Features
Stemming Fire Disasters In Rivers
Fire is one of the most
devastating disasters that can wipe our lives and property in a jiffy. Fire outbreaks occur when heat or heating objects are exposed to combustible materials such as fuel, among others.
Though fire is useful, precautionary measures have to be taken to avert its occurrence in our homes, offices, market place and environment, because the level of destruction occasioned by fire outbreak can be mind-boggling.
The risk of fire outbreak is higher in the dry season, otherwise known as the harmattan season. The harmattan season which starts between November and March, usually comes with dust and mist.Fire during this period spreads quickly because the environment is full of excessive heat and is usually difficult to contain, thus any careless handling of it can end up in monumental loss.
It is very scary the number of recent fire incidents that have been recorded in quick succession in the state particularly in the dry season between December and this year. The December 17 fire explosion that wreaked havoc at the phase two axis of Rumowoji market popularly called Mile One market in Port-Harcourt, and the January 1 combustion that razed no fewer than 10 shops and some residential buildings at the Ikoku spare parts market in Diobu area of Port- Harcourt are typical examples.
Also among are the December 4 tanker fire that occurred at Iwofe road, killing two persons and destroying over a dozen houses, the December 19 fire outbreak at the Ahoada market in Elele, the December 19 explosion that gutted some sections of the Deputy Governor’s compound and the December 28 fire at Euro Corner shop along Rumuola road, Port-Harcourt.
This season “we all need to be safety-conscious’’ says Barr Dickson Umunakwe, Commissioner for Special Duties, Rivers State. According to the Director of Fire in the State Fire Service, Engr Rahin Oshogharhe Bawa,”an average of 2 to 3 fire incidents occur daily during the harmattan period”.
Safeguarding the lives and properties of the citizenry of Rivers State has been one of the policy thrust of Governor Amaechi-led administration. That is why it has always made palpable efforts to improve the facilities of the fire sector in the state. One of such moves was the refurbishing of existing fire trucks and water tankers, thus making the fire service to have seven functional fire trucks.
This present administration led by His Excellency, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi, in ensuring that fire incidents are reduced to the barest minimum, graciously approved funds to the Special Duties Ministry for the construction of four new fire service stations in the state at Borikiri in Port-Harcourt City Local Government Area, Rumuodomanya in Obio/Akpor, Degema and Ahoada LGAs respectively, with fully equipped state-of-the art facilities including accommodation comprising 3 and 2 bedroom flats, recreation centres that could assist the fire fighters to perform their duties efficiently.
To demonstrate its seriousness on Fire Safety Management, the Rivers State Fire Service under the leadership of the Special Duties Commissioner, Barr Dickson Umunakwe said made the ministry to embark on the continuous training and retraining of its fire fighters in order to better equip them with the modern day technique of fire fighting for maximum productivity.
Harmattan is globally known to be prone to fire disasters. For instance, according to the Minister of Interior, Mr Abba Moro, “Nigeria loses an estimated 50 billion naira annually to fire disasters. The market is one of the places vulnerable to such disasters says the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Special Duties, Dame Mina Benebo. Most disturbingly, market fires create and heighten unemployment thus sabotaging government poverty alleviation programmes and schemes.
“Fire disasters are largely preventable’’ says Mr Emenike Umesi, the South-South Zonal Co-ordinator of National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA) but for the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Seminitari sabotage is also a factor that should not be ruled out, citing the Mile One fire explosion. On his part, the Special Duties Commissioner says “Ignorance, carelessness and sabotage are the major causes of fire outbreaks’’.
It is noteworthy that a recent study conducted by Youths Against Disaster Initiative (YADI) in collaboration with NEMA and the Federal Fire Service to understand the causes of fire outbreaks in various parts of the country shows that fire disasters emanate from accidents and carelessness, electrical outlets, faulty wiring, electrical appliances, heating gadgets, unattended stove and gases, children’s attitudes towards inflammable materials.
