Niger Delta
Oborevwori Inaugurates Critical Faculties, Steuctures At UNIDEL, Owa-Alero
Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, on Friday inaugurated critical academic infrastructure at the University of Delta (UNIDEL), Owa-Alero Campus, in Ika North-East Local Government Area, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to expanding access to quality education across the state.
The projects commissioned include the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences Complex, named after the Governor; the Faculty of Environmental Sciences building; the Faculty of Engineering Lecture Hall and Workshops; a 500-seater central auditorium; and a fully equipped central library.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Governor described the event as a “harvest of projects” and a clear demonstration of his administration’s resolve to provide world-class learning facilities in Delta State institutions.
He noted that although his administration has been widely recognized for visible infrastructure such as flyovers, bridges and roads, significant investments have also been made in education and health sectors.
“Education remains the most powerful tool for transformation. When we invest in infrastructure, we invest in people. These facilities are designed to meet global standards and to foster innovation, research, entrepreneurship and practical skills development,” the Governor said.
Oborevwori urged students of the institution to make optimal use of the facilities and guard against vandalism, emphasizing that discipline, creativity and integrity must guide their academic pursuits.
He said: “These facilities are for you. Protect them and use them responsibly. Our goal is to prepare you not just to seek jobs but to create them in a rapidly evolving, knowledge-driven world”.
The Governor recalled his involvement in the establishment of the University of Delta and two other state universities during his tenure as Speaker of the State House of Assembly.
He said the decision to create additional universities was informed by the limited admission quota approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC) for the then Delta State University, Abraka, which left thousands of qualified students without placement annually.
“At a time, over 25,000 students were qualified for university admission, but only about 5,000 slots were approved. We had to act. Today, we can see that the vision is worthwhile,” he stated.
He commended the immediate past administration for initiating the university and appreciated the NUC and key officials who facilitated the approval process for the three universities established on the same day, describing it as a rare feat.
Oborevwori also expressed gratitude to the university’s management for naming the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences Complex after him, describing the gesture as humbling and reassuring.
Former Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, in his remarks, lauded Oborevwori’s leadership and continuity in strengthening the state’s higher education system.
He noted that the Governor was part of the legislative process that birthed the three universities and has continued to consolidate on that foundation.
“Today, UNIDEL alone has about 15,000 students. Imagine if these young people were out on the streets without access to higher education. The peace we enjoy today is partly because we created opportunities for our youths,” Okowa said.
Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Nyerhovwo Tonukari, said the Sheriff Oborevwori Complex, which is housing the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences, includes a 250-seater auditorium, lecture rooms, offices, a student resource centre and media facilities, was completed in 2025.
He disclosed that the Faculty of Environmental Sciences building, awarded in August 2021 and completed under the present administration, consists of two 250-seater auditoriums, four 80-capacity classrooms, studios, staff offices, a faculty library and a 150-capacity seminar room.
According to him, the engineering complex comprises fully equipped workshops for metalwork, carpentry, mechanics, foundry and welding, and a 200-capacity engineering studio.
The central library seats 426 students, while the main auditorium accommodates 500.
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Delta, Prof. Stella Chiemeke, described the projects as a testament to the Governor’s transformational agenda and people-focused leadership.
She said the Engineering Complex, Environmental Sciences Faculty and Management Sciences building would significantly expand the university’s capacity to train professionals in key sectors critical to the state’s socio-economic development.
“Your support has translated into more classrooms, more laboratories, more workshops and more opportunities for our youths. You are not just constructing buildings; you are constructing the future of Delta State,” she said.
Chiemeke disclosed the university’s decision to name the Management and Social Sciences Complex after Governor Oborevwori in recognition of his contributions to the institution and the advancement of education in the state.
Chairman of Ika North-East Local Government Council, Hon. Monday Odigwe, also commended the governor for his commitment to balanced development, noting that the projects reflect the practical implementation of the MORE Agenda across all parts of Delta State.
Continue Reading
Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has ordered an immediate review of environmental sanitation operations in Calabar metropolis.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Linus Obogo, on Friday, the Governor said the sanitary situation of the city had become a cause for concern.
He said the review became necessary because Calabar should continue to maintain its status as the cleanest city in the country.
“The city is now littered with wastes, the cleanliness status of Calabar is almost gone, we cannot just fold our arms and watch,” he said.
The Governor continued that every resident of the city had roles to play towards restoring the sanitary status of the city.
“Every resident should live up to their responsibilities. Our reputation in sanitation was not earned overnight, we worked for it.
“It is the product of discipline, policy consistency, and civic responsibility. We cannot allow negligence to take away this reputation,” he said.
He further directed that henceforth, sanitation exercise should be supervised by the office of his Special Adviser on General Duties.
“This intervention is intended to ensure stricter coordination among contractors and government agencies that are responsible for waste management,
“Environmental sanitation is not a peripheral concern of government. It is central to public health, urban dignity, and the overall quality of life of the citizens”, he said.
Otu expressed displeasure at lapses arising from the attitude of some refuse contractors in the state.
He said breakdown of mechanical tools could not be a reasonable excuse for non-evacuation of refuse.
“Operational setbacks should never translate into visible environmental neglect. Preparedness, contingency planning and prompt response are the hallmarks of responsible service providers.” he said.
