News

Police To Release Late Mechanic’s Corpse For Autopsy, Today …As CP Breaks Silence At Media Briefing

Published

5 years ago

February 10, 2020

The Rivers State Police Command is expected to present the corpse of late Ikoku mechanic, Chima Ikwunado to his family for identification and autopsy, today, as well as address the media on the case involving the Ikoku Five.
The news briefing by the state Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Dandaura would be the first time he would be speaking on the issue since the incident and the call for justice by the deceased family and various groups more than a month ago.
Spokesman of the state police command, DSP Nnamdi Omoni told The Tide that the state Police Commissioner, Mustapha Dandaura would comment and clarify the issues around the Ikoku Five after the autopsy scheduled for today would have been done on the body of late Chima Ikwunado.
It would be recalled that Omoni had promised that the commissioner would address the press on the issues after investigations are concluded.
“The matter is still under investigation. As soon as our investigation is concluded, the commissioner of police would address the press. We (police) don’t have anything to hide,” Omoni had said.
But while speaking with newsmen, the family of the late mechanic said the police have finally agreed to show them his body and allow them conduct another autopsy.
The family said that the agreement was reached last week during a meeting between the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Ahmed Kontagora, late Chima Ikwunado’s family, the leadership of spare parts dealers and the Igbo Lawyers’ Forum.
Kontagora had assured that the command was ready to present the corpse of the deceased for identification and autopsy, and asked the family of the late mechanic to make all necessary plans for the autopsy, including coming with their own pathologist.
It is expected that the police commissioner would use the opportunity to unmask the officers allegedly involved in the torture of the Ikoku Five, whose names were suspected to be Inspector Fidelis Ayaogu, Inspector Samuel Eyinnah, Inspector Uche, Sergeant Ake Chibuzor, Sergeant Philips Obi, Inspector Tope and Sergeant Rose.
However, the Chairman of Ikoku Spare Parts Markets, High Chief Iwu Anthony Alaribeole has said they would not take part in any settlement with the police until justice prevails on the issue involving late Chima Ikwunado and the Ikoku Four who were allegedly tortured by the police.
Alaribeole, who disclosed this to newsmen in Port Harcourt, was reacting to the claims by late Chima’s family that the police want them to settle the case peacefully.
According to him, “We are not party to any dialogue. What we are asking for is justice, and we are not settling for anything than justice.
“If anybody is thinking of compromising, we are not party to that. Even if there will be any discussion, it will be in the large house where the media and every player in this struggle must be on the ground and we discuss.”
Alaribeole also claimed that the Ikoku spare parts dealers were facing pressure to dump their quest for justice for late Chima Ikwunado and the Ikoku Four, noting that despite the pressure and intimidation, they insist that erring police officers be punished to prevent others from continuing in such acts of brutality and torture against citizens they should be protecting.
“There are so many pressure groups coming to liaise with the family and the police. But we are not interested in that. We can never relent in this struggle because we have integrity.
“We cannot be bought over. What we want is total justice for all the victims, both the one that died and the four that were brutally injured. We are not stopping at anything than justice, and we can’t compromise,” he emphasised.
Meanwhile, the General Overseer of Omega Power Ministries, Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere has presented the family of late Chima Ikwunado with a mini-estate and educational scholarship, up to university level abroad to the unborn child of the late mechanic who was allegedly tortured to death by the operatives of E-Crack Unit domiciled at the Mile One Police Station in Port Harcourt.
The deceased, an expectant father, got married six months ago, and was the bread winner of his family and a bona fide member of Omega Power Ministries.
Chinyere, who is a man with a heart of gold and a man who never abandons his own, had swung into action on hearing of his death, and visited the late auto mechanic’s wife to commiserate with her on the demise of her husband.
Speaking to the press, yesterday, Chinyere, who is known for his humanitarian support to the downtrodden in the society, stated that the pregnant wife of the late mechanic, Adaugo Ikwunado, and her unborn child were now the responsibilities of OPM.
He promised to ensure that she delivers her baby safely at the OPM Free Specialist Hospital without charges, adding that the church would fully take care of her feeding and clothing.
The clergyman further added that he had taken on the full responsibility of looking after Chima’s wife and aged parents.
He promised the bereaved family that he was going to do everything within his power to make sure that they lacked nothing, explaining that he was ready to take on the responsibilities of Chima who was the bread winner of the family and do for them in 10 folds everything the late mechanic would have done, if he were still alive.
Not only did he give the unborn child of Chima scholarship to university level abroad, Chinyere also gave the wife of Chima a mini estate which comprises a flat for the family and other flats which would be rented out to generate more income for the family.
He gave the family money to cater for their present needs with promise to give them more money on a sustainable basis, and also promised the family of late Chima that he would open business for the wife.
He gave his personal number to the family of Chima so that they can call him in the face of challenges or difficulties, and assured them that his doors were wide open for them to visit and make any complaints.
Chinyere, who made a brief stopover at the office of the commissioner of police, reminded him that Chima was a member of OPM before his death, and would not be abandoned, adding that all that was needed was for justice to prevail.
In her remarks, Adaugo, who was in shock and dumb-founded at the benevolence of the cleric, thanked him profusely, and requested that he continues to put the family of late Chima in prayers.
Also speaking, Chima’s father, Mr. Kevin Ikwunado, who could not hold back the tears that ran down his cheeks as he narrated his sad ordeal, stated that the untimely death of his son, who was until his death, the bread winner of the family, killed part of him.
He thanked Chinyere for everything he had done for his family, and prayed God to bless him for shining light onto his family’s darkness.

News

Shettima In Ethiopia For State Visit

Published

3 days ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.

Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.

Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”

During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.

The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.

In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.

News

RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers

Published

3 days ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.

This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.

The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.

The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.

Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.

The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.

He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.

According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.

At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.

He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.

Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.

According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.

At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.

He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.

Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.

He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.

However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.

At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.

He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.

Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.

Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.

In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.

At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.

Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.

Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.

John Bibor

News

Tinubu Orders Civil Service Personnel Audit, Skill Gap Analysis

Published

3 days ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.

The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.

“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.

Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.

He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.

“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.

President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.

He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.

“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.

“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.

Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.

Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.

Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.

She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.

Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.