TheNewsGuru

Tag: Bayelsa State

  • BREAKING: Gunmen storm Bayelsa old Assembly quarters, abduct SSG’s mother

    BREAKING: Gunmen storm Bayelsa old Assembly quarters, abduct SSG’s mother

    Gunmen dressed in military uniform have abducted the mother of the Secretary to the Bayelsa State Government (SSG), Madam Betinah Benson.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Madam Benson, mother of Friday Kombowei Benson, was abducted in commodore style at her residence at the Old Assembly Quarters in Yenagoa, the State capital.

    Recall that in 2013, the 86-year-old mother of the SSG was kidnapped at her country home of Korokorosei in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area by about 10 gunmen in two speed boats.

    At the time, it was not clear if the N40 million ransom demanded by the abductors was paid to secure her freedom.

    TNG reports the Bayelsa State Police Command was yet to release an official statement on the arrest of Madam Benson.

     

    Details shortly…

  • PIB: Host communities provision is a time bomb – Gov Diri warns

    PIB: Host communities provision is a time bomb – Gov Diri warns

    Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri has warned that the definition of a host community in the just passed Petroleum Industry Bill by the National Assembly was a time bomb if not properly addressed.

    He also restated the position of governors of the southern states that it was an injustice to allot three per cent of oil revenue for the host communities that bear the brunt of exploration and exploitation activities.

    Governor Diri spoke on Tuesday when he featured as guest on Channels Television breakfast current affairs programme, Sunrise Daily.

    He was quoted in a press release by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, that prior to Monday’s meeting of the southern states governors in Lagos, the states had been in consultation with relevant stakeholders on their position, which he said was a minimum of 10 per cent to oil producing communities.

    He said it was unthinkable and unacceptable to people of the South that a provision of 30 per cent profit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation was inserted in the controversial bill for “frontier exploration” in areas that were not clearly specified.

    Governor Diri strongly frowned at the definition of oil producing communities and host communities to include areas where pipelines are laid.

    He called for a reversal of such proposal, saying it is a time bomb that if not properly addressed could create avoidable crises.

    The Bayelsa helmsman restated his commitment and that of his colleagues in the Southern Governors Forum to continuous dialogue to resolve issues that border on the challenges faced by oil producing communities and states.

    Responding to a question on open grazing, Diri described cattle rearing as a private business that the states have power to regulate, stressing that there was no going back on the ban of open grazing in Bayelsa, which he said was no longer sustainable.

    He stated that the ban was in force in the state since he assented to the bill on March 11, 2021.

    On the issue of the governors’ resolve that the president of the country should emerge from the South in 2023, he said although it was a political decision that required consultations and lobby, a president of Southern extraction in the next election would encourage peaceful coexistence in Nigeria.

    His words: “Governors did not wait until now to speak on the PIB. Speaking on behalf of my state, we had a position and it was made very clear during the public hearings.

    “It is unthinkable and total injustice to allot three per cent to oil producing communities. We stated our position of 10 per cent.

    “The definition of host communities or oil producing communities is also worrisome. Oil producing communities should not be where pipelines are laid. If the issue of what an oil producing community is is not addressed, it is a time bomb that could explode.

    “The issue of cattle grazing is a commercial, private activity. I do not see why we needed anybody’s opinion to regulate a private activity. We have a duty to protect our people. That is why we have state assemblies. In Bayelsa it already came into effect since March 11, 2021. Open grazing is no longer sustainable. We need to stop it.

    “On the issue of Southern presidency, the governors would have to engage in lobby. But it is only natural justice for the south to produce the president after President Buhari’s eight years. It is not constitutional but a gentleman’s agreement to encourage cohesion and peaceful coexistence.”

    Speaking on the performance of his administration, Diri said although COVID-19 slowed things down globally, his administration has made appreciable progress in road and infrastructure development, urban renewal of the state capital, Yenagoa, as well as in ensuring peace, unity and reconciliation within the last 16 months of being in office.

    He assured that his administration was committed to development of every sector of the state’s economy and called for support from Bayelsans.

  • Court orders FG to pay Bayelsa Govt $951m derivative arrears

    Court orders FG to pay Bayelsa Govt $951m derivative arrears

    The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, ordered the Federal Government to pay 951 million dollars to the Bayelsa Government.

    The amount is the 13 per cent derivative sum due as arrears of revenue and payable to the Bayelsa government.

