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Tag: rivers

  • Court orders FG to pay Rivers, Akwa Ibom states $3.3bn oil revenue

    Court orders FG to pay Rivers, Akwa Ibom states $3.3bn oil revenue

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Federal Government to pay over $3 billion to Rivers and Akwa Ibom states, as part of their revenue shares from crude oil sales.

    The amount formed part of the $62 billion said to have been recovered from some oil companies by the Federal Government.

    Delivering the judgement on Tuesday, Justice Taiwo Taiwo held that the notice of intention to defend the case without joining issues with the plaintiffs was an error on the part of the government.

    The court also rejected the claim of the Federal Government that it cannot pay the money it received from crude oil sales adding that the defendant ought to have filed a defence to explain its position in the $62 billion oil earnings as required by law.

  • Explosion hits motor park in Rivers

    Explosion hits motor park in Rivers

    An explosion rocks the Mile Three Motor Park at Diobu Axis of Port Harcourt, Rivers at about 6.45am, on Monday causing panic among traders.

    Unconfirmed reports have it that some persons were injured but we are not sure if there were fatalities.

    Our Correspondent could not confirm if the explosion was related to the sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

    However,it was learnt the bomb explosive unit from the Rivers State Police Command has visited the scene of the explosion for preliminary investigation.

    It would recalled the both the Rivers Police Command and the State Government had assured residents that adequate security arrangements had been made to protect lives and properties of citizens of the state.

    Police and the State Government dismissed the order by the proscribed Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB, that businesses should remain shut in obedience to the sit-at-home by the group on Monday, May 31.

    When contacted, spokesperson of the Rivers State Police Command, SP Nnamdi Omoni, said he was yet to receive briefing about the incident from the Divisional Police Officer, DPO under whose jurisdiction the incident happened.

    When our Correspondent visited the Rumuokoro Modern Market in Obio-Akpor local government Council area, Traders opened for business, but did not openly displayed their goods outside their shops. The Motor Park attached to the market was opened, but with few vehicles.

    A Trader said that most traders who did not come to open for business did it not because of solidarity with IPOB, but stayed off business to avoid looting of their wares.

  • Army, DSS kill seven ESN members, arrest five in Rivers

    Army, DSS kill seven ESN members, arrest five in Rivers

    The Nigerian army says it has carried out joint clearance operation with the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and killed seven operatives of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in Rivers community.

    The army also said that it arrested five of operatives of ESN, an armed wing of the proscribed Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), while arms and ammunition were recovered from them.

    The army in a statement made available to to our Correspondent on Thursday night said the operation took place at about 6:15pm.

    The statement read: “6 Div in conjunction with Keystone, DSS and NSCDC led by Brigadier-General MD Danja conducted clearance/raid operations at suspected IPOB/ESN camp in Agbochia Forest along Pipelines Road Ogali/ Kom-Kom boundary between Eleme and Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    “During the clearance/raid Operations, the team came in contact with the IPOB/ESN members. However, during the firefight, 7 IPOB/ESN members were neutralized and 5 suspects were arrested.

    “Items recovered during the clearance/raid on IPOB/ESN camp included two AK 47 rifles, two G3 rifles, one locally made machine gun and one G3 magazine. Also recovered included three rounds of 7.62mm special, 10 rounds 7.62mm x 51mm NATO, one x cutlass, five Baofeng handheld radios with chargers, 10 black barretts.”

  • Trending video: Man slumps, dies while dancing at an event in Rivers state

    Trending video: Man slumps, dies while dancing at an event in Rivers state

    A yet-to-be identified man reportedly collapsed and died after suffering from a heart attack while dancing at an event.

    The man clad in a white top and a black trouser, took to the center stage to entertain the guests with his dance steps. He danced well to the admiration of the attendees.

    However, he slumped while dancing. At first, many people thought he was joking until he wasn’t able to stand up after some time. They took a closer look and discovered he had stopped breathing.

    Unconfirmed reports claim the deceased is the chairman of a local government in Rivers state.

    Watch video:

  • Wike pledges N220m to families of slain policemen

    Wike pledges N220m to families of slain policemen

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said the state will give N20 million to the families of each of the eleven police personnel killed by gunmen during recent attacks of police formations in the state.

    The governor, who spoke when he paid a condolence visit to the Commissioner of Police, Friday Eboka and officers of the state’s police command on Monday, tasked them to henceforth be on offensive against those, perpetrating the heinous acts.

    Wike, while addressing officers and men of the police at the Police Officers Mess in Port Harcourt, said his visit was to commiserate with them over the death of some of their colleagues, who lost their lives in line of duty while protecting the state.

