News

Etche Communities, Fulani Herdsmen’s Clash Looms …As Villagers Decry Destruction Of Crops

Published

12 years ago

March 31, 2014

Gov. Sule Lamido of Jigawa Signing into Law the 2014 budget in Dutse last Wednesday. With him is the Commisioner for Finance, Alhaji Umar Roni.

There are indications of tension and likely conflict between Hausa/Fulani herdsmen and some villages of Ikwerrengwor in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State over alleged destruction of their crops and farmlands.
Women in Ozuguru said farms crops worth over N60million in Ama camp in Ozuguru, Umuoke and Umuopiro villages of Ikwerrengwor have been lost to the herdsmen.
The Tide gathered that attempts by the victims to call the cattle grazers to order had been unsuccessful as the herdsmen, instead of retracing their steps, had threaten to unleash mayhem in Ikwerrengwor community.
Speaking to The Tide, the community lawyer based in Port Harcourt, Cyril Nwamarah, disclosed that the community had written a petition to the Rivers State Commissioner of Police over the activities of the herdsmen, stating that the farmers and their community had been under a serious economic and physical siege by the herdsmen.
The petition, dated August, 2013, and titled “Threat to the lives of the people of Ikwerrengwor community and the destruction of their agricultural crops by Hausa/Fulani cattle rearers”, stated that the cattle grazers and their herds of cattle were noticed one afternoon destroying the victims’ farms as they grazed recklessly.
The petition, which was copied to the Oche of Etche, Eze E.M.B. Opurum, Ochimba of Ikwerrengwor, Chief Felix Onyeche and the Chairman of Iriebe Cattle Market Association, said when the farmers requested the herdsmen to desist from grazing their cattle on their farms, they refused and returned the following day with a threat to kill those attempting to stop them from grazing.
‘They specifically told our client that they will employ and apply the Boko Haram warfare strategy against them with killings and burning of houses as it is being done in Plateau and Benue State and other parts of the northern Nigeria,” the petition said.
It further disclosed that the herdsmen had adopted a new strategy of coming at about 1.00am when people were asleep and letting loose their herds of cattle to recklessly graze and destroy the farms.
The petitioners lamented that the activities of the herdsmen were becoming unbearable, and was threatening the existence of the victims who were daily losing their cassava, yams, maize; vegetable and other farm produce to the activities of the cattle grazers.
Barr Nwamarah told The Tide that crops valued at over N60million had been damaged so far, and appealed to the commissioner of police to intervene.
Attempts to get the reaction of the chairman of Iriebe Cattle Market Association could not yield result as he was always said to have gone out.
Further efforts to get the reaction of the police public relation officers of the Rivers State Police Command were also unsuccessful.

Chris Oluoh

News

HYPREP Tightens Security At Project Sites

Published

46 minutes ago

November 30, 2025

The Tide

Following the rupture of the ground tank of its water facility in Ebubu Community in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has tightened security across all its project sites in Ogoniland.

HYPREP, which dropped this hint in a statement signed by its Head of Communications, Dr Enuolare Mba-Nwigoh, said the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey had given the directive for security to be tightened across all its project sites in Ogoniland.

Mba-Nwigoh noted that the tightening of security across the project sites has become necessary to forestall interference with the facilities.

He further disclosed that following the rupture of the ground tank of the Ebubu water facility, a team led by HYPREP’s Director of Technical Services, Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi has visited the scene of the incident to assess the situation, stressing that the water facility has been cordoned off for public safety.

The statement indicated that following the incident, HYPREP has henceforth barred non-project personnel and non-facility staff from gaining access into any of its active project sites in Ogoniland without authorisation.

While appealing to residents of Ebubu Community and the public to remain calm, the Head of Communications assured them that the Project is taking prompt steps to restore water to the community, saying, the cause of the unfortunate incident is being investigated.

He equally noted that the Chief Security Officer of HYPREP has been directed to immediately tighten security across all its project sites in Ogoniland.

The statement said HYPREP is deeply concerned about the incident, stressing that despite the setback, the Project reiterates its commitment to delivering sustainable cleanup in Ogoniland.

