade Onyeogu Lucky, Director General, one million youth for Sim.
Theresa Frederick, Charity Amiso
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The Rivers State Multi-Stakeholder Action Committee on the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), a non-profit organization dedicated to combating gender-based violence in the State, recently paid a courtesy visit to the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, to seek his support and partnership for a planned sensitization programme for Police GBV Desk Officers.
The delegation was led by the Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Lauretta Davies Dimpka, alongside the Committee’s Coordinator, Barr. Evelyn Membere Asimiea.
Speaking during the meeting, the Coordinator explained that the committee comprises various stakeholders, including FIDA, the media, security agencies, and traditional and religious institutions.
She noted that the initiative is funded by ActionAid Nigeria with support from the Ford Foundation, with the goal of strengthening efforts to eliminate gender-based violence in Rivers State.
“We have carried out several engagements, including community advocacy programmes and the training of female cultural influencers, among other activities,” she said.
In his response, the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, pledged his full support for the initiative and assured the committee of the Police Command’s readiness to collaborate in strengthening GBV response mechanisms across the state.
Members of the delegation also included heads of sub-committees within the group: Barr. Ere Boma (Advocacy); Dr. Mary Obisike (Response); Martha Igbiks ( Information and Awareness); and Brown Musa Afonyagha (Religious/Traditional).
Observers described the engagement as a significant step toward enhancing coordination and improving the response to gender-based violence in Rivers State.
Youths from Igwuruta Community in Rivers State have condemned the killing of the Secretary of Omuolu-Omunwei Community in Igwuruta, Mr. Nchelem Samuel Festus, describing the incident as tragic and unacceptable.
In a communiqué issued on February 12, 2026, the youth body said Mr. Festus was allegedly murdered on Tuesday February 10, 2026, by commercial motorcycle operators identified as “Aboki bike riders” within the community.
The group expressed sadness and outrage over the development, stating that the killing has heightened tension in the area and disrupted the peace for which Igwuruta has long been known.
According to the communiqué, the incident is part of what the community described as a growing wave of criminal activities, including rape, kidnapping and other violent crimes allegedly perpetrated by the same group.
The youth body said Igwuruta has historically maintained a reputation as a peaceful and hospitable community where residents and visitors carry out their daily activities without fear.
It, however, noted that recent events and what it termed as “escalating violence” have created fear among residents and necessitated urgent intervention.
The communiqué called for the immediate suspension of all motorcycle operations by the group within Igwuruta.
It also demanded the closure of scrap-dump sites in the community allegedly operated by the said individuals.
Furthermore, the youth body urged security agencies to ensure the arrest and prosecution of those involved in the killing of Mr. Festus and perpetrators of other alleged crimes in the area.
It also called on cattle herders to vacate farmlands in Igwuruta and urged herdsmen to stay away from bushes within the community with immediate effect.
While pledging to uphold the rule of law and refrain from self-help, the youth body gave security agencies a 48-hour ultimatum to act on some of its demands, particularly the suspension of motorcycle operations and closure of scrap sites.
The communiqué appealed to security agencies, local government authorities and other stakeholders to treat the matter with urgency and collaborate with the community to restore peace and ensure justice.
As at the time of filing this report, the Police has not issued any official statement about the incident.
By: King Onunwor
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to expand access to reliable and sustainable electricity across the Niger Delta region.
The agreement, signed at the headquarters of the REA in Abuja, is intended to strengthen institutional collaboration in accelerating development in underserved communities in the region.
A statement by the Director, Corporate Affairs of the NDDC, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, said the pact underscores renewed efforts by the two federal interventionist agencies to deepen cooperation and fast-track infrastructure delivery.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Managing Director of the NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, described the MoU as a strategic step towards realising the Commission’s vision to “light up the Niger Delta” in line with national priorities on distributed energy expansion.
Ogbuku said “the agreement represents a shared institutional responsibility to deliver reliable energy solutions that will enhance livelihoods, stimulate local economies and create broader opportunities across the nine Niger Delta states.”
According to him, electricity remains a critical enabler of national development, support for job creation, healthcare delivery, education and inclusive economic growth.
He noted that the collaboration would help unlock the economic potential of rural communities while advancing broader national development objectives.
The NDDC boss added that the Commission has consistently adopted partnership-driven approaches in executing projects in the region and is prepared to support the implementation of the MoU by leveraging its community presence and infrastructure development capacity.
He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to working closely with the REA to ensure the timely and effective execution of the agreement.
The NDDC delegation at the event included the Executive Director, Projects, Dr Victor Antai; Executive Director, Corporate Services, Otunba Ifedayo Abegunde; Director, Legal Services, Mr. Victor Arenyeka; Director, Finance and Supply, Mrs. Kunemofa Asu; and Director, Liaison Office, Abuja, Mrs. Mary Nwaeke.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of the REA, Dr. Abba Abubakar Aliyu, described the MoU as a natural collaboration between two agencies with complementary mandates, reflecting a shared commitment to expanding access to sustainable electricity in rural communities.
“The Niger Delta remains central to Nigeria’s economic fortunes and must be supported by infrastructure capable of driving productivity, enterprise and improved living standards”, Aliyu said.
He adding that the partnership signals readiness to deliver stable power to communities that have long awaited reliable electricity supply.
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