TheNewsGuru

Tag: Akwa Ibom

  • Just in: Akwa Ibom imposes 15-hour curfew as EndSARS protest escalates (Video)

    Just in: Akwa Ibom imposes 15-hour curfew as EndSARS protest escalates (Video)

    Akwa Ibom government has announced a 15-hour curfew beginning 9 pm on Thursday. This follows the escalation of the ENDSARS protest which has seen many choices set on fire in Uyo, the state capital.

    Among the buildings set ablaze include the headquarters of Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation; the imposing Anchor Insurance building near Ibom plaza, the epicentre of the protest and the Access bank building located along barracks road in Uyo, the state capital.

    According to reports, one of the #ENDSARS protesters was shot dead by policemen at Ibom Plaza, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

    Aggrieved over the victim’s death, protesters reportedly took the corpse to the entrance to Akwa Ibom State Government House, Uyo.

    Ini Ememobong Essien, commissioner for information and strategy said in statement that the curfew would last till Friday, 23rd October.

    The state read in part, “Due to the violent manifestations of some persons masquerading as #EndSARS protesters trying to create chaos this evening, in Uyo, the capital city of Akwa Ibom state, the Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Udom Emmanuel has declared a curfew effective 9pm today, Thursday, 22nd October,2020 till midday tomorrow, Friday, 23rd October, 2020.

    “This action is taken to protect lives and property of citizens and the restoration of Law and Order in our state.

    “Within the period of this curfew, there will be an absolute cessation of movement, except for essential service providers, who must show a valid means of identification.

    “We urge all law abiding citizens to stay at home during the period of this curfew.”

  • Six killed in Akwa Ibom police, robbers gun battle

    Six killed in Akwa Ibom police, robbers gun battle

    The Police Command in Akwa Ibom has confirmed the killing of six suspected armed robbers who specialized in car snatching in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.

    The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police, Amiengheme Andrew, revealed this while displaying the remains of the suspects in a Police Hilux van, at Ikot Akpan-Abia in Uyo on Friday.

    He said the police, acting on credible intelligence, killed the six suspected armed robbers who were operating along the Itu/Calabar Highway.

    Andrew said, “Today (Friday), at about 5.30 a.m., acting on credible intelligence that a six-man armed robbery gang whose specialty is car snatching in Akwa Ibom and Cross River were operating along Itu-Calabar highway.

    “On receipt of the intel, SARS operatives proceeded to the scene, on sighting the Police Hilux van, the hoodlums opened fire on the operatives. A gun battle ensued and the six armed robbers sustained gunshot wounds.

    “They were taken to the Police hospital in Uyo for treatment but they were confirmed dead by the doctor.”

    Andrew noted that the robbers were on their way to Abia State to sell the car they had earlier snatched from a Calabar-based medical doctor.

    He said the deceased had already contacted a buyer for the stolen Toyota Camry car, registered LSR 690 BM, and an unregistered motorcycle.

    Andrew said items recovered from them included three locally made pistols, ten live cartridges, four expended cartridges, one pump action gun, one unregistered motorcycle, military camouflage cap and a Toyota Camry belonging to the medical doctor.

    The CP warned hoodlums engaged in cultism, armed robbery, rape and other vices to desist forthwith or leave the state, as the command had no room for tolerance of any form of criminality.

     

     

  • INEC sacks three officials in Akwa Ibom over electoral malpractices

    INEC sacks three officials in Akwa Ibom over electoral malpractices

    The INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom, Mr Mike Igini, on Tuesday, said three university lecturers had been confirmed to be involved in electoral malpractice during the 2019 general elections.

    Igini, who addressed newsmen at the INEC office in Uyo, said three officials of the electoral body had also been sacked over alleged involvement in electoral malpractices.

    According to him, the three university teachers will soon be charged to court.

    Igini, however, did not mention the names of the institutions and the areas where the malpractice took place.

    “The lecturers, who were engaged as Collation and Returning Officers during the 2019 general elections, were reported to have manipulated and falsified election results.

    “As I speak to you, not less than three of the staff of the commission from the ICT Unit and those in the rank of executive and administrative officers were also involved in actions that completely undermined the electoral process and integrity of the commission,” he said.

    He said that the suspects compromised their positions and produced outcomes contrary to the will of the people, as expressed through the ballot.

    “A panel we set up subsequently established a prima facie documentary evidence of deliberate criminal manipulation of election results against the Collation/Returning Officers,” Igini said.

    He said the involvement of the three INEC staff from the ICT unit had been proved beyond reasonable doubt.

    “This action has become absolutely necessary because of the unsustainable belief by some members of the public that the commission does not sanction persons involved in electoral malpractices during elections.

    “We must have an institution that has the integrity to protect the will of the people in any election.

