TheNewsGuru

Tag: Akwa Ibom

  • Police arrest woman who “kidnapped” herself, 52 others

    Police arrest woman who “kidnapped” herself, 52 others

    Police in Akwa Ibom rescued four kidnap victims in the last one month. One of them is a woman who faked her own kidnap.

    They also arrested 52 suspects for various crimes.

    Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Waheed Ayilara, told a news conference in Uyo on Friday that some of the crimes were murder, kidnap, armed robbery, child trafficking, cultism and fraud.

    He said one of the kidnap “victims’’, a female from Nung Oku Village in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom actually arranged her own kidnap.

    She thereafter demanded for N4 million ransom, but was arrested by the police.

    “A report was received on Monday from one Enobong Sampson that her sister had been kidnapped and that the kidnappers were demanding for N4 million as ransom.

    “As a result, operatives of Anti-kidnapping squad of the Command embarked on an intense and intelligence-driven operation to track down the kidnappers and rescue the victim.

    “On Tuesday, however, the purported victim and her boyfriend were arrested at a hideout at Mbierebe Obio, Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area.

    “She confessed to have conspired with her boyfriend and three others to proclaim her kidnap to raise money from her aunty based outside the country,’’ Ayilara said.

    He added that on Wednesday, police arrested a man at Uruting village in Okobo Local Government Area of the state for killing his 75-year-old father, using a machete.

    The suspect claimed that his deceased father had sold all the parcel of land he had, including the one that he gave to him to build his house as the reason for his action, the police commissioner said.

    Ayilara said also that on March 8, police arrested one man at Ayam village in Etinan Local Government Area of the state for being involved in the production of adulterated fruits drinks and fake products.

    Also on March 8, police rescued and arrested a man who used Point of Sale (POS) machines to defraud innocent citizens and was to be set ablaze but for the arrival of police operatives.

    Ayilara said most of the man’s victims had identified him and N350,000 cash was recovered from him at the time of arrest.

    The police commissioner assured that all the suspects would be arraigned as soon as investigations were concluded.

    Ayilara assured the people of Akwa Ibom that he would work with stakeholders to set up strategies to address contemporary security challenges in the state.

    “Let me assure Akwa Ibom people that the police will collaborate with stakeholders in harnessing available resources to ensure that the state continues to remain the most peaceful,’’ he said.

  • Hardship: Tinubu gave each governor N30bn to address food shortage – Akpabio

    Hardship: Tinubu gave each governor N30bn to address food shortage – Akpabio

    Godswill Akpabio, Nigeria’s senate president has disclosed that each state governor has been allocated an extra N30 billion to address the challenges of food scarcity and hardships confronting Nigerians.

    Akpabio said each state should properly utilize the money towards ensuring the availability of food.

    The former Akwa Ibom governor made this known while Speaking on the floor of the senate

    “I must say that unverified report has it that each of the state government in the last few months received additional N30 billion from Federal Inland Revenue Service, outside their normal allocation from the federation account to assist them in ameliorating the food situation.

    “We believe that every state government should utilise the funds so received towards ensuring that food is available.”

    The current economic hardship has led to a hike in the prices of foodstuffs across the country.

    The shortage of foodstuffs was also linked to the hoarding by some people and illegal smuggling to neighbouring countries.

    Recall that Vice President Kashim Shettima had disclosed how security operatives discovered 32 illegal routes being used to smuggle foodstuffs and other items to neighbouring countries from Nigeria.

    Shettima said security agents intercepted 45 trucks smuggling maize to neighbouring countries.

    He noted that the price of “maize” came down by N10,000. The price of maize allegedly came down from N60,000 to N50,000″ when the trucks were intercepted.

  • We need to set up a reconciliation committee in Akwa Ibom – Akpabio

    We need to set up a reconciliation committee in Akwa Ibom – Akpabio

    Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has tasked the All Progressives Congress (APC), to set up a reconciliatory committee in Akwa Ibom to address the internal crisis in the state.

    Akpabio said this on Friday when he addressed a stakeholders’ meeting in Uyo, promising to reposition the party, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

    “We will make sure that APC in Akwa Ibom is one, we will give people option that either you belong to us or to them.