    Justice Inyang Ekwo, who delivered the judgment, held that the Attorney- General of the Federation (AGF), the sole defendant in the case, failed to enter his defence in the suit.

    Justice Ekwo ruled that the development made the court to declare the plaintiff’s case “unchanged.”

    Ken Njemanze, SAN, filed the suit on behalf of the Bayelsa government.

    The plaintiff, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/175/2012 and filed on Feb. 12, urged the court to compel the AGF to pay five per cent of $50 billion recovered as additional revenue that accrued to the Nigerian government.

    The judge noted that where a person issues s letter of demand on another person upon outstanding facts, the person for whom the demand notice was issued must take steps to react to same.

    “Where the person to whom such demand notice is issued takes no steps, he is deemed to have admitted the claims thereby giving the other person the option of enforcing the claims by the available procedures for enforcement of undisputed claims.

    “That is what has happened in this case,” the judge held.

    He said the defendant (AGF) had admitted the claims of the Bayelsa government in the process the former filed in reaction to the suit.

    “I find no material upon which I can grant leave of this court for the defendant to enter a defence or transfer this matter to the general cause list.

    “In that case, I also find that the case of the plaintiff remains not only challenged but admitted and therefore must succeed on the merit.

    “Judgement is hereby entered on the claims of the plaintiff in this case. This is the order of this court,” the judge declared.

    Bayelsa State Attorney General, in an affidavit upon which the plaintiff claims were based, had urged the court to make the following orders:

    “An order directing the defendant (AGF) to pay the sum of 951, 190 dollars, 840.00 (Nine Hundred and fifty one million, one hundred and ninety thousand, forty two United States dollars), being the 13 per cent derivative sum due as arrears of revenue and payable to Bayelsa as assessed, completed and calculated by the Body set up by the AGF pursuant to paragraph b (iii) (b) of the terms of settlement made by the (consent) judgement of the Court by the Supreme Court in suit No: SC 964/2016 Attorney General of Rivers State and Others Vs Attorney General of the Federation on Oct. 17, 2018.

    “10 per cent post judgment interest at the court rate on the said sum of 951, 190 dollars, 840.00 (Nine Hundred and fifty one million, one hundred and ninety thousand, forty two United States dollars), until final liquidation thereof,” among others.

    Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Rivers governments sued the AGF at the Supreme Court, demanding an upward adjustment of the shares of revenues accruing to the Nigerian government whenever the price of crude oil exceeds $20 per barrel.

    In the apex court verdict delivered in October 2018, John Okoro, orderd the Nigerian government to embark on an upward adjustment of the shares of revenues accruing to the government whenever the price of crude oil exceeds $20 per barrel.

    The three oil states in the Niger Delta; Rivers, Bayelsa and Akwa-Ibom, had approached the Supreme Court for interpretation of Section 16(1) of the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract Act in suit number SC964/2016 filed on their behalf by their lead Counsel, Lucius Nwosu, SAN.

    The particular section requires the Federal Government to adjust the shares of the revenue accruable to the federation, whenever the price of crude oil exceeds $20 per barrel.

    According to the Bayelsa government, the money had accrued from 2003 to 2017.

  • Gov Diri demands Shell headquarters should be in Bayelsa

    Gov Diri demands Shell headquarters should be in Bayelsa

    Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri has re-echoed his call on Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to relocate its operational headquarters to the State.

    Governor Diri stressed that given the historical significance of the State to Shell, there was no better location to site its headquarters.

    He restated this when the Shell Country Chair and SPDC Managing Director, Mr. Osagie Okunbor led a management delegation on a courtesy visit to Government House, Yenagoa, on Tuesday.

    A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted the Bayelsa helmsman as saying that the presence of Shell in Bayelsa was essential for the economic benefits of both parties.

    The governor emphasised that the long-standing relationship between the state and Shell, following the discovery of oil in commercial quantity at Otuabagi community in Ogbia LocalGovernment Area, was proof that they were both inseparable in oil and gas business.

    While assuring the company of a conducive working environment, Diri asserted that the stereotype of insecurity in the Niger Delta as a ploy to deprive the goose that lays the golden egg was no longer tenable.

    He said: “On behalf of this Prosperity Administration and the people of Bayelsa State, I have been directed to invite you to relocate your headquarters back to your state, the peaceful state of Bayelsa.

    “You are aware that I’m an apostle of the relocation of your headquarters. You would agree with me that Bayelsa is peaceful and stable.

