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Tag: rivers

  • Wike orders council chairmen, youths to fish out IPOB members in Rivers

    Wike orders council chairmen, youths to fish out IPOB members in Rivers

    Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has ordered the 23 council chairmen and youths to fish out members of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) from the state.

    Wike threatened to sack any council chairman that allows IPOB to hold processions and hoist its flag within any part of the state.

    The Governor, who spoke during a meeting with the chairmen, community development committees and youths leaders at the Government House, in Port Harcourt on Monday, described Rivers as the most accommodating state for all Nigerians.

    He said there had never been any historical incident of different ethnic groups clashing in the state like in other parts of the country.

    He said: “We can never be against any ethnic group. We can never do that. We have lived in harmony with the Ibos, the Hausas, and with Edo people.

    “Everybody that comes to this state we have lived in harmony with. And so Nigerians must commend Rivers State as a place where you have never had problem between this group and that group”.

    Wike in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, said while the people of the state believed in the unity of the country, they would not allow criminals under the aegis of a terrorist group called IPOB to continue to threaten the stability of the state.

    He said: “There is one terrorist group they call IPOB. I did not declare them terrorist group, the court declared them terrorist group. Not me.

    “The federal government declared them a terrorist group. IPOB cannot use Rivers state to be place where they will be launching attack. If you allow that, your future, your children’s future is gone”.

    The Governor wondered why IPOB had the effrontery to hoist its flag in Oyigbo and directed the council chairman to ensure there would not be another occurrence of such treasonous act.

    “Go to Oyigbo and see what they have done. Destroyed the court. What did the court do? See the soldiers they killed and burnt them.

    “See the policemen they killed and burnt them and then you said people will sit and fold their arms,” Wike said.

    The Governor called for vigilance on the part of Rivers people and warned sternly that IPOB members should not delude themselves thinking Rivers could be colonised or annexed by any group under his administration.

    He said that Rivers could never be annexed by any state insisting that the state remained part of Niger Delta region.

    He explained that while every Nigerian was allowed to reside in Rivers, those willing to do so must live in peace with the people of the state.

    “Ibos are living and doing their business here and they will continue to live and their business here. We support that.

    “But that terrorist group called IPOB cannot determine what happens in our state. To tell us where they own. It will never happen and we must allow it to happen”, he said.

    Wike charged all chairmen of councils, youth leaders, CDCs to go into their various communities and identify all IPOB members and warned against harassing any Igbo person legitimately doing business in the state.

    “But there are criminal elements that we must not allow, and the criminal elements are those who said they are IPOB members. Federal government has proscribed them, I have proscribed them” he said .

    He called on the people to defend the territory and ensure no part of the state was annexed by a criminal organisation or terrorist organisation.

    He said: “We cannot allow it. All our vigilant groups must be encouraged. Everybody must be at alert. Work with the security agencies to make sure nothing call IPOB exist in this state. No procession. Not even a meeting somewhere. Identify where they hold meeting cells” he said

    Commissioner for Youth Development, Ohia Prince Obi, lauded the Governor for interfacing with the youths saying it would give them a sense of belonging in the affairs of the state.

    The chairman, National Youth Council of Nigeria in Rivers State , Chijoke Ihunwo’s appeal to Wike for clemency for wanted , Stanley Mgbere, who led IPOB members to attack the palace of the king of Onne, was rejected.

  • Wike outlaws IPOB, places N50m ransom on its leader in Rivers

    Wike outlaws IPOB, places N50m ransom on its leader in Rivers

    Governor Nyesom Wike on Friday announced a ban on all activities of Igbo secessionist agitator group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in Rivers State.

    The ban follows the indictment of the group by the police in the series of violence that have rocked the Oyigbo Local Government Area and other parts of the State in the wake of the #EndSARS protests since the beginning of the week.

    The Governor had on Wednesday declared 24 hours curfew in Oyigbo and other parts of the state to rein in activities of the group.

