Headline

Aiteo Spill: Diri Laments, Says ‘Worst In My Lifetime’

Published

4 years ago

December 2, 2021

Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has described the raging crude oil spill in Nembe creek of the state as the worst he has seen in his lifetime.

An unhappy Diri visited the spill site in the mangrove swamp, yesterday, in company of top government functionaries, including the member representing Sagbama/Ekeremor federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Dr. Fred Agbedi; Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Abraham Ingobere, among others.

The OML 29 Well 1 platform, which is operated by Nigeria’s largest indigenous oil firm, Aiteo Exploration and Production Company Limited, has been spilling crude unabated into the Santa Barbara River for about one month.

An estimated two million barrels of crude have reportedly been spilled into the river, polluting the flora and fauna of the area.

Diri lamented that the continuous leakage has further endangered the lives of people of Nembe, Bayelsa and Niger Delta.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, the governor, said: “Today happens to be a very dark day for me. What we have seen, I believe, is worse than what happened in the Gulf of Mexico. In all my life, I have not seen such magnitude of oil spillage.

“Our people are endangered. Our people’s source of livelihood is endangered. I empathise and sympathise with the people of Nembe on behalf of the government and people of Bayelsa State.

“I like to give you hope that we will stand shoulder to shoulder with you. Your government will activate every constitutional means to arrest and redress this magnitude of oil spill.

“I, therefore, call on the Federal Government, the operators of the oil field, NNPC and Aiteo to immediately look for a superior technical know-how to contain and stop the spread of the oil.

“For Bayelsa, the only thing we know how to do best is fishing. Today, our own fishing route is endangered. I equally call on the Federal Government to immediately react and ensure that our fishing route is safe.”

Diri also decried the exclusion of indigenes of host communities in the running of the oil industry, saying that if indigenes were part of the operations of the oil field, they would have looked for ways to address the problem.

To ameliorate the suffering of the people, the governor has directed the State Emergency Management Agency and Ministry of Health to immediately provide relief materials and healthcare services to the people.

Earlier, the chairman of Nembe Local Government Area, Hon. West Alalibo, and member representing Nembe constituency II in the state House of Assembly, Edward Brigidi, appreciated the governor for embarking on an on-the-spot assessment visit to the site.

They revealed that the spill has caused water and environmental pollution, which is hazardous to the health of the people.

Also speaking, chairman of Nembe Council of Chiefs, Chief Ekpeleyai Oruwari, appealed to government and the operators of the oil well to stop the oil from spilling into their environment.

Chief Oruwari stated that the spill has polluted their environment leading to a damage of their source of water and means of livelihood, adding that the people’s lives are in danger due to the polluted air.

He appealed for the provision of relief materials to ameliorate their plight.

Headline

Russia Blacklists Yale University In Latest Crackdown

Published

3 hours ago

July 8, 2025

Editor

Russia has labelled Yale University an “undesirable organisation”, authorities said Tuesday, part of the Kremlin’s crackdown on critics that has accelerated during Moscow’s campaign in Ukraine.

Being declared “undesirable” effectively bans entities from operating in Russia and makes anyone who works with them liable to prosecution.

According to the prosecutor general, Yale’s activities were aimed at “violating territorial integrity of the Russian Federation, imposing an international blockade on the state and undermining its economic foundations.”

The prosecutors singled out Yale’s School of Global Affairs, accusing it of preparing opposition activists to organise protests in the country.

President Vladimir Putin’s top contender, late opposition activist Alexei Navalny who died in prison in unclear circumstances in February 2024, was among the school’s fellows.

The US university joins international organisations and nonprofits such as Amnesty International, British Council, Greenpeace, Elton John’s AIDS Foundation which Moscow has labelled as undesirable.

Russia has also put on the list independent media outlets such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Meduza.

AFP

Headline

Man Dies After Being Sucked Into Plane Engine

Published

3 hours ago

July 8, 2025

Editor

A man died after being sucked into the engine of a plane preparing to take off at Bergamo Airport in northern Italy Tuesday, an airport spokesperson told AFP.

The victim, who was “neither a passenger nor an airport employee”, forced his way onto the runway, where he was “pursued” in vain by airport security, according to the spokesperson for airport management company SACBO.

According to Italy’s Corriere della Sera daily, the man — in his thirties — burst into the airport, then used an emergency exit to rush onto the runway toward an aircraft preparing for take-off.

Earlier in the day, Spanish airline Volotea wrote on social media that its flight from Bergamo to Asturias in Spain was involved in an “incident” at 10:35 am (0835 GMT).

“One person not onboard and not affiliated with the company was seriously injured. All 154 passengers and six crew are safe,” it said on X.

“We are doing everything possible to support the affected passengers and crew, providing them with psychological support, while working in close coordination with the Italian authorities.”

The plane was an Airbus A319, according to tracking website Flightradar24.

Flights were suspended at Bergamo Airport, Italy’s third largest by passenger volume, following the incident, but resumed at midday, according to SACBO.

Headline

Full List: 3 African Countries Ranked Among World’s Best Countries

Published

3 hours ago

July 8, 2025

Editor

Three African countries: Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa have earned spots among the world’s top-ranked countries in the 2024 Best Countries Rankings, published by U.S. News & World Report in collaboration with the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and global marketing firm WPP.

According to the report, Egypt leads the continent at 35th globally, followed by Morocco at 39th and South Africa at 40th.

The rankings are determined not by economic statistics alone but by global perceptions.

Over 17,000 people—including business decision-makers, university-educated elites, and general citizens—evaluated 87 countries across 73 different attributes, grouped into ten key categories: Adventure, Agility, Cultural Influence, Entrepreneurship, Heritage, Movers, Open for Business, Power, Quality of Life, and Social Purpose.

To qualify for inclusion, countries needed to meet certain thresholds in GDP, tourism, and foreign direct investment (FDI). Final scores were correlated with GDP per capita (PPP), providing a snapshot of a nation’s perceived prosperity and global standing.

“This project is based on a proprietary perceptions survey that reaches thousands of citizens across the globe,” said Elliott Davis, a reporter for U.S. News & World Report.

“How a nation is viewed by others can play a big role in its global standing.”

Switzerland took the top spot for the third consecutive year, praised for its stability, entrepreneurship, and high quality of life.

“It’s no surprise that a stable, consistent country like Switzerland would top our rankings seven times in nine years,” Davis added.

The United States made its highest-ever appearance in the rankings at third, driven by improvements in its “Open for Business” and “Movers” subrankings, while Japan claimed second place for its innovation, influence, and advanced economy.

Other noteworthy shifts included China, which rose to 16th, and Ukraine, which fell 12 places to 80th—the biggest drop in this year’s report.