Fire incidents are not issues to toy with, as the devastating effects are massive. All that is required is for all and sundry to play their role well. All car owners (both private and commercial), all offices and homes need to have functional fire extinguishers and know how to use them. Mostly, fires are extinguished by water or sand. Special foam chemicals experts say they are used in case of oil fire; electric fires are extinguished by switching off electricity and using carbon-di-oxide to extinguish the fire. Forest fires, on the other hand, can be extinguished by beating bushes using hand tool and by cutting a strip through forest to prevent the fire from spreading.
Motorists, particularly tanker drivers, should also exercise caution while driving especially when carrying petroleum products. Fire fighters as a matter of urgency should be given the right of way by motorists for easier emergency operations, they should not be attacked indiscriminately and their trucks vandalised.
Women using gas for domestic cooking need to be very careful this season. It is recommended that cooking pots and pans should never be left unattended even for a while and gas tank, ovens and stoves should be shut off to avoid leakage of inflammables and food burning. Also, in the kitchen, it would be wise to avoid wearing loose clothes that easily catch fire.
Furthermore, each household should create an effective fire escape route and teach their family members how to use it in case of emergency. This is because if a fire breaks out, it is very easy to become disoriented by smoke, flames and darkness, but if they have planned and practiced the escape route, they will be better prepared ahead of a situation when one has to escape fire outbreak in one’s home to a safe place.
For Mr Kelechi Amadi, a fire extinguisher distributor in the State, “installation of smoke detector/smoke alarm in homes, offices, commercial complexes etc is typically an indicator of the anticipated fire and this is also an effective way to combat fire disasters’’
Smokers should learn to firmly extinguish their cigarette butts. The use of fire crackers during festivities has also proved to be very dangerous as it could spark unintended fire outbreak as well as cause deafness.
Corporate organisations should train workers on fire safety and emergency management and invest in provision and maintenance of relevant fire safety equipment in all work environment as well as co-operate with government to ensure adequate response to fire emergencies.
All stakeholders including school children, community dwellers, individuals and leaders in various sectors of the society should embrace safety culture in our everyday activities to guarantee preparedness for emergency response.
The present administration is on a drive to stem fire disasters to ensuring a safer, healthier environment, so as to spur development for the benefit of all. Let’s be proactive and help the government succeed. Make safe practice a way of life as it is obvious, it can save lives, property, investments worth millions of naira and reduce the other hazards associated with fires.
For fire outbreaks call the Rivers State Fire Service on: 112,07031522199, 08170279323.
Igbiks is an Information Officer, Ministry of Special Duties.
An aftermath of a fire incident which razed several shops, offices, vehicles and equipment at Olodi Apapa in Lagos On Tuesday Night (7/1/14).
Martha Igbiks
For decades, Nigeria grappled with a pension crisis that left countless retirees in financial insecurity and despair. The unfunded pension system led to delayed payments and inadequate retirement funds, especially for public sector employees. In response, the federal government, under the leadership of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, enacted the Pension Reform Act of 2004, introducing a contributory pension scheme (CPS) designed to overhaul the system and secure a dignified retirement for Nigerian workers.
According to the Pension Reform Act, 2004, Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) is an arrangement where both the employer and the employee contribute portions of an employee’s monthly emolument towards the payment of the employee’s pension at retirement. The CPS covers employees in the public service of the Federation, Federal Capital Territory, States, Local Governments and private sector organisations with three or more employees.
Only Judicial Officers, members of the Armed Forces, the Intelligence and Secret Services of the Federation; retirees under any pension scheme existing before 30 June 2004; and employees who had three or less years to retire as at June 30, 2004 were exempted from the scheme.
The objectives of the CPS according to Section 2 of the Pension Reform Act, 2004, are to ensure that every retiree of the Nigerian Public Service receives his/her retirement entitlements as and when due; assist an improvident person to save against old age; and ensure a uniform set of rules and regulations on issues relating to the administration and payment of pension to retirees.
