Niger Delta

Jonathan Unveils Nembe, Elebele Bridges, Lauds Diri’s Infrastructural Drive

Published

4 years ago

March 2, 2022

Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday inaugurated the reconstructed Elebele bridge in the Ogbia council area of Bayelsa State as well as the reconstructed unity bridge linking Opu-Nembe (Bassambiri) and Ogbolomabari communities of the Nembe council area of the state, respectively.
The people of the benefitting communities, who trooped out in their numbers to witness the event praised the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri for reconstructing the Elebelebridge and completing the Nembe Unity bridge project.
Inaugurating the bridge in Nembe, the erstwhile president applauded Senator Diri for the project, noting that it would help to consolidate the peace and unity between both communities.
Jonathan said Governor Diri had performed exceptionally well in infrastructure development in just two years in office, describing the bridge as symbolic, and urged the people of Nembe to learn to resolve their differences amicably, especially during elections rather than play politics of brigandage and violence.
”You have done well to complete this bridge project. I had to come and identify with this unique ceremony. Today should mark the end of any inter-communal conflict. The importance of this bridge cannot be over-emphasised. From what I have seen, this bridge is expensive, well-built and solid. And I hope it will solidify the unity between the people of the two communities”, Jonathan said.
“Politics should be a platform to bring development to our people and not to kill and chase them away from their communities. With the commissioning of this bridge, we pray that that brand of politics would also come to an end”, he added.
Also speaking, Governor Diri said the Nembe bridge had been on the drawing board since the days of Eastern Nigeria but that a former governor, who is now the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, started some construction work but the project was left till his administration took it over and completed it.
He described the bridge as historic, saying the project was one that would heal wounds and engender peace and unity among the people of Nembe.
“My administration felt this is one historic and significant infrastructure that would help heal wounds. It is not only a physical bridge but a human bridge, especially between the brothers of Ogblomabiri and Bassambiri. Wherever there is war, development suffers and we lose not only infrastructure but human lives”, he said.
Earlier, the former president and the governor visited the Amanyanabo of Nembe, Mingi XII, King Edmund Daukoru, in Ogbolomabiri and Amanyanabo of Opu-Nembe, Ogbodo VIII, King Biobelemoye Josiah, in Bassambiri.
King Daukoru said the Nembebridge was symbolic, noting that what it represented far outweighed the physical length of the project as there had been age-old differences between the two communities.
He commended Diri for completing projects that he started as well as those inherited from his predecessors, describing the gesture as a mark of true leadership, just as he appealed for the construction of the Nembe-Brass road amongst, others.
In his speech the Bassambiri Monarch, King Josiah also commended the governor for the bridge project, noting that prior to its construction; there had been temporary bridges, just as he solicited government’s support for the provision of electricity and pipe-borne water.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the Commissioning of the Nembe unity bridge, former Deputy Governor of the state and indigene of Nembe, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha, John Jonah (rtd), gave thumbs up to the Diri’s administration for completing the bridge, saying it was the first time since 1971 that a proper bridge had been built to connect both communities.
He called on youths from both communities to sustain the existing bond of brotherhood, expressing optimism that the project would foster more peace, unity and development.
“There had always been the desire that a bridge connects both communities. The first attempt to have a bridge was in 1971 during the administration of Alfred Diette-Spiff (in Rivers State). Since then, two bridges have been constructed – one wooden and the other steel.
“This is the first time we are getting a bridge that we need. There had been issues between the two communities. That is why it is called Unity Bridge to unite both sides.
“For Governor Diri to take this as one of the priority projects on assuming office, it is commendable. We were there for a very long time but we could not summon the courage to do it. He did what we could not do for eight years”, he said.
In his speech, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Moses Teibowei, said the bridge was started by Chief Sylva in 2009 but was abandoned until Senator Diri awarded it in 2021 and completed it within one year.
Earlier, chairman of Ogbia Local Government Area, Ebiyon Turner, appreciated the governor for the project, expressing the support of the Ogbia people for his administration.
Giving the timelines of the project,the state Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Moses Teibowei, said the bridge which collapsed in 2019, was built within 12 months.

By: AriweraIbibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Niger Delta

CSOs, Bille Community Urge Solution To Persistent Underwater Gas Eruption

Published

14 hours ago

April 10, 2026

The Tide

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the people of Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State have called for government’s urgent intervention to end the suspected underwater gas eruption in the community.

The groups, under the aegis of the Environmental Rights Action and Social Action, made the call during their advocacy visit to the Port Harcourt Zonal Head of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), in Port Harcourt.

The Programme Manager of Environmental Rights Action, Mr. Kentebe Ebiaridor, said the visit was to seek clarity on the response efforts of the regulators to the development in the community.

Ebiaridor expressed concern over what he described as “inadequate response from regulatory agencies and the government concerning the incident”.

He said discussions with some officials revealed that there was still no clear timeline for action to address the situation.

