Niger Delta
Payment Of N420m Land Compensation Brews Trouble
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Aggrieved families of Ekpuk Nnung Ikot Udo, Ekpuk Abak and Nnung Obio Etit under the aegis of Ibiaku Ikot Akpa Ekong Community Association (ICA), Ibiaku Ishiet in Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, whose large expanse of land were taken for the construction of the Dakkada Smart Estate have expressed dissatisfaction in the disbursement of the N420million compensation paid to owners of the land.
They alleged that the Village Head of Ibiaku Ishiet, Chief William Effiong Etim; his brother, Hon. Bassey Etim, a former House of Representatives member for Uyo Federal Constituency and other family members fraudulently disbursed the largest chunk of the compensation cash in favour of themselves.
In a petition to the state government through the Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, Pastor Umo Eno, the community demanded for immediate halt to further disbursement of the cash and urged the state government to review the list of the 5,625 beneficiaries alleged to be fraudulently doctored by the traditional ruler, by the prompting of the former lawmaker.
According to them, it was unthinkable for one person’s name to appear more than 132 times under different guise, in a total list of 5,625 beneficiaries, adding that the petitioners have already approached the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to take over the matter, their appeal to government to redress the matter failed.
The petition was signed by Chief Effiong Udo, Mr Inyang O. Injang and Mrs Iniobong Oton for Nung Iko-Udo family; Mr Emmanuel Okon,Mr Usen Okon Miss Arit Okon signed for the Abak family while Mr Effiong Idiong, Mr Eno Idiong and others signed for Ikot Obio Etit family, on behalf of the incorporated trustees of Ibiaku Ikot Akpa-ekong Community Association (ICA)
“We only received the list of the beneficiaries from Messrs Kufre Eshiet and Co, the Estate Valuer ,and to say the least, a study of the list only made our Independence Day, a very sour and depressing one, with a lot of dust in our mouths.
“We are at a complete loss as to how the immediate family of Chief William Etim, came to be entitled to nearly one half of the total land mass under consideration. Even a cursory look at the list will reveal the stark nakedness of the perverse and fraudulent claims of Chief William Effiong Etim, whose name appeared 106 times and Hon Bassey Effiong Etim, whose name appears 132 times and Placid John Etim, 48 times.
“The most astonishing part of it is that these identified individuals and their Ekpuk( family) do not have any substantial land in the area for which compensation is paid.
“We are appealing to you as an anointed servant of God to use your good offices to stop the attempted heist by the aforementioned individuals and their mentors. In the interest of Justice, peace and harmony among the law abiding people and community of Ibiaku Issiet.
“We appeal for the immediate stoppage of the disbursement while you review the evil list with a view to sanitizing it before payment can be recommenced”, the petition reads in part.
However, the former House of Representatives member,Mr. Bassey Etim, who spoke to newsmen on the matter, explained that “the money for compensation was not meant to be disbursed pro- rata, for the the family who actually own land in the area under consideration”, adding that he has alerted his lawyer to sue the state government because he has not received a dime yet.
“When governments send compensation, it does not just sent money for people to go and share to everyone in the village. It is paid according to what you have on the land. I have a very large expanse of land which government has not paid me, that is why personally I have not collected a dime from the money.
“When you talk about family, lands belong to family. That is why if you look at the place, you will not see the name of my father because before he died, he shared his property to his children. You will not even see the name of my mother because whatever she had, she had shared with the children before her death.
“So, the issue of paying compensation to community families is completely nonsense. Land belongs to family and money was not sent to the village to be shared, people believe that compensation is to start sharing money to people. Go and find out. there is a schedule of payment, if a name appear 100 times, is it not based on the plot of land that the person has? Money was not sent to be shared pro-rata, it was sent to people who had property”, he explained.
Niger Delta
Upgrade Water Infrastructure In Calabar, NSE Urges C’River Govt
The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has urged the Cross River State Government to take steps towards improving the quality of water supply to residents of Calabar metropolis.
The call was made by participants who spoke at a one-day public lecture to mark NSE 2024 Engineering Week in Uyo on Wednesday.
The Guest Lecturer, Dr. Nkpa Ogarekpe, described the quality of water being supplied from private boreholes in the city as poor an unsafe.
Speaking at the lecture with the theme: “Safety Issues with Domestic Borehole Water Source”, Ogarekpe urged the government not to treat the issue of unsafe water with levity.