    “Punishing those involved in unwholesome electoral activities will serve as a lesson and a clear message to those who will be engaged by INEC in the future.

    “It is good for them to know that INEC in Akwa Ibom will always be transparent. People engaged as presiding officers are a very important link. They are the last set of people in charge of election materials, particularly the ballot papers and result sheets,” the REC said.

    He regretted that in spite of the training given to the electoral officers and staff of the commission, they went a different way and chose to involve themselves in unethical conduct.

    Igini lamented that the officials manipulated and falsified election results, thereby producing outcomes that were contrary to the will of the people.

    “Following a formal request by the Commission, the authorities of the affected institutions released the lecturers to appear before an investigative panel set up by INEC Headquarters on Aug. 12 and 26, 2020,” he said.

    Igini noted that the INEC workers sacked were shown the way out “in line with the extant rules and the power of the commission to appoint, dismiss and to exercise disciplinary control over its staff”.

  • A’Ibom Govt. threatens to shut down COVID-19 testing centres

    A’Ibom Govt. threatens to shut down COVID-19 testing centres

    The Akwa Ibom Government has threatened to shut down COVID-19 testing centres using or procuring the use of any other testing method, and not using the approved Polymerise Chain Reaction (PCR) method.

    The leader of the state COVID-19 Management Committee, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, stated this during an interactive session with newsmen in Uyo on Monday.

    He said that the state government condemned any attempt to use serological testing in the determination of a person’s COVID-19 status.

    He also said that it had a 40-per cent chance of error and could cause an additional threat to the health of such a person.

    Ekuwem said that the move was to protect the lives of Akwa Ibom people adding that the position was pursuant to the NCDC guidelines and global best practice.

    “In line with emerging realities in COVID-19 detection and management, it has become imperative for the state government to unambiguously define its position on the standard and quality of test acceptable within the borders of Akwa Ibom.

    “The state government, hereby, announces that the testing method acceptable in Akwa ibom is the PCR test.

    “This position is made pursuant to the NCDC guidelines and global best practices. The primary duty of any government is the protection of lives and property of its citizens.”

    He said that research findings had shown clearly that no other testing method could guarantee less error rate than the PCR, hence, the state government’s preference for it.

    He said that the state government condemned specifically any attempt to use serological testing in the determination of a person’s COVID-19 status.

    “This test has a very high failure rate and is, therefore a public health risk, which is absolutely unacceptable to us as a responsible government.

    “Any health facility or private laboratory seeking to undertake COVID-19 test is reminded that they must first obtain clearance and certification from the NCDC and be registered with the state government.

    “Any organisation using or procuring any other testing method for COVID-19 will be shut down by the state government for constituting a public health threat to the people of our dear state,” Ekuwem said.

    He used the occasion to encourage churches in the state to set up an intra- church COVID-19 guidelines and monitoring compliance team, to ensure compliance with COVID-19 protocols in churches across the state.

    On testing and care for pregnant women in the state, Ekuwem assured the public that pregnant women who tested positive for COVID-19 would be treated with the best possible care, followng national protocols.

  • WAEC: Student tests positive for COVID-19 in A’ Ibom

    Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom on Monday said that a student writing the ongoing West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) examination in the state had tested positive for COVID-19.

    Emmanuel who made the disclosure in a media chat in Uyo, did not mentioned the name of the student and the school involved.

    The governor said the student had asymptomatic situation, adding that he took normal precautions to avoid spread.

    He however said the state government had begun random testing of students for the virus in secondary schools across the state.

    “We have tested over 100 students and it is only one young man that tested positive for COVID-19 in the state,” the governor said.

    “We did what we ought to do medically; I want to believe that by now, the young man should be okay,” he said.

    The governor said that he had put in place, modalities to ensure that the student did not miss out anything from the class.

    He added that a government team was moving round schools to make sure that the students were safe and writing the examination while adhering to COVID-19 protocols.

    “All of them are in excellent health condition because we have put everything in place to ensure that the students are quite safe,” he said.

    The governor said that he had directed all his Special Assistants to go to schools across the state and monitor the level of compliance to COVID-19 safety measures.

    “I have directed all my Special Assistants to go to all the schools and monitor the level of compliance to the COVID-19 safety protocols and give us first hand reports in case of any emergency.

    “Students observed all COVID-19 protocols before starting their examination. We want to make sure our students are safe even while writing examination,” governor said.

    Emmanuel said that he had provided over 100,000 face masks, sanitisers and all the COVID-19 support to the schools writing the examination across the state.

    “Based on the report I have, I think the students are doing well; it is left for them to reciprocate by giving us excellent WAEC results,” he said.

  • Akwa Ibom rejects NBS ‘second state with highest unemployment rate’ position

    Akwa Ibom rejects NBS ‘second state with highest unemployment rate’ position

    The Akwa Ibom State Government has rejected the National Bureau of Statistics report which listed it as the second state with the highest unemployment rate in the country.