    However, the Rivers State Police Command said the curfew did not deter the group as over 500 of its members attacked and burnt down two of its stations, 15 cars, including an armoured personnel carrier even after the imposition of the curfew.

    Violence by the group continued from Thursday till early hours of Friday with reports that many residents of Oyigbo government were forced to flee the area as its members engaged in a gunfight with security operatives.

    Many houses were reportedly set ablaze in the gale of violence, while many people were also injured.

    While announcing the ban on the organisation on Friday, Governor Wike said the activities of the banned IPOB are not just dangerous to lives and property, but also constitute clear and present threat to the existential interest and aspirations of Rivers State and all her people.

    He added that the proscription order on IPOB in Rivers was a reinforcement of the earlier ban of the activities of the group across the nation by the Federal Government.

    The Governor added that with the proscription, no form of procession or agitation by the group or any of its affiliates is allowed to take place in Rivers hence forth.

    “Security agencies are hereby directed to stop any form of procession or agitation by IPOB in Rivers State or any part thereof and arrest and prosecute any person or group that identifies with the membership or activities of IPOB in the State; Government will issue an executive order to strengthen and ensure the effective enforcement of these measures” he said.

    He disclosed that he will be meeting with all leaders of youth groups and community development committees in the State on Monday 26th October 2020 to take holistic measures to counter and stop all IPOB activities in Rivers State;

    The governor also declared one Mr. Stanley Mgbere, who wanted for leading members of IPOB to cause the recent violence and destruction of lives and property in Oyigbo.

    He said a ransom of N50m will be given to any person with useful information that would lead to arrest and prosecution of Mgbere.

    Wike recalled that since IPOB was classified as a terrorist organisation by the Federal High Court and subsequently proscribed in September 2017, the group has carried out intermittent processions in parts of Rivers State, especially in Oyigbo and some notorious suburbs in Port Harcourt Local Government Areas.

    According to him, IPOB aim had been to disturb the peace of the State by unleashing violence and destruction on lives and property at will.

    The Rivers State Government, according to the governor, had severally pleaded, warned and even advised IPOB and its members to discontinue its insurrectional actions in Rivers State to no avail.

    Instead of heeding the warning, he said IPOB unleashed another orgy of violence and destruction inflicted at Oyigbo Local Government Area and some parts of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area on Tuesday 21st October 2020.

    He said this evil, wicked and audacious action resulted in the unnecessary loss of scores of lives, including soldiers and police officers, and the destruction of both public and private properties, including police stations, court buildings and business premises.

    Wike also claimed that members of the group also visited physical violence on members of some targeted community which, but, for the quick intervention of the State Government and the security agencies, would have resulted in some form of internecine bloodbath in the State.

    “Today, IPOB continued with its devilish and destructive activities at Rumukwurushi, Iriebe and Oyigbo in open defiance of the State Government’s curfew on human movements. Security intelligence and surveillance have revealed that IPOB has continued to expand its membership drive, holding meetings regularly, and expanding its logistical base, including the maintenance of illegal detention cells in Emenike and other parts of Diobu, Port Harcourt.”

    “As a matter of fact, Oyigbo town has practically become the group’s main operational base in Rivers State, from which they’ve become notorious for launching premeditated violence and terror on the State, businesses and innocent citizens. As a people, we have become very much unsettled by the terrorist acts and endured the continuing irritations, violence, destruction and provocations of IPOB in and against the people of Rivers State.”

    The governor noted that as a stranger element with strange political ideology, IPOB has no legal or moral right to invade Rivers State or any part therefore at its behest; to disturb public peace; and subject lives and property to violence or threat of destruction under any guise.

    He emphasized that Rivers State’s love, accommodation and hospitality towards all who reside in and do business in the state are being mistaken for weakness by the banned IPOB.