Ogarekpe, a lecturer at the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Cross River, said some private boreholes in the city were sunk close to dump sites and gully erosions.
“Some privately-owned boreholes are sunk close to the Lemna Dump site and gully erosions within the Calabar metropolis, often supply contaminated water.
“This is not an assumption, it is the result of a study conducted on some boreholes within Calabar metropolis”, he said.
The lecturer quoted the World Health Organisation as saying that water could only be confirmed safe if it posed no significant health risk after consumption.
“A research conducted on some local boreholes within Calabar shows that the issue of pollution is caused within the metropolis.
“Borehole 48, located at Ikot Efanga, is in a place with significant level of pollution, of course you are all aware of the open dump site in that place.
“Borehole 23 is close to the gully erosion at Ndidem Osang Iso, and that gully is being used as a dump site”, he said.
In her speech, NSE National President, Mrs. Margaret Oguntala, expressed the need for engineers to play active roles in ensuring quality standards for domestic water sources.
Represented by Dr. Ndifon Agbiji, the National Executive Member in charge of Professional Development Board, Oguntala, urged the state government to upgrade the water infrastructure in the state.
“The NSE branch in calabar should remind the State Government and the public of the role of engineers in this regard.
“Sometime ago, Cross River was ranked as one of the best states in the supply of potable water, but we are seeing a gradual decline from this status”, she said.
The NSE president stated investment in water infrastructure remained critical to the health and wellbeing of the residents.
Niger Delta
MOSIEND Hails Tinubu Over Ajayi’s Appointment As DSS DG
The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has hailed President Bola Tinubu over the appointment of Mr. Tosin Ajayi as Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS).
MOSIEND said Ajayi’s appointment is an acknowledgement of his competence and dedication to protecting the nation’s internal security.
National President of MOSIEND, Amb. Kennedy Tonjo West, stated this in a statement made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt.
West noted that Ajayi, as the most senior director in the service, Ajayi has a track record of excellent performance and integrity, always putting his heart and soul into everything he does.
He noted further that the new DSS boss proved his mettle during his years of service in Rivers and Bayelsa States, where he left an imprint of excellence and professionalism, adding that he has all it takes to reposition the secret police for optimum service delivery.
Before his appointment as DSS DG, Ajayi, an indigene of Ogun State, was in charge of Kogi State Command.
West said the entire members of MOSIEND are very optimistic over Ajayi’s appointment because, “He is a brave, diligent and detribalized officer, an astute administrator and core operations officer”.
According to MOSIEND, “These are the qualities that are most needed to reposition and improve service delivery in the force, and we are very confident that Tosin Ajayi will change the narratives and leave a positive mark.
“His presence in Rivers and Bayelsa States created a lot of peace and stability in the Niger Delta region.
“He is somebody we know, someone we have worked with and we know his capacity when you talk about security and intelligence gathering.
“He was responsible for the setting up of the Special Incident Response Unit (SIRU) which was meant to tackle kidnapping, armed robbery and cultism in Rivers State, and everyone can attest to it that it was a great success.
“He was very active, and created relationships with communities, that was how we came to know him, and we are very sure that Nigerians will enjoy his services.
“We pray God to give him more wisdom, understanding and strength to accomplish his goals because we know him as an accomplished officer dedicated to the welfare of officers”, West stated.
Chinedu Wosu
Niger Delta
Police Neutralise Kidnap Kingpin In A’Ibom
The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State says it has neutralised a suspected kidnap kingpin and sea pirate.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Timfon John, who announced this to newsmen in Uyo yesterday, said the suspect was neutralised on Wednesday during a gun battle with operatives of the command in his hideouts of Uyanga Community in Cross River State.
She said one G3 rifle with four live ammunitions were recovered from the suspect.
She also disclosed that the suspect’s remains had been deposited at the morgue, while investigations with the intent to arrest other members of the gang were ongoing.
“The suspect, a gang leader of bling bling marine strike force terrorising Uruan/Oron waterways, was responsible for kidnapping of a High Court Judge and the killing of her Police Orderly.
“The kingpin was also responsible for the gruesome murder of another prominent person in the state and the kidnapping of his sales representative, among other persons”, she said.
She continued that the State Commissioner of Police, CP Waheed Ayilara, had reassured Akwa Ibom’s residents of the determination of the command to make the state safe and secure for business to thrive.
Ayilara, therefore, called on Akwa Ibom people to report all suspicious movements to the police.
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