    “I know it might not be very easy to relocate everything but let us feel a fundamental presence of Shell. In fact, there is no reason why the Shell headquarters should be in any place other than Bayelsa.

    “The history and story of Bayelsa cannot be complete without Shell. We have an intertwined and long-lasting relationship between the state of Bayelsa (then in the old Rivers State) and Shell.

    “As a people, I want to put on record that we have not been fairly treated as those who provide the resources for this country.”

    Speaking on the legal dispute over outstanding revenues owed the state by the company, Senator Diri said an amicable resolution was possible in the spirit of the renewed relationship between both parties.

    The governor also spoke about his administration’s decision to supervise the signing and be a part of Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) between host communities and companies operating in the state.

    He said this was occasioned by cases of breaches of such agreements, which result in conflicts.

    The policy, according to the governor, would be supervised by the Ministry of Justice in order to protect the interest of such communities and, by extension, the companies.

    “We made that policy statement to say that all GMoUs to be signed between the communities and any company, including the oil companies, has to be supervised by the Ministry of Justice. This was because we want to at all times protect the interest of our communities and even the companies. Also, at all times, the state government would be aware of the issues.

    “We have seen situations where GMoU is signed but only very few people, who claim to be community leaders, are aware of it. And that becomes a veritable tools for community conflicts.”

    The governor reeled out key projects being undertaken by his administration and solicited the partnership of Shell on major infrastructure projects like the proposed Nembe-Brass road as well as the ongoing Yenagoa-Oporoma and Sagbama-Ekeremorroad projects.

    He thanked the company for its support on the Ogbia-Nembe road.

    Speaking earlier, the Shell Country Chair and SPDC Managing Director, Mr. Osagie Okunbor, noted the key steps taken by Senator Diri to promote peace in the state and commended the governor’s leadership quality.

    Describing Bayelsa as the company’s most important host state, Okunbor said they were impressed with the governor’s handling of affairs of the state and his support for their operations.

    He said that Bayelsa was host to some of the company’s most strategic assets that keeps it going.

    The Country Chair promised to sustain the relationship between the company and the state through investment in key development projects in the state.

  • Police confirm release of abducted IYC President

    Police confirm release of abducted IYC President

    The Police Command in Bayelsa on Thursday confirmed the release of Mr Peter Igbifa, President of Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) who went missing on Tuesday while travelling to Abuja.

    Igbifa was on his way to Abuja on May 25, for a scheduled meeting with the Coordinator of Presidential Amnesty Office, retired Col. Milland Dikio when the incident happened.

    There was, however, uncertainty over the whereabouts of Igbifa as there were conflicting reports which claimed that he was abducted whereas others said he was missing.

    The Spokesman for the Police in Bayelsa, SP Asinim Butswat, however, in a statement on Thursday in Yenegoa confirmed that he was abducted by suspected kidnappers.

    Butswat also claimed that Igbifa’s freedom was as a result of pressure from the Police, even when there was no arrest.

    “The President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Peter Igbifa was released by his abductors on May 26, at Kaima, Kolokuma/Opukuma Local Government Area Bayelsa.

    “It will be recalled that the IYC President was kidnapped on May 25, on his way to the Port Harcourt Airport by suspected kidnappers.

    “Due to sustained pressure mounted by the Police, the IYC President was released at a bush at Kaima, from where he contacted the Police and was eventually rescued.

    “The Commissioner of Police Bayelsa State Command, Mike Okoli, has debriefed the kidnapped victim and investigation is ongoing to identify and arrest the perpetrators,” Butswat said.

    The abduction happened just before the expiration of the 30 days ultimatum the IYC gave the Federal Government to constitute the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Board or have the region shut down by Ijaw youths.

    Igbifa issued the notice on April 26 and followed it up with a warning on May 17, asking all multinational oil companies operating in the region to vacate and peacefully shut down their oil platforms before the expiration of the notice at midnight of May 26.

  • Oil Spill: Agip shuts down Idu Well 11 in Bayelsa

    Oil Spill: Agip shuts down Idu Well 11 in Bayelsa

    The Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) on Wednesday confirmed an oil leak from its Idu oilfields at Egbebiri settlement within Biseni in Yenagoa Local Government Area in Bayelsa, resulting in its shutdown.

    The cause of the leakage, according to the Joint Investigative Visit (JIV) report on the incident was traced to equipment failure due to a rupture at the wellhead.

    In a response statement, Eni, parent company of NAOC, said the facility was shut down to prevent further damage to the environment.