    “There should not be in-between. We are going to resolve all the issues in APC, we are going to advice some people you can’t be here and there.

    “I’ve mandated the Chairman of the party to set up a reconciliation committee in the state, we have to bring our members together. If we are united, there is no barrier that we can’t break.

    “I pray against confusion among my leaders not in Uyo alone but in all the senatorial districts, we must reconcile among ourselves,” he said.
    Akpabio expressed optimism that the APC would take over the state in 2027 general elections.

    ‘’It will be an aberration for the number three citizen not to have a governor from the same party at the end of an election.

    “You know wherever the senate president is, that is where the party is.

    “Is it possible that Nigeria will give Akwa Ibom the number three citizen and at the end of the election, it will not produce an APC governor,” he said.

    The senate president also blamed the inability of the APC to win the Awka North East and Akwa South senate seats at the 2023 poll on lack of coordination.

    “So, I didn’t know whether you were serious, but in 2027, I want to assure you that we will be more serious.

    “I tried to call them, give me your campaign plan, they refused to give it to me. Is there any where I will enter that people will not vote for APC?

    “Look at what the other side did; they gave President Tinubu 120,000 votes but Uyo and Eket combined ended up with only 40,000 votes,” he said.

    Earlier, the state APC chairman, Mr Stephen Ntukekpo, lauded President Bola Tinubu for ensuring inclusiveness in his administration and pledged continuous support and loyalty to the party.

  • Police apprehend 562 suspects in A’Ibom in 3 months

    Police apprehend 562 suspects in A’Ibom in 3 months

    The Police in Akwa Ibom have arrested 562 suspects for various offences in the last quarter of 2023.

    The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Olatoye Durosinmi stated this at a news conference on Saturday in Uyo.

    He said the operatives of the command arrested the suspects for various crimes ranging from murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, rape and stealing.

    According to Durosinmi, a number of the suspects have been charged to court, and some of them granted bail while others are stll under investigations.

    He listed some of the offences to include; pipeline vandalism and economic sabotage by one Godwin Ita Effiong, who conspired with four others to vandalise pipeline belonging to Frontier Oil and stole 18 jerry cans of 25 litres of crude oil on Nov. 18.

    The CP added that during the period under review, one Francis Eze and Johnson Amadu, allegedly armed with locally made gun robbed a POS operator, one Glory Akpan and carted away with her POS machine, Android phone and N300,000.

    Also, operatives of the command on Nov. 21, arrested Samuel Jackson and Favour Friday, for allegedly abducting a three-year-old child, daughter of one Effiong Akpan.

    He said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects sold the child to a woman in Abia through a third party, adding that efforts are being intensified to arrest other suspects and rescue the child.

    “May I on behalf of the officers and men of the Akwa Ibom Command wish you a fruitful New Year ahead.

    “For the yuletide,  I deployed 1,758 officers and men to effectively provide security during the Christmas, and am happy that we had a peaceful celebration.

    “I must say that our security strategies and our collaboration with sister security agencies has led to a more peaceful Akwa Ibom.

    “During the last quarter of the year,  a total of 562 suspects were arrested for various offences ranging from murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, rape and stealing,” he said.
    The CP expressed optimism that with the procurement of 14 gunboats by the Akwa Ibom government to the Nigerian Navy, maritime crimes would be reduced to the barest minimum in the state.
    He warned criminals to have a change of heart or relocate as the state is no longer safe for them.

  • Akwa Ibom emerges Nigeria’s cleanest state

    Akwa Ibom emerges Nigeria’s cleanest state

    With a cumulative score of 78.2 per cent, the National Technical Study Group ( NTSG) has announced Akwa Ibom State as the cleanest state in Nigeria.

    Ebonyi and FCT finished in  second and third positions with 50 and 47 per cent scores, respectively

    Kogi state in the North central of Nigeria came last on the sequence with a cumulative score of 11 per cent.

    Announcing the result in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, the National Co-ordinator and Secretary of NTSG, Prince Ene Baba Owoh, said the result followed a five-year review, tagged STONE Pro-Max 2023.

