Niger Delta
Bayelsa Tasks Parents On Involvement In Curbing Drug Abuse
The Bayelsa State Government says parents must be involved in checking drug abuse in the society.
Commissioner for Power, Hon. Abitei Robert Tonyo, said this in an interview with newsmen on the sidelines of the just-concluded international day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking in Yenagoa, the state capital.
The Commissioner said everyone must be involved in curbing drug abuse as Government alone cannot do everything
“First, it’s something that everyone of us has to be involved, including the parents, because most of these things start from the family”, he said.
He said most parents no longer pay attention to the behavior of their children.
The Commissioner said while Government is playing its part in curbing the menace, it behoves parents to give proper attention to the upbringing of their children.
“So, the governments have done their part and keep doing it on daily basis, that is why we are even seeing this little difference.
“Again, the security agents are also doing their bits and without the security agents and the government, I don’t think it would have had any control, but because of the fear of the government that has even controlled it to this level where we are.
“So, every parent must have to be involved. You can see that the society we are, like I said, everything starts from the family now, because the upbringing matters sometimes.
Tonyon said the Bayelsa State Government has taken some measures to curb the menace, including the arrest of drug addicts, rehabilitating and sending them back to their families
“I know Bayelsa State government has put enough in place, and that’s why yesterday we were able to launch it and observe the day against international day drug abuse.
“Government has set up a committee that is handling it and Bayelsa State has also built a hospital to rehabitate all those that are already addicted.
“Also, the State Government sometime ago has been going out arresting all those boys that have been addicted. some of the addiction led to some of them going mad on the streets.
“Some have been rehabitated and sent back to their communities”, he said.
The Commissioner said the government is also partnering with the Federal Medical center, Yenagoa, to rehabilitate those arrested from the streets.
He said all the relevant ministries, including that of Enviroment, health and others are involved in the rehabilitation programme.
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“The government took a decision and ministrirs of health, Ennvironments and other relevant ministries were on it, arresting them and taking them to the hospital and rehabilitating them”, he said.
Tonyon said his Government is not leaving any stone unturned to ensure that it rids the state of drug addicts.
“Of course you know that right now the government has put up a structure in hospital for that.
“The Bayelsa State Government is taking practical steps on that. First, the government put up a structure and also manpower.
“We partnered with the Federal Medical Center and have a space in there that has been keeping these people and managing them with the manpower that we have.
“The Government did not just put the structure, it also followed it up accordingly, so that what we are putting in place will not be a waste”, he said.
He advised the youths to desist from drug abuse, saying it will not pay them any good.
“My advice to the youths, elders and adults involved in drug abuse is for them to desiste from using drugs because it will always not end well for them”, he stated.
He urged them to think of something good to improve their lives, adding that by indulging in drug abuse, they are destroying their future and that of their families.
By: Christy David
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Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the people of Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State have called for government’s urgent intervention to end the suspected underwater gas eruption in the community.
The groups, under the aegis of the Environmental Rights Action and Social Action, made the call during their advocacy visit to the Port Harcourt Zonal Head of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), in Port Harcourt.
The Programme Manager of Environmental Rights Action, Mr. Kentebe Ebiaridor, said the visit was to seek clarity on the response efforts of the regulators to the development in the community.
Ebiaridor expressed concern over what he described as “inadequate response from regulatory agencies and the government concerning the incident”.
He said discussions with some officials revealed that there was still no clear timeline for action to address the situation.
According to him, in the absence of clear ownership of the facility linked to the incident, companies operating within Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18 should be held accountable.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) had in a statement issued on March 20 by its Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, said the commission had commenced an investigation into a gas bubbling incident in Bille Community.
Eyesan said the commission expressed concern over the development and assured residents of its ongoing efforts to address the situation.
Also, the Resource Justice Manager of Social Action, Dr. Prince Edegbuo, warned that the situation could escalate into a public health emergency, if urgent steps were not taken.
Edegbuo called on relevant authorities to release the results of the tests reportedly conducted in the area, stressing that residents had the right to know the condition of their environment.
He also said CSOs were prepared to intensify advocacy on the matter, urging the development of emergency response measures, including possible evacuation plans.
