News

S-East Govs, Reps, Army Move Against Insecurity

Published

2 years ago

August 11, 2023

The governors of the southeast, the House of Representatives ad hoc committee, and security agencies including the Chief of Army Staff, yesterday, met at Enugu and Abuja respectively over the biting insecurity in the southeast.
The Reps ad-hoc Committee in their meeting with the Chief of Army Staff complained that violent crimes by gunmen and other criminal elements linked to IPOB and ESN are threatening the existence of the South-East region.
Obi Agocha, the committee chair, stated this in Abuja while interfacing with security agencies to reduce banditry, assassination, kidnapping, and other crimes in Abia.
He said the interface aimed to address insecurity that had cast a shadow in Abia, adding that several occurrences of insecurity had threatened the region’s foundation.
According to Agocha, the ad-hoc committee understood that no single solution could quickly address the menace.
The legislator, however, said that such challenges required a collective approach, adding that security agencies and all stakeholders must be prepared to tackle this menace.
“We must collaborate to nip this crisis in the bud. We must work in synergy to create a stronger force against insecurity in the region.
He said Umunneochi, a community in Abia, the epicentre of the battle, shares boundaries with other states in the South-East.
The lawmaker alleged that most of the non-state actors, like IPOB and Eastern Security Network, often came to commit crimes in the area and disappear to neighbouring states.
The chair expressed displeasure over the absence of security agencies who failed to attend the hearing, adding that the lawmakers would not condone such an attitude.
The security agencies at the meeting were the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja promised that insecurity ranging from kidnapping, banditry, and other criminal activities currently ravaging the South East region especially Isiukwuato and Umunnochi local government areas of Abia State will soon end.
This is as he assured that all security agencies are working round the clock to address the insecurity in the region.
Meanwhile, Lagbaja who was represented by the Deputy Director Operations, Army Headquarters, Brigadier General Gabriel Olufemi Esho, made the commitment during a meeting with the House of Representative Ad-Hoc committee investigating the killing and kidnapping in Umunochi Community in Abia State.
According to Lagbaja, the threat of kidnapping remains a potent security threat, especially in the two local government areas stating that, particularly in July this year, the region recorded cases of kidnapping and attacks by criminals suspected to be elements of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
He said that the security in these two local governments areas are also collaborating with the Army but due to certain challenges, the bulk usually lies with the Nigerian army.
He said “The House of representative through its letter dated 3rd August 2023 requested that the Nigeria Army submit a memorandum to the ad-hoc committee to interface with relevant security agencies and stockholders in respect of incessant attacks of kidnappers, assassination and banditry and other criminal elements in and around these two local government areas, it is pertinent to state the incidence of kidnapping in southeast region particularly in the second quarter of this year.
“Recently efforts of the Nigerian army through its Division in conjunction with other security agencies have diminished the threat of kidnapping.”
He however assured the committee that all efforts will be made to bring the perpetrators to book and restore peace to the region.
Also speaking at the meeting, the assistant Commandant General of NSCDC, Philip Ayuba, who represented the Commandant General of NSCDC, Abubakar Audi said that part of the challenge the security agencies face in tackling the insecurity in the region is the lack of cooperation from members of the community where the acts are been carried out.
“I want to state that we are out in synergy with other security agencies and have been able to look around and found out that there is a very good number of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
“We found that in that environment almost everybody has a weapon and there is the willful disposition of many communities to purchase locally made arms and there is a lack of this cooperation by the community where we are trying to get information from when they go there for manhunting to volunteer information of who and who are involved in that criminal act.To approach them even within themselves, they are afraid of themselves.”
Similarly, Governors of the South East have resolved to intensify war against the prevailing insecurity in the region collectively as well as separately.
They made the resolution in a meeting in Enugu Government House yesterday.
The five Governors of the region were all present in the meeting and were also joined by the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Igalla; the General Officer Commanding 82 Division, Maj Gen Aminu Chinade; and commissioners of Police.
The Governors in attendance included the Chairman of South East Governors Forum and Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma; Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State; Dr. Alex Otti of Abia State; Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State and the host Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah.
In a communique read by Governor Uzodimma, the south east Governors said that “The Forum firmly resolved to fight insecurity decisively in the region individually and collectively, in partnership with the federal government and other stakeholders.
“We commend the security agencies for their cooperation thus far and encourage them not to relent.
“We wish to state categorically that the perpetrators of the insecurity in our region and their sponsors are criminals and should not be seen as legitimate agitators. Therefore, upon arrest, they should be dealt with in accordance with the laws of the land.”
Meantime, the burning down of houses of politicians, traditional rulers, and residents has continued in Imo State, just as the Imo State Police command has vowed to arrest the suspects.
The promise to arrest the suspects was given by the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Henry Okoye, on Thursday while reacting to a series of reports of hoodlums burning houses of residents in Imo.
Okoye said: “Frantic investigating efforts are on top gear to arrest the arsonists and bring them to justice.”
The latest of such reports was that of a monarch, HRH, Eze Kanu in Ndianiche Arondizuogu in Ideato North council area of Imo State.
This came a day after the house belonging to a former member of the House of Representatives who represented the Orlu/ Orsu/ Oru East federal constituency of Imo State, Jerry Alagboso, was set ablaze by hoodlums at his hometown in Orsu council area of the state.
Also, the house of the traditional ruler of Okwuru, Orsu Ihitteukwa in Orsu council area of Imo State, Eze-Elect, Eze Ezekiel I. Nwokedi, was burnt down.
Many have been killed by hoodlums and abducted from their houses and taken to unknown destinations. Some villages have been reportedly taken over by hoodlums especially that of the Orsu council area, Okigwe axis of the state.

News

Shettima In Ethiopia For State Visit

Published

2 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

2 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

2 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.