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Activist Protests Abduction Of Journalist By Tompolo …Petitions IG, SSS
Human rights lawyer, Festus Kayamo has issued a 72 hours ultimatum to the Director of State Security Service and the Inspector General of Police to urgently investigate former Niger Delta militant, Government Tompolo over an alleged threat to his (Keyamo) life and the recent kidnap and attempted murder of 7 young men and some journalists investigating the crises leading to the cancellation of the commissioning of the EPZ Project by President Jonathan two days earlier.
According to Keyamo, he will proceed to court in defence of those assaulted and harassed by Tompolo’s boys who were against any form of investigation in the area. Abuja.
In a petion titled FURTHER ACTS OF TERROR (KIDNAPPING, TORTURE AND ATTEMPTED MURDER) BY GOVERNMENT EKPEMUPOLO (TOMPOLO) IN DELTA STATE: FINAL ULTIMATUM, Keyamo said, the following persons who were kidnapped, tortured and nearly killed (along with some journalists) by the hirelings of one Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo) on Sunday, November 16, 2014, in Delta State: 1.) Mr. Eyengho B. Samuel 2.) Tokunbor Oluwaleye 3.) Kelvin Tuduo 4.) Ekpen 5.) Edema Eburajolor 6.) Otos Lemun and 7.) Dolor Emmanuel.
According to Keyamo, on their way from Ogidingben after their assignments, the seven escorts and the journalists were stopped in their boats and blocked by more than ten other boats loaded with fierce-looking and armed hooligans around an area called Tebujo, which is also near an area called Opuraja. The seven escorts and the journalists were then evacuated from their boat into one of the boats of the hooligans. Along the line, Tompolo called and spoke with one of the journalists and he confirmed that he sent the hooligans to accost them and that they should “co-operate” with his boys.
The seven boys and the journalists were then taken to Tompolo’s house in Opuraja where they were beaten to pulp by Tompolo’s boys. The cameras of the journalists were all seized and the memory cards were removed so that they could not show what they went to cover, he added.
Also, a Human rights activist Barrister Anyankwe Nsirimovu, said it was shocking Nigerian Journalists in course of an official, legitimate assignment in Delta state, were kidnapped by Chief Government Ekpemupolo, an ex-militant leader and those still under his command, in complete violation of the right to liberty and security of the affected persons.
In a press statement, he issued as chair of Niger Delta Civil Society Coalition(NDCSC) Nsirimovu listed those involved as South-South Regional Editor of the Vanguard newspaper, Mr. Emma Amaize, South-South Editor of the Nation newspaper, Mr. Shola O’Neil, a repoter with Daily Independent, Mr. Emma Arubi, Channels TV cameraman/reporter and others at Oporoza in Gbaramatu Kingdom.
According to him, the fundamental law, from which all other laws and authorities in Nigeria, derive their validity, namely the Nigerian Constitution is unambiguous on the fact that no one shall be deprived of his liberty, save in accordance with a procedure prescribed by law. The subjection to the rule of law of all forms of arrest and detention is perhaps, after the right to life itself, the most fundamental human right.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of four new members to the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement yesterday, said the appointment is to fill existing vacancies and strengthen the board’s capacity.
The statement said the approved nominees are Mr. Olusegun Omosehin of the National Insurance Commission and Engr. Wole Ogunsanya of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria.
Tinubu also endorsed the nomination of Sam Onyechi, who represents the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum and Barrister Owei Oyanbo from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
The President encouraged the new members to leverage their expertise and dedication to enhance local content development within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
It added, “The nominations arose from the exit of previous institutional representatives from the Governing Council.
“The NCDMB Governing Council, established under Section 69 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, comprises representatives from key institutions.
“These include the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, and the National Insurance Commission.”
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced plans to construct additional hostels, rehabilitate roads, and enhance power supply in the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).
NDDC’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, disclosed this during a visit to the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, yesterday by a delegation from the UNIPORT’s Governing Council.
Ogbuku stated that the NDDC had committed to upgrading facilities at UNIPORT as part of efforts to foster partnership with educational institutions across the Niger Delta.
According to him, the implementation of additional projects at the university forms part of a broader strategy to improve education standards in the region.
“Aside from the construction of new hostel blocks and installation of a 300 KVA solar inverter system, the NDDC will also facilitate more projects in the university.
“The commission will also deploy its engineers to assess the condition of UNIPORT’s roads and hostels for potential rehabilitation,” he said.
Ogbuku noted that upon completion, the projects would add to various initiatives previously undertaken by the commission at the university.
“These and other projects reflect our commitment to actualising President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the Niger Delta region,” he added.
He reaffirmed the NDDC’s dedication to fostering development and strengthening partnerships across the region.
Earlier, Sen. Mao Ohuanbunwa, Chairman of UNIPORT’s Governing Council, who led the delegation commended the current leadership of the NDDC for its achievements in accelerating development in the Niger Delta.
He highlighted the university’s infrastructural challenges, noting that it lacked adequate facilities to accommodate its growing student population, and appealed for the NDDC’s support in addressing the shortfall.
“Currently, UNIPORT has a total student population of about 50,000, while its hostel accommodation capacity can only cater for 5,000 students.
“We therefore urge the NDDC to assist in the construction of additional hostels, improve transportation facilities, and facilitate the acquisition of gas turbines to enhance power supply for our students,” Ohuanbunwa pleaded.
The Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, commended NDDC for its impactful projects across the Niger Delta and extended an invitation to the commission to participate in the institution’s forthcoming 50th anniversary celebrations.
The Senate has rejected a motion to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters after the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission, late Prof Humphrey Nwosu.
Nwosu presided over the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which was truncated by the former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).
The election which was won by the late business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola, was adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the electoral history of Nigeria.
The motion to rename INEC after Nwosu was re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe yesterday after lawmakers threw it out last Wednesday.
Abaribe called for posthumous national honours to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
However, the proposal sparked a heated debate once again, with lawmakers deeply divided over Nwosu’s legacy.
Senator Osita Ngwu acknowledged that Nwosu operated under a military regime, which restricted his ability to announce the results.
He argued that “there was no way he would have announced the results with a gun to his head. That doesn’t change the fact that some of us see him as a hero.”
Senator Austin Akobundu, however, described it as most uncharitable for lawmakers to dismiss Nwosu’s contributions, insisting that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s hall of honour.
On the other hand, several senators like Senator Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the idea outright, questioning why the Senate should honour someone who failed to announce the results insisting that “nothing should be named after him”.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi argued that history does not reward efforts, but only results.
“As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him,” he submitted.
Also, Senator Sunday Karimi criticised Nwosu for lacking the courage to speak out, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that immortalising him would undermine the memory of MKO Abiola, the widely accepted winner of the June 12, 1993, annulled election.
“Any attempt to do anything beyond a one-minute silence is to rubbish Abiola’s legacy,” he tendered.
After intense deliberation, most senators rejected the motion through a voice vote.
They, however, agreed to honour him with a one-minute silence and extend condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other prayers to immortalise Nwosu.