Niger Delta
Lawyer Alleges Ex-militants Plan To Attack Community
Kolombo , an Ijaw speaking community in Edo State, is allegedly been threatened by two former militant leaders in the area ,Bibopri Ajube and Omo Tonwerigha, according to a petition raised on their behalf by a Yenagoa-based legal practitioner, Olu Ojujoh, at the weekend.
The legal practitioner is therefore, urging the federal government to revisit the disarmament programme in the Niger Delta, occasioned by the invasion of some Ijaw communities by ex-militants using sophisticated weapons. Ojujoh ,who spoke with journalists in Yenago, a alleged that the ex-militants and their armed followers conveyed in seven speedboats had invaded Kolombo last Thursday, razed down several houses, shot, injured four persons and abducted four persons, including a woman.
According to the lawyer, identities of those injured in the invasion included Chairman Ajuwa and Duimini Ajuwa , who are currently receiving medical treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
Ojujoh further said Queen Solubo , Abe James and two others were being held hostage and tortured at Safarogbo community.
The legal practitioner observed that the ugly situation was a proof that former militant leaders in the Niger Delta did not actually submit all their arms during the disarmament programme ,which followed the federal government’s declaration of amnesty for reformed militants in 2009. “Unless the federal government and other authorities concerned really take urgent steps the Ijaw communities in Ese-Odo local government area of Ondo State and Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo State will not know peace,” he explained.
Meanwhile, in a Save Our Souls (SOS) message to the Inspector-General of Police, on behalf of himself and Kolombo community ,Ondo State, Olu Ojujoh, appealed that persons who kill and maim at will in Arogbo-Ijaw Ibe Kingdoms should be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law. Ojujoh urged the Police boss to ensure the release of the persons still being held hostage and also engage the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Matters ,Kingsley Kuku, on proper disarming of the ex-militants.
The lawyer recalled that Ajube and Tomwerigha had in September last year shot and killed a youth at Akpata and Tunyan in which one Kenneth Sobijo and himself were invited to resolve the matter.
He said: “If due attention is not given to the plight of the people of Kolombo Village, the people shall resist any further moves by these miscreants to intimidate the whole village for no just cause with their last drop of blood.”
Niger Delta
FG Inaugurates College Of Nursing In Delta
The College of Nursing Sciences, Onicha-Uku, Delta State, was on Monday inaugurated as a satellite campus of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba.
At the inauguration, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State said the state would partner with the Federal Government (FG) to ensure the growth and development of the health sector in the state.
The Governor, who announced a donation of a 32-seater coaster bus to the college, lauded the former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, NdudiElumelu, for attracting the project.
He said the new college, at Aniocha North Local Government Area, would greatly enhance the tempo and quality of human capital development in the health sector.
“Currently, there are five state-owned colleges of nursing, but their carrying capacity cannot absorb all the qualified applicants.
“Hence, the establishment of this college of nursing sciences, Onicha-Uku, through our illustrious son, Rt. Hon. NdudiElumelu, will provide adequate healthcare for this community and environs.
“I commend him for laying this solid foundation for the take-off of this college of nursing sciences.
“My appreciation goes to the Hon. Minister of Health, as well as the management and staff of the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, for this achievement”, he said.
The Governor added that the presence of the school would, no doubt, boost the retail economy in Onicha-Uku and neighbouring communities.
He, therefore, charged the host communities to reciprocate FG’s kind gesture by taking ownership of the school and protecting the critical asset brought to them.
He assured that his administration would continue to support FG’s institutions in the state for the sustainable overall growth and development of the state.
“On our part, we shall lend adequate support and collaboration to the new College of Nursing Sciences.
“I have listened carefully to the requests of the Medical Director of FMC, Asaba, on various areas of need.
“I assure you of our willingness to assist within the limits of available resources in due course.
“It is my prayer that this college will fulfil its mandates by contributing immensely to the growth of nursing education in Nigeria”, Oborevwori said.
Meanwhile, Elumelu said the institution was one of the many projects he attracted to the Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency, pledging to continue to contribute to the development of the area.
He challenged students of the institution to maximise the opportunity to acquire knowledge to bridge the manpower needs in the health sector.
Earlier, the Medical Director, FMC, Asaba, Dr. Victor Osiatuma, thanked Elumelu for attracting the college while in office.
He appealed to the State Government and other stakeholders to sink a borehole to solve water needs in the school, in addition to handling issues of electricity, transportation and security.
He also thanked Oborevwori for his achievements in office in the last 11 months, especially in the health sector, urging him not to relent in recording more successes.
The Tide’s source reports that the representative of Onicha-Uku town, Chief Ephraim Osubor, described the project as an asset in the health sector.
Niger Delta
Labour Condemns Tariff Hike, Epileptic Power Supply In Bayelsa
The organised labour unions in Bayelsa State have rejected the recent hike in electricity tariff by the Federal Government (FG) by staging a picketing exercise.
The Nigeria Labour Union (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) had on Monday picketed the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) in Yenagoa to express their resentment toward the hike.
Bayelsa NLC Chairman, Comrade Simon Barnabas, urged the government to immediately look into the matter by reversing the hike and giving Nigerians constant power supply.
He decried the situation where despite the hike in tariff, people were still subjected to epileptic power supply.
He said: “Our action today is a way to inform the government that the hike in tariff is unacceptable by us.
“Of course, the national centres of NLC and TUC gave the directive that we should have a joint action here in Bayelsa State to express our unacceptability of this policy.
“We are calling on the authority to have an immediate reversal and passing information to our people that the labour leadership is concerned about their well-being and welfare.
“We are hoping that there will be a change of mind on the part of the government after this action.
“But where there is none, we have no option than to apply confrontation, as the issue of an epileptic power supply must be addressed”.
Meanwhile, the state TUC Chairman, Comrade Julius Laye, said introducing another form of taxation was not the right way to handle Nigerians at this time.
He said Nigerians were already sacrificing to buy petrol and diesel at exorbitant prices, therefore, the hiked electricity tariff should not be added to their woes.
According to him, the President Bola Tinubu-led administration should consider the feelings of the masses and allow them to breathe.
Niger Delta
Gunmen Invade Edo Community, Burn Cars, Houses
Armed bandits, who identified themselves as “Ijaw Freedom Fighters” on Sunday night attacked Imariogha Community, near Okomu oil palm plantation, setting ablaze over eight vehicles, according to The Tide’s source.
Investigation by the source reveals that the bandits invaded the community, formerly known as AT&P, located in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State.
The Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Mr Funsho Adegboye, confirmed the attack to the source in a telephone interview in Benin.
“We are aware of the incident and have visited the community. We are already holding talks in partnership with sister security organisations and Okomu oil palm company to arrest the situation”, he said.
An eye witness told the source that the invaders entered the community from the riverside at midnight, shooting sporadically into the air and setting fire to about eight private vehicles and destruction of many houses.
One of the community leaders, Mr Rex Akpokiniovo, told the source that while one person was killed, a Chief of the community, Pa Gabriel Okorugbe, who sustained injuries from the attack had been hospitalised.
“The corpse of the dead person has been taken away by the police. My house was attacked and my car burnt down by the gunmen who came into the community at midnight and started shooting sporadically into the air.
“One of the Okomu workers, who resides in the community, was killed while the invaders left a warning note on his chest”, he said.
According to the note, addressed to Governor Godwin Obaseki, the attackers, who identified themselves as Ijaw Freedom Fighters, made several demands from management of Okomu Oil Palm Plc.
Some of the demands included directorship position in Okomuoil palm company and 25 per cent of the company’s shares.
The group said : “We are not fighting any security personnel but Okomu oil company”.
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