[dropcap]P[/dropcap]resident Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris to move to Benue, to restore law and order, prevent further loss of lives and forestall the crisis from escalating.
Herdsmen on New Year day had attacked and killed 50 persons in Logo and Guma Local Government Areas of Benue. A statement by the Force spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood, said the order followed the recent unfortunate killings of innocent people in Guma and Logo Local Government Areas of the State.
Moshood said that in compliance with the presidential order, the I-G is moving with additional five Units of Police Mobile Force making a total of 10 Units deployed to the State.
“More Units of the Police Special Forces, Counter Terrorism Units, and Conventional Policemen are already being deployed to the State as at this time today to comply in totality with the Presidential order,” he said. He said that other units of the force already deployed to the state would carry on un-relentlessly with the patrols and crime prevention activities in the affected areas to sustain the normalcy that have been restored.
The spokesman warned that the Force would not hesitate to deal decisively with trouble makers, groups or individuals for conduct likely to instigate the escalation of the crisis.
“The full weight of the law will be applied on anyone arrested for being responsible for the mayhem in the affected areas in the State,” he said.
He implored the people to cooperate with the police in its effort to restore lasting peace in the state.
“The commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to ensure Law and order and protection of lives and property of all Nigerians throughout the country remains unequivocal and unwavering,” he said
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Rivers State Governor on Monday thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and security agencies for killing the suspected mastermind of the January 1 massacre in the state.
Johnson Igwediba, popularly known as Don Wanny or Don Waney, was killed by security operatives in Enugu where he allegedly fled to after the New Year day attack in Omoku, Rivers State.
Mr. Wike, in a broadcast to residents of the state, also criticised his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi.
Mr. Amaechi had earlier blamed the New Year killings on Mr. Wike, who had earlier blamed international oil firms for the massacre.
STATE BROADCAST BY HIS EXCELLENCY, NYESOM EZENWO WIKE CON, GSSRS ON THE KILLING OF THE NOTORIOUS CULTIST, MURDERER AND KIDNAPPER, JOHNSON IGWEDIBIA (ALIAS DON WANNY)
My dear people of Rivers State
On the first of January 2018, the entire State and the country at large was traumatized by the callous murder of 23 innocent persons at Omoku in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area by the notorious cultist, kidnapper, terrorist and murderer Don Wanny and members of his doomed gang.
2. When I visited the families of the victims, I placed a prize tag of N200 million for any information that could lead to the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of this most heinous crime against humanity.
3. I also assured the security agencies of our further determination to continue supporting them with whatever it would take to have these criminals apprehended and brought to justice.
4. Yesterday, 7th January 2018, we all received the news about the death of Don Wanny and two of his fellow gang members in their hideouts in Enugu State while trying to escape arrest from the security agencies that were closing in on them.
5. Although we would have wanted Mr. Don Wanny and his gang members to have been arrested alive and put to trial for their numerous crimes and atrocities against his own people. His death, nevertheless, is a huge relief to the entire State, and therefore, most welcome development.
6. For years the security situation in Omoku in particular, and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government area in general, has been most challenging because of the criminal activities of Don Wanny and his gang.
7. We therefore wholeheartedly thank President Muhammadu Buhari for rising to the occasion and not politicking with the issue of security. We also commend the security agencies, particularly, the Nigerian Army and the Department of State Security, for swiftly rising to the challenge in the most professional manner.
8. There is no doubt that this heroic success has proven what is possible when our security agencies are willing to discharge their constitutional duties with unadulterated commitment and professionalism.
9. Since 2015, we have been calling for tackling security issues devoid of political considerations in Rivers State in order to achieve maximum result. This level of commitment and professionalism as demonstrated in the Omoku case is exemplary. Therefore, we will continue to demand no less from our security agencies to keep our State safe and secure for residents, visitors and investors.
10. As a government, we have invested heavily on the security of the State and will continue to do everything within our powers to guarantee the security and safety of lives and property throughout the State. As a fact, we will spare no cost in ensuring that nobody will have peace if the lives and property of our people make no meaning to them.
11. However, we are deeply worried when our investments in security are deliberately prevented from yielding the desired results due largely to the recurrent tendency to politicize the federally controlled security agencies and services in the State. This is the reason why we must thank the President for doing things differently and with the support of all, a different result has been achieved.
12. The aftermaths of crime and insecurity affect society as a whole, and not only the direct victims. Accordingly, the duty to fight crime and criminality remains collective and no right thinking person should ever indulge in politicizing security issues under any circumstance.