    The statement made available by an Eni Spokesperson on behalf of the Italian Energy firm reads: “As soon as the incident was reported, we activated our oil spill response, shut in the well and notified government regulatory agencies.

    “The Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) was carried out on 09/05/2021, with participation of community representatives and the government regulatory agencies.

    “The event occurred within the Company’s well head location which is paved and walled round. There is no significant third party impact,” Eni stated.

    However, an environmental rights group, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) said that the incident which discharged crude and associated gas had severely polluted the environment.

    The Non-Governmental Organisation said that a visit to the spill site showed pictorial evidence of the crude spreading beyond NAOC’s right of way as nearby vegetation were withered as a result of the crude impact.

    According to a field report on the spill incident signed by Mr Alagoa Morris, Head of Field Operations at ERA/FoEN, the Idu fields was notorious for frequent spills caused by equipment failure.

    “The people of Egbebiri in Biseni kingdom have experienced several oil spills over the years. And all the oil spill incidents documented by the Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) in this community environment have occurred as a result of equipment failure and on Wellheads.

    “ERA/FoEN has had cause to visit the environment of Idu Well 5 and 11 located within the same place in the past and it has always been Idu Well 11 spewing crude oil into the environment.

    “Available records from ERA/FoEN indicate that there has been previous oil spills from this particular Idu Well 11 operated by Agip.

    “Before concluding this Field Report, ERA/FoEN confirmed that Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) was carried out on Sunday, 9th May, 2021.

    “This is why the official Spill Reference No 2021/LAR/028/058 is indicated in this report; sourced from the JIV report. Cause of spill was attributed to equipment failure,” ERA/FoEN stated.

    The report quoted a resident of the community simply identified as Georgie as saying that the spill incident of May 7 spilled oil from around 10 p.m till about 8 a.m the next day before the leak was stopped.

    According to ERA/FoEN, the residents said that the level of damage was enormous.

    “You can see the level of damage all over ,we don’t know what to do. But for now we are calling on relevant agencies to ensure that prompt action is taken so as to prevent the spill spreading to the water bodies in the environment. You can see all the trees are changing colours.

    “So, I am calling on Agip, the Federal and State Governments to come to our aid,” ERA/FoEN quoted a resident appealing.

  • Police arrest suspected gunrunner in Bayelsa

    Police arrest suspected gunrunner in Bayelsa

    Operatives of the Anti-kidnapping Unit of Bayelsa State Police Command have arrested a 28-year-old man, who allegedly specialises in fabricating and selling locally-made guns.

    In a statement on Wednesday in Yenagoa, the command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Asinmin Butswait, said that the suspected gunrunner belonged to the Bobos Cult.

    Butswait said that the suspect had produced and sold a number of locally-made guns to cultists and armed robbers in Bayelsa.

    The PPRO said that the suspect was arrested on a tipoff.

    According to him, the detectives are now on trail of cultists and others who purchased locally-made arms from the suspect.

    He said that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Mike Okoli, had called for continued cooperation from members of the public to enable police to succeed in their fight against criminality.

  • Shell’s pipeline spills 213 barrels of crude into Bayelsa community

    Shell’s pipeline spills 213 barrels of crude into Bayelsa community

    The Okordia-Rumekpe 14-inch crude truckline operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has discharged some 213 barrels of crude oil into Ikarama community in Bayelsa.

    SPDC’s Media Relations Manager, Mr Bamidele Odugbesan, confirmed the leakage and said that probe into the incident had been concluded.

    A Joint Investigative Visit’s (JIV) report on the incident on Thursday confirmed that the incident occured on April 7, while the investigation was concluded on April 12.

    JIV is a statutory probe into the cause of any recorded spill incident involving the oil firm, regulators, host communities and state ministries of environment.

    The JIV report concluded that the spill was an operational mishap traced to equipment failure which impacted nearby palm trees and fish ponds.

    It recommended remediation of the site.

    The report indicated that an estimated 1.34 hectares of land was polluted by the leakage which followed a rupture on the pipeline.

    According to the report, out of the 213 barrels of SPDC’s bonny light crude stream leak, some 110 barrels are recoverable from the ongoing recovery exercise at the site, leaving an estimated spilled volume at 109.12 barrels.

    The JIV report, which anticipated that oil recovery would be concluded before the end of April, also recommended replacement of sections of the pipeline to restore its integrity.