    He acknowledged that though the money could not equate human lives, his gesture was aimed at assuaging the bereaved families.

    The governor described as heart-wrenching the unwarranted killing of policemen, who were legitimately protecting lives and property of citizens of the country.

    He said: “In the past two to three weeks, we have lost eleven police officers and men. This is a dark period for us in the state.”

    He lamented that the gunmen, who carried out the dastardly killings coldheartedly turned the wives of the slain policemen to widows and rendered their children, fatherless for no just cause.

    Wike charged the state police command to be more proactive to ward off further attacks and resolve never again to condone the killing of its personnel by those bent on instigating crisis in the country.

    The governor reiterated that no amount of vicious attacks or intimidation could compel Rivers to become part of any secessionist agenda.

    He maintained that the people of Rivers believed in the unity of the Nigerian state.

    He said: “We must be united to fight for this country to be one. We must not allow anyone to talk about secession. If you want to secede, Rivers State is not part of it, and nobody can cow Rivers State to be part of it. Not under my watch will I allow that.”

    The governor assured the command of the government’s continuous support and charged police personnel to be more careful and vigilant.

    In his remarks, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Friday Eboka on behalf of the Acting-Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman, thanked the governor for assuaging the pains of the bereaved families.

    Eboka told the governor that the armed men, who attacked three different police formations gruesomely, killed seven officers.

    According to him, two officers, who sustained bullet injuries, were receiving treatment.

    He said: “It is noteworthy that the hoodlums did not escape without suffering fatalities, as two of them lost their lives and their Hilux riddled with bullets was abandoned. Thanks to RRT Commander and other Tactical Teams who responded to the distress call.”

    He stated that in spite of ugly developments, officers and men of the state command would not shy away from their responsibilities.

    He said: “Your visit today will further boost their morals. I, therefore, want to use this opportunity to reassure the good people of Rivers State of our resolve to continue to protect their lives and property.”

  • Rivers imposes dusk-to-dawn curfew in all 23 councils

    Rivers imposes dusk-to-dawn curfew in all 23 councils

    Rivers Security Council has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on all the 23 local government areas of the state with effect from Thursday following security scares.

    Governor Nyesom Wike, in a statewide broadcast, said the decision was taken after an exhaustive deliberation by the council at the Government House, Port Harcourt.

    The Governor recalled on 28th April 2021, the council, in consideration of the recent murderous attacks on security personnel in Ikwerre and Abua/Odual Local Government Areas, imposed a night-time curfew on all state land borders.

    The Governor, in a statement by his Special Assistant, Media, Kelvin Ebiri, said after a review of the present security situation, there were possibilities of further deadly attacks on hard and soft targets across the state.

    He said it became imperative for the state government to take further necessary measures to secure the state and safeguard lives and property.

    He said: “Accordingly, the State Security Council has, today, after exhaustive deliberation, decided and advised that a state wide curfew on human and vehicular movements be imposed as part of additional measures to prevent the faceless criminals from unleashing their deadly actions.

    “Consequently, a night curfew is hereby imposed on the entire 23 Local Government Areas of the State prohibiting any human and or vehicular movement within or any part of the State from 10.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m. from today 29th April 2021 until further notice.”

    Wike emphasised the government took the decision with a singular intention to secure the state and guarantee the protection of lives and property.

    The Governor urged everyone in the state to be vigilant and promptly report every suspicious movement in their neighbourhood to the security agencies for immediate actions.

  • Wike condemns “barbaric, dastardly” attack on security personnel in Rivers

    Wike condemns “barbaric, dastardly” attack on security personnel in Rivers

    Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers has strongly condemned “the barbaric and dastardly” attack on security personnel along Omagwa/Isiokpo/Elele Owerri Road in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state.

    Wike made this known on Sunday in a statement by his Media Aide, Mr Kelvin Ebiri, in Port Harcourt.

    He said: “ There is no justification for such a heinous and condemnable attack targeted against innocent security personnel on legitimate duty of protecting life and property in the state.

    “The Government of Rivers State is saddened by the unwarranted callous attack on security personnel. We offer our sympathies to the relatives of those who lost their lives in the attack.

    “We condemn this heinous act, share the grief of the security agencies and convey our sincere condolences.’’

    The governor, who charged the security agencies to be vigilant, said that the government and people of Rivers “are in solidarity with security agencies at this difficult times of this unwarranted and mindless violence’’.

    The governor also demanded that perpetrators of the attack must be fished out and brought to justice.