13. In deed, at a time such as this, we expect political leaders to eschew political sentiments in their reactions and utterances and join forces with the State Government to address the situation and bring justice to the victims.
14. Regrettably, instead of showing respect for the dead and genuine sympathies to the bereaved families, the leader of the All Progressives Congress and former Governor of the State prefers to exploit the unfortunate incident for political ends by disseminating wild, unguarded and inciting statements to the unsuspecting public.
15. Contrary to his false claims and posturing the security challenge in Omoku predated our administration and Rivers State was never peaceful when he held sway as Governor. In case he has forgotten, this same Don Wanny tragically killed 32 persons in Omoku on the 14th of December 2014 under his watch as Governor. Yet, he failed to bring Don Wanny to justice.
15. We reiterate our zero tolerance for all forms of criminality and reassure all residents of our determination to be tough with those who choose to violate our criminal laws and undermine peace and security in the State.
16. To underscore the seriousness we attach to the fight against violent crime, we shall be amending the Anti kidnapping law to prescribe the maximum sentence for engaging in cultism, robbery and kidnapping.
17. Our decision to offer amnesty to all repentant cultists, militants and criminals was done in good faith and in the best interest of the State. Regrettably, while the programme was on course, the former governor and his ilk dissuaded some of these criminals from sincerely embracing the amnesty. The result is the recent escalation of cult and criminal activities in parts of the State.
20. At all times, our position on the amnesty offer is clear: those who genuinely embraced the offer are bound to fully, completely and perpetually renounce all forms of criminality and be of good behaviour in order to enjoy terms of the amnesty. The full weight of the law will be released on those who failed to embrace it.
21. Consequently, based on reliable information by the security agencies, I hereby direct them to immediately arrest and prosecute the under-mentioned persons who have either reneged on the terms of the amnesty and or refused to embrace same by continuing with cultism, kidnapping, and armed robbery in the State:
OGBA/EGBEMA/NDONI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
1. OLUCHI IGWEDIBIA (a.k.a. Obatosu)
2. Eze (a.k.a. Ugly Vulture)
3. AUSTIN – 6i/c Iceland Omoku)
4. Evidence
5. TOMPOLO from Obuboru – Greenlander
ASARI TORU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
1. IDAYE GRANVILLE (a.k.a. Egbele)
2. MPAKABOARI DALABU (a.k.a. Parker)
ANDONI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
1. ETENGO ETNEGO – MEND
2. VICTOR EKENS – MEND
AHOADA WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
1. HAPPY HARRY ODULU (alias Chief Priest) Egbema-Ogbogolo
19. The Rivers State Government will pay N20 million to any person who volunteers useful information that would lead to the arrest and prosecution of any of the afore-mentioned persons.
20. Finally, we wish to reassure Rivers people once again of our commitment to support the security agencies to guarantee the safety and security of lives and property across the State.
16. Thank you, and may God continue to bless Rivers State.
[dropcap]W[/dropcap]omen in Saudi Arabia would be allowed to attend football matches on Friday for the first time in the conservative kingdom, authorities said on Monday. Female fans would enter major sports stadiums in the Kingdom to attend three football matches involving local sides as part of the Saudi Professional League competition, the government-run Centre for International Communication said in a statement.
The three fixtures are scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Jan. 18, the statement added without further details. In October, the Saudi General Sports Authority, a state agency, said that as of early 2018 three stadiums, up to now male-only facilities, would be prepared to be ready for families, including allocation of special places for seating and entrances.
They are King Fahd International Stadium in the capital Riyadh, King Abdullah Sports City in the western city of Jeddah, and Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam in eastern Saudi Arabia. In September, Saudi King Salman Abdelaziz issued a royal order allowing women to drive, breaking a longstanding tradition as social reforms in the conservative kingdom gather pace. Powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is believed to have championed lifting the ban as he is seeking to open up the country and revamp its international image. Mohammed, 32, has vowed that the kingdom would return to “moderate Islam’’ as he works on reducing the influence of the hard-line religious establishment in the country.
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]HEAD of the 2019 general elections, former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and a serving senator, Godswill Akpabio, has given conditions under which he will support incumbent Governor Udom Emmanuel’s second term ambition. Speaking at an annual gettogether organised by the Deputy Governor, Chief Moses Ekpo, to fete the people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, Akpabio insisted that he would only support the governor for a second term if perceived current marginalization of his senatorial district is addressed, warning that the era of ‘carry-go’ politics is gone and charged the governor to brace up for the big task.