According to him, in the absence of clear ownership of the facility linked to the incident, companies operating within Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18 should be held accountable.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) had in a statement issued on March 20 by its Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, said the commission had commenced an investigation into a gas bubbling incident in Bille Community.

Eyesan said the commission expressed concern over the development and assured residents of its ongoing efforts to address the situation.

Also, the Resource Justice Manager of Social Action, Dr. Prince Edegbuo, warned that the situation could escalate into a public health emergency, if urgent steps were not taken.

Edegbuo called on relevant authorities to release the results of the tests reportedly conducted in the area, stressing that residents had the right to know the condition of their environment.

He also said CSOs were prepared to intensify advocacy on the matter, urging the development of emergency response measures, including possible evacuation plans.

A legal practitioner and community stakeholder, Mr. Commission Deinbo, had, on March 20, said residents had continued to witness unusual signs on the waterways in the area.

Deinbo said the signs included boiling and bubbling from the ground and river, sometimes within residential areas, as well as fire outbreaks, which the residents had always managed to contain.

He appealed to relevant authorities to come to their aid and find a lasting solution to the problem.

In a response, the Port Harcourt Zonal Head of NOSDRA, Mr. Bello Augustin, assured the community that he would relate its concerns to the appropriate quarters.

Augustin also commended the CSOs for their advocacy and concerns to community development in the state.

By: Wokoma Emmanuel & Theresa Frederick

Niger Delta

Police Detain 7, Recover Arms In A’Ibom

Published

18 hours ago

April 10, 2026

The Tide

The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State has detained seven suspects and recovered firearms after raiding a criminal hideout in Ndiya Mfia, Ikono Local Government Area.of the State.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, made the disclosure in a statement in Uyo on Wednesday.

John said that the breakthrough which occurred at about 6.00a.m on Wednesday, followed credible intelligence from members of the public.

“We reliably gathered that criminal suspects were hibernating in a compound disguised as worshippers.

“In a decisive operation, our personnel conducted a thorough search of the premises which led to the detention and recovery of arms,” she said.

According to her, the operation was in line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police to decisively combat crime in the country.

The police spokesman further said that two locally made double-barrel guns, five expended cartridges, four motorcycles and three generators were recovered during the operation.

She also listed 10 mobile phones, one police crest, four jungle boots, one peak cap, saw blade, spanner, number plates, machetes, a special force vest as other items recovered.

“We also found bottles of suspected spiritual oil and one enlarged photograph linked to an ongoing investigation,” she said.

John said that preliminary investigation suggested that the location was being used as cover for criminal operations.

She said the State’s Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Azare, has directed a comprehensive investigation on the matter in order to apprehend the principal suspect.

John expressed the commitment of the Command to rid the state of crime, and urged members of the public to always support the police with timely and credible information.

Niger Delta

Otu Launches Grassroot Security Network In C’River

Published

19 hours ago

April 10, 2026

The Tide

Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has launched a grassroots security intelligence network, named, ”Homeland Safety and Security Agency,” to strengthen community-based surveillance and enhance safety across the state.

Otu, who inaugurated the agency’s office in the Southern Senatorial District of the state on Monday, in Calabar, said similar offices were being inaugurated in the Central and Northern Senatorial Districts.

The Governor, represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Emmanuel Ironbar, said the officials of the agency would serve as first point of call before matters would be escalated to main security architecture in the state.

He described Homeland Security as an intelligence-driven structure focused on neighbourhood monitoring and early threat detection through coordinated local efforts.

He said the initiative constituted the directors and field operatives, tasked with gathering and forwarding intelligence to relevant security agencies for prompt action.

Otu noted that the network would serve as a first point of contact before intervention by conventional security agencies.

“It is important that we enhance monitoring of movements across our communities, border areas, and riverine zones to identify suspicious activities and enhance security response.

“The state government will provide necessary gadgets and communication tools to improve efficiency and real-time intelligence sharing,” he said.

Otu called for public cooperation, stressing that ‘’security is a collective responsibility requiring timely information from residents.’’

He said, ‘’to ensure that the security outfit works like a model unit, proper screening would be conducted on the volunteers to weed out undesirable elements from the system.’’

The Tide’s source reports that the Governor handed over 14 motor bikes to the agency’s southern Senatorial district office to enhance their efficiency.

On his part, the Director-General, South of the agency, Mr. Michael Nsan, said the volunteers had played key roles in reducing crime through coordinated patrols and intelligence sharing.

Nsan said over 1,300 volunteers currently supported the operations with additional informants providing critical information across communities.

“Crime rates dropped significantly during the last festive period due to our collaboration with law enforcement agencies in the state,” he said.

The Director-General said volunteers would undergo training and screening, with plans underway for formal recruitment through a government employment portal.

According to him, communication tools, including walkie-talkies, and patrol motorcycles had improved rapid response to security incidents.

He commended the governor’s commitment, noting that the initiative would further strengthen security architecture and community safety across the state.

The source reports that some of the dignitaries who graced the occasion were traditional rulers and government officials.