Niger Delta

Bayelsa Urges Monarchs To Profile Non-Indigenes

Published

3 years ago

August 18, 2021

Bayelsa State Government has said, traditional rulers who fail to open registers to profile visitors and non-indigenes engaged in business and other socio-economic activities in their areas, may face the wrath of the law.
The state’s Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, dropped the hint at the second round of local government by local government meetings with traditional rulers across the state, beginning with Ekeremor Council Area in his office in Yenagoa.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Doubara Atasi, explained that the state government had earlier directed the traditional rulers to carry out the profiling in its previous meetings with them in which securty topped the agenda.
Making reference to a recent policy announcement by the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, he maintained that the issue of profiling had become compulsory in view of the current security situation in the country.
The deputy governor, described the situation where most communities in Bayelsa State do not know the number and kinds of people carrying out all sorts of activities in their forests, farmlands and rivers, as “no longer acceptable to government.”
Senator Ewhrudjakpo, who lamented that Bayelsans had left their traditional fishing and farming occupations to strangers, reiterated his call on the royal fathers to expedite action on the opening of registers and close monitoring of visitors in their various communities.
He also expressed deep concern about recent violent activities in some communities in Ekeremor Local Government Area due to unnecessary chieftaincy tussles and dispute over the chairmanship of cluster boards and community development committees (CDC).
The deputy governor urged traditional rulers to reside in their communities as the custodians of peace and play a neutral role in CDC and other community elections in order to earn and sustain the respect of their subjects.
“In our previous meeting, we took time to explain the policy thrust of government on security. We told you that communities will now do what we call profiling of visitors. We will be happy if you inform us in this meeting what each of you have done in that respect. We are going to follow up our directive now. So, you must cooperate with government to secure our communities because as you all know, security is a collective responsibility”, he said.
“Only last month, the National Security Adviser had written and announced that it is now compulsory for all traditional rulers in their communities to have a book to register visitors that come to their communities and what they came to do.You can see that what we discussed at the last meeting was preemptive of that announcement and the action the Federal Government is taking now. It means, we are on the right course.
“We will appreciate if you expedite it, because we need to know who is coming to farm, fish, or do any other business in our communities. Unfortunately, we have left all our traditional occupations to strangers to do, and now, we buy fish from strangers who have taken over our rivers and fishing ports, “ he added.
In their separate remarks, the Deputy Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon. Michael Ogbere, and the Chairman, House Committee on Youth and Sports, Hon. Tari Porri, expressed concern over the rising tide of piracy in the area and called on the traditional rulers to provide useful information to the security agencies to curb the menace.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Local Government Administration, Chief Thompson Amule, enjoined the royal fathers to always be on the same page with government to promote unity and peaceful coexistence in their communities.
In his contribution, the new Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State, CP Echeng Eworo Echeng, promised to strengthen community policing and urged community leaders and their people to provide useful intelligence to the police for prompt response and action.
On their part, the traditional rulers including the Amananaowei of Ekeremor Town, King Agbodo Gbaseimo and the Regent of Oporomor Kingdom, Chief Mitin Tamaramieyefa, thanked the Deputy Governor for fulfilling his promise of meeting with traditional rulers before the end of the year.
While stressing the need for constant engagement and according more recognition to all levels of the traditional institution, they assured government of their preparedness to comply with the directive on profiling and other programmes to promote security in their communities.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Niger Delta

Police Arrest Boy, 13 For Using Gun To Threaten Colleagues

Published

1 day ago

February 10, 2025

The Tide

The Police in Akwa Ibom State have arrested a 13year old boy identified as Samuel Sunday for using his father’s gun to threaten his classmates at St. Paul Primary School, Ikot Ibiok, Eket Local Government Area of the state.
The Police at Akpan Abia Police Station also arrested the father who owns the gun and kept it in his wardrobe from where the son carried it to school.
Parading the suspect at the Police Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo, last Thursday, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Timfon John, said the biy took the gun from his father’s wardrobe since November 24, 2024 but was arrested on January 30, 2025.
The PPRO said the Police, acting on intelligence, arrested the suspect and his father while the gun was recovered for further investigation.
“On 30/01/2025 at about 0800 hrs, based on credible information at the Command’s disposal, that on 28/01/2025 one Samuel Sunday ‘m’ of Ikot Ibiok Village in Eket LGA, a 13 year old pupil of St. Paul Primary School, Ikot Ibiok, in Eket LGA was going armed in the school and threatening to fire at his fellow pupils.
“The operatives of the Command immediately swung into action and arrested the suspect and recovered a locally made pistol.
“On interrogation, the suspect confessed that he has been with the said gun since November 2024, that he got the gun from a wardrobe in his father’s bedroom. The father was later arrested. Investigation is still ongoing”, the PPRO stated.
The Police also paraded one Roseline Maurice ‘f’ and Eno Udoka ‘f’ for conspiring and stealing a child at Obong Itam village in Itu LGA in June, 2024, and sold the victim for the sum of N200,000.00 to their regular customer in Cross River State.
Suspects were said to have used the money to purchase a refrigerator, television, fan, etc., saying all the items have been recovered from them.
John also paraded a child trafficking syndicates that lures young girls into having affairs with men who eventually get them pregnant and the babies sold.
“In another development, on 01/02/2025 at about 0800hr based on a complaint from two young girls, 18 yrs of age, that one woman attempted to traffick them to Cross River State for them to have affair with men and get pregnant in order to sell the babies and share the money.
“Operatives of the Command swung into action and arrested One Gift Essien Tommy ‘f’ and Peace Ekanem ‘f’”, he stated.