    “I wish to appeal to the people of Oyigbo Local Government Area to remain calm and not to take the laws into their hands despite the intense provocation as government has the capacity to deal with the challenge and ensure the safety of lives and property in the Local Government Area. We will soon carry out on the spot inspection and assessment of the destruction they have suffered and take appropriate measures to mitigate the loss and damage caused to lives and property” he said.

  • #EndSARS: Police speak on alleged beheading of DPO in Rivers LG

    #EndSARS: Police speak on alleged beheading of DPO in Rivers LG

    Police in Rivers have debunked rumour that a divisional police officer (DPO) was beheaded in Oyigbo Local Government Area by hoodlums.

    Rivers police spokesman Nnamdi Omoni confirmed to newsmen on Friday that the rumour was false.

    He said no police officer has been killed in the area except two who were killed on October 20 by hoodlums.

    “The DPO is alive, he is with me (here),” Mr Omoni said.

    There have been reports of heavy gunfire in Oyigbo despite a curfew imposed in the area by the Rivers State Government.

    It was gathered that soldiers have also been deployed to the area, Eleme and oil mill junction on Aba Road.

    Omoni said he has heard of violence in Oyigbo, but that he was yet to get a report from the area.

  • Rivers #EndSARS protesters dare Wike, assemble enmasse at government house

    Rivers #EndSARS protesters dare Wike, assemble enmasse at government house

    Sequel to Governor Nyesom Wike’s order banning the #EndSARS protests in Rivers State, defiant protesters on Tuesday took the protest to the governor’s office in Port Harcourt.

    The protesters started gathering in their numbers as earlier as at about 11.30 am, awaiting Wike to address them as the Chief Security Officer of the State.

    Some of the protesters drummed, sang and danced at the entrance of the Government House.

    Armed police officers barricaded the Government House and prevented entrance by the protesters.

    The protesters assembled at the Pleasure Park this morning, before they began the march through the Garden City to Government House.

  • Rivers police rescues kidnapped lawyer

    Rivers police rescues kidnapped lawyer

    A certain young Lawyer, Bisola Ajayi who was abducted last weekend has been rescued.

    TheNewsGuru gathered that Bisola was rescued by the anti-kidnapping unit of the Rivers State Police Command led by DSP Adewale.

    DSP Adewale led his men to a forest in Etche Local Government Area of the state where the kidnappers were hiding. Two suspects and an arm-dealer were arrested.

    The Rivers state Police Command is yet to release an official statement on the latest development.

    TheNewsGuru recalls that twenty-five-year-old Laywer, Bisola Ajayi, fondly called Paulette was abducted on Saturday night from her residence at the Rumukwurusi area of Obio-Akpor.

  • Nigerian troops rescue 3 Russian sailors, 2 others from militants in Rivers

    Nigerian troops rescue 3 Russian sailors, 2 others from militants in Rivers

    Three Russian sailors, one Ukrainian and one Equatorial Guinean kidnapped by pirates since 9 May have been rescued by Nigerian troops, the Defence Headquarters said today.

    The rescue by troops of Operation Delta Safe, came after the hideout of the pirates and militants was overrun at Ibiakafemo, Idinkiri, Tombie and Ogboma .

    “The five expatriates comprising three Russians, one Ukranian and one Equatorial Guinean are presently at NNS Pathfinder medical centre receiving medical attention”, the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche said.

    Enenche said the expatriates were kidnapped aboard MT RIO MITONG and MT DJIBLOHO in Yellow Island.

    He said that a joint team from Forward Operating Base Bonny, Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder and troops of 146 Battalion combed the creeks in search of the kidnapped victims acting on credible intelligence.

    According to him, after a thorough search and rescue operation, the gallant troops raided and destroyed the hideouts to deny the pirates freedom of action.

    “Consequently, in the early hours of Oct. 6, the pirates/militants compelled by the ongoing operation surrendered to the gallant troops and handed over the five kidnapped expatriates at Iwofe Waterfront”.