    A statement by the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ini Ememobong, on Saturday, described the NBS report as unacceptable.

    The statement read, “The attention of Akwa Ibom State Government has been drawn to the ‘Labor Force Statistics: Unemployment and Underemployment Report’ by the National Bureau of Statistics, wherein it listed Akwa Ibom as the state with the second-highest unemployment rate in the country. This conclusion, which calls for serious scrutiny, is unbelievable.

    “The reality on ground in our state is in contradistinction to the Bureau’s report.

    “A juxtaposition of the said report with the reality of the existence and operation of the numerous industries in our state, the recruitment into the civil and public service, Public-Private Partnership initiatives, the award of direct Labour contracts, our airline and general aviation businesses, qualitative cash support and interest-free loans to entrepreneurs, financial and input support to farmers; the obvious conclusion will confirm that indeed the current administration has created quality jobs in an unprecedented manner.

    “This reality is not attempting to deny the existence of unemployment-which is a global phenomenon worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “As a responsible government, we intend to engage the National Bureau of Statistics, to ascertain the veracity of their processes and results, particularly, we will seek answers to the following questions:

    “What was the sample size used in the survey? What was the spatial spread of the sample? What population figure did they use to obtain the percentage recorded for Akwa Ibom? What quality assurance mechanisms did they employ? What was the temporal spread of the data used in the analyses?”

  • APC reacts to death of Akwa Ibom State Chairman

    APC reacts to death of Akwa Ibom State Chairman

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Akwa Ibom State Chapter, has reacted to the death of its chairman, Hon. Ini Titus Okopido

    The party in a statement signed by its Deputy State Chairman, Dr. Ita Udosen, commiserated with the family of the deceased.

    The statement reads, ” On behalf of the leaders, elders, members and the various Organs of our Party, I regret to announce the passing away to the eternal glory of our dear State Chairman, Hon Ini Titus Okopido.

    He died in the early hours of today after a brief illness.

    Our hearts are heavy with grief as we mourn with his wife, children and family. This is a very painful death to the whole of the APC family in Akwa Ibom State in particular, and Nigeria as a whole.

    Our Chairman was a committed and dedicated progressive and Party loyalist whose ideals were inexorably tied to the philosophy of our great Party. He contributed immensely to the growth of the Party in the last two years he’s been Chairman.

    We call on our members to keep the family of our Chairman in prayers in this very difficult moment.

    As we mourn our beloved Chairman, we also remember the families of all our members who have also passed away recently.

    May their souls rest in peace.

  • BREAKING: Akwa Ibom APC Chairman Is Dead

    BREAKING: Akwa Ibom APC Chairman Is Dead

    The Akwa Ibom state chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ini Okopido is dead.

    A top member of the party in the state, who confirmed the sad incident, disclosed that Okopido died in the early hours of Wednesday at the Ibom Multispecialty Hospital (IBH), Uyo.

    According to the source, Okopido died of multiple organ failure.

    “Yes, our state chairman is dead. Infact the entire APC family in the state is in deep mourning. It is a big blow to our party at all levels.

    “We commiserate with his wife and children over this irreplaceable loss,” he said.

  • Photo: Udom commissions new PDP secretariat in Akwa Ibom

    Photo: Udom commissions new PDP secretariat in Akwa Ibom

    Governor Udom Emmanuel on Saturday commissioned a new secretariat for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Akwa Ibom state.

    The national chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus and other party leaders were also on ground to witness the commissioning.

    The commissioning came a day after, Obong Hon. Udo Loyalty Ekpenyong emerged as the new Chairman for the state.

    Ekpeyong’s election took place at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.

     

  • Akwa Ibom suspends govenor’s aide

    Akwa Ibom suspends govenor’s aide

    The Akwa Ibom Government has suspended Mr Emmanuel Nicholas, an aide to Gov. Udom Emmanuel, with immediate effect because of fraudulent allegations levelled against him.
    The suspension was announced in a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, in Uyo on Friday.
    Ekuwem said that the special assistant to the governor on media would remain suspended until investigation were completed by the security agencies to clear him of the allegations.
    “I am directed to announce the immediate suspension of Mr Emmanuel Nicholas from his duties as a Special Assistant to the Governor.
    “This is as a result of allegations of fraudulent activities leveled against him.
    “Mr Nicholas will remain suspended until investigations are completed by security agencies and he is cleared of the allegations.
    “The Akwa Ibom State Government, led by Mr Udom Emmanuel, will continue to uphold transparency, intergrity and accountability as its core values,” Ekuwem said.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that Nicolas was arrested for alledged fraudulent activities including collection of money from a contractor.