The President and Chairman of Council, Nigerian Library Association (NLA), Dr. Dominic Amenaghawon Omokaro, has expressed deep commitment to the advancement of education and literacy in Nigeria through the library system.

Speaking through his state Chairman Dr. Chidara Okachukwu Nyemezu, at the formal Launching/inauguration of the Vanguard for Library Visibility And Advocacy (VALVA) at Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Port Harcourt recently, Omokaro discribed the inauguration of the new body as a significant and  passionate movement aimed at shining the spotlight on one of the underappreciated yet critical institution in Nigeria’s educational system and national development.

“We are gathered here not just to launch a group, but to launch a vision and ignite a movement to reinforce a mission to make libraries visible and valuable again for our people”, he said.

Dr. Omokaro stated that the birth of VALVA is based of the recognition that libraries, particularly school libraries, are the bedrock of  promoting a reading and research culture that includes innovation and lifelong learning in the society, though the system is grossly underfunded and poorly equipped in many cases.

He recalled the theme of its first week under his watch, “Library System for National Development in 2022”, which he hinted was driven by the state chapters.

He explained that the inauguration of VALVA shows an important mission to promote the visibility and development with impact on schools and other libraries through strategic advocacy that will advance quality education and foster lifelong learning culture in Nigeria.

“The vision is clear to promote the visibility where every school and indeed every community will have access to a functional library managed by a professional Liberian”, he said.

Speaking with journalists at the sideline of the event, the founder of the VALVA, Dr. Juliet C. Akex-Nmec, stressed that no society can grow without a functional and  effective library.

She urged government at all levels to ensure the establishment of effective and functional libraries across the country.

Dr. Alex-Nmec, who is also an Associate Professor of Library and Information Science, Rivers State University, called for the appointment of a Special Adviser on Library matters by the state government in order to assist the government on Library matters.

High point of the event was the formal inaugural of the new body and oath of offices to the new executive.

Akujobi Amadi

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt and presided by Justices P. I. Ajoku, P. I. Ayua and S. I. Mark has convicted and sentenced four middle aged men to various jail terms over their involvement in fraud.

They are Daniel Ebubechi Chinweobo,  Timi Olamide Samuel, Chibueze Thaddeus Ugochukwu, and Emmanuel Linus, who may be dwellers on the Port Harcourt Correctional facility until their bail conditions are met.

Their  prosecution is at the instance of  the Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on separate charges.

The charges, the Court noted, bordered on impersonation, Advance Fee Fraud, and Obtaining Money under false pretence.

The charge against Chinweobo reads: “That you, Daniel Ebubechi Chinweobo (a.k.a. Philip James) sometime in 2024, in Port Harcourt, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently obtained the sum of One Thousand Great Britain Pounds (£1,000 only), from Marinela Gabriela, a Caucasian American, when you represented yourself to be Philip James, a military man from California, serving in Syria, who pretended to be in a marital relationship with Marinela Gabriela, which pretext you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (b) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”

That of Ugochukwu reads: “That you, Chibueze Thaddeus Ugochukwu, on or about the 14th day of May, 2025, at Alakhahia axis of Port Harcourt, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently obtained from one Grey the sum of Eight Hundred United States of America dollars ($800 only), under the false pretence that you are Amanda Pappers, a citizen of the United States of America which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and Punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

They all pleaded guilty to their charges, following which prosecution counsels, A. Chukwuegwu and G. C Ngborokwu, tendered incriminating documents in evidence against them and urged the courts  to convict and sentence them accordingly.

The Defence counsels, G. N. Chukwu, Yemi Ogunleye, A. O. Secondus and Chigozie Umunnakwem, on their part, prayed the courts to temper justice with mercy on the ground that the defendants were first time offenders.

Justice Ajoku, however, convicted and sentenced Chinweobo and Linus to 30 months in Port Harcourt Correctional Centre, each or to pay N200,000 respectively.