By: Christopher Tom, Uyo.

Niger Delta

Diri Unhappy Over Poor State Of Public Schools

Published

1 day ago

February 10, 2025

The Tide

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has expressed displeasure at the state of facilities in some public schools in the state.
Speaking in Kaiama at the end of an unscheduled visit to Saint Jude’s Girls Secondary School, Amarata-Yenagoa, and the Ijaw National Academy, Kaiama, in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area, Diri said the government’s budgetary provisions and expenditure in the education sector do not match the reality on ground.
He directed the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Gentle Emelah, to immediately take steps to address the issues on dilapidated structures in schools across the state.
At the Ijaw National Academy, the Governor noted the absence of sporting facilities and the uncompleted dining hall and directed the Commissioner to ensure that the contractor returned to site.
He also frowned at the state of the hostels in the school, restating the commitment of his administration to the development of the education sector given its importance to nation building.
The Bayelsa helmsman said he will undertake more unscheduled visits to schools and other government departments to see things for himself and called on relevant officials to take more seriously maintenance of public facilities.
He said with the progress made by the state in external examinations such as the West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), it was necessary to put the right facilities in place to enable students perform better.
“I have been to Saint Jude’s and I am here at the Ijaw National Academy. I am not satisfied with what I have seen.
“If schools that are in the urban, motorable areas are in this state, how would those in the rural, riverine communities be like?
“In this second tenure, I will pay unscheduled visits to our schools, hospitals and other important government agencies.
“Students are very important. I am not happy with the state of dilapidation I saw at St Jude’s. We must strengthen supervision.
“I have directed the Commissioner for Education to ensure that your school is rehabilitated. I have also directed that between now and Friday, the completed basketball court be handed over to the school authorities in Saint Jude’s.
“This is a school that has been doing well and has made our state proud many times in basketball”, Diri said.
Highpoint of the visit was the governor, who was a teacher, returning to the classroom at the INA to teach senior secondary students preparing for Government as a subject in the upcoming WASC examination.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa

Niger Delta

Re-Elected JONAPWD Chair Pledges Push For Disability Commission

Published

1 day ago

February 10, 2025

The Tide

The newly re-elected Chairperson, Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities (JONAPWD), in Edo State, Mrs. Ann Ojugu, has pledged to push for the establishment of a Disability Commission in the state.
Ojugu, who won a second four-year term on Saturday in Benin, said the commission would provide institutional support for persons with disabilities and attract funding from both local and international organisations.
“My plan is to intensify efforts to ensure that before the next four years, we get the commission working in the state.
“This commission is very important because it will help drive policies and attract foreign donors”, she said.
The keenly contested election saw Ojugu secure 105 votes to defeat her challenger, Emmanuel Omoike, who polled six votes.
Mr. Victor Imahingbe, Chairman of the Electoral committee, also announced Kingsley Osadolor as Vice Chairman.
Osadolor defeated Mathew Akabue and Justice Odigie with 57 votes to 34 and 18 votes, respectively.
Speaking with The Tide’s source after her swearing-in, Ojugu reaffirmed her commitment to push for the rights and welfare of PWDs in Edo.
She said during her first tenure, she created job opportunities for PWDs and implemented disability-friendly infrastructure in government buildings.
She noted the new secretariat building as a testament to her achievements.
“You see that many of us got jobs during that period, and we are hoping that even more will come in this new term.
She urged the government and society to recognise that disability does not define an individual’s potential.
“The government needs to be sensitised. We need to make sure that even if a person has a disability, that disability does not define who they are. It is society that defines who we are”, she asserted.
Ojugu thanked JONAPWD members for their trust and pledged to work tirelessly toward a more inclusive and supportive environment for persons with disabilities in Edo State.