Rivers
Rivers Chief Judge Grants 53 Inmates Pardon
The Rivers State Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, has granted pardon to 53 inmates standing trials for various offences at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional centre.
The goal delivery exercise is part of the week-long programme put in place by the state judiciary to herald the 2023/2024 legal year in the state and also a move to decongest the correctional center in Port-Harcourt,
Justice Amadi said the release was made in compliance with the provisions of section 34 subsection 1 of the Criminal Justice Law of Rivers State and special provision act of the law of the federation.
The law empowers the Chief Judge to visit the correctional center to find out the number of inmates in the custody, how long they have stayed, and know those who should be released and those who should not .
The state Chief Judge said the release of the inmates became imperative in line with ensuring effective justice delivery and decongestion of the correctional centers .
He, however, called for effective synergy among all stakeholders in the criminal administration system, stressing that the Judiciary, correctional services, law enforcement agencies , legal organizations and community leaders must work hand-in-hand for justice to prevail in the society.
Justice Amadi stated that a stakeholders meeting was held prior to the goal delivery exercise in other to scrutinize the list submitted by the correction centre and the DPP in other to ascertain those who have no question to answer and are languishing in the correction centre.
The State Chief judge used the opportunity to call on the police to do a discreet and thorough investigation before charging a suspect to court with out enough evidence.
“Somebody will steal, but police will charge them for armed robbery instead of stealing. Some times when the people recover their stolen property, they are not ready to continue the matter in the court”, he stated.
He advised the released inmates to be of good behavior in the society and turn a new leaf of life , stressing that they may not be lucky next time if they are caught in a crime and brought back to the correction centre.
“I came here for an exercise just to make you better citizens. No one wants you to die. Tou have learnt something here. Please, I beg you all to leave evil and cult. As you go back to the village, let the change be seen in you. Don’t go back to eat your vomit, go back and find something to do: farm, fish and learn hand work.
“Think for yourself. If you are struggling, people will help you when they see ingenuity in you. When you go back, the experience you have here to have been confined in one place, and when you remember is not easy.
“Change, you may not have second chance, but if you do not, it might not be business as usual, he warned them.
Earlier in his speech, the comptroller of the State Correction Service, Mr Felix Lawrence, in his remarks, commended the criminal justice system Administration in the State for effective services in the decongestion of the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Center.
Lawrence disclosed that he met over four thousand inmates when he took over in June 2022, stressing that the number has dropped to a thousand lower due to the consistent goal delivery exercise by the Chief Judge.
Our correspondent reports that those inmates granted pardon were those who had been in the correction centre for five and nine years respectively, and standing trial as awiating trial inmates and had no information filed against them by the DPP in the High Court.
By: Akujobi Amadi
The Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board (RSPHCMB) says it will commence Supplemental Immunization activities on Saturday, May 3, 2025, to vaccinate children from 0-5 years across the State.
The State Health Educator, Dr. Diana Babbo, who stated this during a sensitisation meeting with Media Advocate for Health, Rivers State, on the update of immunization exercise in Rivers State, said the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) is a re-enforcement of the routine immunization at the health facilities.
According to her, it is aimed at boosting polio immunisation against the circulating variance of polio virus currently threatening the total eradication of polio in the country.
She further stated that there are four pillars of polio eradication, namely routine immunization (administered on babies in the health centre), supplemental immunization activity (supplements to boost the babies), surveillance (searching for children that have weakness in their legs or some oart of their bodies), and outbreak response.
The Health Educator noted that the Novel Oral Polio Vaccination Type 2 (NOPV 2) will be administered to children under the age of 0-5 years, which targets a specific polio still in existence in communities and capable of causing paralysis among the stated categories of children, despite the country being certified a polio-free nation.
Dr. Babbo further stated that this year’s NIPDs will address the high number of unresolved non-compliance cases in the State.
She debunked what she tagged a false rumour by mischief makers which claimed that the vaccines are responsible for the development of autism in children.
She said, “vaccines are not known to be responsible for the development of autism. We’re just hearing that. The truth is that one cannot know everything.
“That aspect that has been found, have we looked into other aspects, such as genetically modified foods, drinks, and milks that our children are taking?
“Have we also looked at genetic compatibility between couples before we now say vaccines are causing x, y, z things?
“Are we looking at the environment where these things are happening, what they are peculiar to?
“It must not be peculiar to all the families, there could be something also that’s happening around that we have not known. Research is evolving, let us not accuse our precious vaccines that have succeeded so far in my knowledge, to keep as many sicknesses at bay.
“The reason we do not have small pox in our world today, apart from the lab (a bio-lab) is because we vaccinated to the point where we were able to move small pox totally out of existence from human beings. We can succeed with that same pattern with all kinds of viruses”.
She stated that the connection between autism and vaccination could merely be coincidence.
Babbo, therefore, urged all parents, churches, and school owners to avail their children/wards the opportunity to be vaccinated against polio the stated exercise.
Sogbeba Dokubo
Engr Obi Fortune, a renowned philanthropist, has donated 80 desks to four secondary schools in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State. The donation is part of his commitment to advancing education in the area.
The schools that benefited from the gesture includes- Community Secondary School Umuoye.
Community Secondary School Akwa- Government Secondary School Ozuzu and Community Primary School Okehi 2 and all the schools got 20 units each of the desks.
Speaking during the brief handing-over ceremony held recently in okehi recently, Engr Obi stated that the donation fulfills his promise to use proceeds from his book sales to procure desks for schools in the LGA.
He disclosed that more desks will arrive soon and expressed his continued commitment to supporting education in the area.
Obi urged the schools to make good use of the desks and called on other individuals to contribute to the educational needs in the area.
This gesture demonstrates Engr Obi’s dedication to improving education in Etche LGA.
A professor of social and political philosophy at Rivers State University (RSU ) Nkpolu Oroworukwu port Harcourt, Prof Agha Eresia _Eke has emphasized that citizenship participation is crucial for achieving true democratic government. He stressed that citizens’ involvement in exercising their basic rights, such as freedom of speech, assembly, and religion, is essential for a democratic institution to thrive.
Eresia _Eke stated this while presenting his inaugural lecture at the 111 university’s inaugural lecture series with the topic “Nigeria Democratic practices:a contextual paradox”held at the university senate auditorium in Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
According to him, core democratic values which include:,- Respect for individual rights and freedoms, Protection of human rights and fundamental freedom, Equality before the law, Freedom of speech, assembly, and association, Protection of privacy and personal autonomy.
“Through out history, the problem that has agitated social and political philosophers has been to work _out a model for the realization of the common good of man.
Man has always sought and developed methods and systems of organising himself according to his true nature as a rational being.”he stated.
Eresia-Eke notes that Nigeria is not practicing a true federalism and highlights the importance of a pragmatic approach to democracy, where ideas and solutions are tested and refined in real-world environments.
He emphasized that citizens must hold their leaders accountable and demand respect for human rights, stressing that by doing so, citizens can undertake their civic obligations and responsibilities, strengthening society as a whole.
Earlier in his address, the Vice chancellor of the university, Prof Zeb _Obipi commended the lecturer for his brilliant performance, adding that he has justified and proven that he is a professor in his area of specialization.
The VC averred that the university has been consistent in the inaugural lecture monthly and assured that his administration will continue to continue to keep the trend.