Their sentences are to run concurrently and began from the date of their arrest.

Justice Ajua convicted and sentenced Ugochukwu to one year jail term or to pay 50,000  fine, while Justice Mark convicted and sentenced Samuel to two years in prison or to pay N900,000  fine.

In addition to their jail terms, they deposed to affidavit of good behaviour and forfeited a Techno mobile phone, a Samsung Galaxy phone, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone X, iPhone 16 Pro, an iPad and Lexus ES 350, recovered from them at the scene of their arrest to the Federal Government.

The convicts’ journey to the correctional centre began with their arrest by the Commission, sometime in April, 2025, following credible intelligence that exposed their fraudulent internet activities in Port Harcourt.

King Onunwor

The Rivers State Response Team on Violence Against Women and Children has called on the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, to order the arrest and prosecution of one Pastor Ugochukwu Udechukwu Hede, the General Overseer of Divine Grace City of the Great King Deliverance Ministry.

The group also called for the arrest of Prince Thompson and 30 other members of the church, located at Umuebule 4, in Etche Local Government Area, Rivers State, alongside Pastor Hede, over the alleged attempted murder of Chief Gerald Okpara Obinozie.

According to a release signed by the Communication/Public Enlightenment officer of the group, Queeneth Igbara, Pastor Udechukwu and Prince Thompson allegedly “led over 30 members of the church, armed with various dangerous weapons, to attack Chief Gerald Okwara Obinozie, inflicting matchet cuts on him, poured fuel on him, and asking female members of the church to urinate in buckets and forced him (Obinozie) to drink.”

Coordinator, Rivers State Response Team on Violence Against Women & Children, Tombari Dumka-Kote, lamented that the 64 year old Obinozie was subjected to “all manner of inhuman treatment, stripped naked, videoed and had the videos posted on social media platforms, defaming him on false allegations, and only handed him half dead to the Police after his colleague escaped and raised alarm for residents to come out.”

Dumka-Kote, who spoke to newsmen after an Oyigbo Magistrate Court remanded two of the suspects arrested in connection with the matter, called on the Rivers State Commissioner of Police to order the manhunt, arrest and prosecution of the prime suspects and not allow the case be swept under the carpet, adding that the state Response Team on Violence Against Women and Children “will leave no stone unturned in pressing for justice on the matter.”

The Response Team, which frowned at the alarming level of violence in the state within the month of June, warned all those still circulating the nude video and pictures of Chief Gerald on Social media to immediately discontinue the act, or have themselves to blame.

“As a team, we are committed to curbing the growing menace of sexual and gender based violence in Rivers State, and suspects must be made to face the law to serve as a deterrant to others”, Dumka-Kote said.

Speaking on behalf of Concerned Civil Society Organizations who were also present in court, Chief Remi Agu, Deputy State Lead, Behind Bars Human Rights Initiative, said the Police should go after the suspects and have them face the law, as nothing short of it will be accepted.

Agu, who commended the Police for not taking long in finding the truth, called on the Police in the State to intensify efforts to have the prime suspects and others at large arrested and prosecuted.

Meanwhile, The Tide gathered that Chief Gerald Okwara is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed medical facility, in Port Harcourt.

The Centre for Justice, Empowerment & Development (C4J), Together to Win Foundation for the Deprived (T2W), and CAP-WIN Foundation were also at the Oyigbo Police Division to demand for Justice on the matter.

Narrating his ordeal to newsmen, Chief Gerald Okwara Obinozie, expressed his appreciation to God for keeping him alive despite the incident, saying that the mob was sent to kill him.

The 64 year old man wept while telling how female church members urinated in buckets and he was forced to drink while being tortured on false allegation of trying to vandalize the church transformer, a report Police investigation has shown is untrue.

Effort to reach the General Overseer of Divine Grace City, Pastor Ugochukwu Udechukwu Hede, proved abortive, as he was said to be at large.