News
CSO Wants Interogation Of IOCs’ Divestment In Onshore

Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has called on the government of Nigeria to urgently stop the incentivisation of oil companies to divesting the onshore sector to deep offshore.
ERA/FoEN said if at all the government wants to allow divestment in the oil sector, there should a guaranteed process of reclaiming the environment and restoring it to how it was before the divesting entities began operations.
The Executive Director of ERA/FoEN, Chima Willaims, Esq., made the call in Benin on Friday at an event tagged Civil Society Round-table on International Oil Companies (IOC) Divestment in the Niger Delta.
The Executive Director said the Round-table on divestment was a continuation of a process that ERA had commenced to interrogate the reason the IOCs “suddenly started a divestment process that is leading to sale of their (IOCs) entire onshore assets and going deep and investing in deep offshore.”(Sic)
While noting that the Round-table to interrogate the reason why the IOCs are going into divestment started in Bayelsa and later in Rivers State, Williams said interrogations by ERA have shown that the arguments put forth by the oil companies on reason why they are going into divestment have been proved to be false.
“Our interrogations have shown that the arguments that the oil companies are making on why they are divesting are false, and we challenge them to come out for a discussion on it,” he said.
Williams continues: “Nigeria will be the greatest loser if we allow these divesting multi-national companies to leave behind the mess they have created, which they are selling off to our brothers and sisters in the domestic operations who do not have the financial and technical strengths to engage and recover our environment. Allowing this to happen will mean double jeopardy and punishment for Nigerians.”
The Executive Director said if at all the IOCs must be allowed to go into divestment, ERA is concerned with a situation “whereby divestment is done with the real intention of divestment, and not a divestment of milking us and throwing us out as a waste product.”
Speaking on ‘the abuse of divestment by IOCs in Nigeria; divestment affects local communities,’ President, Host Communities Network of Nigeria, Prince Preye Pawuru warned that if divestment by IOCs is allowed the GDP of Nigeria will fall.
READ ALSO: Demand For Liability, Payments For Carbon Debts – ERA/FoEN Tells African Govts
He added: “Our oil production will drop; the money coming to the oil sector will drop.
“The oil companies have done so much damage to our environment which they have not cleanup yet they want to go into divestment.”
On his part, former Edo lawmaker, Friday Ogierakhi, described divestment by the IOCs as use and dump, adding that after “the multi-national have perhaps taken the juice from the onshore, and now living the remnant for the people.”
While describing the Round-table as a proactive move, the former lawmaker said there was need to call the multi-national companies to account.
He added: “it is about accountability in the Oil mineral industry. If you must divest, there must be something in return for the people for all that you have taken away.” (sic)
News
Migration Agency Warns Migrants Against Irregular Travel Routes

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with Giving is Healing Foundation, has sensitised residents of Ayobo in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State on the dangers of irregular migration and the need to embrace legal travel procedures.
Speaking during a sensitisation programme held at Megida Ifelodu Community Development Association in Ayobo, the founder of Giving is Healing Foundation, Mr. Gbolahan Ayediran, warned intending migrants against using illegal travel routes.
Ayediran said many Nigerians desire to migrate abroad in search of better opportunities but often ignore proper procedures, thereby exposing themselves to several dangers.
“Lots of people want to migrate and most of them do it in the wrong direction. The reason for the programme is for us to advise people on how they can migrate in the right way. As much as migration is their right, they should do it correctly,” he said.
READ ALSO:How Wike Rescued Me From Political Oblivion — Oshiomhole
He advised intending travellers to obtain the necessary travel documents before embarking on any journey, noting that such documents include international passports, visas, flight tickets and yellow cards, depending on the destination country.
According to him, migrants should also gather adequate information about their destination countries to enable them make informed decisions before travelling.
Ayediran further highlighted some of the dangers associated with irregular migration, including abuse, exploitation, discrimination and forced labour.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Megida Ifelodu Community Development Association, Elder Mathews Amusan, commended the organisers for enlightening members of the community on safe migration practices.
READ ALSO: He Can’t Fix His Party Let Alone Nigeria – Oshiomhole Blasts Atiku
He urged residents planning to travel abroad to always follow legal migration procedures to avoid falling victim to human trafficking and other migration-related challenges.
One of the participants, Mr. Kolawole Adenoko, said the programme enlightened him on the dangers of irregular migration and the importance of travelling through the proper channels.
He added that he would also educate his relatives and friends on the risks associated with illegal migration.
News
Shatta Wale Bailed Burna Boy From Ghana Prison After Arrest For Smoking Weed – Captan