According to Section 85 of the Pension Reform Act, 2014, which effectively repealed the 2004 Act, “All contributions made under this Act shall be invested by the Pension Fund Administrators with objectives of safety and maintenance of fair returns on amount invested”.
Analysts and some retirees have questioned the usefulness of this section of the Act when the retirees are kept in the dark about the investments made with their contributions and hardly reap the dividend of the investment. A group of retirees known as Contributory Pensions Retirees Forum, recently described the CPS as a “modern day slavery; an instrument of economic annihilation of workers to death in abject poverty after retirement.”
According to them, the CPS denies retirees of a lump sum of their money after retirement and dispenses a paltry monthly pension to retirees across the board. They narrated the case of a retiree who served the Federal Government from July 15, 1981 and retired on July 15, 2016 on salary grade Level 14, having worked for a mandatory period of 35 years and attained the maximum age of 60 years.
For all the years he put in, the total balance standing to his credit was N6,745,823.34. Out of this, he was paid 25 per cent which amounted to N1,686,455.84 while the balance of 75 per cent was retained by Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) for investment in the capital market and other large institutions. The retiree has been receiving a paltry sum of N26,703.15 monthly since 2016 till date despite the huge profits declared every year from the investment.
“Unfortunately, the sad part of this is that every day prices of goods and services are on the increase. While workers and retirees under the old scheme – Defined Benefit Scheme had their salaries and pension increased across all levels, we in the CPS are abandoned to our fate. We do not get increase”, lamented a retiree.
A public affairs analyst, Bonny Harrison, described such treatment of the retirees, who spend their active years serving the country as unfair and inconsiderate, noting that such attitude will discourage the people still in service from putting in their best. “They may be lured into bribery and corruption, knowing that the country will not cater for them when they retire”, he opined.
Section 7, Sub Section 1, Paragraph (a) of the Pension Reform Act, 2014 provides that unlike the former Defined Benefit Scheme, the CPS is to be jointly funded by both the employer and the employee. Each worker has an individual Retirement Savings Account (RSA) with a Pension Fund Administrator (PFA).
It also made provision for state governments to migrate to the CPS and stipulates that employees contribute eight per cent of their monthly earnings, and employers add 10 per cent, totalling 18 per cent of the employee’s monthly income. The funds are managed under the oversight of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), with the aim of ensuring transparency and accountability.
Two decades down the road, getting the state governments to key into the scheme has been a Herculean task. Reports show that only about five out of the 36 states in the country have fully complied with the CPS Act. Some have not even enacted their CPS laws while some enacted the law without contributing anything to their workers’ RSA. PenCom and Pension fund operators have reportedly made frantic efforts to have them key into the scheme since 2014 but that yielded little or no results.
A recently retired civil servant in Rivers State narrated that the past governments in the states did not key in fully into the scheme. While the eight per cent of the employees’ salary was deducted, the government failed to contribute its own 10 per cent, thereby making retirees from the state ineligible to benefit from the CPS scheme.
The retiree was however glad that the total amount he contributed over the years was paid to him without any deduction and that the State government has put keying into the CPS on hold. He advised that the state government should not be part of the CPS as it is confusing and not favourable to government workers. “Contributory Pensions Scheme cannot work in our states where the governors run the states like their personal businesses. A governor today may decide to contribute and another governor tomorrow may choose not to. What happens to the retirees in such a situation? He queried.
Low compliance in the informal sector has also been noted as one of the challenges of the scheme. The informal sector, which represents over 80 per cent of Nigeria’s workforce, often lacks the structure or financial stability to commit to monthly contributions. Many informal workers are unaware of the benefits of joining the scheme, highlighting a gap in outreach and education.
Analysts have also observed that fluctuations, especially inflation, often erode the value of retirement savings. Although PFAs invest in various assets, ensuring inflation-adjusted returns remains challenging, impacting retirees’ purchasing power, they said.