  • Gunmen attack Rivers checkpoint; kill policemen, soldiers

    Gunmen attack Rivers checkpoint; kill policemen, soldiers

    Gunmen have attacked military and police checkpoints along the Owerri-Port Harcourt Road in Ikwerre Local Government Area, Rivers State.

    It was gathered the gunmen, who launched the attacks around 8 pm on Saturday, killed four policemen and two soldiers.

    Details soon…
  • 2023 presidency: Neglect Rivers at your peril, Wike warns politicians

    2023 presidency: Neglect Rivers at your peril, Wike warns politicians

    Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has said anybody jostling to be president of Nigeria will need to secure votes in Rivers to combine with either Kano or Lagos to win.

    He said such a pivotal position established the importance of Rivers in the political scheme of the country, and nobody would be allowed to undermine it.

    Wike, in a statement by his Special Assistant, Media, Kelvin Ebiri, spoke at the grand finale of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) local government election campaign at Ulakwo in Etche Local Government Area yesterday.

    He said: “I keep telling the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that no state has given more votes to the party than Rivers.

    “And it is only in Rivers, in the whole of Southsouth, that the All Progressives Congress (APC) didn’t get 25 per cent votes in 2019 General Elections. We taught them a lesson.

    “In Nigeria, nobody wins presidency if you didn’t win either Rivers and Lagos or Kano and Lagos together. Rivers is not a state anybody can joke with. Some states went to negotiate with them. Rivers didn’t do it.”

    Wike criticised Senator Andrew Uchendu for his alleged uncanny comments in the media and wondered what courage he had to talk against the PDP administration that was ending the suffering he inflicted on his people.

    He said: “I was watching Arise Television the other day, and I heard Senator Andrew Uchendu and the Chief Medical Director of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. The CMD said I asked him to indict the former governor. I don’t know that he has such judicial power. I don’t also know his basis.

    “He (CMD) set up a target. The man was lobbying to be a commissioner where our former party chairman comes from without even doing due consultation. Because I didn’t give him commissioner, he ran and started to abuse me.”

    The governor said it was regrettable that Uchendu spent many years in the National Assembly and was close to the former administration in the state but could not fix the road leading to his village.

    He said: “I am going there to flag off the road and to tell his (Uchendu) community, see what your son couldn’t give you. He (Uchendu) has collected the contract from NDDC every year, he abandoned it. I am going to shame him by doing that road.”

    Wike said the fortunes of Etche people improved under the PDP-led administration in the state.

    According to him, under his administration, Etche sons have been appointed as Vice-Chancellor of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education and also as a judge.

    He said his administration established a campus of the River State University in Etche and awarded contracts for the Igbo-Etche -Rumuokwurushi Road, Olakwor-Nihi Road, and the Chokocho-Ozuzu Road that was abandoned by Ogbonna Nwuke, despite being paid for the project.

    Wike said Etche would continue to be relevant in the political scheme of the State and be part of the process of discussion among stakeholders in deciding the next governor of the state.

    “If I say I will do something, I will do it. Ordinarily, if Nigeria is a place of true democracy where votes count, no party can campaign in this state. Their hope is to use security?

    “Have you seen second tenure governor working as we are doing? It is because of the love we have for this state. We all own this state together. All those threats of what they’ll do in 2023 are all foul talks,” he said.

    The governor urged the people of Etche to continue to work in unison ahead of 2023.

  • Wike bans meeting of Igbo group in Oyigbo, Rivers State

    Wike bans meeting of Igbo group in Oyigbo, Rivers State

    The Governor Nyesom Wike led Rivers State Government has placed a ban on a planned meeting of some Igbo residents in the Oyigbo Local Government Area over fears that such meeting could spark fresh unrest in the area.

    The meeting by a group known as the United Igbo community is scheduled to hold at Oyigbo on Saturday, April 10, 2021.

    In a statement signed by the commissioner for information and communications, Paulinus Nsirim the government directed security agencies “to ensure that the said meeting does not hold to forestall a breakdown of law and order in the area”.

    Though the government is not specific about any security concern, Oyigbo local government area which shares boundary with Abia state is considered a stronghold of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a proscribed group which the police claims is responsible for the attacks on police officers and its facilities in the area shortly after the #EndSARS protest in October 2020.

    The attacks led to a military operation in which soldiers and civilians were killed.

    Apart from the fragile nature of Oyigbo following the October incident, the meeting of the Igbo community is coming up at a time when the nation is grappling with attacks on police formations in Imo, which happens to be another south-east state that shares a boundary with Rivers.