  • Bayelsa bans open grazing, to arrest armed herders

    Bayelsa bans open grazing, to arrest armed herders

    Bayelsa Government has enacted a law prohibiting open grazing of livestock in the state.

    Gov. Douye Diri assented to the Livestock Breeding, Rearing and Marketing Regulation Law 2021 on Wednesday at the Executive Chamber of Government House, Yenagoa.

    He said the essence of the law was to ensure harmonious living between cattle dealers and other inhabitants of the state and to forestall violent clashes being experienced in other parts of the country.

    His words: “Bayelsa welcomes all and sundry to eke out a living legitimately. The people of Bayelsa want to have a mutual and harmonious relationship with non-natives and natives.

    “The essence of the law is to avert and forestall any clash between herdsmen, farmers, natives and non-natives as experienced in some states,” he said.

    The law, according to the governor, stipulates that any herdsman found with arms, whether licensed or not, should be arrested.

    He said that the law established a livestock management committee to regulate livestock activities in the state.
    Members of the committee include the Commissioner for Agriculture, security agencies and youths.

    “From the commencement of the law, no person shall breed, rear or trade in livestock in the state in any other place as may be designated by the committee and approved by the state government.

    “The law prohibits movement of cattle on foot from other parts of the country into the state, inspection of livestock and certification by veterinary doctors at entry point into the state among others,” he said.

    Diri said that by assenting to the law, any person found engaging in open grazing of livestock on foot commits an offence and would be arrested and prosecuted with the livestock impounded.

    The governor also signed into law the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law 2021.

    He explained that the law was to prevent certain harmful practices against women and children.

    He said with its enactment, Bayelsa has domesticated the Federal law, which had been in existence.

    In his remarks, Speaker of the Bayelsa House of Assembly, Abraham Ingobere, while presenting the bills for the governor’s assent, said the livestock regulation bill was to prevent clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

    Also giving an insight into the VAPP Bill, which was sponsored by Rep. Tare Porri, the Speaker said the aim was to eliminate violence against women and to also ensure speedy dispensation of justice.

  • Bayelsa West election: Supreme Court dismisses Sen. Dickson’s appeal

    Bayelsa West election: Supreme Court dismisses Sen. Dickson’s appeal

    The Supreme Court on Tuesday struck out two appeals filed by Sen. Seriake Dickson and the PDP against a suit seeking his disqualification from contesting the concluded Bayelsa West senatorial election.

    Dickson is appealing the Court of Appeal ruling which set aside a ruling by the Yenagoa Federal High Court that dismissed a suit seeking to disqualify him from running for the senatorial election.

    Justice Mary Odili, who led five-member panel of justices, held that the appeals lacked merit and struck out both appeals after Dickson and PDP lawyers agreed to formally withdraw the appeals.

    The apex court agreed with the lawyer to the first respondent (Owoupele Eneoriekumoh), Pius Pius that, having earlier filed a notice of withdrawal, he could no longer take further steps except to withdraw the appeal.

    “Once a party files a notice of withdrawal, the only further step such an appellant could take is to formally withdraw the appeal, not to abandon the withdrawal notice and seek to be heard on the same notice of appeal.

    Dickson had earlier applied to withdraw the appeal, but later changed his mind and filed a motion, seeking to have the appeal heard.

    Also while striking out the appeal by the PDP, the apex court noted that the appellant filed a notice of appeal without specifying the judgment of the Court of Appeal that was being appealed against.

    However, the respondents objected the motion, arguing that, having applied to withdraw for whatever reason, he could no longer change his mind.

    The Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, had on Jan. 7, 2021 ruled that the disqualification suit against Dickson was not statute barred and should be given accelerated hearing by the Federal High Court.

    The three-member panel disagreed with the Federal High Court’s decision to dismiss the matter, saying the judgment of the lower court was wrong.

    The panel presided over by Justice U. Onyemenam, explained the appeal was based on whether by the provisions of Section of the Electoral Act and Section 285 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the originating process of the applicant was statute barred.

    He, however, said the suit was filed within 14 days beginning from the publication of the particulars of the candidate by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’’.

    Justice Jane Inyang of the Federal High Court Yenagoa had thrown out the suit filed by Owoupele for lack of jurisdiction declaring that the suit was stature barred for being filed after the constitutionally stipulated time to do so.

    Owoupele’s lawyers lead by Pius Danba and Ebikebuna Augustine Aluzu had proceeded to the Court of Appeal seeking the court to upturn the verdict of the lower Court.