They therefore, canvassed for a halt of the CPS or reforms and initiatives to make it effective and worth the while. These include:
Expansion of CPS outreach programmes and incentives, such as flexible contribution options to increase informal sector enrollment; improved awareness and education which will drive greater participation among self-employed and informal workers; increasing transparency in fund management and imposing stricter penalties for misconduct so as to improve public confidence; introducing innovative investment options like green bonds and infrastructure development projects to help pension funds achieve better returns.
Others are: a more aggressive investment strategy that offers inflation-protected returns, benefiting retirees in the long term by PenCom in order to mitigate inflation’s effects, and PenCom offering financial education to pensioners so as to help them manage their funds effectively. PenCom should offer financial planning resources, ensuring that retirees fully understand the structure and benefits of the CPS.
Analysts have also argued that for CPS to succeed and live up to its objective of being a cornerstone of economic stability and prosperity, embodying the hope of dignified and secured retirement for all, PenCom must wake up to her duty of ensuring that the retirees are not short-changed by the pension administrators and that non-complaint employers (that fail to make deductions) as stipulated in PRA 2014 are duly punished.
Calista Ezeaku
The administration of Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, commenced on May 29, 2023, after the symbolic swearing-in ceremonies at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia, Port Harcourt. From that day, Governor Fubara hit the ground running to provide Rivers people strong, focused, purposeful and responsible leadership, prioritising the well-being of the State and its people with a renewed push for economic growth, people-centred infrastructure projects and social services.
The Governor promised pragmatic steps to improve the ease of doing business and sustain a congenial fiscal policy to attract local and foreign direct investments to stimulate greater economic activities, partner with private sector to revive or establish viable industries to create jobs and wealth while encouraging commercial agriculture to achieve food sufficiency, security and improved living standards for residents of the State. He promised to invest in capital infrastructure projects, provide electricity supply and social housing to those in need, partner private sector to develop integrated multimodal public transportation system to advance mass mobility and access to socio-economic opportunities across the State, prioritise healthcare, education, and empower youth with relevant skills and opportunities to become economically active, productive and prosperous.
The Governor also promised to initiate policies to improve earning capacity and incomes of workers; ensure regular payment of wages, pensions, and gratuities; intensify training and promotion of civil servants; support and motivate security agencies to maintain law and order and keep communities, roads, neighbourhoods and waterways protected, safe and secure for businesses, residents, and visitors; while remaining bold and ambitious in decision-making, and resolute in defending, protecting and promoting the collective interest of Rivers State.
Indeed, Governor Fubara has shown capacity through meticulous leadership by diligently fulfilling his promises to Rivers people in all spheres of governance. For instance, in May, 2024, Rivers State Government held Economic and Investment Summit, the first of its kind in Nigeria. The summit subsequently birthed the signing of Executive Order No. 002 of 2024 empowering the establishment of Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency to give impetus to an Investment Agency that will coordinate the barrage of enquiries and business interests expressed by investors who now consider the State a destination of first choice.
Following the signing of the Executive Order, Governor Fubara established Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency to serve as one-stop-shop to handle all-related activities seamlessly for the prosperity and good governance of the State. It is not in doubt that the gains of the Economic and Investment Summit have started yielding results, given the array of investment inflows to the State of recent. Notable among them are the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) between the Rivers State Government, INTEC and OMENE Group of Companies as well as Senendib Capital Limited. The MoU with INTEC and OMENE Group of Companies is for the development of a $300million Waste-to-Wealth project, 200megawatts power plant, smart e-mobility, 20 tons of carbon capture and storage, and other innovations with a view to converting waste to wealth, generate electricity, boost employment opportunities as well as increase the State’s revenue base.
