Business
IGP Orders Manhunt For SAN’s Abductors
Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar, has ordered the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Foluso Adebanjo, to immediately fish out the suspects, who allegedly kidnapped human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome and his driver, last Saturday in Edo State, just as he directed the rescue of the victims unhurt.
Mohammed has also vowed to ensure that the suspects are brought to justice.
Force Public Relations Officers, Frank Mba, told journalists in a telephone interview that the IGP had directed the Edo commissioner of police to commence immediate and vigorous manhunt for the hoodlums “who must be arrested and brought to justice and the kidnapped victims rescued”.
Mba quoted the Inspector General of Police as having said,”we, therefore, once again call on the general public not to relent in their partnership with the police to fish out the criminals as common enemy to our society and report anyone found with the bullet wounds to the nearest police station.”
It would be recalled that four police officers were killed Saturday in Benin-City, the Edo State capital while attempting to foil an abduction bid on human rights activist and lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN).
The officers of the Edo Police Command were killed in their failed attempt to stop the kidnappers from escaping with the human rights activist.
It was learnt that Ozekhome was kidnapped along with his driver while they were travelling along the Benin-Auchi Road.
Narrating the development to newsmen in Benin last Saturday, Edo State Commissioner of Police, Foluso Adebanjo had said: “Operatives of the command led by DPO Ehor Division responded swiftly to a distress call at about 3:30 pm that an unspecified number of armed men had blocked the Benin-Auchi Road by Ehor axis”.
According to him, “but while on their way to the scene, the hoodlums ambushed the police patrol vehicle and opened fire on them.
“At the end of the gun duel, the hoodlums escaped with bullet wounds but not without their victim who was later identified, upon search on his abandoned vehicle, as Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and his driver. Regrettably, the command lost four officers in the encounter”, he said.
There were, however, indications yesterday that the police personally led by the Police Commissioner, Adebanjo, were on the trail of the suspected kidnappers of Ozekhome.
This is the second high profile abduction to have taken place in Edo State in recent times.
In May, unknown gunmen kidnapped the wife and daughter of Supreme Court Justice, Bode Rhodes-Vivour.
The ladies, along with their driver, were intercepted as they were about to enter Benin.
They were later released about three weeks later, presumably on the payment of some ransom to the kidnappers.
Meanwhile, some prominent lawyers in Lagos yesterday condemned the abduction of a human rights lawyer, Mr Mike Ozekhome (SAN), describing the spate of kidnappings across the country as worrisome.
The lawyers, who spoke to newsmen, expressed grave concern about security situation in the country and urged security agencies to intensify their efforts toward apprehending the kidnappers.
Ozekhome was reportedly abducted on August 23 at Ehor near Benin City in Edo State by some unknown persons.
Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch, Mr Onyekachi Ubani, said the spate of kidnappings in Nigeria was worrisome.
“It is very appalling; both low and high profile individuals are being kidnapped across the country. It shows that there is a problem,” he said.
Also speaking, a human rights activist, Mr Adetokunbo Mumuni, said Ozekhome’s abduction was a reflection of the security situation in the country.
Mumuni, who is the executive director, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), a human rights group, attributed the wave of kidnappings by some unscrupulous elements to poverty and unemployment.
He said: “Until socio-economic injustices are tackled, we may continue to have these security challenges.
“Kidnapping is now rampant because of the limited opportunities available to Nigerians due to poverty and unemployment.”
On his part, another human rights activist, Mr Fred Agbaje, said it was regrettable that Edo had become a hotbed of high profile kidnappings.
Agbaje urged government at all levels to ensure that citizens had access to adequate welfare packages in line with the social contract theory in governance.
Under the social contract theory, it is imperative that lives and properties should be protected, he said.
Business
NCDMB Recommits To Youths’ Capacity Building
The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola-Ogbe, has reeled out initiatives evolved by the Board in its contribution towards capacity building for youths across the country.
The NCDMB Scribe revealed this recently at the 2024 Practical Nigerian Content (PNC) Youth Forum held in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
Tagged “empowering the future: unlocking the opportunities in the Niger Delta oil and gas sector”, the event featured three thematic lecture series delivered by the founder and leader of the Niger Delta Peace Coalition (NDPC), Mr. Zik Gbemre, the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Youths Development, Mr. Alfred Kemepado Nimizigha, and the Chief Executive Officer, PE Energy ltd., Mr Daere Akabo.
Ogbe, who was represented by the Manager, Capacity Building of the Board, Mr. Olugbenga Sheba, noted that the NCDMB has recently partnered the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) to commence the Nigerian Content Human Capacity Development (NC-HCD) in the oil and gas sector for the training of 331 young graduates.
“As you already know, the NCDMB was established by the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act of 2010.
“Our mandate is to develop human capabilities and material capacities in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, and to monitor and enforce compliance with the provisions of the act”, the NCDMB Scribe said.
