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Niger Delta

Appointment Of NDDC Sole Admin: Avengers Threaten Total Shut Down Of Oil Production

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Following the appointment of a Sole Administrator (SA), to oversee the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), late Saturday, a militant group on the aegis of ‘Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA)’, has announced its determination to shut down oil production in the Niger Delta region.

RNDA has, therefore, advised multinationals oil companies operating in the creeks of the Niger Delta region to evacuate its workers on rigs, platforms and manifolds, warning that it will close down all the oil wells and flow stations in the creeks as well as cut down the ESCRAVOS-Warri-Kaduna gas pipeline that transmits gas to Abuja.
This was contained in a statement signed by the self-styled Commanding Officer of RNDA, ‘Major General’ Johnmark Ezonebi, aka OBAMA with the commanders of the nine militant groups in the creeks of Bini River, after convening an emergency meeting on the issue early on Sunday.
RNDA accused the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio of working in tandem with some powerful blocs in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa to approve the appointment of his cousin brother from Akwa Ibom State who is presently the Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Mr Akwa Effiong Okon as the sole administrator to oversee the NDDC to achieve a one man show.
The group while calling on President Buhari to act and correct the anomaly before it is too late, warned that every illegality must stop else it would be resisted heavily with any means necessary.
“Enough is enough of this continuous illegality and if Mr President folds his hands to allow this form of corruption and devilish act to continue without acting and without doing anything, then we the RNDA with the dreaded Striking Force Units of RNDA in the creeks will not fold our arms and keep quiet and we will not allow this to happen again this time around.
“We want to let Akpabio know that he and his fellow bidders in the Villa will fail woefully and they cannot enslave the people of the Niger Delta any longer and we will fight Akpabio to standstill with the last drop of our blood in the creeks”.
The group further states; “Again, Niger Delta militant has declared a serious warning, this time around there will be no going back. RNDA, writes to President Muhammadu Buhari an open letter over a proposed biding of Senator Akpabio to announce a one-man show of a frivolous criminal minded intentional Sole Administrator to oversee the NDDC with his cousin brother, Mr Akwa Effiong Okon from Akwa Ibom as the sole administrator alone without appointing EDP and EDFA in the commission just to enable Akpabio to siphon, divert and embezzle billions into the pocket of Akpabio and his fellow cronies from the recovered billions by EFCC which Mr. President directed should be returned to the commission.
“That is the funds Akpabio wants to embezzle and divert into his personal pocket with his cousin brother if appointed as the sole administrator just only one man alone to oversee the commission without any trace but it will not work this time around.
“The RNDA militant group from the nine states of the Niger Delta region known as the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA) has again warned seriously that if Mr President fold his hands and allow Akpabio to bribe the Villa and have his way and announce the name of Mr Effiong Okon the present EDFA, who is a relative to Mr Akpabio as the sole administrator to oversee the NDDC, excluding the appointment of EDP & EDFA, then the RNDA will be left with no option than to declare total war in the creeks to cripple the economy and we will also announce operation zero crude oil to flow in the creeks of Niger Delta.
“And we warned again seriously that if Mr President fold his hands and allow this to happen then we will assume that President Muhammadu Buhari is an enemy to the people of the Niger Delta and as much as Mr President continue to maintain his integrity and does not want to be an enemy to the people of Niger Delta, it is high time he called Akpabio to order in the interest of peace in the once troubled region, if not we will go ahead with our proposed plan, and we will visit Port Harcourt and burn down the entire NDDC building.
“Furthermore RNDA wants to state clearly that Mr President and the presidency should hold Akpabio responsible for whatever that will befall destruction of oil pipelines and oil facilities to shut down production of crude oil and attack to the ESCRAVOS-Warri- Kaduna gas major line.
“Mr President and the Villa should know that Akpabio is not popular and cannot withstand this battle because Akpabio and his family including his fellow cronies will not be spared in this battle because we know where all Akpabio properties and his fellow cronies’ properties are located across the country.
“We will not support any illegality and we will not fold our arms and allow just one man called Akpabio to enslave the oil and gas producing community people that are suffering in the creeks of the Niger Delta and Akpabio should know that it is the oil producing communities’ funds that is used in funding the NDDC, and therefore, he Akpabio cannot continue to enslave the people any more.
“And the RNDA has warned and there is no going back this time around and we have already directed that our Strike Force Unit is to be on red alert in the creeks to kick start blowing up all oil facilities and to bring down the major crude oil pipelines and cut down the Escravos-Warri- Kaduna gas pipeline that transmit gas to Abuja”, it threatened.