That of Senendib Capital Limited is for the protection and preservation of mangrove forest and ecosystems within the State, and the establishment of a Blue Carbon Credit Partnership, which will aid in tree planting, biochar production with a view to bringing about transformative shift in environmental and socio-economic gains aimed at increasing the State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), leveraging the State’s potentials in the Blue Economy. Indeed, there are other private sector investments in such area as agriculture, tourism, culture and arts, among others. Take the ongoing work on Songhai Integrated Farms; Port Harcourt Tourist Beach; and the move to revive Rex Lawson Cultural Centre, as some of those big initiatives.
However, in spite of these laudable achievements, enemies of the State have continued to spin negative media propaganda with the intent of demarketing the State and pitching Governor Fubara against President Bola Tinubu. Only recently, the social media space was awash with malicious reports that Governor Fubara has shut down the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and other oil companies’ operations in apparent retaliation for a Federal High Court judgment in respect of statutory allocations from the Federation Accounts to the State. This deliberate propaganda was published by an online platform: jeestauglahity.net, titled, “Breaking News: Rivers State Governor Sim Fubara Shuts Down NNPC and All Oil Companies in Rivers State, Declares No Allocation for Rivers State, No Oil for Nigeria”. What a hack job!
As if that was not enough, another social media report reared its ugly head, that Governor Fubara has imposed curfew on the State, as a result of the purported death of at least eight Nigerian soldiers in an imaginary gun battle between military personnel allegedly sponsored by former Governor Nyesom Wike, and the ‘forces’ of Governor Fubara, who were protecting Government House from Wike’s invaders. This time, the fake news was concocted by an online platform: https://africachinapresscentre.org, titled, “Heavy shooting, deaths reported as armed men attempt to seize power in Rivers”, authored by one Ikenna Emewu, and also credited to a mainstream newspaper “Daily Trust”. Another hack job, and deliberate attempt to distract, cause panic and chaos.
It is crystal clear that the negative media narratives are from the enemies of the State, who have been working as part of the propaganda machine of detractors of the Governor to paint the State Government in bad light, cause anarchy and destabilise the State. No doubt, these enemies of the State have been recruiting agents to use the media as tool to manipulate public opinion and perception, while also fabricating lies to create the impression that the Governor is at war with the Federal Government, and indeed, President Bola Tinubu, at a time the Governor has been working assiduously in synergy with security agencies to crush illegal oil bunkering, artisanal refining of crude oil and the scourge of pipeline vandalism, in order to help improve oil production for the nation to meet its crude sales obligations as well as continue to maintain the peace in the State.
But despite the negative media spinning and distractions from several litigations, Governor Fubara has continued to demonstrate leadership by remaining focused with his eyes on the ball, delivering good governance in line with his promises to Rivers people.
Governor Fubara has been playing the game in line with the axioms of Tony Robbins: ‘’the more focused you are, the more successful you will be’’. He has surrendered his faith to God, focusing on delivering democratic dividends to Rivers people. Because his eyes have been focused on the ball, the Governor had completed the 10.9km Aleto-Eteo-Ebubu Road; 15.24km Emohua-Tema Junction (Kalabari) Road; 21.5km Egbeda internal roads; 23km Omoku-Egbema dualised road; 27.5km Andoni section of Unity Road; 8.168km Emoh/Iyak/Ighom/Elok and Emoh/Egbolom roads; over 3km Chokocho-Igbodo road; despite the distractions. Conservatively, more than 121.308km roads have been completed and handed over to communities for public use without noise making.
And he is doing more! Only recently, during routine inspection of projects dotted across the State, the Governor gave construction giant, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, a marching order to complete the 9.7km Ogbakiri Town road which will connect about six communities in Emohua Local Government Area within the stipulated timeframe of eight months. The project is valued at about N15billion. Already, 30 per cent mobilization fee has been paid. Also, the 33.5km Elele-Umudioga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku dual carriage road with a river crossing bridge linking Ikwerre-Emohua-Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas is also progressing.