News

198 UNIBEN Students Bag First Class

Published

7 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

A total of 198 students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN ) Edo State, bagged a First Class degree out of 14,083 students to be awarded first degree at the institution’s 51st Convocation and Founder’s Day ceremony.

Vice Chancellor of UNIBEN, Prof. Edoba Omoregie, disclosed this on Monday in Benin at a pre-convocation press briefing.

He said 4,217 students bagged a Second Class Upper, 7, 928 got a Second Class Lower, while 578 bagged a Third Class degree.

He said 15 new approved programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC) would commence in the 2025/2026 academic session.

According to him, “The wheel of progress is on course and moving steadily in the University of Benin. This administration is poised to deliver on its mandate of effective, practical teaching, sound learning, result-oriented research and impactful community service.

“We must applaud the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for establishing NELFUND, and by so doing significantly reducing the financial stress of students in the process of acquiring tertiary education. We enjoin students and their parents to take full advantage of the federal government’s benevolence in instituting the fund.”

Prof. Omoregie disclosed that Nigeria’s Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, would deliver the Founders’ Day lecture with the topic, “Reforms for a Shared Prosperity”.

The UNIBEN VC said Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs and Former Vice Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, Professor Eghosa Osaghae, would deliver the Convocation Lecture on the theme, “Making Our Universities Great”.

News

Bayelsa Education Fund, British Council trains tra 1,000 teachers

Published

7 days ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The last batch of 400 public school teachers in Bayelsa State on Monday commenced training under the sponsorship of Bayelsa Education Development Trust Fund (EDTF) and the British Council.

This batch will bring to 1000 the number of public school teachers in the state who have benefited in the partnership arrangement.School supplies

The EDTF, British Council and Teachers Training, Registration and Certification Board collaborated in the capacity development programme.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the five day capacity building program, Commissioner for Education Dr Gentle Emelah reiterated the commitment of the Bayelsa government to training and capacity of teachers in the state.

He noted that the improved teaching methodology in the state was responsible for the state producing the best student in the 2025 West African School Certificate Examinations.

Prof Ebimiowei, Executive Secretary at EDTF, noted that the collaboration is aimed at improving learning outcomes for pupils and students of public primary and secondary schools in Bayelsa.

“You will agree with me that until the cutlass is sharpened, it will have no impact on the hands of the farmer and so it is with our teachers., you need to be sharpened very well to give good delivery in your various classes and schools.

“Let me at this juncture appreciate the British Council for accepting to train 1,000 teachers, 50 education managers and 60 trainers for Bayelsa,” he said.

On his part, Chairman of the EDTF board, High Chief Fidelis Agbiki expressed appreciation to the Commissioner for Education Dr Gentle Emelah for his supportive role to the fund.

Agbiki urged the beneficiaries to justify the enormous resources invested by the government of Bayelsa by being dedicated within the five days the exercise would last.

He said; “This board will not operate on business as usual but on business unusual as we will push the frontiers outside the box to ensure that we get value for money,” Agbiki said.

Chairman of Development Partners Committee of the EDTF applauded the commitment of the partners for the successful completion of the programme, urging them to sustain the tempo

Speaking on the programme, Mr Fwanshishak Daniel, Head, English and Schools, British Council noted that the Bayelsa government had shown exemplary commitment to educational development.

He explained that the commitment has enabled the British Council and Bayelsa government to achieve within one year greater milestones that took other states three years to achieve.

He explained that the resources of the British Council have been made available to Bayelsa with the training of 60 resource persons from the state who will in turn train other teachers to improve education.

According to Daniel, the training will lay emphasis on new teaching methods, use of digital tools for self development and access to school amongst others.

Dr Peremoboere Ogola, Acting Chairman of TTRC, which facilitated training, thanked the EDTF for supporting training of teachers in Bayelsa with world class resources of the British Council.

She noted that another batch of newly recruited teachers are currently undergoing training at State government owned University of Africa, Toru Orua, Sagbama LGA in Bayelsa