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22,430 Repentant Cultists Surrender Arms In Rivers
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has said that the state’s amnesty programme witnessed 22, 430 repentant cultists surrender 911 assorted arms to the amnesty committee.
Wike dropped the hint, last Monday, at a Town Hall meeting and accountability forum to mark his administration’s second year anniversary in Port Harcourt.
He stated that the amnesty programme had reduced cult-related violence and other criminal activities in the state.
The governor noted that the programme had also resulted in surrendering 7,661 assorted ammunitions and 147 explosives by the repentant cultists.
Wike stressed that his administration had provided over 150 patrol vans to the security agencies to fight crime in the state.
He said that the state government had also handed over some gun boats to the Nigerian Navy in a bid to patrol and protect the Rivers waterways.
The governor stated that his administration had, in the last two years, made unprecedented investments in infrastructure, which had led to economic boom in the state.
Wike noted that 13 general hospitals in 13 local government areas were undergoing reconstruction with the completed ones awaiting furnishing and inauguration.
‘’We are also completing the regional hospitals started by the immediate past administration, located in Etche and Degema councils to serve as referral centres for secondary and tertiary health care,‘’ he added.
He said that his government had released over $4million to equip and maintain the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH) to international standard.
Wike stated that the gesture was to enable it serve as the teaching hospital for the Rivers State University Medical School, pending the construction of its permanent site.
He noted that moribund businesses were gradually re-opening in the state, while fresh local and foreign businesses were being attracted to the state.
The governor disclosed that his administration had cancelled multiple taxation policy in order to enable business to thrive to the benefit of the people and to attract more investors.
“We are also supporting the growth of indigenous entrepreneurs through contracts as well as encouraging small and micro-enterprises with financial support to revitalize local economies,‘’ he added.
Wike said that in the last two years, his administration had invested over N145billion on the construction of roads, bridges, pedestrian walkways and underground drainage systems.
“As we speak, several road construction works are either underway or completed in Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor, Abua/Odual, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Akuku Toru.
‘’Also in Degema, Etche, Andoni, Opobo/Nkoro, Ikwerre, Emohua, Khana, Gokana, Okrika, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Oyigbo, and Tai local government areas of the state,” he said.
The governor pointed out that his administration was improving the quality of education by creating enabling environment for the system to produce graduates with skills and knowledge to drive development.
He noted that 300 primary schools were being refurbished and equipped across the state, while infrastructure at the Rivers State University was being upgraded to ensure successful accreditation of courses.
The governor said that the state government had reconstructed major secondary schools in the three senatorial districts to re-introduce boarding education.
Wike advocated for fiscal federalism in Nigeria where every state could have complete control of its resources and develop at its own pace.
“We must find ways to forgive one another, open avenues of co-operation and join hands together, defeat the smacks of poverty and inequality in our society,” he said.
The Chairman of the occasion and former Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Iche Ndu, hailed Wike for his developmental strides.
Also speaking, the Secretary to the State Government, Kenneth Kobani, said the Wike administration had made giant developmental strides in the last two years.
Highlight of the occasion was passing of vote of confidence on Wike by the people of Rivers State.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.