Two major signature projects: the 50.15km Port Harcourt Daul Carriage Ring Road that traverses six local government areas, namely Port Harcourt City, Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre, Etche, Eleme, and Okrika, is ongoing at six sections of the road; and the 12.5km Trans-Kalabari Road project, is also ongoing. Both projects had been evaded by previous administrations because of their complex and difficult terrains and huge costs. Work is now progressing on both.
Other legacy projects include the over 3km Opobo Ring Road; 12km Okehi-Eberi-Omuma road; 5km Okania-Ogbogoro road; 14.6km Eberi-Umuakali-Omodu Road linking Rivers and Abia states; 13.3km Bori internal roads; and 17.5km Egbeda/Omerelu Road. These have been completed. The Kalaibiama section of the 5.2km Kalaibiama/Epellema Road with spurs has been completed while work is ongoing on the Epellema section with bridge.
Also, the 16.5km Rumuokurusi-Igbo-Etche Road; 25.4km Ahoada/Omoku Dual Carriageway (Phase 2); 15.2km Uyakama/ Obodhi/Ozochi Road; 13.52km Ngo Atlantic-Oyorokoto Road with spurs; and 6.5km Woji-Aleto-Alesa-Refinery link road with 200 meters bridge and many other road infrastructure projects are advancing, even with the distractions. Indeed, the people have high hopes because the contractors have promised to deliver on schedule. More than 257.64km roads are under construction, and almost all are funded from state revenue (IGR and FAAC allocations) without borrowing.
In his bid to decongest the City of Port Harcourt and extend municipal activities to other parts of the State, Governor Fubara, had in August, flagged off the construction of the New Port City in Eleme, Eleme Local Government Area. The New Port City, which is akin to a mega smart port city, is a joint venture between the Rivers State Government and Rainbow Heritage Group Limited geared towards realigning the State with modern developmental realities. This is in addition to the 20,000 housing units project for low-income earners, being executed by the Rivers State Government and Pricewise Home Nigeria Limited/TAF Africa Global at Mbodo, Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Area. The project is progressing smoothly and aims at meeting the Governor’s aspiration to provide affordable homes for low-income earners under the social housing policy of the Government.
Governor Fubara is also keeping to his avowed promise to civil servants in the State. In October, he graciously approved the sum of N85,000.00 as Minimum Wage to workers under the State Government employ, and promised that implementation will take effect November, 2024. As civil servants were receiving alert for their November salaries, the new minimum wage was boldly implemented, and the whole State has been in a jubilation mood since then. In fact, the Governor was the first in the nation to pay the new minimum wage to workers, and the impact has been monumental on the lives of Rivers people.
This is as the promotion of civil servants for 2023/2024 is ongoing after the initial promotion that saw Rivers civil servants being promoted to their current grade levels after over 10 years of stagnation. Pensioners are also not left out in the scheme of things as the Governor had increased the N1billion monthly allocation to offset the backlog of pension and gratuity to retired civil servants to N2billion. The move is to clear the backlog as well as ensure effective implementation of payment of gratuities and pensions to retired civil servants. How else do you describe good governance?
Also recently, Governor Fubara donated 100 vehicles to the Rivers State Command of Nigeria Police Force, with the aim of tackling insecurity and boosting response time to emergencies. Sister agencies such as Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), among others, including military and para-military formations have also received support from the Government. This is in fulfilment of the Governor’s promise to support and motivate security agencies to deliver on their mandate to the people of the State.
Of course, Governor Fubara is keeping to his oath never to renege on his promise to deliver only the best projects to Rivers people and provide standard social services, while utilising scarce resources judiciously for the betterment and overall interest of the people. This is because, since assumption of office, he has, through meticulous and frugal management of State resources, embarked on impactful projects aimed at fulfilling his social contract with Rivers people without the usual pomp and pageantry, and noise making as some publicity-conscious public officials do. Even the BudgIT 2024 Fiscal Performance Ranking put Rivers tops among 35 other states in transparency and accountability, a testament to the Governor’s prudence and diligent application of scarce resources in delivering good governance to Rivers people.