    Enenche further disclosed that the joint team also intercepted two large wooden boats laden with an estimated 350,000 litres of suspected stolen illegally refined AGO and about 10,000 litres of stolen crude oil.

    He said that the stolen petroleum products had been recovered to the Base.

    “The Military High Command commends the gallant troops for their resilience and encourages them to sustain the tempo against the enemies of our country.

    “The general public is always encouraged to support the troops by providing credible intelligence that will aid the operations,” he said.

  • Gunmen abduct young female lawyer in Rivers, slap mother

    Gunmen abduct young female lawyer in Rivers, slap mother

    There is anxiety in Port Harcourt, Rivers State as gunmen abducted a young female lawyer, Paulette Bisola Ajayi on Sunday night.

    The gunmen were said to be dressed in combat military fatigue. She was abducted in Rumuokrushi.

    In view of the development, the National President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Olumide Akpata has petitioned Governor Nyesom Wike and the Attorney General of Rivers State, Prof. Zacheus Adango to intervene and ensure the immediate release of Ajayi.

    Akpata confirmed contacting Governor Wike and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice while announcing a Taskforce set up by the body to liaise with the State Government and relevant authorities to ensure the release of the female lawyer.

    Family of Ajayi also called for her immediate release.

    The family made the call through an online social media posts, saying that the Port Harcourt based lawyer, had reportedly been abducted by unknown gunmen at her residence at Rumuokwurusi.

    The concerned friends and family members on Monday morning said the hoodlums trailed her to her house and whisked her away forcefully on Sunday night.

    The hoodlums said to be at least four in number and dressed in combat apparels and dark t-shirts reportedly picked her in front of her home as she was waiting for her gate to be opened.

    In a video that is now circulating on Twitter, the victim’s sister was seen crying while calling on people to come to their aid and help rescue her sister.

    In the video, she said the uniform men trailed her to her home and that as she was about to drive in through the gate, when she was forcefully whisked away.

    She said her mother, who is said to also be a lawyer tried to stop them but was given a slap and that the gunmen shot in the air.

    Also, former Chairman of National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Anslem Odinkalu has also called for the release of the female lawyer.

    The kidnapped lawyer is said to be studying for her Master’s degree at the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt.

    Her whereabouts remain unknown as at the time of filing this report.

    The Rivers Police Command headquarters had not reacted to the kidnap.

  • Pandemonium as explosion rocks Rivers flour mill factory

    Pandemonium as explosion rocks Rivers flour mill factory

    Residents of Industry and Harbour Road in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of Rivers State were in pandemonium over an explosion that rocked the state-owned ailing ‘Flour Mill Company Limited’.

    The explosion which happened on Friday was said to have stunned both residential houses and business premises within and far away, causing panic, as some ran out of their houses to find out what had happened.
    Though the cause of the explosion at the flour mill which has been non-functional for over a year could not be determined, observers described the sound resulting from it as ‘very loud’, saying it instantly resulted in a huge fire.
    One of the eyewitnesses said that though the factory was not operational, some persons were offloading some unnamed products when he left the facility about the time the incident took place; even as firefighters responded to a distress call put across to them.
    The Flour Mills facility is surrounded by the Nigerian Ports Authority, Ports and Terminal Operators Limited, the Nigeria Customs Service and other business concerns.
    When called, the Rivers State Commissioner for Special Duties, Thomas Bariere, confirmed the incident, saying no casualty was recorded.

  • Suspected IPOB members kidnap, kill police officer in Rivers

    Suspected IPOB members kidnap, kill police officer in Rivers

    Hoodlums suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB) on Wednesday allegedly abducted and killed a police officer attached to Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) headquarters in Port Harcourt at Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    According to reports, the police officer who was on special duty at the Oyigbo area had reportedly taken permission to go and eat around 9:30pm when he was allegedly abducted and taken to a bush path where he was slaughtered by his abductors.