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Niger Delta

Stakeholders In Delta Seek Stronger GBV Action, Women’s Leadership

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Stakeholders in Delta State convened in Asaba for a leadership workshop organised by Otdel Health Heritage and Environmental Initiative (OHHEI), focusing on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and women’s participation in decision-making processes.
OHHEI Project Director, Mr. Peter Olayinka, represented by a consultant, Juliet Obiajulu, urged participants to contribute meaningfully toward advancing women’s leadership and combating GBV across communities in the state.
He said the workshop aimed to strengthen participants’ capacity to influence policies, challenge harmful cultural norms, and reinforce initiatives designed to prevent and respond to GBV.
Olayinka said women often faced bias even when they occupied leadership positions, and stressed that gender diversity improved the quality of decision-making and promoted innovation and accountability in governance structures.
Speaking, the Chairperson of the Association Against Child Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Mr Eris Jewo-Ibi,  identified cultural norms, domestic responsibilities, political resistance, and grassroots barriers as constraints to women’s participation.
Delta State GBV Desk Officer, Mrs. Rosemary Okpuno, emphasised that effective decision-making required women’s perspectives, adding that inclusion remained critical to addressing persistent gender-based challenges.
Voke Angbagh of the Delta State Ministry of Justice outlined penalties for rape and called for the establishment of special courts to handle sexual offences cases.
Angbagh said frequent adjournments delayed justice for survivors, stressing that dedicated sexual offences courts would ensure timely trials and stronger protection for victims in Delta State.
The Tide’s source reports that facilitators identified cultural acceptance of violence, unequal power relations, discrimination, poverty, limited education, and low self-esteem as major drivers of GBV.
They emphasised that violence and exclusion resulted in social, physical and emotional harm, imposed economic costs, reinforced harmful stereotypes, and widened existing gender inequalities.
The source also reports that OHHEI, a local non-profit organisation, focuses on education, health, environment, and social justice, promoting sustainable development initiatives with gender equality at the centre of its interventions.
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Niger Delta

C’River Suspends Taskforce Activities Over Drivers’ Protest

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The Cross River State Government has suspended all taskforce activities connected to commercial transportation and ticketing across the state.
The State Governor, Bassey Otu, announced the suspension at an emergency stakeholders meeting on Friday in Calabar.
It would be recalled that commercial drivers in Calabar metropolis took to streets on Thursday to protest alleged multiple taxation and extortion by government agencies.
During the protest, the drivers alleged that taskforce groups claiming to represent the state government openly harassed and extorted them.
Represented at the meeting by Ekpenyong Akiba, his Special Adviser on General Duties, Otu said the suspension would subsist pending further review of the situation.
The Governor stated that the state government did not commission anyone to extort drivers in the name of task force.
He urged commercial drivers and other road users to remain law-abiding while government worked out a lasting solution.
On his part, the Chairman, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Calabar Metropolis, Mr. Sunday Dennis, expressed optimism that the dialogue would yield positive results.
He said the meeting had provided an opportunity for the aggrieved commercial drivers to present their concerns directly to the state government.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Unified Drivers Association, Mr. Nta Henshaw, described the harassment on drivers as worrisome, and urged the state government to be decisive in resolving the matter.
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Niger Delta

A’Ibom Assembly Urges More Private Investments In Agriculture

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The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Nutrition and Food Security has called for more private sector investments in agriculture.
The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Moses Essien, made the call when the committee visited Aviclaire Farms, a private establishment in Usung Idem, Uruk Usoh in Abak Local Government Area.
Essien, who represents Ibiono Ibom in the Assembly, commended the Management of the farm for partnering an NGO, ECEWS, to promote private investment in agriculture.
He commended the partners for adopting climate-smart agriculture initiatives in their operations, adding that such move would promote food security.
“Your interest in using transformative intervention to promote food security is a veritable way of complementing the efforts of the state government,” he said.
The lawmaker continued that adopting practical climate-smart agriculture model would help to generate employment, improve nutrition outcomes, and strengthen food sufficiency.
He further said he was impressed with the strides recorded by the partners, saying, “your investment has created jobs for no fewer than 2,000 youths.
”You are an example of an environment-friendly investor. I urge Akwa Ibom residents to embrace environment-friendly and technology-driven agriculture models,” he said.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, ECEWS, Dr. Andy Eyo, who conducted the committee round the farm, said the collaboration was conceived to demonstrate the viability of climate-smart farming in ensuring food sufficiency.
Eyo said the farm, which commenced operations with four greenhouses, had expanded to 14 within two years, and currently supplying high-quality produce to major markets in Uyo and neighbouring communities.
He said ECEWS was exploring cooperative frameworks to enable rural farmers and women’s groups to adopt greenhouse technology for sustainable livelihoods.
In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Aviclaire Farms, Mrs. Victoria Eyo, said the controlled-environment ensured precision cultivation and consistent yields.
She further said the farm served as a capacity-building centre for students, interns, and agri-business trainees.
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