    Akwa Ibom has successively been the cleanest state in the country since the inauguration of the project in 2018.

    Owoh encouraged all stakeholders to engage in a peer review mechanism by making time to visit both the best-performing states and cities and the backward states and cities to gain more insights into what the top states are doing to improve their performance ratings.

    He also urged government at all levels to step up their knowledge, attitude, and practice, KAP, of hygiene and sanitation to improve their living conditions to increase their average life expectancy, noting that in 2018, life expectancy in Nigeria was 44 years and has presently dropped to 40 years.

    Owoh further urged the government to work towards meeting the target set by the World Health Organisation, WHO, to end open defecation in 2025 by increasing the provision of public toilets.

    He said: “For emerging as the overall best-performing state in the six years performance indicators and the five-time cleanest state in Nigeria under the six-year project circus review period (2018-2023) tagged STONE Pro-Max 2023, Akwa Ibom State will be conferred with the STONE 2023 Pro-Max 2018-2023 Cleanest State in Nigeria Green Crystal Award.

    “We also call on government at all levels to re-introduce the monthly sanitation exercise and enforce the regular clean-up of drainages with renewed energy, as 87 per cent of the citizenry have seriously neglected their role on environmental sanitation,” he said.

    In his goodwill message, the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Environment, Uno Etim Uno, while commending the Clean Up Nigeria Initiative for the recognition, pledged commitment to proper waste management, an end to gas flaring and other practices that threaten the serenity of the environment.

    The commissioner, represented by Permanent Secretary Iquo Abia, also noted that the state government would maintain a safe and secure environment.

    Reacting to the awards, the Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency, AKSEPWMA, Prince Akpan Ikim, commended all the past governors of the state for laying the foundation of cleanliness and the present governor for providing the necessary support for its sustainability.

    He said his agency is working with the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Environment for a law that would be in tune with international best practices, and encourage investors to come in.

  • Police confirm abduction of High Court judge

    Police confirm abduction of High Court judge

    The Police Command in Akwa Ibom has confirmed the abduction of a High Court Judge, Justice Joy Uwana and her driver in Oron Local Government Area of the state.

    According to reports, the judge was abducted on Monday along with her driver, while her police orderly was killed in the attack which occurred on Uyo-Okobo road.

    SP Odiko Macdon, spokesman of the police command in the state confirmed the incident to NAN on Tuesday in Uyo.

    He said that the police has commenced investigation to track the kidnappers and ensure the safe release of the judge and her driver.

    “The Command has received that report, a very bad dastardly act indeed.

    “We are on it and the Commissioner of Police, Olatoye Durusinmi has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the matter.

    “We have been on it all day and we will spare no resources in ensuring that the needful is done to ensure that she reunites with her family.

    “Our heart goes to the family of the deceased officer attached to the judge, who was brutally murdered.

    “It is very unfortunate; this is not what Akwa Ibom is known for,” Macdon said.

    He urged people in the state to go about their normal businesses, and assured that the perpetrators of the heinous crime would be brought to book.

    Macdon said the police command would continue to synergise with sister security agencies to ensure that the state remain peaceful.

    He warned criminal elements in the state to relocate as the state is no more conducive for their heinous crimes.

    “We enjoin the good people of Akwa Ibom to go about their lawful businesses,” the command spokesman added.