    It was gathered that the abduction led to clash between the Police and people suspected to be members of IPOB in Oyigbo.

    It was gathered that it took combined efforts of officers attached to tactical units like Operation Sting, Anti-Cultism and others to curtail the rampaging IPOB members who later attempted to launch an attack on the Special Police Anti-Robbery Squad base in the area.

    It was gathered that the IPOB members later retreated into neighbouring Abia state.

    Meanwhile, the spokesman of the Rivers state command SP Nnamdi Omoni confirmed the incident, but noted that the full detail of the incident is yet to reach his desk.

    Recall that the Rivers State Police Command had in statement on Wednesday warned IPOB members to stay off the state or face the full wrath of the law.

  • Rivers, Bayelsa resume hostilities over ownership of Soku Oil Well

    Rivers, Bayelsa resume hostilities over ownership of Soku Oil Well

    Rivers and Bayelsa have renewed hostilities over ownership of the Soku oil fields reportedly situated in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area and the revenue accruing from it.

    The Federal High Court in December 2019 declared the oil wells belonged to Rivers and ordered the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to pay revenue from the oil fields to Rivers.

    Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri faulted the payment of the Soku revenue to Rivers and appealed the judgement.

    But Wike on Tuesday disagreed with him, describing Diri’s call to halt the ongoing remittance of Soku’s revenue to Rivers as unfortunate.

    Wike, who spoke when a delegation of RMAFC led by Alhaji Mohammed Usman visited him in Government House, Port Harcourt, insisted the oil wells belonged to Rivers and urged RMAFC to continue paying the revenue to the state.

    Wike said: “It is unfortunate that the Bayelsa State Governor told you when you visited him that you should not pay us revenue from Soku Oil Well.

    “The matter was at the Supreme Court when the National Boundary Commission admitted that they made an error in their 11th edition publication by situating Soku Oil Well in Bayelsa State.

    “They were therefore, directed to correct the error in their 12th edition publication. When they also failed to effect the correction, we had to go back to the Federal High Court.

    “The court, in its wisdom directed that all revenue accruing from Soku Oil Well should be paid to Rivers State.

    “That is the position. For Bayelsa State Governor to come up to say that you should not pay us our money is unfortunate. If they have filed a matter at the Supreme Court, it is not an injunction to stop the implementation of the subsisting judgement”.

    The governor advocated a new revenue sharing formula that would make the states get more money for development.

    Wike argued States bore more development burdens than the Federal Government and would require more money to cater to the needs of the people.

    “There cannot be a Federal Government without the States. So, we advocate a new revenue formula that should take more revenue out of the Federal Government and given to the States.

    “This is because the burden is more on the States than the Federal Government. So, the states should have more revenue to cater for the people,” he said.

    The governor commended the commission for taking the bold step to correct fraudulent practices adopted by some States to gain financial advantage.

    But Diri, who received a similar delegation in Government House, Yenagoa, flayed deductions of the state revenue by RAMFC in favour of Rivers despite the pending appeal.

    He said the action was tantamount to ceding of Bayelsa territory indirectly to Rivers and called on the commission to revisit its decision until the apex court gave a final verdict on the boundary dispute between both states.

    He lamented the action had significantly affected the state’s allocation for September.

    He said: “The action by the commission is tantamount to ceding a part of Bayelsa State to Rivers State, which can breach the peace between both sister states.

    “I will still appeal to your chairman and members of your commission to revisit this deduction from the monthly allocation of Bayelsa. I have in this regard written letters to the President, the Vice President, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Accountant General. I will follow it up by visiting their offices.

    “We want to explore a peaceful method. But what the commission has done can degenerate the peace that we are having between these sister states. I don’t think that my people from Oluasiri in Nembe and all of us from Bayelsa will accept ceding any parts of our territories to anybody.

    “So, what your commission has done is indirectly ceding our territories to Rivers state and that is totally unacceptable to us as a people and a state.”