The Senate minority leader, widely believed to have installed Governor Emmanuel against all odds in 2015, said he would only endorse his re-election and rally support for him if the policies and programmes of the administration are not discriminatory against Ikot Ekpene geo-political zone. He lamented that some of the projects embarked upon by his (Akpabio’s) administration including the multi-million naira Four Points by Sheraton Hotel at Ikot Ekpene and the dualized Uyo-Ikot-Ekpene road had been abandoned by Governor Emmanuel, noting that the completion of the projects would form part of the recommendations for his re-election in 2019. According to him, “2018 is less than one year to election, all is not well, don’t allow anybody to deceive you that all is well. If the hotel in Ikot Ekpene rots after so much money had been expended on the project, would that be a good thing? That road from Uyo to Ikot-Ekpene is still the way it was.
In the 2018 budget, what is the percentage for Ikot-Ekpene Senatorial District?” Akpabio urged the governor to remove the wedge that stifles development in his zone or be prepared to face the consequences of such action in 2019. “My job is to say the truth because if at this level I cannot say the truth, then I am not doing well. So please I want us to start the hotel because when the Commissioner for Works addressed the youths in August, he assured them that the hotel would be opened in December. Please let us check the budget to know what has been earmarked for that place. I am not interested in what I did and what I did not do, I am only interested in what I am going to do. “The truth is that Akpabio expects us to set our path straight so that we can take one route. Even when you are going for communion, you must be in a state of grace, so let us have something from the senatorial district to use in talking about election; to use in convincing the people to stand by us.
We are in opposition, we don’t have government, we don’t have police, we don’t have INEC.” However, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Charles Udoh, warned against playing politics with developmental projects enunciated by the administration since coming on board in 2015. Udoh scored the administration high in areas of physical infrastructure, agriculture, human capital development and free education for children up to secondary school level. He solicited for more support for the administration as it strived to spread development projects across the three senatorial districts. “Let us bury our political differences and unite in love for Governor Emmanuel to build a state we will all be proud of. Akwa Ibom belongs to all of us, the governor is poised to ensure sustainable development for the state and the people that will outlive this administration,” he said.
[dropcap]A [/dropcap]U.S. couple will go to jail after holding a Nigerian woman captive as an unpaid maid and nanny for two years in a Houston, Texas suburb, restricting her movements and threatening her if she objected, authorities said on Monday.
The husband and wife will pay restitution of more than $100,000 to the victim, whom they lured from Lagos with promises of wages that were never paid, according to the Office of Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez, Reuters reports.
Sandra Nsobundu, 49, pleaded guilty to a forced labor documents charge and her husband Chudy Nsobundu, 57, pleaded guilty to visa fraud in hearings that ended late on Friday, the office said in a statement.
The victim was rescued in October 2015 after a tip to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center.
She had been living for more than two years with the Nsobundu family in Katy, Texas, officials said.
During that time, the Nsobundus kept the woman’s passport from her, did not pay her and threatened to send her back to Nigeria if she objected.
They restricted her movements to two short walks each day around the block with their children and frequently yelled at her and berated her, officials said.
The couple had helped falsify a U.S. visa application for the victim with lies to boost the chances that it would be approved and hide that she would be working illegally as a housemaid and nanny, officials said.
Among the falsehoods, the application portrayed her as married and as 20 years older than she was, officials said. It also falsely claimed she was related to the Nsobundu family.
Sandra and Chudy Nsobundu each will serve sentences of seven months in jail and seven months home confinement, and they will pay more than $121,000 in restitution to the victim, officials said.
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]bout 4 persons have been reported dead after a kerosene lantern exploded on Sunday in Calabar, Cross River State capital. The victims, 4, were members of the same family living in a 2 bedroom apartment at 124 Murtala Muhammed Highway, Ikot Omin in 8 miles. The victims were, Mrs Nseobong Uduak (Mother), Miracle 10, Silas 3 and a two month old baby, whose name could not be ascertain were seriously burnt to dead.
According to our source, the kerosene was adulterated and sold to the family. The victims who were rushed to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH, Calabar had severe burnt and could not survive it.The two bed room apartment occupied by the victims was razed and property worth millions of naira destroyed. An eyewitness who gave her name as Rachel Akpan, blamed the incident on adulterated kerosene which, she said, exploded as one of the deceased children, Miracle, was about filling the lantern with kerosene.
Her words, “I was inside my apartment when I heard something exploded like bomb, and as I rushed outside, I saw my neighbour’s house engulfed with smoke and uncontrollable flame of fire just within a twinkling of an eye. One of our neighbours said that before the explosion, she heard the young woman, Nseobong Uduak, telling her first son, Miracle, to fill the lantern with kerosene.