“The theme for this year’s youth event is ‘Empowering the future: Unlocking the opportunities in the Niger Delta Oil and Gas Sector’. This theme speaks to our determination and ongoing efforts to introduce youths from the Niger Delta to opportunities that abound in the oil and gas industry.
“Few weeks ago, we partnered the NLNG to kick start the Nigerian Content Human Capacity Development (NC-HCD) basic training programme for a total of 331 young graduates. The training covers ICT, Engineering, Welding and Fabrication, Non-destructive Testing (NDT), Lifting and working at Height, Quality Management Systems, Marine and offshore services and Facility Management and Maintenance.
“We also organised training for youths with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), WalterSmith Petroleum, and other organizations. And as part of the NCDMB’s initiatives in the Niger Delta, we’ve developed two oil and gas parks at Emeyal one in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, and Odukpani in Cross River State”, he added.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Business
FGC, Warri Wins NCDMB, ICPC Maiden Anti-Corruption Schools Debate
The Federal Government College, Warri, Delta State, has won the maiden ‘’Anti-Corruption” debate organised for select Secondary Schools across the six geopolitical zones of the nation by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), in partnership with the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) at the Content Tower, headquarters of the Board, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The Tide reports that at the debate umpires said following the evaluation from the presentations by the two finalists, Federal Government College, Kazaure, Jigawa State, scored a total of 74.4 points as first runner-up while the Federal Government College, Delta State garnered 76.4 points to emerge winners.
Other schools that participated in the various stages of the debate leading to the finals were Federal Government College, Odi, Bayelsa State; Federal Government College, Okigwe, Imo State; Federal Government College, Ijanikin, Lagos State; Federal Government College, Maiduguri, Borno State; and Federal Government College, Rubochi, Abuja.
The Tide further reports that the theme for the 2024 International Day of Anti-Corruption was, “Effective Whistleblower Protection Mechanism: A Critical Tool in the Fight Against Corruption”, while topic for the debate was, “Impact of integrity on the expansion of public trust and confidence in governance.
Earlier in his keynote address, the Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, restated the Board’s stance against corruption, noting that fighting corruption is a must for the Board.
He reaffirmed his commitment to ideas and programmes geared towards putting an end to corruption within the system, and lauded the Federal Ministry of Education for approving the participation of students in the event.
While commending the ICPC for their support and continuous oversight over the activities of the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACTU) of NCDMB, Ogbe also thanked the anti-graft unit of the Board for putting the event together, noting that they were doing well in their efforts at combating corruption.
“To be clear on what today is about, we’re marking and celebrating International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD), with focus on raising the consciousness of our youths on the ills of corruption and how it stunts the socio-economic development of any Nation.
“This is to send a strong message for extra vigilance by all of us in combating the menace of Corruption from all fronts”, the NCDMB boss said.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Business
Free Meter Distribution: FG Deducts N700bn From Federation Account
The Federal Government has earmarked N700billion from the federation account to implement the distribution of free electricity meters under the Presidential Metering Initiative.
This was disclosdd by the Special Adviser to the Minister of Power on Strategic Communications and Media, Bolaji Tunji.
Tunji, who, in a chat with The Tide’s source noted that the PMI was on course with a target to deliver two million meters yearly, also revealed that the amount reserved for the project had reached N700 billion and procurement had started.
“The Presidential Metering Initiative is still on course. Two million meters every year, delivery of the first batch will start by the first quarter of next year. About N700billion provision has been made, and the money is ready”, he said.
He further revealed that the government would fulfil its promise to deliver 1.3million electricity meters out of the 3.2 million meters under the World Bank Distribution Sector Reform Programme initiative this month, saying that “The DISREP programme will commence this month”.
An analysis of the Federal Account Allocation Committee meeting minutes obtained by our correspondent between April and August showed that the government had saved N420billion from a monthly deduction of N100billion.
The amount deducted from the monthly federation revenue before allocation to the three tiers of government was aimed at bridging the metering gap in the country, which currently stands at 50 per cent.
Recall that N120 billion was deducted from April revenue as the first tranche for the PMI, bringing the amount deducted from the federation account for the initiative as of August to N420billion.
In May, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, said the government would provide an initial N75billion as seed capital while the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority pledged to inject N250 billion annually for the initiative.
The Minister also disclosed that the initiative would leverage debt financing from diverse financial institutions to bolster the PMI’s resources.
The Managing Director of Abuja Distribution Electricity Distribution Company, Mr. Victor Ojelabi, recently said the PMI would unlock about N1trillion in revenue currently tied up in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry due to a large number of unmetered customers.
Under the initiative, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission announced the approval of N21billion for the 11 electricity Distribution Companies to provide meters for end-use customers at zero cost.
The Distribution Sector Recovery Programme is a comprehensive initiative aimed at addressing the challenges and inefficiencies within Nigeria’s electricity distribution sector.
Recently, the NERC acknowledged that the country’s metering gap remains substantial despite installing 3.03million meters since privatising the power sector in 2013.
It said 6.15 million out of 13.33 million registered customers had been metered, bringing the metering rate to 46.14 per cent in 2024.
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