  • Media Sustainability/Professionalism: NGE To Launch Trust Fund

    Media Sustainability/Professionalism: NGE To Launch Trust Fund

    In line with the resolution of the All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC), recently held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) plans to launch Nigerian Editors Trust Fund, which is designed to address the professional/welfare needs of media houses and editors in Nigeria.
    At the ANEC in Akwa Ibom State, publishers, media executives and editors harped on the urgent need by the Guild to initiate strategic move that will focus on the professional/welfare needs of media houses and editors in Nigeria – as part of several efforts to help them to continue to discharge their constitutional and social responsibility to the society without necessarily compromising their ethical standards.
    In a statement issued on Monday by the President of the NGE, Mr Eze Anaba and the General Secretary, Dr Iyobosa Uwugiaren, the professional body of editors and media executives, stated that the initiative is a response to the increasing professional/welfare challenges faced by the highest echelon of Nigerian journalists in performing their duties.
    ‘’The trust fund, which is expected to be launched in the first quarters of 2024, will also address the daunting economic challenges that the media executives and editors are faced with during and after office. The fund will benefit the Guild’s members in the print, electronic and online media.
    ‘’The trust fund will be a collaborative effort among all the stakeholders in the media sector, including the public sector – aimed at addressing key challenges that affect the professionals, who are the ultimate gatekeepers in their media organisations’’, the Guild added.
    The Guild, at its annual conference in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State recently, set up a committee headed by its Vice-President (East), Mr. Sheddy Ozoene, to liaise with media stakeholders and coordinate the launching of the outfit in the first quarter of next year.
    According to the statement, ‘’The trust fund will create the much-desired impact in the journalism profession in the country as the editors and media executives will be exposed to empowerment programms and innovations in the media industry, retraining and networking opportunities with colleagues from around the world.’’
    The Guild added that the trust fund, which will be managed by trustees made up of eminent personalities from within and outside the media, will be a fallback cushion for media executives and editors in critical situations, and a source of addressing their welfare needs as well as funding for key media projects that will impact Nigeria’s democracy, good governance and national development.
  • Assassins strangle businesswoman to death in Akwa Ibom

    Assassins strangle businesswoman to death in Akwa Ibom

    Suspected assassins have allegedly strangled a businesswoman, Madam Juliana Dimaka, to death in her home in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.

    A source revealed in Eket, on Tuesday, that Madam Dimaka was murdered on October 17, after several failed previous attempts on her life.

    “The murder was carried out at the residence of the deceased at Etebom Avenue, Eket by yet to be identified killers.

    “They gained entrance into the residence and strangled her to death, the source who did not want his name published said.

    He explained that the incident happened at 8.00pm on the ill-fated day, adding that since then her shopping plaza on Grace Bill Road in Eket had been closed.

    A reliable police source at the Eket Divisional Police headquarters, who is not authorised to speak to the media, confirmed the incident.

    However, when contacted for confirmation, the State Police Public Relations Officer, SP MacDon Odiko, said that he had not been briefed on the incident.

    “I cannot say anything about it. I do not have the facts, I have to cross check the facts,” Odiko said.

  • Eno approves additional N1.6bn for retired teachers, workers

    Eno approves additional N1.6bn for retired teachers, workers

    Gov. Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom has approved an additional N1.6 billion to clear some arrears owed retired teachers, local government workers, and civil servants in the state.

    The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Ekerete Udoh, said this in a release, made available to newsmen in Uyo, on Tuesday.

    “In line with his promise to continue to pay the arrears to retired workers, Gov. Eno has approved the prompt release of an additional N1.6 billion,” Udoh said.

    He said that the governor had previously released the sum of N3 billion for the same purpose, bringing the total amount so far released for this purpose to N4.6 billion.

    Udoh said the amount was designed to continue to pay the arrears of gratuities of retired primary school teachers, local government workers, and civil servants in the state.

    He said the governor had promised organised labour in the state during their one-day national protest march, to regularly set aside funds for the payment of gratuities.

  • EFCC arrests six suspected internet fraudsters in Akwa Ibom

    EFCC arrests six suspected internet fraudsters in Akwa Ibom

    Men of the Uyo Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), have announced the arrest of six suspected internet fraudsters along Calabar-Itu road in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

    Dele Oyewale the acting head of media and publicity of EFCC made this known via a statement obtained by our correspondent in Uyo on Monday.

    According to Oyewale, the suspects were arrested at the early morning sting operation on Thursday, October 5, 2023, following intelligence linking them with suspected internet-related activities.

    He mentioned them to include; Udenze Benjamin, Godwin Atike, Emmanuel Francis, Adebe Oluwademilade, Anietie Brownson and Sabastin Obioma.

    The statement noted that some items were recovered from them such as phones and laptops noting that they would be charged to court at the end of the investigations.

    The statement in parts, “Operatives of the EFCC, have arrested six suspected internet fraudsters along Calabar-Itu road in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State following intelligence. Some items recovered from them include phones and laptops.

    “They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.”