A legal practitioner and community stakeholder, Mr. Commission Deinbo, had, on March 20, said residents had continued to witness unusual signs on the waterways in the area.
Deinbo said the signs included boiling and bubbling from the ground and river, sometimes within residential areas, as well as fire outbreaks, which the residents had always managed to contain.
He appealed to relevant authorities to come to their aid and find a lasting solution to the problem.
In a response, the Port Harcourt Zonal Head of NOSDRA, Mr. Bello Augustin, assured the community that he would relate its concerns to the appropriate quarters.
Augustin also commended the CSOs for their advocacy and concerns to community development in the state.
By: Wokoma Emmanuel & Theresa Frederick
The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State has detained seven suspects and recovered firearms after raiding a criminal hideout in Ndiya Mfia, Ikono Local Government Area.of the State.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, made the disclosure in a statement in Uyo on Wednesday.
John said that the breakthrough which occurred at about 6.00a.m on Wednesday, followed credible intelligence from members of the public.
“We reliably gathered that criminal suspects were hibernating in a compound disguised as worshippers.
“In a decisive operation, our personnel conducted a thorough search of the premises which led to the detention and recovery of arms,” she said.
According to her, the operation was in line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police to decisively combat crime in the country.
The police spokesman further said that two locally made double-barrel guns, five expended cartridges, four motorcycles and three generators were recovered during the operation.
She also listed 10 mobile phones, one police crest, four jungle boots, one peak cap, saw blade, spanner, number plates, machetes, a special force vest as other items recovered.
“We also found bottles of suspected spiritual oil and one enlarged photograph linked to an ongoing investigation,” she said.
John said that preliminary investigation suggested that the location was being used as cover for criminal operations.
She said the State’s Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Azare, has directed a comprehensive investigation on the matter in order to apprehend the principal suspect.
John expressed the commitment of the Command to rid the state of crime, and urged members of the public to always support the police with timely and credible information.
Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has launched a grassroots security intelligence network, named, ”Homeland Safety and Security Agency,” to strengthen community-based surveillance and enhance safety across the state.
Otu, who inaugurated the agency’s office in the Southern Senatorial District of the state on Monday, in Calabar, said similar offices were being inaugurated in the Central and Northern Senatorial Districts.
The Governor, represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Emmanuel Ironbar, said the officials of the agency would serve as first point of call before matters would be escalated to main security architecture in the state.
He described Homeland Security as an intelligence-driven structure focused on neighbourhood monitoring and early threat detection through coordinated local efforts.
He said the initiative constituted the directors and field operatives, tasked with gathering and forwarding intelligence to relevant security agencies for prompt action.
Otu noted that the network would serve as a first point of contact before intervention by conventional security agencies.
“It is important that we enhance monitoring of movements across our communities, border areas, and riverine zones to identify suspicious activities and enhance security response.
“The state government will provide necessary gadgets and communication tools to improve efficiency and real-time intelligence sharing,” he said.
Otu called for public cooperation, stressing that ‘’security is a collective responsibility requiring timely information from residents.’’
He said, ‘’to ensure that the security outfit works like a model unit, proper screening would be conducted on the volunteers to weed out undesirable elements from the system.’’
The Tide’s source reports that the Governor handed over 14 motor bikes to the agency’s southern Senatorial district office to enhance their efficiency.
On his part, the Director-General, South of the agency, Mr. Michael Nsan, said the volunteers had played key roles in reducing crime through coordinated patrols and intelligence sharing.
Nsan said over 1,300 volunteers currently supported the operations with additional informants providing critical information across communities.
“Crime rates dropped significantly during the last festive period due to our collaboration with law enforcement agencies in the state,” he said.
The Director-General said volunteers would undergo training and screening, with plans underway for formal recruitment through a government employment portal.
According to him, communication tools, including walkie-talkies, and patrol motorcycles had improved rapid response to security incidents.
He commended the governor’s commitment, noting that the initiative would further strengthen security architecture and community safety across the state.
The source reports that some of the dignitaries who graced the occasion were traditional rulers and government officials.
