News
SARS Behind Robberies, Kidnappings In Rivers – Wike
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has accused the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police of being behind incidences of armed robbery and kidnappings perpetrated in the state.
Wike made the allegation, last Wednesday, at a press briefing held in Government House, Port Harcourt.
He alleged that the SARS Commander in the state, Akin Fakorede was planted to sabotage the security effort of the state government to create atmosphere of fear and scare investors.
“Most of the kidnappings and armed robberies taking place in this state are done by men of SARS. They use exhibit vehicles to operate.
“As the chief security officer of the state, you complain, but they choose to play politics with crime”, he said.
He lamented that in spite of the huge amount of money which his administration has committed in support of security agencies to achieve total security in the state, operatives of SARS continue to sabotage this effort so that people might think that the administration was not doing enough.
Wike explained that three officers of SARS, last Monday, kidnapped a man at Orasi and demanded N5million ransom.
He said when relations of the kidnapped victim contacted the IGP’s Special Squad, and they swung into action, it was discovered that the kidnappers had taken their victim, identified as Azumana Ifeanyi to Fidelity Bank’s ATM to withdraw the ransom.
The governor showed a copy of the signal with reference number DTO: 121030/09/2017 – INGENPOL-X-PHQ ABUJA TO INGENPOL SEC ABUJA, which noted that the squad got a distress call by one Ifeanyi and immediately swung into action.
According to the signal, the IGP’s Special Squad met three SARS operatives in an armed robbery operation and following a gun battle that ensued; one of the suspected robbers was gunned down while two escaped.
He expressed surprise that those involved in the crime were officers of SARS.
“I felt we must let the public know that we are doing our best to make this state safe. If this did not happen, we wouldn’t have known that SARS people are behind these crimes,” Wike noted.
He lamented that no state in the country spends the kind of money he spends monthly in the state on security.
“I don’t see any state that spends the kind of money we spend here monthly in terms of security. I beat my chest to say that I don’t see any state.
“Just recently, I gave four new Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs); each costing not less than N200million. Two days ago, I gave another 12 Hilux vans to make sure Port Harcourt-Owerri Road and East-West Road where they say kidnappers intercept people and take the victims away” is safe he stated.
The governor identified one of the SARS officers in the crime who was killed to be one in the team that invaded the Collation Centre during the Rivers East Senatorial District rerun elections, last December.
“This man,” he said (pointing at the picture of the scene) “also shown to newsmen, can be identified in the video as one of those who invaded the Collation Centre with Fakorede”.
Wike said the intention of those sponsoring insecurity was to discredit his administration and scare away investors.
Chris Oluoh
News
Let’s Approach Regional Development Issues Differently – Fubara …As S’South Govs Host Fubara To 50th Birthday Celebration
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has sued for a change in the current approach adopted by South South Governors in their pursuit to achieve holistic regional development and economic prosperity.
The governor insisted on de-emphasis in vested individuals’ political interests while looking at the bigger picture of achieving enduring regional integration that will strengthen unity of purpose to change the trajectory of development in the region.
Fubara made the appeal during the meeting of Governors of South-South States, under the auspices of BRACED Commission, at the Bayelsa State Government House in Yanagoa on Tuesday.
This was contained in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Nelson Chukwudi.
BRACED is an acronym for Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta.
He said: “I want to appeal that if we have to succeed in this drive, we need to keep our political differences aside and understand that the struggle, as at today, is for posterity, for the development of our region.
“It is really sad that in Niger Delta that is the economic base of this country, the construction of a road that you tagged ‘East-West Road’ could be an issue, that we need to beg, protest, and complain to get it fixed. I don’t think it is proper.”
Governor Fubara stated that it is not that the federal authorities do not understand that Niger Delta needs the road but quickly added that they have seen that even the people of the region do not take themselves seriously.
The governor said the moment Niger Delta people stopped playing to the gallery, and place value on themselves, outsiders will have no option than to accord the region and its people due regard.