“Everybody was battling on how to put off the inferno and rescue the victims, but before we could do so, Silas and the baby had been burnt to death. Miracle and the mother were rushed to the Teaching Hospital but both gave up the ghost.
“Some neighbours put a call through to the State fire service but that help never came and the neighbours managed to put out the fire all by themselves”.
She expressed surprise that the fire service has not been forthcoming in terms of rescue during emergencies.
A Resident, who gave his name as Evangelist Jeremiah Joshua, expressed surprise that cases of kerosene explosion was becoming too rampant in Calabar and therefore called on the Federal Government to ascertain the source of kerosene supplied to the masses for domestic usage.
He said, “Most times, the kerosene was bought from filling station as we are advised to do and not from road sides. Even those selling by road sides also buy from filling stations but the question is; why is kerosene exploding these days? Nigerians had used kerosene since it became a nation.
“The federal government should explain to Nigerians the cause of kerosene explosions in the country”, he stated.
Several cases of kerosene explosions were recorded in the year 2017, with majority from Calabar. Others from Ikom, Obanliku, Yakurr, etc. But why adulterating kerosene? A commodity used on a daily basis, is the question that is begging for answers.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr Muhammad Babandede, on Monday said that 16,387 Nigerians were deported from Libya, Saudi Arabia and other countries in 2017.
Babandede stated this while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the findings by members of a Federal Government Delegation to Libya. The Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama had on Jan. 5 led a delegation on fact finding mission to secure the release of Nigerian migrants stranded in Libya.
Other members of the delegation which include Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking Persons, Julie Okah-Donli and Director General of National Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Mustapha Maihaja
Others are Sadiya Umar-Farouk, Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons.
Babandede said that out of the number, 5,908 Nigerians were deported from Libya, 3,836 others were from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and 6,643 from other countries. “I want to state that in 2017 alone we received 5608 deportees, specifically from Libya.
“So if you add to the number we received on Jan.7, which was 485 from Libya it will give you 6,393 deportees from Libya alone,” he said.
He said that between January 2017 and January 2018, 3,498 men, 2,684 female, 211 minors were deported from Libya
“I don’t want us to look at it as if it is only in Libya the deportees are coming from. We have deportees from Saudi Arabia.
Surprisingly, we had a total of 3836 deportees in 2017 alone.
“You know Europe has been deporting. The highest number of deportees came from South Africa, Italy and Austria. “The total number we have from other countries is 6,643, which is greater than the total coming from Libya.
“So grand total of person deported to Nigeria in 2017 is 16,387. We are afraid this might continue or even be higher in 2018,” he said
He explained further that it was not only Nigerians that were held up in “Libyan slave camps” as being reported.
Babandede explained that there were Nigerians who were victims of traffickers, who were sexually exploited and also there were smuggled persons, who were victims of smugglers.
“There are regular Nigerian migrants in Libya living legally with all their documents and doing their businesses.
“The Minister of foreign affairs met with the Nigerian community in Libya we had interaction meet during the visit.
“We don’t want everyone to think that every Nigerian in Libya is in slave camps, or that every Nigerian in Libya is being exploited.
“There are Nigerians who are working in factories, in oil companies, in construction companies and the minister met them,” he said
He explained that the issue of bother was beyond Nigeria because Nigeria belonged to ECOWAS community which allows free movement for members
Babandede said that people become illegal migrants not because the border was not controlled but because of greediness and urge to travel at all cost
“There is greed for people to travel, we need to educate the people, we need to educate parents that Europe is not a paradise.
“We need to tell them of the dangers that lies ahead. The desert is hot, the sea is not a river to cross. The media needs to do more to show how dangerous the desert or the sea is.
[dropcap]G[/dropcap]overnor Ifeanyi Okowa is currently swearing in newly elected chairmen of local government councils in Delta State.
Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, today, January 8, 2018 swore-in 23 Council Chairmen at Asaba, the State capital amid criticism of the Local Government poll by the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC.
The ceremony which held at the Unity Hall, Government House, was witnessed by top government functionaries that included the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Barr Kingsley Otuaro, former Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, Delta State Peoples Democratic Party Chairman, Barr Kingsley Esiso, Federal and State lawmakers, members of the State Executive Council, Chairmen and members of Statutory Boards, Political Appointees, pressmen and other dignitaries.
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t has been mass jubilation in Omoku in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni local government and environs in Rivers state as the 6 Division Nigerian Army Port Harcourt announced the killing of the notorious cult leader and kidnap kingpin, Don Waney, at his hideout in Enugu state.