Ghanian singer, Captan, has claimed that his former record label boss, Shatta Wale, once bailed Nigerian singer Burna Boy out of prison in Ghana after he was allegedly arrested for smoking weed.
Speaking in a recent podcast interview, Captan claimed that Shatta Wale sent him and others to free Burna Boy from police custody.
He also claimed that Shatta Wale and his group once accommodated Burna Boy when he was being hunted by some dangerous men.
READ ALSO: Wale Edun Opens Up After Sack
Captan said, “I once bailed Burna Boy out of prison in Ghana when he was arrested for smoking weed. Shatta Wale sent me and some guys to go and free him from police custody.
“There was a time we also accommodated him when some people were after his life. We helped him settle the case.”
He added that he and Burna Boy are no longer in good terms after the Nigerian artist’s fallout with his mentor, Shatta Wale.
He, however, said he and Shatta Wale are open to reconciling with Burna Boy if he asks for it.
Watch the video here
News
Children’s Day: Chaos At Ogbe Stadium As Dozens Faint

Chaos erupted on Wednesday during the Children’s Day celebration as dozens of students reportedly collapsed following a stampede triggered by the use of pepper spray.
The event,
organised by the Edo State Ministry of Education at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium was disrupted after some male students of Ihogbe College allegedly made uncompromising advances towards female students at the venue.
A parent who identified himself as Oboh Emmanuel said, “the behaviour of those uncultured students attracted the attention of bouncers stationed at the stadium as they rebuked the male students.”
Oboh said the affected students later regrouped and attacked the bouncers, leading to a confrontation within the crowded arena.
READ ALSO:Children’s Day: Edo Commits To Child Protection
It was gathered that in the ensuing confusion, the bouncers were reported to have deployed pepper spray in an area occupied by a large number of students.
Several students, particularly female students, reportedly fainted after inhaling the substance, while others sustained injuries after being stepped on during the ensuing melee.
The panic was said to have spread across the stadium as students, teachers and parents scampered for safety.
Many of the affected students were reportedly rushed to the Edo Specialist Hospital for medical attention.
READ ALSO: Egor LG Chair, Ogbemudia, Vice, Osawe Impeached
Reacting to the incident, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo, Dr Patrick Ebojele, said the security personnel that fired the tear gas had been detained.
He said all the students, except two, that were rushed to the hospital have been discharged.
Ebojele stated that doctors wanted to observe the students till tomorrow before allowing them to go home.
“The two students are not seriously injured. Doctors want to observe them overnight. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education is still at the hospital. The man who used pepper spray has been detained.
“The incident did not happen the way it is being exaggerated. All modalities were put in place to ensure the children enjoyed their day.”
Headline4 days agoWoman Passes Out After Receiving 100 Strokes Of Cane
Headline4 days agoJUST IN: White House Locked Down Briefly As Gunman Opens Fire At Security Checkpoint
Politics3 days agoTwo Masked Men Gun Down Politician In His Rivers State Hotel
Politics5 days agoWarri Ijaw Hail INEC Delineation Report, Call For Additional Electoral Wards, Others
News3 days agoMore Pain For Nigerians As Cooking Gas Price Increases Nationwide
Metro4 days agoPolice Reject N500m Bribe, Recover N7.8bn Illicit Drugs In Lagos
News5 days agoAlleged Terrorism: Court Rejects Defendant’s Bid To Travel Abroad
Politics5 days agoWhat I’ll Do As President Of Nigeria — Amaechi
News3 days agoFG Declares Two Days Public Holiday For Eid-el Kabir Celebration
Metro5 days agoWoman Seeks Divorce After 3 Months Of Marriage, Returns Dowry
