Fubara said: “On my part, I want to say this: This is not the first time we are meeting. For me, I followed the course of the region meeting in a forum that we tagged “BRACED Commission.”
“BRACED Commission is also one of the bodies that was constituted at that time to support and work out development strategies for this region. But what I am seeing today is just limiting this meeting to only BRACED COMMISSION.
“We need to widen the scope where other leaders of the region should be part of the discussion of the development of the region, and I think this is the direction that will help the region.”
Reading the Communique of the meeting, the new Chairman of the Forum of Governors of South-South States, and Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, said they support the Federal Government Tax Reform Bills, and urged President Bola Tinubu to extend the Value Added Tax (VAT) sharing percentages to oil and gas derivation.
He stated the Forum’s request to the Federal Government to urge relevant stakeholders and agencies to extend remediation of polluted environment ongoing in Ogoni land to other impacted communities and States in the region.
Governor Diri also said that the Forum resolved to establish a structural regional security network to enhance safety and security, foster stable Niger Delta region conducive for economic growth and prosperity.
Highlight of the event was the hosting of Governor Fubara to a surprise 50th Birthday celebration by the Governors of South-South States at the Government House in Yenagoa.
News
Fubara Lauds Tinubu For Setting Up Education Load Fund … Vows To Ensure Rivers Benefit Maximally From Scheme
The Rivers State Government has applauded President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for conceiving the idea of setting up the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) which has opened up opportunities for youths to acquire tertiary education irrespective of their financial status.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, gave the commendation while playing host to a delegation from NELFUND who came on an advocacy visit to the Government House in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
Represented by his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, Governor Fubara said in developed countries it is common for people to go through school with loans which they sometimes pay all throughout their lives, noting that “for us, it is more accessible and more friendly because you would be required to pay back the loan two years after your National Youth Service.
“It is a win-win situation; it is a situation where the youths in Nigeria should not say because my parents are poor or passed away I cannot improve on my educational growth. This offers them a golden opportunity and I am glad you came for this advocacy.”
The governor urged NELFUND to intensify its advocacy to let the people know how they can benefit from it, adding that it is more important when talking about vocational institutions.
“If you look at the developed countries it is people that went to the vocational schools that make so much money, because it is pricey to get somebody to do anything, we need to instil this into our people, our youths, because people sometimes tend to look down on people that went to vocational schools, it should not be,” he said.
Fubara expressed delight with the NELFUND programme and assured that the State Government would do whatever it can to ensure Rivers State benefits maximally from the scheme.
In his remarks, the Managing Director and Chief Executive of NELFUND, Dr. Akintunde Sawyer, informed the governor that they were in Rivers State to seek the support of the State Government towards the loan, stressing that President Tinubu has directed them to ensure no Nigerian student who has the ability and desire to get educated at tertiary level is denied the opportunity due to lack of funding.
He explained that the scheme provides interest-free loans to students who apply, adding that these loans are not repayable until two years after their Youth Service when they must have gotten a job.
A British-Nigerian politician, Florence Eshalomi, has been appointed as the United Kingdom’s trade envoy to Nigeria.
Her appointment makes Eshalomi the second Nigerian to hold the position.
Confirming her appointment on X on Tuesday, she wrote: “It is an honour to have been appointed as the United Kingdom’s Trade Envoy to Nigeria.
“I’m looking forward to building on my close ties with Nigeria to promote a strong and flourishing economic relationship between our two great nations.
“I am looking forward to strengthening the UK’s relationship with Nigeria to explore shared growth and opportunities for both countries.”
Announcing the appointment in a statement on Tuesday, Jonathan Reynolds, the UK’s Business and Trade Secretary, said the decision was aimed at attracting investment into the UK and boosting economic growth.
“I’ve launched a new team of trade envoys who will use their experience, expertise, and knowledge to unlock new markets around the world for British businesses, attract investment into the UK, and ultimately drive economic growth,” Reynolds said.
Eshalomi, 44, is an MP representing the Vauxhall and Camberwell Green constituency.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Political and International Studies with Law from Middlesex University.