Rivers
Rivers Police Arrest 26 Car Snatcher Suspects
In what appears to be a major breakthrough in crime fighting and harvest of criminal arrests in the State, the Rivers State Police Command has arrested 26 suspected car snatchers and recovered 17 different brands of stolen vehicles across various parts of the State in recent times.
Among those arrested and paraded by the police for their alleged involvement in the crime was an Inspector of Police, Monday Igbali and 25 other suspects said to be responsible for snatching of cars in the State.
The state Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu while parading the suspects at the police headquarters, Moscow road, Port Harcourt last Wednesday, said one Chidube Anthony and Kelechi are the gang leaders of the car theft syndicates operating the car snatching business in the State, adding that 79 stolen cars in the State have been linked to them.
According to him, Chidube was the master trainer of the gang on car snatching business, stressing that he trains other gang members on how to snatch vehicles and he has been linked to all suspects arrested in the alleged crime.
He told journalists that Kelechi was a mechanic expert who specialises in removing car trackers built in any vehicle which make it easier for the car to be removed without being tracked, adding that most of the cars stolen in Port Harcourt were taken to Kano and Anambra States where they are dismantled and sold as scraps.
He averred that five of the suspects arrested were ex-convicts and that they met in correctional centres, stressing that the suspects used master keys as their modus operandi, to snatch vehicles and convert them to commercial vehicles and drive out of town with passengers inside the vehicles to beat security checks.
The state police boss further disclosed that the police detectives also arrested receivers of the stolen vehicles who came into town with the robbers and tell them the specification of the cars they want them to steal, adding that their witch doctor who tells them when is safe to go for operation has also been arrested.
“We also have team of robbers who follows you when you go to bank. When you resist them, they attack and fire you. Their fire arms have been recovered.
“Residents should put safety devices in their vehicles and be watchful” he said, and added that 17 cars have been recovered so far and some returned to the owners.
“The syndicate began operating in January 2023 and has been responsible for the theft of more than 40 cars. They all came to Port Harcourt from different States to perpetrate their criminal enterprise. Their operation sees them snatch cars or steal them from where they are parked. The cars are then classified into those to be sold and those to be sent to a scrap yard in Mgbuka-Obosi, Onitsha, to be ‘butchered’ for spare parts.
Their areas of operation include Akpajo, Eleme Junction, Trailer Park, Eleme, Owerri, Aba, Onitsha, etc. We have so far recovered eight cars from the gang,” he said.
By: Akujobi Amadi
The Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board (RSPHCMB) says it will commence Supplemental Immunization activities on Saturday, May 3, 2025, to vaccinate children from 0-5 years across the State.
The State Health Educator, Dr. Diana Babbo, who stated this during a sensitisation meeting with Media Advocate for Health, Rivers State, on the update of immunization exercise in Rivers State, said the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) is a re-enforcement of the routine immunization at the health facilities.
According to her, it is aimed at boosting polio immunisation against the circulating variance of polio virus currently threatening the total eradication of polio in the country.
She further stated that there are four pillars of polio eradication, namely routine immunization (administered on babies in the health centre), supplemental immunization activity (supplements to boost the babies), surveillance (searching for children that have weakness in their legs or some oart of their bodies), and outbreak response.
The Health Educator noted that the Novel Oral Polio Vaccination Type 2 (NOPV 2) will be administered to children under the age of 0-5 years, which targets a specific polio still in existence in communities and capable of causing paralysis among the stated categories of children, despite the country being certified a polio-free nation.
Dr. Babbo further stated that this year’s NIPDs will address the high number of unresolved non-compliance cases in the State.
She debunked what she tagged a false rumour by mischief makers which claimed that the vaccines are responsible for the development of autism in children.
She said, “vaccines are not known to be responsible for the development of autism. We’re just hearing that. The truth is that one cannot know everything.
“That aspect that has been found, have we looked into other aspects, such as genetically modified foods, drinks, and milks that our children are taking?
“Have we also looked at genetic compatibility between couples before we now say vaccines are causing x, y, z things?
“Are we looking at the environment where these things are happening, what they are peculiar to?
“It must not be peculiar to all the families, there could be something also that’s happening around that we have not known. Research is evolving, let us not accuse our precious vaccines that have succeeded so far in my knowledge, to keep as many sicknesses at bay.
“The reason we do not have small pox in our world today, apart from the lab (a bio-lab) is because we vaccinated to the point where we were able to move small pox totally out of existence from human beings. We can succeed with that same pattern with all kinds of viruses”.
She stated that the connection between autism and vaccination could merely be coincidence.
Babbo, therefore, urged all parents, churches, and school owners to avail their children/wards the opportunity to be vaccinated against polio the stated exercise.
Sogbeba Dokubo
Engr Obi Fortune, a renowned philanthropist, has donated 80 desks to four secondary schools in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State. The donation is part of his commitment to advancing education in the area.
The schools that benefited from the gesture includes- Community Secondary School Umuoye.
Community Secondary School Akwa- Government Secondary School Ozuzu and Community Primary School Okehi 2 and all the schools got 20 units each of the desks.
Speaking during the brief handing-over ceremony held recently in okehi recently, Engr Obi stated that the donation fulfills his promise to use proceeds from his book sales to procure desks for schools in the LGA.
He disclosed that more desks will arrive soon and expressed his continued commitment to supporting education in the area.
Obi urged the schools to make good use of the desks and called on other individuals to contribute to the educational needs in the area.
This gesture demonstrates Engr Obi’s dedication to improving education in Etche LGA.
A professor of social and political philosophy at Rivers State University (RSU ) Nkpolu Oroworukwu port Harcourt, Prof Agha Eresia _Eke has emphasized that citizenship participation is crucial for achieving true democratic government. He stressed that citizens’ involvement in exercising their basic rights, such as freedom of speech, assembly, and religion, is essential for a democratic institution to thrive.
Eresia _Eke stated this while presenting his inaugural lecture at the 111 university’s inaugural lecture series with the topic “Nigeria Democratic practices:a contextual paradox”held at the university senate auditorium in Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
According to him, core democratic values which include:,- Respect for individual rights and freedoms, Protection of human rights and fundamental freedom, Equality before the law, Freedom of speech, assembly, and association, Protection of privacy and personal autonomy.
“Through out history, the problem that has agitated social and political philosophers has been to work _out a model for the realization of the common good of man.
Man has always sought and developed methods and systems of organising himself according to his true nature as a rational being.”he stated.
Eresia-Eke notes that Nigeria is not practicing a true federalism and highlights the importance of a pragmatic approach to democracy, where ideas and solutions are tested and refined in real-world environments.
He emphasized that citizens must hold their leaders accountable and demand respect for human rights, stressing that by doing so, citizens can undertake their civic obligations and responsibilities, strengthening society as a whole.
Earlier in his address, the Vice chancellor of the university, Prof Zeb _Obipi commended the lecturer for his brilliant performance, adding that he has justified and proven that he is a professor in his area of specialization.
The VC averred that the university has been consistent in the inaugural lecture monthly and assured that his administration will continue to continue to keep the trend.