Amid the noise and political distractions, Governor Fubara has truly had his eyes on the ball. He has been focused. He has been committed to the Rivers First project. He believes and is working to achieve a brighter future for Rivers State.
Nelson Chukwudi
Chukwudi is the Chief Press Secretary to the Rivers State Governor, and writes from Port Harcourt.
From the fore going, the fight against drug trafficking should be treated as an international challenge with open collaboration, if the world leadership must win the fight!.
The circumstances or should I say the improvement on drug related activities are modifying and updating on daily basis. A close friend of mine in the United States of America who recently visited Jamaica, came with a lot of complicated information about drug trafficking and transaction. Being a qualified Nurse in US and on a visit to the Reggae Country (Jamaica), she said she was put aback when a man approached her and introduced himself as a Pharmacist. According to her, she immediately picked interest due to her professional background. To her, a business partner is birthed. But she was shocked to the narrows on learning that drug dealers or traffickers and subriquited Pharmacist in that Country. From her account, they ( The Jamaican Pharmacists), are the first set to people to meet and greet you at the Airport. No government or authority challenges them in the open due to the sophisticated nature of their transportation
Come to think of it, who would want to attack a Pharmacist on duty? Nigerians are not left out in the improvement on drug deal. A chat with a confident in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) Rivers State Command, so revealed. The Officer draw my attention to the movement of Dispatch Riders. He said part of the reasons they ride with almost speed equivalent of the thunder lightning, is to meet up with the appointment of delivering hard drug consignment to a client of theirs. According to him, those guys popularly referred to as Yahoo Boys are the ones who now payroll dispatch riders so that they can deliver their consignment ( hard drugs) on schedule no matter the sort of traffic or weather condition. The fear of loosing rich clients and that of the unknown treatment that may come of the Boys, as the officer puts it, drives the Riders crazy thus the reason to speed even at the expense of their lives.
The account of a prominent Party Promoter, Wayne Anthony, as obtained online recently, also pointed out that ‘No Legislation Will Stop Clubbers From Doing Drugs’ Party promoter, Wayne Anthony, arrived in Ibiza, a Spanish Island in 1988, at the same time as dance music and the party drug ecstasy. Despite hallucinating badly enough to make him give up the lifestyle forever, he says laws will never stop clubbers taking drugs. “I don’t think you can control these things,” said former party promoter Wayne Anthony. He arrived in Ibiza in 1988 and began setting up club nights and raves in some of the island’s most iconic venues. In the years that followed, the sleepy Spanish island turned into a raver’s haven of clubbing and hedonism, with party drugs like ecstasy commonly found. “What Ibiza represented was this beautiful, hot island which was visually stunning and we knew you could party there quite legally,” said Wayne. “You didn’t have to look over your shoulder. You could just be as free as you possibly could be.”
That freedom came with a price. Along with the lavish clubs, all-day-benders and hot Spanish sun came drug cartels and crime. The city transformed into one the world’s most vibrant party capitals, “fuelled by a dangerous and lucrative drugs trade which drew as many criminals to its shores as it did party animals”. Wayne, one of the contributors to the documentary, spoke to Sky News ahead of its release.”I’m not going to sit here and say the cartels aren’t there. They are all there and they’ve been there from the ’90s,” said Wayne. But he said most people tried to ignore the organised crime going on around them. According to Wayne, clubbers usually took the approach of: “‘Give me 10 E’s . Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Hallucinating giant spiders Although he described the Balearic island as the “motherland”, it was eventually a bad experience with drugs that convinced Wayne it was time to leave Ibiza.