In a statement, the Army stated that in the early hours of Monday, 20th November, 2017, troops of 6 Division Nigerian Army, acting on credible information from some patriotic members of the public raided the evil Don Waney enclave in Omoku, ONELGA Rivers State where shocking discoveries of assorted weapons, dynamites, bags of suspected cannabis, full military camouflage uniforms, military boots, military communication radios, 10 human skulls and human bones were discovered.
”Additionally, in continuation of the operation on Tuesday 21 November 2017, the troops also exhumed decomposing bodies of some of his victims in his shrine in the glaring eyes of the media who were invited to witness first hand. Perhaps not satisfied with the numerous lives of innocent citizens he took, Don Waney masterminded the despicable New Year day mayhem in Omoku in which he led his notorious gang of criminals to murder 23 peace loving citizens of Omoku when they were returning from Cross Over Service at about 1:30am on Monday 1st January 2018.”
The statement signed by Colonel Aminu Ilyiasu, Deputy Director Army Public Relations said after intense surveillance activities on him and his gang by the Department of State Services (DSS), Rivers State Command, revealed that after committing these atrocities he relocated to a neighbourhood within Enugu Town in Enugu State where he rented an apartment and started living among unsuspecting neighbours within the community.
The army stated further that from the relative safety of his newly-rented apartment, Don Waney was already perfecting plans to wrought another mayhem in Omoku in which he was to attack churches, schools, Army and Police locations and the residences of the generality of the already traumatized people of Omoku. However, following the discovery of his new Enugu neighbourhood hideout by the DSS Rivers State Command, a combined team of troops of 82 Division Nigerian Army Enugu and personnel of DSS Rivers State Command raided the hideout to arrest him and his other accomplices.
Incidentally on sensing that the combine team were closing in on his residence, Don Waney, his Second- in- Command (Ikechukwu Adiele) and another gang member (Lucky Ode) attempted to escape through the back exit of the apartment and were shot down by the eagle eyed troops in the process. One of them died on the spot while the other 2 who sustained gun shot wounds eventually died while being evacuated for medical attention.
”The remains of Don Waney and his cohorts were brought back to Port Harcourt Rivers State by the combined team and handed over to the Rivers State Police Command for further action. To this end, the authorities of 6 Division Nigerian Army Port Harcourt wishes to use this opportunity to extend their condolences to the families of all the victims of the evil Don Waney and his gang.
”We also wish to solicit your further cooperation in volunteering useful information to track down and arrest the remaining gang members so as to bring them to justice for a peaceful, prosperous and secured Omoku community, ONELGA, Rivers State and the entire Niger Delta region. You are kindly requested to disseminate this information to the general public. Thank you for your usual cooperation.
It would be recalled that the President Muhammadu Buhari was so concerned about the Omoku massacre on new year day that he sent a presidential delegation led by Lt. General Abduraham Dabanzzua, Minister of Interior, who visited Governor Nyesom Wike in Government House Port Harcourt and and the scene of the Omoku massacre.
His Eminence, Celestine Okafor The Ikwele of Isu Ancient Kingdom
[dropcap]O[/dropcap]n Behalf of my family and my Isu Ancient Kingdom,I want to congratulate Hon Loius Ndukwe for his Re-election as the Executive Chairman of Oshimili North Local Government , and my Councillors Hon. Tony Nweke , Hon. Emmalarry and other elected councillors for this mind-blowing victory. The Oshimili North people have spoken and spoken loud and clear. They have overwhelmingly placed their confidence in you as the man to lead them for the next 3 years. It is my hope that you would seize on this opportunity to correct the errors of the last 3 years and work tirelessly to improve the lives of Oshimili North people.
It hasn’t been easy. Some of you must have received all sorts of insults and created loads of enemies during the course of canvassing support for votes in one way or the other, some of YOU had sleepless nights, some were restless all through, those who were “Orobo” before the Election has turned to “lekpa” due to stress and so on and so forth. Hence, we thank God who made it possible for Delta State to conduct a violence-free peaceful and successful Local government Election.
Now that the Election has come and gone and the mandate has been given to the chosen one, I want Hon. Loius Ndukwe to see his victory as a rare second opportunity to make every nook and cranny of Oshimili North Local Government a better place to be. I want you and your Councillors to see this overwhelming victory as a driving force to further transform Oshimili North LGA.
“Congratulations to Hon. Loius Ndukwe for winning the January 6th, 2018 Local Government election.
His Eminence, Celestine Okafor The Ikwele of Isu Ancient Kingdom
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