A Bayelsa-based lawyer, and candidate for the position of National Assistant Secretary in the suspended National Executive Council (NEC) elections of the apex Ijaw socio-cultural organization, the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Barr. Abraham Marshall, has said the court order, which restrained the conduct of the March 7th, 2026 polls, was a setback to stakeholders of the INC.
He expressed his worries about the plights of delegates who travelled from various parts of Ijaw land to come for the elections in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, only to be disappointed by the court order.
While thanking other candidates for maintaining orderliness and brotherliness all through the campaign processes, Marshall said the court injunction has devasted candidates vying for various positions.
He described the cost of what has already been spent on campaigns and sundry arrangements for the elections as huge.
Marshall noted that already he was a leading candidate for the position of National Assistant Secretary as he was optimistic of victory.
“First of all I’ve great confidence in the ability of the Electoral Committee headed by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, HRM, Justice F.F Tabai, which was eager to conduct a seamless election.
“Some of us have campaigned through the three zones and clans of the INC. Some of us went to the Western Zone, Eastern and Central Zones to meet delegates.
“That is how it happenes atimes when there are contest, some persons who are aggrieved, rather than take laws into their hands, go to court to seek judicial redress. So, I want to commend all candidates for maintaining decorum throughout the entire process.
“I like to also call on stakeholders to quickly seek for ways through internal mechanisms of the INC to end this problem so that the elections can be conducted because as candidates we’ve incured lots of expenses leading to the process”, he stated.
Meanwhile, in a bid to proffer solutions to the issues bedeviling the smooth conduct of polls, Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, on Friday met with stakeholders of the INC and its six Presidential candidates, as well as other major stakeholders of the Niger Delta region in Government House, Yenagoa.
In his remarks, the Governor commended individuals and institutions, including the presidential candidates and the Conference of Ijaw Traditional Rulers and Elders (CITRE), for their efforts towards actualising a peaceful and seamless transition of leadership in the Ijaw National Congress (INC).
The Tide gathered that at the meeting, the presidential candidates agreed to withdraw all subsisting litigations concerning the election.
Represented by his Deputy, Dr. Peter Akpe, Diri also expressed gratitude to the Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Ambassador Godknows Bolade Igali, the Chairman and members of the INC National Electoral Committee, and other stakeholders who contributed to the resolution reached at the meeting.
Drawing an analogy from the scriptures, particularly 1 Kings Chapter 3, he likened the unanimous agreement of the candidates to withdraw all pending court cases to the decision of the true mother of the disputed baby who pleaded with King Solomon not to cut the child into two.
According to the Bayelsa helmsman, the resolution reflects the enthusiasm, love and patriotic fervour in all the presidential candidates to move Ijaw nation forward.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the meeting, the candidates, including High Chief MacDonald Igbadiwe, who secured the injunction from a Port Harcourt High Court stopping the INC Elections billed for last weekend, confirmed the agreement and pledged commitment towards the peaceful emergence of the next President of the apex Ijaw socio-cultural organization.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State has rescued seven victims and detained four suspects linked to human trafficking along Ikot Ekpene–Aba Road.
The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists in Uyo on Saturday.
John said police operatives dismantled a human trafficking syndicate operating within the state, rescuing seven victims and arresting four suspects involved in the network.
She said acting on credible intelligence, operatives swiftly mobilised a patrol team for a coordinated stop-and-search operation along Ikot Ekpene–Aba Road on Friday.
The operation, conducted at about 8 a.m. on Friday, targeted vehicles suspected of transporting victims of human trafficking.
“During the operation, the suspected vehicle was intercepted and four victims were immediately rescued, while the suspect conveying them was arrested and taken into custody.
“Following reports that a vehicle was conveying young persons suspected to be victims of human trafficking, our operatives quickly moved to intercept it,” John said.
She said interrogation of the suspect led to the expansion of the operation to Itam and Ibaka in Oron Local Government Area.
John said three additional victims were rescued and three more suspects apprehended during the follow-up operation.
This brought the total number of rescued victims to seven and suspects arrested to four.
According to her, preliminary investigations revealed that the trafficking syndicate specialised in recruiting and transporting young persons across borders for exploitation.
“Intelligence gathered further disclosed that one of the ringleaders earlier escaped through waterways from Ibaka in Oron to Cameroon and Gabon with some victims”, she said.
John said investigations were ongoing and the suspects would be charged in court upon completion of the probe.
The police spokesperson reiterated the Command’s commitment to combating human trafficking and other organised crimes in the state.
She assured the public that efforts were ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate.
John urged residents to remain vigilant and provide timely information to the police to help protect vulnerable persons and strengthen community safety.
-
News1 day agoNavy Destroys Illegal Refinery In Rivers, Intercepts Stolen Fuel In C’ River
-
News1 day agoYou’re The Backbone Of Our Society, Fubara Salutes Mothers On Mothering Sunday
-
Rivers23 hours agoCounty Grammar School Old Boys Elect New Executive
-
Environment23 hours agoIllegal Buildings On Embassies’ Land Will Be Demolished – Wike
-
News1 day agoODU PLEDGES PARTNERSHIP WITH WACCIMA TO ADVANCE WOMEN’S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
-
Business24 hours agoWema Bank Admits 10 Startups into Hackaholics 2026
-
Politics23 hours agoHUNDREDS OF LATE BAYELSA DEP GOV’S KINSMEN DUMP PDP FOR APC
-
Politics23 hours agoA’Court Voids Rep’s Sack Over Defection To APC