He’d been partying for days when he realised he’d taken too many drugs. A friend told him to drink cough medicine, dangerous advice that he now says could have killed him. “I saw the worst hallucination I’ve ever seen in all of my life. I ended up locking myself in the villa with all the shutters down. When he sobered up, he realised he had “come to the end” of his party life on the island. “I never looked back. I never took another drug. I got away from the club world.” ‘I don’t think you’re going to be able to stop it’ Despite his life-changing experience, he doesn’t think criminalising drugs is a good idea – or particularly effective. “If you’re old enough to vote for who’s going to be a world leader, if you’re old enough to put your name down on debt for 25 years, I feel like you should be old enough to govern what you put inside your own body, you know?” said Wayne.
Back to Nigeria, some illicit drugs worth over N30billion seized at Onne Port in Rivers State.
This blood chilling development forced the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency at the Onne Port, following what authorities described as repeated incidents of importation of dangerous cargo, including arms and ammunition through the said port. To this effect, the government said it was immediately implementing emergency protocols at Onne Port for the next three months by conducting thorough examinations of all suspected containers in the premises.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, in charge of the port via a press conference, said it henceforth, unveiled the seizures of illicit goods by the Nigeria Customs Service, Area 2 Command, Onne in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State. In defence for his action, Adeniyi said the recurring incidents posed a threat to national security, adding that the health of citizens at the Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo, describing it as a disturbing trend.
The customs boss stated, “Earlier today, I joined numerous stakeholders to take a significant step towards the cause of trade facilitation through the inauguration of upgraded facilities provided by the West Africa Container Terminal, Onne. “As I express delight that trade facilitation is getting traction in Onne Port, I cannot help but call your attention to a grave concern. This has to do with the repeated incidents of national security breaches unfolding in Onne Port. I appreciate your presence, as we all have a shared responsibility in safeguarding our national security. As we are all aware, the policy thrust of Mr President supports the re-energising of our business environment to drive faster import clearance and grow our capacity for exports, Our emphasis has been to promote initiatives that speak to Trade facilitation and economic development. “It is a matter of regret that criminal elements in the international supply chain are exploiting our pro-trade stance to commit atrocities bordering on national security breaches”.
“The attempts to test our will through the importation of dangerous cargo through this port has necessitated the declaration of a state of emergency in Onne Port, coming on the heels of a seizure of a huge cache of arms a couple of months ago. It is disheartening that perpetrators have not backed down on their illegal acts. Recent intelligence and seizures have revealed a disturbing trend; Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo. The scale and nature of these illegal importations pose a significant threat to our national security and the health of our citizens. Today, we are here to showcase yet another series of significant seizures made by the diligent officers of the Area 2 Command. On display are twelve containers of illicit goods intercepted through a combination of intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and meticulous physical examination. Seizures on Display include: Three (3) x 40-feet containers: Containing 562,600 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine and 3,150 pieces of chilly cutters, with a Paid Duty Value (DPV) of N4,716,573,846.
“Others are, three x 40-feet containers containing 380,000 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 24,480,000 tablets of Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride, 5,350,000 tablets of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, and other items, with a DPV of N17,432,506,000 were seized”.
According to the report, more seized items were, “Five (5) x 40-feet containers; Containing 892,400 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 1,300,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac, 7,250,000 tablets of 5mg Trodol Benzhexol, and other items, with a DPV of N8, 128,568,295,90. This very action of the Nigeria Customs Service, further complicated the hope of how soon the fight against drug trafficking could be brought to a halt owing to its high profile nature.
Another hair-raising report of the illicit drug deal has it that when NDLEA bursted a Snake-Guarded Shrine Used For Storing Illicit Drugs sometime ago in Edo State. This very news report was published in The Tide Newspaper on June 24, 2024. According to the report, NDLEA said its operatives uncovered a shrine, guarded by a snake, being used for storing illicit drugs, during an operation in Edo State. The Agency in a statement by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, added that its operatives discovered a specially constructed large hole in a wall, hidden behind wallpapers and fetish objects used for drug storage. It further noted that methamphetamine, Loud, Colorado and Arizona, all strong strains of cannabis with a total weight of 8.743kg among others, were recovered from the shrine.
To be cont’d
King Onunwor